tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53216467516555159242011-10-10T19:15:12.079-07:00Chronicles of A Late in Life MotherLisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.comBlogger841100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-59145638927548963612011-05-07T20:47:00.000-07:002011-05-07T20:47:19.483-07:00

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. This Mother's Day, I'm in the midst of a huge life transition, much of which has to do with being a mother, and for the first time in my life, I'm actually enjoying this transition. This has not always been the case - I've always struggled with them, thinking I had to speed up in order to get to the next place, only to discover that this just caused way too much anxiety

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-31732213884095335832011-04-18T17:43:00.000-07:002011-04-18T17:43:29.759-07:00

In less than an hour, Passover will begin in our part of the world. The kids have changed their clothing at least three times, I'm still in my clothes from the day and we need to leave for our service and seder in less than 30 minutes. But before I do, I have two things to share, two gifts that just landed in my lap and which will define how I enter into this particular Passover. The first is a

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-77899755870569775152011-03-30T16:31:00.000-07:002011-03-30T16:32:38.752-07:00

When I was a little girl, my older brothers figured I was game for just about anything. And they were right. Most of the time this amounted to daring me to eat a worm, or a watch a really scary movie without having a nightmare, or some physically dangerous stunt. As the only girl, if I wanted to feel a part of their group, I had to constantly prove I was able to keep up with them. So explains my

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-53315756226067788312011-01-09T17:35:00.000-08:002011-01-09T17:35:21.536-08:00

I hesitated before I began writing this post, but as I wiped away the tears after reading the many touching articles on Christina Green, the shining nine year-old girl slain in yesterday's tragic events in Tucson, I knew I needed a way to navigate through my fury, confusion, sadness and rage. Many things struck me about Christina Green's short life. She was an excellent student, loved baseball,

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-75014334433008189322010-11-23T23:23:00.000-08:002010-11-23T23:23:11.295-08:00

This time of year, I fall in love with my kitchen. It's a basic kitchen with none of the fancy appliances so many have taken for granted. But despite the fact that my oven runs too hot or too cold and the electric coils have to be forced back in with the end of a stainless steel spoon every time I turn them on, somehow I manage to cook up some pretty yummy dishes. The weather has turned cold,

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-55335837915204851242010-11-17T11:15:00.000-08:002010-11-17T11:15:17.107-08:00

Happy to post a link to my pithy washer and dryer love tale - How Bikram Yoga gives our washer and dryer a workout! Enjoy! And while you're at it, if you live in Longmont and always wanted to try Bikram, come and enjoy a free day of classes at Bikram Colorado/Longmont! http://www.mysears.com/mysears_blog/Bikram-Yoga-Works-out-Mom-Dad-and-Washer

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-74037037175035399112010-11-16T13:01:00.000-08:002010-11-16T13:01:02.298-08:00

Ode to A (chipped) Blue Bowl I know this might seem really silly, in these days of economic uncertainty, political fighting and out of control stress. But today, in the midst of all this, I'm spending a lot of brain space on my stoneware, or more specifically on my chipped stoneware. Am I alone in having a really difficult time in letting go of a chipped cup, plate or bowl? I do. The bowl in

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-54520920793691068352010-11-10T22:10:00.000-08:002010-11-10T22:10:53.202-08:00

I volunteer in all three of my kids classes and am thrilled that my work schedule is flexible enough for me to spend this precious time with them in their world. For some unknown reason and despite the fact that I've told all their teachers that math is definitely not my thing, much of my time has been spent doing math. After a few months in the classroom, my multiplication skills are better than

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-67347330849143300032010-11-07T21:15:00.000-08:002010-11-07T21:19:09.207-08:00

Two years and a few days ago, my dear Dad passed away.  I sat down a dozen times to write about this 24 month landmark, but the words just didn't sit right. That same week also two birthdays - October 21, which  would have been my dear mother-in-law, Lila Greene's, 78th birthday, and October 22, the day my father would have turned 99 years old. An intense week, to say the least. And before I knew

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-61463715608168899882010-11-05T19:53:00.000-07:002010-11-05T20:01:27.948-07:00

A recent conversation on handling rejection as a writer got me thinking back to my days of being a performer and how my many years of handling rejection prepared me for life as a writer. Here's my guest post for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers' terrific blog, Chiseled in Rock, entitled "Rejection Wears Plaid" - Enjoy!

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-50773339812063069812010-09-04T14:18:00.000-07:002010-09-04T14:18:55.184-07:00

Leonard TrankOctober 22, 1911 - October 19, 2008 This essay originated as a post on this blog and today, I received it in print, published in the University of Denver Magazine, Fall 2010.  Please read, share and enjoy: "What We Wear in This Life," dedicated to my father, Leonard Trank

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-4276278721981742522010-03-18T21:27:00.000-07:002010-03-18T21:27:31.670-07:00

Like most Americans, and all parents, I've been keeping close tabs on the fight for health care reform. Every night, I tune into my MSNBC trio: Keith, Rachel and Chris. I rely on them to distill and disdain and listen with care as they navigate these murky waters. With a vote on health care reform looking like it just might happen on Sunday, and just might pass, I had my own personal experience

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-43008288327978701132010-02-28T22:06:00.000-08:002010-02-28T22:06:48.203-08:00

30 days ago, I sat in the local Longmont Ice Pavilion and watched my three girls skate. While they skated, I read from Richard Russo's Bridge of Sighs and was deeply changed by what I read. So changed that I set out to write as honestly as I could for 30 days about where I am in my life and to explore the life or lives, I've dreamed about living, but which have not happened, or not happened to

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-6001149220768408682010-02-27T22:30:00.000-08:002010-02-27T22:30:53.886-08:00

This might seem really small, but the accomplishment of it has made a big difference. I successfully set and carried through on a weekly food budget for our family. I set the amount on Sunday, made the list, made the food plan for the week, organized the coupons and headed to the store with the girls, each with their own job of list carrier,  coupon holder and bargain finder. After I wrote the

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-77761698034093567182010-02-26T22:22:00.000-08:002010-02-26T22:22:36.931-08:00

Normally, on Shabbat, I take a break from the computer. I unplug for a little more than 24 hours and try to bring that portion of myself, the self who is out there in the world, back to myself and my family. I've made an exception to this practice during this time of every day writing. Shabbat is a time of renewal, punctuated by a deadline with the sunset, bringing the light inside, raising a

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-43500695406575107382010-02-25T22:45:00.000-08:002010-02-25T22:45:24.039-08:00

I'm tired. Really tired. I've been pushing hard the past two weeks and I'm feeling it. Feeling it so much that I'm not sure I have anything to say, or write, except that I need to write about working hard. Working too hard. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of helping to promote a wonderful film, "Peaceful Warrior," and an even deeper pleasure of being able to engage with Dan Millman, the

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-15435281140443783132010-02-24T21:42:00.000-08:002010-02-24T21:42:11.506-08:00

I came across a great quote today that I'd like to share: "Some people dream of great accomplishments, while others stay awake and do them." - Anonymous I've always been a great dreamer. Not when I'm sleeping, but when I'm wide awake. In fact, I like to talk my dreams out loud as I go about my day, mostly in the car on the way to and from work. With the ever present cell phone as part of our

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-81610985894540072272010-02-23T22:18:00.000-08:002010-02-24T09:02:08.756-08:00

I write this through tears, having just watched the heart-breakingly stunning skating performance by Joannie Rochette, who tragically and suddenly lost her mother two days ago. To watch her move across the ice, with her grief held so tightly against her heart and to share it with her country, the audience, her father sitting in the stands, makes me understand how extraordinary the human spirit

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-49097931683001737302010-02-22T21:56:00.000-08:002010-02-22T21:56:49.679-08:00

A wonderful thing has happened to our little town. Four years ago, a young Rabbi, his wife and two young children, moved from Brooklyn to Longmont to open a Chabad Jewish Center. I grew up as a very Reform Jew, but one with an equally strong identity. I went to a Jewish summer camp, was Bat Mitvah'd and when it came to raising our children, even after years of not really participating in a Jewish

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-26386836109126985572010-02-21T22:24:00.000-08:002010-02-21T22:24:06.024-08:00

Last year, Jim Tracy, in his first Spring Training as the Colorado Rockies' manager, spoke about about wanting the team to embrace expectations. I hear a great deal in the business world about the phrase, '"exceed expectations" and quite frankly, I've always viewed those two words with the same skepticism as I view most of the business jargon that comes my way. What I appreciate about Jim Tracy's

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-60236020910602337202010-02-20T20:35:00.000-08:002010-02-20T21:03:55.370-08:00

The eight year olds' birthday sleepover is now over and as expected, we're all exhausted. Face it, birthdays are exhausting. For me, the mother, it is like some still remaining body memory comes back every year and I wonder, do all mothers feel this way for their whole life as a mother? But despite the labor echoes, the sleepover was sweet, as they are supposed to be. The girls did face painting

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-16087780358502777732010-02-19T19:25:00.000-08:002010-02-19T19:25:03.202-08:00

The pizza has been devoured, the sugar rush from the ice cream cake has passed and ten girls are hunkered down on our couch in front of our little TV watching the movie "Up." It just happens to be my favorite movie of the last decade and one that has helped me enormously survive the last 18 months of loss, uncertainty and stress. I first saw it in the movie theater (a rarity) last May. I went

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-22995198432854479132010-02-18T22:09:00.000-08:002010-02-18T22:09:03.641-08:00

It's the night before our twins turn eight years old. To say that birthdays are hard on me would be an understatement. To say that they are hard on the rest of the family is a new definition of understatement. Remember the reference to the Tasmanian Devil from an earlier post? Just put a vacuum cleaner and a dust rag in my hand and spin me off into the distance and you have the picture. But this

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-23907791206523916272010-02-17T21:44:00.000-08:002010-02-17T21:44:28.743-08:00

The funny thing about a long term relationship is that you get to experience the great pendulum swing that happens when two people share a space and a life for a period of time. Sometimes the pendulum swings in the direction of deep connection, humor and passion. Sometimes the pendulum swings in the other direction and it's not very much fun. Add in some financial instability, parenting and lots

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-8654153005953924012010-02-16T21:57:00.000-08:002010-02-16T21:57:03.791-08:00

I hate to be micro-managed. All right, I know I'm not supposed to use the 'H' word, but my kids are sleeping and besides, they don't know how to find my blog. I don't use that word often, but in this case, it is the only word to use, so I'll say it again. I ate being micro-managed, being watched every minute to see if I'm completing a task and not being given the space to actually get it done.

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-63253207297059354062010-02-15T21:46:00.000-08:002010-02-15T21:46:44.258-08:00

Lately every day, it seems, I wake up feeling like it's the first day of school and I'm the new kid. It's an uneasy feeling and usually sends my already precarious stomach into nervous overdrive. The past two months have been exhausting and enlightening, although there's still a long way to go. The budget is still a work in progress and we've done something we rarely do - give ourselves a real

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-91837391988906004232010-02-14T21:22:00.000-08:002010-02-14T21:22:53.581-08:00

Last night, just before we fell asleep, my eyes flew open. "I forgot to get the girls' a Valentine's Day present." Jack had one leg under the covers and took a deep breath. "Where should I go?" It was nearly midnight. "Walgreens...," I answered quietly. He sighed again and got dressed and headed out into the night. I fell asleep. In the morning, just as I was waking up, three warm bodies

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-80328673558172531472010-02-13T20:27:00.000-08:002010-02-13T21:50:47.860-08:00

I know it's corny, but I love the Olympics. From the opening ceremony to the time the torch is extinguished, I'm transfixed. And I always cry when the parade of countries begins, especially the ones represented by one or two athletes. Throat chokes up and the tears just stream. I remember, with horror, the tragedy unfolding at the 1972 Munich massacre. I was at summer camp and we waited,

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-49399970322629807902010-02-12T16:22:00.000-08:002010-02-13T14:27:22.961-08:00

I've written before about how much simple kindnesses can make the difference when you're struggling. Today, I'm sending out big waves of kindness energy to encourage everyone to reach out to someone who is hurting, in one way or another. I'm talking about in your own neighborhood, your group of Facebook friends, your work colleagues, your family. There's not a day that goes by where I'm not

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-91065628707917964202010-02-11T22:22:00.000-08:002010-02-11T22:22:43.847-08:00

I recently gave a talk on “Tweet, Friend and Connect: Social Media Trends in the Insurance Industry,” for the fine folks at Peak Performance Insurance Ski Conference 2010. I stayed at the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa, a lush hotel in Avon, Colorado that was a dream in dark wood, stainless steel, marble bathroom with a huge glassed in shower, pristine white linens, and much to one of my

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-65492136487729208052010-02-10T22:16:00.000-08:002010-02-10T22:16:43.828-08:00

Today started slowly. Really slowly. Or I should say that I started slowly within the day because I had to go on a 12 hour fast in preparation for my life insurance medical examination, which included having to go without my much beloved, and obviously addictive morning coffee. We have one of those programmable coffee makers that is set the night before, by my husband, with freshly ground coffee,

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-81957208797157417852010-02-09T21:31:00.000-08:002010-02-09T21:31:19.460-08:00

