Happy Easter

Note: This is a post about my feelings on church/religion as of right now, with some politics thrown in. I apologize if this offends you, so if you are easily offended, you might want to skip this post.

This was the first year that I haven't gone to church for Easter. Even when I was a senior in HS, traveling in Europe with my school's choir, I made it to Mass for Easter. We were in Paris, singing at a church, so it just worked out that way.

I didn't go to church for Christmas either. I haven't been to a Mass since my wedding day. That'll be 6 months on the 29th. I don't know what it is...why I haven't been. My Catholic guilt is telling me that I'm horrible and I really need to suck life up and go...but the other parts of me are saying it's no big deal.

Before the wedding, I went pretty regularly...as I didn't want the priest to get his stole in a knot and forbid me and DH to marry under his roof. But before that...ehhh, I went about once a month.

I have an issue with a few things that are church-related: my parish priest, my parish, Catholicism, and religion in general.

My parish priest--he did a craptastic job with our wedding ceremony. We met with you, how many times before the wedding day? At YOUR insistence? And you couldn't say anything original about us? The only thing that you did throw in was how you hoped that DH and I would both be returning to the parish. This was only because you knew that DH was thinking about switching rites--from Roman Catholic to Byzantine Catholic, as he was raised in but not officially a member of--LONG story. Really just rubbed me the wrong way, as if he was just checking off numbers in his quota of marriages performed and bodies in Roman Catholicism.

My parish--I keep getting these letters and pamphlets about how they need money. Fine. I understand that all organizations need money for operating and repairs and all of that, just like my household does as well.

What I don't understand is, if the church was going to need a new roof this year, why did we build a huge parish center and new rectory about 5-10 years ago? It was obvious that we'd need a new roof eventually and those things weren't dire needs...they should have saved the money for the repairs and made do with the old rectory and offices. Talk about screwy priorities.

And while we're on the topic of saving money, why is the building committee sending out SLICK, GLOSSY packets of info about the repairs needed, the new organ that's needed, etc???? It looks like something my COLLEGE sends out regularly! Seriously? Do we really need to seduce people into giving money with pretty pictures and nice paper? Then, in the packet, they suggested an amount that your "family" should donate, tailored to your individual situation. They told me I should give $1,000. Hahahahahaha, right. I just gave you FIVE HUNDRED to get married there. No way. They "asked" my parents for $5,000. Too funny.

It just makes me sick. There are people in our town, in our parish even, who are ill, hungry, jobless, etc...who could use some help. They are not concerned with our church having the latest acoustics for the organ, or that the driveway/parking lot is cracked. We are only worrying about ourselves (as a parish) and not taking care of the members of said parish. Where's the social justice in this?

Currently, I'm reading this book, God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It by Jim Wallis. Fascinating book. Really makes you think about our country, your faith (esp. if you're a Christian).

Jim is a Protestant minister (forget which denomination, sorry!) who says that the biggest problem with this country is that the politicians do NOT practice what Jesus preached, and what's most ironic, is that many of these politicians call themselves Christians. We're sending billions of dollars overseas to fund an unjust war that Jesus would not approve of, while we let single moms work 2 or 3 jobs to attempt to put food on the table for their children. Where's the justice in that? How can we help to save the world when we can't even save ourselves? Jim is dead on with his arguments.

It's sad that within my parish, we are not thinking in a Christ-centric manner. We take collections up for far away missions (which yeah, is a good thing) but there's so much that needs to be achieved here, at home, in our parish. Let's start working on our own homes before we involve ourselves in everyone else's business.

Oddly enough, this reminds me of something personal that happened over the weekend. My parents hosted a dinner on Saturday for my mom's side of the family, since we couldn't get everyone together for Easter. My mom's twin brother, my uncle, is a great guy. He'd give you the shirt off of his back if you needed it. He also likes to give unsolicited advice, under the guise of helping out. He didn't know that DH lost his job (all he'd heard was that it might be a possibility, but I guess my mom never filled him in on the rest). So he asks DH how the job is going and all of that, and then DH told him what happened...and then my uncle thinks he has to be the savior and starts suggesting places/jobs for DH. Thanks, but DH has that stuff under control.

