Sunday, October 28, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
7 things you already knew (or didn't) about Darren
So how does this newfangled posting on a blog thing work? I work for a tech company and read about all these web 2.0 companies, but never actually use the technology. Pretty funny. Anyway, I guess I've been tagged at this MEME thing. What does that stand for? Make Everyone More Embarrassed? So here goes.
1. I have a very, very hard time sitting still. I always have. I loved school and love church, but have as hard a time sitting through sacrament meeting as Christopher. I am always bouncing a leg or wiggling. I can sympathize with my kids.
2. I internalize everything very deeply. It seems like when I watch a movie, I spend the next three days thinking about every aspect of how it matters in my life. In some ways, I'm kind of like a toddler in that every choice is a big deal to me. Much like Emily, this means I over-analyze everything and want to do my absolute best. This means I don't have as much spontenaity as some of you and have a harder time just shrugging off a bad experience. This leads to . . .
3. I wake up easily at night and simply cannot go back to sleep once I'm up. I have always been an early riser and enjoy it. Unfortunately, late afternoons can be hard and by 9:30, I'm ready to be out.
4. I love to learn. I'm not a master of anything, but know a little about a lot of things. My interests are very eclectic and I get on kicks where I study in great detail some interesting facet of life. Unlike Emily, my studies are usually not of the practical nature.
1. I have a very, very hard time sitting still. I always have. I loved school and love church, but have as hard a time sitting through sacrament meeting as Christopher. I am always bouncing a leg or wiggling. I can sympathize with my kids.
2. I internalize everything very deeply. It seems like when I watch a movie, I spend the next three days thinking about every aspect of how it matters in my life. In some ways, I'm kind of like a toddler in that every choice is a big deal to me. Much like Emily, this means I over-analyze everything and want to do my absolute best. This means I don't have as much spontenaity as some of you and have a harder time just shrugging off a bad experience. This leads to . . .
3. I wake up easily at night and simply cannot go back to sleep once I'm up. I have always been an early riser and enjoy it. Unfortunately, late afternoons can be hard and by 9:30, I'm ready to be out.
4. I love to learn. I'm not a master of anything, but know a little about a lot of things. My interests are very eclectic and I get on kicks where I study in great detail some interesting facet of life. Unlike Emily, my studies are usually not of the practical nature.
Emily: I must know everything there is to know about window treatments. What materials fade in the sun? What colors go best with Natalie's sweater she hangs on the bed knob? Which brand costs most per ounce? Does real wood last longer than faux wood?
Darren: I must know everything about mutinies (famous ones, how they did it, what drove them to do it, where), or gravity (How is our earth not increasing in mass? How does it figure into spiritual connections to physical bodies?) or other mundane topics.
5. I greatly appreciate when Emily notices things that I've done. I'm all about verbal affirmation. So after I go to the library, I have to show her the books I've picked out for the kids. "Good job, Darren." Yay! I don't know if this is reflective of shallowness or a need for attention earned as the 4th rowdy boy in 7 years. At any rate, power doesn't appeal to me, nor does great wealth. I think my weakness is for when people I care about recognize something I've done for them.
6. I love maps. As a kid, I wanted to be a weatherman so I could look at maps all day. I participated in the geography olympics in school. One year I asked for an atlas for my birthday(I got a national geographic book and a globe too). I have always been very aware of world happenings and always have loved to learn about new places.
7. I am a people watcher. (I probably judge too many people as I watch them.) One of my biggest interests is trying to figure out what makes people tick. Why did that person choose that path? What could we do to make people choose a better path? What is that person really like behind the public face and clothing?
More skin than 6 year olds can handle
(I teach an art masterpiece class at the school, and the 1st graders couldn't get past the bare baby bottom on a Mary Cassett painting as I was showing some of her work. Hence, the title for this post.)I don't have time to write everything, but I'll post what I can...
We'll see what I get done before I have to get off. I'm sneaking time on Darren's computer since our family one no longer acknowledges us. First off, I've attempted this meme thing twice, but blogger doesn't save when it's saying that it is. Second, my first big quirk is that I don't enjoy posting my info. for all to read. I've always been private about my life, and I care a little too much about other's perceptions of me, so this whole idea is too much for me. However, it has been interesting to quickly read what others say about themselves, so I might write a few.
2. I over-analyze too many things (I noticed that I'm not the only one), and I'm over-thinking too much about what to say so this will take more time than I have.
