Month: August 2011 (Page 2 of 5)

if i had a million dollars

I’m not sure of the steps of progress toward becoming independently wealthy, but with husband in a full-time teaching job, I’m hoping we’re well on our way. So when that day comes, I have a list at the ready for how I’ll spend my time and fortune. 

1. My google reader subscriptions will at least triple. I can then fulfill my lifelong dream of reading interesting things and then telling people about it. You can anticipate that both this space and my FB feed will be full of running commentary. 
2. I’ll open a coffee shop that not only finds it socially acceptable to bring the wee ones along, but it’s encouraged. Nothing will be breakable or really loud when it hits the floor. A McDonald’s playland-like structure will be available. Perhaps I’ll even come up with a system where we number the kids playing and I’ll staff one person to redirect the kids if they misbehave and then notify moms when they don’t listen so that moms can fully engage in other wifi-related activities (see #1). 
3. Shopping. I will look cute again. Mostly because I’ll be able to hire someone to pick out the wardrobe and then dress me. 
4. I’ll buy things for people I like. Fun stuff, things to brighten the day. I read the status of someone who’s sister sent a box of Gap “back to school” clothes as a way to chipper her up before the school year started, and it worked. I’d like to be more like that. 
5. Trips with the husband. 
6. I’d write things that people would read. On paper. All that time with numbers 1 and 2 would make it possible to do research and brainstorming and querying. Things real writers do. And since it would be in a coffee shop, the career path would be legit. 
7. Volunteer more. Becoming Independence wealthy only helps with me being able to hire child care issue. 
8. Buy good milk. And cheese.  
9. Take a yoga class or something. 
10. Get my hair cut, perhaps even highlighted, on a normal person’s schedule (ie, not once every 6 months)

missing what could’ve been

I was going to intro with the lyrics of the older ballad that had a chorus about what “could’ve been”, but I didn’t know the title or composer. I did a search on Let’s Sing It and came up with 25 songs to sort through with “could’ve been” in the title. And that didn’t include the songs about the topic but with a different title. So rather than some cheesey lyrics to a classic hit, I think it would suffice to say that our culture is well atuned to wallowing in, and singing about, regret. 

This morning I was reading a bit about King David returning victorious after a war with his son. Instead of dancing he was weeping and mourning the loss of his son. Apparently the guys who risked his life and came out winners were none to happy to see the tears. Finally his adviser came to David and told him to quit his crying or the army would desert him, feeling under-appreciated. 

On my first reading, I was a bit miffed at the adviser. The King just lost a son! Give him a break. The reality is that he’s hurting. Let him mourn. But then I caught a line – the adviser said, “If [your son] were alive right now, we’d all be dead. Is that what you want?”
The reality was that the King’s son was an enemy. The King wasn’t mourning his son, he was mourning what could’ve been between he and his son, but had failed to exist. 
The reality was that the King was hurting people around him with his tears. 
I think coming to grips with the disappointments in life is a learned trait, a marketable skill. Though it looks good on the t-shirt to live with “no regrets”, I’m not sure people really accomplish it. Sometimes we wish life had taken a different direction. But I think the king’s adviser was trying to communicate that wishing what “could’ve been” can’t come at the expense of those in the “right now.” It’s simply not fair to those who love you to love someone or some thing who doesn’t exist (and perhaps never did) even more than those sitting right beside you. Through the lens of those glasses, those in the right now will never live up to expectations. They’ll never compare to a non-reality. 
I’m trying to live that right now. We don’t know the life that could’ve been by staying where we were. So we can’t compare to it. But we can love what is with us right now. We can appreciate our surroundings and connect in any way we know how. And fully celebrate the victory. 

happy snacking

Fortunately for my postpartum belly I’m running a high metabolism since the wee one is an eating machine. I also added Jillian Michaels to my evening repertoire because I’m tired of wearing elastic waists. That being said, I’m hungry all. the. time. I’ll eat a good meal and within an hour or 2 I’m famished again – worse than when I was pregnant, for sure. 

I’m dying for new snack ideas that require little prep, or that can be done in bulk. I’ve made a delish batch of granola bars (halve the sugar, add 1/4 c. peanut butter, sub raisins – yes I’m old – for chocolate chips) for the freezer and I’m open to a little work like that. I try to keep fruit on hand but it hasn’t seemed to satisfy. I try to keep cheese on hand, but I have a tendency to pair it with a processed cracker, thus defeating the point. 
Right now my go-to is trail mix, but it’s starting to render burn out. 
Another tried-and-true but not working: yogurt (with and without fruit and/or granola). I fell in love with Seven Stars Farm – maple flavor – and now I can’t settle for anything less. But it only comes with a visit from Marj. I need to add something to my mix. 
So, I simply must know: what is your go-to snack? Double letter score if you don’t buy it pre-packaged; remember I’m trying to stay on the healthy side here. Triple word score if said snack suggestion can fool my brain into thinking it’s a Culver’s concrete mixer with hot fudge and brownie bites. I’m addicted to those things. See why the need to keep it healthy???
*In your suggestions, keep in mind that I don’t like almonds. Or chips in my ice cream. Or anything that can get stuck in the crevices of my teeth, really. Well, except corn on the cob. But that’s a meal-time option, really. 
**FB friends and readers, could you comment on the blog rather than on the book? It keeps comments centralized. If it’s convenient, that is. I’ll take a snack suggestion from anywhere if needed. 
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