Wordless Wednesday: This is just the beginning

 

Random Tuesday Thoughts. I like you, I really do, but why are you making so much work for me?

It’s Tuesday, which means it’s time to get your random on!

There’s nothing I love more than stumbling upon a new blog, either on my own or with a friend of a friend of a friend’s recommendation.  I love sitting and reading through months worth of old posts.  Getting to know the back stories and little details that make a blog great.  And of course, once I decide that YES indeed, I do want to read more in the future, I am damn sure going to subscribe to the RSS feed.  But wait, where is it? Please, for the love of all that is bloggy, stop hiding the subscribe button! There is no way I can be counted on to remember to come back and read without adding you to my reader, I’m just not that with it.  So, that’s all on that.

I keep a notepad in my purse to jot down ideas I think would make great blog posts, for an impromptu grocery trip, things I need to do when I get home.  You get the idea.  This usually works really well, I have it within reach at all times, and rarely do thoughts fall out of my brain to simply be lost.  The problem with this method is that it requires having a pen handy.  Something I actually don’t tend to have.  Somehow I’ve got to make the pen stay near the notepad, but so far, I have failed at that.

I absolutely CANNOT stand the phrase “it is what it is.”  I mean, OBVIOUSLY that’s the case.  The phrase is so over used by just about everyone I know, and I just want to smack the words out of them.  I don’t, because I’m nonviolent and all.  But seriously people, it’s annoying.  Do me a favor, come up with something else, something that in six months is going to be just as overused. 

I tend to listen to the radio when I’m driving to and fro.  I have a horrible habit of listening to 3/4 of a song thinking, “I can’t stand this song.”  Yes, it takes me that long to actually change the station. And it’s not even that hard, the controls are on my steering wheel.  I guess it just takes that long for my brain to process the fact that I actually have the option of changing the station.  I’m awesome like that.

Now head on over to The Un Mom for more random!  GO!

Winner of the pamper yourself giveaway!

I'm pretty sure I said I was going to do this on Friday, but I sort of forgot.  And then I sort of got busy with weekend stuff and well, now it's Monday and here I am finally announcing the winner of the pamper yourself giveaway from Erin at Homemade Love

B from Life in the Bat Cave is our winner!

Paranoid Mommy, Over Using Google. Not Good.

I haven’t talked too much lately about the T-man.  He’s doing fabulously, happy most days, eager to learn and explore new things.  He’s in a truly great stage right now. We can share his experiences and he still sees his parents as his heroes.  Most days are great, with a few not so great moments sprinkled in to keep life interesting.

But, then there are the days that just bring on stress and anxiety.  As a parent, these are the hardest, because there’s so much unknown, and often too much information to actually find a solution.  The other day, someone mentioned a specific issue, or problem, that she noticed Tysen was having.  It caused me a lot of stress, and lead to questioning where I had gone wrong as a mom, what I could have done better or differently.

And then, of course, I hit Google up for some answers.  Just so you know, Google sucks and can lead to hysteria.  While you may innocently enter a few key words of a phrase, you get all kinds of results that may not be related, but they will sure scare the hell out of you.  I know the person who I was talking to didn’t intend for me to Google, and was probably not as bothered by our conversation as I was.  But I did.  So now not only am I stressed and laden with mommy guilt, I’ve also added freaked out and scared to the mix.

Thanks a lot Google.

Boxes, and Packing Tape, and Moving Trucks. OH MY!

I’m not sure if you know this, but I’m moving.  I know, shocking, right?  I don’t mention it often, since it’s rarely in the forefront of my mind.  As if that could ever happen!  I think about it constantly!  There are empty boxes everywhere, just waiting to be taped and packed and taped again.  There are half full boxes waiting for more things to be thrown in there.  There are full boxes waiting to be taken to the donation drop off which is only open on weekends.  Who thought that one up, by the way? I am BUSY PACKING on the weekends, I don’t have time to drop shit off until the following day.  Maybe I’m the only one with this problem though, who knows.

I’ve been scouring the internets for hints and tips and plans and everything moving related.  The husband likes to say that a little information is dangerous, and a lot of information in my hands is even worse.  He’s a real joker that one.  But I need that, I need to know.  If I don’t have a plan, I feel lost and confused.  And I think we all know I’ve got enough of those feelings to last long enough without adding to the mix.

