High School Reunion Whine

My high school reunion is this weekend and ...oops, sorry I spilled my wine, where was I?

Oh yes, the high school reunion. This could be a four letter word to some people, but I'm actually sad that I don't get to go and see how everyone turned out. Facebook has taken away all of the surprises you might encounter at a reunion because we can reconnect so easily with people by sitting our butts down in front of the computer. By now you already know who gained weight, who got skinny, who is a gazillionaire, who had 9 kids, what happened to the old science teacher and if your first crush looks as great as he did then as he does now.  In my case, that would be a big yes.

Do I look as good now as I did then? Kind of self-centered thing to ask, really.  Hold on, need to fill up my glass...ok, I'm back.  I have done all kinds of crazy, fun things since high school and I've been through some life-changing experiences...but haven't we all? I think that's the fun of going to a reunion! Who cares what you look like.  Are you happy, did you discover a cure for some horrible disease, do your kids think you are all that, does your husband still love you after all these years, have you been around the world and back and did you really do all those things in high school that I think you did??

So, to all my Westminster High School Alums, Graduating Class of 1990...here's to you! I'm sure you are all wonderful in your own special ways and I wish I could have been there to catch up with you, hear your stories, share your pain and celebrate your good times!

CHEERS!!

Building up Good Karma

I believe that one good turn deserves another. I believe that there is a cosmic

order in this world beyond our comprehension...it's called Karma.

I'm building up a wealth of good karma. I may not have a fancy car, fabulously

expensive shoes or a single cup coffee maker, but I've got "good-vibes karma"

coming out the ying yang.

Good karma allows me to leap tall buildings in a single bound, find the missing

tip to my son's Harry Potter wand and finally get the cat out from under the porch.

I once made dinner in under 3 seconds and yes, crackers and cheese do count.

Kind people bag my groceries for me, movie theatre employees tear my tickets

in half and my rice krispies have an extra snap crackle and pop.

Perhaps I was born this way or perhaps its my cosmic reward for all the good I

try to project out into the world. For example, I don't talk on my cell phone while

driving, I always change the toilet paper roll (paper over) when empty and I put

my grocery cart back in the cart coral.

I feel a rush of good vibes already.

Keep this in mind.....

I think this pretty much sums up how all the wonderful things in life
just come together.  There is a plan for your life people, don't fight it,

follow it.

Laughter REALLY is the Best Medicine....

I am funny…at least I used to think I was. For those of you who would like

to send fan mail referencing my awesome sense of humor, by all means send it in.

There have been a lot of changes going on in my life over the last few weeks and

if I didn’t keep a sense of humor I would be crying at the bottom of a box of wine

(keep it classy St. Louis!)

As you know I am moving…again.  The fifth time in 10 years. I am a master packer,

I throw things away ruthlessly when I don’t want to pack them and I almost have a

photographic memory for what is stored in what box. That is until it’s an absolute
emergency and I need the item in question RIGHT NOW.

Telling my son wasn’t such a fun thing. He reacted in a very normal 10 year old way,

but that doesn’t mean it didn’t break my heart watching the sadness take over his

little face.  How do you joke about moving? In our warped sort of way we did
manage to inject some  humor into this situation which was a great relief.

The day I lose my sense of humor is the day the vineyards dry up…..

Negative Nether-world....

In six weeks I will be moving to Fort Myers, FL to be closer to my husband’s family.

I should be thrilled, excited and brimming with enthusiasm, but I’m not. Now, this

move is a great idea, it’s been  years in the making. We feel like our son should

grow up being surrounded by family and we need to settle down somewhere for

good.

Happiness is alluding me because my son has slipped into some kind of “negative

nether-world” where nothing is going right for him, he thinks he ruins everything,

his teachers expect too much and he is under too much pressure. Did I mention

before that he is 10? My ability to over analyze to the nth degree is prohibiting me

from seeing this for what it is, a phase in his life. Did I mention though that I have

a tendency to be the same way? My expectations for perfection in my own life

often leave me in a negative stupor when my ability does not live up to the

performance I expected.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He was supposed to grow up and take after his

dad who is confident, tenacious and loves a challenge. I feel like I have done him

a grave disservice and I don’t want him to be like me. I don’t have an answer

for this, I just want my son to grow up happy and content.

I better lead by example. (This is just a phase, right?)

I Like You Just The Way You Are

I used to think that only certain adults resisted change, but recent events

have shown me that this is not necessarily true. Kids resist change too. Not

the simple “let’s move the wii console over to this side of the tv” kind of change, or

the drastic “guess what, we’re moving to Africa!” kind of change either. They get

comfortable in their own little worlds and like things just the way they are.

I recently dabbled in the “how would look as a brunette” change of hair color

and boy did my son not like this at all. He said “Mom, you look weird.” And wanted

to know if I could change it back right away. (That’s something only Miss Clairol knows.)

One time I was looking at a fitness magazine and I showed TJ a picture of this

workout model and said, “TJ, how would you like it if I looked like that?” He replied

“I like you just the way you are.” What a smart kid!

I get where he is coming from though. My mom has had a very, very rough few years

battling cancer and knee surgery and her appearance has changed so much. When
I close my eyes I always picture her how she was when I still lived at home and

mom was everything. She is still everything, even though she looks different and I

would tell her “I like you just the way you are.”

The World's Best Mom...Ever