My latest obsession and other random stuff...

I was about to open with how my life has been so busy that I haven't even had time to write about it, but honestly, who doesn't have a busy life? Isn't it kind of silly to talk about how busy you are? Isn't everyone busy in their own way? And does anyone really care what particular brand of busy you are? Probably not. So I'll spare you the "I've been soooo busy" opener and just get right down to it. And by "it," I mean blathering on for a bit about the things that are smooshed together in my brain right now, taking up space and occupying my free time.

The Basement

We're a week into finishing it and so far everything is going smoothly. I'm trying to get used to the sounds of saws, nail guns, and even jackhammers that are ringing through the house. This first week has helped me recognize the importance of ceiling insulation, which we will certainly be installing downstairs.

There are so many decisions to make! I don't know how my friends who have custom-built their homes have survived it. I'm overwhelmed by samples and photos of carpet, tile, counter tops, cabinets, faucets, and light fixtures. Every detail, like where I want the light switches to go, what sections of the room should be controlled by which switches, which direction I want the doors to be hung -- should they swing in (bathroom) or out (storage room)? -- needs to be decided and I'm the one who has to do it. While I wouldn't necessarily classify myself as an indecisive person, I'm not really a decisive person either. I'm sort of semi-decisive, which is why I've already been back to the tile store to change everything I chose the first time I was there.

One consequence of having the basement finished is that we were forced to clear out or relocate all of the junk we had down there, thus leading to my new obsession: Craigslist! Faced with the idea of having to find a spot somewhere else in my house for the many cast-offs relegated to the basement, I decided it was time to purge some of the items we didn't need. Over the course of a few weeks, I managed to sell all sorts of stuff, including baby items, furniture, small appliances, and tools. There is a sense of satisfaction that comes from ridding your home (and life) of stuff you don't need, and if you can make a few hundred dollars in the process, all the better!

Craigslist takes some figuring out, though. I've never been much for garage sales or second-hand stores. I have nothing against them -- I wholeheartedly admire those who are hard-wired to find a good bargain -- but I cannot seem to be able to look past all the junk in order to find the treasure. The distance that someone would travel to purchase a $20 coffee table, as the guy from Oak Park did, surprised me. I sold an old baby gate for $5 to a girl who lives 25 minutes away. My mind is not wired to think that driving that far for something like that would be worth it.

But I must say that all the buyers I dealt with were great, and I'm happy that some of the dust-collecting items I had are now being put to good use. Of course, at some point my new obsession has to end, because I am running out of things to get rid of. There's a certain high that comes from having someone hand you cash and walk away with your unwanted goods, so I've found myself eyeing everything I own and mentally putting a price tag on it. Not good. Must stop.

Justin Bieber

Don't worry, he has not, nor will he ever become my new celebrity boyfriend. But, I think I get it now -- why he's such a big deal. I had a strong desire to run last night after a few exercise-free days thanks to a weird confluence of illness symptoms over the past week that made me feel like death was imminent. When I run on the treadmill, I sometimes listen to music, but more often I watch something on TV. Since all of my go-to "treadmill shows" haven't started airing new episodes yet, I decided to watch a dvd, and as luck would have it, Justin Bieber's Never Say Never movie had just arrived via Netflix. (Don't ask why. You really don't want to know.)

Why not? I thought. Why not run to some ridiculous footage of Justin Bieber and his thousands of adoring fans? And you know what? It made the time pass quickly; it really did. I ran nearly 8 miles as I learned all about Justin's meteoric rise to fame. His humble beginnings, his musical "gifts" presenting themselves at an early age, his youtube videos that led to his "discovery," his grassroots campaign to win fans over by driving all over the country in a van hitting up every radio station that would have him... All leading up to the pinnacle of his 16 years of life, singing at a sold-out Madison Square Garden concert. But wait! What's this? He has a sore throat just days before he's supposed to perform!!! Oh, the suspense! Will the swelling and redness (which we get to see thanks to the wonders of medical technology) go down in time? What if he has to cancel?! I was on the tips of my toes, which I think is the treadmill equivalent of being on the edge of your seat.

Say what you will about his pubescent looks, or that awful mop of hair, but you can't deny that the kid has talent. I was left wondering whether I would have been obsessed with Justin Bieber if he'd been popular when I was 12. I honestly don't think I would, since New Kids On The Block were my generation's equivalent of the Biebs and I had little interest in them. My girls are the same age of many of the little girls that were shown throughout the video, screaming about how "hot" he is, or crying as he came on stage. Thankfully, my girls are not in the least bit interested in him. I know there will come a day when one of them might feel that urge to become completely fixated on a celebrity, but I hope it won't happen anytime soon. I want them to remain as innocent as they can for as long as possible. Because it's a slippery slope, my friends.

Lone Wife Habits

Since the days when we were first married, Scott has always had a job that requires him to do a certain amount of travel. While I certainly prefer the times when he is not away on business, I must admit that there are some benefits to having him gone. For example, last night we had cereal for dinner. It's the kids' favorite dinner, it requires no effort on my part, and I am free from whatever "I am such a lousy wife for serving cold cereal for dinner" guilt I might have if Scott were in town. Not that he would ever think I am a lousy wife for the occasional easy dinner, but my wife-guilt is rarely rational.

Also, my house stays cleaner. My husband is not a slob, but he's not a neat-freak either. There's less clutter, fewer dirty socks in odd places, and virtually no random used paper towels left on the counter. (What is it with men leaving random used napkins and paper towels everywhere?) Making the bed in the morning is super simple when I'm the only person who has slept in it.

At night, once the kids are all in bed, I've got the whole house to myself and am free to do what I like. Last night I ran 8 miles, but sometimes I'll turn on a chick flick or read a book. I always stay up later than I should, as my night owl tendencies tend to come out when I'm left to my own devices.

But there are disadvantages to having him gone, not the least of which is that I miss him. The house gets eerily quiet at night and as I'm trying to fall asleep every noise that I hear I mistake for a burglar. If there's a spider I have to kill it myself. I have no partner in the nightly bedtime battle we wage with our children. If I need to go out in the evening to a meeting, social event, or school function, I have to hire a babysitter. Whatever I want to tell him I have to save up until we get a few minutes of time to talk on the phone, and then I have to actually remember what it was I wanted to tell him in the first place.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I am accustomed to being the wife of a man who travels for business. I don't whine or complain, nor do I think my situation is more difficult than that of any of the other wives and mothers out there. I try to look on the bright side, and am grateful that he travels less than he used to -- he spent the first two trimesters of my first two pregnancies traveling Monday through Friday, week after week. That, I admit, was tough.

But the airline miles and hotel points he earns have allowed us to take some amazing trips together, like to Maui, New York, Boston, and Charleston -- all with free hotels and flights. I cannot complain about that.

On that note, I urge you to check back in a few days when I will finally be ready to reveal the "super amazing awesome surprise" I mentioned in my last post. All the details are falling into place and I'm just starting to believe that it's really going to happen. I can hardly wait!!!