The title says it all....I'm so bad at getting things done on time. I tend to lose myself in things and always think I have more time than I really do. I'm guilty of unloading the dishwasher while waiting for a bagel to toast.....and then burning the bagel. Supposed to be looking up something on my bank statement? The computer only seems to go to Facebook or Ravelry as soon as I sit down at the keyboard!
I was spending a little snow day time flipping thru magazines and I came across an article published every month for the Happiness Project. Forgive me, I get a lot of magazines and can't remember which magazine this came from. Anyway, I read magazines in the order in which the articles catch my eye and the Happiness Project ones are usually one of the last. I was reading it today though, and an idea for more happiness in your life resonated with me. The writer had an idea for something called the Power Hour.
No, it's not an hour of exercise, but I could certainly use that too. It's an hour-long exercise in the war against nagging things. You know what I'm talking about when I say "Nagging Things." Every woman in the world has that list of nagging things that never get done because there are other, better things to do. The writer suggests taking an hour a week to do these things and by doing that, your happiness level will go up.
At first I thought....it's probably hogwash. Then I thought back to some time in the past couple of weeks at work. My housing certificates and our occupancy permit have been framed yet sitting on top of my filing cabinet for over a year. I keep blowing the dust off them and thinking "Someday the maintenance super will hang these for me." He splits his time between many housing sites though, and really only has time to "fight the fires" at any of them. So one morning I said "Well, why the hell can't I hang them??" I brought a hammer and some nails to work and voila! My certificates now grace my wall. I even got an inexpensive wall clock and hung it in the otherwise bare lobby. Residents noticed it right away and remarked at how nice it looked. What surprised ME is how much I noticed and how good I felt getting those things done! Ok, I'm game to try this "Power Hour" thing.
Here is my list of naggy things. Cleaning makeup brushes. (I have sensitive skin but never take the time to clean them.) Organizing my closet. (there's at least a dozen pairs of shoes, a few scarves, perhaps some Christmas wrap and I know a yoga mat on the floor in there.) Cleaning out the car and buying a new air freshener. (the one I bought last week although works nicely, is the same scent as the one that I bought when Will barfed in the car two vacations ago, and now I associate that scent with THAT scent. Sorry, Febreeze.) Going through photos and uploading them to Shutterfly. Clearing off the living room shelf from clutter and finding a place to donate our old curtains that I have folded and piled up, despite them not fitting a single window in this house. Taking time to figure out what's wrong with the auto soap dispenser in our bathroom instead of just leaving it there and hoping that it repairs itself. Going thru all of the kids books and weeding out the "baby level" ones that they no longer enjoy. And the best one: Sitting down and learning how to use iTunes to put music on my iPod for the car, instead of not knowing how and proclaiming myself 'Too Stupid to use iTunes!" Today, I'm picking one and spending some time on it. Can't wait for the "happy" to wash over me. :)
Showing posts with label pet peeves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pet peeves. Show all posts
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
(Un)Fashionable Faux Pas
This post is several years too late, but relevant nonetheless. I know that there are websites out there that log "movie mistakes" but I'm not going to see one out, I'd rather just jump up here and let my inner Knitting Nerd and affinity for the show Sex and the City shine!
Not that long ago, I was watching old episodes and (what else?) knitting. I don't remember the specific episode because SATC is the kind of guilty pleasure that I don't really need to keep my eye on (and on my knits and purls instead) and still know what's going on. Miranda had found out that she was pregnant with Steve's baby and was going to keep it. They (sans Miranda) were flying somewhere courtesy of Samantha's new boyfriend, Richard. Charlotte is sitting on the private jet, and yakking to the other two about how she's taking up knitting and making something for Miranda's baby.
The camera pans over Charlotte and there she is, with her knitting needles and pattern, Prada shoes and perfect outfit, and her skein of........baby blue Red Heart acrylic.
To paraphrase another one of my favorites, "My Cousin Vinny": "No self-respecting knitter would use Red Heart."
Red Heart, to most knitters is terrible, hateful, unforgiving stuff. It squeaks on the needles and is about as soft and cuddly as my kitchen cabinets. It's kind of like buying a box of plastic wrap and fashioning it into a sweet baby sweater. I know, I know, acrylic is washable. Having had two babies myself, I was eternally grateful for washable baby knits. And preemies need acrylic in the NICU's, so I of course use it. But there's better acrylic choices out there, for not much more money if any more at all. For babies that can tolerate wool or cotton, superwash is best since it can be put in the machine. There *are* options.
I don't think the writers of SATC called for Red Heart, I think someone just brought Kristin Davis the yarn and she went with it. If she's a knitter, I'm sure she was shuddering but, as professional as she is, accepted the skein. All I can say though, after so many years later....Get Charlotte to a local yarn store on the double!! ! This girl deserves a gorgeous skein or two of superwash wool, and Baby Brady does too. To quote another favorite (badly): Use the best yarn that you can afford. Your results will thank you.
