[dusty]

On Sunday, when Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree came on the radio, it made me tear up. Its always has had that effect on me, I don't have to like it for it to make me cry. Then when I found out that someone I know died suddenly, I was dry eyed while women around me sobbed.

[humanist77]

amen, kitten!
I gained ten lbs in 2006 from Haagen Daz.

[kittenb]

Confession:

I like ice cream. A LOT.

I would rather eat ice cream that have a flat stomach any day of the week.

[erinjane]

Freckle, you and I must have the same issues with reproductivity...

I had my 3 kids while still active duty, and I was very young. My friends pitied me - they figured I'd miss out on adventure and autonomy. But as my life was already chaotic (moving across continents and oceans), the kids' arrivals just fit right in.

Now these friends are "settled", having done very little of the traveling and adventuring they supposed they'd do, and they are just starting to breed. The injection of chaos into their very settled worlds is upending them, psychologically.

And mine are already independent enough that I can begin traveling for pleasure, and not just at the government's whim.

The other thing is - while I was in the service, my ex did all of the "mom" stuff and handled all of the homefront issues. Therefore, when we divorced, it seemed only natural to all of us that he keep custody - I was still active duty till last year, and he very much sees the kids as part of his identity... whereas I, I confess, do not. I don't talk daycare and diapers, I am lost when other moms try to talk about kid issues.

I see them all the time, they just don't live with me and Two Beeps. We are all happy with this arrangement... but I do get a LOT of shocked looks when I try to explain it.

I like hearing stories like this. I think it's great when women can admit they don't necessarily want to be the primary caregivers. My brother is a single dad and he gets those shocked looks too.


Confession:
I'm on vacation in Vancouver and cut off from my supply, and I'm DYING for a toke.

[culturehandy]

I feel like a failure.

[sybarite]

Freckleface, the mister feels much the same, as his daughter is now a teenager. His friends as well as mine are all starting to have kids and he's like 'been there, done that.' One of his friends has a sweet but loud and hyperactive 5 year old who I, um, won't have in the house. I really appreciate your perspective: too often we only hear the rose-coloured version of parenting!

Lilacwine, I never smoke during the day but after dinner it all changes. I usually only have around 3 per night, unless I'm drinking wine in which case all bets are off... which of course leaves me feeling rotten the next day.

I smoke to get a moment alone, away from the teenager chatter and the TV, even if it's outside in the cold.

[crazyoldcatlady]

and I think if I were to die tomorrow, I'd regret not going to Europe rather than not having kids.

amen!

[freckleface7]

this may sound contraindictory, but I don't like kids. or, kids that aren't my own cool teen/extremly select friend's kids but even w/ that I hate the icky snotty sticky toddler years. it's why I refer to that age'd children as ' ankle biters'- as in ; keep your nasty ankle-biter away from me please.'
- bitch? I'm OK with that!
I had frecklette fairly young, at 24, but I also had time to Do Stuff before I had her.
I had several off the beaten path jobs, I moved to a different state, once I met/married the mr & we moved to central america & that's where frecklette was born, but even after that, I/we've continued to travel & Do Stuff with her, whereas a lot of friends who went to college/went corporate/whatever, are reversed of me & are just now starting to reproduce & the bottom line is: been there done that & truthfuly am just not so excited about it for them.
frecklette is a part of my life yes, the focal point in many ways, but she's not all that I am.
and when she was wee young, I was uber careful not to inflict her on likewise minded folks such as myself, with no offense taken whatsoever.
a lot about parenthood truthfully is booooooring!

confession: clearly I have issues w/ reproductivity.

[lilacwine13]

I don't feel a great pull to have children right now either, even though I should start thinking about it. My life is too unsettled, I don't have a boyfriend or husband (I know myself and there is no way I could pull off being a single mom.), and I think if I were to die tomorrow, I'd regret not going to Europe rather than not having kids.

Also, the only kids I find interesting are ones whose parents are my friends or relatives. I feel kind of cold saying it too; I even feel awkward about admitting that travel is more important to me now than having kids.



Confessions: I smoke when I am completely and utterly shit-faced. When I'm sober (or even buzzed), I don't like tobacco products, don't like the smell of cigarettes, but apparently that all changes when I get drunk. In fact, it's a good indicator that I've had way too much to drink and I'll be waking up with a bad hangover the next day. Sunday was a good example of this .

