Mama Jens Update
I am not a very Good Mama Blogger lately. Are any of you still with me???
It is June and it has been over a month since my last post. I will preface this entry by saying: we are so happy we moved here. Despite the things we scoff at in all our objectivity, we appreciate everything about the way things turned out. Life is so different, but we know we made the right decision.
Randomness:
The space of transition remains cloud-like even three months later. Fundamental things are so different. Time, for example, totally different. Food, sense of self, routines, different. People adapt and there is this innate make-do function not unlike what happens with birth. In our memories, it is all rosy - everything from birth (painless) to tantrums (cute) because Mother Nature can't afford for us to think otherwise. Suckers. I think big transitions in life are similar. Something happens in our minds to make these situations (marriage, moving, new job, etc. and so forth) very exciting, whether they are or not because that is the only way we can cope, survive. I am not saying that my mind is tricking me into thinking that this is all just a good thing. It definitely is a good thing. See...I can't know about the Trick. And so it goes....
Whoa.
The other night, we watched Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices. That basically reaffirmed our plans to never shop our Wal-Mart=Evil Bastard. It also addresses the America we don't like, but that we are not alone in not liking.
Debt is so American. Never in my life have I felt the impulse to accrue debt as I do these days. There is some evil shit going on right here. Everyone is trying to sell you something. And, well, you can afford it, even if you can't because you have 12 months to pay it interest free and you have a coupon, and you would be missing a deal if you didn't and and and... We will not be suckers. No. No. No. We don't like.
Nature. We have a lot of it. If you are one of my old school Mama Jens Blog Readers, then you know that I am no fan of nature, by nature. But one can learn. Maybe it is possible to take the big city out of the girl. Or is it just that I am protecting my investment? Whatever it is, I have the undeniable urge to keep leaves and big sticks off my little lawn. I have found myself, almost daily, doing such natural things as planting flowers, paving garden paths, mulching, and communing with the unavoidable constants of our property (squirrels, chipmunks, deer, spiders, birds, and a million other bugs for which I will never know the names). I won't squash anything, because I am pretty sure it will come after me in another life. I invite you bugs and insects and other things to live happily out here. Breed. Chirp. Dig holes. Eat my flowers. I will not squash you. You like. Don't bite me.
Anonymity. Moving somewhere new affords one the privilege of anonymity. Nice. Part of me absolutely loves not knowing many people at all because there is so much time!! Wow! Time to paint, time to sew, time to do the dishes. It is amazing. And I am savoring it because I know that, in this small town, one is only two steps away from the next person. This won't last long.
On the other hand, being outside of a city is very isolationist in that you have a house, you stay in it. You have your own swingset, you don't go to the park anymore. You drive to the store, you nod to the cashier, and thats about all folks. No people, nowhere. It is so easy to disappear here. Right now, I like. But in a few months, I won't.
OK, sleepy. Good night and good lovin'. Love, Mama Jens
It is June and it has been over a month since my last post. I will preface this entry by saying: we are so happy we moved here. Despite the things we scoff at in all our objectivity, we appreciate everything about the way things turned out. Life is so different, but we know we made the right decision.
Randomness:
The space of transition remains cloud-like even three months later. Fundamental things are so different. Time, for example, totally different. Food, sense of self, routines, different. People adapt and there is this innate make-do function not unlike what happens with birth. In our memories, it is all rosy - everything from birth (painless) to tantrums (cute) because Mother Nature can't afford for us to think otherwise. Suckers. I think big transitions in life are similar. Something happens in our minds to make these situations (marriage, moving, new job, etc. and so forth) very exciting, whether they are or not because that is the only way we can cope, survive. I am not saying that my mind is tricking me into thinking that this is all just a good thing. It definitely is a good thing. See...I can't know about the Trick. And so it goes....
Whoa.
The other night, we watched Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices. That basically reaffirmed our plans to never shop our Wal-Mart=Evil Bastard. It also addresses the America we don't like, but that we are not alone in not liking.
Debt is so American. Never in my life have I felt the impulse to accrue debt as I do these days. There is some evil shit going on right here. Everyone is trying to sell you something. And, well, you can afford it, even if you can't because you have 12 months to pay it interest free and you have a coupon, and you would be missing a deal if you didn't and and and... We will not be suckers. No. No. No. We don't like.
Nature. We have a lot of it. If you are one of my old school Mama Jens Blog Readers, then you know that I am no fan of nature, by nature. But one can learn. Maybe it is possible to take the big city out of the girl. Or is it just that I am protecting my investment? Whatever it is, I have the undeniable urge to keep leaves and big sticks off my little lawn. I have found myself, almost daily, doing such natural things as planting flowers, paving garden paths, mulching, and communing with the unavoidable constants of our property (squirrels, chipmunks, deer, spiders, birds, and a million other bugs for which I will never know the names). I won't squash anything, because I am pretty sure it will come after me in another life. I invite you bugs and insects and other things to live happily out here. Breed. Chirp. Dig holes. Eat my flowers. I will not squash you. You like. Don't bite me.
Anonymity. Moving somewhere new affords one the privilege of anonymity. Nice. Part of me absolutely loves not knowing many people at all because there is so much time!! Wow! Time to paint, time to sew, time to do the dishes. It is amazing. And I am savoring it because I know that, in this small town, one is only two steps away from the next person. This won't last long.
On the other hand, being outside of a city is very isolationist in that you have a house, you stay in it. You have your own swingset, you don't go to the park anymore. You drive to the store, you nod to the cashier, and thats about all folks. No people, nowhere. It is so easy to disappear here. Right now, I like. But in a few months, I won't.
OK, sleepy. Good night and good lovin'. Love, Mama Jens
posted by mama jens at 3:10 AM
7 Comments:
Yup, Mama Jens, still wi' you here. Sounds really good. I like your thoughts. They're not just trite.
I want to know more about the knowingness that it is the right place to be. Repatriated, that is.
Hi Daytrader! So glad you are still with me! I guess the knowingness is just that it feels right. There are a lot of little things that culminate to make it a more pleasurable living experience than in Berlin....sunshine, being able to have a house and so much space for the children, sunshine, speaking and hearing english, positive energy, sunshine, etc.
Please don't tell those of us still in Germany how much sunshine you actually have.
Gladt you're settling in well.
Glad you like it! Enjoy the soccer-free-city :-)
MJ,
We just moved to CH from NYC and I feel like I'm living your blog. When we start freaking out, we say to eachother, let's just move to Berlin! No joke, we were there last year for a month and loved it. We miss the schwimbads, the platz, and cafes.
We go to CHCC playground almost daily, email me if you'd like to meet for play with kids or coffee.
email: info@brooklynbabyhui.com
Cheers
I'm so glad your gut feeling was right. I'm sure you'll love it more and more as time goes on.
Jen ... Still checking in with you - and happy to know things are working out in NC. Write when you can ... All the best.
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