BYOC!!! Bring Your Own Crazy!!

1. If you believe in a God - who or what form does it take? Person or thing? He or she? None of the above?




I absolutely believe in God and have a very deep and unshakable faith. God to me, though, is everything. God is nature, God is man, God is woman, God is most definitely children. If I see a beautiful sunset or an amazing storm, or the wind whipping the fall leaves around in a really cool way, I thank God. As I sit here thinking about it, I think I most often use masculine pronouns when referring to God, but I think that’s because that’s what most people use and why bother having a stupid conversation about whether it’s a man or a woman or whatever. I absolutely believe that I don’t know God’s plan, but I utterly trust in it. When awful, terrible things happen in the world, I believe to the bottom of my feet that there is a reason – a higher purpose to the tragedy. I can’t live without that complete belief. I also (and I hope this doesn’t offend anyone) totally believe we’re all of the same faith and that the varying religions are all just flavors. I am a born again Christian, I do believe God sent his son down to save me… as in me personally – BUT most other born again Christian’s wouldn’t take me on a bet because I don’t believe that that belief is in any way shape or form the only path to God. The idea that God would send just one guy down in the Middle East, some two thousand years ago and the whole world has to buy into that one thing or else you get fried – that just doesn’t pass my sniff test. I think God is more flexible and creative than that and has given lots of different people lots of different things they needed and that they could understand to help find him. (see male pronoun – LOL). I trust completely in God’s intelligence to get his message out however works best for any given human or group of humans. (go ahead and throw the stones now at your leisure.)



2. If it were considered socially acceptable - would you stop shaving or waxing?

Um… probably. If it were socially acceptable, I’d assume that means that in general woman wouldn’t be shaving so I can’t imagine I’d start doing something no one else was doing – just for the hell of it – it’s kind of a pita!



3. How often do you weigh yourself? Why?

If I’m in a good head space, I do it every day… naked after I pee and it’s not all that big a deal. If I’m not in a good head space, I avoid it like the plague and that’s a dangerous place for me to be in. (I will not confirm or deny that that is where I am right now.)





4. When was the last time you admitted you were wrong? (Thank you to Joey for this question)



I’d have to say – the last time I was wrong. I don’t have any problem at all admitting I was wrong – oh wait… it was yesterday to a coworker. She thought one thing and I thought another – she was right and when I discovered that she was right, I sent her an email telling her so.



5. Repeat question. How was your week?



My week was pretty good. Very busy, though. My husband was in and out of town, there were field trips and concerts, and going out with friends that all needed to be fit into the schedule. I’m looking forward to doing a fair amount of not nearly as much for a while!

BYOC!!! Bring Your Own Crazy!!

1.  How do you feel about college?  If you have kids or siblings - will you encourage or require them to go?  How long did you go and what for? 

I am very big on college.  I don't think it's a flat requirement to a happy or successful life, but I do think it helps.  One of the things I think my parents did really well is set the expectation that my sister and I were going to college.  It never once occurred to either of us not to go.  They didn't do anything like teach us it was important to study hard or get good grades - but we both went to college and I'm a CPA and she's a lawyer.  I've done my level best instill that same expectation in my own kids. 

2.  Pink or purple?  Coke or Pepsi?  Pen or pencil?  Cursive or printing?  Ketchup or mustard?

Pink
um... Neither - though if I had to choose, I'd pick a diet pepsi.
Both... at work I often print in all caps but if I'm writing something at home - particularly writing for fun, I write in cursive.
definitely ketchup - I truly don't like mustard and generally think it's a mistake.

3.  If you could live in any generation - which one would it be?

I would come of age in the 60s.  I always wanted to live in a commune.

4.  What do you sleep in?

usually in the winter I sleep in sweats and a long sleeve tee as I'm always cold.  In the summer I sleep in a tee shirt and mushy shorts, and sometimes I sleep naked.

5.  Repeat question - summarize your week!

I am on major overload and am really happy that March Madness is here - as I'm planning on sitting in front of the TV and maybe main-lining some vodka... (is that wrong?)

For my Chicago BOOBs friends...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

BYOC!!! Bring Your Own Crazy!! on a Saturday

1.  When you're sick - what comforts you?

I like to be warm.  If I could be bundled up under a blanket and be doted on - that would be delightful.  And if the children would not be at all annoying or needy (at least towards me) that would be even better.

2.  How attached to your cell phone are you?

I do love my iphone.  I'm more attached now than I ever have been before.  I text a lot more now than I did a year ago, and I like having access to my email accounts.  And I love that I have a library of books in my pocket and a camera and a timer and an alarm and....   While I am much, much more attached to the little thing, I'm not NEARLY as attached as some people I know.  I just really like having the option.

3.  What brand, color and kind of sneaker do you own to work out in?  Why?  Do you get a custom fit or just pick one off the shelf?

 

I don't really have a particular preference, but the last few pairs I've bought have been Nikes and they've had a pink swoosh.

4.  Do you ever wish you'd picked a different name for your blog and why?

Na... I like my title.  Though I do like the little puns some people have in their titles.

5.  Repeat question.  Summarize your week in real life and in blog land.

Real life has been pretty good.  I can eat again and that's been delightful.  Someday I'm hoping to get all the way over this frikkin' cold.  Basketball is FINALLY over, though baseball practice has already started and soccer and flag football is right around the corner.

Blog land - I'm still loving being more invovled - you all rock!!

okay yay...

I got a quarter of a cc out and tonight I was able to drink an ice cold drink - not an option for the last week and while I'm still sticking to mushy foods for a day or so - there's no doubt I can eat much, much more freely.  What a relief.  I even had some chicken - almost without thinking about it.  I'm feeling very hopeful all will be well now!!!

Thank you all so much for your concern, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!!!

