Mundane, Sacred Invitations

I haven't finished telling you my PPD story, but I'm going to share this mental health tool anyway. This isn't the first tool I wanted to write about, this isn't how I'd outlined and planned it out, but God seems to be inviting me to share it now, so here it is.


I struggle with figuring out what realistic expectations are for myself, and goals that will push me without being delusional, goals that are relevant and appropriate to my life stage and responsibilities.

But I enjoy goal setting, and systems, and tracking things. I love playing around with it all, even though I'm not great at buckling down and actually getting stuff done.

Idealism is... sorta my middle name. To me, there are whole layers of realism. I can work real hard and cut things and make my schedule realistic... and then I realize it still isn't, I need to peel yet another layer off that onion.

So it was revolutionary to me when I was talking with a sister about this and she told me she's stopped asking what other people would consider a realistic expectation, to ask what God expects of her.

Teh Epic Personality Thread! Part One of... Heheheh.

Finally! I've been threatening to do this for a while. (Since a while before that link, actually. Let's see, from 750 Words, I initially drafted this post on June 5th... Yeah, almost half a year for the idea to spark and to gel and then to draft it, another half a year to edit and post, sounds about right for me.) (Because clearly, NOW IS THE TIME, two days before Christmas, with presents to buy. La la la...)


I've written a little bit before about how "I don't believe thought and feeling are opposed."

Deja Vu Blogfest

Found out about this linkup through Tiana Smith (who I recently found out about through Patricia C. Wrede), but I'm afraid I'm breaking the rules. I know, I know. Gasp, shock, horror.

See, since I haven't participated before, I don't want to pick a favorite post from the last year, I just want to pick a favorite post. And I felt like doing a

Because we crack ourselves up.

No, not the royal we. There were two of us. With the cracking.

And because I know you were wondering about the true depth of my nerdery and weirdness. Admit it. You were. Um.

Or if you were just wanting to read something funny... that works, too. At least, it does if you have a certain sort of temperament, and certain interests. You might not find it too amusing otherwise.

So, Melanie and I had this conversation on facebook a couple days ago. Mostly us, a few other people at the beginning and end.

I've rearranged some of the comments for flow and clarity, as sometimes one of us would post something before seeing the other person's technically earlier comment. But that, removing a last name here and there, and adding some links are all the changes I've made. The part at the beginning isn't quite as entertaining to me, but I've included it anyway because it sets the stage a little better than I seem to be able to manage with summary.

Melanie's original status: "Heh, I just realized I'm not sure I've spoken a single word today. Funny thing about living alone and staying home sick. Kind of nice given what my throat feels like. :P

No, wait, Peter called me. Talking to him hurt... 

Hmm, I find myself wondering when, if ever, I truly haven't spoken a word in a given day. Even on those days when I did nothing but read I generally met family when I emerged to get food... and if I stay home alone all day I normally call someone..." 

• Melanie: ‎...and if I'm home all day and no one is around and my throat isn't on fire, I'm afraid I am somewhat likely to say a few words out loud to myself anyway...

• Liz: Yeah, that is unlikely to happen for me. I talk to inanimate objects. And the cat.

• Kate: I usually catch myself singing... today it's been the Imperial March and She's Out of Our Hair from Monster's Inc (among other things)

• Melanie: Oh, if we count singing, there is virtually zero chance that there has ever been such a day since I was a very small child.
  
  I even sang a couple lines today, though I forced myself to stop because it's dumb to risk the damage to my voice that is at least somewhat possible from singing when sick. And because it hurt a lot and my voice didn't sound good anyway, but those were lesser reasons. :P

• Kate: Yeah, it's can feel good, but hurt at the same time, probably best to take it easy.

• Me: Yeah, a sore throat is one of the few times when I'm not feeling well that it *isn't* a good idea to listen to Marian Call. Because it's so hard to keep from singing along.
  
  I said hi to the lettuce the other day. John thinks this is weird.

• Melanie: John *would* think that. :nods:
  
  Say hi to Llaves-sama for me.

• Me: Will do. As soon as I'm alone in this room... :D

• Me: THERE. Llaves-sama has been greeted.

• Melanie: Yay! Thank you. :D

• Melanie: ‎(Major points to anyone not us who figures out what "Llaves-sama" means.)

• Me: Oh, by the way, this was actually little sprouts of lettuce growing in a planter, not lettuce from the fridge. Because, you know. This MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

• Melanie: Oh! Well then OF COURSE you said hello. Silly John. :)

• Me: EXACTLY. ^_^ I mean, they didn't even used to be there. They were all new and cute.
  
  Not that I'm above saying hi to a boring old mature lettuce from a fridge, but STILLLLL... :D

• Melanie: On a *completely* unrelated note, ;) I do love knowing little bits of four languages. Marcy, did I ever tell you about the time I said, hmm, I think it was, "Pues, adieu until mañana"? Because I said it. Naturally. Without trying. (If I had been trying, I would have said, "Jaa, adieu until mañana.")

• Me: I'm not sure if you did or not. I like it.
  
  LITERALLY.
  
  Um. "How jolly the lot of an oligoglot!"

• Melanie: It *was* a little frustrating in French class, when I finally got over my habit of saying "pero" in the middle of my French sentences, only to have to fight saying "demo." "Mais" only got used with a very conscious effort...

• Melanie: ‎"Literally." Haha!

• Me: Yeah, but "How frustrating (at times) the lot of an oligoglot" just does NOT have the same ring to it. :-P

• Melanie: No. Nor is it as true. Oligoglocy is jolly. :D

• Me: You said "oligoglocy." *giggles*

• Melanie: Why yes, I did! I thought you would enjoy that. :bows:

• Me: ‎:claps:

• Me: I feel like I should blog this conversation. It's entertaining ME vastly, anyway.

• Melanie: And me. And we're totally normal specimans of humanity, after all.

• Me: TOTALLY. Well, I'm pretty sure my blog isn't exactly for normal specimens... but yeah.
  
  Ooh, I have a niche, finally! Um, right, Marcy. Because naturally, ALL non-normal specimens of humanity will LOVE *your* blog. Naturally.

• Melanie: Naturally! WHY WOULDN'T THEY?

• Me: ALL THE REASONS! Er, I mean, NONE OF THE REASONS!!!

• Melanie: Oo, maybe your niche is oligoglots? That would be jolly.

• Me: Ooh, yeah, but just the jolly oligoglots. None of those mopey ones. *nods*

• Melanie: Do you ever wonder if anyone else has ever said exactly the same sentence before? Because I'm pretty sure we've gotten some completely original sentences in here.

• Me: ‎^_^ Seems likely. I've wondered that with a twitter hashtag before, and had it confirmed that no one else had... but I couldn't use it, ended up being too long.

• Melanie: How could any oligoglot be mopey? IMPOSSIBLE.

• Me: You'd think. :) Maybe some of them are less... enthusiastically nerdy oligoglots, and more... ACCIDENTAL OLIGOGLOTS. Hai.

• Melanie: Demo c'est tan jolly! How could even accidental oligoglots fail to see how jolly their lot??!?

• Me: The mind boggles, ma'am.

• Melanie: Hai.

• Me: So, I added my latest twitter updates to my blog sidebar. So next time I make a comment about it, there it is! Woo!

• Me: There ought to be a word for people who speak quotes from several sources. Or at least make references to them. So far in the last hour or so I've channeled Willow, Tohru, and Jeeves. :is proud: Though Tohru was semi-accidental.

• Me: Oh, right. We're called "nerds."
  
  Yeah, but that's not as... *specific* as I want.

• Melanie: Oo, I missed Willow... but only because her style of speech is so natural on you. ^__^

• Me: ‎:) Well, that was actually on twitter. And the first "HAI" was there, too.

• Melanie: Ohhh... Okay. Well, some of what you've said here wouldn't be out of place in Willow's mouth. :)

 

• Me: I suppose not. This makes me happy. :) Hi, Willow!
  
  Other part of brain: Um, she's not exactly here, you know...
  Me: <_<   >_> And this makes a difference because...?

• Melanie: ‎"Willow, Tohru, and Jeeves walk into a bar..."

• Me: I WANT TO SEE THAT. ^_^

• Melanie: ME TOO.

• Melanie: And the bartender says, "Who IS that girl?"

• Me: ‎:drools:

• Melanie: And Jeeves says, "Honda Tohru-san, sir."

• Me: ‎:giggles:

• Me: Keep going, keep going... :is unhelpful with the creation of this awesome fan fic:

• Melanie: And the bartender says, "No, I mean the Eskimo!"

• Me: Duh! And Jeeves looks very slightly disgruntled.

• Melanie: It is, of course, even better when Willow, Tohru, Jeeves, and Binabik walk into a bar.

• Me: O_o
  
  Well, we knew if we really wanted we could add other awesome characters, but... well played, ma'am. Well played.

• Melanie: I'm not sure exactly where the conversation goes from there, but it becomes very difficult to prevent Jeeves from pouring everyone's drinks and to prevent Tohru from doing, well, everything.

• Me: ‎^_^ Indeed. And Binabik probably shares some wise sayings, maybe even some that we haven't heard before. I mean, he doesn't tend to repeat himself with those. As far as we know. Ooh...

• Melanie: I have no talent for writing Binabik-like proverbs, but they would definitely add.

• Me: ‎:tries to think of a Qanuc saying to tone down Tohru's fervor for doing everything: :fails, but is amused:

• Melanie: ‎"The bees are not thanking you for making honey."
  
  ...Not quite, especially since I don't think bees do well on mountain peaks, but it's my most valiant attempt.

• Me: ‎:nods: It's pretty good (:is impressed:), but you're right, we need a mountain-peak-type phenomenon.

• Melanie: ‎(I just barely caught myself in time not to say "Bees do not thank...")

• Me: Heh heh, that would be Wrong.

• Me: Ooh, maybe something along the lines of, "The fish are not needing you to teach them to swim"?? But with more doing, less teaching...

