Seven Random Things About Me

My sister in law Harmony posted seven random things and I decided that since she really didn't put any names, that I would just do it because I should be packing for our trip to Texas, doing laundry, washing dishes and I really just don't want to - so I'll waste some time and jot down seven random things...
1. I can feel the weight of fingernail polish when I put it on my fingernails - and I really don't function well with it on.
2. I have a 34 inch inseam - buying pants generally sucks.
3. I love politics, but get very annoyed with people who vote strictly by party lines because they always vote that way.
4. I love smelly lotion - but they have to smell like fruit not flowers.
5. I love it when my husband puts his hand on the small of my back, reaches for my hand or puts his arm around me just because.
6. It drives me crazy when people talk with their mouth full of food or chew with their mouth open.
7. I think people who interrupt a conversation all the time are among the rudest in the world.

My Guilty Pleasures

I have had a really long day full of all sorts of adventure and just sat down after getting the kids in bed and realized that I loved to end days with a few of my guilty pleasures.

First and foremost, and anyone who knows me at all knows this, I love Diet Coke. Yea, it has things in it that when fed to rats by the gallons, it caused cancer, but that doesn't really bother me. I guess if I consumed gallons and gallons of Diet Coke every day, I'd be worried, but I'm not.

Second, I really love dark chocolate, and dark chocolate M&M's or Snickers are just to die for. Sure, milk chocolate is the more preferred kind, but it's flavor just isn't as good to me - it doesn't make my tongue celebrate the opportunity it has to taste. Yup, I love it that much. That's probably one of my downfalls as far as a healthy diet, and I probably only indulge once or twice a week, but I love it.

Third, my Mother's Day present that I got early. See, I HATE vacuuming and sweeping, and do it rather begrudgingly, but Enoch, being the sweet, loving, caring husband that he is, bought me a Roomba http://irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=95 from Woot www.woot.com Mine has a scheduling function on it, so it starts and vacuums my kitchen, dining room and living room floors everyday when I'm at the gym. I love it - and to know that a room is being vacuumed while I'm working on something else is just heavenly.

Fourth - I really don't have tons of time to watch TV (outside of winter when it's too cold to do anything else) but there are two shows that I just really like that have plot lines that build off of the previous episode, and they are Grey's Anatomy http://abc.go.com/primetime/greysanatomy/index and Heroes http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/. Yea, Enoch and I like to watch Scrubs http://www.nbc.com/Scrubs/ reruns at night, but I really haven't been following it at all the last year or so. Grey's captivates me - the writing is witty, the actors hilarious and always in character and the plot twists and turns are a great roller coaster ride, especially for someone who doesn't like roller coasters. Heroes is completely captivating, engrossing, suspenseful and each episode ends with me on the edge of my seat wondering what in the world could possibly happen next. Since I seem to be missing these (both are on at 8:00 pm here in Cedar) I love the fact that I can watch the whole episode online, pausing when I need to and enjoying with fewer commercials and thus taking less of my ever dwindling and increasingly precious time.

Fifth, the gym. Sure, going kicks my butt, makes me sore at least half of the week, makes me feel totally out of shape and weak when watching younger women who have had fewer babies doing more than me and at a higher intensity. Yeah, I wish that I could get the results in less time, but I love to have the chance of having an hour of just me time. I have recently started doing the abs class twice a week - a 30 minute class of crunching, squeezing and wincing, but that has helped a bit and I'm hoping that by strengthening my core more I can finally get rid of the semi-permanent back pain that I've had for the last 4 1/2 years.

So, these are some of the things that I enjoy in life, that help me stay sane, and give me a few moments of quality time for myself. I'd love to add sleeping in...but that's not something I get to do much of at this point in my life - I'm told that teens help that process, but it seems that staying up late till they get home would negate the benefits of sleeping in...Guess I'll know more about that in about 10 years....