My uncle tends to do the same for my brother, who does need some help in the job arena. BUT, wait a minute Uncle! Let's concentrate on the problems in YOUR home first...like your son, who is 18, might not graduate from his prestigious prep school, has never worked a job in his life...or your wife, who is a raging alcoholic and has been one for years and continues to embarrass herself, you, and your children every chance she can get???

WORK ON YOUR OWN HOUSE then you can come "fix" mine. Of course, I just grinned and took it all in. I wish my parish and my Church would stop grinning and taking it all in...and actually stand up and do something about it. Maybe there are more efforts in other parishes...but mine is so "suburban" and lazy.

I do believe in Jesus and God and all of the theological and dogmatic beliefs of the Catholic Church...but I guess I'm so, disillusioned with it as an institution...between the sex abuse scandals and embezzlement and all of that GARBAGE...it's no wonder I don't feel at home at Mass any more. Especially as an American, who's political and legal rights often butt heads with the laws of the church. Especially as a woman, who has so much say in her country, but does not have full rights in her own religion.

This post seemed to head in many directions...so to wrap it up: We need change, first at the local, grass-roots level, then let's work on everyone else.

When do you say something...

and when do you just ignore?

This post is sort of inspired by this one here.

Yesterday I had to leave work for a very personal reason.

I was having an anxiety attack and couldn't get myself under control. On the outside, I appeared fine...just quiet (which for me, being quiet usually means something is wrong), but I was carrying on with my day. My therapist called me with a cancellation, so I had a a few hours until my appointment. I emailed Bossman that I would need to leave at 2 for an unexpected appointment.

He came down to my cube, asking, "is everything all right?" Ummmmm, not really.

But I smiled and turned red (as I often do when I'm embarrassed) and just said "everything will be fine." Which it was once I got the hell outta Dodge and to my therapist's office.

And there are the times when I'm late because I have early morning appointments with my therapist or my endocrinologist...or I've had to go with DH to his appointments, and Bossman will ask if I'm OK.

Now, I know most people in their late 20s don't usually have that many doctor's appointments, and I know that he's asking because he values me as an employee and he IS a nice guy. Part of me does want to say something just to get him off of my back, and most of me knows that any personal info that he has on me could be misused.

I wonder if he thinks if I got myself "into a situation" and he's scared I'll be leaving in a few months for a "new career" if you know what I'm saying ;-) Sometimes I want to look at him, straight in the eye and say "Bossman, don't worry! I'm NOT knocked up!!!"

This morning, I come into work and check my email. He's not in today--he went "home" to see his family (very long story which is pointless to this blog) and he asked "how did everything go yesterday? Are you feeling better?" DUDE! I wrote back saying that "yes, everything is fine, thank you."

I almost feel badly about having to leave early and that I can't be truthful with him. But when mental illness is still viewed with such a stigma in this society, what choice do I have?

Things I'd like to do in the next 6 months...

Or before I've been married a year... ;-) Yeah, I can't believe it either.

1. Lose 10 pounds (or more!)

2. Get my anxiety back in check

3. Go to NYC for the day or more

4. Learn to drive DH's new boat (it's really big!)

5. Finish "serenity" (the needlepoint project I've been working on for YEARS)

6. Plant and harvest vegetables from my garden

7. Attend a Stitch & Bitch meet up (I joined my local group, now I just have to get the courage to GO)

8. Use the library often (I finally joined after all these years)

9. Visit K and my aunt N in Boston

10. Find a volunteer gig

Because this is supposed to help me stay focused...

I need to focus on some good things to do and achieve.

