CoffeeJitters

Monday morning, from 10 to 11

Judy Schwartz Haley — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:08:20 +0000

The magic happens every day, but I don’t always take the time to stop and notice.

In just an hour of paying attention:

The air is the perfect temperature – not so warm or cold as to demand attention.

Watching an artist become

The little one exploring – getting familiar with Mother Nature

And Mother Nature says hi right back.

A mama bird feeding her chicks…

A perfect rosebud…

Mother Nature reclaiming a chair…

I find the magic every time I look for it. I just have to remember to look.

Every day is a gift.

WW Linkup
Every week I host a photo linkup where we share posts featuring a photo. It started out being called Wordless Wednesday, but… Bloggers? Wordless? Then we started calling it Wordy Wednesday. Now we just abreviate to WW, and you pick for yourself whether or not to get wordy.

Link up your photo post below to share, and we’ll be by to visit.

Photography as a meditation

Judy Schwartz Haley — Wed, 09 May 2012 02:25:58 +0000

I stalk the light, and the world fades away.
There is only this moment,
this camera,
this flower,
this light.

Which camera? Irrelevant:
an old beater, camera phone, DSLR…
it doesn’t matter.

The flower – deconstructed
petal, stamen,
line, curve,
color.

I capture the light, not the flower
The way the light moves and flexes,
around and through,
reflection,
absorption,
glow.

In the end, it’s not even about me;
it’s about embracing the light.

Link up your photo post below to share, and we’ll be by to visit.

Grasping at Bubbles

Judy Schwartz Haley — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:41:19 +0000

Writing has been difficult lately. I feel like I’m chasing soap bubbles, and the moment I grasp a nugget, a train of thought, an approach, an angle, it disappears into nothingness before I can pin it to paper.

It’s so very much like my daughter chasing these bubbles around the park – yet so different.

First, I’m not having as much fun (I need to do something about that).

Second, my failure to grasp these bubbles, and manipulate them into a cohesive thesis, has consequenses.

Just a few more days, I can count it in hours now, till this semester is done. The last paper and final are friday; then I can exhale.

And then I can chase the bubbles just for fun.

Link up your photo post below to share, and we’ll be by to visit.

Her adventurous heart

Judy Schwartz Haley — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:49:54 +0000

Whenever you see me with my little girl, there is a good chance that we are adventuring.

We may be adventuring at the grocery store

in the back yard

at the library

during the commute

or in a fountain at the mall.

I’m so blessed to have this constant reminder to embrace the adventure in life, wherever we are.

I just had to fix up this picture with my favorite quote of hers from last summer.

More fabulous blogs with WW linkups here!

Gem at three

Judy Schwartz Haley — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:19:12 +0000

Favorite TV Shows: SuperWhy, Diego, Dancing with the Stars, Billy the Exterminator, Angelina Ballerina, Shark Week

Favorite Movie: The Princess and the Frog

Shoe size: 10

What she wants to do when she grows up: Rescue Animals – and – be like Mommy (mama swoon)

Favorite Books: Too Princessy, The Animal Encyclopedia, Too Purpley, Sharks

Best Quote of the Year: “Adventure makes me happy, and I have my shoes on.”

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl.

Blogging – and women’s history

Judy Schwartz Haley — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:05:12 +0000

People ask me what my blog is about, and every time I pause. I know I’m supposed to have an elevator speech prepared, I guess it’s time I start thinking about that.

This blog has been through so many iterations. I started the first CoffeeJitters blog on LiveJournal back in 2001. It’s hard to believe it’s been more than ten years since that first blog post. A lot has changed over that decade.

CoffeeJitters has been a single girl making her way in the world blog, a wedding blog, an infertility blog, a photography blog, a quitting my job and going back to school full time blog, a wow! I’m pregnant! blog, a mommy blog, a cancer blog, and a trying to relearn how to dream after cancer blog.

Mostly, it’s a love letter to my daughter and husband, and an ongoing autobiography. It is my story, and my practice honing my voice. It is my chance to be heard.

