Been meaning to be more aware of the wonderful things in life for a long time now. Committing to capturing it on a regular basis, I'm hoping, will lead me to seek out the good things in every moment.
I haven't been quite feeling myself lately, and it has caught up with me a little. I have many things to be thankful for today, most especially a better outlook after a long talk with a good friend.
But an honourable mention definitely goes to the fact that my white t-shirt came completely clean after the coffee mishap. I actually whooped with joy when I pulled it out of the washing machine! Holla, generic oxygen cleaner!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Facebook....DRAAMAAAAAAH!
True this article from CNN.com on the most annoying facebookers.
I have a FB friend (a "lurker"?) who "has no time for Facebook", yet is consistently up-to-date on my life via FB updates. I was somewhat creeped out at first, but seeing as that I *am* a daily FB user and truthfully, use it to organize my life (especially over the past few months as events, contacts and emails sync up through my BB which syncs up my Google calendar, yippee), I put it all out there. So I can't complain when someone sympathizes that I still don't have a fridge. It just surprises me. And somewhat irritates me. I thought they had no time for FB? But my life *is* innately fascinating, so I can't hate on their fixation with my status updates.
Deeper into the TMI...no group is more TMI than new moms. While of course you'd share a child's fever, worrisome illness symptoms, or potty successes (no details, please!), I don't really need to know about the contents of poop or the colour and composition of nasal discharge. I try to show the kids the respect of not mentioning their blueberry bums or constant crotch grabbing. (whoops.) Stuff on the internet can be permanent. And so many of my FB friends are guilty of this: naked baby/toddler/child pics! That shit is adorable, but there are creeps, oh so many creeps...
I also have a friend (maybe not much longer though?) who posts a monthly ("is not pregnant :(" ) post, along with lots of comments on my own child-related posts & pictures that just make me feel guilty ("I would trade sleep for a baby ANYTIME!") I'm all for wearing your heart on your sleeve but ... sigh.
I've also hid a few of the peeps whose status updates are a little over-the-top happy. Usually accompanied by excessive exclamation points. Maybe I'm just a cynic but when I read some of them, it makes me think: who are you trying to convince? ("had a great day with my hubby!!!! he is the best and such a wonderful life partner!!!! i am truly the luckiest person on the planet!!!!!") I'm all for shout-outs of love and respect and appreciating what we have, but some of you belong over at STFU, Marrieds.
On the other hand, those who are passive aggressively hashing it out via status update need some counselling. ("is cleaning up AGAIN while HE sits on the couch watching FOOTBALL.") Okay, that may have been an imaginary status update from my head. But if I add an "LOL!" or a "Men!! :)" it's not bitchy. Right?
Lastly, my favourite TMIs are the somewhere-out-there way back peeps I was barely friends with, at some point accepted their FB requests, who seem to still be rocking some *major* drama. My profile's restricted to those I barely know, because some of them are apparently batshit crazy, and to answer B's question of "why even be FB friends?", I present the following *actual* updates (censoring courtesy of me) so fun, especially coupled with the staggering amount of grammatically sketchy comments:
"why do i put myself through this? why cant i just accept that some people will continully disappoint me? U KNOW WHO U ARE" (too many of this ilk to list, from about 3 of my FB friends)
"from the pits of despair i rise up and say f**** you to all you HATERS!! oh not i, i will survive cos as long as i know how to love i know i will survive" (powerful.)
"finally HE IS GETTING A DIVORCE!!" (he didn't.)
I have a FB friend (a "lurker"?) who "has no time for Facebook", yet is consistently up-to-date on my life via FB updates. I was somewhat creeped out at first, but seeing as that I *am* a daily FB user and truthfully, use it to organize my life (especially over the past few months as events, contacts and emails sync up through my BB which syncs up my Google calendar, yippee), I put it all out there. So I can't complain when someone sympathizes that I still don't have a fridge. It just surprises me. And somewhat irritates me. I thought they had no time for FB? But my life *is* innately fascinating, so I can't hate on their fixation with my status updates.
Deeper into the TMI...no group is more TMI than new moms. While of course you'd share a child's fever, worrisome illness symptoms, or potty successes (no details, please!), I don't really need to know about the contents of poop or the colour and composition of nasal discharge. I try to show the kids the respect of not mentioning their blueberry bums or constant crotch grabbing. (whoops.) Stuff on the internet can be permanent. And so many of my FB friends are guilty of this: naked baby/toddler/child pics! That shit is adorable, but there are creeps, oh so many creeps...
I also have a friend (maybe not much longer though?) who posts a monthly ("is not pregnant :(" ) post, along with lots of comments on my own child-related posts & pictures that just make me feel guilty ("I would trade sleep for a baby ANYTIME!") I'm all for wearing your heart on your sleeve but ... sigh.
I've also hid a few of the peeps whose status updates are a little over-the-top happy. Usually accompanied by excessive exclamation points. Maybe I'm just a cynic but when I read some of them, it makes me think: who are you trying to convince? ("had a great day with my hubby!!!! he is the best and such a wonderful life partner!!!! i am truly the luckiest person on the planet!!!!!") I'm all for shout-outs of love and respect and appreciating what we have, but some of you belong over at STFU, Marrieds.
On the other hand, those who are passive aggressively hashing it out via status update need some counselling. ("is cleaning up AGAIN while HE sits on the couch watching FOOTBALL.") Okay, that may have been an imaginary status update from my head. But if I add an "LOL!" or a "Men!! :)" it's not bitchy. Right?
Lastly, my favourite TMIs are the somewhere-out-there way back peeps I was barely friends with, at some point accepted their FB requests, who seem to still be rocking some *major* drama. My profile's restricted to those I barely know, because some of them are apparently batshit crazy, and to answer B's question of "why even be FB friends?", I present the following *actual* updates (censoring courtesy of me) so fun, especially coupled with the staggering amount of grammatically sketchy comments:
"why do i put myself through this? why cant i just accept that some people will continully disappoint me? U KNOW WHO U ARE" (too many of this ilk to list, from about 3 of my FB friends)
"from the pits of despair i rise up and say f**** you to all you HATERS!! oh not i, i will survive cos as long as i know how to love i know i will survive" (powerful.)
"finally HE IS GETTING A DIVORCE!!" (he didn't.)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Vancouver Sun Run (1:11)
I've always felt that I take up too much room, just in general. I'm always the one to apologize when elbow bump, or to move out of the way on a crowded sidewalk. Being pregnant for half of the last five years gave me a brief reprieve (after all, it's not *me* in the way it's MY BABY!), but as I've struggled to lose the weight it's been a challenge for me to own my personal space. I'm glad just to be here. (Can you see around me? OK.)
So crowds have never really been my scene. Which is why I was not planning to actually run the Sun Run when I signed up for the training. I see the cover of the Sun every year and I get nauseated. But I got swept along in the excitement and camaraderie plus you know I can't stand to be left out of *anything*. On our training runs I didn't have any major difficulties running 40 minutes straight, just shuffling along one foot in front of the other. So I figured I may actually see something through to completion, something that doesn't happen very often lately (or really, ever in my life).
Starting off was probably the worst part. Downtown during the day has become somewhat unrecognizable to me, so I felt a little lost and claustrophobic as we moved along like cattle waiting to begin. I felt a little hemmed in by the big crowd. My girls started off at a pace that was too fast for me so I hung back and they were immediately swallowed up by the crowd. About 10 minutes in I decided to discard a layer and it proved more complicated than I thought, weaving around headphones and outer vest...I slowed to dead stop and had trouble regaining any momentum.
Running through two protestor demonstrations brought me some negative energy and I had a hard time finding my stride and pace. I seriously considered quitting at that mark, feeling that I had already failed being so far behind...but then I thought about how long it would take me to walk 6K and I got my run on. About a km later I saw an orange shirt that was actually FC, and a perfect pace song came on - and I felt connected again, and could run on the steady slow beat of the song. I tried to focus on keeping my heart rate in the 170s so that I wouldn't have to walk.
So the last of the run was good until someone jumped over a barricade and nearly went face-first into the pavement in front of me. I instinctively recoiled and pulled something in my neck. In the final stretch I didn't see any of the km markers, so it wasn't until I crossed the finish line that I realized that we were done. I swam along with the crowds until I realized I had no idea where anyone was, which resulted in a number of confused texts and phone calls between me and my girls.
I was still disappointed in myself for what I considered failing. Not that my time was slow or that I walked so much, but more that I didn't get the runner's high or the excitement and energy. I kind of felt like an imposter. I hate running, but I thought somehow I would fall under the magical spell of the love of running, or that I really would "feed off the energy of the crowd". Mostly I just felt in the way of the real runners.
So I'm not sure if I'll ever feel like a "real" runner, or if I'll ever do another 10k, but the 736 calories I burned is enough motivation to keep me going. Along with my super-supportive friends, of course. Without them I would have quit around week 5 and never seen that finish line that I didn't even see!
