Mom's Nag Pad

Happy Mardi Gras!!

2011-02-28T21:45:00.002-06:00

Every year, about this time in the Crescent City, New Orleanians are enjoying and bemoaning the run up to Fat Tuesday. When you live in another state and are watching the festivities on the news, it does look like a lot of fun and in essence, it is. But we get to live the annoying part of Carnival as well; the impossible traffic, those extra days off for the kids, and those New Year's diets which are thrown off track again! The kids are excited to catch all the beads and stuffed animals which they'll play with for thirty seconds and then leave all over the living room floor.

Still, it's one of those things that makes us unique. It's funny to realize that businesses all around the country are open except in New Orleans, and a few other places in the South. Our children are raised believing that everyone is celebrating Mardi Gras (what a horrible shock this was to those kids who lived outside New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina). When Wednesday comes, the faithful will go off to church for Ash Wednesday, and the rest of us suffering from hangovers, gluttony and fatigue, will call in sick. The trees along St. Charles and Carrollton will be dripping with beads for weeks afterwards and there will be mad scrambles for the last King Cakes at Walgreens.

And as tired as we'll be from Mardi Gras 2011, it won't be long before we'll be thinking about Mardi Gras 2012.

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-01T22:25:00.002-06:00

One day in and I'm already feeling overwhelmed. 2010 definitely had it's good days and its bad days. We're starting off the year by welcoming our oldest home from her internship at Disneyworld. The two younger girls are back at school on Monday and we're all still hungover from holiday eating. I feel like I'm nesting again. I want to make a lot of little improvements to the house before I start classes again, as well as produce about ten things to put in my Etsy shop. I'd better start making lists and prioritizing before I get distracted with other projects. I hope your New Year starts out well and continues into 2012!

Please make it stop!!!

2010-12-26T23:07:00.002-06:00

If I eat one more thing this holiday season, Mrs. Claus will have some competition. My husband put mini Twixes in my stocking and I immediately put them out for company. I really appreciate what he did, but I don't need that kind of temptation. What is it about overindulging in sweets for the holiday season? It's the same mentality women employ when they're pregnant. Well, we're not eating for two unless that second stomach belongs to a cow. I've got to get back to the gym before I have to put that pesky weight loss item back on my New Year's resolution list.

I hope all of you had a safe and happy Christmas!

Thank God it's Thursday!

2010-11-18T22:34:00.002-06:00

I love to see Friday come as well, but for me Thursday is my last day of classes for the week and I get to relax. There's one more week of classes, then finals and then I have a month off. I can't wait. Remember that princess? It's almost done, thanks to my Mom pitching in. My seven-year-old is going to be the cutest Princess Tiana Disneyworld has ever seen.

The end of another week....

2010-11-12T15:10:00.002-06:00

I swear I thought I had three weeks. We're going to visit my oldest at Disneyworld and I've got a princess costume to make. Problem is, I've only got a week. Having just gotten past midterms (school not political) and a major paper, not to mention the five Mardi Gras costumes on my table, I'm starting to feel a little pressed for time. So, it's time to prioritize and of course, princess costume first.

Am I the only one who is shocked that Christmas is just around the corner?

Oy, what a time I've had!

2010-11-02T15:39:00.002-05:00

This is a cautionary tale for all those who ignore their blogging. As you can see I haven't posted since the beginning of June. I just had too much going on with school, work and family, so I took a break. So of course, when I wanted to come back, I couldn't remember logins, passwords and who knows what else. I don't know how I got back into my dashboard, but I did. Let's just say it was a sign.

I've actually been stuck in bed for a while. My high blood pressure is acting up, so I'm trying to simplify. I'm taking three classes this semester, but working and blogging from home until the pressure comes down and I learn the simple lesson of not eating too much fast food. The salt in even a Chick-Fil-A meal is enough to choke a horse (and their food is supposed to be better than the rest). Suffice it to say, I'm trying to get back on track.

Trying to find a balance...

2010-06-04T23:33:00.002-05:00

My summer class started last week and I can't tell you how relieved I am to be taking only one course. My classmates also signed up for another class which begins right after the one I'm in. The class is an important prerequisite and can only be taken in the summer. I just couldn't do it. Five hours of class in one evening? The very thought makes me want to give up. If I've learned one thing in 48 years, it's knowing when I need to pull back and reassess and that's what I intend to do this summer. After five weeks of class, I intend to take the rest of the summer to catch up and relax a bit. I want to finish my Masters in a timely fashion, but I don't need to kill myself.

Last Day of School

2010-05-21T17:51:00.002-05:00

And as promised, I took my girls to their favorite Middle Eastern restaurant. It was like one big breath we all got to take on a Friday afternoon and it was well deserved. Everyone has worked hard and now we get a week or two off before summer activities begin. Education never ends. I'll be taking one course, and there will be gymnastics camp, drama camp and ACT prep. The summer is shorter now, a scant ten weeks and I'm not sure there's a vacation in the mix until the fall.

Still, the last day of school is always sweet.

Wouldn't it just be easier to work at McDonalds?

2010-05-11T16:46:00.002-05:00

I just paid $125 for a book for the summer session which lasts only six weeks. OMG!! If the cost of education gets any higher, I might consider going to work for Mayor McCheese. The cost of college is a constant discussion at my home, since my oldest is going into her third year, I'm going into my second, and the 17 year old has dreams of studying while lying on a beach in California. She also dropped the phrase 'law school' the other day. Clearly, she doesn't understand the phrase 'a quarter of a million dollars' either. That's a conservative estimate of what it will cost for undergrad and law school if she chooses to go to school out of state.

So, I tried to couch it in terms she could understand; disposable income. This girl likes to shop. The minute money goes into her high school checking account, it goes out. It's not strange at all to check the balance and see less than five dollars in the account. If she gets a job in law, how much disposable income will she have, once she starts paying back those sizable student loans?

The only time you should this kind of debt is when you're purchasing a home, someone in your family is deathly ill, or you own a business. I hope she understands this before she mortgages her future.

The Mother's Day Remix

2010-05-06T21:33:00.004-05:00

On Sunday, I will do something for my Mom and then we'll visit my husband's Mom. She lives about an hour away. I'll probably host a breakfast or brunch for Mom, and I'll contribute a cake to the meal at my mother-in-law's house. So let's see, I'm cooking and spending the day in the car. Yes, I'll enjoy seeing these two ladies who've been so important to my development as a person and a mother, but........

I came up with the idea of an alternative Mother's Day a couple of years ago when at the end of one of these days, I came home exhausted and my family considered Mother's Day over at about five o'clock. Needless to say, I was feeling a little let down.

To me the perfect Mother's Day is doing what you want to do. I want to do nothing, or at least to have the option to do nothing. After doing nothing for a while, I might want to watch a movie, work in the garden, edit a manuscript, or just walk around in my pajamas all day. Being served meals in bed all day wouldn't hurt either. Twenty-four hours before the cruel reality of motherhood bites me again would be sweet.

Now that's a great Mother's Day.

It's Over!!!

2010-05-05T21:27:00.002-05:00

I turned in my last exam today. Well, actually, I emailed the exam to my teacher, and then because I'm so anal, I walked a hard copy to his office. I'm starting to act like my 70 year old mother who refuses to use the ATM because she's sure someone will steal her checks.

I remember this feeling. I had the same feeling when I passed my last class in undergrad, then walked aimlessly around the campus because I was no longer a student, nor was I gainfully employed. And of course, this euphoria will only last for a month, but as the end of the school year nears for my daughters as well, we're all just thankful for the break.

What's next? Time to get caught up. I've got a million and one projects I'd love to get at before the summer session starts.

One down, two to go....

2010-04-27T17:22:00.002-05:00

Higher education in 2010 is incredible. After working hours on a take home exam, I had to upload it to two different sites for grading. Whatever happened to the days of handing a blue book to the teacher at the end of the exam? Oh yeah, that went the way of the dinosaur and the IBM Selectric.

I was so glad to have that test over, I can honestly say I don't care if I get an 'A'. Don't get me wrong! I'd love to get an 'A' on the exam, but I'd be happy with a 'B' and 'A' in the class, if that's possible. One test tomorrow night, and another one next week, and I can take a break.

The Testing Season Begins

2010-04-24T09:55:00.002-05:00

My children have been given strict instructions. MOM IS NOT HOME THIS WEEKEND! If they speak to me, they'll get one of two responses. "I don't know you people", or "Go find your Dad". This weekend I have to work on two exams; one take home and one in class. The next week, I have a take home final as well, and then the semester will be over. Then I get to enjoy a month off, though I'll still have to teach. When you're juggling several balls at once, it's a respite when one of the balls can be tucked away.

We're at the time of the year when everyone is ready for the school year to end. Everyone has just enough energy to make it through the next few weeks, and then there will be a final push at the end. Even now, the six year old has to prepare for those end of the year field trips and teachers' gifts. And as much as we want to the school year to be over, summer plans are being made.

My youngest and I have already gotten into the yard and planted seeds, wildflower seeds native to our state, and we can't wait to see them come up. It's been a long winter, even for New Orleans, and a little bit of color in the yard is just what we need.

Is it Summer Yet?

2010-04-20T22:44:00.002-05:00

We're all hitting the wall. In three to six weeks, every student in my household will be out of school and enjoying the summer. But until then, we're holding on by our fingernails, trying to get through the last tests, finals and fieldtrips. Right now the end of the semester work seems overwhelming at times and there are days when we just want to stay in bed and knock it out in one day, but that's not an option unless we're deathly ill. Then, of course, how much work would we get done?

