tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77236652012-01-25T11:32:05.022-04:00(and sometimes pictures too!)Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.comBlogger7281100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-35330209424814521042012-01-17T10:59:00.000-04:002012-01-17T11:27:17.963-04:00

Some people I like have recently noted that January is hard. January is birth, and cold, and ice, and beginnings. January is planning, learning how to breath, learning how to walk and learning where to go next. I agree.  Halfway thought January, I can’t say it’s much easier yet, but I can hear a beat in the distance and my feet are marching forward, with one foot finding solid ground and

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-14456118986902552452011-12-24T00:45:00.000-04:002011-12-24T11:38:06.560-04:00

*Got no time to take a picture  I'll remember someday  all the chances we took  We're so close to something better left unknown  But I knew this would be hard. A process of disentangling two lives, lived side by side, for over thirteen years. I knew it would be emotional, and complicated, and frustrating and unsettling. I knew that the beginning would be lonely. I knew that my compass would

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-62481429031021320872011-11-16T09:38:00.004-04:002011-11-16T13:39:11.986-04:00

I might take this post down....I'm not sure....I might not. ************I drive up my leaf strewn street with 2 Diet Pepsi and 2 lukewarm burgers. I have a flashback to driving up the street for the first time, 10 years ago, at about this time of the year. There is nothing I don't love about this street. Large lots, older homes, mature trees...it has always felt like the universe gave me a

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-12021118824370982552011-10-14T22:21:00.006-03:002011-10-14T22:59:43.178-03:00

She is lit with warm colorsand is drawn towards everything that breathswhether it's a smell a sound or a touch.She wants to be understoodbut frequently lacks the patienceto properly explain what makes her tick.She will embrace you despite your faultsbut will require that you return the favorand extend this same kindness to those around you.She longs for you to deem her smartas she has long ago

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-72846552576798397032011-08-09T22:29:00.002-03:002011-08-09T22:31:26.342-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-7573809967157898282011-07-04T11:56:00.006-03:002011-07-04T14:20:10.246-03:00

Several of my favorite writers have posted about love lately....some sapphic, some romantic, some hot and some philosophical.They all have different things to say, some of them conflicting, some of them enchanting, but all of them valid and all of them interesting.A perspective to be added...****************************....it is watching him as his chest rises and falls with each breath, at 3pm,

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-30632862498808780802011-06-17T11:22:00.003-03:002011-06-17T11:37:50.042-03:00

I want to write about all of the sentences that keep forming and reforming in my brain, like fragments, flying, everywhere....motherhood, summer, friendship, confusion, stress, anger, wine, happiness, running, nostalgia, laughter....all of it fitting together snugly and then suddenly disappearing in front of me, line by line, like a never ending tetris game.I want to write about all of the images

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-7929921421629005282011-06-13T22:23:00.002-03:002011-06-13T22:37:54.955-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-49638395353277211182011-05-30T15:29:00.011-03:002011-05-30T16:03:47.417-03:00

1. I was a competitive synchronized swimmer for SEVERAL years. I have pictures of me in sequined bathing suits to prove it. It took me YEARS to stop keeping an "8 count" when listening to music or choreographing "routines" in my mind. 2. I have a high level of discomfort with things that aren't placed/organized on a right angle. "Kitty Corner" are dirty words to me. 3. I would eat raw

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-60269659809599903552011-05-04T09:02:00.006-03:002011-05-04T10:27:40.329-03:00

When I was a kid, my Mom had a magical way of knowing how to do certain things. She knew how to ready a pool for the summer by pouring a full case of baking soda into the water by early Spring. She knew how to steam open mussels using a subtle blend of garlic, salt, pepper and white wine in the bottom of a deep pot. She knew how to sew a hem into the bottom of a pair of pants in less than ten

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-686851121341561312011-05-03T11:17:00.002-03:002011-05-03T11:18:24.370-03:00

Get Lighter

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-31040230671671700112011-04-11T21:08:00.007-03:002011-04-15T23:30:42.731-03:00

