7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 44)
Last week I mentioned in quick take #7 that I was feeling extremely stressed because of a lack of “introvert time.” I made that a high priority this week, and I feel so much better mentally! In fact, seeing what a drastic difference that made to both my mental and spiritual health is what inspired me to write the spiritual dry spells post. For some reason I’m still feeling unusually fatigued physically (no, I’m not expecting — for once!), but I feel much, much better other than that.
Also, y’all were right: Our Kidsave child Rita likes introvert time as much as I do, and seemed relieved to have some period in the day where we can all just do our own things.
My husband told me this story last night that had me laughing so hard I was crying, so I just had to share: A good friend of his frequently travels to our area, and every time he stays in the same hotel, often in the same room. This week he was in a room that was similar to his usual one except the configuration was switched around — e.g. the closet was on the opposite wall, bathroom door in a different place, etc.
“Bob” (NOT HIS REAL NAME, you’ll see why I emphasize that in a moment) had been taking a hard nap in this hotel room and decided to get up and take a shower. He turned on the TV and got sucked into a show, deciding that he wanted to quickly squeeze in the shower during commercials so he didn’t miss anything. Still bleary-eyed from sleep, he backed up to the bathroom door as the segment of the program wound to an end. The first commercial began and he darted backwards into the bathroom, stumbling a bit as he slid past the open door.
Only it wasn’t the bathroom. It was the hallway. In his sleepy state he grabbed at the closing door, but missed.
It was The Click Heard ‘Round the World when the hotel door shut behind him. And there he was, in a hotel hallway, without a stitch of clothing on — no towel, no nothing. He scanned the hall for mats, wall hangings, dirty napkins on room service trays, ANYTHING to use to cover himself, but couldn’t find anything. He desperately tried to think of what to do, the fact that he was completely naked in a public place serving as a slight distraction to his thought process.
He ducked into an empty stairwell and spotted a trash can on another floor. After waiting until the coast was clear he pulled out the trash bag to use as a sort of makeshift man-skirt, and then ran down to the front desk to ask the clerk for another key to his room. Evidently she immediately handed it over with no questions asked; I can’t decide if that makes sense or not.
Anyway, a little story to ponder next time you think you’re having a bad day.
If you’re looking for a birthday present for the child of someone on whom you’d like to exact some kind of revenge, I recommend a Yada Yada. (Well, as a Christian I can’t recommend that you buy annoying toys for children to get back at their parents, but I will just note that the toy would be perfect for such use, should an unscrupulous person choose to do so.)
I bought my son one of these at Target as a thank-you gift for acting less like a rabid monkey than his sisters while I was shopping, and I’ve rued that decision ever since. The toy allows you to record a five-second voice clip and then play it back, and this has become my son’s new primary mode of communication. He can no longer speak to us directly, only answering questions after recording them through the Yada Yada.
I don’t expect this toy will be in our house for much longer, however, since he’s now using it for backtalk. Yesterday afternoon I told him to stop throwing food at the table. He got down from his chair, ran off to the hallway, then came back and proudly held up the Yada Yada which announced in his voice, “I will NOT stop throwing food!” I yanked it from his hand, and when I put it down on a high shelf I accidentally hit the remix button so that it sounded like a trash-talking chipmunk said “IwillNOTstopthrowingfood!” That toy’s days are numbered.
Over the past few weeks I’ve fallen off my Saint Diet in a big way. It started because I often found myself at events where the only food available was junk food, but after the first couple days of “cheating” my cravings came back with a vengeance (I recounted my saga of simple carb addiction here). Back when I wasn’t eating any processed foods, I didn’t miss them; I could walk by plates of M&M-laden cookies or cups overflowing with milkshake and shrug. Now it’s at the point where I’m about to start lunging at bags of Cheetos in the grocery store, caressing them as I cry, “You…complete…me!”
A “mini new year” is coming up on August 15, so I’m going to recommit to my diet then, if not before.
Speaking of food, I am baffled by Colombian cuisine. Rita doesn’t like pizza! Or pasta! Or cheeseburgers! Or onion rings! Or PBJ’s! And she’d never seen shrimp! And had never heard of chicken nuggets!
