I worked a basketball game Thursday night and three little kids were playing Red Light-Green Light. Now, granted they were playing under the bleachers. Being an adult now, I had to tell them to stop (heaven forbid one of them falls while running on a green light and their parents sue the school!), but I really wanted to just bring them to an open field and join them.
As a kid, I LOVED Red Light-Green Light! It was so easy! (I wasn't as good at Simon Says. I had to pay attention too much!) Red light means stop and Green light means go. If you get caught going, you have to go back to the beginning. You win when you get all the way to the person yelling Red Light-Green Light and touch them. A great, simple game. I was thinking life should be like Red Light-Green Light. Then I realized, sometimes it is.
I had a crush a few weeks ago. I say had, because rationale set in and I realized I can't really like this person because I don't know them. I called it a crush, because it wasn't even a "He's So Hot" attraction. Just flirting and hence, my labeling it a crush. I explained what had been going on to my friends. They reminded me that just because I worked in a high school, and sometimes revert to a high school "feel" (clothes and music mostly), doesn't mean I have to act like I'm in high school. I was just so confused. One day he'd speak to me and joke around, next day nothing. It was a modern day Red Light-Green Light relationship.
To define, a Red Light-Green Light relationship is one in which you take a few steps forward towards getting to know more about a person. It doesn't matter whether it's flirting, or just opening up, trusting more, etc. Once the person "catches" you moving forward, they close you off, stop talking, joking, etc. and move you all the way back to the beginning. You then begin not talking when you see each other, or maybe only in short phrases. It leaves you to wonder what the heck happened. Just yesterday you two were talking about how you liked your jobs, your family, batting eyes at each other whatever. Today, it's like the amnesia set in. They are friendly enough, but just like they don't even know who you are. Suddenly, you've been dropped straight into the plot of 50 First Dates or Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind.
Eventually you get close to touching the person. One of two things can happen if you are lucky enough to get close. One - the "yeller" gets caught. Then the games starts all over again. Two - the "yeller" doesn't want to get caught and catches you before you touch them, sending you all the way back to the beginning. Usually, when this happens, the "chaser" decideds they don't want to play anymore. Too frustrating to be so close and yet never win. I guess there are other options, like the "yeller" is happy he doesn't have to keep saying "red light. green light." and gets caught and everyone is happy, games are over. I've never seen this really happen before. No one plays games just to give up. (Except maybe parents with their children.)
Red Light-Green Light was such a great game as kids. So were games like Hide-And-Seek, Tag, "war" and Simon Says, but they were games for kids. Maybe we are at fault for teaching our kids to play games where the object is not to get caught. As teenagers and early adults (for lack of a better term I can think of), why are we so afraid of getting caught that we keep sending people back to the beginning?
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Happy List from me!
1. Watching Caddyshack (especially the Gopher)
2. Grandparents
3. Cuddly Dreams
4. Anitbiotics
5. Having free time to play on the computer
6. Catching up with friends
7. Learning new words every day so I can keep up with my high school kids
8. New clothes
9. Running (and being able to make it 20 minutes!)
10. "So, I said to the Lama...Hey Lama...How about something, ya know, for the effort?"
1. Watching Caddyshack (especially the Gopher)
2. Grandparents
3. Cuddly Dreams
4. Anitbiotics
5. Having free time to play on the computer
6. Catching up with friends
7. Learning new words every day so I can keep up with my high school kids
8. New clothes
9. Running (and being able to make it 20 minutes!)
10. "So, I said to the Lama...Hey Lama...How about something, ya know, for the effort?"
Monday, January 10, 2005
Happy 10 days into the New Year! Anyone actually stuck to a resolution? (Well, I went to the gym and ran...once.)
We got a surprise visit from my sister this weekend. She called Thursday night to tell us she was coming home. She called at 11:45pm. Of course, I was the only one awake. Yes, it occasionally happens that I stay up past 10. I got caught on Netflix ordering movies and couldn't get off. So, when the phone rang I immediately worried. Just Jill. "Hey, it's me. I'm coming home this weekend." (me) "Oh, good." (Jill) "I had my wallet stolen." This is why people live in the suburbs! :)
Jill and talked some more, figured out what else she had to do - as she had cancelled her credit cards from the bar - made arrangements to get her picked up, called her stupid a few times, talked a little about fate and premonitions and went to bed. All day Friday it just bothered me. What makes someone else figure they're entitled to that for which you worked your *ss off?!?!?!? Granted, Jill had 2 credit cards, a $6 Starbucks card and $20 in her wallet, so not a whole lot for a thief to get excited about. Still, why does he think he should just be able to have it. What "Why should all these people have money I don't have? I can just take theirs, they don't need it." attitude makes someone steal from another person? The whole thing just makes me sick and angry as h*ll. They should be caught and submitted to electroshock therapy to adjust their view on life.
