Another random diary entry
So how did Wednesday’s busyness compare to Tuesday’s busyness, you ask?
Well, I’m not even getting around to posting until late Thursday, if that tells you anything.
(Not that Wednesday was that much busier than Tuesday, if anything actually less went on, but there’s also an accumulation effect. Which is why today [Thursday] is potentially busiest of all.)
To properly recap Wednesday I have to start at the end of my last post - “Hope to sleep soon” at Midnight.
Yeah, not so much.
Instead, Tuesday night was the fourth consecutive night where I wasn’t able to fall asleep until around 3:00 in the morning.
I’ve done that before, more than a few times, but generally after a night or two I just crash early and sleep a good solid 10+ hours and get back on track. That’s what I thought Tuesday night would be.
However, although I FELT tired enough - my brain and eyes refused to cooperate with the rest of my body. Sooo, just like almost all of the previous nights, I decided it was stupid to waste time lying in the dark, and got up and worked and caught up on stuff. (editing, research, writing, planning, and even some internet freetime and lj, etc!)
I have also discovered that Martha Stewart reruns at 2am. (For some reason cooking shows are very soothing and monotonous zen-like for me. It’s like watching a fish tank. Or one of those fascinating swirl-y screensavers.) Also? Martha actually CAN do a simple meal! Not a Martha Stewart “simple” - but real person “I want to cook, but I hardly have the time and/or skills/experience to boil WATER” simple. She may only know the one, but she DOES know it. I’ve seen the proof with my own eyes!)
About 3am I was finally at the eyelids-dropping stage and knew I could really fall right asleep. Which I did. And slept like a rock straight through until my alarm starts going off at 8:00. (Naturally, once I finally manage to get it to agree to fall asleep, my body’s all for STAYING asleep. But therein lies madness. And the life cycle of a vampire.)
Up, grudgingly. Work. Toast and watermelon for breakfast. Work. O-Y-Sis drops me off to pick up my car at the tire place (They DID get it done the night before, but not until almost 7pm and we were heading to our meeting.)
Pricetag? $178.00
Let me explain. I bought the car (and I LOVE my car! It’s a shiny black 2002 Pontiac Bonneville. I call her The Blackbird, or Midnight Blackbird. [PLEASE tell me that you also name your car!! I know some of you do. Confirm my lack of insanity!!!] It wasn’t anything official, it just happened) from a little old man. Former military, lifelong engineer. EXACTLY the kind of person you always want to buy anything from, because he believes in getting the best and taking the highest quality care of it. (He had a box in the trunk with every receipt from every OIL CHANGE the car had gotten!) But the flipside of that is - getting the best, means you have to replace the best. And, yeah, it’s a $140-150 tire.
Work some more at home, but around 2pm, getting muddle-headed and knowing what I still had to do that afternoon and evening, I told my mother (-slash-boss) “I have to crash for 30 minutes or so, to take the edge off, or I’m not going to make it.” (That’s the booger of the thing, I can sleep at the drop of a hat between 8am and 7pm. It’s only in the evenings, when it’s actually time for human beings to sleep that my mind decides to rebel.
I decided [late-Tuesday, early-Wednesday, sometime before Martha declared it “a good thing”] that it’s most likely purely stimulation. My brain is so full of the potential and the possibilities of what is going on now, not to mention all the planning and practical things I have to do, check on, remember, etc, that it just can’t/won’t shut off.)
I wound up with about an hour, hour-and-a-half, and it was GLORIOUS. Did just what I needed, and I was able to pop right back up and continue. Around 6pm we all left for that evening’s activity/meeting. This was our second monthly Parenting Q&A, one of the newest outreaches of our non-profit.
We meet every third Wednesday. My mom generally talks a little about some purpose or principle or vision for your family/life/children. And then people ask questions and talk. It’s this wonderful, give-and-take around the room.
The purpose of these sessions is to help provide young moms with advice, strength parenting skills, support families, and offer encouragement and an opportunity to interact and connect with other moms facing similar concerns and questions.
There are typically 30+ ladies there, and they’re our ages. By which I mean, there are some in their late 30s, early 40s, and one or two occasionally that are even closer to my mom’s age, but mostly they’re within a year or two of my age - give or take. I’d say 1/3-1/2 were born in the 1980s.
