It’s a New Day for the Shelblog!

I am still not feeling very well.  I got sick on Thursday [I think] so I guess it’s only been three days, but damn!  I should be over this by now.  I’m not throwing up or anything, but I’m having to be very careful what I eat.  Still doing pretty much the BRAT diet [Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast] because everything else makes me feel questionable in my tummy.

Steve’s kinda feeling the same way, so I guess I’m not alone, but I’m used to getting over GI illnesses within a day or two.  Still whining, I know.  Okay I’ll stop now [for this post :P].

I’ve been thinking about writing.  Which is not exactly the same as writing, but this is kind of profound for me.  I’ve decided that I want to write stories that are purely for entertainment.  If anything profound or life-changing ever comes from something I write, I want it to be completely unintentional on my part.

That sounds weird, maybe, but I’ve been putting this invisible [and completely ridiculous] pressure on myself to write something ‘worthwhile’  and worthwhile in my mind has always meant something wise, or profound, or something that would change people’s lives… and you know what?  I think maybe I was an idiot for wanting that. 

I think [for myself, at least]maybe it would be better and more ‘worthwhile’ to write stories that just entertain people for a bit.  Yeah.  I like that.  In fact, I think I want to write stories that entertain me for a bit while I write ‘em.

Hmm.  I like it a lot!

I feel free somehow.

Either flu or food poisoning, and it isn’t fun. It’s making me grumpy, shaky, and generally miserable right now, even though I stopped throwing up two days ago.  Yesterday, I spent the day in bed.  Today, I’ve spent the day in the living room. 

Today, i have the shittiest attitude ever, and i’m feeling even more pissed off because this stupid blog program doesnt’ have a stupid auto-correct, so if i want my stupid i’s capitalized, I have to do it myself, and i’m too freaking lazy to do it today.  so no caps for you, friends.

so i’m pissed off for no reason whatsoever.  I think i’m irritated that i’m not better yet.  i still feel kitten-weak, no, de-clawed kitten weak.  my kids are having to fend for themselves.  i did manage to fix dinner tonight [steve is pointless when it comes to cooking].  it even tasted good, so points for me.

i got really dehydrated from my bout of diarrhea and vomiting.  i’m mostly recovered from it, and i ate half a baked potato and a couple of chicken fritters for dinner, even though I wasn’t hungry, so I shouldn’t be so freaking shaky, and yet, my arms are shaky.  WTF?

So my friend lindsay had a flu bug a couple of weeks ago, and she said she felt 100% again after 24 hours, which either means we got a different flu bug or we got food poisoning, which sucks.  Likely candidate?  Salmonella fits every symptom, including the delay in symptoms for me [i got sick a day and a half after steve].  I also read you can be a carrier of salmonella for months after having it, which is gross, and necessitates frequent cleanings of the house, which I physically can’t do right now.

woe is me!  i am whiny, hear me mmmeeeeeeeeeoooooooooooowwwwwww.  sorry, i got no roar. 

so life is on hold, but I’m feeling restless.  in fact, i’m so freaking grumpy, i want to pick a fight with someone, just to start shit.  how pitiful is that?  i’m not gonna, though.  i’ve got a little self-control.  i am going to whine about it to you, though, because if you’re still reading, you’re obviously a very good listener, and a non-judgmental one, at that. ;)  sorry, that made me giggle a little.

so maybe i’m doing better.  hey, let’s see if I can start every single paragraph with the word ’so’?  what’s that about anyway?  i think it’s one of the dangers of writing with the same ‘voice’ you speak with.  I split my infinitives, end sentences with prepositions, and say ’so’ and ’anyway’ and ’so anyway’ a lot in real life.  I know I shouldn’t, but I likeit.  it’s partly what makes me Shelbi.  hee hee.  [oh yeah, hee hees are multi annoying, and yet, I love them dearly, and use them every chance I get]. 

heh.  so this is me, combative and rude and obnoxious, and believe it or not, i’m keeping it mostly under control here.  my eyes burn, and i’m thirsty, and now steve’s calling me, so I’ll talk to you, later.

“If you want a religion that makes sense, I suggest something other than Christianity.  But if you want a religion that makes life, then, I think this is the one.”

Rich Mullins

1955-1997

I was going through my CD collection and found a bunch of CDs by Rich Mullins.  On the cover of one of the CDs I found that quote.  There used to be a lot more stuff about him on the internet, and I’m a little sad it’s gone, because he was a very interesting human being. 

