What with it being April all of a sudden, and our recent rain, everything has burst forth in blossoms and new greenery and sprouts and tendrils. The hills are now looking the kind of green we normally see about January. Poof! If the show has not yet arrived in your neighborhood (thinking of you, Middle Earth Canada), it should be headed your way, at least.
W: The household Wonderdog has gotten so spoiled. She cries when The Man leaves. She begs when The Man is home, but not yet taking her for a walk. She slept with daughter one night last week, but the Wonderdog is a bed hog, and one of them didn't sleep well. Her personal superpower is crying so loudly that she can be heard for half a block, so I expect animal control to turn up one of these days and ask what horrible inhumane thing we are doing to her. "Her man went to work," I will say, "and the cats and I won't let her spend the day lounging on the bed like a housecat."
AW: My beloved finally realized that we can't get a puppy, because this dog will train the puppy.
W: The employer of my beloved suddenly needs to see our marriage certificate in order to continue keeping me on the insurance plan. We haven't needed to produce that document in at least 25 years. It's around here someplace, but dog alone (not that dog) knows where. I have to do a notarized form to get a copy! But that's easier than searching the closets and so on.
AW: Homemade thai green curry. Yum.
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Wednesday Whining is a weekly blog with rotating hosts. Whines and Anti-Whines, both big and small, are welcome! Our purposes are mutual support and sharing a few laughs along the way.
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The Wednesday Whining Community is diverse, and strives to be safe, welcoming, and supportive. To this end, comments that are personally abusive or otherwise disparaging [regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation] will be deleted by moderators, along with spam and self-promotion.
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Q: When does Wednesday Whining appear?
A: The Whiner's Ball commences no later than Tuesday, and ends when Awards are given (usually Thursday in theory, but definitely before Monday).
Q: Awards? Really?
A: Yes, really. Traditional awards include Style [music, poetry, etc.], Old Skool [piddly little whines], and Elevated Risk of Mullet [funniest line in a whine], but other hand-crafted awards may be granted at the host's discretion, and nominations from commenters are encouraged.
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Q: What was the first prize ever awarded?
A: The Playdough Violin
A: The Whiner's Ball commences no later than Tuesday, and ends when Awards are given (usually Thursday in theory, but definitely before Monday).
Q: Awards? Really?
A: Yes, really. Traditional awards include Style [music, poetry, etc.], Old Skool [piddly little whines], and Elevated Risk of Mullet [funniest line in a whine], but other hand-crafted awards may be granted at the host's discretion, and nominations from commenters are encouraged.
Q: Can I whine about someone who just does not "get it"?
A: The Cluestick Posse is on hand for persons in need.
Q: Is there a mascot?
A: Ralph is the mascot.
Q: Are there other traditions I should know about?
A: The passing of virtual refreshments is appreciated.
Q: How did this all get started anyhow?
A: Phantom Scribbler was our muse and host for two years.
Q: What was the first prize ever awarded?
A: The Playdough Violin
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62 comments:
I have no idea where our marriage certificate might be either.
AW/W: weekend retreat was fun! I thoroughly enjoyed the break from my usual, mostly felt like I knew what I was doing, and enjoyed being with colleagues who are also friends. Parts of the weekend were exactly what we had envisioned, or even better. W: Parts of the weekend were dreadful. Trusting colleagues to do something, then them doing a horrible job, is discouraging.
AW: Two hour nap this morning. House to myself. Aaaaah, introvert heaven after a long couple of weeks.
W: Microwave refused to work this morning. Worse than that, it *appears* and *sounds* like it is working. I was so tired I couldn't figure out how I was making such disgusting oatmeal.
I do know where our marriage certificate is! But we've needed it for things relatively recently.
AW: E took a nap in the afternoon yesterday, and it worked so much better than her beloved morning naps. And so I kept her up until after lunch today, and it's amazing.
W: SO TIRED. I'm used to having down time in the mid-morning, instead of increasing activity levels to keep a toddler awake.
AW: Temperatures above freezing! We went to the playground, because it's no longer covered in snow! It's going to be warm tomorrow!
That two-nap to one-nap transition is a killer. But worth it in the long run.
Hooray for a non-snow-covered playground!
QWP, I don't even want to hear what you consider warm, lalalala -- but glad it's warm enough for playground!
Yay, Esperanza, on the retreat! Except the dreadful parts. La la la la, Ralph is ready.