I have a month between the end of the Spring semester and the beginning of the Summer semester. I've got a lot of living to do in that time. I get to spend extra time with my kids, there are about a million projects I'd like to get to. In meantime, I've got to get back to work. See you after finals.

Light at the end of the current tunnel.....

2010-04-09T21:58:00.002-05:00

It was one of those weeks again. Our new dishwasher broke, a couple of the kids are sick, I had an all day conference and had to coordinate solutions to all these problems in between sessions. I felt like one of those workaholic moms who have a cellphone superglued to their ear! But I handled it. The dishwasher got fixed (it was still under warranty), my 17 year old still has a slight fever, but she's resting comfortably, and I did actually get something out of this conference. Kudos to my Mom, who came over to babysit the house and her granddaughter since I had to be away.

I still have a hard time dealing with delegating to others jobs which were once my exclusive domain. The next two and a half years are going to be tough with school, work and family, and if I don't learn to delegate, I'll go nuts. I have to make an extra effort to spend as much time as possible with my youngest, but luckily, she's the kind of kid who can roll with the punches and doesn't mind the occasional play date or alternate pick up because I have to study.

I'm only taking one course this summer because I have to take two trips. I could also use the extra time to catch up on some of my primary schoolwork in counseling. I want to be better prepared for the new semester.

Healthcare in America

2010-03-25T23:41:00.002-05:00

I feel there's been a lot of irresponsible rhetoric surrounding the new healthcare legislation out of Washington. While everyone is entitled to their opinion, I'd personally like to see how this thing shakes out. I have a college-aged daughter who takes a rather expensive medication. If she could stay on our insurance until she's 26, it would be a great help to her, as well as her family. My father died a couple of years ago of kidney failure. The last few years of his life, he lived on less than $600 per month, which of course made it impossible for him to see the doctor or to afford medications for his high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. If some type of healthcare reform had been in place a few years ago, he might still be with us.

The price tag is alarming to a lot of people, and I understand this, but I believe we've got to start somewhere. I don't believe the bill we have now will be the plan we might have ten years from now. Some massive effort will have to be made to correct the problems with healthcare in America, or it will remain a system of expensive insurance for those who can afford it, and charity hospitals being used as primary care physicians for those who can not.

2010-03-24T21:39:00.002-05:00

I feel like I haven't posted in such a long time, but I had a presentation in one class and an exam in another. Finally, they're both behind me and I can look forward to the weekend. I'm ready for the summer to begin. I'm tired of studying and shuttling kids back and forth. We all need a break from being stuck in the car. It's been an especially cold winter for us in New Orleans and everyone is looking forward to green lawns and flowers in the garden. I want to create an outdoor living space once the yard looks alive again. It would be nice to feel warm again. I think I'll ask for an outdoor swing for Mother's Day!

If in doubt, wash it out!

2010-03-13T20:57:00.005-06:00

The "Battle of the Dishes" continues. My seventeen-year-old is nothing, if not persistent. Her overly full academic life, now the bane of her existence, is the newest excuse for doing a poor job on her kitchen chores. This child is so much like her father, it's almost excrutiating to watch. She loads the dishwasher poorly, not rinsing anything and placing bowls and glasses on the bottom rack, then seems utterly surprised when everything comes out as dirty as when it went in. Then, of course, there are all the dishes she couldn't get fit in like bowls and pots, which just sit around the kitchen waiting for divine intervention to whisk them clean.

She always tells me that she plans on being rich and hiring someone to keep her home clean. This is mostly a fantasy, but hey, it's her dream to dream. Meanwhile, my advice to my darling daughter is, "If in doubt, wash it out!" The next time I clean the kitchen, I plan to photograph it and email the pictures to her. She's got to realize at some point that a clean kitchen actually involves surfaces you can actually eat off.

Weird Potty Women

2010-03-10T13:09:00.002-06:00

I am ready to start a group against women who urinate all over the seat in public restrooms! I mean, seriously? This is the behavior for which we have been railing against the male of the species since the dawn of time. You don't think the first cave woman threw a rock at her mate the first time he got pee all over the outhouse!

I saw a news report on a study which said that women's restrooms actually had more germ activity than the men's room, the reasoning being that children often went into the restroom with their mother. I think it's because some of these women are pigs. I can totally understand you not wanting to sit on a public toilet seat. For the love of God, cover the thing in toilet paper, or at the very least, wad up a piece of paper and dry the seat when you're done. Be considerate of the people who'll come after you. Restrooms for women are already notoriously guilty of fewer stalls, so why make it harder by rendering one unusable?

I'm sorry to be on a soapbox about this, but when I went to class last night, at a college, where there were only ADULTS present, I encountered this problem, and it's just unacceptable.

Golden Rule folks! Do unto others!

I had to take a break!

2010-03-05T21:00:00.002-06:00

The last couple of weeks has been exhausting, and I guess you can see by the fact that I haven't posted in a while. Some sad things have been happening. My supervisor's husband died this morning. One of my daughter's professors also passed away, and this is really her first time dealing with the death of someone she admired. My husband took her to the visitation.

I've also noticed a disturbing trend with my family as of late. Everyone walks into the house, goes to their room and plugs into a television or a laptop, sometimes both. Even the six year old pulls up YouTube and pulls up her favorite Miley Cyrus song. I know I should be disturbed by this and I am, but it's hard to get this family all together at one time these days. I've got to come up with something to get them to reconnect. I can't stand the idea that the next few years are going to be like this. One day I'll wake up and we'll all be strangers.

Back in New Orleans

2010-02-24T23:44:00.002-06:00

While I enjoyed the little bit of free time my Americorps conference in Pittsburgh allowed, I'm glad to be back home in my bedroom in New Orleans. Pittsburgh in February is a dreary place piled high with soot stained snow and equally damp weather. The people are very nice, and I'd love to see this city during the spring. There's a lot of history there.

We helped out in the very first Carnegie library in the United States. It's a beautiful old gal who's been badly neglected over the past few years. Unfortunately, she's in the center of a town named Braddock, a steel town which has been hit hard by the economy. Once a town of more than 20,000, it now has less than 3,000 residents. To make things even worse, the town's only hospital closed recently, taking more jobs from this already depressed city.

It's hard to return to New Orleans and continue to complain about the recovery. Don't get me wrong; I'm sure we'll all be complaining about something city related tomorrow. But in Braddock, there's such a sense of despair. I can't imagine any parent urging their high school seniors to stay, or encouraging their college graduates to return. The job of bringing the city back seems insurmountable, but they have a dynamic young mayor who's making an effort and as the economy of the country improves, slowly but surely, I'm hoping some good luck will trickle down to Braddock, Pennsylvania.

First Night in Pittsburgh

2010-02-21T22:27:00.002-06:00

It was a long travel day! We had to be at the airport for eight this morning and we didn't get into our hotel rooms until seven this evening, after which we went out for dinner. I couldn't wait to get a shower and fall into bed. It's funny when you travel without your family. Of course, you miss them, but at the same time, you relish the time you'll get on your own. I can blog, read, write, or watch television without interruption. Did I mention I'm in a very nice hotel room which I don't have to clean? It can't get much better than this.

Of course, my heart strings took a little beating when I talked to my six-year-old. She was very cheerful, her dad was struggling with her hair, and the teenager was caught in between. I know they'll survive the next few days, but the vanity in all mothers hopes they'll miss me just a bit.

Happy Mardi Gras!!

2010-02-16T14:16:00.002-06:00

It's a beautiful but cool day in the Big Easy. Still on a high from the Saints' victory in the Super Bowl, New Orleanians filled the streets of the city to celebrate Fat Tuesday. My hope is that this feeling stays with us for a while and that we take this positive energy and turn it into positive changes for our city. Be safe everyone and laissez les bon temps!

February: A Crowded Month

2010-02-13T09:35:00.003-06:00

Congratulate us! For the first time in history, the New Orleans Saints are Superbowl Champions! While I'm not a football fan, I'm really happy for the Saints and the City of New Orleans. On top of that we have Mardi Gras, and what else? Oh yeah, today's my birthday.

When you hit your forties, you're not exactly sure how to feel about birthdays. I'm back in school, working full time and still raising a family with all of the ups and downs that entails. The only thing I've come to realize is that I look at the beginning of each new year of my life with optimism and hope. It's always the hope that I've learned something from the past year so that I continue to celebrate the positive and try not to repeat the negative.

So, what's on the agenda today? I plan to go to the gym and workout, and I'm told that around three there's going to be a birthday celebration of some sort. I don't know what it is, but I'm going to leave obsessive compulsive Kevin behind today and enjoy whatever it is the family has planned.

New Orleans Has a New Mayor......

2010-02-06T23:41:00.002-06:00

Mitch Landrieu is the new mayor-elect of New Orleans. This is almost as historic as Barack Obama becoming President. Landrieu is the first white mayor of this majority black city since the 70's. And as usual, everyone is now pledging to work together, just as our new President, the Congress and the Senate promised in 2009 on Inauguration Day. And as usual, they've been at each other's throats ever since. No matter what your political leanings are, don't you just get tired of it?

There's something to be said for not having one party controlling everything. When one party controls everything, there is no incentive to work together. At the beginning, Democrats had no reason to really work with Republicans, just as Republicans had no incentive to work with Democrats from 2000 to 2006. Don't you ever wish it was really all about the voters and what's best for the country, as opposed to what's easier for politicians who are always in 're-election' mode?

It's almost over.....

2010-02-05T17:38:00.002-06:00

Well, Friday is here and it's a mixed bag at best. The school and work week are over, but my husband is still out of town, and Mardi Gras and the Superbowl have descended on New Orleans. It's exciting and maddening at the same time. Yet, I digress....

