Monday, July 31, 2006
Posted by Break from Sanity @ 9:44 AM
I have been up now for 17 hours through the night and I will probably be up for another 2 hours more, making the total 19 hours up, before I finally fall on my face and die for a few hours.
I work weekend midnight shifts, working from 7pm to 7am (12 hrs) Saturday and Sunday.
My normal weekend consists of me getting up at 8am with the kids, getting them dressed and fed, spending time with them till I feed them lunch (allowing my wife to sleep in to normally 11am) and when she gets up, I give each of them a hug and a kiss, then go lay down. I am usually asleep by 1pm and then sleep till 5pm (4 hrs) when I get up, shower and get ready for work, which is a 45 minute drive to make it for the start of my shift at 7pm on Saturday night.
I work the 12 hours till 7am in the morning Sunday, drive the 45 minutes home, get the kids up, get them dressed, make them breakfast and play a bit with them till around noon again, allowing my wife to sleep in till 11 am. I rinse and repeat for Sunday, getting another 4 hours of sleep before going to work again....
It is now Monday morning, I have been off shift for the last 3 hours and been up 17 hours so far.....
I am soooo tired right now, not sure how much longer I can last.
My son is in the highchair eating peanut butter and toast, my daughter is at the table procrastinating eating her cereal, until I take it away and she throws a fit that she suddenly wants to eat it.
My eyes burn with exhaustion, my body aches for sleep, my soft pillow calls for me, but from my wife I have not yet heard a peep.
My head in my hands, as my eyes slowly drift shut, if my wife don't get up soon, I will end up falling on my butt.
Hmmmm not bad for off the cuff and less than a minute or two in bleary-eyed thought, if I say so myself.
How can eyelids feel this heavy? It is such a chore to keep them open.
A mental, wet fog seems to blanket my brain, making it extremely hard to think. The strange thing about this, when I am like this, I tend to be more creative in my words, poems off the cuff, stories, ect. It is like a portion of my brain is clouded over or shutdown enough where the more creative side has more control.
Unfortunately this takes a toll, being this tired, also makes me sick to my stomach at times, along with a few headaches. The wonders of lack of sleep and what it can do to you.
Ungh.
I don't think I am going to be able to make it to noon, the 19 hour mark. My eyes are blurring and becoming increasingly more difficult to re-open after I blink, they keep staying down longer each time, until I get to the point of being hunched over the keyboard, head dangling down sleeping for a minute or two before slowly opening my eyes to check on the kids.
It is now 11am Monday, I have been up since 5pm Sunday afternoon with 4 hours sleep before that. As much as I try and stave off the exhaustion I feel down to the core of my bones, I fear I will have to wake my wife before I literally curl up on the floor and sleep. She has been up a good portion of the night trying to get the kids back to sleep several times through out the night while I was at work. But I am in dire need of sleep now, and she can always lay down when the kids go down for a nap for a lil' extra time examining the inside of her eyelids.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Posted by Break from Sanity @ 11:00 PM
Quick Note: Before I begin, I encourage you to click on the sidebar and visit my tenant also. She has no thumbnail available yet, but it is an active site there, so pay her a visit. You can see my original greeting of her when she decided to stake out a lil' piece of land here at Taking a Sanity Break HERE.
Now with the plug for my tenant out of the way, let's take a trip back to the 70's!
1970, yes that is the year I was born. So I decided to do a little investigating on what was going on the year of my birth, plus a little further into the era of the 1970's and here is what I found...
World Events:
Earthquake kills more than 50,000 in Peru (May 31).
US troops invade Cambodia (May 1). Background: Vietnam War
A Palestinian revolt erupts in Jordan. Forces loyal to King Hussein suppress the revolt and expel the PLO from the country.
World Population: 3.706 Billion
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty goes into effect after ratification by 43 nations.
Israeli forces fight Palestinian guerillas in southern Lebanon.
Syrian armored forces cross Jordanian border.
Canadian government declares state of emergency and outlaws Quebec Liberation Front.
October Crisis: In Montreal, Quebec, kidnapped British Trade Commissioner James Cross is released by the Front de Liberation du Quebec terrorist group after being held hostage for 60 days. Police negotiate his release and in return the Government of Canada grants five terrorists from the FLQ's Chenier Cell their request for safe passage to Cuba.
US Air Force plane makes an emergency landing near Leninakan, Soviet Union. Soviets release the American officers, including two generals.
US Statistics:
President: Richard M. Nixon Vice President: Spiro T. Agnew Population: 205,052,174 Life expectancy: 70.8 years Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 39.8 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 36.2 Homicide Rate (per 100,000): 8.3
US Economics and Happenings:
US GDP (1998 dollars): $1,035.60 billion Federal spending: $195.65 billion Federal debt: $380.9 billion Median Household Income (current dollars): $8,734 Consumer Price Index: 38.8 Unemployment: 3.5% Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.06 Price of Gold: $38
United States Postal Service workers in New York City go on strike; the strike spreads to the state of California and the cities of Akron, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, Denver; 210,000 out of 750,000 U.S. postal employees walk out. President Nixon assigns military units to New York City post offices. The strike lasts two weeks.
President Richard Nixon signs the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act into law banning cigarette television advertisements in the United States starting on January 1, 1971.
US spaceflight Apollo 13 launches for the moon, carrying Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert. On April 13, an oxygen tank in the spacecraft explodes, forcing the crew to abort the mission. The crew returns to earth safely on April 17.
President Nixon signed a measure lowering the voting age to 18.
US Congress gives president Richard Nixon authority to sell arms to Israel.
The United States gets its first female Generals: Anna Mae Hays and Elizabeth P. Hoisington.
An anti-war rally is held at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, attended by John Kerry, Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland.
Entertainment:
The Beatles break up. By the end of the year, each member had released a solo album.
