Is there a better time of year than this to tell your mother how much she means to you, to thank her and to let her know that she is and always will be the most wonderful and important woman in your life. While you’re at it, don’t forget to tell her how the lessons she has taught you have had a huge impact on who you are as a person.
Is there a better time of year than this to tell your mother how much she means to you, to thank her and to let her know that she is and always will be the most wonderful and important woman in your life. While you’re at it, don’t forget to tell her how the lessons she has taught you have had a huge impact on who you are as a person. Tell her how there are so many days that you reflect back on being a child or a kid or a teenager, and remembering how she handled certain situations, and that you use those memories for parenting your own children. Make sure to thank her for all of support she gives you day in and day out.
I am the woman that feels the need to tell my mother everything. It wasn’t always this way of course. Back in the day, I thought I could hide things from her but as the saying goes… ‘Mother Always Knows’. I couldn’t get away with a single thing in my house. From sneaking out on a school night and going to Malibu Night Club so I could drink underage and grind with older guys on the dance floor, my mother always seemed to find a way to bust me. She dragged me out of there by my Banana clip that night and took away my fake ID. She also told the doorman on the way out that I was 16, which pretty much ruined my shot of returning in the near future. Probably for the best. I can still hear Tainted Love playing in the background on my way out.
My house always seemed to be the one people hung out at all the time (quite possibly due to the Central Air Conditioning and the comfort of 69 degrees on a hot summer day). I remember the time when I was a Sr. in High School and a few of my girl friends and I were sitting around my kitchen table with my mom and we got onto the subject of sex. She asked me if I was having sex with a guy friend of mine that I spent a lot of time with and I remember being shocked at the abruptness in which she just came out with it. That was the first time I realized that she wasn’t asking to judge me or to lecture me, but more so because she just wanted to know and be involved in every aspect of my life.
Since then, she has always been the person I turn to first when I need a shoulder or advice or just to hear the soothing tone of her voice to put me at ease. She is the person I call when I am looking for an honest answer…. there is no bullshit with her. She tells it like it is. (hmmm, no wonder where I get it from). She is my rock, my strength and my sounding board. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about her or speak to her, even just to tell her some silly little thing about my day. She is the most beautiful person in the world, both inside and out and I couldn’t possibly love her more than I do.
So while my Hallmark card is in the mail, I realized that my mother deserves more than just a card to tell wish her a Happy Mother’s Day. This post is for you mom. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being my number one fan, for your unconditional and everlasting love and support of everything I do. I’m the luckiest person in the world to have an amazing mother like you. Happy Mother’s Day Momma.
I cracked myself up this morning wondering if from here on out, am I going to start talking about my age as if i’m over the hill? (Hell No) When I first wrote this post, I couldn’t help but think “Is it weird that my first post in my 40′s is going to be about the fact that I’m losing my memory (or my mind, not sure which yet)?” Then again, the memory loss could have been due to brain cells that I killed in my week long Birthday tare.
While I consider myself too young to be suffering mild memory loss, I saw a FB post this morning from someone who said ‘I figured that if I stay in the Supermarket long enough, I’ll remember what I came here for’. I had to laugh, especially since I’m pretty sure she’s a few years younger than I am. I do this all the time. Not only do I often find myself running back to the produce section at least two times in one visit, but there are times I find myself returning to the market a second and third time in one day. Other times, I get home and as soon as I’ve put the groceries away, I’m starting a new list of all the things that I forgot to get.
When I tell my 70 year old mother these stories, it makes her feel better that it she’s not the only forgetful one in the family. I told her she’d better watch it or I’ll forget what old age home I check her into – you know I’m kidding momma, I’d make sure to write it down somewhere. (wink wink)
I specifically remember times when my dad would struggle to remember something and he’d say ‘Where’s the whadda-ya-call-it?’ (My mom and brother are totally laughing right now). I did a little research for you that will provide a few tips of salvaging your memory and enhancing your brain function. I also read most of Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer and then I forgot where I put it. I’m kidding. I’m pretty sure the second version of 50 Shades was published while I was in the middle of it and well… you know how that goes.
I did some research and unearthed a few foods that help with cognitive decline, increase focus and enhance clarity:
–Walnuts – high in Alpha Linolenic Acid – promotes blood flow, delivering more oxygen to the brain. Other nuts that are high in Vitamin E have been known to help cognitive decline (hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, flax (buy raw and not roasted/salted or flavored to get the most out of your nuts)
– Salmon and other fatty fish – high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA – have been linked to lower risk of dementia, better focus and improved memory.
