Trying to come up with something prophetic, or funny or moving to write here for celebration of the new year... but I can't come up with anything. hmmmmm

I don't do resolutions... people seem to drop resolutions within a few days or weeks.  So why start. 

Hmmm I guess I can talk about setting goals... In my life I have set goals... pretty big goals, making the Olympics, winning medals, starting my own business, recently getting a PH. D.   then achieving them just seems to come naturally.  Well maybe not... Actually when I find something that I want to do...  espically if it is hard...  What I do is figure out how to make small steps to work toward the goal... then I complete the small steps and eventually fulfilling the small goals leads me to the big goal.  Quite often it has been very big goals.  Achieving the small goals also makes me feel successful along the way.   Success breeds success. 

But along the way although I work hard... like the card I mentioned earlier this week or was it last week.  I remember to stop and smell the roses and to help friends along the way.  For me it is always the journey, not the final goal, because life goes on after the goals are achieved.

May the next year be filled with peace and prosperity... I am not sure of either one, but we can always hope and pray and mind our own Ps And Qs.  Love and kisses, Marilyn  

The the funniest Christmas song I have ever heard.  http://www.sncmusic.com/

Love, Marilyn

was scheduled for today... So I got cracked and my neck stretched.  I am now icing and hope it will help my joints stay in joint more...That is my hope anyway.

Last night when I got into bed, I got a good flow going for my Emerging Materials class so got out of bed to do some powerpoints..  I have been meaning to work on this class, but got sick... hmmmmm

It dawned on me yesterday that I have a 1,500 word narrative to write for my presentation in St. Louis in March... opppsss I knew that I had something else to do than getting my lectures for research methods done... but forgot about my narrative.  I wonder when it is due.  Hmmm I guess I need to work today and tomorrow... and the rest of the week. hmmmmmm

Hope your day is grand... I guess my vacation is OVER!  Love and kisses, Marilyn 

I went out for a appointment this morning and still wasn't feeling my normal terrific... It was a beautiful day but I pretty much hung out on the sofa... napping a little.  Hope your day was grand.  Love and kisses,  Marilyn

It is by Straight No Chaser.  Google Straight No Chaser... I tried to find a U-tube, but am not efficient to load it up.  The Twelve Days of Christmas is a hoot. They were on a morning news program and I got a copy of the CD for myself the day after Christmas.  I listened to it in the bath last night.  

I have been practicing the Salsa turn that I could not conquer when I was taking lessons a couple of years ago... and finally think I have it, after a friend showed me how to do it.  I did it three times in a row today correctly... Ha Of course I had to take a break from the practice while I was sick.  I was even practicing on my walk the evening before I got sick... it was Billy Elliot meets Dirty Dancing.   Can't you just imagine it!

Fabiola was sick too... maybe something came up from Brazil by sled... slay... up to here...  hmmmm

On the sickness front... I finally was able to eat a full meal this afternoon and a whole bowl of popcorn for dinner tonight.  Yes... I guess we can tell from this I am feeling better my sense of humor is baackkkk.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

But not totally cured... hmmmmm woke up at 5:00 this morning hungry... so that was a good thing.  Don't have much to say because I have laid around all of two days.  Hope your day is grand.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

I am feeling so much better tonight... It must have been a twenty-four hour flue... I only threw up once... but yesterday my whole body ached and I could barely walk around.  I would get up for ginger ale and drink it sitting on the side of the bed or sofa and lay down again take a nap... for an hour or two.. then I would be up to use the facilities and prepare half of a cup of soup in the microwave... and after drinking most of it I would lay down only to nap again. I did take two baths to get rid of the body aches. I could not seem to do three things while I was up each time... by the time I crawled off to bed... I was ready to sleep yet again. 

You can tell how sick I was because I didn't even check my e-mail until right before I went to bed and I didn't blog... Today I am recovering. I have only had one nap for an hour or two... but still have had to lay on the sofa most of the day... and I resist even putting on my glasses.  They give me a headache...

