Call Me a Random Muser

Just a collection of random thoughts today. It’s been a while and blogging has been thrown under the bus of busyness.

We’ve had a lot of rain lately. My backyard is a mudslick and covered in moss. But I love it! It’s been so much cooler under cloudy skies. I think I could live happily in Seattle or some other very rainy place. I think I hit on why I like it so much: it’s not just to cool, it’s the pace. Everything seems to slow down when it rains. People drive more cautiously. Fewer people are out and about. It’s comforting.

My day started out pretty good since we again were under cloudy skies but it quickly digressed thanks to a rotten driver. Nothing ruins a day faster than a nasty driver. I was transporting Red and her birthday cupcakes to school this morning when a driver with out-of-state plates came up on my rear bumper. I hate that. Especially when I can’t see the front bumper of the car behind me because of it tailgating. As soon as there was a break in traffic, she pealed out and got in the middle lane. I’m fine with that. I put my blinker on to change lanes after she passed me and she immediately laid on her horn and hit the gas. I was waiting for her to move on up! (And it was clear that I was waiting…it wasn’t like I was anywhere close to swerving.) She kept laying on the horn. She came into my window’s view and then flipped me off. Hello??? I don’t say this often about people but what an idiot.

So I get to work feeling a little on edge. I try to breathe deeply and not let one idiot driver control my emotions.

Smile firmly in place, I dropped Red and her cupcakes off. She was so excited. Today is not her birthday. It isn’t until July but since she can’t celebrate with her class in the summer, she was allowed to bring cupcakes to class today. They were pink strawberry cupcakes with strawberry (pink) frosting and pink sprinkles with pink princess crowns. Yep. It’s her favorite color, if you couldn’t guess!

My mood improving, I grabbed my iced tea and downed it in my office. Nice. Feeling good and feeling human again. I worked for 40 minutes then headed out to my boss’s apartment. He and his wife just bought their first home and we as a staff went to help them move. It took all morning but we did it and it was great to see a deserving young couple so happy! More happy thoughts. (Minor depressing thoughts: It was 3 flights of stairs to carry items into the house. I think I went up and down 50 times. I’m going to be soooo sore!)

I headed back to work feeling grubby and yucky (desperately in need of a shower!) I picked up my little munchkin who was so excited about her day at school. “They even sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me!” she gushed. She happily passed out her cupcakes to her friends and teachers and told me all about it. She is quite the social butterfly so this day was made for her.

Red is a little sad that this is the last week of school. “What am I gonna do now?” she asked me miserably. I told her she’d have to come to my office for a little while before summer day camp started. “Do I hafta? Can’t I go stay with Grandma?” Gee…I feel so loved.

We got home and found plenty to do. I was on my way to the bathroom for my well-deserved shower when I discovered my 3-way dimmer switch for the dining room. Over Memorial Day weekend, I found my box of electrical supplies. I had purchased this 3 houses ago when I was in the mood to do some re-wiring. I never got to it since that was when we moved every 2 years. Now I figured I might as well try again. I tried to put one up but discovered it wasn’t compatible with the switch I wanted to replace. So I dug around and found the one I needed yesterday. Took me fifteen minutes and I felt really good! I love it when a project gets accomplished. With Red reorganizing my nails and screws in my toolbox, I did the honors and tried out my new dimmer. It worked…sort of. I forgot to replace the fluorescent bulbs in my fixture with the normal bulbs. It hummed and screeched and barely worked. I quickly changed out the bulbs (thank heavens for being a pack rat! I hated to throw out good bulbs when I replaced them with fluorescents so I boxed them up and stored them.) Voila! Success! Now we can dine in romantic dimness.

With a couple successes of the day under my belt, I felt released to go shower and relax. But I sat still too long! I’m sore!

I’d better get these creaky bones up…Red is “starving.”

For now,

Call me a random (or rabbit trailing) muser

Call Me the Super-Smeller

Red's "good" smelling birds

Do you watch Psych? It’s a hilarious TV show on USA Network about a very perceptive man who masquerades as a psychic. He solves every mystery through his “visions” which are merely astute observations. Anyway, his sidekick is Gus, a pharmaceutical salesman who has an unbelievably good sense of smell. To his everlasting geekiness, he coined the term the “Super-Smeller” for his nose.

