Today I want to talk about a subject that is very important to me. It has been brought to my attention that I may be a kitchen nazi. But all along I thought I was normal, and it was others who were gross and unsanitary...I may have a problem. You be the judge.
First, I hate kitchen washcloths. They are the grossest thing ever, especially after a few days. Especially when they smell sour. Ew. I do not own kitchen washcloths. I only own like 2 bath washcloths, for guests. Anyway, I am not sure what people use them for. My mom uses them. James' mom uses them, but I still don't understand. I think they use them to wipe down countertops, which after one use compromises their cleanliness, and at that point they should be tossed in the laundry. That would be acceptable. But no one does that. It stays, perched on the divider between the two basins, and it receives remnants and splashes of everything that gets dumped in the sink. Leftover milk from 5 people's cereal, backwash from 5 people's drinks, raw meat germs from hand washing...I shudder. Then that same rag gets used to clean the counters again later?
Paper towels are for cleaning counters. I clean my counters with spray and paper towels once nightly. After I clean up my dinner mess, I spray and wipe. And then all is sanitary in my book. If I clean something off the floor, I use spray and a paper towel. I don't keep my floors as clean as I would like, so using towels creeps me out. But if I have a large spill that would use more than a couple of paper towels, I will use one of my "junk" towels. I have 3 or so old bath towels that I only use for gross stuff (and I wash them separately from clothes). For example, Beagle has been known to pee on the floor once or twice. That calls for a junk towel... then spray, then paper towels.
Hand towels are ONLY to be used on clean hands and clean dishes. At James' house there are usually 2 hand towels out at a time. And with a houseful of people, someone (James) is bound to use it for something unsavory. I have witnessed him use the hand towel to wipe non water liquids off the counter, spilled food off the floor and worse. On multiple occasions I have witnessed him wipe bacon hands on the hand towel. I died a little inside each time. I wash my hands a lot, and in an effort to save trees, I don't use paper towels to dry them. But I am so scared to use the hand towel. Once I spot an unsanctioned use of the hand towel, I mark it in my memory and refrain from using that towel until it is washed again. The other day I even dried my hands on a towel that was still in the drawer and put it back. I knew it was clean, and it was glorious. I tried to explain to James my hand towel rule (only clean hands and clean dishes), but he asked how to clean up counter and floor messes. I use a paper towel for that. He thought that was wasteful. I conceded to MAYBE getting designated floor/counter towels for him, but I don't know if I can trust him with them.
Food does not get set on counters unless I know they have been cleaned by me. And then I still cringe. James has been known to assemble a sandwich on the counter. I can't do it. If I have cleaned the counter recently, I will let something sit there for a second, but it still makes me uncomfortable. When I do that, I tell myself that I am clearly not a germophobe because I am so relaxed that I will set food on the counter... I praise myself for how chill I am.
When cooking, hands get washed with soap every time raw meat or eggs are touched. And a bunch of times in between for good measure. When I cook a meal, I must wash my hands at least 10 times or more. I already mentioned James and his bacon hands. I have witnessed it twice. The first time was very early in our relationship and I freaked out, perhaps in front of some other people. Not my finest moment, but really, people wiped their clean hands on that towel. But little did they know, they were wiping raw bacon onto their clean hands. And BTW, with bacon I usually wash at least twice after because it's so fatty. Lather, rinse, repeat.
So I have tried to explain all of this to James, and I think when I do, he has second thoughts about us. Haha. But seriously. I have tried to buffer my kitchen nazi-ness with the fact that I am pretty cool and relaxed about most other things. I have tried to explain that the kitchen is my woman cave, and I need things just so. We have also joked about me installing traps or spying on him to catch him doing wrong. Of course I would never do such a thing. But when we move into our own place I may just get those towels that loop around something (like the oven door handle) and fasten to it. That way he at least has to take an extra, conscious step to use the towel for evil.
And since I have tried to explain my ways to him, I find him catching himself before he does something gross. It's always when I am watching him cook, he will, for example, pet the dog then touch food, then catch himself. He will wash his hands and say something to the effect of "had to do it before you yelled at me." Unfortunately for him, he usually tells on himself in these situations because I didn't even notice.
It reminds me of a story about my brother. When he was 4 or so, he accidentally broke a bowl. He wasn't in trouble or anything, but when my dad got home the first thing my brother said to him was, "I didn't break a bowl."
So there's my kitchen confession. I am not like this about any other room in the house. And we joke that James will be the one to expose the baby to all those germs and bacteria she needs to build up an immune system, so it's probably a good thing he is a little... um... gross. And I am being hard on him here, but it is all in fun. He is going to be a great dad and I am lucky to have him.
28 April 2011
18 April 2011
Far from hand model material
As promised, I finally took pics of the dresses, but as I warned you, they will not be Photoshopped. Sigh. Click them to enlarge...
James was the helpful hand in the pictures, and as I told him, at the moment his hands are far from hand model material. He has been doing manual labor, so they are a mess with cuts and stains. He has blue collar hands, and I don't think he is too proud of them. So he was a real trooper to be my hand model anyway.
Two of the dresses I made were from the website of a very nice lady who designed a dress and shared the pattern with the internet. It's called the Itty Bitty Baby Dress, and it's super cute and super tiny. Because I have never sewn clothes before, I jumped into the first one with a little caution. I used some cheap remnant fabric I bought at Hobby Lobby because it's not as precious as some of my other fabrics. I have been trying to use as much fabric out of my stash as possible because there is no point in spending money I don't have to make dresses that the baby doesn't really need. Anyway, I made the dress as the nice lady specified, but made a few little changes that I think are important to the finish quality - especially because I don't have a serger. I would go into it here, but I don't think any of my readers are sewing enthusiasts, so my words would be lost.
I was really happy with the final product, but it was truly itty bitty, so for my next dress, I altered the pattern to make it larger. As you know, I do not have any of my own babies, so I really have no experience with sizes, but this thing looks like it wouldn't fit much more than a doll. I'm guessing she will grow out of it within a month. For the second dress, I chose some of my precious Echino fabric, which is a Japanese linen fabric. I love their stuff, but it isn't soft and cozy like a regular cotton would be. So I don't use it in my quilts as much as I'd like, but I'm happy with it in this dress, especially since the bodice is lined with regular cotton. The pattern and colors definitely dont cream "BABY" which I like. Although there is some really cute baby stuff out there, I like using unexpected fabrics as well. I am also using this print to make a bib, but it is sitting unfinished for now.
I made a third dress as a quick project. It is a Pillowcase Dress. It's a simple pattern, meant to be made quickly from an old pillowcase, but I made it more complicated... I lined it, so it lost the light, airy, flowy aspect of a true pillowcase dress, but it looks nice lined with hidden seams. I got the pattern from here, again from nice people who share patterns! I shrunk the pattern a bit because it's designed for older babies, but I don't think I shrunk it enough because it still looks pretty big. Oh well, hopefully she'll be able to wear it next summer... There are actually a good bit of "free patterns" out there, but for many of them you begin with something that fits your child already and trace it to make your own pattern. That's tough for me because I don't know what fits her yet, and I don't have any clothes for her yet. But if I have time when she's a little older, I know where to go for some cute toddler dress patterns. Too bad when she's older I won't have any free time.
I also made 2 bibs. The first has the green dot pattern on the back, and the second has the red and white trim fabric on the back. I have not put snaps on them yet because snaps are expensive! I need to shop around. Being poor is lame. As I mentioned before there is one more bib in the making, but if you've seen two, you've seen them all...
I will probably start another dress one of these days. The tutorial for that one is here, and of course it is super cute...
So in other news, we went to see Elton John on Friday. We had back row tickets. It was awesome anyway. He dressed fairly conservatively in a suit with coat tails and a sequin pattern all over the back. We were about 10 minutes late, but only missed one song. He played almost all of the essential songs, plus a few new ones. I think much of the crowd zoned out during the new songs, but the classics were all great. He did not play the Lion King songs, much to James' dismay. I didn't mind though. Benny and the Jets and Crocodile Rock got the crowd pretty riled up, and even though I'm not a huge fan of Crocodile Rock, it was fun when he played it. The baby slept through the first half of the concert, but she started tumbling around for the second half. I took a few pictures from where we were sitting, but there is really no point in posting them, unless you just want to see how far back we were.
Saturday was another big day in Louisville. I may not have my information correct here, but I am pretty sure James is the only one who would bother to correct me, and I think he usually forgets to read, so I'm in the clear. To mark the beginning of Derby season, there is a big air show and fireworks show called Thunder Over Louisville. He tells me that the firework show is the largest in the country, and usually about 800,000 people come to see it. That was Saturday. As was a Louisville Bats Minor League baseball game. His parents have season tickets with front row, third base line seats. Baseball isn't really my thing, but it is my thing much more than basketball is. I used to play softball, so I understand the rules and the strategies, and the surroundings are familiar to me. I like sitting outside in the nice weather, and I like how low-stress the game is.
Unfortunately on Saturday the weather was cold and rainy, so it wasn't the best conditions for Thunder. We went to half of the baseball game, went home, and came back out just before the fireworks show. The fireworks were pretty awesome because there was a barge on either side of the bridge that shot out the big fireworks, and then a bunch came from the bridge as well. It lasted just under a half hour, which is about as long as I can stand in one place anyway.
So that's about it for the updates. It was a busy weekend, but all fun stuff.
James was the helpful hand in the pictures, and as I told him, at the moment his hands are far from hand model material. He has been doing manual labor, so they are a mess with cuts and stains. He has blue collar hands, and I don't think he is too proud of them. So he was a real trooper to be my hand model anyway.
