Sunday, June 8, 2014

The Time It Takes to Reinvent One's Universe

It is the very last day of my week-long vacation from work. I get annoyed by the term "staycation", even if that's what it is, because it still emits an idea of being tethered, the antithesis of my original goal in taking a full week off. No, I did not go to the beach, and only out-of-state to a New Jersey Korean spa (a fairytale experience, to be sure), but I definitely vacated my thoughts from my rather harried and anxiety-laced work life. I spent several hours in my and my best friend's garden, as well as biking through Canarsie Park, where I took up the guerilla-gardening tactics that only work when everyone else is at work on a sunny morning.

Yes, it has been quite a vacation from the everyday drain. I have new vision, a renewed sense of purpose, and the actual tools to achieve it: confidence, networking skills, practical resources, etc.

I have a bag of topsoil, several welts from mosquitoes biting the backs of my knees, and the knowledge that a bucket of water with a cup of vegetable oil and a few drips of detergent will hinder several generations of those nasty suckers, while I plan out the green trajectory of my backyard kingdom: where to plant the insect-repellant Geraniums and Rue versus the pollinator-enticing Bee Balms, the best material for trellises of soon-to-bear Dragon's Tongue Beans, etc.

I have a friend down the road with a wheelbarrow that has notched several feet of distance carting rakes, shovels and soil amendment components to and fro between our houses.

I have new respect for the rain forecast, and the hours of sun my backyard gets in various sections.

I learned just today that I better leave the poison ivy vines along the fence alone. This might be the one non-organic gardening move I make: spraying directly onto the vines to kill them through the root, since if I try to spend too much energy clipping individual sections, then burning of leaving for the sun to dry, I might get a nasty rash in the process and give the vine motivation to set own new shoots. So, chemical spray it will be.

I attended the 3rd annual S.H.E. Summit in NYC, this time volunteering with my Mom and best friend and fellow guerilla-gardener. It was really great to be able to tell others about this awesome conflation of intellect, general warmth and empowerment.  I will be asking my female boss for that raise I know I deserve. And if she says no, I have already sown the seeds for new job searches and applications, so.... it will be what it will be (Me: 1, Anxiety: 0).

Time to go water the plants, and feed the budding ideas.