Let's Cut to the Chase

Last night there was about an hour's gap of time between when Steve left for work and when I arrived home to find GG freaking out. She and S3 had been fighting again. I thought I'd calmed the situation so I went upstairs to shower. I didn't even have the water turned on when GG pounded on the door freaking out about S3 again. I told her just to avoid him until I finished my shower and I'd deal with everyone then.

About twenty minutes later, I had everyone turn off the computers, play stations, and television and gather in the living room. Ty told me his version of events, S3 & Ev concurred and GG added a little more detail, but pretty much everyone told the same story.

For the next half hour or so, Ty, S3, GG and I discussed how things could have been done differently to avoid the arguing and crying and finally everyone was calm so I dismissed them all from the "meeting." Ev turns to me and says, "So basically I didn't really need to be here."

Boundaries

I've been going through a lot of emotional turmoil lately and was told by a few people that I need to set up boundaries. Here is a very good article about boundaries. I am not good at this. For one thing, I don't really like conflict and I know if I suddenly start setting up boundaries, I'm going to be facing a lot of conflict. After all, I've spent nearly 33 years doing whatever everyone else wanted me to do.

For another thing, I have to have a clear idea of what my boundaries are. This is difficult because I am a people pleaser so I want everyone to be happy and I've been willing in the past to do things I absolutely did not want to do just to make someone else happy.

I told Rosemary today (yes, I know you don't know who Rosemary is, don't worry about it) that everyone wants me for something. My clients want me. My children want me. My husband wants me. My educators want me. My teen group wants me. Rosemary said somewhere in there I've lost myself. That's exactly how I feel. Lost.

So it's boundary time I guess. I am not looking forward to this at all.

Velda

I don't know how this happened but my dear friend Velda has been diagnosed with brain cancer. I can't help but think, WTH? How does that work? Why don't bad people get brain cancer and decent, sweet, loyal friends live long and prosper?

Velda, if you read this, I've been thinking about you a lot lately. I'd like to make another trip up to see you. I'm sorry it's been so long since my last visit and I'm even sorrier that it took something as crappy as this to get my butt in gear. I love you, and I'm praying for you.

Gentle reader, if you are a member of facebook, please consider joining this group, Angels on Your Shoulder and helping out if you can.

I haven't blogged in forever

That doesn't mean I've stopped telling the entire world every stupid thing that goes on in my life. Far from it. It just means I've found faster, easier mediums with which to fascinate every person I've ever met with what I've had for breakfast.

I've been meaning to come post here some long drivel about this super big decision I have to make sometime really soon (continue in medicine or open a bookstore) but instead I think I'll tell you about the guy who pierced my nose.

He changed his gloves a hundred million times. I'm only partially exaggerating.

Look, I wipe people's hineys for a living. I understand germs and gloves and PPEs but seriously, this guy was really trying hard to remain clean. He would draw the dot on my nose, change his gloves. Open a package, change his gloves. I appreciate it. I'm sure it reduces the chance that my piercing will get infected but... well... it was still kinda weird.

All in all, he was a nice guy and the piercing didn't hurt at all after the needle was thru. Well done Kevin! Thanks!

Psychology for the Hypochondriac

I'm taking a psych course this semester and this week's chapter is on Psychological Disorders. I think at least a quarter of the chapter is on schizophrenia and the text defines one of the symptoms of schizophrenia being hallucinations, "often emerging as voices."

This morning after Steve had left for work, and the kids had left for school, I was getting ready for work, starting with a nice, hot shower in the peaceful quiet house. Suddenly, over the sound of the water pouring from the shower head, I heard a voice calling me. For a half a heart beat I thought, "Voices!"

Turns out I forgot I was babysitting my nieces and nephew this morning. The "voice" was my sister, hollering up the stairs to check and see if I was home or if I totally forgot them and left the house already. Yup, I have problems, but I don't think any of them are schizophrenia.

Nature or Nurture?

My husband, for those who don't know him, is a very literal man. I call him Mr. Literal. It's really annoying. He says exactly what he means and he will do exactly what you ask him to do. We try not to say, "Throw that [fill in the blank] over here," unless you really want him to throw it at you.

