Well, actually I'm good at many things. I believe I'm a good friend. I'm a good listener. I do a decent job at organizing in the midst of chaos, which is a little miracle in itself, because I am, at heart, the "Master of Disaster". Seriously, my husband made me a tie dye apron once, and wrote that on it. I've learned to clean up after myself, when I cook a phenomenal meal. Yes, I'm really quite good at cooking too.
My problem is, that I'm no good at all at housewiving, including any and all chores involved in the housewiving business. This wouldn't be so bad, if housewiving took up such a big part of my life. I chose to be a mother and housewife. To hell with domestic engineer. It's a cute little name for a profession that is solely devoted to keep the house clean, the kids fed, the clothes washed, and the husband beered. ;-) No, I'm really not complaining about my job. I'm just saying that I suck at it, and if it was a paid job, I would most definitely be fired. It makes you wonder, if monogamy is truly the way to go. Can you imagine being one of several wives, each chosen for their abilities and preferences? I'd do the homeschooling, another would do the cleaning, and yet another would never tire of washing clothes. (Another very important argument is the headache question. Marital "duties" (can you believe, they're calling it a duty???) would never be an issue. If I have a headache, one of the other wives will happily jump in and fulfill "the duty".
Okay, I admit, I would likely be a very sucky "one of many wives". I'll gladly pass on all the drama and bitching. And besides, I'm "blessed" with a husband, who has learned to live with the fact that I'm no good. Not that this doesn't ever cause any... uhm... friction between us. But usually there is a full garbage can (he is the trash duty dude) that I can use as an argument.
Now I just need to train the spawn to do their chores, and already my own work will be cut in half. You see? I am quite good at organizing in the midst of chaos. Something tells me I will not be fired for a very long time.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Random Ramblings
1) Patience is a virtue. It makes us better people. When will I learn this? And if I don't, how do I teach my children to be patient?
2) Some doctors are really really bad. My latest doctor is really really good. Will I finally find out just what the heck is wrong with me? I actually have hope again.
3) Here's a toast to men in their 40s. They are generally (or just in my neighborhood?) hot, friendly and intelligent. No, I won't share where to find them. They're all mine.
4) My mother's knitting madness is driving me crazy. How does she do it? She has created a new knitting pattern, and will now knit an unbelievably cute jacket for my daughter. Just like that. My bet is, she will finish it before the week is over.
5) Here's a toast to men in their 40s. Oh, wait... I did that already. ;)
6) Tomatoes right out of your own garden are probably the most delicious thing (besides Dagoba chocolate) I've ever eaten. I could bathe in my tomatoes.
7) How come I always go to the coast during a heat wave? I'd like to stay put and enjoy the hotness of summer. Really, I mean it. I love fall and winter and spring. But in order to appreciate those seasons fully I need a really good summer with the occasional heat wave.
8) Okay, so the Village Home camping trip is a good alternative to the heat wave. Okay, so I'm actually excited about going. Now shut up, Shady Lady. ;-) (I love you!)
9) Overdue items at the library yet again. If I put all the money I spent on fees at the library into a piggy bank instead, I'm sure I could buy a flight to Germany soon.
10) I'm trying to keep up with all the blogs in my blog roll, I swear. I just can't. I'm fighting a losing battle. Could you all just write a little less? It would be ever so greatly appreciated. ;-)
11) Yes, man, I am aware that I have lots and lots of freckles. I see them every day.
12) I have four different kinds of honey in my cabinet. I like honey almost as much as I like tomatoes. But when will I eat it all? Oh, who cares. I love honey. Here's to honey bees. Thank you for giving me honey.
13) Bangs... can't live with them, can't live without them. Should I go bald? Will my husband divorce me if I do?
14) I borrowed a children's non-fiction book on chocolate from the library. My kids love it almost as much as I do. But I love it more. Much more.
15) Blue Eyed Boy is at this moment getting right in my face (his nose is about 2 inches away from mine) to ask me, if he can have a cookie. He is sweaty and red cheeked. What a cutie.
Later, bloggers... I have cookie duty.
2) Some doctors are really really bad. My latest doctor is really really good. Will I finally find out just what the heck is wrong with me? I actually have hope again.