I'm taking a class on Jewish Leadership, a six week class being offered by the Chabad Jewish Center of Longmont and tonight's class pretty much blew me away. In the class, we're studying six figures in Jewish history, starting with Hillel and moving through quite a few people I've never heard of, despite a lifetime of study and engagement in my tradition. Hillel is well known to all, as are his

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-28189442067545184352010-02-08T22:57:00.000-08:002010-02-08T23:02:49.561-08:00

I may be sounding a bit psycho-babblish tonight, but let's be real. I'm exhausted. The past three weeks have been my own personal tsunami and I'm feeling the wear and tear of sleepless nights, tensed up days and way too much caffeine. All while continuing to function at my part-time job, as well as finishing up a contract project and continuously, and I mean continuously, looking for work. I'm

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-27479802942618474322010-02-07T22:30:00.000-08:002010-02-07T22:30:02.359-08:00

I saw a dear friend today. We’ve been friends for over a decade; have raised our kids together, collaborated on a number of creative and work-related projects. We drank vanilla spiced Chai and talked about the state of our lives, as the snow softly fell outside. We’re both baffled by how difficult things have become and how the two of us, usually really industrious women who can find a solution

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-69040970948504275852010-02-06T21:37:00.000-08:002010-02-06T21:37:30.494-08:00

When you're a parent, the world of money takes on an entirely new meaning. After many years of pretty much making and spending money on myself and doing so with not much planning, budgeting or awareness, becoming a parent to three children has put that pattern to the test. We want the best for our kids and I've fallen for the false idea that this equals not always spending within our means. The

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-55483589606876246842010-02-05T16:59:00.000-08:002010-02-05T17:01:46.337-08:00

Like many people I know, I like listen to NPR while I'm driving. I find it good driving company, comfort and keeps me tethered to the larger dysfunctional world, rather than just to my own weedy backyard. Yesterday, I tuned in to hear Michelle Singletary, Washington Post personal financial columnist and best-selling author talk a bit about how her 21 Day Financial Fast was going. I was interested

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-15584031923438151202010-02-04T22:48:00.000-08:002010-02-04T22:48:02.903-08:00

When I started this project, 30 days of daily blogging about my financial condition, I wasn't expecting anything to magically go away. All I'm working toward is a bit more self-knowledge and writing is one of the only ways I know how to navigate my way through a fairly stressful time. Since I started this series, I've received some really wonderful notes of support from strangers and from long

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-55966894744126509882010-02-03T21:10:00.000-08:002010-02-03T21:10:47.076-08:00

February 3, 2010 When do we reach our breaking point? And what makes us reach it? Today would definitely qualify as being my red-letter, camel that broke my back, breaking point day. Today would be the day I'll call my George Bailey day. Not the standing on the bridge before jumping in to save Clarence the wanna-be angel George Baily day. Today would be the entire sequence that came right

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-78189650730304513682010-02-02T22:42:00.000-08:002010-02-02T22:42:10.939-08:00

February 2, 2010 I have an interesting relationship with chaos. I claim I don't like it, that it makes me crazy, and that I can't function in the midst of chaos. But the reality is something very different. Over this period of extreme financial uncertainty, I understand that I've long ago created my own personal chaos theory. Sometimes it's quiet, but at times like these, my personal chaos

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-23302859151462673802010-02-01T20:36:00.000-08:002010-02-01T20:36:49.586-08:00

You know the bumper sticker: "Perform Random Acts of Kindness"? I've decided that this well meaning message depresses me. It makes me think too much about winning, or not winning the next multi-state Powerball. Or about all the horribly random things that happen in not such kind ways. Kindness is a way of life. It's opening the door for anyone in front or behind you, not because they are old or

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-22087640067367013452010-01-31T21:52:00.000-08:002010-01-31T21:52:56.109-08:00

January 31, 2010It’s Sunday morning and the panic has started to set in. The suggestion that my bulletin board be taken down because our oldest cat paws at it before dawn has set me off in a negative direction, as well as a kitchen that’s in the midst of a DIY remodel with missing cooking tools and kids waiting for breakfast. The whole scene rubs me the wrong way and does not help my feeling that

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-28560788719218709632010-01-31T21:35:00.000-08:002010-01-31T21:35:34.709-08:00

January 30, 2010 Richard Russo, in his book Bridge of Sighs, centers a chapter on the main character’s thoughtful consideration of a parallel, yet unlived life. Lou, a shopkeeper who has lived in the same depressed town his entire life, looks upon a parallel and unrealized life as he is writing a family history of sorts. He explores this with an utter lack of angst, resentment or anger. Instead

