Now Hiring

          I said to my sister the other day that it's probably for the best that I didn't have a life before having a baby, because there was no painful transition to go through once I found myself cooped up at home every day. Since I'm no longer working I see no one on a regular basis anymore except Tom and Apollo and yes, they're my favorite people, but the inactivity makes me kind of crazy sometimes. I can't imagine how much worse it would be if I had been a party-goer or very active in the past.
          I suddenly realize how much I valued the level of social interaction I got from working full time. Now I find myself looking forward to going anywhere. Anywhere. Out for a walk. Out to the grocery store. Out to church. It doesn't matter where, as long as I get to be outside and/or see people. And if I get to talk to them too, well, that takes everything to a whole new level.
          The problem with me is I don't like looking for friends. I love having friends, but naturally my best friends live nowhere near me anymore and I always feel a little dumb putting myself out there to find new ones. "Becoming friends" can be such an awkward process when you're starting from scratch. Okay, I like you...you know, like a friend...yeah, we get along okay. We feel the same about some junk. I don't think you loathe me...so, now I have to suggest seeing each other again. But I don't want to come on too strong...I know how it is when people I don't care about try to befriend me. Now I have to see if you want to see me again, but to do it without sounding like I need a friend as badly as I do. Needing a friend sometimes scares friends away. As I know from experience.
          "YOU WANNA HANG OUT AGAIN TOMORROW? WANNA COME TO MY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEKEND?? ASK YOUR MOM IF WE CAN HAVE A SLEEPOVER AT YOUR HOUSE TONIGHT." 






          Soooo instead of reaching out and finding other people, I sit around inside merely considering finding other people. (Another problem of mine is that I'm lazy and I procrastinate. Well, that's two problems I guess. And a third one, I'm terribly picky. About everything. Well, not food. Everything except food. But that includes friends, unfortunately. But maybe that's a good thing.) People want to find like-minded friends, so my friends will inevitably have to be married couples or moms or people at the same spiritual, mental, or emotional place/s as me in life.
          Oh well, for the time being it's just looking forward pathetically to mundane outings. It's hard to force these things. I like to let them happen naturally.
          And at least my sister and the in-laws are nearby and I visit with them sometimes. They're pretty great.

Ew.

          Being a baby must suck sometimes. They vomit constantly. Vomiting is the worst.

          (My thoughts after Apollo spit up forcefully for no apparent reason, right in my lap.)

He's Looking Rough These Days

          A little kid drew a picture during Mass one week.

          Then looked at his older brother, pointed to it, and said, "Jesus."

       


          (Mine is only a rough copy of the original work. His was far better.)

I Could Do That Job

       

Gross Stuff IV

          Another good food rule: If your meal is only palatable while piping hot and it is no good when reheated, then it probably isn't the food for you. Or anyone. I don't mean it can't be slightly distasteful if not piping hot, because most hot foods are slightly distasteful once they cool down; soup, eggs, steaks, etc. I mean if it becomes so inedible when cold that a normal person would make an effort to find or cook something else to eat, then the ingredients are probably hazardous to your health.
       

Gross Stuff III

          As a general rule, if your entire meal is in one box and is made to be prepared in the microwave, it probably has not maintained much nutritional integrity. Even if the box says "Whole Grain."
          Admittedly, I've eaten a few microwaveable meals in my day (never Lean Pockets though) because there are occasions during the work week when money, time, and portability are factors. But I always felt like I should drink at least a liter of water immediately after to dilute whatever chemicals or other strangenesses I had ingested.

Ill Logic

          This picture reminded me of a girl I used to work with who went to Starbucks for me one day, but wasn't charged for our drinks because she was a Starbucks employee. She brought me my coffee and then tried insisting that, because she got my drink for free, I owed her money for her next Starbucks beverage.
          I suppose she was looking at it like this: "Because of me, you got a drink for free. So now because of you, I should get a drink for free. Then we'll be even."
          The idea of paying someone back for food you've taken is, in general, a less sideways idea of logic, but the extremism of this instance made me think of my old associate. Anyway, she would have done the exact same thing if someone had eaten one of her Lean Pockets.


          On Lean Pockets: see "Gross Stuff," coming soon.