Pixies. I have a senior portrait of my beloved, circa 1974. And he was gorgeous, but omg the plaid. And the tie. I definitely shouldn't cast stones, because my own senior portrait is well hidden for a reason.
I know where our marriage license is -- in the locked box with the wills, insurance, etc... however, I'm not entirely sure where the key to said box is. Hmm....
I'm glad your weekend went well esperanza, and that you had an introvert's dream do a morning.
QWP - what esperanza said about nap transitions.
AW: I managed to get tickets to see a great band in concert in October! They pretty much play the sound track to my teen years. Love them!
W: Dog. Tired. Right down to the bone. A month from now I get a week off. Feels very distant but it's something to look forward to. Ugh.
Go, Sue! I think that band is on my sound track, too.
W: headache, due to clenching teeth all day
W (related): Terrible weekend due to parent email to me that was beyond mean . shaking, tears, and general defeatedness and depression ensued
AW: my teaching team rallied me today and I am slightly more ready to take it on, but still just so exhausted.
W: not sure I can get where I need to by Friday's test I am giving. Might have to postpone test to Monday. Hate being the teacher who gives tests on Mondays. bleh Might just plow ahead. Sure that whatever decision I make will be the wrong one (see above)
W: OMG I can't even stand hearing myself whine.
I am signing off tonight for all our sakes.
esperanza-- glad the retreat was mostly good, and yay for introvert time!!!!!!!!
sue-- you can make it!!!!
QWP-- oh, the naps! arg! hang in there!!!
---Neighbor Lady
p.s. sorry for being so whiny ALL THE TIME!!!!
((( NL ))) It will work out. You are a great person, a great teacher, and your students will appreciate that sometime, even if it isn't today. xoxo
p.s. - you are not even in the running for "too whiny."
And besides, NL, that's why we call it "Wednesday Whining." Posse off to take care of mean parents.
Thanks Kathy a.
I meant to add: thai green curry sounds yummy.
--Neighbor Lady
Yeah, what Esperanza said. I'm saddled.
I'm ready to ride. It's so frustrating when parents blame the teacher like this. Somehow, there is a certain variety of parent that finds it particularly easy if the teacher is new to the school.
AW: E and I survived the day! She was insisting on taking only one nap a day (she wouldn't nap in the afternoon, but was basically falling asleep at 9:30 every morning).
W: seriously, when you normally spend the mid morning having some downtime, and instead spend that time trying to keep a toddler awake and active... (I think this adjustment might be harder on me than on her.)
(((((((NL)))))
Posse on the way. Mean people need clue-sticking!
QWP, fingers crossed for the napping transition.
NL, still ticked at that misguided, immature, nasty parent.
AW: Li'l E has been shipped off to my parents' house for the day, for Stage 2 of the experiment (Will She Nap At Grandma's?). On Sunday at 9:30am, E was weeping on the floor (while we were trying to get out of the door for church) and insisted on having a bottle. Yesterday, she was whiny for a while, and rallied when we went outside. Today, she was just a little slow moving at 9:30, and insisted on cuddling Blankie and Bunny for a while. Progress.
AW: Warm day! It's going up to 61F/16C (which, considering the fact that we were experiencing -40 a month ago, is unimaginably warm).
W: With the warmth and the sun, I want to be outside, and I want to be brainstorming decorating ideas for our pretty new basement suite (almost done!!!). I don't want to be translating German and slogging through a chapter.
Nervous: I'm going to apply for sessional teaching work here in the fall. There's an online course that needs a teacher, and I'd be a good fit. Getting back into things is scary, as is thinking about life after this dissertation is done.
61F is a very respectable temp! You'll be great with the teaching -- and online gives you some flexibility, right?
Exactly! The department here (at my undergrad/MA alma mater) only launches an online course after having a committee develop the content first. That means that the instructor doesn't have to write lectures: it's more administrative/student-focused. (I was on the committee to develop the first online course for this department, about a decade ago.) That would be a really, really nice way to transition back to work. And it happens to be in a subject area on which I'm published.
Yay QWP!!! Online sounds like a great way to get back into the teaching groove.
16 degrees!! Awesome. We hit 8 here today - progress. :)
Hooray for QWP! Sounds like a great match to me!
