Stress | BulgingButtons

June 27, 2014
by BulgingButtons 11 Comments

Friday Freakout and Happy Blogday to BulgingButtons

Movers are scheduled to arrive in 25 hours. As I look around I wonder how we’ll make it happen, but I know that we will. The good news is that I don’t HAVE to be completely out of here until Monday, so after they take the big stuff I can still finish up any odds and ends on Sunday. Still, I WANT to be done on Saturday. Um, I mean tomorrow. Right now it just seems a little unlikely, but if I keep breathing maybe it will all come together.

Oh, and BulgingButtons is officially ONE YEAR OLD! Happy Birthday Blog! I’ve decided that a Blogday is something to celebrate, even if only by eating a Weight Watchers raspberry ice cream bar for breakfast (only 2 points). See, in my mind celebrations still equals food. Old habits and mindsets are hard to break. Maybe we should celebrate with a splash in the pool or a bike ride around the neighborhood? That would be more in keeping with the original BulgingButtons mission, I think.

As of this morning BulgingButtons has 999 followers. Perhaps the 1,000th follow will be our blogday present? That would be wonderful. Even better than a raspberry ice cream bar. Really.

Have a fabulous Friday and party like a rock star in honor of one year of BulgingButtons. If you have any whiz bang moving tips to make my life calmer, easier, or less crazy feel free to share. I always learn so much from you. Of course if you have any moving horror stories, feel free to share those too (I’m afraid they’re all too common). We will all read them and nod slowly or stifle a giggle, or gasp appropriately, and we will commiserate with you. Then we will secretly thank the powers that be that it happened to you and not us. No offense, of course. So bring on those moving stories, I will try not to let them scare me too badly.

April 9, 2014
by BulgingButtons 4 Comments

This Could Be the One

My house has been on the market for almost 7 weeks. I’m told the current average time on the market is around 11 weeks. I wish to beat that time, but I can only do so much.

I got a call earlier this evening from a realtor who would like to bring her client by tomorrow. Yay. It’s been several days since anyone has looked at the house. If they don’t come, they won’t buy. A showing is a good thing, and I’m happy that there’s one scheduled.

I’m also tired of it. Not of the showings, exactly, just of the preparation. With every showing there’s a renewed flurry of activity, in addition to the already expanded daily routine. I know I should quit complaining about it, but it’s wearing on me.

I’m starting to feel even more like a nagging mother than usual. “Make your bed, put away your laundry, dust your bookshelves, clean your toilet.” On and on it goes. I don’t like being this kind of mom. I don’t want to freak out if there are fingerprints on my son’s bathroom mirror or if he leaves a pair of socks in the hopefully named “media” room (aka spare bedroom). Both of those things happened today, and I found myself relieved that nobody saw the house in “that” condition. I want us to be able to relax a little and not stress out over trash cans with trash in them or the occasional book or magazine left on a side table.

For now, though, we have to keep tidy. Whether we realize it or not people make decisions based on irrelevant stimuli all the time. I don’t need anyone deciding that this house is wrong for them because there’s a toothpaste tube on the vanity or the shower curtain hasn’t been closed. Stupid stuff, but the brain works in mysterious ways, and I don’t want to give anyone’s brain any reason to say no to this house.

I’m guilty of these silly judgements myself. I know that when I tour homes I want to see clean, tidy houses. I want it to be clear that the seller knows that they are trying to sell. I don’t want to be distracted by the age of the furniture or the color of the walls or the collection of judo trophies on a shelf.

Over the years, I have seen homes in all sorts of conditions, from vandalized, filthy, and falling apart wrecks to the beautifully designed model homes of top builders. My home is none of these, but with a lot of effort hopefully it is closer to the model type than the dump type.

This is a great house. It will make someone a great home. I think they may be stopping by tomorrow, so I have to go. I want to make sure they feel welcome.

March 11, 2014
by BulgingButtons 7 Comments

Five Days of Fix Ups

No beach vacation this time, but check out that pedicure!

I’m on Spring Break this week. Woo Hoo! Five glorious days away from the routine of school. Five days of relative peace and quiet. Five days without meetings or discipline issues or grading papers. Five days to rest, relax, and recharge. Five days to build up my reserves in order to face the dreaded final push before testing.

I decided that during these five days I would purposefully take care of myself. I would handle the neglected tasks that help me to look and feel my best. I would take care of the business of taking care of me.

Yesterday I started with a haircut. It was long overdue, and I walked out of the salon feeling ten pounds lighter and five years younger. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but I was happy with the cut and I do feel better looking in the mirror.

On my list for the week is an appointment to have routine lab work done (not fun, but vital for my health), a appointment to have my teeth cleaned, and a pedicure. Throw in some time with girlfriends, a movie date with my son, and a day out with my mother and son together, and I have a busy week.

I’m glad the whole week isn’t filled with the chores of life, like taking the dog to the vet and groomers, and getting new tires. Those items are on the docket this week too, but they don’t dominate it, since I have these other things planned.

It’s a full week, but I don’t feel at all stressed. Each day I have one thing planned that will move me closer to the goal of looking and feeling great. What better way to spend a week off than that?