Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

David Bowie – RIP

January 12, 2016

When I woke up yesterday the news hit me like a ton of bricks – David Bowie dead at 69. OMG! It’s like I’ve lost a good friend. Even though I never knew him, I knew his music and that’s a little bit like knowing the person isn’t it? So, I wanted to take a little time to talk about his music and what it meant to me.

The first song I ever heard was “Space Oddity”. That was 1973, although the song first came out in 1969 coinciding with the landing on the moon. The music was mesmerizing to me at the time – I was all of 10 – and the lyrics even more so because space flight was the thing back then. Watching Bowie on Top of the Pops along with others like Marc Bolan, Sweet, and Slade is just a defining moment in my life. It’s where my love of music really got its start so the fact that he is now gone makes it feel that some part of me is gone too.

Fame was another of my favorites – especially the part where the word Fame is taken from super high pitched to very low tones. I thought it was kind of funny at the time (I was young remember). I still like that part, but I also understand the meaning behind the song so it’s even better now. Golden Years was another song of his that I liked and, HA, now I’m in my golden years. Wah, wah, wahhhh.

I didn’t hear much from Bowie again (although I do remember Young Americans) until 1980 with Ashes to Ashes. We (my friends and I) didn’t get this one at the time and consequently didn’t like it much. The video was weird, but our favorite part was the steamroller behind the troupe and the women seemingly touching the ground as if to bless it. In reality, they were picking up the hems of their gowns so they wouldn’t trip and fall and be squitched by said steamroller. Oh wow! A year ago I looked up the video, the lyrics, and the history surrounding it. Bowie said it was like a goodbye to the 70’s and burying the past with it. Yes, I see that now.

A few years later it was “Modern Love”, “Let’s Dance”, and “China Girl”. At the time I thought, OMG he’s back! And in a big way too. He seemed to always reinvent himself over the years – his music changed and grew as he got older and I think that’s just the way it should be. We are humans after all and we do evolve even through our own lifetimes. I loved the videos for all three of these songs and thought how marvelous that he was back again. Then, it seems that was it. Probably because I got married and was in the kid bubble as I’ve mentioned before. He was still making music, but I wasn’t attuned to it.

I was watching a biography on Freddie Mercury once and they showed a concert clip of Queen’s after Freddie had died. David Bowie was there (probably to perform Under Pressure) and he got down on one knee and led the thousands there in saying the Our Father for Freddie. To say that I was touched would be an understatement.

And now, he’s gone, only days after releasing his last album which apparently was how he wanted it. It’s a gift and a goodbye from him to us and he leaves an incredible legacy to musicians who are up and coming, those who have been influenced by him and to those of us who simply enjoyed his music.

Rest in peace David Bowie and may perpetual light shine upon you. Thank you for sharing your genius with us – your star will always shine bright in our hearts.

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Looking at losing weight differently

January 8, 2016

We took this extra week off school so we could all recuperate from the holidays and also so that I could get the housework routines back into play. I also started decluttering some stuff and I’m reading “Health at Every Size”. I decided I’d read it first and then work on changes. But, again, I already KNOW the things I need to do. The difference is I’m not dieting anymore.

Here’s what I’ve found out. Our bodies were not designed to go on man made “diets”. Our bodies are designed amazingly to keep us healthy if we work with it and not against it. Stress is a big factor in weight gain, not just because of the stress hormones that come into play, but because we turn to crappy food when we’re stressed or depressed. We need to sleep to stay healthy. And exercise gives a whole host of health benefits and that’s why we should be moving – not because we might lose weight. And eating yogurt to keep your inside tract healthy will help with keeping your body healthier and possibly smaller.

So, knowing all that helps me to say that I’m going to make changes for the health of my body. If I lose any weight it’ll be a bonus but I’m going to go after health first. I think this month, while I’m reading the book, I’ll up my water intake. I’ll crack out my food mover to make sure I’m drinking enough and not to get in the obligatory 8 glasses. If I can get 5 good glasses in a day that’s better than what I’m doing now. And isn’t that the point – to make progress no matter how small? Kaizen!! See – it works everywhere. :-)

Oh, and the anger thing – working on that too. Working on acknowledging my anger and a couple other things that are problems for me but will go unnamed here. Yeah…we all have problems but we don’t have to share it all either.

So, it’s a start to the changes I want to make this year. Whenever I feel anxious and want things done now, I remember that I’m taking all year and there is no rush.

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I’m Going To Take All Year

January 1, 2016

It’s January 1 and we all know what January means – resolutions and goals. Especially weight loss and get healthy resolutions and goals. I even downloaded a free book on Kindle Unlimited about goal setting. Good grief – like about 20 goals to work on over 3 months?? I’ll be returning that book!

My caveat to resolutions is this – you are making new YEAR’s resolution – shouldn’t it take all year and not one, two, three or six months? Aren’t we supposed to be making permanent changes to how we live? Yes? Well then, I’m going to take a different approach this year and it’s called the Take All Year approach. Yes, you heard that right – ALL YEAR. Here’s the basic outline:
- Get Healthier
- Lose the Anger
- Declutter/Deep Clean The House
The “plan” for healthier eating is simply make better choices each day. I may pull my old food mover out to help make sure I’m eating all the right things each day, but no calorie tracking stuff – it just doesn’t work for me. I’m also going to read Health at Every Size. I heard about it on a blog from a woman who has gone through weight loss surgery. She figured out why she ate so much, she started accepting who she was, and made small changes with regards to what she ate. I know why I eat the way I do so it’s time to change, and each day can be an opportunity to that change and make better choices for my body and mind.

Speaking of mind, there’s that anger thing. I’ve been in the angry stage of grief for awhile and it’s time to move on. I have found a workbook which I’ll work through (all year) and a couple of other books to read for help as well. And since this is the Year of Mercy I think this could be an opposite virtue to the vice of anger so I will find ways to practice mercy throughout the year. Again, no big changes but making one small choice a day.

As far as decluttering and deep cleaning the house I’ll have all year to work on it! I know it’s going to take time and I’ve got plenty of time to do it. I know how to do it – I just need to get it done. Well, yeah, I know the actual housecleaning is never done but you know what I mean.

So that’s it. I guess if I had to pick a word for 2016 it would be change, but then that should be the process as we go along in life right? Nothing is static – life is always changing and we must change as well. I think it’s called growth. Maybe that should be my word for 2016.

So, welcome 2016 and may the new year and all the new years to come be good ones for us ALL on this earth. We’ve got way too much hatred around here lately – let’s cultivate peace whenever and however we can.

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» 2016 » January » Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

David Bowie – RIP

January 12, 2016

Looking at losing weight differently

January 8, 2016

I’m Going To Take All Year

January 1, 2016

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