LIG

The Problem
Over the course of the last few weeks, I've been pretty, well, bitchy. I feel as though I am always either taking care of Charlie or doing housework. I'm certain that this is not an unusual feeling but I do have a partner and a twelve year old at home. I shouldn't have to do everything myself! I'd like a few minutes to do something for me! Needless to say there has been a lot of yelling, bickering and snapping going on at our house. And that's the problem. I'm yelling and getting mad, before I've asked for help. Now don't get me wrong, I think it is absurd that I would have to ask someone to take out the garbage or the recycling when it is obvious that it's full to the brim and overflowing, but if no one notices I should first say "Will someone please take that out?" instead of "Why the hell hasn't anyone taken that out? I know you know it's full. I just saw you smashing it down so you could stuff one more thing in there! Just take the trash out, geez!" But I'm tired and I tend to forgo all pleasantries when I'm tired and what should be a simple request turns into a shouted order and expression of my exasperation at the situation. So I'll admit it, part of the problem is me.

I'm sort of picky about how the house is kept. I hate to come home to a mess, so I feel like I have to have everything in order before I go to bed at night. This usually takes until 11 pm or midnight and since I have to get up with the baby at least once and then be up and starting my day around 4:30 am, I'm getting very little sleep during the week. And my pickiness extends through the whole house, even the garage. Ok, so maybe the other part of the problem is me too. I guess that means I have to be the solution.

The Solution
LIG; Let it go. I've resolved to just let a few things go. Mumbles room can be a little messy as long as it gets cleaned really well once a week, as with the basement. The garage, well as long as I can pull my car in, why should I care if it's a wreck? A couple of nights a week, I'll just let the dishes sit until the next day and if I don't do anything before I go to bed, LIG. It isn't as if the laundry or the dishes are going to go anywhere. And who's gonna judge me? Micha? Lily the Destroyer? I don't think so. Somethings, like washing diapers, I have to stay caught up on, but everything else can wait. In fact, I'm LIG of a little inventory project at work right now....

Another part of LIG, has to do with 'stuff'. I'm a bit of a shopaholic. I have a hard time passing up a good sale. So I end up buying a lot of things that I 'need' because I got a 'good deal'. I looked in my closet the other day and I didn't see clothes. I saw a hospital bill, our phone bill, a months worth of groceries and it bothered me. Micha said "I've never said anything to you. It makes you happy," but it doesn't. I had very little and I never shopped after I had Mumbles and I was happy. If I could live without all the 'stuff' back then, I could do it now. Money is tight and stressing us out so I'm giving up shopping, at least until we are back on track. I haven't laid out all the ground rules yet but it's happening, and it's tough. I took my ring to be sized at Zales the other day and walked by Banana Republic and they were having a clearance sale. I thought to myself "I'll just look..." but I never 'just look' so I kept walking.It's kind of liberating in a way; to know that I can restrain myself and that if everything were gone tomorrow, it would be ok. I've got the people and the memories to hang on to, rather than the crap that's filling my house. So, be sure and keep your eye out for our garage sale the first weekend in May ;)