And those of you who are of that generation know that, as a rule, our generation has been taught NOTHING about parenting/homemaking/housekeeping/raising kids/etc. So there is a need and a hunger for Truth and for practical, helpful advice and answers.
We’re printing business cards next week to have for people to be able to hand out when other moms seem interested - at the hairdressers, Mother’s Day Out, etc. It’s been a really response already, and I’m excited to see where it’s going to grow.
This time both my sisters also came. (My younger brother went to play at a friend’s house, little too much estrogen for his tastes.) but we were the only childless people there.
Lasted about two hours and then after everyone cleared out we met with the couple who hosted it in their home since THEY’RE part of the team that is working on developing our website. (Off topic, but they also have the most attractive cat. Long hair, calico, pale aqua blue-green eyes and VERY striking markings, especially on the face-head. She was also extremely soft and very affectionate, without being obnoxious and pushy.)
So we met on the website and other things, (OT again but this couple? Lovely people. They’re been married five years, have a 3-yr-old girl and 1-yr-old boy. She’s six months older than I am. He’s more than six months younger.
Last month, they stopped by our house and the topic of their ages came up for some reason. After, I leaned over to my younger brother (age 12 … and 2 weeks at the time) and asked “Does that seem weird to you? That they’re the same age as I am?” He nodded-stagewhisper-laughed back an emphatic “YES!”
Later on, he tried to clarify with “It’s SO weird, because they’re, like, grown-ups. - And you’re, like, … just someone who HAS grown-up”
He realized that his argument was convoluted, but I think what he was basically trying to say was: They’re One of Them (They’re “Mr. and Mrs. Somebodies”) But you’re One of Us (or at least I know you once were)
As the oldest, I always wondered what that was like. To have siblings who were adults while you were a child. Especially when they’re married and have kids and all that. I used to think “oh come on, it can’t feel like they’re really your brother or sister - they’re GROWN-UPS!!!!”
Anyway, we got through about 11:15. Stopped for gas (down from $2.95 a gallon to $2.91 just since 6:30!!) on the way home. Ate something. Typed most of this while sisters got ready for bed. Talked with mom for a while.
Actually didn't get to bed until about 2:30am, but it was because I was doing other things, not because I couldn't. Plus, I wound up getting a solid six hours of sleep, so that's good.
So. How has your week been so far?
Well, I’m not even getting around to posting until late Thursday, if that tells you anything.
(Not that Wednesday was that much busier than Tuesday, if anything actually less went on, but there’s also an accumulation effect. Which is why today [Thursday] is potentially busiest of all.)
To properly recap Wednesday I have to start at the end of my last post - “Hope to sleep soon” at Midnight.
Yeah, not so much.
Instead, Tuesday night was the fourth consecutive night where I wasn’t able to fall asleep until around 3:00 in the morning.
I’ve done that before, more than a few times, but generally after a night or two I just crash early and sleep a good solid 10+ hours and get back on track. That’s what I thought Tuesday night would be.
However, although I FELT tired enough - my brain and eyes refused to cooperate with the rest of my body. Sooo, just like almost all of the previous nights, I decided it was stupid to waste time lying in the dark, and got up and worked and caught up on stuff. (editing, research, writing, planning, and even some internet freetime and lj, etc!)
I have also discovered that Martha Stewart reruns at 2am. (For some reason cooking shows are very soothing and monotonous zen-like for me. It’s like watching a fish tank. Or one of those fascinating swirl-y screensavers.) Also? Martha actually CAN do a simple meal! Not a Martha Stewart “simple” - but real person “I want to cook, but I hardly have the time and/or skills/experience to boil WATER” simple. She may only know the one, but she DOES know it. I’ve seen the proof with my own eyes!)
About 3am I was finally at the eyelids-dropping stage and knew I could really fall right asleep. Which I did. And slept like a rock straight through until my alarm starts going off at 8:00. (Naturally, once I finally manage to get it to agree to fall asleep, my body’s all for STAYING asleep. But therein lies madness. And the life cycle of a vampire.)
Up, grudgingly. Work. Toast and watermelon for breakfast. Work. O-Y-Sis drops me off to pick up my car at the tire place (They DID get it done the night before, but not until almost 7pm and we were heading to our meeting.)