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-9271813606348067312009-12-18T20:24:00.000-08:002009-12-18T21:25:50.821-08:00

Some of us are born to hold history. And when that history is held by a young soul, an eternity of time and space unfolds. The week began with the first born of our twins ushering in the spirit of Chanukah with quiet grace and a being discovered confidence. The week ended with the second born of our twins, the youngest in our family by 36 minutes (Chai/Life multiplied by two) bringing her

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-44150915426533733022009-12-14T12:11:00.000-08:002009-12-14T12:11:47.525-08:00

I wrote a while back about being brave, about how I'd forgotten to live my life with bravery. This morning, I got a reminder that bravery can happen no matter how big or small the action, how young or old the person behind the action might be. As a parent, one of the biggest challenges I have is in handling the differences between myself and my kids. We always look to how are children resemble

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-33847694504161241782009-12-12T00:13:00.000-08:002009-12-12T00:21:39.084-08:00

I have two stories to tell about this first night Chanukah 2009. Story #1 is a story of reaching back in order to move forward. Being able to do both at the same time through the simplicity of ritual. Story #2 is about taking the light of Chanukah and sharing it with someone who really needs it. Both stories are about what my father taught me about living in this world. About caring for my

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-43041644654332893122009-11-25T20:12:00.000-08:002009-11-25T21:51:11.354-08:00

Ten years ago on Thanksgiving morning a special light went out in the world. That light's name was - is - will always be Donne Pinsky, born January 7, 1958. As best I can, and understanding that I won't be able to come near being able to put into words what Donne meant to me, continues to mean to me more than 40 years later. I've been lucky in my life to have friends from my childhood, women who

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-8114697698888106132009-11-04T19:27:00.001-08:002009-11-04T20:51:33.108-08:00

About two months ago, I read an article in the Boulder Daily Camera about "Invironments," an eco-friendly furniture and remodeling store in Boulder who was celebrating their 3rd anniversary, as well as acknowledging the difficult economic year, with a "Bathroom Confessions" contest. The winner, who would tell why she or he deserved a redone bathroom through a compelling and inspiring tale of

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-17884536779150424312009-09-17T12:38:00.000-07:002009-09-17T12:58:12.945-07:00

G-d must have a really great day when she/he created crossing guards. At least when Millie, our crossing guard, was brought into this world. If not for her, I would never have survived Tuesday morning. If life had a rewind button, by 8:05 a.m., I would have worn it out.Tuesday morning was a disaster. To say that getting three girls out the door, not to mention one mama to work, is not an easy

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-24890018689727515312009-09-06T16:42:00.000-07:002009-09-06T17:26:39.907-07:00

Most women have a hard time saying no. At least most of the women I know. I know this because I'm one of them, or am trying not to being one of them. I'm 50 years old and am just beginning to learn how to understand and respect my limits. I'm concerned about my three daughters and how quickly they are learning what they will have to work hard all their life to unlearn. But this week, my beloved

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-60210116505526232332009-08-22T13:29:00.001-07:002009-08-22T14:28:37.583-07:00

The last time I did a yard sale was six years ago. The twins were about 1.5 years old, DD about 4 and I was much younger. This was also about the time when I used to breastfeed while cooking lasagna for dinner parties of twelve. My father-in-law and my DH had been tasked with watching the kids, at least that was the idea. Things were going well until a well-meaning person pointed to my porch. I

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-58930144171690862432009-08-18T21:26:00.000-07:002009-08-18T22:37:59.279-07:00

The first day of school is less than eight hours away. The mystery is over. After two and a half months, we know who is in what class, which friends from last year, which new faces to get to know. It's a new school year and as always, I've been on the verge of tears for days. I might joke that the Staples back to school ad is based on my own gleeful skipping down school supply aisles (which I

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-91465960258053820522009-07-29T15:39:00.001-07:002009-07-29T16:20:21.997-07:00

My dad taught me a lot of things, but one of the most important things he taught me was that you are never too old to learn new things. And considering he lived to be just about 97 years old, I think he probably knew what he was talking about. Another important thing my dad taught me, more by example and the way he lived, was it felt good to be your own boss. From the mid-1930s until about 2002,

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-36215682957508533492009-07-13T14:11:00.000-07:002009-07-13T21:11:02.717-07:00

We had dinner last night with old friends, the kind of friends where the light lingers until it becomes night, when the wine bottles are emptied long before the conversations are done, when the talking continues past even after the mosquitoes have given up and gone to sleep. A perfect summer evening. So why did I end up crying as I said my good-byes? Was it just because I miss my friends and was

