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Things I've Learned This Week

1. You should always shave your legs. Even when it's cold out and you never wear anything but pants, you should keep the hairy beasts shaved. You never know when you're going to fall down a set a stairs in front of co-workers who want to help you elevate and ice your sprained ankle. I was mortified that I had hairy legs when I fell on Tuesday. Even withering in pain I had the where-with-all to know that I needed to pull my pant leg down least anyone see my Sasquatch calves and shins. It was horrifying and I'm still thinking about it days later! I hate shaving my legs, but I hate co-workers knowing I don't shave in winter worse.

2. I don't know how to ask for help very well. I have found in the last week that I grow incredibly frustrated at people who can't read my mind and know my needs. I have caught myself on more than one occasion thinking "that could have gone better if you'd just asked for help". I don't like to be a burden so I will sit around miserable until it becomes unbearable but then I get all worked up and angry. It's not a good situation. It happened yesterday when all I wanted was a bottle of ibuprofen. I had it my head that Scott should just know this. Why I thought this I don't know? He's not psychic, never has been, never will be.

3. People can be very obtuse when it comes to helping others out. What seems obvious to me is apparently not obvious to many. If you see someone on crutches struggling with a bag or trying to hold something it seems that the obvious move would be to help them. Yet, multiple times this week people have failed to notice me struggle, or simply don't care. Yes I learned that I need to be better about asking for help, but in the same breath, people should be more helpful or considerate. I know I try to be.

4. I don't like it when my best friend travels. She's been gone a week now and won't be back for a few more days and I miss her terribly. We see each other so often on a weekly basis that to have her absent for this long is somewhat painful. I guess it might be silly, but dammit she's much more fun to vent to, bitch with, and gossip with then my husband who has this past week perfected his ability to tune me out. I can't wait for her to get home so we can rehash this past week in our typical Gilmore Girls speed. I think I need to speak in that speed to feel good. It's like diet coke, I just need it. If she ever moves away I would be devastated. I think I'd be hard pressed to find another human who can understand me the way she does at the speed she does.

5. Daytime tv is the pits and I have found my couch sitting time limit. I am by nature one of the laziest humans on this planet. I am completely willing to admit this. However this week, being trapped in bed or on the couch for one and a half days drove me to near insanity. Apparently choosing to be a couch potato vs. being forced to be one is very different. When I choose to be one I can sit though endless hours of Celbrity Rehab, The Real.Housewives of Orange County, and House Hunters. If I'm stuck watching those shows I find myself snarking at the potential home owners about their horrible taste in wall colors and yelling mean things at the housewives (okay I do this anytime Vicky is on). Never in my life have I wanted a pile of books more. I miss books. I need a trip to the book store!!

7 comments:

kirke said...

Ooh....I yell at Vickie too.

I just shaved my legs this morning. I was starting to gross myself out. If I wouldn't have, I would definitely do it tomorrow. Your story about all the helpful coworkers put the fear in me.

I hope you feel better soon!

Melis.sa said...

1. i know how you feel about your best friend. sadly mine lives hours away, but i started it by moving :)

2. vicki irritates the bejesus out of me. except she's so sweet with her daughter.

3. i could totally relate to people should be more considerate. people seem to be jerks more and more the older i get

4. lol, my dh is fantastic at tuning me out. and sadly, he is not psychic either. :) only girls can sense the rage brewing

Anonymous said...

Yes, it is true that some people need to be more considerate. You said that you need to ask for help more. Maybe, before you get irritated with others, you should ask for help if you need it rather than expect people to read your mind. I think it is unfair to insult husbands, strangers or co-workers for their inability to help if you, yourself, are unwilling to ask for it. There are many people in this world who get mad or insulted if help is offered. Maybe if you are one of these people, you will have to be the one to ask for the help rather than wait for it to be offered. On the other hand, I know may people who would expect help with everything just because they are injured. Sometimes these are the people you don't want to help because you will be stuck doing everything for them for the length of their injury. I am hoping you will realize that people aren't as inconsiderate as you portray them to be. Just ask for the help and I am sure that you will find people will be more than willing to step forward.

Jo said...

I respectfully disagree with the above "anonymous" poster.

YOU, Erin, are right. People aren't as helpful as they could (or should) be. Someone sent me a good quote the other day -- I wish I could remember who said it. Basically the thought was "if you want to do something you will find a way. If you don't want to, you will find an excuse."

I hope "anonymous", and all other not-so-helpful people will read this.

Hugs to Erin!

Anonymous said...

1. That is just funny!!

2. I am sure you will be rewarded for the help if you just ask.

3. This kind of goes back to 2. Just ask and I am sure people will help you.

4. Some think gossiping is just as bad as being inconsiderate!

Erin said...

To Anonymous, you are certainly entitled to your opinion but I would ask that before you grow (what seems to be) angry with me, that you reread my entire post. I actually stated that I needed to be better about asking for help. That's something I pointed out. I absolutely hate being a burden so I don't like to ask for help or assign people tasks. I suspect that you are probably someone I know in real life, though I could be wrong, but I can't understand why you would feel the need to be anonymous otherwise or why you would assume that I insult my husband or co-workers or that when I'm talking about obtuse people that I'm talking about them. This week has been filled with frustration and poor communication. While I am partly to blame for this, I am not out of line in thinking others, especially those I live with, work with, and help out at other times should be helpful to me. I'm more considerate to complete strangers than most have been to me. I stood in front of a door that I wasn't stable enough to open this week, and three times people came though it from the other side, saw me and failed to hold it open. How is that not obtuse? Wouldn't you have held the door?

Stacey said...

Erin,
I'm so sorry about your injury! Ouch!!

Thanks for the reminder that even in the winter months we never know when we might have to bare our legs. Scary! I'm so glad I just shaved today, and with a brand new blade - I'd forgotten how much better that feels!

I totally agree - daytime tv stinks. Hope you find some great books! I'll be posting an updated reading list soon if you want to check it out and maybe read along with me. :)