7 Quick Takes (Volume 30)

1) I'm still thinking about my butt dilemma. Do you think it would help if I varied my chairs?

2) I got a strange comment on that post. Someone, whose name I did not recognize, suggested I need some professional help for depression/anxiety disorder. At first I thought, well, the person just doesn't understand my humor, but then I wondered if maybe it was the other way around.

This got me going. How do strangers who read your blog gain an understanding of your real personality, your voice, your humor? How does the written word communicate who we really are?

It's a challenge, for sure, but I know I've stumbled onto something when someone says to me, "You write exactly how you talk."

3) I took my ten-year-old and a friend to lunch this week. When our food came I decided against our usual little prayer before eating, not knowing how the friend would react. I already had a bite in my mouth when my daughter said, "We need to pray." She did the honors innocently and unashamedly. I was so proud of her. She wasn't making a statement or trying to witness. She was just living life, exercising her faith as naturally as tying her shoe.

4) Is it just me or does denim shrink over the years? The longer I own a pair of jeans, the smaller they seem to get. I discussed this with a friend the other day and she did not concur which led me to berate myself again for my losing battle with the bulge. But yesterday I wore an ancient pair of jeans which were plenty snug, leaving me feeling defeated until I went shopping. I tried on a few pairs in the very same size and they were all too big.

I once addressed the phenomena with my tiny thing of a mother-in-law. She popped my wishful thinking by telling me she believes manufacturers are making clothes bigger these days. Poop.

5) I'm tired of thinking of cutesy names for my Quick Takes. If you've been reading long, you've noticed my creativity fizzling out. I'm going to follow Jennifer's lead and number them from now on. It's okay. I can do this. I've been there from the beginning. It's hard to believe I've done thirty Quick Takes posts. Even more surprising is I've published 360 blog posts. Who knew I had so much to say (or is it so much to drone on and on about)?

6) I had a HORRIBLE night's sleep last night. A neighbor's dog was barking and barking and barking (are you thinking of Elaine's nightmare on Seinfeld? yep, a lot like that). Once the dog stopped, each of my girls came in an hour apart asking me about things I don't even remember this morning, but I'm pretty sure I didn't help either one. Think strung out mom half awake who blinks her eyes and says repeatedly, "Now what?" until her children tire of her inability to comprehend the situation. Then my oldest is back from college for the weekend with a friend and they were stomping up the stairs outside our bedroom very late. About two a.m. I wanted to punch something. The day had been very full, one of those that make you look forward to crawling in bed to relax. Nothing doing. Poop again.

7) I walked into the gym yesterday to cool down after my intensive workout (yeah, let's say that) and encountered a group of preschoolers. Picture three, four and five year-olds clutching, kicking and bouncing basketballs. One girl wanted a ball out of a cart as tall as she was and decided to climb in after it. I nearly laughed out loud as a little guy ran over to help saying, "Watch and learn, Madeline. Watch and learn."


Happy Friday, friends. Take a little time to visit Jennifer at Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes.