Under the Glass Bell

It's Just That There's So Much To Do and I'm Tired of Sleeping

Two weeks ago I vowed to myself that I was going to start getting up at six o'clock. (I tend to get up at seven or after.) Of course, I promptly came down with the worst flu virus and have slept as late as I can since.

Actually, I did get up at six on Friday and it did make all of the difference. I do have to do something about my outlook and attitude because lately, it's been in the shitter. I am a perfectionist in many ways and if I start to feel that I'm behind in the game, I get discouraged and cranky. When I feel proactive and ahead of the curve, my productivity level and attitude is unbeatable. Thus, I have to keep this promise to myself. But, man, do I hate getting up early. Maybe that will be my motto for next year. 2011...The Year of Being Ahead of the Curve.

So we're at my parents. We're all having fun. The boys are like two baby seals, squealing and wrestling. They did a big dance number for us tonight. B turned on The Ting Tings. Charlie did some break dancing and vogueing. Jack ran around flapping his arms. My sis and bro-in-law nearly fell over. They'd never seen anything like it. I've never been more proud.

We leave for the Mayo Clinic tomorrow. Driving to Rochester from here. We could run into some snow, which might actually feel nice. I plan to keep my vid cam handy at Mayo to capture all the insanity. Last time? We walked in to a rendition of God Bless America being sung by a choir with piano accompaniment. God bless America indeed!

Here is a list of things I've been thinking about/fascinated with lately:

1. Mississippi River Steamboats
2. Macarons
3. Crafts for kids
4. Butternut Squash Polenta
5. Napa cabbage salad
6. Suzanne Vega

A Trick They Do With Mirrors and With Chemicals

So, it's been a long time. Life is busy. Kids, husband, work, blah, blah, blah.

Enough said. I'm back.

I read through this blog yesterday. And a post reminded me why I called this blog what I did. Under a Glass Bell is the title of a book by Anais Nin published in 1944. She is one of my two favorite authors, Hemingway being the other. But, I don't believe I've actually read Under a Glass Bell straight through. It's a collection of her short stories and the first piece of her writing that caught the critics' eyes.  But I loved the name.

Then, a friend of mine, who was notorious for being the best gift giver on the planet, gave me a set of three glass bells as a birthday gift.

"As mini glasshouses they can be used for establishing seedlings & early crops or as protection from birds and the elements." (Taken from The Company Shed website.)

They were invented by the french, of course. Beauty and function.

If one is lucky, they possess a figurative glass bell.They are protected from the cold and the harshness of life's weather, but are still able to look through and see the beauty. Don't get me wrong, the bell can still be knocked over or smashed by the real storms, the downpours, the mishegoss. But the protection makes life just a bit easier, just a bit more tolerable.

I need to remember that I'm a lucky girl looking out from a beautiful glass bell.