I hate carpet

It will be hot, but beautiful today. July 2 in San Diego - you can't beat it. And the place we live in - it isn't sustainable, but for now it is the most beautiful place I've ever lived. Except maybe on campus at claremont - felt pretty lucky there too.  - but as living spaces go - this one (this house) is hard to beat. It's also too damn hard to keep up with--it is gi-normous--and it is all cussing carpet. Add dogs, cats, two teen boys, me and my husband - and the stains accumulate on a daily basis.

I've had it cleaned twice and we haven't even been here a full year yet. The last time was b/c Rosie had let loose on the living room after too many treats in her dog food (my fault). The most recent time was again b/c Rosie had an incident - in her defense - she did try to tell us both times by clearly using her very high pitched "I need to shit and it isn't going to be pretty" bark - while running frantically around - unfortunately both cases also happened around 3am - not a great time for high levels of awareness and reactivity in our family. And the kicker is that since the carpet cleaner guy was here, maybe a month ago, there are enough stains in the family room, from pets, teens, we folks, etc. that you could jump from one to the next and never need touch an unsoiled part of rug!

It doesn't help that this place (the one I just got done raving about) isn't my style. First b/c of the carpet itself - I'm not a carpet gal. give me wood or tile any day - I'll happily sweep constantly. Well maybe not with a damn grin on my face, but I will take it with the ability to wipe up 99% of the feces, vomit, regurgitated rat and lizard guts, spilt coffee and dcokes, gatoraides, popcicles, and god-knows-what those kids got on the white couch we don't own. And this place - it's like an old Frank Sinatra Rat Pack hang out, which really only looks cool if you have the money to outfit it with sleek new furniture - and no kids or pets!!! - It looks great when every magazine is in place, all electronics are secured - no plates or glasses, or socks - fucking socks - are in sight. Basically the anti-us.

Messy just looks better in craftsman, Mediterranean, or Spanish Mesas styles--houses built for families, not for adults-not-doing-the-kid-thing. Maybe you could get away with a cat (hairless would be a bonus). Not that our abode couldn't be updated to swing that way.

Asian/Zen definitely. Lots of wood, bamboo, water, stone - just mostly away with the carpet. You could make it softer - and less stainable! More sustainable too  - but I'm talking about ease of clean here.

So here's something funny - I just took a break from writing here for a few minutes because all this talk of stained carpet got my panties in such a bunch that I just had to dash off this email to my landlord...yes we rent (we do own a house also, but that is another - very interesting story)

So, here's the email:
Subject: Our carpet
From: Marianne McGinnis
Sat, Jul 2, 2011 at 10:30 AM
To: Adams'

Hi John, I hope you are feeling better on this absolutely beautiful Saturday.

So this is an off the cuff question that I'm putting out there just to see what you might think (how mysterious)...

 - and possibly one that wouldn't happen for sometime, but I wanted to put it out there because it's the one craw in my bonnet about this house that I love so much (well this and the cottage cheese ceiling ;-)). I'm talking about The Carpet. Da dum dum. Not all of the carpet btw (although if I had my druthers I'd get rid of all but the bedrooms).

It's mostly the dining room (the family one with the bar) area - and the traffic area into the main living room. Try as I might (I've had it professionally cleaned twice) and I'm going to go rent a darn cleaner from Ralph's today-- because I cannot keep these areas from getting stained almost as soon as the last cleaning ends, and getting on my hands and knees with a bucket of soapy water is one of my least favorite pastimes ;-).

It's an extremely high traffic, high food (as I'm sure you know), high teen, high pet - we do all our eating and living up here for the most part.

Soooo - any chance that bamboo would be an option for the area right off the kitchen - or some other slate, cement (whatever goes with this style of house, I'm not picky)/non carpeted flooring? ;-) I noticed leftover bamboo here and thought that on the off chance - that maybe there might be enough laying around to just bring it out and into this family area????

