Today

I’m cleaning. Tomorrow I will pack. A sippy cup lid fell off the top rack of the dishwasher and stuck to the heating element. Our house is fragrant with the aroma of melted plastic, so I opened the windows to let in the hot air from outdoors and I needed to take a break.

Last time I was on line I spent 45 minutes deleting old email to get my available space in better shape to be used for new messages. I think I got it down to 62% and I was so proud. Today I see that they have expanded the service for free and after all that time spent, I am now using 4% of my available space. So, email me! jenijen_s (at) yahoo (dot) com.

I bought some paper towels on sale the other day, trying to be frugal and what not. They have inspirational sayings on them. The current roll says, “I cannot change which direction the wind blows, but I can adjust my sail to get where I want to go.” Another says, “With every rising of the sun, think of your life as just begun.” So, as I wipe up puke or food that was chewed and spit out, pizza sauce, watermelon juice, pee or curdled milk off the floor, I take a moment to reflect on the position of my own sails and I ponder WHY THE FUCK MY KIDS SPILL EVERYTHING THEY TOUCH. Kinda brings a tear to the eye.

Often, like now, when I have a lot to do, my brain gets all buzzy with stuff I need to do and remember to do later. For instance, I need to remember to pack the ball with all the holes in it for Willow to play with on the airplane, but first I need to tie a shoe lace to it so I won’t have to say to my fellow airline passengers, “Please excuse me while I bend over and grab this ball out from under your feet, again, really, I will try harder not to let her throw it there again. I’m so so sorry, I know you’re trying to sleep. Really, I’m sorry, here, have my wallet for your trouble.” When my brain gets all buzzy I get sort of claustrophobic and so I try to find other ways to engage my mind and keep myself sane. Usually, I do the six degrees of seperation thing. You know the game. Like this: my dad’s old girlfriend worked with Bill Clinton back in the late seventies. By extention, I am connected to Clinton and all the people he knows. Or, I know the songwriter (not the singer) for $mashmouth. By extention, I know all sorts of rock stars. I even know one of the more well-known people from $urvivor, (he shares a name with my oldest child), so I totally am only one person away from whoever was on that show with him. I never watched it myself. Anyway, I am stumped by one part of this game. Do you have to know the people in real life, or does on line count? For example, I correspond with Elayne occasionally, and while I’ve never met her, I read about her life nearly everyday and she is my friend. Does that mean we count as links for each other? If we do, then would I count say, Mimi Smartypants, whose diary I also read and with whom I’ve also exchanged email (but only two or three times) even though I doubt she knows who I am? I need some clear cut rules. Oh, my old friend Gordon is an actor and did a scene with Robert DiNero. I am so in with the hollywood crowd. And Kevin Bacon?? I think I have him in only two moves. A doctor I worked for awhile back has an apartment in San Francisco where the movie 9 Months was filmed. He and his wife met Tom Arnold at their house once and don’t you just imagine that Tom Arnold and Kevin Bacon know each other? Maybe not like, but at least know.

I should scrape plastic off the inside of the diswasher.

1 thought on “Today

  1. Rachael

    LOL, sorry but your post just made me laugh. I especially loved the part about the inspirational paper towels. That is so funny that you mentioned the 6 Degree’s of Kevin Bacon. I always use that, and people always say “Huh?”. Because I guess not a lot of people have heard of it.
    We had an older disherwasher, and I melted A LOT of plastic Tupperware lids on it. So I know the smell you are speaking of.
    Hope your packing goes well, and enjoy your trip!

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