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-54447896186898803252009-07-09T15:57:00.000-07:002009-07-10T08:23:03.000-07:00

Grief is not a one size fit all emotion. It is a sea shift, a personal tsunami. For my mother, grief is a recurring staph infection three surgeries and six months of antibiotics haven't been able to remove. For another, it is a constant restlessness, an inability to give permission to settle into life without that person. For me, grief is in my left hip. Two days after taking the last of my dad's

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-68896314295504921362009-06-27T00:32:00.001-07:002009-06-29T05:29:26.117-07:00

What We Wear in this LifeI arrived in LA for my mom's 78th birthday a few days ago. It was going to be her first birthday in 55 years without my dad. The first 30 minutes in the house are so odd and very difficult - looking for my dad asleep on the couch, his simple hospital bed in the corner of the dining room, his soft blue eyes opening and saying, "hi sweetheart," as if I hadn't lived outside

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-15680453545618289482009-06-20T23:14:00.000-07:002009-06-20T23:21:25.394-07:00

This is the first Father's Day I don't have my dad to call up and wish a happy day to. I wrote it when baseball season started, but it didn't seem the right time to send it out. So I send this out to the summer solstice ether, amid the chirping of the june bugs, and hope you heard the crack of the ball on Todd Helton's bat tonight, Dad. I love you eternally.Keep Your Eye on the BallDedicated to

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-66790767063731104742009-05-03T21:54:00.001-07:002009-05-03T22:48:10.566-07:00

I'm under the spell of Twitter - love my TweetDeck, DMs, the whole kit and caboodle. I'm following and getting followed by some fantastic folks and want to send a shout out to Melanie Notkin, Auntrepreneur and founder of SavvyAuntie.com, the "first community for cool aunts, great aunts, godmothers and all women who love kids." How's that for a worthwhile cause?Melanie's Webby-award winning

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-49953512314141120522009-03-08T09:25:00.000-07:002009-03-08T22:22:59.117-07:00

I turned 50 in December. As my nine year old daughter informed me, that officially made me the oldest mother at her school. I've gotten used to little kids assuming I was my kids' grandma, but to hear my own talk about how old I am in comparison to her friends' mothers, got me thinking I needed to start a serious stay young and on the planet program. So when my DH's siblings began asking me what

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-28428456622006062542009-01-26T08:40:00.001-08:002009-01-26T09:57:49.903-08:00

As the song goes, "you can't always get what you waaannt, but if you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need..." As I was wandering on Facebook, my virtual favorite place to be these days, a dear friend and colleague, Carmen Cool (how cool is that name), who runs the Boulder Youth Body Alliance, an organization dedicated to creating generations of young women and leaders who feel

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-77322852040445786632009-01-21T23:01:00.000-08:002009-01-22T15:14:56.694-08:00

Have I always been a worrier? I guess so, considering the state of my gut during junior high (that's what we called it way back when) and through most of my life. Have I ever been free of worry? I wish I could say that after 2.5 years studying at a contemplative graduate school, I'd been able to cast aside my worrisome side, but instead I became a writer. I've read some of Ekhart Tolle's theory

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-19576342581470917412009-01-12T21:47:00.001-08:002009-01-12T22:07:41.482-08:00

Being a mom is really like being homecoming queen every day of the year. And I wonder, since I was never anything close to a homecoming queen, what it would be like to be the most beautiful, the most popular girl in school every day of the year. Sort of would make you sick to your stomach, or other people sick to their stomachs. Sort of would make you want to vomit. And maybe want to vomit right

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-87110679279386573962008-09-15T22:29:00.000-07:002008-09-15T22:49:59.193-07:00

For the last two weeks, I've been scratching my head trying to figure out how a country could be seduced into the circus surrounding Sarah Palin. And I think I've got an answer. Shock and comfort. This is just my gut talking and I'll do the research later, but, my personal experience with trauma and shock is that when I'm feeling that way, I usually reach for something that represents comfort - a

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-55342470005821250182008-09-09T21:05:00.000-07:002008-09-09T21:53:13.490-07:00

It's all about balance - which I'm desperately seeking at this point in my life. Family, work, life, me - how do we fit it all together into the same puzzle? The pendulum swings and boom, the tentative balance is disrupted. But maybe that's the point, that the balance has to always be upset in order for it to be re-calibrated, re-imagined. Balance seems at its center to be about flexibility and

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-9163635466826013342008-08-11T11:31:00.000-07:002008-08-11T11:46:31.772-07:00

