Secular Confessions

[daylilies]

He was actually telling me *I* was wrong, until I pulled up the info on the computer LOL
That's why I don't want to make it about who's wrong or right. He started it by saying "Meme says you're wrong, cigarettes don't make you sick" and I was like oh hell no. (in my head of course ) I don't care who's wrong, I just wanted him to know the facts.

[AmeriBrit]

Oh, I forgot to tell you guys that we have a new channel on the satellite that is showing all US programs and they're showing Battle Star Gallactica so I'm DVRing it since there was mention of it on here and it seemed like it might be worth a watch.

And I just realized the British aren't very acquainted with Dr. Seuss...how sad is that...I want to do Cash's room in a Dr. Seuss theme and everyone I mention it to say "who?" I'll have to educate this side of the world!

[daylilies]

Oh, let us know how you like BSG.
Wow, I thought everyone knew who Dr. Seuss was!

[Cosmosmom]

You know I adore my MIL but she smokes and I know she realizes that they aren't good for you but I don't think that she truly believes how much they are bad for her AND especially for the rest of us around her. I think she is in a bit of denial....and really if she admitted it, would probably feel too much guilt for smoking while pg (and I know she planned for him and wanted him...he was a clomid baby!) and all his life. And DH had horrible allergies when he still lived at home. I really believe that she was surprised at how much better they are now that he's not around smoke much at all.

[Cosmosmom]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE BSG. Has to be watched in order.

[AmeriBrit]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE BSG. Has to be watched in order.

Yeah, I checked and tonight it's series 1 episode 1, so I can watch from the beginning! I'll have to try to watch it tomorrow night after the kids are in bed.

[missychrissy]

Never heard of Dr. Seuss? wtf? Have fun educating them!!

[Gwenn]

How sad they don't know Dr. Seuss!

I guess I'm worrying too much about my dad, then. He just really has a tendency to go overboard but I'm sure he'll be fine. If he keeps baking homemade ciabatta bread at the rate he's been going he won't be able to keep losing much weight!

[demigraf]

I am jealous of anyone who gets to watch BSG for the first time. Keep us posted on what episode you're on, A, so we can live vicariously thru you.

I smoked from age 18-28. When I quit (which was a long time ago now), that's when I changed my whole diet/exercise lifestyle. Lost 50 lbs in the process. It was the best thing I ever did. I have a hard time being around smokers nowadays, because they remind me of my former careless, addicted self.

[demigraf]

It actually makes me really sad that Barack Obama smokes.

[daylilies]

I just saw that he quit!

[stash]

I cannot keep up.

[stash]

That chart is interesting, Lydia... the range for my height is like 130-170... crazy!

[missychrissy]

Mandy, I think it's normal to worry about your dad. I know I worry about mine something fierce and if he started losing weight my thoughts would be just like yours.

I smoked from 15-28, then started up again a year ago. I quit at the beginning of this year, but picked it right back up again when Jess was missing. I don't smoke in the house or car, and I feel very self conscious about it whenever Conner sees me or says something about it. Talk about mommy guilt.

Barack did quit smoking. I heard that today as well.

Stacy, you have a good excuse!! How are the boys?

[stash]

Oscar knows smoking makes people sick and can make them die earlier than they should. The heartbreaking bit was when he learned my mom smokes. I couldn't keep telling him half truths about where she was disappearing to. He was so worried and wanted to tell her because he figured she didn't know it was bad for her.

[stash]

Chrissy, the boys are great. Goofy and happy. Thanks for asking.

With weight, I still have 20 pounds to lose to be in my happy place, but that will come. I need to take a break for a while Nd just maintain... losing 50 pounds makes me feel drained.

[daylilies]

Stacy, did you let Oscar talk to her about it? I don't want my MIL to think I am feeding this information to Josh as sort of a passive aggressive way of talking to her about it. I felt like he was concerned about it and I wanted him to know the truth but I don't want him confronting her about it, I don't think.

[demigraf]

kate, I think it's not passive-aggressive if Josh is just stating facts that he's learned without judging her. you could perhaps still try talk to your MIL and give her a heads up about what you're teaching him. she might be delusional, but with all the stop smoking ads and surgeon general warnings on every pack these days, you're just a voice in a chorus.

I can relate on the kicking yourself for not putting your foot down sooner thing, since I let my aging dad drive Bodhi on several occasions, even though he's a menace on the roads. only recently, I worked up the courage to say he's not allowed to drive him anywhere. It's so difficult to point out to family that they're a danger to themselves and our offspring, but justifiable since our job is to protect them. Maybe you could work on your DH some more, or make him talk to josh too about smoking. That way, if Josh talks to your mil about it, your dh shares the responsibility.

On another note, I thought of Josh when I read 5 Little Dinosaurs (jumping on the bed) to Bodhi tonight. It's the same as 5 Little Monkeys but with dinosaurs instead. It's such a cute book, even though I'd have a hard time explaining how Mama gave birth to 5 different species that likely didn't even exist in the same era. She really got around. LOL.

That's cool that Obama quit. I did not know that. That's so awesome for his health and credibility too. I'm giggling over the thought of him white knuckling his way through state dinners and battles with the House. I know I shouldn't laugh. It's so hard to quit, but I secretly hope his nicotine cravings make him a little more of a hardass. He could use his edginess for the greater good.

[daylilies]

LOL, I can imagine Obama being a jerk to everyone, going "I'm quitting smoking, OKAY?"
When it comes to Josh talking about smoking, it's the judging I'm worried about. For some reason he's on this big kick about who's right and wrong about everything. He'll say "You were wrong Mommy, we didn't draw a kite for K, we drew a kangaroo" (when learning letters at school). Once in a while he will say "You were right" and I wish I had those moments on tape.

