Let's Start Over

The semester is starting on amazing note I'd say. My days are long, my classes are cool, and I'm pretty much drama free. The gym is my new morning pastime and I've made an extra special investment mentally with my ballet class. I told a few people that I didn't really have any new years resolutions, but I think I had goals which I guess could count.

Seeing my mother was work. I managed to go the whole trip without any arguments or major blow ups... Most of that was due to my holding my tongue on my numerous amount of criticisms on the way she lives. I still despise where she lives and it really does bother me how she lives, but I said nothing. And at points where she was doing something that could be labeled as crazy I threw up my hands and just thought internally "Eff it! If you want to be crazy be crazy!" <-- That was hard because normally I try to make sense of it or rationalize it and I'd just get frustrated. No more. Crazy is as crazy does and I've become okay with not giving it any merit. All this to say that I have truly come up with goals or resolutions or what have you that are aimed toward not being like my mother. I always said that I wanted to be nothing like my mother, but I never thought out a framework as to how to make that happen. So here it is.

1. Body. In taking ballet I've kind have entered in a form of bodily discipline especially with working out and eating properly (I mean who doesn't want to look good in a leotard?) I'm going to the gym as often as possible, two days a week at the very least. My mom has a hard taking care of herself and I simply would like to not have a hard time doing so.
2. Mind. Aim well in my classes. I love my history course this semester and my planning courses are good areas for discussion and challenging thoughts. If I had time I'd read a book a month on some random subject. It would take discipline but I would like to keep my mind active in that way. My mom is trying in her aiming for her certification. It's encouraging to see.
3. Music. Being extra careful in what I ingest musically is rather important. Considering the message of the music is a big deal. Sometimes I wonder if my mother believes some of the lyrics to the songs she listens to, but it's not my place to question it especially considering some of the junk I've listened to in my life time so far.
4. Relationally. I NEED to keep people around me, preferably people that love me and are honest. I need people to point out things that are weird that I do. I need people to love on and to love me. Isolation is really not an option. I think isolation and bad relationships has backed my mom into a corner mentally. She seems so disconnected and thinking on it it's not surprising given the men who have hurt her and the pathetic situations she's ended up in (that I have to remember are NOT my fault NOR my responsibility. Even if I feel like they are sometimes)
5. Cutting Ties. I save so much time and energy when I let go of people that are wasting them. I've watched mom waste away so much effort on people, not just men, who just have nothing to offer in their friendships with her. Even the people closest to her she seems to keep around or has an excuse to be involved with them for some strange reason. I think I'm over that now. I'm going to start acting like I'm over it. [This actually ties into my issue of taking on people that God hasn't really meant for me to be involved with. I'm feeling the effects of it.]

I never thought if that much before because I used to think that I was so tough... but all of these things are hard, but necessary for me to overcome- and obviously I have not overcome them entirely. I like this me. I constantly try to remember to sit up straight and walk tall. I work out. I laugh and I sleep like a baby. I feel free. Even with the work ahead of me I feel free. Thank you, God in heaven.

Future Foe Scenarios

Maybe it's a product of being a young Christian. Or perhaps it's something that comes with being weak in the faith or prone to sine and cosine graph emotions. Maybe you've experienced it in your walk with Jesus.

Anxiety. Pop-quiz style anxiety. A number of things could be triggering it so it's not something that can have an easily pin-pointed solution. Right now for me it could either be going to West Palm for 2 or 3 nights, or applying to graduate schools and feeling inadequate because of my current GRE score, or my failure at handling situations with people in church, or my failure at cleaning the bathroom for months. It's so annoying because I KNOW that none of these things matter. I KNOW that none of these things are nearly as large as my mind is currently making them out to be. And yet some how they get inflated. Disgustingly inflated. The advice I hear about these things is simple: Pray, give it to God, confront the person with whom the issue is with, be the bigger person, be sweet, and/or run to God.

