Moving Friday Five

Moving and Changing Friday Five

Sally posted this FF:

"The theme of change is dominating my thinking at the moment, this morning my husband Tim has headed off for an interview in Sheffield. The West Sheffield Methodist Circuit are looking for an Evangelism/ Mission Enabler, in may ways this would be Tim's ideal job, but we wait on God... ( if you can spare a prayer today we'd be grateful)

...Sheffield is a commutable distance from my new post as Minister in Sherburn-in Elmet and some of the surrounding villages, before Tim gets home I will have left to join the Leadership team there for an away day on Saturday, I'll be staying the night with the current Minister in Sherburn to talk over some of the practicalities of the post.

ALL IS CHANGE.... and although I am looking forward to it, it is not without a sense of trepidation, as change always brings challenges.

Changing location also means packing, so next month will be a month of clearing and sorting, deciding what comes and what gets left behind...

So with change in mind I offer you this Friday five; ( if you've never moved here's a chance to use your imagination)"


1. A big move is looming, name one thing that you could not possibly part with, it must be packed ?

BL and I are looking for space-the final frontier. After living together for 6+ years together in what was my little home in the sky (500 sq. ft.) we feel the need to supplement that, so with the help of 1) a couples counselors and 2) a financial planner, we are looking for a weekend and sometimes during the week place. It will be commutable and by the beach. It's a process. The one thing I could not part with, my yard sale find, $25. broken down rocker.

2. Name one thing that you would gladly leave behind...

The huge round dining table, oak, classic, taking all bids.

3. How do you prepare for a move

See 1.

a. practically?

See 1.

b. spiritually/ emotionally?

See 1. But actually I seem to have dropped into a depression which I am prone to. Don't know if it is the move or what, but I do have supports and I'm still going to work etc.

4. What is the first thing you look for in a new place?

Sufficient space.

5. Do you settle in easily, or does it take time for you to find your feet in a new location?

If it's right, I'll settle easily. But it's been awhile since I've moved.


The bonus for today; a new opportunity has come up for you to spend 5 years in a new area, where would you go and why?

I'd like to try Italy. I've vacationed there and when I came back I read online about American retirees who lived in this little town we visited. It sounded like heaven. On the Amalfi coast.

What IS Traditional Marriage?

The License

Friday Five Big To Do

Kathyrnz posted this excellent FF:
"Greetings from the land of the Big To-Do!

It seems like every year I enter into the summer with a growing list of HUGE projects/events/trips that seem to have a permanent place on the 'to do' list.
This year I have a huge move pending so that takes up an entire list all on its own, but it doesn't take a big event like that for me to make plans bigger than my summer can hold!
How about you?

Is this the third summer in a row you have made a pledge involving your garage and actually getting a car into it?
Did you once again miss the registration deadline for the continuing education event of your dreams ?
Are you starting to think you couldn't even find the tents, let alone get it together to pull off a camping trip?

Here is your chance to get it out into the open and OWN your Big To-Do! Who knows? Maybe making the list will help you move the Big To-Do to the Big Ta-Da!"

1) What home fix-it project is on your Big To-Do?
OMG Buying a new home is the BTD, so big that we have ignored all the fix-it's in our shoe-box that we will keep as a week place. We need SPACE! At least I do. Living in 500 sq ft. with two people may have been ok when I was in my 20's and both of us had a (separate) beach house, but not now. So every weekend we schlep to Long Island and look. 

2) What event (fun or work) is on your Big To-Do?

Registering for the New Fest, the gay and lesbian film festival. I became a member, now I have to choose my tickets before they are all gone! It's at the SVA Theater right around the corner and usually films you just can't see at a movie theater.

 
3) What trip is on your Big To-Do?

Buying tickets for a trip on a barge down some river in France, that is if we can afford it after the big purchase.

 
4) What do you wish was on someone ELSE's (partner, family member, celebrity, etc...) Big To-Do?

For BL, getting with the program on buying the big purchase.

5) Getting inspired? What may end this summer having moved from the Big To-Do to the Big Ta-da?

The big purchase

ACLU responds to the sad loss of Prop 8

Mary Beth posted this Friday Five
"I'm showing my age...this was an anthem of my high school years. Wanna hear it? Give this link a try.

While you're bopping along to that (or perhaps holding your ears...?), let's think about VACATIONS! I certainly am!"

1) What did your family do for vacations when you were a child? Or did you have stay-cations at home?
We usually found a family friendly place within driving distance, though once we went to Niagra Falls, and stayed at a motel with a swimming pool. We usually took my cousin and I got to go on her vacations-we were both only children.

2) Tell us about your favorite vacation ever:
My favorite vacation is usually my most recent and this most recent, a cruise on a Holland America ship chartered by the lesbian company Olivia, was great. 1800 of my closest friends going to the Carribean. Not much sun but lots of fun!