Not that long ago, I was watching old episodes and (what else?) knitting. I don't remember the specific episode because SATC is the kind of guilty pleasure that I don't really need to keep my eye on (and on my knits and purls instead) and still know what's going on. Miranda had found out that she was pregnant with Steve's baby and was going to keep it. They (sans Miranda) were flying somewhere courtesy of Samantha's new boyfriend, Richard. Charlotte is sitting on the private jet, and yakking to the other two about how she's taking up knitting and making something for Miranda's baby.
The camera pans over Charlotte and there she is, with her knitting needles and pattern, Prada shoes and perfect outfit, and her skein of........baby blue Red Heart acrylic.
To paraphrase another one of my favorites, "My Cousin Vinny": "No self-respecting knitter would use Red Heart."
Red Heart, to most knitters is terrible, hateful, unforgiving stuff. It squeaks on the needles and is about as soft and cuddly as my kitchen cabinets. It's kind of like buying a box of plastic wrap and fashioning it into a sweet baby sweater. I know, I know, acrylic is washable. Having had two babies myself, I was eternally grateful for washable baby knits. And preemies need acrylic in the NICU's, so I of course use it. But there's better acrylic choices out there, for not much more money if any more at all. For babies that can tolerate wool or cotton, superwash is best since it can be put in the machine. There *are* options.
I don't think the writers of SATC called for Red Heart, I think someone just brought Kristin Davis the yarn and she went with it. If she's a knitter, I'm sure she was shuddering but, as professional as she is, accepted the skein. All I can say though, after so many years later....Get Charlotte to a local yarn store on the double!! ! This girl deserves a gorgeous skein or two of superwash wool, and Baby Brady does too. To quote another favorite (badly): Use the best yarn that you can afford. Your results will thank you.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Oh, Mornings....
Day 27: A problem you have, or have had in the past.
My problem is in my past, present and future. I am not a morning person. I am a night owl, and quite frequently the last one to bed by a long shot. Even though I'm tired at night, I get sucked into a movie or whatever I am knitting, or the worst one: Facebook. And then when the morning comes, I'm slower than a three-toed sloth. (Which I've never seen but I hear is very slow.)
I'm also ill-prepared most mornings. Despite my desire to do so, preparation the night before is not achieved. Clothes are rarely laid out the night before and if they are, it usually starts an argument of "I don't wanna wear that shirt!" Bags packed by the door lack diapers for the daycare or I've forgotten a towel for "Sprinkler Day" at the preschool. And my own bag? Forget it. There's a reason why Hubby brings me coffee while I'm getting out of the shower: it's an act of love but also one of necessity. I can't get out of my own way!
It is something I am always trying to work on, though. And I hope that SOMEDAY I'll get my act together. It's not a truly hopeless case. Though history is certainly showing that from HS to today, mornings are certainly not my friend.
My problem is in my past, present and future. I am not a morning person. I am a night owl, and quite frequently the last one to bed by a long shot. Even though I'm tired at night, I get sucked into a movie or whatever I am knitting, or the worst one: Facebook. And then when the morning comes, I'm slower than a three-toed sloth. (Which I've never seen but I hear is very slow.)
I'm also ill-prepared most mornings. Despite my desire to do so, preparation the night before is not achieved. Clothes are rarely laid out the night before and if they are, it usually starts an argument of "I don't wanna wear that shirt!" Bags packed by the door lack diapers for the daycare or I've forgotten a towel for "Sprinkler Day" at the preschool. And my own bag? Forget it. There's a reason why Hubby brings me coffee while I'm getting out of the shower: it's an act of love but also one of necessity. I can't get out of my own way!
It is something I am always trying to work on, though. And I hope that SOMEDAY I'll get my act together. It's not a truly hopeless case. Though history is certainly showing that from HS to today, mornings are certainly not my friend.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
What's Buggin' You?
Day Three of Blog Challenge: What are your five top pet peeves?
You mean I can only pick five? Just kidding, I'm a pretty easy-going person and I don't have hundreds. But the ones that I do have a deep-rooted. Some are small and silly, some a HUGE.
The top five things that drive me beserk, from small to big:
1. Not putting food back in cabinets. For example, the cereal box after you're finished pouring a bowl. Although then I have to be irritated with myself, because I famously leave out the peanut butter almost every day!
2. Stuff that at doesn't belong in the dryer going there. I tend to get a little testy when I find my sweaters or a bra in the dryer.
3. Bad grammar and spelling. Wait, let me clarify: It's OK to not have great spelling skills. But if you know that your spelling skills aren't up to par, take the time to proofread!! Sometimes it's tough to live in the age of texting. But really, text talk belongs in texts, and nowhere else.
4. Going to the beach or the park, and seeing a kid running around with a sunburn. In this day and age where many places offer sunscreen, there really is no excuse.
5. People who blame everything on everyone else, but don't take any of the blame. At some point, you have to take some control over your life and be responsible for what you want to get out of it. You're bored? Not happy with how things are turning out? Do something about it. I'm not talking about venting, or periods of unhappiness, I'm taking about perpetual victims of society.
Talk to me: what bugs you?
