| No, this isn’t a perm, it’s natural, though my hair was straight until I turned 12. |
- When I’m not off doing something else, or cleaning my mom’s basement, I’m cleaning my own basement, three of them actually; the basement in my home, the basement in my heart and the basement in my mind; all filled with the clutter of the past, present and future, and I relentlessly strive for a lighter and freer way of life, one I can throw in a bag and take to Hawaii.
- I grew up with a mom who’s favorite pastime was shopping. She taught me the ropes of scooting through sales racks and finding quality fashion with a bargain price. We traveled far and wide to shop all over the U.S.A., visiting malls and gift shops, acquiring more and more. She would tell me tales of her one room bamboo shack in the Philippines, shared by both her immediate and extended family, and how she had one outfit and played with spiders and a pig that would be butchered later.
Was she was making up for that time of sparsity in her life? I’m not sure. I wonder if there was a sadness in her that I was too young to understand and this was my mother’s way of coping, because as our family fell apart, we shopped even more.
Now, when I enter a store, I miss my mom. We don’t shop anymore, she retired and now spends her time saving money and getting rid of things. When I call to see what she’s up to, she almost always says she’s cleaning the basement. Seems to me she’s eternally cleaning the basement, and when I visit, I clean it with her. I look forward to the day when I can go visit and relax on the back porch with an ice-tea, instead of cleaning the basement.
- I believe in ghosts, but do not wish to see them. When I was in the 3rd grade, my school found a loop hole to send me away to another school. I had been telling my classmates about poltergeists and ghosts that I was seeing and witnessing in my family’s apartment. I also told them that their Cabbage Patch Kids might strangle them, since I saw pictures of this taking place on the cover of a publication while I was waiting in line at a grocery store.
- I used to sneak out of my parents house once I turned 14. I feel sad about this because it caused my parents to suffer.
- I was once lost in the desert of Nevada for 13 hours. The man who took me there reassured me he had hiked the trail previously and that it was a two hour hike. Later on I would find out that he lied about that. He packed us 2 small bottles of water, 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a joint. He finished his water early and then wanted mine. I saw an elephant coming through the rocks of the distant mountains and decided to follow it. It almost instantly lead me to a road. Ever since then, the elephant has been my favorite animal.
- I am paranoid but am working through it in therapy. I once attempted to evacuate a restaurant because I thought a suicide bomber had entered and was about to detonate. Only one man followed my lead, a very large Japanese one.
- Jesus gave me a car once, a brand new Honda Civic; just the basics, no amenities. It was like walking on water, only driving a Honda. Once my belief started wavering, the repo man took it away.
- I wish on stars, and other things. I think my boyfriend was once my cat. I used to hold my orange cat and wish to the stars that I would find a boyfriend just as sweet and cuddly as my orange kitty. My orange kitty disappeared just about the time my orange boyfriend magically came into my life.
- I love to paint, but I can’t claim to be good at it. I love to dance, but I can’t say I’m good at that either. I love to write but am still undetermined about whether or not I am any good at this as well. Needless, I strive to be better at all of thee above and am just coming into exploring these aspects of myself. As a child, I was pushed towards math, science and sports, all endeavors I failed in. My mom said I couldn’t dance, so I danced by myself and in secret up until I discovered beer. I was also brainwashed by Born Again Christians when I first began college, and we diligently prepared for Y2K. I figured the end was coming, so I majored in Art. I wanted to enjoy the last years of my life and it wasn’t going to happen in math or science class. That’s where I discovered my love for creating. I found my love for writing when I was trying to work through The Artist Way by Julia Cameron, through the ‘morning pages’ assignment, which I still do if I wake up on time.
- I teach hula-hoop classes and work at a public museum for a living and enjoy the opportunity to learn something new every day.
- I live in Milwaukee for many reasons, but mostly because I’m in love with a man who lives here and the rent is cheap.
Contact Info:
annalenorestone at gmail dot com
ClutterHeart 
Anna, I love your writing style. You should make some of these points into posts. I had so much fun reading this that I was sad when it ended.
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Anna
You have a really interesting topic and a great voice within your writing. I would enjoy reading more.
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Funny, fun. I look forward to reading more.
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Can’t wait to read your posts! Love the list.
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Thanks for the input ladies!
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Anna:
I’m sorry I’ve been a “Bad blogger” Letting my lust for living life on the edge somewhat, and finding what I hoped to be longterm love. I’m back to start a new blog because it’s what I do. I’m seeing a therapist for Critical Trauma as my blog’s past may have given you an insight on why I needed to go and why I feared to go,
I really hope this is not the end of your blog! I was hoping to come for some inspiration. I went back to school for more continuing ed, i’m 103 out of 500 for Work Study… Arggh! I have a mixed up bi polar love life, and new people introduced daily.
