if i even started to tell you about the confrontations, interactions, messages, and random information that have come my way in the last few days, you wouldn’t believe me. none of it’s my own drama, i’m just a good listener and i’ve been doing a lot of listening lately. really, i’m grateful to be a person people can go to, and i don’t mind being a sounding board. occasionally i even give sage advice. …it’s just kind of funny how everything happens at once.

sometimes i feel like my stories are all such long stories; i can’t give short answers, and there’s always something that needs clarification, and if i open my mouth for a minute, i find myself 10 minutes later midway through an accidental over-explanation the listener probably didn’t really ask for… a few weeks ago, on our first visit to a new family doctor, i was asked the usual series of questions about family history, habits, etc. the doctor asked about my parents, and i heard myself say “mom’s pretty healthy. dad is too…no health problems at all. they’re both pretty young. oh, no, wait! actually, my dad died while i was pregnant… it’s a long story.” (all of that’s true, by the way. my mom is pretty healthy. my dad is pretty healthy. my other dad, the one the medical records have any interest in, passed away in 2005. and yes, it’s kind of a long story.)

maybe i just don’t know how to condense a story. or maybe things have been a little complicated. or maybe i’m just so used to being around kids all day that when i’m in actual adult company i have to talk and talk and talk just to get it all out.

…kind of like now.

* * *

ok, enough babble babble. here are a few brief tuesday lists.

five things i love

~ a well-made bed
~ making a wish at 11:11, and 12:34, and on eyelashes
~ watching tv in bed
~ picture-postcards from the 1930′s – 1960′s
~ jo malone perfumes, particularly nutmeg & ginger

five things i don’t love

~ excuses
~ fancy handbags
~ paying list-price for a book
~ children’s music that has a “rap” or “hip hop” section
~ people who spit

five good things about me

~ can sing pretty well
~ really good at keeping secrets
~ incredibly loyal to the people and things i love
~ i love to laugh
~ i make good pumpkin pie and (sometimes) perfect cupcakes

five lame things about me

~ can’t draw, even stick figures
~ right handed
~ bad at remembering names
~ kind of insecure
~ allergic to milk, corn, and soy