for today.

prompts courtesy of The Simple Woman's Daybook via Ali Edwards . . .

FOR TODAY
October 15, 2009

Outside my window . . . sunshine, breeze, hundreds of migrating butterflies.

I am thinking . . . about my daughter's birthday, money & family.

I am thankful for . . . my good life. Weather changes (well, some). Our tidy little bookend dogs. The new superhero my son thought up. Getting things done. Reminders from the Universe.

From the kitchen . . . a banana & takeout.

I am wearing . . . a navy scoop tee, dark gray yoga pants, my fall/winter seasonal specs.

I am creating . . . a kickass kittycat party for my girl, a baby book for my boy.

I am going . . . to pick up the kids once I'm done with this post.

I am reading . . . I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Very, very s-l-o-w-l-y.

I am hoping . . . we all stay healthy & flu-free.

I am hearing . . . silence at this moment (wow).

Around the house . . . Hank is showering, the dogs are wrestling, the wind chimes are busy.

One of my favorite things . . . rice krispie treats. Mmmm.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . party prep, cleaning, groceries, sister visit, twosome time, vacuum, wrapping, favors, lists, cupcakes.

A picture to share . . . my almost 11yo all summerfied a la August [see above]. Love all her freckles. Love her tangled hair. Love her skewy eyeglasses. Love her & all her in-betweeness. :)

austin hearts leslie.

If you're not from Austin, then you might not get our community's genuine affection for our local "Keep Austin Weird" mascot, a homeless-by-choice, cross-dressing, former mayoral candidate named Leslie.

But Austin loves Leslie － in large part because Leslie loveslovesloves Austin.

Which is why I've found myself praying daily for his complete recovery. Albert "Leslie" Cochran, 58, suffered serious head trauma about two weeks ago (EMS was called when he fell down in front of a taxi, and while the news coverage is clear about head injury, I've read that he had a brain aneurysm which caused him to fall and that he hit his head when he fell, so the nature of the trauma is unclear), had brain surgery to relieve cranial swelling, and for several days was not expected to survive.

Now, he has been upgraded to "fair" condition, but is apparently rather vegetative, with limited hope of full recovery. His sister, Alice Cochran Masterson, says Leslie will likely require assisted living arrangements for the rest of his life, and probably won't ever be able to return to his home out on the streets again.

Which is a huge loss for downtown Austin, where Leslie hung out － both on the street and from his infamous thongs. He was smart, irreverent, hilarious, as eccentric as they come, big-hearted and, in his way, inspirational. Who among us can honestly claim to be as authentically ourselves as Leslie was 24/7/365?

So please say a little prayer for Austin's Queen of Weird-Ass Soul. Our sidewalks will be dimmer without him.

Click here for an interesting piece about how Leslie came to be Leslie.

today.

Today . . .

. . . I'm a little frustrated with the schizophrenic weather here in Austin, Texas.

. . . I'm struggling to really get really inspired about something. Anything. Really.

. . . I'm wondering how to make everyone at my house [including me] a happier camper in the morning.

. . . I'm procrastinating － dr.'s appointment, tax stuff, work.

. . . I'm happy to be helping my sweet husband write lyrics again.

. . . I will go to two fifth-grade choir performances & be duly impressed with our choir director, again.

. . . I'm worried we'll be at a different elementary school next year.

. . . I'm wishing I had scrapbooked and/or folded laundry last night while watching Mad Men.

. . . I'm fretting about money, as ever.

. . . I'm ordering birthday gifts for my daughter anyway.

. . . I'm excited to go see author Elizabeth Gilbert speak tomorrow.

. . . I'm searching for a groove.

. . . I'm digging this quotation from Ali Edwards' blog:

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.

Let me learn from you, love you,

bless you before you depart.

Let me not pass you by in quest of

some rare and perfect tomorrow.

Let me hold you while I may,

for it may not always be so.

One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or

bury my face in the pillow, or

stretch myself taut, or

raise my hands to the sky and

want, more than all the world,

your return.

－ Mary Jean Iron －

Happy normal day. :)

collect.

oh, october. somewhere, it's harvest season . . . a time to reap, to gather, to collect . . .

collect yourself with a deep breath.

collect your thoughts & turn them loose.

collect funny things your kids say day-to-day.

collect something quirky [chicken pitchers are my weakness].

collect leaves.

collect lists.

collect memorabilia.

collect inspirational quotations.

collect garbage along the roadside.

collect friends old & new for an autumnal feast [remember the gourds!].

celebrate the everyday － october.

It's October, 2009. How will you celebrate being a woman?

October 2 － National Diversity Day & World Smile Day
October 4 － Full moon [the Harvest Moon]
October 5 － Improve Your Office Day
October 10 － Universal Music Day
October 16 － Mammography Day
October 18 － World Menopause Day
October 23 － iPod Day
October 24 － Make a Difference Day

Remember, where there is connection, there is power.
Where there is power, there is hope for change. For ourselves, and for our world.
We are all connected. We are all powerful.

Until my next post, be well, be happy & be hopeful.