Happy Birthday Mom

Stolen from an email:

Someday when my child is old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell him, as my Mean Mom told me:

I loved you enough to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.

I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in my eyes.
Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.
I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.
But most of all, I loved you enough . . . to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it.
Those were the most difficult battles of all.
I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.

I had the meanest mother in the whole world!
While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast.
When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches.
My mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.

Mother insisted on knowing where I was at all times.
You'd think I was a convict in a prison.
She had to know who my friends were, and what I was doing with them.
She insisted that if I said I would be gone for an hour, I would be gone for an hour or less.

I was ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making me work .
I had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash, and all sorts of cruel jobs.
I think she would lay awake at night thinking of more things for me to do.

She always insisted on my telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
By the time I was a teenager, she could read my mind and had eyes in the back of her head.
Then, life was really tough!

Mother wouldn't let my friends just honk the horn when they drove up.
They had to come up to the door so she could meet them.
While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, I had to wait until I was 16.

Because of my mother I missed out on lots of things other kids experienced.
I have never been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property or ever arrested for any crime.
It was all her fault.
Now that I have left home, I am an educated, honest adult.
I am doing my best to be a mean parent just like Mom was.
**************

I just want to add... not only was my mom "mean", but she taught me how to be strong, have faith in myself, be a proud feminist, and to love all people equally.

And, she is one of my best friends. I appreciate everything she is, and everything she has done to help make me the woman I am today. I can only hope I'm half the mom to The Short Bus, that she is and has been to me.

Thanks mom. Happy birthday.

The Joy

Many times, in my world, it seems that when life is working well for me, it is not working well for most of my friends... and vice versa. The best part of being me is having the ability to make others laugh, I love to see people happy, and this weekend... I noticed a lot of happy.

The last 5 days have been amazing.

I have noticed more joy and happiness in my friends, than I have in years. To the point where I sat down Sunday night and cried and thanked the universe (or whatever there is to thank) for all good things coming together at once... and all of us being able to appreciate joy at the same time. Almost everyone was SO happy, and it was so nice to see for once.

There are psychological principles which discuss the way our brains process events, and that we are more likely to retain the traumatic events in our lives than the good events. The day I learned about this, I began to attempt to retrain my brain to retain the good. Yes, I will remember the bad things, but I have always had a terrible memory, and I figured if I'm only going to remember a few things, I'd much rather it be the good stuff.

From this weekend, I managed to retain all the good... and actually ended up with a few pictures to keep those memories forever (thanks to Glen and others, I didn't bother to get out MY camera).

Glen being knighted.

Visits from Millie, Portia, Bill, Angus, Eric... and others (at the booth while I was working - shh... don't tell Patrick).

Meeting Gar, SaintOn, Beth and so many other people. (you are all so amazing! How'd I get so lucky?)

Having the ability to chat with Kurt and Danielle... again. (love you guys)

Curling up, warm, and safe next to an amazing Italian, who seems to tolerate a drunk snoring Giddy really well. (yay for earplugs!)

Being French... and part of the Sunday Polka-dot Panty Brigade with Jessica & Anita. Stripes next weekend oui?

Bloody Sunday... Thanks George (and no, bloody Sunday has nothing to do with polka-dot panties, don't be gross!)

Girl's Ale... "I can't finish this, lets give it to Giddy." (a quote I overheard a couple of times... thanks for that & yay me!)

The scavenger hunt, and actually raising REAL donations for boobies. We all love them, I just didn't realize, if I put it on the list, you guys would actually make serious donations. Thank you so much. I love my family. And, I love being able to say that as silly as we are, when something matters, we totally can make a difference. You guys have no idea how much you all mean to me.

Its funny, I thought last year was the best faire ever... I wasn't sure how it could be topped. This year has just blown it out of the water. I'm looking forward to two more weekends of general happiness and random joy... readygo.

Can I just say...

Best life ever!

I think of things every day that I want to Blog about... but I'm so busy, by the time I sit down in front of the computer, I'm too tired to write. I actually called in "DONE" (ding, Giddy's done) to work today... yep, done.

"I won't be in today, I'm done working this week."

"oh, I'm sorry are you sick? "

"well, I don't feel great... I'm going back to sleep."

"ok, hope you feel better..."

For anyone who doesn't know, I just want to say that my life right now, in this very moment, is wonderful and amazing. I couldn't have planned it so well.

Work is tough (both physically and emotionally demanding right now), but I really enjoy the people I work with (staff and clients alike), and overall, I really love my job.

Faire has been amazing. Two weekends into it, and I am literally having the time of my life. I have so many wonderful, loving, supportive, hilarious, amazing friends, words can not express how much I love you all. This year, for the first time ever, I have no stress regarding faire, just a simple love of life. I have the ability to enjoy a freedom I've never known, and to do it with warm, caring, laughing eyes watching without questioning my motives. I have been taking the time to stop and smell the roses, and appreciate every single moment for exactly what it is.