Don't panic, I'm not asking if I may live with you. Just wondering how difficult it would be for both of us. This post is about how difficult it can be at times to share living space--especially when you're struggling to avoid acting badly at home as a result of craziness at work (that'll be a separate post) that leaves you out of patience, very tired, and almost looking for a fight.
We all have our little habits, preferences and beliefs that can be annoying to others and leave us wondering why they go out of their way to annoy us. Right? Here's a short quiz to see if we could share space without driving each other crazy (like Neil Simon's "Odd Couple").
1. It's too hot, too cold or too something to cook, so you offer to buy me dinner. When the bill arrives, do you:
a. pay with my credit card? (If yes, well played!!!)
b. inform me you brought no cash or credit cards?
c. ask if I'd like coffee or dessert before you pay?
2. I make well-drained tuna for our lunch. There are leftovers in the bowl and you agree to cover it and put it away. Would you:
a. cover the bowl with the wrap of your choice, but leave 30% of the opening uncovered?
b. tear off a 12 foot section of the wrap, wadding it up on the bottom so the bowl wobbles like a weeble?
c. use an appropriate length of the wrap, centered over the bowl so that it is completely covered?
3. You rinse unused ketchup off your plate and pieces of your uneaten dinner (maybe a few shreds of lettuce, bread crumbs, whatever) fall into the sink. Do you:
a. set your plate on the counter and walk away?
b. put your plate in the dishwasher and walk away?
c. rinse the ketchup and food out the sink?
4. You decide to have a snack that includes peanut butter. As you begin to stick a knife into an essentially full jar of PB, do you:
a. drive the knife to the bottom of the jar, getting PB all over the handle?
b. put the PB encrusted knife in the dishwasher (where the PB will harden and still be there after the wash cycle)?
c. clean any excess PB off the knife?
5. Since it's again too whatever to cook, we order pizza for dinner. Do you leave the empty pizza box:
a. on the electric stove top burners?
b. balanced on top of an over-flowing trash can?
c. inside the trash bag (crushed and folded) or in the recycling bin?
6. As you get out of the shower you notice hair accumulated in the drain. Do you:
a. ignore it, since you're done?
b. feel glad you're leaving a part of yourself behind to share with others?
c. take 2 seconds to clear the drain with a tissue (or whatever, just clear the drain!)?
7. Do you squeeze the toothpaste tube at the:
a. top?
b. middle?
c. bottom?
8. When you get home, do you put your keys:
a. wherever?
b. someplace?
c. where they belong?
9. It's 110F outside. Is that your cue to:
a. throw open the curtains on the sunny side of the house?
b. boil potatoes to make pototo salad?
c. keep the curtains closed and the stove/oven off?
10. Do you replace the soap or TP in the bathroom if you're the one who finished it off? Are newspapers at the end of the driveway invisable to you? If you needed new socks, would you buy them or permanently "borrow" mine?
So, would we drive each other crazy? Or maybe I'd drive you crazy about driving me crazy??? LOL, okay, most of these things are goofy, meaningless, little nothings. But little things like this and even little things you normally think are cute, can suddenly become very, very annoying when you are exhausted and in a bad mood...and I have been this week.
Has that made me a jerk at home? Not yet. When I get home from work I take a deep breath before going in the house and remind myself that the aggravation I feel belongs at work. So far, it has stayed there...and mostly so have I. I've worked way too many hours over the past week or so and I haven't been on-line much. I'm sorry I've missed so many of your posts, but hopefully I can catch up soon.
Getting back to the point of this post, so, could I live with you??? Be careful how you answer because if I quit my job, the next question might be, "May I live with you???" LOL!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Germans Not Funny???
Apparently there is a conpsiracy in Europe to create the impression that Germans are not funny people--they placed last in a survey. Being 50% German myself, I want to thank Steven Colbert for proving that false. Skip the nonsense about John Lennon and jump ahead to the 2:15 mark in the video. But I'm not 100% convinced that guy is really German--he almost smiled once!