Quasi-goals for myself over the next few months weeks:

1. Keep trying for the gym 3x week

2. Work on my needlepoint so I can get this project finished (I really want to start something ELSE!)

3. Go to RI and meet up with B and her kiddos sometime in April

4. CHILL OUT and not freak about the house being a mess or whatever

5. Research and start my container garden since I'd like to have it planted by Memorial Day (my grandpa told me a few weeks ago that my grandma had that as her "rule")

Lunchtime meme

Four jobs I have had in my life

1. server at a retirement home

2. salesgirl at a stationery store

3. bookseller

4. babysitter

Four movies I would watch over and over

1. Bridget Jones Diary

2. Dogma

3. American President

4. Miss Congeniality

Four places I have lived:

1. in my parents' house

2. in a dorm

3. in an apartment

4 in a condo

Four TV Shows that I watch:

1. House

2. Law and Order

3. The Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles

4. The news

Four People who e-mail me (regularly):

1. my boss

2. my coworkers

3. my mom

4. friends

Four of my favorite foods:

1. bread

2. chicken

3. cheese

4. fruit

Four places I would rather be right now:

1. in my bed

2. on my couch

3. Hawaii

4. outside

Four people I think will respond:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Four things I am looking forward to this year:

1. getting a raise

2. my 1st anniversary with DH

3. a house, maybe?

4. Christmas? IDK...

This song just struck a chord this morning...

Ha, pun intended...maybe.

I was listening to the radio and this came on, so I will post the lyrics here. I don't know why it hit me like it did...

Positively 4th Street by Bob Dylan

You got a lotta nerve
To say you are my friend
When I was down
You just stood there grinning

You got a lotta nerve
To say you got a helping hand to lend
You just want to be on
The side that's winning

You say I let you down
You know it's not like that
If you're so hurt
Why then don't you show it

You say you lost your faith
But that's not where it's at
You had no faith to lose
And you know it

I know the reason
That you talk behind my back
I used to be among the crowd
You're in with

Do you take me for such a fool
To think I'd make contact
With the one who tries to hide
What he don't know to begin with

You see me on the street
You always act surprised
You say, "How are you?" "Good luck"
But you don't mean it

When you know as well as me
You'd rather see me paralyzed
Why don't you just come out once
And scream it

No, I do not feel that good
When I see the heartbreaks you embrace
If I was a master thief
Perhaps I'd rob them

And now I know you're dissatisfied
With your position and your place
Don't you understand
It's not my problem

I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
And just for that one moment
I could be you

Yes, I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
You'd know what a drag it is
To see you

No babies, no houses

As I mentioned a few days ago, DH and I are on a "no house, no baby" path right now. Obviously, with him being out of work, the LAST THING either of us need is a house to pay for and take care of, or a child, which also requires care and money. And the stress that comes with either! Yikes!

But still, when I hear that someone bought a house (and I literally just got an email from someone about their closing right before starting this blog) or that someone's expecting, I get a little twinge inside.

Yeah yeah, we all get envious, especially at what others have and we don't. And it's not logical for DH and I to think about either scenario. Half of the time I'm GLAD we don't have kids yet, especially on a Saturday afternoon when I'm just running into the grocery store for something quick and I see some "little darling" in the midst of a temper tantrum and I'm wishing that God would either strike that child temporarily mute, or that his mother would slap him. And no, I'm not an advocate for child abuse...and I do understand that little kids have meltdowns because they just can't communicate effectively enough yet and they get FRUSTRATED...but I am an advocate for parents being responsible for their children. Yeah, mom at the grocery store last weekend who let her little shit race around with his heelies, almost tripping me, I'm talking to YOU. Free-range children, now on sale, in aisle 9.

I think it's that little voice in the back of my head that worries about when I'm finally ready to have a baby, I won't be able to. Or I'll be old. Or DH won't be in good shape (damn accident).

I'm also afraid that I'll have to leave my baby at some horrible daycare place and that the fucked up economy in this country will force me compromise the level of parenting I want to give my child/ren. I wish DH could have babies, I'd let him have one right now and I'd keep working.

