my own personal Steel Magnolia makes a change

I'm so proud of Gran today. Well, I'm proud of her all the time but she did something pretty big for a 94 year-old. A little background...
The beauty parlor is important to Gran. In her letters to me at summer camp, it wasn't uncommon for part of them to include "news from the BP..." and she would go on to describe who was there and what the latest gossip or news was. But beyond that, her friends were there. And it was a social outlet for her. Gran will be the first to admit that she doesn't have the best hair, but faithfully she is at the BP twice a week to get it "done". And by "done" I mean, a permanent every once in a while (her hair is still super straight so I don't really get the point, but I'm no beautician!) and to get it set. She then works the days in between to try to keep it set - pink curlers and all! I love that she's 94 and she still cares about how she looks!
At any rate, her trips to the BP are on Tuesdays and Fridays (when she has someone who can drive her there...and to be ready for the weekend!), and it's all very well planned and has been for years. Over the past few months she's been worried that her BP might close. We joked about how she already had a plan for where she would go instead, but I also joked that I thought it was unfair at age 94 to have to make such a change. She laughed and said it wasn't really a big deal, but I worried that it really would be. Last week she learned that the man who sets her hair was moving to another BP and that she could keep her same days and even though she said it wasn't a big deal before, I could hear relief in her voice.
So today was the big day...first trip to the new BP. And it was fine. Sweet Verlean took her. (Verlean is a saint, by the way, and I'll never be able to repay her for the way that she loves and cares for Gran.) They found a handicapped spot right in front. And up she went into the new BP to be greeted by Don. And she met some new friends. And then another woman doing hair there realized that she knew Gran from another BP in town (yes, Gran has been to most of them over the 50 years that she's lived in New Orleans!) and suddenly the new BP felt a little more like home.
I need to take a note from her and her ability to cope with change...gracefully. I am still rattled by the new classroom set-up for a room where we have our weekly college counselors meeting. Seriously, not a big deal, but I literally took a step back and have been thinking about where I need to sit from here on out. Geez. I need to learn from Gran...it's got to be part of the secret of living to 94! That and frequent trips to the BP. I've got a ways to go on both accounts.

Sunday bookends

A new school year has begun and I feel a tad lucky to be on a school calendar not because of summer break (although I do love that, too! along with all of the other breaks!), but because I feel like I get two shots each year at new year's resolutions. One in January 1 along with the masses around the globe who adopt a routine, change a pattern, give up something, etc... as the new year begins. And my second chance is in August when the new school year begins. This year's new (school) year's resolution? (Aside from getting more sleep which I do need to recommit to every year, week, day?!) To have a Sunday routine that goes something like: (optional run/walk/swim), CHURCH, groceries/errands/time with friends/down time/laundry/cleaning/work, YOGA, fix dinner, get ready for the next day, unwind before I go to bed. What's missing from this routine? Work after yoga is what's missing. And even though it's been only one day, I'm really not missing it! I had avoided the 5:30-6:30 yoga class on Sundays because I thought it meant that I would just stay up later since I wouldn't really be starting my evening work until 7 or so. Until I realized that maybe I didn't have to work on Sunday nights! Novel idea. Maybe if I worked earlier in the day or on Saturday then I really could have Sunday night to go to yoga, enjoy fixing a meal (with some favorite tunes or a podcast playing), and then read a book/magazine, call a family member/friend, update my blog, go to bed early?! The possibilities are nearly endless. And I like that.
I also like that my body (if I exercise) and my brain get sparked early in the day with something active followed by church...and that I end the day in a similar way with yoga. I'm loving our interim pastor at Covenant. Today's sermon was all about unburdening ourselves, mostly in the form of forgiveness. He was talking to the congregation at large as we move from one pastor to another but really he was talking to each of us in our lives. If we're honest, we all have people to forgive in our lives...in order to a live a more complete life with them. And in a funny way, yoga had a similar theme. Dean's main messages to us were along the lines of letting life be easier. He reminded us that we can choose to struggle or we can choose for it to be easy. (Not easy in the way of trouble-free but easy in the way of living into our life and not fighting against us.) He encouraged us to take deep breaths and breathe in the fullness of ourselves. I almost giggled out loud imagining that I was breathing in ETG. (I was also laughing inside because Rebecca and I had just been talking about this notion of being our full selves!) And then at one point with our arms reached to the heavens he said, "Now drop your shoulders. You know the world is very heavy if you think you have to hold it up. Why don't you consider letting it support you?" Ummm...good point, Dean. He actually had many good points...I can't remember all of them right now but I was overcome (again) with the sense that this was a good way to round out my weekend. The second half of a pair of bookends that started with church and had all sorts of good stuff in between. Hopefully I can keep things this neat and tidy and contained even when school is really intense. I know I won't be able to each weekend...and I'm going to let life intervene as it will...I want to be flexible that way. But in general, if I can keep my Sunday bookends in place, I think it will be a good thing. So far, I'm averaging 100% success!