You mean I can only pick five? Just kidding, I'm a pretty easy-going person and I don't have hundreds. But the ones that I do have a deep-rooted. Some are small and silly, some a HUGE.
The top five things that drive me beserk, from small to big:
1. Not putting food back in cabinets. For example, the cereal box after you're finished pouring a bowl. Although then I have to be irritated with myself, because I famously leave out the peanut butter almost every day!
2. Stuff that at doesn't belong in the dryer going there. I tend to get a little testy when I find my sweaters or a bra in the dryer.
3. Bad grammar and spelling. Wait, let me clarify: It's OK to not have great spelling skills. But if you know that your spelling skills aren't up to par, take the time to proofread!! Sometimes it's tough to live in the age of texting. But really, text talk belongs in texts, and nowhere else.
4. Going to the beach or the park, and seeing a kid running around with a sunburn. In this day and age where many places offer sunscreen, there really is no excuse.
5. People who blame everything on everyone else, but don't take any of the blame. At some point, you have to take some control over your life and be responsible for what you want to get out of it. You're bored? Not happy with how things are turning out? Do something about it. I'm not talking about venting, or periods of unhappiness, I'm taking about perpetual victims of society.
Talk to me: what bugs you?
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Wait Your Turn!
Standing in line at the bank in the grocery store. Forty-five minutes before it's time to get the boys. There is one family in front of me, a man, woman and their two kids, ages approx 6 and 2. The bank counter is very busy, and the woman in front of me is clearly tired of waiting. She obviously knows the teller, Roman, and starts yelling to him. "Roman!!!! You'd better help me, man!" He glances up, acknowledges her with a nod, and goes back to helping the gentleman at the counter. "Roman, man, they never got my affidavit! So all those charges went through to my account. And Roman....my account is overdrafted by $237.00!!!" Still a look, accompanied by a nod. A line is forming behind me, and I look at my watch to discover that fifteen minutes have gone by.
The woman, obviously disgusted with having to wait and not going to take it anymore, raises her voice. "ROMAN!!!!! I know where you live. You'd better help me or I'm going to take your TV out of your car and take those nice rims off your wheels, man. You've got a pretty sweet ride. I know where your house is, so you'd better help me!" This obviously gets the teller's attention. He finishes the transaction he's working on, the man steps aside with the kids and she starts to transact her business. The conversation that lasts another fifteen minutes, both in Spanish and English, leads me to believe that she was a good friend of Roman, and he is now helping her with her problem, offering to draw up papers and bring them to her later. My eyes are nearly bursting out of my head, and everyone behind me is starting to murmur disgustedly. I am tempted to just leave and make my work deposit the next day but dammit, I am going to finish this and not let that woman win. Finally, she leaves. Roman, nonplussed, doesn't say a word about the wait, just takes my rent checks and deposit slips and runs them through, sending me off my merry way. No time for picking up a few things as planned, I've got twenty minutes to get two kids in two different places. Sigh.
Three things that I have learned from this particular exchange:
1. I now know way more about this woman's business than I should or care to know.
2. Someone obviously hasn't seen the "Yo Gabba Gabba" episode about waiting your turn. My kids are more patient than this squeaky wheel screaming for oil. And what is she teaching those two kids of hers? Push, push, push till you get what you want, no matter how much you embarrass yourself.
3. As a comparison, minus the "friendly" threats from this woman, the "squeaky wheel" mentality is what I deal with on a daily basis. If I am on the phone, oftentimes a tenant is standing at my door, staring at me through the window. If I let them in, they stand there with their arms crossed, kind of like a preschooler on the other side of the bathroom door at home. If I am interviewing someone, someone else will try to barge in and tell me all about the problem with their neighbor and their loud music/all-night fighting/attitude problem. Though patient, I am nobody's pushover. I've perfected my hand up, steely glance and "Just a minute."
I guess being a mom has trained me to be a better manager!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Adult Truths
It's always something. But lately it seems like a little of everything is downright irritating. I would give my left toe for one normal week of school and daycare, and work, and nothing crappy happening. Snow and ice after snow and ice, new tires, stomach viruses......agh. This week's catastrophe is that Will has pinkeye. Yep, I got the call this afternoon that he woke up with it after naptime at school and could someone please come and get him? Like...NOW??? He can go back to school as soon as his eye isn't "goopy." Mmmm....goopy. Awesome.
OK. Enough of my whining. Instead, I'm going to share and repost something from a dear friend's blog, out there in the Land of Lincoln. I laughed out loud and nodded like crazy reading it, and I'm willing to bet that if you are an adult, you will too.....
*** Adult Truths ***
1. I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was young.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5.. I’m pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren’t going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don’t want to have to restart my collection…again.
13. I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page report that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite or Wine than Kay.
17. I wish both my GPS and Google Maps had an “Avoid Ghetto” routing option.
18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
19. How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear or understand a word they said?
20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!
21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
22. Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I’d bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.
