Halloween was not too exciting at this end of town. We manned the door until 6 p.m., then met ChoirFriend and her dad for pizza. We ended the night eating Schwan's ice cream bars while admiring ChoirFriend's fabulous new red couches.
I had this really great idea. I would take a look at October, and then summarize how it went. Except, when I went to look at the past month's posts, I found this entry. Crap. Apparently I did this last month, and posted some goals... that I quickly forgot about.
I had stated that I wanted to:
1) Pack my lunch three times per week. I had a good start, but it fell apart after Fall Break. I have definitely improved in this area, though. I don't eat out as much, and when I do my choices are consciously more healthy and/or more economical.
2) Do my back exercises daily, for at least 10 minutes. Yeah, I haven't been doing them at all.
3) Minimum of 7 hours of sleep every night. Fail.
4) Think about any calendar event for 24 hours before adding it. While I am still overscheduled, I am more aware of the choices I make and how it will affect me. I generally don't get asked to do things on short notice anymore, thus avoiding the knee-jerk reaction of "yes, I can do that!" I realize I cannot add any more events to my schedule, and routinely delete or decline invitations.
5) Spend time with teenager during Homecoming, visit SweetNiece, and eat ice cream with ChoirFriend. I did spend time with the teenager during Homecoming, I did visit SweetNiece for her baptism, and tonight I ate ice cream (bars) with ChoirFriend! Woohoo! CHECK!
I did not invest in sleep or exercise, and I am feeling emotionally drained and fat. UGH. The month had some definite high points, but the past week has been pretty rough. I'm searching for the secret recipe to feeling good about how I spend my time. From October, I learned I need to return home earlier from long weekends to avoid a week's worth of catching up; that I need to "let things go" that I can't (or shouldn't) control; that my way isn't the only way (or the best way); and that I have really really good friends and family in my life.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Scariest Pumpkin Ever
Earlier this month, Daughter needed a pumpkin to carve at an activity group she attends twice a month. We sent her with a whole pumpkin, imagining she would return with a jack-o-lantern of some kind, whether painted or carved. She returned with a hallowed-out pumpkin with a one big hole in the middle. To her credit, Daughter had drawn eyes on with a sharpie, so it looked like a pumpkin with a HUGE-open-mouth smile. This past month Husband and I have been making the pumpkin face to each other - you simply open up your mouth as big as you possible can in a smile and close your eyes, often tipping your head back. It's our scary face.
The warm days and nights have not been good to Smiles. Black mold is slowly eating him, and the rain of the past few days filled him up. Smiles' dignity officially disappeared when his stem hat fell into his head and floated pathetically on the small pool of water within.
Husband and I are horribly frightened of Smiles. Neither of us wants to touch the dang thing, much less figure out how to dispose of him. The combination of the mold and the sitting water is decomposing Smiles at an alarming rate. A nice hard freeze would take care of the mushy water situation. But everyone knows jack-o-lanterns past Halloween are horribly tacky, and I'm afraid the level of freeze needed to keep Smiles in one solid piece isn't coming for another week or two.
*shudder* I am afraid. Very Afraid.
The warm days and nights have not been good to Smiles. Black mold is slowly eating him, and the rain of the past few days filled him up. Smiles' dignity officially disappeared when his stem hat fell into his head and floated pathetically on the small pool of water within. Husband and I are horribly frightened of Smiles. Neither of us wants to touch the dang thing, much less figure out how to dispose of him. The combination of the mold and the sitting water is decomposing Smiles at an alarming rate. A nice hard freeze would take care of the mushy water situation. But everyone knows jack-o-lanterns past Halloween are horribly tacky, and I'm afraid the level of freeze needed to keep Smiles in one solid piece isn't coming for another week or two.
*shudder* I am afraid. Very Afraid.
Friday, October 29, 2010
When It Rains...
When it rains, it pours.
This week has been full of relational woes. More specifically, I am involved in intensive relationship repair with some precious people in my life.
