Dear So and So

[Catrin]

Dear Neck,

It has been 6 months and 2 weeks since the fall. You've been fine with every kind of activity under the sun in the last few months, so why complain about the spinning bike? I've done lots of weird stuff at the gym recently, thrown a lot of weights around, road-ridden, mountain biked easy trails, no problems. Then I get on a spinning bike for 2 hours and now you are acting all inflamed and cranky. What is up with that?

Guess the Schwinn spinning bikes at my new gym aren't for me...oh well, I would rather ride outside this time of the year anyway. I will need to find some other cardio outlet at the gym for raining days


The rest of your body,
Catrin

[alexis_the_tiny]

Dear stomach, it's just another relationship going down the drain, there's no need to react like that. Stop burning, I have to go and be an adult tomorrow, thanks.

[malkin]

((att)) Hang in there.
Saltine crackers have been my friend.

[shootingstar]

Dear life, please seem so much less empty. I understand that a good number of my peers are settling down and getting engaged/married/into long term relationships/having kids but that's not in my cards for a long time to come or maybe ever. Might I remind you of the three year nightmare that came along when I last decided to 'just settle'? Stop shouting at me in all those odd moments of downtime when I'm not prepared to deal with you. Thanks.

Have you gone on trip for a few days by yourself, alex and wandered around on bike? It's most liberating.

[Owlie]

Dear stomach, it's just another relationship going down the drain, there's no need to react like that. Stop burning, I have to go and be an adult tomorrow, thanks.

(((Alexis)))


Dear bike,
I'm very, very sorry about that. You know well enough what I'm like when I'm hungry, so stopping off at the McD's was necessary. Unfortunately, I'm apparently an idiot at navigating bike racks. I'll clean you up tonight or tomorrow (at least the frame, since I'm in no mood to tackle what it takes to keep you from soiling the carpet if I give you a real bath), then put some nail polish on those scratches.

Dear self:
Maybe you should actually eat more (including protein) before riding, that way the McD's trips aren't necessary. Also, never buy the chocolate chip Clif bars again. Eew.

Dear butt:
Can you not shrink any more, at least for right now? I realize that this is an odd request, but in the past year, I've bought you new shorts and new jeans. Now I have to buy you new summer-weight pants (because while the stuff I wore last summer fits, I can't wear knee-length skorts in the lab), and worst of all, new bike shorts. I cannot afford new bike shorts. And it doesn't help that you're picky about shorts. Knock it off.
I'd contemplate not wearing shorts, but that might make finding a new home for my saddle a little difficult. Also I'd get arrested.

[alexis_the_tiny]

Shootingstar, I shall be off to NYC and Boston in a few weeks. To race a tri, see my sister, wander around lovely places, hopefully ride bikes. And then off to a beach holiday before the summer vacation is over for my kids and I have to work again. It sounds exactly like what my soul needs...

[limewave]

Dear Mom,

You are the Awesomest. I don't know what we'd do without you and dad. I am a heel for asking you to babysit all day on Mother's Day so DH and I can train for this ridiculous MTB race. I owe you BIG TIME.

I'm thinking brunch and an appointment at the spa for a hot stone massage??? I'll set it up.

~Your Favorite daughter, Limewave

[Veronica]

Dear Parent;

Really? You want to bring in a cake for your son's birthday? In the middle of state testing? Really? A cake? You better stay to cut it and serve it. It's too bad you can't send him to school with a healthy snack every day. He's always mooching food off his peers. How much does a cake for 32 kids cost? I bet you could buy a couple weeks worth of granola bars with that. I really hope you got a store bought cake, because district policy is no homemade treats. I forgot to mention that when you called yesterday because I was so flabbergasted that you wanted to bring in a cake.

You said it was going to be a surprise. I hope it still is because he has a big mouth and I don't need 32 kids anticipating cake all day. I need them concentrating on doing well on this test.