I feel like I'm doing a million things at once, and none of them with mastery. Is there such a thing as having it all? I don't think so, which is why I stayed at home with my older children. Now, I feel like my youngest is getting the short end of the stick with the new schedule I'm trying to manage. I do get to pick her up from school on most days, but I don't get to go on field trips and by the time we all get home, I'm not in much of a mood to do anything else but sleep. But I can't do that because there's homework for all of us, dinner and housework.

As much as I try to put these things into context, I'm having a tough time getting everything done while trying to give my youngest the quality time she deserves. The idea that I won't be in school forever, that one day I'll make a more substantial living, and that I'll be better able to provide gives me little comfort.

Tiring Week

2010-02-02T22:38:00.002-06:00

Sorry I haven't been around for a few days, but this week has just started and I'm already tired. My husband is in Miami covering the Superbowl which makes me a single mom for a few days. Hats off to you ladies who can do this 24/7! To start things off, my six year old lost her morning ride to school when her friend fell sick. Thank goodness my next door neighbor has a child who goes to the same school and was able to pick up the slack. The 16-year-old has rehearsal for her play almost everyday, and her pick up time can range from 5 PM to 6:30 PM. This is fine except for the fact that I have class two nights a week.

So here's a special thank you to my Mom and my sister, my neighbor, my older girls and the other school moms who've helped me out this week. I could not do this without you.

Small Bites in Action

2010-01-29T23:20:00.002-06:00

This week my husband will be out of town (he's on his way to cover the Saints in Miami), so we four girls are on our own. You never realize what your spouse really does until they're out of the picture for a few days. My husband does all the grocery shopping (mostly because he doesn't like me adding things like cleaning products to the cart), half of the driving of kids to schools and some of the cooking. I've already told my older girls that we'll be getting organized this weekend.

All the laundry has to be done and the outfits for me and the youngest will be ironed and chosen for the week. I have to have her at her friend's house every morning for 7:15 in order to get to school and since I already hate being up early, the more organized we are, the longer I can sleep.

We'll make three or four extra dinners this weekend, so that we'll only have to reheat during the week, and one day I'll take the girls out or bring food home. My mom will help out on those days when I have class, and my oldest will slip into Dad's shoes for evening pick-ups.

So let's all take a deep breath and get ready for next week!! Go Saints!

Go Saints!

2010-01-25T06:41:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to the New Orleans Saints on their first ever trip to the Super Bowl!!

Back To School

2010-01-19T17:43:00.002-06:00

The nervous energy is back. I left work at 2:30, came home and made dinner for the family and plan to be at school early so that I can go to the bookstore and get supplies. After one semester I feel invested in this portion of my life and will work very hard to see it through. I'm also trying to plan my days in such a way that I don't lose my mind!

This will take another family meeting. Since I've been out of school, the girls have gotten a little lax on their chores and I got a little tired of staying on top of them. But everyone has to pitch in if this is to work, so whenever I can make double dinners I will. I'll save laundry for the weekend and make an extra effort to make extra time for my youngest. It's very easy for the youngest to get lost in the shuffle of our very busy schedules.

Bathroom update! The painting is done, but I still have a lot of little things left like putting up the shower curtain, curtains at the window, caulking the surround, etc. I wanted to have all of this done before tonight, but a sinus infection got in my way. Keeping to one of my resolutions, I'm going to take small bites and commit a half hour each night until the work is done.

Off to school!!

Happy 50th!

2010-01-17T10:18:00.003-06:00

I'm pretty sure my husband had a good birthday. We had a family brunch at his brother's house, then he went to the Saints game, where I think the Saints won 45 to 14, but don't quote me. I got him a really nice Oster blender because he likes to make smoothies. That was the good news.

The bad news is that my perfectionistic sixteen year old is still moping about getting a 'C' on a quiz. I hate to see any kid put this kind of pressure on themselves. It's hard for kids this age to see the big picture because their worlds tend to be a very small sphere which encompasses their family, friends, and school. This morning I gave her a suggestion. Try thinking about someone else for a while, like one of the children at my literacy center. Her home burned down just before Christmas, now she and her pregnant mother are homeless. The child's reading library was also lost, so I suggested she and her little sister go through our children's books and see what we can give.

Maybe she could think about the people in Haiti? If getting a 'C' on a quiz was the biggest problem teenage girls had in that country, it might be the best day of their lives. So come on you teenagers who are so connected and into saving the world! Why not get together with your friends and figure out a way to help someone in real need? How about remembering that five years ago, your city was also devastated and that many people came to your aid to help rebuild your life and your city?

It's just a suggestion from your Mom.

Disaster Relief

2010-01-15T12:20:00.002-06:00

As a Hurricane Katrina survivor, you can only watch the unfolding events in Haiti and put your head in your hands. The earthquake was devastating and the overwhelming majority of these victims have nowhere to turn. The displacement is gut wrenching with little hope of stability for some time to come. In New Orleans, we discuss everything as 'before Katrina' and 'after Katrina'. Five years later, there are still parts of this modern American city that look like the hurricane hit yesterday. If you're able to help at all, even in the smallest way, I encourage you to do so. Five or ten dollars from millions of people can go a long way to begin the recovery and healing of this island nation.

One more hurdle....

2010-01-14T21:48:00.005-06:00

Today, I finished my last Mardi Gras costume for the Zulu parade. For those non-New Orleanians, it is the rare person in the Big Easy who does not participate in Mardi Gras in some fashion. When I was a stay at home mom, making Mardi Gras costumes was a major part of my sewing season. And as excited as you are for the season to begin, you're just that ecstatic to see it end. I made fourteen costumes this season while working full time for Americorps and going back to school. I almost died. Lesson learned: edit your schedule to prevent insanity!

School starts next Tuesday and of course, I'm nervous. My husband's fiftieth birthday is Saturday, I'm painting my bathroom on Sunday, and volunteering on Monday. Don't feel too sorry for me. If I didn't really enjoy this level of activity, I think I'd stop before the next project took shape.

Day of Service

2010-01-12T21:14:00.004-06:00

As an Americorps member, monthly service projects are required, and usually enjoyed. To celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday on Monday, January 18, I will be volunteering at a local elementary school. We'll be painting, landscaping and organizing the library.

With the tight schedules we all enjoy, the idea of volunteering is sometimes met with a wince and a faint promise to pick up the baton on another occasion. It' s like trying anything new and unknown. If you give volunteering a chance, you'll find an enjoyable experience underneath all the work. I'd like to challenge everyone to do more on Rev. King's birthday than go to a sale or sit in front of the television all day. Give a little of yourself to your community and make it better for all.

When did high school get so hard?

2010-01-11T19:13:00.004-06:00

My sixteen year old is starting to have more of those days when she wishes she had stayed in bed. As a junior at one of the toughest high schools in the country, in addition to half days at the performing arts high school, she's starting to get in the car at the end of the day looking like a fifty year old man who's been laid off. She's got teachers who give her biology finals with two hundred questions and science projects which need the signature of the President for completion. When did high school get so hard?

I get it. I know it's the preparation ground for college, but teenagers shouldn't be having this kind of stress over papers, tests and grades. There are times when the pressure gets so great and she has been so overworked that I want to call in sick for the kid. It doesn't help that she's a perfectionist when it comes to her grades. Where does she get that from, I wonder? Possibly from the woman who's trying to juggle family, work and school at one time.

Well, it's taken me years to figure out that perfection isn't all it's cracked up to be. In the end you make it look so easy that others continue to pile on the work. At the end of that self perpetuating hamster wheel, you're either forced to keep up the facade, chuck the whole thing, or look for the non hostile middle ground. I've told her to start looking for the middle ground now. Anything's better than trying to pull off the perfect Martha Stewart Christmas for people who are just as happy with styrofoam plates, paper napkins and pigs in a blanket. Oh wait, are we talking about me again?

The Heat Is On

2010-01-10T09:05:00.002-06:00

On December 22nd, I walked out of work relieved. I was going to have almost three weeks off and I could get all kinds of things done. Well, here it is, January 10th, and I'm looking at my bathroom, my still unfinished bathroom. I've got an article to write, some sewing to do, and preparations for the beginning of my Spring semester at school. I get depressed just thinking about it.

I'm going to take a couple of deep breaths, then I'll remember my mantra for the year; small bites. I'll work for an hour in the bathroom and for an hour each day until it's ready for painting on Saturday, the last thing I need to do. I'm completing one last costume today. I'll do some reading for class. I'm breathing easier already.

Gotta go now. My six year old has asked for a stretching partner. She's a gymnast and this will help knock out the exercise for today.

Back to the grind!

2010-01-07T16:27:00.002-06:00

Today was the first day back to work for me since December 22 and let me tell you, it was not easy. I had gotten used to sleeping past six and wearing my pajamas past lunch. It was a nice long vacation and I was sorry to see it end.

Only one thing made me feel good about going into work today. I'm an Americorps member and I work at a family literacy site. Just before Christmas, two of our moms took the GED test and they both passed. One of them came in today to have her childrens' language skills evaluated, and the look on her face is something that can't be described. I think people who get their GED, especially those who have dealt with the hardship of teenage pregnancy and poverty, appreciate it far more than the average high school graduate. I had to drag my college sophomore kicking and screaming to every Senior activity, convinced that she would have been sorry if she missed these events (and I was right, of course). These two ladies will have a graduation ceremony with GED graduates throughout the city in May and I can assure you, they'll be floating on air the entire time.

What, fitness again?

2010-01-07T16:18:00.002-06:00

Okay, I dusted off my "Dirty Dancing" dvd and shared a nostalgic evening with a finely muscled guy who reminded me of the late Patrick Swayze. I worked up a sweat and reminded myself that I'm not really that good a dancer. So, in essence, I kept my promise to start working out.