24. The first testicular guard, the “Cup,” was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
A Fine Mess
I've mentioned before that I belong to a knitting group that meets up locally on Wednesday nights. Wednesday is MY night; since it's close to work I leave at 5pm and head straight for the coffee shop. It doesn't start until 6, but people start trickling in beforehand. We're a diverse group of women, the regulars include me (a property manager) a pediatrician, a teacher, a store manager and a stay-at-home-mom. Many areas of expertise represented right there. And really, there's no-holds-barred on topics of conversation. We all offer our input on a variety of topics: childbirth, potty-training, bad landlords, etc etc etc.
This week, the pediatrician raised a good one: how the heck do people manage to keep their houses cleaned up?? Especially people whose families where both parents work full-time and they have babies. We all offered insight, such as a chore list on the fridge, utilizing a web service like Fly Lady, etc. One woman said that they have a rule in their house that toys stay upstairs and if they come down, they go back up at the end of the day.
It was only this lovely Saturday morning that I looked around my house and thought "How could you give ANYBODY advice on keeping a house orderly?? Look at this hurricane-ravaged place!" We're the family that has the chore list on the refrigerator. It lists the things that we "aspire" to do, by day-of-the-week. For example, everyone in the house gets fresh sheets and towels on Monday nights. Menu-writing is Friday, groceries on Saturday. The big kitchen-cleanup is supposed to happen on Saturday morning. Does it? Not always. It's nice in theory, but we more use the schedule as a way of seeing what we have to do and then ignoring it until it becomes a red-alert item.
And the clutter, OH the CLUTTER! With two kids comes a lot of clutter. I could spend the day picking up, and I swear two children and a dog are behind me, throwing stuff on the floor as I go by. You start to get resentful, like "why freakin' bother." So I will only declutter once a day, picking up five things at one time and putting them in their designated places, and then grabbing five more.
What also comes with two kids is a drastic decrease in your standards of what will "do" in terms of cleanliness and order. Most days, if the kids are reasonably wiped clean before bed and we've run the dishwasher at least once, I'm good! Things like vacuuming become an as-needed chore, like when paint particles came flying out of Will's school bag last week. Now that Sean's super-mobile, we vacuum more often. I've learned to live with a lot and am adapting to a new mantra, "Embrace the Chaos!" I know that things won't always be this way. As the late, great Erma Bombeck once said, one day you will yell at your child, "I cleaned this up and I want it to stay that way!" And it will, because childhood will be over. And you will miss these days. So with my sanity still intact, I am embracing the chaos.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
No Sleep=Insanity
This week has been pretty rough. Sean hadn't been sleeping before 2AM most nights, crying on endlessly, and no amount of holding and rocking would help. They say that a person needs 8 hours of sleep at night....hahahahahahahahahahaha! Up until last night, I had been subsisting on 2-4 hours a night, and not really sleeping during the day, either. (Thanks, Dept of Public Works, for digging up my street daily, and for giving my bark-loving dog appeplexy!) So really, you can survive on a lot less. However, side effects include forgetting words in the middle of conversation, diapering your baby with toddler diapers and generally being b*tchy. Not to mention you look like crap and you just don't care, because you decide that showering is overrated when you can sleep instead.
So last night, when Brian casually mentioned that maybe Sean has colic, I said no, that couldn't be it. But for fun we googled it. Here's what we found: symptoms of colic include a high pitched, screechy cry with sudden onset, inconsolability, tense body and red face. And that all of this gets worse at night, that an otherwise healthy baby can turn into an inconsolable screech factory overnight and be fine during the day.
Hmmmm.....yes! Sean definitely has colic. I've been feeling bad, thinking that something was wrong with him. Just giving that "something" a name, and knowing that it's not serious is liberating. In reading on, I was dismayed to find out that colic can last up to three months. Damn, he's two months old now so this could go on for another month. It did list a whole bunch of ways to ease colic. So last night after dinner, I poured Sean a nice warm bath, followed by a little bit of infant massage that I learned from a friend, and a warm bottle. AND HE SLEPT!! From 11pm to 5AM! I woke up today feeling like a new person. I had a stiff back, from actually getting to stay in bed more than an hour at a time. Isn't that great! :) I had a playdate with a friend and her kids today and could actually have a normal conversation and interact without feeling like I was going to lose it. Hooray!
So last night, when Brian casually mentioned that maybe Sean has colic, I said no, that couldn't be it. But for fun we googled it. Here's what we found: symptoms of colic include a high pitched, screechy cry with sudden onset, inconsolability, tense body and red face. And that all of this gets worse at night, that an otherwise healthy baby can turn into an inconsolable screech factory overnight and be fine during the day.
Hmmmm.....yes! Sean definitely has colic. I've been feeling bad, thinking that something was wrong with him. Just giving that "something" a name, and knowing that it's not serious is liberating. In reading on, I was dismayed to find out that colic can last up to three months. Damn, he's two months old now so this could go on for another month. It did list a whole bunch of ways to ease colic. So last night after dinner, I poured Sean a nice warm bath, followed by a little bit of infant massage that I learned from a friend, and a warm bottle. AND HE SLEPT!! From 11pm to 5AM! I woke up today feeling like a new person. I had a stiff back, from actually getting to stay in bed more than an hour at a time. Isn't that great! :) I had a playdate with a friend and her kids today and could actually have a normal conversation and interact without feeling like I was going to lose it. Hooray!
