A friend named Myself

I'm trying to take more time for art and creativity this summer. My babe and I just spent three nights and three days in Minneapolis withOUT kids. While he spent each day from 8 to 5 in "Macbook Training," I was left alone with my thoughts. I think my very first thought when he left that first morning as I sat abandoned at the restaurant to finish my breakfast (I really am a slow eater), was "I can't remember the last time I have been alone...outside of my occasional drive from job to home or rare moments I get the bathroom to myself." Some may think I am exaggerating, or thinking, "doesn't she at least have the drive TO her job alone also?" So for all of the skeptics...here's my story:

I have two children, son age 12 and daughter age 9. My husband (aka babe) just recently landed somewhat of a dream job as an IT guy at a nearby college. Like most educational institutions, they pay monthly and it's after 6 weeks of working there. Well, we are those people that do NOT have 6 months salary saved back for such a time as this...sooooo, my babe being the awesome man-of-the-house that he is, decided to continue working his current job in the evenings after he finished at the new 8-5 job at the college....AND did I mention work weekends? So in case it's not adding up, I'll be clear: He has been working 2 FULL-time jobs for the last month up to this point. Impressive? Yes, he is.

So that is the first element of this "no-alone-time saga." Secondly, my sis-in-law (I will refer to as Ang...as in Anj...no her name is not Angie or Angela) moved in with us a couple months ago. Love it, love her. I have absolutely no complaints and wouldn't want it any other way. BUT, it does attribute to the "no-alone-time saga." Of which she would in a heartbeat go away at moments notice, with kids in tow, if I requested it (even if I was rude about it). She is great. I take full responsibility for not spending quality time with ME.

So during my "vacation," I met back up with an old friend name "Myself." I confronted Myself about many areas in her life, I had many enlightening conversations with her, found out things I never knew about her, was reminded of things I once knew about her, and finally remembered how much I really do enjoy my friend named "Myself," especially when we are alone together. And like all good friends, I even found I enjoyed my babe a lot more after spending time with her!

Which brings me back to my opening statement of finding more time for art and creativity this summer. It was during the 3 days of visiting Myself that I was reminded of a part of her I missed. The creative, artistic, little on the weird side artist/designer/photographer/writer in me that has been AWOL for some time now. In my alone time, I found a few books during my 2-3 hour tour at Barnes & Noble to help me bring her back. This blog is a part of that quest. I hope you'll follow along and I hope she will follow through....at the very least, she has come back HOME.