I thought about getting the Wii, until I spoke to my sister. She got the Wii fit and told me a few things that would ensure my burgeoning relationship with the Patrick wannabe. This game apparently weighs you, and if it doesn't like the pressure you're putting on the scale, it tells you. It also critiques your exercise prowess, and if you're struggling, it tells you that, too. If I wanted that kind of abuse, I'd go to a gym and let the trainer pistol whip me! Has anyone else tried this thing?

47 and Unaccomplished

2010-01-05T21:12:00.004-06:00

I am 47 and unaccomplished

I didn’t necessarily look forward to this birthday, but I didn’t exactly run away from it either. I am 47 and unaccomplished.

I know I would not want to be 16 again. I had my first real boyfriend, who proclaimed his love for me on our first date and would have been pleased to marry me when I turned eighteen. The idea was totally foreign and the relationship ended quickly. For the rest of my high school career, I had no pressing desire for a steady boyfriend, but to be free of any domestic entanglement. I am 47 and unaccomplished.

I know I would not like to be 22 again. I had just graduated from college, with a faint desire to become a television reporter, because it was what everyone suggested. I could write. I was pretty. I could speak well and I was photogenic. I returned home to find I had a niece by my younger brother and his 16 year old girlfriend. The idea was totally foreign to me and I had no desire to be a mother. I had been a part time mother to my brothers and sister while I was growing up because both my parents worked. I am 47 and unaccomplished.

I know I would not like to be 29 again. I was married and had a child. I had a husband and a daughter whom I absolutely adored. But I also had a demon chasing me, which left me feeling unable to protect my own child, because I felt too duty bound to others. The work needed to rid myself of that demon took many months and travels to parts of the mind best left unexplored. I am 47 and unaccomplished.

I know I would not like to be 35 again. Family DNA caught up with me and every physical ailment which plagued my family began to plague me, no matter how much I exercised and no matter my diet. I had no right to complain because I was not dying, just inconvenienced. I am 47 and unaccomplished.

I would not like to be 40 again. I looked around at my life and at the lives of some of my friends. Financially, I was not where I wanted to be. Career-wise, I was not where I wanted to be. I wanted to make my living as a writer, and while I continued to work at it, no favor was forthcoming. I wondered what I was doing wrong. I am 47 and unaccomplished.

Yet….

I would like to be 10 again. It was the first time I remember the pretend play between my sister and myself. It was the time I could remember the doors of imagination opening wide in my heart and mind and it was the time I could conceive of a future where fantasy could be the workplace of my soul. I am 47 and unaccomplished.

I would like to be 12 again. It was the first time I learned creativity from my mother. Though of little means, I learned watching her how I could change my surroundings with paint, wallpaper and fabric. The four walls around me needn’t be a constant diet of beige and white. I learned that if I didn’t like where I was, I needed to make a change. I didn’t have to be uncomfortable. I am 47 and unaccomplished.

I would like to be 26 again. It was the time I walked away from the career many would kill for. I decided I didn’t like television news as much as I thought I would. I didn’t like covering murder, suicide and sewerage disruptions in a small town. I didn’t like living away from the love of my life, whom I thought I would never have. I knew I wanted to be at home with the children I thought I would never want. I missed home. I wasn’t cosmopolitan and I no longer cared if I set New York on fire. I am 47 and unaccomplished.

Yet…..

I would be 47 again. I am still married to a man who is so sentimental and wishy washy in a house full of women, that he can not eat if one of them is unhappy. For my birthday, I received flowers, a gift card from Victoria’s Secret and dinner from one of my favorite restaurants. I asked for sledge hammer, but that was okay.

I am a mother of three little women, who are being raised in an age where the world is really their oyster. If they want to run for president, that’s good. If they want to run a multi national company, that’s good. If they want to be the best snack mom at a suburban elementary school, well, that’s damn fine, too. I like everyday of every age after their births when I remade the decision to stay at home with my children because it was what I wanted. It was something I could give to them, something my mother could not afford to give to me.

We’re at a point in our lives where a mother and daughter can be friends. We don’t talk about sex and that suits me just fine, too. I haven’t quite forgiven her for my name, but that may come in time.

And though I am still not where I want to be financially, and have made very little for my writing efforts, I am a writer. Aside from the unintentioned dream of a husband and children, it is the one thing I’ve always wanted. It’s the one thing I have accomplished.

I am 47.

They had it coming.......

2010-01-03T21:31:00.003-06:00

They knew! I warned them. "We will be taking down the Christmas decorations after the first of the year, probably Sunday." I gave everyone a task and was hoping to knock it out in a couple of hours. And of course, they acted like this was the first time they'd ever heard of the plan and we'd live with Santa staring us in the face for the next couple of months. Why is it that they love to have the Christmas stuff out but seem completely befuddled when it's time to put these things away?

It's not like I asked them to spend New Year's Day like my mother does, which is cleaning everything in the house (and I do mean everything) to within an inch of its life. My mother will be 70 years old in February, and if she can clean a whole house by herself, I think my young and physically fit family can give me two or three hours to put Santa back in his box.

Renovations continue......

2010-01-01T19:42:00.002-06:00

I'm painting the tub tonight with one of those kits from Home Depot (about $40). So far, so good. The fumes are vicious and you do need one of those special ventilation masks for the job. You have to let the tub cure for 5 days before running water. With every step of this bathroom renovation, I feel a little more confident with what I can do (past painting and sewing). The key is to know when to hire a professional.

To get my youngest out of the house today, we went to the store to pick new accessories for the bathroom. The activity was totally lost on her, as she was more concerned with how to pull off a cartwheel in the very crowded aisles. You need a lot of patience to shop with this one, and perhaps a straightjacket. Just when you're ready to pull your hair out, she says something that completely charms the cashier, and once again you realize how lucky you are to have this child.

Project Number One: Sanctuary!!

2009-12-30T23:00:00.002-06:00

I'm determined to finish my bathroom renovation before classes start. The work began in earnest in August, with my brothers providing a little of the muscle. The tiling is done, so now I have to paint the tub, paint the walls and paint the cabinet. I'd love to replace the vanity, but the one I'd like to have is over $500, and I just think it's better to feed the children.

Am I the only woman out there who appreciates the sanctuary of a pretty bathroom? When we moved into this house, it was a putrid Brady Bunch peach with outdated tiles and fixtures. I just couldn't get comfortable in that bathroom. And since I also don't have a bottomless pit for a bank account, everything has to be done by me (and any family member I can lure in with the promise of a free meal.)

Sanctuary is very important to neat freaks like myself. I long ago gave up on the idea of a completely neat home. If you want that kind of house, your only companion should be a finicky cat. Families are messy, and of course, that's part of their charm. So I confine my sanctuary to my bedroom and bath. Those are the places where I will have total control and make no apologies for my clearly undiagnosed OCD tendencies. When it's finished, I'll post some pics. I hope it inspires some to take a sledge hammer to ugly tile all over the country!

Post Christmas Reality

2009-12-28T22:27:00.003-06:00

So the last present has been opened, you've gorged yourself on cakes, cookies and pies, and you've visited relatives you only see once a year. You don't go shopping on the 26th because you don't have any money left (and let's face it, you never do), so the day after Christmas is spent eating leftovers and cleaning up the living room. Until January second, you're in some kind of holiday limbo soon to be punctuated by the taking down of decorations.

That was last year. This year, I go back to work on the seventh and my second semester will begin the third week in January. I ordered and received all my books and I plan to get through at least the first chapter of each. This semester, I really will go over my notes every night and keep up with my reading. I will cut my work schedule to the bone so I can spend time with my family and complete my work with as little stress as possible. I'll also finish renovating my bathroom and make some new things to wear.

All those hopes and dreams go in the same knapsack as the new diet we all begin at the beginning of the year. Why do we all begin the year with a lot of unachievable goals? January starts off with such anticipation and by February we're on our way to five pounds of disappointment eating. I suggest we take this in small bites. For instance, instead of promising to lose twenty pounds this year, working on stepping up your exercise program in small increments and cutting out the majority of the junkfood. Pull out your calendar and actually schedule activities like working on a bathroom and making a new dress. It's not as intimidating if you have an actual plan as opposed to a project that's just out there hanging over your head with no start date in mind.

The new year shouldn't be simultaneously exciting and daunting. Take advantage of that new beginning, make some realistic plans and find a way to make your life a little better than it was in 2009.

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-25T22:45:00.004-06:00

My Christmas holiday unfolded just as I thought it would. Despite my best efforts and promises to keep it stress free, no such luck. I still had my family over for Christmas Eve, worked the rest of the night as a Christmas elf and then had my kidneys kicked in by the six year old who was too excited to go to bed and slept with me. Christmas morning arrives and I look like something the cat left in the alley. I recharged immediately at the looks of breathless anticipation on my kids' faces (or was it annoyance because I was the last to come downstairs?).

Gift opening was actually fun. The youngest child was excited with everything she opened and the older girls enjoyed the money in their stockings. This was the first year I'd ever asked for an appliance (a stainless steel toaster because I'm changing out the white plastic appliances for nicer ones). For my husband, who has arms like a gorilla, he loved the extra tall clothing I was able to find for him. Then we actually sat down and watched some holiday tv, the parade from Disneyworld, actually. And it was nice.

The holidays usually go by in a blur and we can never remember what happened or if we even enjoyed ourselves. Every year we promise it will be different, but I'm beginning to wonder if it can be when you have large families and limited opportunities to see each other, especially when people live out of town. It's crazy, but on some level we must be enjoying it. Otherwise, why do we continue to do this every year?

Merry Christmas!

Grades and Money

2009-12-16T22:28:00.003-06:00

I just checked Blackboard and I got an 'A' in one of my two classes. I expect to get an 'A' in the other class as well, but it would be good to see it floating around in cyberspace. I will float around on that high until the crush of the holidays starts to get to me.

Who am I kidding? I'm already there. When a woman gets tired of shopping, there's definitely something going on. I've kept my pre-Christmas promise of not going into any of the major stores or malls. If I can't get it online or at Walgreens, you're not getting it. UPS might as well pitch a tent on my front lawn and call themselves Santa's helpers. But it's the onslaught of work parties and school parties and home parties that's killing me. I'll have a party each day for the next four days and I'm exhausted just thinking about. Five years ago, if I had to bring food to an event, I would have been all about making a Christmas tree out of cake and decorating it gumdrops and M&M's. Now I'm about throwing a box of chicken on the table and letting them gnaw until they're full.

In addition, the high cost of living hit me today, but in a different way. A colleague who is also in a Masters program will be leaving us to take a full time job. The satisfaction of what she gives to young children at our family literacy center got trumped by the need to eat and pay the mortgage. I'm sad for her, but not surprised. This is a huge undertaking at this stage in our lives. You know, that stage where you actually have to put others before your own needs and wants (something my teenage daughters don't yet understand). The cost of living, my college and their college.......okay, if I keep thinking about this I'll drop out and grab a blue vest at Walmart.

Where's my 'A' cloud?

Free at last.......

2009-12-11T20:16:00.002-06:00

I did it! I got through my first semester of college in 25 years. I got through my first semester in college in 25 years and I didn't go insane. I haven't gotten my grades yet, but I either got two "A"s or an "A" and a "B". This semester almost killed me and I've learned the hard way that I've got to cut my schedule to the bone and stay on top of the reading. I'm really proud of the progress I've made, but the next two and a half of years will be a bear.

Now that I have five weeks off, I have to make a real effort to enjoy this time. By January 20th, I'll be back in the hunt for sympathetic professors and classes which won't kill me. But until then I've got the holidays to look forward to. As usual, mine will be the go to house for my family and I'm getting it ready. This is the latest I've ever put up lights and the tree, but I'm not going to worry about that. I want to spend extra time with the family and pick out the perfect Christmas present. I want to eat my weight in Christmas goodies and lament the weight gain on New Year's Eve. I'd like to start the new year with a completed bathroom so I don't have to share with my sloppy family. Somebody, please put a bug in Santa's ear!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2009-11-26T12:02:00.002-06:00

I hope you all have a great day and enjoy your families. Take a few minutes to really think about what's important to you and give thanks for it. We have a home, we're all healthy and we have jobs. Nowadays, you can't ask for more than that!!

Let the holiday weigh in begin.......

2009-11-25T16:42:00.002-06:00

As much as I wanted the holidays to start, I forgot about one salient point; the weight gain from all the holiday goodies. Have you been exercising a little bit more, eating a little bit less in anticipation of the spread at your relatives' homes? I know I have, but will it be enough?

Regardless, the end of the semester is coming and so is the light at the end of the tunnel. I have two finals, well, let me correct that; two finals and a paper. I'm lucky enough to be off the entire week of Thanksgiving, and so far I'm very thankful for that. I don't have to get up at six and I've had the time to work on a few projects, like tiling my bathroom. It's my Christmas wish to get my toilet out of my bedroom before St. Nick comes down the chimney.

Yeeeeeaaaaaaa!!!

2009-11-15T21:13:00.002-06:00

I'm in!! After a gut wrenching couple of weeks of preparation and fear, I finally had my interview for the Masters program in counseling. It was a little strange. At times, I felt like I was at the Miss America pageant. Pairs of us had to speak to five different professors, who asked us an array of questions; everything from "How will you fit this into your schedule?" to "What's the difference between a counselor and a social worker?" I had to find that meaningful but nebulous answer that would keep me out of the land of Carrie Prejean.

Once it was over, I really tried to not think about it. I thought it would be a couple of weeks before I heard something, but just a few days later, I get a cellphone call which I at first thought was a telemarketer. Thank God I didn't hang up!! "You're in the program." I finally started to process that statement and I thought I was going to implode.

Now, I have a whole new list of things to consider. How will I plan work and school for the next two and a half years? (It's been recommended to us to work as little as possible during our practicum and intern year. Unrealistic, but true!)

Right now, I'm just basking in the accomplishment of getting in. I think I'll enjoy it for a little while.

Can I breathe yet?

2009-11-10T09:20:00.002-06:00

I don't even know why I asked that question. You see how long it's been since my last post. Let me see if I can summarize? Work has been insane for both me and my husband, school has been insane, and we're all stressed out. Did I mention before that I can't wait for Christmas this year?

I finally had the interview for the masters program and I think it went well, but I really don't know what they're looking for and who they'll chose. I'm sure I doing everything I'm supposed to be doing, but I"m nervous anyway. Wish me luck.

I just got back from a retreat and I'm exhausted, so I'm taking the day off. That's only theoretical of course. I have two papers due this week and a boatload of other things, but it's nice to just lay here and not have to think for a couple of minutes.

I'm looking forward to Christmas this year. My brother will be in town from Virginia and we can have a nice family celebration.

Aaahhh, a day off!

2009-10-20T08:13:00.002-05:00

Well, not really. I took a day off because I have a take home exam for my multicultural counseling course. I knew if I tried to do this an hour here and an hour there in the evenings with all the family distractions, it would never work. Since this is my first test, I'd really like to knock it out of the park. I'd really like to make a 'B' or higher. This experience will show me if I'm on the right track with my study habits or if I need to do some major tweeking.

You're wondering about the electricity, right? Well, despite my husband's prognostications of doom, it was a minor wiring problem which only cost us $78 to fix. Homeowners are always concerned about home repairs, but when the house is older, you're sure every problem will require major work because things just wear out in some cases. That's the good news. The better news is that we finally got a new dishwasher!!! It's a Frigidaire with a stainless steel look (because I just refused to pay another $50 for true stainless steel) and while I've only used it twice, I'm pleased so far with the results. I also got the three year service plan for $56 since we tend to go through appliances like Kleenex.

Thankfully, my brother was able to install it for us. Just about every store we looked at wanted at least $119 to install a dishwasher. It takes about an hour, but that price seems a little high to me. Thank God for relatives who can fix and install stuff.

Now, if I can just get my bathroom finished!

When it rains, it pours...

2009-10-11T21:34:00.004-05:00

Why is that? Is it supposed to be some test of how you can survive the perils of suburban living? We are finally getting to replace our dishwasher with a brand and a finish I'll like. Then my daughter calls me upstairs to tell me that her ceiling fan isn't working. An hour later, my husband tells me that our ceiling fan isn't working. Coincidence? I think not! It's the curse of living in a house that's almost forty years old. While the big back yard is great, sometimes I do wonder what it would be like to live in a house made to my rigorous expectations, green technology in every corner and an outdoor living space that might actually entice me to sleep while gazing up at the stars. Ahhh, to dream!

I suspect we have a simple wiring problem, or a squirrel with a metal deficiency. Either way, we'll wait a day or so and see if the fans come back on. My peripheral problem is that I usually need the air conditioner and ceiling fan to be comfortable while I sleep.

We're at the midway point in school and with every step my confidence goes up, if only a fourth of a degree. It's funny to now have something new in common with my daughters. The only difference is that they are usually complaining about their teachers and I'm pretty okay with mine. I have a take home midterm in one class, and I'm not sure what I have in the other, but I'll keep up with my reading and going over my notes. Regardless, I'm looking forward to Christmas as I never have before. Well, okay, the first Christmas with my husband, each baby...well you get what I mean.

I am so tired.....

2009-10-01T22:00:00.002-05:00

The weekend doesn't begin on Friday for me. It begins Thursday at 6:31 PM. That's my last class for the week and I can breath. Not a whole lot, because the weekend is approaching and I have to catch up with the things I've had to put off the entire week, not to mention keeping up with my reading for my two classes. I'm now at the point where I spend less time being apprehensive about what I'm trying to accomplish, but looking for ways to make sure I stay on top of the work and give it my best.

And while this is important, I'm trying to make sure I keep the family in the loop. Last week, we purchased a game, had dinner in from a restaurant (saves on drinks and tips), and had a Family Game Night. The girls really enjoyed it, I thought. We played Disney Wheel of Fortune which is great for us because we love that place. This weekend, we'll try to make our own Chinese dinner with egg drop soup, fried rice and a yet to be announced entree.

I think we've hit the wall....

2009-09-22T17:41:00.002-05:00

It looks like it's going to be one of those weeks. Everyone's tired, overworked and cranky. My husband worked from home today because he was exhausted. My little one has a cough that will certainly have her down by the end of the week. I have a sore throat and have no option but to trudge on. That's the gloomy news.

The good news is that the bad news is not worse. I continue to get more comfortable with school, but I 'm also seeing how crucial planning will be next year. Currently, I only plan to take two classes per semester, but next year I'll have to take three classes in the Fall and Spring semesters. We're only allowed to take two during the summer because we'll only have eight weeks of classes. My schedule will have to be cut to the bone in order to accommodate the work load from this extra class.

But, I'm jumping the gun. Let's see how I do with this first semester. That which does not kill us may drive us to therapy instead.

Has it really been that long?

2009-09-16T17:43:00.002-05:00

I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted. That should tell you a little about how the past week has gone for me. The good new is that I'm finding more and more people in my field and talking about class work makes it easier to understand. The bad news is that my work schedule isn't letting up and it's been a little tough to finish my reading for the week, but I think I'll make it.