But a house wouldn't make me compromise myself too much yet. I'd love to have one right now. I'm just so glad that we didn't get too serious back in the fall when we started looking, with DH out of work now.

I don't get why people were allowed to buy houses that cost SO much more than they were making and now these same people are whining about being foreclosed on? HELLO? You saw how much you were making, you were a fool to believe you could afford half-million dollar McMansions on salaries of $50K. Too bad you couldn't LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS like the rest of us (many who don't have homes) are doing. The banks are just as much to blame; how the hell did they think these people would be able to pay this stuff off??? And now, the system is ruined for a lot of people, who were hoping to get a mortgage, because now the banks are being stricter on who they lend money to. Thanks so much!

Luckily DH's accident brought him a windfall and he has a large sum of money waiting for the right house at the right time, plus monthly payments for the rest of his life. I probably sound like I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth, but we try to live like the money he got from his accident doesn't exist. We don't want to go crazy spending like there's no tomorrow, especially since this money might have to be used to care for DH someday. All of the payouts from his accident were going into savings, but while he's unemployed, the monthly payments are going into our checking account to cover the cost of living.

But I still want my house. Nothing too big, but not too tiny either. Just enough room for me, DH, the cats, maybe a dog...and eventually, we'd add a baby to the mix. A nice yard. A basement. Our OWN laundry facilities--no more sharing! No more quarters! A garage for our cars, so we don't have to shovel snow and chip ice off in the mornings!

Maybe someday...

DH, his job, my job

DH got laid off. We'd known it was a possibility for some time, but it really happened. March 7 was his last day of work. There was talk about him getting some other positions within the company, but after some interviews, it really went nowhere. They were probably doing what they do best, jerking him around, like they've done since Day One.

So now he's home (this is the middle of his second week now) and I have to admit I'm a bit jealous.

Actually I'm jealous of anyone who gets to stay home and doesn't have to deal with boring work or bosses who don't listen, or schedules, or any other crap. My mom always said that when she was a SAHM, it wasn't always fun times with soap operas and bonbons, but she never had to do anything she didn't WANT to do...and she got to do a lot of fun things, like make curtains, have a garden and can food from it, made baby food from scratch, etc. Plus, she had me, and I was a super cute baby and smart. Who wouldn't want to spend time with me????

I think this jealousy stems from the fact that I've always been a bit of a spoiled brat, who likes to do things on HER time (not a company's) when SHE wants to. When something isn't fun, I tend to drag it out. This is how I am at work. I put off most of my assignments and screw around. When I first joined my company at its current location (in August 2007), I felt challenged and exuberant. I was a go-getter. I was happy to be given the position that I was, after a crappy time in a warehouse (LOOOOONG STORY) and I had a boss who was brand-new to the company. I thought, "here is a time for great change, and I've got someone who's willing to give me a shot." Things went well for awhile, and now it seems like Bossman is just as stuck as me. It feels like I need to do 30 things before I can get one big assignment done, or I don't have the proper data to do my job. I ask continuously for feedback, but apparently I'm doing fine. WTF? I'm totally Peter Gibbons from Office Space.

One day, back in January, the HR director pulled me aside and told me in one of those "I never said this" convos that Bossman thinks the world of me and perhaps I should ask for a raise. This was before DH was laid off. She even said they were getting me for a song and I should ask for about $3-4K more than I currently make. I felt really good about asking for a raise and I mustered up the courage and asked Bossman one day. He didn't say yes and he didn't say no but in the end, it wasn't meant to be. Fine, I'll wait until October when we all get our annual reviews.

What burned my ass is that I couldn't get a raise but Bossman told the company owner that DH got laid off, and Mr. Owner told Bossman to tell me that if need be, DH could come work at the company's warehouse while he was job searching. WTF????? You'll pay my husband MORE than I was going to ask for in a raise!?!?!?! Makes no sense. That really got me. Not to mention, maybe I didn't want Mr. Owner, or anyone else in the company, to know my PERSONAL BUSINESS?????

