The Weekly Links That Keep Me Awake

We had a great Thanksgiving. Tasty food, family time and we went to see The Muppets. How was yours? Work has been really frustrating. The girls freaking out about the holidays and not enough staff to deal with it. I feel tense and wound up all the time right now. But hopefully I can use the Internet to distract me. And you too! Here goes nothing.

Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.
— W.H. Murray

I know Veteran's Day was a little while back. But I think we should honor them every day. Eight things you should know about our veterans.

I fully believe in the concept of health at every size. Here's how to explain it to your trainer.

Pictures of celebrities you probably haven't seen before.

Did you hear about the teacher and aide who were recorded verbally abusing a student and their family? As usual Stark Raving Mad Mommy is on top of it and has a few choice words.

The Brave trailer looks fantastic! Super excited for it.

So basically the Muppets make me furiously happy. And I love Jason Segal, so this opening SNL act is like glitter and unicorns to me.

The best cure for close talkers.

Star Wars sex play gets weird.

13 month old Princess Leia and possibly the world's cutest Ewok. 

I reeeeaaally want to get Robert this shirt.

The most accurate Up photo shoot ever seen. Not to mention, super adorable.

Did you guys write, or see anything amazing this week? Leave it in the comments pretty please!

Then I Am Totally The Best People

Pst. Don't forget about my giveaway. You can find all the details here. It ends tomorrow!

WebMD Is Not Good For People With Anxiety.

Pst. Don't forget about my giveaway. It ends Sunday and you can read about it here.

I Think I Expect Too Much-PYHO

I always feel so incredibly stupid when I realize that I have been let down again. By family, friends, co workers. I feel naive. Too many times I have expected someone to have my back or be there for me and they disappoint. And still I am shocked and heartbroken when they don't come through. They make me feel worthless and not worth their time. 

I don't mean that I expect big things. Just basic decency and kindness. Common courtesy even. But I still expect people to be there for me and they let me down. Every time. You would think that at some point I would learn. 

My husband always reminds me that it's us against the world. So I try and remember that. I can rely on my family. The one I have created as an adult. And not have too many expectations of people outside of that. 

It makes me sad to have to feel that way. Painful, but necessary. 

Do you still have expectations of people?

My Quiet Place-RemembeRED

Dusty spines, yellowed pages, and dust mites swirling through the slanting sunlight. 

Getting lost in stacks that threaten to topple at any moment.

Each spine holds new information, new people to meet, new words. 

An antique chair has held many curled up dreamers, lost in other worlds. 

Books wait for their pages to be rifled, to be taken home.

The soft murmur of other readers, explaining in vain why this book.  

Words cannot explain the love of words.

You just have to read it for yourself. 

A quiet place, a sanctuary, a used bookstore.

What's your quiet place?

A Small Truth

A Call for December Sponsors, Plus A Giveaway-Now Closed

I am jumping into the sponsor game. Who's excited? This gal! And hopefully you. I'd love to spend the holidays with you guys. We will eat lots of food, watch special holiday themed sitcoms, and have uncomfortable political conversations with my Grandpa. Good times!

Here's the deets. When you sponsor Sweetbutterbliss you will get my eternal gratitude, a 150x150 ad in the side bar for the whole month, and your very own post, pimping you out. I  am totally flexible, I can do the pimping, you can write something up and pimp yourself, or we can pimp out your wares by collaborating on a giveaway. It's your ad, let's do what you want with it! 

But wait...there's more. . Since it is December and that means Christmakwanzakah, I come bearing gifts! I am giving away one of the ads. That's right, free advertising! You know you want it.

To win I need you to follow me and leave a comment telling me what you want for Christmakwanzakah. Besides an ad on Sweetbutterbliss, obviously. I'll draw the winner using random.org. It all ends on Sunday 11/27. One week! 

For extra entries you can tweet about it, I'm not going to tell you what to say but make sure you @sweetbutterblis. (with just one s) Then come back and comment again letting me know. 

This giveaway is now closed.

Waiting For My Ruca-Red Writing Hood

A small escape. We don't have much time or much money, but our hearts sing for empty highways. The sun sparks off the pine trees and winks at us between the needles.  I rest my filthy feet on the dash admiring my impressive y shaped tan lines from living in flip flops all summer. I run my hands thorough my hair, it has been lightened by the sun and I am blond again for a brief moment and I feel the power inherent in that. 

Our breaks are short, we can't go too far. But upstate New Jersey holds a wealth of windy carless roads. I put my hand out the window letting the wind buffer it up and down. I hear in my head, a boyfriend explaining wind currents and how airplanes stay up. It's what I always think of when I put my hand out of a speeding vehicle. Also stories told by paranoid mothers about hands being torn off by passing cars. It makes me cautious. 

We listen to surf tunes, reggae, music that carries the smell of acrid green smoke. That brings beaded curtains, low couches and lazy mornings, to mind. I sing the words I know getting lost in the music. We don't talk, we just concentrate on the road trip. Taking it seriously. 

Our time winds down, we return reluctantly and park. I scoot my flip flops back on, hop out of the car and run to the lake. My bathing suit and whistle constant summer companions. For now, I am aired out. Ready to demonstrate dolphin kicks and how to blow bubbles. Ready to pay attention and keep my charges safe. A much needed adventure.

What's your favorite road trip memory?

Food For Thought

 So this week. I had to call in to work because Peanut ended up at the hospital dehydrated. So we were stuck in the emergency room for almost five hours. But luckily it was only that and not something serious. Pea has been really trying not to have any temper tantrums this week. She keeps telling us..3 days without one..4 days..5 days. Bliss just keeps adding words to her little vocabulary. Yesterday I ate terrible and rewarded myself with a headache and tummy ache. So that was a lot of fun. I cannot believe Thanksgiving is so close! Confession: I don't really like Turkey. I prefer ham. What about you?

Enough jibber jabber, here's my finds on the internets to, hopefully, keep you entertained.

Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching.
— Thomas Jefferson

 If you've been wondering where Allie from Hyperbole and a Half has been, here's her amazing, honest, beautiful post about it.

Mothering held a costume for best Halloween costume and I spent an hour looking at all the adorable kids in costume. It is like an adorable overload. I promise.

This talk is about a surgeon who reconstructs the faces of people who have been disfigured. It's graphic in parts, but none the less awesome.

Alex at Unicorns for Socialism wants you to tell us who you are. Do it.

Halloween reasons not to drink. Very convincing. 

It's Michelle's birthday. Go say hi and check out her list of people who didn't kick ass until after their 30's.

A fellow Austinite stands with Planned Parenthood and so do I.

Have you guys written or seen anything good this week? Leave it in the comments!

Celebrate Veterans Day Today

Today is Veteran's day. A day where I can eat at Golden Corral for free. Score! 

But seriously, I can not stress this enough. No matter what you think about the politics of war, this should not stop you from honoring our military. They are making amazing sacrifices everyday and they deserve our respect. Not just the people in the military but their families. Children who don't remember what they're daddy looks like and spouses who are doing the work of two and trying to keep it together while their loved one is in harm's way.  They deal with physical and emotional wounds long after they return home. I think they deserve our respect no matter whether you agree with the war or not.

So please, put your politics aside today and thank a veteran. You can go here for a list of ways to help. Just don't forget what these amazing people and their family have gone through and are still going through. 

How are you celebrating Veteran's Day?

Gratefuls 11/10/2011

Gratefuls are a way for me to stop and remember what I am thankful for each work. I think it helps me to remember and to focus on the positive in life. Because we all have a tendency to focus on the negative sometimes.

So, I am grateful for....

...my daughter's questions and too much talking because that means she's smart and alive and wants to spend time with me.See how I put a positive spin on things? Just call this the mommy spin zone!

...that whenever I am feeling down, my husband knows how to make me feel better and is always willing to be silly with me. 

...Bliss' walking around and needing to be chased. Because she is using her little legs and I it took her so long to figure it out. Or it seemed to, since I am a paranoid mommy.

...Grandpa, we would not be able to survive without him.

..-Peanut, because despite all the bullshit she deals with all the time she is still loving and hopeful and happy.

...Friends who are more then happy to help and bring pizza and diet dp over when you need it. 

...a renewed concern for my weight and health. I have never been this committed to moving myself and getting healthy in my life. 

What are you grateful for this week?

How To Tell If Your Relationship is Doomed-RemembeRED

You would think it wouldn't take long to tell when a relationship may be doomed. But you would surprise even yourself how long it takes. I think all of us have ignored the signs. The little ones, but also the really big ones. We all make excuses for the other person and rationalize the bad things away.

So in the interest of saving some people a lot of time and trouble here's my list of ways to tell if the relationship is doomed. These have all happened to me or some of my friends. Like I said, you'd be surprised what you can choose to be blind to. 