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| Dress #1 |
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| Dress #2 |
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| Dress #3 |
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| Bib #1 |
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| Bib #2 |
I will probably start another dress one of these days. The tutorial for that one is here, and of course it is super cute...
So in other news, we went to see Elton John on Friday. We had back row tickets. It was awesome anyway. He dressed fairly conservatively in a suit with coat tails and a sequin pattern all over the back. We were about 10 minutes late, but only missed one song. He played almost all of the essential songs, plus a few new ones. I think much of the crowd zoned out during the new songs, but the classics were all great. He did not play the Lion King songs, much to James' dismay. I didn't mind though. Benny and the Jets and Crocodile Rock got the crowd pretty riled up, and even though I'm not a huge fan of Crocodile Rock, it was fun when he played it. The baby slept through the first half of the concert, but she started tumbling around for the second half. I took a few pictures from where we were sitting, but there is really no point in posting them, unless you just want to see how far back we were.
Saturday was another big day in Louisville. I may not have my information correct here, but I am pretty sure James is the only one who would bother to correct me, and I think he usually forgets to read, so I'm in the clear. To mark the beginning of Derby season, there is a big air show and fireworks show called Thunder Over Louisville. He tells me that the firework show is the largest in the country, and usually about 800,000 people come to see it. That was Saturday. As was a Louisville Bats Minor League baseball game. His parents have season tickets with front row, third base line seats. Baseball isn't really my thing, but it is my thing much more than basketball is. I used to play softball, so I understand the rules and the strategies, and the surroundings are familiar to me. I like sitting outside in the nice weather, and I like how low-stress the game is.
Unfortunately on Saturday the weather was cold and rainy, so it wasn't the best conditions for Thunder. We went to half of the baseball game, went home, and came back out just before the fireworks show. The fireworks were pretty awesome because there was a barge on either side of the bridge that shot out the big fireworks, and then a bunch came from the bridge as well. It lasted just under a half hour, which is about as long as I can stand in one place anyway.
So that's about it for the updates. It was a busy weekend, but all fun stuff.
05 April 2011
I bet that is what poor people do
Just a few updates, then I PROMISE next time I will post pics of the stuff I have been making.
Last week I went to the doctor, and all was well. I brought my records from my Birmingham doctor, and my new doc went through and commented on my blood type. She said it was rare and that if I ever donate blood, they will keep hounding me to come back. I don't know anything about blood, donating and blood types except for what James has told me. His blood type, O-, is highly desirable because it is a universal donor, so anyone can receive his blood. However, he can only receive O- blood. We looked mine up that evening, and mine is the exact opposite. Mine is AB+. I can only give to AB+, but I can receive from everyone. So bring on your blood people because I can take it. James commented that I have the most selfish blood type. And I am fine with that.
Out of 100 donors . . . . .
We have been talking about money and getting our own place. We are hoping to do that soon, but it would be much easier if James found a real job. He has 2 leads in town now, and they both seem promising, but neither firm is in a huge hurry to hire people. He met with one firm yesterday, and they told him that they would be hiring 30 people to help with a bunch of new work that they are getting. That is awesome, except for the fact that they want to take their time with the new hires to be sure they get the right people. Of course I understand that, but James is currently working a job he really dislikes for way too little pay. He has been trying to find work, and it is just an uphill battle.
I think looking for jobs is just about the worst thing ever. At least these days it is. I am sure there was a time when it was easy to find a job, and to even have multiple offers, and be able to choose the firm that is right for you. Now, I feel like you are lucky to find anyone who will hire you, and never mind if you don't like their work or feel that they aren't paying enough. The recession will pass, and things will change, I hope. And I keep telling him that one day, when we both have jobs, we will feel like we are rich compared to now. If we learn how to survive on a $12/hour job, then when we have two real incomes, we will feel like we're on top of the world.
Part of surviving on a $12/hour job is not spending anything unless it's absolutely necessary. And yes, an emergency stop at Chick-fil-a is sometimes absolutely necessary. But clothes for me are not. But they will be soon, I fear. I bought a pair of maternity jeans from Old Navy back in February, before I even really needed them. They were on sale for $25. I bought a couple of shirts from there as well, on clearance- two of them for $13, and two for $4. Those, and two oversized T-shirts are all I have. I mentioned to James the other day that the last of my pre-pregnancy clothes are no longer wearable, and he said, "Well you can start wearing my shirts. That's what poor people do." He said it with a laugh, but he's right. I bet that is what poor people do.
I will have to find a couple of dresses to get me through the summer though. Maybe 3. I am not above re-wearing a dress a couple of times in a week. I am not above much these days. There is one other consideration. James has two friends getting married this summer, one in May and one in June. I will also want to wear a dress for my shower, which will probably be early June, or so I hear. That's 3 occasions I need a nice dress to wear. None of my dresses fit anymore, except one **might**. But it's a sheer black with a tan slip. I am pretty sure I shouldn't wear a black dress to these summer weddings and a baby shower. So one of my 3 has to be somewhat cute. Hopefully Old Navy won't fail me this summer.