George C. Scott gives one of film's most memorable performances in Patton. He won the Best Actor Oscar for his turn as the title character, but refused the gold statuette.
Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin both die drug-related deaths at age 27.
FCC regulations require separate ownership of television networks and studios.
Monday Night Football debuts on ABC, with Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford, and Don Meredith giving play-by-play.
Simon and Garfunkel release Bridge Over Troubled Water
- [Fitting for the year of my birth eh?]
The first episode of All My Children was broadcast on the ABC television network.
Elvis Presley begins his first concert tour since 1958 in Phoenix, Arizona at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Science:
IBM introduces the floppy disk.
Bar codes (computer-scanned binary signal code) are introduced for retail and industrial use in England.
The LCD (liquid crystal display) is invented by Hoffmann-La Roche (Switzerland).
The Food and Drug Administration warns that birth control pills may cause blood clots.
Lithium is approved by the FDA for the treatment of manic-depression.
Celebrity Deaths:
Jimi Hendrix dies of barbiturate overdose in London
Janis Joplin dies of a heroin overdose inside her hotel room in Los Angeles, California
Celebrity's Born in 1970:
Skeet Ulrich - January 20
Heather Graham - January 29
Minnie Driver - January 31
Lara Flynn Boyle - March 24
Mariah Carey - March 27
Vince Vaugh - March 28
Uma Thurman - April 29
Claudia Schiffer - August 25
Kelly Ripa - October 2
Matt Damon - October 8
Ethan Hawke - November 6
Jennifer Connelly - December 12
Top TV shows for 1970:
Marcus Welby, M.D.
The Flip Wilson Show
Here's Lucy
Ironside
Gunsmoke
The ABC Movie of the Week
Hawaii Five-O
Medical Center
Bonanza
The F.B.I.
The Mod Squad
Adam-12
Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In
The Wonderful World of Disney
Mayberry F.F.D.
Hee Haw
Mannix
The Man from Shiloh
My Three Sons
The Doris Day Show
Top movies released in 1970:
Love Story
Airport
MASH
Patton
The Aristocats
Valley of the Dolls
Interesting things in 1970:
Telephone booth stuffing became popular activity.
The Concorde makes its first supersonic flight (700 mph/1127 km/h).
NASA's Explorer I, the first American artificial satellite and the first of the Explorer program spacecrafts, reenters Earth's atmosphere after 12 years in orbit.
The USSR's Venera 7 becomes the first spacecraft to land successfully on Venus and transmit data back to earth.
Bob Hope and other entertainers gather in New York City for Honor America Day, a nonpartisan holiday event.
- [Won't see things like that anymore, it's like Americans hate America. To most they feel as if it is just another place to hang your hat, to build your house...Like this Country is nothing special to be in.]
Gary Gabelich drives the rocket-powered Blue Flame to an official world land speed record of 622.287 mph (1,001.452863 km/h) on the dry lake bed of the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The record, the first above 1,000 km/h, stands for nearly 13 years.
Fatal airplane accident in Wayne County, West Virginia, claims the lives of all 75 onboard, including 37 players and 5 coaches from the Marshall University football team.
The North Tower of the World Trade Center is topped out at 1,368 feet, making it the tallest building in the world.
Fads of the 1970's:
There were many fads in the 1970's. Pet rocks were big in the 1970's. The would come in little boxes with little peace of straw in the bottom of the box.
Platform shoes were also very large in the 70's. People would wear them mostly to parties, but others would wear them everywhere. Jogging suits were also a big trend in fashion. Later, people started to worry about their weight. For some reason, jogging became a popular sport, so jogging suits became popular not just for running and working out, but for fashion too.
"Earth Day" was also a popular fad in the 70's. This was celebrated on April 22. Earth Day was a day when people did such things as wear gas masks to demonstrate their concern about pollution and the wish they had for a cleaner Earth.
8-Track Tape Player - Developed as a car accessory to give drivers an alternate to listening to radio stations so they could listen to their own song selections. Motorola manufactured the first players, which were installed in Ford automobiles. Many record companies were quick to put many of their artists on the new format, but by the mid 1970's, most record labels had stopped producing music in 8-Track tape format because the quality was not good and they were bulky and inconvenient. Cassette tapes and vinyl records replaced 8-Tracks by the late 1970's.
String Art - Considered to be pop art, this fad was a challenge. You could choose from a variety of unassembled kits ranging from ships to animals. The kits included a board (often covered in black velvet), nails, and enough string that had to be wound around the nails as instructed. They took many hours to complete and could hung on the wall as a conversation piece.
Streakers - People started the craze of taking off all their clothes and running across the field at major sporting events. A streaker ran across the stage of the Oscars in 1973 while it was being broadcast live on TV. There was even a 1970's song written about streakers called "The Streaker". Streaking was popular for only a couple years and soon faded, probably because people were being arrested for streaking.
- [Begins humming, "they used to call me the streak...."]
Disco Music - Saturday Night Fever (John Travolta), ABBA, Donna Summer, The Village People, Dance Fever, Bee Gees.
- [Sad to say I still listen to some of it from time to time **chuckles**]
Cork Pop Guns - When you would shoot it, the cork would pop out and hit your assailant.
Dashboard Hula Girls - A small hula girl doll that attached to your car dashboard and danced when the car moved.Made popular by California surfers.
Happy Days - The "Fonz" - A hit tv show about life in the 1950's. Fonzie was a James Dean type ultra cool guy who rode a motorcycle and could always get a date.
Mexican Jumping Beans - Beans that jump around. Check out the link below to see how the work.
Daisy Dukes - Popularized in Hawaii as well as other surf towns by the surfers.
Rocky Horror Picture Show - For well over 25 years, fans have flocked to midnight screenings of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The original movie came out in 1973 as a British musical. It was then turned into a motion picture, which was released around the time of the dying our glam rock scene. Then, it was to be screened "only" at midnight, later the decision turned out to be a stroke of genius. Midnight movie going had become popular among young film buffs and turned the movie into an instant cult classic.
