7 Quick Takes (Volume 173)

1) I'm very careful when I write about my kids or post pictures of them on this blog. If ever I'm in doubt, and often when I'm not, I ask their permission before posting things about them. So imagine my surprise when Drama Queen complained about last week's Quick Takes.

Drama Queen: Thanks a lot, Mom, for making me look bad today.

Me: What? I just wished you a happy birthday. I said nice things.

Drama Queen: Yeah, well I decided to read the Quick Takes before class started and when I scrolled down there was this huge picture of me. I had to quick click off of it so people didn't think I was staring at pictures of myself.

How is everything always the mother's fault?!

2) Since I banned him from wearing velour shirts after we were married, my husband has had great fashion sense. He picks most of his clothes himself and I like his style. This, however, made me wonder if I need to keep an eye on him.

He's been telling me he needs an eye appointment. Must be time to get on it.

3) Drama Queen was home last weekend for her birthday. On any of her siblings' birthdays, she takes it upon herself to scare the bejeebers out of them, yelling and bouncing on their beds to wake them up. She took all the fun out of it for the other kids getting up before they could do it, so Miss Innocent One tried a new tactic. She waited until Drama Queen was ready to get into the shower, plum naked of course, then stormed into the bathroom yelling, "Happy Birthday!" Drama Queen rewarded us all with a scream of all screams.

Those of you who know Drama Queen, know that she will not be outdone. A few days later as Miss Innocent One sang innocently in the shower, Drama Queen snuck in, yanked the shower curtain back and yelled, "Hey there!"

You can imagine, right? Suffice it to say it's probably a good thing there's a drain in the shower!

4) I'm not sure what happens to Ladies Man whenever Drama Queen comes home. He becomes a raving lunatic as evidenced by this "song" he created for her. (BEWARE--This gets loud! Of course.)


Now you understand my need for quiet?

(Remember those of you receiving this via email will have to click over to the actual blog to view this video.)

5) I learned a new acronym this week--NNTR. It stands for No Need To Reply and in the context I learned it, applied to emails. You know how this goes. You get an email and you feel it polite to respond, which the other person does too and before you know it, you're caught in this never ending email loop, not wanting to be the jerky one to stop the correspondence. NNTR eliminates these unnecessary niceties. You simply put NNTR in the subject line and release any burden of reply.

I'm thinking I could use this in so many ways. I could text my kids saying, "You need to be home in ten minutes. NNTR" and could avoid the bargaining that is sure to come otherwise. I could carry a little card with me, stamped NNTR, and when I compliment someone and they try to tell me how wrong I am, I could hold up the card. This could be such a good tool!

When my daughter wants to wear shorts to school in February, I say, "No" and flash the NNTR card. When someone asks me to do something I don't want to, I simply refuse and NNTR. I text my husband, "Bring home dinner. NNTR." If I use this right, I may be able to stand Facebook chat again. "Well, hi there. Yes, I'm fine. Hope you are well. NNTR" and I'm out. No long drawn out conversations about nothing.

NNTR. Where have you been all my life?

6) Drama Queen is a Pinterest addict. On Saturday she decided she needed to try some idea she saw there for making a t-shirt that's too big for you, smaller. You know those fleece blankets you make by cutting strips and tying them together. It is the same idea, where you cut out the inside seam, cut strips and then tie them together. This seemed like a bad idea to me in the first place. Who wants all those little knots poking you in the side? But since she cannot be told she is wrong, Drama Queen persevered and ended up with this lovely shirt.

Yeah. Epic fail. Don't you love the huge gap under her armpit and flap above it?

7) Alas. Boo. And sniff. We haven't seen Drummer Boy in a few weeks. We tried to hook up with him in Omaha last weekend, but it didn't work out. And there's nothing exciting on his Facebook wall either. Proof he's a busy guy, I guess. I'm gonna give a shout out to him anyway. We miss you, Drummer Boy!

And that's all I got today, people. Go get on with your lives or read more Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.