3) Here's a toast to men in their 40s. They are generally (or just in my neighborhood?) hot, friendly and intelligent. No, I won't share where to find them. They're all mine.
4) My mother's knitting madness is driving me crazy. How does she do it? She has created a new knitting pattern, and will now knit an unbelievably cute jacket for my daughter. Just like that. My bet is, she will finish it before the week is over.
5) Here's a toast to men in their 40s. Oh, wait... I did that already. ;)
6) Tomatoes right out of your own garden are probably the most delicious thing (besides Dagoba chocolate) I've ever eaten. I could bathe in my tomatoes.
7) How come I always go to the coast during a heat wave? I'd like to stay put and enjoy the hotness of summer. Really, I mean it. I love fall and winter and spring. But in order to appreciate those seasons fully I need a really good summer with the occasional heat wave.
8) Okay, so the Village Home camping trip is a good alternative to the heat wave. Okay, so I'm actually excited about going. Now shut up, Shady Lady. ;-) (I love you!)
9) Overdue items at the library yet again. If I put all the money I spent on fees at the library into a piggy bank instead, I'm sure I could buy a flight to Germany soon.
10) I'm trying to keep up with all the blogs in my blog roll, I swear. I just can't. I'm fighting a losing battle. Could you all just write a little less? It would be ever so greatly appreciated. ;-)
11) Yes, man, I am aware that I have lots and lots of freckles. I see them every day.
12) I have four different kinds of honey in my cabinet. I like honey almost as much as I like tomatoes. But when will I eat it all? Oh, who cares. I love honey. Here's to honey bees. Thank you for giving me honey.
13) Bangs... can't live with them, can't live without them. Should I go bald? Will my husband divorce me if I do?
14) I borrowed a children's non-fiction book on chocolate from the library. My kids love it almost as much as I do. But I love it more. Much more.
15) Blue Eyed Boy is at this moment getting right in my face (his nose is about 2 inches away from mine) to ask me, if he can have a cookie. He is sweaty and red cheeked. What a cutie.
Later, bloggers... I have cookie duty.
Friday, August 14, 2009
How did I get that old?
I had a stranger in my bathroom this morning. She stared right at me, when I washed my hands and looked up into the mirror. She had droopy eyes, messed up hair, and the most curious wrinkle stretching about 4 inches from her eye down on her cheek. A closer look revealed the true identity of the stranger... me. Damn, how did I get that old? And what is this wrinkle by my eye? I mean, yes, we all get older and wrinkles are a byproduct, that can only be avoided by Botox shots or face lifts (but have you looked at some of the plasticized faces on television lately? CREEPY!). I have made peace with the washboard wrinkles on my forehead. I'm simply wearing bangs these days.
But what the heck is that vertical wrinkle after sleeping? Does my face get squished at night, or how do I deserve this? My vertical wrinkle disappears within an hour of getting up. But what, if someday it won't? Will I have to resort to Botox? Generally I don't consider myself as an at-risk person of getting any kind of beautifying treatments, but even I can get a little shaky when stranger woman stares at me in disbelief every morning.
Another sign of increasing age, I'm told, is the urge to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. That has been a bit of a worrisome occurrence lately. Strangely I tend to dream about having to go, then wake up and have to run, because in my dream I am already in the bathroom, when in reality I'm still in bed. Having to switch on the turbo in the middle of the night doesn't help the cause of SLEEP! You return to bed, desperately trying to find a comfortable position (I have the wrong bed!), hoping to drift right back into Lala-Land, but the little machine inside your brain has decided it's time to wake up and do some thinking. There's nothing quite like middle of the night thinking sessions.
And then it's 6:30am, and the sun is up, and you know it, because you always wake up this early, no matter how many times you went to the bathroom or how much thinking you did last night. When it's 6:30, your eyes pop open, the thinking machine kicks right into gear, and of course it's time to go pee. You know it's no use resisting the inevitable, and you go. And when you're done, you wash your hands and look up and look at stranger woman. May the day begin.
