It has been a little while since. . .

. . .I did a life, the universe and everything post. I've switched the order up a little bit because the universe is a little harsh today.

Life

When I met with my doctor to discuss the sleep apnea, he recommended that I, ahem, lose a few pounds. Because I am a busy mom, blah, blah, blah, he recommended I do weight training with a personal trainer. He said that weight training will give me better results in a shorter amount of time per week. So, weeks later, I finally found an affordable trainer who will work with me a few times, set me up on a program and then we can meet to adjust the program. (If you are interested in more affordable personal training, try your local university. They often provide it for roughly half what you would pay someone at a gym.)

Anyway, as I was warming up on the elliptical machine, my trainer, herein referred to as Sonny Boy since I am old enough to be his mother, started describing the new facility that is being built on campus. It will have a pool, cardio room, a juice bar, a rock wall. At that point, I thought, cool, there is going to be a Rockwell's! Rockwell's is this amazing bakery near here. Then I had a reality check. He said rock wall, not Rockwell, R-O-C-K W-A-L-L. Shoot! I guess you can see why I need an exercise program.

Actual picture of a Rockwell's cake.
Doesn't it look yummy?

On Thursday I have a meeting with a graduate advisor so I can ask questions about the reading program here. They offer a Master's in Science as well as a certificate on top of that which gives you an emphasis in post-secondary education. My hope, at this point, would be to get a job at a community college teaching reading development and critical thinking. Here's hoping my brain has not atrophied completely after 16 years absence from academia.

I was looking at some descriptions in some Meyers-Briggs books today and I found the following description of my type (ENFP) as a parent: "As parents, ENFPs are devoted although somewhat unpredictable in handling their children, shifting from a role of friend-in-need-rescuer to stern authority figure." This is so true about me. As much as I enjoy many of my ENFP qualities, I don't really like this. I don't expect to be a perfect parent but I don't want to be Mommy-friend one minute and Mommy-dictator the next. Gotta work on that. (As I type this, my son just got finished calling me a Nazi-commie. I kid you not. Of course, in this instance, it was completely unjustified!)

I was supposed to take a trip to meet up with one friend in Cincinnati and another in Kentucky. That trip isn't going to happen now. When I knew this was a possibility I told Paul that I might still need to get away. By myself. Just for a couple of days. I think I really need it. Any suggestions for somewhere in So-So Cal that would be good for a by-yourself vacation?


Everything

I was washing dishes and stuff while I had iTunes playing through the computer speakers. I didn't have it on a playlist, just random selections from the whole library. I wrote down what songs played and here they are:

1. Teenage Lobotomy by the Ramones
2. iTrip beep (iTrip allows me to play my iPod through my car radio.)
3. iTrip beep
4. Jesus Means All to Me by Howard Seratt (Sun Records Gospel Collection)
5. Last Train by Jaycob Van Auken
6. Wicked Man by Ben Harper
7. Black Moon Creeping by the Black Crowes (Paul's CD)
8. Wondering Where You Are by Tyrone Wells
9. Indian Giver by the Ramones
10. She by Gram Parsons (Paul's CD)
11. Go Tell It On the Mountain by Bruce Cockburn (Christmas CD)
12. Kiss the Children by Gram Parsons
13. Fly On by Burning Tree (Paul's CD)
14. Beautiful Grace by UP Worship (our church CD)
15. One Rainy Wish by Jimi Hendrix (Paul's CD)
16. Raining in my Heart by Buddy Holly
17. I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me
18. Psycho Therapy by the Ramones
19. Gospel Train by the Jones Brothers (Sun Records Gospel Collection)

It was a little heavy on the Ramones (not that I mind that) but that's the shuffle option for you. You never know what you are going to get.

What songs come up on your iTunes when you hit the shuffle button?

the Universe

The universe section is taking a more serious turn for the story of the woman who killed an entire family in St. Louis, Illinois is weighing heavily on my heart. If I understand correctly, this woman knocked unconscious a woman who was seven months pregnant then cut the fetus from her. Sometime around this, the woman also drowned the victim's three young children and stuffed them in the washer and dryer. She passed the baby off as the product of her own failed pregnancy before finally confessing to her boyfriend that the baby wasn't hers. She is being held on about five million dollars bond and a psychiatric evaluation has been ordered.

They posted a picture of the three kids along with the news story and they look so sweet all together. How can anyone do that? I know people do it. It happens. But how do they get to that point?

There are just no words for it all.