:) Neighbor Lady
My daughter likes to go to the animal shelter, as an anti-depressant. My husband likes dog walks, especially if he can meet other dogs and wildlife. I like going to the supermarket and getting in line behind an extremely cute toddler/preschooler or two. [They are all cute!] Today, bonus toddler in the produce department -- she was sad because she squashed her flower, but she perked up enough for a cheerful bye-bye.
You guys, it looks like E will end this day having only napped for 35 minutes. She went down for a nap at Grandma's well, and then woke up in a panic, and hasn't slept again.
She's now chattering quietly in her crib, five minutes past Nap Cut-off Time. How is she functioning on so little sleep?
Oh, this could mean a good sleep tonight! and/or an epic meltdown, but let's just go with cheerful chattering. I think that "quiet time" counts -- good habit for her to start developing. Sometime down the road, you'll need to invoke quiet time even if she isn't napping.
(I think quiet time is what preschools do, too -- for the kids who are wakeful when the others need a little rest. She's learning to settle herself instead of needing all-hands-on-deck entertainment.)
Nap transition times are hard, but the chattering quietly self-soothing ability is a gift that will keep on giving....
:) Neighbor Lady
my son and his GF came to dinner, which was lovely, but my beloved seems determined to show them every. last. photo. from his mom. so tired....
W: 6 year old's insomnia kept waking me up last night. She falls asleep easily, but the hours from 2-4 are ~ahem~ very wakeful.
Poor Baboo. Poor mama.
Those papers and photos aren't going anywhere -- plenty of albums left for next time! My MIL's senior ditch day in 1947 was thoroughly documented. Son's GF kept saying, "omg, [son] looks just like you [dad]!" MIL's parents owned a restaurant, and there is a contract from the time a young Glen Campbell played there. Immigration & naturalization papers for MIL's parents. Interesting stuff; the kids are hearing many stories they never heard before.
Poor Baboo and Mama. 2-4 are tough wakey hours.
I'm sorry you're sleepy (no wonder, with all that's going on) but it's good for hubby to pour over the pics. And nice for the kids and GF to hear the stories. Exhausting, I know, but good.
New definition of H E Double Hockey Sticks: Seemingly endless meeting during which one must look interested while pouring over property minutiae and the church's investment portfolio. Seriously, I wanted to stick pins in my eyes just so something bordering on interesting would happen.
LOL! That sounds gruesome, Sue. You definitely should get battle pay for those topics.
I agree: Sue deserves battle pay for those endless meetings!
I think a lot of us need a nap today! Kathy a, it sounds like the pictures and stories were good for you husband and kids, to help processing the loss, but I wish I could grant you an extra afternoon nap today!
esperanza: 2-4 is rough.
W: tiiiiired. And I cried today (my cousin wrote a heart-rending tribute for the ten-year anniversary of her mom's death), and now I'm dealing with Post-Cry Hangover. I need to be translating, but I just want a nap and a comfy blanket.
AW: I let E take her nap a little earlier today (she wants to nap at 9:30, and I want her to nap after lunch, since she refuses to nap more than once in a day, even if that nap is really short). We're approaching two hours of nap, right now! Hopefully a few weeks of 11am-1pm naptime will help ease the transition to afternoon naps.
W: lunchtime naps are extremely inconvenient. I really hope I can transition her to napping a little later, sometime soon.
W: I really hope that, sometime soon, she adjusts to this 11am nap. 9:30-11 of extreme crabbiness is killing me.
W: Some things are making me HULK-like today. I mean, seriously???
AW: Somebody on the street has a friendly white/orange cat, and I got to meet it and pet it, and it gave me love nips when I stopped petting in the right place. :) Daughter reports that our cat Spot wants to meet the creamsickle cat, and vice versa, but Spot won't go out and the other won't come in. It's our own personal sitcom. LOL!
kathy, I hope today is better and requires less hulk-like transformation on your part.
Your cat sitcom sounds like a good distraction.
W: Hubby sick. Not dreadfully, but still punky and back on antibiotics. Bleh.
Oh, poor hubby! Sending healing thoughts; hope he's better soon. xoxo
The HULK came about when a close relative of mine sent a condolence card to my husband only. There have been recent issues with this relative. I was so hurt that she couldn't bother adding the names of the other 3 bereaved persons in my family.
Her explanation -- that it is different to lose a mother than a MIL, and anyway she sent me an email -- did not make me feel any better. She doesn't get to decide whose loss is worthy and whose isn't. My kids lost their last grandparent. I was holding my MIL's hand while she died.