The baby is beginning to kick in full force. James is able to feel her more often, and I can see my stomach move under my shirt almost every time she kicks. It's almost to the point where it's annoying, but I like that. If I didn't feel her, I'd worry. I am glad she is getting stronger and is more active.
And the weather is on the upswing here. It is finally about to be consistently warm. Now I need to get off my expanding behind and do some power walking. At the doctor the other day, I weighed in at 135lbs. I started at 119. So I was up 16 lbs and barely past the halfway mark. Of course I'm not going to diet or try to lose weight, but exercise is always a good idea. She said I'm right on track with my weight gain, but when I read threads on Baby Center, I seem to be higher than most.
Guess that's all for now. We're poor, I'm fat, and I have selfish blood. Yep, that's it.
Last week I went to the doctor, and all was well. I brought my records from my Birmingham doctor, and my new doc went through and commented on my blood type. She said it was rare and that if I ever donate blood, they will keep hounding me to come back. I don't know anything about blood, donating and blood types except for what James has told me. His blood type, O-, is highly desirable because it is a universal donor, so anyone can receive his blood. However, he can only receive O- blood. We looked mine up that evening, and mine is the exact opposite. Mine is AB+. I can only give to AB+, but I can receive from everyone. So bring on your blood people because I can take it. James commented that I have the most selfish blood type. And I am fine with that.
| Type | You Can Give Blood To | You Can Receive Blood From |
| A+ | A+ AB+ | A+ A- O+ O- |
| O+ | O+ A+ B+ AB+ | O+ O- |
| B+ | B+ AB+ | B+ B- O+ O- |
| AB+ | AB+ | Everyone |
| A- | A+ A- AB+ AB- | A- O- |
| O- | Everyone | O- |
| B- | B+ B- AB+ AB- | B- O- |
| AB- | AB+ AB- | AB- A- B- O- |
Out of 100 donors . . . . .
| 84 donors are RH+ | 16 donors are RH- |
| 38 are O+ | 7 are O- |
| 34 are A+ | 6 are A- |
| 9 are B+ | 2 are B- |
| 3 are AB+ | 1 is AB- |
We have been talking about money and getting our own place. We are hoping to do that soon, but it would be much easier if James found a real job. He has 2 leads in town now, and they both seem promising, but neither firm is in a huge hurry to hire people. He met with one firm yesterday, and they told him that they would be hiring 30 people to help with a bunch of new work that they are getting. That is awesome, except for the fact that they want to take their time with the new hires to be sure they get the right people. Of course I understand that, but James is currently working a job he really dislikes for way too little pay. He has been trying to find work, and it is just an uphill battle.
I think looking for jobs is just about the worst thing ever. At least these days it is. I am sure there was a time when it was easy to find a job, and to even have multiple offers, and be able to choose the firm that is right for you. Now, I feel like you are lucky to find anyone who will hire you, and never mind if you don't like their work or feel that they aren't paying enough. The recession will pass, and things will change, I hope. And I keep telling him that one day, when we both have jobs, we will feel like we are rich compared to now. If we learn how to survive on a $12/hour job, then when we have two real incomes, we will feel like we're on top of the world.
Part of surviving on a $12/hour job is not spending anything unless it's absolutely necessary. And yes, an emergency stop at Chick-fil-a is sometimes absolutely necessary. But clothes for me are not. But they will be soon, I fear. I bought a pair of maternity jeans from Old Navy back in February, before I even really needed them. They were on sale for $25. I bought a couple of shirts from there as well, on clearance- two of them for $13, and two for $4. Those, and two oversized T-shirts are all I have. I mentioned to James the other day that the last of my pre-pregnancy clothes are no longer wearable, and he said, "Well you can start wearing my shirts. That's what poor people do." He said it with a laugh, but he's right. I bet that is what poor people do.
I will have to find a couple of dresses to get me through the summer though. Maybe 3. I am not above re-wearing a dress a couple of times in a week. I am not above much these days. There is one other consideration. James has two friends getting married this summer, one in May and one in June. I will also want to wear a dress for my shower, which will probably be early June, or so I hear. That's 3 occasions I need a nice dress to wear. None of my dresses fit anymore, except one **might**. But it's a sheer black with a tan slip. I am pretty sure I shouldn't wear a black dress to these summer weddings and a baby shower. So one of my 3 has to be somewhat cute. Hopefully Old Navy won't fail me this summer.
The baby is beginning to kick in full force. James is able to feel her more often, and I can see my stomach move under my shirt almost every time she kicks. It's almost to the point where it's annoying, but I like that. If I didn't feel her, I'd worry. I am glad she is getting stronger and is more active.
