Leslie Asks Why…
Okay, I’m writing this in the brief hour of free time I have between all the graduation excitement going on at my house this weekend. My oldest daughter graduates (actually, by the time you read this, she will have graduated: whimper!) from high school Saturday. I can’t believe it, my silly, sweet little girl is a beautiful young woman.
Anyway, there are a million things to do, and I was afraid I’d forget to write this blog if I put it off, so this is going to be a quick one. I decided to just let you peek into my weird mania as I ask the questions that are always flitting around in my brain. I call this my “why” list (and it grows all the time…)
Why is it that the one time the UPS guy is a hottie, I answer the door wearing a grass-stained T-shirt, shorts with a hole in them, last night’s mascara under my eyes and no bra?
Why, I wonder, am I always either behind a ninety-year-old doing twenty on the interstate or in front of a twenty year old doing ninety on the interstate?
Why do what I consider single-serving bags of Doritos say they provide 2.5 servings? (Or, at certain times of the month, 7.5?)
Why does my husband put up with me?
Why must the yard guys show up to cut the next door neighbor’s lawn at 7:30 on a Saturday morning and weed-eat the same patch of ground right outside my bedroom window for four hours?
Why does skim milk expire so long before the expiration date…and why don’t I ever figure out it has expired before I pour it on my cereal?
Why doesn’t healthy food taste like chocolate and junk food taste like Brussels sprouts?
If they can make computers the size of my palm, why can’t anyone invent a machine that will automatically iron all my husband’s shirts?
Why do I have 53 odd socks in a bag in my closet…do they multiply in there? And why do I bother saving them when there’s no chance I’ll ever find that other pink and blue striped one that my youngest wore when she was four…which wouldn’t fit now, anyway?
Why does the feel of a fuzzy little dog curled up by my side make me forget why I’m crying?
Why can I remember the sound of my late mother’s laughter after sixteen years…but I cannot remember where I put my car keys yesterday?
Why are there so many Baldwins?
Why do frogs find it necessary to leap out at me, land on my head when I’m walking in the front door, or sit waiting for me on the toilet seat in the middle of the night?
Why am I so damn scared of snakes?
Why does it take me a month worth of strict dieting, exercise, deprivation and anxiety to lose five pounds…but it only takes one weekend of pizza and chips to gain it?
And the one that’s been most on my mind this graduation weekend…
Why, God, did my babies grow up so fast?
Any “why’s” on your list?
-Why did I think coloring my hair myself was a good idea?
-Why does it rain like cats and dogs when I’m wearing my favorite outfit and I don’t have an umbrella?
-Why is it when I’m sick, I still want my mom, who lives over 560 miles away, to take care of me? And why won’t she??
-Why is it just when you take a break to have a little fun, work manages to get in the way?
-Why is it that healthy food goes bad much quicker than the junkfood?
-Why do people think wearing the whole bottle of perfume/cologne is a good idea?
-Why don’t more people park farther away from the building on a nice day?
-Why can’t I be less judgmental?
-Why does taking the train seem like more of a hassle than driving/parking/walking?
-Why are Mondays so tough?
-Why can’t we work 2-day weeks and have 5 days off?
Comment by Stacy ~ — May 22, 2006 @ 7:42 am
Good ones, Stacy!
The only whys I can think of this morning are…
Why is that I wake up twenty minutes before the alarm clock and can’t go back to sleep?
Why is it that I stay up until past midnight to read when I KNOW I’ll then be too exhausted in the morning to work?
And why is Leslie’s daughter graduating and making ME feel old?
Comment by Julie — May 22, 2006 @ 11:11 am
Oh, forgot to mention…for any aspiring writers out there, I updated my Marisela blog today with a craft rant. In case anyone is interested.
http://www.marisela.info/blog
Comment by Julie — May 22, 2006 @ 11:17 am
Why do the tallest, biggest people sit in the front row of MY daughter’s dance recital?
Why do I flly when I KNOW I will come home sick no matter what?
Why can’t they find a cure for the common cold?
Comment by Carly — May 22, 2006 @ 11:23 am
REMINDER - HOT ITEM is due out in stores May 30 (a week from tomorrow) and it’s shipping NOW on Amazon and BN.com.
Comment by Carly — May 22, 2006 @ 11:23 am
I just ordered HOT ITEM from http://www.barnesandnoble.com. Doesn’t matter that I believe I own an ARC, I had to see that number go down! I also ordered an Alison Kent book while I was there. I need one more book to get free shipping and can’t decide what I want!
Comment by Julie — May 22, 2006 @ 11:26 am
Comment by Carly — May 22, 2006 @ 11:28 am
Congratulations, on the high number for Hot Item, it can only go higher Carly……
I can only think of a couple of Why’s this morning
Why do I always jump in where angels fear to tread
Why do I make lists only to procastinate about doing them
Why do I spend so much time on the computer, putting of things that need to be done
Why is it I want to sleep late on mornings when I have to get up with the alarm, but am up with the birds and can never sleep in on days that I don’t have to be up early
Comment by Cryna — May 22, 2006 @ 12:34 pm
why can’t i get my books now. :d
Comment by kim H — May 22, 2006 @ 12:46 pm
~why do I wake up early and still have to rush to get ready for work.
~why do I not know how to say no to people.
~why does my mother’s voice still make me sit up straight and listen
~why do I read Julie’s blog about writing till the wonderful “The End” words and yet I still find myself editing, editing and more editing.
~why is it my flowers outside die when I do all the right stuff and my neighbor who does nothing has flowers blooming all the time
~why is it I plan for several hours of writing only to find myself surfing the net leaving 30 minutes to write.
~why is it just when I start my diet (again) baskin robbins has their ice cream on sale.
Just a few why is it’s for me.
Comment by Vicki — May 22, 2006 @ 1:12 pm
Why did it take so much work for me to FINALLY have my first child?
Why can’t they make IVF a lot less painful, and a lot less traumatic?
Why is it my favorite ice cream is 10 points for a 1/4 cup?!
Why is my husbands mother so…..well lets just say NOT NICE!?
Why can’t I be independently wealthy and not constantly worry about returning to work and missing out on raising my daughter?
Okay, I think I ranted enough…Great topic though Leslie…I do feel better getting them out of my head.
Comment by Kelly — May 22, 2006 @ 1:23 pm
Congratulations on your daughter’s graduation. My daughter is just a year behind yours so my question is:
Why do we think that 18 years old constitutes an adult?
As my daughter and her friends approach this age they all seem very young.
Comment by Maureen — May 22, 2006 @ 2:01 pm
Great topic Leslie! Congrats on your graduate! My son is a junior so next year I’ll be in your shoes.
Only “why” I can think of right now is… why is there so many good books out there and so little time to read?
Comment by Carolyn A. — May 22, 2006 @ 2:36 pm
Great topic Leslie. I laughed so hard at the “sock why”. I have 2 mismatched socks that I’ve been holding on to for about 3 months or so & have no idea why!!
Why does my Mom treat me differently than my brothers–we are all her children?
Why are people these days so rude about sharing the planet with the rest of us?
Why don’t people use the turn signals on their car? Is it to hard to reach that lever with one finger!!
Why can’t I win the lottery & just retire & read & travel & enjoy life?
Why haven’t I found a job yet?
Why don’t we all have Prince Charming in our lives? I mean a real prince of a guy!!
Why does my car get so dusty & yucky just sitting in the car port?
Why are my 3 grandchildren growing up so fast? They are 17, 10 & 7. I have a graduation next year.
Congratulations on your daughter graduating Leslie. Now she will start the journey to really become an adult!!
I’m sure I could think of many more why’s but I don’t want to bore “you all”!!
Take care, have a great day.
Comment by Donna M — May 22, 2006 @ 3:01 pm
Why is it that my dog will dig through my closet to find my favorite pair of slut shoes to chew on when there is a perfectly good pair of old ratty tennis shoes right out in the open? (dog)
Why is it that when I’m driving, working, doing laundry, etc. I can think of 100 different ways to fix the current chapter I’m working on and when I sit down to actually get in on paper it goes away? :s
Why are blinkers optional on expensive cars?
Comment by Erika — May 22, 2006 @ 4:13 pm
Erika! You’re second one is sooooo true!
Comment by Julie — May 22, 2006 @ 4:18 pm
Congrats Carly on ranking of HOT ITEM (y)
Here a few of my Whys…
Why is it whenever I’m able to sleep late the dog decides she wants me to get up and play with her.
Why is it that the tallest person in the theatre sits in front of me (I’m 5ft 2in) when there are lots more seats available.
Why is it no one else in the house knows how to change the toilet paper roll whenever it is empty.
Why is it when you take pains with your makeup and hair it looks like crap, but if you just do it fast and don’t think about it it looks great.
Why is it that the clothing industy can’t make clothing sizes that are uniformally all the same.
Why is the dentist such a scary person.
Why is it that the kids always get sick after doctors office hours are closed.
Comment by Gigi — May 22, 2006 @ 5:04 pm
My only why is why is there not enough time to do the things I want to do, but there is enough time to do the things I have to do (like laundry, for example….swimming in it today with three little boys six and under)?
I think I should take my own advice and “why ask why”.
Have a great day, Everyone!
Comment by katie — May 22, 2006 @ 5:32 pm
I’m really enjoying everyone’s “why” questions. There are so many that you all asked that I’d love to know the answers to, LOL! Here’s mine:
1. Why can’t I eat just one piece of chocolate, instead of the entire bag?
2. Why do I always end up in the slowest line at the bank, store, etc., especially when I’m in a hurry.
3. Same goes for red lights — why do I hit every single red light when I’m in a hurry and hit every green light when I have all the time in the world?
4. Why can’t my daughter’s get along like civil human beings?
5. Why can’t I ever get caught up on the laundry? Why does it seem to multiply and overflow out of the hamper every single day?
6. Why does my hair always look so great on the day I’m getting it cut when I couldn’t do a thing with it the week before when I made the appointment?
Comment by Janelle — May 22, 2006 @ 7:03 pm
Oops, two more:
7. Why aren’t there more hours in a day so I can get everything done that I need to AND take my three hour nap! :d
8. Why does cigarette smoke always drift in my direction, no matter where I’m sitting or standing?
Comment by Janelle — May 22, 2006 @ 7:04 pm
LOL. Janelle, I had the one about cigarette smoke on mine too, then I deleted it. I don’t know why other than it seemed I was being way too critical.
Comment by Stacy ~ — May 23, 2006 @ 12:21 am
;( Why do I think up the worst sceniro’s when I know they’ll make me upset?
Why do I spend so much time worring about things that have already happened instead of looking to the future?
Why does my favorite shirt always end up with a stain on it?
Why do I have so many clothes with no where to put them?
Why does having a nephew by a younger sibling make me feel old at the age of 23?
Comment by Leslie — May 23, 2006 @ 1:34 am
Why oh why won’t my book write itself?
Comment by Jill — May 23, 2006 @ 10:38 am
Why do weekends fly by and weekdays seem to last for ever?
Jill, I thought Noah Fisher was trying to be helpful with his story. LOL
Comment by Susan — May 23, 2006 @ 11:28 am