Yay Keyboard power!

This post isn't likely to have much depth to it. I made advent calendars for MJ and Hubby this year. The suckers took me all night to make, and they're not quite MJ-proof yet. I'm still waiting for her to come in '.....It broke, Can I have a new one?' and I'll have to tell her there's no replacing it, because my brain was fried by the end of the making, and I don't remember half the shit I wrote, only that I tried very hard to be sweet and loving and not 'Get off your ass and do jumping jacks for 20 minutes, and then I'll give you a prize.' We just watched Don't Breathe, and I have to say, by the end of the movie, I hated the female lead, and hoped she would be kidnapped and raped. Don't get it? You gotta see it to believe it. Otherwise, I do recommend the movie, it was well done, and you don't feel the movie is too unrealistic, and there's a hell of a lot of 'Oh shit' moments. I have a cold sore on my mouth again. It only happens when my immune system drops a significant amount. I've been fighting off viruses for three weeks, and yesterday I fell at the end of my interview/lesson, and hurt my ankle and wrist. I'm actually not going to type too much more, because it's straining my wrist. Hubby is reading Angel Densetsu (I told him to), and he's loving it. I think it's a great story, and I'm glad he likes it. Everyone should read it. There's been a lot of songs coming out lately that I think are catchy and nice, though Maroon 5's don't want to know is absolutely hated by Hubby. It's pretty funny, really. Work is going okay, though I'm conflicted about whether I should ask to have my hours shortened until my ankle heals or not. I've begun tutoring ESL with Japanese immigrants who are usually here for their husband/father's work transfers. My Japanese is so rusty!! Ok, wrist is hurting, stopping now. Sorry loves! I really like this one song:

Mjs getting an assessment right now

Some things have come to light that I didn't know, such as her scratching herself with a sharp pencil 'to make the pain go away for a few seconds' because she doesn't like being left out from her friends. I guess they don't realize how easily I can hear them, as they're not moderating their voices at all. I'd feel guilty but I feel I should know what's bothering her. She's back to saying how she doesn't trust anyone, and doesn't tell us things because we're only going to punish her. For the most part, we've moved away from punishments, so I'm a little confused how she can say we're just gonna punish her. I'm seriously thinkning we should get a fidget cube for MJ, as she couldn't stop messing with things while she was sitting at the table.

Facebook, and how it keeps us connected

I've heard a lot of bad about FB, and I also have some complaints about it, but I also think its a very useful tool. Perfect example is this flooding. As soon as people are able to get online, they logged into fb and confirmed they were safe. When I have photos to share with family of our child, I post it to our family's group to keep it private. Of COURSE my sisters don't respect that though, and they post my photos all over the internet when the whim strikes them. They're especially fond of saying ''Look at my cute niece!/daughter!" That pisses me off to no end, which is why I very rarely post photos now. If I wanted everyone's friends to see them, I wouldn't have posted them in the family group. Anyway! It's very helpful though, in that I didn't really even have a face to put with the name of a cousin of mine, and we're now fb friends. This has really helped me to get to know her, and for the most part, I like what I know now. That's kinda rare with any cousins I know. Actually I have two cousins pending because I refuse to friend them again. They had their chance and blew it. Something I really don't like though, is the ads that are now showing up on my feed all the time. I don't always realize it's an ad until I get to the page and it looks like a scam, or I get inundated with emails about stuff I only took out of curiosity. I also don't like the Friend Trolls that scan your page, and complain about what they see. There's an easy option of 'Hiding' me for a while if it gets too much and you want a break. I don't want to hear how it's a waste of your feed space to have a picture with just text. That's exactly what the hell a status message is, it just takes up a little more room. If you need a background of an unrelated flower to confirm to yourself that it's worth reading the message I posted because I found it interesting, you need to go for a walk outside, and appreciate life instead. Hubby says I could just unfriend them, but that feels like losing for one thing, and running away from a challenge for another. Hubby took a shot at shooting down the troll once, and argued back and forth with him about THE PICTURE for far longer than the Troll was worth spending time on. If they really piss me off, I'll just delete their message. Maybe they'll get pissed in return and unfriend me. Sounds like a winning strategy to me! I like being able to watch videos without clicking on them, but it does it silently that way, so I appreciate subtitles even more now. I don't like when the video buffers a lot while I'm basically just mildly curious, so if it takes too long, I'm skipping it. And now, for a long awaited quote: "I prefer the term 'Trumpkin' thank you very much."

I'm an adult! Hear me roar!

