13.10.07

Like minds

Occasionaly  I stumble across something someone else has written that I really relate to---one was a book a read a few years back that was written in encyclopedia form---I so totally related to the woman---I think she was born just a year before or after me, so we had several similar life experiences.  I was so inspired that I even started my own encyclopedia entries of things from my life.  I don't know where it is now....I stumble across it every now and again....which brings me to why I'm writing this blog.......I stumbled across the following blog today and could really relate.....Look at the Thursday Aug 2, 2007 post: http://expatriateskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/08/incredible-shrinking-brain.html

Here's an excerpt from the above blog:

I heard about a study published sometime last year, I forget the date, about women's brains shrinking during pregnancy. My first instinct was to laugh and guess that the study was likely done by men with stay at home wives. Here's the actual story and some good commentary on it.

See, I have my own theory on this whole idea. I don't think my brain got any smaller at all, I think that post childbirth, I am now trying to cram so much into it by remembering everything for me, for work, for my spouse and now my child, that there's just a whole lot more to cart around up there. There is no more vast, open space up there to contemplate things such as the meaning of life, the mystery of the universe, or why anyone finds Paris Hilton interesting.

No more space for such pursuits. At. All. Instead, we women must now drag around the following information at all times:

  1. The location and estimated expiration date of every item in the refrigerator at any given moment.
  2. Every social commitment, personal calendar of each family member, birthdays of obscure relatives you've never met, and thank you notes required for every occasion throughout the year. Even if you are still trying to get last year's thank yous written.
  3. What the entire family needs from every different store at any given time, every week.
  4. The theme song to Reader Rabbit (or whatever DVD you play for the kiddos). No need to try and remember this, it sticks really well.
  5. What to fix for dinner for every day of the week after you forgot what you really needed from the store or market earlier that week.
  6. Which of the 1,000,000 toys was recently recalled by Mattel that you thought you saw buried under the other 1,000 plastic toys made in China that could be recalled next.
  7. Where you put the 20 lists of other things you need to remember to do.
  8. To breathe. Must remember to breathe.
  9. The complete details of every one of the ten different projects on your work desk at any given time.
  10. The last time each of your household chores was done, and which one most needs to get done next. Has it really been a month for dusting, or can it wait another week?
  11. Every bump, scratch, fever, strange rash, new tooth, illness, vaccination, allergy and any other incident by exact date and location for your child's pediatrician who supposedly keeps these records for you, but doesn't seem to have them.
  12. Which socks match which tie, jacket, shirt and pants in your husband's closet even if most days your personal fashion high point is not having anything on backward, or "too many" wrinkles or food stains in obvious places.

 

I found this blog because of #1 above....about things in the fridge and expiration dates....we had a bottle of applesauce and I started wondering "how long DOES a bottle of applesauce stay good in the fridge??"
 
Along the lines of the blogger above.....I somehow have to keep track of when 6 people have had their latest physicals......dental appointments......refills on prescription meds......school project needs......shoes......changing clothes by season and EVER- CHANGING size......glasses.......eye appointments......when does that contact prescription run out??? (The prescription is only good for a year you know......Do I need another mammogram soon? Did I sent a birthday treat to my daughter's class at school, Sunday School? ....have I taken my neighbor cookies lately?.....what IS for dinner tonight anyway???
 
My daughters and I decorated our front door area today:
                      
 
 
 
 
 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi!  Thanks for entering my giveaway today!  Good luck!

Your list (and the other blogger's list) remind me my life...years ago with kids at home!  It does change, and life does slow down!  But I'm always getting into more and more activities so I'm still on the go plenty of the time.  But as far as my brain, and the size,,,,...,,,,the same!  There was never room then and there's never any extra room now.  Mark is always amazed at the things I remember and in shock at the things I so easily forget.  OH, and more and more I'm finding food in my kitchen that has expired!  What's up with that?  Are they making things expire sooner or is time flying faster now more than ever?  Or we just don't eat enough?  These are my daily questions.

Love
Heidi

Anonymous said...

Stumbled into this post myself while doing another search. Thanks for the nice comments and link. Expat Chef.