Friday, February 5, 2010
The Latest Obsession May Be My Undoing...
TEAM UMIZOOMI!!! I didn't mind when he went gaga over Disney"s Cars." And this show on Nickelodeon isn't horrible. Will just wants to watch it again and again aaaaannnndddd AGAIN! It's stuck in my head all day long. There's no desire to watch anything else, ever. Let's stage an intervention, shall we? We could even pitch it a reality show, getting hooked toddlers off shows like The Wiggles and Barney. Hell, I'd tune in!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Smug...and now Sick
I managed to dodge it for two weeks. First, two co-workers had it, and one required antibiotics. Then Brian got a nasty bug around my birthday. And I thought I was soooooo smug. Nope, it's found me. I hate being sick, especially when there's not much I can do about it!! Plus I'm sooooo close to the end of this pregnancy! A few more weeks and I could've had the good cold meds and ibuprofen. Ah well, such is life I guess. I'd much rather be sick now while Baby Boy is safe inside and not at risk of catching it. Hope I'm a fast healer this time around. :)
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Unfriendly Freecycle
As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been putting a lot of items on Freecycle this week. I love Freecycle! And it's really helping me in cleaning out the back bedroom and getting ready for baby. So far I've gotten rid of a nightstand and some craft supplies. Then I had a lady no-show on a bulletin board. I just KNEW it was going to happen, she was pretty wishy-washy in her emails so there's one more person that has my address for no apparent reason. (Grrrr) So last night I re-posted the bulletin board.
I logged into my email later to see if there were any takers and I had an email from one of the Freecycle moderators. It said that I made an "inappropriate post" and listed all of the posts that I had put there since the end of September. Huh?? When I think of "inappropriate" posting, I'm picturing rough language or something. I emailed to get clarification and was told that I had to wait two weeks before re-posting something. I got b*%ch slapped by a moderator! Why would I want to wait two more weeks to get rid of something?? I'm on deadline here, people! And I really don't need one more thing in my life to keep track of. I then checked out the "before you post" section. Apparently there are a lot of rules to break for a simple service of offering/requesting items for free. If it wasn't such a good service, I'd send another email to say that their policy was mundane. But it's not worth it. *BREATHE.*
I logged into my email later to see if there were any takers and I had an email from one of the Freecycle moderators. It said that I made an "inappropriate post" and listed all of the posts that I had put there since the end of September. Huh?? When I think of "inappropriate" posting, I'm picturing rough language or something. I emailed to get clarification and was told that I had to wait two weeks before re-posting something. I got b*%ch slapped by a moderator! Why would I want to wait two more weeks to get rid of something?? I'm on deadline here, people! And I really don't need one more thing in my life to keep track of. I then checked out the "before you post" section. Apparently there are a lot of rules to break for a simple service of offering/requesting items for free. If it wasn't such a good service, I'd send another email to say that their policy was mundane. But it's not worth it. *BREATHE.*
Thursday, September 3, 2009
A Series of Dominoes
Don't you LOVE how one small mishap can turn into several, then morph into a disaster??
Some mornings I hate the fact that I am a working mom. This was definitely one of them! I had another housing court appearance today, and I was not well-prepared. Housing court starts at 9am sharp, and it's one of those things that you do NOT want to be late for. I'm pretty sluggish in the AM, and Will definitely takes after me in this category. (Honestly sometimes I wonder who is pokier, me or him?) So usually I try to prepare a little bit the night before. No prep this time....d'oh!
First I insisted on staying snug as a bug in a rug this morning when Brian woke me up. Domino. I had the sinking realization in the shower that I left the tenant file I needed for court today at work, and would have to stop there first. Domino. Will demanded pancakes and I didn't have time to make them. But I made him a frozen chocolate chip waffle so I wouldn't call this one a Domino. I'm rushing around like a madwoman, trying to put on a little makeup and some decent court clothes on this pregnant bod....Domino!!! Then Will decides that we're not going to "Auntie's" today and gives me a hard time. I lose my cool and snap a bit, "You ARE going to Auntie's...don't argue with me!" He gets a little teary and says "why you mad?? You make me sad." Crrraassshhhh..... The guilt trip stops me dead in my tracks. I immediately bent down to give him a hug and apologize. I felt badly all day for snapping at him for him just being himself, a toddler who wants his Mommy to stay home and watch Disney movies and drink "sneezy juice" with his doggie friends. (i.e. drink from a pretend pitcher that makes us sneeze)
I'm certainly glad that these feelings and these kinds of days are far and few. Tomorrow's a new day, but I still feel bad. :(
Some mornings I hate the fact that I am a working mom. This was definitely one of them! I had another housing court appearance today, and I was not well-prepared. Housing court starts at 9am sharp, and it's one of those things that you do NOT want to be late for. I'm pretty sluggish in the AM, and Will definitely takes after me in this category. (Honestly sometimes I wonder who is pokier, me or him?) So usually I try to prepare a little bit the night before. No prep this time....d'oh!
First I insisted on staying snug as a bug in a rug this morning when Brian woke me up. Domino. I had the sinking realization in the shower that I left the tenant file I needed for court today at work, and would have to stop there first. Domino. Will demanded pancakes and I didn't have time to make them. But I made him a frozen chocolate chip waffle so I wouldn't call this one a Domino. I'm rushing around like a madwoman, trying to put on a little makeup and some decent court clothes on this pregnant bod....Domino!!! Then Will decides that we're not going to "Auntie's" today and gives me a hard time. I lose my cool and snap a bit, "You ARE going to Auntie's...don't argue with me!" He gets a little teary and says "why you mad?? You make me sad." Crrraassshhhh..... The guilt trip stops me dead in my tracks. I immediately bent down to give him a hug and apologize. I felt badly all day for snapping at him for him just being himself, a toddler who wants his Mommy to stay home and watch Disney movies and drink "sneezy juice" with his doggie friends. (i.e. drink from a pretend pitcher that makes us sneeze)
I'm certainly glad that these feelings and these kinds of days are far and few. Tomorrow's a new day, but I still feel bad. :(
Thursday, August 27, 2009
One of the Reasons I Dislike Summer
The spiders.
We have a large floodlight at the top of our house, facing the backyard. The spiders "doing their thing" usually consists of them stacking webs against the back of the house under the floodlight, like spider condos. Which makes sense, since all of these flying bugs treat the floodlight like it's crack. Most mornings I also have webs on the front porch, which I just ignore and go about my merry way. Sometimes, they are so large that I find them amazing in a creepy way.
Later on, I had Will in the car and had just put it in reverse to head to daycare when something on the back stairwell caught my eye. I put the car in park, turned off the engine and got out to take a look. Holy Crap! Apparently the web I saw at the slider door was the "little" one. There is a web covering the entire top of the stairs, up to the roof! It looks big enough to catch people! And the spider is in the middle of that one, looking pooped but bragging just the same. I shudder, and get back in the car.
So that is why every year, I look forward to the first cold night when all of the spiders finally go away for the year. But it's too bad they're not around for Halloween, I wouldn't have to decorate!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Heat Factor
Yesterday and today are in the 90's in New England. I hate this kind of weather!! Even though I have AC at home and at work, I just feel miserable. I think that has more to do with being pregnant, though.
The thing I hate about this weather the most is the laziness on my part. I have zero energy to do stuff, like clean up the house or do laundry. Ugh!
Since fall is my favorite, I've already got it on the brain. All the magazines that we subscribe to are coming with pumpkins, apples and autumn treats on the cover. And I've already started thinking about Halloween costumes. I'm going to try to NOT go to Target or Wal-Mart this year. Will and I've discussed it and he's decided he wants to be a Robot/Pirate/Handy Manny. All three! Now where can I find that! :)
The thing I hate about this weather the most is the laziness on my part. I have zero energy to do stuff, like clean up the house or do laundry. Ugh!
Since fall is my favorite, I've already got it on the brain. All the magazines that we subscribe to are coming with pumpkins, apples and autumn treats on the cover. And I've already started thinking about Halloween costumes. I'm going to try to NOT go to Target or Wal-Mart this year. Will and I've discussed it and he's decided he wants to be a Robot/Pirate/Handy Manny. All three! Now where can I find that! :)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
One Uneventful Weekend
It hasn't been exactly an eventful weekend this time. Brian started a house project that we've been meaning to do for quite some time--replace the stairs to our front porch. We knew that they were in crappy shape when we bought the house seven (!) years ago so we definitely got our mileage out of 'em! Next up will be replacing the porch floor, power-washing the entire structure and then stain/seal. Hopefully that will get done before winter. HA! No really, we're hopeful that we'll get it done.
The three of us drove out to IKEA today to get ideas for Will's BIG BOY ROOM! Came up with bupkis.....everything we liked was really designed for a toddler, and we're looking for something that he can grow up in and have for possibly until he's an early teen. So we'll continue the search. Not that we have anywhere to put furniture right now anyway!! :)
Oh, and I got my hair done yesterday. Seven inches of hair, gone!! No more long hair, and I think I can say that permanently!! It was getting SO annoying, getting caught in my work bag handles, always in my face, etc etc etc.
That's pretty much it. Please try to contain your excitement!
The three of us drove out to IKEA today to get ideas for Will's BIG BOY ROOM! Came up with bupkis.....everything we liked was really designed for a toddler, and we're looking for something that he can grow up in and have for possibly until he's an early teen. So we'll continue the search. Not that we have anywhere to put furniture right now anyway!! :)
Oh, and I got my hair done yesterday. Seven inches of hair, gone!! No more long hair, and I think I can say that permanently!! It was getting SO annoying, getting caught in my work bag handles, always in my face, etc etc etc.
That's pretty much it. Please try to contain your excitement!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Need an Inspection Sticker?
I hate car inspection stickers. Every year, when May rolls around I remind myself that I need to get a new sticker. I write it down on my "to-do" list every week. And yet every last week of May, I find myself on a deadline and no sticker.
