Another Opportunity to Grow

“Wit is a sword; it is meant to make people feel the point as well as see it.” - G.K. Chesterton

Today I decided to damage a relationship. 

That's not the whole story. It wasn't a conscious decision. And I did apologize almost immediately. But, what a mess. My head hurts and my heart hurts. 

I poked fun at an off-limits subject area, in a public way, without thinking much about how she'd react. I should have known better, but I only thought of how I would react if the tables were turned. And naturally, because she and I have just about completely opposite personality profiles, she did not react the way I would have reacted. To put it mildly, she was highly ticked off. And I don't blame her. It was a pot shot couched in a joke. And the grain of truth it may have contained didn't help matters any.

“There are only two kinds of people, those who accept dogmas and know it, and those who accept dogmas and don’t know it.” ~GK Chesterton

There was a time I would have reacted the same way. But thank God for my husband and his boisterous, roughneck family. They have helped this little duck oil her feathers so the water rolls right off. At least, it does most of the time. I'm a lot slower to rise to the bait than I was when I was younger, though I am still plenty gullible I have to admit.

Sometimes I wonder if the Golden Rule should have an addendum. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you *if you were them.* 

Well, that's enough about it. I don't feel the need to air this dirty laundry any more than that. Let's just leave it with the fact that I am not content to just "be myself", but to grow and to become a better version of me. And even when the lessons are painful, I am grateful for them.

Floor Space

It is almost an epic battle around here every day. Not necessarily unfriendly, but a battle just the same, for floor space. You see, I like to be able to walk around without risking bodily injury every time I take a step. My kids, on the other hand, like to stage elaborate playscapes involving (in this illustration, anyway) Pokemon, Hotwheels, building blocks, and doll quilts. Most days a truce is called, and a clear path is made in the evenings so no one gets hurt trying to find the bathroom in low light.


But like an amputee trying to scratch a phantom itch, when my kids are grown and gone I'll still be treading with care, expecting that stray Lego to materialize under my foot. I also expect that I'll miss the mess... and the fun of listening to little imaginations at work.

HEY

Well, I'm back. It has been almost a year since I posted here last, but I'm thinking that I'd like to start writing again.
Guess I'll have to come up with something to say...

Planning it

Today this is covered in SNOW.

Too early morning

Boogers! I have missed you!
Because I pay for my blog over on Typepad, I have been giving it (just a little) more attention. But having tonight read through some of my old posts here, I feel like I want to get back to simply musing and chatting and keeping up with my days.
Stay.See. is losing its focus because I've been posting ramblings there, too, when really I want it to be a crafty blog. Problem is, with all the chaos in our house due to the remodeling project, I have not been a crafty girl since before the baby was born. At that time I made a bib and a bonnet for the baby - neither of which actually got finished. When she was born the bonnet was so big on her I set it aside, and she didn't need the bib either. Now that she's grown some (ok, a lot) the bonnet would fit, but she doesn't much like wearing hats and usually fusses until the hat is removed. The bib would come in handy because of all her drooling lately, but I do have others.
Rambling again, aren't I?

Here's the thing. Have you ever seen what is called a Skinner Blend in the polymer clay world of crafting? It's a color-mixing technique that traditionally gives you a sheet of clay with that ombre' effect of dark to light. It's like a paint-chip sample card, but with no definition between gradients of color - it just all merges seamlessly. This is what my days have been lately, blending together slowly. It's not a fog, just a meld of changes happening so gradually until I suddenly look around myself and say, "When exactly did my navy change to light blue?" And because I haven't blogged or journaled or whatever, I just cannot pinpoint anything.

Now I find myself needing to wrap up this post, but I got nuthin'. I'm reaching for something clever, but at 4:40 on a Sunday morning, having been up since the baby woke me at 2:00, my brain is not cooperating. And so, to bed again.

My Poor Blog

Dear Boogers Don't Bounce,

I've been meaning to write, but life has a way of changing one's plans.
Among other things:
I had another baby girl!
I'm trying to teach school to three boys.
I'm trying to keep my little girls out of trouble without so much reliance on the tv.
I'm trying to feed my family something other than breakfast cereal or pizza.

And so, dear Blog, I'm afraid you have to keep your back seat for now. Don't worry though. I still cannot bring myself to abandon you completely, so keep up hope!

Your loving Blogmistress,
StacieMakeDo

Got time to...

...fact check this video?
http://www.pjtv.com/v/2378
I'd like to know if this contains as much spin as so many "factual" liberal diatribes I've heard.

A short commercial plays first; the main video is 15 min. long.
(FYI there is a nasty quote from Bill Maher near the beginning.)
Bill Whittle takes issue with Obama saying America is only exceptional in the same way England or Greece is exceptional. He also takes issue with Maher and his ilk continually referring to Americans as stupid.

I liked this because I am tired of being treated as stupid by the media and the government. I may be uninformed about many issues, but I am certainly teachable. And I'd rather not be taught by malicious propaganda.

HT - Rufus at Threedonia