My poor child is actually looking forward to moving to Texas, I’m not sure what’s going on in his crazy mind.  He is only two, that might have something to do with it.  All he knows is that he gets to fly on an airplane and he’ll be seeing Nana and Papa a LOT more often.  What’s not to like?  Every day he asks me if it’s time to go to Texas.  He is ready to pack up his toys and get on with the move.  I wish I could be a little more like him, but I’m not, I’m me.  And this me is slightly terrified.

We have to figure out how to get all of our stuff down there along with our super earth friendly Ford Explorer.  We had been planning to rent a GIANT truck (duh!) and a trailer and hook one up to the other and off the husband goes for his three day drive.  He won’t be alone, he’ll be getting in some father-son bonding time with my father-in-law, and they will share the driving duties.  Unfortunately after some online research it appears that our gas guzzler might be too heavy to tow behind a moving truck.  So now we’re trying to figure that one out. Oh, and the Explorer?  The AC isn’t working.  Awesome, right?

Anywhat, we are trying to figure all these little details out that add up to one GIANT move.  I know people have moved across the country before, even to different continents.  I’m not the first, I’m not original. But it’s the first time for me.  Maybe some of those brave souls who have had to trek thousands of miles with a few decades worth of crap cherished possessions can offer some times, maybe a little advice to keep me from going off into crazy land.  Please, tell this novice what to DO!!

Wordless Wednesday: Irony and The Dewey Decimal System

I survived Monday, only to find I had to write a post Tuesday. This is all I’ve got.

It’s Tuesday, which means we managed to survive another Monday.  It also means it’s time for some random, so read this, and then head on over to The Un Mom for some more random.  You can’t have enough random in your life.  I wonder how many times I can say random in one paragraph.

I often find myself very annoying, so I can only imagine what others must think of me.  Maybe I should clarify.  I often find myself in situations that annoy me, only I somehow manage to perpetuate the situation so that it happens over and over again.  And then I become annoyed with myself once I noticed my actions. I know I need to stop, but somehow I can’t.  I should probably explain, but I like being all cryptic with you this morning.

The husband and I are often fighting over who is taking up more space in our bed.  He seems to think that somehow he is entitled to more room just because he’s taller and bigger.  I don’t think so.  We’re married, so that means I get at LEAST half, if not more.  That’s how God intended it.  Granted, we have a king size bed, you’d think there would be more than enough room for both of us.  Somehow there never is though.

I’ve mentioned before that I do my best thinking around 1:00am.  The problem with this is that I think all that great wisdom and creativity somehow seeps into my pillow around 5:00am, because I always wake up just as dull and boring as the day before.  I need to somehow end this vicious and draining cycle.

I went to the dentist yesterday, it was not a barrel of laughs.  I had a headache when I got there, so things didn’t go so well.  I love my dentist, he’s Canadian, and talks like he is.  I think the reason my dentist loves me is that I have FANTASTIC dental coverage.  We’re in a recession here people, dental insurance is becoming a thing of the past, and here I am, double covered.  I’m probably one of the few patients who can still pay my bill.  So of course he wants to see me again in a few weeks, I’m just that awesome.

I have ten weeks left of work.  TEN.  WEEKS.  People, that’s hardly anything!  It will be over in the blink of an eye.  After that, no more early Saturday mornings, no more bossing people around (except the husband of course).  Then it will be all cardboard boxes and moving trucks.  Oh, the joy.  I can hardly contain myself.

Nothing to see here, nothing at all

I don't have anything exciting or fun to say today.  I had to go to the dentist, and they sucked all the wit right out of me.  My face is numb, I think I just bit my tongue and I will probably have to drink my dinner.  So, on that exciting note, have a happy Monday, I will see you back again on Tuesday

Six Word Saturday.

Describe your life, of something happening in it, or whatever you feel like at the moment. Give details, or not. It's up to you!

ALL I EVER DO IS WAIT

I’m Excited! A Treat Yourself Giveaway!

I’m excited today because I’m doing a giveaway, and who doesn’t like winning?  I like winning, but unfortunately I can’t win this one, I’m pretty sure that would be a conflict of interest. 
So, you may be asking yourself, “what could possibly be so wonderful?”  And I will answer, after I introduce you to the person responsible for this prize.  Everyone, meet Erin owner and operator of Homemade Love, which can be found at Sugar and Spice. Erin has always loved creating things that are natural, beautiful and comforting. Her line of homemade, all natural items fit into this perfectly.
 