The Oxymoron of Political Values

Yea, I'm writing in response to the statement made by the so called Rev. Al Sharpton. He gets in the face of a radio personality who has it written in his contract that he is supposed to be over the top and borderline obscene, then says that he is going against the horrifically crude and degrading people of rap by picketing the producers of the, as Glenn Beck says, poison of our society. He didn't go after CBS or MSNBC for what Imus said, why doesn't he go after the people who are making the horrible noise and degradation of women. But the comment that he, a Christian leader who is a promoter of peace and equality, can time after time degrade the Mormon faith. True, there are things about religions that I am not a member of that I just don't get - the whole smelling thing that the people wave around during mass, why the men of the Jewish faith wear those little hats on their heads all the time, the symbolism of the star and the moon in the Muslim faith. But I'm not out there, or even on here talking about how they really don't believe what they say they believe. The double standard that is in politics has always been apparent to the rest of us normal people, but now it is pouring over into the "religious" field.

I guess what I'm having a hard time with is poeple who are questioning Mitt Romney's values based on the fact that he is Mormon. I don't hear people questioning Rudy Guiliani's values even thought he had an open affair and is currently on his third marriage. I don't hear people questioning Hillary Clinton - it seems to me that if someone is going to be a representative of the strength of women and the necessity of Americans to have enough self respect that we take care of ourselves can say anything when she clearly doesn't have the confidence or self respect of herself enough to leave a man who has cheated on her so many times that I doubt anyone can keep track. I don't know a mom out there who would teach her daughter to keep staying with a man who will continually and regularly betray her, disrespect what is supposed to be most important to her relationship with him, and she stays and smiles. What am I supposed to think about John Edwards, who is talking about how he is the president who is going to end poverty, when he is forking out $400 for a haircut? He's paying more to get his hair cut than most people on poverty can even dream about spending just to feed their families.

I guess the questions that really need to be addressed are how can people vote for someone who goes against everything that they say they are doing? And why is it that when there is someone with values that are indisputable, people can't get over it, in the original land of free religion, because he is a member of a church that isn't familiar to everyone? Why were these questions brought up when Joe Lieberman was running for president, wondering if he would work on Saturdays, but no one says anything when Christian presidents, the only ones this country has ever had, work on Sundays, the Christian Sabbath? Political Values, indeed.

The Adventures of a Pseudo Stay at Home Mom

First, the explanation of the title. Yes, I stay home with my kids, but if you look at being a stay at home mom in its truest form, there have only been a few spans of as many weeks when I have held that title. I have always had some sort of job while I have had children - teaching piano lessons has been the most common, and really, there are days when I think I'm the greatest masochist because the noise from the wrong notes resounding throug my home and kids fighting, whining, arguing and crying don't generally mesh. However, it gives me the opportunity to teach others the value I see in music, and it really is very exciting when I get to see them figure out a tricky rhythm, finally learn their notes (celebrate that occasion for a dual purpose - generally once that momentous occasion has occured, the piano lesson isn't nearly as challenging to listen to) and perform a piece that they have been working on for a long time. I've also been a breakfast hostess at a hotel in Mt. Vernon, WA http://www.bestwesterncottontreeinn.com/mtvernon/index.htm (best breakfast in a hotel ever!!!), accompanied a children's choir, again in Mt Vernon, WA, babysat for various people in different locations, etc. And when you add that I've had a baby in the middle of a semester of college twice, it becomes apparent that I really never was destined for true stay at homeness (I don't know if that is really a word, but Enoch is making up words all the time, I figure I should be able to too.

Today I awoke still suffering from the only allergy I have, that to the pollen of Russian Olive Trees, which, as luck would have it, grow in the wild around this area and are in full bloom. Add the winds that are blowing at 30-40 mph and I'm a mess. But then, I had this great idea (yes, it was a great idea, and yes, that was a bit of sarcasm...) to make strawberry jam. I knew that the strawberries were coming to the end of their season, so I bought 30 lbs of them on Monday. (pausing while you reiterate that I really did say THIRTY pounds). Well, yesterday I taught 2 hours of piano lessons, bought and picked up the kids a "new" trampoline, and plus the regular mom stuff, and I just didn't get around to doing them yesterday, so they HAD to be done today. But it takes a long time to get that many strawberries done when I have kids running around, the girls didn't take a nap, I ran out of containers and had to go to the dreaded Walmart, which always takes forever, and incidently, when I have to stop every five minutes to blow my nose and rewash my hands, strawberries take a long time. But they are done - I don't have to do them for another year, and tomorrow it is (hopefully) supposed to rain which should drop the pollen count and make me less aware of the presence of my nose and the pressure in my head.

You know, I really am liking the name of this entry....I think I'll switch it to the name of my blog.