Now to my story…

I have the Super-Smeller nose. I can tell immediately if you’ve been out for a smoke even if you tried to cover it up by brushing your teeth and using Febreeze. I can tell before the oven starts smoking if something is burning. And I can definitely tell what someone has been eating…especially if that person has been into my chocolate stash.

My acute sense of smell has contributed to more than my fair share of migraines. Often I have to plug my nose in order to keep a bad headache from crossing that threshold into migraine-land.

It only got worse when I became pregnant. You know, one side effect of pregnancy is increased sensitivity in smell…well, I got it in spades. The “Super-Smeller” became the “Ultimate Super-Smeller.” I could correctly identify perfumes from across the room. No joke.

But there is a real benefit to it. Obviously, we’ve never burned anything down or had anything rot in the garbage.

Beyond that, I enjoy good scents. Lavender is my favorite by far but I do love fresh, green scents too.

And I’m a candle fanatic. I’m crazy about Archeipelgo Botanicals Candle in a Tin in Luna. It’s a lemon, verbena, and lavender scent that is so light yet fills the whole room. I can burn it even when I have a headache.

I also love a honeysuckle scented candle that my husband picked up in a school’s fundraiser. It’s at my office- and I burn it whenever the middle school boys come in to play video games. It helps cover a multitude of sins…er…odors!

Another of my favorites is a coriander scented candle from Home Trends that my boss gave me as a birthday gift. It has just enough scent for me to enjoy at my desk. It’s also one of my most favorite spices with which to cook.

Last but not least in my top 4 list of favorite candles is a cucumber scented candle that I cannot even begin to remember where I picked it up. It’s very fresh and summery but never overpowering.

Needless to say, when the power goes out at our house, we don’t turn on flashlights. We use my candles!

Anyway, I did discover that my daughter inherited my super-smeller. She can sniff out anything. Unfortunately, she is also at that age where she doesn’t pull punches when a bad odor hits. “Oh my! Mom there’s a TERRIBLE smell here.” (Mom ducks, blushes, and wishes she could disappear as all heads swivel in our direction.) Zoo trips are even more interesting. Apparently only the birds in the aviary don’t smell “disgusting.” You should hear Red’s comments in the monkey house.

Another little rabbit trail here… Red uses the word “stinky” so often, we had to ban it. After a day of hearing it used over-and-over-and-over-and-over again, it got old real quick. I banned the usage of it along with “I Want a Hippopatumus for Christmas” and the Spongebob theme song. To replace the word, my sister came up with “aromatic.”

Now “aromatic” sounds like a bad word to me!

“Mommy…Jack (not his real name) smells very aromatic when he comes in from the playground. I have to hold my nose.”

“The bathroom smells aromatic after Daddy uses it.”

“Mommy, your perfume smells aromatic. I don’t like it.”

*Sigh*

The Super-Smeller Jr. was born and is actively identifying all that is odoriferous in this world.

For now,

Call me the “aromatic” Super-Smeller

Call Me Frustrated

I know I’m supposed to be watching my temper but seriously…aaaghhh!!

Last night we had a horrible thunderstorm with very damaging high winds. No big deal. Red slept in our bed and we all got a couple hours rest.

I woke at 6:15 a.m. to no power. My alarm was supposed to go off at 5:40. I got dressed by candlelight and flashlight and did the best I could with makeup and a hat. Again, not that big a deal but I can feel the stress starting to creep back into my formerly relaxed shoulders.

I got Red up with the promise of a flashlight. You’d think it was Christmas by the way she was enjoying the morning preparations a la’ flashlight. (Shoulders relax a little.)

“Mom where’s my field trip shirt?” (Shoulders tense.) Dang, I forgot it was their field trip to the park today. Guess it will be cancelled due to the storm.