The fabric on the eye mask will be of a different fabric

Erin packages her bath salts in poly bags, rather than a larger decorative container, to reduce waist and shipping costs.
The giveaway ends Thursday April 22nd at 11:59, PST.  I will draw a winner from all the comments using Random.org on Friday April 23rd and the winner will be notified here and through email. 
Now that you know what you’re playing for, here are the various ways that you can enter to win, you can do one or all of these, please leave a comment indicating you’ve done so:

• Leave a comment because comments are blogger crack
• Tweet about this giveaway, and leave the link to your tweet (if you know how) in a comment.
• Blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment
• Follow me on Twitter 
• Subscribe the the Memories and Mischief RSS feed
• Add Memories and Mischief to your blog roll

And that’s it I hope. Good luck!

Wordless Wednesday: Too Much Junk = 7 Bags For Donation

Really Blogger? REALLY?? Oh, And It’s Possible I Have an Unhealthy Obsession With Socks.

Let’s just get this random started, I have a lot of pent up energy.

First off, Blogger hates me.  I know it’s personal, and I will not put up with it anymore!  First Blogger ate my comments, so I added a widget.  Then Blogger ate my widget, so I deleted it and went back to the standard craptastic blogger comment form.  But NOOO!  Blogger couldn’t be satisfied with that.  Again my comments were being eaten, so I had to reconfigure it and now I get a few comments now and then.  But I KNOW blogger is still eating them.  The latest move against me is that blogger will randomly change my font, so don’t be surprised if there are three or four different fonts as you’re reading.  I’ve got my eye on you, Blogger.  Your time here is short, don’t mess with me!

It’s spring here, in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, so of course that means rain for days.  I’m tired of the rain, tired of the drizzle and the showers.  I’m tired of the wind and feeling as though my car will be blown off the road at any minute.  There is very little about the rain that I will miss. I will miss listening to the rain as I fall asleep, I’ll miss sharing that with Tysen.  We were at a new year’s eve party and he was sleepy so we sat and listened to the rain.  He still asks if we can snuggle and listen to the rain.  That I will miss. 

I recently discovered the joy of knee socks.  I advise everyone to go out and buy several dozen pairs, because they are freaking amazing!  Now, I'm not talking trouser socks, or anything dignified.  Stripes, plaid, stars, hearts, argyles or anything dorky will do.  I don’t know how to describe the level of comfort, so you will just have to trust me.  Go to Target, buy them, wear them, love them. Go!

You know what I don’t understand?  Well, a lot of things, but this in particular.  Why do people put those little family decals on their car, with the name of each child underneath the little stick figures?  Seriously, could you be any more obvious that you want your child to be abducted?  Maybe I’m just incredibly paranoid, maybe I’m giving it more thought than it requires.  Or maybe some parents aren’t giving it enough.

Phew, I feel better now.  I’m done being random, but there is more to be found if you head on over to The Un Mom.  So go visit, get your random on then go to Target and buy some knee socks!

Road Rage Is Alive and Well My Friends

I love driving in my car, the wind in my hair and singing at the top of my lungs to the greatest songs of the 80s.  Or I used to love these things.  That was before I started commuting to work.  When I first started this job the highway I had to take was under construction.  For almost two years.  The backup was horrific and what should have been a thirty minute drive could easily take 90 minutes.  Over the course of those two years, I learned a lot about myself as a driver (I’m exceptional!) and quite a bit more about my fellow commuters.  I’d like to share some of those lessons with you.  I’m sure you have you’re own, feel free to add them.

If you drive in Washington, there is a rule that MUST be obeyed!  Any deviation from this rule will result in very hostile drivers around you.  Simply put, if you want the person in front of you to speed up, try passing them on the right.  I know, I know.  It’s crazy logic, I mean normally the LEFT lane is for passing.  We have our own rule here though, so if you try to pass someone on the right, 95% of the time they will speed up for a few miles.  For some, the left lane is just a nicer place to drive, at whatever speed feels right.  Doesn’t much matter if that speed is 20mph under the speed limit.  This is also true of drivers from BC.  Don’t get me wrong, I love our neighbors to the north, but they are almost worse drivers than those from Washington.