But what the heck is that vertical wrinkle after sleeping? Does my face get squished at night, or how do I deserve this? My vertical wrinkle disappears within an hour of getting up. But what, if someday it won't? Will I have to resort to Botox? Generally I don't consider myself as an at-risk person of getting any kind of beautifying treatments, but even I can get a little shaky when stranger woman stares at me in disbelief every morning.
Another sign of increasing age, I'm told, is the urge to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. That has been a bit of a worrisome occurrence lately. Strangely I tend to dream about having to go, then wake up and have to run, because in my dream I am already in the bathroom, when in reality I'm still in bed. Having to switch on the turbo in the middle of the night doesn't help the cause of SLEEP! You return to bed, desperately trying to find a comfortable position (I have the wrong bed!), hoping to drift right back into Lala-Land, but the little machine inside your brain has decided it's time to wake up and do some thinking. There's nothing quite like middle of the night thinking sessions.
And then it's 6:30am, and the sun is up, and you know it, because you always wake up this early, no matter how many times you went to the bathroom or how much thinking you did last night. When it's 6:30, your eyes pop open, the thinking machine kicks right into gear, and of course it's time to go pee. You know it's no use resisting the inevitable, and you go. And when you're done, you wash your hands and look up and look at stranger woman. May the day begin.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
In Defense of Food - An Eater's Manifesto (Michael Pollan)
"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
This is the very first sentence in the book that I have picked up last week, and that I'm reading with great interest, all the while growing more and more disillusioned about the path this country is on with its low-fat, processed food craze. I finally had to learn that food is a highly political thing, and the sale of it has nothing to do with our health and everything with money and power. All of this I've learned in the first 50 pages. :)
Michael Pollan speaks in his book about the industrialization of eating, about whole foods and their refined counterparts, about quality vs quantity, various so-called healthy and unhealthy fats, ingredients etc, and makes a strong case for returning to the roots. "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants". And one can't help wholeheartedly agreeing with him.
In the last part of his book he urges the reader to escape our Western Diet by:
"Avoiding food products containing ingredients that are a) unfamiliar, b) unpronounceable, c) more than five in number, or that include d) high-fructose corn syrup."
"Avoid food products that make health claims"
"Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle."
"Get out of the supermarket whenever possible."
"Eat mostly plants, especially leaves."
"You are what what you eat eats too."
"If you have the space, buy a freezer."
"Eat well-grown food from healthy soils."
"Eat wild foods when you can."
"Be the kind of person who takes supplements." (You need to read the explanation for this)
"Eat more like the French. Or the Italians. Or the Japanese. Or the Indians. Or the Greeks."
"Regard nontraditional foods with skepticism."
"Don't look for the magic bullet in the traditional diet."
"Have a glass of wine." (Turns out I'm doing something right!!)
There is more, like the suggestion to eat real meals, not to eat alone, to eat slowly etc. But I highly recommend buying and reading the book. You will, indeed learn a lot of new, interesting and downright disturbing information, and you can't help wanting to make a change in your diet. I know I did, even though I already tried before. For almost a week now I have eaten mostly vegetables, some fruits, and of course some meat, but not nearly as much as I used to. And I do think it is making me feel better all around. Interestingly I'm not as hungry as I used to be. Maybe I will be 100 after all. :)
This is the very first sentence in the book that I have picked up last week, and that I'm reading with great interest, all the while growing more and more disillusioned about the path this country is on with its low-fat, processed food craze. I finally had to learn that food is a highly political thing, and the sale of it has nothing to do with our health and everything with money and power. All of this I've learned in the first 50 pages. :)
Michael Pollan speaks in his book about the industrialization of eating, about whole foods and their refined counterparts, about quality vs quantity, various so-called healthy and unhealthy fats, ingredients etc, and makes a strong case for returning to the roots. "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants". And one can't help wholeheartedly agreeing with him.
In the last part of his book he urges the reader to escape our Western Diet by:
"Avoiding food products containing ingredients that are a) unfamiliar, b) unpronounceable, c) more than five in number, or that include d) high-fructose corn syrup."
"Avoid food products that make health claims"
"Shop the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle."
"Get out of the supermarket whenever possible."
"Eat mostly plants, especially leaves."
"You are what what you eat eats too."
"If you have the space, buy a freezer."
