Sometimes I have to think of what I want to share. You see, there is a fine line between being authentic and admitting I screw up and celebrating mediocrity. Does that make sense to you? I believe that the media, whether it’s television shows or glossy magazines seem to either showcase these unreachable goals or focus on the failure. That’s not the point of this series.
I do this series to as a way to share that we all screw up and I don’t think that’s quite the same as say Jerry Springer. For a long time I struggled, thinking I had to hide every flaw, that if people knew I bickered with my husband, lost my temper, or had days where nothing seemed to go right, that I wasn’t good enough to be liked. A little bit older and a fair bit wiser I know this is patently false and I want you to know it, too.
What have I got for this week?
Friday evening, after circling the Charlotte airport waiting for a thunderstorm to pass, I stood in quite the line for long term parking. On the shuttle a couple of guys were joking that you always think you’ll remember where you left your car. How right they were. I ended up exiting the shuttle two stops too early, which is right when it decided to rain. That’s fun, right? I finally found my car, loaded my suitcase, put the key in the ignition and click.
There are many things I don’t know in life, but I am astute enough to know that clicking is not the best sound. Certainly not at 8pm, in the rain, at the far end of longterm parking.
Guess who forgot to switch the emergency kit to their car, too.
Thankfully the random guy I flagged down to help jump my car was prepared and nice enough to help me push my car out of the parking spot so we could jump it. Thank you again, whoever you are.
Want a bonus confession?
My suitcase is still sitting in the garage. After my four hour stormy drive home, I just fell into bed. I suppose I’ll get to it today, but I’m not promising. I’ve found if I unpack immediately, without passing go, without collecting $200, it gets done. Otherwise? It’ll get unpacked as I need things.
What about you? What do you have to share this Memorial Day Weekend?
My confession is that my house is disgusting, and I just don't care right now. I just really, really don't care. The rug looks like the back of a cat, the whole house reeks of cooking odors, my bedroom smells a little (lot) like a locker room, and the back room smells like the inside of a tauntaun (it's where we keep the litter boxes).
Neither my wife nor I can gather up enough outrage to actually do anything about it. I'm sure that in a week or so we'll reach our limit and whip it into shape, but right now we're sorta content to wallow in the filth.
My recent post Mars Rover Spirit abandoned
My husband and I do our best cleaning when we're annoyed with one another. If you come over and the house is sparkling, we probably were fussing about something in the recent past.
Oh that's exactly what I needed to hear. Messy house = content relationship. Even if that's not what you meant, that is how I have chosen to fix it in my mind. 🙂
My recent post Mars Rover Spirit abandoned
Take from it whatever you need.
I think Tim and I are highly competitive and try to one up the other when tempers flare. See, I'm the better spouse, I did all the dishes. . . etc
Can Tim teach my husband how to do that? I'll learn to argue. ;o)
I think it might have to be innate.
I'm sitting here writing posts before the kids get up so I don't have to feel guilty about writing while they're awake. #overactiveconscience
So awesome to share during BlogWorld Heather!! Truly sisters from another mister! 🙂
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you. Thanks for stopping by and saying hello.
Sorry about your pain in the airport.
I have company arriving tomorrow and there is a big pile of laundry to be folded, by someone other than me. I'm the bad mom with one grounded, so I guess I know who I should ask. The cat, for some odd reason is curled up with me for the second time this morning. Wonder what he wants.
I had cake for breakfast. Please send a rescue team with coffee. 🙂
My recent post You Must See These – Its time to be disgusted
Maybe he just wants you to feel better.
Or he could just want cake. Who knows, it's a cat, they make me sneeze so I respect their space.
"For a long time I struggled, thinking I had to hide every flaw, that if people knew I bickered with my husband, lost my temper, or had days where nothing seemed to go right, that I wasn’t good enough to be liked." This is why I love this series! I still struggle with this but reading this kind of stuff helps remind me that it's not true!
I have let so many things slip on so many levels this week! laundry is piled up, I haven't exercised and I've been stuffing my face with junk because I just don't care. But thinks are on the up swing. It was a good week to meditate on why I do all those things in the first place
My recent post lemons
Mona, I'm glad you're doing a little bit better. Sometimes we all need to wallow in it just a bit. I don't mean stay there forever, but . . .
Early this spring I dealt with what I'll call a "funk" it wasn't exactly depression, but it had the warning signs. I talked to my husband about it and I let him know that if I wasn't significantly better by a certain date that I was going to make an appointment. Then I gave myself permission to say no. To go to bed early. To just let the extra go.
Gradually I've done better and I feel pretty secure in saying that I feel a lot better and back to myself.
That won't work for everyone, there is a time and place for medication, I just knew I hadn't reached that point yet. I'm being a bit more guarded now with my energy and what I take on and that helps, too.
Well, I'm a teacher and school is just about over. I've finished my grades and all that's left is to go to some meetings and graduation. Check! But my house, after a very busy month, is a mess and I, too, can't muster the motivation to get it in order. All I want to do after a tiring school year is have fun. So, today, I'm going to church and then driving out to L.A. to go to a beautiful museum and garden with friends…and not cleaning my house. It's worth it. I'll start on the house tomorrow (really, not just a joke).
Enjoy your trip, it sounds wonderful!
i am struggling with being a good friend this week. I have a friend who is mired down and getting depressed about the "suffering" her family is going through. Without dragging the whole story out, their struggles are because life's not handing them the exact bowl of cherries that they want. I am supposed to be a good listener and a shoulder to cry on for the next few days, but what I really want to do is scream "Are you kidding me?".
Sometimes it is so hard to be a good friend.
