tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462Fri, 24 May 2013 21:24:01 +0000MarriageCivic DutyRelationshipsThwartedIdiocyThe HusbandParentingScience-ishPhotosDolla Bills Y'allHome LifeRaw Photos ContestLazy PostingClassySo terribly disgustingGuest PostingPictures Are Worth WHAT?Work ItHOTHomeworkGoopAWARDS BITCHESSwearingMy PsycheIn MemoriamRaw PhotosQueryHealthReligionHome LiFofeGirlSchoolReviewsSo Terribly DisgustinNatureNightmaresSoGwyneth K. PaltrowAre You Kidding Me?Yeah That's CrazyHaving FunTools but not the useful kindRanting about nothingYogaIt's funny to meBeautificationVacationsWriting promptsFaunaKenyan Muslin PresidentAll the news that fits my blogHeadachesEmotions are overratedLinking up like Linkin ParkReligious People BewareRamping and RavingRidiculousUpdateRecipesMoviesEducationBooksKetchup is for winners, Ted.http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)Blogger801125http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/TheSuniversehttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-6776578914703310690Thu, 23 May 2013 12:30:00 +00002013-05-23T08:30:00.469-04:00I am truly the best parent ever.  We all know that.  However, even I know that times are changing, and with those times, my mothering must change, too, in order to remain effective.  I came to that conclusion the other day, after studying some stellar mothering techniques on the television [actually, on the Netflix and DVD player].  It was a parental epiphany, if you will. As my daughter is http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/GQqaUYiVXIA/parenting-styles.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/GQqaUYiVXIA" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/05/parenting-styles.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-932470743619681436Wed, 15 May 2013 12:30:00 +00002013-05-15T08:30:00.482-04:00Hey, friends. Sorry I've been among the disappeared lately [have you even noticed?].  I've been ugh. Sad. Despairing. Despondent. I've struggled with anxiety and depression for years, and recently had a very hard patch. I've gotten better about discussing anxiety and my weird need-for-clean OCD tendencies. I can even talk about - in a facile way - my PPD.  But depression? Is hard to discuss, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/q0qzovPmHuQ/missing-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)10<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/q0qzovPmHuQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/05/missing-time.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-7837151038093569587Thu, 02 May 2013 12:30:00 +00002013-05-02T08:30:04.647-04:00Today I found out that a guy I think is cute is literally, truly, half my age.  I am old enough to be his mother.  And not his babies-having-babies mother.  His yeah-it's-totally-normal-to-have-a-child-at-that-age mother. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I mean, skeeved, obvs, but also . . . nope, just skeeved. I mentioned this dilemma to the husband, who advised me to get over it and "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/3tHFRsR-zoE/fractions-suck.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)3<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/3tHFRsR-zoE" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/05/fractions-suck.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-1323896531497572998Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +00002013-04-30T08:30:02.191-04:00It was the husband and my anniversary a couple of weeks ago.  We didn't end up doing much - he's been working every day, I've been working a lot, and we were both kind of tired.  We had a nice dinner and we watched our new Happy Endings DVDs [are you watching this show? IT IS HILARIOUS.].  It was actually quite nice. Do you do stuff for anniversaries?  We've never been that couple.  There have http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/ahrj2h5uIdA/celebration-and-romance.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/ahrj2h5uIdA" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/04/celebration-and-romance.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-2399915481482283328Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +00002013-04-18T08:30:00.432-04:00It's been a shitty week, obviously.  I've unplugged, mostly, because there's nothing I could say that would make any difference. I'm not sure what to even say now, except that, like many of you, I've spent the past several days alternately scouring newsfeeds and needing to settle down with a giant dark chocolate bar and Happy Endings DVDs, and I feel like we can all use a little kindness. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/sPeDFmJgjEc/whats-left-to-say.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)4<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/sPeDFmJgjEc" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/04/whats-left-to-say.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-6316099879806024551Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:49:00 +00002013-04-09T07:49:46.145-04:00You know how people always say that there's a connection between your body and food? They are right, because lately I've noticed that my body is in sync with certain foodstuffs.  For example: ******  My knees sound like Rice Krispies when I stand up.  SNAP! CRACKLE! POP! CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH is the noise they make.  I don't like to think too much about it, because I'm sure something terrible andhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/xYMdNGsHeJs/your-body-and-food-primer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/xYMdNGsHeJs" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/04/your-body-and-food-primer.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-6142654812840681780Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:53:00 +00002013-04-04T06:53:16.178-04:00Fuck Spring because we got ants. Not that the weather has warmed up at ALL [it is 21 degrees as I type this] - but the ants decided to visit early this year.  And for some reason, they decided to have a destination vacation in the husband's bathroom.  Which - how fucking dumb are ants?  THAT'S where you want to go?  Do you know what he does in there? Anyway, we tried to deal with the ants in http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/4Lwf6RFuBPk/poisonininingggg.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)13<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/4Lwf6RFuBPk" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/04/poisonininingggg.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-4014422563217214861Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:49:00 +00002013-04-02T07:49:54.438-04:00So, hey, guess what? It turns out it was a good thing I went to the doctor last week because I found out I had: A sinus infection An ear infection and Bronchitis! Hooray! I really feel like I got my money's worth out of that doctor visit. I also felt better about falling asleep at 9pm and struggling to wake up to go to work the next day.  