Random Tuesday: Ting Tings, V-Day, Girl Stuff & Singing

One. I love this song. Lauren turned me onto it.

Two. Goddamn girl issues … again.

In December, I had the 28-day-long period. Then 35 days of nothing. Now, I’m on day 12 of off-again, on-again, clothes-ruining bleeding. One minute I’m spotting, the next I’m flooding. And the zits! And bloating! I haven’t been able to wear my wedding ring for almost 2 weeks.

I have actually begun to reconsider a uterine ablation, damn the intrusiveness, because I am so sick of this particular girl issue. I know that it’s perimenopause, even though I’m “too young.” If not the operation, which destroys the uterine lining for good, then definitely the herbs, because they pretty much stopped my period.

Three. Despite getting to bed at 10 pm and sleeping until 7 am, I am tired.

What’s up with that? Last week, I barely got 5 hours a night and I was fine. Now I get 9 hours and can barely keep my eyes open.

Four. (some) Reporters are stupid.

I just spent three emails arguing with one, trying to get her to run a correction or clarification because she included my researchers’ grants as examples in a story about an entirely different university. She doesn’t see the problem, or (I suspect) she’s too lazy to fix it. This is why journalism is failing: young reporters who don’t care about accurate reporting, causing none of us to trust what they say.

Five. Valentine’s Day #5 with Steve.

Aw, look how in love we were 5 years ago. And still are.

For our first Valentine’s Day, he hit it out of the park: Dinner and bellydance show, the best love letter I’d ever received in my life, and a me-time date at a spa for a chocolate-themed half-day. And, I think, flowers. He has an amazing talent for building bouquets for me.  This is V-Day #5 for us, or #1 of our marriage.

Steve lets me help figure out what we’re going to do but won’t let me pay for anything. We’re going to have the afternoon together: a reading, a movie, and dinner at no-reservations-needed place, maybe Whole Foods. And chocolate. And sex. Because what’s Valentine’s Day without it?

(And for my single readers, here’s a toast to you. Yes, it sucks. But there is hope for all in love.)

Six. CSAPs, and yay for singing.

Lauren’s taking our state test this week. To prepare, her teachers have sent home enormous homework packets since she got back from Christmas vacation. She’s a good test-taker (got that from me, thank god), and she’s always done well on the benchmark testing they do in non CSAP years.

There’s a teacher named Ms. Squiggle–Lauren says it’s her real name, swear to god–who is in charge of the testing process and is promising each child who attends school of CSAP days not one but TWO ice cream bars and an extra 10, no 20, no 40 minutes of recess. Or so the story goes.

This morning in the car, Lauren said she was nervous. So instead of talking about it, we sang songs. And then, she wasn’t nervous anymore. Yay for singing.

Seven. Gah! Asking!

I’ve been asked to occasionally take photos at events thrown by a favorite group of mine. Yesterday, the group’s communications person asked me to take pictures at a half-dozen upcoming events. I’d be happy to do it. However, I decided that I’d like to be compensated in some form of trade, so I asked specifically for what I want. And now? I’m freaking out. Oh my god, did I just ruin it? Are they going to find someone else? Did I screw up the friendship with my friends who run the group? Gah! Part of me wants to take it back with much apologizing. I mean, how dare I? Who do I think I am? I haven’t seen a reply to that email yet (almost 24 hours … oh my anxious gut). I am freaking out. I hate asking. HATE.

This is a continuing series about what is on my mind, triggered by the beautiful and wonderful UnMom. You should read her blog, and you should read the blogs of other Random Tuesday Thoughts-ers, because, like me, they are cool.