[coela]

re: babies confession

I feel like I should long for a baby more than I do, truth is I couldn't really be bothered.
I think I want a child before I'm 40, but biologically, I'm just not feeling it at all.
I'm secretly VERY happy that almost none of my friends are parents, and secretly annoyed
when the few who are bring their babies and they eat yucky food in a yucky way, but the
worst thing is the constant "oh look! look what he did now!" Doesn't even have to come from
the parents themselves, but rather their other friends. YES I HAVE SEEN A TODDLER, I KNOW THEY MOVE.
Toddlers are fine, but I would really like to talk to my adult friends about adult things and let the
kid mind his own business for five minutes. If he's happy sitting on the floor playing with his hands,
can we just let him?

I feel like the cold wench saying this, but other people's kids really aren't that interesting.
And not different theories about raising them, different daycare centers or feminist parenting either.
I'm sure I'll be incredibly interested when and if I get my own child, but until then, no, sorry.

[neurotic.nelly]

I cannot sleep b/c my stomach is acting real funny. I pay attention to what I eat, and sunday night I ate a weird thick frosted sugary, "corporate" chocolate cup cake. WTF was I thinking ?

ETA: corporate meaning food containing processed sugar, hydrogenated oil, cancer causing color additives, gelatins, and pesticides. you know what i'm saying!!! F*cked my stomach up for the whole week!!

[freckleface7]

sybarite: one of oldest friends just a baby about 3 weeks ago, and I feel similarly.
I'm "happy" for her yes; she's married to a great guy who is madly, crazily in love w/ her and they wanted a family very much, but I'm so far past the 'baby stage' in my own life.
my frecklette is almost 14 and I am hard-pressed to remember just what is so impossibly endearing about listening to stories of poop and feedings and insomnia.
in fact, w/ the recent adoption of our 2 puppies, it reminded me fresh of how Glad I am to only have one human child, so I find myself faking any excitment when I speak to her.
** note to self** call dr asap about tubal once & for all.

trust me, when her kid is a bit older and less dependant on her 24/7, she'll probly come back around again. if it's a brand new baby, she is totally emersed & won't even recognize what's happened for quite awhile yet, but in time will probably re surface.
((((sybarite))))

confession: it's a mere 7 pm here & I am already totally buzzed!

[sybarite]

I am unreasonably annoyed that my friend is coming to another friend's wedding with both her baby and her parents: so that they can babysit while she's at the reception. I have no idea why this is irking me so--maybe it's the idea that having a baby somehow entitles you to an entourage?

Actually, I'm probably annoyed because I miss her. She was one of my best friends, with tons of integrity, and now I just don't feel we have anything in common. I'm happy for her, she wanted a baby for years, but I just don't feel like talking to her because discussion of baby stuff bores me.

I am a bad person.

[neurotic.nelly]

I cannot sleep b/c my stomach is acting real funny. I pay attention to what I eat, and sunday night I ate a weird thick frosted sugary, "corporate" chocolate cup cake. WTF was I thinking ?

[erinjane]

The guy I'm seeing went to four different florists to get me an ethical rose today. I feel guilty for not liking him as much as he likes me, and I'm so amazed that he did that for me.

[konphusion26]

Confession: I secretly loathe the lovey-doveyness of Valentine's day LOL I think flowers and candy and all that romantic stuff should take place 365 a year!! Not just one day!

[zoya]

llamas - I'm the same way.. I can learn just about any application myself, even fairly complicated ones, and I can't figure out what the hell to do with facebook at all.

[llamas]

cocl, I have no idea about the Myspace deletion, but damn, I hate Facebook too, mainly because I can't freaking figure out how to operate it! (This from the gal who can learn just about any software program on the fly.) zoya, I agree, Myspace is actually functional.

[crazyoldcatlady]

since we're on the topic, and i don't know where to put this question anyway,
anyone have problems deleting their myspace acct? my friend is trying to delete hers, but the cancellation confirmation email never comes. and i've done google searches and seen what others have tried, and she still hasn't had any luck. i'd like to know, too, b/c i've been contemplating getting rid of mine....

[humanist77]

aw, kitten i feel bad for the same reason lilac said-it sometimes feels like living in the past. But then again I only look for the sheer amusement of it : )