Relating very strongly to this piece Lisa, especially #2, 3 and 9. And yes, its not all menopause, in fact I'm not sure that much of it is menopause, I tend to think menopause just lends a magnifying glass to what was already there, challenging us to face what needs facing in our lives. Thanks for giving voice to these experiences in such a relatable and vulnerable way ❤
Loved this. Dear god, yes, the list. Hang the hook, mammogram, poop in the box. Always a list. Doing all the things to take care of these aging bodies becomes its own sort of job. And running into the bathroom to hide. You crawled into my head with this one, Lisa!
" It wasn’t all menopause, some of it is just me." I've been thinking about this sentence all week! I mean, obviously the hot flashes are menopause. But what about the waking up in the middle of the night and worrying about shit that I know will seem silly at 9:00 am? Got to admit, I think that's just me. Or an amplified version of me. This is your brain. This is your brain on menopause. This was such a wonderful post to read, as it totally normalized for me that kind of scattered feeling I'm having lately. Even when I'm basically organized and content, there's still all this stuff I'm processing in the background. Thank heavens for the Notes app. It should just be called Menopause Personal Assistant, or External Menopause Brain Storage. Thanks as always for the lovely, though provoking writing.
I love your voice in this piece. The writing flows so well through each. Also love how you started with the time change and ended with it. Nice way to wrap it up.
Oh yes. Kind of a sad "oh yes," because I relate to so much that I wish I didn't. The shell, especially. I don't understand mine either, but there it is - this prudish barrier that I'm way more comfortable with than I wish. Also, the endless lists, and sister, I'm right there behind you in line for the bathroom when I don't have to go. Thank you - I needed this.
“Feeling upside down in a November kind of way...”
I really resonated with the late-November big-feelings described here; and although I had a lovely Thanksgiving I find there's always a bit of a slump after Turkey Day--before the Yuletide festivities get fully underway. You captured the vibe of the season perfectly.
OFMG, I love these vignettes, but #4... Wow! I just woke from surgery with a percolating mind after nearly decapitating myself during a board call. All the things that need to get done. Gaaaagh... Laundry. Bills. A neurology follow-up, the oral surgeon follow-up, teeth. The poop-in-a-box thing. People I’m neglecting. So many shoulds. All TheEmpressAge.com and gothamgirl.me catch-up posts. Figuring out how to speak/eat/sneeze while wired as tight as a spring-loaded reptile trap. Protecting the sutures holding my head on. It really IS some crochet job. But all the lists and notes, the newsletters, and the books and the books and the books. These are odd problems, and I am a ridiculous person...
This is a much more coherent and beautiful rendition of the lists and images that fill my brain when I'm flat on my back, sleepless, at 3 am, 4 am, 5 am. I'm interested in what vignettes emerge for you in December.
Always transportive. Thank you. But maybe you can be kinder to bees. Simply ask them to be on their way, and soon they will go. Without our bees, we too will perish. Now the wasp I have no compassion for. Turn that vacuum full force on those criminals!
I loved these vignettes! They're unhurried but they cover a lot of ground. Rich, but not dense. Lovely writing.
Relating very strongly to this piece Lisa, especially #2, 3 and 9. And yes, its not all menopause, in fact I'm not sure that much of it is menopause, I tend to think menopause just lends a magnifying glass to what was already there, challenging us to face what needs facing in our lives. Thanks for giving voice to these experiences in such a relatable and vulnerable way ❤
pitch perfect - completely resonates with me right now
so many of this list I relate to! The shell, the organizing games, the anxiety.
Loved this. Dear god, yes, the list. Hang the hook, mammogram, poop in the box. Always a list. Doing all the things to take care of these aging bodies becomes its own sort of job. And running into the bathroom to hide. You crawled into my head with this one, Lisa!
" It wasn’t all menopause, some of it is just me." I've been thinking about this sentence all week! I mean, obviously the hot flashes are menopause. But what about the waking up in the middle of the night and worrying about shit that I know will seem silly at 9:00 am? Got to admit, I think that's just me. Or an amplified version of me. This is your brain. This is your brain on menopause. This was such a wonderful post to read, as it totally normalized for me that kind of scattered feeling I'm having lately. Even when I'm basically organized and content, there's still all this stuff I'm processing in the background. Thank heavens for the Notes app. It should just be called Menopause Personal Assistant, or External Menopause Brain Storage. Thanks as always for the lovely, though provoking writing.
I love your voice in this piece. The writing flows so well through each. Also love how you started with the time change and ended with it. Nice way to wrap it up.
Oh yes. Kind of a sad "oh yes," because I relate to so much that I wish I didn't. The shell, especially. I don't understand mine either, but there it is - this prudish barrier that I'm way more comfortable with than I wish. Also, the endless lists, and sister, I'm right there behind you in line for the bathroom when I don't have to go. Thank you - I needed this.
“Feeling upside down in a November kind of way...”
I really resonated with the late-November big-feelings described here; and although I had a lovely Thanksgiving I find there's always a bit of a slump after Turkey Day--before the Yuletide festivities get fully underway. You captured the vibe of the season perfectly.
OFMG, I love these vignettes, but #4... Wow! I just woke from surgery with a percolating mind after nearly decapitating myself during a board call. All the things that need to get done. Gaaaagh... Laundry. Bills. A neurology follow-up, the oral surgeon follow-up, teeth. The poop-in-a-box thing. People I’m neglecting. So many shoulds. All TheEmpressAge.com and gothamgirl.me catch-up posts. Figuring out how to speak/eat/sneeze while wired as tight as a spring-loaded reptile trap. Protecting the sutures holding my head on. It really IS some crochet job. But all the lists and notes, the newsletters, and the books and the books and the books. These are odd problems, and I am a ridiculous person...
This is a much more coherent and beautiful rendition of the lists and images that fill my brain when I'm flat on my back, sleepless, at 3 am, 4 am, 5 am. I'm interested in what vignettes emerge for you in December.
Keep those snapshots coming! X
Always transportive. Thank you. But maybe you can be kinder to bees. Simply ask them to be on their way, and soon they will go. Without our bees, we too will perish. Now the wasp I have no compassion for. Turn that vacuum full force on those criminals!
Loved this!😊🩷