Chocolate & "What is the best way to break up with your girlfriend?"

I grabbed another handful (ok, ok, it was two handfuls) of baby MM’s packages and promptly began to open and eat them. My sugar addiction is back full force.

“So…Esther how has life been lately? You ok? Have you been having a hard time?” One of the guys asked.

Huh? What?

“Girls eat sugar when they’re sad."

Apparently over lunch our guys had a lengthy discussion about girls. No surprise there, but the rest of the topic was hilarious: What is the best way to break up with your girlfriend?

They determined that when breaking up with your girlfriend she would be sad.
(Good job boys. That’s a correct assumption.)

They determined that girls eat chocolate when we are sad, or depressed.
(I don’t, but yes most girls do eat lots of sugar when they are sad.)

They decided that chocolate cheers girls up, and makes them happy.
(Very few girls would disagree.)

They decided it was best for a girl to be cheered up after a break up, “Not that it would be possible for a girl to be all the way cheered-up after losing me, but…” (That was Josh.)

So…

“We decided it’s a good idea to bring a girl a box of chocolates when you break up with her”
(WHAT!!!)

Wow. What a conflicting message.

Yes it's true, most girls do eat lots of sugar when they are sad. This is inclusive of--but not limited to--breakups. If, however, you are too loving to whoever you are breaking up with they will decide you are still in love with them. 'It'll all work out. In a few weeks we'll be back together.' After they realize that is not going to happen they will be even more depressed.

Anyone want a free bag of candy? Click on the link, and print the coupon; if you take it to K-Mart they will ring it up with a bag of Halloween candy, and the candy will be free. This is only good for today and tomorrow.

My car needs a band-aid

I hit a deer on the way home from church Sunday.

I should be thankful because I’m not hurt…I have a weird mind-set; I never expect to be hurt, so am not sufficiently thankful when I don’t get hurt. I should be thankful.

I am thankful that I have been driving slower lately. I was only going 20 mph when I saw the deer. (This is unheard of for a Libbey) I've slowed down, but not that much. It was definitely a God Thing.

I'm thankful that only my bumper is cracked. My car could have been hurt so much worse. My dad and some of my friends have had had their windows cracked and their car all dented and scratched. It could have been worse.

--

Edit: It is worse. My car won't lock into gear and there's an unattached metal piece hanging in the front. I think it just holds the motor in--hopefully it's not important. Oh well.

I will still be thankful that I am unhurt. The deer cracked the middle of the bumper, so if it had come through the window I likely would have been hurt. It is hard for me to believe, but I actually am capable of being hurt. (Physically I mean; I get hurt emotionally easily enough.)

Lastly I’m thankful that I had not already washed my car. I don’t know why, but I am.

I have been thankful. May I complain now?

Alone in a Crowd

“My people left me. I have been abandoned.” I moved to the other side of the table and pushed a chair into the empty spot between N8 and Whitney and across the table from Tricia and her sister Amanda.

Uh, actually just a couple of my friends left from my previous side of the table. The remaining 2 people were deep in conversation. AKA staring deeply and lovingly into each others eyes while discussing trivial subjects. (Awkward.) Plus I wanted to talk to Trica’s sister. She seems nice; if she is much like Tricia I’m sure I will like her. So I am making friends-if she wants to be friends with us, that is. I do not force people to be my friends, lol.

We talked briefly before Whitney said she needed to leave, “I have work in the morning.”

“Don’t leave. Everyone is leaving me. I have abandonment issues,” I joked

“Really?” Whitney questioned, “Me too. I think it’s my own fault”

It was meant to be funny. I could have evaded the question by saying, “Actually I wasn't meaning I would feel abandoned by you going home. It was a joke.” But that wasn't what she asked, and this year I am trying to be a little more open so…”Yeah, I guess I do sometimes."

Amanda said she felt like that at times. Tricia agreed, “Everyone is like that.”

We discussed it briefly. I will force all of my friends to have in-depth conversations with me about this. I like to understand things. It’s easier to fix things (including myself) after you understand the problem.

I would like to know why? Why does Whitney feel that way? Why does she think it is her fault? Why was it so hard to convince Jessie that we won’t leave her alone if we get to know who she really is? Why are we like that at all? Everyone does at times feel as if they don’t fit in. That’s life, but maybe we could make our friends lives a little easier.

I do feel out of place and in the way with our group at times, but not really right now. I have in the past though. It’s a detached alone-in-a-crowd thing--its worse when you are alone in a crowd that you used to belong to…

The problem, I think, with our girls isn't so much belonging--they do belong already. It’s knowing that they belong.

It is important to not only love people, but to also show them that they are loved. (It’s more complicated than it sounds.)

Recreational Shoppers

Wednesday after work Leah and I had already gone to most of our favorite stores in Knoxville, and I wanted to go home. “Yeah that’s fine,” Leah said then added, “This has been an unsuccessful shopping trip. It’s not a successful trip unless I buy something.”

After teasing her about her materialistic mind-set I turned toward a shopping center that included Ross and T.J.Max. “Well I’ll try to make this trip a success for you.”

We walked into Ross where Leah laughed and made fun of me as I began talking myself out of buying things. (My friends know that I save my money, but I am weirder with Leah, because she is my sister, and because it makes her laugh.) If Leah is there I talk myself out of buying things out loud and my explanations (to myself) are very detailed. This is apparently very droll.

Leah has redefined her trip as a success; she bought 3 things:

1) A long A-line khaki skirt with studs (Too big for her, but on sale and maybe it will shrink)

2) A pink top with white polka dots (A Little too small, but maybe it will stretch)

3) A long blue button up shirt with white polka dots ("Perfect!" she said..)

She has fifty cents left to her name. It was definitely a successful trip for her.

I have more than enough cute clothes already, but still I bought 3 things:

1) A tiered hanger-it holds four skirts (If I return to my shopping boycott my closet won’t need hangers that fit multiple items. Hmmm)

2) A pink shirt with a white mock lace camisole (Poor quality, but cute.)

3) A black and off-white A-line skirt (It matches my black blouse with off-white lace-Yay!)

(See Josh--I do spend money.)

I think we could have just each bought the one item that was perfect for us and skipped the others. But is buying unneeded things really a big deal? Surely wasting a little money is ok. I have plenty to waste, but am I setting a bad example for my little sister?

PS: I shop with Leah to spend time with her--it’s a sister bonding thing, I guess. I boycotted unnecessary shopping for about 2 years (Still felt as if I went shopping all the time for birthday presents…) She told me we needed to start shopping again because it was our alone time together.

Edit: If this is your definition of recreational shopper, then that title suits neither Leah nor I, even though I do chat with the sales people.