Thanks for sharing your story, Pio...and a piece of your life!

Hi Beth...
Bye BigK...

Can't sleep very much...

I have postponed often cleaning up my closets...but did just that last night.....and was reminded of WHY I postpone it...

I know for a fact that I am a very visual person... and so every little item...as silly as it might look from the outside...has a story...and for me, a very VIVID picture of when it was acquired, used, worn, etc. etc. and so in a sense one could say that my closets are 'full' of triggers....as I basically see my LIFE flash by me....

...but I also wanted to make it an objective, having some time off over the holidays, to take time and attempt the 3 Rs...reduce, recycle, reuse...and 'lighten' the load not wanting to start feeling overwhelmed by the accumulation...

...it looks like either way....it will be hard... I will have to readjust my objectives...and settle to 'chipping away' very SLOWLY at the accumulation....

...holidays and memories do not a good mix make!!

...in the meantime....the night is shot! ARGGGHHH! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Good morning Luna! I have closets that need cleaning too...I'm still able to put it off.

Last week I pulled out a box from under my bed. In it I found some clothes of mine & several of ex's things. They didn't have that same impact they would have last year so that's progress. I'll offer them to the boys.

I'm taking a 4 1/2 hour test today, PRAXIS 1, for school. I've put it off too long already, but that may work in my favor because now I can line up some money for school. Send good thoughts my way please, I'll need it most for the math portion of the test. I can take math & do well but it never stays with me.

Hi Nams....wish I could, too.....but I will have to settle for 'chipping away' at them....it's really starting to get 'crammed'....and can't find what I am looking for sometimes!

Good luck, Nams.... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Geesh....4 1/2 hrs!??!! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> You are a brave soul!

(((((((((((((NAMS)))))))))))))

(Cheering section: Go Nams! Go Nams! Go Nams! Go Nams!)

.....but I am smart enough not to look at the 'photo albums'.... and won't for a very LONG time!


SMART COOKIE!

Well nams,

The good thing about math is that they haven't added any more numbers recently so it is pretty much the same as the last time you took a test with it. Don't expect any surprises.

Photos are the worst. The boys came home from their father's a couple of weeks ago & talked about looking at the photos from when we lived in Spain, a very happy time for all. As much as I want to feel the good feelings they do & share that with them, just think I can't because I'd end up crying. Kinda ruin the good time feel.

Thanks for the cheer Luna!

4 1/2 hours, if it doesn't kill me it will make me stronger.

I'm off.

Well, Nams... I will be rooting for 'stronger'! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

One of my favorite movie lines of all time is from Darla's opening monologue in the movie "Slap her, she's French!" when she is talking about the girl who betrayed her. She says something to the effect "like Fred Nietzsche said: that which doesn't kill us is about to wish it had 'cause we're going to Fed-Ex its sorry [censored] back to Skanksville where it came from". Always makes me laugh.

Okay the stable is good for about a category 3 hurricane and Joseph and Mary have brand new cable ties. I think we're set.

Yay!! Another problem resolved. That wasn't so bad, was it Pio?

I agree with everyone Pio. Communication, communication, communication. It's the key. You both need to learn how to communicate with each other in order to repair this. You can't act passively and expect your marriage to magically be wonderful again (BTW, I'm kind of talking to myself as well as to you).

I'm not saying your not doing the work, because I don't know, I'm just saying that it needs to happen.

What are you doing to try to fall back in love with each other?

OK, I probably sound stupid, so I'm going to shut up now.

Warm Hugs TKO family,

I only have a few minutes (lucky for you all) but have to say:

Luna...ditto on the closet sentiments...my solution was give away almost all clothing to Goodwill...start new wardrobe...it worked b/c I went from a size 8/10 down to a 4 and nothing fit anyway plus made me feel good about self and reduced the triggers by removing them. I too am a packrat with tons of "sentiment and stories to all items"

Pio,
Remember when I made a pact with you back in Sep-Oct and committed to an entire month of doing something I really didn't want to do? Ok, well I didn't have successful outcome but it didn't make me any more miserable in the long run and I can sleep knowing I did everything possible for my M...I am asking you for a Christmas gift...give yourself a month, fully throw yourself into the M with emotion, honesty etc...could it hurt...yeah temporarily and emotionally but in the large scale big scheme it can only help. Can you commit from today until 18 Jan to do this without telling G that this is a "trial" ??? PLEASE SANTA??? BTW good Nativity story...I bet I never mentioned how DD2 got bit by the goat at a live Nativity 2 year ago:)

For everyone else...laughter...short story...I am dog sitting...dogs escape while I am in shower...DS barges in looking frightened to death (he was responsible for the breakout) screaming that I need to do something the dogs have escaped...( I have 2 of my own that do the same so we are familiar with the dog R process)...I have 1 leg shaved, conditioner on my head...worst possible moment...I quickly rinse, bolt out, throw on clothes...keeping towel on head, load kids in car and begin the dog hunt...60min later after paying off a teenager in cash and Christmas candy I have the dogs back and DD2 is embarassed b/c I drove around with a bath towel on my head!!!

Have a great day friends

LOL 2much!!

That's funny! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I finished the test...Phew!

Judging by the scores they provided me when I finished the test, I passed two (MATH, YA!, & reading) of three sections with a third section, writing, still needing to be evaluated.

GAWD, I hope that's right!

Leave it to an engineer to be glib about math. For me it's just a step above terrifying. By the time the writing portion rolled around I was feeling fuzzy headed. If I don't pass that section it will have been from test fatigue. Yikes! Four plus hours is more than enough. But I'm feeling good.

But are you absolutely sure they did the math right when they checked your scores? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

DDs are out of school for break. It is very cold here and has been raining day and night so they have cabin fever. So I come home from work and kids are wired. WW doesn't know what to do with them. DD1 had her hamster ball out and was letting one of the hamsters roam free in the house in its little ball. WW is frantic. So I calmly tell DD1 to go upstairs and get the bowling pins and I tell DD2 to put her hamster in its ball and voilá - we now have hamster bowling. The kids played it for hours and were so happy. Honestly - do I have to think of everything? It's not a very high scoring game though because it's difficult to motivate the hamsters to run in the direction of the pins but, even at that, it is great for helping DDs with their math. Everybody wins! DD2 in her endless creativity did experiment with "power assisted" hamster bowling with the intent to improve her score. Makes the little guys very dizzy though so I don't recommend it.

I see on Al Jazeera that Walmart has opened a store in China. The manager was quoted as saying that they are very pleased and promise to not sell any imported goods. This is a first for Walmart - a factory outlet store.

Hamster zorbing

Pio - What do you think about 2much's suggestion.

Well, the neurosurgeon told me nothing I didn't already know. I have 2 herniated discs between C5 & C7. He would like to avoid doing surgery for as long as possible. He wants to try anti-inflammatory drugs (didn't give me any info about the drug of choice) and Physical Therapy (but the place to which his office referred me can't see me for 1.5 wks but it is Christmas time).

So, I don't know much more.....but I'm not being raced off to surgery this week. So, that's good.

He better be good because he has the personality and bedside manner of a stump.

Are you having attention deficit issues in Idiotville Jen?