– Coffee – (love this one – my excuse to keep on drinking it) – Caffeine has been shown to improve mental acuity keeping you more alert, antioxidants help maintain brain health and some research says it helps with depression in women.
– Berries – Blue/Staw/Acai – Any berries will do. These are the highest in antioxidants, and when merged with free radicals that are ever present in our bodies, they render them harmless. Just eat them. They are good and good for you. Buy organic – less pesticides.
– Dark Chocolate (another favorite) – filled with incredibly powerful antioxidants and natural stimulants which help produce endorphins, which help improve your mood. So, while good for your brain(in moderation – no more than 1 oz a day), also good for your libido. Wow, who knew. Actually, I knew but I’ve been holding out on you. Every now and then you’ll see me pop a Dark Chocolate Lindt Truffle into my mouth.
Please keep in mind that eating an entire bag of walnuts before an exam or big presentation isn’t going to suffice. You need to maintain a healthy diet – 4-6 small meals a day, plenty of greens, fruits and foods that are whole/real and full of nutrients. Oh, and don’t forget to hydrate. Having to get up multiple times to go to the bathroom a day helps blood flow too.
The BEST trick I learned from Moonwalking with Einstein:
Name Association – how many times do you meet someone and forget their name? Most likely, 9 out of 10 – and that’s me being nice. Next time you meet someone and want to remember their name, repeat it back to them and as you’re saying it (Mary, so nice to meet you), try to associate it with something familiar to you or something funny (Scary Mary is so Hairy). Or, do they have the same name or one that rhymes with a relative (Nick, he looks like Uncle Dick. Or Andy reminds me of Sandy who loves to eat Candy)? You can also link it to a favorite food/state/restaurant/etc. (Melanie/Melon). Just make sure you don’t say these things out loud or you’ll look like moron, which pretty much defeats the purpose.
I forgot what I was going to end with so…..
WTHayley
(P.S. – I chose the image for this post showing left brain and right brain because I can never remember which one I am – clearly a weird combo of both, but mostly left. Don’t judge me by my blogging creativity skills. I might be fun, free and can play the bass clarinet, but I make a mean ass excel chart and my math skills are exeptional.)
I can’t believe it’s been a year since I started this silly blog on a whim. Who would have thought that a year later I’d still be going at it. Whether I’m toting a tutu, getting down and dirty in the mud or just venting about the man that misses the bowl (the bathroom at the office has been much cleaner as of late), I’m extremely thankful for those of you that continue to follow me and especially thankful for those that send me comments. I love the feedback and commentary so please keep it coming.
What’s in store for the future of WTHayley? Who the hell knows… but then again, that’s probably what people like most – you never know what you’re going to get. What I can tell you is this… I’ve got lots of good stories and while some people are very thankful that theirs have not been posted for the (social) world to see, I’ll try to keep you entertained moving forward. While my posts about health and wellness are fun, the sex and love bits seem to be my most popular and usually my favorite (although my mother doesn’t always approve… and the posts on this blog are actually somewhat appropriate).
To keep this short and sweet (I’m exhausted and want to go to bed), THANK YOU for following and stay tuned for more to come.
WTHayley
(Please note that this was written on January 1, 2013 and I guess I was too hungover to remember to post) Enjoy.
For starters, THANK YOU to my followers that have been reading, commenting and following my blog for the last 10 months. I love writing and there is nothing more motivating that having people send me emails or make comments on my blog saying how much they enjoy it…. so Thank You. I hope to continue to entertain, educate and inspire in 2013.
I’m happy to say that today was spent without a hangover. Not sure how… might have been the massive amount of food I consumed over the course of the afternoon and evening and the endless glasses of water I made sure to keep drinking. I also knew to cut myself off after the 8th visit from my children that were meant to be sleeping long before midnight. What happens to us in those times where we end up spending the ‘day after’ in misery, hating ourselves for the incessant pounding in our heads, the spins, the nausea, the shakes… Are we just not cognizant of our own limits? The sheer lack of utterance of the words No Thanks when your friend offers to buy you another at an ungodly hour of the night when you know you should be getting home to bed? Or is it just plain stupidity?