I went out around lunch-time today to get said sticker. I found a garage where there was only one person ahead of me and was happy that I would have a sticker before I head to PA. I pull my car into the garage, the man takes my registration and $29 fee. (Why $29 cash? Couldn't they just round it up to 30 to make it easier???) I make myself comfortable in the lobby and wish that I had brought a book to read.
The auto tech comes over, hands me back my the reg and my $29.00. I'm puzzled. He said "Everything on your car is fine, Ma'am. But I can't give you a sticker because there's something wrong with your registration." WHAT??! Then he tells me that I am going to have to go to the Registry to find out.
Oh NO!! Anything but that! I'm sure it's similar in other states, but the Registry of Motor Vehicles is usually a terrible experience. The lines are ridiculously long, the fees are usually outrageous and the personnel is well.....not personable. Maybe there is an exception to this rule, but I sometimes wonder if people who work at the registry answer personal ads that ask how difficult they can be in situations.
I give myself points for being clever today: I stopped and ate lunch before I headed over. When I got there, there was a long line to get your little ticket to wait in another line. My ticket said that there was approximately a 29 minute wait. Not bad. I should've known it was too good to be true, because it was over an hour. And I never did make it to the counter, because I ran into someone else with the same problem and he was told that the inspection system was offline. I knew I didn't have anything wrong with my registration!!!
Anywho, there's two hours of my life lost forever. And I still don't have a damn sticker.
I went out around lunch-time today to get said sticker. I found a garage where there was only one person ahead of me and was happy that I would have a sticker before I head to PA. I pull my car into the garage, the man takes my registration and $29 fee. (Why $29 cash? Couldn't they just round it up to 30 to make it easier???) I make myself comfortable in the lobby and wish that I had brought a book to read.
The auto tech comes over, hands me back my the reg and my $29.00. I'm puzzled. He said "Everything on your car is fine, Ma'am. But I can't give you a sticker because there's something wrong with your registration." WHAT??! Then he tells me that I am going to have to go to the Registry to find out.
Oh NO!! Anything but that! I'm sure it's similar in other states, but the Registry of Motor Vehicles is usually a terrible experience. The lines are ridiculously long, the fees are usually outrageous and the personnel is well.....not personable. Maybe there is an exception to this rule, but I sometimes wonder if people who work at the registry answer personal ads that ask how difficult they can be in situations.
I give myself points for being clever today: I stopped and ate lunch before I headed over. When I got there, there was a long line to get your little ticket to wait in another line. My ticket said that there was approximately a 29 minute wait. Not bad. I should've known it was too good to be true, because it was over an hour. And I never did make it to the counter, because I ran into someone else with the same problem and he was told that the inspection system was offline. I knew I didn't have anything wrong with my registration!!!
Anywho, there's two hours of my life lost forever. And I still don't have a damn sticker.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
I'm Not Above Bribery...
Will's taken to throwing a fit when it's time to head out the door in the morning so Mommy can drop him off at "Auntie's." (i.e. daycare) He loves it there once he's playing with Thomas the Tank Engine and having a snack, and most nights he doesn't want me to take him home and throws another fit. This morning, however, was a bona fide meltdown!! It was already 9am, the time that I'm supposed to be at my desk, and instead I'm fighting with a toddler who refuses to stand up and put on his jacket. I'm also in a skirt and heels....not exactly wrestling attire.
So what did it take? A promise of "m-nums" (M&M's) if he got in the car. It was like turning a switch: the crying stopped, a smile appeared and he willingly stood up and let me put on his jacket. As much as I was happy that I didn't have to get down on the floor and carry him, kicking and screaming to the car, I hope I haven't started a trend!! I'll have the "m-num monster" on my hands!
So what did it take? A promise of "m-nums" (M&M's) if he got in the car. It was like turning a switch: the crying stopped, a smile appeared and he willingly stood up and let me put on his jacket. As much as I was happy that I didn't have to get down on the floor and carry him, kicking and screaming to the car, I hope I haven't started a trend!! I'll have the "m-num monster" on my hands!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Save The Libraries!
There are some things that you think will always be there.....and you take them for granted. That is, until they're threatened to no longer exist....
I found out recently that due to the economy and current budget plan for Fiscal Year 2010, my town's public library is going to cut it's services drastically. The library will only be open 30 hours per week, pare down on staffing, and eliminate computer programs, summer reading groups, story hours and activities. Also, due to the budget cuts, the library will lose it's state and national accreditations, and residents of our town will no longer be able to participate in the inter-libary loan program. The literature on the library's website said that "these changes will set the library back decades. It will become the library of the 1900's." And it's not just our town's library....other surrounding towns are severely cutting back their services and hours, merging with other towns or simply closing its doors.
I am so saddened by this news! I have always loved going to the library, ever since I got my first library card at six years old. I love books and the library allows me to read many more than I could possibly afford every year. The library has been a big part ofmy life, and I've worked to make both reading and the library a big part of my family's life as well. If I didn't work full-time, I would take Will to more activities at the local libraries in the area. They are a great place for free information, instruction, and of course, books! And not just books.....these days libraries carry movies, CD's, artwork.....my library even has Wii games. It's a shame to see this resource dwindling.
