Tag Archives: Confessional

Bad Press Is Good Press

When I wrote yesterday’s post about living big, taking chances and standing behind what I choose to say online, I didn’t expect to be faced with such immediate public consequences.

Before I had a chance to even think about what I would write next, I was given a clipping from a local paper that actually quoted me out of context AND made me sound like a suburban princess.

Every day my husband picks up The Washington Post’s free Express paper and reads it on the Metro. So does a woman that works with him (Hi Alicia!), and she saved us the Lookout Online page from July 30th. We were at the beach that week, but I still tried to get out a quick post (for a themed week of confessions) from the nearby inernet cafe each night. Who would have thought that one of my flaws would be picked up and then picked on.

This particular confession was that I have a hard time remembering to bring my eco-friendly shopping bags into the store, and as a result, have accumulated a bit of a collection.

Here is the piece that was published as part of the “Blog Log”:

“I HAVE 20 Whole Foods grocery bags in [my] trunk. I never remember to bring them into the store with me, so I continue to find myself buying new ones. I could just use the paper – but it’s now a matter of principle. That was the point of buying the first one.”

THEBIGPIECEOFCAKE.COM HAS CASH TO BURN NOT JUST ON GROCERIES FROM WHOLE FOODS, BUT APPARENTLY ALSO ON HER BAGS FOR THEM.

This paraphrased quote implies that I have tons of money because I sometimes shop at Whole Foods. I didn’t realize that I needed to clarify that I buy specific things at Whole Foods – not everything. Of course they left out the part where I say, “but when I go to the regular grocery store I use their plastic.” Wouldn’t one assume that calling the other option “regular” means that I go there, um, regularly.

Anyway – to get defensive and overexplain myself would be completely losing sight of my new devil may care attitude toward living online. So I will just say, “thanks Washington Post Express – I appreciate the plug.” Even if it wasn’t accurate.

Friday Confession and Guest Post

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For my last confession of the week, I thought I’d go with something embarrassing. So here it is. I was a very weird little girl. I loved anything “old fashioned” and felt as if I was born in the wrong century. I desperately wanted to wear high button shoes and carry a parasol.

I had a Madame Alexander doll that I particularly liked (probably Amy from Little Women with her blond hair and yellow pinafore) and I went through a phase when I would drag it everywhere with me. And I was not that little – I think I was nine! But by then I had read A Little Princess something like nine times and was enamored with Sara Crewe’s doll that had a wardrobe to match her own (I only WISHED that I had a yellow pinafore…).

I also used to like my grade school uniform because I thought it kind of looked like something old fashioned. It really didn’t, but it was a plaid jumper, and that seemed close enough. I even wore it in the summer without a shirt underneath. Like some kind of bizarre sundress. Never mind that it was a hideous polyester. I thought the two buttons at the waist were very smart looking. My best friend at the time didn’t know what to make of this. But as long as I participated in her horse-obsessed game preferences, she was willing to put up with it.

Finally – I think I read the Little House series even more than A Little Princess, and would memorize the details of what Laura and Mary wore, how they did their hair (I was big on braids back then) and could only wish that someone would invite me to a taffy pull. During this time, I tried to emulate some of these quaint practices and insisted on calling my parents “Ma and Pa.” They humored me, but I can only imagine what they really thought of this. My brother flatly refused to join in, and much to my disappointment, it never really caught on.

Sometime in seventh grade, I stopped being such a dork and became a bit more mainstream in my interests. But I still had to live with the shameful memory of wandering around downtown DC wearing one of my odd get ups – most likely involving a hat – possibly garnished with fresh flowers from a neighbor’s garden.

That’s it! No more confessions from me for a while (but feel free to add any of your own). And don’t forget – I’m guest posting on Light Refreshments Served today (Friday, August 1), so make sure to check it out!

Thursday Confession

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Day four of my vacation and week of confessions. Here is number four: I don’t really like playing with my kids. Well – let me clarify. I don’t really enjoy playing with toy trains, building Lego tower after Lego tower so that my toddler can knock them over, or running through the same “Wake Up Jeff!” scene from the Wiggles over and over and over and over again (and again and again and again and again) with my three year old.