TJ came to visit us today. We haven't seen each other in years, and his voice has gotten deeper and softer, so he has to be fairly close to hear him speak. But he's still just as engaging and ready to help as ever, and his sense of humor is still similar to mine, which is a relief, because Hubby and MJ don't share my humor much. Originally I thought he was coming at 3, but Hubby needed more time at his experiment before he could go to lunch with me, so I pushed TJ back to 4, then he texted and said he'd be about 4:30. Turns out he didn't anticipate traffic, so he didn't show until after 5, and while I was waiting for him to get here, I did nervous cleaning, including putting up the Halloween Door Cover I bought, putting a plastic cover on the table in the back porch (no chairs yet, except one I bought for Mummsy who didn't show), stacking boxes, sweeping the front porch, putting out the recycling, and clearing up all the stuff that's been set on my desk. I also had time to put Maya's cat collar (flea and tick protection yay!) on her, and give her a catnip toy for my amusement. While I waited I was thinking with amusement about our nosy neighbors, and how they always have their blinds open, their little boy is staring out the window, and they seem to watch our house whenever we leave or come home. I imagined them having a heart attack seeing me invite an unknown man into the house while my husband isn't home, and entertained the idea they would automatically assume I was having an affair. Realistically though, Hubby was home within 20 minutes of TJ getting here, and I don't know about you, but I would be PISSED if my sex time was limited to 20 minutes of fun, plus shower (shower obviously needed). So I don't think they would think of that. Oh well, it was amusing to imagine what they would do. We made chicken curry for dinner, and of course TJ joined us. I felt bad about making him help us cook, but he says he's been cooking a lot lately, and offered to help. So I put him and Hubby to work in the kitchen with me, and the cooking went by a lot faster because of the entertaining conversation. MJ is intimidated by TJ, but also I think, a little attracted, because she tried hard to impress him during the conversations, and I think it's funny. At one point we were talking about farts, and I mentioned hers, and she shot me such a look that I nearly laughed out loud. She's fun to tease. I ended up showing TJ my Sailor Moon Drops game on my phone, because it's addicting and I wanted to whine about how Hubby (who even now could be on my computer, but has instead chosen to play on my phone) keeps stealing my phone to play it, and draining the battery so it has to be charged every day. I changed the blanket in our bedroom with Hubby's help because he stole the blankets last night, and I genuinely didn't get warm until he got up for work because of it. Now we have a warm, King sized fluffy duvet covering our bed, and I'm surprised by how pretty it looks and how it matches the walls (this is an old blanket we haven't used since TX because it's so thick and warm and we just didn't need it last year). I think that's it for now. Thanks for reading!

After the flood

Good evening Everyone, Welcome to a new episode of 'Talk loudly outside the restroom about Runa using it to stress her out!' In this episode, we face talk of needing to brush teeth, wanting to go to bed, and some mumbled nonsense that is supposedly important for Runa to know. When? Of course, only when she's in the bathroom!On a serious note, I recognize we're the only parents of the group right now. I realize it obviously can be tiresome to read about our hellion and her antics. I do try to think of other topics to talk about, and actually come up with some fairly philosophical ideas, but generally have two reasons not to post them: 1. My computer keyboard isn't working, so I need Hubby's whenever I want to post, and 2. I rarely get comments on my posts, and even more rarely do they address any questions I ask, so I end up feeling frustrated and my serious queries ignored.If you would like an example of things I've been thinking heavily on lately: 1. The racism and hopefully anti-LGBT mindset that is currently tearing at our country are very much temporary. 2. Social development is essential, but does it harm a child more to raise them in approving isolation with few associates, or to send them to a large pool of various beliefs and risk not only public ridicule but possible bullying development in themselves and others. 3. Where does the bullying mindset come from? Is it something we need to stamp out of children, or is it something to be redirected into more positive uses? 4. How does the mental and psychological health of a person show in the body, and can you use that to provide mental and physical therapy at the same time, or would it be counter-productive? 5. How do I get in touch with a psychologist that could pursue future research into the effects of massage on the mental and psychological self with me?These are thoughts that I have been thinking of for weeks, and I feel mentally stopped up because I can't type them out. It requires taking my poor Hubby's computer, and that makes me feel really guilty. Which isn't very conducive to good writing in the first place, but I also feel these serious topics that I genuinely want to have discussions regarding will either be ignored, or given a sweet message/comment showing it was read, but not providing the reader's thoughts to help me further develop my own. Those discussions were what I thought blogging was about, in the beginning. Well, that and basically creating a public diary. It's why I named my blog 'Epiphanies and Quotes'. I haven't done much quoting lately, but I do try to tell about my epiphanies before I lose them. 

When your sleep schedule is dictated by headaches, you know it's a bad day.

Yesterday was a very bad day. It was good in that it wasn't too stressful, but it was bad because I didn't feel good, cut my finger up, and my throat and head ended up hurting far more than I was prepared for. I ended up sleeping an additional five hours in the afternoon, causing my sleep schedule to fall back into the category of 'FUBAR'. I had to call out of work, Hubby had to make dinner, I had to pick up the childling from school (she was 'sick' too), and I had to listen to the neighbors across the street arguing for a while over stupid shit.

Honestly I'm just blogging because I feel guilty that Hubby has blogged three times since my last post. He has me beat.... for now. Mwahahahahahaha.

