Category Archives: random

August 29, 2014 · 9:01 AM

A (Sort Of) Weekend Getaway

I’ve always wanted to go to Seattle. We’ve lived in Arizona for going on nine years now, and it somehow seemed more likely that I’d finally get to go. Arizona’s on the same side of the country at least. But nope. We’ve driven back across to the east coast twice now. Gone to Florida. Gone to Chicago. Went to the San Francisco area once, San Diego a handful of times.

But no Seattle.

Well, because life is funny and ironic (and/or because God has a sense of humor), the husband and I are going on a last-minute trip to Seattle tomorrow, in the midst of a million other things that we have going on …. and we’re going to be there exactly long enough to sign all the paper work and pick up a car we just bought, and get in said car to begin the 20+ hour drive home. No more, no less. My first instinct was to have it shipped, because it wasn’t a super great time for a road trip – even from someplace fun like Seattle – but it turns out that having it shipped would cost a good $500 more than flying up and driving it home ourselves.

So, yay?

My new ride. Tegan has already named it Cinnamon.

It’ll be a little adventure, and adventures are always a good thing. And I DO get to see Seattle, however briefly. Mostly though, I’m happy that once we get the new car home we can put this particular stress to rest, and get on with our lives. Ever since the accident, and all the accompanying…. stuff… to take care of, I have felt completely tapped out. The final little placement on the house of cards that made the whole thing crumble.

Now though, I’ll be able to cross something big off that ever-present cosmic to-do list, and move on to the next: In this case, tying up the 345 loose ends for the conference that is coming in less than four weeks, whether we’re ready or not; and getting my surgery scheduled for October so I can start praying that the second time is the charm.

And so it goes.

I came across this quote this morning, and found it rather perfect:

Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path, and you will find you have crossed the mountain. ~ Author unknown

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Filed under adventures, life, random

August 25, 2014 · 10:22 AM

Out and About On The Interwebs

And another Monday… after a busy weekend tying up loose conference ends, running errands, and taking an evening out to join some other Rattlers fans at a local sports pub to watch the Arena Bowl (Yay Rattlers for a blowout game leading to a Championship three-peat!).

This morning is a lazy morning: drinking coffee, watching a movie with the girl, and getting caught up on all my reading.

Here are a few things that have caught my attention:

~ Several of you have tagged me and/or sent me this video of a dad running over his teenage son’s video games with his lawn tractor. I feel like it’d be really redundant of me to even voice my opinion. You all know what it is. Connect with your kids; COMMUNICATE with your kids. Don’t destroy any hope you ever had of a meaningful relationship with your kids.

~ This is just…. I don’t know what to do with this. I grew up in a very very different time (which sounds weird, because I’m 40, not 80) Should it really be this different now? You can’t even write a story? About a DINOSAUR? Things are crazy out there.

~ This photographer took a bunch of nude (and innocent) pictures of his toddler daughter, and the internet exploded. I don’t know that I would have shared them, but there is NOTHING wrong with the pictures themselves. My kids are generally naked for at least the first five years of their lives. At six, Tegan is still in various stages of undress for a vast majority of the day.

~ I didn’t do the ALS ice bucket challenge. Yes, awareness is important. Yes, giving to causes that you believe in is important (and I do, frequently). I wasn’t a super fan of this one though, for a few different reasons, but mainly because I was disappointed in how very very many people who posted videos of themselves doing the challenge didn’t give a link, or even mention why they were doing it. It turns into something else at that point. I eventually stopped watching the videos, but I did like this.

~ And finally, I just really liked this blog post. It’s a conversation that needs to continue: “However, the words most commonly associated with Christians – even by other Christians! – were ‘judgmental’ and ‘hypocrites.’ If we’re to be the body of Christ in the world, and in so much as Jesus is the embodiment of the God of our understanding, then we have some work to do.”

Happy Monday, friends!

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Filed under links, random

February 4, 2014 · 8:29 AM

sick days and links

I spent yesterday in bed, caught by what was either the kids’ flu, or my body’s way of telling me, “Woman! Rest! Here, have some body aches and chills and nausea, in case you get any wild ideas about not listening.”

So I rested, watched Party of Five re-runs until I was sick of them (waists were really high in 1994), and let my beautiful 9 year old bring me mug after mug of tea. As a side note, if you’re looking for a single-cup coffee maker, skip the Keurig. The Bunn MCU changed. my. life.