[stash]

Yes, I told her, and we talked to her about it. I explained, in front of her, as well as aside with Oscar, that smoking could Burt our bodies and that she would quit if she could, but that cigarettes have a chemical that make you make the bad choice to keep smoking. Hard stuff to understand when you're five, and it pissed my mom off because she felt guilty and bad for her choice in the light of Oscar's eyes, but sobeit. I felt like an idiot when I smoked when Oscar was young (I picked t back up for four months or so after he was born)... but that was MY issue, not his.

[stash]

P.s. I couldn't care less if Obama smokes, as long as he doesn't do it around ME.

[missychrissy]

I don't want Obama to smoke because I want him to live to be 100 so he can remind everyone how they trashed him while he was an active president. lol I was little when Reagan was president, but I remember hearing a lot of chatter about how he was doing everything wrong.

All this talking about smoking is making me feel incredibly guilty. That's a good thing. I need to buy patches this week instead of cigarettes. They cost about the same.

[stash]

Burt instead of hurt. ****youautofill.,om

[missychrissy]

I am going to have a stroke. KimJ has teased me on and off about moving to VA for years now and she's sent me links to houses that are comparable to what I'm looking for here in upstate NY. The difference is, the taxes there are between 650-1200/year, whereas in NY I've only found 1 house where the taxes are less than 3,000/year, and most are over 4,000/year.

For crying out loud! Our roads SUCK and our state is broke (or so they say). wtf are they doing with all their money?

[daylilies]

LOL Stacy about the autocorrect!
Chrissy-I've been aware that you smoke and I've tried to be sensitive-I don't intend to make anyone who smokes feel bad about it-it's mostly the whole denial thing that pisses me off. My grandmother smoked but the difference between her and my MIL is that she never did it in her house to begin with, so it didn't smell. Also I don't think my grandmother was in denial that it was making her sick. You know it's bad and you're trying to quit.

[missychrissy]

Don't worry Kate. You couldn't make me feel bad if I didn't have something to feel bad about. I need the reminders. The more I think about it, the more I think about quitting and I really need to be on my own ass about it.

[3andMe]

I don't think any of us who has smoked is unaware that it's bad for us, Kate. That's really sweet that you're trying to be sensitive. I've been feeling occasional cravings lately too. I'm sure it's because I'm just feeling overwhelmed lately with the whole house decision and what we should do. Aside from knowing it's bad for not only me but those around me and sheesh, how would I ever have the time for a cigarette break when I have to carefully coordinate time to get a shower, AND expensive, I remind myself about the news anchor Peter Jennings who got lung cancer after starting smoking after having quit for 20 years. Apparently he started smoking again after 9/11, and I heard at the time returning to smoke after an absence can increase your chances of cancer quite a bit. I spent a lot of time quitting and restarting throughout my life, so I don't want to do anything more to my body. I already have spent a lot of time on recriminations, hoping I haven't significantly shortened my life and taken away time that would have been spent with my children because of stupid habits I picked up when I was a kid. *GRRRR* Now I try to think of ways to prevent my children from doing the same things I did, but I certainly never listened to my parents about those things.

[Cosmosmom]

I am going to have a stroke. KimJ has teased me on and off about moving to VA for years now and she's sent me links to houses that are comparable to what I'm looking for here in upstate NY. The difference is, the taxes there are between 650-1200/year, whereas in NY I've only found 1 house where the taxes are less than 3,000/year, and most are over 4,000/year.

For crying out loud! Our roads SUCK and our state is broke (or so they say). wtf are they doing with all their money?

My house is in the price range you are looking I think (trying to remember the ones you sent links to)......I don't know what my taxes will be yet. I am hoping for 3300 but I think that they will be more like 3500-3600. We have pretty high property taxes here. My parents are at like 5500 for an 1800 sq ft ranch on a smaller lot. We almost bought a few years ago in a Milwaukee subburb and were looking at more like 4000-4500 for taxes.
I think that WI is about 3 billion short too. I think that a lot of states lost a LOT of money in the stock market crash and have a lot of trouble with pensions and health care for employees. It is so annoying to think that all that money spent starting wars could have been used here for healthcare and education and things would be much different now!

I think that most places the roads suck. I don't know anyone who doesn't complain about the roads....they need to be fixed or the plows don't do a great job. They don't even come through my neighborhood unless we get more than 3 inches...and I HAVE to go through a roundabout to get to my street which has been interesting. And they don't seem to be fond of salt...only the most main streets get that and the secondary get sand.

I know my friend in Minnestoa pays much less in property taxes....but than license fees are much higher. I figure that the state will get the money someway or another.

[daylilies]

Yeah, I don't know many people who smoke or smoked and didn't know it was bad for them. MIL...I don't know what planet she lives on.

[Cosmosmom]

*GRRRR* Now I try to think of ways to prevent my children from doing the same things I did, but I certainly never listened to my parents about those things.

My friends in high school smoked...my mom said I start over her dead body knowing my friends did. And she said she would take away my car, I would be on my own after high school and they wouldn't give me any money to help with college....if I started smoking and she found out about it. (and I couldn't get a credit card...said if she found out about that, they would stop helping with college and I NEEDED that help).

I totally believed my mom would follow through with the threats and so I didn't ever try smoking not even once (I also have asthma and my friends never asked if I wanted one). And I didn't get a credit card.....which DH has thanked mom for because I would have been BAD with one at that point in time.