Equanimity - (1) evenness of mind especially under stress; (2) right disposition: balance, harmony

I've had several performance reviews over the years in which my supervisors have commented on my outgoing nature and my equanimity. They love that I remain calm under pressure and keep a positive outlook even when others tend to despair.

This strikes me as funny.

As a kid, I was extremely shy. I hid behind my mother's skirt and tended to shy away from conversation, preferring instead to read, draw, observe, and watch other people.

I was also anxious. I stressed about everything. A sideways glance from a teacher made me wonder if I had failed my test. Piano recitals were horrific. I stressed about my family's financial troubles after my dad's car wreck. I stressed about what would happen if my cat died, whether I had  { read more... }

A few years ago, our Maine Coon cat Homer brought in three baby bunnies in one day. He was so proud. There was no Easter Bunny that year.

Today, Doug said that he saw a cute, cuddly bunny, who was happily munching away on some ornamental grass down the street.

I replied that I saw several bunnies on the side of the road on my way to work today. Some were big, some were small, but they were all dead.

Some decisions are best made quickly. Others can take years.

I bought this house in 2002 when Dad was still alive. It was my first experience as a homeowner, and Dad had been down that path countless times. We enjoyed home ownership, but we didn't have the disposable income at the time to make some much-desired improvements and updates to our 1950s brick rancher with the Pepto-pink bathroom tile. So we did nothing.

I carried on that tradition after Dad died. I pored through DIY magazines and websites, contemplated color schemes, and watched hours of HGTV programming. And did nothing.

A few years later, Doug joined the decision-making process, and I used the comfort of consensus to nurse myself into further procrastination. I watched even more HGTV programming and subscribed to Consumer Reports. I researched the benefits of low VOCs, green options for  { read more... }

I've been threatening to start a blog for some time, so here I go.

Many thanks to Doug for creating the site. Be sure to check it out at different times of the day - it changes, as does the text on the sign. If you have a suggestion for a short phrase (25 characters or less), I'll add it to the rotation. If I like it.

Thanks also to Olinga and LeeAnne - Olinga for suggesting that I start a blog, and LeeAnne for showing me a great example of how to do it well.

I think Doug is a little nervous about my blogging. Perhaps he thinks I will say too much, give away credit card numbers, or open tiny doors to dark places that are best left undisturbed. We shall see. We shall see.