It has been about four months since I wrote on this blog - my ambivalence about working turned into putting in my best effort and spending my down time catching up with my crew.But as I drove past the Boulder County Fair yesterday, already three quarters of the way taken down, I was drawn to putting down a few thoughts.The county fair is a timekeeper, especially for our family. This is our 5th or

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-79012263375813818862008-03-25T08:39:00.000-07:002008-12-09T19:56:04.073-08:00

The countdown has begun. Not to the end of the current administration, although personally my own happiness meter will be off the chart when that day arrives. The countdown I'm referring to is my own personal one - in less than 72 hours, give or take a few, I will be a gainfully employed contract employee. The wait is over, the looking is done (for now, or until August, whichever comes first) and

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-65524207137396413352008-03-14T08:46:00.000-07:002008-03-14T09:27:08.125-07:00

I had a third interview with a company this week. I met the owner of the company at a coffee shop for a more informal one-on-one conversation. He informed me that it was down to myself and another really talented candidate. When I got to the coffee shop I found out that we would be joined by a third person, a colleague who is in HR and also a writer. I was a little taken aback by the surprise

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-76972037288222524082008-03-10T09:52:00.001-07:002008-12-09T19:56:04.931-08:00

I'm a bit lost in the midst of some new parenting and relationship philosophies I keep reading and hearing about. Last week, while waiting in the car before another job interview which I was again too early for, I listened to Amy Sutherland, author of 'What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage,' talk about how exotic animal trainers had taught her how to have a more peaceful and

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-11353891517700112632008-03-07T09:14:00.000-08:002008-12-09T19:56:05.082-08:00

A big THANK you to the ladies who serve up the fabulous Soy Lattes at the Fort Collins Starbucks on the corner of College and E. Horsetooth Road. I went there two days in a row for a job interview and both times, treated myself to a pre-interview jolt. And both times, I was greeted with such warmth and effervescence that I almost put an offer on a house in Fort Collins right then and there!I

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-89507189760188576912008-03-05T16:30:00.001-08:002008-12-09T19:56:06.054-08:00

I've decided that job searching is the perfect professional endeavor for a narcissist, of which I am not. In the two months since being laid off my formerly really cool, but non-existent job, I have never talked so much about myself to so many people who seem really interested in my entire life, except in a therapist's office. And in this eye-opening process, I've learned the following things

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-39596338568290541582008-03-04T19:30:00.000-08:002008-12-09T19:56:06.839-08:00

I came in contact with the sock police today. Yes, there is an organized group of well-intentioned busy-bodies who take it upon themselves to make you feel like a child abuser if your child or in my case, children don’t have socks and shoes on. Who are these people? Well, the lady I met today must have been the regional director of the Longmont, Colorado Chapter of Sock and Shoe Police, a large

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-36976825444413501042008-02-21T13:40:00.000-08:002008-12-09T19:56:07.565-08:00

Amazing the difference a year makes. One year ago we were recovering from what I didn't know was to be the last of the Boobies Princess Parties (sound the thundering APPLAUSE). For the act of turning six, we purchased two tiny tree frogs from one of our two our local big box pet stores. Lots of discussions preceded the purchase, as we have all fallen madly in love with Dandelion, our 9 month old

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-90149370346552285742008-02-21T12:47:00.000-08:002008-12-09T19:56:07.719-08:00

Wow. It has been more than a month since I last wrote. WOW. That is all I can say. This job and career hunt is one exhausting and outrageously time-consuming venture. Pretty much eating up all my creative energy, all my writing energy for anything other than cover letters.I feel like Charlton Heston, another Northwestern alum, in Ben Hur. Driving a wild chariot with too many horses. Horse #1 is

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-29652819795628186352008-01-15T21:20:00.000-08:002008-01-15T21:41:44.166-08:00

I don't know about the rest of you HONEYS, MISSIES, DEARS, DARLINGS, SWEETHEARTS, but I was PISSED off that Senator Obama refused to address HC by her title - SENATOR CLINTON. He is 14 years her junior, not to mention 33 years less experience in the US Senate. A bad move on his part, IMHO. Bad form as they say in the Ivies - Bad form. In that moment of unasked for familiarity, after the

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-69354238716904199392008-01-10T21:04:00.000-08:002008-12-09T19:56:07.828-08:00

Today was a terrific day, so I must be getting my period. Just kidding. This getting laid off is one of the most productive things that has ever happened to me. The day started off brilliantly, a bright orange sunrise hitting the eastern sky just as we turned onto the music teacher's street. Teacher was fresh, oldest DD were fresh, twins were occupied in a new stage of drawing objects - even I