Now should the worst happen, and your car catches fire it won’t do you any good to have a state patrol car drive by.  I kid you not, last week a car about 1/4 of a mile in front of me pulled off the road with flames coming out the front.  I thought surely the WSP car behind me would pull over to offer some assistance.  Nope, he blew right by the flame engulfed car, along with the rest of us.

I live and drive in the Pacific Northwest.  That means it rains here, frequently.  I would like to assume that most people are aware of how the rain affects the road conditions and are wise enough to alter their driving accordingly.  However there seems to be a rain freak out phenomenon that occurs for 9 months of the year, where drivers forget these lessons.

 I know there are more fine examples of little truths and lessons I have learned along the way, but I have lost my train of thought and so this is all I have to offer you.  Hopefully some of my kind readers will have some to share.

Six Word Saturday

This is my first time participating in Six Word Saturday, hosted by Cate over at Show My Face.  The idea’s simple, describe your life, your day, your grocery list, WHATEVER in six words. 

I’m so tired.  Where’s my coffee?

It’s Saturday (duh!) so that means waking up at the ass-crack of dawn, hauling myself into work and wishing I was anywhere else all day long.  To top it off, it’s so sunny and nice outside.  Of course it is, I have to work.  Now, who has my venti white chocolate mocha?

Party Time! 5-Minutes For Mom’s Ultimate Blog Party

This week I am participating in 5 Minute’s For Mom’s Ultimate Blog Party, which starts today, yeah! This is a great way to meet new friends and find some great blogs to add to your reader.  And the best part is that you too can participate.  Head on over to sign up and find out more. 

There may not be cake, but there will be prizes!

If you’ve already jumped on the party bandwagon and are hoping around visiting, Welcome!  Feel free to poke around and get an better look into the way my mind works.  I’ve rambled my way now for about 8 months, and I don’t see the randomness ending anytime soon.  Hopefully the cobwebs and dust don’t scare you off too much.

A bit more about me: I’m in my late 20’s (very late!) and have yet to figure out what I want to do with my life.  I’m a mom to a very rambunctious two year old, who drives me insane and makes me laugh all in the same moment.  I love reading, running and of course social networking.

I can’t wait to visit the other UBP posts and get to know more of the wonderful blogging community.

You can find me on Twitter or subscribe to my RSS Feed if you’ve not run of screaming into the night.

Just Another Ordinary Day

Today, as I write this, it is April 6th.  There is very little that is special about the day, it’s cloudy and cold and apparently mother nature is trying to blow down my house.  I got up, got dressed, took my son to daycare and drove into work.  I had to be there to conduct an interview but the candidate was a no show.  My sister sent me a text, asking if I was ok, the only indication that today was not like every other day. 

You see, today is not just another ordinary day for me.  Today is April 6th, a day that will always be marked with sadness and an empty feeling inside a reminder that a part of me is missing.  On April 6th 2006 my mom died suddenly from breast cancer that had gone undetected.  It was shocking and brutal, I felt as though my tether had been cut and I was drifting aimlessly.

I was filled with anger; not at what I had lost, but for what had been taken from me.  I’m still filled with anger that I haven’t dealt with, that I need to deal with to find some peace.  But the wound is still so raw and hurtful.  My mom was my biggest champion, my loudest supporter.  I wrote this post several months ago, and it speaks so clearly to all that I feel every day.  Please read it.

I know I am not the only daughter to lose a mother, the only person to lose a close family member.  That doesn’t make it hurt any less.  It just makes me a member of a very large club I don’t want to belong to.  Today I tried to look at the day, and appreciate the things my mom would have enjoyed.  She loved listening to the rain or watching a storm pass through.  Today it is stormy outside, a perfect reflection of the way my heart is aching.

I’m not sure when I’ll post this, or even if I will.  I think I should, for my sister at least, so that she knows she is not alone and that I feel the same hurts that she does.  I love you mom and I love you Katy.

Hooker Hair, Black Fishnet Tank-Top, Black Tutu, More Fishnet and CFM Shoes

I don’t know, and I really don’t care, so please stop asking me stupid questions.