PS - While Germans were last, the survey placed Americans first!!! =)
PS - While Germans were last, the survey placed Americans first!!! =)
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
My Wheelhouse
Baseball announcers rarely make it through a game without saying, “That pitch was in his wheelhouse.” I’m sure it has other meanings, but in baseball the “wheelhouse” is the area where a hitter’s swing of the bat has the most power. I’ve been told that in blogging, my wheelhouse is the story with a lesson (I think my wheelhouse is commenting on your posts). I haven’t done one of those posts in a while—I think I’m running out of stories. But I thought of one today and it involves baseball (but not a wheelhouse).
I played my first little league game when I was 12. The game couldn’t have started better. I was playing center field and the very first batter hit a ball over my head. I ran back as fast as I could. When I looked up, the ball seemed to be just sitting there in mid-air, waiting for me to catch it. I did. The next batter did almost the same thing, but the ball was more to my right. Again, I made the catch. My teammates and their parents were cheering like crazy. When I went to hit for the first time, I was nervous—it was my first at-bat in front of a crowd. I think adrenaline took over because I crushed the ball. I hit a homerun. As I scored I heard a parent ask “who is that kid?” and my mom proudly said, “He’s my son.” I was a hero to my team. But I knew that even when you try your hardest, sometimes you’re going to strike out. That’s just how it is. So I stayed humble, I didn’t need to learn a lesson about that, I already knew it. But fate was determined to teach me a lesson that day anyway.
The score was tied in the last inning. The other team had a runner on 2nd base and there was one out. The next batter hit a ground ball to me in center field. If I picked it up quickly and made a perfect throw to home plate, I might have gotten the runner out before he scored the winning run for the other team. I didn’t have a strong throwing arm, but I was going to try my best. Then the ball hit a rock (it was a school playground, not Fenway Park) and took a funny bounce. I missed it and the winning run scored. I felt awful that we lost.
After retrieving the ball, I was the last one to get to our team’s bench. As I got close, I could hear the grumbling about how I had lost the game for my team. And it wasn’t just the kids. The parents were making cracks too—that it was my fault we lost. My mom didn’t know what to say, so she folded her lawn chair and headed for the car. Did anyone mention that the runner would probably have scored even if I had done everything perfectly? Did anyone mention that we would have been behind by three runs if I hadn’t caught those two balls earlier and hit a homerun? No. They wanted a scapegoat for losing. I went from team hero to team goat in an instant. It was a great introduction to little league and the all too prevalent "What have you done for me lately" approach to life.
That day played a part in me understanding that when you’re the hero, everyone is your friend. When you’re the goat, you learn who your true friends are. Also, I learned that when people are emotionally invested in something (as too many parents are in kids’ games), logic and graciousness can go out the window and you have to ignore their ignorance. I wasn’t the reason my team lost that game, but the people offering opinions said it was entirely my fault. ALSO II, I learned it’s important to: 1) console the “goats” in life; 2) be a good loser—don’t start pointing fingers of blame; and 3) be a good winner—don’t act like a jerk and rub it in.
Enjoy your victories, but don’t take your losses to heart—you need to be ready for the next game, the next exam, the next career move, or the next challenge. Don’t define yourself by a single moment in your life. But if you must, make it a positive one. =)
I played my first little league game when I was 12. The game couldn’t have started better. I was playing center field and the very first batter hit a ball over my head. I ran back as fast as I could. When I looked up, the ball seemed to be just sitting there in mid-air, waiting for me to catch it. I did. The next batter did almost the same thing, but the ball was more to my right. Again, I made the catch. My teammates and their parents were cheering like crazy. When I went to hit for the first time, I was nervous—it was my first at-bat in front of a crowd. I think adrenaline took over because I crushed the ball. I hit a homerun. As I scored I heard a parent ask “who is that kid?” and my mom proudly said, “He’s my son.” I was a hero to my team. But I knew that even when you try your hardest, sometimes you’re going to strike out. That’s just how it is. So I stayed humble, I didn’t need to learn a lesson about that, I already knew it. But fate was determined to teach me a lesson that day anyway.
