Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Note To Self: Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

Have you ever had "one of those days" that turns into a week of those days? You know what I'm talking about; the kind where you're so crazy-crazed that you dash from one project/appointment/task to the next with barely a breath in between, losing valuable bits of brainpower at each stop and winding up at the end of the day so depleted that you can barely manage to prop your head upright? And then like a scene from "Groundhog Day", you keep waking up to the same thing over and over again?
(Pen ink and watercolor by Thomas Rowlandson, 1757-1827)

Please tell me I'm not alone...even if it's just to make me feel better.

Is it just me or does everything seem to accelerate come December? After Thanksgiving, the days seem to race full-tilt ahead toward their fin d'année conclusion, the minutes speeding by faster and faster, gathering relentless speed until December 31st, at which point one either drinks a glass of champagne from the comfort of one's bed at 10pm and calls it a year, or behaves like a party-loving Bright Young Thing and goes clickety-clacking off into the glittering night.
('The Bright Young Things' at Wilsford:
Cecil Beaton, Hon. Stephen Tennant, Rex Whistler and others, 1927.
Photo by Cecil Beaton, available HERE, for £1400.)

I suppose the lesson amidst all the mayhem is to slow down, embrace the chaos and greet unanticipated events with style and humor.
(Photo by Tim Walker)

After all, I did manage to get one thing done last week.


Editor's Note: To those of you who commiserated so kindly on My Computer Saga, Carlos, the data recovery genius at Melrose Mac, managed to save most of my photos. The only ones I'm still missing are a trip to India in 2007 and one year of Luca's childhood (he will now magically morph from one to three in his albums, skipping the terrible twos entirely. Perhaps not a bad thing). The files may well be lie somewhere in the murky depths of countless bits and bytes, but it will necessitate another lengthy and expensive search and I'm not up for it at the moment. As for all my bookmarks, alas, they have proven unlocatable, so your wondrous lists will be a source of inspiration for 2010.

23 comments:

Rocio said...

So glad to hear about the recovery of your data - especially the photos - and yes, I agree with you, December is crazy !!!...And here we celebrate the 12 days of Christmas, till the Epiphany, so imagine...I feel like a headless chicken
So, by Jove, go on and enjoy yourself merrily, which no doubt you will do stylishly !!

Jessica Thor-Miller said...

Great news about the recovery of your photos. Consider it an early gift!

Between the personal chaos of the holidays - how many days will we spend with my family, how many with his...not to mention the purchase of gifts, decorating and sending out cards! - mixed with work drama (END OF YEAR BUDGET REVIEW!!), I'm pretty much out of steam. I dream of numbers and deadlines. I can't wait for January!

Laura said...

That's wonderful news about your photos! And yes, you are most certainly not the only one feeling a bit ragged these days. I could barely event speak come Saturday last week.

Paul said...

I just started reading your blog a couple days ago and I find it endlessly inspiring.

I would love to see more photos of your house. Are there photos of bedrooms anywhere?

Lisa Borgnes Giramonti said...

Rocio, Modern Traditionalist, Laura (What I LIke): I know, the gods smiled down upon me, that's for sure. I am psyched. But still anxious for the year to end (is that a bad thing to say?!) xx

Paul: You are observant. I have lots of photos of my house, but not very many of my bedroom, as it's still a work in progress. (And I lost out on a gorgeous red leather fireplace fender at an auction recently, which put me back to square one in terms of figuring out furniture.) There IS this post, though (look to last few photos):

http://abloomsburylife.blogspot.com/2009/07/beds-block-prints-and-cocktails.html

Hang in with me... I promise a completed bedroom in 2010!

Style Court said...

Lisa, yes, great news about your own pictures!

I adore that Tim Walker photograph and I've been hoping you would share a picture of your Christmas tree. (I'm trying to enlarge it to see the ornaments!) Looks so pretty and cozy at Kenmore Arms.

pve design said...

Thanks for the note to my self. I keep telling myself to b r e a t h e. Off to get the tree trimmed....I hope before Christmas.
pve

Susan B. said...

So glad to hear you recovered most of the photos!

Yes, these days are crazy and I often ask myself why they have to be. Personally, I'm looking forward to the first weekend of January, when it will be just our family at home with nothing on the calendar except rest and relaxation!

You got me beat on the tree. Mine was sitting in my garage in a bucket until just an hour ago when my 15 year old brought it in. We only had time to buy it last weekend and now the husband is out of town, we're away this coming weekend and the guests arrive a week from today! I hope to at least get lights on it before the husband comes home. Yours looks lovely!

Happy holidays

Unknown said...

I am glad to hear you've got some of your pictures back...maybe family and friends have some copies of Luca's childhood two's, Must be surely something out there! It would be a bit sad... they change so much in those years.
And for the crazy days: we purposefully skip some entertainments to have family time and I usually shop not during December for gifts. All done before, apart from the daily's and online...

Try peaceful for yourself!


XX
Victoria

Jane said...

I thought those photos would emerge from the depths of the plastic and wires and whatever else resides inside a computer. Yes this time of year is a bit much. I pity those countries where the financial year also ends on 31 December 2009. My technique is to have all work things in Oct and November and I basically say NO (politely of course, not in a shouty way) to every second invitation. xoxo

Angie Muresan said...

Yes, I am having a frantic week as well. My mother in law has decided at the last minute to join us for the holidays. As I will have a full house, and she is coming all the way from Vienna, I'm going crazy wondering where to bed everyone. A hotel is out of the question.
So cheers! I will now start on the bubbly.

Scott Fazzini said...

I can think of no place I'd rather be come N.Y.E. than in that photo with those beautiful people.

Toad said...

I hope you remembered to recover the photos from blogger of your trip to India

Anonymous said...

Hi Lisa, I'm Lara an italian reader... I really like your blog and your style! This is the first comment I leave but I use to read you everyday.
I'm having a frantic December too but I love it! It's the best way to spend this month ;) I'm just waitin for New Years Eve to have a rest with my boyfriend in the beautiful countryside of Emilia!
xxx Lara

prashant said...

.I feel like a headless chicken
So, by Jove, go on and enjoy yourself merrily, which no doubt you will do stylishly !!

Work from home India

Julie Anne Rhodes said...

All our prayers to the computer Gods must have been answered! So glad.

My parents just sold the lake house, and a truck showed up on my doorstep dumping 50 boxes off last week... among the piles of books, and things I've long since forgotten were about 20 photo albums of pictures I'd sent them of Tatjana over the years... perhaps Luca's grandparents may still have photos from when he was two?

Oh, and ask my trembling assistant that has been tip toe'ing on eggshells all week... I have those days too.

sanjeet said...

enjoy yourself merrily, which no doubt you will do stylishly !!

Work from home India

kanishk said...

I feel like a headless chicken
So, by Jove, go on and enjoy yourself merrily, which no doubt you will do stylishly !!

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prashant said...

I feel like a headless chicken
So, by Jove, go on and enjoy yourself merrily, which no doubt you will do stylishly !!

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Furniture removals Melbourne said...

I so totally feel you. I get that a lot and when I said a lot I mean al the time. I just can’t gather my thoughts and ideas together. Oh! Thanks for the tips.

Affordable homes said...

These pictures are very beautiful indeed. You are so right about it I can’t get the thing done because of so many stuff I could think of a certain thing. Thanks for the helpful advice.

Sildenafil Citrate said...

I do know what you are talking about and it is worse when one of those days turn into a week and that week turns into a month! have you experienced that? I hope not!

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