Into the Woods - 02/25/2007

The Flea Market and Super Wal-mart. Two very similar places. A place where the melting pot that is America boils over. I actually don't mind the idea of Wal-Mart. Let me get 'things cheap' (that is different than 'cheap things', which they also carry). Just please dear Lord, let me get out of there in one piece. I have never seen more miserable people than I see when I am at Wal-Mart. No one can smile, patrons and employees alike. I try to be chipper, but by the time I am out of there, my energy is drained. It's almost like a free-for-all. Patrons pushing their shopping carts without looking at what's around the next bend and then getting upset at hitting the person with the right-of-way. People stopping in the middle of the aisle, rather than to the left or right, so you can't get by. I prefer Target. They are building a new Super Wal-Mart a stone's throw from my street, but I would rather go to the Target near my office during my lunch break, than go to Wal-Mart. It's depressing. My cashier today looked as if she swallowed a peeled squished lemon. A lemon filled with razors; she was mean-looking. Not a smile to be doled out to anyone. Ugh.

We also went to the Flea Market today. One we had never been to before. Again, mish-mosh of all kinds of people, mainly ones with bad dental hygiene. I'm a snob, I know. Rough day. Isabel decided it was melt-down time, and boy did she ever. We ended up leaving because I was not about to have a 2 year old tell me which way I should be going. If I pushed the stroller left, she'd wail "NOOOOO, THIS WAYYYYYY!!!" and disolve into tears. She was in desperate need of quiet time. Way too much stimulation for all her senses there. People pushing dogs in strollers, a man pushing a skunk in a stroller (I kid you not). Why are you bringing your dogs to the flea market? I don't understand this. I know you love your dog, but no matter how you dress it, it's not a child, it's a dog and it does not need to be in a stroller. Poor humiliated pooches. I am of the mindset that dogs need to have a purpose to their day. Fetch something, herd something, dig something, not be pushed around in the stroller. Don't get me started on skunk guy.

Back in the sanctuary of our home, we are watching a movie called "Zoom." (don't bother) We just took a break to put Isabel to bed.

"Into the Woods", Buffy Season 5 Episode 10

Supersymmetry

I'm getting her picture made next week, so what I do? I cut her bangs...crookedly. Crookedly cut bangs. She moved! She flinched, I say! She whined and kicked and flailed!!!

LIES! Lies to deflect!! She was perfectly still and not scared at all. I stink. I was able to do a little fix up though and now you can only tell if you stare. I promise!

"Supersymmetry," Angel Season 4, Episode 5

Out of Gas - 02/21/2007

Hola. Wow, I am pooped. Why does being a mom and working involve so much...work? Who knew?

The Glass Castle I talked to you all about earlier? Good book. Read it. I figured out the author's dedication page note to her youngest sibling. Sorry, you will have to read it for yourself. Nya Nya.

I had a surprise in the mail yesterday. My bee eff eff bought and mailed me a copy of "The Other Boelyn Girl." A Historical "Fiction." What kind of oxymoron is that? Historical Fiction? I was so excited. My library (the one that I illegally go to now - yes, evil) has it on order for me. There were only 12 people ahead of me. So I got a copy bought for me. Thanks Wendell! Book Worm Geeks Unite! "She is too fond of books, and it has addled her brain."

Hey, why do smokers smack the heck out of their newly acquired packages? I saw some guy "packing" a pack. Why? How does this enhance the smoking experience? Curious non-smokers want to know.

"Out of Gas," Firefly Episode 107

The Glass Castle - 02/18/2007

If you ever feel like, "boy howdy, my life stinks!" pick yourself up a copy of "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. No, your life does not stink.

