July 23, 2009
Of Insults, Stripping, and Riding Escalators Like Buddy the Elf
I've been solo with the girls since Sunday while Mr. BBM has been on a business trip. Picking up his night time duties like bedtime and feeding the cats has thrown me for a real loop. The first night almost literally, as my cat decided to weave in and out of my legs as I was trying to put his food down and I nearly fell on my butt.
I decided the girls and I needed a change of scenery yesterday so we went out for lunch and then to the mall to cash in some Gymbucks. I should have known it was going to be an interesting day when Lil C whined for a good hour before we left.
However, we got to the restaurant and were having a nice meal. For a change, Lil C wasn't sitting directly on top of me and chose instead to sit on the opposite side of the booth with her sister. This was working out fine until a very overweight woman decided to leave the restaurant. Lil C's eyes locked on the back of the woman and I desperately tried to distract her. I knew what was coming; this wasn't the first time.
"Ooh, look, what's that outside? Is your lemonade good? What flavor is it? What did you color? What a pretty picture you drew there. . . "
And then she said something to the effect of, "Mommy, you are not big like her Mommy. Your butt is not big like that" as I pretty much sprawled across the table trying to physically close her mouth and over talk her so that the poor woman wouldn't hear.
I don't know why she felt the need to reassure me that my butt wasn't big. I mean, it was a nice thought; but clearly my 3-year old is lacking the filter.
Later we went to the mall and there was a woman making pancakes in the department store to demonstrate something they were selling. The girls both ate a pancake while we chatted with the woman. She looked to be only about in her 50's, but that didn't stop Lil C from saying "Yook at the nice yittle old yady. She's a nice yittle old yady Mommy." It was like she was a skipping record or something. I tried to make it seem like she was calling herself a "yittle old yady" and turn it around on her. But she became even more adamant about insuring this woman knew that Lil C thought she was both little and old.
I was horrified for the second time of the day, but the woman was so nice that she just kept talking to us. I was ready to leave but I wanted to check one more store for something.
We walked down the mall and I stopped to look at some sunglasses on the way. I was trying them on and asking the girls what they thought when Big I erupted in laughter. I turned around to see Lil C holding her dress up at her neck and shaking her butt. I instantly flashed back to the night we were taking care of our cats at my sister's house when our house was being built. There was Lil C spinning around a pole in the basement like a professional. Mr. BBM and I just shook our heads. I was having another one of those moments.
I quickly told her she wouldn't be wearing dresses anymore if she couldn't keep her clothes on while Big I whispered that she had also kind of pulled her underwear down a bit to reveal her little butt. Yeah, exactly what a Mom wants while standing at a kiosk in the mall.
We quickly moved to the final location and went up the escalator. On the way up, Big I asked me about whether or not it was possible to have the escalator suck your toes off. I told her "yes" and that she needed to step up and off quickly at the top and bottom. Apparently I scared her, because when we were finished upstairs and coming back down, I turned around to Big I's panicked yelling. There she was, sideways with one foot still on the stationary platform and the other slowly inching away from her as the escalator put her into a full on straddle.
I screamed for her to get her other foot on and she quickly dragged it on, but not before having the edge of the step scrape up the traveling leg. It reminded me of that scene from Elf, where Will Farrell rides the escalator for the first time.
I figured it was time to take my little insulting stripper and accident prone daughters home. This is why I don't shop that much.
July 22, 2009
The “Big Ben” Backlash
Ben Roethlisberger has been one of my favorite football players through the years, like when he's on my fantasy team and putting up killer numbers or when I'm playing against someone who has him and he's having a rough game, for example. When I opened up a news website the other day and saw that a woman has filed a civil suit against him claiming sexual assault, I was completely shocked. Other players in the NFL? Maybe I could see it, but with him, I guess I'm having a hard time.
Part of my problem with it is that the woman waited a year to file a lawsuit and she didn't previously file criminal charges. I have a very strong feeling the case will be settled discreetly to quiet it, or completely thrown out of court because without evidence, and after a year? That's a seriously long time to wait. Plus, because of who he is, it is easy to think that the woman is just out to get money.
Articles have said that she didn't file criminal charges because she feared she'd be fired. If it was me and it really did happen? I would have filed criminal charges, and let Harrah's fire me if they dared. Then sue them for false termination.
I've read various articles about it and some claim that the woman was hospitalized for depression during the past year. Maybe she's just now strong enough to go after her alleged attacker. But even with a background as a sexual assault educator while in college and being a strong advocate for women's rights, the fact that it's a civil case and that she waited so long is giving me some serious pause.
Then again, what woman would want to subject herself to the public scrutiny of making these claims if they weren't true? If you search long enough, there are certain celebrity blogs (and news outlets like the one linked above) that have already published her name, multiple pictures of her, and other identifying information about her. If you think that's bad, you should read some of the comments under the articles about her pictures. I truly hope it didn't happen; but if it did, then I hope she's prepared for the ugliness that's already circulating on the internet because if there's one thing that's for sure, when a celebrity like "Big Ben" is accused of something like this, the backlash against the accuser is going to be massive.
What do you think about the civil case against Ben?
July 21, 2009
College Ave.
Our street is gradually filling up with new homes and families. Only a few building lots still remain. The two best ones are beside me and down the street beside my friend. The lot premiums on them are a little steep so they've been sitting for a long time.
A couple weeks ago, a much older couple looked at the lot beside us. They had come by with their realtor on a Saturday when we were all gathered on a neighbor's patio having beer and smores; and then they came back again with some relatives on a Sunday. They have college-aged kids and although I hear they were very nice from the neighbors on the other side of the lot, we are all kind of hoping for people with younger kids. Oh, and party people or party tolerant would be nice as well. This street isn't nicknamed "College Ave." by the rest of the neighborhood for nothing.
