Cx2 on.. Kids

If you know me, you know how I feel about children.
 This blog was never meant to go into our personal lives - just topics all could relate to and discuss but to set this one up, I must explain some personal changes I'm undergoing.

Recently reconnected with a guy I went to HS with; he's since been married, divorced and has custody of 2 lovely children: current ages 3 & 5, boy & girl respectively.

I have never been interested in children, thus never really been in tune with the idea of 'parenting'.

So as I become more involved in this relationship - I am working to figure out how parenting (esp the eventual idea of 'step-parenting') works.


I have started doing a lot of research on 'where should a child be at this point in their development?' Things like: potty training, ABCs, ability to read/write, etc...

Most parents will say, you'll know how and when to do/teach your kids things and what to expect. However, coming in at ages: 3/5.. I want to make sure I'm not expecting more than the kids should be doing.

Since it's so early in the relationship, it's too early to discuss with their father his stance on their development -- but I want to make sure I'm helping when I'm around without overstepping my bounds in my role.

Cx2 on.. [no subject]

Rumor has it .. we should FINALLY have some guest bloggers.. and maybe the other contributor will throw in his 2 cents if he finds time..

Regardless..

Here's the question I pose tonight..
Why do we lose touch after high school/college with the people who were so incredibly important to us?

My theory: our priorities simply change.

Friday night stops being about Happy Hour with your besties, to putting together the perfect slumber party snack and driving the kids to the mall and picking them up.

We become more about the family we are building, than the 'family' we once had.

We live for our jobs, worry about bills, the mortgage, lawns, garages and roofs... instead of Game Night and Power Hours.

We don't sit around doing nothing and loving it, we are suddenly so busy that we can't even take the time to e-mail each other.. we have to Facebook or send generic texts.

Make promises of, "Oh we must get together soon!" and find every reason not to.. "budget issues", "can't get the time off.." whatever.


My challenge to you:
Make plans. Set a date, and stick to it. You'll be glad you did.

Cx2 on.. Self control

It's amazing how much more simple things are when you exercise a little bit of self control.

With the beginning of Lent, we are reminded of this very blatantly. While I am not highly involved in any organized religion, I can still appreciate some basic principles.

*Allow me to note* I am NOT trying to make light of what some consider a very important concept and holiday. I am just trying to bring some ideas to the masses.

So Lent for most people is about giving something up for 40 days, but I think a bigger lesson we can all (religious and not) is the idea of self control throughout the year, not just 40 days out of it.

I am giving up soda for the 40 days. It's about doing something that makes you feel better. Soda has no good reason and no nutritional value. And like in my previous post; its about small steps to better yourself. You can't overhaul your entire diet and life and expect to be able to maintain it. Old habits die hard.

This goes for food and diet as well as in relationships.

We're all guilty of being tempted in life. Sometimes it's important to give into temptation, live every day as your last and enjoy it all. But other times, we really have to think about our actions and be responsible. Think about how these actions might affect other people in our lives.

I am just as guilty (if not more so) than others of breaking this rule (a lot more than I care to admit) in my past. However, part of growing up is learning about yourself and the mistakes you've made when you were younger and how to better yourself because of them.

Guilty of getting caught up in the 'this is MY life' concept, and not thinking of others. As I'm sure I've mentioned before, it's OK to be selfish, but like everything else in life.. in MODERATION.

When you start understanding how important the other people in your life really are; you start making decisions for them as well as yourself. It makes some decisions easier; and some entirely more difficult.

A recent visit to college (aka a one night stand with college life) reminded me so much of how much I've grown and how far some people have to go with the idea of "self control".

I guess the point I'm trying to drive home here is: it's ok to deviate from the norm and have fun and go a little crazy sometimes.. but consider WHO else your decisions effect as well as ask yourself, "where is the limit?" and "when does it cross the line into 'too much'?"
Also, can you enjoy yourself with the limits in place? If you can't, maybe you need to step back and evaluate your values and whats actually important to you in your life.

Papa Paparazzi

Ok- I need to get this off my chest...


I




love...


Lady Gaga.

I'm sorry if that comes as a huge disappointment, but I think she is fucking brilliant.

Did you SEE her performance at the VMAs?

(If you didn't, here's the link)


She is just so out there, but creative. Genius. With a world that is so worried about being politically correct, and so into what is acceptable dress and actions.. she's just.. unique. I love it.




As for my current thoughts on adulthood..

Are adults ever happy? Like really, when do you finally sit down and say, "I am finally content with my life." ??


Cause I'd love to know. It could be, and probably is my impatience speaking here.




Also.. South Park.. Ike possessed by Michael Jackson... INCREDIBLE! You should watch that too.


Um.. my thoughts on SAW 6. (Allow me to concur with the MemoPad feature on my iPod .. which since I was the only person in the theater I was allowed to use freely throughout the movie.)

• Eddie Winslow? HAHAHA
• Cheesy reporter chick.. wtf? Way to play on the whole "sexy girl if she took her glasses off" fantasy for all the men in the audience
• The winner of the Scream Queen was actually pretty decent
• "When you're killing me, YOU LOOK AT ME!"