So crowds have never really been my scene. Which is why I was not planning to actually run the Sun Run when I signed up for the training. I see the cover of the Sun every year and I get nauseated. But I got swept along in the excitement and camaraderie plus you know I can't stand to be left out of *anything*. On our training runs I didn't have any major difficulties running 40 minutes straight, just shuffling along one foot in front of the other. So I figured I may actually see something through to completion, something that doesn't happen very often lately (or really, ever in my life).
Starting off was probably the worst part. Downtown during the day has become somewhat unrecognizable to me, so I felt a little lost and claustrophobic as we moved along like cattle waiting to begin. I felt a little hemmed in by the big crowd. My girls started off at a pace that was too fast for me so I hung back and they were immediately swallowed up by the crowd. About 10 minutes in I decided to discard a layer and it proved more complicated than I thought, weaving around headphones and outer vest...I slowed to dead stop and had trouble regaining any momentum.
Running through two protestor demonstrations brought me some negative energy and I had a hard time finding my stride and pace. I seriously considered quitting at that mark, feeling that I had already failed being so far behind...but then I thought about how long it would take me to walk 6K and I got my run on. About a km later I saw an orange shirt that was actually FC, and a perfect pace song came on - and I felt connected again, and could run on the steady slow beat of the song. I tried to focus on keeping my heart rate in the 170s so that I wouldn't have to walk.
So the last of the run was good until someone jumped over a barricade and nearly went face-first into the pavement in front of me. I instinctively recoiled and pulled something in my neck. In the final stretch I didn't see any of the km markers, so it wasn't until I crossed the finish line that I realized that we were done. I swam along with the crowds until I realized I had no idea where anyone was, which resulted in a number of confused texts and phone calls between me and my girls.
I was still disappointed in myself for what I considered failing. Not that my time was slow or that I walked so much, but more that I didn't get the runner's high or the excitement and energy. I kind of felt like an imposter. I hate running, but I thought somehow I would fall under the magical spell of the love of running, or that I really would "feed off the energy of the crowd". Mostly I just felt in the way of the real runners.
So I'm not sure if I'll ever feel like a "real" runner, or if I'll ever do another 10k, but the 736 calories I burned is enough motivation to keep me going. Along with my super-supportive friends, of course. Without them I would have quit around week 5 and never seen that finish line that I didn't even see!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Marshall hates it!
Took the boys swimming last night. Benson can now fully put his head underwater sans goggles. Marshall was so not into it. He loves to splash in the bath but the pool...not dealing. Not a toothy grin to be found all night, even in the face of other babies and "hi baby!"s.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Pineapple = baby crack
Marshall will eat an entire can of pineapple tidbits. Not so much on fresh pineapple, though.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
that plastic bucket
Remember when you were growing up and you had the designated "barf bowl"? In our house it was a burgundy plastic mixing bowl. It came out when you had that icky feeling and needed to lay on the couch. Just the sight of it made me want to hurl.
Unfortunately it was the only bowl in the house big enough to contain the product of our super duper hot air popcorn popper, so that was the bowl's dual use. Gross maybe, but not a lot of actual barf ended up in the designated bowl, in our defense. However...popcorn still = barf, in my mind.
So when faced with 3 boys with stomach flu in the house, I had to make a decision about what bowl to designate "barf only". The metal mixing bowls seemed to be a good choice, but they're not quite deep enough (if you've seen me with martini glass you get the idea).
I sacrificed our Madagascar 2 promotional movie bucket for the cause. And when the imminent danger of projectile vomiting ceased, Alex and the gang ended up in the recycling bin. Unfortunately the original contents of the promotional bucket was movie theatre popcorn...the circle of life?!
Unfortunately it was the only bowl in the house big enough to contain the product of our super duper hot air popcorn popper, so that was the bowl's dual use. Gross maybe, but not a lot of actual barf ended up in the designated bowl, in our defense. However...popcorn still = barf, in my mind.
So when faced with 3 boys with stomach flu in the house, I had to make a decision about what bowl to designate "barf only". The metal mixing bowls seemed to be a good choice, but they're not quite deep enough (if you've seen me with martini glass you get the idea).
I sacrificed our Madagascar 2 promotional movie bucket for the cause. And when the imminent danger of projectile vomiting ceased, Alex and the gang ended up in the recycling bin. Unfortunately the original contents of the promotional bucket was movie theatre popcorn...the circle of life?!
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