The Serendipitous Life

Project 365 2010 #16

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 04:13:00 +0000

Truth or Dare

Project 365 2010 #15

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:33:00 +0000

What Big Eyes You Have

Project 365 2010 #14

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:52:00 +0000

Invisibility

Project 365 2010 #13

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:14:00 +0000

Blackbirds

Project 365 2010 #12

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:29:00 +0000

Masters and Mistress of Mayhem

Project 365 2010 #11

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 03:05:00 +0000

Ice

Project 365 2010 #10

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:42:00 +0000

Game Over

Project 365 2010 #9

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:51:00 +0000

Still

Project 365 2010 #8

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 03:03:00 +0000

Foiled Again

Project 365 2010 #7

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:30:00 +0000

Painted Little Piggies

Tips on Revising

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:28:00 +0000

Here's a great interview with Jonathan Lethem. It's a little long but well worth it for the writers out there.

Put Down the Remote

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:01:00 +0000

I knew there would be adjustments having my mother move in with us.

In the nursing home the temperature was kept at a balmy 212 degrees. We keep the house around 65 degrees during waking hours and let it drop to 60 degrees at night since we are not subsidized by Medicare/Medicaid. I've pushed it up to 70 degrees but still my mother walks around with a hood over her head like a sullen teenager.

I knew the boys would have to be more diligent about not leaving toys on the floor since my mother uses a walker. The girls would have to stop leaving the mass of "stuff" they generate in the bathroom (how many hair and cosmetic products can they use?). They have all made admirable efforts to control the noise level which is not easy in a house with four kids.

We knew when my mother moved in our days of being broadcast television-free were over. The kids were excited as they began to run through the shows they would "finally" get to watch. Even I had to admit it would be great to see football again and to watch the World Cup but I approached this new frontier with trepidation.

Now a month into television, I fear I'm losing my mind.

There's a great line in the original movie "The Manchurian Candidate" when one character says, there are two types of people in the world, those who walk into a room and turn a television on and those who turn it off. Years ago, I was the former. I grew up in a house where there were more televisions than people. Television was the white noise I used to drown out the chaos of my neighborhood while I studied. Then I started calculating the amount of time I spent "not really watching" and realized why I had trouble getting anything done.

So for six years, we've had the freedom of no commercial tv. We watch loads of movies and shows from Netflix, the library or online. YouTube has provided me with a rich buffet of pop culture references. I've read enough reviews and overhead conversations that I was fairly conversant in tv speak like who was competing on "Dancing with the Stars". I began reading copiously again and finding time to write. Ah it was wonderful.

Now the television is on ALL day- The View, King of Queens and Everyone Loves Raymond reruns, Deal or No Deal, Oprah or Ellen, The 5 o'clock Eyewitness News, the 5:30 Eyewitness News, the 6 o'clock Eyewitness news, ABC News, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and the rest of the evening is a blur. I ran from the room when the "Conveyor Belt of Love" premiered.

It's not just the programming or the commercials but the conversation about the television. I don't want to speculate on what was going on with Mariah Carey at some award show or wonder what would make some guy kick a puppy, a video shown repeatedly on the news or reflect on past "America Funniest Home Videos", a show I never watched but this doesn't stop my mother from conversing with me as though I was in the know.

The kids are so over having television. They are actually complaining. My son is horrified and disgusted with the evening news and wonders why grandma can't just listen to NPR. I'll second that. My youngest doesn't understand why grandma can't share the television.

Television at it's best can be educational and thought-provoking. I enjoy the communal aspect of watching. Years ago walking through my East Village neighborhood during the World Cup, I was able to follow what was going on as televisions were set up at every cafe, bodega and open windows as I strolled. But wondering which woman will get tossed off "The Bachelor" strains even my expansive curiosity and imagination.

I'd opt for putting a set in her room (which used to be my dreamed of office, but that's another blog post) but given her state, she would never leave her room. I'm hoping to slowly wean her off but like most addicts, it won't be pretty. Hey she might even learn to use the computer an effort to get a fix off of Hulu.

Well I have to run, it's time for King of Queens.

Project 365 2010 #6

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:31:00 +0000

No Wires

I am amazed every time my son performs this stunt. One day he realized gravity was of no concern to him.

Project 365 2010 #5

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:47:00 +0000

Not Tired

Project 365 2010 #4

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 03:30:00 +0000

Still Life With Soccer Ball and Player

Project 365 2010 #3

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:20:00 +0000

The Road

Cormac McCarthy got to the title before I did but with negative windchills, light flurries that quickly turned blinding, and wind gusts that tore through shaking our house, the landscape felt apocalyptic today.

Project 365 2010 #2

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 04:51:00 +0000

Lavender Sky

Project 365 2010 #1

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 22:46:00 +0000

Snowboys

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:48:00 +0000

I'm back!!!

2009 was an overwhelming year- back to college, back to school for the kids, taking my mother to the emergency room and managing her four months of rehab, and having her move in with us. I managed it all (not gracefully as I would have liked on all days). I even finished the semester with a 3.82 GPA and I'm eager for more next semester (check back with me come midterms and finals, I may sing a different tune).

Instead of the copious lists I used to make of goals and changes for the new year, I've decided to simply take it one day at a time. My one rule is to make certain I enjoy myself each day. Today I fell on my butt while using the sled as a snowboard instead of just staying in the house cleaning. You know, the cleaning will still be there.