-He buys his ex-wife a Valentine's day gift, but nothing for you. 

-They are still married. 

-She buys you a movie that you despise. And expects you to be thrilled about it. 

-When you tell him you're pregnant he asks if it is his or not. 

-They say any variation of.."You know you'd be so pretty/handsome if you only lost weight."

-They abuse you, emotionally or physically. 

-When confronted with something crappy they have done, they act like you are a crazy bitch and have no reason to be mad. 

-They insist on you paying for a trip to Las Vegas, but they want to go with another dude, not you, and when you call you can hear his voice in the background. In her room. That you paid for.

-They belittle you in front of other people.

-They absolutely never take your side. 

-They say "If you really love me you'd.....etc, etc."

-They make sex a condition for love/affection/anything

-And last but not least, they get millions of dollars to broadcast your wedding on national television and then break up with you through twitter. 

I know there are a hundred other ways to tell. Did I miss anything? How did you tell when one of your relationships was doomed?

Fuzz, Stretching and Dead Bodies.

Have you heard "The Fuzz Speech"? I saw it about a year ago and it was one of those revelations that you just have to tell everyone about. You know how when you wake up and feel stiff? Then when you stretch out and move a little, you feel better? That's the fuzz. (or Fascia if you want to get all medical on me.)

Fuzz is little fibers that build up between your muscles as you sleep or when you don't use them. When you stretch you melt those fibers away making the muscles move easier and slide together like they are supposed to. If you are hurt or a stiff person in general the fuzz can build up to the point where they twist together and create muscle stiffness and maybe pain. If you let it go too long you may need a professional to help you start moving more again.

So the moral of this story is to get moving. Stretch, play, dance, whatever. Just move your body in dynamic ways. For the good of your muscles, break up that fuzz.

Here's the official Fuzz Speech. A couple things about this video though. First off, he uses a real cadaver to illustrate the fuzz and muscle movement, so if your squeamish don't watch it. Also, I was really surprised how much a human body looks like animal meat. If your on the fence about whether or not to become vegetarian, it might tip you over. I am not even close to being vegetarian but it does make me a little sick to the stomach to be honest. But the video is really worth watching. I promise.

What do you think? Did it make you want to stretch?

Food For Thought-Short and Sweet

I am finally over my stomach virus! I am so excited. But it looks like Peanut might be getting it. I guess it will run through the whole house. Get it, run through? Man, poop jokes never get old.  It's day light savings time, so the clocks go back at 2 am. Which means instead of my usual ten hour shift, I get to work 11. But luckily that means I get to spend more time hunting down great Internet links for you guys. So I hope you enjoy!

 Snape in front of the Mirror of Erised

The very best jack o' lanterns ever! Next to the one my girls made obviously.

I love when celebrities show up on Sesame Street. I link this is the best lullaby ever.

Occupy Tatooine. Best protest ever!

What have you guys seen or heard this week? Leave it in the comments for me.

Remember, Remember...

Happy Guy Fawkes Day! Let's go burn shit to celebrate. We'll be watching V for Vendetta and seeing the Old Bailey get blown up. Good times.

What are you guys doing this weekend?

At 8PM In Our World-Red Writing Hood

The bed shifts as she pulls one knee up to flip around. She never just rolls over, she always flops over. Making the bed shake and the pillows to sail off the side of the bed. She doesn't know how to be small. Although in stature she is very much so. Her feet kick the blankets off and what seems like minutes later she yanks them back up and curls them underneath her. She is a bundle of matchstick arms and legs, only her tangled head of dark hair pokes out above it. She doesn't stay this way for long, for someone so small she ends up taking over the bed, her spiny knees and elbows used like a mercenary, to push her way out. She is all angles, and everything is akimbo. Her feet dig into my lower back and her hands land on my face. She snores and she grinds her teeth. A one little girl army of sleepless nights.

Then she flops over once more. Suddenly she is all softness and she curls up against my back. I can feel her breathing and her fierce little heartbeat. As though there is a cord connecting us, when she is too far away my heart beats irregular, my breathing shallow. When she is against me, a warm beautiful tousled little girl, I am able to breathe easier, calm easier, sleep easier. I sigh and wrap my arms around her knowing that she will not do this forever. Too soon my heart will beat irregularly without her as she ventures out into life without me. But for now we sleep, and snore and grind our teeth. Perfectly content at bedtime, at 8 PM in our world.