This book is a memoir by Ms. Walls about her life growing up. She's not "getting back" at her parents; she's not seeking revenge. She's telling you her life story through her eyes at the time the events happened. When things happened at age 3, she's writing as if her brain were 3. When she's 7, her writing is 7, etc. There's no hate there, no bitterness. There is a life of being exciting and adventurous. I shake my head and cringe as I read this book. How anyone could live this way shocks me. Mr. Walls is OK now with it. I think this memoir was cathartic for her. I still have 118 pages or so to go (my library copy is 288 pages long). I am curious about her dedication page. She directly thanks 2 siblings that lived this life with her, and the youngest sibling, she says she will always love. I wonder if the youngest sibling did not approve of this memoir. I wonder if the youngest saw things differently. I know I think about my upbringing and it is slightly different from my older sister's and the same goes for my younger sister. We all live in the same circumstances but we live events and life differently. It's weird and mind-boggling to me.

Know what else boggles my mind? I can't remember my childhood. Ms. Walls writes about doing things at age 3, at age 5. I can't. My earliest memories are of 5th grade. How old was I? Ten? Those are my earliest memories. I cannot remember anything else before, except bits and pieces. Flashes. Mom hanging laundry on a line in Puerto Rico. A tree falling on a VW Bug during Hurricane David in PR. Making a floral arrangement with my Aunt Carmen as a class project on a weekend, only to go get it out of my Aunt's fridge on Monday and having it be all wilted. Major life events, I can't remember. I don't remember mom bringing my sister home from the hospital when I was 5. And even from age 10 forward, I have swiss-cheese memory. I can't remember any elementary school teachers' names. Or faces. My husband can recite them all. I can recite all my son's teachers. I can remember some Junior high teachers' faces, but no names. The only high school teachers I remember were those really special ones; Mr. Cavagnaro, Mrs. Shannon, Mrs Greene, the English teacher who made it "click for me" Mrs Hersch. Four teachers in 4 years? I look at my high school year book to remember people I went to school with. My best friend will call and say "Guess who I saw today? Mary so and so." I have no idea who she is talking about.

College? Please. I took so many courses I can't remember half of them, let alone the professors' names. It bothers me that I can't remember things. Names? Man, I stink. In order to remember your name, I must repeat it to myself over & over and them use a mental word association game to really get it right. Just ask my neighbor Amber, who I called Amanda (because I *though* she said "Amanda" and Amanda was a name of a girl my husband knew/dated/whatever. That's how I remember things. Now when I look at my neighbor, I think "Amber-like Vicky's friend Amber" I think of my sister's friend who shares the same name, to remind me of her name. Swiss Cheese Memory. Holes in there.

Back to the book, I will see if there is any hint as to why her youngest sibling is mentioned that way in the dedication page. I want to know if they still talk.

Peace Out - 02/13/2007

What a weird day.

1) A friend of a friend died this weekend. I sort-of knew him. Funny thing...I "married" him & his ex-wife - I officiated the ceremony back in 2001 (I can do that you know - perform marriage ceremonies). In late 2001, I officiated "K" and his now ex-wife's wedding. I knew him by association. His daughter had claimed Jacob as her one true love back in kindergarten. His mom lives in the same neighborhood as my friend Julie who originally set me up to perform the ceremony, and his mom is the immediate next door neighbor to that Home Depot/Boy Scout/Cub Scout friend I saw last week. He & the lady I married got divorced, and he started dating another acquaintance of mine - one of my 'dancing buddies', "A." K & A eventually married, moved to my city with his 2 daughters from a previous marriage and her son from a previous marriage.

My friend Julie calls me to say that "A" called her today. "K" was in a motorcycle accident that cost him his life this weekend. Man. I have not thought about them in 2 or 3 years. I feel so bad for "A." Last I saw them, she was so happy with him. *sigh*

2) My in-laws are coming to town for Isabel's party! WOO HOO! Each leg of the trip, $39 ea!! Thirty Nine! How awesome is that? AND they will be flying into the smaller airport that is MUCH closer to our house. I decide to call my mom then to see when exactly they would be flying in from Puerto Rico. My mom & David's parents would be flying in the same day, at different airports. I got a hold of my mom.....only to have her say that she has decided to not come to visit until after Isabel's party. The party I scheduled around her schedule. Why? WHY? Because my dad , my step-mom and several other members of my family on my dad's side will be here too. She must have been talking with one of my sisters, because this was NEVER brought up before. Apparently, WE ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL. Twenty two years after the divorce and she doesn't want to be here when they are?! This is not about that. It is about Isabel and the fact that half my family has never been to one of her parties, nor one of Jake's parties since he was 4 years old. I said to my mom "Mom! We're adults!" She sort-of shushed or negated me and said no, she doesn't want to come if they come.