Acupuncture - Found by President Nixon in 1971 on a trip to Mainland China. He returned home and brought with him a new acceptance of many things Chinese - including approaches to medicine. Its proponents believe that an imbalance in the body's tch'i (energy), the result of illness or injury, can be adjusted by inserting needles into certain strategic acupuncture points. There are over 900 of these points. Many have claimed that acupuncture works when no other type of medical treatment or procedure seems to do the trick. Also has been used to control diet and as an anesthetic.
The video game - revolution began with Pong in 1972, which spawned Atari (1978) and those little hand-held football games.
Trans Am automobiles - A muscle car that became popular after the movie 'Smokey & the Bandit' which starred Burt Reynolds and Sally Field.
- [Sorry folks, I liked the original Smokey and the Bandit, heck I even like Hooper..**smiles**]
Star Wars action figures - After the popular Star Wars movies there was a cult following with many fans who couldn't get enough of their favorite characters. Many youths started collecting action figures of Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and more.
Sure was an interesting time during the Year and Decade I was born in.....
I don't believe she has been issued a thumbnail of her site yet, that is why no image shows on the sidebar, so I have assigned a special, this site only thumbnail, just for her site. Oh c'mon, laugh!
Regardless of which, she is a working mother of one who is just trying to survive and remember that everything is really great.....
And she has decided to take a chance, stake down a little plot of space on this blog o' mine and do some renting.
Her blog seems to be new on the scene, help her out and give her a boost, go over, say hello and let her know she got a sanity break...
Her energy and perkiness in her posts will keep your head spinning.
Where she gets the energy I don't know...oh, she only has ONE child **chuckling**
Go check her out. Well....errr...check her B L O G out...not check her out.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Posted by Break from Sanity @ 10:18 AM
Have you ever watched your other-half, spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, ect, sleep AFTER you leave the bed?
Is it the unconscious mind that snuggles to your side of the bed after you leave?
Is it the fleeing warmth from where you just slept that they snuggle into?
Is it the scent of you on the pillow that causes them to wrap their arms around it and bury their face into it?
My wife always said I was her own furnace, and it is true. I kick off heat like you would not believe. Our first apartment, in the dead of winter in Michigan, we never turned heat on in the bedroom because I was enough to keep it warm.
Reminds me as a teen, I used to open the bedroom window next to my bed when I slept. I always sleep better when the outside around me is cold and I breathe cool air but my body is nice and warm in the covers. But I digress....
Take the time to notice your other half and how they sleep.
Watch how they sleep with you....
Do they snuggle into your back while you lay on your side?
Do they drape an arm across your chest as you lay on your back?
*chuckling*
Do they turn and lay "cheek" to "cheek" with you? (facing away from each other)
Do they kick and hog the blankets? (laughs)
Think of how they sleep, look at the content expressions of their faces as they sleep. Try caressing their faces, stroking their hair, lightly caressing their backs....
Then as you wake in the morning and get up, turn and look at them, remember how they slept, what they looked like.
Then return in 10 minutes and look at them again.....
Have they taken over your side of the bed?
Have they clutched your pillow and buried their face where you once rested?
Take the time and look at the one you Love as they rest before and after you get up.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Posted by Break from Sanity @ 11:33 PM
Not that this relates at all to what I posted about my Anniversary, but it did get me thinking of how many times certain things have killed the mood as we lay in bed....
I know the first 8 months were especially difficult. Even now, we still have a monitor so we can listen for when the kids cry or wake up. And nothing stops or kills the mood faster than a sudden crying coming through the monitor. (The crying that comes after that would be me....)
Another would be forgetting to turn the monitor on, be warming up to each other, things begin to get interesting, and the door opens and you hear, "Mommy?".
What are some of the mood killers that have killed your romantic moods?
Additional DOs and DON'Ts from Miss WHO'S School of Sexual Blunders (Saving the world: One inept man at a time)
CAUTION: Virgin eyes need go no further......
* If you think our best friend is hot, DON'T tell us about it.
* DON'T ask for a threesome.
* DON'T drool on our chins while kissing. There is only so much chapstick in the world.
* DON'T jam your tongue so deeply into our ears that they start to ring.
* DO lick the outside of our ears gently.
* DO NOT say ignorant things that kill the mood. (i.e.: You know, licking nipples is kind of like licking nine volt batteries)
* DO compare the taste/scent of our bodies to desirable tasting foods. (i.e.: peaches, cream, cherries, etc.) Try to make your voice sound all husky when you say it.
* DO NOT lap at our genitals like a little kitty lapping at a saucer of milk.
* DO remember the two following words: Speed and Pressure.
* DON'T stop to ask, "Did you cum?" If you have to ask, it didn't happen.
* After doing the above, DON'T ask "How many times?"
* After doing the above, DON'T be surprised when we roll our eyes and say, "Oh, TONS of times honey, TONS."
* NEVER assume that we don't want oral.
* DO volunteer to help keep our hair our out of our faces.
* Now is not a good time to call us 'Mommy.'
* In fact, it's NEVER a good time to call us 'Mommy.'
Brought to you by Jokaroo. Visit and see other wonderfully funny videos.
DISCLAIMER: Seems some people think that being a dad or a daddy blogger, means things have to be cute, cuddly, warm and fuzzy. But I am also a man, a dad, a husband, ect, also.
While some may find it crude in some ways, it does fit with the theme of the post - It would definately kill the mood.
And personally, if you don't like it - Tough. Have a reality check and take a sanity break!
Friday, July 21, 2006
Posted by Break from Sanity @ 2:18 PM
Has it been that long?
6 years?!?