I’ve never been all that good at this part of being with kids. I love them and I love spending time with them (I was a babysitter for years), but I just can’t rediscover that inner child that can disappear in the land of make believe for hours on end. I get bored. And then I want to sneak my headphones in and listen to one of my recorded books (see Monday’s confession). And then I feel guilty and throw myself into the game with far more gusto than I actually feel. But it makes the kids happy – so I guess it all works out in the end.

I first recognized this apathy back when my now college age cousin was three and said that playing “guys” (i.e. action figures) with me was different because I always had them taking naps. I’ve even tried this with my own kids, “Hey – let’s pretend that we’re sleeping!” But that damn Jeff always wakes up when people yell at him – so it is just more of the “Wake Up Jeff” game. Which completely defeats the purpose.

What about you? Have anything that you want to confess?

Wednesday Confession

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Day three of my vacation and week of confessions. Here is number three (a little early so it’s up by Wednesday morning): I hate concerts. I hate getting to them with all of the traffic and pressing of bodies on public transportation. I hate the smell of stadiums. I hate waiting in line for bathrooms that are either port-a-pottys – or may as well be in their level of ickiness. I hate memorabilia and tee shirts. I hate sitting in one place for more than a couple of hours. And I hate knowing that I’ll have to repeat the same commute on the way home.

This doesn’t mean that I’ve never been to concerts. I’ve been to many – but the older I get the less of a tolerance I have for them. Best case scenario for me is an open air situation with lawn seats, allowing the opportunity to walk around, talk and pack a picnic basket. Yeah – snacks make everything better…

What about you? Have anything to confess?

Tuesday Confession

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Day two of my vacation and week of confessions. Here is number two: I have 20 Whole Foods grocery bags in the trunk of my car. I mean the kind that you buy so that you don’t ruin the environment with plastic bags or even the paper bags that are apparently just as bad. But I never remember to bring them into the store with me, so I continue to find myself buying new ones. I COULD just use the paper – but it’s now a matter of principle. I am a Whole Foods shopper that uses environmentally friendly bags. That was the point in buying the first one. It was an effort to make a difference – even in my own small way. But when I go to the regular grocery store I use their plastic. So my principles are exactly as ridiculous as they sound.

What about you? Have anything you’d like to confess?

Monday Confession

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Ugh Monday. It’s so hard to go back to the office/watch your mother’s helper (husband) leave for work and KNOW that there are five more days to get through before the next weekend. That is, unless you are spending your week at the BEACH. That’s right – I’m on vacation. So I’m just doing a short post each day. Every day I’m going to confess something. Nothing too deep and dark. Just some little things.

Here is my confession for Monday. I listen to recorded books. I don’t mean on long road trips either. I mean any time that I am in the car, exercising or doing something that might be otherwise mindless. Most people listen to music or just enjoy the opportunity to be alone and think. Not me – if I don’t have a story to listen to, I get panicky. What if I get bored? What if I get stuck in traffic and have to be bored for a really long time? It’s just not something I’m willing to risk.

My recorded books obsession began about ten years ago when I was still calling them “books on tape” (pfft – so 90s). I thought that it might be a good distraction for running at the gym. Like I’d get so caught up in the book that I’d forget that I was actually exercising. It didn’t really work – but I did find that it made the activity a little more bearable. But then I found that as with any good book, it was hard to put down the headphones. I continued to listen on the tape deck in my car. And it snowballed from there.

Now I’m a full on recorded books nerd. I get them from the library and have paid many a late fee. I have favorite “voices” and will sometimes base a book selection on whether or not I am familiar with the reader. I will give pretty much anything George Guidall reads a try. I was even hideously disappointed when I saw that he was going to speak at a Fairfax County Library event and I couldn’t get a ticket. I’m not the most involved library patron. Didn’t see the flyer until too late. THAT was disappointing.