Category Archives: Personal

Cleansing

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Cleansing. Fourth time’s a charm, as they say!

The weather in Chicago is finally sauna-like, whirling hot air, and I’m ready to rid my mind of old, tired beliefs, my body of junk, and shake the cold winds from my hair.

(Clearly it’s been a long time since I’ve written anything – my wording is just as stagnant as I feel).

I’ve started the Master Cleanse once again – the one in which you don’t eat solid foods for a period of time: lemons, cayenne pepper and maple syrup.

When I found out I was not only deficient in Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, but also in Iron, I met with a nutritionist (as suggested by my doctor).  She recommended I do a cleanse to figure out what foods my body doesn’t like and which foods it does. I asked her about the Master Cleanse, and she feels the same way I do – almost every culture/religion in the world has a fast incorporated in their diets, and she felt it could only be beneficial to do one.

After the cleanse, I will spend 3 weeks taking foods out of my diet one by one, then slowly reincorporating them, and journaling how I feel after eating each one.

Bored yet? I am.

But! What I’m not bored with is shaking up the pile of passionless muck I’ve been wading around in. It’s ridiculous. And still trying to figure out what that’s all about.

Other than that:

My book is coming – getting impatient, but the graphic designer is a busy guy, and he’s that good. I must wait. I finally got the copyright certificate in the mail for my novel, so it’s official – no one can come in late at night to my apartment, hack into my computer and steal my only copy of the novel. No, the government knoooows!!! You will be found out, I say!

As for social media, I am busy tweeting and facebooking all day for my clients, so please don’t be concerned if you see my many facebook comments fluttering on your page – I’m on there anyway. And don’t forget to say hi on Twitter!

At the end of the month we’re back in England for over a week, so the Lady Who Lunches will be sure to have commentary on my experience back across the pond. (Can’t believe I left nearly a year ago.) After all, that’s what this blog was founded on, right?!

Perspective

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The weather is still cold. But I have a new perspective since my last entry – I think it’s the buds that are newly, well, budding on the trees. Last week that wasn’t the case.

Flooding in Ireland 2010

 

And maybe it was seeing my girl Angel from high school on Monday. She’s shooting a pilot for a new MTV show, as a recurring role – and producing and finishing a script she has been working on for a couple of years.

And maybe it’s this guy from college who I know named Nathan who is crashing on our couch tomorrow night. He left his job and is now traveling the country by bus or by coach, by hook or by crook, by couch and I’ll vouch – because he wants to.

And maybe it’s the fact that my coworker is now back in the office after a month of being absent, keeping a strong face and a smile in her eyes, diving headfirst into her work – despite the fact that her mom just passed away a few weeks ago.

And maybe it’s my grandmother who is forced out of her condo because of the housing crisis, and at 79 years old, she is shrugging and says that she’s gotten over worse things than this in her life. She’ll pack up and go if she has to.

Or my other grandmother who is wheelchair bound for the rest of her life, but is learning how to use Skype, write newsletters for her community and is battling against her body’s desire to lean to the right.

Maybe it’s my boyfriend who may never be able to play soccer again or run another marathon – his two passions in life – because of an injury last fall, but who exercises and does physiotherapy everyday in order to make it stronger, and has never once complained…because he will run again despite what the doctor’s may say.

Or my Godfather who battled cancer and won.

My father who was unemployed for two years, but somehow survived going from extreme highs to extreme lows, and now has landed an incredible job.

My mother who was unemployed for two years, but somehow survived, landed a job and is fighting everyday to make herself better, and who picked up drumming in middle age.

You get it.  We all have stories like this.

And it is the people around me who inspire me, remind me to shut the hell up and stop complaining about the weather because – damn – I am one lucky gal. And they are all fulfilling their life goals…and that’s incredible.

I am awake in May…despite the 40 degree temperature outside, and realize that maybe I could be inspiring too…if I remember to be.

P.S. remember that little series I did called “Interview with Fam” Series? Well, one of my readers (and now a friend), did one of her own! Claire Morris is “Ooh La La English Demoiselle” and here is her interview with her uncle. Thank you so much Claire for taking my proposal seriously.