I’m ending up taking Phy Ed, who would have thought? And Life will go on, as long as I follow my dreams. Right now I’m set on living my life out of order…. A string of events has led me to follow that path!
Please tell me your blogging days and Teaching Hula Hoop for Rec are not over?
You are one of those ppl I gravitate towards even though my wallet stands empty at this point in time. I hope to hear from you soon…
Adventures and all!
C. and Jesse Dog
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Great fun! I’d love to know more about your hula-hoop classes. (I’ve been curious as to whether hula-hoop should be uppercased because it might be a trademarked name? Surprisingly, it’s not listed in the AP Stylebook. But according to Merriam-Webster’s Eleventh Edition, it’s Hula-hoop, with only the first “h” uppercased.) Anyway, keep up your great writing — and the Hula-hooping!
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You are more than welcome to come try out a hoop class anytime: http://www.hoopvive.com
I would love to see you. Thanks for the 411 on “Hula-hoop”, I know Whammo’s got an eye on this word, they say it’s their’s and we’re not allowed to use it.
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I love your thoughts, your writing style. I am grateful that you are willing to share your very interesting voice.
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Hi Colleen, thank you. From your response, I sense you’re a writer as well. Where can I find your work? I’d love to read it.
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Don’t ever stop writing Anna.
Heather
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HI Anna!
I was suprised to learn you are a couple years older than me lol. All those hoop classes and I swear I’ll be back but right now it’s hard to stay afloat, one summer part time job for the Cap.PD and no teaching jobs…. Plus I ended up back in the cast, and then casted for an UCB type ortho device which I’m fighting because the studies show it helps kids under the age of 14, but not adults. Orthatics made my knees hurt. MY PT is moving to Grafton, I can’t drive as you know.
Reading your posts made me go back to writing my own, but they aren’t on word press and they aren’t public, I’ll have to get over that phobia of what ppl think of me before I can move into that circle I guess.
Your posts make me feel free, and want to go back to art my first love, I know who in their 30’s buys the biggest box of crayons or the mega packs of sharpie’s unless they are doing it for their kids or are a tagger in disguise? lol Except me, but I’m also not stuck in one medium I can hardly ever stay in one medium now , so most of anything I work on might start out in acryllic , def not oils, and go to pastels, or water color or markers ect!
I’ve also started getting out more going to Pre-dating events with a coordinator here in the Milwaukee Area. Not met a prince charming or even a somewhat sane guy who wants kids and loves animals and camping as much as I do to qualify for a date with me. But I like it because since you have to pay for it, ppl who are less considerate of others don’t attend. I wanted to take Salsa lessons, It’s on hold. I was swimming, doing Aqua Zumba for months through the winter now the past 8 weeks maybe 9 maybe 7? have been full of wearing the cast I was only supposed to “have to wear for 3 weeks tops”
SO You keep writing, and your writing inspires me to start again… I have had poems and prose published but not since I was a teen ager. I believe in angles, and reincarnation, and I LOL’d at how you told your class mates that their cabbage patch dolls might strangle them! lol
I believe in following your heart and your dreams, maybe now more than ever, and I’ve been told I’m the kind of person that keeps ppl on their toes! Interesting since I can’t even stand on my toes anymore!
Are you still doing classes through the Milwaukee Rec?
I guess I favor you over anyone else because you seem the most like me. And because of that I want to take your classes, I know you have to make a living, and I can’t come for free. I used up my free class! lol but Hopefully sooner than later I will be back… I miss the Knee hooping the one thing above all others I could do best maybe not that estatic for everyone else, but I used to be the best long jumper, the best track runner, and Now i’m just pushing forth so reading your blog will give me strength, and One day perhaps mine will become public!
Inspiration looms… And When I feel out of control, Now I’ll know I’m not alone, only about a mile away…. 😉
C. and Jesse (woof) Do I paint a picture now?
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Hey Anna! Love your site. I signed up just now so I won’t have to rely on Facebook to keep me connected to you.
Your writing is so like you – that’s a compliment. Funny and smart and uniquely insightful.
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Thank you so much for the compliment Jude, you made my morning! And thanks for subscribing:)
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I nominated you for a Versatile Blogger Award 🙂
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Thanks Emily, now if only I would write something for it!! I’ve been so busy!! I hope all is well with you dear lady!!
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hi cuz….i enjoyed reading ….. ….it makes me feel nearer to you and your mom ^_^…..
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