I completely understand that this may be too expensive of a request--but just in case there were any options out there - I thought I'd put it out there since you are a man who knows his flooring and such--and I know you have plans to eventually get this place up to date. I also wanted you to be aware of how hard the carpet was to keep clean - has it always been carpeted?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Thanks John.

--
Marianne McCamman McGinnis
marianne.mcmc@gmail.com
http://www.mediabistro.com/mariannemcginnis
Writer, Editor, Researcher

As the Fibro-World Turns

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and IBS in July 2010 (about 30% of Fibro-folks have ibs too). I haven't written about it yet because I've been trying to figure out whether or not I accept the diagnoses. 

It's November 4th now, and I do. 

The National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) defines it as such: Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by chronic widespread pain, multiple tender points, abnormal pain processing, sleep disturbances, fatigue and often psychological distress. For those with severe symptoms, fibromyalgia can be extremely debilitating and interfere with basic daily activities. Here's a full list of symptoms: http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer?pagename=fibromyalgia_symptoms. I have most of these on a daily basis. 

At first I wasn't telling anyone about this because fibromyalgia is one of those things I've always put on par with the hysteria diagnoses Freud liked to give us women. I didn't really believe in it, but now that I have to spend the first two hours of my day hurting and dry heaving, and the rest of my day fatigued and aching like I have swine flu, I'm beginning to place some validity in my diagnosis. 

The treatment boils down to something like "don't do things that stress you out, and do things that enhance relaxation." Hmmm. Sounds easy enough right? Next week I start acupuncture treatment, I started getting weekly massages about 3 weeks ago, I try to walk most days of the week (about an hour most sessions), I meditate daily. I do take ibuprofen when the aches get to be too much, but generally I don't like to take meds. The other drugs I've been prescribed--flexeril, Tramadol, even codeine, but they just knock me out. I do take a low dose of zoloft to help my mood about all this. Ginger tabs, teas and broths do help my tummy. 

I'll be trying to add in yoga and tai chi in the coming weeks - stay tuned. In the end though - it seems that these symptoms will stay with me - so the treatment is really just treating the symptoms, as far as I can tell, not solving them. 

The NFA says that the hardest part of having fibromyalgia is adjusting to the fact that you can't do as much as you used to--they're right. I battle this one all the time. When you are feeling better, it's easy to think that you've been making this all up, but as soon as you try to go back to your old ways--getting up at 4am to do your writing, handling homework chores with the teens, cooking and cleaning the house, etc.--and Whammo! you are back in bed. 

Rattlesnake point

Kenny and I got back last night from two nights out at my dad, Ran and Warren’s old camping spot, Rattlesnake Point. Ran took us to show us the history and to make some new memories. This is just outside of Yuma on the Cali side of the river. Ferguson Lake area - outside of Winterhaven. There's a tucked away spot about 45 minutes out on a dirt road, by the river/lake where we had our own peninsula of sorts. Mountains and desert behind us - lots of reeds, mud hens, fishing birds, and lake in front of us--it was very quiet - big expansive sky full of moon and stars at night, and clouds and blue sky in the day - perfect.

Kenny and Ran fished the majority of the time, and I cooked, read, meditated and walked with Rosie.

Kenny (I'm sure) is making my dad smile from ear to ear (wherever his energy floats). The kid caught several fish, baited his own hook, casted his own line, and even cleaned the fish for us to eat. We had quite a feast of Crawpy on our second night ;-).

It's so funny to now have this connection to Ran. There was a time that I thought I might not see him ever again. Then there was some time back when he and my dad and Warren all reconnected, and thank goodness. Ran was so wonderful with Kenny - and really seemed to enjoy him so much. I can't express how wonderful that is, how happy it would make my dad to see Kenny out there fishing. He really seems to enjoy it too - very self motivated about it.

So we spent two nights - Ran and Ken down by the water (kenny dove in a couple times too) and me up on top reading, writing, taking long walks on all the mountain ridges around camp.

Next time -we're going back in December - we're going to take all my dad's crazy floating fishing gear for ken to try out - I'm hoping to get Stephen, Ben, and Sophia in on the gig too - we can take bikes, kayak -whatever.

So a big thanks to "uncle" Ran- I'm so happy to have him in my life. who knew?

It's nice to be away from the depth of my grief now, and on to experiencing come of the happy energy my dad and Warren always put out in the world. Here's to carrying that tradition on.

Take care all, and Toodles, 

Mar

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Click It! Picture Diaries: An easier way to keep track of what you eat

Picture Diaries: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/dining/07camera.html?pagewanted=2&ref=general&src=me.

This article is about blogging pictures of your food, but it made me think that it would be a great way to keep track of what you are eating when you are out and about (without scratch paper). Enjoy! And do share your thoughts - or tips for keeping on track with your eating goals. Thanks!

JOIN PREVENTION'S FLATTEN YOUR BELLY FAST TEST PANEL

If you’re looking to flatten your belly before summer, then join Prevention magazine’s latest test panel to try out our new Flatten Your Belly Fast workout. This easy 4 week program will teach you to sculpt your core quickly and simply, and it’s based on the latest research! Interested?
We’d love to hear from you if you meet the following criteria:

• Within driving distance of Allentown, PA. You’ll need to come to Emmaus at least 5 times.
• No more than 20 pounds overweight (a healthy weight is fine, too)
• Haven’t exercised regularly (less than 3 times a week) for the past 3 months.
• Age 40 to 60
• Available the morning of Wednesday 3/24/10 for pre-testing and program instruction at Rodale’s Energy     Center in Emmaus, PA. It may be as late as 11 a.m.
• Able to return to the Energy Center every Wednesday for 4 weeks (through April 21) for testing (each visit will be about 15 minutes).
• Willing to be photographed and videotaped for the magazine and its website.

If you would like to be considered for this test panel, please email Marianne McGinnis, ma.mcginnis@gmail.com and tell us why you should be a part of the group. Include your name, age, address, phone number, email, occupation, height, weight, and a full-body photo by March 17th.

Citrus trees, etc. update

So - I sent out a neighborhood email today about our interest in harvesting nearby citrus trees, and the responses have been quick and encouraging. Within hours of sending the E. several neighbors responded inviting us over. Be careful what you wish for...we now appear to have a very busy weekend, but the boys are into it, so that pretty much has me all peachy. The first couple to invite us over, said that we can clear off their lemon tree. Ben is always using up all my lemons for his homemade lemonade (that's his way of getting back at me for not buying soda), so he is thrilled to get his hands on an abundance of these little yellow jewels.

On a final note for today, to show you all what a good sport my Stephen is, here's a pic of him with three of our four animals. My hubby is NOT an animal person, but he knows I'm crazy about them, so he puts up with them. He's the best.

Toodles, Mar

How to De-screen tweens or teens, have fun, and NOT spend a dime

Knock Knock. Who's There? Orange you glad they're not watching TV?

This is a bit of what I see on the daily walks I take in my hood. As my neighbor put it:

"A lot of bounty, but not a lot of interest," 

 I had just been telling him that I'd like to use these trees as an opportunity to get my young teens out doing some community work. Yes, I want to get my hands on a bit of the grapefruits, lemons, avocados, figs, and oranges that are all within walking distance of my abode, but I also want to see less waste overall. Plus I suspect that several of my neighbors are elderly or unable for another reason. I'd like to do a little of "I'll scratch your back..." and also get to know my neighbors a bit. And finally, I need a way to get my boys out of the house, and off the screen. They do not like to play sports, walking is boring, and so is walking the dog--but this idea they like (as much as a teen ever likes a parents ideas). So it goes.

I have a letter in the works that I'm going to put in mailboxes around here. I'm sharing my above proposition and also inviting other parents who want to get their kids out to join us. Here's crossing my fingers that it'll work.

Stay tuned.