Queen of the Fridge

Notice Ollie in the back looking totally dazed and confused.

mailbox

Dear Walgreens:

I understand that you are a retail store. I understand that as a company committed to providing goods and services, you have to remain seasonal. Christmas in September? Why sure! Easter baskets appearing in February? That's okay with me. But I must ask you to restrict your seasonal decorations to the seasonal aisles.
Shopping for a shirt to support my local high school football team is fine, but having to pick them off skeletons is not so fine. Buying a new hair dryer is great, but I'm no so interested in what the pumpkins are telling me is on sale. And picking out my last minute baking supplies while listening to a haunted house soundtrack for a CD player hidden behind the Pringles? Not so much my style.

Politely Annoyed,
me





Dear Colorscience:

Lower your frickin' prices!!

I still love you,
me

So many things I could've written about this weekend, But I can only do one thing at a time here

I went to Border's by my work for lunch on Saturday, because I brought my own frozen pizza and berry yogurt. I ate later in the day, but who amd I to turn down thirty minutes pretending that I'm not at work on a Saturday? So I ended up at Border's browsing their three-for-two section, knowing that as soon as my husband finds out I spent thirty bucks on books, which really wasn't in anybody's budget.... well... that's a whole other story.

But I'm so excited that I ended up there, even if it did cost me thirty-two fifty-nine. It was one of those reminders that Divine moments are everywhere and anywhere.

After wandering around I realized that the line was quite long. I jumped in and started looking through my purse for my little Border's rewards card. People got behind me in line and I couldn't help but overhearing their conversation The conversation involved a middle-aged man who completely and utterly made my heart hurt. The man was their with his elderly mother and it was a situation that I didn't entirely understand, but this mother was still caring for her son, who needed some overseeing still. He really wanted a book about fishing that he saw on the way to the counter. It obviously would have made his whole wold bright for that day. It was all he was focused on, and he was torn between really just wanting his mother to buy the book for him, or spending some of themoney he had been saving for another purchase. It was apparent that at that moment something that was 16.95 (I know that was how much it cost because he mentioned it several times)would've made him light up. Would've given him joy for days. It would've completely been %100 percent love to him.

I wanted more than anything to buy that book for him. It seemed such and easy thing, to spend 17 bucks for utter joy, what a great exchange. And I'm not saying tha to pat myself on the back. Because #1 anybody in my place overhearing the guy would've wanted to do something for him, and #2 I didn't end up doing it anyway. I just kind of wussed out because I was afraid if I went back, picked up the book, got back in line that they would be gone, or have some adverse reaction to a well-intentioned act. I was stuck to the grey carpet. It was too complicated so I just minded my own business, bought my book and went back to work.

And that's when it really started to make sense that compassion is not a 'great' feeling. It's not a fun feeling, it's not easy, or peaceful. Compassion hurts. Compassion is when you realize all the stuff you could do to help other people that you aren't doing. It's when you realize how much the world sucks for some people, how hard it is for others. Compassion is a weight that settles between your heart and your mouth and you can cry, scream, smile, but it's still there, throbbing, waiting for action.

But action can't even satiate it. It's empty and the more you feed it the more you look around and realize there's need. Real, honest-to-goodness need, and you can either dive in or decided it's too complicated and walk away.

When you say asomeone is compassionate, you're saying that they are willing to be out, to be open to how much the world is gurting, and to allow all that pain to throw them into action, instead of into hiding.

You know what solves a thousand problems? Love. But love isn't a sappy gooey emotion either, love hurts and not in a broken heart, boyfriend broke up with me kind of way, but in a I love this person, and I am seeing them hurt. Or I love that person because they are human, and yet they have less than I do. Or I love, but feel defeated because I will never be able to solve all of these problems.

Rememer when Jesus went up and wept over Jerusalem? I will never know how that feels, the compassion to that degree, but to have a taste of how that sucks, of how that lodges right in your ribs and sticks....or eveytime it says he healed out of compassion...that's a whole lot of pain to agree to carry on.

This is the best words will do.

I had to listen real carefully

Last night I heard an owl somewhere outside around our house. I got real excited, because I'm not out in the country, or out at camp anymore where I heard them all the time. I only heard him twice before I fell asleep, but he sounded lovely, and I hope he lives around here so we can be friends.

Sunday Randoms

-Today is the Sunday start of the NFL. Which is exciting. Unfortunately, the Chiefs fulfilled everybody's expectations and really kind of sucked it up agains the Texans. And by sucked it up, I mean really just were the same old Chiefs: look promising, but blow it all at the end.

-Today it was about 73 which menat we could open our windows and click off the AC. We night have been able to yesterday, but it was still so humid. Today is much better. And think of the money we're saving, Yay!!

-Tonight we will probably watch the VMA's, mostly to make fun of the live performances. Every year my sister in law and I get all excited about the VMA's and then we're all like 'Oh wait, they're never that good', but we watch them anyway.

-Speaking of award shows, Desperate-Attention-Whores everywhere are celebrating that Ryan Seacrest will be hosting the Emmy's next week. How did I not know this until now?

-I got a promotion at work, but I am a little afraid of what that means.

-My husband has Antonio Gates on his FF team, so we are watching the SD/Chicago game right now chanting 'Throw it to Antonio! Forget LT, throw it to Antonio!' I think they're listening.

-I got a little sweater for my new niece at Target this afternoon, after remembering my sister saying they didn't have a lot of fall/winter clothes. It's creamy colored and way cute. I think they will approve. You see, it's really hard to guess what kind of clothes my sister and her husband will approve of. They're picky. And they will let you know if they think something you bought is ridiculous. This becomes hard for me, because my love language is gifts. So I want to buy stuff for Little Molly all the time, but have to hold myself back because it really kind of hurts my feelings if they shun the gift to my face.

-I am convinced that Brett Farve pronounces his own name wrong.

-Don't you think that with all the people standing around on the sidelines of professional football games, that one person could just be the official counter? 'Hey Bob, just stand here and count the guys in blue jerseys on the field. Let us know if there's more than 11, okay? Yell real loud or something.'

Don't be jealous...

But I just got one of these yesterday:


The color is called Pistacchio, it's a light minty green. Vintage and modern at the same time. I have already made a double layer chocolate cake and carrot cake cupcakes.

I think I'm in love with it.