It's the same way I feel about people who steal children because they can't have them, or cars or who burglarize houses. If you want those things, work for them...just like the people you are taking them from had to do. And children stealing, well, that's just a whole 'nother ball game of crazy!
It happens on a more subtle note in America all the time. Maybe not the actual stealing, but the coveting and sense of entitlement. I think the difference is in the application. I may see a friend with a good husband, nice living quarters, car and genuinely happy and think, "why can't I have that?" "Don't I deserve to have that?" I would never take my friend's husband/car/abode, I just work to get those things in my life. Where in life...or maybe how bad does life have to get for you to believe you can just take things from another person because you don't have what they do and you want it?
Jill had a nice visit home. Got a new driver's license in a matter of minutes, and a new debit/Visa card. She recovered from her stress in not sleeping Thursday night (becasue of everything she knew she had to do on Friday) and remembers why she never puts her purse on the back of a chair when she's out. She will be a little more cautious and aware when she's out in the city, but all in all life will go on as normal. I hope it does not for those who are carrying a long, black leather wallet with a New Jersey license, Starbucks card and $20.
We got a surprise visit from my sister this weekend. She called Thursday night to tell us she was coming home. She called at 11:45pm. Of course, I was the only one awake. Yes, it occasionally happens that I stay up past 10. I got caught on Netflix ordering movies and couldn't get off. So, when the phone rang I immediately worried. Just Jill. "Hey, it's me. I'm coming home this weekend." (me) "Oh, good." (Jill) "I had my wallet stolen." This is why people live in the suburbs! :)
Jill and talked some more, figured out what else she had to do - as she had cancelled her credit cards from the bar - made arrangements to get her picked up, called her stupid a few times, talked a little about fate and premonitions and went to bed. All day Friday it just bothered me. What makes someone else figure they're entitled to that for which you worked your *ss off?!?!?!? Granted, Jill had 2 credit cards, a $6 Starbucks card and $20 in her wallet, so not a whole lot for a thief to get excited about. Still, why does he think he should just be able to have it. What "Why should all these people have money I don't have? I can just take theirs, they don't need it." attitude makes someone steal from another person? The whole thing just makes me sick and angry as h*ll. They should be caught and submitted to electroshock therapy to adjust their view on life.
It's the same way I feel about people who steal children because they can't have them, or cars or who burglarize houses. If you want those things, work for them...just like the people you are taking them from had to do. And children stealing, well, that's just a whole 'nother ball game of crazy!
It happens on a more subtle note in America all the time. Maybe not the actual stealing, but the coveting and sense of entitlement. I think the difference is in the application. I may see a friend with a good husband, nice living quarters, car and genuinely happy and think, "why can't I have that?" "Don't I deserve to have that?" I would never take my friend's husband/car/abode, I just work to get those things in my life. Where in life...or maybe how bad does life have to get for you to believe you can just take things from another person because you don't have what they do and you want it?
Jill had a nice visit home. Got a new driver's license in a matter of minutes, and a new debit/Visa card. She recovered from her stress in not sleeping Thursday night (becasue of everything she knew she had to do on Friday) and remembers why she never puts her purse on the back of a chair when she's out. She will be a little more cautious and aware when she's out in the city, but all in all life will go on as normal. I hope it does not for those who are carrying a long, black leather wallet with a New Jersey license, Starbucks card and $20.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Happy January 6th! We are 6 days into the new year and no closer to keeping any New Year's Resolutions. The only one I've actually even attempted is Keeping the floor of my bedroom clean - since I did that New Year's Eve night - but I looked down today and there were 3 or 4 things that jumped back down there. I have been doing well at the saving money thing too! What will kill me is using all of it to live the 3 months this summer I don't get paid!
What I have gotten good at is rationalizing WHY I haven't started any of these things. I haven't started running (so, not losing any pounds) because of the virus which has decided to spend this winter with me. Not bad, just still a little congestion in the chest, but it still makes walking a bit breathtaking, let alone running. Um...I'm actually blaming the virus for those two resolutions, as well as not keeping in touch with friends and family, helping out more around the house, keeping my floor clean AND not eating better. Just too tired to put in the energy. I do think I'd better start working on excuses for when I AM feeling better! :)
Speaking of illness related things, for as inactive as I was prior to getting sick, I'm surprised at how antsy I am to be able to go to the gym. I feel like such a slug not doing anything athletic. It's worse being around athletic people all day.
