My How a Month Flies

I didn't realize that it had been so long since last I posted anything. I know my faithful readers (all 3 of you) have been wondering where I've been. Nowhere really. I just have way too many thoughts in one brain to put them into cyberspace thoughts. More than likely this is probably going to be a shmancy smashup (that's Spanish for Fancy Mashup) those who have children know what I'm talking about. If you want to know, go to Noggin's website and find The Upside Down Show games...I <3 it.))

The past month and a half I have been challenged by my mom to keep my room and upstairs clean. It's gone well for the most part. There were a few days when it went to crap, but I fixed it. I kinda like having a clean living space. Makes me wonder why I never did it before?? Maybe because I was never bribed with things I wanted. Yep, that's right, I'm being bribed to keep my upstairs clean. But hey, it works. And maybe someday, when I'm on my own, I might do the same thing. Keep my house clean, buy that new pair of shoes I've wanted...or a new CD (not so much that anymore because I have my limewire and mp3 player, but it was good example)...or a new DVD...or a night out with friends...something so that I feel the incentive and the need to keep my living space clean, not just for me, but for those around me...mostly Ethan. I don't want him to grow up in a shit hole of a house and think that it's okay.

I'm still reading The Wheel of Time series. I think I'm on book 5. I LOVE them. I'm hoping to have all 11 done by the time the 12th one comes out. I'm pretty sure I'll have them all read because the final book won't come out until Fall 2009. That's still a good year and a half away. And since it's taken me only 3 months (less if you count the time that once I got REALLY started, there have only been a couple days where I haven't been able to read) to read the first five (and okay I'm not done with The Fires of Heaven yet, but i've put a big dent in it), I'm hoping to be done with the 11 that are in print by my birthday. That gives me roughly 7 months to get them done. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to do it.

I must be getting older and wiser and not so naive because I'm actually researching the Democratic Presidential candidates. I printed off the issues they want to work on and how they'll get to it. My big thing, I think, right now, is the energy stuff. I'm liking Obama's plan as opposed to Clinton's because he wants to spend three times more than she does. I'm thinking that $150,000,000,000.00 (that's a lot of zero's...and yes, it's billion) is going to go more than $50,000,000,000.00. But that's just my thought on the matter. And I like that fact that Obama isn't taking lobbyist money for his campaign. I don't know, I have LOTS of reading to do before the IN primary, or whatever it is, in May. When I say lots, I mean 60+ pages for BOTH candidates. I've pretty much made up my mind on who I'm going to vote for, but I want to make sure first. And if you're smart, you've figured out who've I chosen as of right now.

I've been spending more time with Ethan the past couple weeks. He and I had a HUGE blowout about two weeks ago. It's one of those times where I'm kinda glad I have my parents around, because I don't know what would have happened. I think I wouldn't have melted down and left (my dad was home or else who knows...i'd rather not think about it, thanks) had my dad not talked some sense into me. I still left, but I knew Ethan was in good hands, as opposed to my angry ones. I stayed away until he fell asleep and had my first true parenting breakdown. It was awful. I didn't hate myself, but I came close. I think just the thought of what could have happened, made me realize that there are other ways besides yelling at Ethan to get my point across. I'm not really sure what they are, but I'm working on it.

We've started doing crafts together so that gives us some good bonding time. Dad has a Bible Study group at the house on Wednesday night and Ethan and I go upstairs and just hang out for about an hour, hour and a half, before it's time for him to go to bed. I made us a craft box that has all kinds of stuff in it. His favorite is the paint. He LOVES to paint. I'm hoping to get more stuff as time goes on, but right now, we're okay with what we have.

I'm going to start looking for apartments soon. I think it's time to be out on my own. The tricky part is finding someplace I can afford. I know it's out there somewhere, I just have to find it and be real intentional on what I want. Not only for me, but for Ethan as well. Hopefully something will happen. But for now, that's pretty much what my life has been like the past month. Not too exciting, but eventful.