There are days,…
When I just wonder if I am going to make it through Donovan’s teen years, much less those of the three still to hit them. There are times when I am so frustrated that I just want to scream, lose my mind, and bang my head against a wall,… not necessarily in that order. There are a few problems with that, however. One, if I screamed as loud and ferociously as I wanted to, I can guarantee that my neighbors would call the police and I do NOT look good in orange prison gear. Second, I am not sure I have much of a mind left to lose. Third, the walls of my apartment are so thin that my head would break through and then I would have to pay for the damage. So I guess I will have to console myself with more coffee, which I love, but just doesn’t relieve the stress involved with dealing with a teen ager. Maybe a little Stoli, but it isn’t even 0730 yet. Hmmmm.
This morning’s drama was as stupid (and as frustrating) as usual. I think it’s level of stupidity that makes it so freakin’ frustrating. It is stupid because not only is the situation a no-brainer, but it is something we go through literally EVERY school day morning. That just amps up the stupidty factor! Dono’s bus is the last one to leave, almost a ½ hour after the younger three. So he gets up at 0615 to shower and get ready. Some how it takes him twice as long to shower as it does all three of his brothers AND me. So by the time he makes it out for breakfast, he usually has less than 15 minutes to eat and get out the door to catch his bus. Herein lies the problem. No matter how much I nag him, he NEVER gets his shit together the night before like everyone else. So at the last minute he is throwing stuff in his bag, grabbing practice clothes and pulling out dirty clothes from the day before. The latter REALLY bugs me, considering I nag him EVERY night to give me those dirty clothes since I start the first load of laundry BEFORE he gets up. And then, when I point out that he really needs to get moving or he will miss the bus, what does he do? You would think that he would move faster, wouldn’t you? Well, you would be wrong. He slows down like a turtle in a molasses sea. It is freakin’ ridiculous. When I call him on it, I get that oh-so-sincere, Donovan-patented, half-assed “sorry”! Yeah, that and $2 and I can go get a cup of coffee. It is just so stupid. How hard is it to take 5 minutes to get your crap together at night? Then he wouldn’t have to rush in the morning and CONSTANTLY miss his bus.
I just get so tired of giving the same lectures over and over again. I shouldn’t have to, especially over such inane bullshit. I tell you, the teenage years SUCK!!
10 Favorite Cities
1. Honolulu/Waikiki, HI. They sort of run into one another so it is kind of hard sometimes to see the distinction between the two! I fell in love with the islands when I was stationed in Hawaii and spent a lot of time in Honolulu and Waikiki. I love the beaches of Waikiki, Chinatown in Honolulu, the shopping in both! There are tons of things to do and see in both places. One of my favorite places was the International Marketplace, which has a ton of tiny shops with everchanging things!
2. San Francisco, CA. I fell in love with San Francisco the first time I was stationed at DLI in Monterey. The city has so much to offer, whether it be touristy things or culture. There is a little bit of everything there! My favorites were the wharf, the zoo, and Haight-Ashbury.
3. Monterey, CA. I lived here twice while going to DLI, a little more than a year each time. Yes, there are a lot of touristy places like Cannery Row and the Carousel, but there are a lot of little tucked away places that will charm you, like the Butterfly Grove Inn. And the 17 Mile Drive along the beach is something to behold!
4. San Antonio, TX. When I was stationed at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, we used to trek to San Antonio on the weekends alot. I loved the contrast of new and contemporary side by side with the old and historical. One of my favorite places was the River Walk, especially at night when the musicians were wandering about and impromtu concerts would sprout up.
5. Columbia, SC. I was stationed at Fort Jackson, just outside Columbia, about 9 years ago, and I spent a lot of time in the city. It has everything, from a fantastic zoo to an amazing collection of museums. I spent hours in the museums, my favorite being the South Carolina State Museum. The last time I was there, they had an incredible exhibit of civil war era quilts that were amazing!
6. Richmond, VA. My reasons for loving RIchmond are somewhat odd, but meaningful for me! My absolute favorite thing about Richmond was the VCU Center for Cleft & Craniofacial Care because they took care of Ty and did a beautiful job with my sweet pea! Richmond itself was a beautiful city, though, with a ton of things to see and do.
7. Ottawa, ON. I just took the kids on a trip there during spring break and we had a fabulous time. There are some gorgeous museums there, a great science one, too. The gothic architecture of the Parliament and surrounding buildings is beyond compare. The shopping is terrific and there are a ton of cultural things to do and see. And may I suggest the Westin as a completely indulgent place to stay?!
8. Baltimore, MD. I was stationed at Fort Meade for a few years and spent most of my weekends in Baltimore. The Inner Harbor is gorgeous, with a lot of shopping and restaurants. The science museum is just off the harbor and is a ton of fun! I have spent many hours watching my Yankees play the Orioles and attended the first game at Camden Yards. He wasn’t there when I was but there is always Chef Duff of Charm City Cakes, too!
9. Kailua-Kona, HI. I spent just one weekend in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, the weekend of my 25th birthday. I was charmed by the area even before I landed. As I flew in over the black lava fields, it was like I was about to land on the moon. Here and there on the black lava were little heiaus and hearts with initials inside, laid out in brilliant white puka shells. And then when I landed, I was suddenly in a lush, tropical area! The city itself was so quaint, and pretty and I loved my weekend there!
10. New York City, NY. I haven’t been to NYC since I was a freshman in college, but I still love it! My parents took me once when I was still in single digits and I still remember so much about that trip. They took me to FAO Scwartz, which is an adventure in and of itself, the biggest toy store EVER! They also took me to see Annie on Broadway, which was an incredible experience. We also went to a bunch of off-Broadway shows and some performance art shows. I think the Museum of Natural History was probably my favorite, closely followed by the Museum of Modern Art! When I went in college, it was Thanksgiving break and I was with my boyfriend, who was from Long Island. He took me to see the windows a Lord & Taylors, which are done up in spectacular style for the Christmas season every year. They were unbelievable. He also took me to the Macy’s Herald Square to see their window displays and the winter wonderland in the store that leads to a visit with Santa. It was absolutely like a fairy tale!!
Ottawa is a fun place! It’s on my list too!
I played too :)
It’s sounds like you’ve had quite a busy life being shuffled around by the military. But you have had some fabulous destinations. I’ve been to Baltimore and certainly agree about the Inner Harbor! It’s a beautiful place.
Lot’s of people listed NYC, as did I, and I’d love to go back for a longer stay!