Tracker Hackers

Adult chore charts
Reading logs gone wild
Oh brain,
why can't you learn to 
bend a little?

If I fill every box
every day
does that mean I'm 
suffocating?

If I skip a week,
two,
three,
does that mean I'm dead?

No.
It means 
I'm too
busy,
flat out gave up
for a bit,
went on 
vacation

Too rigid?
Perhaps
I like to see 
the ebb and flow
of life
on paper
[I must] take care
not to become
over dependent on them,
after all,
am I focusing on
checking off little boxes
or on the better, 
bigger things 
around me?

They're a shot 
in my arm,
accountability
for (hopefully) doing 
the right things
that are hard to do
so I can be better
at the ones 
that matter

They're a heartbeat 
of sorts
multicolored
messy 
proof that I'm doing my
best at life

I've seen interesting ones:
meatless Mondays
no sugar
no booze
daily journaling
wordle
dating
no spending
devotionals
screen time (usually less)
social media posts (usually more)

Mine remain steady, 
seems I can't build those [good]
habits
yet

I've tried giving up
tracking everything
becoming robotic
in spewing out 
my own 
data
my internal 
algorithm
can't seem 
to compute
making me feel 
like a failure 
at times

I still go back to them
proving
I can create habits
for behaviors
I need to change
adding challenges
through 
my own volition

(like writing 
for 31 days
straight)

Slices

of oranges 
sprinkled with salt
sticky sweet juice 
dribbling
down 
a 
chin

of memories
well lived
some 
uneventful
bursting with simplicity
some saved
for savoring
later
when the mood strikes

of time
held on an analog
clock 
holding still
in good times
or bad
placeholders
for stealing moments
to write
contemplate
create

of stories 
interwoven 
across miles
initiating laughter
provoking 
thoughts 
ideas
resonating with souls
unleashing frustration
distraction
confusion
affirming realities 
and struggles
inspiring hope
and kindness
through shared
Words
Thursday, March 31, 2022

Morning routine

finds us dodging each other
bumping almost shoulder to shoulder
stepping over a wet towel 
or bunched up pajamas
if it's a bad morning,
we'll argue
if it's a good morning,
we'll argue a little less
"clean up the toothpaste worms from the sink"
I remind her 
for the hundredth time
"I KNOW!"
she snatches the brush 
before I can get to it
so I plug in the hair dryer instead
I decide to let the exasperation 
and tone roll off
not. worth. it.
I wear my thick-skinned fur coat
24/7
grit my teeth, 
breathe in, 
breathe out
and carry on 
with my morning
"this eye looks good
 but why is this eye 
just NOT working?!"
a white washcloth smudges off
a crooked layer of eyeliner
along with a few tears
she doesn't want me to see
I lean in, mascara wand
trying to make some magic
happen for my own eyes
I don't have time 
to smudge it off
"how? how can you 
put on mascara
without opening your mouth?"
I continue applying my face
she continues applying hers,
sneaking a glance at my 
expertise
with a mascara wand
"I've been doing this longer 
than you've been alive"
she leans in with her own wand
mouth wide open
satisfied,
she steps back 
I look at our reflection
and try not to think
about the days
I braided her hair
in front of this mirror
and she'd want to help
with my makeup
Tuesday, March 29, 2022

A Bubble

wafted toward
me this morning
out of nowhere
empty street
no kids playing
backyards seemed 
bare, still
from where 
did this little 
bubble 
appear
without others trailing 
behind?
one shimmery 
rainbow glistening 
bubble
floating in the air
is it Glinda 
coming to pay me a visit 
grant me some wishes?
promise I won’t cheat
no asking 
for three more 
wishes
but seriously, 
here I am
a grown 
woman
looking 
for Glinda the Good Witch
in her puffy pink 
ball gown 
crowned in her 
sparkling tiara
waving that magic wand 
contemplating 
three hopeful wishes
that floated along
in a single 
bubble
until somewhere 
it popped
Thursday, March 24, 2022

Beating the Sunday Blues

Sunday, March 20, 2022
It's spring today 
Had to double check  
A brightening sun teases me 
through the window 
as I write  
It's still cold outside, 
but it doesn't have 
winter's bite
I'm cutting short 
my morning puttering  
Got a lot done yesterday 
so I could enjoy the whole
of today  
I typically get the Sunday blues 
on Saturday night 
lamenting a long list of 
Still Needs To Get Done Before Monday  
Back to work Monday  
A back to work 
rain in the forecast
Monday
Today,
I'm going out 
to play
with a spring 
in my step
a taste for 
the end of May

Two Minutes Ago

The 'tween is helping with dinner
burgers
Hubster is cooking
I'm playing with a craft project
Clean-up is mine for tonight
A chunk of lettuce flies from
'tween's  hands
and the discussion quickly goes to
the three second rule
"I didn't see that"
I say,
"It's okay," 'tween says
"the wet pieces may or may not 
have been on the floor,
it's not like someone's feet were there
and we don't talk about Bruno..."
Noooo! not that song again!
I've had some bubbly today,
I don't care
dinner is cooked
it's spring break
I had friend time this afternoon
I'll skip the lettuce 
It's still spring break
and I'm trying not to care
too much
Life goes on
with or without lettuce
on a burger
Wednesday, March 16, 2022