Thursday, July 21, 2005

Summer breeze....

We got back from the coast yesterday, it was beautiful. The weather in town was in the 90's I hear, and we had a soft sometimes brisk breeze, 70's, sun and some silence. The kids went to camp, and we stayed at the beach. I slept so good there, for the first time in a long time with no help. I actually got tired and everything. This is a good thing. The kids come home tomorrow. I got my first call from camp today, daughter is not feeling well. This is a usual occurance. She often has some complaint. We assess for how severe it is and usually have her tough it out. It seems to me that my kids have little capacity to endure phsical distress, even a little. They are getting better abou the hungries but it seems sometimes as if they really do believe that they should never be uncomfortable on any level, and if they are I should make it go away immediately. I am not sure how that happened, I don't remember being that way as a kid, but maybe I just forgot. I think learning to deal with some discomfort is a good thing. They really don't agree, but oh well. It's one of those life lessons that you learn eventually whether you want to or not.

I have a friend who I adore but who seems to be one of those people who never has a good word to say. I know she has had a tough life and has lived through some things that can really scar you. I cut her slack because of that, but what gets me is that it's funny how some folks can be so tough about somethings and yet so vulnerable about others. She has had to develop ways of dealing with the world, yet I don't think I can just say "gee, why don't you ever have anything nice to say" because I think it would hurt her. She doesn't seem to be depressed, it's just that in every situation, she talks about how bad this is and how someone is such a jerk and so on. It brings me down to be around. I try to assume that the best is going to happen, to keep a positive spin on things, to see the best not the worst. Maybe folks who have had a lot of bad things happen don't get too optimistic so they won't get disappointed. Maybe it's a defense. I try to offer another way of seeing a situation to help give another perspective, but that is kind of tiring. She is sucha strong person and I really respect her for that, for the things she has accomplished in life, which is considerable. I just would wish for her a more positive, hopeful view of the world.

Last but not least, this falls under the heading of "why do people do what they do and don't ya hate it when....". I hate it when (it's a girl thing I'm sure, guys probably don't worry about this) in public restrooms, rather than just flushing the toilet by hand, people use their foot, presumably to avoid germs. So I reach back to flush and the handle is filthy with the crud from the floor, and I think to myself, that is the grossest thing I have ever seen. 1- why not just use a piece of toilet paper to cover your hand, 2- how is the floor crud which we KNOW is filthy any better for the next person than your hand you wiped with, which may or may not be filthy? 3- Can't you just wash your hand when you are done, no one ever dies in the intervening few minutes between touching the handle and washing your hands?

This is as bad as the girls who are afraid to let their butts touch the seat, for fear of aquiring some nasty, so they pee sitting a few inches above the seat and guess what? Yes, they pee all over the seat, for the next person to clean up. I really do not believe that you will actually catch anything off the seat, that's an old wives tale. Anything I might come in contact with can't be any worse than the pee I have to wipe off each time, that's disgusting. As a nurse, I am well aware of germ theory and infection control, but all this crud just makes it worse, not better. You are just as likely to get a germ off a doorknob or handle as a toilet, more likely actually. I have heard other nurses absolutley aghast that I don't take all these precautions myself, as if I should know better, I am amazed at how paranoid some people are. I guess I am not paranoid because I know just how dirty the world we live in is, and if it hasn't killed me yet, it isn't likely to. My immune system is in good repair and my skin is intact, why should I be afraid, any more than going into a grocery store or Dr office? Do we really think that silly paper thingy off the wall is going to keep out anything? Girls, get a backbone, use your heads and stop making the world icky for everyone else!

2 Comments:

Blogger Geekwif said...

Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog yesterday. Thought I'd repay the visit. I love this post. I've always wondered how tht stuff gets on the seat. Never made sense to me before. Now I know.

I've been thinking about a post on this very subject. Maybe it'll go up one of these days.

Thanks again for the comment. I'm sure I'll be back!

Sunday, July 24, 2005 5:56:00 AM  
Blogger madmom said...

Thanks geekwif, glad you enjoyed the post. And glad I could clear up a "mystery". See you around!

Sunday, July 24, 2005 8:06:00 AM  

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