lessons from the folks at Kwik Kar

This post is long overdue but it's too good not to share. And now that I've waited this long it will also have a P.S. because of something that happened today.
Back in July, I took my car to the Kwik Car on William Cannon. Lest you think this is your standard Kwik Kar, think again. The waiting area is super welcoming and comfortable - clean, a couch + chairs, music playing through an iPod, coffee and other drinks available. The owners are awesome. They have a boxer who sleeps behind the counter most of the time. And I've long been a fan and a customer based on how pleasant it is to go in there and how great they are to work with. I have always had a sense that they are honest - something that is super important to this girl who doesn't know enough about her (old!) car and just hasn't stopped to learn. And even though it's not close to my house by any means (it is close to school), I've always felt that it was worth the extra miles for the service.
Guess what? I was correct!
Last month when I took the old Subaru in for a standard oil change I was prepared for the usual response: "Ms. Guice, in addition to changing your oil, here are the other things that Subaru recommends at this mileage." Surprise #1: I was all up to date! Surprise #2: "Ms. Guice, so we were reviewing your records and we noticed that we did a (see...I can't remember what it was now only a month later!) twice in a row a while back. That was totally unnecessary. Sorry we didn't catch that then. We'll reimburse you now." I must have had a shocked look on my face. First, I was in shock that I really did only need an oil change. Second, what business does such a thing as catch its own mistake and then offer to reimburse you?! This business! This mom-and-pop place in Southwest Austin that I will continue to go back to. And that I will send friends to...even if it's a little out of the way.
As I was checking out (where I ended up getting a check from the owner instead of giving him a check!), I said, "Thank you again for catching that and for being so amazing about it." He smiled and shook his head and said, "We just wanted to make sure that we did the right thing." I assured him that he had. Hopefully I can "pay it forward" a little by sending some folks his way...
P.S. Another nice car story today (I'm beginning to think I must look fairly helpless when it comes to my car!): I took my car to a neighborhood Texaco and purposefully asked for full serve because I wanted the fluid levels but mostly the air in the tires checked. The (young) guy looked at me and said, "Is the car on empty?" I thought this was an odd question but said, "Well, nearly. But really I'm more concerned about my tires." He said, "We were supposed to close right now but since you have such a pretty smile I'll check it out." Skipping over the possible flirtatious nature of the gas station guy (I wanted to say, "You do realize how old I am, don't you?!"), I turned the car around as requested and let him fill it up. When he got around to the front passenger side tire he said, "Oh, this one is low. And there's a screw in it. I'm going to put some extra air in it and then bring it back tomorrow to get a plug in it." I asked when they opened and he said, "10:00 a.m. Does that work?" "Sure," was my reply - just grateful that they were open on a Sunday at all. And then he said, "Actually, do you just want me to put the plug in it tonight? For a 'pretty please', I'll do it." Again, young man, you are a tad flirty but if it will save me a trip here tomorrow, "Pretty please then...and thank you." Plugged up in less than 5 minutes. Quick exchange to pay. And I was on my way. Home to make some cookies to take by there (and to the Kwik Kar on William Cannon) tomorrow to say "thanks". I realize that they are a business and I am a customer, but that doesn't mean I can't be grateful for them going the extra mile for me.

