Monday, November 5, 2012

Monday Listicles, Kinda

Today I am veering from my normal Monday Listicles, which is shocking, as I'm normally a good rule follower.  The topic this week is 10 Amazing Not So Distant Memories.   I have recent memories, but I can't say they're all amazing.  Some, I just need to get off my chest. 

1.  For example, I subbed in a preschool class last week.  I was in charge of helping each of the 21 kids do a craft, and I now have a new pet peeve.  Out of those 21 kids, I knew how to spell five.  And I am a pretty good speller.  Not a good ratio, my friends.  I completely understand unusual names that have special or cultural meaning.  We have Chin families at our school, and I have no problem with having to ask a child how to spell his name when his name is Bawi (pronounced boy).  But when a child is given a common, popular name, for the love please use the common, popular spelling.  Molleigh is just annoying.  And that child will have lots and lots of crafts in which her name is misspelled, then crossed out and spelled correctly for the rest of her crafting life.

2.  Let's talk time change.  What an unnecessary pain in the neck.  No mother of young children enjoys a time change.  Children's bodies are programmed, and those programs take a long time to change.  I do not appreciate the pitter-patter of little feet at 6:30 in the morning, when I usually don't hear it until 7:30.  Not cool.

3.  You know what's frustrating?  Listening to construction workers through a wall all day, and no one to enjoy the 20 times I so want to say, "That's what she said."  It never ends.  Hilarity wasted is so frustrating.

4.  You know what's not frustrating?  Having someone who you have been stalking for months and months, because you are just in awe of the choices she's made and the way she lives and the way she writes, actually take the time to come read your own blog and like the post and leave a comment saying so.  Go visit Becca and read through some of her posts.  Remarkable family.

Can't tell you how disconcerted I am that I get this excited over comments on my blog. 

And on to other things.

5.  Like soccer.  Soccer season still isn't over.  In years past it would be over by now, but for some reason each year it goes longer and longer.  To all coaches and soccer organizers, there is a reason soccer is supposed to be done by the end of October.  November is cold.  And miserable.  Sleet and wind are not exactly pleasant conditions for a soccer game.  Enough already! 

Poncho, trash bag, or death trap?  You decide.  Regardless, no 4 year old should have to endure it.

6.  This past weekend was one of those sleety, windy, cold, miserable November weekends, and two of the kids were in a soccer tournament.  At the start of the second half, Star was in the goal and looking a tad miserable.  To get his mind off of it before the game restarted, I yelled out to him, "There's my keeper!"  As expected, he totally tried to ignore me.  He just kept looking straight ahead, getting into his keeper stance, but I knew he heard me.  So, I yelled again, "I know you heard me and are trying not to smile.  That's OK.  Play hard out there!"  And that's when he grinned.  Gotcha.

Tweens are no fun.  After the game, I asked if he minded that I was yelling to him like that.  He replied, "It was funny, but don't do it again."  Lucky for him, that game was the end of his season.

7.  I have a new BFF.  She used to be Buttercup's BFF.  Now she's mine.  I stole her with my Instagram.  Remember I told you I started an account last week or so?  I have one follower.  A 12 year old girl.  And I love her for it.  She is also a long-time reader of the blog, so I know she is going to be thrilled to be getting her own little bullet point. 

8.  Here in the country, we don't have five o'clock traffic.  We have traffic, but just of a different variety.  And when you are running late for church, it is just as frustrating as rush hour on a Friday.  Yesterday, we were anxiously driving just a touch over the speed limit when this cut me off:


Apparently, in order to keep those tree limbs from sliding off the back of the truck and under my van, the truck driver thought that an annoying 10 mph below the speed limit was his limit.  And then, because God must have wanted to teach me a lesson about patience yesterday,  a mile up the road our little line got longer and even slower.


20 mph in a 55 mph speed zone, with an unending line of cars coming from the other direction to prevent me from passing.

We were late for church. 

9.  In other not-so-amazing-but-somewhat-frustrating-yet-funny news, I gave each of the big kids a small cleaning chore to do yesterday afternoon.  Giant got to vacuum the dining room.  Cuckoo chose to "help" with his little pretend vacuum.  When the room was done, Cuckoo came running to me to say, "The whole house needs bacuumed!  I'm goin to bacuum de whole house!"  I told him to go for it, until I saw how he bacuums.  While I am thrilled that he has learned to vacuum under and behind furniture, I'm frustrated that he thinks he is to get everything out from under the furniture and throw it around the room he is vacuuming. 



Dude, that vacuum doesn't actually suck anything up, so quit unearthing my well-hidden stash of clutter in order to vacuum.

