About my moms.

I have really amazing parents, let that be known. They gave us 4 idiots the most beautiful childhood. I still feel homesick for it on most days. I'll write more about that some other time because it really is a huge part of my thoughts. So, this is about the time I realized I was old enough to cuss around my parents. Not that I get away with it in adulthood, my mother will still make a weak effort to correct us with the reminder that she "didn't raise sailors." Except that she kind of did.

My parents did not let us watch much TV. PBS was fine but I would've been spanked (not really, but that was my constant fear) for watching The Simpsons or Roseanne. I have a completely separate but very important post concerning Roseanne & my glasses...I'll save it for another time. There was one definite caveat to the TV rule, for some reason old episodes of SNL were okay. Like I remember watching it and my parents walking in the room, my heart beating and my mind racing for how I could get out of the definite spanking that was in my future. Instead, they would sit and watch it and laugh when I laughed and ask if I "got that joke?" I always said "yes."

Two skits were my favorite: Candygram Shark and Weekend Update. I'm talking about Dan Aykroyd weekend update. There was one in particular in which would debate politics with Jane Curtin. And herein lies my access to my first cusses with my parents. During this scene, Dan Aykroyd said, "Jane, you ignorant slut." I laughed. Then panicked. Then realized my parents weren't there to witness this and so I laughed even more. It was the way he said it, I loved it. Still one of the funniest things to me. Fast forward to high school.

I was arguing with my mom about something and I was being really really sassy. In high school my forever fear of getting spanked turned to a forever fear and flinching of getting slapped. On this day, I was so on the verge of getting slapped. My mom was getting more and more agitated, even verbalizing that she was about to smack me. We were both frustrated and so to make it all stop because I didn't know what else to do I said, "Jane, you ignorant slut." And waited to get hit.

Instead, my mom laughed. And she said it back to me and we both laughed. And ever since then I've cussed around them when necessary. Or when completely unnecessary. Either way, that's how it happened. And so my mom (and sometimes dad now) will employ this little trick when we feel like we want to smack each other or change the subject (see text sample below).



It totally works.

*Currently listening to: Kathleen Edwards & Charles Bradley

Bear.

I will keep this brief and try not to fill everyone's lungs with sugar. I wanted to say something about Andrew...the one I call Bear. I call him this mostly because he has the same amount of body hair as a bear so it makes sense.

He said something to me recently that still sets me back, knocks me off my bitchy toes, and rattles my brain into happiness: "I'm for you, not against you." I remember him telling me once that a very good friend of ours says that often to his wife when things get tough between them. And I think it's one of the single greatest things you can say to someone when there is tension or you are standing on the edge of a fight.

 

 

I really believe that he is for me. I see it every day.

On Being Happy Despite the Pink Foam.

Sometime recently I heard Dr. Weil on NPR talking about his new book. It's about happiness. I guess I don't remember much else but his position is being happy minus medicine. I'm all for that in so many ways. One thing I do remember him saying is that if you write down 5 things you are grateful for every day for a week you can improve your mood for 6 months. That is a funny thing to think about but I decided to try it. Also, I'm not sad just so you know.

So January 1st I started writing down five.

And I'm still writing. Every day, 5 things. I thought for sure I'd run out by now but really I could probably write 10 a day.

I love it. A lot.

And going back to read through it is one of the best parts. I have the mind of a gnat, I forget almost all things everyday except meaningless details. I have noticed some trends. I'm repeatedly grateful for:

Henry

Andrew

Family/nephews & niece

My health (This is a big deal. I haven't been sick in years until December when my insides decided to rot and turn against me. Since then I've been sick almost every other week. I don' t just mean I had a cold or something. I'm talking about throwing up pink foam. When you throw up pink foam you come dangerously close to calling 911. And if you google "throwing up pink foam" all the concerns are coming from dog owners. I'm better now and I think it's all over but let's go ahead and add my health to today's list for Christ's sake.)

New blog feature. I'm going to end by telling you what I've been listening to lately. Because I sometimes don't know how to end a blog post and because it's really important.

*Currently Listening to: J. Tillman, Nicki Minaj, First Aid Kit.