I'm not seeing much of my husband, but he's just as busy as I am. We're back to making dates to go out and get a bite to eat or go to a movie. But it's a balancing act to be sure. How do you make time to see him and spend quality time with the kids?

Right now, I'm making dinner for them, but I have class at 7 PM. He did a late dinner last night because I had a project to complete. I can't wait for Thursday at 6:30 PM. That means my second class has ended for the evening and I can take a little breather. For the first time I really understand the saying 'TGIF'!

It's Making a Little More Sense....

2009-09-09T23:35:00.003-05:00

This is our third week of classes and with every class I feel a little better and a little worse. Better because I'm understanding what is needed to make this work; worse, because I'm understanding what is needed to make this work! I am so tired, I can't believe it. The fear of not understanding what the teachers want is abating, but when I think of what the future will bring when I'm taking three classes a week, with papers, massive readings and tests, I need a bag to breath into. In addition, my house is a mess. I know I shouldn't be anal about this, and I can't be if I'm to survive, but I hate a dirty house.

Through discussions in class, I'm getting to know my classmates a little better and we have a lot in common. Many of us are moms with children ranging from grade school to college. Many of us are in transition from the home to work, or from one profession to another. When I hear the stories of how some of these women came to the decision to go back to school, I certainly feel that my situation is not quite as desperate. After all, we're all shooting for a better financial and professional future. It takes a lot of guts to jump back into the fray, when many of us would feel more comfortable with what we were doing before.

TGIF

2009-09-04T16:43:00.002-05:00

And I mean that! Second week of school, first week of work, whew!!! I get tired just thinking about it. I've never been so glad to see a three-day weekend in my life. How far away is Thanksgiving vacation?

If I don't make a date with my husband, I'll never see him again. I know it sounds silly, but we've drifted into a relationship of polite strangers living in the same house. The schedules have been so nuts lately, we're literally passing each other in the night. I think we'll try to have a kid-free dinner this weekend, and I'll do a big family lunch on Sunday. I'd like the kids to be able to sit down with us and talk.

Finding my sea legs....

2009-09-03T21:37:00.003-05:00

Okay, I was one of only three geeks who completed all the reading for my Thursday night class. The professor then asked who got through about 80% of the reading and only four people raised their hands. I must be stuck in some time warp continuum from fourth grade, because I didn't know I had the option of not reading all five chapters I was assigned this past week.

Week two has been a little more enjoyable, if for no other reason that week one is over and I survived. This week was a little more easygoing, and having discussions with other class members makes it easier to relate to this material.

On the family front, it's been an exhausting week for us all. This year, my youngest is in the first grade and actually has homework which is being graded. She takes a spelling test each Friday, and she's done well, so far. In New Orleans, the children can take their report cards to Krispy Kreme and get free doughnuts for every 'A' or 'B'. That is her constant motivation. My older girls are doing well. The college girl started this week, but she'll have to decide if she really wants to take 19 hours! And unfortunately, the 16-year-old got one of those teachers who piles on the work just because she can. I never understand this kind of teacher. I wish they'd deal with their personal demons before they get to school. I don't need to know how tough this woman is, I just need her to teach my daughter a subject in school without driving us all crazy.

Settling In

2009-09-01T19:50:00.003-05:00

Week two of classes has begun and the sheer hysteria and panic I felt has ebbed to managed sheer hysteria and panic. After reading five long chapters, outlining, reading and ordering books for the suggested reading, each day I wonder if I've taken on too much. I'll let you know after I've actually gotten a grade for something.

I started my second year with Americorps this week, as well. I'm working at a family literacy center. The primary lesson being taught to these mothers is that they are their children's' first teachers, and literacy should begin right after that trip down the birth canal. It's very inspiring to watch these young mothers struggling with adult education, some of them learning a new language. The children are on one side of the center with child care workers while their mothers are in class. Mid morning, they have what is called "PACT" time, parent and child time, where they sing and read. Now today this was mostly accomplished while two or three children were screaming so loudly they could have wakened dead vampires from almost any crypt in New Orleans. But somehow, I think they appreciated the reading of "Brown Bear, Brown Bear".

I'm reading, and reading, and reading......

2009-08-30T07:34:00.003-05:00

I didn't know what to expect of course, but I knew the reading would be extensive and I was right. For the past year or so, my brother, who just retired from the Marines, has been pursuing a Masters in Business Management. His constant lament is about the amount of reading he has to do. Those first couple of days I was completely overwhelmed, asking myself what I had gotten myself into and how could I manage these courses, maintain at least a 'B' average, work and occasionally pay some attention to my family. Oh, did I forget to mention that my brother and I have been working in my bathroom this entire week? Once the bathroom is complete, that will be a big load off my mind and my work schedule. Maybe I've got a little OCD about a perfect surrounding before I can accomplish something else. I'm sure to find this out if I make it past the first semester.

The Second Day

2009-08-27T21:11:00.004-05:00

I barely made it to my 4:30 class because I had to pick up my daughter at 3:45. I basically dropped her off, watched her walk into the house and drove off. (Of course I called her when I got to class to make sure she was all right.) Once again, our class was a little too large and was split into two.

This class is about cultural diversity in counseling and our professor warned us it would be a 'button pusher', as did the writers of the textbook. Amusingly, he observed that white men usually taught these courses and he couldn't figure out why. His syllabus was very interesting and gave us a variety of ways to earn points towards our grade, including blogging about movies and restaurants of other cultures.

The number of assignments does not particularly worry me, but the amount of reading and additional reading does. I'm going to have to schedule my time carefully to make sure I get it all done. At present, I have five chapters to read by next week's classes. Since I'm a visual and kinesthetic learner, this will probably mean meticulously outlining each chapter so that I get the most out of the reading, but I've read that listening to music while studying helps.

The first day, continued.....

2009-08-26T22:20:00.005-05:00

Okay, of course I couldn't find the classroom on the first day, and when I did, it was packed! The school was obviously unprepared for how many moms were going back to school. Mostly, it felt like every first day of school you've ever had, except half the students already had kids and the other half had had hysterectomies.

Deciding the class was far too large for the personal attention we'd all been promised, we were promptly split up. It's a good thing I hadn't made friends yet. My professor looks like Santa Claus in the off season. He asked lots of probing questions, and initially learned that few of us were enterprising enough to have read the first three chapters of the textbook. (I had read up to the middle of the first chapter, but I didn't want to be a suck-up.)

Our first assignment was to write a 'reflective paper' on what we'd gleaned from the first class, no more than two pages, double spaced. Wouldn't it be great if it stayed that simple?

I'm exhausted from this day, but I'm too excited to sleep. Class two is tomorrow, as well as another orientation day for Americorps, and the possibility I'll get another $40 parking ticket because there's no where to park in New Orleans that isn't residential near the Loyola campus.

The First Day

2009-08-26T18:27:00.003-05:00

Last night, I nervously looked at my schedule, making sure I was going to the right class on the right day in the right room. I put out my books and notebooks, pens and highlighters. The last forty-five minutes of waiting for the class to start was miserable, but my fellow Americorps members had wished me well earlier in the day with smiles and encouragement. I'll tell you what happens later.

Americorps

2009-08-23T22:19:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow I start a week long orientation for Americorps. For those of you who are unaware of this organization, it is a nationwide volunteer organization that helps out with everything from building homes to literacy. I'll be working on the literacy end in a family program which promotes education to parents and children. Members receive a living stipend for a year of service, and an education award if you complete a specified amount of hours. This is actually my second year (you can only do two), but I'll receive an education award of $4700 dollars which will go a long way towards paying for my tuition. If you're interested, check out the site at www.americorps.gov.

It's getting closer, and I'm not talking about school

2009-08-22T22:59:00.003-05:00

As you can see from this picture, I truly have the ugliest bathroom in New Orleans. Most of the nasty peach tile is gone. I'm not going to take up the tile on the floor, but tile over it with larger porcelain squares. I plan to extend the tile work on the wall, but for the tub surround I"ll have to go with what's call an 'easy up adhesive wall set'. This is the problem with older homes. Nothing in them is standard sized. I couldn't find one hard wall tub surround that would fit in my bath, so the 'easy up' set was my most economical option.

My brother is in town to help me put up new drywall as well as the surround. Once I tile the floor and wall, I can put the toilet back in place. At present, it's sitting in a corner of my bedroom covered by a pretty shower curtain, but it's still a little close for comfort.

This renovation has taken a little longer than I thought it would. It's been raining for the past few days, which makes it hard to use any kind of adhesives because of the humidity. Of course I wanted to have it finished by the 24th, but that's not going to happen and I have to be okay with that. Just rethink the plan and make a new one; that will have to me my new motto for the next three years.

I hate to beat a dead horse!

2009-08-21T14:09:00.003-05:00

They were staring at it like ancient cavemen who had just invented the wheel. Of course this observation can be used for any instance involving the cleaning of anything. I'm referring to the Holy Grail of slovenly family habits; putting a fresh roll of paper on the roll. Why?!?!? It's like they've barely graduated from rubbing against a tree like bears. By the way, just how stupid is that commercial? When they first came out, their biggest selling point was that this particular brand of tissue didn't leave any lint behind. All I could hear was that it didn't leave any lint on your behind. I guess that's why they changed the wording. Regardless, if that's something which bothered you, you are either a contortionist or clearly have too much time on your hands.

The Final Hurdle

2009-08-20T20:26:00.005-05:00

Today, I went back to the college to get my parking pass and ID (one of the worst ID pictures I've ever taken, so I hope I don't actually have to show it to anyone). The only thing left to do now is to go to my first class, which is a week away. I'm feeling kind of ambivalent tonight. On one hand I'm really excited, but on the other, I really wonder what I'm getting myself into. Do I have the tenacity to put one more huge thing on my already overflowing plate, and how can I juggle family and work with it as well?