Bought those rock-y exercise shoes. Day 1: my calves and thighs feel pretty good. The arch supports in those things are epic.

Cx2 on.. Self - perception

"If he had let himself believe he was being cruel to Celia he couldn't have done it.... He was, like many brutally honest men, dishonest about himself. He thought himself a finer fellow than he really was..."

- "Unfinished Portrait" by Mary Westmacott (Agatha Christie)

So I stole this from a friend's note on Facebook; but it really struck me.

It's hard to gauge how we are perceived by people because we have this idea of ourselves and either we hold ourselves to be better than we are, or we beat ourselves down and think we are worse than we are.

This is why honesty in relationships is SO important, because sometimes it takes a kick in the head for us to realize we're completely oblivious of how we're treating the people in our lives.

Think about it.

Cx2 on... Drugs

Ok this is a hot topic for a lot of people. The best/worst part about it.. is that drugs (in their recreational use) have become so socially acceptable that you could walk down the street smoking a hitter and no one would stop you.


I don't judge anyone for their choices in life. However, I could not function at all normally if I did half the amount of drugs that the people in my life do.

Maybe it's because I don't get it. Maybe it's that I enjoy being sober and living my life and experiencing the things in life.. soberly.

Maybe it IS because I couldn't function normally.


I haven't been able to have a drink since 2 Fridays ago.. and it is driving me.. insane. It's ridiculous that I'm having trouble going 2 weeks without a drink. Wow.

Our society is living in a daze. Taking pills for everything and anything. It's to the point where we make movies and shows and idolize the drug lords, everyone's a dealer.. one way or another.

No one can just DEAL anymore. We have to COPE. We have to do something in order to just exist.

Sometimes.. I think it's simply out of boredom.. because there just isn't anything better to do.

RE: Death Cx2- Impact

[My deepest condolences to DBC, and the family of the deceased]

I don't think there's anyone out there who can say they've been lucky enough to lose someone close to them or someone significant in their lives, so you can all relate to DBC's feelings.



Something I find myself pondering [morbidly, but it's still something that runs through my mind occasionally.] What sort of impact do you think you've had on people's lives? If you were gone tomorrow, what do you think people would say about you? What would they miss about you?

What is the meaning of life? To make the biggest impact you can on those around you, and change the world for the better.. even through very simple means.

Small actions make big impacts. Do good at every chance you have.

This reminds me of a quote from the final episode of Boy Meets World. [Side note: Did Feeny ever write a book? Think about it. Epically philosophical - I'd buy it]

George Feeny: Believe in yourselves. Dream. Try. Do good
Topanga: Don't you mean do well?
George Feeny: No, I mean do good.

We sometimes forget that our actions create ripple effects on those around us, even the people we might only interact with once, or for very short periods of time.

It warms my heart when I find myself faced with the chance to do something to make someone's day better or easier.

In my work, it might be a special color choice that matches the bedding in a little girl's room and she's going to be so surprised, or helping someone carry the extra gallon they can't carry in two hands out to their car.

The other day at the grocery store, the lady checking me out had some trouble bagging the groceries herself (she's short like me) and I helped her by moving the items closer for her. She smiled very warmly and said, "thank you."

And I felt good..




Do something good today.
-Cx2

Cx2 on... Politeness

Politeness.

It seems to be very basic ideals of politeness have gone down the tubes lately.

I'm not talking about being overly polite, just very simple things like, "please" "thank you" "nice to meet you."

Things like acting professional during work, especially when you work with the public and at least in front of customers.

Or when you're out for work, but still on the clock, not throwing a literal temper-tantrum and dropping F-bombs left and right.

When invited into someone's home, accepting an offer when it is extended or if you change your mind after the fact, asking permission for items, or saying "no thank you" when you decline.

A simple, "Thanks for the hospitality," upon departure.

Being on time when you say you will be, or calling an apologizing when you get caught up with something.

If you're going to be more than a half hour late, just reschedule -- don't make people wait 2-3 hours.

It is incredibly rude to drop N-bombs, C-bombs in a public setting with mixed company. On that note, it is incredibly rude to scream into your cell phone to "never fucking call this number again" in a public setting.

Even going through drive-thrus I almost always say, "please" and "thank you". When one has to complain, rather, return something or have something adjusted, have an issue with a company.. try not to get angry with the person trying to help you.. [unless it's blatantly THEIR fault]
But it usually isn't. Anyone who's ever dealt with the public has had this issue at some point.

A good rule to follow is to put yourself in the other person's shoes. If you are polite to them, you'll most likely get better service, and maybe even any perks that being nice might get you.

I find being rude and unfriendly is way more work than being polite and personable. You should try it.

Welcome

Drew & I collaborated on this new project.

Our thoughts on the world around us, topic by topic.. issue by issue.. story by story..

So pass this link on. Make comments.

What issues plague you? What things do you want us to discuss? What burning questions do you have that our great minds can answer?

Goodman be with you.