Payday

Work product

Yesterday I was frantically trying to figure out the finances.  Today is Payday.

I have two people inside me:  One went to college and wanted to take the world by storm.  I can definitely be a workaholic, and have been.  I love putting out a superior product with superior service.  The other person inside me has wanted to be a mom since as far back as I have memories.  I sort of run that the same way:  I'm a workaholic, I want to put out a superior product, and I want to serve them well.  The first one pays a lot more than the second, though.  And I have that tug of war that many (most? all?) women have as they want to contribute financially to their home but want to be everything to their families.  I do have a business (or three) running from home, some more successful than others.  But my most important job and most beloved job title remains Mama.

This morning I woke up to a Mama job bonus.  A million-dollar bonus.  In the night, my daughter had put something on Twitter.  For those of you unfamiliar with Twitter, you can put a hashtag (# symbol) in front of something you write on Twitter and it becomes a way for people to search for that thing.  So, if I wrote, "Just burned the roast. #foodnetwork," then people can go to #foodnetwork on Twitter and see the posts from everyone there, and the people at Food Network can comment on them (hopefully helping you with that roast).  So, here's what I woke up to:

#thingsmymomtaughtme independence, confidence, hard work ethic, success, empathy, faith, loyalty @DanetteSteimle <3

#thingsmymomtaughtme always stay classy, no matter what

She could have written anything at all - you should read some of them.  A personal fave was from a teenage boy: #thingsmymomtaughtme A jealous woman does better research than the FBI.  (Props to that mama!)  But my girl wrote things I yearn for her to know.

It's these things that are a mom's payday.  And it made me think of things my kids did that made it Payday for me:

Ty wrote the most amazing and sublime essay based on his childhood.  Some of the things that he imparted to me will stay with me forever.  He's written me poems, encouraging letters, and sweet cards.  And he never never pulls away from a hug first - even if he has to leave.  

Holly finds ways to write the most loving notes to me:  Texts, Facebook, little notes on the counter (attached to Voodoo donuts!), and now Twitter.  She shows up with her blanket, pillow, and water in hand and announces we'll be watching a show together now.  

Austin never misses kissing me right before he leaves the house and right when he comes back in the house.  He asks me about my day.  He opens my doors, carries my packages, and always offers me his arm when we're walking anywhere, even in front of his buddies.    

In my type-A way, I dwell on the finances of my family.  How can I make them go further?  How can I bring in some?  How can I pay that?  But today is Payday.  I will simply roll around in my bonuses today.  Today I will be content and so very, very grateful.


What does your Payday look like?

Voting Blind

I voted.  And I voted "blind" this time.  I was curious about whether I was truly more Republican or Democrat.  Whether I identified with one of them over the other because of other influences: because my parents leaned one way; because my friends leaned one way; because of the media.  So, as I researched each person who ran on my ballot, I covered up the party affiliation.  I read about the actual person.  I went online and checked out their values, their issues, their positions, their education, their qualifications for the job.  

And I voted.  Blind.  For governor.  For state attorney general.  For senators.  For president.  For vice president.  I blackened in those bubbles with permanent ink.  It felt amazing to know I'd chosen people I really, truly thought were right for the job.  

And then I uncovered the party affiliations and tallied them up.  Just to know. Just to see whether I truly leaned one way or the other.  And guess what?  The tally was 6 one side and 8 the other.  Right down the middle.  And that made me think...

What if we could cover up everyone's "affiliation?"  Cover up titles such as, attractive, unattractive, poor, rich, smart, dumb, thin, fat, and other words I do not say?  What if we would mentally blank people out - look at them like a mental silhouette - so we would judge them based on the content of their character?  How would our lives change?  What people would we have as friends that we don't now?  What jobs would we take that we have spurned?  What books would we read, what advice would we take, what clothes would we wear, what labels would we use/reject?

I'm going to try it.  Friending blind.  Choosing blind.  And I'm going to hope people will do that with me.