Where has the time gone, because it certainly doesn't seem that long. I know, its been at least two kids ago right? *smiles*
Unfortunately our wedding anniversary is this Saturday and I have to work. We most likely will celebrate on my day off, maybe, Tuesday, I don't know. My wife has been pretty tight-lipped, or perhaps just doesn't know either at this point.
What do you get, or how do you handle a 6th year Anniversary?
* Special dinner? (pdf format) - Thats if we can find or get a babysitter. Slim chance at this time. I suppose I could get some things together and make a special dinner at home, but again, will have to be on a day off.
* Flowers? - Well DUH!! You don't think I already thought of that? That is a given. Lavender Roses are so hard to find. But if you have ever breathed in the scent Lavender Roses give off, you would be hooked. Besides, Red Roses are so blas'e...
* Trip? - Funny thing is, I did look into some prices and offered to take a few days off to watch the kids, and get her a round trip ticket to Colorado so she can fly out and see a very special friend of hers. I know, it isn't me and her together for that, but it is something I think she would really enjoy. I just don't think it's in the budget at this time though.
So where does that leave me?
No she isn't into jewelry scene, or the shopping marathons. She isn't vain, she doesn't spend all day in front of the mirror or looking for just the right outfit to wear. It doesn't take her an hour or two to get ready to go out, and we both spend more time getting the kids ready than we do ourselves.
So where does that leave me?
What do you get for someone like that on your Wedding Anniversary, especially a Six Year Wedding Anniversary?
***sighs*** DEFINATELY my son...... He already thinks it is funny to take off running buck naked through the house, just a gigglin', when I try and get him in the bath!!
Yes, he has tripped over his own feet. I teach him to laugh about it, and shake it off.
Believe it or not, this is actually my DAUGHTER who would do this....little stinker!
Again, not my son, but my daughter. Not the first time I caught her with her hand in the toilet - last time she went splashing her lil' brother!
Hopefully she doesn't put a toy in there, and get the idea that looks neat, let me try and go round-and-round like the toy!!!
All things considered, I have two great kids, and I hope they are full of life and enjoy every minute of it.
It isn't because of any special features, hidden talents, degrading of the contestants....
I like it because of the pure unadulterated fact that if you want something, you have to bust your ass to get it.
Gabe, 27, a marketing executive from Chicago, IL Garrett, 27, a former prisoner/chef from Cedar Park, TX Giacomo, a pizza maker from Euless, TX Keith, 28, a chef/bartender from South Hampton, NY Larry, 38, a fishmonger from Arlington, TX Tom, 43, a former stockbroker from Belleville, NJ Heather, 25, a sous chef from Port Jefferson, NY Maribel, 31, a cafeteria chef from Brooklyn, NY Polly, 43, a caterer from Ben Franklin, TX Rachel, 39, a personal chef from Dallas, TX Sara, 31, a deli manager from Dallas, TX Virginia, 25, a salad chef from New York, NY
These are the contestants (lines drawn through ones that are gone), that are competing for this:
The heat is on and the "steaks" are high as the contestants endure Ramsay's hellishly intense culinary boot camp for a chance to win the ultimate mouth-watering prize - the coveted title of Executive Chef of a luxurious fine-dining restaurant at the brand-new Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas. In addition, the winner will be eligible to receive a financial interest in the restaurant and assist its design.
Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa is located 10 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip at the base of Red Rock Canyon and features 850 rooms, a 35,000- square-foot spa, Rande Gerber's nightclub Cherry, nine restaurants and gaming.
Link Chef Gordon Ramsay has specific tastes and expectations for what comes out of Hell's Kitchen, and if this is not met, he will not hesitate skewer them on his razor sharp tongue, as he filets their performance, their attitudes, their abilities and yes, even their appearance.
Some think he is too harsh, but I don't think so.
School is over. These contestants are competing for a high visibility, high paying job of running and part ownership in a million dollar restaurant that will be situated in a billion dollar casino/hotel.
I would never be soft or go easy on someone who will fill such a position.
This seasons contestants, I swear, I almost quit watching because it didn't look like any knew how to cook. It has taken till episode 6, to even have one side complete a damn dinner service.
I kept thinking...man this is pathetic.
It hasn't gotten alot better, but I have to disagree with the last choice of removal - Maribel. Saying she wasn't leadership material is correct, BUT in the cold, hard light of Sara's ignorant tone with Chef Ramsay, the fact that she suggested a menu item she absolutely had no idea how to cook, was specifically the major reason why that team did not even BEGIN to get their service moving or completed, ended up having Chef Ramsay shutting down her staion and removing her item from the menu....I really thought Sara would have been the one to go.
Sorry, I can not stand Sara. She severely gets on my nerves. Sneaky, conniving, backstabbing, bitchy, gas-passing Sara.
Virginia seems to have gotten better at cooking, but this last time, she couldn't even cut RAW FISH. She didn't have to cook it, it was raw, all she had to do is SLICE IT and she couldn't even do that well. Please tell me that sooner or later she will actually get to a point in what she talks about?!?! Rambling on and on, and on, and on - sometimes I wonder if she starts talking before she knows what she is going to ask or say, and then keeps going to stall for time while her brain catches up!
I believe it will come down to Heather and Keith. That is my prediction.
Garrett has already alienated himself from everyone, including Chef Ramsay. He hasn't been able to do anything right the last couple of times, and giving Chef Ramsay the finger as he drives by doesn't help either!!
Sara and Virginia are going to be at each others throats and I see Sara continuing, if not escalating being manipulative and back-stabbing her teammates.
So far this seems to have more in common with the afternoon soaps than with a competition for becoming a chef. It has been lack-luster in much of the cooking, the ability of the cooks and the performance as a team in any given setting.
*sighs*
Yet still I watch it.
Perhaps because even a train wreck is fascinating - as long as you are not in it!
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Posted by Break from Sanity @ 7:30 PM
I ran across this while looking for inspiration for another blogger who is going through a very rough time.
I read this and had to sit back and think of all the times this really does seem to be just for me.
How many times have I snapped at my children, even at my own wife while occupied with something?
How many times have I let pass or have been very polite about when it comes to a stranger doing the same thing?
There is no excuse, and I will not make any, yet I fear it will not stop. Perhaps I need to stop and let my brain think and remember the following before I respond...
I ran into a stranger as he passed by, "Oh excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too; I wasn't watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said goodbye.
But at home a different story is told, How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal, My son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down. "Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken. I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.
While I lay awake in bed, God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use, but the family you love, you seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor, You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers he brought for you. He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise, you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."
By this time, I felt very small, And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed; "Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?" He smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."
I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today; I shouldn't have yelled at you that way." He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay. I love you anyway."
I said, "Son, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."
I love my children more than I love my Life. There is nothing I would not do for them in a time of need.
It reminds me of Tim McGraws "Don't Take the Girl" on just how strongly I feel for my Wife and Children.
Substitute my wife or any of my children for the line "girl" and you have my exact feelings.
Same old boy Same sweet girl Five years down the road Theres going to be a little one and she says its time to go Doctor says the babys fine but youll have to leave cause his mommas fading fast and johnny hit his knees and there he prayed Take the very breath you gave me Take the heart from my chest Ill gladly take her place if youll let me Make this my last request Take me out of this world God, please dont take the girl
You may think I am weak, but I cannot listen to nor can I even read the above without tears streaming down my face.
I am completely serious. The bolded part, is how I feel.....
Think what you want, but my wife, my children, are my world......If I ever lose any one of them, my world will die.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Posted by Break from Sanity @ 9:13 PM
Interesting video I found being played around, made on You Tube, orginally seen on Stop the ACLU.
Am I a religous, bible-thumping man/husband/father that goes around telling people they are going to hell?
Of course not.
Do I believe in God?
You betcha.
I probably do not talk to God as much a I used to, and that is my fault, but it doesn't mean I believe any less in Him though.
The purpose of this post is not to post on my religous or personal beliefs for you to criticize or agree with, it won't matter. My belief will not be shaken by what you have to criticize with. Again, I digress....
The purpose of this posting is the video, while you may or may not agree with "In God We Trust" as a Nation, you are certainly entitled to your views and beliefs, and if that is so, then sit back, turn down the music and just enjoy the fantastic scenery used in the video.......
It will forever be "In God We Trust" for me and mine.
And that grand ol' flag, means more to me as a patriotic symbol that represents America, than the hatred others portray when they burn it.
It really is a sad thing that hatred seems to have become the norm for today's society.
***Sits in silent contemplation for a few moments***
**Sighs softly**
Anyways, even if you do not believe, and no one is asking you to, it takes no special belief to value beauty. So please enjoy the scenery, even if you don't agree with the message in it, the beauty itself cannot be argued.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Posted by Break from Sanity @ 1:20 PM
Do you ever glance at the people you drive by? A quick glance to see what they are doing?
NOTE: Pictures are examples, not real life photos that have been taken of what I have seen.
Most times I see a cell phone stuck to their ear or a woman with her face up to the mini mirror in the overhead putting on makeup. (Most people do this BEFORE getting out and driving!)
I also see the same for the men, electric shavers whirring away as they grind away their overnight whiskers. (Wake up earlier if you need to shave)
I have seen someone look like they are talking to themselves, hands punctuating the air as they talk, thinking they have lost it...only to see a small bluetooth phone in their ear. (Though I still think some of them have lost it the way they talk on the phone!)
I have seen them singing, and some actually gettin' down while driving, head and body weaving back and forth..... (I didn't see a disco ball attached to the roof though.)
I have seen the style for today it seems, where drivers lay their seat almost all the way back and drive like they are laying down. I thought I had a problem with little old ladies who could barely see over the wheel...now this. *rolls eyes*
I have seen a few drive with their left foot up on the dashboard, and sometimes out the window. (Boy talk about your air pollution)
Another time I saw a woman pouring milk into a bowl of cereal as she is driving in rush hour traffic. (This was just insane, and almost caused me to get into an accident with a second look lol)
Hmmmm, people who look at other people as they drive....**cough** **cough**
Worse than that are the rubber neckers, those that have to slow down and stop traffic so they can see what is going on at the accident on the side of the road. (The person that had the accident probably was a rubber necker doing the same dang thing, and got into an accident)
Remember, always keep your eyes on the road.......
And never, ever give into Road Rage! It is just not worth it.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Posted by Break from Sanity @ 7:45 PM
A recipe that looks good enough to eat. (pun intended)
RASPBERRY-CASSIS ICE CREAM
For a berry swirl, add some sweetened crushed raspberries during the last minute of churning. The swirl may become icy after the ice cream is frozen, so soften slightly before serving.
** INGREDIENTS *************** 1 12-ounce bag frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed 2 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar 2 1/2 tablespoons imported crème de cassis (black-currant liqueur)
6 large egg yolks 2 cups whole milk 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
** PREPARATION *************** Puree raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, and crème de cassis in processor. Let stand 15 minutes. Strain puree into bowl, pressing on seeds to extract as much fruit as possible; discard seeds.
Whisk yolks and remaining 1 cup sugar in medium bowl to blend. Bring milk and cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture; return custard to pan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens enough to leave path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 6 minutes (do not boil). Immediately pour custard into large bowl; mix in vanilla.
Place bowl of custard over another large bowl filled with ice and water and cool, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Stir in raspberry puree.
Process custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer ice cream to large container, cover, and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
I am glad Monday is dead and gone, it was entirely too much of a bad day.
Monday is normally the ending of my 12 hour midnight shifts during the weekends, the last day being Sunday evening starting at 7pm and ending at 7am Monday morning.