And the weather is on the upswing here. It is finally about to be consistently warm. Now I need to get off my expanding behind and do some power walking. At the doctor the other day, I weighed in at 135lbs. I started at 119. So I was up 16 lbs and barely past the halfway mark. Of course I'm not going to diet or try to lose weight, but exercise is always a good idea. She said I'm right on track with my weight gain, but when I read threads on Baby Center, I seem to be higher than most.
Guess that's all for now. We're poor, I'm fat, and I have selfish blood. Yep, that's it.
01 April 2011
It is getting pretty dramatic up in here
Oooh...So no dress pictures this time, but as I was catching up on the internet, I got sucked into reading an article about TN changing their breastfeeding laws. And then the comments that ensued. It is getting pretty dramatic up in here, so while my popcorn pops, I thought I'd give a play by play.
The news story highlights:
-Last week the State of Tennessee decided to change its restrictive laws on public breastfeeding – but only after a lengthy debate about the “weird” things that could result.
-Under current law a mom is allowed to nurse in public, provided the child is not older than 12 months old. If she was to nurse, say, a 2-year-old, she would risk being charged with indecent exposure...it was passed just 5 years ago.
-It seems straightforward enough, but there was some opposition. Public breastfeeding, after all, can open the door to a lot of “crazy” things.
-“Is 35 a child?” asked Senator Bo Watson.
-Senator Stacey Campfield proposed an age limit of 3 years, saying, “at some point there should be some sort of line,” and agreeing, “There are a lot of strange people in this world.”
-The law eventually did pass without a limit...
-This legislation, if adopted, will provide a mother has a right to breastfeed her child. It’s only her child. It’s not any child, and it’s not anybody else.
And the comments:
-This is just as rediculous about the gay marriage debates. When one party mentions that marriage between two males or two females is harmless, the other party goes out on an extreme limb and says “Oh but soon people will be marrying animals! Where do we draw the line??"
-I think an age limit is ridiculous. I know some people are uncomfortable with public breastfeeding. In fact,I was before I did it because I wasn’t used to it, but as it becomes more common, people will naturally adjust. In any case, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone publicly breastfeed a child that looked over 2. In any case, in my experience people who breastfeed longer than about 16 months are doing it at home in the morning or at nap time or at bedtime–not everywhere on demand in the same way you do it for an infant who is exclusively breastfeeding as their sole nutrition. And even if they are doing it in public, that is their business.
-Come on people. I work in a NICU. I’m pretty sick of this debate–to breastfeed in public or not. First of all, I do not think that I or anyone else should “look away” if offended. That, in itself, is ridiculous. I am totally for mom’s breastfeeding if they choose. It is their right. However, I want you to understand that you take away the rights of others by doing so in public. There are other options such as pumping and feeding or planning around your child’s feeding schedule if you are absolutely determined that your child is only going to breastfeed. You may feel it is natural etc, but not all people do. You could say the same about sex…it is a function that is natural and accepted but we don’t do it in public places. (This may be radical as an example, but it is indicative of how others may feel about YOU breastfeeding in public). I think when it comes to age, you need to realize why the WHO set a breastfeeding standard to allow children to survive in countries where they might otherwise not if not breastfeeding. We do not live in a developing nation and fresh sources for food and water are available. Breastfeeding upwards of 2 and on whether for nutrition or comfort borders on the extreme. I think this debate, again, is ridiculous. Even though I spend much of my week helping mom’s learn to breastfeed etc, I do not want to go to dinner and watch YOU breastfeeding. That is my right and I don’t feel that it is fair for you to take my right away. I can’t eat around your schedule, but you can plan around your own childs. -b
-There is no “right” to not be offended in public. I don’t think you understand what that word means. I am aware that some people are uncomfortable when I nurse in public, but that is their issue, not mine; I am just feeding my child. Pumping does not work for all women, nor do all babies take bottles. Mine doesn’t. Planning around a feeding schedule is not always going to work, particularly when the baby is very young. It’s just not practical. You know what IS practical? Mom feeding her baby when baby is hungry. People who don’t like it turning their heads and looking away.
-Do you confine yourself to your house to eat? Or take your lunch to the bathroom? Or cover your head with a blanket when you’re eating? NO! So, why should a baby do that? You are a prime example of the selfish nature many people have adopted. When you see a mother breastfeeding, you should show your support and be proud of her. She’s doing what she has to do to feed, comfort and bond with her child. What’s even more ridiculous than this debate is YOU comparing breastfeeding to sex. You should be ashamed of yourself!
