Dummy

I'm pretty sure I get taken for a dummy on a quasi-regular basis. Just this morning my husband questioned whether my brain was really hurting, when I claimed to have a terrible headache, as he is quite sure I lost it entirely quite a while ago. Mommy-brain? More like no brain. Blah.

But I'm a moderately educated kind of girl. Not smart enough to put my kids in daycare and go back to the world of designer suits, lattes and lunches, but smart enough. So it's obviously irritating when I'm treated like a dummy. (By someone other than my husband....that's just part of our marriage. I think we actually put it in our vows that we would tease each other relentlessly. And when I say "dummy" I say it like Joy on "My Name is Earl." See photo for inspiration.) But I digress.

We've been using the same plumbing company for all of our plumbing needs for about 5 years. Once our "guy" told me that toilets are only built to last 7-10 years and our 20 year toilet needed to be completely replaced....forget about just replacing the "hardware" as I'd requested. Um, No.

And then yesterday I was told to replace our very old (and blanket-wrapped) hot water heater for a measly $2,000. Sure! Whatever! Who needs to shop around or find out that this just might be a completely ridiculous bid. And you don't need to call your husband, he offered, we can just do it right now, while we're here fixing your leaking faucet. Thanks, you're so helpful, plumber dude.

So, I'm not a plumber, but I'm not a dummy. We'll find something that works better and possibly doesn't use up quite so much money.

And while we're on the subject, this whole thing is happening after some sales guy at the appliance store asked me if I had installed the oven racks in my brand-spankin' new, shiny, expensive, oven "correctly." They didn't fit. There was something wrong with the oven. It was replaced almost instantly once I called GE directly. But the sales guy asked if I had installed them correctly. Really? Oven racks? Yeah, I think I can figure it out.

Anyone treat you like a dummy lately?

Some days

Some days are better than others. Like today. We've been up since roughly 4:30 a.m. Those little booger babies. Up so early.

And (as I'm getting more and more embarrassed to admit) we're trying round 348 of potty training. Why am I embarrassed that Eliana isn't potty trained? It's not like I pee my pants! (Unlike a few unnamed friends who may or may not pee when alcohol is involved. But I'm sure that's another post altogether.) But regardless of this I certainly feel her "resistance" is somehow my fault. That's what the handout the doctor gave us says. Not necessarily that it's my fault, per se, but that at three a child should be daytime potty trained and if not they are "resistant." Really? I think I've figured as much out on my own. And I'm also pretty sure the handout is implying that it's my fault. Somewhere in the subtext.

So, we'll work on this potty training thing. And we've taken to letting her put stickers on the actual toilet in her bathroom. Hopefully, when all is said and done, she'll be a big girl in her princess panties and we'll have a beautifully decorated commode.

Someday.

No Joke!! Derrick is Done!

CONGRATULATIONS
DERRICK L. POPE

You Finished Your MBA!
You're the smartest kid on the block!

(Okay, so we don't have a cap and gown picture, yet. But this one is nice!!
It has the same serious tone, don't you think?)

We love you more than you could ever imagine and are so proud of everything you've accomplished.

You inspire us all with your dedication, your compassion, and your incredible drive to motivate all of us to be the very best at whatever we choose.

You are an amazing person and a big smarty-pants.

Congratulations. You're my hero.

Slightly Political

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, lived a young woman who used to work for a living. She got up every morning and drove downtown and went up to the Department of Political Science and worked on changing the world. It was awesome. She wore nice suits and got to brush her hair everyday and drank yummy coffee and had lunch meetings in fabulous restaurants, (what a dream!) She met with political leaders and state senators and representatives. She wrote TV scripts (and put nervous teens through make-up to prepare for the show, picture below). She went to board meetings, and spent time in-studio editing clips, and did massive amounts of research. She won an Emmy!!

(Which now collects dust as she blogs during nap time. Picture of that great night at top!! We chose to spend the evening in Kansas at our dear friend's wedding instead of the award ceremony, but they presented me with a candle during dinner until I got the real deal. Just as good if not better.)

She worked, worked, worked!! And she was so glad that she had so many amazing opportunities.

All of this hard work, which came to an end as funding ran out and the young woman decided to have beautiful kids with a handsome prince, was put forth into the world with the hope that changing the face of politics on a local level would make an impact on a national level. It was fantastic work.

And as of late this young woman, who left this life in the past and now just goes by Veronica (or V or Ronca), has felt an enormous sense of pride in the recent path of American politics. Enormous, heart-felt, cry-as-it's-happening pride.

I actually registered as a Democrat this year. I'd always been Independent and truly valued the chance to benefit from a two-party system (although a real multi-party system would be even better.) I value checks and balances and thoughtful discourse and justice for and by the people. But I had a hard time with old George W. Bush and he persuaded me to think that I had to pick a side. It wasn't his.

My work history, along with my rather liberal upbringing and personal ideology, makes me the kind of person who LOVES politics. But sometimes I get too passionate and my yelling at the TV makes Derrick laugh. So, I try to keep this under wraps, but I've realized I can't and I don't really want to. I don't make any assertions to alienate those with different views, but I can't stand the idea that conservative dogma is more American than a more balance, fair and compassionate view of real life. So, with this, I'll admit my biggest political annoyance of the week follows:

Someone I know joined a group that defends George W. Bush's presidency with the main focus being how he protected the USA from so many terrorist attacks over the past eight years. I know that complaining about this isn't profound or even slightly original, but so what, I just have to say "When does ANYONE get credit for ANYTHING that DIDN'T happen?" My husband rarely comes home from work to congratulate me on not burning the house down or sleeping with the plumber. Critics of former President Bill Clinton rarely admit that they are so very proud of all the women he didn't seduce while in office. I mean, that could be hundreds, thousands....millions!!! Good work, Mr. Clinton. We're all so proud of you.

Anyway, all this is a ridiculously long post to proclaim my pride in the new turn America might be able to take in the coming years. Here's to America. Here's to Honesty. And here's to Work. You're gonna have to work, work, work, work, work, President Obama. But I'm so excited that you have the opportunity.