Ten Years Ago

April 19, 2004.

This date is engraved in the timeline of my life.

Ten years ago, I sat in a courtroom. My husband sat next to me. We sat for hours. I remember continually shifting our bodies in an effort to remain comfortable in the hard, wooden benches. I remember my husband putting his arm around me, resting his elbow on the top of the bench. And I remember exchanging glances with my husband as couple-after-couple presented their cases before the judge. The couples argued whether he would get the Porsche and the Lexus and she would get the vacation home.

My New Drawing Book

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the first drawing in my new drawing book…

A Tibetan woman holds the Dali Lama.

As a youngster, I considered myself to be fairly equal-brained. I was decent at both analytical (left-brain) and creative (right-brain) tasks. But then as I progressed through the education system, my right brain became quickly overshadowed by my left brain.

Over the years, my work life relied heavily upon logic, analytics, and objectivity. My creative-side experienced severe neglect. I can't begin to count the number of times when I had a dreadful feeling that my right brain was suffocating.

I occasionally resorted to music to keep my right brain alive -- hence my learning to play the cello and guitar a few years back. But never in my adult life did I consider drawing.

Claiming Your Unclaimed Property

When I was a kid, I'd pick up the stray pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters on the sidewalk. Others overlooked these coins, considering them to be petty. But to me, they were worth something. I'd put them in my pocket and say "Every little bit helps! Now I'm 5¢ closer to retirement."

I'm still picking up these coins, and I'm still acknowledging that they are helping to inch me closer to retirement. Nowadays, I chuckle as I ponder how fortunate I am to have started my retirement in my mid-30s.

Admittedly, scanning the sidewalk for dropped coins isn't going to get me too far. On the other hand, scanning the Departments of Revenue websites to see if I have any unclaimed property may get me a bit farther.

The Valuation of Intangibles

I recently sold my house.

This place ain't mine no more.

I bought this place a little over six years ago. I lived in it for 1½ years, and then I rented it to amazing tenants for the next 4½ years.

The house sold quickly, thanks to my awesome realtors, Sarah and Jamie Reece. As Shakespeare would say, Sarah and Jamie made the process as smooth as monumental alabaster.

    February 25: Tenants move out
    March 5: List on market
    March 10: Accept offer
    March 28: Close

Transcending

I recently came across a poem that fails to escape my mind.

"Drawing Hands" by M.C. Escher.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drawing_Hands)

Transcending

Escher got it right.
Men step down and yet rise up,
the hand is drawn by the hand it draws,
and a woman is poised
on her very own shoulders.