3. I am probably overly cautious about my kids, etc. and there are some things that I have gotten a little more lax about each time, but I still introduce one new solid food at a time and certain things aren't allowed until 9 mos. or 1 year (like those are magic numbers); my kids are still in boosters or car seats no matter whose car they're in; no child is allowed near the front seats (what if the air bags decided to get quirky--sorry AJ, but that video sickened me ;); no one eats the raw dough (I got an awful case of food poisoning from cookie batter when we lived in MN); no spending the night at friend's houses (no going over to friend's houses without me if I don't personally know the parents very well); helmets while riding bikes (for all of us--which is why we haven't gone bike riding as a family since Andrew was born b/c there's always been one who's too young for a helmet.) Anyway, the list goes on and on, and someday it may all be in vain, but I'm trying to do the best I can.
4. And it looks like I'm out of time...esp. if I want to post a pic or two. I just sound like a mean old cow, so maybe I'm better off not posting anyway. I don't like thinking about what you might all be thinking... :).
I'm back.
4. I'm indecisive. I've been wondering what else to say for the past few hours as I've been doing other things. It's difficult for me to prioritize what to say or what to choose in the many options life gives me.
5. I seem to pick up on other people's traits when I'm with them. I find myself speaking more properly and more British sounding with my friend from Ireland. I take on mannerisms of people I'm chatting with. I actually talk more quickly or more bubbly with certain friends. Perhaps I'm a bit of a chameleon, but it goes back to my awareness of others' perceptions, I think.
6. I am a worrywart. Combine over-analytical, awareness of others, and over-protective and there's too much that might be a problem. I do still get a little sleep occasionally, when no one is sick, teething, growing up, changing jobs, moving and I'm just too exhausted to think anymore.
7. I would like to be a fun mom, and I am so not. I try to be positive and I make efforts to just sit down and play games, read books, talk, but I feel like I'm always cracking the whip--"time for homework", "have you done a job first?", "you need to clean up this mess before you can do that", "no, we don't have time (or sometimes money) for that." At least Darren will often do the fun things with them. I just worry that they're going to look back and not remember the meals, the laundry, the cleaned up messes, the knowledge of responsibilities, the example of hard work I've tried to set--they'll just think I was the mean mom.
I am now going to tag any of my kids who want to, especially Darren! :)
2. I over-analyze too many things (I noticed that I'm not the only one), and I'm over-thinking too much about what to say so this will take more time than I have.
3. I am probably overly cautious about my kids, etc. and there are some things that I have gotten a little more lax about each time, but I still introduce one new solid food at a time and certain things aren't allowed until 9 mos. or 1 year (like those are magic numbers); my kids are still in boosters or car seats no matter whose car they're in; no child is allowed near the front seats (what if the air bags decided to get quirky--sorry AJ, but that video sickened me ;); no one eats the raw dough (I got an awful case of food poisoning from cookie batter when we lived in MN); no spending the night at friend's houses (no going over to friend's houses without me if I don't personally know the parents very well); helmets while riding bikes (for all of us--which is why we haven't gone bike riding as a family since Andrew was born b/c there's always been one who's too young for a helmet.) Anyway, the list goes on and on, and someday it may all be in vain, but I'm trying to do the best I can.
4. And it looks like I'm out of time...esp. if I want to post a pic or two. I just sound like a mean old cow, so maybe I'm better off not posting anyway. I don't like thinking about what you might all be thinking... :).
I'm back.
4. I'm indecisive. I've been wondering what else to say for the past few hours as I've been doing other things. It's difficult for me to prioritize what to say or what to choose in the many options life gives me.
5. I seem to pick up on other people's traits when I'm with them. I find myself speaking more properly and more British sounding with my friend from Ireland. I take on mannerisms of people I'm chatting with. I actually talk more quickly or more bubbly with certain friends. Perhaps I'm a bit of a chameleon, but it goes back to my awareness of others' perceptions, I think.
6. I am a worrywart. Combine over-analytical, awareness of others, and over-protective and there's too much that might be a problem. I do still get a little sleep occasionally, when no one is sick, teething, growing up, changing jobs, moving and I'm just too exhausted to think anymore.
7. I would like to be a fun mom, and I am so not. I try to be positive and I make efforts to just sit down and play games, read books, talk, but I feel like I'm always cracking the whip--"time for homework", "have you done a job first?", "you need to clean up this mess before you can do that", "no, we don't have time (or sometimes money) for that." At least Darren will often do the fun things with them. I just worry that they're going to look back and not remember the meals, the laundry, the cleaned up messes, the knowledge of responsibilities, the example of hard work I've tried to set--they'll just think I was the mean mom.
I am now going to tag any of my kids who want to, especially Darren! :)
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