In the most basic of explanations, five is the third prime number. It is the natural number following four and preceding six. And five is believed to be the only odd untouchable number (not sure what that means but it sounded pretty cool).

But who likes basic explanations anyway? In numerology, five is the most flexible of all numbers. Today, we take a look back at our lives and into our futures, in sets of five, to see how flexible we’ve really been…and are willing to be.

Ready, Gumby? Ready, Pokey?

Five years ago, I was…

Lori: planning a wedding. I got married July 26th, 2003 and in May I was probably tying up the loose ends, doing a lot of personal stuff during work hours.

Barb: 32-years old and living in a super cool loft apartment in Ventura, Calif. Emmett was in grad school. I was making all the money in the household (well, he was actually getting paid to go to school…but it wasn’t much) and working for the world’s largest food and beverage company. I thought I was bad ass. I was happy.

Five months ago, I was…

Lori: two weeks post pregnant. Hormones raging, waking up every two hours and looking over at Matteo to make sure he was still breathing. Sitting up carefully because my C-section cut was still healing (and hurting).

Barb: proactively unemployed, recovering from the trip to Kauai Emmett and I took with my parents, working on Hope’s Flame candle orders for Internet customers and for the art show at Peach Tree Pottery, and going to our friends Nan and Rob’s ornament exchange party. I thought I was bad ass. I was happy.

Five weeks ago, I was…

Lori: at Kindermusik in the morning followed by Mommy and Me. Then I was off to work for my second week into being a working mom. I was crabby, tired, and crabby (oh wait, I already said that), except when I was at Kindermusik with Matteo.

Barb: getting ready for our anniversary trip to New Orleans. According to my to-do list on my calendar, I mailed our taxes, got cash for the trip, made hotel reservations at Inn of the Governors in Santa Fe for my girls’ weekend in June, posted to Dually Noted, and vacuumed. I thought I was bad ass. I was happy.

Five days ago, I was…

Lori: “working from home.” Matteo had a low-grade fever and I used it as an excuse to stay home. A mental health day for me and a recovery day for him. I made cards, caught up with some personal things at home, and had a wonderful day!

Barb: I have no idea. But I bet I thought I was bad ass. And I bet I was happy.

Five hours ago, I was…

Lori: at work, trying to make myself do some work. Distracting myself by wandering around from desk to desk chatting everyone up.

Barb: working on Hope’s Flame administrative stuff: reconciling my bank statement for business checking accounts, downloading info from PayPal into Quicken, updating my charitable contributions based on profits, etc. I thought I was bad ass. I was happy.

Five minutes ago, I was…

Lori: calling Barb incessantly to see what the Whatever Wednesday project was going to be, and here I am. How fun! Much better than working, and since I’m at work, it makes it even more fun!

Barb: talking to Lori about doing this. And then stressing a bit about taking time away from my husband since he just got home from work. But he’s hungry and tired and just wants to veg. And I love doing Dually Noted with Lori and I was trying not to forget that. So I took a deep breath, gave myself permission to enjoy this assignment, and started in on it. I thought I was bad ass. I was happy.

Right now, I am…

Lori: at work filling out my Whatever Wednesday assignment, listening to my iPhone (The Roots featuring Jill Scott), and trying to wrap up some things so I can get the H. E. double hockey sticks outta here.

Barb: sitting at my computer in my front room, watching the sun set through the French doors that line the entire west side of our house, hoping to god/goddess my answers aren’t lame, drinking a glass of white wine, thinking how bad ass I am, and feeling happy.

Five minutes from now, I will…

Lori: finish up some work that needs to be sent to a distributor in Canada for translation.

Barb: be enjoying an all-appetizer (a.k.a. munchies) dinner with Emmett. And drinking more wine. I will likely think I’m bad ass and probably feel happy.

Five hours from now, I will…

Lori: be sleeping, hopefully. Dreaming, hopefully, of my next bold move and my future life.

Barb: be fast asleep. I will be dreaming of being bad ass. I will be happy.

Five days from now, I will…

Lori: do whatever I feel like doing! My husband will be home for a change, so we might do some gardening or go on a bike ride. Or we might not, who knows. It will be a Sunday, so I’ll probably spend some time doing laundry and getting ready for the week, but I try to do all that crap during the week so my weekend is free.

Barb: be hiking somewhere, probably in the Angeles National Forest, with Emmett, taking tons of pictures. I already have the day blocked off for it. Or, we may need a recovery day since the night before we will be at a friend’s birthday party on the West Side. In either case, we will think we are bad ass. We will be happy.

Five weeks from now, I will…

Lori: be working, and hopefully have a better idea of my goals for the future. I will have been seeing a therapist for a solid month so I’ll be planning and taking steps toward creating a more ideal life.

Barb: be coming back from my girls’ weekend getaway with my lovely, lovely girlfriends Heidi, Stephanie, and Nan. I will definitely think I am bad ass and for sure be happy.

Five months from now, I will…

Lori: be working, and even closer to my dream job and life. I will be healthier, thinner, and looking forward to the holidays! There’s a possibility I might be in Brazil, but I can’t tell right now.

Barb: be in Costa Rica with my mom on a 10-day trip which will include kayaking, hiking, snorkeling, beaching, eating, and drinking. I know I will feel bad ass. I’m pretty sure I’ll be happy.

Five years from now, I will…

Lori: be a self employed mother of two. I will likely still be living in LA, although it’s possible I’ll be somewhere else. I’ll be forty years old and more self actualized than ever.

Barb: be 42-years old. I will think I’m bad ass. I will be happy.