Secular Confessions

[daylilies]

Oh, now I want to try that chocolate wine. LOL I think I have seen it, is it in a brown bottle?

[Bridget]

Yes, it is. It's very, very sweet. Not for me. I prefer just straight red wine or a nice dark beer. Like, I'm very happy about the fact they say Guinness is good for breastmilk supply. If someone knows that to be false, please don't tell me.

[daylilies]

Oooh, I don't like beer, especially the dark ones. I get full before I get drunk. LOL Once in a while in the summer a lager or light beer is good.

[AmeriBrit]

My MIL says they used to give Guiness to people in hospitals here, so it's got to be good for ya!

Chocolate wine sounds nasty to me! I like a nice rose wine, white zinfandel really. I like strawberry cider, too; that's my summer drink.

[Bridget]

Kate, I used to feel that way about dark beer too when I drank to get drunk (read: loaded). But these days I just want one or two and enjoy sipping on a tasty beer.

[dana_renay]

It doesn't taste like wine at all. It's more like a grown up Yoo-Hoo in flavor. Imagine a shot of bailey's and godiva liqueur. But it is very sweet and very rich.
I personally like sweet wines, or malty beers. I don't like my beer hoppy. I actually think it is the hops in beer that is supposed to be a galactagogue (i.e. helps produce milk).

Don't tell Bridget, but I read that non-alcoholic beer works just as well. But who would want to drink that?

[Inca]

I always thought the chocovine looked nasty. And mm... beer. Can't wait to have one (Hoegaarden preferably)..or a nice glass of chard.

[missychrissy]

The soap thing reminds me I was going through some of my soaps looking for a new one to use and I came out with one that wasn't labeled, from a gift box my cousin sent me for Christmas. I tried to use it and it wouldn't lather up. Later on I found the paper saying what everything is and it's a massage bar. LOL

omg that's funny!!

Yea ... kind of sad we can't just explain about bodies without it being controversial. It would solve a lot of problems...

And my DH cares. He doesn't say anything if I let it go, but when I do keep up with it he lets me know he's happy.

Your employer's blocking is excessive.

My husband is the same way. If I decided to go hippie free, he'd be supportive but he's particularly complimentary once I've shaved after skipping a couples days. I think a week is the longest I've gone, and then I was terribly sick.

Just last week Rich turned to me and said, "I'm so happy you shave." I burst out laughing because it was so random! But obviously he likes it

I've never tasted any beer than I can tolerate and the few times I tried to 'acquire a taste' for it, I got sick and threw up after just 2-3. I can drink shots and mixed drinks all night long, so it's not like I'm a light weight. I just cannot stomach beer for some reason.

[daylilies]

It doesn't taste like wine at all. It's more like a grown up Yoo-Hoo in flavor. Imagine a shot of bailey's and godiva liqueur. But it is very sweet and very rich.
I personally like sweet wines, or malty beers. I don't like my beer hoppy. I actually think it is the hops in beer that is supposed to be a galactagogue (i.e. helps produce milk).

Don't tell Bridget, but I read that non-alcoholic beer works just as well. But who would want to drink that?

LOL Yeah.
I don't drink much obviously, but when I do, I have to get at least a little tipsy to make it worth it to me. I have to be careful though because drunk = the munchies for me and I can ruin a whole good day with snacks when I'm drunk.

[missychrissy]

Not to mention all the calories that are in each drink themselves. Do you think men ever consider that?

We went out last night and I'm mentally calculating all the calories I might have consumed...I bet the thought never crosses Rich's mind. Till I bring it up

[dana_renay]

Myles, where are you?? I am in love with the Buddhism for Mothers book. I want to post quotes from it all over my house.
This is the one I've been thinking of for a couple of days now,
"Those with equanimity know that each moment is of equal importance. Changing a nappy, wiping a nose, reading a story or waiting in a queue--all are opportunities for mindfulness, for growing. Each moment is brilliantly new. It will not last, for it is in the process of chainging into something else-that makes it precious."
How lovely is that?

On a not about alcohol note, I haven't read the book you quoted, but I like the idea, Bridget. I have adhd (inattentive type) and so often I find that I've just kind of zoned out through entire activities or even days. I was doing stuff, but I wasn't *there*. I could use more "mindfulness" and being in the moment.

[daylilies]

Not to mention all the calories that are in each drink themselves. Do you think men ever consider that?

We went out last night and I'm mentally calculating all the calories I might have consumed...I bet the thought never crosses Rich's mind. Till I bring it up

Exactly, that's why I don't just drink for the taste.
DH doesn't care, I watch him eat whole pizzas and drink sodas and alcohol, and go out for Italian food with his coworkers 3 times a week and still be skinny as a rail

[Gwenn]

I have to say, chocolate red wine sounds nasty. I have a sweet tooth, but blech. I like desserts with liqueur in them, too.

I zone out a lot, too, so I also like the thought of being in the moment more.

