Welcome to Saving Cymbria – your blog source
for adventures in creative living
First up, a confession: (watch out, you’re up next in this circle ~wink) “Hi, my name is Cymbria, and I’m a recovering overachiever. It’s been eight years and counting.”
Our culture is in crisis. We are being pushed into futures fueled by stress and specialization. We are told that to be successful, we must run ourselves harder and brand ourselves narrower than ever before. But now, after 9/11 and the financial crisis, the payoff is no longer secure. This is the time to push back.
I made my choice and stepped back, left university for apron jobs, and started writing. Soon after, I was blessed to meet an incredible man and within five months we were married, eloping on the day of The Great Eastern Blackout in 2003 (but that’s another story!). We now live in Calgary, where my overachiever’s drive for accountability and productivity has been redirected into finding ‘creative balance’ through new projects and ideas.
As a freelance writer, my mission is to inspire people with every article I write. My mission as a designer is the same. I want to inspire you to “get creative” in finding the joy and balance in your own life. My personal path to “Saving Cymbria” is through humour, faith, writing, and design (and don’t forget the golf!). That’s my sparkle. What’s yours?
Wow~ Cymbria I am very impressed. I found this website and was taken in by your writing. Im normally not a blog person, but i think i may have to drop a line every so often. I wish you the best and keep writing. I dont have any creative solutions or questions at this time but you can guarantee ill be back. Take care.
Lynda
Hi Cymbria,
Your cross-stitch page is beautiful. I really like the sailing design. It really has a lovely heartfelt warmth. I can’t wait to view some more. Keep up the great work.
Yko
We reached the same point in life. It certainly shows how our souls can become so brittle. People and retail are destroyers of said soul, solitude and creativity are regenerators of spirit.
- Teegness
I KNEW it!
I knew you’d be a blogger!
Hi Cymbria,
Nice Blog, stop by my blog sometime…
http://www.searchingfortheanswer.wordpress.com
Tim
As I struggle to defy REM and “get there from here”, I will take inspiration from articles like these… Thank you…
Type Writer
Hi,thanks for dropping by…Looking forward to having you around again..bye for now
See you soon ; )
Hi Cymbria,
You write a jolly blog. good for you and George. Does the name Kerry Fla……
mean anything to you. I look forward to looking at more of your writing. I have just joined wordpress. I think I like it. Best wishes, jb
Hi,
My name is Cymbria too. You are the first person I’ve come across with the same name. I’m always asked what does my name mean and so far I don’t have an answer – well not a truthful answer. Do you know what our name means?
Best wishes.
I’m named after a tiny town on Prince Edward Island, Canada. My mom saw the name on a signpost there when she was 12, and here I am. It has Welsh origins and can also be pronounced kuum-bree-a. How did you come into this gem of a name?
You’re the second Cymbria to find me through my blog. sigh. And we all used to think we were sooo unique. How old are you? (if you don’t mind me asking)
ok this is weird…
this looks like I’m having a conversation with myself…
not that there’s anything wrong with that ; )
There might be something wrong; I’m just saying
TW
At least I don’t go around referring to myself as an inanimate object, like a certain someone…
*heehee*
But as a writer, I would think you’d appreciate the pun
TW
naturally ; )
Hi Cymbria,
What a small world…my Mom told me my name came from a street sign. The name was actually ‘Cambria’ and when she saw it she immediately thought of Cymbria. She said she went to school with a girl by that name who was a couple years older than my Mom. My Mom’s older brother said there wasn’t anyone by that name in school. So we just stuck with the street sign idea. BTW, I’m from the US and I’m in my early 50′s.
And the plot thickens lol! Tragically, I can no longer claim the glorious title of “First”. sigh. Hats off to you, I’m sure you wear our wonderful name with grace and pride : )
ps. All my sympathies for when you have to spell it over the phone, and for when people mislabel you as a Sabrina or a Cynthia (the horror!).
pps. My apologies to all Sabrinas and Cynthias, I’m sure you’re all lovely charming girls…Girls who never have to explain/spell/make-small-talk-on-the-golf-course-about your names.
Cheers!
Would you believe me if I said I accidentally found your blog?
Cymbria, Cymbria. Tell.Me.Everything.
This is quite impressive.
Cymbria, found this site through Caroline’s
A very belated congratulations on your marriage! Love your blog.
- Sabrina (not Cynthia or Cymbria – and yes, just like the teenage witch).
Hi Erin and Sabrina!
And here I thought I was being all sneaky by avoiding facebook and myspace lol. It’s so wonderful to hear from you guys! High school feels like a lifetime ago, at least to this old married broad heehee.
Erin, are you still performing your music? Dude, I so should have taken you up on that “making costumes” idea. And Sabrina, so sorry about the “Sabrina” diss lol. First time I blab about the name game and you’re right there to call me on it, kudos on your impeccable timing ; )
Miss you guys!
