Tag Archives: mistakes

The Dumbest Thing I’ve Done In A Long Time

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Usually when I do something “dumb” it’s actually just a minor inconvenience. For example, I have inadvertently thrown a fork in the garbage or covered the cat food scoop with cat food when filling containers. Just minor inconveniences, nothing that really amounts to much. I can’t even recall the last time I did something so dumb that it caused a real problem.

Last night, however, will be remembered and called upon every time I laugh about someone else’s “dumb” episode. Let me explain…

Yesterday, I was making lunch. That’s usually a struggle but I had made homemade spaghetti sauce the week before, and cooking the Italian sausage and pasta was simple enough. I made myself a fiber drink (generic Metamucil, yuck) mixed with orange Tang. I make this drink in a blender bottle that has a stainless steel mixer ball in it. It mixes really well with that ball! The water wasn’t very cold so I sat it in the refrigerator to chill while I was waiting for the pasta. When everything was done and ready to eat, I sat down and forgot about my fiber drink. When I did remember I was too full to drink it.

Last night, I was getting a yogurt snack from the refrigerator and saw that fiber drink. I took a drink and it was way too thick to even think about drinking. So, I thought I’d just dump it. Well, knowing that it doesn’t take much for the kitchen sink to get clogged, I figured I’d just flush it down the toilet.

Flushing the drink turned from a good idea to dumbass mistake because as I poured the drink in the toilet I heard a clank, but it didn’t register in my brain until after I hit the knob that the little stainless steel ball was still in the bottle! “Oh crap!” I gasped in utter disbelief. I quickly stuck my hand down as far as I could to see if I could grab that ball, but it was gone!

After a good hand, wrist, and forearm scrubbing, I told Dad, “You’re going to kick my ass!” He asked me what the hell I did because he heard me bitching in the bathroom about how stupid I am. I explained my intentions and what had happened. In my defense, the toilet was still flushing correctly so I thought I had escaped being really, really stupid. No such luck! After a few flushes, the toilet started to back up. Oh no!

So, this morning Dad got out the snake to see if he could knock that little ball loose. He couldn’t. He soon realized that he was going to have to remove the toilet and unclog it that way because the ball was most likely hung up in the little turn in the toilet bowl itself before it gets to the pipes. He can’t do that by himself and I’m about as much help as tits on a doorknob these days, so I called my son.

My dear son came over, tried the snake again just in case and lo and behold he knocked that ball loose!! Thank goodness! We all chuckled a bit over this “dumb stunt that mom pulled” and I threw a pizza in the oven to feed my boys.

Dad did tell me that it was a good idea to flush the drink and that my intentions were good. It just didn’t turn out as expected! He said, “You know what they say… SHIT HAPPENS!”

Boy, it sure does!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m A Good Person!!

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Have you ever experienced someone treating you as if you were scum of the Earth? Has anyone ever talked down to you or insinuated that you weren’t a good person? I have. I have been treated this way for several years by someone and it has been suggested to me that I cut ties with that person. I can’t see myself doing that because of another person who means the world to me.

I’m not a bad person. I have made mistakes, as everyone has but never mistakes of such magnitude that would make people think I was a bad person. I have regrets, as most people do. I’m definitely not perfect. I have a bit of an attitude when it comes to certain things. I am opinionated. I despise being told what to do. I curse like a sailor. I have little to no patience with drama and bullshit. I sometimes have a short temper. When I was a kid I cut school and got caught stealing. I made prank calls with friends. I got drunk with friends when I was a teenager. I’m definitely flawed; no ands, ifs or buts about it.

But no matter how flawed, I have a big heart. I am very sensitive; empathetic and empathic. I feel other people’s pain and it drains me. I care too deeply about the people in my life. If you cry you will not cry alone because I will cry with you. I am honest and trust-worthy. I am loyal. I would never hurt a child. I have never killed anyone. I don’t do drugs. I’m not an alcoholic. I wear a seatbelt in my car and I always insist others wear one too if they are in my car. I try to show everyone respect until they disrespect me. I love animals. I’m not a bully. I try to help other people if I can. I say please and thank you. I taught my kids to say please and thank you. I’ve been a caregiver most of my life. I try not to judge anyone, but if you’re an asshole, you bet your ass I will judge you on that alone! I’m frugal and I live a simple life. I don’t need expensive things, and I appreciate everything I have.

Regardless of what anyone thinks of me, I am still me. I will walk my own truth and I won’t look back at those people who have judged me unfairly.

I know who I am, and I’m a good person.

