[null, {"document_url": "http://www.everydayjill.com/2014/10/red-lights.html", "unformatted_src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KeeVY-h4Xwg/VDdo3Bv-AXI/AAAAAAAAL2k/PWDQ0toKE64/s1600/ColorTouch%2B(3).jpeg", "src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KeeVY-h4Xwg/VDdo3Bv-AXI/AAAAAAAAL2k/PWDQ0toKE64/s1600/ColorTouch%2B(3).jpeg", "formatted_filename": "ColorTouch B( )", "rendered_width": 320, "rendered_height": 240}, null, null, {"document_url": "http://www.everydayjill.com/2014/10/red-lights.html", "unformatted_src": "https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qkq6Na64HN4/W7q4zMLzPfI/AAAAAAAAYsk/7crbWHc3PJQuyLiactY1FHNezjdZxDVTACLcBGAs/s320/11391419_10206970167953810_7758343036725105906_n.jpg", "src": "https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qkq6Na64HN4/W7q4zMLzPfI/AAAAAAAAYsk/7crbWHc3PJQuyLiactY1FHNezjdZxDVTACLcBGAs/s320/11391419_10206970167953810_7758343036725105906_n.jpg"}, null, null, null, {"document_url": "http://www.everydayjill.com/2014/10/red-lights.html", "unformatted_src": "//3.bp.blogspot.com/-X5jMvze5E94/W5nHJ6fc0MI/AAAAAAAAYp4/t0wMmvitSJkS5FcolQbvYuA8j3E34mMkgCK4BGAYYCw/s80/40439216_10217559591162772_681830911553044480_o.jpg", "src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X5jMvze5E94/W5nHJ6fc0MI/AAAAAAAAYp4/t0wMmvitSJkS5FcolQbvYuA8j3E34mMkgCK4BGAYYCw/s80/40439216_10217559591162772_681830911553044480_o.jpg", "alt_text": "My photo", "rendered_width": 80, "rendered_height": 80}, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null]

Red Lights

The last couple of weeks have been red light weeks. Not red light like the Amsterdam District (I live in Mayberry, cupcakes), but more like it feels like I have caught every theoretical red light in my path. If it could go wrong, it has gone incredibly wrong the last few weeks. Entire panels of electricity going out in my house, check. Water pressure whacking out every toilet and sink in my house, check. Octomouse eluding the dogs and me, except when she decides to party at two in the morning, check. Dogs vomiting random things, check. (FYI, Labs can eat socks and regurgitate them largely intact.) Everything going off the tracks at an alarming pace, check.

So I went to check the mail today. I figured, why not add some bills to the mix? It already seems like I am hitting every red light, why not throw the random unexpected medical bill or IRS notice from when I was still married to He Who Must Not Be Named? Unlocked my mailbox, sifted through the eight thousand circulars, gathered the pile o'bills, and noticed a card hand addressed to me. In what looked suspiciously like my handwriting. I had a Marty McFly moment where I wondered if I had written to myself from the future. And then I remembered. Several weeks ago, I had to go to a new student orientation at DU. One of those touchy feely get-to-know-you weekends just short of doing those annoying trust falls. At the end of the weekend, which was actually an amazing one, we sat down to write cards to ourselves. We were supposed to write cards to motivate ourselves that our advisors would send to us at some random point during the quarter.  Everyone around me started writing frantically. Words seemed to flow from their pens at a frenetic pace. I just sat there, not knowing what I would say to myself besides "Don't screw this up, buttercup.". But then, this. This was what came to mind, because I know I am doing the hard work, raising my monkeys on my own, working a million hours, and going back to school. Simple. You can do this.

That card was a green light. Finally, a green light telling me to go. Funny, how something as simple as four words in your own handwriting can be just the motivation that you need during red light times. Electricians and plumbers can fix pipes and wiring, Octomouse will surely figure out that the kids next door have much better junk food available. All of the other stuff. Well, yeah. Maybe it doesn't go completely off the tracks, or maybe it does. I can just keep looking for the green lights like this card.

Peace and love and green lights and working electrical outlets, buttercups. XOXO
at October 09, 2014