The lens of the internet produces many misperceptions. What you see online is an illusion. No matter how transparent a person may try to be, the information you see is still filtered. It can never be a completely true representation.
For that matter, the same thing can be said about our real life daily relationships. What you perceive is filtered through the lens of your experiences and observations and it may not be a true representation of reality.
Enough with the postmodern preamble. This is my point:
Don’t be fooled by the recent cleaning and organizing and getting A’s (and the occasional B) in graduate school. I do NOT have it together. If I posted a full body photograph of myself, you would see, quite clearly, what I neglect daily. Myself.
If I could manage to make myself eat healthy and exercise AND get all my school work done AND clean the house, stay organized, AND care for my family and animals? That’s when I would own having it together. I’d effin’ flaunt it.
I barely make my school deadlines every week. I’m constantly letting something slide and I am rarely truly proud of the work I have produced. I always feel that I am capable of doing better if I just had more peace and quiet and time to myself to focus on my work.
When school is in session, I do the bare minimum to keep the house from smelling or growing something disgusting. I do the dishes daily (almost always), I do a load or two of laundry nearly everyday (but I never put it away, it lives in the clean clothes basket and I NEVER iron), and I vacuum and sweep only when the floors have reached a level of crunchiness that can no longer be tolerated. Don’t even ask about how often I clean the bathrooms. Just don’t. No one needs to know that.
I am far from staying on top of it all.
I’m no Wonder Woman–not even close. I have made no progress towards my health goals. And I still have a temper that is expressed quite loudly and emphatically almost every day. These are the two things I want most to change about myself and if I ever manage to get myself together enough to do that, THEN I will feel like I have my sh!t together.
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I remember I found your site because of tour weight loss efforts ( and success! ) and I have been a fan ever since because of just how wonderful your life really is. You are the best, never doubt that!
mindys last blog post..Who needs you? I do.
My mistake when my children were young was making sure everything stayed clean. Instead of spending quality time with my kids I’d let them play outside or in, either one and I’d make the meals and clean the house after work and karate. I stayed worn out and skinny only because I did way too much. Things that should have been done differently.
Take care of you and your family and the rest will work out in time.
DeeJays last blog post..Polaroid Tuesday
hahahaah you clean your house like I clean mine. When the dogs and cat have shed enough to make the kitchen floor look like carpet, I get it all up. And when there are more stickers on the floor than I can stand I vacuum. Dusting usually doesn’t happen at my house. Probably why we have pet mutant dust bunnies.
Burficas last blog post..What the huh????
I never assume that someone is perfect.
Doesn’t make their accomplishments any less awesome.
Miss Britts last blog post..In Which We Get All Techie And Stuff
Dude - pay no attention to the woman behind the curtain!
Yep - we’re twins separated at birth.
Kriss last blog post..Who needs six-pack abs when I’ve got a keg.
I don’t know any Wonder Women. She’s a comic book character. Because nobody in real life can achieve all of that. You have GOT to cut yourself some slack. I can’t fathom going to graduate school and doing anything else. Much less raise kids and manage a household. Your kids are healthy, happy and know that they are loved. THAT is what matters most.
I will say that my house is closer to appearing clean and organized lately - only because all three kids are in school every day. And possibly thru the help of pharmaceuticals. Just don’t look in the closets. Or behind the shower curtains.
You are amazing. Much more than you give yourself credit for, Ammie. Love you!
buffis last blog post..The tubes come in & the tubes come out….
I know… I know… It still doesn’t mean I don’t think you kinda rock - however irrational that is:) You do a lot…
jennyonthespots last blog post..I have done so many new and exciting things
Hey, you may not be wonder woman, but Jenny’s right. You rock. Getting it all done and keeping some small measure of your sanity is an amazing feat.
jennielynns last blog post..Being An Upright Citizen And Joining A Brigade
Why do you put yourself down? Enjoy the successes that are yours! Enjoy knowing you’re an A student. Enjoy the fact that you find time to write and keep your children fed and clothed. Be proud of your accomplishments!
Thanks everyone. As you are probably able to interpret, I have issues…many of them and one of them is taking compliments gracefully.
I don’t mean to tear myself down with this post. That’s not what I intended. The praise I receive for my school efforts and the other things I do accomplish always makes me feel like a bit of a fraud and I then set out to make sure everyone knows I what my faults are. Maybe it’s one of those, if I point them out before anyone else notices them they won’t reject me for being less than perfect?
I know. Issues.
We’re too hard on ourselves, people. We overload and nobody can keep up with everything. Don’t waste time feeling guilty!
It’s only an illusion your friends skip through life with perfect houses/husbands or whatevers/kids/careers/grades. They’re in as much of a time panic as everybody else. Take it from me - who earned five degrees in evening courses over 20 years (in my “free time” after work - ha-ha).
Roberta Beach Jacobsons last blog post..Fuzzy
Are you sure we’re not sisters? Because DUDE, I could have written this exact post. Probably not as eloquently as you, and I’m not in grad school, but still. Everything else is spot on. I love what you said about the frequency of cleaning the carpet. I read that and was all, “EXACTLY! That’s how often I vacuum too.” Wow…
Missys last blog post..A belated birthday post