Last week I worked in a different office, filling in for someone who was out taking care of her very pregnant daughter.  This person and I aren’t exactly BFFs, in fact I am pretty sure she despises me.  I’m ambivalent.  I was probably asked about 500 times if the daughter had had her baby.  Being the nice person I am, I politely said I had no idea.  What I wanted to say was more along the lines of, “I don’t know, and what’s more, I really don’t give a damn.” It is entirely possible I did say this once or twice but it all sort of blurs together into one big obnoxious week.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m moving, well this also means that I’m quitting my job.  Positions such as mine do not open all that often, people usually die before they retire or quit.  You can imagine the euphoria some people felt when my position was posted two weeks ago.  It was quite a site to behold, people who hadn’t given me the time of day before were suddenly my new besties.  All this attention was definitely unwanted on my part, considering I’ve been there almost seven years and it seems a little late to be making nice.  Of course, if someone were to try to bribe me with cake I definitely wouldn’t turn that down.

I love how blogger sends me an email, notifying me of new comments.  I’m an instant gratification sort of gal, so this works out pretty well.  I would like for blogger to stop sending me notifications when I comment on my own posts.  I’m pretty sure I’m away that I have written something and then hit the submit button.  I’m slow, but not quite that slow.

My two year old is a big Dora fan, much to my chagrin.  The other day he was watching an episode of Dora while The Hubs and I were cleaning.  Dora is a big fan of positive reinforcement, but what I heard next was a little much, even for me.  “Great super blowing” Dora exclaimed to her young listening audience.  The Hubs and I started laughing and realized that Dora had a pivotal decision to make, did she spit or swallow?

On that uncomfortable note, go visit The Un Mom for even more random.

Change can be a good thing, but it scares the crap out of me

 

I do not like change.  I like routines, I like order, I like knowing that the way I did things on Monday is probably the way I will do them again on Tuesday.  I am a pretty big fan of predictability, surprise frightens me and the unknown makes me pee my pants. 

That being said, it’s pretty much the exact opposite of what my life will look like in a few short months.  These days, I know where I’m going to buy my groceries, which gas station I will stop at on the way to and from said grocery store, what time I need to leave my house to get to work on time.  Soon that will all be a thing of the past, and I’m not really a fan of that.

Once we move to Texas, EVERYTHING will be different.  We’ll have to find a new bank because ours is a local credit union.  We will have to go to a different grocery and I’m pretty sure they don’t have Safeway or QFC.  What will I do without the delicious bakeries of both those stores?  And driving to work?  Who freaking knows if I’m even going to be working, let alone where or when or how or what!  There are just so many unanswered questions and I really don’t like that.

Not only do I loath change, but I like planning.  I can’t plan for the things that I don’t know yet and the list of unknowns keeps growing everyday.  Hell, I don’t even know the exact date we are moving, and that’s a pretty big one.  So, once you add up all the unknowns and pile them with the changes that are freaking me out, I am a long way from my happy place.  There are days I want to bury my head in the sand and not think about all that, but instead I get out my big yellow notepad and make a list and a plan.

Do you need a job? Take mine!

Today is the last day to apply for my job, the description and applications materials are all online. Though, you'll need to be patient, because technically it is still MY job, at least through the end of June. Our HR department is really on the ball with this one, either that or they want to leave plenty of time for procrastination. Personally, I think it's the latter.


When I first saw that my position had been posted, I was incredibly saddened. This was my first real job that didn't include a cash register. Though I've never viewed it as a career and I vowed I wouldn't stay longer than three years. My last day will be just a few weeks shy of my 7 year anniversary. That's a lot of time invested in not only the work I do on a daily basis, but also the people I work with. Truth be told, I will miss my coworkers and my two incredible bosses more than the actually work. I also felt as though I was being rushed out the door, sort of "here's your hat, what's your hurry." I don't think it had been a full week after I handed in my separation notice that they posted. Do you think they are trying to tell me something? Nahh, probably not...


Now, I have set VERY high standards while working in this position, and I have some very big shoes to fill. And you might think that I'll just be phoning it in for the next few months, but I promise you that isn't true. Granted, it is government work, so the standards have slipped through the years, and I only wear a size 7, but we don't need to focus on the details. The important thing is planning my going away party!


I expect there to be lots and lots of cake. It will probably be during work hours, so alcohol is optional, though not discouraged. And it should NOT be a surprise. My office LOVES throwing a surprise party. Not sure who comes up with the great ideas to keep this up, but I think we should put a stop to it upon my departure.


So, you have until 5:00 pm PST to get those application materials in! Sure you'll have to fax it, but lets face it, this is a choice opportunity! Who knows, maybe I'll even be in on your interview, now won't that be fun!