10.  And lastly, I leave you with a clip.  Last week, as Hubby and I were watching for news of the Frankenstorm, we stumbled upon NYC's Mayor Bloomberg giving a speech to alert the city of what they should be doing.  I didn't hear a single word that he said, as I was too distracted by his ASL interpreter.  I honestly asked Hubby if we were watching Saturday Night Live by mistake.  Take a look by clicking here.

It's the first time I've ever been in the know about something before it goes viral.  After that update, debates have been raging.   Some people laughing, others getting offended.  I have to admit that I was in the laughing category.   This woman was supposed to be translating important information about a major storm bearing down on the city.  If everyone, including those who don't know a lick of sign language, are watching her instead of listening to the mayor, his message isn't being heard.  Should ASL interpreters show emotion?  Of course.  But the emotion should be appropriate to the situation.  Dry was appropriate for the situation.  Her emotion was far from dry. 

So I laughed.  Because it was funny.

And there you have my 10 Not So Amazing Memories From the Not So Distant Past.

Go check out some other lists to actually read amazing memories.  Perhaps Ducky's, the person who came up with this week's topic in the first place?

Have a lovely day!

39 comments:

  1. That's what she/he said is one of my FAVORITE things to say. It never gets old...but to have all your cleverness go unrecognized just stinks!

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    1. It does stink! I'll just think of you every time I think it now. Just randomly laugh all day thinking of me saying it.

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  2. When my youngest son was in 4th grade, I was a bit surprised that no last initials were needed to distinguish one child from another. However, the two children with the most similar names were "Unique" and "Imunique" (pronounced, "I'm unique") That always made me laugh. Still does.

    I agree with you that Molleigh is in for a lifetime of explaining.

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  3. Well, I'm with you on the small town traffic jam. I've tweeted my share of tractors backing up traffic. And that is the worst with fall soccer. It starts out so beautiful, hot even and always has a few bitter games by season end.

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    1. So many tractors. I usually don't mind. Mostly just when we're running late for church. Soccer does start out in the super hot summer, but doesn't end until almost winter. When the sport season is longer than the natural season, it's getting too long. Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. I LOVE you photos and all of the hilarious things you say about living in the country (oh, how I can relate!). I laughed out loud at the tree limb escapade! Thanks for making my Monday a happier one!!

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    1. Hahaha! I thought you'd be happy :) See you on the Instagram!

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  6. I feel like a slacker; I had such a high maintenance day of mommying that I missed the Listicles. I enjoyed yours, though! I am with you on the daylight savings- what a terrible idea! I am just as out of sorts as my kids are. And I too find it disconcerting that I relish my comments so much! ;)
    Great job!

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    1. Thanks! Those kids can be so greedy, needing this, that, and everything, not giving us a moment to simply write a post. No one said you can't do the listicles another day if you want. Plenty of people don't get theirs linked until Tuesday or Wednesday.

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  7. OK, it coudl be the caffeine, but my attention span didn't allow me to get past #1 because I have that pet peeve as one of my top 5 and being a teacher, I've seen it all. Except Molleigh. I really have never seen that one. Before I became a teacher, I was determined to do just what we hate- give a kid a popular name with a really unique spelling or give them a made up wild ass name that no one in their right mind would have. Now that I've taught my share of Shaqniua (spelled several ways), Levaante, Kate spelled any way you could ever dream, Jaylin (mom and dad's names combined- gag), Kara (pronouned cahhhhhhra or you will be depised for eternity) I think I'll just stick with Ann, John, Mary, Jack.

    You know, Ahn, Geon, Mayreee and Jaq. Just to be "clever".

    The thing I feel bad about, like yuo, is that the kid now has been set up to spend all of eternity defending their name and dealing with the moral dilemma of giving in to people spelling it wrong or standing up for what it right with their name. It's a serious problem, in my opinion because your name has a to do with your identity and self esteem!!

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    1. It seems that teachers' kids always have the most normal, easy names on the planet. Although, it is hard to name your own child after you've taught. So many names have to be rejected because of things like I had a kid with that name and he picked his nose every single day of the school year.

      I wonder how many kids will decide to just go with the normal spelling once they are older.

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  8. I had not heard about the ASL interpreter but in looking at it, she is highly distracting for a number of reasons. I don't know mcuh ASL but I could swear she is just making up some of that stuff. And the facial expressions dont' match what the mayor is saying. And I think her twising back and forth might be distracted me the most. And she kept looking down like she was waiting for her next entrance. I'm sure the humor media has had a field day with that.

    And I agree, tweens are not fun and I deal with them day in and day out. 150 of them. Well, sometimes they are fun. BUt then by the next day, they aren't fun anymore and forget what was funny the day before.

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    1. I still giggle when I think of that interpreter.

      I taught fifth grade for a couple years, and at first I was nervous about it. Once in there, though, I love teaching that age. They can be so much fun, until they are so very not.