It really isn't that bad, I run the shift alone, so I normally run streaming music off the work computer to keep from going batty.
I normally let my wife sleep in on weekends when I get home because I do not know what she has had to put up with through the night with the kids. I try and stay up till around noon-ish, getting the kids up, feeding them breakfast and lunch, playing with them, till I can barely keep my eyes open and my feet still under me. Normally at that time I will have been up 19 hours.
Monday morning routine went as normal, I got off work and made it home for 8am. Everyone was still asleep, both kids and wife in a variety of positions of disarray. Make a pot of coffee, startup the computer and slowly sip on some coffee as I read different news forums, political blogs, check messages, check emails, ect.
I get the kids breakfast ready as I hear them beginning to stir between 8:30am and 9:00am, getting milk and toast and peanut butter for my son and cereal, milk, vitamin and medicine for my daughter.
Get clothes ready for them both to get dressed, pull son from crib as he is making excited noises cause he has seen me. Help my daughter take some of the dolls and stuffed animals from her bed to the living room, otherwise she gets frustrated when she tries and haul them all at once.
Son's diaper changed and now dressed, into the highchair he goes, and toast and bottle are at his disposal.
Daughter's breakfast at the table, sometimes it's easy to get her to eat, sometimes it is a chore, yesterday it was a mix, she started alright then it turned into a chore.
Normal morning, things seemed to be moving as normal.
My daughter finishes up and is outside riding her bike, and my son is inside playing with me, rolling cars around, wrestling on the floor, tickling, ect.
Monday was a little harder on me, I hadn't gotten a lot of sleep lately and by 10-ish, I am literally falling asleep on my feet. I stumble into the bedroom and tell my wife she needs to get up, I can't stay awake any longer and then stumble back into the living room to wait for her to get up.
Last thing I remember is grabbing some boxers and falling into bed, vaguely recalling I had the TV on the morning news as my eyes rolled up in my head.
I was O-U-T.
I get up around 5pm-ish and take over for the wife, and she lays down for a bit to take a break and get rid of a headache. She isn't feeling well lately, some kind of sinus/cold thing going around I think. Both kids have gotten it and now she has too.
Everything is running fine, I am inside mainly with my son, playing with him, trying to drink a bit of coffee here and there, only get a couple of sips before it seems the cup is cold again.
My daughter is playing outside with a neighbors kid, everytime I look out she is either doing my daughters hair, running around, hauling pails with their stuffed teddy bears in the them, sliding down a small slide we have outside, throwing rocks into the small man-made lake we have outside the apartment.
Wife got up after a bit, and found out from talking to the neighbor that my daughter and the neighbors child got into a few tiffs, something which everytime I checked on them I never observed.
It was time to pull my daughter in and start getting them ready for bed. That is when the meltdown started......
As soon as my daughter saw I was putting things away she ran halfway to the lake, screaming as I put her toys away, then when I calmly started walking toward her she ran farther away, into the back portion of another apartment, still screaming, throwing an absolute fit. I reach her, grab her hand before she can take back off again, in which she does the normal pick her feet up and drop like a stone to the ground - which I think she hopes will yank her hand out of mine. Regardless of which, nothing like having 30+ pounds suddenly yank down hard on your shoulder.
So she is on her knees screaming as I try and pick her up and she keeps flopping down, kicking off her sandals, and as I reach for the sandals she gets up and hauls butt down the sidewalk - you guessed it, still screaming, but this time turning around and yelling, "YOU SUCK!"
She is learning that crud from the neighbor kid, and the parents really think its funny when their child acts like that, and mine has begun to pick that up. We put a stop to the hitting in the face real fast when she tried to imitate what the neighbor child did to her mother.
**Sighs**
Did I ever mention I am a VERY fast sprinter? Long distance running I am not very good at, but I can go from standing to full speed within a second very easily, which I did so and nabbed daughter in mid-run. Gathering her up under my arms and walked back inside, where she continued her tirade.
I have never seen her this bad. My wife thinks the neighbor mom probably gave my daughter some treats while outside, she normally feeds her child all sorts of sugar through the day. I have seen that child (who is 3yrs old) have ice cream, ice cream pops, cookies, candy, ect all of it within a couple of hours. Though I didn't see her give my daughter anything more than a mint earlier, I did see them sitting on the neighbors porch off and on, so it is a distinct possibility that happened.
It sure seems like she is hopped up on sugar, something in which my wife and I normally do not give our kids much of.
Tirade continued, and I won't go into specifics, but she did get a spanking, and because she got mouthy she got a small squirt of soap in the mouth.
Her fit was so bad, we could not get her undressed, so I just had the wife put her in the shower with her clothes on. When they got wet she took them off.
She got a quick wash and into bed, where she was out very fast.
Note: While some who read this may think spanking is not right and surely not soap in the mouth, I will be very straight forward and tell you, putting a child in the corner or coddling a child does not work most the time. Yes, sometimes it does, and I have put my daughter in the corner, given her timeouts on the couch, but the spanks she only gets when she is completely out of control. The soap is a rare thing, but I will use it if she swears, and yes, both my wife and I swear occasionally but we do try and keep from doing so in front of the children, but sometimes we slip.
As I wrap this up, it is now Tuesday morning...
I am up with the kids early, normal routine, breakfast, getting dressed, ect...
The day is looking iffy at the moment, daughter did very well and ate her breakfast without me having to tell her to get to the table and eat, or sitting on her....
But she wants to ride her bike, and because of how she acted Monday, she lost her bike privileges, no bike for her today, and she is NOT happy about that, not happy about that at all.
She through a mild meltdown in which I brought her inside for a short time, and she has calmed down and things are running more smoothly so far.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Posted by Break from Sanity @ 7:59 PM
Jason at The Grubby Halo has decided to rent some space, or perhaps he just needed a Sanity Break.