Trying to back away -- nobody has to send a card. Message received about her unwillingness to extend comfort.
Going to find some more silly cat videos -- pets are always reliable. ;)
((((kathy))))
kathy, that's just crappy. Ralph is on the way.
AW: Furniture refinisher guy gets major points for not questioning, commenting upon, nor even raising an eyebrow when it became apparent that little ol' me was going to be the one helping him unload the giant cabinet.
OH, and I meant to say I'm sorry that your hubby is puny again, Sue. I was distracted by the appalling rudeness of kathy's relative.
Kathy, so many hugs for you, and a visit from Ralph to the relative. That is some hot nonsense there, deciding to only send condolences to one family member.
(((Sue and hubby)))
High fives for both esperanza and the furniture refinisher.
AW: progress on Operation Naptime. Yesterday went well, and this morning wasn't quite as awful as yesterday morning.
W: I'm so tired and so stressed, and a bit emotional, and probably a little depressed. I'm getting frustrated and annoyed with everyone in my life, and I'm letting little things really get to me. I need rest and a break from the stress of the dissertation, but that won't happen for about a month and a half.
Sentimental mom: I just booked E's 18mo shots, and it feels like the one year shots just happened. And E is a whole inch taller than I thought she was! I've been having a couple of days of "Where did my tiny baby go?"
Aww, lil E is growing so fast!
Esperanza, yay for reasonable people. ;)
(((((QWP)))))
esperanza, I think you meant to say "punky" but I laughed out loud at "puny" - I really needed a chuckle. Thanks.
I bet the furniture guy went back to work and said "You won't believe how strong that woman was!"
Is "puny" not used everywhere? Not punny (rhymes with funny) but puny (pronounced "pew-knee"), as in not feeling well. (But your sweetie is a pun fan, if I remember correctly). I rarely use punky, though I have heard it before. I guess my Texas is showing.
And I regularly get described as "stronger than you look." Petite is deceiving.
I hadn't heard puny as being sick before! Good memory on the puns too - our eldest son inherited the gift for puns as well.
Around here puny means small or tiny. Hubby is no quarterback, but not tiny either. Thus, the chuckle.
Punky is the same as funky - both mean Teh Bleh.
Is puny=tiny a Canadian thing, then? Because I read it as Sue for. (Cultural exchange!)
W: my day didn't go as expected, and I didn't get much work done. It's challenging when you're dependent on free childcare from friends and family. I'm so thankful for their help, but today, when what I expected to be a whole day of work turned it to be an hour and a half, it was a little hard not to be ungrateful.
AW: several family members helped at the end of the day, since today was E's second straight day without Beloved Daddy (parent-teacher interviews). My MIL brought supper and helped put E to bed, after she heard about my day.
AW: I was starting to feel discouraged by academia in general, like it's all irrevocably broken, but today a lovely friend of mine was made the Dean of a college in town. (She's the one who brought me cheesecake a few weeks ago.) She's an excellent person, and I'm heartened to see an excellent person recognized as such.
Where I am in the states, puny also means tiny, so I don't think it's a Canadian thing. I kind of like the puny=feeling poorly though.
Meeting today with the parent. Wish me luck. It won't be fun.
--Neighbor Lady
AW: Neighbor Boy loves baseball that started last night. Has a team of coaches he really likes, who seem (at least so far) to value the same things I do about organized sports. (ie, it's not just about the winning). So, hopeful. Also, therapist's suggestion has made a huge turnaround in our house (knock wood).
I guess here puny=weak. So it includes elements of tiny and elements of sick. But it's not a synonym for tiny. Interesting. I love dialects and regional differences in language.
NL, hugs for your meeting.
And hooray for progress in your house and a good baseball season so far.
NL, fingers crossed about the meeting. Glad NB is liking baseball so much!
Puny = small and weak, around here. But not a bad usage when a person is under teh weather.
QWP, congrats to your friend! And yay for family help. Hope things go more smoothly today.
I'm liking The Puny - it works!! What makes you feel smaller and weaker than being under the weather, right?
QWP - sorry for the less than productive day yesterday, but I'm glad your family could step in. Yay for Cheesecake Dean!!! That's encouraging news.
NL - sending good energy your way for the parent meeting. Call the posse if you need back-up. Hooray for NB's progress and his love of baseball.
