by mssinglemama on February 7, 2010
Just look at this kid and try to tell me he isn’t going to be a fearless athlete.
Here he is yesterday, on our second trip out trouncing and sledding around the neighborhood.
Clearly ready to beat the snot out of any snow man that tries to ruin his day. Give Benjamin an accessory – like a sled – and he gets into position, as if he’s been doing it for years
Breaking his concentration only to shout at his Mommy slave, “run faster Mommy! FASTER!”
After a few hours of sled-walking-pulling (too scared to take him on a big hill because we are in a two-week health insurance lapse) we packed up into the car and headed to a bowling tournament for the MJB Foundation. And after one too many of Benjamin’s balls landed (and stopped) in the gutter
John Bear lent a hand, or two [click to continue…]
by mssinglemama on February 2, 2010
I took this picture of myself in my office the other day.
It felt weird.
To take my own picture, but I had to for our Sway website (currently in the works). So I set the camera on top of three books and an end table then hit the auto-timer. Somewhere in the span of 10 seconds it caught this picture.
I like it. Not only because it’s a cute shot (it is pretty cute – it’s okay that I think that, right?) but because it captures exactly how I feel right now.
When I am an old lady (hopefully I get there) lying in my bed, daydreaming about some of the best days and times in my life – this will be one of them, one of those shining years. And when I am grasping for the memory, the feeling of what it feels like to be living my life in this moment – I’ll look at this picture (assuming I can still see).
It started one year ago, last February when I went to Joshua Tree. The oasis where the past and the future meet. Remember? That place is magical. Seriously.
So, what are you going to do to set the wheels of change in motion for your life today, this week or this year? Last February (before Joshua Tree) I quit smoking. Cold turkey.
On my one year anniversary of quitting (February 16th) I am going to challenge each of you to quit something for seven days. Just seven days. You can pick it back up after. But I am hoping all of you (under the scrutiny of myself and my readers) can stick to your commitment. You can quit anything – maybe it’s quitting thinking negative thoughts about your hair or using plastic cups. I don’t care what it is. But we all need to quit something. And if you can do it for seven days – well, that’s a start.
Little victories like that are huge in the game of life.
I hope you don’t all throw eggs at me now and boo me away for being all preachy. I don’t mean to be. What do you think? What will you quit?
P.S.
Check out even more pictures of our new space and our team on the Cement Marketing Flickr account.
by mssinglemama on January 29, 2010
Somewhere in the midst of this past week, filled with exciting client meetings, pitches, crash-course accounting, and just about no sleep I saw this picture
and gasped out loud.
“What?” Brad asked.
“Oh, nothing – just a picture of Benjamin. I miss him.”
It’s not like I haven’t seen him. Our routine is the same but there is an excitement he can sense and things have been a hair on the wild side over the past seven days. [click to continue…]
by mssinglemama on January 26, 2010
The before…
Slightly frazzled but exhilarated adults, fueled by caffeine, adrenaline and the dream of finally realizing a dream
Children ready for bed
and enthralled by a secret or two
The furniture – a mish-mash of vintage Craigslist chairs and Ikea treasures, ready and waiting
to be cleaned [click to continue…]
by mssinglemama on January 24, 2010
I am not engaged.
John is not moving in with us.
And, I am not pregnant.
I hope that’s not incredibly disappointing. The last time I had big news, a few of you thought it was – so, so – not really worthy of such “teasing.” So here’s a snippet regarding the above — be patient because John Bear and I are definitely, absolutely and positively moving in that direction. We’re just taking our sweet time for a few reasons – the biggest being that there is no need to rush something that is meant to last a lifetime. Anti-climatic, I know. (But see #3 on the list down below for another teaser on that subject.)
Now… the news this time around.
Last spring, I left my very secure and stable day job as an ad agency’s senior interactive copywriter to break out on my own as a full-time blogger and a part-time freelancer. But it wasn’t easy – at all. I was working from home, with Benjamin in it and I had a lack of direction. When an appealing job offer landed in my lap, I bailed on the solo blogger plan and jumped at the chance for stability and certainty.
Less than one month into my new job I started feeling pangs of regret for a number of reasons. The one most disturbing was a heavy, undeniable gut feeling that I had given up too soon. The job was fine but the hours were grueling, the skill set (medical writing) was out of my realm and I was only partially focused on doing what I love – social and search marketing. [click to continue…]
