Tuesday, January 19, 2010

How Are You Feeling? Rate Yourself!

Back in college, a bunch of us took a road trip to Montreal. I went to school at the University of Vermont in Burlington, which is only about 90 minutes from Montreal so we could do the trip in one day. I drove, and on the way home, late at night, my friend Joe P. had the unenviable job of keeping me awake. So, periodically, he'd say, "Rate yourself! How are you feeling?"

For some reason, it's one of those ride homes I'll never forget (and I understand it's also a location thing, you know, had to be there).

I was thinking about that today as I tried to rate myself but I'm not sure I could settle on a single emotion. Ever have one of those days?

This morning, my alarm did not work so I didn't get up until 8:28 which is significant because we leave for the bus at 8:38. Somehow, my children got up, ate breakfast, brushed their teeth (even!), got dressed and made it to the bus stop in time for the bus. I just thank the good Lord (or whomever) that about 20 kids get on the bus at our bus stop and that the bus is always late. So this morning I felt relieved. Oh, and tired.

I'm also feeling impressed with the response to the earthquake in Haiti. So many people donated so much money in such a short time. But I confess, I'm a bit conflicted as I hear reports of Haitians complaining that we didn't act fast enough. I can't imagine being in Haiti right now but it feels to me that we acted as quickly as we could. Of course, I'm not there and since they didn't have much to begin with...it's just so sad.

And, I'm sad because I heard news last week about an actor I worked with last season. He was diagnosed with acute leukemia and is now in a medically-induced coma. I didn't know him really well--we had some beers, I hung out once with him and his wife--but I enjoyed working with him and looked forward to maybe working with him again. It's just heart-wrenching.

On the lighter side, I had my second vocal lesson yesterday, and my teacher said I know more than I think I do. He even told me to buy some music so I can learn a song. That idea, of learning to sing a song, seemed so far away a couple of weeks ago. Life goes on, but in the midst of tragedy how am I supposed to feel?

This is light but weird. This afternoon, the kids and I walked into Keswick Village (the little town square in Glenside). I thought I'd buy them a treat for getting out of the house so quickly this morning. After our pretzels (and if you've tasted Philly pretzels, you'll know they are a treat), we stopped in at the used clothing store. My son tried on a pair of pants and got locked in the bathroom. The poor woman who ran the store tried everything to open the door. It took a good 20 minutes to pry the door open. I felt so bad for the poor woman, and my son (who held it together quite nicely but cried when he got out), and my daughter (who was visibly upset). I knew we'd get him out but if you're a kid locked in the bathroom, I guess it's pretty scary. Luckily, we had gummy bears when we got home. Gummy Bears solve a lot.

Except when Gummy Bears are soaked in vodka. When we had our big snow storm, a neighbor came by with vodka-soaked Gummy Bears and they were the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted.

I digress but right now, thinking about those gummy bears, I feel yucky. But not so yucky because I found Inherit the Wind on TV and I've never seen it (good to be me!).

So, Joe, I'm not sure I could rate myself right now. Ever have one of those days?

13 comments:

  1. Yikes, what a roller coaster ride. On those days, all I can do is hold my arms up in the air and shout WHEEEEEE!!!! Is that a rating?

    Vodka soaked gummy bears? Your neighbor is quite inventive.

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  2. I typically have roughly 365 of those days per year.

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  3. Well of course I sometimes Have days when everything indicates I should feel Low & infact I dont (& i worry why i can possibly be so optimistic in the face of all the evidence) & other days when everything is fine but i decide to feel low The gummy bears sound like Medicine for one of such days.......although I'm not sure which!

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  4. Wow, that is a lot to pack in a day... Poor little man getting locked in the bathroom :0( Vodka soaked skittles... now that's a treat!

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  5. locked in the bathroom...nice. i got locked in a closet once for about 20 minutes. not a lot of fun. today is a new day.

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  6. Well put Tony, sometimes the emotion doesn't fit the day. Rhonda, I'm making Whee a rating now. Thanks Jeff, it's nice to know I'm not alone. And yeah, it is a lot to pack in one day but I have to say, vodka soaked gummie bears are not good (skittles, maybe though I'll have to try). Brian, not fun to get locked in a bathroom or a closet but as you say, it's a new day! That's the best part of weird days, they end.

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  7. Those late mornings are the worst. For me, I mean. It takes me hours to recover from the panic!

    I can't watch the news about Haiti any more. I donated what I could (not much!) and now I'm just hoping for the best...

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  8. MMMMMMM! Philly pretzels :P And yes Kate, I've had several opf those days~OY! One of these days I'll have to post about loooong distance driving, I've done!!!

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  9. A rushed morning always throws everything into a whirl for me - and I have to stop for a bit just to get my bearings. I have days just like you described ALL THE TIME. Sometimes my husband will call me from work, ask how I'm feeling and I'll just say, "I'm here," in a very small voice.

    I read an article from a woman who just returned to our area from Haiti, and she said she felt so relieved to be able to walk into the Canadian embassy and get immediate help, but she also felt incredibly guilty. Events like this earthquake strip everything down to the bare bones for me - I look at my breakfast and think, God I am so fortunate.

    I have not had vodka gummy bears, but I did have vodka/jello shooters once and I thought those were disgusting!

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  10. I have plenty of those days! Inherit the wind is such a good movie. I loved Spencer Tracy.

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  11. Isn't that why we always just answer "Fine" when someone says, How Are You? because who really has time to delve into the complicated and wacky levels of all the concurrent feelings we are having? And who wants to hear it.

    Oh...I mean...except all of us bloggers. We want to hear one another from late morning wakeup to bathroom lock foul ups to gummy bears to Inherit the Wind. But we're kind of strange that way.

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  12. I'm having one of those days now, and every other day this week! Whew!

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  13. Vodka soaked Gummi Bears? Really???

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