I just don't feel my job anymore. I don't know if I'm depressed again, which could very well be the case, or if I'm just feeling pressure because suddenly I'm the bread-winner, but I'm scared. I don't know why I'm not all gung-ho as I once was. I get nervous at my desk, I can't concentrate (which isn't surprising since we hired some recent grads who think the office is a gymnasium and can yell all day)

I get NOTHING done.

To add insult to injury, yesterday was my first paycheck with the extra health insurance contribution for DH taken out (he had been on his job's insurance til now) and it was $160 less than last paycheck. OUCH. Unemployment is only paying him about $240/week. And we got a call from our accountant that we owe about $3,000 in taxes. Yay marriage.

At least, DH is much less stressed now that he's out of work. It's funny, most people would think it would suck being laid off. He's so much happier, that job was truly a hell-hole. Even though he went to college and grad school to do what he did, it wasn't worth the stomachaches, the anxiety, the anguish. The job literally almost got him killed a few years ago, but he survived and they just kept being shitty to him. He isn't thrilled about staying at home all of the time, but he gets to find something that will fulfill him and WON'T drive him nuts, the way his previous job did. I just need someone or something to light a fire under my ass...or there will be two people collecting unemployment under one roof.

Quick post--re: my maiden name

I should be working, but ha, I'm here, instead.

I went to the accountant's office this AM to drop off some other info that he needed to complete our taxes. I had all of the paperwork in a folder, and when the assistant said he was with someone, I just wrote my name (with my maiden in parentheses b/c as I said yesterday there are tons of "girlwednesdays" in the world) and DH's name and our phone numbers and what was inside. I handed it to the assistant and said "it's for [accountant's first name]" since there are 3 guys in this office and because she was looking at the forms oddly. She said okay, following me out of her little area and dropped the folder. As she stooped to pick up the papers, she said "Oh I didn't realize you were a [maiden name]."

Who am I, a Kennedy or something? (and no that's not our last name)

She was almost surprised by "who I was." Too funny.




And to reply to Crazy A's comment about my polenta--yeah, I fried it in the olive oil, but I don't know if I didn't leave it in there long enough or what. It didn't really DO anything. DH is a much better cook than I am, as well. Most of the time, he just throws stuff together. Oh well!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This is my first St. Patrick's Day with an Irish last name. Yay for DH being half Irish and that half being his father's side ;-) Our last name is fairly common, which is good and bad. In fact, there is another guy in our town with DH's exact name--I worked with his brother-in-law for a year and discovered this odd fact. This doppelganger of sorts also ran for our town council, so it was quite amusing back in October to see "vote (DH's name) for district 4."

My first name is also very very common for girls born in the late 1970s/early 1980s, so there are many "girlwednesdays" in the world. It is a step up from my maiden name, which had a few random capital letters and uncommon consonants. It also is well-known in the town where we live, thanks to a family business.

So now, not only do I have a sweet Irish name, I also have anonymity. I'm an Irish ninja. (But I do confess, when I need something done, or want someone to remember me, I totally insert the maiden name.) I do have Irish blood in me, about 25%, from me mum's side of the clan. This really shouldn't matter, since this is America and we're all a mix of nationalities and cultures. But it's still fun.

This being said, tonight at dinner, DH and I figured out (with PIE CHARTS!) how much Irish our future kids would be. Roughly 33%--more than their mother (that would be me, folks). That's pretty funny. And yes, we are nerds who enjoy plotting out the ethnic makeup of our yet to be conceived children. May God bless them...and us.

PS. Just wanted to give you an update on last night's polenta. That was...interesting. Very bland. Give me rice, pasta, couscous anyday. The polenta was fine, but it was just...underwhelming and had a gelatinous consistency. Weird. Not for me!

