Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Morning musings


"Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever." ~ Isak Denison


I love this quote because it gives me a different perspective to view the more trying times. I don't think it's easy to see the good in the difficult period in our lives but I do find when I look back on the difficult things that have happened, good things occurred as a result. And the good times and things in my life always seem so much better because of the trying times. I can be a real worry wart. In fact, when I was only 10 or 11 years old, my orthopedist told my mom, after we discussed one of my upcoming surgeries, that I was a worry wart! He was teasing me but he also meant it! I know worrying tends to be a waste of time and I have learned not to worry so much but I have to work at not doing it!
I meant to post yesterday but I guess i got distracted! When I get on the internet, there's always a list of things I want to do and time got away from me yesterday. I was also irritated because I wrote a long email to some friends and saved it as a draft while I searched for an article I wanted to include in the email. When I hit "send" my email program deleted it after asking for my password again! ugh! So I gave up and decided to read before I threw this computer out the window! Ha ha!
I don't work anymore since I went on disability several years ago. Sometimes, many days go by without me leaving the house. I have plenty to do here and a great backyard to relax in and many kitties to entertain me in addition to my almost always funny husband (H from now on!). But it is good to get out once in a while - well, that might depend on where you go! Sunday H and I decided to go to Target in the Mall. There's also a large music store that H likes to go to (I forget the name) and I can and will happily spend many hours in Target. Most days anyway. Unfortunately, it seems as if all the nuts in Brooklyn where at the mall, it was so crowded and chaotic. If I had paid better attention to the flyer that came in the NYTimes I would have known that school supplies were on sale, a huge sale. There were kids running amok as if it was a playground (I almsot ran over s few!). Their parents were either completely oblivious or standing staionery and screaming like a banshee! Not pretty & very rough on the ears! In the school supplies area I thought some mother was going to beat her child into the ground she looked so angry (and the little girl looked so meek & scared). She stopped after 1 hard smack otherwise I think I would have said something just because I have difficulty keeping quiet when I see a child getting hit excessively or really hard. I know kids can really try your patience and be completely bratty but so often it seems parents either spoil them rotten and think all of their child's behaviour, no matter how outrageous, is "so cute!" or they beat the child within an inch of his life until he's a sniveling, cowardly mess. What's going on with this world?
Anyway, sorry for the tangent there, I tend to go off and babble on various subjects when writing. So, while looking at sheets and things I over-heard a couple having a very heated argument about pillows! Pillows to sleep on, not decorative pillows, it was kind of funny actually. I think the person sleeping on the pillow should pick the pillow that will be most comfortable for them, but that's just mho. Over in the Bath section a couple was arguing about shower hooks of all things - just seems kind of silly. But I'm used to H who always says, whatever you like I will like! Gotta love that!
The absolute worst part about Target was the power scooter! Usually I just stick to my wheelchair but yesterday I wanted to have a little fun and roaming around Target in those behemoth scooters they have for customer's use always elicits some kind of response from people - they look afraid, they gawk at me, they get really self-conscious and become "all thumbs" and almost run into me! It interests & entertains me! And backing up in the scooter is the best because it makes this hideous loud noise that I think could pop your ear drums if you listen to it for too long. The fiirst time I used one of the scooters and discovered that noise I was mortified but it doesn't bother me anymore. The scooter also gives my legs a break from the wheelchair. I know that sounds odd so I'll explain. I don't like to put the leg extensions on my wheelchair because they are bulky and make it difficult to manuever store aisles and small places. If I know I'm going to be in the wheelchair for several hours I usually attach at least one leg, though, because after several hours in the chair with my legs hanging over the seat just swinging back & forth with no support (I'm very short - under 5 feet-so my legs don't touch the ground) I often experience a lot of pain and very bad leg cramps. In the scooter I can rest my feet on the scooter's base board and take the pressure. On Sunday the @#%&$$**@# scooter died on me! I was on the second floor by the books, about as far away from the scooter staion as I could be and it stopped running. Boy did I feel like a moronbut hey, isn't somebody supposed to make sure these things are charged? H was at the music store unfortunately and so he couldn't be any help to me. I waited a while, looked at many books, started reading one! lol and finally was able to get the attention of a store employee who brought me a new scooter. I think next time I'll stick to my wheelchair. In retrospect it's pretty funny! I was just annoyed on Sunday because I wanted to check out a lot of different things in the store and it's more enjoyable if H isn't with me. He's always patient & sweet & would let me browse for hours but I know he gets bored to tears quickly so I feel guilty dragging him around the stores.
So, although it was nice to get out of the house for a little while next time I go to Target, I think it'll be much earlier in the day and during the week maybe? The good thing about Target being a bit of a nightmare is that I think I've now convinced Scott the Brooklyn Flea market is a better idea - it's outside, but it's made for browsing and supposedly it has many awesome food booths! And there's always the greenmarket. We forgot about it this week. H often picks everything up on his way home but if I want to get out for a while, the greenmarket is ideal And Mr. Pickle is there!
That's my story for the moment! Enjoy your day & try not to worry!
Amy

5 comments:

  1. I found stores like Target are better on a weekday morning. I'm glad you have a great flea market and green market. They are so full of healthy foods and great for just browsing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I try to never go places on weekend. happily my bizarre work schedule gives me frequent weekdays off.

    hey, at least you got an excuse to read for awhile!! that can't be all bad!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I hate crowds and cannot stand confusion of ANY kind. You are a saint to have lasted that long in Target.
    I must admit, though, that getting out of the house once in a while is good for you -- changes one's perspective.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey Amy,
    Thank you for sharing your "story for the moment" and that encouraging quote. It's definitely something worth keeping in mind when things seem infinitely bigger or worse than they really are. I needed that.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh Lord, don't get me started on out of control kids and their clueless parents.

    I ran a daycare out of my home for 15 years. (I was a nurse, but had such issues with childcare, that I wanted to stay home and that allowed me the income to do that!) I had parents tell me that their kids were never the same at home as with me, and it was true. I'd call them at their home and all you'd hear was kids screaming in the background.

    My daycare kids never screamed. We just didn't do that. And if they started, I would tell them, calmly with a time out chair as backup, that we didn't scream. I never hit, or raised my voice. You can't out scream a kid after all. You can, though, out-stubborn them.

    My rule was a minute in the timeout chair for each year of age, but it had to be a quiet and reflective minute. If screams ensued, the minutes started again after I explained that the munchkin had to be quiet for how ever many minutes.

    I had one little boy sit in that darn chair for 65 minutes, because he'd start screaming 4 minutes into his 5. Once he realized I was more stubborn than him and I could pretty much play the game all day, we got along great. Screams stopped and he was just a little sweetie, he stopped acting out and I had him until he was too old for daycare.

    I think parents give in just to shut their kids up, and that's a shame, they all have pretty interesting things to say.

    I love the simplicity of kids, nothing's very nuanced and you pretty much always know where you stand and what they mean.

    (parents...that's another story...some people shouldn't have kids...I could tell you stories......)

    ReplyDelete