I am stuck in some unhealthy relationship cycles. It goes like this: my actions produce a response in you, and your subsequent actions produce a response in me, and the cycle goes on and on. Sometimes the cycle is good. For example, I give Mocha a treat when we come inside after she does her doggy business. Good cycle. But the cycle can also be bad. I nag at the teenager when he doesn't do the dishes, and he retaliates by putting them off longer, and I nag more, and he puts off doing them longer. Bad cycle.
Breaking unhealthy cycles of interaction are challenging when the interaction has become a habitual way of interacting, and the interaction occurs on a regular basis. How long can relationships withstand unhealthy, terminal cycles? Recognizing I can only control my own actions, how do I help my counterparts break the cycle? Right now, my unhealthy relationship cycles leave both of us feeling hurt, attacked and helpless to change. Neither of us wants the other to feel bad, but cycles are hard to break. One cycle I will share is my tendency to over-schedule my life. I get too busy, which leads to general relationship neglect, which leads to scheduling of dates to fix the relationships, which leads to more over-scheduling... the cycle continues, with me constantly putting out fires with people who feel neglected!
While it seems like the relational explosion at issue this week came "out of nowhere," it is more accurate that the hurt cycle has been quietly turning beneath the surface for weeks, months, years. One cycle, like one rain drop, isn't such a big deal - but a ga-jillion rain drops is a messy, painful flood. Honestly, I didn't see it coming! But hindsight is truly 20/20, and looking back I see signs that should have alerted me of the relational tension: the growing and almost constant guilt, the lack of communication, and the feelings of total exhaustion.
On one hand, I am blessed with large amounts of family, friends and special communities of people. The downside is that I give too much of myself away to these wonderful people in my life. I am resentful because there isn't much of me leftover after I've helped everyone I need to help, everyone I want to help, and everyone I feel compelled to help. But what is the limit? What is the extent of what I can give? When is it OK to sacrifice for Me?
border="0" alt="Hit Counters">
Web Site Hit Counters
This week has been full of relational woes. More specifically, I am involved in intensive relationship repair with some precious people in my life.
I am stuck in some unhealthy relationship cycles. It goes like this: my actions produce a response in you, and your subsequent actions produce a response in me, and the cycle goes on and on. Sometimes the cycle is good. For example, I give Mocha a treat when we come inside after she does her doggy business. Good cycle. But the cycle can also be bad. I nag at the teenager when he doesn't do the dishes, and he retaliates by putting them off longer, and I nag more, and he puts off doing them longer. Bad cycle.
Breaking unhealthy cycles of interaction are challenging when the interaction has become a habitual way of interacting, and the interaction occurs on a regular basis. How long can relationships withstand unhealthy, terminal cycles? Recognizing I can only control my own actions, how do I help my counterparts break the cycle? Right now, my unhealthy relationship cycles leave both of us feeling hurt, attacked and helpless to change. Neither of us wants the other to feel bad, but cycles are hard to break. One cycle I will share is my tendency to over-schedule my life. I get too busy, which leads to general relationship neglect, which leads to scheduling of dates to fix the relationships, which leads to more over-scheduling... the cycle continues, with me constantly putting out fires with people who feel neglected!
While it seems like the relational explosion at issue this week came "out of nowhere," it is more accurate that the hurt cycle has been quietly turning beneath the surface for weeks, months, years. One cycle, like one rain drop, isn't such a big deal - but a ga-jillion rain drops is a messy, painful flood. Honestly, I didn't see it coming! But hindsight is truly 20/20, and looking back I see signs that should have alerted me of the relational tension: the growing and almost constant guilt, the lack of communication, and the feelings of total exhaustion.