...derby is signing up for something most of us have only ever seen on our computers, or at best, on our tv.... it is ordering skates from the internet, discussing wheel options on the phone with patient strangers, it is buying tailbone protectors and short shorts, learning about mouth-guards and wearing fishnets for the first time ever. ...derby is remembering what it feels like to go fast on

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-90584618561493788182011-04-04T21:23:00.012-03:002011-04-04T22:36:38.185-03:00

I have a best friend who is brutally honest with me, sometimes to a fault. She tells me when I am being selfish. She tells me when I am being too hard on myself. She tells me whether a pair of jeans make my ass look fat or great. She also tells me, when my heart is being squeazed to the point of tears, that they are just feelings; that they'll change, and that it won't always hurt so much.This

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-72476308572919711992011-03-21T14:14:00.005-03:002011-04-04T22:38:08.070-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-63308309449789777382011-03-09T14:14:00.006-04:002011-03-09T14:42:43.955-04:00

Certain things and people draw you closer to your center, nearer to the person you want, and so badly need to be.Their origins are often fuzzy, but also sometimes crisp, and their commonalities are simple. They always somehow draw you in, like magnetized elements set behind sheets of white paper; unknown and unseen, yet undeniably attracted in the purest of physical senses.At night, these

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-20743772999415562092011-02-21T15:17:00.004-04:002011-02-21T16:13:22.064-04:00

We sat cross-legged in a comfortable living room, spilling onto floors, sofas and pillows. Along with snacks and wine, we brought a jumble of words, laughter and enthusiasm that lept off computer screens and into real life. An odd mix of new and familiar. It felt like I knew them so well, yet, they constantly surprised me with their insight and lack of fear when it came to facing difficult

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-74613995244962027352011-01-24T13:10:00.003-04:002011-01-24T13:30:06.725-04:00

part a - she sees papers strewn on a messy desk, yellowing photographs on the wall, and a girl, frequently interrupted, typing away, trying to not dream of a place that is warmer, kinder and softer around the edges. she suffers infrequent bouts of inspiration coupled with frequent angst over feelings of inadequacy. she munches carrots, drinks too much coffee and frequently speaks too fast. she

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-87906744266089405822011-01-10T11:58:00.008-04:002011-01-25T10:26:32.364-04:00

You set the alarm because you don't want to be rushed through the morning routine, but you rarely ever get to sleep that late. It starts with pounding on the walls and escalates to wailing coming from down the hall. You debate whether you want to wake him because it's his turn to get the child. But he is still sleeping, you can hear him softly snoring. You know he has slept poorly throughout

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-15424415749860030682010-11-29T22:33:00.005-04:002010-11-30T10:04:13.387-04:00

About a year ago, I made a decision. I picked up the phone, spoke to a friendly guy and booked an appointment to visit a gym. I made it through the orientation and I even made it through the initial training week. It was hard, I was sore, and I was far from sure that I was in the right place. It's not something you do everyday, make a choice to dramatically alter your physical fitness.During

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-73029073381916116502010-11-17T09:16:00.001-04:002010-11-17T09:18:13.518-04:00

Yes, it isYes, it is

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-82248178232819257502010-11-11T09:21:00.003-04:002010-11-11T09:23:12.602-04:00

for my grandfather, my friends from work, my friends from the gym, my cousin Terry, my coach Will, my many team-mates at roller derby....and all of the other countless souls who serve every day so that I don't have to....i remember.

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-72705633708151103212010-11-01T10:52:00.004-03:002010-11-01T11:28:14.326-03:00

I have started no less than 6 posts in the past couple of weeks....all of which had potential.I was going to write about the asshole I used to be and how motherhood has got me re-thinking ALOT of assumptions I have previously made about people, circumstances and personal choice. It's not all about hard work and things "turning out". Sometimes the best intentions....simply don't give way to easy

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-66368720687763898192010-10-13T10:47:00.003-03:002010-10-13T10:49:30.501-03:00

I am attracted to darknessand people who are hurtI am drawn to eyes that shinebehind faces veiled with pain.I always noticetattoos and scarsand I wonder what stories they telland which they hide.I find myself noticingsmall ticks and fidgetsat the coffee shop or on the streetsigns of trauma and fight.I wonder about limpsand about eyes that squintpainfully at the harsh sunlightsometimes the night

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-65690385337835273382010-10-02T14:28:00.008-03:002010-10-04T22:45:47.056-03:00

Every year, on about this day, they come down in droves. Their presence darkens the sky and their sound rings out in shrill piercing squawks. My house is in the direct path of a crow migration. It happens, every year, yet it never feels ordinary. I usually hear them before I see them and their arrival gives way to a pit in my stomach. Their presence always seems to be too foretelling. I

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-58628101278186291912010-09-29T12:25:00.000-03:002010-09-29T12:25:04.461-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-17972904261044577752010-09-24T10:44:00.007-03:002010-09-24T11:02:10.963-03:00

* Flecks of snap, crackle and pop spilled all over the kitchen floor.* Pretend forts and tunnels made out of home-made quilts.* Step by step instructions, repeatedly, on how to take off sneakers.* A dual existence; 12 hours of being awake, 12 hours of him sleeping.* Surprise words, sentences and songs. Pride. Laughter.* Determination. * Questions as to what else lays dormant in that tiny

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-83678783507737779112010-09-23T13:13:00.002-03:002010-09-23T13:21:30.927-03:00

So I dropped the ball on Project 365, in a large way. There are a million things I could blame it on, like traveling for work, a dislocated shoulder and general stress. But those would just be excuses. Because I am committed to owning mistakes these days, I admit to failing at this. Because I am also committed to learning how to move on, I also am giving myself permission to start again.

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-20721758362436682142010-09-20T10:03:00.002-03:002010-09-20T10:07:08.310-03:00

beerface paintinglaughtersneakershugsfish crackershangoversroller derbybake saleskypehouseworksunshine

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-21718421058045709092010-09-13T09:33:00.005-03:002010-09-13T09:42:31.705-03:00

(not me but someone on my team at last night's practice)2 weeks later, a post script....dislocated shoulderstubborn toddler 2 emergency work trips to Montrealbeerroller derbyshoulder rehabwinemusicargumentscookingscrabblecrisp fall weathervacation plans

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-10972975673016173692010-08-27T22:18:00.000-03:002010-08-27T22:19:44.130-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-5344965068723418562010-08-27T21:50:00.001-03:002010-08-27T21:52:20.147-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-34041075027905245042010-08-25T20:36:00.000-03:002010-08-25T20:37:53.620-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-41904500912540283822010-08-25T20:24:00.003-03:002010-08-25T20:27:54.519-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-30141775134924695472010-08-23T22:24:00.002-03:002010-08-23T22:32:32.175-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-73444969380692636982010-08-23T22:21:00.001-03:002010-08-23T22:32:23.829-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-46167659655204590562010-08-23T22:19:00.001-03:002010-08-23T22:32:13.407-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-84356123612165829832010-08-23T22:15:00.001-03:002010-08-23T22:32:03.708-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-16567527249559964952010-08-23T22:12:00.003-03:002010-08-23T22:31:54.599-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-87278695923241718602010-08-19T00:40:00.003-03:002010-08-23T22:31:45.642-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-72432262310263271822010-08-17T20:24:00.003-03:002010-08-23T22:31:33.974-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-10481206540976350412010-08-17T18:57:00.002-03:002010-08-23T22:31:24.189-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-50917107045071138312010-08-17T18:54:00.003-03:002010-08-23T22:31:15.164-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-37777749105998575192010-08-16T16:18:00.001-03:002010-08-16T16:20:52.613-03:00

HendricksLaughterGroceriesScreamingPackingTravelingDogsSt. AndrewsPicturesBirthday PartyWrinklesNewbornsQuietPlansDreams

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-89262525193231241012010-08-14T11:42:00.003-03:002010-08-23T22:31:03.843-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-32593313744326378262010-08-14T11:39:00.005-03:002010-08-23T22:30:54.082-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-6209396419616272872010-08-14T11:35:00.004-03:002010-08-23T22:30:44.020-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-84530610308491152872010-08-10T21:26:00.004-03:002010-08-23T22:30:33.316-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-84653323888946625612010-08-10T21:24:00.004-03:002010-08-23T22:30:23.115-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-7945162788506579532010-08-10T21:19:00.005-03:002010-08-23T22:30:11.165-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-73156994893535948412010-08-07T22:01:00.001-03:002010-08-23T22:30:01.536-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-7957564619084774932010-08-07T21:03:00.004-03:002010-08-23T22:29:50.617-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-3788839805377627742010-08-06T19:34:00.002-03:002010-08-06T19:34:59.179-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-5983322390290664742010-08-04T22:39:00.003-03:002010-08-04T22:41:45.785-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-78925368091940849992010-08-04T22:37:00.003-03:002010-08-05T07:45:09.422-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-87578880230998404472010-08-02T20:17:00.003-03:002010-08-02T20:21:30.035-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-51973481408783887632010-08-01T22:26:00.003-03:002010-08-01T22:41:20.378-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-22537802168711003172010-07-31T21:37:00.001-03:002010-07-31T21:39:55.321-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-67453467388979593212010-07-30T20:56:00.004-03:002010-07-30T21:13:05.410-03:00

outtakes here

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-2008369154406345232010-07-30T09:04:00.003-03:002010-07-30T09:09:29.337-03:00

To SheilaSmashing PumpkinsTwilight fadesThrough blistered avalonThe sky's cruel torchOn aching autobahnInto the uncertain divineWe scream into the last divideYou make me realYou make me realStrong as i feelYou make me realSheila rides on crashing nightingaleIntake eyes leave passing vapor trailsWith blushing brilliance aliveBecause it's time to arriveYou make me realYou make me realStrong as i

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-58983954544040659632010-07-29T21:24:00.001-03:002010-07-29T21:26:46.213-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-9053152909887801852010-07-28T20:59:00.003-03:002010-07-29T10:05:11.151-03:00

What: 365 pictures in 365 days.Why: Why not?Who else: The Crew

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-75846930936797736592010-07-19T10:56:00.007-03:002010-07-19T11:21:47.002-03:00

at this pointin my lifeI will decidewhat is rightand what is wrongand I will smilewhen the lines blurlike when you close your eyesin the middle of a long road trip.at a pointin the middle of the dayyou will decide what you'll dowill it bea good daya bad dayand will this be the daythat you'll finally crossstuff on that damn list.at a pointin the nightI will wake upand thinkthat the nightis still

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-4683918638596000882010-07-14T15:12:00.012-03:002010-07-15T13:46:32.065-03:00

MD and I love to travel. We both possess incredibly strong (and argumentative) personalities, but when we travel, we have learnt to operate with a kind of synchronicity. Many trips taken together have convinced me that travel brings out our very best selves. Every time. We enjoy similar things and have the same sense of wanderlust. We also see the world as one big adventure, waiting to be

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-32256366431149606192010-06-23T15:29:00.000-03:002010-06-23T15:30:13.774-03:00

Spending next two weeks drinking wine, swimming and eating tappas.Follow along at tarmax and train trax.

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-82745558265086500602010-06-20T07:45:00.002-03:002010-06-20T07:49:21.384-03:00

happy father's day to all the fathers out there and also all of those who have helped raise the kids in their lives

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-84293379828905235482010-06-14T20:40:00.005-03:002010-06-19T23:18:56.343-03:00

- I have a husband who has tattoos of fish...and a 2yr old son who has a fish that he called "tattoo"...- I have two beagles named Genghis and Gandi...and one of them is scared of everything while the the one is a canine terrorist, you guess which is which...