The one I really would like to do, and it probably wouldn't take much is to stay in better touch with friends and family. I usually don't call or write because there is nothing new going on in my life. I'm starting to realized that doesn't mean there's not new things in THEIR lives. I have friends' babies walking and talking and I never know about it. Days fly right by and I miss birthdays, then feel stupid sending belated cards, when I knew perfectly well their birthday was ________ and I just couldn't be "together" enough to buy a card and remember to send it. Most times, these friends and family are people I think about often, so how hard is it to call or write and say "Hey, nothing new here, I was just thinking of you. What's new with you?" I've got to get better about that. And then be patient enough to listen for four hours to the story of how they had to watch paint dry. It may not be important to me, but if it is to them, then it should be to me. (Just FYI, none of my friends have ever told me they've had to watch paint dry! :) )
Patience is not a virtue of mine. At least, not inwardly with those I care about. I don't know why I can be patient with a 14 year-old I hardly know telling me how their hangnail hurts them so much they can't practice and what can they do to make the pain stop beside just ice and a bandaid, and yet have no patience in listening to my father tell me all about his day at work. (Not that the story needs re-iterating, since he works out of the house, on speaker phone, so when I'm in the house I know all of what's going on in his work anyway. *And not that I'm annoyed, but I was woken this morning at 8:15 by the sound of his voice on speaker phone and by the time I left the house at 9:30 and he was still talking...and every muscle in my body was tense and on edge...well, let's just say I think there should be less harsh penalties for murder in some cases! ) It reminds me of a comment my mother made once, when we were bugging her to hurry up because we were late - she didn't really need make-up, she was married. She wanted to know why we get all dressed up and make ourselves look pretty for complete strangers, when the people we love and care about, we hardly ever get dressed up for and let them see us haggard and "bare" most of our time together. The people I should reserve most of my patience for are those I love the most. (And as another side note, I don't get dressed up for the outside world either. This way, I feel I'm treating everyone the same! :) )
Well, I hope you all have either begun all your resolutions, or have come up with good excuses why you haven't. Only 359 more days left to get those resolutions finished! :)
What I have gotten good at is rationalizing WHY I haven't started any of these things. I haven't started running (so, not losing any pounds) because of the virus which has decided to spend this winter with me. Not bad, just still a little congestion in the chest, but it still makes walking a bit breathtaking, let alone running. Um...I'm actually blaming the virus for those two resolutions, as well as not keeping in touch with friends and family, helping out more around the house, keeping my floor clean AND not eating better. Just too tired to put in the energy. I do think I'd better start working on excuses for when I AM feeling better! :)
Speaking of illness related things, for as inactive as I was prior to getting sick, I'm surprised at how antsy I am to be able to go to the gym. I feel like such a slug not doing anything athletic. It's worse being around athletic people all day.
The one I really would like to do, and it probably wouldn't take much is to stay in better touch with friends and family. I usually don't call or write because there is nothing new going on in my life. I'm starting to realized that doesn't mean there's not new things in THEIR lives. I have friends' babies walking and talking and I never know about it. Days fly right by and I miss birthdays, then feel stupid sending belated cards, when I knew perfectly well their birthday was ________ and I just couldn't be "together" enough to buy a card and remember to send it. Most times, these friends and family are people I think about often, so how hard is it to call or write and say "Hey, nothing new here, I was just thinking of you. What's new with you?" I've got to get better about that. And then be patient enough to listen for four hours to the story of how they had to watch paint dry. It may not be important to me, but if it is to them, then it should be to me. (Just FYI, none of my friends have ever told me they've had to watch paint dry! :) )
Patience is not a virtue of mine. At least, not inwardly with those I care about. I don't know why I can be patient with a 14 year-old I hardly know telling me how their hangnail hurts them so much they can't practice and what can they do to make the pain stop beside just ice and a bandaid, and yet have no patience in listening to my father tell me all about his day at work. (Not that the story needs re-iterating, since he works out of the house, on speaker phone, so when I'm in the house I know all of what's going on in his work anyway. *And not that I'm annoyed, but I was woken this morning at 8:15 by the sound of his voice on speaker phone and by the time I left the house at 9:30 and he was still talking...and every muscle in my body was tense and on edge...well, let's just say I think there should be less harsh penalties for murder in some cases! ) It reminds me of a comment my mother made once, when we were bugging her to hurry up because we were late - she didn't really need make-up, she was married. She wanted to know why we get all dressed up and make ourselves look pretty for complete strangers, when the people we love and care about, we hardly ever get dressed up for and let them see us haggard and "bare" most of our time together. The people I should reserve most of my patience for are those I love the most. (And as another side note, I don't get dressed up for the outside world either. This way, I feel I'm treating everyone the same! :) )
Well, I hope you all have either begun all your resolutions, or have come up with good excuses why you haven't. Only 359 more days left to get those resolutions finished! :)
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