Do you ever feel like you've either done it so little or so much you forget what that looks like? It boggles my mind because I've experienced the results of handling all types of things in the ways aforementioned and somehow... somehow I just.... forget. I have to wonder if I'm doing something wrong, if there is a pattern I'm seeking out that doesn't exist, or if I'm just an idiot. Curse me - my body and my brain since every stinkin thing that I wish not to do- being disobedient, inconsiderate, spiteful, dramatic, gossip-y, misbehaving attitude wise, etc., I end up doing! I'm not perfect. And my arms are not up screaming "I'm not perfect get off my back!" but rather "I'm not perfect and it's so blatantly obvious every time I try to do something."

So what do I do?

Praise God for His amazing patience with me. He knows I need it.

I blame Christmas. I don't know what it is, but I do not feel like it means anything. I love Jesus, He is my King, I graciously and gladly await His return, but this holiday junk has lost its flare with me. When was Christmas exciting to me? And when did it stop? It feels so easy to pass that on to the first few times my mom decided working Christmas day was important. Or the time my former "step-grandmother" told me that her birthday was just another day. All this holiday vigor and excitement got consumed and lost by the drive for a paycheck. Thanks life! Because now this piece of crap winter break has been driving me further and further away from anything relating to a family the more it makes me realize that my family IS NOT a functioning family.

The funny part about it all is that this is one of the first Christmas' that my mom has chosen to take off in a while. And I don't want to see her for it. What do you do when the bridge has caught flame dozens of times and all that's left is this narrow weak path way that you have to walk and pray you don't fall off of? Especially after you've fallen foolishly so many times before. I spend all this time either feeling totally okay and justified steering clear of my family or I spend a ton of time feeling guilty for avoiding them and not wanting to make real amends. Maybe all the forgiveness that I thought I had for my mom and my uncle is just disguised apathy? How I wish I just didn't care. But then again there are lots of things that are history that I wish I just didn't care about.

I'm still alone.

I think I managed to successfully kid myself into thinking that all the loneliness stuff I mentioned earlier was just temporary. Stuff like that is not temporary. It's as prevalent and relevant as it was when I first found it to be true. I get told that I should talk to God about problems, but that I need people. So since I know I need God... when do I actually need people? I feel alone anyway, right? I know that I shouldn't set my heart, worth, weight or what have you in people since they'll let me down, if not immediately then eventually... so what do I need people for? What's a husband for? What's a friend for?

These questions are probably all easy to answer, but at the moment I probably won't be convinced of anything until I stop being so angry at everything (another symptom of my anxiety it would seem.)

"This revolution, baby

Proves who you work for lately

Who do you work for, baby?

And does it work for you, lately?

Difficulty Level

It's pretty ridiculous. I'm back from Russia for a little more than two weeks now and I haven't blogged about it a single bit here. To be honest it's because I've felt so disappointed in myself from looking at the bad and having it outweigh the good in almost every respect. It was a six week trip with many lessons, but for the sake stress (and me being sick at the moment) I'm going to just relax and... move on.

Some weird stuff has been happening lately. I definitely felt myself slipping away spiritually. I couldn't bring myself to pray, I couldn't bring myself to dive into the word, and I couldn't bring myself to stop letting things purposely distract me. I even have a schedule and planner to get organized (which I actually can't find at the moment) and thinking it over I think it made the situation worse- I became busy and used all of the busy schedule stuff to purposely keep me from time with God... And though I didn't want to admit it to myself it was making me depressed and unhappy.

Among other things I've been trying to think about Graduate school, preparing for the GRE, continuing my research, and maintaining a sort of social life. I'm working a bit this summer and trying not to think about the bills that, to me, seem impossible to pay. And others' opinions on the matter aren't totally helping... I wonder if that is something I need to work on. If how I react or respond internally to others thoughts is a matter of interest. Two things happened recently though very small triggered a strange response.