[redrhodie]

Dear Co-Worker,
It's not my fault they are making me take your office and moving you to a different building. It's not your fault either. It's that b*$%$ L's fault! So stop taking it out on me by being vile and throwing temper tantrums!

V/R
The anti-drama Queen.

At least for today.

Ugh. Drama finds us when we least expect it. Will this at least help the smoking issue?

[Pax]

Dear Co-worker,

Yes, our boss has retired, yes she left a bit of a mess in her wake. No, we do NOT need to stop doing everything else while you hand carry each piece of paper from her former desk to each one of us asking "do we need this"... as you've been doing for two days. Go sit down and be quiet.

Your exasperated co-worker

[limewave]

Dear Parent;

Really? You want to bring in a cake for your son's birthday? In the middle of state testing? Really? A cake? You better stay to cut it and serve it. It's too bad you can't send him to school with a healthy snack every day. He's always mooching food off his peers. How much does a cake for 32 kids cost? I bet you could buy a couple weeks worth of granola bars with that. I really hope you got a store bought cake, because district policy is no homemade treats. I forgot to mention that when you called yesterday because I was so flabbergasted that you wanted to bring in a cake.

You said it was going to be a surprise. I hope it still is because he has a big mouth and I don't need 32 kids anticipating cake all day. I need them concentrating on doing well on this test.

Ugh! What a pain!

[alexis_the_tiny]

Dear Parent;

Really? You want to bring in a cake for your son's birthday? In the middle of state testing? Really? A cake? You better stay to cut it and serve it. It's too bad you can't send him to school with a healthy snack every day. He's always mooching food off his peers. How much does a cake for 32 kids cost? I bet you could buy a couple weeks worth of granola bars with that. I really hope you got a store bought cake, because district policy is no homemade treats. I forgot to mention that when you called yesterday because I was so flabbergasted that you wanted to bring in a cake.

You said it was going to be a surprise. I hope it still is because he has a big mouth and I don't need 32 kids anticipating cake all day. I need them concentrating on doing well on this test.

That's both funny and exasperating. But sounds like you'd better send a handwritten note back about the district policy, just in case. LOL!

[Veronica]

The cake they brought in was amazing - decorated with a SF Giants theme. Two layers, separated with strawberries and the cake was divided into vanilla and chocolate sections. Not a cheap cake. Mom, dad and grandma came and served it after lunch recess. The kid was really surprised and happy. I don't understand the need to bring stuff into the classroom though and I still wish he had a healthy snack every day.

Veronica

[Crankin]

Kids really like it when parents do this. It lets them feel like a "star" for the moment. I used to go in to my kid's classes in elementary school and make latkes at Chanukah (we were pretty much the only Jews around where we lived at the time) and both of my kids loved the attention. It's not like they didn't get any at home!
I agree, though. He should have a healthy snack every day. My take on this, after just about a year of going to families' homes to counsel is that birthdays and other holidays are really big deals to some who are struggling in other ways. They do stuff and spend money on things for their kids that they shouldn't because it's meeting some other need, when really it's the day to day stuff that should be attended to. I've seen this across cultures and generations. Most of the clients I work with have more toys and stuff than my own kids had.

[Veronica]

My take on this, after just about a year of going to families' homes to counsel is that birthdays and other holidays are really big deals to some who are struggling in other ways. They do stuff and spend money on things for their kids that they shouldn't because it's meeting some other need, when really it's the day to day stuff that should be attended to. I've seen this across cultures and generations. Most of the clients I work with have more toys and stuff than my own kids had.

Totally agree. Same kid has a fancy cell phone too. Our clientele is changing, next year we will be a Title 1 school. But many of those kids who are getting free or reduced lunch have cell phones, which they are on as soon as the bell rings. Maybe cell phone companies have a reduced rate for the poor or a great family rate. But I see a definite trend towards bling and less emphasis on day to day necessities - like pencils and tissues for my classroom!

Veronica