My favorite part of the interview:

2. What is your most fondest memory?
My father is still alive but suffers from vascular senile dementia. At 92 years old he lives in the dementia wing of a residential home. My fondest memory is from taking him on his last visit to his home town in Germany a few years ago and having him show me the house where he was born.

Winter, Please Leave

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I wake up again this morning to grey skies. Remind me again why we moved from the greyest place on Earth to the windiest and longest winter on Earth?

Chicago is frustrating me today. Although I am not ready for extreme heat and humidity, I would like it to be Spring.

Spring!

Where there is hope and joy and flowers and warmth – not heat – but warmth.

The trees in Chicago are still dead, the skies are cloudy, the air barely reaching the 50′s and the ground is wet. Yeah, I get it – April Showers bring May Flowers, but really? May is practically here.

Throw us a bone.

At least California is still there.

And right now? England is warm!

Is this entry truly just about the weather? Yes. Yes, it is.

Separating Personal from Professional

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(This post is not an example of separating the two, unfortunately – rather an explanation of how I will in the future).

Like I said in my previous post. There will be many changes with my blog and website. I’m looking to make it more of a professional melange of my writing, social media and projects that I am working on.

HOWEVER, I have decided that I will continue the Lady Who Lunches section – I want to keep it light, personal and fun. My plan is to only post personal, travel and expat living news on this blog and leave the professional stuff for another RSS feed. (In case you are unclear what that means, don’t worry, you won’t have to do anything.)

It’s about time I separated my personal from my professional anyway. So, I will have them all under the same umbrella, but there will be separate links for each, keeping the personal link as the Lady Who Lunches. (All with a little help from some family.)

It will all become clear quite soon.

In the meantime, did I mention what a fabulous New Year’s we had with Jock’s brother, Kevin and his girlfriend, Oona? We were so adult with our New Year’s Eve dinner with the cougars at Tavern on Rush and our noise makers. One of the best new years ever.

My New Year’s Resolutions? In no particular order:

  • Make new friends in Chicago (and touch base with old ones)
  • Start book club in Chicago
  • Sell my book
  • Edit my screenplay
  • Finish decorating apartment
  • Tighten ass
  • Wear red lipstick even more often
  • Make sure my family and friends know how much I love them
  • Launch MeagLo 2.0

AND, did you know that we now have a double income for the first time in our household ever?

Yes, that’s right. After nearly three years of being together, Jocko and I are both working! Jock is now Director of Customer Relations for midVentures Technology Partners. (You might recognize the company’s name from the social media work I do for them).

I think this means I deserve some Christian Louboutin shoes, don’t you?

Christmas in Baltimore

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The last two years I have been in England for Christmas. This year, I got blessed in so many ways – one, my sister gave birth to 9 lb. 10 oz baby the day before I returned home. Little Xavi (pronounced Zavi) Andres was born on December 22nd, 2010. (Can you imagine being born in the year 2010?)

Plus, I acquired a new family. Xavi’s father’s family joined us for Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner. Our families just melded in a way that seemed natural. It helps that we know most of the same people, we grew up in the same area and we’re all around the same age (our parents, his sister, him and my boyfriend). As hard as it is for Jock and I to have to flip flop Christmas between Portsmouth, England and Baltimore, Maryland, we’re lucky because both of our families make Christmas so special. I missed the McEwan’s of course, but it was so incredible to be with my family.

Oh, and this was probably my second white Christmas ever. Everything just felt special.

Brayden (my 6-year old nephew) and I saw Santa Claus and his sleigh flying toward the house before his bedtime. Santa even left him a special bell under his bed.

And, I can’t even say how great it was to see his excitement at getting a Wii.

Now, we’re back in Chicago waiting for Jock’s brother to come visit from New York. He was supposed to be here yesterday, but his flight got canceled due to snow (just like our first flight got canceled due to wind). Let’s hope the weather cooperates tomorrow morning.