Downstairs, we try to pack her backpack and my briefcase by candlelight. I don’t dare open the refrigerator just in case the power has been out for many hours (and might still be out for more.) We head out praying that McDonald’s wasn’t affected. It wasn’t and we munch our breakfast in the car.

Trees are down all over the place. (Tensing…will we be later than we already are?) Even our street had a fallen tree blocking traffic. Thankfully it was the opposite direction we needed to go. (Relax.) We get to school/work with no incident and find lights/power on. Thank heavens!

I get to working and check on the status of my order at Puppet Productions. A couple blogs ago I mentioned we were working with puppetry in our church and I was so excited to have puppets coming. It’s eight weeks today (the length of time needed to make & mail the puppets) and I log in to find out the shipping time frame. The site comes up with a big “SITE CANCELLED” sign. Jaw drop. Stomach plummet. Shoulders tense. Surely this must be a mistake. Maybe the site is down for maintenance.

I call the phone number. Disconnected.

I start a Google search. Puppet Productions is all over the chat community. Yep. They’re out of business and not issuing refunds.

DRAT, drat, drat….We spent nearly $600 on the puppets that will now never arrive.  I don’t know what feels more violating, the loss of money, the loss of trust in people who have been in business since 1971, or the loss of trust in Christian business owners.

Now to call the credit card company and request a refund.

*Sigh* Not my day today.

Oh, and did I mention that I’m supposed to host a meeting at my power-less house tonight?

Laugh. Cry. Frustration.

For now,

Call me disappointed and very frustrated.

Call Me “Life on Mars” Fan

Did you happen to catch this new- and unfortunately one season only- show? Life on Mars was a twist on the Law & Order genre and one that really appealed to me. Jason O’ Mara starred as Sam Tyler, a dectective who is involved in a terrible accident in 2008 and wakes up in 1973. While trying to figure out what happened to him, Sam Tyler joins Precinct 125 and helps solve crime the old fashioned way. Harvey Keitel, Gretchen Mol, Michael Imperioli, and Lisa Bonet also starred.

I love a mystery and this show usually provided two per episode: one- the ongoing mystery surrounding Sam’s time travel and second, the episodic crime du jour. Each show was well scripted and gave just enough clues to help you form your idea of what happened but still leave you breathless for the next.

The support cast was also very well put together. There was lovable Chris, the rather new and naive detective. You could despise the arrogant, macho Ray but still find room to like him a little, especially when meeting his sweet wife. Gene, who runs the department like his own little fifedom, loves justice, even if you have to break heads to get it. And sweet but tough Annie rounded out the cast as the “token” department female who was struggling to prove herself as detective material in a man’s world.

SPOILER ALERT! ONLY READ IF YOU AREN’T PLANNING ON WATCHING THE SHOW…

The ending was the only thing I didn’t see coming. With the clues, I assumed Sam Tyler’s accident left him dreaming in a comatose state. I did not anticipate a leap into the future, 2030 to be exact. But as I watched the last 10 minutes, all the clues from the season fell neatly into place. Hyde, 125, life on “Mars”, even Gene Hunt (gene hunt), were cleverly recouped in the space ship headed to find genetic material on Mars.

Bravo to Life on Mars for a well put-together show! Though I am sorry it was only a one season show, perhaps it’s best to leave on such a high note. Other shows have been drawn out too long, for example, Lost, and has lost (pardon the pun) the freshness of the mystery.

For now,

Call me a Big Fan of Life on Mars!

Call Me Mom to a Sanguine

I mentioned that I’m of the introvert side yet I was blessed with a truly extroverted daughter. She is horrified at the thought of a day indoors “relaxing.” Her joy comes from people, activity, more people, and more activity, oh, and birds.

All animals have feelings and needs, even the stuffed ones.

My little Red was barely old enough to hold herself up in the shopping cart when she started showing her sanguine side. She would flash her toothless smile until she caught someone’s eye. Of course, it was usually an older person and that person had to stop and exclaim over my little redheaded grinning wonder. We never spent less than an hour at a store thanks to this people-person baby. I think I talked to more people in the first months of her life than I did in my entire lifetime before her!