• Melanie: Yeah, and that's too derivative of English proverbs. Binabik is never derivative.

• Me: Very true.

• Me: I forgot.

• Me: I mean, the English proverbs, not that Binabik is never derivative.

• Melanie: Hee hee. "If the bears are not eating you, then it is home." Hee hee. ♥ Binabik.

• Me: That's not a new one at all! :is offended: :not really:

• Me: ‎"Send the man with the oily tongue to go and lick the snowshoes."

• Melanie: Nor appropriate to the situation. Just... remembering...

• Me: Indeed.

• Melanie: Let me see, "The goats are not asking you to be making them fur coats"?

• Me: Ooh, I like it.

• Me: Come to think of it, he could tell this to Jeeves AND Tohru. Everybody wins!

• Melanie: Especially everyone else in the bar!

• Me: Yes, especially the EVERYONE.

• Me: But Willow might *think* he somehow is talking to her too, since she's dressed like an Eskimo. Fur and all. Though he might be wearing some too, not because it's hot, but because what else does he have...?

• Me: Heh heh, no Willow, he's not calling you a goat.

• Melanie: Yes. And I find myself wanting Oz to be playing in a band or something so he can be oddly fascinated by Binabik. ;)

• Me: ‎:D But he needs to be oddly fascinated by Willow! Oh wait, that's not odd. And yeah, Oz and Binabik... I think they would get along.

• Melanie: Right? Though I was mostly just making a, "No, the Eskimo!" joke.

• Me: They can talk with Willow about animal cookies and monkey pants.

• Melanie: Um, so I should probably eat something today...

• Me: You should. Besides animal cookies and monkey pants. :nods:
  
  Hee hee. "See, I like that you're unpredictable..."

• Melanie: You know a Facebook comment thread has run amok when you feel compelled to excuse yourself when you need to go.

• Me: Hmmph. As long as you come back later, young lady. ^_^
  
  Um, I should probably actually do some work... >_>

• Me: I have decided on a blog title. It shall be named, "Because we crack ourselves up."

• Kate: You ladies crack me up too.

• Me: Oh good. Thanks! That makes three of us. :D But hey, it's ALL of the people who've stated a preference one way or the other! So there ya go!

• Me: Ooh, I'm thinking after Binabik's line Tohru will apologize profusely, then get all flustered, trying to figure out what to do if she's not helping people. Jeeves might say, "Quite right, sir," bow, and continue serving drinks with full aplomb.

• Melanie: That sounds extremely accurate.

• Melanie: If Tohru gets it. She might not.

• Melanie: Jeeves might have to explain.

• Melanie: Hee hee... :remembers:
  
  "I'm SO SORRY!" :shakes cat-Kyo in her vehemence:

• Me: He might. Ooh, I don't think she'd apologize to Jeeves for explaining and shake him (she'd apologize to Binabik), but... it'd be awesome if she did. I'm imagining the dignity. Heh heh. YOSH.

• Melanie: YOSH.
  
  While I'm getting carried away... :imagines Chiyo-chan there too:

• Melanie: The best character combination ever, of course, remains Ranma-meets-Kyo.

• Melanie: Because there is such a long inevitable string of events which ensues ending in Ranma shrieking and running away in terror.

• Melanie: I think we don't have nearly enough of Willow's reactions to the whole situation.

• Me: Now that's just crazy talk. :D The Chiyo-chan part, I mean.

• Melanie: Yeah, Chiyo-chan isn't old enough to drink! :realizes that Willow and Tohru aren't either:

•  Me: Yeah, but Willow would just get the thing on her hand and look all cute about it.

• Melanie: ‎Marcy, you know why Ranma shrieks and runs away, right?

• Me: Because he's girl-type Ranma and hugs Kyo??

• Melanie: Well, you've got a lot of it.

• Melanie: First inevitable event: They get in a fight. (Duh. It's Ranma and Kyo.)

• Me: Well yeah.

• Melanie: Second inevitable event: They fall in a pool of water, or it starts raining, or someone splashes them, or something. (Duh. It's Ranma fighting.)

• Melanie: Third inevitable event: Ranma turns into girl-type Ranma.

• Me: Indeed. Inevitable.

• Melanie: You've got it from there.

• Melanie: Well, and they would probably fall in while grappling, which would count as a hug.

• Me: I think Willow would react rather more calmly than everyone else. Well, except for Jeeves. Okay, she might freak out. *Quietly.*

• Melanie: Binabik would be pretty calm too. Tohru would be the loud, frantic one.

• Me: Yes. I think Willow would mostly watch, and be quiet and frantic if they tried to draw her in in weird ways. Make her go on stage or something.

• Ron: By the way, I'm mostly just amused that y'all managed 118 comments on a post that was originally just about not talking much that day.
  
  I'm pretty sure the conversation qualifies as a tangent.

• Melanie: ‎*A* tangent? We took tangents upon tangents, sir! WE ARE TANGENT MASTERS!!!

• Melanie: You will note, though, that I was a little starved for human conversation. In that sense, it was all applicable.