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  9. Okay.... where is MY bullet point!? I love living in a small town.. especially when I have to go to the "big city" to work. If I am actually on time, invariably someone says "Oh, you didn't get behind any farm equipment today?" LOL. And, I probably shouldn't tell you Mo's middle name is Ashleigh, huh?

    Julia
    www.momontherunx2.net

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    1. I knew someone was going to have a child with a name spelled differently. Luckily, my pet peeve does not apply to middle names. I never have to ask a child how to spell her middle name. You're clear. :)

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  10. These are great :) I can sympathize with country living... good excuses though for being late to church! "Sorry Father M, there was this guy in a tractor going really slow and another guy with a truck and then you know, there was this line... and maybe even a school bus up ahead! Yeah! A school bus!" as you slink into your seat... I've never had to use such a line of course, just dramatizing. ANYway, also totally get the frigid soccer thing too- thankfully we JUST wrapped up! Brrr! Adorable bacuumer. :) Is he for hire?

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    1. Ha! As we were following the truck and tractor, one of the kids said, "I know it's Sunday, but I'm thinking we're going to get stopped by a bus letting kids off any minute now."

      One more week of soccer. I think the weather is supposed to be better at least. I am not good with cold. Bring on the nice, warm, indoor basketball.

      I do love my bacuumer. I wouldn't hire him, though. He's not very good at it :)

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  11. You know, I didn't think that small towns ever got traffic. That must've been a real inconvenience to get stuck behind all that slowness. Anyway, did ya develop some patience? ;-)

    And your little boy vacuuming is just the cutest thing ever. Of course, you have to clean after he cleans, but hey, his future wife will thank you for starting his training early! :-D

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    1. I plan for those tractors during harvest, but that was over a while ago. This situation got me annoyed. I just kept chanting, "Getting angry won't make us go faster." I almost worked.
      Funny you should say that about his future wife. I frequently have future spouses in mind when I teach the boys new things. I am going to be the most favorite mother-in-law ever. No joke.
      Thanks for stopping by!

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  12. Love the traffic photos! I laughed out loud! So true. And did you happen to see the SNL spoof on the translators? Oh my word, I was ROLLING! If you didn't, you can (and must)see it on youtube here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZukEEqnCcE
    There is an instance or two of inappropriate language, I think in the second part where Christy comes on, so be warned. But with our east coast background, I can't even begin to tell you how close to accurate the depiction of attitude and expression come. It will have you laughing till the tears roll.

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    1. As soon as I saw her, I knew comedians would have a field day with it. I haven't seen any of them yet, thought. I'll head over to the link.

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  13. #2 and 3 made me laugh! And I know all too well about #8. Looks like you were really stuck back there!

    Thanks for visiting my blog today :)

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    1. Yes, I was very badly stuck. Ah well, won't be the last time!

      I enjoyed the visit!

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  14. Great list! We often get stuck behind tractors and trucks like that. Or people just driving slow because its raining... in Washington... Ugh! Off to find you on instagram now!

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    1. Rain doesn't usually slow people down here in Indiana. Actually, I think they go faster, thinking the police won't want to pull them over and get wet.

      Ooh, you instagram! Woohoo! I have no idea how to find people.

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  15. Sports are supposed to be fun, not torture, so I don't understand why they insist of playing in such awful weather.
    Sharing your disapproval of invented spelling.
    The interpreter made me laugh, too;)

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    1. Exactly! Sleet is not fun. Plus, guess who came home from school and went straight to bed and missed school on Tuesday. Yeah, my poor little goalie.

      Glad I wasn't the only one who found the interpreter situation funny. I'd really feel like a heel if I was the only one.

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  16. Your list was great! I hear you on the soccer. In November? WHO CARES?

    And I feel you on the traffic. You made me laugh out loud because I was late to pick up the kids from school because I got behind THREE farm tractors spaced a couple of miles apart. It was like being in a ring of hell. I would finally pass one and another one would spring up to take its place. Ellen

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    1. Our family loves soccer, and even we are completely ready to let it end.

      A ring of hell... that's what it is!

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  17. I used to live in a small farm town in Ohio and I would get so frustrated when I was late for work because I got stuck behind an Amish buggy. Ugh!

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    1. Where in Ohio? We lived near Amish country, but not so close to get behind buggies on a regular basis. On the rare times that I did, it was a novelty and not annoying at all. I imagine if it happened as often as I get stuck behind tractors, I'd be quite perturbed.

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  18. Can you post the good nature pictures I took in Atlanta? then my life would be complete too. :)

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    1. Awww. She got a bullet point, but you have ME. Your life was complete the day you were born! Love you lots! :)

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  19. Glad you got it off your chest my friend. I am with you on the names! And soccer! And traffic! And... I am with you all the way. Hope this week was full of unicorns and rainbows. Or at least chocolate ;)

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Thank you for taking the time to tell me what you're thinking!