Please show him some love and check out his site. Click on the thumbnail of his site to the left.
Why haven't you done it yet?
Oh, your still reading? Well click on it afterwards then!
He is planning a "Blogging for the Heart" Blogathon, and all money raised will go to the American Heart Society.
On Saturday July 29th, starting at 8:00 AM (CST) I will begin participating in Blogathon 2006. Every half-hour for 24 hours I'll be posting on Karolczak.com and I'd like you to sponsor me. All money will be going to the American Heart Association. In light of my recent brush with heart problems and knowing that both my grandfathers died from heart disease I thought it'd be a good choice for a charity.
For all the others who have bid, and I wish to thank each and everyone of you, please feel free to bid again in the future. I was really suprised at getting bids so quickly. Shocked more like.....
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Posted by Break from Sanity @ 10:17 PM
***Updated Thought: Click on the Lonestar - Mr. Mom video and let that play while you read the below story for a better effect.***
Yesterday I got home from work at 7pm-ish, and originally my wife wanted me to take my daughter shopping with me as soon as I got in.
Fact note: my daughter is 3 and my son is 2.
She was a bit frayed around the edges my wife was, so I decided I would take both of them with me to the store to give her a break.
I think that shocked her a bit.
She was only asking for me to take my daughter, so she could have a break, but when I said I would take both, her response was, "Are you SURE?!?".
*chuckling*
And yes, I chuckled then too, but it is not an impossible feat for me to handle both my children, and they haven't seen daddy all day, so I wanted some time with both of them.
She bundled up the diaper bag for me as we got the kids ready, and boy were they rarin' to go...heck beat me to the door. *laughs*
I figured it would be a while out, and so they would end up getting to bed later, no big deal, gives my wife some alone time to kick back and do whatever she wants, and gives me some time with the kids.
Daddy's time........
Into the van we go, getting my son buckled in while my daughter waited at the front of the minivan, then getting her in locked in to place...we were off...to...to...WALMART!
You betcha.
I parked pretty far away from the entrance, and near a cart so I could get them both in the cart to head in. My son in the front and daughter sitting in the main basket...we rolled into Walmart...wheeeeeeeeeeee
No whining, no crying.....we are doing good so far....
Both seem to be having fun, up the aisle to the baby section for diapers...size 6 for my son (so he can give mommy a surprise later *grins*).
My daughter was getting a little irritating with the, "I wanna go this way" (hand stuck out pointing)" and "I wanna go that way" (hand stuck out pointing), but made a game of it for awhile...
I say, "Nooooooooo, we're gonna go thiiiiis way."
Daughter says, "I wanna go this way!"
I say, "Noooooo, let's got this way."
Needless to say, this gets old fast after doing it over and over again......
At this point we have gotten a box of diapers and my daughter is now sitting on them as we trudge through Walmart.
Swing through movie section to see if they have "Over the Hedge" out in video yet. I really want to see that, and think the kids would have a blast with it.
Nope not yet...sigh
Checks list to see what else needs to be gotten...
Medicine, sinus, cold and motrin....check. Pop, Diet coke.....check. Glade plugin (not on list)...oh well, getting it anyways.
Kids doing good still, passing by moms out shopping with thier kids, and telling mine to say hi to the children.
My sons response, "Buh-bye", a little up and down wave of his hand. "Buh-bye".
Ok, first minor melt down....I decided to be nice and brought the kids to see the fish in the fish tanks, and my daughter begins melt down mode as we leave. I tell her we will get a fish some other time.... (not lying, we will).
Almost through shopping, yay me, gathering a few extras, things that weren't on the list...oh well shoot me, its my money. *laughs*
Grabbed several containers of yogurt, kids have had a bit of a cough lately, yogurt might help soothe their throats....
Major meltdown commences with daughter, she is wanting everything she passes by, "I want this", "I want that"..
My response of course is, "No".
Her response to repeatedly being told no...melt down.
This goes on for about 5 minutes till I can calm her down, telling her the pringles chips I just got for her will go back if she doesn't knock off with the attitude.
After a few minutes with the arms crossed, head down, eyes glaring at me from her head down position and telling me "no" a few times, I distract her and all seems to be forgotten...
My son has picked up the tension a bit and has gotten fussy, it is also after 9pm and he normally is in bed. Drinking a bit of his bottle, turn my back...oops...there it goes flying....
Yes, he like to throw his food and bottle when he is done with it....frustrating.
Yay, found a not so crowded register, and get through it all with my daughter helping me by handing me each item in the basket so I can put it on the conveyor belt, she loves to help.
Have a couple of large cups, they have the Cherry Slushees (wife loves 'em), so juggling cups trying to fill up two cups with cherry....
Ack..
Crash...
Sigh, son just threw his bottle again....
Hand one slusshee of to my daughter and retrieve the bottle, which goes into the diaper bag. I am not a dog, my children will not be training me to play fetch....grrrrr.
Ok, the plastic tops of these slushee cups are garbage, barely able to get it on, and a little pressure pops them off. But I digress...
Ok, we are golden, kids quiet, got the slushees, my daughter sitting amongst all the bags in the basket, which she tells me, "Daddy, too full!".
*chuckles*
Alright, on the move, pushing a loaded basket with one hand, 2nd Cherry Slusheee in my other hand, and some dang lady STOPS right in front of the door going out. HELLO!?!?!
You have people behind you! Can't you dig for your keys or whatever your trying to get when you get outside or at your car, or heck, how about when you not in the doorway!!!
Not easy to slow a fully loaded basket, with 2 kids in it, that your steering with one hand...
I squeeze out the door in front of her, and give her a good glaring at as I pass by, muttering, "I hope she don't drive like that..."
No troubles, and we all make it back into the minivan, for a quick stop for some take out at Taco Bell, since wife hadn't eaten and I had not eaten since 9 hours earlier in the day. Then back to the house, and in through the front door...