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-48513772876119842532010-06-02T20:11:00.008-03:002010-06-02T21:39:14.329-03:00

The Space BetweenThe wicked lies we tellAnd hope to keep safe from the painI sometimes stand at the corner of the street at the coffee shop near my office and have to remind myself that it is wrong to reach out and touch complete strangers. Instead, I let myself gaze, at a safe distance, at the texture of the fibers of their jackets and the way their freshly washed hair curves and falls gently

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-49347892867577847842010-05-01T23:31:00.009-03:002010-05-02T09:22:13.025-03:00

My arms are sore from pushing it too hard at the gym. I wince as I rush out to the car. I fumble with two briefcases while looking at my blackberry. I see the time and it is 9:04am, I have 2 meetings done and I am now beginning a long day of negociations. I am only 5 minutes late so far ("not so bad" I think). I start the car as my cell phone rings, it is my mother. FUCK. I am late. I

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-12640163807316672202010-04-15T14:34:00.012-03:002010-04-19T23:10:31.822-03:00

shuffle...shuffle.......BANG....CRASH"Maaaaammaaaan" .....(wailing toddler behind closed door)(translation: MOOTHERRRRRRRR, I am here!)....|shuffle...shuffle...."1.2.3.7.9.4.3.2.....a.b.c.l.m.n.o.q.w.x.t.....MAAAAMMMAAAAN" (muffled toddler behind closed door, likely wrestling with either teddy bears or blankets while rolling on floor) (translation: MOOTHERRRRRRRR, Listen to ME!)....(silence)...

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-71395791248170935742010-04-06T10:03:00.007-03:002010-04-07T09:20:21.748-03:00

Heaven can waitand hell’s too far agoSomewhere betweenwhat you need and what you knowSeconds tick and hours fly, speeding like the odometer on my dash board counting kilometers clocked on lonely highways long into the night. In these past 6 weeks, I have driven hard, with eyes often bleary, to sleep in my own bed. There is a certain kind of nobility to working yourself to the bone, to spending

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-36778339952472386112010-03-24T21:17:00.003-03:002010-03-24T21:20:05.531-03:00

A propos nothing but the cuteness....and, was tired of seeing lame old post. Will return soon....(photo taken by MD)

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-24477652497301990862010-03-09T12:16:00.004-04:002010-03-09T12:43:23.663-04:00

life is better lately, jagged edges have been polished and i've found a fluid rhythm to most of my days. while my productivity has not returned, i have found a long lost sense of composure. it feels good to not constantly be standing at the edge of darkness holding back tears. while this composure is not enough for the long run, it's enough for now.i drive to work most days finally noticing

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-37350937140309239532010-03-07T15:04:00.008-04:002010-03-08T13:40:21.309-04:00

Dear little dude,Yesterday was your birthday. We celebrated your life with a small party at home inviting a few friends as well as your grandparents. We ate lots of good food and some cake. People can say what they want about two-year olds....but you were gracious, funny and enchanting. You could not have been any happier as your day was filled with chocolate milk, lots of knees for reading

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-31057726648931689192010-02-22T12:27:00.003-04:002010-02-22T13:13:17.693-04:00

Anyone who's been to my house knows that it is far from clean. It is usually tidy, but it is not clean. Likewise, anyone who has really gotten to know me, knows that my life is far from simple. I don't pretend to shoulder a wooden cross but, like you, like the mailman, like the clerk at the corner store, I've got my share of messiness lurking behind open doors. Things are not always what they

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-25488732944689192162010-02-11T13:32:00.000-04:002010-02-11T13:33:04.892-04:00

I wish I could make everything betterI wish I could make you stop hurtingI wish I could take away your fearI wish I could give you freedomWhat I can give you is hopeWhat I can give you is supportWhat I can give you is an earWhat I can give you is my friendshipI want so many things for youI want you to want those things tooI want you to see that you are valuableI want you to know that you deserve

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-44199318980048381592010-02-07T23:12:00.011-04:002010-02-08T14:58:55.205-04:00

sometimes time goes by too quickly. seconds fly into instants and sometimes things slip away, just out of your grasp and you are forever changed. sometimes the speed of time is terrifying.*****i thought he'd wait for me at the top of the stairs, like he always does. he has never taken a step down, on his own, until now. i knew within a heartbeat that i should not have let him wander that far.

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-11752433346005902192010-01-16T13:40:00.006-04:002010-01-16T21:43:41.828-04:00

7 years ago, I woke up from a restless sleep and wondered how the day would play out. I had imagined it many times, had dreamt of it intensely and frequently.... and strangely.... was scared of it once it arrived. 7 years ago today, I got dressed in a new black suit, put on funny black robes that were 2 sizes too big for me, got my hair cut and straightened and met my parents along with MD at

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-58572280676074135922010-01-06T20:51:00.006-04:002010-01-06T21:27:35.986-04:00

Sometimes I look at him and swear I can see into his soul. At this point in his short life, I am one of the few people in this world who has known him since he joined the universe some short 22 months ago. I am one of the few people who has witnessed him at his very best and also at his very worst. I have held him while we both cried together and have felt my heart swell inside my chest to the

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-26403200116541998722009-12-30T23:46:00.005-04:002009-12-31T11:03:49.222-04:00

2009,You were a tough one. I could sum it up with these few words. It would suffice. I would however be telling an accurate but incomplete story. 2009, you were tough, but you were also important and taught me many things including the importance of “manning-up” to face the hard stuff.2009, you gave me friends with broad shoulders and tender hearts. You gave me overwhelming yet memorable

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-31971304769450394882009-12-18T19:14:00.001-04:002009-12-18T19:15:52.461-04:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-22875552701108178872009-12-09T19:00:00.003-04:002009-12-10T16:39:25.251-04:00

I sit on our coucha few feet away from him,sprawling legs and airwalks, perched on the table,a beard growing full and wild with purposethings have been hard lately,harder than ever before.But we continue to show up,hear one another out and sometimes, still give in.We live through dayswhere the battle is complicatedand price too costly to pay,to simply give up. We still show up.We watchblond

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-3698342452294866462009-12-01T14:32:00.006-04:002009-12-01T20:54:26.007-04:00

It is suddenly December and I find myself caught up with life, a begrudging holiday spirit and unexpected longings for material things that make me quiver. Each year I make a pledge to be less materially driven, each year it seems I make some progress, each year I feel cracks find their way into my armor...and then each year, I try again.It is suddenly December and I am choosing to once again

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-88231271018529310162009-11-26T15:13:00.004-04:002009-11-30T09:09:56.078-04:00

Are there pieces of modern daily life that feel somehow like they were made JUST for you. Am I the only one that feels that way? Sometimes (not every often), I taste, hear or see something…something that is SO GOOD and SO RIGHT that I swear, it was made JUST for me. Wes Anderson movies feel like that for me. I honestly believe that if Wes Anderson himself, asked ME how to make a movie that I

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-60279252730271742052009-11-23T12:39:00.001-04:002009-11-23T12:40:30.951-04:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-21443846655776593652009-11-17T09:10:00.004-04:002009-11-17T09:16:48.518-04:00

Weekend mornings are filled with strong coffee, errant cheerios, starting fires from scratch and managing wrestling matches between beagles and toddlers. There are also computers and sheep, dog-eared books, samosas from the market, long walks and adventures in the rain. My weekends used to be so different...yet it somehow feels like I've always known him, my constant companion.

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-53117617725915415912009-11-11T11:57:00.004-04:002009-11-11T12:03:49.716-04:00

In Flanders Fieldsby John McCrae, May 1915In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below.We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,Loved and were loved, and now we lieIn Flanders fields.Take up our quarrel with the foe:To you from failing hands we

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-52911349002617282032009-11-06T12:18:00.004-04:002009-11-06T15:32:45.017-04:00

I am a mother, a daughter and a wife. Those are facts, identities, black letters on a white wall. These are things I can handle, these are things I can do. These are things I can understand.but there is more....I am also a lover who still sometimes looks at her partner and gets caught up in the quickening rhythm of her own heart. Memories of sweaty palms, cheap wine and first dates, so long

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-6400660387774976002009-10-30T12:12:00.005-03:002009-10-30T12:19:48.944-03:00

i believe it would be an understatement to say that there is big relief in these parts....it's been a good week...complete with ALOT of good news (some shared, some still under wraps)...we're thinking a Good YEAR is in the works.i leave you with pumpkins...and more pumpkins (is there anything cuter than a kid, with pumpkins?), i thank you ALL for your kind words of support on my last post and

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-58572639973773267882009-10-27T15:59:00.007-03:002009-10-29T20:23:38.650-03:00

We find lumps in all kinds of things in our lives... and they don't usually matter. We find lumps in the sugar, lumps in the cookie-dough batter and even lumps in the blankets (they usually end up being feet), but when we find lumps on ourselves, the world stops, and turns on its own axis...because these lumps can be something to worry about.A little over two years ago, I found a lump, a large

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-40227475710569891232009-10-21T13:15:00.004-03:002009-10-21T15:15:30.578-03:00

broken, sharp and dullall edges interwoven and intertwinedjust like the tiny rock picked up this morningthat I'll hiden deep in my pocket.yellow leaves crinkle on the sidewalksboots and shoes, all quickeningthe pace of winter is arrivingthe morning ice is a welcome sight.fog floods the river banksblanketing dying trees in the distanceand for a very brief momenteverything seems dewy and soft.itchy

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-72562178888938108012009-10-13T19:53:00.009-03:002009-10-14T12:36:14.708-03:00

We've been back for a little over a week and it already barely feels real. While I love travel for opening my eyes to different realities, I also hate travel for the exact same reason. Travel makes me think, travel makes me remember. Travel makes me feel...and sometimes that's hard. Two weeks ago today today, I was fuzzy and giddy, sitting next to my partner in crime at Wrigley Field. I was

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-56968521623702771582009-10-08T21:38:00.000-03:002009-10-08T21:39:54.665-03:00

Kyoto - @ Tarmax and Train Trax

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-12111034152567567932009-09-24T06:52:00.002-03:002009-09-24T06:53:10.481-03:00

Catch up vacation posts on our travel BlogTokyo (a stopover) - http://tarmaxandtraintrax.blogspot.com/2009/09/tokyo-stopover.htmlNiijima - http://tarmaxandtraintrax.blogspot.com/2009/09/niijima_21.html

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-53093629092521800842009-09-14T22:02:00.001-03:002009-09-14T22:04:06.021-03:00

Travel Blog - Tarmax and Train Trax - Québec and Ontario

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-72669908813669482922009-09-05T19:41:00.004-03:002009-09-07T12:30:18.402-03:00

I live in an average University City that aspires to be be a better place to live. This small City commits itself to year-long theater programs, superior outdoor recreation, locally grown vegetables, and houses a population that believes in the importance of independent local retailers and ethnic food. I live in a small City that is admittedly very small, but always engaged in trying to remain

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-23231093388086029312009-08-31T21:16:00.004-03:002009-08-31T21:31:40.820-03:00

1 - Getting our travel blog back up, just in time for another adventure.2 - Receiving a card in the mail...from my Mom.3 - My son's complete fascination with trucks.4 - A summer's worth of fresh salads all due to a great decision to buy boxed fresh local veggies late this Spring.5 - Lunch plans with a lovely new friend later this week.Grace in Small Things is a network of people dedicated to

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-78040026038159505502009-08-22T18:19:00.002-03:002009-08-22T18:20:55.271-03:00

today was one of those days....so hot that only watermelon tasted right.

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-21499685872095024752009-08-19T12:37:00.006-03:002009-08-19T14:51:09.359-03:00

Last year, at about this time, I had just gotten back from a trip to Iceland with MD. I felt like I was on top of the world. This trip was an important time for me because I finally took the time to allow myself to heal from a very tough year. It was a long road back to normalcy, sanity and peace. It was a long road back to me. One of the things I did not blog about previous to this trip, at

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-27762366192773410682009-08-13T10:03:00.002-03:002009-08-13T10:18:05.829-03:00

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7723665.post-11611011365876982292009-08-10T11:28:00.005-03:002009-08-10T13:43:14.240-03:00

The process of creation is different for everyone. Some say it starts with a bud that must develop organically while others plan it out meticulously. For these people, development is measured and progress is charted with every right angle and line. Some write or sketch out structures while others turn off the phone, unplug the tv and dive into it. I find myself somewhere in the middle. An

Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041062532779226895noreply@blogger.com7