What is 8pm in your world?

Gratefuls

I was watching a documentary on Mormons and every evening they do a thing called "Gratefuls" where everyone goes around and says what they are grateful for. It ranged from the big to small, from macaroni and cheese to good health. We used to do the same thing when I was a camp counselor.  So I'm reviving it. To help me remember that I have a lot to be grateful for.

I am grateful for:  having insurance so I don't hesitate to take my babies to the doctor, having a job where I get paid vacation., amazing co workers who understand when your sick and may not be 100%.

..my children, even when they are driving me crazy. My husband because he is amazing and loves me no matter what. My little family that we have created. Good friends who come trick or treating with us.

 ..great loot on Halloween, cheese pizza, sleep, getting over being sick, a heater working now, great friends who are certified to fix our heater and only charges us a case of beer to do it.

What are you guys grateful for?

Nothing's Wrong-PYHO

Sometimes I get so tired of hearing "Nothing." I know some thing's wrong. When someone acts strange or irritated I can tell. Especially if they are someone I know very well. I ask over and over again what is wrong. And they insist nothing and act like I am crazy for asking. Sometimes we even have fights over "nothing" being wrong. 

"Maybe there really isn't anything wrong and you are over reacting." You say. 

That may be the case a few times. But there have been enough times where they insisted that they were fine until we were both blue in the face, only to find out later (usually during an argument) that something was in fact wrong. Why didn't you tell me when I asked!? 

It drives me crazy for two reasons. First of all I feel insulted. I know them well enough to know when something is wrong. I can tell by their tight lipped silence, the drop of their shoulders, audible sighs and unaccustomed silence. You think I don't know you very well? Well I do!

Secondly I worry that if I just stop asking they will think I don't care. Maybe that's just a girl thing. I want someone to ask me what's wrong and when they don't I get my feelings hurt even further. So I feel like, as a loved one, it is my job to find out what's wrong. How can I fix it if you don't tell me what the problem is? 

I have started something new. I ask what's wrong. After the first nothing, I calmly point out why I am asking. I say "Well, by your slamming of the door and muttering to yourself while doing the dishes it makes me feel like something might be wrong. If you want we can talk about it, but if you don't then let me know when you are ready." And I drop it. Or I try too. It doesn't always work because like I said, I feel like I have to know what's wrong right then and there. So I don't always follow my own advice. 

As you may have guessed I am talking about my husband. Who 99% of the time is phenomenal and makes me incredibly happy. I just thought we needed a little disclaimer. And as another disclaimer, sometimes there really is nothing wrong and I needle him about what's wrong until I have created something wrong. Sometimes.

What do you need to pour your hear out about today?

The Healing Powers of Gatorade and Vitamin C-RemembeRED

My grandma was the first person to cook with me. To let me help and to let me taste test as we went along. And as a little kid, the very best part was licking the bowl. Somehow that spatula tasted even better then the finished product. And while these memories are near and dear to my heart, they are not the one that sticks out the most. 

Both my parents worked. So when I was sick and had to stay home from school Grandma was my caretaker. She would let me lay on the couch and watch whatever TV show I wanted. Usually Nickelodeon. She would grumble about how silly the shows were, but not too much. She would read to me from my favorite books. I remember how cool and dry her small wrinkly hands were on my forehead to check for fevers. She could make me feel better by her presence alone. I would be disappointed when my parents came for me, much preferring to be babied and spoiled by Grandma. 

My grandma's recipe for wellness was not chicken soup or crusty bread. Her recipe for wellness was Gatorade and vitamin C pills. She would force me to eat vitamin C when I wasn't sick, swearing it was the reason why she herself never got sick. And maybe there is something to it, she's still alive and kicking and her doctor says she has the health of a someone half her age. I never liked Gatorade, she always got the lemon kind, it's watery ghost of a flavor did not appeal to my sugary kids palate. But she would insist. And always was convinced that was how I got better. 

My daughter was sick this week. Some sort of stomach virus. We were worried about her becoming dehydrated due to her continuous bouts of throwing up and diarrhea. (oh yeah we had a fun weekend) When the doctor suggested we buy Gatorade, so she could keep something down and stay hydrated, I was immediately flooded with memories of my grandma and dark cool afternoons spent in her living room partaking in her cure for everything. Gatorade and vitamin C.

What "recipes" do you remember the most?