Saddness just doesn't seem enough......

As a blog writer, I also have a list a mile long of other amazing blogs I read. Some on a daily basis, some when I remember and find them in my bookmarks.

One of these blogs was Mad Asthmatic . As I read about her day to day struggles and the way in which she overcame them, I was always inspired. It certainly helped put my own life in perspective.

The other day, I checked in at Dancing with Frogs and was saddened to read that our very own Mad Asthmatic had passed away. Emma had lost her struggle.

Some of you may not understand the sadness. To feel such emotion over the loss of someone I had never met might seem silly to you. And no, I had never met her. But when you've had such an in depth look into someone's life, you can't help but feel connected. Because of the connectedness, you in turn feel sadness.

Emma was 32. Such a short life. As a part of the blogging world, she will be missed. In her memory, I'd like to share with y'all the last post that she published to her blog. I hope it hits home and give you all something to think about.

NO REGRETS

The certainity of life is death, but the passage of time between birth and death is ours and ours alone.

Try to make sure when the time comes that you have few regrets of the life you have spent. Do not spend your life hanging your head down, for you will miss the temperance and severity of the world in which you live. Call a spade a spade and you won't go far wrong, if you give out harsh words be ready to receive them back. If you can not take what you yourself hand out then keep silent.

Friends will come and go. if they are meant to be true then they will remain and those who are just passing ships will pass through your life at the given times. Remember each friendship with affection but do not mourn its demise for another friend is around the corner.

Follow the road that you wish to follow for your life, do not just follow the crowd unless it is what you truly want. If you make a mistake then have the courage to rectify it, if you wish to take a different path to those around you do not apologise. For we have only one life and in order not to regret those missed opportunities then we must be prepared to walk against the crowd at some point.

Do not stay silent if there is someone you love, do not regret words unsaid, do not assume they know how you feel. Red faces can be got over but unsaid words will remain just that. Make it your mission to brighten one persons life each day with a smile and a hello. All free and yet can make such an impact. Do not ask "How are you today" if you don't want to know. Have the courage to be yourself and not care what others think.

Make having no regrets your mission for life.

toodlepip

Ps feeling a little more human tonight, managed to get a straight 3 hours of sleep and then spent the rest of the night dozing and chatting. love ya all my blogging buddies.

Rest in Peace Emma....we'll miss you around these parts.

Remarkable Powers of Restraint

In the world of being a parent, there are few things that can affect me as much as something or someone hurting my children. Since the day they were born, thoughts of how to protect them and keep them safe have been foremost in my mind. With that said though, I have never been the type to overprotect them, preferring instead to give them the freedom they need to explore the world around them and how they fit into it. This was much easier before they started school. The emotional hurts were kept to a minimum and the physical hurts were mostly developmental. Any that couldn't be put down to development (or lack thereof) could be put down to parental laziness. Yeah that's right, we aren't always the most diligent of parents and things have happened. Girl Spawn has fallen backwards off of slide ladders and bus stop benches more times than I can count, down like a plank, and Boy Spawn continues to crack his head on something on a monthly basis....often because one or both of us has been deep into and incredibly important conversation and haven't noticed the child hurtling across the playground at breakneck (or head) speed.

While fixing the physical damage is relatively easy, albeit painful, the emotional hurts can often be harder to repair. As adults, we have the benefit of hindsight. I can, grudgingly, look back and realise that perhaps my mother was right about Vicki and her womanly wiles. Turns out Vicki was indeed a tramp. Who would have guessed just by looking at her in her low cut tops, mini skirts and 2 inch thick make up? I can see that I should have paid more attention in school and been nicer to some people along the way. I can also see how my actions and words had an impact on various people growing up. And as such, I can attempt to teach my children the value of thinking before they speak (something I still struggle with), and that bullying royally sucks.

Each of my kids has a strong personality (origins unknown) and honestly I was more worried about them being the bully, and less about them being on the receiving end.

Imagine my surprise then, when Girl Spawn informed me that a couple of the older girls in school had been "being mean" to her. Well, colour me stupid and stick a feather up my nose, but I thought when she said "being mean" that they just didn't want to play with her. After all, they are in Grade 4 and 5. Oh no, for these girls, not playing with her would be too simple. Instead they decided to step it up a bit.

Hotty Hubby is currently admiring my powers of self restraint for not tracking down the two little bitches and smacking their heads together before selling them to some slave driver in Kutmahbur, Nowhereland.

