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!!!

Murderer's Thumbs

There was a cute boy who lived in my building while I was in college. Okay, to be honest, there were many cute boys who lived in my building - I even married one of them - but it is one particular boy who I am remembering today as I prepare to write this post. We were hanging out in his apartment, having one of those casual, surreal conversations about what qualities we were looking for in our future spouse, when he mentioned how important "nice hands" were to him. It was at that point when I hid mine from view and realized he and I were not meant to be. [Looking back, that guy was super lame. Of all the qualities you want/need in a spouse, "nice hands" really shouldn't matter, right?]

You already know about my feet, but it's time I let you in on a little secret, which, if you've ever taken a good look, you already know... I've got wonky hands. My fingers are short and stubby, my nails are weak, and my thumbs are bizarre. When I was pregnant, my hands swelled up so much that my fingers looked like little sausages. Once my wedding ring stopped fitting, I insisted on going to a mall jewelry store to get a plain, cheap gold band to wear so as not to look like an unwed swollen mass. The ring I bought was a men's band, size 12. SIZE 12!!!! By the end of my last pregnancy, even that didn't fit. Fun fact (and reason #57 for why I have no desire to ever be pregnant again): I retained so much water in my last pregnancy that after my son was born, the excess liquid in my body trying to escape caused me to get water blisters all over my hands and feet. It was absolutely as horribly uncomfortable as it sounds. For a mother of a newborn recovering from a c-section, it was a nightmare.

Anyway, all that was to say my hands are wack. And like my feet, my hands have been the subject of my family's musings all my life. Of all my siblings, I am the only one with mutant feet. But with our hands we share a common bond, because 3 out of the 5 of us got some form of odd fingers. Mine are the worst, naturally, but I have a brother and one sister who also suffer from strange digits. When we were all together for a family reunion this past summer, we sat around and laughed about our hands (then everyone pointed and laughed at my feet). It was my affected sister who sent out a family email recently which seriously made my life:

To: my family
From: my sister, Amy (who we affectionately call "Amo")
Subject: Our thumbs explained...

I was talking to a friend the other day when she noticed my thumbs. "You have that dwarf thumb syndrome thing!" she exclaimed. (She's very sweet but not always super tactful). So I decided to get to the bottom of the "Grant thumb" issue. For those of us who have been blessed with one or two of these delightful looking digits, we technically have "clubbed thumbs." The scientific term is Brachydactyly type D (or BDD), although the condition is also known as "murderer's thumb" (fabulous). It's a genetic condition that's actually fairly common. You might also like to know that at least one movie star reportedly has this condition - Megan Fox.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to OWN my thumbs. No more refusing to share the hymn book with my fellow relief society sisters! No more hiding my thumbs under the plate when handing Christmas goodies to my neighbors! Join me fellow "clubbers!" Say it out loud - I have clubbed thumbs and I'm proud!!!

Wanna join the "club?"
Amo

Never in my life had I sought to find an explanation for my odd thumbs. I just figured, when combined with my feet, I was being taught a divine lesson about avoiding vanity. Then lo and behold! There is a legit medical reason for our thumbs. Clubbed thumbs impact each of my affected siblings in different ways. Amy has normal looking fingers and two dwarf thumbs. My brother Brian is the luckiest of all, since he has one normal thumb and one squat one. As I've previously stated, all my fingers, as well as my toes, look clubbed.

It was the last part of Amy's email that resonated the most, since I absolutely hide my thumbs from people. When sharing a hymn book, I place my whole hand behind to support it rather than have one of my thumbs displayed. I conceal my hands in pictures, try to avoid ordering meals that I must eat with my hands, and never get manicures. While I was in high school, in an attempt to make my hands look more presentable, my mother encouraged me to get acrylic nails. While I doubt they made much of a difference, beautification-wise, I will never forget the first time they tried to fit my thumbs with fake nails and couldn't find a size large enough.

So there you have it. I have dwarf thumbs and wonky fingers. I'm thinking that this must qualify as some sort of disability. What perks could someone with genetically ugly fingers be entitled to? Must do research to find out.

While I'm not sure I'm quite ready to "own" my thumbs like my sister encouraged, I can promise that I will now be more generous with thumb-involved hand gestures. Perhaps someday soon you'll even get a "thumbs-up" from me. If I can work up the courage...

What's Up?

Hi there!

Did you miss me? It seems I forgot to blog for, like, 3 months. Whoops! If this were a blog devoted to my day-to-day life, I would try to tell you all about what has passed in the last few months. I'd prattle on about our summer road trip/family reunion, I'd post way more pictures than you care to see, and then I'd top it off with the latest sayings and doings of my children. But since I chose from the beginning to devote this blog to all things trivial and unimportant – my random thoughts – I'll gladly stick to my original purpose and favor you today with a list (yay lists!) of random thoughts/occurrences/drivel:

• I bought a pair of jeans at the Gap recently in a size that made me happy. When I got home and tried them on for Scott I asked, "Do they look okay, or do they look like I had to grease my thighs with butter to get them on?" [I feel sorry for men. They get really nervous when we women pose questions like that.] He was wise and said they looked good. But what other choice did he have, really?

• Recently, I acquired a new cell phone. It is so much smarter than me! I've decided it is time to crawl out from under the rock where I've taken up residence for the past decade and start texting. Now I just need a reason to text and someone to text at/with/to. Brace yourself because before you know it I'm going to be using my phone to take 20 pictures a day of random stuff that I will immediately post to my facebook profile. My friend count will deplete and then I'll curse the day I ever laid hands on my smartphone. Just you wait.

• Fall is here and I am so ready! Jeans, boots, long sleeve tees and sweaters... here I come! There is no better time of year and no better choice of wardrobe to accompany it.

• My husband wants me to self-publish a cookbook with all of my favorite, tried-and-true recipes. I think his main motivation stems from the current cluttered mess of recipes I have in my cookbook cupboard. I think it would be fun to do, but it's also intimidating. Maybe someday...

• Guess what has two thumbs and two tickets to see Michael Buble again in December? This girl! And I've got floor seats! Hooray! Now let's all say a collective prayer that I don't have someone tall standing in front of me during the concert. We shorties are at such a disadvantage at any function that requires the ability to see past the person directly ahead of you. I'm debating whether or not to do something that I've never done in all my concert going experience: wait around after the show in an attempt to get an autograph. Seems lame and totally desperate, right? But also kinda fun. We'll see.

• I'm in serious need of suggestions for good running tunes. I get bored so easily with my running playlist. Got any suggestions? I tend to like newer stuff by any number of artists that I wouldn't listen to otherwise. Currently I've got songs by Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Flo Rida, Ok GO, 3OH!3, Jason Derulo, Michael Franti, Rhianna. But I need more! Got any suggestions for me?

• I was asked to co-chair a committee on the PTA this year. I now know what it must feel like to be in the mafia. These women are hardcore! Amazing, talented, but hardcore. I feel so inadequate, out of place, and completely clueless. And I'm not sure they'll ever let me quit. Already there's talk of what I'll be doing next year. If I disappear for awhile, the PTA powers-that-be should be prime suspects.

• Latest book obsession: The Mortal Instruments series. I found these while browsing books at Costco, which is pretty much the best thing ever for a book lover like myself. Don't be fooled by the shirtless guy on the cover – these books are YA and a lot of fun to read! I'm awful at describing plots, so I'll just say that there's a bit of everything in these books (in total it will be a series of 6 books, but only 3 have been published thus far.) Love triangles, mysteries, unexpected plot twists, good vs. evil, teenagers knowing more than their adult counterparts, mythical creatures. I'm not usually a fan of the fantasy genre, but these were based just enough in reality that I could easily handle it. Take elements from series like The Lightening Thief, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and yes, even Twilight, and you've got a decent understanding of what to expect from this series. Highly recommended by me.

• Artists and songs I've been into lately:

Wakey!Wakey! – Light Outside, Almost Everything

Jeremy Messersmith – A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard

The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition

Anya Marina – All the Same to Me

Jason Walker – Down

30 Seconds to Mars – Kings and Queens

Stateless – Bloodstream

Now it's your turn... got any book or music recommendations for me? Any suggestions for how I can escape those PTA gangsters? Should I publish a cookbook? Wanna text me? Is waiting around after a concert with the hope of meeting the artist really pathetic? And most importantly... do these jeans make me look fat?

(not me. imagine the above picture with someone 8 inches shorter and with a bigger bum)