In the meantime, I've taken a look at some graduate level papers, and I feel that if I'm careful about content and structure I can handle it. One thing the professors shared with us is some of the same advice I've shared with my daughters, which is to ask for help when you feel you're beginning to flounder, not when you're ready to hang yourself. I think I should write that on the top of each of my notebooks.

This time I really want to do it better. My undergrad career was all about getting away from my parents' home and having the life I didn't' have as a teenager. The problem is you can't always do that and have a successful academic career as well. There are a million things I would change about those years, but the problem with changing the past is that your future would be substantially different. And there are things in that future I'm just not willing to part with.

Orientation

2009-08-18T21:45:00.002-05:00

It took three and a half hours! I had no idea orientation at a small college could take so long. And I'm still not finished. The ID machine went down, and I didn't have my proof of insurance or registration, so I couldn't get my parking pass. So it's back to school tomorrow (or the next day) to complete those things.

Ever since I applied, I've wondered what to expect on the first day. At today's orientation, the professors stressed how important writing skills would be, and that if you had any deficiencies in this area to take the non-credit graduate writing course. I write all the time; fiction and non-fiction, manuals, etc. but I think I'd better go to the library and look at some graduate papers to see if I need this course. I don't want to be derailed just because of a lack of technique.

So easy a caveman could do it....

2009-08-18T09:25:00.003-05:00

It's not true you know. On the evolutionary scale, when it comes to the simple motor skills of replacing a roll of toilet tissue, cavemen are smarter than my family. I even have a built in excuse now. Remember my kitty cat burglar? In addition to her many talents as a high wire artist, she likes to indulge in shredded toilet paper art as well. So, I tell the family to put the tissue on the roll to avoid this. What do I find the very next day? Empty brown tubes on the rolls, and toilet tissue on the floor. Husbands and children are missing the 'tidy' chromosome, aren't they?

Oh, I forgot to mention.....

2009-08-17T09:00:00.002-05:00

I hope you'll enjoy the pictures on my blog of the Greater New Orleans area. The birdhouse in the last post is from City Park's Botanical Garden.

Do your teenagers still need you?

2009-08-15T21:55:00.005-05:00

This is a question I ask myself a lot as I watch my older girls turn into young women. The oldest is nineteen, a sophomore in college, drives her own car, and occasionally makes her own money. The next one is sixteen, incredibly self reliant, and possibly the most stubborn person I know. Most of the time she walks around with a sense of self assurance that would make a Supreme Court Justice take a course in confidence building. But don't be fooled. When it comes to handling their own problems, that five-year-old they think they left behind in kindergarten will reappear.

If you've paid any attention at all to your kids over the past decade, you should be able to read the signs. With the oldest, I'm addressed as 'mommy' when she wants something, and 'mom' with anguish when she's distressed. With the second, it's just tears. This is significant because she's not a crier, and is embarrassed at the thought of having to wear her emotions on her sleeve. And the chances are she's exhausted every other possible solution to her problem before coming to her parents. This is good.

It's good because she's tried to solve the problem on her own. It's good because after she's seen she can't solve the problem on her own, she moves on to a higher power, and I don't mean a round robin of her usually clueless friends on Facebook. I think this is what all parents want. We want kids who are self reliant, but we want them to be able to turn to another source once they've hit a wall.

This is why I don't question my approach to parenting. I'm not at all concerned that because I provide structure, discipline and love, that my kids will grow to hate me. Put simply, I don't care if they don't like washing dishes or folding clothes. Making their beds and doing their homework is a part of their life at present. Sure, we sometimes have bitter fights over the need for clean bathrooms and swept floors, but at the end of the day, my kids know that I'm their staunchest defender and their biggest fan.

Are you tired too?

2009-08-14T22:19:00.002-05:00

The school year just started here and I'm already exhausted. Keep in mind that only two of my three kids are in school, thus far. I don't start myself, until the 24th, and my oldest starts on the 31st. Already we've spent more time buying school supplies, looking for shoes, and reasonably priced school clothes, than I'd like to admit. And the paperwork, oh my god! Is this what people go through when they want to join the Secret Service? The only thing I didn't send back was DNA!

Regardless, the first day has come and gone for the younger girls and they're settling into their new classes, new teachers, and old and new friends. But when did school become so overwhelming? My 16-year-old is already stressed out because of the work she's getting from two very demanding schools, and she hasn't even made it through the first week. There's a lesson she needs to learn early; worrying never solved any problem. It only magnifies the problem and makes it seem insurmountable. I hope she learns this lesson before she hits her twenties and the ulcer is irreversible.

The boy we never had...

2009-08-10T22:50:00.005-05:00

Why is it that we expect little girls to be cleaner in the bathroom? My part-time princess, part-time quarterback distinctly has some male tendencies. Every time I go into the bathroom, she's left a little surprise on the potty seat as well as in the bowl. I actually listen. When she's done, there's no flush and no running water. Do you think she's just trying to save water? Her radical wanna be left wing sisters have certainly schooled her in the art of being a faux environmentalist. We can hardly pass a large SUV on the street that she doesn't scream "Tree Killer!" Though I notice her righteous indignation over the state of clean air and water seems to fly right out of the window as she's dropping the wrapper for an ice cream sandwich on the ground. To be fair, her attention span is shorter than that of a husband, which makes it almost non-existent.

So this is the day before the first day of school and we have big plans. She's getting hair cut really short, and yes there is an explanation. My girl/boy has absolutely no respect for her hair, and as such treats it badly. Her hair is already dry, she swims constantly and rubs the back of her head on the carpet. So of course, she has major breakage. In addition, she hates having her hair done each day; the combing, brushing, curling, oh my! All things being equal, I think she'd rather take a bullet for Hannah Montana.

I offered her the option of getting her hair cut short, and she jumped on it faster than Jon Gosselin on a 22-year-old. I took her to a local barber and it took less than ten minutes. She's thrilled. Then it's on to the mall to get her ears pierced. Okay, this didn't go so well. She was really excited at first, but then as reality set in, she changed her mind.

Once we got home, she asked, "Are you disappointed in me?" Of course, I told her no, then she burst into tears, saying how much she really wanted to get her ears pierced. So, I took her back to the mall, back to Claire's and she jumped into the seat. Throwing her arms around me, she buried her head in my shirt, the two technicians loaded their guns, and in a half a second, it was done.

She didn't flinch and came up smiling. "Is it over? I didn't even feel anything!" For the next ten minutes, my six-year-old showed her earrings to everyone who would look and listen. She then picked out some new earrings, and walked out of store feeling like the coolest first grader on the planet.

Super Kitty

2009-08-07T23:45:00.003-05:00

Sugar is tenacious. As cute as she is, she's got a head like a rock. I can toss her off my bed more than a dozen times in the middle of the night, but she still doesn't get that I don't want a little fur ball curled up above my head, chewing on its tail and purring. If I wanted that kind of action in bed, I'd talk to my husband. She's also a climber and will walk across, perch or scale anything her claws can adhere to. She's managed to walk across the top of my headboard, perch on the back of an office chair and scale every other piece of furniture in the house. I'm thinking about putting double sided tape on some of these surfaces to discourage some of her more reckless behavior. Any suggestions?

It's Starting to Feel Real!

2009-08-04T20:41:00.003-05:00

I went to the bursar's office today to hand over the proof that I 'd had the MMR vaccination, gotten a tetanus shot, and to find out to the penny how much my education would cost for the first semester. I've ordered my first two textbooks from Chegg.com, a book rental site. Now I'm waiting for orientation two weeks from now. There must be a word to describe that feeling that is somewhere between exhilaration and terror. I am there!

There are days when the decision to go back to school feels great, like I'm turning a page in my life and the future is bright. But then there's the other 90% of the time when I'm already overwhelmed at the weight of what I'm attempting. I don't have any time to myself now, and I'm adding classes two nights a week, homework, papers and exams. I'd better keep a paper bag in my purse for hyperventilation.

A Much Needed Break

2009-07-31T22:34:00.003-05:00

I've got three weeks off from my teaching job (unpaid, unfortunately), but nevertheless, I'm ecstatic. Now, if I had any sense I'd rest and relax, but us Type A's just aren't wired like that. I've already spent the first day organizing my home office because I can see clutter even when it's hidden behind a curtain. This will serve me well during the first semester of my quest for even higher education.

The laundry list of home projects to be completed includes installing a surround in my bathroom and staining the front door. Ridiculous sounding, right? Not for me. If these things are completed before August 24, I'll be able to focus on the fact that I haven't been in a classroom in 25 years.

Unfortunately, I'm one of those people who likes a clean house before she goes on vacation. I don't know about you, but I'm always exhausted after a trip, and the last thing I want to do is walk into a filthy house. I'm certainly not well rested after a trip to Disney World, and cleaning a kitchen won't get me there either.

I guess it's the equivalent of getting new shoes and notebooks before the start of school. You're starting with a blank slate and everything is possible. The tools of your trade are fresh in your hands and there's a sense of exhilaration. This excitement will get you through the first class. It will take sheer willpower and limitless amounts of belief in yourself to get through the rest.

Second Career

2009-07-24T18:06:00.004-05:00

Suddenly, I have more sympathy for my kids. My sixteen-year-old and I each got vaccinations today; well sort of. She got the last of the Gardasil trilogy, I got a tetanus shot, and had blood taken to see whether or not I'd had the MMR as a child. I had mumps as a child, so I guess the odds are high that I'll need another vaccination. Anyway, the phlebotomist took all my blood and gave me a cotton ball in return. I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying my re-entry into higher education!