After reading all about the proposed budget cuts, I did the only thing I could think of that I could possibly help out: I wrote a check to the library. Just a little something to help this wonderful place keep going. I just can't believe that it's come to this. I hope that I could make a little bit of a difference.
I found out recently that due to the economy and current budget plan for Fiscal Year 2010, my town's public library is going to cut it's services drastically. The library will only be open 30 hours per week, pare down on staffing, and eliminate computer programs, summer reading groups, story hours and activities. Also, due to the budget cuts, the library will lose it's state and national accreditations, and residents of our town will no longer be able to participate in the inter-libary loan program. The literature on the library's website said that "these changes will set the library back decades. It will become the library of the 1900's." And it's not just our town's library....other surrounding towns are severely cutting back their services and hours, merging with other towns or simply closing its doors.
I am so saddened by this news! I have always loved going to the library, ever since I got my first library card at six years old. I love books and the library allows me to read many more than I could possibly afford every year. The library has been a big part ofmy life, and I've worked to make both reading and the library a big part of my family's life as well. If I didn't work full-time, I would take Will to more activities at the local libraries in the area. They are a great place for free information, instruction, and of course, books! And not just books.....these days libraries carry movies, CD's, artwork.....my library even has Wii games. It's a shame to see this resource dwindling.
After reading all about the proposed budget cuts, I did the only thing I could think of that I could possibly help out: I wrote a check to the library. Just a little something to help this wonderful place keep going. I just can't believe that it's come to this. I hope that I could make a little bit of a difference.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Just Call me Grace
I saw the doctor last week and they're concerned about my weight and blood pressure. So I've been told again to start exercising, and to eat small healthful meals and to get some downtime. Over the weekend we snapped up a WiiFit at Target. I thought that it would make getting some exercise fun.
It is fun! However, it's not nice. When it took my measurements and told me in its little squeaky voice "Oh, you're obese!" I wasn't a happy camper. But I guess the truth is easier to take in that cute little voice, because I didn't feel like smashing it. Anyway, the exercises are fun, with headbutting soccer balls and doing "step aerobics." I don't think I'm quite up to the yoga poses yet.
Fast-forward to the second night, when I fell off the thing while doing step aerobics and trying to avoid Will, who was running in circles around me and yelling "Stomp, Stomp!!" Then I hurt my ankle trying to run in place. Running soooo is not my exercise. I woke up last night in tears, with a familiar burning ache in my back. Guess who's re-injured her back?? Yep, me. It's not as bad as last time but it really does hurt a lot, and I'm the walking dead today from not gettting any sleep. It took four Advil and the heating pad to get back to sleep.
So for the next couple of days I'll be healing, taking it easy and indulging in an activity I've dubbed "WiiQuit:" lounging on the couch after Will's gone to bed, flipping through primetime TV and maybe eating a little ice cream. Do I know how to party, or what?? :)
It is fun! However, it's not nice. When it took my measurements and told me in its little squeaky voice "Oh, you're obese!" I wasn't a happy camper. But I guess the truth is easier to take in that cute little voice, because I didn't feel like smashing it. Anyway, the exercises are fun, with headbutting soccer balls and doing "step aerobics." I don't think I'm quite up to the yoga poses yet.
Fast-forward to the second night, when I fell off the thing while doing step aerobics and trying to avoid Will, who was running in circles around me and yelling "Stomp, Stomp!!" Then I hurt my ankle trying to run in place. Running soooo is not my exercise. I woke up last night in tears, with a familiar burning ache in my back. Guess who's re-injured her back?? Yep, me. It's not as bad as last time but it really does hurt a lot, and I'm the walking dead today from not gettting any sleep. It took four Advil and the heating pad to get back to sleep.
So for the next couple of days I'll be healing, taking it easy and indulging in an activity I've dubbed "WiiQuit:" lounging on the couch after Will's gone to bed, flipping through primetime TV and maybe eating a little ice cream. Do I know how to party, or what?? :)
Monday, February 16, 2009
Bunch of Sickies...
You know how you always look forward to three-day weekends? I don't know why I still do. It usually ends up not going as planned. Will was sick on Saturday. The most romantic way to celebrate Valentine's Day? You and your lovey mopping puke, changing pajamas, sheets and t-shirts. Several times. Nothing says "committment" like that! It was weird that Will was sick, because the throwing up was the only thing going. No fever, cold, etc. And it came without warning. Crazy! Yesterday he was fine, if not a little whiney. Todayhe's flat-out whiney and I can't figure out why. Brian's also sick now, and I'm suffering still from "The Toothache from Hell." It has varying stages of pain; once the infection cleared up I was doing a lot better. Now it's really bad again and I'm back to soft stuff like oatmeal and smoothies whenever possible, or cutting my food into miniscule pieces. Wednesday's my root canal and (gulp!) I'm really looking forward to it!!
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