Positive Post Tuesday May 28, 2008

This week I’m joining in on Brody’s Positive Post Tuesday for the first time. I’ve been wanting to do this and haven’t before, so here it goes!

I love my mom. Seriously. She is amazing. I have never met anyone so selfless. She approaches everyone she meets with a level of patience as I have yet to see anywhere else–that includes me, my sisters, my dog, my dad, the rest of our family, people at work, cashiers, waiters and waitresses…whoever. I pray I can learn to be as patient and as selfless as my mother. When I’m away at school, I miss her so much. I can always count on her for sound advice, a good laugh, and just that little bit of encouragement I need to get through my days, both in Gainesville and at home.

All her amazing-ness has only been magnified over the past two weeks while I’ve been laid up from surgery. She slept in an uncomfortable chair and ate gross hospital food the entire week I was in the hospital. Now that I’m home, she sleeps with a walky-talky so that I can wake her up everytime I need help rolling over or need another pain pill (as if she got enough sleep already!). She makes special meals and snacks to cater to my disappearing appetite, keeps careful track of how much pain medicine I’ve had and how much I have left. She’s been letting me use her pillow all week because it’s more comfortable than the one in my room. She has sat next to me and given me hugs while I whine and cry because I’m in pain (or just because I’m bored  and the pain medicine makes me an emotional wreck). She cleans up after me when I drop things because I’m not allowed to bend over. And she does it all without complaining…even with a smile on her face.

And that’s just this week.

I can only hope and pray that when I have a family of my own, I can treat my husband and children with as much love, patience and selflessness as my mom does. I love her. She’s incredible.

**Edit: Just after posting this from my permanent spot on the couch, my mom brought me a fresh glass of water which I proceeded to spill all over myself and the couch…because I am more clumsy than ever these past few days! And of course, my mom drops what she’s doing to come running with a towel, fresh t-shirt, and new pillowcase. Where would I be without her? Drowning in a puddle on the couch, that’s where.

typin’ away May 23, 2008

I am doing what I hate to do: journaling—real, thoughts down to remember for good, sorting through the mess journaling—on the computer, on a keyboard. I don’t like this for a couple reasons:

1. I type faster than I write. This may seem like a good thing (and it some ways it is) but I like journaling because it forces me slow down my thinking and think things through. I think that’s diminished a little like this.

2. The temptation to edit is too strong. I have a very strong “Do Not Erase or Remove” policy in my journals. On the computer, all I have to do is press backspace a few times, and often times I do it without even thinking. Even adding things…it just hinders the honesty, and I need all the help I can get in that regard (even when I’m talking to myself—how sad).

3. I like the concrete, handheld weight of paper in my hands and the look of handwriting on a page. It seems more nostalgic, more creative, more beautiful, more something I would like to go back and peruse through one day.

But oh well. I don’t have much of a choice. Since my surgery (tomorrow is one week since I’ve been home already!), sitting up is miserably uncomfortable almost anywhere. Especially when I am also leaning over a notebook, trying to keep it open, attempting to jot down a complete thought. But somehow, sitting at the kitchen table with a pillow behind my back and my computer in front of me is pretty tolerable. And after almost two weeks of doing basically nothing, I am starting to go crazy and my head is starting to overflow with all the stuff running through it.  So I wanted to write.

So, I’ll open up Word and do what I have to do.

What about you? Ever take the time for pen and paper, or do you prefer sticking to your computer?

Straighten up! May 12, 2008

Well, tomorrow’s the day when I straighten up. Literally.

I’m having spinal fusion surgery tomorrow to take care of my ever-worsening scoliosis. I’ll be pretty out of it for about a week, but after that I’ll be sitting around at home doing nothing at all, so I plan on doing some serious blogging (for real this time. I swear) and deciding whether this is something I really want to continue doing.
Prayers appreciated.

See you in a week.

And the livin’ is easy. May 4, 2008

It’s Summertime. Officially. I got home Friday afternoon, slept until 1:00 pm today (READ IT: that’s the afternoon, people! oh, the magic of summer vacation!), and spent today relaxin’ with the fam, watchin’ the derby, and killing the battery in my best friend’s new car. Good stuff. I don’t know why I decided today was a good day to start blogging again, but whatever. It’s summertime. That’s my motto. Plus, this video was just too good not to share (with, you know, the zero people who read this blog?)

After watching this video, I have fallen a little bit more in love with John Mayer (which, trust me, is just what I needed). Also, his “Take Your Fans to Work Day” idea is so much fun! I’m sure Brody would be proud–all this new fangled on-line presence, get your fans invested stuff. (SIDENOTE: It has, however, brought back sad memories about how I never got to go to Take Your Daughter To Work Day with my mom because she didn’t work when I actually HAD TYDTWD, but now that I’m in college she works again. Man, how dare she spend all her time with me when I was in elementary and middle school. Wasn’t she thinking about ME and what I WANTED?! Jeesh.)

Anyway, the good stuff: