Author Archives: Ilene

This Is 43

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Yes! We’re mingling again!  This time, with AnnMarie from Tidbits from the Queen of Chaos.  I just love AnnMarie and while I can’t remember exactly how we ran into each other in this vast blogosphere, once I found her, I decided to stick as close as possible to this funny, wise, warm hearted woman.   AnnMarie just had a birthday, by the way. Who wants cake??? A little over a week ago, I turned 43. When I was in my 30’s, I dreaded my 40’s. I had a whole list of things I was going to do before I was 40. … Continue reading →

If Only

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I was going to write a post where I discussed my 10-pound weight gain this year. It’s not a staggering amount of weight, I know, but enough to push me up a clothing size, or two, depending on the designer. I’m not going to make excuses for why I gained the weight.  It’s not a slowing metabolism or some kind of glandular problem. Plain and simple, I ate. In my overactive imagination, I fancy myself the poor, single mom version of Liz Gilbert in Eat Pray Love.  Although Liz clearly packed on the pounds the right way, in Italy, whereas … Continue reading →

Never Mind

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I sift through piles of hard plastic cases, many of the names and titles long forgotten, after nine years in my attic. “What are those Mama?” My daughter asks. “Music,” I say. There must have been hundreds of CD’s spread out in front of me, all listened to, all loved, at one time, back when buying music was a commitment and not a whim we acted upon while playing on our laptops or phones.  It was the pre-download era, a time when you didn’t buy songs but you bought albums. Every title I scanned in that pile was more than … Continue reading →

I’m Mom of the Year!

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I used to be that mom who “did it all.” I was the breadwinner in my family.  I held a highly demanding  job where,  it wasn’t unusual for me to work my “9 to 5,” spend time with my three children, and then go back to work from my home office once I put them to bed. Except after work and the kids, there was little time for me. My life became an existence. I resented my kids. I resented my job. I resented all of it. Soon after my youngest turned 2, I decided to step off the corporate … Continue reading →

Fierce Parenting: Listening Changes Everything

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We’re mingling again! This time, Adrienne is here!  Adrienne was one of my early friends in the blog world, who I believe I met through Shell’s Pour Your Heart Out weekly link up.  There’s nothing like eating chocolate when we pour our hearts out to friends, in real life or virtual (is there a difference, though?  My blog friends are my real friends), or drinking coffee or wine.  So, that’s what I’m serving up today in honor of Adrienne.  I love this woman.  She is kind, wise, and has a strong and admirable faith.  I learn so much from her every time … Continue reading →

Late One Night

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There had been no doubt that he had broken things off with me. So when he showed up at my doorstep with a bottle of wine, it was surprising. Square jawed and dimpled, he stood a foot taller than me.  He had grown well into the fortyish version of himself. Why are you here? I wanted to ask.  Why now? But he walked right past me to the kitchen, opened a cabinet and took two glasses. I had no idea how she got in, but he sat down across the table, from her, and poured the wine. They chatted, in … Continue reading →

Get Up!

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  Running always makes me feel badass.  I needed to feel badass after last week. For me, last week was a week of getting knocked down, both at work and in my personal life.  To be fair, when I’m feeling strong and when I’m in a great space, you can take all the punches at me you want, and you still can’t knock me down, but there have been a few chinks in my armor lately.  It’s amazing how much hurt can slip through those narrow little spaces when we let it. When I had the last minute opportunity to … Continue reading →

Yay! You Made It!

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Hey, Diva! If you’re reading this right now, it means that you have either been redirected or luckily stumbled upon The Fierce Diva Guide To Life at my new web address, http://ileneevans.com With help from the fabulous Julie DeNeen from http://www.fabulousblogging.com, I made the switch to self-hosted blogging, and if I manage to not break my site, I think I’m really going to like it here! I am thrilled that you made it!  I still have a few boxes to unpack and some formatting work to do to pretty up this place, but please make yourself at home. Your RSS … Continue reading →

My Dreams

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It’s time to mingle once again!   I wasn’t sure what to serve today for my guest of honor, Tricia, from Raising Humans.  If you were at Bloggy Boot Camp in Charlotte over the weekend, then you would recall I said “no” to the pie, hoarded fruit, and really love black olives.   There has to be a menu in there somewhere, right? Tricia is one of those gems that I found through the SITS Girls.  She’s a gifted writer who inspires me in every post to capture the small moments, moments which Tricia articulates with thoughtful attention and heart and beautiful words.  I am in love with this post … Continue reading →

Thirty Years and One Day

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  “Where’s my cell phone?  Have you seen my cell phone?” He looked at me with vague recognition as he gripped the edges of the overbed table and turned his torso with effort. “Don’t strain,” I said, “I’ll help you find it.” I searched through the nightstand and standard issue bedspread, reeking of bleach and staleness and under a chair.  And as I brought my head back up from the floor to meet his, it dawned on him. “It’s you.” With folded arms he turned away. He didn’t want me there.  I knew he didn’t want me there, but I … Continue reading →