I believed those words spoken to me by my high school guidance counselor were the truth. An older woman, squishy and donning hues of gray on her bean-head, she had just asked me which career field I had planned for myself.
I want to be a fashion designer. And with all my heart I did. I had for years been cutting patterns out of old drapes, designing interesting ensembles and sewing rather magnificently with my mothers old Singer knee press sewing machine. From bright paisley puff sleeved A-line dresses to herringbone jumpers and nothing blouses, I created and I sewed.
I also sketched and painted pictures of girls in a variety of stylish outfits and hairdo’s. This is how I passed much of my time as a young teen.
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Jan
Menopause
The levels indicated I was running low in ink on all four of the printers I own between my home and office, but I just kept on printing. I always figure I can squeeze those ink cartridges dry and might as well. Saves money.
I needed to print out a resume as I was hurrying out the door. Alas, I had not heeded the warning and I was out of ink…on all four printers.
Later that day my gas gauge indicated I was running low on gas. I play this game to see how many miles I can get on one tank.
As I sat stalled right in the middle of one of the busiest streets in Portland out of gas, I realized once again I had not taken serious the warning. This though, a far worse consequence…and embarrassing!
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Jan
Menopause
Hysterectomy and hysterical. Any correlation between these words? I dug in and found something that seems to explain the female condition, well, mine at least.
The word “hyster” originates from the greek and latin language and actually means, “of the womb“, which fully explains the root for the word, hysterectomy. Why then would the same root word be attached to hysterical? Hmmmmm. Check this out from the Online Etymology Dictionary:
hysterical 
1615, from L. hystericus “of the womb,” from Gk. hysterikos “of the womb, suffering in the womb,” from hystera “womb” (see uterus). Originally defined as a neurotic condition peculiar to women and thought to be caused by a dysfunction of the uterus.Hysterics is 1727; hysteria, abstract noun from hysteric, first recorded 1801 as a medical term.
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Jan
Menopause
Memories, all alone in the moonlight
I don’t know what I’m doing here, or why I came
All is fuzzy as I wander from room to room
Talking to myself, once again.
Daylight, I awake from my stupor
Wishing I could remember, what day is today
Who am I? What is my name and what do I do?
Let my memory please be renewed.
Every day is a new adventure of confusion and befuddlement
I continue to mutter and my husband shutters
At our mid-life predicament.
Touch me, it’s so easy just read my lips
We’ll grow old together, hand in hand
As we tread these unknown waters of mid-life
I’ll remind you hey, I’m your wife
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Jan
Menopause, Mid Life Madness
Oh my goodness! I have learned so much about my own health and hormones levels in the last year while building this DVD, “Blitzed by Menopause” and I would like to share a few tips with those of you encountering mid life and menopause.
My appetite of late has been insatiable. When I was pregnant, I was told I actually had a condition called “Insatiable Appetite”…and with this condition, I gained over 65 lbs. with my first baby 85 lbs. with my second. I was starving all the time and could not feel the sensation of fullness…even after single handedly consuming a large pizza! The minute my babies were born, this condition ceased…except for a couple days during my cycle.
Hormones!!
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Jan
Menopause
I presently am wasting a bit of time at work and yet ask myself am I? Listening to my ipod in my office while the people above me sound like elephants stomping on the floor (I have no idea what they do up there but it makes me nuts),I experience one of those precious moments.
So I’m listening to John Denver sing “My Sweet Lady” and am remembering a certain someone from college, 1972, that took me to Denver’s concert. At this memory, I smile, laugh, even get a tear.
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Jan
Menopause
The definition of wisdom: “Accumulated knowledge of life or in a particular sphere of activity that has been gained through experience”.
Well let’s see, here are just a few mid-life tidbits of wisdom I have accumulated through my life’s experiences thus far:
Jan
Menopause, Mid Life Madness
I couldn’t feel my life. My body felt disjointed from my head; like my limbs were strewn about, each functioning but independent of each other; like my head was in command but the rest of me not listening. I couldn’t feel me. Each day working, conquering, climbing, battling be it in the office or in the grocery store, I was on 21st century autopilot.
I drove to the coast. I took off my shoes leaving behind my blackberry, computer, phone, the unanswered texts and e-mails and all the daily annoying, friendly, demanding chattering voices grabbing at me.
My goal was to walk on the beach and clear my head. I mastered this for about 30 seconds. Catching myself several minutes later planning my next business meeting, I realized I was totally unaware of the majesty of my surroundings. I had to break it down:
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Jan
Menopause
With all the ways and means to connect, interact and socialize with people online, why is it sometimes, the more I tweet, Facebook, blog, e-mail, myspace, I feel a sense of growing aloneness?
I once heard that the social networking available to us today is causing a sort of dehumanization. I sometimes wonder. I can tweet with the best of them and while it is entertaining to find out what Matthew Perry is cooking for dinner, I often wonder what happened to the art of letter writing or phone calling. Online social networking is admittedly quicker, easier and more effective but I’m not sure it nourishes the human soul as much as tickles the curious mind.
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Jan
Menopause, Mid Life Madness