A little while ago, I was in the basement folding laundry, and had the kids come down to bring their piles up to put away. I handed Ty his pile, which was rather large and had a pair of underpants on top. In order to balance his pile, he ended up using his face. I said, "Ty are you ok? 'Cuz you've got undies in your face..."

As he was walking away and up the stairs he said, "Well technically they're not IN my face. They're NEXT TO my face but not in my face. If they were in my face, that would be weird."

Mr. Literal, Jr.

Special Talents

Tonight in the car, E asked me why we don't have a "family job." After some confusion, Ty translated that for me into, "Why doesn't our family own our own business?" I asked E what she thought we would do if we opened our own business. There were a lot of restaurant ideas coming from the back seat when S3 chimed in, "Let's see... What are our skill sets? Hmmm.... there's Tattling..."

English Composition is a Dried-Up Vagina Party

Seriously, I'll bet you didn't know that did you?

My class was online and last night we had our last group chat for this group project that's due tomorrow. I don't know how this kid managed it, but he stumbled right into our chat. At first we just ignored him and he made stupid comments here and there, trying to be insulting I'm sure but I thought it was just moronically funny.

Finally he said, "So what grade are you all in?" and I laughed again. I said, "Honey, I'm 32, I have four kids and a mortgage." The rest of the group chimed in... there was a 30 year old but the others were 18/19 years old. Turns out this kid is 16 (for which I replied that my son is nearly fifteen so this guy might as well be in a chat room with his mother).

He then informed us it was like he was in a party for "dried up vag." I haven't laughed so hard in such a long time. What started out as a fairly boring chat about editing our final paper turned into a dried up vagina party.

So Isaac, wherever you are, whoever you are, thank you. That was the only thing from that entire class that I enjoyed.

Facebook Follies

I love having a teen boy. We were having a "sit-up contest" that E started. S3 was on his laptop but I wasn't really paying much attention to him other than when E did her 30th sit-up I told her I bet S3 couldn't do 30. So he got down on the floor and did 50, easily, and then quit because he could go on forever and didn't want to bore us with his magnificence. He got back on his laptop and G laid down and quickly did seventy.

Well that wasn't going to fly so S3 gets up again, says, "What do I have to do, like twenty more?" and I said, "Noooo, you have to do seventy in a row." As he's working on beating G's record, I look over and see he's in a chat with a girl that he kinda knew through his best friend but mostly knows from facebook. They're chatting about Spanish class. E comes over and in a stage whisper she says, "Write, 'I love you very much'." So I did.

OMG the look on S3's face! He stops in the middle of a sit up and says, "WHAT?!?!" Crawls over to where we're sitting, sees what I've done and puts his hands in his face and says, "NOOOOOOO!!!!!!" I cried I laughed so hard. Of course he told the girl it was me and she totally got the joke but the look on his face at the time was priceless. I laughed so hard when I retold the story to Steve I started crying again.

Ah, I love being a mom.

Invasion

I have the flu. This is not fun. Not fun at all.

FYI or maybe TMI

I was doing a little looking around on the internet this morning and came across some interesting information. My grandmother died of breast cancer and I think it has made me a little paranoid when it comes to my own hooters. Every little abnormal thing is a reason to rush to the doctor. So when I had a continuation of pain from last night to this morning, I started to worry. Then I read this from Imaginis.com:

Cyclical breast pain accounts for nearly 75% of all breast complaints. Of all women who experience breast pain, two thirds experience cyclical breast pain. Physicians often have patients chart their pain to determine whether the pain is cyclical. Though cyclical breast pain is usually related to the menstrual cycle, stress may also affect hormone levels and influence breast pain. Physical activity, especially heavy lifting or prolonged use of the arms, has also been shown to increase breast pain (pectoral (chest) muscles may become sore from physical activity).

So I'm thinking maybe since I have PMS, I'm in college and I work in a nursing home, that might explain some of my problems.... The mental problems are another story.

WOOHOO!!!!

Got Hemorrhoids?

I was making a joke earlier in the evening about Preparation H and my kids were eavesdropping. We got in the car and S3 says to me, "Mom, what's that stuff you were talking about earlier?"

I said, "What? Preparation H? Do you know what hemorrhoids are?" He nods yes. "Well sometimes hemmorhoids itch and burn and hurt and so you put Preparation H in your anus to soothe them." And being the mature adult that I am, I started giggling, "Heh, heh, your anus - Uranus. Heh, heh."