I also, when I wasn’t dozing off, got all caught up on my interwebs reading. Here’s a list of some of the best things to grace my screen this week:

perspective, attitude, and poop – This changed my life too, mainly because I’m forever more going to amuse myself by thinking that the person who’s being awful to me must just be really constipated. A good reminder to keep our perspective.

The Tiger Mother: race, success, and lessons on the wrong thing – I’m not sure when I stumbled onto this blog, but it’s lovely and interesting. This was a very unschooly perspective on what’s truly important in life (from someone who’s neither a mother nor an unschooler)

A Note About Philip Seymour Hoffman: Addiction is Not Selfish – I was sad that such a talented actor lost his battle with addiction this week. I found this to be a good reminder of what addiction is, and is not.

Russell Brand: my life without drugs – And so was this, in a very intimate, up-close and personal way.

Online Connections: Do They Count? – Spoiler alert: Yes, yes they do!

I Don’t Have to Be a Mom if I Don’t Want to – An important read if you’ve ever had one of those days when you just want to run away from it all. Warning: Liberal use of the F word 🙂

13 Examples of People Being Awesome in the Middle of the Atlanta Traffic Jam – To restore your faith in humanity. Because, kindness.

And finally, since I shared about depression the last time I wrote, here’s a little animation that does a great job explaining what it’s like, with a hopeful message of recovery as well.

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

4 Comments

Filed under links, random

January 10, 2014 · 7:00 AM

40 For 40

Today, I turn 40.

This is 40

I haven’t done New Year’s resolutions for a long time (although some of what follows will definitely sound resolution-ish) but I do so love a list of goals. This year, as I approached 40 and my brain started tickling with all the new things I wanted to experience this year, I decided that a “40 for 40” list was in order.

It’s a year of celebrating me. Of self-care. Of creativity. Of honoring the 40 years I’ve been on this planet. 40 years is a long time, and yet…. God willing, sooo much life still ahead of me! So much to do and see and try and taste and experience.

40 is also the year that I let go of the last few holds of perfectionism. The need to DO ALL THE THINGS, and do them all “right.” To that end, if I don’t do something on the list, it’s okay! If I decide I don’t want to do something after all, that’s okay too. Maybe it’ll get added to the 41 for 41 list. Or maybe it’ll get replaced with something even better. I have no doubt that it will all work out exactly the way it’s supposed to.

And without further ado, my list (and my commentary):