Then she learned to communicate using sign language and grunts. Grunts got her the attention and once eye contact was made, she could sign. Shopping trips got longer.

Feathered friends are beloved.

Then she started stringing words together…and it was all downhill from there!

I had to catch her last Sunday. She was busily working the crowd when I got stopped by a friend to chat. I turned around and of course, my little Sanguine was long gone. Thankfully she’s quite familiar with the church and the people so another friend pointed me in the right direction. She had gone to use the restroom, came out chatting with an elderly parishioner, and was trying to straighten her dress (it was tucked into the back of her tights.) Of course, once she saw me waiting she launched into her excuses for slipping away from me. She pulled her dress up to show me her panties (just as my boss, the senior pastor walks up), “See Mommy, I didn’t peep in my panties! I made it to the bathroom all by myself!” (I think lack of self-consciousness is a trait of a sanguine.) The pastor, a father of girls, laughed and made a remark about panties. Keeping her dress up, Red pointed out the princesses. Red’s mother, the deeply blushing melancholic, was desperately trying to push her gown down, explain modesty, and get out of there all at the same time.

Friends are close, many, and giggly

But Red is also one of the tenderest sanguines. It doesn’t take much to please her…or hurt her feelings. She saw that I was manning a sign up table and she slipped in with the throng of people. She filled out one of the registration sheets with her first and last names, asked me how to spell a few more things, then happily handed me her sheet. I could’ve cried on the spot. My little baby is growing up. She put on her registration sheet that she likes pink and loves her mom and dad. Of course at that moment an older boy came up and rather cruelly informed Red that she was too little to sign up and she would have to go away. (He didn’t realize I was her mom…) Her eyes filled with tears and I hastened to reassure her that it was fine. I think she was more hurt that someone didn’t like her or could speak so harshly to her.

Living with a sanguine is a blessing…yes, even at 5 in the morning when a cherubic face is at your bedside asking if we can get up and start our day.

For now,

Call me mom to a sanguine

Call Me Melancholic

 Whenever I’m teaching on a specific topic, I feel acutely aware of it in my everyday life. I saw a lot of coincidences in travel when I taught geography. I seemed to run into a lot of poorly executed plays when I taught stage direction.

Now I’m teaching a class on the four basic temperaments: sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic. And personalities are exploding all around me.

If you aren’t sure what your temperament is, here’s a basic run-down: those who are extroverts or Type A personalities are either sanguine or choleric. A sanguine is everyone’s best friend, a little on the ADD side, loving, kind, passionate about the moment and needs people around to feel energetic. A choleric is the boss. He or she is the one who has a big picture plan and is driven to accomplish it. Though they care little for the details, they will be the ones to succeed in business where others may fail. They can be harsh and even cruel to accomplish their goals.

The introverts or Type B personalities are melancholic and phlegmatic. The melancholic is the “artistic” temperament. They are moody, prone to depression, detail oriented, and very creative. These are the geniuses but are loners. The phlegmatic is the most laid back of all the temperaments. They tend to make great diplomats or peacemakers because they can’t stand conflict. They don’t mind being with crowds of people but tend to refrain from speaking. They like to observe and are quite loyal.

Anyway, it’s a basic overview and there are tests you can take to analyze your temperament. I’m a blend of 3 but my primary (you guessed it…) is Melancholic. Yes, I’m a genius. (Yeah, right.) Yes, I’m moody. (Now I’m getting warmer…)

My friend Kelly talked about labels and how they affect our mindset in one of her recent posts. I thought how ironic it was because that’s exactly what I do to myself all the time. In fact, that’s what this whole blog is based on…my many labels. Melancholics tend to like labels because it gives us a sense of order and purpose. I hated coming into the job I currently have  because I wasn’t given a clear list of duties. It was a vague, “whatever comes up” sort of thing. Little by little, I defined my job but only after making it clear that I needed parameters. I’m a small picture person who works for two people who aren’t hung up on the details. Drives me crazy…but that’s another story for another day.

