Couldn’t we all use such a sign pointing us to new hope? I sure know that I could! That’s why I snapped it on my way to work the other morning (speaking of which, I have to run to work).

Here’s to new hope with clear direction for all of us!

My sweetie was wearing this t-shirt today and I snapped a pic. of the tag. I love to modify the saying to fit my little world.

Why not right? I am a lucky lady!!

Speaking of how lucky I am…

I have been so busy running back and forth to my new job that apparently I missed that my little bridges blog has pole vaulted up over 50,000 in the last few days.

Talk about like what you do? Seriously. How can I thank all of you wonderful bloggy friends who have shared this space with me over the last couple years. I look forward to each time each and every one of you drops in and adds a comment, or encouragement or perspective.

Thank you so much! Here’s to you all!

Wow! 11/15/09… well into Fall, on our way to Winter. But today is a reprieve from the cold wind, rain and gray skies. (Took this pic. today in our yard).

Today, it is blue skies, warm breeze and feels like 70 degrees. How grateful I am for these little respites in the middle of challenging seasons!

I have been so busy at my new job. Definitely cuts into my blogging time for sure! Once I get on my regular schedule I will have a little more morning time to myself.

I’m off to go watch the kids play basketball at the park. Hope you all are having a healthy and happy weekend friends!

(Fallen Leaves by Billy Talent was on the boom-box when I was taking this pic. and crunching through the leaves in the yard. Pretty cool coincidence).

Do you ever wonder what is behind the eyes of people you encounter? I sometimes (well, often) do. There is so much more behind my eyes than I ever let on. There’s nothing wrong with a little mystery, right?

I think the only person who surprises me with how much they actually have learned is behind my eyes is my sweet irreplaceable spouse. (The blue art below reminds me of how she is with me…)

Off to exhale a little bit before another unpredictable time consuming day at the new job.

It dawned on me today as I sat through a long arduous (overly simplistic) training at the company where I was offered a job here in PA.,  that I was extremely spoiled the previous 5 years. Being able to have my own business, set my own schedule, enjoy my own hours at my own office (and not always make a lot of money of course).

The expression, “Living the life of Riley” came to me. This phrase suggests an ideal life of prosperity and contentment, possibly living on someone else’s money, time or work. Yup… that would pretty much sum it up.

What a lucky gal… well, I am still lucky, don’t get me wrong. It is just a huge adjustment to actually put in 8 hours every day “for the man.” Badge in, badge out. No window, no flexibility, sun is down by the time I get out of work. (I think) I am willing to give the “chain-gang” a chance. The upside is, I will have a predictable paycheck.

My family doesn’t even want me to work. They would rather I was at home.

Hmm… this may be one of those “permission” issues I need to work with myself on…

Until then… back to the grind-stone tomorrow.

…{sigh}…

I am trying to remain open, and humble and be willing.

“I think this economic situation is bringing many of us to wonder about issues like stability and how it is obtained, at what cost – and also whether what we’ve been taught is stability may be something more like inertia…”

(quote from one of the comments below… just seemed so apropos.)

A comment on one of my posts inspired my desire to shout this to the world today. Fly your freak flag baby!

How? Well, it’s your lucky day friends! I am going to direct you to a web post that will give you some ideas of how to fly your freak flag high and proud!

Here’s some musical inspiration to this end as well. Macy Gray “Sexual Revolution“:

“everybody shake it
time to be free amongst yourselves
your mama told you to be discreet
and keep your freak to yourself
but your mama lied to you all this time
she knows as well as you and I
you’ve got to express what is taboo in you
and share your freak with the rest of us
cause it’s a beautiful thang”

As a woman who grew up in an extremely conservative merciless home and church environment, the word permission was a “dirty word” for me. I had to ask for permission for everything! I couldn’t go to the bathroom at school without permission. I couldn’t leave the table at home without permission. Even decades later as an adult, I had to ask my former husband for permission to do just about anything. That didn’t stop when we got divorced. We had joint legal custody of our son, and therefore didn’t need to ask each other for permission. (Frankly, autonomous adults really shouldn’t have to be subjugated to the realm of permission seeking). However, each time I exercised my freedoms to parent my son as I chose, I would be chastised and criticized for not asking permission (…or more for who I was).

So, you might gather I am not a fan of the word. However, today, I saw a blog post from a bloggy friend who used to be a regular, but I had missed while she was on blog-sabbatical. Her post put a whole new spin on the word. I am going to reclaim the word for myself as well.

Now… I need to give myself permission to be and do on so many levels. It may take some time for me to think of the list of “should’s” that I need to release myself from…