The people looking at the lot beside us were really hoping to find a pre-existing house. The fact that my IPOD was blaring "Blame it on the Alcohol" while I cleaned out my car out front probably didn't help either.
Last week, we were hanging out down the street at my friend's house and someone came to look at the lot beside them. They were back for the second time and my friend wasn't happy about it. Apparently, during their first visit, they avoided eye contact and seemed extremely unfriendly. This night was no different. The builder rep said hello to us and the couple ignored all of us. There were at least six adults out front talking and the kids were running around having a water gun battle royale with a little help from me.
I offered to go get my IPOD to scare them away, but it wasn't necessary. The couple didn't have any kids and between the six houses that hang out regularly, we have 13.5 kids. They were pretty much all present and running around like crazy chasing each other. Add to that a couple other neighborhood kids who stopped by and Big I's friend who was spending the night. It wasn't exactly a peaceful night in the neighborhood.
After the couple walked away, the builder rep drove down the street and I stopped him.
"So, did you sell that lot tonight?"
"Hmph," he chuckled, "this was the second time they came to see it. I had the paperwork all ready to go and they said they had to 'think about it.' I didn't count on there being some crazy kid with a hose and an army of kids having a watergun battle."
We both laughed and then I told him that if they want "quiet," they don't want to be beside us or my friend. I pointed at the lot sandwiched between two homes who belong to people you only see driving to and from their houses and told him that was where they wanted to be. I also put in a request for party people or party tolerant people for both lots. He said he'd get right on that.
In a neighborhood where the beer pong table circulates like play group might in an ordinary neighborhood. . . in a neighborhood where Flip Cup is the grown-up entertainment after a kid birthday party has winded down, only those two scenarios will do.
July 17, 2009
More of a Reason to Sing or Fake Sing
So I came up with this idea to do a "Summer Serenade" contest back in May or June. I posted a poll and asked readers whether or not they would participate. There were a bunch of people who clicked the little button that says, "I'm already working on my video" and then the only people who stood up and put up were Adam and Karl.
I heard all the excuses in the world. "I don't have enough time" and "I don't know what song to pick" and "My video camera is circa 1960" but still. I mean come on people!
So, I'm extending the deadline and sweetening the deal. The winner of the Summer Serenade contest will be able to pick a product of their choice from CSNStores, up to a $65 value. They have a ton of stores where you can buy anything from chaise lounges, to kid furniture to entertainment centers, etc.
And here's another incentive to get your video together. The next BBM lip sync video will be coming out in August. It's already in the planning stages and you won't want to miss it. I had to wait for the right song to come up and now it has. See. I don't expect you to make fools out of yourselves all by yourself. I'm joining you.
So here you go. The deadline is now extended to August 15th. All of you anxiously awaiting to see what Karl and Adam did will just have to wait a little bit longer, but the reward will be that much better.
So, who else is signing up!?! Come on people! Step up!
July 15, 2009
The Cure for Knee Issues: Step in a Ditch
Two Monday's ago, I attended karate class and really enjoyed myself. There were only three of us there and it was one of those nights where you initially feel like you can't get anything right and then things sort of start to click. I wanted so much to go to class on this past Monday night to add on to what we had been doing before; but I decided it was best that I not go.
During the Monday class, I got thrown around a little bit and while it was happening I was concerned about my knee. There were some sudden movements and although braced, I still worry. I keep hearing my surgeon's words echo in my head, "You only want to do this once. Revision ACL surgeries are not successful."
I came home after that class and told Mr. BBM that despite the scare, my knee was feeling solid. I told him I was feeling more confident and how happy I was that it was holding up. Then I woke up Tuesday morning in a world of pain. My extension was like post original surgery and I was visibly limping. Add to that the pain whenever I tried to straighten my leg and I was a very unhappy girl.
Mr. BBM assured me I had just overdone it a bit, maybe tweaked it a bit, but the discomfort continued. I skipped class on Tuesday and hoped I'd be better by the Pittsburgh trip. But I wasn't.
I spent the drive out there icing my knee, popped ibuprofen like candy through the weekend, and spent the nights in bed trying to get my leg to straighten out, sometimes pushing my knee down against the bed to the point that it almost brought tears from the pain. When I hit a week and it still wasn't any better, I contemplated calling my surgeon. Clearly something was very wrong. I decided I'd give it another week; but I played it safe and traded my karate night for swimming laps at the pool instead. The cold water in the pool always seems to help when my knee is feeling cranky and I wanted to do some type of exercise.
Yesterday, the grass needed to be mowed and Mr. BBM wasn't feeling well. So I strapped my ACL brace on and went out to mow. The edge of one side of my yard borders a vacant building lot; and we live in a rocky area lacking uniformity. I looked at the street for a second to watch a car drive by and stepped in a hole that would have made my knee hyper-extend if not for my brace. It hurt, badly enough that I had to stop and breathe for a minute.
I walked it off and continued mowing the lawn as my knee throbbed the rest of the time. I figured I had really screwed it up. I came inside, took my brace off and stood there with a straight leg. In fact, with a straight leg with the maximum extension that my left leg now allows, I had only a tiny bit of pain. I figured it was a fluke, went to bed, and woke up this morning with only a tiny bit of soreness behind my knee.
I really think that I broke a piece of scar tissue loose at karate and that it was inhibiting my movement to full extension when it got stuck somewhere it shouldn't have been. I think when I stepped in the hole, I knocked it loose making me able to bend again.
Today, I walked without a limp for the first time in a week and a half. Tomorrow night, I'm back at the dojo.
***Summer Serenade videos will go up this week!
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