I’ve also been thinking about my personal habits. One of my students (knowing I’m a melancholic) asked if I sorted my M&M’s or kept my food from touching on the plate. Yes to both. I cannot eat M&M’s or Skittles without first sorting them by color. And yes, there is an order you have to eat them in. As for my dinner plate…I am the only person I know that can make a casserole and still manage to eat all the components separately.

I always thought these were just OCD quirks but perhaps it’s all a part of my temperament. Like the post I did earlier about being eclectic. I can’t decide who is my favorite musician or what is my favorite movie. I have too many that I like! I can’t even narrow down my favorite genre. For me, it’s more about what I don’t like. I can tell you in a heartbeat what I hate in music, movies, books, etc.

Anyway, I ramble on…

For now,

Call me melancholic

Call Me Birthday Girl

Yep. It’s that time of year again. I’m celebrating the 4th anniversary of my 29th birthday today.

Once you reach 30, you kind of dread these days and don’t mind sweeping by them with a minimal observance. I’m just happy to be with my family and am looking forward to a great gift of my mom and sister’s visit next week. My daughter, on the other hand, couldn’t let the day go without a big to-do.

Red very thoughtfully took the “Happy Birthday ____________!” sticker from her previous semester Sunday school workbook and wrote “Mom” in the blank. I am wearing it though I hate to draw attention to my aging. I just love that she sacrificed one of her favorite stickers for me. That was a real gift. She also popped out of bed this morning with a big grin, hug, kiss and a card she signed all by herself. She even drew hearts on it to tell me she loves me. She did explain on the way to school that she and Dad haven’t worked out all the details yet but they’re going to make me a cake and dinner but they probably won’t get me balloons because I’m “way to many old.” (Apparently 33 balloons will cause them to float away if they try to carry that many.) Oh and my gift won’t be one she can wrap. She promised she would be obedient all day and clean her room when we get home. (Yeessss!!)

My dear husband even got up this morning while I was getting ready. He and I are NOT morning people. We grunt at each other if we have to share the bathroom sink in the morning. But he offered to make breakfast and followed through on at least getting up! And he even gave me a card. (You have to know the situation to appreciate what it means to me…. He always forgets cards. He’ll never ever forget a birthday or anniversary, but the card thing always slips him up. This year he remembered and even gave it to me at 5 this morning!)

So this has started out to be a surprisingly good day! And I have much to look forward to…even a turkey cake. (Don’t ask…I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean to me but it’s Red’s idea.)

Just for today,

Call me birthday girl

Call Me the Assistant

Isn’t it amazing what a few well-chosen words can do for your soul? My love language isn’t words of affirmation but I think it might be trying to replace my first!

Here’s what happened:

As many of you know I wasn’t able to get a job teaching this year due to the downturn in the economy. (I’m a college professor by trade.) The first thing to go in most colleges is the adjunct faculty. So I applied for the only job I found that was open. It was for the youth ministries assistant at our church. The job entailed assisting both the youth pastor and the children’s minister. It was part time and flexible on the hours so I could work while my daughter was in school. Perfect, I thought. Nothing too “heavy” on responsibility and easy enough to work around with a young child.

And I got it! That’s when the wild ride began.

I didn’t count on how I would feel about working as an assistant. Pride got in my way a lot in the early weeks. I was used to being the one in charge (isn’t every professor the boss of the classroom?) not the one being given menial tasks. But both bosses always praise highly and little by little, (and with much prayer and help from God!), I worked my way out of my pride-funk.

But it isn’t always roses working in a church. Just like any other work environment, you get conflicting personalities and weariness. After catching the latest version of the crud, (for the fourth time this winter), I wanted to crawl under a rock and die. I was tired of being sick, tired of zipping my lips with someone I have a personality conflict, and utterly exhausted by being the only responsible adult in the youth division. (Okay, so that last one is pure pity-party on my part…but I do feel like the mother hen sometimes working with young men. Good grief, even my daughter thinks my job is to pick up the mess that the “boys” make.) Anyway, I was tired and weary.

I stopped by the children’s minister’s office to drop off a finished project and she stopped me to chat for a moment. She told me how much she appreciated me and my work and said I was far too qualified to be just the assistant. (Though, don’t get her wrong, she doesn’t want to lose me!)