Nonni, thy name is Lidia

DH and I love Italian food. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I'm not talking about spaghetti and meatballs or pizza, although we do love those too. I'm talking REAL Italian food. Osso Bucco. Risotto.

One small problem. Neither DH and I are Italian. We have no nonni to learn the fine arts of Italian cooking from. Now I know that several of you are either FBIs or IBMs* and are thinking I'm sort of prejudicial to fact that the Italian grandmother is only known for cooking. Maybe some of your grandmothers suck at cooking. But you know what I mean. :-)

DH and I have Lidia Bastianich to help us. Two cookbooks and a lot of desire to learn are what we have. You can check out Lidia's website here: http://www.lidiasitaly.com/index2.htm

We've had this brick of polenta sitting in our pantry closet for, oh, 6 months now? Today I decided to cook it, thinking it would be a great accompaniment to the grilled pork chops, broiled asparagus and a thrown together ratatouille of sorts that I had planned for dinner.

The instructions on the package were clear--boil about 2 liters of water with salt, add polenta, stir til thickness achieved, then pour. I had consulted Lidia regarding how she cooks polenta a few times before actually biting the bullet and opening up the package. I planned to pour it onto some rimmed cookie sheets, letting it cool, then cutting them into cakes. Later I would fry lightly in some olive oil.

So, the water boils up nicely, I pour in the polenta. WOW! That stuff cooked FAST and was a porridge-type consistency in no time. It was so thick, it was actually bubbling and making funny noises. It was popping OUT of my stock pot! Splashing on me, on the walls; it had a mind of its own. Finally I got it off the burner (duh self!) and let it sit while I got the cookie sheets ready.

I poured it onto one sheet and quickly realized I was going to need another sheet. Grabbing the mate to my first sheet, I had a second one prepared in no time. I'm blogging while I let them sit and will pop them in fridge soon to chill.

Grazie Nonni!




*FBI = full blooded Italian
IBM = Italian by marriage

Some more about me, if you don't already know.

Like I said in my little sidebar bio located to your right, I am a newly married twenty something. WHOO HOO, give me a cookie!!!!

I also should tell you I am pretty sarcastic and like to joke around, with a nice dash of self-deprecating humor thrown into the mix.

I am female.

I live in a New England state that has a coastline (and before any of you smarties say that all of New England is on the coast, you're wrong. Vermont is land-locked.). I've always lived here, except for the 4 years I went to college in another New England state...and the roughly 6 months I spent in yet another New England state, living in "the big city" trying my hand being a professional academic and clothes-whore. Both which left me pretty strapped for cash! haha

I have a job. While I would love to be a SAHKM (stay at home kitty mom) that' s just not in the cards right now. Maybe not ever. I do enjoy my job, most days, and I'm finally finding that there are jobs out there that are enjoyable enough and pay enough. All of my post-college jobs have involved books, and that's all I'll say about my current position.

I am trying to "find myself." Yeah, clever, right? I'm finally getting over the wedding high and the post-wedding blues and thinking, "okay, what next?" Most newlyweds either buy a house or have a baby. Neither of those are options for DH and I right now. For several reasons of which I assure you, dear reader, will make for many blog entries down the road.

This has been my life since college. Live in big city. Move back to hometown. Work at famous university for 2.5 mind-numbing years. Meet DH somewhere during that time (almost 1 year into that job). DH gets into pretty bad accident. All life is put on hold while he recuperates, almost to 100%, thank God. I try grad school again for some time, decide it's really not for me. Quit mind-numbing job to take a very low-paying job at a small company, but it's the perfect job for me and my interests. Stay there almost 1.5 years. DH and I get engaged, suddenly realize I need to grow up and make MONEY! I look for a new job, find current (better paying) position. A year into that job, DH and I get hitched (Sept 07). Go to HAWAII on our honeymoon. Consider never coming back except we like our cars and we have 3 cats who miss us. Ooops. Then the holidays come. Now here we are in weird March.