On one hand, I am blessed with large amounts of family, friends and special communities of people. The downside is that I give too much of myself away to these wonderful people in my life. I am resentful because there isn't much of me leftover after I've helped everyone I need to help, everyone I want to help, and everyone I feel compelled to help. But what is the limit? What is the extent of what I can give? When is it OK to sacrifice for Me?
border="0" alt="Hit Counters">Web Site Hit Counters
Plant Killer
I hate plants. I love you SuperSaver. But I hate plants. And I'm not quite sure why you keep giving them to me!
By "hate" I mean I like to look at plants, but hate giving them any special time or treatment. Only the strongest plants survive here. I don't water very often - generally I wait for plants' leaves to droop - and I don't have people come take care of my plants when I am gone, no matter how long. I don't give them special food and I don't repot them.
We only have (er, had) four plants: the two from SuperSaver were a jade plant, and a peace lily from my Grandpa's funeral. The other two include a super-hefty plant in a planter Daughter brought home three years ago, and a venus fly trap from the teenager's "Little Shop of Horrors" musical last year.
I told Husband I wanted to get rid of the jade plant and Daughter's plant. He asked me why, it's not like I took time to water them or anything. Hmph. He's got a point, I don't really do anything for those two (they don't droop like the peace lily), I'm not sure how they survive, but they clutter up the top of the microwave!
Then fate gave me my "out." I closed the dishwasher a little too hard the other day, and the jade plant came tumbling down from the microwave (which sits on the dishwasher). Haha! The pot (an old coffee cup with the handle broken off) broke into pieces, Daughter and I paused for a moment and stared, and then I swept it all up into the garbage. Only three left before I can live plant-free...
Today, I visit my two Supers, and SuperSaver gives me another plant.
This time, it was flowers, and I do like them... but apparently my subconscious killer tendencies are on high alert. I tried to leave the flowers with SuperDuper (we were at her house) because they might freeze in the car, but both gave me such disparaging looks and told me it was NOT cold enough for the flowers to freeze. So I put the flower arrangement on the passenger side floor and drove away.
When I got home, I picked up the plant and realized it was all crunchy... I had the heater on and it had blown directly on the flowers. Half of them were totally dried out. Oh SuperSaver, I'm sorry I'm such an epic fail at taking care of living things... but please, feel free to leave your baby (due in March!) with me anytime.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Does Wonder Woman Wear Elastic Belts?
My youngest sister, Famous Diva, is in her early twenties. She is still relatively wild and crazy, but she's slowing down a bit. For example, she is considering the grown-up decision of whether to buy a house! Another example of her fading partying years lies in this year's Halloween costume.
This year, she had aspirations of going as Wonder Woman. She found a costume and tried it on. Everything looked fabulous.
Until she put on the belt.
The velcro belt went on easily enough. But one step forward and *SCWING!* the belt went flying forwards off of her body with enough speed to take out a small child. FamousDiva was not be deterred. She put the belt on again, and carefully and slowly tried to make a move. *SCWING!*
An old person, like say me, would take this as a sign that perhaps I am no longer Wonder-Woman-Worthy. But not FamousDiva. With mother's support, she plans to alter the belt so it has an elastic extender in the back. At least she has the good sense to laugh at herself: a svelte and sexy Wonder Woman with an elastic extender to protect small children from the deadly belt-projectile!
Trick or Treat, FamousDiva?
This year, she had aspirations of going as Wonder Woman. She found a costume and tried it on. Everything looked fabulous.
Until she put on the belt.
The velcro belt went on easily enough. But one step forward and *SCWING!* the belt went flying forwards off of her body with enough speed to take out a small child. FamousDiva was not be deterred. She put the belt on again, and carefully and slowly tried to make a move. *SCWING!*
An old person, like say me, would take this as a sign that perhaps I am no longer Wonder-Woman-Worthy. But not FamousDiva. With mother's support, she plans to alter the belt so it has an elastic extender in the back. At least she has the good sense to laugh at herself: a svelte and sexy Wonder Woman with an elastic extender to protect small children from the deadly belt-projectile!
Trick or Treat, FamousDiva?
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