I had to blink back tears. In fact, I went straight to the restroom to wipe my eyes and thank God for the encouragement I so desperately needed.

I don’t say all this to promote myself and say “look-at-me-see-how-they-all-love-me!” I do this to say, you never know how much your words can impact a life. My boss had no idea how close to the edge I was and how her simple words meant the world to me. In retrospect, I wonder if my words may have touched someone and I don’t know how deeply. I hope I have. If not, then I need to start talking! Isn’t it amazing how God can use simple compliments to encourage a soul?

Proverbs 25:11, “Words aptly spoken are like apples of gold in settings of silver.”

For now,

Call me the assistant (and proud to be one!)

Call Me a Simple Woman- Part 2

Or call me lazy…I didn’t feel much like coming up with a topic on my own for today so here’s the Simple Woman’s daybook template again. (Filled in with today’s details, of course!)

For Today…

Outside my window…it’s sunny but still chilly. And the last of the snow is finally melting.

I am thinking… about how much the month of March filled up for me. My schedule is bursting and strangely for this introvert, I love it!

I am thankful for… the women I work with. Our meetings are a delight and comfort to me.

From the kitchen…oh dear- I forgot to think of anything for tonight! Is pizza or Ramen decent enough?

I am wearing… dress pants, suit jacket, dress shoes (no socks!!!) and my breast cancer awareness scarf.

I am reading…blogs…I’m taking a break from work. (Shh…)

I am hoping… that I don’t actually get this cold I feel coming on. (Scratchy throat, unquenchable thirst and stuffed up head…I’m doomed.)

I am creating… a program for a college puppet team! (Exciting stuff happening on the puppet front!)

I am hearing…Delta Goodrem belt out “In this Life” on my sound system.

Around the house…Well…not much changed from the last time I wrote in the daybook. Still needs vacuuming…no motivation.

One of my favorite things… a visit from my family. And guess what?! My two best friends, my mom & sister, are coming in about two weeks!!!

A few plans for the rest of the week… shop for the student activity on Friday, finish puppet team plans, start Sunday school lessons

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you…

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! Dr. Seuss’s birthday was celebrate in style by the kindergarteners. Red was Cindy Lou Who (if you couldn’t guess.)

Call Me the 9 Inch, Cake-Eating, House Cleaning Clarabelle Cow

Kids say the darnedest things. So when a friend of mine did this little questionnaire with her kids, I had to copy it. I love to read what kids think of their parents. Some times it’s telling and other times, just hilarious. So I ventured to do it with my 4 year old daughter, Red. So here’s what my kid thinks of me…

1. What is something mom always says to you?
Obey.

2. What makes mom happy?
When I have a happy heart (her term for obeying with a smile)

3. What makes mom sad?
When I don’t obey (Sense the trend? We had a discussion about this very recently!)

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
By telling me funny things

5. What was your mom like as a child?
She liked to play with toys

6. How old is your mom?
50 (*Sigh* I’m 32.)

7. How tall is your mom?
9 inches

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
clean the house and my room (yeah…right)

9. What does your mom do when you’re not around?
She tries to look for me

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
drawing pictures (ummm…no)

11. What is your mom really good at?
taking care of me

12. What is your mom not very good at?
cooking (thanks a lot)

13. What does your mom do for her job?
Clean the boys (pastor’s) office when they mess up  (Um…kind of?)

14. What is your mom’s favorite food?
chocolate cake (YES!)

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
I don’t know

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Clarabelle Cow

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Go on field trips, hang up pictures, draw pictures, read books and go to the library

18. How are you and your mom the same?
We have the same field trip shirts and blue eyes.

19. How are you and your mom different?
We have different lips and noses and I have red hair and she doesn’t.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
She helps me and kisses me and tells me she loves me.

22. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go?
Disney World! (I think that’s her favorite place to go.)

So tell me, what do your kids think of you?

For now,

Call me the 9 inch, chocolate cake-eating, house-cleaning Clarabelle Cow.