I get it. Hang in there and don't be scared to end a conversation if you just can't listen any more. You don't have to give the exact reason. As a bonus you'll feel less guilty. 🙂
I came home from vacation filled with good intentions to cook healthy food and pack healthy lunches for work. This week has been a nutritional disaster. (Exhibit A: Fritos Scoops and nacho cheese for dinner.)
I'm going to try to do better this week; at least I could hardly do worse.
Always look on the bright side of life. (Now get that song out of your head)
My confession is that I really don't want to go pack. I don't want to go to Nashville to help my dad. I don't want to travel 10+ hours in the car with my 80 pound St. Bernard and my 2 kids. I don't want to leave my nice little tidy life and go deal with other people's messes right now, because that's what it is. My dad, if he had stayed in my hometown would have qualified for the show Hoarders. He is absolutely a pat rack, and I've been asked to go help him.
I also am tired of dealing with my obstinate, stubborn 6 year old. I'm thankful she is alive and healthy, but I'm getting tired of dealing with her refusal to listen to what I say unless I'm yelling at her, and I'm tired of her constant talking and chattering about everything (and I do mean e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g) she's doing. And I'm a stay at home mom who is also a homeschool mom. I'm absolutely terrified of the next school year.
Okay, I might feel a little bit better now. I guess I better go pack. :
Woohoo! Step mom said that I really shouldn't come this week! lol
Or wait, maybe that should be my confession that I don't feel so bad that I don't have to go. Hmm… :
Confession: I'm pretty sure the reason I had a heart attack last weekend was due to lack of exercise, which is also the reason I'm overweight. My cholesterol levels are all good except for the "good" cholesterol – it needs to be higher, and they told me that exercising is really the only way that will change, because my diet is already healthy. So, I've set a goal to walk twice a day, and try to push myself a bit more each time. Also, bounce on my rebounder (while using arm weights) for an entire episode of Boston Legal each day — I'll have to work up to a full episode, but that's the goal.
I'd like to see my granddaughter grow up, but genetics are against me – so I really have to put in more effort to make it happen.
Bobbie, I'll do it if you'll do it. I need to exercise too.
Yikes, Bobbie, that's scary! Do take care of yourself and hug that granddaughter (mentally if she's not convenient) every time you do something to improve your health.
I was vague when I told people you were in the hospital, I wasn't sure how open you wanted to be. I'm so glad you're doing better. You've got people outside your family who want you around for a good, long time, too.
I actually did pretty well this week. I'm doing better on saying no to people who want my time and energy. I actually stood up to my husband who had the poor sense to say "I don't ask you to clean up my garage" when I asked him to clean up his own messes in the kitchen. In fact, I handed him his head on a silver platter. He's cleaned the kitchen twice since then and fixed the solar screens on the deck (it's only been a year!). BTW, "his" garage is so cluttered that I can't even find my OWN roll around toolbox in there any longer. I make him pay for this by bringing me a tool every time I need one and putting it away again because "I won't be able to find it / tell where it goes." Which is true! I'm guessing he actually will ask for my help cleaning the garage soon because he lost his drill.
I also finished the recovery from having a freezer full of food go bad last fall when somehow the cord came unplugged (I'm still trying to figure out how that happened). After six months of repeatedly steeping in vinegar and baking soda, it finally is smell-free, and back in operation. The cord is now screwed to the wall. I even scored (for free!!!) a large amount of bulk produce suitable for freezing yesterday, and this morning cut it all up and made up meal-sized bags, which are now chillin' in the resurrected freezer.
The closest I can come to a confession this week, if you don't count me handing my husband his head, is that I discovered last night that one dog has an ear infection (again!) and when I gave them baths today, I discovered that her brother has an ear infection, too. A messy one that looks like it's been that way for a while…not sure how I didn't notice until now, but I didn't. I thought dogs with upright ears weren't supposed to get ear infections. Oh, and two days ago, I realized I have an ear infection. I'm going to need more hydrogen peroxide, cotton balls and antibiotic ointment.
Keter, you have had an impressive week.
Don't feel so bad about your dog. We thought ours had a stroke and we were just trying to make him comfortable until the inevitable. (He's old for a large dog). After we could no longer keep him comfortable ourselves, we took him in, expecting to have to put him down, only to learn it was an inner ear infection. We're glad to still have him, but we felt guilty for making him wait.
And I hope you feel better, too.
Thanks for this refreshing dose of honesty! I’m sorry that happened to you, but so glad for a helpful stranger. You are right about what we often see or read in the media. It’s not real life. Our real life this weekend? All plans scrapped due to horrible stomach bug attacked each of us one by one. Ugh. I’m better now, so the home sanitation project begins today.
Oh man, I hope your whole family is better soon.
The whole perfectionist thing starts early, too. When my daughter was sick the other day we vegged out watching Kyleann or however you spell it. They kept going on and on about how this would be "the best ever" or that would "be the best ever."
Not everything is going to be the "best ever" you can have plenty of fun without it being the "best ever." In fact, you'll probably be less stressed out from not trying to FORCE it to be "the best ever."
Oh what soapbox? 😉
We were planning to have a couple of friends over for a bbq on Monday, so I made (among other things) a tray of "indoor s'mores" (kind of like rice krispie treats but made with golden grahams, chocolate, and marshmallows). My son woke up with a little bit of a fever and so we had to cancel the friends but we still had all this food and i made the s'mores the night before. anyway, let's just say that there is only about 1/4 of the tray left right now as of Tues morning. and my son ate exactly one square. okay, 1/2 a square. husband and I totally ate the rest by ourselves.