My neighbors house was broken into last night.  Someone broke into their garage last night. They had just come back from vacation and someone took suitcases they had left in the car.  Hope your day was good. 
Love and kisses, Marilyn     

Well I have been awake for five hours... that is a great improvement from yesterday.  Where I could not say awake for even a half an hour and certainly didn't want to be awake... because I felt so bad.  Hope you day is great... my is improving.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Wow Boxing day I had ham for dinner and spent the night tossing my ham....Yesterday I was so sick I could barly todder around my house... I slept most to the day but could hardly drink gingerale and a half a cup of chicken soup.  Hope your day is good. Love and kisses, Marilyn

I just was rearranging my card and saw this and though I would share it....

What is a Success?

Setting goals, but not in concrete
Staying focused, but not turning aside to help someone
Following a plan, but remaining flexible
Moving ahead, but not to fast to smell the flowers
Taking a bow, but applauding those who had a part in your success

What gracious thoughts.... I hope that I did this during my journey and that I hold to those ideals in life...

Love to all and big Christmas kisses, Marilyn 

Hmmm I got up at my usual time and pottered around the house drinking coffee and reading and writing emails... I got just what I wanted for Christmas... hmmmm   Then I got dressed, talked to my neighbor a little and drove to Hannah's. 

We had a marvelous morning and afternoon, with really yummy brunch.  I got to play with Violet and Jack... I even crawled through Jack's  maze... Photos to come... When I came home, I went for a three mile walk and trimmed the rest of my bushes at the side of my house... then it was so warm I sat on the back porch and read H. Potter... When the mosketos chased me in, I took at bath and ate something.  After the big brunch, I decided to save my ham dinner with sweet pototas and maybe apple pie for tomorrow. 

Then tonight... I laid on the sofa and continued to read Harry.  All in all it has been a lovely day.  Hope yours was to. Love and kisses, Marilyn

May you have a joyous Christmas or whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year... I am so blessed with marvelous caring friends....

And this year I have a new and wonderful relationship with my sister.  We have led such separate lives... although we loved each other, we never demonstrated it because of the need to protect ourselves from the bad stuff of our manipulative and sick parents.

Sorry Elizabeth... but I have to say the temperature here is going to be in the 70's today.  I heard from Betty this morning and they have 15 inches of snow and it is cold in Michigan.

I am heading to Hannah's for a holiday brunch.  I bought books for her two children Violet and ... again, I am blessed to have such good friends...

Love and kisses, Marilyn

 

Hmmm

Yesteday I bought myself a few small presents.   In B'burg I bought a bubble bath collection... yesterday I bought a H. Potter book, a pyrex mixing pouring bowl, and some pyrex bakeware and a paper towel holder... The one I have that came with my house, drops the roll each time I use it.   Hmmmm  I put them under the tree without wrapping them.

Today I am getting my house power cleaned outside.  It looks amazingly good. 

Tomorrow I am going to go to Hannah's for brunch.  I bought the kids books.  Hope you have a wonderful day.

Love and ksses, Mairlyn 

As I was standing in the holding room.  My Co-chair Joe said to me just before we paraded into the the arena that he was really pleased that I finished because they had giving me an inordinate amount of re-write after my defense.  And I could have just quit at that time, but I didn't and he was impressed (I can't find the correct word here... not really amazed, but something in between).  Terry was standing there and chimed in that she agreed... and that she learned a lot from me.  Then the announcement for us to move into the arena happened... and time sped on.  Later at my party Terry said again that she learned so much from me... but I never asked what.

Later in the evening, Connie (my sister) said she really enjoyed talking to my friends.  How amazing they were... she had conversation with them as she moved around the room and seemed to really connect on a deeper level than a normal cocktail party.  She talked spirituality with Mike D. (my Chinese Medicine Man), and about the civilizations in Peru with Dr. R. and his wife.  And she talked running with Terry... and then I said that Terry said that she learned from me... and I said yeah she said that to me, but I didn't know what she learned.  Connie then said she learned persistence... to never give up no matter how many road blocks are in your way.  Connie shared with her my Olympic experience... where I won a medal through a swim off in an event I never swam... and swam 3 seconds faster than I ever had in the relay to come in third.

