The Menaissance

Ok... recently I made mention of The Menaissance. Then someone said something about "googling" the definition of that. So, I did. Let me warn you: Don't! In fact, the cleanest definition I found was "the re-emergence of...an old-fashioned man's man."

Well, seeing as I did NOT consult "google" first, I shall explain what *I* mean when I say Menaissance. First of all, in order to understand The Menaissance, one must understand The Renaissance.

The Renaissance was a cultural movement in Europe in the 14th-17th centuries which invoked quite a bit of intellectual thinking. The Renaissance style became one of showing nature and depicting the feelings of people. It is about in-depth thinking and digging to find the core emotion and then being able to feel and display that emotion completely. I love "Renaissance Thinking." I love feeling emotions "completely".

Ok... are y'all still with me? Good. This is where it starts to take a little turn. (If you need a mid-blog snack, now would be the perfect time to grab one.) Ok, the entire concept of The Menaissance started with one of my favorite TV shows...yes, I said TV show. This one to be perfectly honest...

Men In Trees is about the main character, Marin, who is an author & relationship coach working & living in NY but finding herself suddenly in small town Elmo, Alaska after discovering horrible things about her fiance. Her heartache left her feeling uncertain, damaged, out of control, vulnerable, etc. In Alaska, Marin is out of place. She is quirky and funny and smart and intelligent and sexy and somewhat of a clutz, and she soon finds herself hosting her own radio talk show. (See why I just love her???)

While she is there she realizes that men out number the women in Alaska. And she falls in love with HIM...the Ooh-la-la-i-need-a-drool-patch-cuz-his-masculinity-just-oozes-out-of-every-pore-so-hot-and-makes-rugged-look-oh-so-sexy-Jack. I mean, who wouldn't want Jack, right? Anyway, after experiencing heartache and betrayal and then moving on to a place that seemed so away from the rest of the world, Marin rediscovers the pure joys in life and more importantly in love. She writes an article for the New Yorker describing the "real men" of Alaska and how Jack is the first "real man" she fell in love with. She describes her experience as sort of a Menaissance.

I don't know if this is really making sense to anyone else, but this show really resonated with me, and I just loved it. Anyway, back to the Menaissance... MY Menaissance.

I am going home in 8 days... 8 DAYS! (but who's counting?). I have felt a bit overwhelmed and distracted recently and "stuck". I felt like I needed to take a weekend to just relax and enjoy myself. No strict agendas, no kids to worry about and no one else's expectations.

Of course, if I had any money, I'd probably take a solo trip up to Jackson Hole and get massages all weekend and order room service for all my meals. Not an option. I have no money, but I DO have miles. And there is nothing like real good friends & loved ones to make you feel loved and wanted.

Some of them might even have a big empty house and offer to drive you places, hehehe! Seriously though, I have loved reconnecting with old friends on FB... I am looking forward to seeing them again. Now, don't go thinking that all of my "friends" are men and that is why it is a Menaissance. I have my sister and of course a few other good friends I plan on seeing too.

It's just that after the dissolution of the legal duties and responsibilities and the final termination of holy matrimony between me and another said person, I, like Marin was left feeling uncertain, damaged, out of control, vulnerable, out of place, etc. It has been 21 months and I feel, also like Marin, that I have had some self-discovery lately... real growing moments. I have learned or Re-learned that I am quirky (which is ok) and funny and smart and intelligent and sometimes maybe even sexy, though somewhat of a clutz. And though I don't host my own radio talk show, I do have my own blog, and it IS sort of like a "talk show" if you count the voice I hear talking in my head as I write, hahaha!

Anyway, I have some male friends, and yes, I plan on seeing them and spending time with a few of them while I am home. I am not going to get all crazy and say I am going home to hunt for the future Mr. Right... I mean, I might be Crazy, but not THAT crazy! I suppose I am more or less "exploring" what opening my heart feels like. I am going to experience what I can when I can to the fullest. I plan to have uber-stimulating conversation, side-splitting laughter, and if you know me, it's safe to say there will probably be a little flirting. It is just who I am... Not that I will resort to playing "catch him & kiss him" like I did with Joshua Quarandillo in Kindergarten, but...

In the most simplest terms I can think of, I plan to allow my heart to move forward, and experience things with an openness. I plan to relax and to have fun and to entertain the idea that perhaps I am ready to move on.

Perhaps this weekend, the weekend of The Menaissance, will be like the kick-off on my journey to the depths of my heart and back again. I hope to come back refreshed, renewed, and ...Renaissanced!