Its Not You, Its Me

I never, ever, ever, ever thought I would be a blogger who would "take a break". And then yesterday it just happened...I meant to get PYKM up early in the wee hours while the kids were still sleeping but I decided to do one of Bex's tricks and reward myself with blogging after I unloaded the dishwasher. And I felt so good when the dishwasher was unloaded at 7:00am that I decided to do a few other little things around the house. And then the kids got up. And did I mention Hot Jeff took the day off? And I found it was like almost 3:00 BEFORE I EVEN TURNED THE COMPUTER ON and I was simply amazed at how much I had gotten done.

It was like those people who say the computer is a time sucker were right all along.

One thing the Shrink and I talked about last week were rewards. I told her about Bex's genius little concept and she told me she thinks I don't operate very well without structure and being a SAHM is the epitome of no structure. So I bought myself a day planner with the hours built in and I have started scheduling things like time with Jesus, laundry, dishes, exercise, playdates, drinking margaritas at the pool with Shannon, blogging, Facebook, etc. Anything that has to do with the internet is a reward and I am only going to do it if I feel the kids, the house, dinner plans, etc are in a place where I can take a break. Trust me, I'm not becoming some rigid neat-nick or anything (haha, I shutter at the thought) but just trying to add some balance and hygiene.

I AM NOT STOPPING BLOGGING. I WILL STILL BLOG. THIS BLOG IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL. I am however, going to take the rest of this week off. And that surprises me because I have 2 posts waiting in the wings to be posted. They just need to be edited. And one is funny too (my favorite!). Please still come by and read some of the archives--that's what Fan Favorite Christene does. Some of my favorites are here, here, and here.

I do just need to take one week and focus on my home and family and making some healthy choices regarding them and my lifestyle. Check back this week because I may surprise you and me with a post but don't have any expectations until Monday when PYKM resumes. Also, if I post something I'll throw an update on FB so you don't miss it. OR you cold become a follower and never miss a post! Hooie!

Ok, I'll catch you next Monday! In the meantime, enjoy the archives (feel free to leave me a comment of what your favorite posts are) and tell me what your time suckers are and how you avoid them.

Shiny, Happy People

This morning I get to go see my Shrink. I am so excited. It has been way too long. Way TOO long.

I've noticed since I started having Shrink Tuesdays that if I go too long in between visits I get all crazy inside. Its kind of like when you go past your 6 month dental cleaning and your teeth start feeling all gunky and gross. When I haven't sat on the couch for a while I feel all fuzzy and looney in my head.

I have all sorts of Besties, not to mention Hot Jeff and my Mom, to talk my crazy out with but there is something about a paid professional to make you feel really validated. Plus, she's got a good 30 years on me unlike my Besties who are just as nuts as I am in the same stage as life as me.

For too long I've thought that everyone could benefit from a Shrink Tuesday and that prozac should be put in the water like fluoride. I should run for mayor and have that statement be my campaign slogan.

Free Therapy

It is good to be you.

About 3 years or so ago my dear friends went to marital counseling. They had been married for about 5 years and needed some maintenance; a 60,000 mile tune-up of sorts. For anonymity I will call them Brew and Frannon.

Hot Jeff and I loved Thursday afternoons when Frannon would call and tell me all about her session with the doc and what her and Brew's homework for the week was. I would relay the information to Hot Jeff and bam, Bob's your uncle we had some free marital counseling. Without the couch. Without the dimmed lighting.

As The Shrink and I were talking today and I was having a big breakthrough (that's shrink talk) I was thinking, "I can't wait to tell the internet about this" I'm under the belief that we could all use a little therapy and that anti-depressants should be added to the water just like fluoride. And as you saw yesterday, when I get really excited about something I just assume you'll be excited too and that it will equally rock your world. Please don't ever tell me different, it will burst my bubble and I already have enough to discuss with The Shrink that I will be in therapy for like the better portion of the REST OF MY LIFE. My co-pay is $31.50 a visit. So I figure if I see The Shrink twice a month for the next 40 years that will be roughly $30,000 in co-pays I will have paid. I would just like to take a minute and thank my Dad for that.

So anyway, back to your free therapy. Turns out I have a low self-esteem. I took a quiz in The Shrink's office (sorta like those teeny-bopper quizzes I took in high school that told me if I should break up with my boyfriend or not but different) and I scored really high in the "Extremely Low Self-Esteem" category. I made myself feel better about his by exclaiming "well at least I got the highest of scores". My Mom said she was surprised at this because I seem confident. I would agree, I am pretty self-assured but apparently things like being a people pleaser, making decisions based on what others will think of me, etc. qualifies you as a person with low self-esteem.

Its important here to interject that your free therapy will, by nature, be a really crappy, watered down version of what I'm getting. Sorry about that. If you would like $30,000 in co-pays over the next 40 years then I'll give you The Shrink's phone number and you can get good therapy. Until then, no complaining on the free-but-kind-of-crappy-therapy you get second hand from me. Ok?

The book The Shrink suggested I begin working through is very cleverly called, Breaking the Chain of Low Self-Esteem. I had it over-nighted to me. It will be here on Wednesday and I firmly expect to be a brand new person by Friday morning.

Oh one more thing: The Shrink thinks my expectations are too high.