13 Degrees of Spring Fever
1. I have spring fever, literally. In the Chinese Medicine tradition it’s called a tidal fever and has something to do with a yin or yang deficiency. For me it’s related to Chronic Fatigue. Every year when the sap is rising, so does my temperature by a few degrees. More on that HERE.
2. I wonder if I’m normal. I have imaginary friends. Some have funny names like Tabor, Kenju, Mamahog and Weary Hag. I wonder if I’ll outgrow it.
3. “Gotta go,” I said to Mara over the phone. “The Stanley Steemer guys are coming over.” I cracked myself up saying that because I knew she wouldn’t expect it and because I can’t seem to say “Stanley Steemer” with a straight face. HERE is the rest of my adventure with the Stanley guys.
4. I write like I clean house, a little here, and little there. Some things get done, while others never do, but I make sure to do a little something each day.
5. The birds are back … checking out the real estate … a high-rise nest … on my porch rafter … A one room shelter … inaccessible to cats … with southern exposure … and a landing deck … The rest of this poem is HERE.
6. The crocuses are in full bloom now. They’re like the first ones on the dance floor in spring.
7. A friend and fellow Irish-American, Tom Ryan, recently emailed me a newsletter he authored, which was full of spoof and satire. Recognizing his talent as a humorist, I asked him to consider doing a bit at the spoken word night. He emailed me back to say “believe it or not I’m a little shy in front of an audience….. unless it’s in a court room.”
8. “You wouldn’t be Irish if you weren’t shy,” I emailed him back. When I told Joe about the exchange he said, “Yeah. That’s why the Irish take a little drink. It gives them the nerve to get up on the stage and do what they were made to do.”
9. I’m back on the bench (or the bleaches) after being in retirement for about 7 years. I used to go to games to watch my sons play soccer. Now I’m back because my husband, Joe, is the Floyd high soccer coach.
10. Joe was instrumental in bringing soccer to Floyd. My oldest, Josh, got to play his senior year, was awarded MVP, and went on to play in college. My youngest, Dylan, was an excellent player as well, but his soccer career was cut short when he broke his leg in practice. (See the photo posted of my sons, taken in 1997, the one year they played on the same team.)
11. THIS is what I do for exercise.
12. According to Salon Magazine, Floyd is one of the Top Ten Southern cities in the country. The magazine cited Floyd Fest and the Crooked Road as part of the reason. I found this out via Fred at Fragments From Floyd, who has a photo included in the spread.
13. THIS! is my first uploaded video (Jaysus, Mary, and Joseph!). I’m reading a poem on St. Patrick’s Day at the Café Del Sol about my grandmother’s Irish brogue. (Posted with the help of Deana.)
Thursday headquarters is here. My other 13’s are here. View more 13 Thursday’s here. #74
March 22nd, 2007 10:00 am
You know, I work with a woman who is first generation American, both parents emigrated from Ireland. She is the FUNNIEST person I know, could do standup…but she’s too shy! Doesn’t stop her from using her sharp wit at work, tho 🙂
March 22nd, 2007 10:01 am
My writing is a lot like my housecleaning: sporadic, and mostly tidying up of things written before.
Thanks for the delightful glimpse into your very FULL life.
I’m all about words that begin with the letter z this week.
March 22nd, 2007 10:29 am
Oh I LOVED your poem!! 🙂
Selena
March 22nd, 2007 11:23 am
I enjoyed your reading. You have 8 brothers and sisters? Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said you were Irish Catholic. 😉
March 22nd, 2007 11:54 am
Awesome poem. I love the line of confusion of brogue from brooches, hiding both treasures and shames until you don’t distinguish between them. That is such a bag-on truth!
March 22nd, 2007 12:26 pm
Loved the video of the fox. It looked like it was having the time of its life–it’s hard to think of them as wild animals when they’re playing like that.
Thanks for stopping by my 13.
March 22nd, 2007 1:12 pm
Yep. My writing is like my cleaning – I have to force myself to do it. *lol*
March 22nd, 2007 1:40 pm
I enjoy your Thirteen posts so much. A little of this, a little of that. All good.
March 22nd, 2007 2:09 pm
Colleen,
Congratulations on your first video! It was wonderful to see you and hear your voice–isn’t technology amazing? Always something new to learn! And I loved your poem! I liked the line about burying our treasure and our shame until we can’t tell which is which. I’m sure I’ll be watching this again.
March 22nd, 2007 2:14 pm
Awww…spring fever. I get it every year and get more scattered than usual. What handsome soccer players your boys were. Yeah Joe! Soccer coaches have a special place in heaven.