I think in a way, that’s what a lot of us bloggers are doing. I keep picturing all the bloggers of the world at their computers furiously typing away in a clackity-clack version of the Whos that Horton heard, yelling at the top of their lungs, “We Exist!”

Blogging allows us to make our mark on the world. To show that we exist. To have a voice and have it heard. To contribute to the ongoing story of the human race.

My studies recently have centered a great deal around women’s history throughout the world, and the difficulty involved in truly understanding what a woman’s life was like. Mens stories were recorded, by men. Women’s stories… not so much.

I look at blogging in comparison to that and I think: what a gift we are leaving for future generations. Is there any comparable resource in history to the wide range of women’s stories now available? Sure, there’s a good deal of exaggeration. That also exists in our history books. But there is so much more variety of stories and lifestyles represented. I’m proud to be a part of this movement. I’m so happy that future generations will have such a wealth of information about their ancestors – us. (On second thought, maybe I’d better go clean up a few of my posts)

Reset

Judy Schwartz Haley — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:44:08 +0000

Spring cleaning

Spring Break

New year – well in some cultures, but I’ll take it.

Even Easter and Passover speak of fresh starts.

Time to stop and take a deep breath. It doesn’t matter that I’m not at a good stopping point; when does that ever happen?

Mommy needs a time out.

Mental margarita

Everything I need to do will still be there tomorrow

Makes it easier to focus on what’s really important

Hope you had a wonderful Easter/Passover/weekend.

Courage Night

Judy Schwartz Haley — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 01:12:51 +0000

I have been invited to participate in Courage Night, an author event sponsored by the Young Survival Coalition where 5 young survivors of breast cancer will read from their books, followed by a book signing. Well, in my case, I will read from my blog. I’m beside myself with excitement about this event, and a little nervous. I hope all my friends in the Seattle area will come to support me.

I’m so honored to be included in this group of amazing writers.

I was also a little perplexed about how to gracefully manage the whole signing of books part at the end. It’s not like you can sign a blog. And the other authors are donating their proceeds to YSC… Finally, last night I got that little light bulb over my head. Why don’t I have some of my photos printed, and sell those? Then I’ll have proceeds to donate, and something to sign.

So which photos?

I picked a few, and I’m going to narrow it down again to a selection of four. Which ones do you like?

And here’s the flyer for Courage Night. If you’re in the Seattle area, stop by and say hi. I’d love to see you!

Beignets

Judy Schwartz Haley — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 05:39:01 +0000

When it comes to food and travel, whenever possible I like to eat where the locals eat, tourist traps rarely have the best food. I have also come to believe that Alton Brown will never steer me wrong when it comes to food. Both of those rules turned out to be true on this my trip to New Orleans.

I didn’t have a big list of things to do in New Orleans because I was bringing my homework along with me (yeah, this girl knows how to par-tay), but I was not going to leave that city without tasting a beignet.

World famous fried dough, topped with powdered sugar, and served up with cafe au lait? Carbs on top of deep-fried carbs? Served with coffee? What’s not to love? That was definitely first on my list.

The first name in beignets, is Cafe du Monde. It’s world famous. Mention New Orleans, and people who have never set foot in Louisiana will tell you to go to Cafe du Monde. I was going to Cafe du Monde if it was the only thing I did in New Orleans.

Luckily it wasn’t the only thing I did in New Orleans.

My friend, Jen, did her homework before our trip, including watching The Best Think I Ever Ate: New Orleans. “We have to go to Cafe Beignet!” She insisted. “Alton said it was the best thing he ate in New Orleans.”

How lucky I am to travel with someone like Jen who can straighten me out on these things – I might have missed Cafe Beignet altogether.

Hidden away amongst antique shops and art galleries in the French Quarter, I might have stumbled across this little gem, but I might have also been saving up my caloric allowance for the beignets at a shop with more name recognition. How sad that would have been.

I would have missed this lovely french cafe, with it’s menu that goes well beyond pastries, jazz from the street musicians wafting in on the breeze, the cobblestone floors, and the charming little birds that flitted around as we ate.

I would have missed the subtle flavor and delicate texture of these little pillows of heaven.

