10 months away

It's been 10 months since I last wrote on this blog. Quite frankly, I thought I would shut it down and be done with it.  But I was putzing around my apartment  and I wanted to write...so of course the first thing I go do is start cleaning my apartment. 'Cause that's what I do when I want to write...housework. Make sense?  Yeah, it doesn't make much sense to me either.  After I finished washing dishes...the compulsion to clean subsided and I came to my computer to write entry.

I haven't done much writing lately. I have half-hearted attempts at different projects but nothing is kindling the fire in my belly. Something seems to be missing lately. The joy of it seems to have fizzled out, which is a difficult realization. I spent last night talking like a has-been writer with my best friend over watered down gin and tonics. Let's just say I woke up feeling a bit pathetic.

Let me go back a bit since there a whole slew of reasons/excuses why I'm not writing, should I share? Does it really matter? Well here goes anyway: at the beginning of this year, I received a promotion at work. But it's been challenging, learning this new role, having so much on, working Saturdays to try to get ahead of the workload, working at home to organize my priorities for the following day. It's a good decent job and I'm enjoying the challenges, for the most part. We have so much on that the higher ups gave us the nod to add a junior member to our team. We just started the interviewing process, it will probably be late October before the person will be onboarded to the team. In the meantime, I am still trying to learn all aspects of the job. I'm flexible enough to take on new information but there is not much time to process it. Ergh. I feel a bit burnt around the edges lately. All my grey matter has been going to the day job. I have very little left over for anything else.

I spent the better part of this summer working full stop. I've only taken a couple of days off and it was just to help some friends with a home reno'. Even now, I'm looking around my apartment and I can see all the things I have to take care of in the next couple of weeks. For example, re-seal the the window ledge to prevent the winter from seeping in. I have a stack of mail that I need to go through...most of it just needs to be thrown out. There are also all these odds and ends that need to be discarded. A bag full of clothing that I need to bring to one of the donation centers. It's never ending. I just want to simplify things/my life. That usually means scaling things back. Discarding, donating, getting rid of all the superfluous matter in my life.

My mom recently took a look at my closet and commented that I barely have any clothing. She has three walk in closets worth of clothing. Hmmm. I have just enough clothing to get me through 21 days worth of work, play and sleep. And I could still pull out articles of clothing that I never wear but haven't given up yet.  After writing this, I'm probably going to add them to the donation bag. * sigh *

I know this blog today is really a stream of consciousness entry but after almost a year of silence, let's just go with it...shall we?  It's 4 pm in the afternoon and I'm steaming up some leftover black rice with calamari squid for an early dinner.  I just had my third mug of tea and I need another.  I'm trying to figure out if I want to binge something on Netflix or start reading Memoirs of a Geisha.

Anyway, that's all I have for today.

me.

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2019 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Tea gone cold is rank

Saturday morning and my tea has gone cold. I've been putzing around my apartment getting ready to go out but I have another hour before I need to be out the door. I thought I would sit here and write a bit. I woke up last night with a killer migraine...as much as a love a decent glass of Savignon Blanc, it did not love me back. Ever since I started my restrictive diet, any time I allow myself  bit of alcohol: 1. I get tipsy much faster; 2. the migraine comes on faster too. Sigh. The question then becomes can I give up alcohol? Full stop. Hmm. One to ponder.

I don't really have anything clever to write at the moment. My day job has been super stressful with an upcoming large meeting. I am handling a portion of the logistics and my brain refuses to turn off. I've been journaling but not enough of the work is creative. Definitely missing that portion of my life. Once I get through this next week, I'll have some breathing room to get some of my own work done. This week will be 12 hour days, going home and crashing. That's as much as I'll be able to muster. Somewhere in there I need to see about getting a workout or two in. Really, I should have gone to the gym earlier this morning but I got up to finish up a recipe instead.

Somewhere in there...I also have to finish Christmas shopping. My nieces are done. They are always first on my list. I also have to buy paper and boxes to wrap gifts. I have ideas on what to get the rest of my family. Eesh!  I'm hoping to have it done by the first week in December. Then a much needed holiday vacation in Texas with my folks. Yay!  Wish me luck~
Lily


All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2018 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.

Bill Joel in Concert - Madison Square Garden

Glass Houses Album Cover - Billy Joel

I went to see Billy Joel play in Madison Square Garden.  What a terrific show!! I grew up with his music and his songs take me back. The Glass Houses album was one of the first albums I asked, begged, pleaded my dad to buy for me. Thank goodness he caved. His songs remind me of Saturdays belting along while cleaning the house and dancing around with my sisters like lunatics. It was crazy fun.

Billy Joel had a couple of surprise musical guests....but I lost my mind when Joe Perry from Aerosmith walked out and played guitar.  He played Walk This Way...and one of Billy Joel back up singers sang it out...and I couldn't contain myself. My rocker chick self was singing along and loving the shred of the guitar. LOVED IT!!!

When Bill Joel sang Piano Man towards the end of the show...my heart expanded. The tears welled up and I was fighting against letting them fall because I didn't want my mascara to run...but the song won out.  I know this is the first blog posting in quite some time but Billy Joel is oh so worth it.  Enjoy.

All artwork, photos, and text © Copyright 2008-2018 Liliana Almendarez unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Liliana Almendarez.