friday quotation

So simple.
So true.
And sometimes so tough to be honest with the toughest audience of all - yourself.
Or at least it's that way for me.

a moment of self-care

So it's probably no surprise to the folks who actually read this blog that while I think I'm pretty good at caring for others, I'm not always good at caring for myself. I'm not talking about eating right or exercising or going to the doctor or taking care of my mind or spirit. I do that...and pretty well...I think!
I'm talking about putting myself first when I need to and tending to my needs instead of those of others. And I'm pitiful at it. Even though I've had great teachers. Even though I've really tried to be better. Well, sometimes the body puts you in your place and says, "If you're not going to do a better job of this, I'm going to force you to do it." And that's what happened this weekend. I was supposed to be at the Sr. Retreat all weekend. And I went on Friday and was feeling a little croaky but figured it was just because I'd been up late the night before. On Saturday, I was feeling worse so I decided to lay low. Not go to the high ropes courses. Stay in the AC (although I was shivering there and had to put on a sweatshirt...it's still 100+ degrees here in TX so I looked ridiculous!) and drink lots of liquid and take some Advil. By late afternoon, I wasn't getting any relief from anything and decided that during the students' free time instead of swimming with them like I did last year that I should go take a nap...maybe sleep through dinner...maybe sleep through the campfire (and miss s'mores...THAT tells you how bad I was feeling!)...and just wake up on Sunday to help pack up and go home. And then it hit me.
I wasn't doing anyone any good by not being there to participate in things.
I might get others sick.
And I wasn't helping myself get better if I stayed there.
My colleagues were encouraging me to head home, but in typical ETG style I felt guilty about shirking my duties.
And then something snapped. Or failed to snap. Or something. I honestly think I felt so bad and was so overwhelmed about the beginning of the school year and the idea of starting it sick that I announced, "Okay...in a combined moment of feeling guilty + self-care, I've decided that I should go home. Are you sure it's okay?" I thought my colleagues (amazing colleagues!) were going to pack my bags for me and throw me a party to get me out of there. That definitely make it easier to leave.
And you know, it felt good. I think that maybe I felt just bad enough that the guilt faded pretty quickly as I drove home...and that helped! But there was also something about taking care of myself, in spite of the guilt, that felt good. I don't know what it was. I don't know why.
I do know that almost as soon as I got home, I put myself to bed (I did wait until it was a little darker outside, but by 8 p.m. I was asleep). Coughing up a storm. But still sleeping for 14 hours. Waking the next day and putting myself on house arrest except for groceries. But, in general, feeling a lot better.
Lesson learned...perhaps long overdue. And thanks to all those who helped me get here. Even if I've been your slowest learner ever. I have to believe that this first step in this will help me continue...I might need to bookmark this blog post to remind myself to do this when I need to!

friday quotation

Live for something higher, bigger, and better than you.

sunny Tuesday

Yes, we're likely to see the sun again in Austin today. And it's likely to reach the triple digits again in Austin today. And I'm completely over the heat but I don't see too much point in complaining - it won't change anything! And I'll be very grateful to live in this climate come January, February, March...

But my sunny Tuesday thought is a carryover from my last post and I can't believe I forgot to mention it because, as I'm prone to do, I'm now completely obsessed (at least for the moment) with this recording of "Here Comes the Sun" that Dean played at the end of yoga class on Sunday. See, from tears to smiles...James Taylor and Yo-Yo Ma will do that to me every time. Enjoy!