Cymbria
Hi Cymbria! Your blog is very nice . Keep up the good work. Best regards
http://bigbracket.wordpress.com
Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas to you and your family
You too Dinesh!! And a Happy New Year!!
Love the new picture, Cymbria.
Thanks! The photoshoot was a bit mortifying – me, myself, and a blanket, amidst the giggles of the park’s Saturday morning crowd – but I’d like to think it was worth it ; )
I think any woman who can hold her ground against middle-aged men while perambulating through busy sidewalks should not be embarassed by a little-bitty photoshoot
Besides, the pictures came out wonderfully…
TW
Hello Cymbria, I am a Cymbria too. I looked up my name and found the small town your Mother spoke of. My Mother, However, went to school at Houghton Lake High in Houghton Lake Michigan and her best friend was Cymbria. Her Mother found the name in a German romance novel. Isn’t that something. So amazing. Yes, we believe we are so unique, but then we find just how small our little world can be. I just wanted to say Hello, I read your blog and all the comments. Interesting. I live in Georgia, Love the sunshine and warmth and just had to say, I love our name. I am 40 years young.My mom would have been 72 this year. she passed at 57. Wow, How awesome it is to see my name and hear of the others.
Take Care and Many Blessings
Cymbria
Hello Cymbria, I am a Cymbria too. I think we’ve got an echo in here lol. Thanks for dropping by! I used to think my PEI signpost history was the pinnacle of romance, but a German romance novel takes the cake. Yes, I love our name too. Both our mothers were inspired to give us something special. They must have been planning on raising a coupla’ special girls lol. From the sounds of it, you’re fulfilling that prophecy quite nicely under your Georgia sun.
Cymbria
Hi, Fantastic blog!
I am out of touch. E-mail less so to speak. Will inform as to new E-mail.
Go-go with the makeover! If you don’t strut it you won’t get it.
D—-
Thanks! I’m with you on the strutting lol. There’s a time and a place though ~ I’m thinking downtown Calgary – 12:30 pm – a little lunchtime sidewalk cruisin’ haha… maybe tomorrow. Got a bit stalled today and somehow ended up at work wearing the before sweater. Not my fault. I blame Monday.
Hello Cymbria,could add more article about this ..waiting useful information
Thanks for popping by Reza! Yeppers, that’s my middle name – Cymbria “useful information” Wood lol ; )
Cymbria.. I see you’re doing well.. I am glad.. I hope to hear from you.. same e-mail address
…same Bat Time… same Bat Channel…
Good to hear you’re still kickin’ : )
love your attitude. hoping to adopt it soon. instead i have to keep plugging away in this stressful work world until i wake up with my own pine needle in my eye. in the mean time, i’ll just live vicariously through you.
Hehee~ Thank you so much Katie O! All I can say is thank heavens it was only metaphorical lol. By the way, your blog has some the best food photography I’ve seen in ages. You go girl!! Ah sigh, someday we shall escape our cubicles… someday….
Hi there! Sorry I didn’t get a hold of you sooner, but I’d left your card in my jacket and didn’t find it again until I took it camping. (The jacket, not the card…or actually both, but not intentionally. I think you know what I mean.) Hope you are doing well. Like the blog. PS. I’m no longer at 22 Shady Acres, and my number has also changed, so you’ll just have to email me for specifics. Maybe we can round up Peter and hit the Lido for brunch! Ciao bella!
Hope my card made good kindling lol Glad to hear the move went well ; )
Hey Cymbria,
Thanks for stopping by my blog (the parrot and egg boxes post). Can I sign up to yours at all, I can’t see where to do it?
Cheers, Liz.
Hi Liz ~ I’m still chuckling over here about that wall’paper’
I just added an “email subscription” widget to the sidebar. Hope that helps~
I understand what you say about being pushed by society or other invisible forces to work longer, harder and to be more sucessful and I notice it too. And I wish I had more time for the plans and projects I really want to do but I’m just starting to work now, I need to settle my life in uniform movement before being able to do my rewards.
BTW I’m a subscriber now
Just don’t wait too long T.L.G~ Life will always pull you towards the pack… Time and love are the only two things truly worth fighting for on this planet! And, rights, and the environment, and… Oh man, I’m feeling overwhelmed already lol.
Thank you so much for subscribing! You totally made my day : )
Comments are a significant section of the blogosphere. On a few occasion, I’ve learned an important degree of information from your comments section. Should the comments usually are not productive, they’ll likely ought to be moderated should the site owner so chooses.
Ooooo that sounds a bit ominous Kellie ~wink… But I do agree that comments, just like conversations, can bring deeper understanding through human to human communication – adding a new dimension to this Soapbox blogosphere of ours.
We live in Cymbria during the summer. It is a beautiful little corner of the world.
Jeff and Marilyn Proctor