~~Start gauging my ears~~ – Mainly because it’s just something I always wanted to try. So I did, a week ago today. I’m a tiny little 14 gauge right now, and plan to go up to 0.
~~Get another tattoo~~ – That’s done too! Thanks to my lovely friend Erika coming to visit at the last minute. Tattoos are always better when you go with a buddy! It made tattoo #5.
~~Take a karate class~~ – Another thing I always wanted to do. My class started on Wednesday. It is fun and fast paced, and so much harder than I thought it would be! It made me feel so clumsy and uncoordinated, it’s amazing I can put my own pants on in the morning. I was telling my sister, who is taking the class with me, that it’s a good thing I waited till now to take it. The old me would have been too intimidated, too embarrassed to go back after my muddled first attempt… but the current me is shouting, “YEAH! A challenge!!” I can’t wait to learn more!
Go back to school – I’ve taken various classes over the past several years, took a nutrition program, earned my RYT to teach yoga, etc. Earning a degree has never held any importance for me (and it still doesn’t), but ASU recently expanded their online offerings, and I found something called Healthy Lifestyle Coaching which combines fitness, nutrition, yoga, anatomy… all those things I get super geeked about, all in one major. And well, given the fact that I get a ridiculous discount since Mike works for them, I just couldn’t NOT do it.
Put on a successful conference – I’m not gonna lie. I’m nervous. Possibly as nervous as I’ve ever been about anything.
Draw something. Hang it on my wall. – I took art classes all through high school, and a few in college. I liked painting, but I loved drawing and sketching. Pencil, charcoal, pen and ink… loved. I’ve missed it.
Knit a project from start to finish – I taught myself to knit a few years ago, but got bored before I actually completed anything. Thought it’d be fun to pick it up again.
Get back into doing a handstand – even if it’s against a wall. My shoulder’s ready. And,
Learn the scorpion pose – They worked on this a bit when I was in my teacher training a year and a half ago, but my shoulder injury dictated that I sit it out. 🙁 Fast forward through surgery, and a L O N G recovery, and I was never able to work on it. I’m ready for that now, too.
Sit down at the piano, and practice and learn a new song – One song, any song. And not just the intro.
Get back down to my drivers license weight – Okay, so, I am the first person to tell you to ignore the scale, don’t focus on numbers… that you should gauge your progress by how you feel, how strong you are, how your clothes fit, etc. But. There’s something powerful about having a specific, concrete goal (such as do x number of pushups, or run x number of miles) rather than a general, “get healthy.” Well, too many pushups blow out my shoulder. I only run when chased. But I can control my weight. Some of the 20 or so pounds I’ve put on over the past few years are due to a changing metabolism for sure… but much was also due to injury, depression, less activity, ::cough:: too much alcohol, and just plain not taking care of myself the way I should. I won’t beat myself up about the past. My body has – mostly – served me well exactly the way it is. But I’m ready to do something else with it now.
Finish my parenting book – It’s time.
Take myself on a date to the movies – Once upon a time, I would have been way too self-conscious and embarrassed to do something like that by myself. But last year, I accompanied Mike on a trip to Chicago for business, and needed to keep myself occupied when he was busy at his conference. I went to two movies by myself, and I LOVED IT. Seriously loved it. Like, “Why on earth haven’t I been doing this all along??” loved it. So I need to do it again.
Spend an afternoon drinking coffee and wandering around Barnes and Noble – Because books. And coffee.
Re-read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – I was in my early 20’s the first time I read it, and am curious how my 40 year old self will relate in comparison.
Read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking – I’ve only fully embraced my introvert self in the past few years, and have been recommended this book over and over.
Read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Just because everyone’s always shocked that I’ve never read it. So I put it on my “see what the fuss is about” list.
Paint a picture – Hang it on the wall, with my drawing.
Take an overnight trip by myself – I just need to decide who I’m going to visit!
Take an aerial silk class – Because it’s awesome
Learn how to make a really good homemade pad thai – Because it’s delicious
Get some new eye makeup and learn how to use it – I’m 40, and have no idea how to use makeup. I’ve been a mascara and lipgloss girl forever, if I can be bothered to use that much.
Spend a day at the zoo, just to take pictures – my favorite place to play with the zoom
Get rid of all my clothes I don’t love/don’t fit – My drawers are stuffed, and I wear just a few favorite things. This makes no sense?
Hike at least 20 new spots in the valley – It’s sort of criminal that I live here, surrounded by all these great views and hiking trails, and I barely venture out of the house unless it’s in the truck to go off-roading. And, bonus, this is one my family can enjoy with me.
Make a blogging schedule, and stick to it… whether it’s once a week, every day, etc – I try to give up blogging sometimes, but it keeps calling me back…
*Don’t* do Nano, and feel good about skipping it – For the past 4 years, November has meant I was writing like a crazy woman, trying to get in my 50,000 word novel before the month ended. I loved it and hated it and got a lot out of it… but this year I’m focused on other things.
Go to a concert – Christina Perri is coming to Tempe. I’m a little bit obsessed with her.
Sew something – Finish it.
Make myself a chain mail necklace and/or bracelet – So far I’ve only made them as gifts, but I really love doing it.
Aim to do yoga *every* day… but feel no guilt if I skip it – I need to do this if I’m going to be successful at #8 and #9
~~Go back to a paper planner, and do this with it.~~ – I’m on week two so far, and loving it!
Actually cook/bake/create some of the things I’ve pinned on Pinterest – Because there’s too many cool/delicious/fun things on there to let them just languish away on the interwebs.
Get Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese and work my way through it – Don’t care that’s it’s all carbs and dairy. Sigh. Garrett of Vanilla Garlic. I’m a little bit obsessed with him too.
Get some Earth Boxes and grow some vegetables. Try not to kill them – I’m sadly the only one in the family who was not blessed with a green thumb. I kill Christmas cactuses. I kill things that are supposed to be impossible to kill. I’m not going to get crazy, but ~~surely~~ maybe I can grow some tomatoes.
Do the purging challenge at least for one month http://www.theminimalists.com/game/ – DO IT.
Take the Personal Trainer test – I’ve had the book for at least a couple of years now. I just need to study it.
Find a really perfect pair of jeans and a really perfect hoodie – Everyone should have jeans and a hoodie that they really love and feel great in. I don’t currently have any that fit that criteria. 🙁
Ditto for a skirt – I’m not a skirt person. But I think it’d be fun to be one sometimes.
Pay off one credit card – Because, ugh. Enough already.