3) What do you do for a one-day or afternoon getaway...is there a place nearby that you escape to on a Saturday afternoon/other day off?
My health club has a lovely pool and deck on the corner of 42nd St and 9th Ave. in NYC. My getaway.

4) What's your best recommendation for a full-on vacation near you...what would you suggest to someone coming to your area? (Near - may be defined any way you wish!)
It's a longish drive, but I like Cape Cod, Provincetown is nice.

5) What's your DREAM VACATION?
I'd like to take a cruise to Europe on the QE2, then take the Grand Tour of Europe. No money spared!

This is quick and dirty as I'm at work, maybe more later...

Ask,Tell

Friend at Work

I've had a friend who I've worked with for about 12-13 years. I've followed her career, as our careers go, first I worked with her from outside of our agency and I used their services for our agency, then I was hired and she was in a more senior position.

  

She's a good friend and I love her. We've seen each other through good times and bad. She came to our wedding and we've met on vacation. We've travelled to professional trips together. 

 

We worked in the same office for many years, but in different units, then we both were promoted to different offices, until this winter when she became the director of our office. This leaves me in the dual position of being the friend and confident of our leader.

Recently we have had several management team meetings that have gone from 10-1:30, straight through lunch. I posted on Facebook that we were having another meeting and I hoped that it would end before lunch. She replied "Stop kvetching." This is NYC-that means complaining. I was unusually hurt by that comment and felt that my work boundaries and personal boundaries had been breached. But we are friends on FB!

I hate lack of boundaries. I like neat, clean beginnings and endings, borders, Good fences make good neighbors and all that.  But life is seldom so neat. And I need to learn to live with a leaky boundary and to do it with grace if possible.

Friday Five A Bugs Life

Sophia posted this FF "As I was walking the beach today, I was surprised and delighted to find it swarming with ladybugs. The sweet little red beetles are one of my favorite insects and also my daughter's blogname--though as of this morning she was thinking of changing it to Butterfly. I'll keep you posted.

This got me thinking about spiritual insect trivia: Did you know that medieval mystics and theologians esteemed the bee for its dedicated work and transformation of ordinary ingredients into sweetness? That Spider Woman is an important creator Goddess to many Native American tribes? Or that Francis of Assisi was reminded of Jesus not only by lambs being led to slaughter, but also by worms (think "I am a worm and no man" from the Psalms)-- so he picked them up and took them out of stomping-vulnerable spots?!
In that spirit, this week's Friday Five is a magical mystery tour through God's garden of creepy crawlies!"

1. Ladybugs or ladybirds? Pillbugs or roly-polys? Jesus bugs or water skeeters? Any other interesting regional or familial name variations?
Lady bugs, Pillbugs, waterskeeters, can't think of any others.

2. Stomp on spiders, carry them outside, or peacefully co-exist?
Arachnoiditis! Stomp on them, crush them, get a tissue and smash the buggers! No Buddist I, in this situation

3. Favorite insect?
Maybe the Lightning Bug-is this regional-Ohio!

4. Least favorite?
Mosquito. They come for me. I'm the parakeet in the mine.

5. Got any good bug stories to share?
Once when I was about 7 I told my mother I had a bug in my ear.I could hear it moving around in there trying to get out. It was midsummer and I had been playing outdoors. My father scoffed. But my mother believed me! She put a lit flashlight to my ear and the bug found it's way out. True story!

The Retreat

The pictures you can find on google, amazing!

I went to the retreat this weekend. Let me clarify, it was a retreat sponsored by Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, the only LGBT synagogue in NYC and the largest in the world and the spiritual home of BL. It's the shul that refused marriage to us because I am not Jewish 6 years ago. (note, they did rent us the shul, but we had to hunt for our own rabbi, a lovely rabbi, Ellen Lippman who has her own synagogue in Brooklyn and a Christian partner.)

For a while, after BL joined, I attended services and became part of the community,and really enjoyed them and except for the Jesus problem, was considering becoming a member. Then the marriage issue came up. I mean, for Christ's sake! This is the only place of it's kind in NYC and embraces, orthodox to reform and plenty of people are coupled with non-Jews (as the head rabbi likes to call us.)

So I went to the retreat with a chip on my shoulder that just kept getting bigger as the weekend went on. I found that we were not in the usual accessible  cabins-that we usually have. This was Bl's fault. She forgot to ask. But they gave the extras of these to parents with children! and refused to switch one when they realized I needed one (I need a seated shower or I fall down.)

As you can see I was carrying around this big chip that had a tendency to grow.

I approached the new president to ask him about ways of making non-Jewish partners more welcome. He said "Well it is a Synagogue!" Ow, that chip was starting to hurt!

This will be my last retreat.