Closeted Comforts

There is a long standing issue I have with my closet: it's not quite big enough.

There is a long standing issue I have with myself: bouts of chronic disorganization. (is it possible to have bouts and still be chronic? Check WebMD later.)

Both of these long standing issues culminated into one thing: a messy, disorganized, stuffed to the gills closet. Essentially - a sink hole for apparel.

It was becoming a death trap that required a hard hat and steel-toed boots to enter safely. I go into the closet preparing for the worst and come out stumbling and coughing like a miner from a collapsed mine exclaiming "I think she's gonna go - everybody get down!" while holding a pair of red heels.

As I've made it my goal to be strive for organization my first act was to remedy the sink hole that was my closet.

The mission: to find ways to creatively expand my closet and create beauty out of chaos.

Joey installed extra shelves, even one above my door to maximize the space. Shoes and more shoes - mainly black heels as that's may daily work shoe. Clothing that has barely been worn due to falling into the black hole. Drawers filled to the brim with pajamas, sox and the like. Stuff everywear! I had amassed so much that it had become a problem.

And then it hit me.

How many people outside of the United States have this problem? How many kids in the world are cold at night because of inadequate clothing that is their only wardrobe? How many people would be so thankful just to have one good pair of shoes? How many have so much stuff that it is oozing out of their spacious closet, in their comfortable three bedroom house in the suburbs, in the wealthiest country on the planet?

There I was sitting on the floor in my closet - looking at my overabundance of stuff in tears from my selfishness.

Joey and I marked a few trash bags for giveaway, which is no where near enough, but it's a start. Sometimes living in the land of plenty, we forget that we're living in a world where too many in the are suffering from basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter that we take for granted. So now, I'm ready and wondering - what can I do?

How do you snap out of being comfortable with comfortable?

Word To My Brothers' Girlfriends

Dear Future Girlfriends of My Brothers,

There are many things that I would like to say to you, but I'm about to focus on some the best advice of your life - or at least your life dating one of my brothers. It is small, but very important. There is one thing that you must wear at family functions. It's not a huge deal in the scheme of deals, but it says a lot about you. Or should I say it reveals a lot about you.

It's called 'clothing'.

What does not constitute clothing? That which shows anything of which you have pairs, and I'm not talking limbs or facial features, but rather the stuff in the middle - this is not clothing. If your bra straps become the most visible part of your top - this is not clothing. If a wet suit leaves more to the imagination - this is not clothing. Garments the size of postage stamps - this is not clothing.

Yes, I know you're in your physical prime. Yes, I know my brothers are cute. Yes, I know you want their attention. Yes, I have been in this position. Yes, I know you're a smart girl.

Hence, I know what you're doing. And so does my mother. And my sister. And my grandmother. And even my dad. We're all over it. It's not so subtle.

Sincerely,

A Loving & Very Protective Older Sister

P.S. I am approving that a current GF is wearing actual clothing. This is just an address for all of those in the future based on past experiences.

A Lesson In Oatmeal That Will Save Your LIfe (or at least your cookies)

I have made an important discovery. Remember this?

Just so you know, this is why:


It's all in the fine print my friend, the fine print. Oh yes, look closer. It's the new versus the old.

I noticed this the last time I went to the grocery store. If only I would have seen "minute oats" in the recipe. You know people, I remember a time when oatmeal was just oatmeal. There was no Easy Mac in those days. We had to boil our noodles, thank you very much. Ok, just kidding on the oatmeal. I really don't remember a time when oatmeal didn't come in individual instant microwave packets.

BUT, I certainly did live through the Pre-Easy Mac Era, for the record.

This is what I get for being old-fashioned I guess: a giant, pan-adhering oatmeal cookie.

Officially Pomped & Circumstanced

DISCLAIMER: PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE GIRL IN THE EXCESSIVELY RUFFLED GRANDMOTHER DRESS. FOR MY SAKE. PLEASE.

Ok, I know you saw it. It was bad, I know. Let's move past it. Please put all of your attention on the little guy in the middle. That is my baby brother, Stephen. I hate to say it, but I still think of him as being not much older than he was in the picture. But, this is apparently not the case as my BABY brother graduated from high school Saturday!

That's crazy talk! To me at least. But then again apparently he's also cemented in his mind the image of me in the grandmother dress as he thinks I'm ancient. And so not cool. Ahem. Well, back in the day mister...ok, let's not kid ourselves, this has term has never really applied. Reference point: the excessively ruffled grandmother dress.

Anyway, I'm so proud of him! He graduated #8 in his class, the highest of all of us kids. Congrats, Stephen! A whole passel of my cousins graduated alongside him this weekend as well. Congrats to Bryan, Derek and Jonathan!

And there he is, the graduate.

The proud parents of the graduate.

The proud sister of the graduate. (NOTE: sans excessive ruffles)

And the Mom who doesn't want to let him go. You can tell he loves it.

So from the Girl in the Excessively Ruffled Grandmother Dress to her bab...excuse me, to her college bound little (couldn't help it) brother:

Congratulations! I am so proud of you! And I love you!

I'm good enough. I'm smart enough.

And doggonit, people like me.

Sometimes we all need this reminder...

Oh the places you'll go!

We are back from our spontaneous vacation. It's kind of nice going just an hour away. We weren't all worn out from traveling to our destination and when we decided to head home, it wasn't a big deal. Pretty relaxing.

Here are a few things of note from our trip:

We stayed in Galveston at the Hotel Galvez.

Joey forgot the most essential piece of beachwear and was forced to purchase lime green plaid swim trunks. Oh yes.

We forgot our camera. This is where spontaneity comes back to bite you and why this post does not contain pictures.

We went to the beach once to walk on the shore which further affirmed our previous decision to hang out at the pool the rest of the time.

I found out that Joey has an intense dislike for sand. See people, this is why you and your spouse just need to get away sometimes. Oh, the important things you learn about each other.

A self-described "very very homosexual" man who had one too many and hung out at the pool the whole day hit on my husband and in short, said that he was quite jealous to be in my position. Back off buddy, this is my lime green plaided husband.

Our favorite dinner was at Gaido's where we had a dinner guest: a gecko. He stuck around for the main course, but was apparently too full to stay for dessert.

Joey almost convinced me to get a tattoo, but I settled for an equally shocking yet less permanent purchase: a hat. I'm still wondering if it was a mistake.

So that was our little getaway in a nutshell. Crazy wild, I know. That's just how we roll.

Destination Unknown

Guess what I have done. Go ahead, guess. Ok, it's really not guessable and incredibly random so I'll just tell you.

Our vacation time period starts and ends depending on when you started at our company. I thought I had a while. And then I found out my start date was June 6th. To add to this, we used to get paid for the flex time we didn't use, but this policy ended in January. I didn't change my mentality.

Why is this a problem? I didn't take any sick time during the entire year. So I have held onto so many hours that it is imperative that I take a vacation next week or lose it. Geez, why didn't I just get sick this past year! I wouldn't be in this predicament of having to take a vacation. Such cruelty for staying healthy. You know I'm kidding right?

So Joey and I are taking off next week. We don't know where we're going, but we're going somewhere to get away for a few days. Not too far though. Maybe Lake LBJ, maybe Galveston...who knows.

If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment!

Meanwhile, I will be completing 20 hours of Vacation Mismanagement Class before next year.