The chicken nuggets story was kind of amusing: I presented her with a plate of dinosaur-shaped nuggets that the kids like, and she looked up at me with this hilariously innocent, baffled expression. Evidently in Colombia they have this odd cultural tradition where they eat food that is recognizable in its original form. “It’s chicken, ” I told her in Spanish as I motioned to the dino nugget. She poked at it skeptically as I tried to explain why here in the U.S. we like to take fresh food, pulverize it to death, add about 50 ingredients, shape it to look like something entirely different, throw in some sugar and MSG and call it a meal.
Some of you have asked how Rita gets along with the neighbor girls, who are about the same age. They were actually gone for the first few weeks she was here and only returned a few days ago. I wish I could tell you that they all bonded wonderfully and are all now BFF’s, but unfortunately it’s been a little tense because of the language barrier. The neighbor kids often end up chatting and playing by themselves while Rita withdraws to be by herself, and I’ve had to put a fair amount of effort into smoothing over those types of situations since the neighbor kids are back to being here four to eight hours per day.
(By the way, as I said on Twitter, with all of them and my kids and my babysitter and her daughter, we sometimes have more than 10 people just casually hanging out over here — doesn’t God know I’m an introvert?!)
Can you believe that it’s already time for Rita to leave?! She goes back to Colombia on Tuesday.
She leaves on the feast of St. John Vianney, and my husband and I have found a lot of comfort in doing a novena in Vianney’s honor to ask for his prayers and for God to give us the grace to emulate his character. It’s going to be hard without her, not just because I’ll miss her but because it’s made daily life easier in many ways to have her here. No word yet on a “forever family” for her. Please keep praying!
I look forward to reading your posts!
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Oh man — poor "Bob." I can't even imagine!
But, I have to say, I laughed more about the dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets. LOL — you are too funny!
I feel your pain in having a house full. We have four kids of our own and many extras often. It can get hectic, but it's nice to always know where my kids are!
I enjoyed this post, thank you for the laughs!
Oh, that story about your friend in the hotel room (or should I say outside of the hotel room) had me laughing! Thanks!
That hotel story is hiLARious! 🙂 I'm keeping it up to show Doug when he gets home. Poor guy!
I can relate to #6. I am an introvert and I often find myself in a house with five or more kids and multiple dogs.
I can also relate to carb addiction.
I haven't participated in this in awhile — in fact, I think my last 7 Quick Takes post was just before Christmas! (yikes! Amazing how time flies.) Anyway, I always love reading yours — funny, insightful, interesting, touching — everything your full-length posts are, only in miniature. Thanks, as always, for hosting this!
I linked to the post. I am praying for Rita to find that family.
The chicken nugget part cracked me up!
Ella doesn't like typical kid food either with the exception of french fries. I'm talking all of it – PB&J, mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, pizza, flavored applesauce, etc.
I can't believe it is time for Rita to go back! Wow, time flies.
This is way off topic but do you have any experience with Seton Catholic homeschooling materials? I am trying to decide whether to use it or Winter Promise for Ella's upcoming preschool year. Thanks!
#2 – Hilarious!
#5 – Funny and a bit sad 🙂
This is my second week participating in 7 Quick Takes Friday. This has been so much fun. Thanks Jennifer for your hospitality.
That hotel story is like one of my worst nightmares!
I'm not sure what is funnier about 'Bob's' story — that he did this in the first place, or that the key was handed over instantly with no questions or thought needed. Maybe this story is in more frequent-traveler's arsenals that we know. Or that much, much weirder stuff happens in hotels than we'd probably care to know!
Peace — praying for Rita! Loved the "nugget" story.
Laura
#3 – LOL, there is a Mr. Bean skit that is very similar but even worse as the elevator is broken and he has to descend via the stairs behind an elderly woman using a walker or cane.
That hotel story is hilarioius! I hope "Bob" doesn't mind us laughing at his expense.
And I can't believe she's going home so soon!
Enjoyed the quick takes, as always 🙂
Maybe you've already connected this but I am wondering if the exhaustion mentioned in #1 is due to the situation mentioned in #4.
Love the Cheetos part 🙂
You said:
For some reason I'm still feeling unusually fatigued physically
Do you think #1 has anything to do with #4?
had to laugh at your saying there are 10 people in your house. Originally, I wasn't going to have ANY kids and thought that was for suckers. LOL!
Hi, fellow bloggers.
If you can, please check the one post I put up this week that won't let me go. It has a video that is unforgettable.
Thanks.
http://acts17verse28.blogspot.com/2009/07/modern-day-version-of-parable-of-good.html
Thanks for hosting 7 quick takes. This is my second time doing it as well! I love your blog!