"Eat well-grown food from healthy soils."
"Eat wild foods when you can."
"Be the kind of person who takes supplements." (You need to read the explanation for this)
"Eat more like the French. Or the Italians. Or the Japanese. Or the Indians. Or the Greeks."
"Regard nontraditional foods with skepticism."
"Don't look for the magic bullet in the traditional diet."
"Have a glass of wine." (Turns out I'm doing something right!!)
There is more, like the suggestion to eat real meals, not to eat alone, to eat slowly etc. But I highly recommend buying and reading the book. You will, indeed learn a lot of new, interesting and downright disturbing information, and you can't help wanting to make a change in your diet. I know I did, even though I already tried before. For almost a week now I have eaten mostly vegetables, some fruits, and of course some meat, but not nearly as much as I used to. And I do think it is making me feel better all around. Interestingly I'm not as hungry as I used to be. Maybe I will be 100 after all. :)
Monday, August 10, 2009
Is it really August?
I guess I'm trying to slow down time just a little. How has this summer passed me by without a word? How can it be August 10? You know what this means?
It means:
1) It's Rooster X's birthday today. Happy Birthday, good friend. Have a great day. I'll have a glass of wine in your honor this evening.
2) It's sign up day at Village Home. We signed up for a bunch of really cool classes, which of course I'm quite excited about. BUT this means, it's only one more month before classes start, and this means it's also only one more month before I have yet another birthday, and it's just a little over one more month until the beginning of fall!!! Not that I don't like fall. It is generally my favorite season right up until November, when the rain returns. But this year, well, it just went too quickly.
3) Of course it also means that my brother will be a daddy in 2 1/2 months! OH MY GOSH! At the risk of repeating myself for the millionth time... I'm going to be an AUNT!!!!! Oh, and I'm going to Germany to hold my new little niece and inhale that beautiful baby scent, which will have my hormones raging and screaming and wanting a baby RIGHT NOW. (Not! Really, I can live just fine with a baby fix now and then. Now, if only that baby wouldn't grow up half a world away from me... *insertbigfatsighhere*)
4) Beautifully August means that it's time to pick peaches, and very soon also plums and then make preserves and "Pflaumenmus" (mousse au plum... tee hee!). Anybody care to join us for a trip to Sauvie Island this Thursday or Friday?
5) August means that my oldest child (have I mentioned here that we talk again?) will turn 15. In Germany that means 3 years to adulthood with all rights and duties. She'll be able to drink, drive, vote, and live on her own way too soon. I vividly remember my own 15th birthday. It was a Saturday, and my mom asked me playfully if I could take my brother to the train station in the next town. And I replied that I'll gladly do that in three years, when I have my license. And my mom laughed and walked out the door, unaware of the fact that it was my birthday. When she came back home she walked straight over to me, hugged me and apologized and of course wished me a happy birthday.
6) August means Village Home camp trip at the coast. Woohoooo... bring it on, baby. And to the weather gods, please have mercy and send the fog north or south or east. I want sunshine at the beach. Fog makes for some not so good pictures of not so visible people.
7) August means Christmas decoration and gingerbread cookies. YIKES!!!!!!!! SLOW DOWN TIME, PLEASE! I'm so not ready for this. :)
It means:
1) It's Rooster X's birthday today. Happy Birthday, good friend. Have a great day. I'll have a glass of wine in your honor this evening.
2) It's sign up day at Village Home. We signed up for a bunch of really cool classes, which of course I'm quite excited about. BUT this means, it's only one more month before classes start, and this means it's also only one more month before I have yet another birthday, and it's just a little over one more month until the beginning of fall!!! Not that I don't like fall. It is generally my favorite season right up until November, when the rain returns. But this year, well, it just went too quickly.
3) Of course it also means that my brother will be a daddy in 2 1/2 months! OH MY GOSH! At the risk of repeating myself for the millionth time... I'm going to be an AUNT!!!!! Oh, and I'm going to Germany to hold my new little niece and inhale that beautiful baby scent, which will have my hormones raging and screaming and wanting a baby RIGHT NOW. (Not! Really, I can live just fine with a baby fix now and then. Now, if only that baby wouldn't grow up half a world away from me... *insertbigfatsighhere*)
4) Beautifully August means that it's time to pick peaches, and very soon also plums and then make preserves and "Pflaumenmus" (mousse au plum... tee hee!). Anybody care to join us for a trip to Sauvie Island this Thursday or Friday?
