life, the universe, and everything
The year of 42 is over, and despite high hopes I did not learn the answer to life, the universe and everything. I did learn a few things though.
1. If you drive a bomb like Big Green Alice long enough,and sit around the house the rest of the time, a minivan will not look so pathetic to you.
2. You can buy those earth-saver cloth bags all you want, but the bag boy will still use the plastic ones unless you're willing to screech across the store.
3. Something I've been pretty sure of for a while but which gelled for me owing to the Petsmart commercial with the little dog in the big bed: Everyone will take more if they can get it.
4. There is no right amount of time for dying, it's always either hideously fast or horribly slow.
5. My writing doesn't suck. (Or at least not always.)
6. My husband isn't the only packrat in the house.
Regarding number six, I'm in the midst of thinning the book herd. Right now I'm going through Zor's for the second time, the first time was for sorting and now I'm dusting so they can go find new homes. When you are finding books you didn't know you had? you have too many. But it's hard because I look at them and remember reading them to her. Here is Green Eggs and Ham, and it's the first book she ever read herself and it's practically new and I want to keep it! But it's all dusty, and dust makes me sneeze. I don't want to clean it any more, so it goes.
Then there are books I bought for her to read someday, and she never really was a reader-for-pleasure--the little changeling. The Boxcar Children, Little House, Narnia... I am keeping Matilda! That was her favorite movie for years, and I thought she might like the book but no. I loved the book though.
Also her stuffed animals and dolls. Most of the babydolls were loved to tatters and beyond the ability of even a magic eraser to clean, but the Barbies and Sailor Scouts are still in playable shape...why do I want to keep them? And holy crap it's hard to throw away anything with a face, even if it's a limp gray rag with a face.
I'm not sorry to see Tickle Me Elmo go. That critter has always creeped me out, second only to Raggedy Ann. Zor got a Raggedy Ann for Christmas once--shudder. Raggedy Ann sleeps with the fishes. These other things can maybe find new homes and not end up on the Island of Misfit Toys.
Bye-bye Giant Pikachu, Cat in the Hat, Banana in Pajamas, Sailor Venus...au revoir!
1. If you drive a bomb like Big Green Alice long enough,and sit around the house the rest of the time, a minivan will not look so pathetic to you.
2. You can buy those earth-saver cloth bags all you want, but the bag boy will still use the plastic ones unless you're willing to screech across the store.
3. Something I've been pretty sure of for a while but which gelled for me owing to the Petsmart commercial with the little dog in the big bed: Everyone will take more if they can get it.
4. There is no right amount of time for dying, it's always either hideously fast or horribly slow.
5. My writing doesn't suck. (Or at least not always.)
6. My husband isn't the only packrat in the house.
Regarding number six, I'm in the midst of thinning the book herd. Right now I'm going through Zor's for the second time, the first time was for sorting and now I'm dusting so they can go find new homes. When you are finding books you didn't know you had? you have too many. But it's hard because I look at them and remember reading them to her. Here is Green Eggs and Ham, and it's the first book she ever read herself and it's practically new and I want to keep it! But it's all dusty, and dust makes me sneeze. I don't want to clean it any more, so it goes.
Then there are books I bought for her to read someday, and she never really was a reader-for-pleasure--the little changeling. The Boxcar Children, Little House, Narnia... I am keeping Matilda! That was her favorite movie for years, and I thought she might like the book but no. I loved the book though.
Also her stuffed animals and dolls. Most of the babydolls were loved to tatters and beyond the ability of even a magic eraser to clean, but the Barbies and Sailor Scouts are still in playable shape...why do I want to keep them? And holy crap it's hard to throw away anything with a face, even if it's a limp gray rag with a face.
I'm not sorry to see Tickle Me Elmo go. That critter has always creeped me out, second only to Raggedy Ann. Zor got a Raggedy Ann for Christmas once--shudder. Raggedy Ann sleeps with the fishes. These other things can maybe find new homes and not end up on the Island of Misfit Toys.
Bye-bye Giant Pikachu, Cat in the Hat, Banana in Pajamas, Sailor Venus...au revoir!