The score was tied in the last inning. The other team had a runner on 2nd base and there was one out. The next batter hit a ground ball to me in center field. If I picked it up quickly and made a perfect throw to home plate, I might have gotten the runner out before he scored the winning run for the other team. I didn’t have a strong throwing arm, but I was going to try my best. Then the ball hit a rock (it was a school playground, not Fenway Park) and took a funny bounce. I missed it and the winning run scored. I felt awful that we lost.
After retrieving the ball, I was the last one to get to our team’s bench. As I got close, I could hear the grumbling about how I had lost the game for my team. And it wasn’t just the kids. The parents were making cracks too—that it was my fault we lost. My mom didn’t know what to say, so she folded her lawn chair and headed for the car. Did anyone mention that the runner would probably have scored even if I had done everything perfectly? Did anyone mention that we would have been behind by three runs if I hadn’t caught those two balls earlier and hit a homerun? No. They wanted a scapegoat for losing. I went from team hero to team goat in an instant. It was a great introduction to little league and the all too prevalent "What have you done for me lately" approach to life.
That day played a part in me understanding that when you’re the hero, everyone is your friend. When you’re the goat, you learn who your true friends are. Also, I learned that when people are emotionally invested in something (as too many parents are in kids’ games), logic and graciousness can go out the window and you have to ignore their ignorance. I wasn’t the reason my team lost that game, but the people offering opinions said it was entirely my fault. ALSO II, I learned it’s important to: 1) console the “goats” in life; 2) be a good loser—don’t start pointing fingers of blame; and 3) be a good winner—don’t act like a jerk and rub it in.
Enjoy your victories, but don’t take your losses to heart—you need to be ready for the next game, the next exam, the next career move, or the next challenge. Don’t define yourself by a single moment in your life. But if you must, make it a positive one. =)
Saturday, July 16, 2011
More Oversharing
Meibelle started a questions tag and I want to do it before I forget—I have a real problem remembering to do tags. (I'm sorry if I've missed a few.)
1. What do you order at Starbucks?
A small mocha frappe—and they tell me it’s Tall, not small.
2. What's one thing in your closet that you cannot live without?
My belts. Without them I’d get arrested on the subway.
3. What's one thing that most people probably wouldn't know about you?
I have over-shared to such an extent, at first I couldn’t think of anything. Then I realized it was right under my nose—and chin. I have a beard and moustache at the moment. The first time I grew the combo, it was to hide a baby face…then I realized I really don't like shaving. But it's time to be clean-shaven again.
4. Name one thing that you want to do before you die.
I hope to one day hold the world record for being the oldest active driver ever. Watch out America!!! And I'd like to visit Ireland and Germany, the lands of my ancestors.
5. What's one food that you cannot live without?
There are lots of foods I really like, but none that I eat everyday or would be upset if I couldn't have again. Unless strawberry shortcake counts, I would really miss that--but I don't have it very often.
6. What quote/phrase do you live your life by?
In brightest day, in darkest night, no evil shall escape my sight! LOL, no, it would be more like be forgiving, because we all make mistakes (but don’t be a sucker: once is a mistake; twice is a lesson learned; thrice...well, don't be a sucker).
7. What do you like and dislike about the Blogger community?
I like that Blogger has allowed me to meet some wonderful people I never would have otherwise. Seriously, if you are reading this, what are the odds we would have met in real life??? What do I dislike? Spammers for sure. Also, I worry when blogger friends disappear suddenly and completely without warning. But what can you do???
8. What's your number one most listened to song on iTunes?
The song with the most number of plays in my iTunes folder is "In My Life" by the Beatles, but in the past week or so "Grenade" (Mars) and "Beyond the Sea" (Darin) have gotten a fair number of plays.