AW: Fever down a bit for hubby this morning. He's feeling a bit better and managed to get some sleep, which is good.
Sue, glad hubby is feeling a little better.
NL, I'm sending you hugs and thoughts for you meeting with The Parent. I hope that your school's admin is providing you the support that you need.
Sue, hooray for improvements! And hugs.
W: I'm aggravated today. The friend who dropped off E after an hour and a half, after promising to take her for the day, because she's so swamped that it was all she could offer? Today her husband called to ask if we could watch their youngest for a few hours, either this afternoon or evening, so that they could take their oldest to a movie. (I said no, as kindly and firmly as possible. Do they not understand the incredible stress we're under right now?) Now, I'm brooding about What This Says About Patterns In Our Friendship.
QWP, they are obviously not understanding you are under this deadline pressure. So, good for you saying no.
Parent trade-offs are a glorious thing; really does take a village. But your dissertation takes work and concentration. I think it's fine to ask, fine to offer, and it's also fine to say no -- that's OK, so long as you trust one another and are talking. This may not be the most reliable family for absorbing an extra for a big period of time; but that doesn't necessarily mean the friendship is a mess, as long as you are communicating and friendly.
Are there any possible regular options for day care? It sounds like you could use some reliable slots of time. And I know you don't want to leave E for too long, but maybe mornings 2-3 days a week would work for all of you? xoxo
Ugh, I wish that sort of daycare was available here. We're in the middle of a boom, with an associated housing and childcare crisis. Costs are skyrocketing, and it's too the point that a friend had to keep her oldest in full-time daycare while she's in mat leave (for a year), because otherwise she'd lose her spot and they'd be in trouble six months from now.
This isn't normally a problem, since my parents take E twice a week, and my cousin takes her once a week. But my parents are travelling, and my cousin injured herself, and so my friend said that she'd step in and help, because I nannied her daughter for almost free, nine years ago, and she's off work for a couple of weeks. But she got overly busy, and keeps not quite following through. (And I really think she doesn't get it: I think she sees me as being fine, because I'm at home, and I just need a few minutes of break here and there. She works from home, but it's very different with, and her kids are older.)
("Work," not "with.")
AW: Friday afternoon
made it.
that's about all I can say.
vertigo kicked in about 40 minutes before today's meeting. lovely.
and..... another email this afternoon :(
and AW: a very nice email from another parent--SO needed that today
sigh
--Neighbor Lady
Another email?! Same or different parent? I'm glad you also got a nice note as well. (((NL))) So glad it's Friday.
NL, print out the nice email and put it in your "I'm having a bad day" file. Print out the mean email and shred it, just for the therapeutic value. And have a good weekend.
Sending hugs to NL, QWP, and Sue for dealing with crap.
W: Signing up for all sorts of different business insurance. Want to tear my hair out.
AW: Only gotta do it once, right?
W: Gotta update all our domains and whatnot.
AW: First world problems, amirite?
W: Paid for MM's summer programs. OUCH.
AW: We can afford it, some of it will get paid for with tax deductions, my mom will probably gift some of it to us, he's going to have a blast.
NL, you got through it! So glad there was that other email, the good one. Love Esperanza's idea about a bad day folder!
Liz, oy, busy! But glad things are forging ahead, and sounds like MM has an excellent summer ahead!
Thank you guys for the suggestions and support!
I love this place!
Ugh liz on insurance applications!
((Sue and hubby)) hope he feels better soon.
-NL
QWP - I'm glad you said no to your friend's request. :(
Liz - sounds like a good summer for MM! Sorry about the insurance forms. Ugh.
(((NL))) I'm glad you received a positive email! Sorry about the vertigo too.
esperanza - great idea to have a "having a bad day" file. We can all use those feel-good boosts sometimes.
W: spoke too soon. Hubby isn't keeping food down. Might be the infection or the antibiotic, or both. At least the fever is gone.
Wishing hubby a good and restful night and a better tomorrow. :(
Sue, hope things improve rapidly. xoxo
Dinner at a gourmet mac & cheese place, with a friend I've known since elementary school! Same high school; neighbors in college; a couple circles of the same friends. Very nice to get out, tell our stories, laugh. Plus, I'd been saving a couple books for her. It's nice to meet up with someone who already knows most of the backstories. ;)
Awards probably tomorrow; keep whining!
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