lajendi

thanks for.. people

Surprising title after my rant at the doctor yesterday? Let's just say in the few hours since that post I've become free of the constraints of modern medicine. I've reclaimed the stewardship over my own body and now don't have to analyze every little ache, pain, snort or sniffle to fill my arsenal of answers for the quiz at the doctor's office. Just lettin' it be. 

Over the few decades I've been alive(when saying 'a few' in relation to age it seems young, until you say 'decades')I have come to know something about myself. I am an extrovert.

There were days I was so sure I needed to be alone more, if I could just hide under the covers all would be rainbows and sunshine when I emerged from my cotton confinement.  Instead I was more self-focused, more miserable. So I'd go to the other extreme, doing all that I thought others wanted from me, much to my detriment.  A great therapist helped me learn that serving others didn't mean neglecting myself, that a healthy balance was to be found. I'm so grateful for her all these years later as I see that as a major intersection in my personal development.

After that I knew that being with people made me happy. I sought out social interactions when I felt depressed instead of avoiding them. Sometimes the only visible product may have been misery for those I associated with. For me it was part of my growth process, I was not experienced in complex social relations, it took time for me to understand some of the subtlty in relating. I'm grateful for those who put up with me then- in friendships, callings, family and marriage. Not that I'm perfect at it but I think now I'm not so torturous to be with.

Somewhere in this journey I found that I liked myself. I like being who I am, free to be uncertain, free to explore possibilities, free to make mistakes. It is wonderful to be with people who like me too, it's at least one thing we have in common. Often I find we also agree about liking them too.

Relating to people isn't always easy. But most of the time when I dislike a person it is because I haven't gotten to know them well enough yet. With the exception of Randy on Survivor. That guy is a jerk and I have no desire to get to know him. Unless it's in a therapy situation, which he needs desperately.

 

Everyone has something lovable and interesting about them, if they'll let you in enough to find it.

Lately there are days that I go 10 hours without interacting IRL with an adult. OK, other than this pleasant conversation:

"Did you find what you needed?"

"Yes, thanks."

"Would you be interested in a Target Visa card? You could save 10% on your purchases today."

"No, thank you."

"OK, have a good day."

"You too."

Multiple layers of subtle meaning. True textural embodiment of the human condition. Relating on this level does tax the mental faculties, especially when wrestling with a toddler to not grab gum, push the buttons on the debit card machine or tantrum herself right out of the cart.

Mercifully I have the internet. I can't imagine what kind of crazy I would be if not for the human interactions I find here. And by here I don't just mean the blog. Commenting on other blogs, reading the news, looking up psych journals, emailing, facebook, etc. Sometimes I wonder if I'm wasting alot of time here. Then I remember sanity has it's price.

I'm grateful for my interactions with you. I don't mention it often but I really get a high off of comments. The comments my family left on the post about them made me cry and miss them. Every comment I get I try to respond to, if I haven't it isn't a personal slight, just the sign of an unorganized brain and computer. I get by with a little help from my friends.

Have a great thanksgiving. love you.

(Imagine the great weekend I would have if you all commented!)

thanks for... meds, my bed and maybe facebook

Feeling horrid. Will you tell on me if I take more than the prescribed dosage of pain meds?

 Spending alot of quality time with my pillow and blanket. I'm very grateful for a comfy bed.

After many requests I gave in to my adoring public and signed up for facebook. Just what I needed something else online to occupy my time.

I will return when I have something nice to say.

web goodies

This wonderful crafting site has a whole month of handmade gifts. And I'm not just talking one thing per day, but an entire demographic per day.

If you're counting your blessings and realize you need to bless someone else this is the site for you. A way to search for volunteer opportunities by zip code, eazy peazy! Or you can come clean my house and do my laundry... please?!

Apple Lemonade anyone? I found it here.

1 bottle of apple juice
1 bottle of pear juice
1 2L bottle of lemonade

This is for Calah. A great creative site, esp. sewing, with cutting edge trends. Like how to sew a bigfoot costume or a Madonna-esque corset. Ok I'm not excited about the corset, just trying to give you an idea of the broadness of the site :)

For those of you on the opposite end of the spectrum start practicing these turkeys so you'll have it perfected for the big day. 
 

Let's cover all our bases while we're talking about the biggest cooking day on the calendar.

turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie

Posting this family recipe for stuffing could get me disowned but that's how much I love you!

