Kiss Me, Katy

We sold our house here in BR and will close on it May 26th. We found a house in Katy, Texas and we'll close on that June 1st. Houston itself was a no-go, with us unable to find a nice enough house that wasn't in a seedy neighborhood. So it's Katy for us.
I'm excited and sad, but I can't say which is stronger. I contacted Habitat for Humanity to pick up our dining table and chairs, and it is killing me because the table is the one that has been in my family since before I was born. I know, it's just a table. But it is the table that our family has sat around for 30+ years, the one we have all cried on, laughed around and shared meals together on. It's the same one I nearly burned a huge hole in when I was a senior in high school. I left a candle burning on it atop a paper cup (what the hell was I thinking??) and we all ran outside because it had started to snow, an unheard of occurence in South Louisiana. I came back in and the candle had burned down to the paper cup and the table was smoking!!! Thankfully, no one was mad at me since we were all so excited about the 1 inch of snow on the ground! Yes, we even made a snowman! We put my dad's blue Ford cap on its head and a carrot was its nose. It was damn exciting for us. The next snow I experienced wasn't until January of 2002 in Baton Rouge. See how infrequent it is?

My writing is disjointed and rambling, but who cares. My blood pressure is a bit too high (140/83, pulse rate 100), but my doctor said it's from the stress of the move. And I am too heavy, but food is my only consolation. Hell, everyone has a vice, and mine is food.

So Katy it is and will be. For how long, I don't know. I'll keep everyone updated.

Love, Gren

Some quotes about breaking away from overprotective parents

This is quite a painful issue for me, and my parents are devastated that we are moving. We will only be 3 hours away, but my mom says that "it will never be the same." We'll be in Houston as of May 31st, as that is when we will be closing on our house. Maybe this needs to happen so I can learn to breathe, and stand, on my own. For once. Living with guilt is hard.
"Many people in their 20's and 30's still get sucked into emotional traps and/or need their parents' approval, so much so that they can't be themselves. How does this happen? Inside us all, no matter our age, is an inner child, a left-over from childhood. The inner child contains many needs and wants--many of them primitive, self-serving, and even self-destructive. Parents still have an inner child too. While parents want their children to be capable and happy, there is another part of them that continues to see their children (even when they are 20 or 30) as weak, naive, and needing guidance. The inner child inside mom or dad may be saying "don't grow up, don't leave me." Some of these parents may resent a strong, independent child who is successful or chooses a different life-style or religion or politics or spouse than they would have preferred. To keep such parents from being upset, hurt, or angry, the little child within us may keep secrets from them or respond with "I need you too" or be overly nice and accommodating to them while harboring resentment. The best way to respond to such parents is to bypass their child and address their adult part which wants you to be mature and independent: "It's time for me to live alone" or "Instead of coming home, I've decided to do something else for Christmas this year." Make the interaction adult to adult by giving your reasons in a straight forward manner. Part of your parents may be very pleased you have "grown up" (in spite of their inner child's needs). They may object; consider their reasoning and make your decision.
Halpern helps us recognize these parent-child "song and dance" routines we utilize as long as the child within (us or the parents) is in charge rather than the inner adult. It is a safe bet that you are overly attached to a parent if after 20 you react with anger, guilt, fear of their reaction, or self-pity when you think of a parent. One of the toughest parent roles for a child to handle is the sacrificing martyr. The classic is a mother who says, "If it weren't for you children, I wouldn't have suffered so. You forget all I've done for you. And now everyone forgets their dear old mother." Often such a mother felt unloved and unlovable as a child. The mother's inner child is angry, frightened, and demanding. Now she thinks she can get love from her children only by force, primarily guilt. Her message to the son or daughter is, "If you don't do what I want, I'll feel terrible, all because you are so selfish and hurtful." To stop this "song and dance" the son or daughter has to say, "No, I won't do what you are asking, and it's your choice, mother, to suffer or be happy." You can't rescue your mother or father from her/his unhappy childhood. You can carefully explain your reasons for your actions, showing that you considered their wishes, that you love them, but you have a life of your own. "

Happy Hari Hol Negeri Pahang!

It's a Malaysian holiday about which I know nothing, but I thought the name was funny! I happened to see it on the www.earthcalendar.net website. Feeling woefully ignorant, I did a little investigating into the words themselves. Hari is day, Negeri is country and Pahang is an area in Malaysia. I can't find exactly what is celebrated on this day, but at least I have gone from having a rather inane chuckle at the name of the holiday to wanting to broaden my horizons!

A best-selling title?

"The Heinous Sin of Self-Pollution and All Its Frightful Consequences, In Both Sexes, Considered: With Spiritual and Physical Advice to those who have Already Injured Themselves with This Abominable Practice."
In 1710, a Dutch theologian, Dr. Balthazar Bekker wrote a monograph with this title. Bekker tried his best to link the spiritual and medical consequences of "self-pollution." No one is quite sure what Bekker was basing his opinions on.

Fait Accompli!

My dad had back surgery yesterday and is doing amazingly well today, with no pain or tingling like he has had to deal with since he was 17. He had a spinal fusion with rods and screws, which sounds to me like a hell of a serious procedure, but which his doctor said is a routine procedure for folks about his age (he'll be 65 in a few weeks). He's a little hesitant to move around, but his nurse told him he'll have to suck it up because movement now will help his progress later. We're all so glad he is doing so well.

Anyone for a bit o' Bahlaqeem?

Me either.
http://www.bahlaqeem.com/aboutbahlaqeem.html
Quote from James Burda:
Bahlaqeem Name Origin

The name Bahlaqeem (pronounced baalakeem) came to me during a period of inspiration. It is a made up word and, to my knowledge, has no known meaning except for this intended purpose. It has a soothing vibrational influence and contains the very special number of nine letters.

BRAVO STEPHEN COLBERT!

Although some of what you said had a high cringe-factor, I applaud you for your ballsy speech at the White House dinner!