And there’s my list. Phew. I can’t wait to cross the next thing off! Happy birthday to me.

5 Comments

Filed under about me, birthdays, dreams, goals, learning, life, random, self image

September 11, 2013 · 9:13 AM

Science Experiment: Make a Naked Egg

A super super easy experiment that you can do with two things you probably already have in your kitchen. My kids liked it so much, as soon as they finished with the first one, they immediately started another.

1. Take a raw egg, and place it in a cup.

2. Cover it with vinegar. We used apple cider vinegar the first time, and regular white vinegar the second time. Both worked fine.

3. Cover the cup (we used plastic wrap held on with a rubber band) and stick it in the fridge. Check it every day and give it a swirl. You can change out the vinegar too, if it gets too yucky.

After a few days, the shell is completely dissolved, and the egg is held together by nothing but its tough membrane:

It is still raw inside, but it is strong and rubbery. You can even bounce it a bit on the counter (if you’re gentle) It’s also very swollen, because with the shell gone, it absorbs much of the liquid it’s been sitting in.

For even more fun, stick it back in the cup with some food coloring and water, and let it sit overnight.

And for EXTRA fun, be sure to do what my kids did, and pop it with a fork to examine its insides when you’re done.

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Filed under random, science

August 12, 2013 · 10:00 AM

Monday Odds and Ends

It seems like an “Odds and Ends” post should go at the end of the week, not the beginning, doesn’t it? But nevertheless, it’s a Monday, and my brain is filled with odds and ends. 🙂 I literally don’t think I could blog about anything else until I purge these unrelated thoughts. So, in no particular order:

1. Is anyone interested in an Q&A post? I know I already have a parenting FAQ and unschooling FAQ, but I get so many emails with questions that haven’t been asked yet, or asked in different ways, and thought it might be cool to do a semi-regular Q&A post addressing some of them, since others probably have the same questions. So if you have questions (about unschooling, parenting, me, the blog, etc) send em!

2. I’ve been a little distracted by a couple of projects I’ve been working on… one to be announced in a month or two, and another probably not till closer to the end of the year. I’m excited about them, and I think some of you will be too. 🙂 But blog posts have been sparse in the mean time, which is why you need to be on my Facebook page!

3. I keep seeing lots of back-to-school posts. I pretty much ignore the existence of the “school year” (except for the fact that the parks, museums, etc get a whole lot busier during the summer), but I’m always reminded at this time of year. I am very happy to once again be making a conscious decision to opt out. Spencer is 16 now, so this is our… tenth? eleventh? time of doing so? Whatever it is, we’re still completely and blissfully happy with our choice.

4. This article, by Matt Walsh, about attitudes towards public breastfeeding was just about the best thing I read all week.

Have a great Monday, and stay tuned for a “real” blog post later in the week. 🙂

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Filed under random

June 22, 2013 · 6:00 AM

10 Really Nice Things About Facebook

My first Facebook profile picture. May 2008.

Almost immediately after posting my 10 Things That Drive Me Crazy About Facebook post, I thought, “Since it’s a love/hate relationship, isn’t it only fair that I post the “love” side as well?” Otherwise, I’m only telling half the story. Here then, in no particular order, are my ten most favorite things about Facebook, and the reasons that I keep sticking around, duck faces and all.

1. It helps me find my “people.” I don’t fit in in a lot of places. To be more accurate, I don’t fit in most places. But thanks to groups and pages on Facebook, I’ve been able to find other people who get it. People who get what it’s like to be a Christian who’s judged by other Christians for not being a conservative Republican (or really, for not being a conservative anything). People who get what it’s like to be very much alone in most Christian circles for things like being a strong advocate of gay marriage. People who get not just unschooling, but radical unschooling. People who get gentle parenting, and people who get the difference between gentle parenting and permissive parenting. People who get and accept ME… in all my weird, perfectly imperfect, God-loving, life-learning, free-thinking, system-bucking glory.