Grandma M's stuffing

chicken stock

1 large onion, chopped

1 large potato, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

a bag of bread cubes (no I cannot be more specific, this isn't the food network)

salt and pepper

sage

parsley

Put enough chicken stock in a pan to cover the chopped onion, celery and potato. Cook until transparent and potato is soft. Add bag of bread cubes and stir. Add more chicken stock if needed until bread cubes are wet but not soggy, especially if putting in the cavity of a turkey. If baking in a dish it will need more moisture.  Add spices to your taste. Bake approx 30 mins at same temp as turkey, or inside turkey entire cooking time.

The potato is crucial to a perfect stuffing. It keeps the stuffing moist without making it soggy. The potatoes will be undetectable in the finished product. I ate this stuffing most of my life before finding out it contained potato!

(If any of my family has more specifics on this recipe or wants to formalize the severing of family ties please don't hesitate to post.)

stuff

Do you know about Google scholar? The search results are scholarly journals, books articles, many are peer reviewed. It's good to know when you have a research paper or want to know more about Hashimoto's hypothyroiditis.

This is the blog of my new favorite podcast.

This is a good podcast too.

Great, even awesome, costume ideas because we all leave it to the last minute. That's half the fun of it for parents, the adrenaline rush of sewing the zipper on as the first trick-or-treaters are ringing your bell.

Don't tell your kids not to write on the walls, just think of what they could do one day.

You can make any of this good stuff for us, because although it is very cool, I'll never spend time on it.

I've gone back to hot chocolate the old fashioned way, Nesquik and milk. It makes me feel 5 yrs old again. And guess what? 25% less sugar!  ya, and monkeys might fly out of my butt.

Caren sent me this recipe for single serving chocolate cake, I'm scared to try it because then I'll make it every day:

MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

1 Coffee Mug
4 tablespoons flour(that's plain flour, not self-rising)
4  tablespoons sugar
2  tablespoons baking cocoa
1  egg
3  tablespoons milk
3  tablespoons oil
3  tablespoons chocolate chips  (optional)
Small splash of vanilla 

Add dry  ingredients to mug, and mix well .  Add the egg and mix
thoroughly.
Pour in  the milk and oil and mix well.
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and  vanilla, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3  minutes at 1000 watts. The
cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be  alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT! (this can serve  2 if you want to share!)

friday night funnies

Ok, I know some things are funny but really this is funny, I am laughing out loud.

You don't know Brian Reagan?

like cake?

Mormon jokes

Some fool stealin' your lunch?

That's all I got.

surfin'

easy rings

my recent attempt at subscribing to a podcast. not the first time, it is hard to find something you want to listen to week after week enough to remember it is there waiting for you.

national sewing month, who knew?

pretty

out of the ordinary embroidery, look at all the posts, beautifully simple and fresh. now pondering upon picking up the dusty embroidery hoop.

amazing box lunches

and I spent a little time crying as I watched this. Crying is good for my dry eyes anyway.

24

I had a great bacon cheeseburger for lunch yesturday...mmmm.

Yesturday I also studied and played dodgeball with the kids in the church nursery.

Last night while DH worked late I watched this and got emotionally involved.

Then I watched this and am now hooked.

Then I read this and busted a gut.

Today I ran a mile and  lifted weights.

Baby got stung by a wasp and J forgot his lunch.

Now I need to study because I have a mid-term tomorrow.

Think they'll make a TV show about me?

if you give a wife a present..

DH bought me a present.

If you give a wife a present the wife will want a cute little bag for the present.

If she gets the  bag then she'd sure love the matching tote.

If you give a wife the matching tote she'll want new shoes to go with it (yes I know they don't match, work with me here).

If she has new running shoes she'll want to eat healthy stuff to eat too.

And while we're at it the wife wants that new desk for the study.

In the end it doesn't matter, the wife is happy with just the present.

birthday wishing..

 

 

 

OK, shameless self promo but DH asked for a list for the upcoming day. No, I didn't have to post it on the blog but it is what I'm doing today so if you're going to peek in on my life this is what you'll see. Birthdays come but once a year, let me be a little self centered will ya?!

so nice

yummy

thingy and thingy and thingy

gadget

gizmo

pie in the sky

LOOK!  a bigger pie in the sky 

I'm sure this pie would be much like the potions in Alice in Wonderland. Although it would not actually change my size it would give the same ultimate benefit- knowledge. My own personal 'Through the Looking Glass' experience.

stuff

Get out Ol' Glory it is Memorial weekend.

My vote for the best way to remember veterans this wekend is to watch Band of Brothers. DH and I have been getting the DVDs from Netflix. There is some violence, language and one sex scene but it isn't saturated, comes across as authentic and really for HBO I worried it would be worse. IMO it has been well worth our time to watch.

Funny graphs?

make animals

When will you see Indiana?