Potpourri

Life is finally settling down for me after a few tumultuous years, with Dad dying and my fourteen year marriage ending in 2011, then layer on me changing jobs in mid 2012 to spend more time with the kids it seems to have been one thing after another for a while there. Clearly there were times when I doubted I could survive it all emotionally, but here I am a couple of years on and finally getting it together. 

Los Angeles taken from Griffiths Observatory last weekend

Have you ever felt like the world is at your feet?  Surprisingly the last few weeks I’ve really had that feeling again.  I must admit over recent years it’s been a very sporadic and fleeting feeling, that being said for some inexplicable reason it’s resurfaced. ☺

Don't get me wrong I like it!  That feeling of endless choices in your life and the confidence that no matter what route you take things are going to be great and turn out for the best is truly exhilarating and somewhat addictive.  

Why now? Hhhmmm, nothing concrete of course and having felt this wonderfully rich feeling before, know that it can also be fleeting, so I've also been trying to temper and reign in the associated euphoria which is also tricky in unto itself.

The most likely catalyst for my positive feelings is centered mostly on Zach and Sami. Going through a separation can be difficult for everyone concerned, especially children. However, after almost two years they both seem to be really thriving which is evident in both their academic results as well as where they are personally.  They see and feel the strength of our co-parenting, which Jodie and I have made a priority and have given them a continued sense of love and stability, which I’m finding out, is rather rare.

Sami's new book
published in 1922

Add to this the things I’ve checked off my endless bucket list over the past little while. Traveling with Zach and Sami is at the top of my list – no question.  Followed quickly by finishing my manuscript, finding a publisher and getting it to the point of being published which I guess in the grand scheme of things is a pretty big deal.  In addition, I have lots of ideas for future writing ventures.

This past week I also enrolled in the next level for Improv, yes you can call me crazy but its gotten under my skin and am really enjoying the work that we've been doing on character development particularly over this past session.  In fact this week we have both a musical workshop (yes you can stop laughing now - inside voice please!) followed by a performance. Granted it’s only a 30-minute set on Wednesday night with my class but it is in front of a live audience. ☺  Strangely the live performance doesn't bother me at all only the musical workshop scares the bejesus out of me.  I enjoy being on stage, because when I am I don't see the audience...isn't that odd?

To get you caught up - for those of you following along at home last weekend I took Zach and Sami to Los Angeles for Canadian Thanksgiving. After an adventurous weekend where we packed a months worth of sightseeing into a weekend we found ourselves strolling along Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica on Sunday morning looking for a place to have brunch.  During our walk we discovered Angel City Books and Record store on Pier Avenue.  

Zach's new, old Janis Joplin album
Kozmic Blues (1969) - part of which she
performed at Woodstock

After much searching Zach unearthed a fantastic Janis Joplin record from the owner’s rare record collection, which he played for us while we were in the store – it was simply amazing! There's something about listening to a vinyl album...so old school!   Zach loves music from the 1960’s and 1970’s and already has a Jimi Hendrix record in his collection, and with this find now added Janis Joplin. 

Sami was on the look out for a rare and collectable book she could read for school and found a hardcover book of “Tarzan of the Apes” published in 1922, which she quickly scooped up and has been reading ever since.  Her nose has literally been buried in it every waking moment and I can tell she's savouring every word of it!

With lots of time on our hands I found myself leafing through a book that I had absent-mindedly picked up entitled “Screenplay – writing the picture” written by Robin Russin and William Downs.  Now until that time I hadn't really thought about writing a screenplay, but somehow the book just jumped off the shelf at me.  

Serendipitous perhaps?   As I said, the "world at my feet" baby! ☺