337 longer days into 40

Wow, there are only 5 weeks left in my 40th year. Chronicling 40 this way may have just made it go a little faster. Not sure. But this exercise has certainly been one of reflection, allowing me to understand who I am, where I've been and what the journey to the future may hold.

So what has the last four weeks taught me about being 40? That as soon as you hit 40, you suddenly have a lot of doctors to visit. Forget the normal stuff you have to do yearly. There are new doctors to add to the medical portfolio. And every test had to have been invented by a man!!!! There is absolutely nothing natural about a mammogram. I mean really!?! And fertility tests. OMG! My tests included several date- specific tests including about a dozen vials of blood, and a couple of uncomfortable exams.

A man's tests? 1 of them, which from my point of view, does not compare to what we women have to go through.

Results? Surprise! You're 40 and so are your ovaries. Getting pregnant is harder. What does this mean? I don't know yet. My time has passed and I am not particularly interested in painful fertility treatments. Maybe exploring adoption is the best route to take. There are so many children right next door who need a home. We'll see! To be continued....

Memory Works Spring Fling Blog Hop

Welcome to the Memory Works Spring Fling Blog Hop! The Teamworks Girls have been busy behind the scenes creating beautiful projects with some of their favorite products in our New Memory Works Spring/Summer Catalog. Make sure you stop at each blog along the way to check out all of the inspiration, and don't forget to leave a comment at each stop! One lucky reader will win a giveaway sponsored by Memory Works! The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win! You have until midnight on Thursday to leave your comments.

I don't know about you, but when I get a box of goodies, I get right down to work with all of the new products. Today's projects use My Mind's Eye "Be Amazing" line. I love the color palette and how well they can be adapted for boy layouts.

I did my "Focus on Me" project using this line. I love scrabble so this 12x12 paper really caught my eye. I purchased an old scrabble game a couple of years ago at a thrift shop in hopes of being able to use the tiles on a scrap project some day. The day has come.

I also made a couple of cute projects using instructions from the Teresa Collins (the matchbook minibook) and Cosmo Cricket (the card holder) blogs.

Matchbook Minibook

Card Holder

Insides

Backs

I hope you have enjoyed this burst of inspiration. Come back soon and don't forget to leave a comment and then visit the next blog on this hop, Jody at http://spiegelmom.blogspot.com/.

Focusing on The Best 4 Years of My Life

My husband gets slightly offended when I say that my college years at Syracuse University were the best 4 years of my life. I try to explain that it's nothing to be concerned about. I love my life and my family. But there is something to be said about the high level of freedom and independence that a "traditional" college experience provides, at least in my personal case.

I grew up when movies like "School Daze" and TV shows like "A Different World" and "The Cosby Show" were popular. Even though they focused on fictional black colleges, they created a vision of fun and exciting college experiences. They showed a college world that had students of color finding success and happiness in their lives. Who wouldn't love that.






SU is nowhere near a black or hispanic serving institution. Quite the contrary. But that didn't make my experiences their any less exciting. We find each other. And I was lucky enough to find a contingent of friends that have come to mean a great deal to me over the past 20 plus years.



When facebook came along, I reconnected virtually with even more of my college friends. I may not see them on a daily or even occasional basis. But when we do get together, we pick up right where we left off. We still talk about parties. The only difference is that the parties we meet up at are our kids' parties. And that's just fine with us. We certainly did plenty of partying for a life time in our 4 years in college. I don't miss it but I am glad I had those times.

So what brought on this burst of nostalgia?

Hall of Languages and Memorial to the victims of Lockerbie flight bombing

I visited SU on March 31st. My sorority's chapter turned 20 in March and I didn't want to miss the celebration. Yes, I was the oldest person there. Even the keynote speaker was 8 monhts younger than me. But it felt like home. With the exception of a few new buildings, the place hasn't changed a bit. And that brought back so many good memories. Even the mural in the stairwell of the student center was exactly the same. And that mural has to be well over 20 years old. I felt like I could move in and pick up where I left off.

Carrier Dome

Schine Student Center Atrium

Bird Library

The Ben Shahn Mural of the Sacco-Vanzetti Trial

Alas my family and job required me to return to the NYC grind. But it was still a very nice 24 hour stroll down memory lane. Did I mention they were the best 4 years of my life?