So after some immature giggling we decided that Preparation H must come from Uranus. Ty says, "It must take a long time to get there."

And again being the mature adult that I am, I respond, "Yes and I hear it's very dark and stinky."

Ty says, "Yeah, and I hear to get there you have to go past the moons."

"My Penis Got Stuck in the Vacuum Cleaner"

Craig talks about the US and voting. Starting around 6:20 on the video.

Favorite Artwork

Girls' Weekend in DC

For Melanie's and my birthday, we went to DC for the weekend with our mom. The goal was to relax, look at some good art and watch a soccer game. We definitely had success. I'm having a really hard time paring down the pics so bear with me here.

We arrive Friday night and try to figure out the timer on one of the two cameras we had with us. Hilarity ensued.



Gorgeous view while we ate breakfast.



Had to get the usual pics in the Metro.





and in the Mall



Now, I took a lot of pix of art and I'm going to post a second post of my favs, but here's some pics of us in the museum.









Outside for a quick snack before going on to the modern art museum.





So by this time we were pretty tired and I know my feet and back were hurting so we headed back to the hotel to get a quick bite and the tickets to the game. I met an awesome guy online who happened to be travelling to Alaska with his wife at the same time that we were coming down for the game so I bought his tickets from him. They were awesome seats. Here's some of my fav pix from the game.

Ok now look, it was a long day. None of us look our best but I think I look especially bad. Plus it's a self portrait LOL!



Just loved this guy.



My dad is a big Chivas USA fan and he has a love/hate relationship with Klejstan



The first goal was so pitiful, look at our goalie's reaction



This halftime thing was hysterical. I have no idea what they were doing. Pushing a giant inflated ball for some reason.





Yes, yes, we lost. It was horribly embarrassing.



We relaxed afterward in the hotel restaurant-bar with fondue, crab cakes and drinks.



Melanie's was a little full. I don't even know how the waitress got it over to her.



We couldn't get the hotel room open with her insurance card. Turns out only the hotel room key will work for that.

Something Else I Love

So in chemistry, our last homevurks (my prof is German and has the best accent!) involved Lewis Dot Structures. I had to do one for HOCl and I was pretty sure I had it right but I wanted to double check. So I Googled it. Seriously, someone else out there drew a Lewis Dot Structure for HOCl and posted it on the web. How weird/cool is that?

Oh and btw, I had it right.

I'm In Love

I've been watching the Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson and I am in love. Not only is this guy cute but he's hysterical! It doesn't matter who his guests are nightly. He's such a great host, it could be my next door neighbor and I'd still enjoy the show. I haven't seen an episode yet that didn't have me laughing myself sick. He's Awesome!

He used to be Drew Carey's boss on the Drew Carey Show. I only tell you this detail because Steve didn't put two and two together and was surprised the other night when Drew was on Craig's show.

Go to the website and watch the episode with Ewan McGregor. Or look for him on YouTube. Or stay up late with the crazies. However you have to do it, watch his show.

I know!

As Deep Cries Out to Deep

My sister wove this piece based on a song they sing at church. I don't remember all the details but this relates to the imagery in the song about a waterfall and deep crying out to deep. Although this took her only three months to weave, I am told typically a piece this size should take closer to a year to complete. She spent many, many weeks weaving twelve hours a day, every day. I wish I could tell you what kind of lace technique this is but alas, I am ignorant of the fibre arts. I suppose she will fill us in when I link her and she posts a comment (hint, hint Melanie).

I spent the afternoon yesterday trying to really capture the beauty of the piece and yet still I don't think I quite got it right. Anyway, here are the photos.

This one was my favorite shot of the piece:



Detail shot:


Direct shot of full piece:

I was looking for something to post today

And lurking on Megan's blog, trying to catch up a little with what my friends have been doing while I've been not here. Anyway she had this posted a little while back and it looked like a good way to fill today's post ;) BTW, go check out Megan's photography. She's amazing.

So who reads my blog??

1. As a comment on this post, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! And if we've never met in real life, leave me a comment of your favorite post I wrote and why it was your favorite.

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually really funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.