These gems of the female species decided that preventing a 6 year old from getting to a bathroom would be a laugh riot. I'll be the first to admit that if Hotty Hubby was unable to get to a bathroom and peed his pants, that I would be rolling on the floor. But when it's a 6 year old it's a little different.

They have called her fat (she's not), told her that her clothes look funny (I object), that her hair looks silly (it might have that day) and called her names. Most recently, they tracked her down at recess and made her give them her snack. To me, that's the equivalent of "gimme your milk money or die" from back in the day.

Much as I would love to drop the little cows off the nearest bridge or tar and feather them, I resorted instead to involving school staff. I swear I've spent more time in the principal's office as a parent than I ever did in school, and that's saying a lot. I was certainly NOT a model student.

It baffles me to this day why some children feel that they can treat others this way. These are the same children that grow up into the jackasses we work with. The parents of these little gems? "Oh, I don't know, my daughter would never do that. I think YOUR daughter must have made it up".

Lady, consider my restraint when I tell merely that you are a T-O-O-L and that your daughter did indeed do those things. Consider yourself lucky I haven't drop kicked you yet.

And to my daughter....when you're older and you read this, if you EVER treat anyone like the way these girls did you, I'll rip you a new one.


Now....I'm off to anger management :)

And the Mayhem continues...

Hello peoples! After my lame-o "fat chicks" posting yesterday, I thought I owed your a smidge more than that today, so I have put aside the work I should be doing for the school and here I am. Who says I have to complete any other tasks today right?

A while ago, I told you about some of the characters that frequent my place of torture employment and left you with the promise of more to come. Working in such a place, I am certainly never without blog fodder, it's really more an issue of putting it into context for y'all so that I don't get that blank stare, glazed over look and "I guess you had to be there" result.

Since the initial introduction of some of the characters, there have been some new residents added to Casa Crappy. While I still see a great deal of the Creeper/PSG and Rain Main, I am pleased to announce that all three Miscreants and Drunken Lout have moved on. For awhile there I was concerned that perhaps I had just lucked out with the originals, and that there would be no others. How incredibly ridiculous of me!

Allow me to introduce you to some of our newer, and always ... um... interesting (?) residents.

Man Bitch This guy is just one of the contenders in what is fast becoming a competition for the dishonourable title of the "Creeper". As with the original creeper, this one can also be found skulking around the parking lot at 3am, cigarette hanging out of one corner of his mouth, and conspiracy theories always at the ready. MB gets along well with Creeper and they play off each other nicely. Should Creeper not be available for conversation, fear not dear readers for Man Bitch WILL come and find you! The fact that you are watching a movie, reading a book, reading important blogs or (heaven forbid) working, will not deter MB. Not even remotely interested in the crap spewing from his mouth? He cares not. You will find yourself immersed in conversation about ghosts and spectres, how "the man" and "big brother" control everything, including our thoughts. Even being downright rude will not provoke a cease and desist order in his brain.
The bitch part of him comes into play during conversation at what would seem to be random times. The king (queen?) of backhanded insults, you will find yourself questioning every decision you've ever made as a result of your 3 hour interaction with him.

"Well, you work in a motel ... at night...so you clearly have no career aspirations"

"I'd explain it to you but I think it takes and educated person to understand it"

"Has your husband struggled with his weight for awhile too? What do you mean he's not overweight? Well I naturally assumed that because you are...well....umm... chubby, that your husband would be too. It's not normal for a skinny guy to like a fat chick. Sorry, I mean overweight chick"

People, should you encounter Man Bitch or someone like him, I highly recommend you tie your hands behind your back and resist the urge to slug him.


A.D.A.B. (Almost Dead and Buried)- This gentleman is a mystery. At least 200 years of age, ADAB trundles around town at hours normally reserved for shift workers and ladies of the night. He travels by motorized wheelchair and will growl at any who dare to get in his way. The smell emanating from him will be enough to turn you off food for a week if his general demeanor and attitude doesn't.
Should ADAB not show up in the office at his regular time of 4am to collect the newspaper, your brain will naturally jump to the conclusion that he has died in his sleep rather than just taking a break from the torment. NOTE - be prepared to rescue ADAB from his bathroom with some regularity as he frequently locks himself in to protect himself from the rabid dust bunnies in his room.


The thought pops into my head on a daily basis that I should perhaps be taking giant bottles of wine into the office with me, to allow me to make it through. I wonder if anyone would notice another drunken idiot around the place? I might just blend in!