Topic Box Cleanout

Sleeping
I’ve heard it gets harder to sleep as you get older. I’ve also heard you become more of a morning person or at least an early riser as you age. The first part is definitely true. I enjoy getting up early to get things done. I like seeing the sunrise. I like the quiet, peacefulness of morning. But I have no problem sleeping. I look so forward to going to bed and going to sleep. Sleep is like a warm friend I get to visit every night. When I hear stories other people tell about difficulties sleeping it sounds very frustrating. I look forward to getting in bed every night. Do people who can’t get to sleep not want to go to bed because once there, getting to sleep can be challenging? I hope I don’t have sleep problems as I get older. I’m going to try and preserve my love of getting in a comfortable bed and falling asleep for as long as I can.

The painting of the pig, and other makeup matters
We have a lot of school events we go to now that we have children who enrolled in a school. The events are fun because the teachers, staff and other parents are good company.   Last night we went to the school’s holiday party and it was, indeed, fun. I ate lots of “other people’s food” which I enjoy very much. All in all, considering I couldn’t sit down and didn’t want people to know I’d been in the emergency room earlier in the day, it was a fun evening. I even put on some makeup. I have the makeup I got when I got married. It doesn’t come out much and I don’t really enjoy putting it on. I always feel like it’s a colossal waste of time, money and effort. Granted, I don’t know that much about makeup. I do think I look a little more dressy with makeup on, but I don’t think it makes enough difference to bother most of the time. And as I’ve only put makeup on two times this year, It seems I can’t be bothered very often.

“It’s going to be allrightness”
It doesn’t matter how minor the surgery is, when you get cut into, it’s going to hurt. In the past year I’ve had three procedures for which I was prescribed pain medication: a cesarean section, a tooth extraction and a boil lancing (ugh, that last one still grosses me out, I don’t even like to type it, sorry.) Each time I've taken the pain medication because it does help and for short-term situations, there’s no reason to be in pain. I was sitting on the couch yesterday, in pain, waiting for the pain medication I had taken to begin to take effect. A few minutes later I was overcome with a sense of “it’s all going to be okay.” I realized then that the medicine was working, I was in less pain and I was relieved mentally. Is it that feeling that makes people want to abuse pain medications?

Where are you, winter?
As each season arrives I find I really like that season. I think it would be terribly boring to live somewhere where the weather and climate was monotonous and consistent all year round. I like change. We've been having some nice cold mornings, but the afternoons warm up to close to sixty degrees and I just lose my “it’s wintertime” vibe. I might want a cup of hot chocolate in the morning, but mid-day I want to put on a t-shirt and walk the kids around the block. That kind of weather wishy-washiness is killing my cozy, sit by the fireplace under a blanket vibe. Come on winter, I’m ready for you.

Recycle Shameful
Why do plastic companies make the little recycle symbol so very hard to find and see? There is usually a large amount of real-estate on the bottom of a package or lid or cup that’s not printed on and yet the recycle triangle symbol is regularly very tiny and sometimes even seems hidden. As a plastic producer, wouldn’t you want to loudly advertise how yes, you’re material #2 and you’re so glad your customers care and want to recycle their products? We can recycle everything but #6. But there is a lot of #6 around so I spend a lot of time looking for recycle symbols. I don’t understand why with environmental awareness and preservation such important issues in our lives, plastic producers don’t make their recycle symbols larger.

The Big Boy Update:  Raspberry Bath. He doesn’t like his baths to end. Sometimes, getting him out of the tub even when the water has all drained out is a challenge. The other night I was drying and dressing his sister while he played in an empty tub. I started hearing a strange sound and had to laugh when I came in to see him making a raspberries with his mouth on the bottom of the tub.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  Point. POINT!  If she wants something she will point at it. If you don’t get what she wants, she points more emphatically. Her point is usually accompanied by a grunting, umphing noise that represents whatever noun word she doesn’t know.

Someone Once Said:  Never appeal to a man’s “better nature.” He may not have one. Invoking his self-interest gives you more leverage.