Wisdom from the Trenches

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

I did some volunteer consulting for Women’s Initiative the other week. What fun it is to reach out to fellow woman entrepreneurs! People who understand what it’s like; whose lives are similarly a roller coaster ride that never ends.

One of my clients shared the following lyric as one that helps her be okay with not knowing how things are going to play out…even when it comes down to how you’re going to pay your staff or afford that necessary expense this week.

A mind, that wants to wander,
round a corner,
Is an un-wise mind

– George Harrison, Be Here Now

It turns out the song’s pretty weird though. But don’t let that ruin this wisdom!  Since I acquired it, I’ve applied it everywhere…from planning travel expenses, to dealing with tumultuous relationships.  Fretting about the future takes pleasure from the present.  And who knows, we might not be here in another ten minutes.

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I wanted to run the track to just run away form my problems.

Originally Written on April 26, 1994
Posted on by Jennifer Heller

Today was better, although this morning I wanted to run the track to just run away form my problems. Unfortunately it’s been raining and the track was flooded.   I hope we get to run tomorrow!

Especially since I have a major trouble.  Jeff admitted to liking me (says Cassie) and flirted with me through block.  I tried to avoid all talking w/ him.  I only had to sit by him for 79 minutes (8th graders are taking CLAS testing and the scedules are fucked up). Tomorrow I have to avoid him for four hours!  I have a plan though.  I’m going to get Alexis to ask me about this new guy I supposedly like.  I’ll give him a name – we’ll describe him as total different than Jeff so Jeff’ll get discouraged and won’t ask me out! Nothing happened w/ Robbie although Cassie, Natalie and Lex are still set on our going out!

Tomorrow’s Alexis’ last day.  I used to be a little glad she was moving.  But now Alexis and I are getting along I don’t want her to move!  I won’t miss her bosiness or temper but I will miss having her at our table in block and our friendship.

Couldn’t just part of her (the bad part) move?

I’m going to miss you, Alexis!

(We’ll keep in touch!)

(my pen ran out of ink!)

A nice end to a relationship fraught with petty name-calling, eh?

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History 5° — Cassie writes me a note informing me that I’m going out w/ Robbie.

Originally Written on April 25, 1994
Posted on by Jennifer Heller

Today was not a good day! I’m about to cry. I’ll start at the beginning:

Lunch – Natalie, Lex, Cassie, Ana and I were trying to think of how we could get everyone who went to the party to go out w/ someone. They went on about how cute Robbie and I look together and how perfect we were for eachother. Cassie said something like how it wouldn’t matter if we went out since we’ve kissed so many times! So Cassie went over to Robbie and asked him to go out w/ me. He said he didn’t know who I was although Cassie thinks he didn’t know who she was talking about.

History 5° — Cassie writes me a note informing me that I’m going out w/ Robbie.  Finally I found out that Cassie asked him to go out w/ me.  He said he didn’t know if he would or not – meanwhile everyone was totally bugging me about if I was going out w/ Robbie or not.

French 6° — Lex inform people I’m “sort of” going out w/ Robbie.  I deny it but it’s no use.  I try to kill Cassie.

I am pretty sure that Cassie survives this day.

Language 7-8° — Jeff finds out Robbie and I might be going out.  He keeps trying to convince me not to go out w/ Robbie.  The problem was I was starting to maybe like Robbie again so I wanted to go out w/ him! Cassie tells me that Robbie wants me to ask him out to make sure I want to go out w/ him.  Cassie said Robbie would say yes.  Everyone kept badgering me and badgering me.  Jason T. whispered my name to get my attention and pointed to me than to Robbie and put his fingers together like we’re kissing!  Everyone’s really bugging me + I’m starting to get a little pissed off.  I wanted everyone to get off my case but I also wanted to go out w/ Robbie.

Aelxis and Christy said they’d get off my case if I asked Robbie out.  So finally Alexis goes and asks him out for me!  So now it’s like I liked him and asked him out!  Well the end of the day came and I came home TOTALLY depressed ’cause I knew he was going to say “no”.  I tried to cry when I came home but I couldn’t.  I decide that a phone call to Erika would improve my mood.  She told me Christy wanted me to call her because she had some news for me.  I try to get hints out of Erika, but she won’t budge. Continue Reading

Life Lesson: Artichokes are not the best take-your-lunch-to-work food

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

They make your fingers all sticky and they’re really hard to eat at your desk when you’re busy working your way through your lunch break.*

Also, if you’re going to cut them in half before cooking, clear out all those little hairs. Otherwise they get all over all the leaves and in your mouth and it’s a lot like licking a cat.**

Lastly, I’ve had artichokes with melted butter, I’ve had them with mayo. But my favorite dipping sauce remains mayo mixed with a bit of curry. What’s yours? Continue Reading

Emily said that guys are like ice-cream.

Originally Written on March 24, 1994
Posted on by Jennifer Heller

Emily came over today and I guess I feel a little better after talking to her. I guess I am having a hard time accepting the fact that a major part of my life is over. It’s amazing what 15 seconds can do. I’m sure it’s a change that probably is long overdue but,… I don’t know.

I just have to wonder how long it will be before I have another. Even though I wanted my first kiss to be because we wanted to, I’m glad it happened. Now I don’t have to sit and wonder what it will be like. Emily said that guys are like ice-cream. Continue Reading

I want to go out w/ someone so I can hug someone. Kiss someone… You know what’s really sad? I’ve kissed a guy and I’ve never hugged anyone.

Originally Written on April 23, 1994
Posted on by Jennifer Heller

Tonight is probably going to be a very memorable evening. Cassie held a party. The guest list included:

Girls               Guys
me                 Mike P.
Lex                Kris B.
Cassie             Robbie
Ana                Tom
Erika              Jordan
Emily              Billy
Windy             Dave S.
Daniele W.
Loni C.
Natalie
Abby R.

Well, the party had a bottle. For spin-the-bottle which led to Truth or Dare. In Spin-the-Bottle I picked:

Dave 3? times
Kris 1 time
Robbie! 1 time

After that in Truth-or-Dare Continue Reading

Who’s the Awful Roommate? Smitty Flies Off the Handle

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

Poor Smitty is a clean guy, like me. He likes his house clean and his sink empty of dirty dishes.

Back when he was just discovering that about himself, he lived with a number of men who didn’t feel the same way.

No, they liked to leave food all over the place to rot and piled the sink to high heaven with dishes.

Smitty tried to get them to clean up after themselves. Or so he said, anyway.

And then one day, he wanted to make an egg. Such a simple desire! But there was not a clean plate or pan to be found.

He flew off the handle. He grabbed a few dirty dishes from the sink and started pelting their doors with them. It felt pretty good, so he continued until there was not a whole plate to be found.

Though he didn’t ever get his egg, he made sure that those roommates wouldn’t be leaving any more dirty dishes around the house. Continue Reading

I called Wild 107 trying to get tickets to see All-4-One during one of the payoffs.

Originally Written on April 21, 1994
Posted on by Jennifer Heller

I feel so pathetically stupid. I called Wild 107 trying to get tickets to see All-4-One during one of the payoffs.

Afterwards I jokingly tried to get through when they were doing Love Lines. I got through, but hung up after I freaked out.

I didn’t want to be on Love Lines but I wanted to get tickets for All-4-One! I’m going to keep trying at the payoffs. Who knows? Maybe I’ll see All-4-One live!

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