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-45092661236281269752008-01-09T21:36:00.000-08:002008-01-10T21:04:45.190-08:00

It doesn't seem fair to get laid off at the height of one's PMS. I woke up today in a more than slight panic, a general panic about where and when another paycheck was going to arrive in my bank account. I've decided to call this form of panic PLS: Post Layoff Syndrome.But despite this, I rallied and kept to a schedule and so, for what it is worth, here is my promised posting for today, day #2 of

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-47046329186741185312008-01-08T23:17:00.000-08:002008-01-09T21:36:32.237-08:00

Hand's down the one of the best line I have heard in a long time:“Over the last week, I listened to you, and in the process I found my own voice.”Holy moley, the chills just came down my arms and I've got goosebumps all over again.Thank you for saying to the country what so many women hold in their hearts and never get to say. What they, meaning the guys, don't understand is that you just don't

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-88982861849800683192008-01-08T16:40:00.001-08:002008-12-09T19:56:08.097-08:00

Today I did the following for my newest and what I hope is my last career venture. I am stepping into: "My Real Life after Being Laid Off from My Pretend Job"I was laid off yesterday from a job that didn't really exist, but existed enough to be laid off from. It's a bit of a tale how I came to have a pretend job, and hopefully you will be reading about it one of the fabulous magazines I trust

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-9549044032087054272007-12-31T14:17:00.001-08:002008-12-09T19:56:08.881-08:00

I turned 49 years old two days ago. For my birthday, I was treated to a gluten and wheat-free breakfast in bed, presents from my three DDs and DH that include a shiny red Seattle's Best Coffee travel mug, a Denver Nuggets basketball cap, a Colorado Rockies National League Championship sweatshirt and my own copy of Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.  The Nuggets cap was a true act of

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-10675795120027702682007-12-20T12:55:00.000-08:002008-12-09T19:56:09.361-08:00

I'd like to give a big kiss and lots of prestigious awards to the culinary angel who developed "slice and bake" cookies because there would have been very little holiday merriment at my 3 DDs school on this last day before winter break. But after a full day of work and even more endless shopping, the last thing this tired mama was able to handle was making four different kinds of cookies from

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-67505672356296189482007-12-18T09:27:00.000-08:002008-12-09T19:56:09.656-08:00

I wish I could say that the weekend was splendid, filled with wonderfully educational and relaxing family-filled events, but for the most part it sucked. I came home, or to the mess that used to be my home, on Friday night and that makes me very grumpy. Blame it on religion, which in my case is a renewal version of Judaism and one that encourages the  non-commodity time known as Shabbat. For me,

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-17919533202533674712007-12-13T08:55:00.000-08:002007-12-20T14:14:08.782-08:00

The New York Times recently published a very posh list of 53 places to go for 2008. Why 53? Is there an extra vacation week for the really rich that the rest of us working schlubs don't know about? Is the 53rd place related to 2008 being a leap year??? Anyway, after viewing the list, which ranges from Laos, which in case you missed it that Cambodia and Vietnam are so 2007 (gag me with a spoon) to

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-73737253826145588152007-12-13T08:33:00.000-08:002007-12-13T10:03:12.505-08:00

A new study has been released about the evolutionary advantages of the female body, especially as it relates to pregnancy and not tipping over like Humpty Dumpty. In addition to being a writer and a mother, I am also a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique, which deals with how to undo habitual patterns of body use and fun stuff like that. But this study cracked me up because you don't

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-22110218841527809132007-12-11T14:00:00.000-08:002008-12-09T19:56:10.083-08:00

About six months ago, DD announced that what she wanted more than anything in the world for her next birthday, was a red-eared slider. A turtle. I sat with that for a bit and thought about it. We already have two cats and a dog. A 15 year old male Maine Coon with extra toes named Boo Radley, who has been with us since our days in NYC. Got him from a flower shop and changed his name from George to

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321646751655515924.post-29739825297867481582007-12-11T11:39:00.000-08:002008-01-08T08:59:06.822-08:00

I once work for what I thought was a really cool company who has licensing arrangements with some big biz and since I am woefully behind the TV-related and especially the tween and teen times, I ordered High School Musical from Netflix to watch with DDs to try to enter the 21st media century. I grew up watching "The Brady Bunch," "The Partridge Family" and listening to the Monkees. While my girl

Lisa Trankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12636364765705410805noreply@blogger.com0