Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Laziness - a benefit? or a negative?

Well, since the dial-up connection is moving at lightning speed tonight, I decided to do a quick post. Yes, Mr. COG and I still live in the dark ages of dial-up. The reasons are there for another post. Suffice it to say, it mostly involves a major grudge with the cable company.

I've been perusing my fellow bloggers'websites tonight. And I've come to a realization about myself: I'm lazy as hell. I read about you all raising children, going back to school, starting a new career, and still having time to blog and have a social life. I have my limitations, and I am not these people. I function quite well at my job; I (mostly) stick to a workout/training routine; I manage our finances and clean the house. But this is the extent of my responsibilites, and the extent of my motivation and capabilities.

Mr. COG and I have no children, so I don't have to come up with the energy to take care of a sick child or worry about their social development or smack them upside the head (proverbially, of course) when they mess up. We (Mr. COG and I) have a nice, healthy relationship that is zero source of stress. I don't spend time fretting over our financial situation, I don't lose sleep over how to manage my time.

My major point here? I really belive God gives you what you can handle. And he knows that I won't paint my nails (so they are in nice condition all on their own); I don't know how to "do" my hair (so it looks pretty good in a natural state). He knows that my stress level is just right for me. So why do I feel like such a slacker?


-K

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Meme-ries

I've taken up a toss from Animal on the meme about privilege. As Animal, I too have never really thought much about the quality of my childhood. Not on purpose, just never had a scarring event or bad memories to ruminate. So I shall try my hand at it now. The items that are bolded apply to me, the non-bolded...not so much. I also need to give a shout out to "What Privileges Do You Have?", based on an exercise about class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, and Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University in order to acknowledge their copyright on this meme...

1. Father went to college. Nope. My father worked for the first 30 years of his career at a factory job and the last 13 or so in a white collar environment on a project developed by General Motors for quality. Not going to college is something he regrets never having done.
2. Father finished college. See above.
3. Mother went to college. Again, nope. Mom had her hands full dealing with 4 kids and keeping the house together while my dad worked his ass off.
4. Mother finished college. See above.
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor. This one is true. My cousin was a city attorney for many years.
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers. This was a bit unclear, but I assume the intent was whether or not I was in the same financial class as my teachers and I would have to say yes.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home. And all of them were probably mine.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home. Probably not, although if my mom had allowed it I would have gotten my hands on that many. I was a voracious reader as a kid and teenager.
9. Were read children’s books by a parent. I don't really recall anyone ever reading to me as a child, but either way it didn't lessen my love for books.
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18. I had a couple of clarinet lessons privately, but they didn't help. I still sucked.
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18. Nope.
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively. Since I have no strange tatoos, piercings or hair color not found in nature, I suppose this is true.
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.I had worked at a credit union starting at age 16, and I was able to get a credit card just before going to college. I used the card to charge my books for the semester since I couldn't afford both tuition AND books.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs. Nope. My college education was 100% self-funded. This was a great source of worry (and probably a small ulcer) over where my next semester's money would come from. Basically, I held at least 2 jobs at any time during my college career. The biggest asset I had was a Resident Assistant job that payed room and board. I actually cried the day I got the job b/c I knew I wouldn't have to worry as much about staying in school.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs. Nope, see above.
16. Went to a private high school. Hell no.
17. Went to summer camp. Again, no.
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18. Nope
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels. I think this did apply in a couple of instances. Most likely on those road trips to Florida that we took 2 days to accomplish. I also remember my mom freaking out about germs in hotel rooms, so this wasn't necessarily a treat.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18. This one is a for sure no. I shared my bedroom with two older sisters until the age of 14. We had a communal closet with it's own motto: The first one up is the best one dressed.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them. My first car was a hand-me-down two tone 1977 Chevy Caprice Classic. Large enough for me and 14 of my closest friends.
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child. This would be bolded if hook rug craft projects made by my grandfather count as "art".
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house. All 6 of us in a 1200 square foot, 3 bedroom colonial.
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home. yep
25. You had your own room as a child. This was true, but only during the most important teenage years (15-18) after my sisters had moved out. My parents didn't bother moving the furniture around, so I kept the room to myself. Otherwise, no one had room to themselves.
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18. This is also true, but by default. My bedroom was the only one on the upper level with a phone jack, so the phone had to be in my room.
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course. COG don't need no prep! COG got a 30 on her ACT!
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school. Not only did I NOT have a tv in my room growing up, I've NEVER had a tv in any bedroom I've owned since then.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college. nope
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16.I did take a trip to Florida that didn't include the grueling drive. Once.
31. Went on a cruise with your family. nope, never been on a cruise.
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family.
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up. I don't think my parents avoided these places on purpose. I just think they relied on school field trips to enrich my art experience. I did drag my father to a Degas exhibit a few years ago. I think he agreed to go to be polite.
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family. I was certainly aware of the cost, but unlike Animal, didn't have to chop wood. My dad bought cords of wood that were dropped off on the driveway in the fall of every year.