Pricetag? $178.00
Let me explain. I bought the car (and I LOVE my car! It’s a shiny black 2002 Pontiac Bonneville. I call her The Blackbird, or Midnight Blackbird. [PLEASE tell me that you also name your car!! I know some of you do. Confirm my lack of insanity!!!] It wasn’t anything official, it just happened) from a little old man. Former military, lifelong engineer. EXACTLY the kind of person you always want to buy anything from, because he believes in getting the best and taking the highest quality care of it. (He had a box in the trunk with every receipt from every OIL CHANGE the car had gotten!) But the flipside of that is - getting the best, means you have to replace the best. And, yeah, it’s a $140-150 tire.
Work some more at home, but around 2pm, getting muddle-headed and knowing what I still had to do that afternoon and evening, I told my mother (-slash-boss) “I have to crash for 30 minutes or so, to take the edge off, or I’m not going to make it.” (That’s the booger of the thing, I can sleep at the drop of a hat between 8am and 7pm. It’s only in the evenings, when it’s actually time for human beings to sleep that my mind decides to rebel.
I decided [late-Tuesday, early-Wednesday, sometime before Martha declared it “a good thing”] that it’s most likely purely stimulation. My brain is so full of the potential and the possibilities of what is going on now, not to mention all the planning and practical things I have to do, check on, remember, etc, that it just can’t/won’t shut off.)
I wound up with about an hour, hour-and-a-half, and it was GLORIOUS. Did just what I needed, and I was able to pop right back up and continue. Around 6pm we all left for that evening’s activity/meeting. This was our second monthly Parenting Q&A, one of the newest outreaches of our non-profit.
We meet every third Wednesday. My mom generally talks a little about some purpose or principle or vision for your family/life/children. And then people ask questions and talk. It’s this wonderful, give-and-take around the room.
The purpose of these sessions is to help provide young moms with advice, strength parenting skills, support families, and offer encouragement and an opportunity to interact and connect with other moms facing similar concerns and questions.
There are typically 30+ ladies there, and they’re our ages. By which I mean, there are some in their late 30s, early 40s, and one or two occasionally that are even closer to my mom’s age, but mostly they’re within a year or two of my age - give or take. I’d say 1/3-1/2 were born in the 1980s.
And those of you who are of that generation know that, as a rule, our generation has been taught NOTHING about parenting/homemaking/housekeeping/raising kids/etc. So there is a need and a hunger for Truth and for practical, helpful advice and answers.
We’re printing business cards next week to have for people to be able to hand out when other moms seem interested - at the hairdressers, Mother’s Day Out, etc. It’s been a really response already, and I’m excited to see where it’s going to grow.
This time both my sisters also came. (My younger brother went to play at a friend’s house, little too much estrogen for his tastes.) but we were the only childless people there.
Lasted about two hours and then after everyone cleared out we met with the couple who hosted it in their home since THEY’RE part of the team that is working on developing our website. (Off topic, but they also have the most attractive cat. Long hair, calico, pale aqua blue-green eyes and VERY striking markings, especially on the face-head. She was also extremely soft and very affectionate, without being obnoxious and pushy.)
So we met on the website and other things, (OT again but this couple? Lovely people. They’re been married five years, have a 3-yr-old girl and 1-yr-old boy. She’s six months older than I am. He’s more than six months younger.
Last month, they stopped by our house and the topic of their ages came up for some reason. After, I leaned over to my younger brother (age 12 … and 2 weeks at the time) and asked “Does that seem weird to you? That they’re the same age as I am?” He nodded-stagewhisper-laughed back an emphatic “YES!”
Later on, he tried to clarify with “It’s SO weird, because they’re, like, grown-ups. - And you’re, like, … just someone who HAS grown-up”
He realized that his argument was convoluted, but I think what he was basically trying to say was: They’re One of Them (They’re “Mr. and Mrs. Somebodies”) But you’re One of Us (or at least I know you once were)
As the oldest, I always wondered what that was like. To have siblings who were adults while you were a child. Especially when they’re married and have kids and all that. I used to think “oh come on, it can’t feel like they’re really your brother or sister - they’re GROWN-UPS!!!!”
Anyway, we got through about 11:15. Stopped for gas (down from $2.95 a gallon to $2.91 just since 6:30!!) on the way home. Ate something. Typed most of this while sisters got ready for bed. Talked with mom for a while.
Actually didn't get to bed until about 2:30am, but it was because I was doing other things, not because I couldn't. Plus, I wound up getting a solid six hours of sleep, so that's good.
So. How has your week been so far?