It is funny... I was really upset when I defended and they passed me.... but made me re-write all of my conclusions... there were fifteen of them... I was so tired and had put so much of myself into getting my dissertation this far... I could not do any more.  After 12 hours of crying... I told them that I would work on it over the summer.  And I did.  I allowed myself time to recover, finished school and then sat down again to finish the writing.  220 hours of rewriting...  The Susie Sunshine in me... feels what I did was so much better than what I had done before because what they had me do was weave together all of the disparage pieces into a understandable whole... after the initial upset about the amount of work there was left to do... I just soldiered on... continuing to take one step at a time... But I thought the rewrite was pretty normal and necessary.  I never felt that they were out to get me... just helping me make my work the best it could be.  It was not until Joe told me they gave me an inordinate amount of re-writing did I understand that it was unique.

Hmmmm... As those of you that have been with me through the process... after my initial upset, I just got back to it and felt it was not that unusual.  Again, I guess once again... I am unique... hmmmmm  I guess my melt down was not as unexpected as as I felt it was. I lost a friend over it... but they were worried that I would quit.... In some ways, my co-chairs were surprised that I didn't quit.  Wow... it is amzaing to know this... I guess persistence is one of my best qualities. 

I hope that your day is wonderful.  The sun is shining here.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

I am sort of watching Jason and the Argonauts onTV while I sort dirty laundry, load the washer and put clean clothes (that I didn't wear in DC or Virginia) away... I am also unpacking the dirty party stuff to load in the dish washer... It is nice to just putter after so many days of hard work, the hard work of partying and visiting... and the drive home  hmmm  I really enjoyed my party, but it was nice to have some one on one time with Connie, Ellen, Luke, Elizabeth, K, Mike D. and Marie and her daughter.

Hope your day is grand.  Someone sent me flowers... I am waiting for them to be delivered... and once they are delivered I will totter off to the pool or at least the grocery store.  Vidya and Arul sent me a ditigal photo display unit for graduation... I am excited and intimiated to load photos on it to have my friends flashing by ....  Tonight my neighbor is having a party for women in the neighborhood.  So, it will be fun to meet more of the women here.

After doing H. Potter in the car I started re-reading the last book last night to relax when I got home.  My goal is to take the next few days off and then work on my classes and the narrative for my presentation before school starts. 

Love and kisses, Marilyn     

I had brunch with Marie and her daughter... I taught with Marie at VT and then saw the Chinese Medicine Man and then drove home listening to H. Potter... got caught in traffic in Chalotte and it took 8 hours to get home... hmmmm  Hope your day is grand... Love and kisses, Marilyn

So I am heading home this afternoon before it starts snowing... Beautiful blue skies this morning, but it is cold.  I am having brunch with Marie and her daughters and seeing Mike, the Chinese medicine man then heading out.  I should be home by 10:00 tonight.  I will listen to the end of Harry Po*ter book six..  I finished it last night (and read it two years ago).  It will help my time pass.

Yesterday was wonderful, I swam with Connie, Ellen, Elizabeth, K and David.  Then Cons and I went to Elizabeth's for a tea party with K... I brought Cons back to C'burg and sat with her while she ate... I dropped her off to the the hotel.. she left before I got up this morning. I changed my clothes and had dinner with Ellen and Luke.  It was marvelous as usual.  What a wonderful day filled with love and caring.   The party the night before was great, but one on one is always perferred by me.

Luke said the weather is changing so I decided to leave today... when I was packing I found my jewelry case that was missing for three days.  I was so happy... but somewhere yesterday I lost my winter coat.  I think I left it at the pool.  You know you have been living south too long when you can forget your warm coat in December.   I need it today.  After brunch with Marie... I need to pick up the copies of my dissertation and take it to the bookstore to be bound as books.  I hope they are done, if not I don't know what I am going to do....  