I loved his lyrics, envied his talent for poetry, and had hoped to go see him in concert one day.  I was saddened the day I found out he had been killed in a car accident, because I felt like the world could have stood to have him around a while longer, but I was happy for him, because I knew he was finally where he’d always wanted to be.

How could I begrudge someone seeing Jesus face to face?  Well, I could, but I’d kinda be a selfish jerk, now wouldn’t I?  Anyway, I got all sentimental and stuff, remembering how much I loved his music and personality.  He kinda had this self-depricating sense of humor that always makes me like someone.

So anyway, I’m going to leave you with the lyrics of my all-time favorite Rich Mullins song [if you can find a download, listen to it, because it's PRETTY!]

If I Stand

by Rich Mullins 

There’s more that rises in the morning
Than the sun
And more that shines in the night
Than just the moon
It’s more than just this fire here
That keeps me warm
In a shelter that is larger
Than this room

And there’s a loyalty that’s deeper
Than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs
That I can sing
The stuff of Earth competes
For the allegiance
I owe only to the Giver
Of all good things

So if I stand let me stand on the promise
That you will pull me through
And if I can’t, let me fall on the grace
That first brought me to You
And if I sing let me sing for the joy
That has born in me these songs
And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home

There’s more that dances on the prairies
Than the wind
More that pulses in the ocean
Than the tide
There’s a love that is fiercer
Than the love between friends
More gentle than a mother’s
When her baby’s at her side

And there’s a loyalty that’s deeper
Than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs
That I can sing
The stuff of Earth competes
For the allegence
I owe only to the Giver
Of all good things

So if I stand let me stand on the promise
That you will pull me through
And if I can’t let me fall on the grace
That first brought me to You
And if I sing let me sing for the joy
That has born in me these songs
And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home

And if I stand let me stand on the promise
That you will pull me through
And if I can’t let me fall on the grace
That first brought me to You

Heh. Still gives me goosebumps.

Michaela was running around just now singing, “Wow, Chicka Wow wow” like from those stupid commercials [is it Sonic?  Don't remember... it's some fast food chain, though].

Goofy kids.

Shaya tells me that it comes from Alvin and the Chipmunks. 

Stayed up too late.  Oh well, the kids don’t have school tomorrow, and we still have power [yay!] so I can handle a little fatigue since I get to sleep late anyway.

A lot of people don’t have power though, and it’s twenty six degrees outside.  I hope everybody stays warm.

So far.  A lot of people in my area have lost power, so it may be just a matter of time.  Steve went to work today, and I guess he’s been pretty busy.

Apparently, the big trucks aren’t slowing down, so every time he sees one in a ditch, he gives ‘em a ticket.  Why is it that people who live here, and should know better, think they don’t have to slow down when it’s icy?

There’s probably a half inch or more covering everything outside.  The trees are gorgeous, but they’re falling apart and their pitiful broken branches are landing in inconvenient places.  The kids are home from school today [and loving it].

Steve and I were talking a little bit ago and we got cut off.  I just sent a page to his phone.  I’m going to give him a little bit of time to call me back before I call Troop to make sure he’s okay.  Right now, I’m not worried, but if the anxiety starts, I’ll be giving them a call.

Fun times.

Well, if you didn’t know by now, I live in Missouri, and the weather forecast is calling for a massive ice storm here, starting tonight and going into tomorrow.  That’s all fine and good, but they’re saying the accumulation could be over an inch of ice.

That could be bad for the power in town.  We have a gas stove and a gas water heater, so we’ll have food and hot water [hopefully] but the possibility of a power outage, if indeed we do end up with that much ice, is pretty good.

So if you don’t hear from me for a few days, either via the blog or e-mail, don’t take it personally, okay?  And let’s just pray that this storm has a lot less bite than the weather people think it will.

Well, I think it is anyway.  Thanks for the link, Artem.

Here’s an interesting link to a chapter in a book that Artem Gr referenced on down in my comments [under the post called "Wow"].

I think it was written a while ago, because it references people I’ve never heard of, but I think it’s pretty self-explanatory, and I think most people can get the gist of it with a little bit of concentration.  It’s not something you can just scan and understand, though, so don’t follow the link if that’s all you’re going to do.

I’ll write more later, but I have a DVR calling out my name, and kids yammering to play the video game. 

See you later.