-I’ve eaten in many restaurants and witnessed disgusting people eating with their mouths open. To quote “B” above, I do not want to go to dinner and watch YOU mowing down on your food like it was served in a trough. And what about manboobs? And camel toe? And people who don’t wear deodorant? I do not go out in public to look at YOUR manboobs, camel toe and smell your nasty BO. So where are my rights? Why should I have to “look away”, don’t I have rights too? Should I lobby for an idiot law like this one that will prevent public displays of open mouthed eating, manboobs, camel toe and BO? GET OVER YOURSELVES. You don’t like seeing someone feed their child, YOU LOOK AWAY just like ME AND THE REST OF THE WORLD must do when you walk in the room and are not presenting yourself in a manner that meets MY standards.
Ok that is all... There are more comments, but I am done. The last one gave me a good chuckle.
The news story highlights:
-Last week the State of Tennessee decided to change its restrictive laws on public breastfeeding – but only after a lengthy debate about the “weird” things that could result.
-Under current law a mom is allowed to nurse in public, provided the child is not older than 12 months old. If she was to nurse, say, a 2-year-old, she would risk being charged with indecent exposure...it was passed just 5 years ago.
-It seems straightforward enough, but there was some opposition. Public breastfeeding, after all, can open the door to a lot of “crazy” things.
-“Is 35 a child?” asked Senator Bo Watson.
-Senator Stacey Campfield proposed an age limit of 3 years, saying, “at some point there should be some sort of line,” and agreeing, “There are a lot of strange people in this world.”
-The law eventually did pass without a limit...
-This legislation, if adopted, will provide a mother has a right to breastfeed her child. It’s only her child. It’s not any child, and it’s not anybody else.
And the comments:
-This is just as rediculous about the gay marriage debates. When one party mentions that marriage between two males or two females is harmless, the other party goes out on an extreme limb and says “Oh but soon people will be marrying animals! Where do we draw the line??"
How about we draw the line at common sense? How many instances of a mother breastfeeing a 15 year old in public are REALLY going to occur? And furthermore, it’s BREASTFEEDING. It’s proving nurishment to a human being. As odd as it may be to some to breastfeed a grown child who is perfectly capable of eating solid food, it is pretty simple to LOOK THE OTHER WAY if you feel offended by such harmless act. People are too willing to cry “i’m so offended!!” and need to grow a pair and act like adults.
-Come on people. I work in a NICU. I’m pretty sick of this debate–to breastfeed in public or not. First of all, I do not think that I or anyone else should “look away” if offended. That, in itself, is ridiculous. I am totally for mom’s breastfeeding if they choose. It is their right. However, I want you to understand that you take away the rights of others by doing so in public. There are other options such as pumping and feeding or planning around your child’s feeding schedule if you are absolutely determined that your child is only going to breastfeed. You may feel it is natural etc, but not all people do. You could say the same about sex…it is a function that is natural and accepted but we don’t do it in public places. (This may be radical as an example, but it is indicative of how others may feel about YOU breastfeeding in public). I think when it comes to age, you need to realize why the WHO set a breastfeeding standard to allow children to survive in countries where they might otherwise not if not breastfeeding. We do not live in a developing nation and fresh sources for food and water are available. Breastfeeding upwards of 2 and on whether for nutrition or comfort borders on the extreme. I think this debate, again, is ridiculous. Even though I spend much of my week helping mom’s learn to breastfeed etc, I do not want to go to dinner and watch YOU breastfeeding. That is my right and I don’t feel that it is fair for you to take my right away. I can’t eat around your schedule, but you can plan around your own childs. -b
-There is no “right” to not be offended in public. I don’t think you understand what that word means. I am aware that some people are uncomfortable when I nurse in public, but that is their issue, not mine; I am just feeding my child. Pumping does not work for all women, nor do all babies take bottles. Mine doesn’t. Planning around a feeding schedule is not always going to work, particularly when the baby is very young. It’s just not practical. You know what IS practical? Mom feeding her baby when baby is hungry. People who don’t like it turning their heads and looking away.
-Do you confine yourself to your house to eat? Or take your lunch to the bathroom? Or cover your head with a blanket when you’re eating? NO! So, why should a baby do that? You are a prime example of the selfish nature many people have adopted. When you see a mother breastfeeding, you should show your support and be proud of her. She’s doing what she has to do to feed, comfort and bond with her child. What’s even more ridiculous than this debate is YOU comparing breastfeeding to sex. You should be ashamed of yourself!
-I’ve eaten in many restaurants and witnessed disgusting people eating with their mouths open. To quote “B” above, I do not want to go to dinner and watch YOU mowing down on your food like it was served in a trough. And what about manboobs? And camel toe? And people who don’t wear deodorant? I do not go out in public to look at YOUR manboobs, camel toe and smell your nasty BO. So where are my rights? Why should I have to “look away”, don’t I have rights too? Should I lobby for an idiot law like this one that will prevent public displays of open mouthed eating, manboobs, camel toe and BO? GET OVER YOURSELVES. You don’t like seeing someone feed their child, YOU LOOK AWAY just like ME AND THE REST OF THE WORLD must do when you walk in the room and are not presenting yourself in a manner that meets MY standards.
