Knitpickity

No Collagen, No Botox, No Knife, No Promotion?

Last month Catherine and I were in a car wreck that caused both of us whiplash and sciatica/headaches for me and lower back pain for her.  We have undergone several doctors visits and with physical therapy and time are both expected to be fine.  However in the last month we both clocked in lots of sick time and neither one of us has been very active.  So lots of time reading and watching TV and surfing.

The main thing I was surfing for was car research.  I knew I did not want to buy another Prius since they are going over asking price now, not just a bit but more like a California housing bonanza.  I feel that when supply catches up with demand the prices will level out again and it will be a smart long term purchase in a couple of years.  So looked all over not only for reviews on the autos but kept up with personal finance sections of major sites as well.

One day when I was on that journey I came across the following article The 3 Best and Worst Cosmetic Surgeries for Your Career - US News and World Report 

HUH???!!!

The past 5 months have been drama filled for me.  It has been a constant soap opera and that, combined with the last month where I have been in some pain and unable to sleep well, has etched some new friends across my forehead, worry lines.  I would love to believe that they are temporary and will disappear when I am sleeping better and all of the situations have straightened themselves out, but realistically I think they are here to stay.  They are not a huge deal and I am a bit ashamed to say that they even bug me because that smacks of vanity.  Life happens therefore wrinkles happen.

However today everyone has work done, boob jobs, tummy tucks, lips plumped - it is rather like going to the dentist.  Why age gracefully when you can fool mother nature.

But are we really fooling mother nature - when you look at people or pictures of celebrities that have had procedures they look well just a bit off.  They do not look younger, they look an echo of younger.  They lose character and personality when they gain the smoothness and firmness. 

Whom do you find beautiful?  Close your eyes and think of your grandparent's smile.  Do you see their wrinkles?  Do you look for crepe-y skin?  Or do you just bask in the love and happiness and wisdom?  How about when your Mom laughs - are you looking for crows feet or simply sharing happiness with the most beautiful woman that you know?  When your husband or child comes out of surgery do you look for the scars or do you see with relief their face and know that they will be "themselves" again?

When did attractiveness get boiled down to 20 or less different characteristics?  When did we start choosing our leaders, our visionaries based on how white and straight their teeth were and how shiny their hair?  How many great figures in history would be lost and forgotten in this beauty crazed media age?

Don't get me wrong.  I believe that you do need to take care of yourself.  Exercise, eat healthy foods, laugh, accept yourself and be confident.  That will come across as very attractive.  Drop the obsession with aging in our society.  Maybe when we refocus on things that have value and substance we will come out of this mess that we have created.

The Kidney Stone Fairy . . .

First and foremost I could kick myself for not having my camera at tonight's Briarcrest vs Covington Freshman football game.   Patrick played beautifully during the second half - looked great out there - I will order from the team photographer.

A group Covington fans were most vocal and extremely redneck and decided to sit on the Briarcrest side of the stadium.  The best quote I heard about them was afterward - during a truly loud and classless display, one of the coaches suggested giving a beer and cigarette to the ring leader to shut her up. 

The players had a better idea - during the first quarter Covington ran up 20 points that we had answered with 16 of our own.  The lead was traded a couple of times.  During the next three quarters Briarcrest rang up 30 more unanswered points and put on a text book display of hard hitting punishing football on both offense and defense.  Absolutely great game and it was the best way to silence the poor sportsmanship of the Covington fans.

And as I said Patrick played so well tonight.  He is really shaping up on the field. Much quicker and effective on the line.  I was kind of hoping that the exercise tonight would encourage the kidney stone to finally pass.

Yup Patrick has a kidney stone.  We were in the emergency room about 11 days ago, first checking for appendicitis, then pneumonia and finally a c/t scan showed the kidney stone just leaving his kidney.  For the next week it leisurely made its way about 4 more inches causing pain in some spots but mostly forgettable.  It has a couple more inches to go and while he was in discomfort Friday, enough to take Toradol, I do not think it has found its way into his bladder.  Just in case it has though, Patrick has to use a strainer every time he goes to the restroom.

So tonight to add some humor to the situation I was kicking him upstairs to avail himself of the strainer and he was protesting getting up.  So I explained that the Kidney Stone Fairy would come if he managed to pass the stone.

For some reason the thought of putting that under his pillow was not a hit with him.  Even in a plastic bag.  So now you know why there is no Kidney Stone Fairy.

This too shall pass . . . 

14 years in the making . . .

Somewhere after the awkward age comes this confident, saucy, shining great kid

Tall as his mom - with a voice that can hit several different ranges all in one word

desperately checking for peach fuzz

14 years ago I thought my life was incredibly blessed.  Little did I know that the blessing would just keep multiplying every year.

Happy Birthday to a very amazing and special and wonderful guy!!!!

Patrick you are loved so much!!!!

Stone Soup

Have you ever read the children's tale Stone Soup?

It is a fable or tale by the infamous Brothers Grimm

there is a neat write up of the interpretations on Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_soup

But the basic lesson is in times of need if we work together we can succeed where everyone can benefit.  No one is forced to participate it is all voluntary and what each person gives is different and makes for a complete whole.

The economic news is grim and, if signs are correct, will become more bleak.  Banks and Insurance companies are failing, housing prices continue to drop, costs are rising and real wages dropping.  There is so much hope being placed in the election on both sides but I believe the problems that face our country are much bigger than a simple election can fix.  And the policies that can be implemented after election take time to have any effect.

So I think it will be up to communities and neighbors to make some stone soup.  Help each other and work for the greater good for all.  Maybe we should send copies of the story to Washington to point the politicians in that direction as well - cooperation, voluntary participation and working toward a common goal are all items that should be on the agenda no matter which party you believe in.

Rise above it :)

"Rise above it" was my senior English teacher's favorite expression (well that and "abandon all hope all ye who enter here" which was posted over her door)

But for things that were unpleasant, tacky, ugly or rude - her advice was always "rise above it."

Which now that I am older, I realize is phenomenal wisdom.  It was not ignore it and it will go away, it was to be bigger than the unpleasantness. Be the bigger person.

Months ago I realized that my former sister-in-law read my blog after she posted a scathing comment.  We had never gotten along and she made it clear when I was married that I was not a welcome member of the family.  It made me feel kind of icky that she was reading my site.  So honestly I quit writing here very much because it made me uncomfortable.  And in June she sent my ex-Husband an email where she described my posts as "inane, inconsequential ruminations" (we all went to the same excellent public high school LOL).  Finally last week Catherine mentioned that her father had seen pictures of the wreck so he is reading my site too.

Honestly I wish they would go on with their lives.  And I realized by letting them squelch my posts which were often silly and rambling, but this is my site and hence I can post what I want, that I was giving them one tiny last area of control.

So I am going to start posting more and writing more and if they want to read it and twist it and insult it so be it.  I really don't care.  I miss my blog and enjoy going back and reading earlier posts.  Like photographs it is a collection of memories.  And I do have friends and family that keep up with my frivolity through this site and so I want to go back to what I like to do.

And if they want to keep on reading it and wallowing in their misery and vile anger and need for endless revenge, so be it.  It is a totally free country and as long as they keep it on their side of the fence I hope it makes them feel better or superior or whatever it takes to float their boat!

Enjoy everyone - see ya tomorrow :D