Shake it Off

I feel a funk coming on.  I am trying my best to shake it.

There’s nothing wrong per se, but it sure doesn’t seem like there’s necessarily anything right either.

I am tired of hearing about the stock market.  It’s not that I don’t care.  But I don’t care.  Please dear news broadcasters of America – tell me SOMETHING else.  I’m almost ready to hear the local body counts on the news again.

My job is so dull and uninspiring.  I am, however, sane enough to know that I should be extremely grateful to even be employed in these lovely economic times.  I am trying to be a good steward of the job I have to get to the job I want.  Pass me not o gentle Savior.

School.  Yeah, school.  I am behind.  I’ve been reading, but not enough.  Ditto for the writing.  I feel like by the time I get myself together, the semester will be over and I’ll be trying to figure out where the last 3.5 months went.

Smoochy is good.  Lovegirl is good.  For this I am eternally grateful.

What do you do when you need to shake a case of the blahs?

Monday Again? More Random Thoughts!

• I am so ashamed – I fell asleep on the debate Friday.  I had everything ready – Lovegirl was in the bed, my snacks were set out, I had my telephone in my lap . . . and before they started answering the second question, I was knocked out.  How was it?
• Did I really hear a song on the radio this weekend whose lyrics included ”she got that hottentot?”  Has anyone else heard this?  I didn’t know whether to be proud that they knew enough history to reference the Hottentot Venus in their hot mess of a song, or whether to cry.  Somebody pass the kleenex!
• Do you know how hard it is to wash sand out of a little kid’s head?  Lovegirl and I went to Wellsfest on Saturday (after the requisite Saturday bday party, of course) and that girl had the time of her life – playing in a huge pile of sand.  Who knew?  Best $4 I’ve spent in a long time – admission was free, we paid a dollar for two turns in the space jump, fifty cents to get her face painted, a dollar for a cotton candy, and two dollars for a sweet tea for moi.  Yeah, I just did the math – make that the best $4.50 I’ve spend in a long time!
• Friday is my Mom’s 60th birthday.  I have no idea what to get a woman who wants and needs for nothing.  I don’t want to get her stuff for the sake of stuff.  Any ideas?  I know y’all don’t know here, but maybe you can help me think “outside the box!”
• Darn drug rep – I did so well for breakfast this morning – a whole wheat english muffin, lightly toasted and a cup of coffee.  Then this joker shows up with free Chick Fil A – I couldn’t resist!  Not that I tried very hard . . .
• Gotta get to work.  Happy Monday everyone.  Make it a great week!!!

Bravo, BRAVO. Not!

I may not have ever revealed that I LOVE Pro.ject R.unway on the B.RAVO network.  I love this show.  I can’t sew, I don’t really care about fashion, but this is one of the two reality shows I really dig.  The other is B.iggest L.oser. 

Do y’all watch this show?  Did you see it last night?  I cannot believe they kicked Suede off the show and that little snit AKA Kenley has made it to yet another round of competition.  The challenge last night was to design an outfit based on a musical theme for one of the other designers (they drew names). 

Suede had to design a rock and roll outfit for Jerrell.  This is what he came up with:

 Now, while I do agree with the judges’ in that the outfit could’ve been wilder and more out there given the genre was rock and roll, I totally disagree with the decision to send Suede home instead of Kenley.

Kenley had to design a hip hop outfit for Leanne.  This is what she came up with: 

Seriously?  How is this hip hop?  How is this even good craftsmanship?  Look at the c.rotch on those pants.  LL Cool J was the guest judge for pete’s sake – he said it wasn’t hip hop.  If he doesn’t know, then who does???!?

If you had to eliminate one of the designers, who would you have sent home?

I can’t believe I just did a post about a reality show.  But I did!  You may now return to your regularly scheduled blogging . . .

Random Thoughts on a Monday Morning

• There has been a boat stuck (run aground?) in the Reservoir for at least 5 weeks.  It is just chillin’ in the water, up against the rocks.  Why haven’t the owners of Semper Fi II gotten that thing out of there?  Surely the insurance adjustor has come and gone by now? 
• I really had to exercise self control in the grocery store Saturday.  The cashier looked at the fruit I was purchasing and asked “are these oranges?”  Please note, these were regular, orange, navel oranges.  Not tangerines, not tangelos, kumquats, or anything “exotic.”  Regular plain oranges.  I was like “yes, those are oranges.”  Then I looked at her name tag.  I lie not – the girl’s name was Valencia.  I thought I would die laughing right there in check out lane #7.  Your name is Valencia and you’re not sure an orange is an orange.  Priceless!
• It’s almost time for my China trip.  I AM SO EXCITED!!!  I hope Lovegirl and Smoochy make it for two weeks on their own.   Since Smoochy has been driving trucks, he’s a little removed from the day-to-day household activities.  Should be interesting . . . I’m sure Lovegirl will keep him on the right track.  Or totally lead him down the wrong path.
• Tailgating me does not make me go faster.  It produces the opposite effect.  If I’m in the left land, and I look in my rearview mirror and see you coming up quickly, I will change into the right lane.  If however, you are so close that I think your windshield wiper is my rear windshield wiper and I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to turn my wiper off  and figure out how it was turned on in the first place before realizing you are just that close to me – I will become passively aggressively enraged and refuse to move, speed up, or anything else that you would like me to do. I’m just saying.
• I hope they take pictures at school this year.  They are ridiculously overpriced, but the thought of my having to wrestle with Lovegirl to be still, be quiet, and generate a genuine smile at the local W Mart picture studio made the cost well worth it last year.
• It’s Fall Y’all – my favorite time of the year!  The fair will be here Wednesday, the temperatures are falling, and the big 3-6 is right around the corner.  Love it!

That’s it.  I hope y’all had a great weekend and have a great week ahead.

So, What Did You Do This Weekend?

As you may know, last Monday was Lovegirl’s 4th birthday.  We officially celebrated on Saturday with a small party at the other House of Mouse – Chuck E. Cheese’s.  I think – and hope – that a good time was had by all.  I know that Lovegirl had a great time – she’s quite the party girl you know.

You may not know – and how would you – that on Saturday morning I did something I never thought I’d do again.  I took someone to the clinic to have an abortion performed.  I did it twice in college (took someone, not had one) and just thought those days were behind me.  After all, we’re grown women.  Married, in committed relationships, etc., etc., etc . . . .

My feelings about abortion are conflicted.  I don’t think that I could ever have one.  I say think because I’ve never been in a situation where I had to even remotely contemplate what I would do with a pregnancy.  I think abortion is wrong.  However, I understand why lots of women choose to have them and I don’t condemn their choice.  As far as I’m concerned that is between them, their consciences and God.  I do not believe that Roe v. Wade should be overturned. 

The person I took had already made up their mind to have the procedure and she needed a ride.  The father was against the procedure, didn’t want her to have it, she didn’t want to deal with the emotions of him going with her.  She didn’t want her business all out in the streets, so I’m the only other person she told.  She asked for a ride and I told her I’d give her one.

So, OG (ole girl) made it to my house around 6:15 Saturday morning and off to the clinic we headed.  Did I mention that I had my child in the car?  Smoochy hadn’t made it home, so I just told Lovegirl that we were taking OG to the doctor and left it at that.  Which would’ve been fine, had there not been protesters outside the clinic.  How I managed to forget about them, I don’t know, but I did.  I’ve got to say, as far as protesters go, they were a pretty mild bunch – as middle and upper class protesters are wont to be.  They yelled and chanted at me as I went in to sign that I’d be back to pick OG up.  They yelled and chanted at OG and Lovegirl as they waited in the car, and they yelled and chanted at OG as she walked inside.  Alone.  To have an abortion. 

Lovegirl and I headed to the house to clean up, chill out, and play before her 2:30 party.  OG was to call me to pick her up when she was done.  Phone rang around 11, and back to the clinic we headed.  About halfway there Lovegirl says “Mama, I don’t think those people were happy with OG.  They asked her if she would kill me if I was two.”  Well hot damn.  I knew my kid was observant and listens to everything, but somehow I’d fooled myself into thinking that she would not hear/pay attention to anything that early in the morning.  I was wrong and felt like crap on a stick – those are not the types of thoughts I want floating around in her head at the ripe old age of 4.  I told her that she probably didn’t hear them right and I didn’t think they were mad at OG at all.  I think (hope) she bought it.  And then I called my sister-in-law to see if she’d keep Lovegirl for a hot second.  She agreed.  I called OG to see if the protesters were still there.  They weren’t.  I called sis-in-law and told her never mind, but thanks. 

Picked OG up, headed back to the house.  What made either one of us think she’d be able to drive home that soon I don’t know.  I called Smoochy – who still hadn’t made it home – and told him that OG would be in the guest room sleep.  I insisted that OG lay down.  She was still sleep when we left for Lovegirl’s party.  She woke up and left shortly thereafter.  Sent me a text message to let me know she’d made it home safely.

I was mentally spent.  But, still had a birthday to celebrate.  So on we partied.  Celebrating one life while another would never be realized.

If you have something to say about abortion – pro or con, any experiences you may have had, what you think will happen when the new regime occupies the White House,  etc., etc., – please feel free to leave a comment, anon if you like.  If you’re going to be ignit, don’t bother.  I don’t think any of my readers are, but just in case a newbie makes his/her way here . . . consider yourself forewarned.

Help me!

Nurse at pediatrician’s office:  Hey sweetie, how have you been?
Lovegirl:  My name is not sweetie.  My name is Lovegirl Middle Name Last Name.  But you can call me Lovegirl, okay?

*******

Doctor:  Can she read?
Lovegirl:  Yes, I can.
Nerd Girl:  No, not yet.
Lovegirl:  Yes, I can.  I read every night.  Doctor, why are you asking my mama and not me?  I know what I can do.

******

Nerd Girl:  How was school today?
Lovegirl:  Oh, it was great, today was chapel.
Nerd Girl:  What did you all do in chapel?
Lovegirl:  We sang “Father Abraham.”
Nerd Girl (singing):  Father Abraham has many sons, and many sons has Father Abraham . . .
Lovegirl (interrupting):  Mama, I told them we need new song.  I am not a son.  I’m a daughter!

