Dusting off and starting over

Well, it's been over a year since I've posted anything here, so I figure it's time to start up again. Things here at the Edge of Chaos have been... well... chaotic. I'll elaborate more later. For now, though, grab your hardhats and hold on tight - got a lot of work to do!

Space - the Final Frontier

We went to spend Christmas with the in-laws - which is a whole series of entries in and of itself that will have to wait for another time. But the trip meant driving from Maryland to Florida with two kids. We were gone a week and spent 3 of those days on the road. While in hotel rooms we watched a lot of home improvement shows and came home motivated to clean up our clutter and make our tiny (less than 900 sq feet of living space) little cottage more comfortable for a family of 4.

So we went out to get storage stuff. Mostly large plastic totes that can be filled with stuff and stashed under the eaves in the attic. But something else I just couldn't resist were the neato as-seen-on-tv Space Bags. You know - those things that you stick stuff in and then vacuum out the air.

First, let me say that there is something gee-whiz about watching the bag shrink down as you listen to your new vacuum come dangerously close to overheating and bursting into flames as it struggles to get enough air from a sealed plastic bag.

Now for some things that have occurred to me as I ran around looking for stuff to store in said bags:

- These bags are fantastic for storing fluffy things like bedding. Blankets, sheets, pillows. etc. However, it probably is not the wisest choice to vacuum pack your blankets in the middle of a cold, rainy, gray winter.

- These bags are not so great a space saver when the majority of the items you need to make room for are things like glass flower vases, books, and 13 BAZILLION old computers your husband has had since he was 12 and won't get rid of because *someday* he plans to tinker with the parts.

- Only a cold, heartless bastard would subject stuffed animals to storage in these bags. I can't even imagine the horror and nightmares it would inflict upon my daughter if I tried to tidy up her room by storing Binky Bunny or Tulip the Monkey in one of these things. No amount of storage space is worth the therapy bills that would generate.

So.... if your home decor is Early American Computer or Neo Stuffed Animal, these bags - though definitely gee-whiz - may not be the best storage solution for you.

Just some advice from the Edge of Chaos.

I Miss My Bed

No matter how comfy the hotel or spare bedroom bed is, it just doesn't compare to your own bed. So it isn't unusual for people to say that they miss sleeping in their own bed. I would hear it often from people on extended trips - especially business trips.

But there is something just not right about missing your own bed when you are home 24 hours a day.

I knew not to expect to get a lot of sleep after bringing the baby home. I fully expected to be up every few hours throughout the night to feed him. I went through that with our daughter and remembered well how exhausted I'd become. But at least I got to sleep in my own bed between feedings.

But the little boy had different plans for Mommy. True to the family tradition of being naturally nocturnal, he sleeps during the day and fully wakes up about 5 seconds after my head hits the pillow. I feed him and he falls asleep (I swear, breastmilk has GOT to be a natural sleeping potion!) but once again wakes up as soon as I lay down and pull the covers up. This goes on from about 10 pm til 6 am. Doesn't make for a restful night's sleep.

But throw into the mix my husband and the need for him to be alert enough in the mornings to drive an hour or more to work. Oh.. and he has flying lessons as well - would be nice if he could stay awake for those. So.. given his need for sleep I've taken to spending my nights in the livingroom - sitting in my rocking chair to feed the baby and - when the rugrat allows it - dozing on the sofa while he's in his bouncy chair. He seems to like the bouncy chair much more than his own bed.

I wonder if I can find a mommy-sized one?

Temptation starts already

ok - I've officially been working out 4 days and already I missed a day and spent it eating cookies and icecream. But ya' know what? Given that I'm averaging 2 hours of sleep a night for the past 2 weeks, I think I can afford to slip once in a while. Just don't want to make a habit of it.

Anyways... in the spirit of keeping up on Corset Quest, I figured I'd go ahead and put up my stats for Sunday through today.

Sunday
Speed: 2.5 mph
Time: 25 minutes
Distance: 1 mile


Monday
Slacked off - and it was YUMMY!


Tuesday
Speed: 2.7 mph
Time: 27 minutes
Distance: 1.166 miles


So there we have it. I'm not planning to post my stats every day, but will be keeping track of them and post them whenever I *do* update.

A Quest!

With the arrival of Evan, BabyQuest 2005 is now complete. Thus, it is time for a new quest - one that I've been eager to get to work on since about June. And so, I declare it is now time to start

CorsetQuest 2006

While on a trip to Ann Arbor in June, we cought most of the movie Underworld on tv. I enjoyed the movie, but the BIG impact on me was Kate Beckinsale's outfit. Since watching the movie I've had a strong desire to be able to wear corsets without looking like some sort of freak.

Yesterday I rearranged the living room in order to put the treadmill in a usable location. Since it's only been 2 weeks since giving birth, I know that I can't push myself too hard just yet, but the treadmill will allow me to get started with some walking.

Today I started - much to my husband's delight. And I think I'm going to go out on a limb here and post my workout info whenever I do updates here. I don't know if anyone actually reads this blog anymore, but it will at least give me some sense of keeping track of my progress.


First Workout
Time: 20:12
Speed: 2.0 - 2.3mph
Distance: .724 mile

What is this "Update" thing you speak of?

I guess I should make note that there is a new man in my life. Has been for over a week now.



Evan was born Saturday, September 17th at 7:10pm. He weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and is 21 inches tall. Wonderful, healthy little boy who has me wrapped around his finger.

Big sister is pretty fond of him too. She was there for the birth (with my mom there as well to keep an eye on her and explain things to her). When the nurses moved him from the warming bed to give him a bath and clean him up, Rhi got REAL defensive. "Hey! What are you doing to my brother?!" She also got her first anatomy lesson in "little boy parts". The nurses got a real kick out of her constantly asking "What happened to his butt?"

My husband, anticipating my impending hormonal mood swings, started preparing right away. He bought chocolate. Lots of it. Good chocolate - not supermarket checkout line candy bars. For ht past week if I start getting upset or frustrated at *anything* his first response is "Would you like some chocolate? It will make you feel better." Of course, he followed that up by buying frozen dinners that I could make for my lunches while he's at work - Lean Cuisine.

Need to have a talk with him about mixed signals.

Anyways, Evan had his first doctor visit yesterday and our family doctor confirmed that he's in good health, so even with the lack of sleep and tendonitis in my arm, I'm a happy camper.

Offensensitivity

Twice in the past month or so I've made statements about finding something offensive. I didn't think I was making that big a fuss over it - just stating my opinion that I found certain word choices or attitudes offensive. The reactions were amazing. In one instance it was implied that I was getting over-emotional about it and just ranting, in the other instance I was mocked for having thin skin.

When did saying (or typing) the words "I find that offensive" become taboo?

I can see how some of it came about - from sensationalized incidents where people take others to court or demand new laws because someone dare offended them. I can understand people getting sick of having to couch their words and actions because someone - anyone - may take offense to something and overreact.

It is ridiculous for people to think they have some inalienable right to life without ever being offended.

But the attitudes I've encountered lately have gone beyond countering those who make a big deal out of being offended. The attitudes instead are that people have no right to be offended. Basically, the attitudes are that people who would find offense in something have no right to their opinion. Or, if they are allowed to feel offended, they certainly don't have a right to state it.

After all.... it might offend someone.

As an adult living in the United States, I have a right to my opinions - including the right to be offended. I'd like to think I could make my feelings known about it and discuss it maturely with others. But it seems they are exercising their right to be offended as well - offended that I would dare take offense at something.