Buried by the Month of February

I haven't been able to post anything recently because this month has basically sucked. Major. Suckage. This. Month.

1. Snow Suckage.

We were hammered with several snowstorms in a row...our city had more snow on the ground than it has in the history of recorded time. Really. Ankorage, Alaska had 13 inches and we had 73...WTF is up with that?

So, we were stuck at home, stressed about digging ourselves out, watching the city's plows do a massively insufficient job, barely tolerating the power-outages (can you say "mommy panic attack" anyone?), waiting for the snow to stop while the thug we hired to plow our driveway ran over our bushes and broke branches off the evergreens...yeah, that was fun. (not.)

But, I did get a few good photos:






2. Phone Suckage.

Last month, my Palm smartphone died. The phone feature quit working, it was out of warranty, and it was time for my so-called "free upgrade" anyhow. There were no Palms to choose from at the Verizon store, so I got a Blackberry.

And OMG this device is making me crazy. I hate it. I love it. I want to throw it out. I never want to part with it. I want it in my room at night. I can't sleep with it in my room at night. If you have a blackberry, then you MUST know what I mean. Whenever I get an e-mail or a text, this little red light flashes at me. And I never know when the light will be flashing, so I frequently look at the phone. This is what we in Psychology call a variable ratio reinforcement schedule...the light blinks at unpredictable intervals (it may be blinking every time you look at it, or every-other-time--there's no way to know!)...so you look at it OFTEN. It is the strongest behavioral reinforcer there is...it keeps you coming back for more...you can't help it...effin' crackberry! (but if you try to take it from me--trust me--I will KILL you!)

And the blackberry has made my parenting go to shit. Texting. Say no more. One day, I will probably be arrested for blackberry-induced child neglect.

3. Friend Suckage.

What is it about finding friends as adults? It seems like it should be simple, but it is just, like, the most effin' complicated thing in the WORLD. In other phases of life, you're stuck in a building with the same people, so inevitably you get to know some of them, and you make friends. I moved a lot as a child, and got really good at making friends. But now, as a grown woman, this endeavor seems impossible. I mean, sure, I have lots and lots of chit-chat at the gym friends, and hello-goodbye at school pick-up friends...but where are my get-down-and-dirty-with-a-bottle-of-wine friends? We've lived in this neighborhood for six years, and still the friend piece is missing. I guess this is just meant to be a lonely phase of life? (Really? Are you effin' kidding me? Come on, Mother Nature, cut us a freakin' BREAK! Moms need friends more than anyone!) If you read CBHM's blog, you'll see that I'm not alone...(and thank god for her blog!)

4. Work Suckage.

I totally over-committed myself...and then spent the month digging my house and cars out of the snow...and texting on the crackberry...and now I have to dig out the piles that are burying my desk. This isn't fair.

5. Sick Kids Suckage.

Kid one: snotty and whiny. Kid one gets better... Kid two: snotty, whiny, and clingy...Kid two gets better. Repeat x4 and you have the rest of my month.

In conclusion, I'd just like to say: SUCK IT, FEBRUARY! I DON'T WANT YOU ANY MORE! Bring it on, March, bring it on!