Seriously, a smart mouth is not a good look on an almost 36 year old woman (ahem!), it definitely doesn’t go well with a newly minted 4 year old.  I don’t discipline her though, because she’s right,  and honestly,  I think it is funny.   But I don’t want her to continue – at this rate, no one will talk to her by the time she’s five.  Any suggestions on how to get her to soften her delivery?  Are y’alls children – by birth or otherwise – like this??

Lend Me Your Ear

Just listen.

One of the things that I struggle with on an almost daily basis is that I have a tendency – a strong tendency – not to listen.  I may be bored, distracted, acting silly, multi-tasking, etc., etc., and miss the gist of a whole conversation.  Sometimes on the telephone with a particularly long-winded friend, I fall asleep, wake up and say “uh, huh”, and carry on like I have an idea of what she’s been chattering about for the last few minutes.  Wrong, I know.

Last night I was in class texting my friends/family asking them to send me funny texts to keep me amused.  I should’ve been listening.  To the instructor.  Who was giving very detailed instructions about our term paper.

I have been married to Smoochy for 9 years, we dated for almost 6 years.  I am often at a loss when it comes to gift ideas for him.  I have a strong suspicion that if I were more in-tune to small conversations we have throughout the year, he would not receive as many gift cards from me as he does.

I sometimes, okay often, question whether or not God is answering my prayers, if He’s guiding me, if I am doing the things that He would have me to do.  Again, if I were listening . . .

I am going to work on my listening skills. I’ve pulled some tips that I (and maybe you??) will use to hone my skills:

• Listen carefully so that you will be able to understand, comprehend, and evaluate. Careful listening will require a conscious effort on your part. You must be aware of the verbal and nonverbal messages (reading between the lines).
• You can’t hear if YOU do all the talking. Don’t talk too much.
• Avoid stereotyping individuals by making assumptions about how you expect them to act. This will bias your listening. (http://www.coping.org/dialogue/listen.htm)

Also: 

• Formula for handling people: 1. Listen to the other person’s story. 2. Listen to the other person’s full story. 3. Listen to the other person’s full story first.  (Gen. George Marshall, Bits & Pieces, April, 1991)

And finally:

• I will listen to what God the Lord will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints – but let them not return to folly. (Psalms 85:8)

Happy listening y’all!!  If you hear something good, let me know!

Happy Birthday Lovegirl!

Birthday morning pic

Four years ago today, I gave birth to my life’s greatest joy.  Like any first time parent, I didn’t know what to expect, but was definitely looking forward to our lives together.

Four years later, I can definitely say that God has blessed us with one of the best kids ever!  Lovegirl is funny, she’s sarcastic (wonder where she got that??), she’s smart as a whip, she is loving, she’s full of energy, most days she’s rather eat broccoli than an oreo (I know, right?), she loves music – from the partying shenanigans of her back yard friends the B.ackyardigans to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to Fred H.ammond, to B.eyonce and C.iara – she loves it all. 

Right now she’s obsessed with speaking Spanish.  If you do something for her, be prepared to hear “gracias,” and if she does something for you, you’ll definitely hear “de nada.”  She also likes to toss out “pardone” and “con permiso” on occasion.  She’s can count from uno to diez and is working on once to viente.  Her writing is coming along pretty well – she can write her name, but doesn’t like to write the letter “k” and will tell me “I saved the K for you Mama – sharing is caring.”  Umm yeah, you little con artist. 

She brings joy every day.

This has been the best 48 months of my life.  Thank you God for putting Lovegirl in our lives.

Happy Birthday Mama’s Baby Big Girl!!!

What?  Doesn’t everyone play in shaving cream while wearing a purple pom pom headband?

To brush or not to brush?  She brushed (eventually)!

My future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades!

Mama’s meatloaf – gotta love it!  The okra?  Not so much.

Dear Bell South/AT&T

I suspended my internet because my computer is on the fritz.  You assured me that I could keep my email address.  You lied!  All of my email is gone, gone, gone.  I’m not as upset about the contents of the emails being gone as I am about not having email addresses for people that I keep in touch with solely via email.  Bell South/AT&T – you suck!

Hey Y’all!

Happy Tuesday morning!

Thanks for all of the well wishes.  Bless God, Hurricane Gustav did little more around here than make it a gloomy, rainy weekend.  I am ever so grateful that we didn’t get any storm damage, a repeat of Katrina, etc., etc.

Lovegirl was not so pleased with Gustav’s appearance, no matter how trite.  She was scheduled to attend a birthday party on Monday which was cancelled.  Try explaining that one to an almost four year old.  “That’s right sweetie, no birthday party because of the weather.”  “Mama, it is not even raining.  Let’s go!” 

Classes started last week.  I think I’m going to enjoy the program, but it is going to take me a minute to get my mind right – papers, and tests, and lit reviews – oh joy!

My home computer is dead, and until it is fixed, I’ll be posting strictly from work.  During lunch hours only.  Of course.  *Cough, cough.*  So please forgive the frequency – or lack of – posts for the next few days.  Weeks?

Be well.  Have a great week!!