May your day be filled with love and friendship.... I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends.  Love you all, Marilyn

Hmmmm The day ran great.  I picked up the last of the food and wine, set up the trays and unloaded the car before going to graduation.  Graduation was grand, except as I was walking into the holding room, I little girl somehow got in front of me and triped me.  I had my arms full and didn't see her.  I fell to my hands and knees... I was okay and so was she.  I am off to the chiropractor this morning because I ache everywhere... 

The ceremony was great.  The speaker very timely he talked about ethical behavior out in the field.  He was a graduate of VT who exposed corruption and legal behavior in his field at the governmental level... Nancy and I hung out together. and Elizabeth was able to walk with us as a faculty member.  She got some great pictures... I will put them up soon.  

Once graduation was over I connect with my sister and we drove to the University Club for my party.  Nancy and her aunt and uncle and my sister and I set up the room and put out the food beer, wine, sodas and water.  We ate before everyone arrived and then at 7:00 everyone began to come.  It was great fun.  I cannot tell you what wonderful friends I have here in Virginia.  We packed everything up and everyone helped cart things to the car. 

I got home my keys didn't work for my hotel room, so I walked over with aching feet to get new ones... I got in the room and couldn't find my phone or wallet so went out to the car... and locked myself out of my room again.... I sore footed it back across the parking lot... and got a third key.  I unloaded the left over food, put it into my fridg, took a shower, and lay down in bed to watch Jay L*no for the first time in years.  I wanted to let myself relax for an hour before I tried to sleep... it still took me a while to drift off. 

When I had gotten back to the hotel, I checked my e-mail.   I got really good news... I had a letter from Michael at AS*ID apologizing for missing our meeting on Tuesday.  He said "Deanna said that you had some very important points to share, and we’ll discuss further after the holidays."  So that sounded great!!!!  Then my presentation was accepted at the ID*EC conference in St. Louis in March.   Yes! 

Linda Thomas e-mailed that the bill for interior designers in Michigan did not got to the committee hearing, yet again.  That makes me very sad.

All in all it was a pretty big day for me.  Photos to come.  Hope your day was grand. Love and kisses, Dr. Marilyn

I woke up at 7:30 this morning.  It took me a while to get to sleep last night....  but I am still feeling great! 

Yesterday I had to change hotel rooms... this morning I was looking for my jewelry case... I cannot find it.  It was holding some earrings and my favorite stone necklace and another stone necklace.  I seem to be really connected to natural stones. The one was literally my touch stone necklace (mother of pearl stones) that I would touch when things seemed too hard.... it would help me understand that when things seemed impossible... that impossible things could happen and that if I continued to move forward... one small step at at time... I could overcome a lot. 

I think the case fell out of my stuff when I was packing.  So hopefully the cleaning crew will find it.  If not... I will just buy another strand of mother of pearl and transfer the power to the new necklace... the power of impossibility overcome by perseverance.....   

Hmmm Hope your day is wonderful, I know mine will be.  I love celebrating with my friends.  Opps that brought tears to my eyes. 

Love and kisses, Marilyn

I will be sad to not be a student any more.  People give me amazing looks when I say I am a college student.  Teee heee  I won't be able to do that now...

I bought most of the food today for my party.  I went to S*m' Club to buy the food and beer.  The chiropractor cracked almost every joint in my body.  I really miss him, he is so through.  I also took my disk to Office M*x to get it copied 16 times to be made into books for my friends who want a copy of my dissertation.  I met Elizabeth and K at a party at the architecture building.  Then came back home to the hotel to correct my syllabus for Studio III.  It needed to have dates on it.  Then I went out to grab a hot and ready pizza and came back here and ate.  Now I am watching tv and laying in bed... getting ready for tomorrow.      

Tomorrow I will pick up the flowers wine, water and fresh fruit. I will try to set things up and then walk in the ceremony then finish the set up between graduation and the party.  I am looking forward to see everyone. 

Hope your day is grand. Love and kisses, Marilyn