1) Potatoes. So I helped go shopping for potatoes and I thought and expressed baked potatoes for the fourth of July part would be a great idea. The person purchasing the potatoes had no qualms against it, at least I thought. We get to our friends house and the potatoes are cut and the lady of the house asked if they were all for mashed potatoes and I rose my voice to speak and the person who bought the potatoes cut me off and answered in affirmation. The lady caught notice of this and asked if it were up for debate and again I was cut off with the purchasers negation to the latter question. In almost a sort of panic I brought up that I considered having baked potatoes which is why I was excited about sour cream and salsa. Trite and banal- yes. But I couldn't help but realize that if I hadn't said anything my idea would have been thrown out the window. And that isn't the first time I've had it happen in a small group setting. I sometimes feel I have to scrap my way to the top in order to not get tossed aside.

2) Headband. A very sweet woman has been helping me get things on track. But think I might have worn out my need for advice from her. She was over at my house one day and she eventually got up to leave and upon giving me a hug, she looks at me and goes: "You need a head band." and walks away. I was stunned for just a second and I turned around and smiled and asked "why?" And she made gesture of what my hair would look like if I had a hair band. Commonplace and unimportant- yes. I think I'm just sick of feeling like I need to get fixed. I'm not one to take offense to much of anything, but don't talk about my hair. It's a touchy subject that unfortunately still has some sore ties. What made me happy is that later on that day my friends Aaron and Marlo said that they were so happy to see how much I've changed for the better in life. It was honestly among the first real genuine compliments I've received this week that weren't ways to "encourage" me or to "reassure" me of anything. It was pure and honest "Hey you're doing great and I've seen it over all these years." And it wasn't disguised in the form of a lecture either.

So yeah there is that... and then there is stuff with my mom. Surprise surprise. I talked to her today since she called me about a letter I got from a bank that was sent to her house. (rant: Which really pisses me off because that is NOT the address I gave them to send anything too and it is none of her business about that account even if she is my mother. It's really frustrating.) And that was it. That's really the only reason she called me and then our conversation changed to something about her job and shish-kabobs... And then she put her boyfriend Johnny on the phone... He asked me how I was, instead of harping on how I sounded and barely listening to what I was explaining. He asked me about school and I told him about grad school and where I was thinking- and the most peculiar thing happened... my mom interrupted him and started talking to him since she had to go to work and she wanted him to take her.

There are multitude of things wrong with that for me:

1) I felt like someone was taking candy out of my mouth

2) For the first time someone who was in a relatively legit familial possession in my life was paying attention to me.

I keep reaching for things that aren't really there. I insist on having hope for authoritative figures in my life that are related to me... that are from where I'm from. In any case I'm at square one with that. And the only way I know how to deal with it is to ignore it.

"Driven by the strangle of vein,

Showin no mercy, I'll do it again

Open up your eyes, you keep on cryin

Baby, I'll bleed you dry."

Maybe I'll stop feeling like life is on the EXTREME setting when in reality it's on NORMAL.

With a Panic....

Goofy songs get stuck in my head.

Sooo. I'm seeing someone. Yep. There is someone in my life right now that I like a lot that's made me shut up about being single and unworthy of dating (although the latter thought was short lived,) Oh and guess what! He's not a douche bag!!! I WIN!!!... okay I'm done. He's great, he likes movies, he's super tall (I tell everyone this because it's probably one of my favorite things about him) and he writes the most thoughtful cute.....MUSHY awesome letters ever. (That's right, letter writing was involved! :D ) His name is Kevin.

For the first time in the last few years I have found someone I'm interested in that I'm not simply settling for. I'm not acting desprately, I'm relaxed, calm and "not clingy??" I don't know, but it's definitely a nice change in pace. He's not a Christian, but he's not a God hating atheist either. I don't intend on molding him or shaping anything he believes, but of course I think everyone needs Jesus lol I'll be surprised as to what God does with his life. I'm really excited about my chance to excercise my values in a relationship of sorts. So far so good.