[The10Eels]

Ive had the chocovine too.. I thought it tasted like chocolate milk with vodka in it... Not my thing

[daylilies]

Ick..if it's like creamy chocolate wine, I'll pass. I thought it might be like wine with a chocolately essence My favorite wine ever is a sparkling red wine. The first time I had it was at the last restaurant I worked at. We got to try the specials and a couple wines almost every day.
It was one of those rare moments of tasting something I had never tasted the likes of before. It's like champagne, but red. I special ordered it through my liquor store and I get a bottle every month or so.

[The10Eels]

Yeah.. I really like sparkling red wine... but this is really creamy. like i said.. consistency of chocolate milk....


I confess I got new glasses! I made myself step out of my comfort zone, because I realized the three pairs of glasses I have EVER owned have all been the same color! BORING!!!!

[daylilies]

They're really cute, Ash!
I keep thinking about getting fake glasses just to make my face more interesting. LOL Can you go to a glasses place and just pick out some frames?

[AmeriBrit]

Kate, yes, you can just buy the frames.

Ashley, those are gorgeous glasses!

[missychrissy]

I love them Ashley! I think you're adorable

I'm so stressed about money, financing, etc that I'm cranky. I'm to the point where I wish I could cry, but it's not there. Bah. /temper tantrum I wish I could just get over it and let whatever be, be.

[Gwenn]

Very cute, Ash!

I'm afraid to get too dramatic with my glasses. This dates to the time I was about 10 and got a pair of prescription sunglasses with pink frames and purple lenses. It was awful. I've stuck to very thin metallic frames ever since.

[dana_renay]

Cute glasses, Ashley!

I, too, tend to get stuck in the "boring" glasses rut because of a bad mistake when I was young. I've heard great things about this place:
http://www.zennioptical.com/
It's cheap, so there's not much to lose if it doesn't work out well, but I need a script first and I've been procrastinating.

[daylilies]

I had hideous glasses when I was a kid. They were huge and I had a lazy eye so I had a patch over one lens for a long time. Yes, I had a very awkward stage.

[missychrissy]

I love them Ashley! I think you're adorable

I'm so stressed about money, financing, etc that I'm cranky. I'm to the point where I wish I could cry, but it's not there. Bah. /temper tantrum I wish I could just get over it and let whatever be, be.

I finally found my tears. I went to NM's and read the thread about Tif. I'm not ashamed to admit, reading what she's gone through it makes me want to believe.

[Gwenn]

I finally found my tears. I went to NM's and read the thread about Tif. I'm not ashamed to admit, reading what she's gone through it makes me want to believe.

I've been crying since last night. It's awful.

[AmeriBrit]

I finally found my tears. I went to NM's and read the thread about Tif. I'm not ashamed to admit, reading what she's gone through it makes me want to believe.

Yes, that's how I feel, too. Times like that make me feel like there should be some sort of comfort at the end of everything.

[AbbeysMom]

Yes, that's how I feel, too. Times like that make me feel like there should be some sort of comfort at the end of everything.

I feel so sad for her too. I hope she can recover completely physically too.

It's weird, but believing in science *does* give me comfort. To me, both scientific research and nature is pretty 'miraculous'. Like there's hope that if she has the spirit and desire to try again, maybe science can help somehow so that she can carry to term.

[daylilies]

I just don't even know what to say about Tif's whole situation. It's just beyond words, to me. I hope she gets physically better soon so she can process and grieve without worrying about her own health.

[missychrissy]

I'm so tired. I just spent the better part of this afternoon getting all our paperwork organized and in a nice packet for our Wells Fargo lady. Whew...what a mess!

[dana_renay]

I feel so sad for her too. I hope she can recover completely physically too.

It's weird, but believing in science *does* give me comfort. To me, both scientific research and nature is pretty 'miraculous'. Like there's hope that if she has the spirit and desire to try again, maybe science can help somehow so that she can carry to term.

Definitely this. Things like this make me even *more* sure that I don't believe. I'm gonna skip my little rant about cruelty and religion. But I honestly do believe that because of new developments in medical science there is hope for her to try again, if she wants to. Although, she is not out of the woods yet and she has two little girls still with her who need her very much. I would completely understand if she ultimately decided that it just wasn't worth the risks. Right now, I just hope that she continues to fight off this infection and is able to make a full recovery.

And Chrissy - Big hugs. The house buying process is so stressful. I was really astounded by the amount of paperwork involved. Hang in there. It will be worth it!

[Bridget]

I spent all weekend re-decorating my daycare. It's so beautiful, I love it. I have lots of sparkly, springy, colorful flowy things and it looks magical. On the train table I put a large heavy mirror, lying flat and I put shooter marbles and fun blocks on it so they can see the marble roll and see the reflection at the same time. Then directly over it I hung sparkly star garland down from the ceiling so they also see that in the reflection as well. I don't know how well I explained that but it's very cool. Also, Mark built a big puppet theatre that double as a dress up storage. It's like a brand new space and I love it.

One of my daycare parents texted me on saturday wondering if their was any way i could "babysit" her 3 kids so she could shopping with her friends. That annoyed me. I just told her my weekends were for my family and left it at that. I know it's stupid but I felt disrespected like she thinks of me as her "babysitter".
I'm just going to get over it.