The theory behind This Side of Perfect

Do you look around my blog and think wonder where the title came from?

It's been through several name changes: Woman Within, Horizontal Yo-Yo, and finally, This Side of Perfect. I loved the name so much, I actually bought the domain name!

I think the tagline pretty much says it all, but it has come to my attention that some people might think the idea of highlighting when things aren't going right rather depressing. And maybe to some it is. But in the video (my first - be kind!), I explain what blogging means to me and why I chose to go this route rather than a buttoned-up and beautiful version of life outlined on the net via a blog.

Watch. Ponder. Comment.

Until next time,

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Old Souls

Mkay, so it's been awhile since I've posted. But I was recently assured by Little Brother that there are actually people in cyberland who read me! In fact, when I logged on today, I noticed I had gained 15 more readers! How exciting!

Today, I added a cryptic status update on Facebook:

Somebody called {The Man Beast} and I old souls. I've recently grown to accept the fact. It's terribly alienating, though.

 As a Christian, I certainly don't believe in a reincarnated soul - a classic definition of the term commonly found in any search engine. However, there is an undeniable characteristic that is shared by the Man Beast and myself. In fact, as she gets older, I even recognize the same characteristics in Baby Girl.

The Man Beast and I have been called The Old Married Couple. In fact we feel like an old married couple. A lot of this has to do with the fact that despite getting married at a very early age, there were certain attitudes we brought into our marriage - one of them being that divorce wasn't an option. It's funny when you take out this simple part of a very complex equation what it does to a person. Evidently, it makes you an old soul.
I think Old Souls are created, not born. I believe that circumstances, behaviors, and attitudes shape our overall being. For example, as a child, I communicated with adults far more than children my own age. I believe Baby Girl's old soul is the result of her anxiety. The Man Beast and I are both the oldest siblings of our families, each being considerably older than our brothers and sisters. Certainly this all attributes to something!

Regardless of how we came to be what we are, however, the result is the same. It is terribly lonely not being able to make any "real" connections with those around you. It causes others to perceive you as quiet, standoffish, shy (or worse), rude - none of which could be further from the truth.

To all the gamers out there, I can compare it to playing a role playing game (RPG) and having gone through all the levels before, despite it just being released to the public. Maybe it's because you've played a million games like it or maybe you're so familiar with the outline of how the game is played, you just know what to do. To your other gamer friends, you ruin all the surprises of the game - or you look like a show off. But in actuality, you're just tired of the game that everyone else seems to be so obsessed with.

And as I mentioned on Facebook, it can be terribly alienating.






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PSA for all New Moms: Do NOT Use Black Frosting - Ever!

Okay, so first, I'd like to apologize for the quality of this picture. For starters, it is 13 years old. Second, it's a picture of a picture, courtesy of my wonderful MIL who keeps everything (good thing, too, because it's obvious that up until recently I sucked at keeping anything!) TMB took this picture while he was helping his mother move into her new place...which reminds me, I need to get over there and help her!

Anyway, about this picture: This is The Boy during his first birthday. His favorite *thing* at the time was the WalMart smiley face.  You remember, right? Well, anyway, as a new mother, I got the stupid bright idea to make the cake and use black icing for the eyes and mouth.

This is a bad idea for so many reasons:

1. The picture. First birthdays are notorious for being messy; why add to your clean up misery?
2.  Black frosting stains - a lot! (See Point #1).
3. Black frosting tastes disgusting! It is bitter and not the least bit palatable. I think The Boy's birthday guests were secretly glad he demolished it so that they'd be spared eating something that is supposed to be edible, but clearly is not.
4. Is there anything less joyous than black frosting? Black frosting is reserved for unpleasant things, not first birthdays.
5. Using black frosting for your eldest first birthday gives your extended family ammunition for years to come. Every birthday, every time a cake is served, my wonderful family is very quick to point out my baking faux pas.

I have since learned my lesson. I have made  21 cakes since that dreadful day and none of them have had black frosting on it. My cakes now have a lot of white on them.

So, please let this be a word of caution to all over zealous moms (and dads - no sexism here): USE BLACK FROSTING WITH CAUTION. You have been warned.

Until next time...