A few weeks ago we had our office holiday party at a place where you break up into teams and face off against each other in a kitchen cook off – sort of like Chopped or Top Chef. One of the best part of the night was outstanding service and most importantly, that the wine was an endless pour. At no point over the course of 5 hours was my glass ever half full(you can tell it’s new years… i’m still in positive mode with the half full instead of half empty comment). While there was plenty to eat, I didn’t realize quite how much I had drank until I left the building and walked into Penn station, or should I say stumbled. I made sure to purchase a bottle of water before boarding my train, found a quiet seat in an over illuminated train car and settled in. It wasn’t long before we were on the go and I began to feel the effects. The car was moving, not just toward home but in every direction. I was not happy. I don’t think I’ve had the spins since my 20′s and at 40, they still SUCK. I managed to make it home and get into bed without throwing up. However, while cleaning out my bag today in preparation for heading back to work tomorrow (always nice to start the year with a clean bag), I found an envelope with scribble unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It took me some time to realize that I had written this on my way home that night (I guess I was trying to take my mind off of the alcohol induced spins). Fairly impressed with my rhyming skills while completely inebriated, I felt the need to share:
Being drunk in your 40′s just doesn’t compare
To the times in your life when you just didn’t care
A shot or three once got the night started
My tolerance now seems to have parted.
Once a lover of tequila and gin
Never a dull moment, often verging on sin.
Now a glass or two of wine does me right
I never thought 10pm would be the end of my night.
Still love to dance and get on my groove
But on top of the bar I no longer approve.
Hoping my girls let me get some sleep
I’m feeling like shit and need to count some sheep
I’m almost home and can’t hardly wait
This fucking train ride hasn’t been great.
The squeakiest car I’ve ever heard
The bathroom is close and smells like turd.
A better solution there has got to be
Can’t wait to get home, I really have to pee.
Happy New Year.
WTHayley
Technology….. It seems like every day there is something new that people are talking about. Yesterday, it was a new app called VINE. (Check it out AFTER you read the rest of my blog post). Vine is a new social media app that gives you :06 of video. The conversation in my office went like this….
Young Employee: How cool is this new app called Vine but I don’t get it. What on earth do I need a :06 video clip for.
Me: Well, when I had my first cell phone while most of you were still in diapers, I used to wonder why I would ever text a message as opposed to calling a friend.
Young Emp: Haha. What did you have, one of those weird flip phones?
Me: Actually, no. I had one of the first Motorola’s that weighed 15 lbs that you had to walk around with in a large case and single call cost something like $4.99. And there was only one or two service providers.
Young Emp: That’s cool. So you’re like an Influencer.
Me: Yeah, I guess you can say that instead of just calling me old.
I remember back in the day sitting in one of those expensive Marketing Seminars that the agency I worked at paid for and the speaker was talking about how one day, we will be watching TV, with a laptop on our laps and a cell phone in our hands and we will be multitasking. I was thinking at the time, why the hell would anyone need that much technology all in one place. Flash forward to a week ago while I was watching the Oscars. I’ve got not only my laptop on my lap doing work and checking out some of the Red Carpet that I missed, but I’ve got my iPad so that I can tweet from my company account and my iPhone so that I can personally tweet. I can’t imagine what life is going to be like when my kids get a little older. Will there be no more conversation between people anymore? Just tweeting and texting and living life as an interactive experience vs. actual physical contact? Note to self: Future blog about digital dating. Stay tuned.
I recently heard myself telling someone how well behaved my kids are in restaurants these days because I make sure to bring my iphone, my ipad and my daughters itouch. I then realized how ridiculous that sounded. They aren’t well behaved, they are zombies staring at screens. However, it does keep them quiet and in their seats for most of the meal. But what happened to the days when families used to gather around the dinner table to share stories about their days and connect with each other? Have we lost that connection? Texting or checking emails or tweeting while my kids are around doesn’t set a great example. In no time, I will be telling them to put their electronics away while at the table so that I can hear about what’s going on in their lives but it should start now. While placating them with technology while out to dinner certainly keeps me sane as a single mom, it’s setting a terrible example for my kids. I encourage everyone to disconnect. Holy Shit – did you know that today is National Unplugged Day? Oopps. Starting today, I promise to:
–Make more phone calls and send less texts and emails
–Put it down while my kids are around
–Don’t use technology to avoid live interaction
–Don’t use sexts in place of actual sex (even though it is super fun 
)
I’m taking a pact to interact.
WTHayley