Lately I've been considering our finances, especially in light of my sisters' requests for money over the last couple of months. I spoke with Jail!Sis, and she knows her 'box of goodies' is her Christmas. Honestly, maybe I should feel more generous towards her, but jail is supposed to be a punishment, and giving her things/money to buy non-essentials strikes me as counter productive. But my other sis and mom are super sympathetic, and say how bad jail is, and I'm just following their lead here, because they would certainly know better than I.

When we were talking last night, she offhandedly mentioned how some girls there cut each other and then drink the blood. It was part of a conversation about my cut finger and MJ nearly using bloody water to make her soup yesterday. She didn't want to get into it, but that was the first comment she's made in a while that actually made me pause and really think 'Oh yeah, jail is for the fucked up or fucked over.' Her current 'release date' is April 8th. She's supposed to take time off her sentence by getting her GED, and by working while she's in there, so it's not a firm release date, but it's a good estimate for now. Also, I accidentally hung up on her when I tried to hold the phone to my ear with my shoulder. Apparently smart phones don't like that. It wasn't like I could call her back, either.

I need to pick up MJ's immunization records and submit them to her school, and get a haircut. I also need a new pedicure. I've been limping since the family went to the museum of life and science (yes, where our prom was) on Sunday. Near the end of it, I realized I could play Pokemon Go there, and caught a couple new pokemon, earned some eggs, and got some pokeballs, but I wish I'd remembered to play it sooner, because we walked all over the damn place, and there were tons of things to hit and find. I caught an Eevee!!! That was singularly exciting.

I've been hearing things lately. I'm sitting here new, hearing phantom alarm clocks going off, and I know it's not real because it got quieter. When I'm going to bed I often hear music under the sound of the fan, and it drives me bonkers. Last night that song 'Starving' was stuck in my head ALL NIGHT AND DAY and now I officially hate it.

The Asian Store near my house has a lot of stuff that I hadn't realized it had before (aisles I'd never gone down- This is why you should at least go down each aisle once when getting acquainted with a new place), and I now like it a ridiculous amount more than I did before. Yay for YuzuLemon Drinks! They give me the Vitamin C without the burn!

Anyway. It's been nice, but MJ's off to school now, so I'm gonna take a shower and head to bed. I really need to get my hair cut. It's getting to the point of making me murderous. Love ya!

Whatever shall I do?

I have a short list of things that need to be completed as soon as possible, like changing the oil, putting together the futon, getting to sleep at a decent hour (not happening), applying to jobs, and getting my foot fixed ASAP so it doesn't hurt to stand, walk, lay, and touch it anymore. I'm pretty sure I'm just gonna tell the doctor (whenever I get in to see them) to lazer the fuck out of it and get it over with.

With that update out of the way, I've had a few things on my mind to post about lately. None of them are coming to mind now though, so I'm screwed. Hubby got Netflix activated for a 'trial' and included DVD rentals, so I rented Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (I really liked it). I hope we watch it tomorrow, though we're putting together the futon and going bowling with some of Mia's friends in the evening so.... May not have time.

Something of note: My keyboard has been 'losing connection' with my tablet, making typing a huge pain the crotch area, so if my comments are infrequent, it's not because I don't read or think, it's because it's not worth the irritation typing is becoming.

I have also accepted another shift during the week for the foreseeable future (or until I get a job that interferes with it). Unfortunate consequence is that my left wrist hurts and itches like a bitch and I can't make it stop. Fortunate consequence is good tippers, more frequent customers, and as always $$$$.

I've been making an effort to cook dinner more, and I genuinely think it helps that MJ doesn't complain as much about how gross the food I make is, and that she's out of the house for long enough that I'm not exhausted by her mere existence by dinnertime anymore.

Speaking of being out of the house, she had her first week of school this past week. She's already found a guy to like, let her friends confess to him, and written him love notes. Theoretically, he likes her back. Also, she says she's popular, and she's surprised enough by it that I believe her. She's also been diligently doing her violin practice, which impresses me, and proves just how much she must have hated my flute, as getting her to practice that was ridiculous on many levels, whereas she's happy to practice this one. She says she likes the school a lot more, and that there's a lot more diversity at this school, which relieves her.

The school looks and sounds like my middle school, so I'm glad and relieved that she fits in so easily. I hope it stays this way, and that we can stay right here for at least the next two years if not longer. Looking up the diversity stats between LG (her previous) and B (her new), LG had a 93% minority rating ( 69% Black) versus B's rating of 76% minority (with 49% Black) really is quite a difference. I don't like that she had trouble fitting into a primarily Black school (as I feel race shouldn't matter besides the level of SPF you need), but that this school makes her happier can't be denied. She's making her own lunches (I check them periodically), getting up by herself, making it to the bus, remembering her key, and basically doing none of the delaying tactics she employed at the other school.

There's been a lot of new music out lately that I find myself liking, so I'll post a few videos.





I really like this one: