Everything That Lives Laments

 I gots to have a root canal tomorrow at 8 am!   :(    :(    :( 

Aaaaaaand I am in pain. It's not as bad as having-baby pain. 

Sorry, I just had to tell someone, and I don't feel like going FB-public with this one. 

:(

So I was just replying to a Cathy post and my reply ended up being a post in itself, so I figgered it must be that time again-- time for my bi-annual post. I sort of wish I was writing an actual "Ode" instead. Not really in the Ode mood, though.

So the summer is officially over, since the school year has started for us all. The heat and humidity tell a different story though. I really don't like this heat. For most of the summer, I was actually quite impressed with myself. I was dealing with the heat better than ever... Sure, it was hot, but the girls and I had a routine thing that worked out. Spend a little time outside in the morning before it's horrible, go swimming around noon, and then lounge around inside our cool abode for the rest of the afternoon. Watch some TV, do some crafts, eat some snacks, perhaps take a nap. Then it's evening and it begins to "cool down." It's really not so bad if you don't have to be moving around in the sun. 

My internal body thermometer seems to have adjusted as well... I would have gawked at being able to withstand temps in the 90's (with a heat index over 100, mind you) for extended periods of time back in my Michigan days.

But then August hit, and my memory started telling my feelings that in August we should start sensing a little twinge of fall in the air. And my entire being is just very disappointed that it's not at all fall-y yet. I live for that crispyness. That's my jam, man.

Ah, well, it will come... and meanwhile, I guess I should appreciate that the highs are only in the low-90's for the next few days. It IS getting cooler.

All this talk about weather. But I guess it's pretty important to me. This heat really does make me feel like crud, for the most part. I love love love taking brisk walks and hiking-- it gives me energy and happy beingness-- and I just can't DO that in this crap.  I am really enjoying Athens, but once we get our degrees, and we're done with our obligations, I would like to move somewhere cooler... more mountainous. Perhaps near an ocean, though that might be asking too much. There are only so many places that offer mountains AND ocean... and I'm guessing that the living expenses are generally steep in such places, and also, these locales are probably pret-ty far away from Michigan.  Maybe we'll just move back to Michigan and live in Fennville, my favorite town in "America's high-five".... Eh... Nah, I'm just teasing y'all. I don't think we'll be able to move back to Michigan just yet.

BUT I'm trying not to actively think about such things very much. We are here, and we are happy, and we are Getting Something Done.

Alright, active LJ-ers have inspired me to post... just SOMETHING. So here it is. I'm not really in the MOOD to write, but I dunno, whatever.

Boy, we're busy. Mike is advising, teaching and taking classes. I am working and taking classes and doing a few volunteery things. And then we have those kids. It all adds up to constant motion. Mike seems especially active lately... I think his advising has picked up so he doesn't have office time in which to do other work any more. It's getting to the point where I can tell he's a little stressed, which usually means that something needs to change. 'Cause Mike is a guy that can just go and go... Hmmm... Where to dig up more time?

We ARE going on a date tomorrow, though! Our 7th anniversary is Saturday, but as I have to work that night, we're going out tomorrow. A nice girl from the co-op named Lisette deBoisblanc (pronounce "lee-zet de-bwah-blah") has offered to babysit. I usually wouldn't put someone's whole name but hers is just so lovely. Anyhow, since we only leave the house sans-kids a few times a year, this is a momentous occasion. We're going to ride our bikes down to the Rye bar and see some band that sounds pretty decent. Drink some beers. Maybe even too many.

School is pretty alright. I'm taking a Native American class that I find very interesting, as long as the info stops before whitey destroyed their entire civilization-- when the buffaloes disappeared, when the nomadic Inuit stopped living in igloos and started living in crappy trailers... I don't want to think about it. Fortunately, the professor is a "romantic" like me and prefers to dwell in the past. Man, those eskimos did some crazy shit with only seals and snow as resources. Did you know that you can sew together seal intestines to make windows for your igloo? Did you know that the temperature inside an igloo never reaches above the 40s? And those dudes cavort around nearly naked in there.

I'm also taking this pre-1865 US history class that everyone is required to take. That means that it's basically me and 300 freshman. I don't have much to say about it, except that it' s not that bad. I'm learning, I'm studying, I'm mostly ignoring my classmates.

Oh, I have to do a kid update.... Penny started kindergarten at the neighborhood school. So far I think we're all loving it. Very different than her Montessori years, but we were all ready for a change. She has a boyfriend named Jake. They are completely infatuated with each other. She brings home love letters every day... They usually say,  "I love Penny I love Penny I love Penny" or simply have hearts with exclamation points. It's a nerdy love. And by that, I just mean that they are both thoughtful, quirky lovers of learning. Geeks. Perhaps you know what I mean. They haven't kissed yet because they are not allowed to.

The other one-- Lucy-- also started school this fall. Part-time at Penny's old Montessori school. Basically, she LOVES it. There was never any looking back for her. She remains mostly cheerful, the kind of kid who sings and talks to herself and kinda just roams around bobbledy-boo. Still can't take the kid to a restaurant though.

I don't want this post to be unwieldy, so that's it for now. Feels kinda good to online-journalize. Maybe I'll start doing it more. Perhaps dwell into my FEELINGS and DESIRES and SECRET ACTIVITIES and THAT SORT OF THING.

Perhaps some of you know that I'd really like a good sittin' porch.

Well, I didn't think there was much of a chance that we'd get one on this house, so I've been day-dreaming about moving.

BUT

GET THIS:

We just renewed our lease, and the landlord asked us to notify him if anything need attention. So, we let him know about the really crappy water pressure, which he fixed immediately. I also mentioned how much I would love a porch. So much that we were actually considering moving next year.

AND....

HE'S GOING TO BUILD US A PORCH!

There's much gratitude and feeling-alright-with-life going on around here.

This was a game going 'round the facebook world that Bethany has so wisely brought to LJ-land.

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you.

If you're reading this, I tag YOU!

1. I love animals but hate having pets. I would, however, enjoy pet-sitting your pet.
2. Mike and I shared our first kiss after the words, “Have you ever seen the movie Slacker?” And we were married on a whim at a house show in Walla Walla, Washington. Pretty absurd beginnings, huh?
3. I don't feel much like a super mom these days. I'm finding being a parent of 2 quite a challenge. My kids are sort of clean, reasonably well-fed, and mostly attended to... and that's good enough for now.
4. I love just about every type of exercise or sport. With the exception of boxing.
5. On that note, I've been exercising 4-5 days a week lately, thanks to the lovely women at the YMCA childcare. I do it for my mental health and well-being mostly.
6. I love yoga and riding my bike.
7. Mister Rogers is my hero. I regret never sending him a letter.
8. Have I ever mentioned how much I appreciate that Mike has done the dishes (nearly) every night for the past 3 years?
9. I'm very happy living in Athens but....
10. I could use a few more friends because....
11. I'd really like to get invited to a party.
12. I'm a pretty social animal, as long as I have plenty of alone time as well.
13. I will always be goofy.
14. Of course, I think my family is rad. But sometimes there's nothing I would like more than to live alone in a one-room shack on the side of a mountain. Any mountain, really. With running water nearby.
15. I sincerely believe that not having a porch is negatively affecting my health and happiness.
16. I'm sort of obsessed with the body and its workings and its connections/similarities to the wider world.
17. I was born to retire. I'm going to be really good at being retired. Looking forward to growing old with Mike... What do you imagine his baldness pattern will be?
18. Since one must retire from something, I have a career goal: Naturopathic Doctor. And a plan: Obtain dietetics degree from UGA over the next few years. Study herbalism and homeopathy meanwhile. Afterward, attend a Naturopathic school on the west coast. I should be ready to enter the career world by the time I'm 40!
19. I'd really like to be able to walk around in the woods and be able to identify everything I see. This only has a little to do with the 2012 prophecy.
20. Yes, I do plan to fit another kid or two in. I hope to have a boy. I'd really like to name him George Ellis Merva II.
21. I was a tomboy. I didn't start wearing skirts voluntarily until well into my adulthood.
22. Sometimes I wonder if we're exposing Penny to media and topics that are too mature... but then she blows me away by understanding completely.
23. Sweeping is my meditation. It brings me great satisfaction and feeling of being grounded. I will sweep your floors if you let me.
24. Quiet people make me uncomfortable.
25. I have a debilitating fear of singing in public, but I plan to work on that. In this lifetime.

I'm also going to add a few more that might actually be interesting.

26. I believe in ghosts because I have had experience with 2 of them. One was funny and one was mean.
27. I participated in an archaeological dig in the UK. I absolutely loved sitting in a hole in the middle of nowhere, getting rained on and digging in the dirt, for several hours a day. There was something so satisfying about finding a big boulder to shelter behind while I unwrapped a delicious sandwich with my dirt-covered hands at lunch time. The most delicious sandwiches I have ever had.
28.  I had a colonic last Friday night.
29.  I feel bad that I didn't mention how much I love my family unit... I think we're an awesome group, and look forward to years and years of adventure!

Celebrate the New Year Merva-style ...
Tonight!... in beautiful East Lansing, MI.
Everyone is invited. Come over after 6.
Optional: White Elephant Gift Exchange
Optional: It's a "Dip" themed party so bring one if you are so inclined.
Optional: Stay the night.
Required: Wear your party head.

Well, thank god the last 2 weeks are over. I won't go into the sordid details but I will say this: stress + tiredness = bad mommy. I was SO happy when my friend Tina called on Thursday (after a particularly bad mommy day) and said, "Let's leave the kids with the dads and go out to eat!" We strolled through a funky shop downtown and got several scrumptious appetizers from a very adult restaurant. I felt like a new woman afterwards.

The new year will be different. I've decided that a very important part of my new lifestyle is a fondue pot. Anybody have one sitting around that they'd like to donate to my "new life" cause?

In Holiday news and notes:

THERE WILL BE A WHITE ELEPHANT GIFT EXCHANGE TAKING PLACE ON THE EVE OF THE NEW YEAR!

Bring a gift, $10-15 or so. Or, if you prefer, an awesome hand-made gift would also qualify. If you would like to take part but won't be at the party, we can arrange something. I know you might be getting sick of buying gifts at this point, but this kind of gift is so much fun! No stress, just some random fun thang!

Alright?

Hello y'all.

Hope everybody had a warm, friendly Thanksgiving. This was our first ever one with no family around. Went to a friend's house and it was great. My favorite part is the left-overs. Any unusual dishes at your holiday this year? Our was verrrrry traditional, as my friend, Tina, wanted everything "just so" for her first time in charge.... I miss Thanksisdale. Did it happen this year?

Like so many other Americans, yesterday I took Penny to see a movie. It's only, like, her 2nd movie theatre experience in 2 years, and as we were entering, she was shaking and said, "Oh, I'm so excited I'm speechless!" We saw Bolt, which was pretty decent. I ended up crying my eyes out throughout the whole second half of the movie. It's kind of embarrassing. It wasn't like the movie was all that touching or heart-wrenching. It's just that crying is my PMS. I'll cry about anything even moderately touching for about a week every month.

Anyway, Penny has never ever been into the super-hero thing. While all her classmates act out super-human experiences, she just didn't get it. Like, "Whatever"... But after we came home from the movie, she spent a good long while pretending to be a character from Bolt,  "Rhino," who is a deranged, delusional chubby hamster in a ball who thinks himself a fierce hero.

It took a deranged hamster to get her into super-heroes.

In holiday news, it's nearly time for the Mervas to make their annual Christmas trek to the Great Frozen North. We'lll be there from roughly Dec. 22 to Jan 2. Kalamazoo time is scheduled for around Dec 26-29-ish. We're planning on throwing a big party or two at the Merva residence in East Lansing sometime near the end of the year.... The question is: Should we do a New Year's Party? In my mind, the bonus would be that there's plenty of sleeping room for wee ones, which is the only way Mike and I will get to hang out with peeps on New Years. Any and all wee ones are encouraged to sleep there while their parents rock out. 

So... Who would enjoy such a thing? Who will be around? If certain people will not be in town at that date, we'd be happy to have two get-togethers. Chime in, duders.

Alright, I got a facebook account a few days ago, but I've been sort of terrified to actually take care of it. What am I so afraid of?

I'm posting because livejournal is a community I believe in. I may not show it much, but I am here.

Lots of lj-ers have dropped out, and  I miss them.

So... I'm sitting here listening to Moonbeam (Penny's birthday hamster) spin his wheel round and round. Oddly, it's not very annoying. Listening to some bizarre light rock/electronica song, too. Which is naturally pretty annoying.

We Mervas just received a visit from the supremely loving Nate Powell, who is on a comicbook-signing tour promoting his undeniably great new book "Swallow Me Whole". The visit was a pleasure as usual. Penny kept him BUSY with playing and he stepped up to the challenge. I think she wishes she could have a "Pocket Nate" for everyday use.

We have had other pleasures lately as well. A campin trip to the Savannah area was especially nice. Warm, yet not quite balmy weather and all those lazy-looking spanish moss-hung trees... It's my kind of place. We were all hoping to see some kind of exotic animal, like an armadillo or wild pig or skinwalker, but were unlucky in this respect. What's the weirdest-looking animal you've seen in nature?

Most people marvel at the fact that we take our babies and children camping. Like, they think we're crazy or incredibly brave. But it's always very nice. Kids are just naturally happier out-of-doors, as am I. I have been hurting in that respect-- We've been keeping busy here and I'm feeling the community vibe, but I have not had nearly enough alone-in-nature time lately and my mental and physical well-being are suffering a bit. Phew! What a relief. My future goal is to find a secluded nature house with a lovely outdoor living space, within walking/bike distance to a bustling town.

I would like to make a Public Service Announcement to the world about family camping: "It's more work, but it's well worth it. Take your kid camping, alright?"

Friends, I am totally, one hundred percent, mind-numbingly, all the way DONE with summer. We had a few days of cooler weather (in the 80's) but now we're back in the 90's. It just makes me want to lay down and die. For the record, summer was my least favorite season even in farfing Michigan.

But we did have some fun today! We took our first family bike ride around town. Lucy's got a baby bike seat on the back of mine, and for Penny we got a super-cool bike attachment for the back of Mike's. Check it out, yo! We went to an event for The Big Read (you know, where the whole town reads the same book) and got free copies of Bless me, Ultima. It was at a museum, so we walked around looking at art (well, Lucy toddled around screeching and enjoying the echo). Then we went downtown to The Grill (a great 50's-style diner with lots of vegetarian fare) for french fries and cool drinks. After that, checked out Wuxtry/Bizarro, where Penny got a hermit crab that will grow 600% in water and I fantasized about actually buying a comic book. Then got ice cream for P on the way home. Everyone was happy and it felt great to be pedaling our asses around town as a family.

A high point of my week comes on Friday evening, when I get to work my shift at the Daily Groceries Food Co-op. I'm not an employee, just a "working member"-- must work 4 hours a week for a 20% discount. I just feel so at home at co-ops, and by the end of the week (which involves MUCH time parenting solo...) I am READY to get out of the house on my own and have  some adult conversation. But this co-op needs SOOOO much help. It is thousands of dollars in debt and completely stuck in the past, with years of bad management all over it like a rash. Reminds me a LOT of the People's Food Co-op in K-zoo before Chris Dilley (my personal super hero) came on board and effed shit up good. Like, lots of empty shelf space, annoying inefficient operations, a somewhat exclusive scene, etc... I see so many things that NEED to change and would be simple to change but I feel completely helpless... Every time I bring something up with my supervisor, like, "Hey, how about we put a WORKING soap dispenser in the bathroom?" or, "Let's take that rotting lettuce off the shelf," he just sort of shrugs, like "Whatever, man."  I think I've really begun to annoy him, as he seems to be there to rub elbows with scenesters and maintain the dirty lazy hippy atmosphere.  Argh. I think I'll sit in on a board meeting this month and try to figure out what's going on.

Okay, Michigan-- here we come! The girls and I are flying (first time for the kids) to MI this Wednesday to visit with many many relatives, including my newborn nephew, whom I MUST cuddle and hold. I'll be crashing at my 'rents in Lansing, so what up all y'all Lansing folkies! I would love to make it over to K-zoo but I'm not sure I can swing it. Damn. I really want to go on over there.... I'll see what I can do. Leaving next Wednesday to come back.

Peace!