March 22nd, 2007 3:14 pm
Very interesting list! I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but I never heard of spring fever before. I think I recognize it though…
Thanks for visiting my cars TT!
March 22nd, 2007 3:54 pm
Well, congrats to Floyd! That’s quite an honor, being in a top 10 list like that. Hope you don’t suddenly have a population explosion because of it!
March 22nd, 2007 4:47 pm
Colleen, I enjoyed hearing your voice and watching your mannerisms. We miss that in cyberspace!
Some of the themes in your poem remind me of a book I read last night. It’s titled “The Dark Side of the Light Chasers”, by Debbie Ford. It has to do with burying stuff, our shadow selves. I promise not to recommend another book for at least a week! 🙂
Susan
March 22nd, 2007 4:50 pm
Great post. You are a very foxy girl when you exercise I noticed. How does hubby keep the guys away?
That imagery on the crocus was very springy—probably the spastic way I look when I dance.
Your uploaded video was wonderful. Your confidence and charm really shines through and is more ‘out there’ than I expected when reading your blog.
I don’t know if I ever told you, but my daughter is named Colleen and finally, I am honored to be mentioned as a virtual friend!
March 22nd, 2007 5:03 pm
Well it was what I call a “home game.” I’m more in my element at the cafe we’re we do our monthly spoken word events. I still get nervous but not like the old days when I would be outside of my body with fear. I taped Joe singing a tradtional Irish song, but it seems I held the camera vertically and I don’t know how to turn him!
March 22nd, 2007 6:15 pm
Trampolines are soooo much fun! Great you tub video 🙂 Sounds like Spring is definitely in the air. My daughter was on the soccer team last year. She wants to be on the team again this year. Stanley Steamer 🙂 you are funny 🙂 I wish the Stanley Steamer fairy would visit and cleanse my carpets. My dog has been tracking in soooo much mud.
March 22nd, 2007 6:42 pm
ooh football (soccer..SCOFF), and foxy trampolining!! now that’s woken me up. 🙂
good to read you again babe.
happy thursday.
March 22nd, 2007 7:14 pm
“What we bury, takes root.” Very nicely said.
Loved the fox on the trampoline too!
I played today. 🙂
~S
March 22nd, 2007 8:46 pm
!!!!!!!! I LOVE the video. So cool to see an “imaginary friend”, live and on VIDEO! 😉
March 22nd, 2007 9:49 pm
Spring fever huh? Very interesting. I think I suffer from that too. I got diagnosed with Fibromylgia recently and that’s pretty similar to Chronic Fatuge as you probably already know. I have the exact fever moments like you have described.
Normal? Your’not a bit normal, you’re as crazy as I am and I love that 🙂
Imaginerary friends? What about whole imaginerary cruises….???? *lmao*
March 22nd, 2007 10:24 pm
colleen- you clean like i do! 🙂 i probably could say more, as this is another great 13, but i’m too tired…. nighty-night!!
March 22nd, 2007 11:50 pm
you – foxy on the tramp, very fun
March 23rd, 2007 1:13 am
I agree it is hard to say “Stanley Steemer” with a straight face.. and they spelled steamer wrong. It would also be hard to be the Terminex guy and have to drive around in a truck with that “giant bug from outer space” on the roof. I bet that truck is hard to handle when a big gust of wind comes along and that bug tries to fly away.
March 23rd, 2007 9:33 am
Hi! Michele snet me.
I loved seeing the video of the fox on the trampoline… it makes you wonder if he saw the kids doing it and thought it looked like fun!!!
Thanks for the visit to your blog.
March 23rd, 2007 4:15 pm
I get those fevers too. Like a mini-flu. I’ve never known what they are.
I found myself very nervous for you when I watched your video. I guess I was projecting my shyness on to you :-).
It was cool to hear and see you!
March 23rd, 2007 5:36 pm
I get shy for other people too. My eldest son played the lead in a few plays when he was in High School. When he did I would get more nervous than if I had to do it!
It took me a long time to figure out that I get those mini fevers mostly in Spring. Yes, it feels like you might be getting the flu but never do and the rise in temperature isn’t a lot but enough that you feel it! Trapped energy rising, I do believe.
March 23rd, 2007 5:55 pm
What a wonderful poem, and what a treat to hear you read it.
March 23rd, 2007 8:42 pm
That fox is amazing! Must have been a tame one?? I like how you write and clean house! I do that too!
March 24th, 2007 12:27 pm
How fantastic to know that Floyd offers soccer now. Thank your husband for his efforts. This is great!