In addition to that, I got my financial aid award letter, and just like buying a new house, they're trying to lend me more money than I need. I've got to sit down with my financial advisor and make sure I don't borrow more than is absolutely necessary.

Going Back to School

2009-07-20T22:47:00.002-05:00

One more piece of paperwork and I shall completely embrace a lifetime of stupidity and para professional positions which only pay ten dollars an hour. Today I had to request a transcript, I still have to get my family doctor to write off on the fact that I'm in good health, and filling out the FAFSA should be reserved as punishment for people who kick kittens and trip old ladies. No wonder the USA is behind the rest of the industrialized world in education. The paper work alone is enough to make you reach for that vest at WalMart.

But then of course you have to ask yourself, "How much do I want this?" And I must admit I really do. For years I've thought about the feasibility of getting a second degree, as has my husband, but it always seemed like we didn't have the time or money to put into the endeavor. Throw two or three kids into the mix and and the crush of commitment is suffocating.

At some point, the family will sit down around the kitchen table and talk about how this will affect their schedules. Correction, my teenage daughters will complain about how this will ruin their lives! The good old days of mom working from home are virtually over and for the next three years, I'll be working during the day and going to class at night. They'll have to assume more responsibility, which means I'll be even crankier because my house will be even messier.

I've chosen a field; well sort of.

2009-07-19T08:51:00.005-05:00

I've been thinking about an advanced degree for the past three or four months. My first choice was a Masters in Social Work, with a desire to work with foster children and adoption. I was very close to registering for classes, but I just couldn't pull the perverbial trigger. Being an adult student puts even more restrictions on your choices. When you're 18, your biggest obstacles are whether or not you can get into the program you want and can your parents pay for your education. Let's add family, work, and more complicated finances to the mix. Clearly, you're not going away to school (no matter how much you'd like to), but grad school, even at the smallest schools, is not cheap.

The program I was looking at would have required one year of taking pre-requisites. Grad school part time means three years. The school I was considering didn't seem to have many classes at night, and that would be a problem for my work schedule. I had to look for other options.

I'd looked at every local college, except the one which is a mile from my home. A small Catholic university with a good reputation, I took a look at their website and found they had a Masters in Counseling. Counseling and social work are under the same umbrella of working with the public and helping them with their problems, offering referrals, etc. So, I called and made an appointment with the head of department that same evening.

When I told her I hadn't been in a classroom for twenty-five years, she joked and said, "Well, that has been a while!" Later, she told me the oldest person in her program was 66.

Second Career

2009-07-13T22:14:00.013-05:00

With the economy being what it is, three kids who need a college education, and the ever increasing costs of living, I've been seriously thinking about going back to school. It's time for that second career! For the past twenty years or so, I've basically been at home with my kids and running a sewing business. Staying at home was very important to me, and it still is. Our house and lives just seem to run better when I'm at home. But reality has a way of hitting you in the face about some things, and it's almost impossible these days to make it on one and a half incomes.

So these are some of the things I've been thinking about: a Masters in Social Work, a Masters in counseling or an alternative teacher's certificate. There is a method to my madness. During my years at home, whenever I did venture out, it was in the capacity of helping others. Aside from helping out in the kids' schools, I've mentored children, taught adult education, tutored and managed non profit programs. I love helping people, so maybe I should get some kind advanced degree or certification in a field where I could continue to help and make a nice salary as well.

Picking a second career is the easy job. Trying to navigate today's education superhighway is not. With one daughter in college, I already know the hoops one has to jump through to get into school these days, and it's been just as annoying as I thought it would be. If you've been out of school for more than twenty years, schools ask for information that doesn't even exist anymore, like immunization records. I haven't a clue where they are, but rest assured that if I haven't contracted measles by now, it's not likely to happen. This is New Orleans, and those records could have been swept away by flood waters on more than a few occasions. What if they ask for your old test scores? You can't get any of that stuff without a PIN number. Guess what? There were no pin numbers in 1980!

Which schools do you look at; brick and mortar or online? I'm a little worried about the accreditation credentials of some of the online the schools. Most are accredited by some board, but if these boards are not recognized by the US Department of Education, potential employers may look at you sideways. After you've poured thousands into an education, imagine not being able to get a job in your field.

Speaking of thousands of dollars, how are you going to pay for your education? You're already tapped out because your oldest is already in school, and now you have to decide if you want to take on more debt in hopes of a larger payday in the future.

Research all your options. Talk to other moms who are juggling family, work and school. Will a couple of years of total insanity kill you or make you stronger? If after looking at all the options and realizing how much less time you''ll have to yourself, you still think you can do it, jump right into the deep end. I hope you can swim!

Do You Blog?

2009-04-14T07:00:00.002-05:00

When I decided to jump into the world of cyber journalism, the young lady who designed my website, of course, suggested I run a blog as well. I was already overwhelmed with the idea of managing a website, much less a blog. I only realized what blogs were during the last Presidential campaign. Everyday, I would think about my blog in cyberspace, sitting empty, not having one idea of what I should posting, but like everything else, you've just got to get out there and learn.

I teach an adult literacy class, and you would be surprised how many 60 and 70 somethings want to come and learn computer skills. They want to be able to surf the net, send emails, and communicate the way their children and grandchildren do. If they're not afraid, I shouldn't be either. The point of www.momsnagpad.com is to connect with other women and moms so we can lean on and learn from each other, and hopefully take resources to make our lives richer and our dreams a reality.

Spring Cleaning

2009-04-14T06:52:00.002-05:00

In my house, it really should be called "Spring Sprucing". Lots of home improvement projects culminate for the beginning of June. Our youngest has her birthday party then, and of course, I've got to have the perfect house by then. Usually I get close, and I'm pleased with the results, but we folks with Type A personalities are never really happy with our surroundings until House Beautiful does a spread. Anyway, this year, there's yard work, hopefully getting a new swing set, restaining the front doors, putting up a new gate.......no wonder my husband has a headache. I genuinely enjoy this kind of activity and would gladly spend two uninterrupted weeks in my home trying to achieve them. I guess this is what happens when creativity meets with perfection: genuis or insanity! What projects do you have going for the summer?

A Pet for Our Youngest

2009-04-14T06:42:00.003-05:00

The Obamas finally got their new puppy, a Portuguese Water Dog. I've never heard of the breed, but the puppy is pretty cute and I hope the family enjoys it. Our soon to be six year old has basically been promised a puppy for her birthday in June. I love cats, the rest of the family hates the idea of a dog and my little one can't pass a canine on the street without stopping to pet it. This is one of those times when you have to pretend you really want your kid to be happy and give in. But what dog? We need something bigger than a chihahua, but smaller than a lab. It has to have good energy for our little one, but not so much it drives the rest of the family crazy. It has to be a sturdy pup, because its new owner is pretty strong. It has to be trainable, because I'm not the kind of pet owner who lets an animal tear up the home. Any suggestions?

2009-04-13T22:43:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite past times is watching reality shows about different types of families. I love to watch Jon and Kate, 18 Children and Counting, etc., but I also love the HBO show "Big Love". I admit I didn't know much about polygamy before the show, and it was hard to believe that they are trying to mainstream this lifestyle in regular suburban neighborhoods. My only views on polygamy included dirty old men chasing teenage boys off compounds, so they could monopolize all the teenage girls for themselves.

My family is not average, so I guess I have a soft spot for those who buck the trend a little. As long as the women and children are not being exploited in anyway, I'm of the belief that you should live and let live. I don't know how accurate the portrayal of the Hendricksons' life is as it concerns polygamists living in the United States, and the separatists who try to make us believe that taking child brides helps to build a celestial family can talk till they're blue in the face. Forcing a teenage girl into marriage is exploitative and disgusting.

2009-04-13T22:32:00.003-05:00

I had one of those days when I was feeling completely unappreciated by my husband and daughters. On those days I take to my bed and say very little to them, and that's when they know something's wrong. For the next hour, I'll get that uncomfortable stare from the hallway, my family wincing as they ask the ridiculous question, "What's wrong, Mom?"

Sometimes, it just gets to be too much. After twenty years of marriage, I should expect that my husband can pick up on some of the clues, but you'd be surprised how dense men can still continue to be about these things. I guess I have to be married to him for thirty years before he figures out that a dirty house makes my skin crawl. (This is another issue all together and maybe I do need some therapy for OCD. No, I just like a clean house!)

The kids....well, they're just kids. Nineteen, 16 and 5, and unfortunately they're doing just what they should be doing; bitching, whining, and wailing. Guess there's not much I can do about that without sporting an orange jumpsuit and sharing a really ugly dorm room with a convicted felon.

I know I'm not alone. So, like a good housecleaning, I had it out with just about everyone and cleared the air. Now I realize in the long run, my house will never be a clean as I want it to be, but for right now, I'm feeling a little bit better.

2009-04-13T22:27:00.002-05:00

Is it time to get down to your lying weight? You know the weight I'm talking about. The one you actually put on your driver's license. It's the one you tell health insurance agents. It's the one you stick to when you have to go to the doctor's office, and would rather risk the life of your mother than stand on the scale and see the truth. Yeah, that lying weight is right in the underwear drawer with those little satin bikini panties you know you'll never feel comfortable in again, but you keep them anyway, hoping for better days.

What's your lying weight, and what are you doing to get back to it?

2009-04-10T22:40:00.002-05:00

Happy Easter, everyone. It's been a hard week for a lot of people, especially those in Italy. I used to be in the television news business, and one of the reasons I left is because I couldn't stand the relentless beat of unhappy stories. With the explosion of 24 hour a day news and the internet, it's pretty easy to think and feel that the world is not a happy place. Please, if you have a job, a home and a healthy family, be thankful.