The truth of the matter...

I’m too tight.. again. I’m actually not 100% sure yet, but I’m 95% sure. I have a tendency to swell pretty intensely after all manner of things and I have no doubt that this time the Dr. taking out all the liquid and putting it all in definitely had me more swollen then normal. Hell, I could feel very specifically where the actual band was for the first three days. I can feel it every once in a while but it was pretty sore in that area for a few days.


The day of the fill itself I was able to eat mashed potatoes, which of course I wasn’t supposed to do as I was supposed to only have liquids for two days, but I took it then as a really good sign that I had no problem getting the potatoes down when the last time I was overfilled there would have been no way in hell I could have gotten that down. It was sort of my own personal test because of my fear of being overfilled.


But then… Wednesday happened. At first it was totally user error. I was slowly sipping my chai latte and it was fine. But then I completely forgot I’d just gotten a fill and I took a huge gulp. I sat there at my desk with a big mouth full of liquid debating whether or not I should get up and spit it out – fearing it wouldn’t be good. But decided.. how bad could it be. Let me tell you that was the completely and utterly the wrong decision. I ended up throwing up five or six times and not being able to get down much of anything else that day. It was no doubt a net loss of intake on Wednesday.


Thursday and Friday were both better, but still not great. I was able to get in some really mushy mashed potatoes but at some point each day I was throwing up again. I was able to eat thinned down mashed potatoes, but not drink any milk based product at all, it was the milk that was causing me to throw up. So no chai lattes for me - sigh. Of course each time I throw up I’m not helping the swelling go down, I’m just making it worse. So on Saturday and Sunday I was really, really conservative and managed to not throw up at all and to get a little bit of mushy food in each day as well as a decent amount of water and my vitamins. And on Sunday I was able to drink a little bit of chai latte and a little bit of hot chocolate, as well as some crab in my crab soup – all good signs.


So I think today will really be the test. I’m not planning on going out and having a burger or anything. But I need to be able to drink my chai latte today and eat a decent amount of calories. If I can’t I’ll make the call tomorrow to have some taken out.

Some Ricky-isms....

Ricky: Do you know where the egg thing is?

Me: I don’t know what the egg thing is.

Ricky: You know, the egg thing.

Me: I don’t know, I swear.

It turns out it was the spatula.  I suggested looking in the drawer where we keep the spatulas.  The same drawer where the spatulas have been kept for all 10 years we've lived here.  

(Note: she made herself eggs each morning this week while husband was away and I was at work - I wonder what she used to flip them?)

A minute or so later her eggs were making noise - she had it on high and the noise made her look.  She looked towards the stove where her eggs were sizzling on high - and also where I had some ravioli boiling on the back burner.

Ricky: your things are cooking

Me: that noise is your eggs.  Is that the temperature you want it on?

(so she went and looked closer and fiddled with the temp thing until she had it on ignite and then walked away with it clicking)

Me: Uh Ricky - that noise is your clue that it's igniting and you shouldn't leave it with that sound going.

Ricky: oh... hmmm... ok

(she said she used to have a stove like that and she had problems with it and it eventually stopped working)

This is a little conversation I just had with my friend Farrah

Me: Ricky just asked me if i remembered going to jcpenny's last year.  That was when she pooped.  In the fitting room.  So yes, yes I remember.

Farrah: no repeat performances today please

Me: she wanted to get another pair of the peddle pushers she got (I got her) there.  The ones she had to put on so I could throw away her clothes.  Yeah, I remember.  Apparently they don't fit her anymore.  Gee sorry.

(We found an almost identical pair while we were out shopping yesterday and we had no incidents whatsoever.)

BYOC!!! Bring Your Own Crazy!!

It’s time for Drazil’s BYOC – where we answer 5 little questions to get to know each other better and also to give our blogging brains a little rest. Enjoy!

1. Since I talked about psychics this week - I'm curious....if you could see one for free and you could only ask one question - what would it be?

Hmmmm, I guess I’d ask if I’m heading in the right direction. I hate wasting time and I’d just as soon know.

2. What's your favorite ice cream flavor and topping?

Hershey’s has this flavor that is cookies and cream with a peanut butter ribbon in it. That’s pretty damn good. But if I could choose anything it would be better batter ice cream mixed with heath pieces from Maggie Moos or Cold Stone.

3. What's your preferred method of working out? DVDs, an external gym, gym inside your home, classes?
Well… I most often do the treadmill so maybe that’s the preferred method or maybe that’s just because it’s in my house so it’s convenient. When I’ve been on a roll – which I am most definitely not right now – I really like going to a gym and going through a weight routine a few times a week.

4. If you work outside the home or if you ever did or will in the future - do you think it's better/easier to work with men or woman? Who do you work mostly with now?


I think it’s easier to work with men, though in general I haven’t had too many issues with either gender. But, if I look back on my career the only issues I’ve ever had were ones with women – so… that’s why women lose out on this one. In my current job we work really hard to hire as much for personality and fit as we do for skill set and I’d say we generally do a damn good job of that so there really aren’t that many issues here.

5. Repeat question. Summarize your week in real life and in blog land.

 Real life – well… my really busy week from hell is over where I got the kids and the MIL for the week while husband was in CA living it up. Okay – he might have been taking a couple of classes but still… I had the MIL to entertain and all the homework and practices and whatnot to deal with. Husband got back just before 2am this morning and yippee! He’s taking MIL out to lunch which is good as I feel kind of badly that she was cooped up in the house all week long. I think I’m going to take her shopping and to an early dinner on Saturday after the basketball games are over. I’m trying to con a friend to go with me, but I have no idea what her schedule is this weekend.

Blogland – is so fun because BOOBS 3 has been announced. I think I may buy my plane tickets this weekend, I’m so excited!!