2. It’s reconnected me with people from my past. Whenever I think of my past, it’s with a strange sort of disconnection. It’s not that I had a bad childhood or adolescence (I didn’t, at all), it’s just that I always felt like more of a passive observer than an active participant. I didn’t know who I was, or what I was doing, or what I wanted really. Since I barely understood myself, my connections with others were… limited. So it’s been really really cool to reconnect with people from my past… from old high school classmates (some of whom I barely knew), to people I used to go to church with, to relatives I haven’t seen for 30 years… and to be able to get to know them through newly found adult perspective and experiences.

3. It’s an introvert’s dream mode of communication. Seriously. I get to decide who’s at the party that is Facebook. I can make people go away with one little click of a button. I get to decide how often I check in, and when, and for what purpose. If I’ve had enough, all I have to do is close my laptop. I can sit back and just listen and watch and observe as much as I want, and I only have to talk when I want to talk. And the best part is, I don’t have to physically “talk” at all! For someone whose preferred mode of communication is the written word anyway, it just doesn’t get much better.

4. It delivered an unexpected apology. When I was 15, I had a boyfriend named Bobby. Though there’d be other boys after him, until I met my now-husband Mike, Bobby was always “the one”. The one that got away. The one that I’d measure all future guys against. When he broke up with me, it was the kind of heartbreaking teenage devastation so severe that I felt like I’d just Never. Get. Over. It. Squashed me like a bug. Alas, I did eventually get over it, and happily (if with some battle scars) went on with my life. About four years ago, we briefly – and innocently – connected on Facebook, and in the ensuing conversation I got something I never ever ever thought I’d receive: An apology for those hurts so many, many years before. Would the sun have continued to rise and set if I’d never gotten it? Of course. But I’ll tell you what… unexpected apologies are pretty wonderful things, even when it’s for something that happened 24 years ago. Even when it’s for something that’s been long ago forgiven.

5. It makes me smarter. Okay, so maybe I shouldn’t go so far as to say it actually makes me smarter, but, dang… I have a lot of interesting friends who post a lot of interesting things. Things that push me, and challenge me, in the best possible way. Articles that make me think. Videos that make me cry. Blog posts that make me feel inspired. I mean, sure, it’s got plenty of mind-numbing drivel too… but in between the grumpy cat pictures and the Ryan Gosling “Hey Girl” memes, there’s some good good stuff to be had. It’s a veritable and unending stream of up to the minute information.

6. It gives me immediate answers to my questions. I try really hard not to use it for this purpose too often, because I figure it’s probably fairly annoying, but I LOVE that I can post a question – whether it’s for a recommendation for a local thai place, a confusion I have about WordPress, the best organization app for Android, or anything in between – and immediately get a dozen responses. Last night, Tegan was playing with some of her Disney princess figurines, and didn’t know what two of their names were. I uploaded a picture, and within minutes had my answer (Aurora and Tiana, in case you were wondering.) That there is just plain awesome.

7. It makes me laugh. I don’t always want to be challenged or inspired or moved. Sometimes I just want to see, read, or listen to things that make me laugh. Facebook provides that in spades.

8. It lets me know I’m not alone. I think that sometimes (or often) all we really need is to feel connected. To feel like we’re not alone. Yes, even us card-carrying introverts. Facebook can be invaluable in helping to fulfill this need. A couple of clicks and a few strokes of the keyboard, and we’re there. Someone’s listening, and someone understands. I have 500 something friends on Facebook, and it honestly comforts me just to know that at any given time, someone has been through whatever it is I’m going through… whether it’s the frustration of ongoing physical pain, or the heartbreak of seeing my children hurt in any way, or just the day-to-day struggles that come on the journey of being a mom (and a human). Someone gets it.

9. It keeps me in touch with far-away family. My parents and my sister and her family all live here in Arizona. Everyone else – from Mike’s entire family to all my extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins – all still live on the east coast. Thanks to Facebook and their posts, pictures, and updates, their goings-on are here on my computer every day, which is the next best thing to actually being together.

10. It’s an outlet. For many many years, I kept a journal. I really don’t anymore, at least not with any regularity, but that need to just… purge.. is still there. I don’t believe in therapy, and I intensely dislike the phone. But if I feel a pressing need to immediately get something off my chest, and no one’s around to listen? Facebook is there.