I fully intended to get a shot of these as they were delivered – both times we visited – but it just didn’t happen. I dug in. Yum.

We hadn’t even finished the first beignet when we decided we needed to hit Cafe du Monde as well – same day – so we could do a little comparison. Also, so we could have more beignets and coffee (but lets just keep that between us, ok?)

We had to walk several blocks farther, through Jackson Square, to get to Cafe du Monde. Surely that was enough walking to burn off all those carbs… No?

Cafe du Monde was a completely different environment.

It was packed, there were street musicians as well, right next to the table seating, but the music that pulsed in was more aggressive and in your face (perhaps intended to keep customers from lingering too long?). Pigeons dive-bombed tables, and snacked fearlessly from tables in the middle of this crowded restaurant.

The food the server plopped down in front of us was a little different as well.

The beignets were hard, and flavorless.

But at least they had sugar. A lot of sugar.

Once we finished eating the beignets, there was a good 4 ounces of sugar still left on the plate. Thank goodness we decided to share that order.

I will say in Cafe du Monde’s favor, that I preferred their coffee.

But for beignets, (and other foods, we found out at later visits), and ambiance, I’d recommend Cafe Beignet over and over again.

Alton Brown was right. So was the Concierge. Thanks, Jen.

Three

Judy Schwartz Haley — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:22:42 +0000

Yesterday, my little girl turned three (yes, she shares a birthday with William Shatner). Today, I’m making calls trying to find a venue for her birthday party.

I’m that on top of things.

How important is it to throw a party anyway? I didn’t even think it was on her radar, but then a few weeks ago, as my daughter was explaining to a random cafe customer that she’s almost three and going to have a birthday party with a cake and presents and candles and new dress and and and [deep breath] and and and and – it occurred to me that I do have responsibilities in this department – and apparently, this year, she has expectations.

I was in the same boat last year with school, and fatigue, and bills, and everything-all-at-once. I even wrote about my frustration in deciding to postpone her birthday party till April last year, because I just couldn’t do it in March. And then the birthday party never happened. Too much everything. I can’t let that happen twice in a row.

And, I know this is a taboo topic but, I don’t know how many birthdays I will have with her. I can’t promise her I will always be here for her. I’m not planning on going anywhere, of course, but I got a big wake-up call with this cancer diagnosis. I need to cherish every moment I have with her. I can’t promise tomorrow, but I can give her today.

So what about school and everything else? I can’t count how many times a day I ask myself what the right thing to do is, and I don’t know the answer. In the moment, when she’s desperate for my attention, I want to say forget school. So what if that paper is due in 4 hours? When I sit back and look at the big picture, school is just so important. Hopefully it will help increase my earning ability, but more importantly, it’s an education. An education is so much more than just vocational school, and the more classes I take, the more I understand this. It’s critical. And I want my daughter to see that, come hell or high water (and I feel like I’ve seen both recently), I got an education. But attendance in school isn’t just about an education, either. We depend on my student loans to pay the rent. As much as it’s digging us deeper into debt, it’s also my way of helping to keep us housed and fed. Hopefully, someday it will pay off by leading to a decent paycheck.

But, I also want her to understand how important she is to me. When I hear her say phrases like “I’m trying to get this done,” “I have work to do,” and “In a minute,” my heart breaks a little bit because I know exactly where she’s getting them.

So I’m going to throw her a birthday party. I know it wont make up for all that time with my nose in a book, but it’s important. It’s important to her, and it’s important to me. It won’t happen till April, but this time, I’ll make sure it happens.

And the gift? One of our little traditions is right before bed she picks out what she wants to dream about; we can get quite fanciful, because amazing things can happen in dreams and anything is possible. More often than not, her choice of dreams involves dancing, and several times she has chosen to go dancing in an orange dress, and holding orange flowers. (Before this, I had no idea she even liked orange, but I think it’s becoming a favorite color). The other day we were at the store and she ran right up to an orange dress and said “I danced in this dress in my dream.” I think I need to find her an orange dress.

Also, is orange the big color this year? I seem to be seeing it everywhere.