Title of this post courtesy of the 40th (eep!) anniversary of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album (not cd!) by the Beatles. When I heard it, I thought that it was eponomously titled, didn't realize it was by those Beatles.
Where were you in 1987? School, working? Single,married, attached? What were you doing creatively?
I was working, my very first job out of college, at Lockheed Missiles and Space Company at the Palo Alto Research Labs, in Palo Alto, California. Learning the ins and outs of accounting in a giant company with government contracts. I had moved away from Berkeley and Oakland as it was just too hard to commute. I worked with a lot of interesting programs, the investigation of the o-ring failure that caused the first Space Shuttle disaster was really cool, and quite fast paced (all relative!), and then there was the underground nuclear testing:
I was attached already, to my future husband, Marc. He also worked at LMSC, as one of those irresistible scientists. We were doing a lot of hiking and camping and just generally having fun.
Creatively, I wasn't doing much art specifically. I was doing some kinds of crafty kind of stuff, I'll admit to going through a silk flower phase along with everyone else within a 20 mile radius of Michael's. I also was learning how to cook, that could be considered creative...
I did a little tiny bit of sewing, I recall making curtains, truck curtains, pillow covers, the world's ugliest sweatshirt for Marc, and matching weightlifting baggy pants for us. We did actually weightlift together! Yes people I used to have well-defined biceps. Not a picture of me, but at one point my arms did look this good. They are still strong, just a little jigglier...
Where were you in 1997? What would you like to share about the nineties?
Wow, a lot happened in only ten years. We had been married for 7 years, being together for 11 years. Both kids had been born, Zach would have 4 and Alex 2. The nineties were fun and frustrating years of transitioning from being a worker bee filled with angst and drive, pouring all my energy into work for companies that could have cared less to pouring that same energy into raising good people and learning to be myself, a mother without a job besides that. I utilized the internet a lot for interaction with other women who were doing the same thing, which helped a lot. I also discovered and had removed my first lump and started getting quite ill with what I later learned was
Dercum's Disease, which I still, unfortunately have.
I began sewing lots of stuff, mostly toys, puppets, stuff for our home, but then I began quilting too then, first just making baby quilts for my boys, and then working up to bed quilts for us, and leaping full force into art quilting. Finding my way on my own, and with the assistance of
QuiltArt online.
Where did you plan to be or think you'd be in 2007? Have you realized your goals?
I thought I'd be owning my own business, wasn't sure what it would be, but I knew I wasn't going back to the corporate world. I'm just not suited for it. Or it isn't ready for me, perhaps?! So, kinda sorta, yes. I have a business, but have not gone full tilt at it quite yet. That is coming, I can feel it building up like a volcano that will be exploding soon. Still not sure if it is going to involve just making art, or writing, or teaching, or all three. All shall be revealed....
I also thought I'd be enjoying seeing what my kids would be like 10 years older. Boy is that ever true. I'm so proud of both of them, they bring me uncountable joy every day. I also figured I'd still loving my husband, and yes indeed I do. And not the same as 10 years ago, but even more, in different ways, I didn't know that love that has stayed around this long was so rich and satisfying. I did not think I would be so far down the road with the progression of my disease, I am working every day to deal with it though, thus my new motto: Do It Anyways.
What is one thing about your present life you love and one you'd like to change?
One thing I love about my present life is the gift of unstructured time.
One thing I'd like to change about my present life is being too unstructured and not getting enough done!
How do you see your life in 2017? Do you have any goals or dreams for your future?
Gosh, in 10 years, I'll be 53.
I'm envisioning that I'll be more established with my business, and my goal is to be successful at what I'm doing with my art.
I am envisioning my kids having graduated college and out of the nest on their own. My dream for them is to be happy and healthy.
I am envisioning Marc's company having"gone public" and we'll be bazillionaires gallivanting about the world on a whim. How''s that for dreaming big?
Darlin', I so enjoyed reading this! As much as I am impressed with your corporate work, I believe raising little human beings is the best thing in life. Unfortunately, I wasn't given that gift.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for participating and I hope you'll do so next week too!!