Going back over these answers, I feel they give the impression that I had a poor childhood. Nothing could be farther from the truth. My parents encouraged me to be independent in both actions and thoughts, and allowed me to explore ideas on my own. I didn't have to "inherit" a love of books, or art. I was able to develop (or not) these appreciations on my own. Thankfully I did, and I still have a big appetite for learning things. And the reading...that's still an addiction as well.


-K

Saturday, January 05, 2008

You say you want a resolution....

Happy New Year 2008 all! Mr. Gravity and I had a great time over the holidays, and over all Santa was good to us.

I know that every year many of you have a resolution. To resolve to improve in some way. Maybe you want to lose weight, maybe you want to get a better job, maybe you want to swear less (hell no!). I'm going to do what I do every year: resolve to not make a resolution.

Why, you ask? Is COG lazy? Is she perfect already? (yes, and YES). No, the truth is I don't want to disappoint myself come February or March. And get ready to gag a little, but I try to be a better person throughout the year and not just when it's time to buy a new calendar. So my continual struggles, no matter the season? Weight loss; fitness; eating better; being less of a bitch (unless the situation calls for me to bring the Bitch. Then it's fine.)

On a completely different topic, I'd been meaning to give a list of music that I really loved/hated in 2007. I was inspired by reading so many other top 10 lists (and disagreeing with them) that I thought I would give 'er a try. Remember, these are love AND hates, and in no particular order:

1) Back to Black, Amy Winehouse - the whole album. The sound was different than anything else out there (which I give immediate props to, even if I hate it). Her voice is phenomenal. And the production of each song is top notch. Well crafted and moving. It sucks that her personal life is a train wreck right now, and I hope she pulls it together before there is no more genius from her in the future.

2) Umbrella, Rhianna - This one falls under HATED IT. Or more precisely, I couldn't figure out why it was such a big hit. I had downloaded it from ITunes after hearing so much buzz on it and was disappointed with it. A much better and bigger tune for summer was Beyonce's "Crazy in Love" two years ago. Girl could tear it up...Rhianna? Not so much here.

3) The Reminder, Feist - I would recommend about 50% of this album, the track that everyone knows from that IPod commercial would be #1 for me ("1,2,3,4"). Her voice is thin, but the melodies are unique and lyrics are pretty impressive.

4) Missed the Boat, Modest Mouse - I did like some other tracks from this album too, but Missed the Boat is my favorite. The lyrics are GREAT. Witty, self-deprecating...two things you don't see very often from pop music anymore. Bonus points for naming the album "We were dead before the ship even sank".

5) Grace Kelly, Mika - I'll recommend the album this track is from for the whole family for the pure joy of it. Unironic, not some bullshit self-aware "too cool for school" pop. This is someone bringing music from a place of pure joy. The attitude is similar to They Might Be Giants, and the fun is contagious.

6) Nickelback - HATE them in general, but I hate them in the same way that I hate Matchbox twenty. They have songs that are stupidly catchy and all sound the same, but damn if they don't appeal to a huge audience. Those Canucks sure know how to make a buck. Their album has been on the damn charts since 2006 and it's still hanging on with the new single "Rockstar". And the worst part? I actually LIKE that f**king song. Grrr.

7) The Dutchess, Fergie - GUILTY PLEASURE ALERT! GUILTY PLEASURE ALERT! The songs are insipid, poppy, and lyrics are on a fourth grade reading level (she even spells some of the words FOR you). But Ms. Ferguson must be doing something right, because this album has been charting since 2006 (that's right, over 13 months ago). The only positive thing I can say about these songs is that I use two of them on my running playlist (Glamorous and Fergilicious).

8) The new Bruce Springsteen - Forgive me, Mike P, but I'm too damn lazy to go to Mr. Gravity's car to get the case and find the name. And, since it has been permanently glued in Mr. Gravity's car cd player since Santa dropped it in his stocking last week, you can get the idea that it is a return to classic BRRRUUUUUCCCEEEEEEEE! Mr. Gravity is a classic Bruce fan, not a fan of Dust Bowl Springsteen or 9/11 Springsteen. So he is a true litmus test for another record if, Mr. Springsteen, you are a great COG fan and are reading this blog. Give us a jingle.

9) Growing Pains, Mary J Blige - it's a good one. Almost as good as No More Drama, but not quite. Mr. Gravity is a huge MJB fan, so the cd player test really doesn't apply here. The overall message is positive, the beats are hot, and Mary really hasn't sounded better.

10) I've run out. No #10. See, it's kinda hard to impress me musically. You need to be on your lyric game, and deliver it to me on an innovative melody. Anyone have a 2007 recommendation? Hit me up in the comments...

Happy New Year, bitches!


-K