Haiti

All the coverage on Haiti is so devastating, so heart wrenching. What the people there must be going through, I really have no basis for understanding. We've given what we can, and will do more if the opportunity arises. But seeing these images, reading the stories- it produces a feeling of helplessness and sadness and I wish there was a way to just make everything ok again for the thousands of people who are dead, injured, separated from loved ones...

You've all seen by now, I'm sure that there are countless ways to help monetarily. But just in case, here's a link to a list of charities.

I'm not a praying person but Haiti is definitely in my thoughts. I just keep wondering about mothers separated from children, husbands searching from wives, people still buried under rubble...Wishing there was more to do than just giving money, although from what the media is saying, there is of course a huge need to get aid organizations mobilized and things like water and medicine to the people that need them and money helps do that. Still. Ugh.

With their flapping heads and beady eyes....

...oh wait, that's Canadians.

So my husband IM's me this morning with this:

why is so much of our country so vile and disgusting?

and then links me here.

Good fucking question, I say. Oh, and it just furthers my hypothesis that conservative talk radio hosts are demon spawn from hell.

SMILE! You're on the Internet!

Any regular reader of this here blog knows that I'm not a spiritual or religious person. I don't really believe in G0d and I tend to trust scientific explanations first and foremost, well, behind those of my dad, Meatloaf and Star Wars. (Really, is there any spiritual dilemma Yoda DOESN'T have the answer for??)

In all seriousness, I do, however, tend to believe in energy...the best way I can think to explain this is that I believe that the energy you put out into the universe comes back to you. Like a boomerang. Or dog poop that won't ever truly be cleaned off the bottom of your shoe, depending.

(An aside: I took this test recently and got 100% Secular Humanism followed by 95% Unitarian Universalist and 92% Liberal Quaker. Interesting.)

Rebecca over at Girls Gone Child recently posted about optimism and perpetuating hope on the Internet. She's right in that negativity is rampant...people (yours truly included) have a tendency to use blogs/facebook/twitter etc. as their own personal emotional dumping grounds. Having a shitty day? Tweet it! Pissed about something? Change your facebook status! We're all guilty of it. And misery loves company, non?

The problem is that generally, shitty moods are contagious. Negativity is like pink eye...unchecked, it will run rampant, blithely infecting all who cross its path. But so is happiness. Optimism. Hope. Whatever you want to call it... Positivity. That can be infectious too.

I'm assuredly guilty of crapping all over the Internet...we all have our moments. And I do not think that you should just put on a happy June Cleaver face because really- it can help people to see/hear/read that others are in the same boat...that everyone struggles with bad moods, money woes, crabby kids, whathaveyou. And reading about others' challenges can be a real boon- the stay-at-home mom who struggles with PPD can find a support network online, etc. The Internet should not be all roses and sunshine and cute little bunnies.

BUT. What does it hurt to share good news? Smiles? Happy thoughts? Nuthin, that's what. Rebecca has a great point.

What do you think?

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In the spirit of this post, check THIS out. :) Awesome.

Just Blabbing.

I was going to post something about the horrible tragedy at the school in Virginia, but then Pam over at Musings of a Working Mom said what I was thinking better than I could. One can't help but wonder if the shooter hadn't had access to such a weapon if so many would be dead now.

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Weekend-wise, it was a good one. I was able to drive down to Denver for a dinner-date with my Papa on Saturday night. And of course he did some very Dad-like things such as:
-insist on paying for dinner
-insist on buying me a book I've been wanting and a tube of my favorite lotion
-lecture me on how my tires are low and I really need to take better care of my car.

After dinner, I spent the night with a good friend and then drove home on Sunday.

And, (*looks around guiltily*) I took Monday off. As a mental health day. I am just feeling a little burnt out at the moment and it helped to have an extra day to myself. I slept in, did an hour and a half of prenatal yoga, caught up on some reading and did some baking (blueberry muffins and brownies...yum!) So it was a good day. Except for all that crap in the news.

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On the pregnancy front, I've been feeling more movement lately. I am 18weeks today. The movement still kind of freaks me out. (Don't laugh) But its just so weird to think of something alive and moving independently inside me. Guess you can tell I'm a first-timer, huh? Looking ahead to the ultrasound on May 7...by that time, I'll already be over halfway done!

I've been having secret fun starting registries for us on line. Its still early so really they are just lists that I'm using to help me keep track of products I've read reviews on, had recommended, etc. until we can check them out in person. But it has been fun making lists and thinking about all the stuff one little person needs. And slightly daunting. I'm trying to keep things as minimalist as possible (I can hear your skeptical laughter from here). Alot of it just seems like so much fluff, if you ask me. But its fun looking at onesies and carseats and imagining some little person occupying them at some point. Some little person made partly up of me.

I'm equally excited and scared shitless for the moment that happens.