My daughter, instantly yells out, "MOMMY!" as we head on in the door. Excitedly telling mommy about her fun time shopping, as I run back and forth hauling groceries in.
Mommy looks a little less frazzled, it was a good 2 hour break.......
Well the boss was away from work and eveything ran smooth.
Not to say everything doesn't run smooth with him there, but people are more relaxed with him not around.
He, I would say, is not a people person. Doesn't play well with others.
He has calmed down over the years I have worked for him, but the man still makes me very uncomfortable - enough so that I have trouble even speaking to him at times, tripping over my own words.
If it wasn't such a decent paying job, I probably would have quit a long time ago. The enviroment he sets up around him is a hostile one.
Menacing tones, threats to fire, yelling, ranting, and at times even screaming if over the phone.
He seems to have calmed quite a bit lately and stays mainly in his office, but if you have to go see him or you have to call him on an issue, there is a distinct tightening of the stomach, bracing yourself for the worst....
I have never had this type of manager in all my life, but it is a job, and I will put up with quite a bit to support my family.
Sometimes I miss my job as a cook - it seemed like things were simpler during those times and I had more control.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Posted by Break from Sanity @ 11:59 PM
* "Aim towards the Enemy." - Instruction printed on U.S. Rocket Launcher
* "When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend." - U.S. Army
* "Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. The bombs are guaranteed to always hit the ground." - U.S.A.F. Ammo Troop
* "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal
* "A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit." - Army's magazine of preventive maintenance
* "It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed." - U.S. Air Force Manual
* "Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo." - Infantry Journal
* "Tracers work both ways." - U.S. Army Ordnance
* "Five-second fuses only last three seconds." - Infantry Journal
* "Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid." - Col. David Hackworth
* "If your attack is going too well, you're probably walking into an ambush." - Infantry Journal
* "No combat-ready unit has ever passed inspection." - Joe Gay
* "Any ship can be a minesweeper ... once." - Anonymous
* "Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do." - Unknown Army Recruit
* "Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you." - Your Buddies
and my personal favorite is:
* "If you see a bomb technician running, try to keep up with him." - U.S. Ammo Troop
This is the word women use to end an argument when they feel they are right and you need to shut up. Never use fine to describe how a woman looks this will cause you to have one of those arguments.
FIVE MINUTES
This is half an hour. It is equivalent to the five minutes that your football game is going to last before you take out the trash, so its an even trade.
NOTHING
This means something, and you should be on your toes. Nothing is usually used to describe the feeling a woman has of wanting to turn you inside out, upside down, and backwards. Nothing usually signifies an argument that will last Five Minutes and end with Fine.
GO AHEAD (With Raised Eyebrows)
This is a dare. One that will result in a woman getting upset over Nothing and will end with the word Fine.
GO AHEAD (Normal Eyebrows)
This means I give up or do what you want because I dont care You will get a Raised Eyebrow Go Ahead in just a few minutes, followed by Nothing and Fine and she will talk to you in about Five Minutes when she cools off.
LOUD SIGH
This is not actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A Loud Sigh means she thinks you are an idiot at that moment, and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over Nothing.
SOFT SIGH
Again, not a word, but a non-verbal statement. Soft Sighs mean that she is content. Your best bet is to not move or breathe, and she will stay content.
THATS OKAY
This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can make to a man. Thats Okay means that she wants to think long and hard before paying you back for whatever it is that you have done. Thats Okay is often used with the word Fine and in conjunction with a Raised Eyebrow.
GO AHEAD
At some point in the near future, you are going to be in some mighty big trouble.
PLEASE DO
This is not a statement, it is an offer. A woman is giving you the chance to come up with whatever excuse or reason you have for doing whatever it is that you have done. You have a fair chance with the truth, so be careful and you shouldnt get a Thats Okay.
THANKS
A woman is thanking you. Do not faint. Just say youre welcome.
THANKS A LOT
This is much different from Thanks. A woman will say, Thanks A Lot when she is really ticked off at you. It signifies that you have offended her in some callous way, and will be followed by the Loud Sigh. Be careful not to ask what is wrong after the Loud Sigh, as she will only tell you Nothing.
I was running through my normal procedures here at work, and I was putting away supplies I used to make the reports and shift checks for the next week and either misjudged the distance between me and the hardwood shelf corner, or maybe I just swung too quickly and my hand went out to far....
Regardless of what it was, my hand struck the corner of the hardwood shelf hard. I sat and watched as the side of my knuckle of my first finger turned bloody red, must have popped a vein in that hit, then went a nice purplish and then swelled up white till I had what looked like a second knuckle off the orginal knuckle.
No, I did not break it, but really wish i knew why this stuff keeps happening to me.
No, I am not trying to act like God has some personal vendetta against me, but this is not the first time, and I don't mean whacking my knuckles into hard things as I turn around. I am talking about times I have set coffee down, and my fingertips graze the handle as I draw back and whip the coffee cup around spilling coffee all over the place. This has happened on more occassions than I can count.
It is as if I don't realize how close my fingers are, or that I actually HAVE hands attached to the end of my arms!
It is almost always my fingers that do it too. Spilling coffee cups as my fingers accidentally catch the rim or the handles of cups; spilled containers of creamer or sugar as my fingers catch an edge....
What, my fingers don't like me anymore or something?
Or is it just that my fingers feel I should pick these items up?
It is frustrating at times.
And no I do not suffer from some neurological problem - but at times I am beginning to wonder....
Yes, I realize I have been gone too long, but at this time and juncture on this blog, I do not think it really matters since by my readings I have no traffic at this time anyways.
I run several things, and this seems to have been left at the way side, which was never my intentions.
More than once in the passing time I thought of closing this blog down, but I think I will keep it up and make a go of it regardless.
It is now Monday morning, I have been off shift for the last 3 hours and been up 17 hours so far.....
