Thursday, January 22, 2009

Stamping My Feet

I have good days coping with my mother, and the care she requires, and I have bad days.

Today is a bad day.

It is insanely difficult to take care of someone who insists that the only way they will live is the one that requires the least effort from them and a herculean, back-breaking, bankrupting effort from you.

I cannot do this. I will not do this.

Yet I have to do some variation of this.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

99 Things Meme

This seemed like a good enough start for my triumphant return to blogging.

Things you've already done = bold
Things you want to do = italics
Things you haven't done and don't want to = plain text

1. Started your own blog. (done and done)
2. Slept under the stars. (didn't care for it, to be honest)
3. Played in a band. (complete and total lack of musical gift makes this an improbability)
4. Visited Hawaii.
5.Watched a meteor shower. (if singular meteor counts as shower, yes)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.

7. Been to Disneyland/world.
8. Climbed a mountain. (I will interpret climbed as "took the tram to the summit" or "hoofed it partly up mountain to anachronistic bavarian castle for scenic photo ops").
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped. (no, nope, never never never want to do this)
12. Visited Paris. (REALLY want to!)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea. (I'm sure it's quite pretty, but I have no real desire to do this. I nearly got engaged to someone whose major goal in life involved getting a boat to do that - but being that far out in the ocean at night would make me really scared, I think - just a tiny cork bobbing in a big sea?)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child. (A definite goal in life)
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train. (Barcelona to Madrid, I think?)
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors. (Sort of. This year I found out that I, the Plymouth, MA resident for 27 years, am related to John Alden, who came over on the Mayflower. So, one of my ancestors is from...well...here. Who knew?)
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language. (why would you want to do this? You learn languages by talking to people. Native speakers teach you. Silly question).
37.Had enough money to be truly satisfied. (If there is such a thing)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person.
41. Sung Karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason. ("I'm sorry" is not no reason)
64. Donated blood. (Hell, I'm checking this anyway. I tried to donate. They couldn't get a vein. They sucked out some muscle tissue instead, and it really hurt. And then they didn't even give me animal crackers. Darn you, Red Cross).
65. Gone sky diving. (OMG NO NO NO NO NONONONO.)
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter. (I held the pilot's coke! The military did free helicopter rides at my college. They didn't pressure you to join up for it, either. Fantastic waste of my tax dollars but oooooh, was it fun!)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy. (my bear, Booboo, is in the closet.)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt. (I've planned things out, just never executed)
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London. (Not @ Buckingham, but I'm going to count the switch-over at the Tower of London)
77. Broken a bone. (probable hairline fracture counts)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person. (from an airplane, but seen!)
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swum in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a law suit. (why, my life revolves around it)
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.