My mother and I aren't talking. The end of the last visit made me realize that she swims deep in drama that she creates herself. She was pretty rude to me on the last day I was in West Palm even though she claimed to want to see me. I really have had enough of her attitude and her unwarranted jealousy and her hypocritical actions in her Christian life. All I can do is forgive her (which I'm not sure if I have yet) and pray for her. LJF struck some pretty annoying chords in my last few days in West Palm as well. Between them both I feel as if I am an inconvenience. Asking LJ for a ride to see my mother was like pulling teeth. Getting my mom to be patient when LJ and I were at an event was like listening to a 2 year old scream about not being able to have a cookie (and then when she gets it she bitches about it and doesn't even eat the damned thing). It was really frustrating and made me just not want to depend on either one of them. And now I'm coming to terms with the fact that I can't. The two most important women in my life are so wrapped up in their lives and what they want and what works for them that I can't even get a real hug. "I love you" is an obligatory statement. Arguments or disagreements are met with either a fake smile in the end with advice to ignore the problem or simple silence with no resolve...

I hate going "home."

But I come back to Tallahasee and Lani meets me. I get a big hug and am met with good news that he waits to tell me until he starts making tea for us both. Apparently I have a car... and I'm picking it up today after a week or so of waiting. If that isn't something to make you realize where home is I don't know what is. From that point on day after day has been met with fun, wonder and opportunity... I even met Kevin on the first day of classes. This is home. And I'm learning to not get stuck on situations that feed the drama queen in me (it pisses me off to write that, but apparently it's there) I'm learning to be okay with cutting ties with mom. It's scary, but it's not the end of the world. I'll be okay.

But now I shall do laundry and eventually go get my car and then see Kevin and maybe even Kayla. I love my life and thank God everyday for it.

I won't step in line I'll release the glitch, but I can't fall asleep with a panic switch.

Resolutions and Chevelle

I should have known better than to think that being in West Palm for an extended time could result in me actually being satisfied and happy. Good thing I don't depend on that.

It was a good run actually until the day I was to finally meet with my mom (surprise surprise) I'll spare the boring details and just say that I have officially decided that my ultimate vulnerability is my family. And I don't have a clue as to how to deal with it, heal from it, or even approach it. Being around my family makes me feel like I'm on another planet (surprise surprise). And being around my mentor kinda reinforced the way I feel, and has proven that it seems as if only I have changed.... well everything about me except for my reactions to my family.

This year I would like to start addressing that aspect of my life. I know Lani would say to love them over there, but I don't know how or what to think while they are over there between now and the next time I return. Good healthy distance I suppose is necessary, but as I'm working on my walk with God and looking to Jesus as my example, the stages in between are like gauntlets in terms of dealing with my family problems. It's strange, but it has truly gone beyond the abuse. It has gone beyond the stolen money. It's gone beyond the fights, the drama, the tears, the hatred, the false closure... It seems to be more or less me simply putting up with mum... seeing my grandmother fluctuate drastically in her weight, listening to my uncle talking about the women he's raced through, never truly knowing what's going on within my family... never getting straight answers to simple questions.

If I am really sane... does this prove to be a form of insanity?

I'm considering one-on-one counseling again. Just to get my focus back, because whatever I'm doing spritually (I'm pretty sure I'm on the right track) is being blocked by something I'm not seeing or hearing... perhaps some angle I'm not figuring out... maybe something emotional I haven't caught wind of.

I've had a really ridiculous conversation with this guy that I swear I should have dated. Fate seemed to place every obstacle in the way of it, even now. I thought to myself, if situations were different and I wasn't a Christian (surprise surprise) and he asked me out, I'd say yes in a heart beat. It was really nerve wrecking. We talked until 4 in the morning my first night in West Palm and already casting away in my mind everything I had built myself up to be with the help of Christ I felt myself wanting to stay in this hell hole... with everyone else who seems to be stuck in it. It's amazing how any link to "happiness"... found in the world specifically, seems to be enough to make people stick in one place and never do anything, but wait for money to get better, or the home to get better before they can start reaching out to other people. I don't want to get stuck. I don't want this to be it. I just have to remember who my alliegence is to and what that means and above all where I'm going. It sure as hell is not what my family has accrued here in West Palm Beach.

This year I'm looking for more engagement with others, real sweet friendships, and honest to God help with what I feel with my family.

"Does anybody really see anything?
Does anybody really see anyone?"