Sure, it wasn't malaria or something glamorous, but http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/39mA5HIzZsI/feeling-better-now.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)9<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/39mA5HIzZsI" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/04/feeling-better-now.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-1688356135973800916Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +00002013-03-28T08:00:10.712-04:00Still not feeling great [I went to bed at 9:20pm and woke up at 8:10am and could have slept at least an hour longer - is that mono? Or malaria? I'll let you know - doctor appointment in an hour as of this writing!], so here's what I've been thinking/doing, in no particular order: The husband and I have started watching Torchwood, and the husband keeps asking me if I find Captain Jack Harkness http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/mK_i_Vy3LYw/a-veritable-mishmash.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)6<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/mK_i_Vy3LYw" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-veritable-mishmash.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-9146503804508965986Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +00002013-03-21T08:00:08.320-04:00Happy Spring! Happy Flu Season! We're all down with the flu - it hit us like dominoes. First the girl, who the husband had to go pick up early from school.  Her break started last Friday, but he went to get her last Tuesday, because they said, "Yeah, she'll basically be quarantined until break. You should come get her." And then I got sick. And now the husband is sick. Yesterday, the cat http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/hSi7wEHmyks/its-mucus-with-extra-mucus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)10<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/hSi7wEHmyks" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/03/its-mucus-with-extra-mucus.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-8365303783428375534Tue, 12 Mar 2013 12:14:00 +00002013-03-12T08:14:43.416-04:00Every so often, I'm hit with a wave of nostalgia that pretty much kicks my ass. When the girl was small, she was pretty well-behaved.  She only wrote on a door one time with a crayon; she didn't have a tendency to just rip stuff up or break things.  The only real juvenile delinquent-type defacement she did was writing in books.  I don't know why she did it - if she saw me making notes in my http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/oe-CtLgqRV8/blast-from-past.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)11<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/oe-CtLgqRV8" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/03/blast-from-past.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-5027364784744019366Thu, 07 Mar 2013 13:30:00 +00002013-03-07T08:30:02.355-05:00What it's like to be married to me: The husband shows me the New York Times front page photo of a woman mourning the death of Hugo Chavez*: This is how you'd want people to react to your death, isn't it? Me: Duh! Strangers weeping in the street? OF COURSE.  Let's get on that. ************* Me, on the phone with the husband as I'm driving home from the grocery store:  I would cut a bitch for ahttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/dz_77rHXGfQ/arent-you-curious-even-little.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/dz_77rHXGfQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/03/arent-you-curious-even-little.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-4761480537393898159Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:30:00 +00002013-03-05T09:30:31.036-05:00Morning! I'm tired and spacey and not sleeping well. Partly recovery from surgery and partly from emotionally and freaky scary dreams. Is there anything creepier than dreaming about your kid at age 3 out in your backyard, swinging by herself in the middle of the night, with creepy Halloween leaves blowing around? Nope. What's your creepiest dream/nightmare? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/lTPXDdzyz2Y/creepy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)6<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/lTPXDdzyz2Y" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/03/creepy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-8225887203618251131Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:30:00 +00002013-02-28T08:30:02.992-05:00I'm having a bit of outpatient surgery today. I've been told it's not a big deal, but that hasn't helped me keep my shit together this week. I've been a fucking ray of sunshine, I have. So, while I'm under sedation, I'd appreciate you all sending me happy thoughts. And while I'm enjoying the haze of pain meds, I'd appreciate finding out the following: Have you ever been hospitalized? What did http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/HiqnewVf8O4/dazed-and-confused.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)12<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/HiqnewVf8O4" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/02/dazed-and-confused.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-1976078940637311373Tue, 26 Feb 2013 13:58:00 +00002013-02-26T08:58:34.902-05:00In a rush, but I want to know: What's your favorite thing to do on a snow day as a grown up? What about when you were a kid? I have 2 favorite grown up things: 1) Leaving work early. 2). Making snow women with the girl (feather bias and hot pink wigs!) My favorite thing when I was a kid was to make snow caves with my brother and sister. Sometimes we'd connect them. Or use carpet squares to http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/IX1B3SdassI/cheap-sentimentality.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)7<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/IX1B3SdassI" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/02/cheap-sentimentality.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-4285654212976164942Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:30:00 +00002013-02-21T08:30:02.651-05:00Last night, I couldn't sleep. Not complete insomnia, but that awful sleep for an hour, wake up, finally fall back to sleep, sleep for a half-hour, wake up . . . all night long.  It happens every so often - often enough that I can pretty much deal the next day, although I'm a little loopy. It's still a problem, though. But the problem isn't the next day. It's that night. Not just the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/AvWyjgMYWI4/nighttime-is-right-time-sometimes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/AvWyjgMYWI4" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/02/nighttime-is-right-time-sometimes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-2058113111270144058Tue, 19 Feb 2013 13:30:00 +00002013-02-19T08:30:00.730-05:00I've been kind of down lately. I'm not sure why - Still Stuck in Winter Blues? Free-floating Angst? Traveler's Diarrhea? Who's to say? It's not that I've been avoiding people or things or even been mired in misery all the live long day. It's been more of a get through my day and then get home and be ANGRY kind of thing.  