My Real Life

Today, I’m thinking a lot of things.

So, bear with me as I follow my stream of consciousness.

1.  We used Redbox for the first time on Saturday night.  Loved it.  It was SO easy. I see a lot more Redbox movie rentals in my future.

2.  I’m so very, very grateful for modern medicine.  I spent some time at Lehigh Valley Hospital with my good friend, Jean, on Saturday.  She had a really bad skiing accident a few weeks ago.  She fractured 7 ribs, punctured her lung, lacerated her spleen and did something to the small bones in her lower back.  Had she hit the tree a fraction of an inch one way or the other or had she not been wearing a helmet…  I don’t even like to think about it.  She was released two weeks ago, went home, but then was readmitted this week for fluid in her lungs.  She’s having surgery on Monday and will be there a few more days before she is released.  I keep thinking about her, though, and thinking about how ridiculously lucky she is to live now, as opposed to 100 years ago.  Granted, she probably wouldn’t have been skiing 100 years ago, but maybe.  I don’t know the history of skiing, being that I’m not a skier and could really care less about its history.

But, I digress.

100 years ago they probably wouldn’t have been able to patch her up like they did the first time, and wouldn’t have caught the fluid in her lungs the second time and again…I don’t even like to consider the outcome.  She’s my friend, I love her, and I’m just so damn grateful for all of the things that made this not as bad as it could have been…modern medicine at the top of the list.

3.  I wish I had a little satellite radio implant in my head and I could just walk around with it playing in my mind all the time.  Maybe I could twitch my nose to change stations or something.  I drove Real Man’s Jeep out to Pennsylvania, to the hospital, and listened to his satellite radio on the way out and on the way back.  80’s and 90’s music I haven’t heard in years, comedy shows, a little news, even a channel where they read books to you while you listen.  Awesome.

4.  While listening to satellite radio, there were many, many Bon Jovi songs played.  I think it would be interesting to have a conversation with someone made up, entirely, of Bon Jovi lyrics.  Something like, “Shot through the heart and you’re to blame, as my broken heart lies bleeding, you say true love is suicide.”  See that?  Two different songs, but put them together and they sort of make sense.  Of course, someone would have actually have had to have shot you for it to work, but you get it.  Right?  Or, like, you could call someone and leave a message that was all Bon Jovi lyrics.  Or, you could walk up to someone in a store and start talking in Bon Jovi lyrics.  There are certainly enough of them to carry an entire phone message, conversation, or even short story.  Hmmm…maybe in my free time.

5.  Saw Crazy, Stupid, Love with Real Man on Saturday night.  Ryan Gosling.  Mmmm.

6.  I love soda. Seriously.  Love it.  However, I made the switch from regular Coke to Diet Coke a few months ago and I realized how much I hate Diet Coke, but I just can’t have the sugar.  I’ve been working really, really hard to eliminate all sugar.   Then, I started reading articles on Diet Coke and how bad it is for you.  So, I cut that out, too, and have been only drinking water, and in two weeks, I’ve lost two pounds.  Soda.  It’s the devil.

7.  Kim has started a blog, chronicling her efforts to workout every day for the 30 days leading up to our big girls trip to celebrate our major birthdays this year.  It keeps her accountable and I’m really proud of her.  She’s pretty awesome.  Check her out.

8.  Tiny is starting to stand on his own for a few seconds at a time.  Real Man reminded me that either he starts walking in the next few weeks or he’ll be the child of ours who walks the latest.  I know you can’t compare your kids, but let’s face it, we all do it.  Maybe not with the big stuff, but with things like walking and talking.  It’s hard not to say to yourself, “This one walked at this age, that one walked at that age,” and then when one doesn’t to think, “Hmmm…what’s wrong?”  However, there are so many factors in there, like, the youngest child doesn’t have to walk because his siblings bring him all of his toys, and there is no reason for him to talk because they have figured out his baby noises and give him everything he wants when he simply grunts for it.  However, Tiny may not be walking, but he is talking up a storm.  He’s got all our names, except for Monkey in the Middle (who, I should let you know is not actually named “Monkey in the Middle”, so it’s not like I expect him to say THAT).  He’s got “nana” for his banana, “Mo!” when he wants more of something, the names of almost everyone who lives with his babysitter, and of course, her name, he’s got “No!” down pat, and, as we’ve discussed before “Who dat?” and “Whas dat?”  He’s working on some others, and they’ll come soon, I’m sure.    It’s amazing to watch it all develop and it’s so interesting how it all happens in spurts.  A few weeks, status quo, then one week when they get five new words and start standing on their own.

Okay, that went a little off track.  Hence the term, “stream of consciousness.”

9.  I love Old Navy.  I’ve never been in there when I haven’t been able to find something I want to buy.  And Monkey Girl loves it, too.  And maybe that’s part of why I love it.  Because we can go together and have some girl time.  And I hate shopping.  With a passion.  But I love shopping with Monkey Girl.

10.  I have a lot of kids.  We were at the mall today and were all walking together and all I could think was, “Wow. I have a lot of kids.”

That’s it.