5) August means that my oldest child (have I mentioned here that we talk again?) will turn 15. In Germany that means 3 years to adulthood with all rights and duties. She'll be able to drink, drive, vote, and live on her own way too soon. I vividly remember my own 15th birthday. It was a Saturday, and my mom asked me playfully if I could take my brother to the train station in the next town. And I replied that I'll gladly do that in three years, when I have my license. And my mom laughed and walked out the door, unaware of the fact that it was my birthday. When she came back home she walked straight over to me, hugged me and apologized and of course wished me a happy birthday.
6) August means Village Home camp trip at the coast. Woohoooo... bring it on, baby. And to the weather gods, please have mercy and send the fog north or south or east. I want sunshine at the beach. Fog makes for some not so good pictures of not so visible people.
7) August means Christmas decoration and gingerbread cookies. YIKES!!!!!!!! SLOW DOWN TIME, PLEASE! I'm so not ready for this. :)
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Confrontation
My husband has always called me confrontational. One time, years ago, I marched up to a guy at the gym who had left the treadmill covered in sweat, told him, that it was really kind of rude of him to leave the treadmill like this, and that nobody would want to use it after him. Amazingly, despite my tone, the guy apologized and cleaned the treadmill.
Over the years I have learned to be more diplomatic about the things I say. Secretly I hate confrontations. And yet, it seems I end up in arguments I don't care for more often than is good for me. Of course, having real life arguments, is really quite different from having arguments on the internet. In real life you see the other person's face. You can read their eyes, their voice, their gestures... On the internet you rely solely on the words that are being said. A sentence that may have been written with good intentions, might be taken the wrong way, and out of this one little sentence arises a discussion, that is so useless and ridiculous, that by the end of it, you feel 1. foolish and 2. want to make it all un-happen. ;)
Such was the case in my last post about Disney Fairies. Clearly I'm as defensive as the next person about what I do as a parent, and while I am obviously 100% convinced that I'm "fighting" for the right cause, I still do have my moments when someone, (who "fights" for the same cause) says something, that I completely misinterpret. And so I sharpen my claws and growl like the proud lioness that I am, without realizing, that I misunderstood a comment to begin with.
And so, once again I have learned a lesson, I was put back in my place, and I will know to read a little more carefully and not to feel offended right away, but to question first, what it is that was really said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And now on to something a little creepy. As I was writing this post, my children and one of their friends decided to go outside in the backyard. They went out through the patio door. The front door was locked. A few minutes ago the doorbell rings, and my children with friend stand in front of the door and my daughter says, "Mom, thanks for locking us out." Obviously I didn't do that. I was upstairs writing a blog post. But a quick look at the patio door confirmed, that it was, indeed, locked. Trying to be funny for the kids I said, we must have ghosts, but my daughter who freaks out fairly easily, did manage to get me a little freaked out. They went back outside... I'm yet again upstairs, and I can't help looking behind me and listening carefully for any unusual sounds. I believe we shall go for our walk to the park now. This is freaking me out.
Over the years I have learned to be more diplomatic about the things I say. Secretly I hate confrontations. And yet, it seems I end up in arguments I don't care for more often than is good for me. Of course, having real life arguments, is really quite different from having arguments on the internet. In real life you see the other person's face. You can read their eyes, their voice, their gestures... On the internet you rely solely on the words that are being said. A sentence that may have been written with good intentions, might be taken the wrong way, and out of this one little sentence arises a discussion, that is so useless and ridiculous, that by the end of it, you feel 1. foolish and 2. want to make it all un-happen. ;)
Such was the case in my last post about Disney Fairies. Clearly I'm as defensive as the next person about what I do as a parent, and while I am obviously 100% convinced that I'm "fighting" for the right cause, I still do have my moments when someone, (who "fights" for the same cause) says something, that I completely misinterpret. And so I sharpen my claws and growl like the proud lioness that I am, without realizing, that I misunderstood a comment to begin with.