28 March 2011
We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye
Well the computer is officially dead. Grrrrreattttttt. And it is going to cost $85 to get the precious pictures and schoolwork and portfolio off my hard drive. I have a suggestion for computer people. And keep in mind that I have no idea what a video card is, nor do I understand what happens when one dies. BUT I imagine a little chip thingy that slowly starts wearing down, and then one day completely gives up. So, computer people, if you are listening, I think you should make video cards have a little alert or warning that pops up on your screen that says, "Hey! You have 2 days left on your video card. You better back up your junk, or you will have to pay someone to do it! Oh and by the way, when I die, your whole computer is coming with me. Muahahaha!"
And don't even try to tell me that I should have been backing it up all along. Just don't.
All of this is to say that I am still using James' computer, and it is still a Mac, and I still don't know how to use it. I did learn how to right click the other day, and it was amazing; however, it immediately turned into a disaster when the page started scrolling to the right, and I was ready to throw the computer. And yes, I know I sound like an old person who is afraid of technology, and no, I don't care. So anyway, I want to take photos of the 2 dresses and 2.5 bibs that I have made, but I just don't want to bother yet, until James is home (to do it for me). Another tragedy associated with the death of my computer is the loss of Adobe CS. That's right, Photoshop and Illustrator, my two favorite programs are gone. Just like that. We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. So, when I do take pictures of my sewing creations, I will not be able to Photoshop them, so they won't look as good as they should.
Other than the mention of dresses and bibs, there has not been much baby talk going on here. But this is the second trimester, which is apparently the easiest time in a pregnancy. So I guess I have nothing much to complain about, and therefore nothing to say. We were supposed to work on baby names this weekend, but we didn't get far. Basketball took over the weekend, but I have been assured that after next week it will all be over until next fall. My bracket is done, therefore my interest is as well. I did beat James in the end. By one point I think. It got close there for a minute, but luckily Kansas lost, which resulted in the death of his bracket. I ended with 52 points, James 51. Victory is so sweet.
I guess that's all the news for now. I will return with pictures of cute baby dresses and bibs.
And don't even try to tell me that I should have been backing it up all along. Just don't.
All of this is to say that I am still using James' computer, and it is still a Mac, and I still don't know how to use it. I did learn how to right click the other day, and it was amazing; however, it immediately turned into a disaster when the page started scrolling to the right, and I was ready to throw the computer. And yes, I know I sound like an old person who is afraid of technology, and no, I don't care. So anyway, I want to take photos of the 2 dresses and 2.5 bibs that I have made, but I just don't want to bother yet, until James is home (to do it for me). Another tragedy associated with the death of my computer is the loss of Adobe CS. That's right, Photoshop and Illustrator, my two favorite programs are gone. Just like that. We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. So, when I do take pictures of my sewing creations, I will not be able to Photoshop them, so they won't look as good as they should.
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| click to enlarge if you dare...i mean if you care. |
I guess that's all the news for now. I will return with pictures of cute baby dresses and bibs.
21 March 2011
It seriously sounds like a drag
I made another bib, and started a third. One of these days I'll post some pictures.
My computer is still broken, and James tells me we have to take it to a place to figure out what's wrong, what it will cost, etc... Boo. That sounds as fun as going to the AT&T store to get my voicemail fixed. By the way, I've had my phone since August, and I have still not gone to get it fixed. It seriously sounds like a drag, and I can't be bothered to do it. And my broken computer is falling into that category. I shouldn't have to deal with stuff like that. Computers and phones and technology. But James is tired of me signing him out of everything on his computer and leaving myself signed in. And more importantly, I can't play Sim City until my computer works again. Yeah, I said that.
The basketball thing is really getting on my nerves. My bracket is a mess thanks to Louisville, Georgetown, Arizona and Pittsburgh. LAME. James usually totals my points for me, but he's gone. Yet another crappy thing I have to do myself. I think I have 42 points. I'm still doing better than James, which is all that really matters (hahaha). He has 38 and is in a group where you pay to participate. He is tied for 16th place, and if I was in that group, I'd be tied for 4th. Not too shabby. The leader right now has 45 points. I feel that I have done a respectable job so far, but we will see how it goes in the end. I can't talk too much trash right now, just in case James somehow beats me in the end. All I can say is that I hope our daughter doesn't inherit my petty competitive streak...
The weather has been awesome the past few days, and I took a few moments this weekend to try on some of my old dresses. Bad idea. I just want to go buy some flamboyant mumus and live in those for the rest of this pregnancy. I look awful in everything. And all of my t-shirts and tank tops are in their last few weeks of fitting. I am going to have to buy some stuff soon. Preferably lightweight dresses, because even in the 70's I am uncomfortably hot. Now, where do I find cute lightweight dresses for poverty-stricken, rotund people who continue to expand? If you have any ideas, let me know.
