My brain hurts.

I realize I haven't written in awhile, and the first thing I mention -- AFTER the brain eating amoeba -- is how my brain hurts.

It's true. It really kind of does.

The weekend was nice; it was long yet simultaneously too short. It is possible.

Long on whiners and complainers. Long on people feeling like victims and martyrs. Short on time and short on getting organized.

I understand the "poor me" concept, and I have tried for a really, really long time not to be a "poor me" person. Oh don't get me wrong-- I complain really, really well, I just try to not do so in the "poor me" way. Mostly in a "good mother of GAWD, son-of-a-" kind of way.

That's why I have such a hard time with phrases like "WHY ME?" They stick in my craw and I obsess on how that blather rather bothers. Thus, I've decided -- instead of ruminating on my frustrations -- to just aire what I wanted to say when I had the chance and instead let it all fester inside my cluttered brain. Hence, I shall stop feeding the amoeba, and vent herein.

____________

1) "Why me?" Because it was your turn. On the bright side, eventually it becomes someone else's turn, and then won't it be fun to gloat over their misery?

2)"Yeah but why do I have to (do that)?" So I can gloat over your misery. (Re-visit number one.)

3) "I don't like any of this stuff (food)." Yeah, but if I don't make it, I don't get to hear you say that in your annoyed, grunty voice. And bonus: It makes your eyes go all wide with exasperation.

4) "NOOOO!!!!I don't wanna take a nap!!!" Okay. The alternative is me breaking your arm off and beating you with it. Toooootally up to you.

5)"*grunt*...*groan*...*scoff*... *pfft*" This is not English. This is more like constipation.

6) "Mom, (he's) following me." Very good, Mr. Observant. How about some other insights for me, like, "The sky is blue," you know, or, "You're being MEAN."

7) "What about ME?" Excellent question. And since you're so busy thinking about you, looks like you've got you covered.

Ahhhhhh..... I feel better now.

Post Game Analysis: Week Two

Partner in Crime's kids were at their mom's house this week, which means my crew was flying "solo" (so to speak) in the gargantuan house. Halo 3 reigned supreme.

The house is covered in boxes still, which means the exhaustion is ever-present. I have begun to tire of pre-made dinners, and the confusion over which closet or cabinet I want to store the towels/sheets/phone book in.

Sydney is having a reeeeally difficult time with the fact that her room is still not unpacked, and she asks about her things almost constantly.

The good news is, we still have a couple weekends until the Halloween party, which should be a snap.

Rrriiighht.

Seriously.

This is no joke, my friend. It is so serious, a local television news station CREATED A GRAPHIC FOR IT, with an actual approximation of a human brain. I tell you what, my internal paranoia meter just went off the charts.

How big does the amoeba get post-feast? How long before someone appears on House getting one removed?

(SIDE NOTE: Google search results on "house" list the show first, and the United States House of Representatives, 110th Congress, 1st Session, second.

Notes from the day

Momologue is building an ad for a funeral home. The funeral home wants to use a picture of wheat stalks.

[14:59] Momologue: what is with wheat and death?
[15:00] girlmonkey: celiac disease
[15:00] Momologue: huh?
[15:00] Momologue: sorry i mean wheat and funerals
[15:00] girlmonkey: my answer is the same
[15:02] Momologue: Sunday 5. On the fifth Sunday we commemorated Christ's death. This time the symbol was drawn from Jesus' parable of the stalk of wheat whose grains must be placed in the ground and decay before they can bring forth an abundant harvest. John 12:24 states, "Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." Christ is that grain of wheat. However, we also, through the Imitatio Christi, are like grains of wheat that must die to ourselves before the rich harvest of the kingdom of God can take place in our lives.
[15:02] Momologue: there, found the reference
[15:03] Momologue: i was thinking if you were gonna push something up, daisies was more appropriate

Post Game Analysis: Week One

A giddy insanity envelopes the entire family. It's like this intense sugar high: Everyone is happy, everyone is communicating well, everyone is extending themselves beyond their comfort zones, EVERYONE is truly attempting to get along.

The house is a universal hit. A house that felt insanely large to my single mother of three eyes is actually *just big enough* for our GIGANTIC family of eight. We quickly came to the realization that the kids LOVE space, and the freedom of movement. We love the roominess and the ability to hide, even if it is just to fornicate in our AMAZING WALK-IN CLOSET!

Watching the kids also helps us see that certain kids have very serious spacial needs. Over the course of the week sharing gets more difficult, and "tantrums" in older children actually occur as a result of too much noise or crowing.

This causes us to question our foray into cohousing, a space almost half the size. We decide by the end of the week that we really cannot exist in a smaller place.

Cohousing was MY idea, so why do I feel relieved?

The kids love that we have two big televisions, both of which make me feel sickeningly decadent and snobbishly superior (is that possible?). Further, they love that we got an Xbox 360. Of course we didn't want it for ourselves; we merely purchased it as a move-in gift to buy the kids love and affection. That's not all that bad. Right?