Please tell Rita goodbye for us and that her life has blessed us even though we never met in person. We will pray for her and that her forever family finds her soon.
I used to work overnight at the front desk at a large resort hotel, and people (usually men, for some reason) were constantly locking themselves out of their room in some state of nudity. I could always tell, because they would poke their heads out of the elevator, see me, and quickly jump back inside the elevator, or else they would make a mad dash for the cover of the bar across the lobby. I would just smile to myself and contact a male security guard to help them get back into their room, or if it was a woman I would help her myself. It happened so frequently that I kept a stash of blankets on hand for just such an ocassion. You can let "Bob" know that he is not alone. I think my favorite impromptu cover-up was a man carrying a potted plant to cover himself. Either that or the man with the dinner plate. Funny stuff!
Lol about Bob! poor guy! I am starting my no-s diet back up on aug 17, when school starts. I like your idea of new years 3 times a year.
Aha, I participated this week!
Oh, I feel so sorry for Bob.
The nugget thing is so creepy — we work so hard to make sure our kids know our meat and poultry don't come from once-living animals, then we pound our processed meats into the shape of imaginary ones. Bizarre.
Thanks for hosting quick takes.
Funny funny. You know, I am the first of six children, and in my final years in the house we had two extra kids living with us and numerous visiting friends. We usually had 12+ people in the house at a time, and my mom is an introvert and my dad struggles with high noise/chaos levels.
Despite it all, those years are probably my families' most treasured years together, and we all look back and miss them dearly!
Oh no — poor Bob! Talk about a nightmare! My husband once accidentally locked himself out of our apartment while clad in boxer shorts only.
The nuggets story was funny, too! I can't believe it's almost time for Rita to go. I hope your last weekend is a good one.
Great Friday post!
We have a parrot version of the Yada Yada. Many times I've threatened to pitch it, but it's still here, taunting me now and then as I do laundry.
Oh, poor Bob!! I'll bet that sort of thing does happen all the time, though.
Thanks for the warning about the Yada Yada. My son is about the same age as yours, and I can totally imagine him using it the same way! Augh.
Praying for Rita as she returns.
I would suggest reading Real Food by Nina Planck (after reading about the dinosaur chicken nuggets), except I'm pretty sure that your recommendation of the book was how I heard of it the first time, lol. 🙂 It is kinda strange what we Americans think of as food, isn't it?
Are y ou thinking of adopting her, Jen?
Oh, poor Bob! I've been thinking about this story all day! Thanks for your funny, ever-inspiring blog.
The quick takes this week made me laugh so hard. Thanks!
LOL – my kiddos don't care for the fancy shaped chicken nuggets either.
They DO really like the chicken rings that the local grocery store makes, though.
#5 had me laughing out loud. I have a friend from Chile, she's been in the states for more than a decade. She has still never eaten at a fast food restaurant. She can't understand the appeal.
My husband used to work in hotels and he has many stories to tell. My favorite is about the obese man who fell asleep on the toilet, naked, and lost his balance, knocking the entire toilet off the floor and flooding the room. He was discovered, still asleep, when hotel employees investigated the water seeping into the hallway.
I laughed so hard at the story of "Bob". I might have to make my husband read that one.
#5 Regarding the Dino Chicken…..
Imagine back in the day when children had to eat real food, like the stuff adults eat? I admit I do utilize convenience food in the house, packaged snacks and frozen pizza, but not as much as others. My children will eat holiday dinners eat they do eat broccoli.
I mention this, because I went to a local family own restaurant. It's a hang out for the Brazilian community in my city, even though there are many non Brazilians like myself that go. The children eat normal food, no child menu.
I love your list and I definitely need introvert time. And that story was great.
thanks for the hard laugh on #2!! The Click Heard 'Round the World!! Hahahahaha 🙂
I think that the clerk had seen a lot of wired things on the job 🙂 my guess is that "Bob" isn't the first necked, desperate man in the hallway. I'm sure Rita will miss you too! God bless!
Liturgy of the Hours
Hahahah! I have a similar Bob story that my husband will NOT let me tell. Yet.
http://den-of-the-dragon.blogspot.com/2009/07/this-is-my-first-go-at-quick-takes.html I'm not sure quite how to do this… I'm still learning… maybe next week I'll get it right