So here's to laughing and having fun in 2010!! Cheers to all.

Discovering my Inner Julia

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 03:24:00 +0000

I saw the movie Julie & Julia tonight. My first reaction when I learned the book was being turned into a movie was shock. This was one of the few books I could not finish. I can recall tossing it to the floor on a number of exasperating occasions. Then I heard Meryl Streep would be in the movie as Julia Child and I was intrigued.

Meryl Streep was wonderful as Julia Child. Her performance reminded me of being a little girl and sitting in my grandmother's kitchen watching her cooking show on the small black and white television. I had no idea what that strange woman was talking about most of the time but she seemed to be having so much fun that I was hooked, loving her exuberance as she grabbed pots and pans tossing food around to create these masterpieces.

My mother was a good cook but she was a utilitarian cook. She cooked not from pleasure but from necessity. Meat, vegetable and a starch- each kept in their own place on the plate. My aunt, my mother's sister and nemesis was more adventurous. When she retired she decided to learn how to make Chinese food. My mother wondered why anyone would want to learn how to make Chinese food when you could just buy it (the pragmatic utilitarian). She also learned how to make pizza, lasagna and to bake her own bread. Unfortunately my Aunt's Chinese food, pizza, and bread never left you wanting more. She was amazing with desserts but outside of desserts she cooked by the book, a slave to the recipe; never veering off track.

I'm more the exuberant Julia (that is, when I'm not being rushed). Although I do prefer to create alone. It's like writing for me- playing around with the ingredients to see just what will happen if I add a little more or less. Most of the time I wind up pleasantly surprised. Lately I haven't found much joy in cooking; it's yet another in the long list of chores. But tonight Julia awoke.

The first thing I did after the movie ended was to rush out to buy my own copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking (I'm embarrassed to admit I've never owned a copy). Thankfully the bookstore did not have a copy or else I'd be up for most of the night cooking. It's impossible to see that movie and not want to race to the nearest kitchen. I have no plans to recreate the Julie/Julia project and cook every recipe in Mastering the Art. I'd just like to remember to let Julia out a little more often and have fun. Bon Appetit

Is it really summer?

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:46:00 +0000

It looks like summer- lush vegetation and flowers blooming (and my vegetable garden being choked by weeds). It sort of feels like summer save for the deliciously cool mornings and evenings with little or no humidity. I look up at the clear blue sky and I keep thinking I've fallen into September already.

All the standard hallmarks of summer are present- no school, charcoal grills, fireworks, days at the beach and picking berries but where are my friendly neighborhood wasps?

Wasps? I know. I know. Most people have a visceral reaction to these winged creatures of agony but I have rather a soft spot for them. Instead of running for the nearest insecticide when they begin building a nest, I watch them completely transfixed. If you're careful and gain their trust, they'll let you get fairly close to observe their rhythms. I guess you can call me the Wasp Whisperer.

Unfortunately, my summer has been waspless. Is it the cool weather (this morning was a nippy 53 degrees) that has tricked them into hibernation? Or is it something more ominous? I rather miss my wasp breaks during the day.

Project 365 #90

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:41:00 +0000

Incognito

Project 365 #89

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:19:00 +0000

A Dog's Life

Project 365 #88

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 03:27:00 +0000

Reach Up

The cloud formations have been stunning this strange cool summer. This photo looked as if the clouds were just within my reach.

New Starts

noreply@blogger.com (Sandra Hamlett) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:25:00 +0000

Is it possible that I haven't posted since June? I've been walking around with hundreds of blog posts playing around in my head but the rush of summer has kept me from the keyboard (the exception being to obsessively load albums on my brand new IPod). Tonight, I decided to stop thinking about posting and write. So while I'm on shuffle mode listening to the crazy mix of Yo Yo Ma, Santana, Frank Sinatra, Green Day and the other 80 albums I've loaded on so far, I'll write-- and maybe dance a bit when the mood hits.

Right now I'm still feeling the buzz of my swimming high. I'm taking swimming classes at the Y every Tuesday evening. I'm not afraid of the water. I just never got around to actually learning how to swim. Well, I did start taking classes ten years ago but three classes in I felt this tremendous urge to throw up in the pool and seemed unable to handle a simple task like holding my breath. A pregnancy test put my dreams of becoming a swimmer on hold. And I always meant to go back but excuses kept popping up to silence desire.

This summer I put an end to the excuses. Not only did I sign up for a swim class but I enrolled at the Y as a member. This after swearing I'd never belong to another gym again. Who needs a gym when I can lace up my running shoes and head outside? Of course come winter blizzards, sub-zero wind chills, thunderstorms, and allergy season, I'm pretty much out of commission. I'm left staring out the window longingly with the dog. Now I can head to the gym with the whole family (free childcare-yeah!) and work out or simply to indulge my steam room and sauna addiction.

In five weeks I'll officially be a swimmer and the week after that I'll officially be a college student. Years ago, I used to keep a MUST DO List. The top three slots were- 1) Learn to Drive (this was fairly easy once I moved from the city to the country where everything is at least 25 minutes away) 2) Learn to swim (working on this one) and 3) Go Back to School (I'm weeks away from subjecting myself to midterms, papers, finals and MATH which I haven't done since 1985).

2009 is turning out to be an interesting year.