And really, that just sums it all up… when it comes right down to it, Facebook is always there.

(If you haven’t yet read the things that drive me crazy about Facebook, you can find that here.)

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Filed under about me, Facebook, random

June 19, 2013 · 8:07 AM

10 Facebook Behaviors That Drive Me Crazy (and 5 that don’t)

I’ve said it before, and I’ll no doubt say it again: My relationship with Facebook is a love/hate relationship to be sure. If you’re even reading this, you likely came from a link on Facebook, and for that I’m thankful. It’s also served to be invaluable to connecting (and reconnecting) with all kinds of important people in my life. So there’s that.

But. My word. Sometimes I’m convinced that Facebook’s existence is nothing more than an invariable stream of humanity’s most irritating behaviors. Here’s a list of my top ten, culled from a list of 17 jillion.

10. Everybody’s a doctor. This actually isn’t limited to Facebook. Facebook just provides an easy forum for this annoying phenomenon of people’s need to diagnose and treat everyone with so much as a sniffle. Mention a headache, and you’re suddenly overrun with surefire cures of pills, creams, herbs, oils, vitamins, and procedures. I’ve started to seriously weigh what I’m thinking of sharing against how much unsolicited advice it’s going to garner (which means I almost never share that stuff any more) If you actually ARE a doctor, you get a pass on this one.

9. Mean-spirited political and/or religion related posts. If I wasn’t sure of this before the advent of Facebook, I sure was darn sure afterwards. Politics and religion make too many people mean. I dread election season. DREAD. IT. Mainly because most people are too busy maligning the candidate/party they don’t want to bother actually talking about the one they do want (which might actually make for an interesting discussion). You’re voting Republican? Great! Why the need to call everyone who’s not an “idiot”? And it’s the same thing when it comes to religion. You’re an atheist? Awesome! Why’s it necessary to share the hurtful memes making fun of Christians? Most of this list I can laugh off, but this one just makes me…. sad. Mean things make me sad.

8. Incessant complaining. I’m not talking about the occasional bad day. I’m not talking about sharing about a tough time you might be going through. I’m not even talking about the “glass is half empty” people. I’m talking about the “I *have* no glass, my life is miserable, the whole world sucks, and I’ll be damned if I don’t spew my negativity all over everyone’s newsfeed all the live long day” people. And an honorable mention goes out to their polar opposites as well, the ones who’d have you believe they’ve never had a bad day at all, whose lives are rainbows and sunshine and unicorns ALL THE TIME.

7. Incessant bragging. This is the guy who’s the best husband/father/employee/athlete/superhero/human being on the planet. And he makes sure you know it.

6. Self-promotion. Facebook makes it really easy for you to set up pages or groups, so that when you start a blog or a business or your latest MLM venture, you can make one little post letting people know, and then keep all your ~~spamming~~ advertising there, strictly for the people who’ve signed on the dotted line as being interested in actually wanting to see it. It’s easy. Really. Try it.

5. Too many “selfies”. I just recently learned that term. I’m getting old … a little slow on the jargon. Here’s the thing: It’s nice to see photos of your new haircut. It’s totally understandable that you’d want to show off your new tattoo. It’s fun to virtually tag along on your vacation. I even get it if it’s just been awhile since you updated your profile picture. But there comes a point when it’s just too many. Especially if you’re not 15. If every other picture on my newsfeed is your face, again, in varying shots of the same exact pose, it’s too many. Somewhere between 1 and 50 new pictures a month is too many.

4. Vague-booking. This is how vague-booking works: Person A “Oh I don’t know if I can take another day of this!!!” Person B “Oh honey, what’s going on??” Person A “I’d really rather not say….” This mostly annoys me because I don’t understand it. You’d assume it’s just for attention. But if you’re going to post just to get attention, wouldn’t it make much more sense to post about something you CAN talk about, rather than something that you can’t? The conversation pretty much begins and ends with a vague and cryptic announcement of passive-aggressiveness. If you need to publicly vent, vent. But at least give us the courtesy of knowing what it is you’re venting about.