And so, once again I have learned a lesson, I was put back in my place, and I will know to read a little more carefully and not to feel offended right away, but to question first, what it is that was really said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And now on to something a little creepy. As I was writing this post, my children and one of their friends decided to go outside in the backyard. They went out through the patio door. The front door was locked. A few minutes ago the doorbell rings, and my children with friend stand in front of the door and my daughter says, "Mom, thanks for locking us out." Obviously I didn't do that. I was upstairs writing a blog post. But a quick look at the patio door confirmed, that it was, indeed, locked. Trying to be funny for the kids I said, we must have ghosts, but my daughter who freaks out fairly easily, did manage to get me a little freaked out. They went back outside... I'm yet again upstairs, and I can't help looking behind me and listening carefully for any unusual sounds. I believe we shall go for our walk to the park now. This is freaking me out.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Disney Fairies? No thanks!
Toothless Fairy is a fairy fan. She loves everything fairy. She builds fairy houses, reads fairy books, and pretends to have two fairies in her care. Toothless Fairy has also found Disney Fairies. After a brief discussion I allowed her to sign up for Disney Fairies. She was thrilled, played some games, created a fairy, and even used the very kid-friendly chat (with filter mode for inappropriate words).
Today, however, Toothless Fairy requested to upgrade her membership, so she can buy things at the shop, and get her hair done, and celebrate with other fairies... all virtually. What exactly does this mean? Well, for $5.95 per month you can access all these wonderful features, create friendships, and so much more. Disney's idea is, supposedly, to create real friendship, and to help young girls "share" things with each other.
How convenient, that Disney makes $5.95 on each little girl, for offering.... nothing. I'm sure it's not at all about the money. Disney would not ever want to rip off anyone with a service, that offers nothing. Au contraire, you can even SAVE money, if you sign up for 6 months for 29.95... or for 12 months for a measly $57!! So little money for nothing.
Toothless Fairy, of course, stepped right into the trap, set out for 8 year olds. "But Mohoooom, if I don't upgrade, I can't buy a hammer, and then I can't build my house, and I can't get my hair done, and I can't do this and that... It's just not FAIR!!" All my attempts at explaining to her the difference between spending money for things you actually need or even desire (like toys and books) and spending money for virtual nothings, failed. She has decided that, since I won't pay for this fabulous service, she is going to save her money, and sign up then.
My hopes are that (at $3.50 allowance per week) she will feel it's not worth spending it on an internet site after all. One can only hope. And if she still wants to sign up, then I guess, it's a lesson she has to learn. With her money she can do whatever she wants (well, with a few exceptions of course), and hopefully, after paying up once, she'll find that spending money on real things really makes a lot more sense.
Today, however, Toothless Fairy requested to upgrade her membership, so she can buy things at the shop, and get her hair done, and celebrate with other fairies... all virtually. What exactly does this mean? Well, for $5.95 per month you can access all these wonderful features, create friendships, and so much more. Disney's idea is, supposedly, to create real friendship, and to help young girls "share" things with each other.
How convenient, that Disney makes $5.95 on each little girl, for offering.... nothing. I'm sure it's not at all about the money. Disney would not ever want to rip off anyone with a service, that offers nothing. Au contraire, you can even SAVE money, if you sign up for 6 months for 29.95... or for 12 months for a measly $57!! So little money for nothing.
Toothless Fairy, of course, stepped right into the trap, set out for 8 year olds. "But Mohoooom, if I don't upgrade, I can't buy a hammer, and then I can't build my house, and I can't get my hair done, and I can't do this and that... It's just not FAIR!!" All my attempts at explaining to her the difference between spending money for things you actually need or even desire (like toys and books) and spending money for virtual nothings, failed. She has decided that, since I won't pay for this fabulous service, she is going to save her money, and sign up then.
My hopes are that (at $3.50 allowance per week) she will feel it's not worth spending it on an internet site after all. One can only hope. And if she still wants to sign up, then I guess, it's a lesson she has to learn. With her money she can do whatever she wants (well, with a few exceptions of course), and hopefully, after paying up once, she'll find that spending money on real things really makes a lot more sense.
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