Heart like a lion

"It's time. Heart of a lion. I will give my all-heart, mind,& spirit today. This is what it's about! All the way until the end! No regrets."

-Apolo Anton Ohno (via his Twitter)

(photo credit: http://www.britannica.com)

I've been addicted to the Olympics this year. It's the first time that I've really been interested in the Winter Olympics. Usually, I'll watch speed skating, figure skating, and a few other events. Not this year. I've watched nearly everything.

One of my favorite things about the Olympics is watching all the countries together. Everyone marches out during the opening ceremonies. It's just amazing to watch. Even with all the problems in the world, it's a time when I think that all is right. There are wars going on, devastating earthquakes, etc., but while I watch the countries parade out I forget those things. I like watching the winners sing their country's national anthems. (Side note: I just wish the US athletes would sing).

Like so many others, I love Apolo Ohno. He's a fantastic skater, but more importantly, I think he's a great person. I don't think he should have been DQ'd in the 500, but things happen and he was definitely able to bounce back for the relay.

But, it's back to regular scheduled programs. I'll wait for the summer olympics.

Poem for a Saturday afternoon

love is a place
& through this place of
love move
(with brightness of peace)
all places

yes is a world
& in this world of
yes live
(skilfully curled)
all worlds

(ee cummings)

sunshine, please.

(Edgewater Park, Cleveland OH)

The everfaithful weatherman told us tonight that we might get another 4 or more inches of snow at the end of the week. I'm ready for spring. I need sunshine.

I'll take spring rains over this miserable gray winter weather. On days like this, I wonder why I don't ditch this area and move somewhere that has more sunshine than gray. But, the truth is, I can't imagine living somewhere that doesn't have four seasons. As much as I need sunshine, I also need leaves changing colors in the fall. I like a little bit of snow - just not the extended winter that we have here.

in need of a proofreader

Pick up your your free...???

Obviously Smokey Bones doesn't have an amazing proofreader... or even a mediocre proofreader.

Sick days

I'm home sick today. I left work after 2 hours yesterday with a horrible sinus headache and still feel like crap on toast today. I must admit that I am feeling better today, but nowhere near well enough to be at work.

I've been at my job for about 1.5 years and this is my first time taking a full sick day. I hate calling off sick. I was the kid who went to school sick because I didn't want to miss anything. I'm the same way with work.

I went to bed last night at 9pm so when I woke up at 8 to call off work, I was pretty much up. I moseyed downstairs to watch tv and caught the Magic School bus. I loved that show in school. Ms. Frizzle and the gang ended up in the Arctic. 2 of the kids were stuck on the bus on an ice piece that broke away. I never realized how strange (traumatizing?) this show was. As the kids were calling for help, Ms. Frizzle and everyone else were waving to them. Bye! It's ok if you all die on the magic school bus.

sunshine

Friday afternoon saw a break in the clouds. I needed the sun. Winter tends to drag with little sunlight. By this time of winter, I'm usually going stir crazy.

The benches in this picture are around the outside of the labyrinth out at the Villa. I've walked the labyrinth once - it was an interesting experience.

Digging out

It snowed. Plain and simple. From Friday afternoon to Saturday morning, we accumulated 21 inches of snow in our front yard. The lovely National Weather Service kept telling us that we had a "winter weather advisory" and that we could expect somewhere in the 4-8 in. region. Wrong.

(around 9pm Friday night)

(path to Dad's car at the end of the driveway)

(One of the neighbor kid's navigating his backyard. They also built a fort and added a red flag near the swingset)


(Saturday evening sunset)

Sometime around noon yesterday, the sun came out and laughed at us as we dug out. I took advantage of the snow and have spent my weekend parked in front of the tv watching He's Just Not That Into You, Post Grad, and 500 Days of Summer. My movie weekend made me miss college. We would spend entire weekends sprawled out in our townhouse living room watching movies and endless episodes of Gilmore girls or The OC. I don't let myself relax like that anymore.

What's your story?

I have a thing with introductions. I hate them. I hate sitting in a circle of people I know or don't know and listening to obligatory introductions. Hi, I'm Eilis. Ummm... I work in a development office, graduated from college in 2008 with a degree in English, live in Youngstown, ummm... what else do you want to know? Oh, we have to include one interesting thing about us. Hmmm. I tell people that I'm not funny which just makes them laugh even harder.

I'm tired in my job, but don't want to leave. I have application forms for exotic places saved to my computer desktop. Some are half finished. Some deadlines have passed. The last one is due April 1. I still have time. They remind me that I need to get back to writing.

I don't want this to be one of those blogs that people update every day or every week for a while and then nothing for months. Those blogs annoy me. Yet, I'm probably a hypocrite because I'll probably end up doing the same thing.