3. Mushy love stuff. I honestly don’t know why this bothers me, but it’s probably the same reason that I don’t like weddings, and that people think I don’t like to hug people (I do, honest!). I guess I just feel like your relationship with your spouse/significant other is kind of personal and private, so it’s…. odd, very odd to me when people publicly gush about them. Anniversary posts make me cringe. Tell HIM you love him, tell HIM he’s your best friend. No need to tell Facebook, too. But too much kindness is still way better than:

2. Trash-talking your spouse and/or kids. It’s disrespectful, uncouth, and uncool. The only person it makes look bad is you. Just don’t.

1. Two words: Duck. Face.

And these are five that don’t especially bother me (with just a few caveats), though they do seem to bother a lot of other people:

1. Pictures of your kids. I have four kids. I think my kids are the cutest kids on the planet too. I get it.

2. Pictures of your pets. Pets are cute too.

3. Pictures of your dinner. Food is one of my favorite things. I like eating food. I like looking at pretty pictures of food. I do not like hearing a blow-by-blow account of every ingredient in said food though, especially if it’s constantly prefaced by the words “organic,” and/or “gluten-free.” Eating organic is wonderful. So is eating gluten-free if that’s your thing. Sounding pretentious isn’t.

4. Talking about your workout. I teach yoga. I can understand wanting to be healthy. I enjoy encouraging people on their progress. I even appreciate a well-timed before and after picture. But… it’s really okay if you don’t tell us every time you go to the gym or go for a run.

5. Anything that George Takei shares. He’s just cool.

Which ones do you disagree with? What would you add to the list?

16 Comments

Filed under Facebook, random, rant

June 10, 2013 · 9:21 AM

The Summer of George

There’s a Seinfeld episode where George gets let go from his job just before summer starts, and he’s given a 3 month severance package. He decides to live it up, makes grand plans, and declares it “The Summer of George.” Of course because it was Seinfeld, the summer doesn’t go quite as he anticipated… he ends up sitting around doing nothing, getting so weak and atrophied that when he falls down a flight of stairs and breaks his leg, he’s told he may never be rehabilitated enough to walk again. His friends respond with their usual level of compassion, leaving him alone at the hospital while they go off to the diner for a cup of coffee.

I miss that show.

I think of that episode, or at least those words, (“But it’s the Summer of George!!”) every time summer rolls around again. Good, bad, planned, spontaneous…. in my head, it’s always the Summer of George.

This year, the prospect of summer – especially this month – brought with it a fair amount of stress. It meant Spencer’s surgery (which went very well!) and recovery and physical therapy, it meant daily swimming lessons for Everett and Tegan.. and more ballet and karate and gymnastics. It meant I was to be a single mom for a week while Mike went away. It meant baby sitting and dog sitting and house-sitting. It meant another month of dealing with pain, which would likely bring with it another month of not sleeping.

It meant I would once again get myself so worked up that I’d have to hit bottom before I could start de-tangling and sorting and making sense of it all. In the past I would have blogged about it, made a big proclamation about Taking better care of myself! Getting organized! Eating better! Employing healthier ways to deal with stress! Finding peace in the moment! And Blah Blah Blah. An epic recipe for eating your words if ever there was one. Instead, I decided I’d just sort of quietly do it.

So I have.

And now we’re already ten days in to June, and I feel good. Calm. Happy. Excited about a new project. Spencer’s surgery is over, and PT will start soon. The little ones are loving swimming. Paxton is happy and enjoying his own pursuits. The busiest part of the month will be over in less than two weeks. It’s all good, even in its unpredictability. But really, how could it not be? It’s the Summer of George.

Unsolicited Advice

Day 8, Wednesday: A piece of advice you have for others. Anything at all.

The word ‘advice’ kind of makes my skin crawl. I know, I know… we all give it, we occasionally ask for it, we sometimes find it helpful. We sometimes find it darn near life-changing.

But I hear the word, and I think unsolicited advice, which makes me crankier than a cat getting a flea bath. Advice that you asked for? Awesome! Take the good with the bad, keep what works for you, and be grateful for the effort. But advice that was just unceremoniously foisted on you? Another thing entirely. And a wretched thing at that.

So, my (uh, unsolicited) advice for the day – for you, for me, for everyone – is this: Whenever you’re about to offer up advice, ask yourself, “Was I ASKED for advice? No seriously, was I?” If the honest answer is “no,” and it’s not a matter of life or death, don’t do it, no matter how difficult it may be to refrain.

The world thanks you.

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