As you see, I've always been on this constant roller-coaster of life. Now I'm at this stand-still. What do I do with myself? I am content in my job (for at least another year or so). No house yet. No babies yet.

During this time that I've been out of college, I haven't really branched out and made any new social networks. I was quasi-lazy and I depended on my friends who stayed in the hometown or close by...but over the past few years, it's obvious that we have all changed. It's sad, but it's reality. Some were just natural grow-aparts, some were fights, some were...I don't know. My friends from college live far away now and have their own lives. I miss them, but again, it's reality. There's no ill-will or anything...it's just time and distance and SOs and kids and jobs and life.

I need some friends, some things to do. I love DH very much, but some times you just need some girlfriends. It is HARD to meet people when you are out of school. I've only made one real friend post-college. My friend C. I am lazy at times and I don't like to do the dirty work and get shy and anxious and all of that. If I want friends and want to be social, I have to bite the bullet and get out there.

I also need to improve myself. Since college, I've gained about 70 lbs total. Gross. I am in danger of becoming a statistic. NO THANK YOU. I am smarter than that. I recently joined a gym and have been going at least 3x a week. Tomorrow is my 3rd weigh-in. Lets see if I lose any weight. I am also trying to change my eating habits. This is hard, esp. when DH is a FOODIE and an excellent cook. I was always a pretty good eater, but got lazy after some time...and I met DH and was like "oooh he likes me! I can get FAT now!" j/k

So that's the inside--diet, exercise, and a therapy session now and then to work on my anxiety--which both fuels me and hinders me.

Outside--I need to work on the social aspect, as I mentioned up-entry. I also need to work on my hobbies and interests. I used to read all.of.the.time. but not so much anymore. I have begun reading at the gym. I also am really crafty--needlework, beading, sewing. I dabble in a lot of things. I started working on this needlepoint wall hanging thing that I had started a few years ago and let fall to the wayside. It's nice to see my progress. Then there are things I want to learn how to do, like more about gardening. We rent a condo with a small deck on the back, so I can grow plants in pots. I would love to have some fresh tomatoes this summer!

The outside is more about personal enrichment, I think.

Okay, that's enough for now. It's 4pm and DH and I have dinner reservations for a belated birthday dinner at 6. Time to shower and get pretty.

Editing to add: One more thing. DH recently got laid off from his hell-hole of a job, so that will definitely be discussed here often, since it impacts both of us. But we're trying to look at the bright side of things.

Welcome to my blog

Greetings and salutations. I have finally joined the internet-savvy and created a blog for myself. Sometimes, I feel that there are just things to say and no one around who really wants to listen, so why not just write 'em down?

I'm partially kidding. I do have people who care about me and who listen to me (including a therapist, but I pay her, so I don't know if she really counts, lol). People who know me also know that I am what you might call a "jibber-jabber" or that I have the gift of gab. Sometimes I get a little too gabby, so for those times, I will blog!

So, why this name, girlwednesday? Well, I was born on a Wednesday.

As that old Mother Goose rhyme goes:
Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go.
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for a living,
But the child born on the Sabbath Day,
Is fair and wise and good and gay.
http://www.bethanyroberts.com/MondaysChildIsFairofFace.htm

So yeah, I'm the one who's full of woe. Lovely. I was born only about an hour and half into Wednesday, couldn't my mom just push harder and faster to get me out on a TUESDAY???? Nope. No dice. Wednesday baby I was. Funnily enough, my birthday this year fell on a Wednesday and I turned 28, so I think it was one of those 7 year cycles or whatever. Oooh spooky.

Now that I'm older, I am working (as most adults do, hopefully) and I tend to be seen as the savior, the one who remembers everything, the taskmaster...the ubiquitous Girl Friday. I also do a lot of Girl Friday stunts at home too, for which my DH is ever thankful.

(Whoa, I just used DH. I usually don't do shorthands, but since I'm hoping that this will be anonymous as possible, I'm trying these shorthands out.)

Hence, my name.