I was telling some co-workers about this. I told them earlier on that this was my "Forget It" year. This is the year that I will *not* make the effort to appease everyone. I won't be bending over backwards sending birthday cards to others, or family pictures to anyone who never bothers to call me or mine on our birthdays or send us pictures, or even acknowledge they received anything from us. "Forget It." It's my personal pledge. I told David he could do what he wanted, but I feel tired of it all. I feel too much and no longer want to feel so much about the little things. Don't sweat the small stuff, so I won't.

Isabel's party is coming up. The date is not changing, no one is getting uninvited. Sorry that you can't make it. Maybe next decade.

The fact that my mom and others won't come because my dad, step-mom and half-sisters on dad's side, plus a couple of second cousins are coming will not make me change anything about this party. The fact that one half of my family won't be in the same location as the other is sad. Whatever happened in the past, it is not the fault of either of my half-sisters. Why should I ignore them when they did nothing wrong? The (literal and figurative) "sins of the father" do not pass down to the children.

I'm told by my kin that I'm too nice . Imagine that. Too nice. When did being nice become a flaw? It is, you know. It's seen as a weakness; it's archaic. I am weak & archaic. Nice is old-fashioned. When did this become "out?" I need to move to Iowa or something. They have nice people there, right?

"Peace Out," Angel Season 4, episode 21

Untouched - 02/08/2007

Gentlemen & Children of all ages, did you know there are fairies in your home? Did you? Yes.

First, there's the "Replacement Towel" Fairy. This lovely Fairy is soft as cotton. She flits around the house, replacing all the lovely home-dwellers' towels. If Replacement Towel Fairy doesn't do this, then everyone in your home would be using the same towel for 2 weeks and never once even think about the fact that ...that's kind-of gross. Thanks, RTF for all you do.

Next up, there's TPF. Toilet Paper Fairy. This wonderfully happy Fairy makes sure that each and every bathroom is fully stocked with toilet paper. Go ahead! Leave those 2 single sheets on the cardboard roll! Never Fear, TP Fairy is near! The next person using the bathroom will never even know you only left two sheets. Thanks TP Fairy. We love you! You're swell!

Not to be confused with TPT, is her cousin Toilet Fairy. TF LOVES to clean toilets. LOVES LOVES LOVES IT!! Notice how those toilets are so SPARKLY CLEAN and then you mess them up in one sitting (pun intended), only to have them SPARKLY CLEAN again? Thanks Toilet Fairy.

This beauty is unique. She's the Lightbulb Fairy. There is absolutely no need for you, after living in the same old blue house for four years, or in some cases of new home-ownership, 7 months, to know where the light bulbs are stored. Ignore that burned-out bulb for weeks, because Lightbulb Fairy is on the job. One minute it doesn't work, the next week, there she is! That is, if you even noticed it was out in the first place -she's that good.

Ahhh, the Pantry Fairy. Favorite among the teen demographic. PF makes sure that those empty cereal boxes and those empty Pop Tart boxes miraculously disappear, only to be restocked with yummy goodness. She also refills chip bags that previously contained less than an inch of crumbs yet somehow managed to make their way back to the pantry. Those pesky chip bags!

This Fairy is so helpful around the house. She is especially good with families that have little toddlers who have no concept of where things go. The Clean-Up Fairy makes sure that things are nice and tidy. Why is this size 7 shoe in the hallway? Where is its partner? Never you mind! The Clean-Up Fairy not only knows where its partner is, she will collect them and put them back in your closet. What? You say you left your underwear behind the bathroom door 3 days ago, squished into a ball but they are not there anymore? Clean-Up Fairy. Love her.

Make sure you give thanks to all the Fairies in your Home. Especially come Valentine's Day. Don't make me sick the Salmonella Fairy on you.