9. What kind of style would you define yourself as having?
Unchanging, comfortable.
10. Favorite number?
Six (but 4, 8, and 16 come close)
11. Two hobbies:
Many have come and gone: gaming; tennis; chess; learning about cigars, about wines, about old coins; target shooting (not hunting); fishing; bowling; and avoiding golf (one round was enough). Recently, blogging and filling the role of family patriarch for my elder siblings have been my main hobbies.
12: Two pet peeves:
Rude, mean people and ignorance--I borrowed these from Meibelle, They are my top two as well. At the moment I feel like I could list 10. Fun at work has left me feeling particularly peevish.
13: Guilty pleasures:
Air conditioning and sleeping late--it's nice to enjoy both at once.
I'm going to copy Meibelle again--I tag all of you to complete the lucky 13 questions tag.
1. What do you order at Starbucks?
A small mocha frappe—and they tell me it’s Tall, not small.
2. What's one thing in your closet that you cannot live without?
My belts. Without them I’d get arrested on the subway.
3. What's one thing that most people probably wouldn't know about you?
I have over-shared to such an extent, at first I couldn’t think of anything. Then I realized it was right under my nose—and chin. I have a beard and moustache at the moment. The first time I grew the combo, it was to hide a baby face…then I realized I really don't like shaving. But it's time to be clean-shaven again.
4. Name one thing that you want to do before you die.
I hope to one day hold the world record for being the oldest active driver ever. Watch out America!!! And I'd like to visit Ireland and Germany, the lands of my ancestors.
5. What's one food that you cannot live without?
There are lots of foods I really like, but none that I eat everyday or would be upset if I couldn't have again. Unless strawberry shortcake counts, I would really miss that--but I don't have it very often.
6. What quote/phrase do you live your life by?
In brightest day, in darkest night, no evil shall escape my sight! LOL, no, it would be more like be forgiving, because we all make mistakes (but don’t be a sucker: once is a mistake; twice is a lesson learned; thrice...well, don't be a sucker).
7. What do you like and dislike about the Blogger community?
I like that Blogger has allowed me to meet some wonderful people I never would have otherwise. Seriously, if you are reading this, what are the odds we would have met in real life??? What do I dislike? Spammers for sure. Also, I worry when blogger friends disappear suddenly and completely without warning. But what can you do???
8. What's your number one most listened to song on iTunes?
The song with the most number of plays in my iTunes folder is "In My Life" by the Beatles, but in the past week or so "Grenade" (Mars) and "Beyond the Sea" (Darin) have gotten a fair number of plays.
9. What kind of style would you define yourself as having?
Unchanging, comfortable.
10. Favorite number?
Six (but 4, 8, and 16 come close)
11. Two hobbies:
Many have come and gone: gaming; tennis; chess; learning about cigars, about wines, about old coins; target shooting (not hunting); fishing; bowling; and avoiding golf (one round was enough). Recently, blogging and filling the role of family patriarch for my elder siblings have been my main hobbies.
12: Two pet peeves:
Rude, mean people and ignorance--I borrowed these from Meibelle, They are my top two as well. At the moment I feel like I could list 10. Fun at work has left me feeling particularly peevish.
13: Guilty pleasures:
Air conditioning and sleeping late--it's nice to enjoy both at once.
I'm going to copy Meibelle again--I tag all of you to complete the lucky 13 questions tag.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
An Outfit Post
Haha, no, it's not what you think.
During a visit to Krissy's blog (back in January), it occurred to me that the most important component of any outfit is the person wearing it. As long as you're happy and comfortable (and clothed), that's all that matters. I've read that "clothes make the man", but I think it's the other way around--the person makes the clothes.
And speaking of making clothes, if you can sew even a little, you have my respect...and perhaps a little envy too! The most I can do is put in a few stitches to close small rips in seams (so the seamstress at the local cleaners gets my business). I remember threading needles for my mom when I was little--she was pretty handy (but could NOT thread a needle). After watching her I decided I could sew too. I sewed closed holes in my socks (it was hard to get them on after my "repairs"), fixed seams in my pants (it looked like I had added a fringe), and replaced buttons (who knew you were supposed to leave room between the shirt and the button???).
Hope you're enjoying the weekend!
Ps - We went to an amazing esate sale today at an actual estate called Evermay. It was pretty cool. We spent too much, but most of what we bought will be re-sold on Ebay--at least that was the justification at the time. =)
During a visit to Krissy's blog (back in January), it occurred to me that the most important component of any outfit is the person wearing it. As long as you're happy and comfortable (and clothed), that's all that matters. I've read that "clothes make the man", but I think it's the other way around--the person makes the clothes.
And speaking of making clothes, if you can sew even a little, you have my respect...and perhaps a little envy too! The most I can do is put in a few stitches to close small rips in seams (so the seamstress at the local cleaners gets my business). I remember threading needles for my mom when I was little--she was pretty handy (but could NOT thread a needle). After watching her I decided I could sew too. I sewed closed holes in my socks (it was hard to get them on after my "repairs"), fixed seams in my pants (it looked like I had added a fringe), and replaced buttons (who knew you were supposed to leave room between the shirt and the button???).
Hope you're enjoying the weekend!
Ps - We went to an amazing esate sale today at an actual estate called Evermay. It was pretty cool. We spent too much, but most of what we bought will be re-sold on Ebay--at least that was the justification at the time. =)
Friday, July 1, 2011
Father's Day Gift
About two weeks before Father's Day, my wife learned that her office is going to merge with another branch--at the other branch's location (if you're a fan of the Office, think Stamford going to Scranton). It had her a little down, wondering if the company will keep both her and her counter-part in the other office, if some of her friends will quit, if a single office can really operate with two managers. Well, it had her more than a little down.
Then the Saturday before Father's Day we went to an estate sale. She saw a curio cabinet that she absolutely loved--it was something she'd always wanted. So I decided to buy it for "myself" for Father's Day. Hey, I like nice things. It can be the showcase for the urn with my ashes in it--in about 80 or 90 years. ;P
Anyway, I had it delivered that evening and she set about cleaning it and placing some of her treasures inside. When she was done (for the moment, at least), she made me close my eyes so she could lead me into the living room to see it. When I opened my eyes, what I saw was the excitement of a little girl on Christmas morning (as she pulled her heart's desire out of its wrapping). Seeing that was a pretty wonderful Father's Day present for me.
In a week or a month (or maybe it already happened) I'll say or do something dumb and the goodwill from the cabinet will be gone. But I'll still have the memory of the moment when I opened my eyes that Saturday. =)
Happy Canada Day to my Canadian friends and Happy Independence Day (in advance) to those of you in the US!!
PS - The picture is from the estate sale. Those aren't my wife's things inside.
Then the Saturday before Father's Day we went to an estate sale. She saw a curio cabinet that she absolutely loved--it was something she'd always wanted. So I decided to buy it for "myself" for Father's Day. Hey, I like nice things. It can be the showcase for the urn with my ashes in it--in about 80 or 90 years. ;P
Anyway, I had it delivered that evening and she set about cleaning it and placing some of her treasures inside. When she was done (for the moment, at least), she made me close my eyes so she could lead me into the living room to see it. When I opened my eyes, what I saw was the excitement of a little girl on Christmas morning (as she pulled her heart's desire out of its wrapping). Seeing that was a pretty wonderful Father's Day present for me.In a week or a month (or maybe it already happened) I'll say or do something dumb and the goodwill from the cabinet will be gone. But I'll still have the memory of the moment when I opened my eyes that Saturday. =)
Happy Canada Day to my Canadian friends and Happy Independence Day (in advance) to those of you in the US!!
PS - The picture is from the estate sale. Those aren't my wife's things inside.
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