Fourier Analysis is a mathematical tool which can do a number of things: separate out signals from noise; help identify patterns or trends in data; filter out all unwanted data and focus on a single signal; use approximations to make generalizations; make approximations of real world signals (think electronic music); combine harmonics to get a stronger signal. That's what I'll be trying to do here!! Won't you join me with your comments?

Monday, September 24, 2007

A "Feel Better" Message

This is a feel better message that will mean the most to those of us who make up the "Jenn-in -Holland" fan club. If you don't know her, she's to blame for my being in the blogging world. I don't think I would have found it without her.

Jenn is currently "under the weather", that's why she is not blogging at her usual rate. She'll tell you "it's just a cold", and it is probably nothing to worry about. But as Moms we all know that it never is "just" anything! Not with 3 kids and a job and a hubby (no matter how wonderful and self-sufficient he is). Our lives are full of multi-tasking and split second decision making and levels of stress and physical, mental and emotional demands that may be "low-level" on the cortisol (stress hormone) scale, but are constant and don't let up, even for illness.

And of course she will drag herself into work, because that's what we do. We get on with it, ignore ourselves and our bodies and give everything we've got. And she'll survive this. In fact she'll do great. She won't miss a deadline, she will meet her commitments, and she'll be there to cover for colleagues who can't just "get over it". Because she never does anything halfway.

She doesn't think of herself as "SuperMom". None of us do. Nonetheless we put super-human requirements on ourselves and we often do manage to "save the day". Jenn's like most of us. Doing the best she can, giving her all, kicking herself when she thinks she's slacking. I've been reading a lot of blog posts lately that show Moms doing the same thing to themselves.

So this is a "Feel Better" message to my dear friend, and to all of us who are stressed and suffering from the malaise that seems to have invaded the cosmos recently. I am working on a list of reasons as to why so many of us are so affected right now (check out the coming Friday 15!).

But for today, if you feel up to it, let your thoughts and good wishes go out to Jenn! And if you are not up to it, I give you the same advise I gave to her - "Take a walk. Get outside and notice the beginning of fall. Look at the leaves, the sky, smell the air. Give yourself a break!"

Back in June, before I started blogging, I was inspired by Jenn's poetry and left the following comment on her blog. You might have missed it as it was a later comment, so I put it here. Not the best in terms of poetry, but it does say a lot about how I feel about her.
My Friend Jenn...

My friend Jenn writes a blog that I could have authored, only she does it better.

My friend Jenn makes me smile, makes me groan, makes me laugh, makes me cry, sometimes all at the same time.

My friend Jenn makes me a better mother ‘cause she sets the bar so high but is honest about her failures.

My friend Jenn is a superstar, but also the best person you could ever have in the audience.

My friend Jenn awakens the green-eyed monster in me, and then feeds it homemade cookies.

My friend Jenn is so different in her background that I was scared to get to know her.

My friend Jenn is so similar in her spirit that she is the sister I never had.

My friend Jenn sees the beauty in the chaos, so she can come to my house anytime.

My friend Jenn makes me feel like such a good friend, I want to add it to my resumé.

My friend Jenn is only twenty-six, which is cool because I am only twenty-eight. Too bad our bodies are so confused about their ages.

My friend Jenn doesn’t really know how great she is, so I have to tell her sometimes. That’s not easy to do when your are as competitive as I am.

My friend Jenn lives too far away, I don’t get to see her everyday. But I do get to read about her life. A small compensation, but still fun.

My friend Jenn has so much energy she makes me tired watching her.

My friend Jenn makes me so proud that I can call her

My friend Jenn.

I hope you all are coming out from under the fog, as I am (slowly) and that we will all feel better soon. Especially you my friend!

8 comments:

anno said...

FA, this is so beautiful, there are tears in my eyes. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Anonymous said...

I love, love, LOVE Jenn. She is fabulous. I'm sorry to hear she isn't feeling well. This post ought to bring her a little sunshine.

soccer mom in denial said...

I miss Jenn too. But how lucky she is to have you cheering her on. We should be writing Odes to FA as well.

Big hug to you. AND A SUPER BIG HUG TO JENN!!

Jen said...

This is such a lovely post. It's interesting, Rebecca James had written a post about Claytons - false friends - and this seems to be the very antidote. ;-) I'm so glad you two have that wonderful friendship. And I hope I get to meet you both some day! Huge hugs.

jennifer said...

I just wrote a note to Jenn before stopping here.
I hope she gets time off, though I doubt it will actually happen.
And thank you for all of your comments, especially those yesterday, as I am a bit in the midst of a mini meltdown.
And I am taking lots of walks!

Real Life Drama Queen said...

What a lovely post. I hope Jenn feels better as fast as possible.

Luisa Perkins said...

How lovely, FA! I hope you and Jenn are both feeling more on top of things soon.

Jenn in Holland said...

This is the sweetest get well card ever written. And it totally served it's purpose. I am well! I love you.