 

Learning & Moving Forward

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The last 5 years have been extremely trying. I’ve had to deal with more than I ever imagined I would, and at times thought it would never get better. I spent hours upon hours upon hours crying my eyes out. I have felt helpless, and hopeless. I’ve felt anger and sadness. I’ve suffered through many panic attacks and raging depression. After a couple years trying to pull myself up with not much success, I began seeing a therapist. With her help, I learned a lot about myself, and other people.

My therapist has helped me make sense of much of what I was feeling. With her guidance, and my hard work to meet her challenges, I can finally say that my life is getting back on track. I don’t think I could have done it without her help. You may think these things are a “no brainer” but when you have been raised a certain way, treated a certain way, and had to deal with so many issues, it tends to overwhelm a person!! You sometimes lose yourself while trying to process things, and some things are shoved under the rug because they are too hard to deal with.

Some of the things I have learned along the way are:

*I have learned that the guilt and shame that I carried for so long, was NOT mine to carry. I am not responsible for the actions of others, and I have made peace with events of the past.

*I have learned to set limits and create boundaries. Just as I don’t allow just anyone to come into my house, I cannot allow just anyone to enter my mind, and my life and drain me of my energy or place unwanted expectations on me. I do not have to allow negativity from others to bring me down. I do NOT have to engage in their drama.

*I have been a caregiver for all of my adult life. I have always put everyone else’s needs above my own. I put my needs on the back burner, thinking they were not important. I have learned that it’s not selfish for me to take care of ME! My needs are just as important as anyone else’s!

*I am a logical thinker. I’ve learned that if I can’t make sense of something, in my mind it’s hogwash. I get along with those who are like-minded. I don’t mix well with people who do not think for themselves. I don’t understand people who follow anything blindly.

*I’ve learned that there are certain people whom I cannot help simply because they won’t help themselves. I can’t keep throwing them a rope and letting them pull ME under! Some people are emotional vampires, draining you of all the energy you have. It’s ok to take a step back (or several) and protect yourself! I know I don’t have to let them drain me anymore! (This goes back to setting limits and creating boundaries, as mentioned earlier in this post.)

*I’ve learned that my thoughts, my opinions are just as important as anyone else’s. All through my childhood, my mother stifled me. I was ridiculed for voicing my opinion, for asking questions, and for asking for what I needed for ME. I may still keep my mouth shut at times (because even though I have the right to say it, doesn’t mean I should) but I no longer let the fear of what others think, keep me from using my voice.

*I’ve learned that I can forgive myself for the mistakes I’ve made in my life. We aren’t handed an instruction book when we first venture out on our own, when we enter a new relationship, or when we begin having children. We have no clue how to do it, but yet we figure it out along the way! We make mistakes. Sometimes the mistakes are small and sometimes they are huge, but we learn as we go and we have to forgive ourselves for the mistakes we have made or we will drown in the “shoulda-woulda-coulda” mentality.

*I’ve learned that others will never understand my chronic pain if they have never experienced chronic pain themselves. I can explain until my head explodes but they won’t understand that I can’t do the things they think I should be able to do. They don’t SEE anything wrong with me, so they think I’m just lazy. They can’t see how tired I am, how much I hurt, or that I’d just like to crawl in a cave and never come out again. I don’t have to explain anymore. I’m good with whatever they think about me. I just pray that they never have to experience chronic pain themselves! (If you need to understand chronic pain, a good place to start is with “The Spoon Theory.” Google it. There is no better way to understand than this.)

And last, and I am definitely not finished learning….

*I’ve learned that you just can’t fix stupid!! I get so irritated with people doing stupid and inconsiderate things that I could just pull my hair out! I am still working on this one, but I’m getting better at just letting it go!! I let things get to me too easily sometimes. It seriously affects my mood when someone pulls out in front of me on a busy road, or when someone zips through a parking lot right behind me, even though I’m already half way out of my parking spot, or when a group of people are having a “reunion” of sorts in the store blocking the entire width of the aisle. When you approach, they turn and see you but still make no effort to move over so you can pass through! UGH. I could go on and on….. These things aggravate me to no end. I always try to be courteous and watch for others around me when I’m out and about. I know they have things to do just as I do. So, why don’t they behave the same way?

All in all, my life may be a bit difficult but I am moving forward. I continue to see my therapist and work on my issues. I use to think “I will never see a shrink because I can’t talk to a stranger about personal things! That’s what friends and family are for!” Well, I was wrong for thinking this way. Yes, it’s good to talk to friends and family but some things are too deep and personal to share with them! Sometimes, a complete stranger can see things more clearly. A trained therapist can actually help you figure things out!