Like, "Oh, great, now I'm home and what? Still crap to do and none of it ishttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/hBBoqj0D8Po/television-has-all-answers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)7<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/hBBoqj0D8Po" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/02/television-has-all-answers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-3625329315856083563Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:30:00 +00002013-02-14T08:30:06.019-05:00Happy Valentines Day! Or, you know, whatever. I've never been one to celebrate this holiday. The husband and I have enough trouble remembering to celebrate our wedding anniversaries on a semi-yearly basis.  We don't think we have to show our love [or whatever someone would diagnose this as] through gifts of  flowers or candy or jewelry.  I like cut flowers, but the cats fuck with them, and I'mhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/opJSoQ80inc/hahahappy-holiday.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)9<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/opJSoQ80inc" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/02/hahahappy-holiday.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-5916201688464567661Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +00002013-02-11T09:00:02.271-05:00I don't really discuss the fact that I had horrific post-partum depression.  Mostly because it happened a long time ago - I mean, the girl is now 16 [SIXTEEN! WTF?] - but also because there is so much and yet nothing you can say about it. If you've had PPD - or are going through it now - it's helpful a salvation to have people you can talk to about it. If you never experienced it, it's difficulthttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/l7tQL6NSTIE/its-struggle-sometimes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)6<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/l7tQL6NSTIE" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/02/its-struggle-sometimes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-9104610453408081974Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:36:00 +00002013-02-05T08:36:26.214-05:00Seriously. I've started questioning myself, my beliefs, my whole state of being.  I'm not sure what to do about these things, but I've noticed them, and they frighten me. * I've found myself watching the CBS Morning News with Charlie Rose, because evidently I'm not only a liberal, but also 75 years old. * Speaking of old, I went to the symphony the other night with friends and I found myself http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/9F93U4zJAHA/its-like-i-dont-even-know-who-i-am.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)16<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/9F93U4zJAHA" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/02/its-like-i-dont-even-know-who-i-am.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-4130236205495538824Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:30:00 +00002013-01-31T08:30:02.379-05:00The girl is now 16. I have no idea where the years went.  This summer, she'll take driver's training. Because surgery last year, she spent last summer recuperating and strengthening her knee.  She's doing fine, and I thought, awesome! Sure, her summer was pretty devoid of anything but physical therapy, but now!  She can get her permit and drive herself to her summer job. I figure it's time shehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/WZDGm2hOg4Y/teenagers-am-i-right.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)19<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/WZDGm2hOg4Y" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/01/teenagers-am-i-right.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-6271416117935177818Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:30:00 +00002013-01-29T08:30:03.650-05:00The husband and I went furniture shopping over the weekend.  Our living room couch is . . . hmmm . . . how to put this so we don't sound like vagrants?  It's fucked.  It sags almost to the floor and there's no way to fix it that wouldn't equal the cost of a new sofa.  So off we went. I will spend lavishly and sometimes foolishly on things for the husband and the girl. I'm getting better about http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/sSs1lkZIu3s/a-couch-is-lifetime-commitment.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)13<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/sSs1lkZIu3s" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-couch-is-lifetime-commitment.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-7918409730267702386Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:22:00 +00002013-01-24T08:22:46.231-05:00Billy Idol's Rock the Cradle of Love: Kick ass rock song or anthem for pedophilia? Discuss.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/LAKUXuXZMiM/query.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/LAKUXuXZMiM" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/01/query.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-7203352640596756727Tue, 22 Jan 2013 13:30:00 +00002013-01-22T08:30:02.629-05:00I spent Monday with CSpan running on one of my computer screens at work.  It was a great Inauguration, and I was thrilled to see so many people cheering on the president.  And, of course, Handsome Joe Biden. On the way to and from work, I caught the last speech Martin Luther King, Jr., gave, and both times, I ended up crying while I was driving.  His words were/are moving and haunting.  Andhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/yXIYzHfzIz0/a-bit-of-yarn.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)6<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/yXIYzHfzIz0" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-bit-of-yarn.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4342173666009236462.post-1627424323080090656Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:23:00 +00002013-01-17T08:23:03.783-05:00I had a dream the other night that I was driving down the street where the Memorial Day parade happens where I grew up.  During the parade.  While going the wrong direction.  I was not actually part of the parade, but thought it had ended and was trying to get home.  I still waved at people.  They looked at me like I was weird. I think that dream kind of sums up my life.  I get that vague sense http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~3/ATtRjCKhcag/what-are-you-doing-saturday-night.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Suniverse)8<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TheSuniverse/~4/ATtRjCKhcag" height="1" width="1"/>http://thesuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/01/what-are-you-doing-saturday-night.html