In random order these are the things occupying my brainspace and time:
1) My daughter has just finished her full-day speech-language assessment, the last component of the larger assessment to determine if she is on the autism spectrum or if there is a different diagnosis that better describes her symptoms. We find out her diagnosis on Tuesday. The frustrating part has been these endless assessments since she was in pre-school. The system is (pretty) good at DESCRIBING the problem and not very good at all about knowing what to do about it. The best we can hope for is a diagnosis that comes with enough $$ attached to it. So, we end up in this bizarre situation of hoping for the worst diagnosis because that gives us enough system resources to actually deal with the problems. Come on Autism! What a crazy world we live in, no?
2) Iolanthe is almost ready to go. I have a photo shoot on Sunday. My costume is about halfways completed. My Gandalf-esque wand has finally appeared. I know the music, the words and most of the dance steps (I’m sorry Carol, my dance brain map has withered in my long performing hiatus). I continue to develop the character of the Fairy Queen who I’ve grown to like a lot. I will miss her when this is all done. The orchestra surfaces on Sunday for that most awfully named rehearsal–the sitz probe. I mean really, who came up with that name? We open May 14th and I think it will be a pretty decent show, if I do say so myself, (which I just did). Get tickets! I like to perform for PEOPLE not empty seats.
3) My home office is a mess.
4) My work office is a mess.
5) I need a file clerk. Or at least channel one. Maybe I’ll inject some collagen into my lips and talk in a funny accent while channelling a millenia old file clerk. They must have filed scrolls and parchments and whatnot right? At least that will make it fun. PLUS, I can acquire a cult following which would be a great revenue stream for me.
6) My floors need mopping (at home only, I have a carpet at work).
7) My dog (Labrador-Retriever cross, 1.5 years old) won’t stop chewing any blanket that goes into her kennel. We even took the dog cushion that used to live in the living room and put that in her kennel thinking that since she had never chewed it, she would leave it alone, but no, that morning it had a hole chewed in it. AARGH!
8. Things are frustrating at work because my projects aren’t coming together in the seamless way I had planned. But, I have to remember it’s the same thing every April/May. Wrenches get thrown around willy-nilly. (I had to change my 8 from and 8 + bracket to an 8 + period because if I did the former it changes it automatically to this 8) . What the hell? Technology running amok I tell you, what more proof to do you need?)
9) I want coffee.
10) I want to go to the gym. Since the Sun Run I’ve fallen off the exercising a bit and I actually miss it. Hah! I’m looking forward to doing more than running though let me tell you.
And that’s 10!
What’s going on with you? Tell me your 10 things (or 5, or 20, or 13, it’s really up to you.)
Tentative Equinox North
Tentative Equinox 
1. I realized this morning that I truly have been married for 19 years. The hubby jokingly threw his unmentionables onto the bed this morning and my first thought was, “Well, I guess he needs those to be washed.”
2. I have a love/hate relationship with Superstore.
3. I have a love/hate relationship with my children and wish I was more Mary Poppins than Rosanne.
4. My backyard is verging on a toxic wastland of dandilions and I hope I win the Super 7 tonight to pay someone to deal with it.
5. Big dogs crap big poop.
6. I’m trying my best not to covet the neighbour’s new green patio set. I keep telling myself that I have a husband and she doesn’t, then I stick out my tongue at her in my mind. Somehow it helps. Her yard doesn’t have a SINGLE dandilion either. I stick out my tongue at her in my mind for that as well.
7. I really think being a famous writer would be great. My problem is that you’re suppose to write about what you know…who wants to read about food poisoning on vacations and kids feeding their snot to the dog? Besides, Erma Bombeck took all the good lines.
8. I hope the kids go to bed by 7:30 tonight.
9. I’m sure I’m a bad parent as I just looked over and Keeley is dancing to the music of Spiderman. Now she’s singing along with the dramatic music leading up to the climax of the movie with Spiderman saying, “I want you to kill Peter Parker”. I’ve really got to go.
Well, all I have to say about that is that you’re one of my mom role models so I think you’re already more Mary Poppins than Roseanne. I think every mom has a Roseanne day once in a while n’est pas? It’s a balance thing.
Oh, and I’m almost ready to resort to Round-up to get rid of my dandelions. They’ve got themselves so entwined in the roots of my real plants I’m never going to get them out. Actually, you know what I’m going to try?! I just remembered! Boiling water. I’m going to boil a kettle and run out and pour it on every dandelion I see. Apparently it kills them.
And since there are no original ideas, I think you should become the next Erma Bombeck. You’ll have your own unique take on things and it sure beats selling Avon.
K, now I’m done.