I need to get a job. I think I have waited for the part time thing I had lined up for too long. I think it is time to move on and find something else. James is talking about getting a second job soon, and I can't let him do that while I sit on my growing behind all day. It's just tough to commit to something when I don't have a car, I'm not sure whether we will be moving , and I don't have proper clothes to wear in public. I keep thinking that as soon as I find some other part time work, the guy at the architecture firm will call me. But I guess that's a chance I'll have to take. I can't wait around forever, and I can't let James suffer unless I'm suffering too. I mean, I am suffering. I'm fat and my clothes don't fit. My hair is ugly. I can't stand for too long or my back will retaliate ten fold. I eat constantly, which drives me to shame and embarrassment. I wake up a thousand times per night and have dreams that disrupt my sleep. But that's not the kind of suffering I need to be doing right now. I need to do some productive suffering.
My computer is still broken, and James tells me we have to take it to a place to figure out what's wrong, what it will cost, etc... Boo. That sounds as fun as going to the AT&T store to get my voicemail fixed. By the way, I've had my phone since August, and I have still not gone to get it fixed. It seriously sounds like a drag, and I can't be bothered to do it. And my broken computer is falling into that category. I shouldn't have to deal with stuff like that. Computers and phones and technology. But James is tired of me signing him out of everything on his computer and leaving myself signed in. And more importantly, I can't play Sim City until my computer works again. Yeah, I said that.
The basketball thing is really getting on my nerves. My bracket is a mess thanks to Louisville, Georgetown, Arizona and Pittsburgh. LAME. James usually totals my points for me, but he's gone. Yet another crappy thing I have to do myself. I think I have 42 points. I'm still doing better than James, which is all that really matters (hahaha). He has 38 and is in a group where you pay to participate. He is tied for 16th place, and if I was in that group, I'd be tied for 4th. Not too shabby. The leader right now has 45 points. I feel that I have done a respectable job so far, but we will see how it goes in the end. I can't talk too much trash right now, just in case James somehow beats me in the end. All I can say is that I hope our daughter doesn't inherit my petty competitive streak...
The weather has been awesome the past few days, and I took a few moments this weekend to try on some of my old dresses. Bad idea. I just want to go buy some flamboyant mumus and live in those for the rest of this pregnancy. I look awful in everything. And all of my t-shirts and tank tops are in their last few weeks of fitting. I am going to have to buy some stuff soon. Preferably lightweight dresses, because even in the 70's I am uncomfortably hot. Now, where do I find cute lightweight dresses for poverty-stricken, rotund people who continue to expand? If you have any ideas, let me know.
I need to get a job. I think I have waited for the part time thing I had lined up for too long. I think it is time to move on and find something else. James is talking about getting a second job soon, and I can't let him do that while I sit on my growing behind all day. It's just tough to commit to something when I don't have a car, I'm not sure whether we will be moving , and I don't have proper clothes to wear in public. I keep thinking that as soon as I find some other part time work, the guy at the architecture firm will call me. But I guess that's a chance I'll have to take. I can't wait around forever, and I can't let James suffer unless I'm suffering too. I mean, I am suffering. I'm fat and my clothes don't fit. My hair is ugly. I can't stand for too long or my back will retaliate ten fold. I eat constantly, which drives me to shame and embarrassment. I wake up a thousand times per night and have dreams that disrupt my sleep. But that's not the kind of suffering I need to be doing right now. I need to do some productive suffering.
18 March 2011
Just a little sparkle won't hurt
And I can't believe basketball made me forget to share the biggest news of the day!
Elton John is coming to see me on April 15. James was gracious enough to buy us a pair of tickets, but unfortunately, everyone else in town is excited too, and the good ones were already gone. So we are almost as far away as you can get. BUT for $25 a ticket, I don't mind. We are poor, remember?
I need some opera glasses for the occasion. Something simple, as not to outdo Mr. John, but just a little sparkle won't hurt.
Now I'm thinking about the baby, and the fact that they can hear outside the womb by the 24th week. Well, by the time Elton comes, I will be almost 25 weeks! So, some of her very first sounds will be the sweet voice of Elton John. James will have to work double time to imprint his voice on her, so that she doesn't come out looking for Papa Elton.
Elton John is coming to see me on April 15. James was gracious enough to buy us a pair of tickets, but unfortunately, everyone else in town is excited too, and the good ones were already gone. So we are almost as far away as you can get. BUT for $25 a ticket, I don't mind. We are poor, remember?
I need some opera glasses for the occasion. Something simple, as not to outdo Mr. John, but just a little sparkle won't hurt.
Now I'm thinking about the baby, and the fact that they can hear outside the womb by the 24th week. Well, by the time Elton comes, I will be almost 25 weeks! So, some of her very first sounds will be the sweet voice of Elton John. James will have to work double time to imprint his voice on her, so that she doesn't come out looking for Papa Elton.
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