Things you shouldn't have to tell yourself

[Mouse]

You are grieving. Maybe it's not the death of somebody but you still lost something you'll be unable to get back. Like your counselor said moments of anger or sorrow are normal. This too, shall past.

[DawnStorm]

Make sure you know the pump number when you get gas! Also, when heading home from work, use Route 50 to get on the Beltway for the foreseeable future.

[DawnStorm]

Do not scratch mosquito bites
Do not pick at mosquito bites
Do not pull the scab off of mosquito bites.
Got that? Good!!

[kit_n_caboodle]

You aren't good with change. You know that. This sudden change of heart is not only normal, it's predictable. You don't actually want to stay in your old job.

This is a great opportunity, and it's going to be great. You're going to enjoy it.

Breathe. Well, don't hyperventilate. Just breathe.

[quink]

Don't argue with creationists in the letters to the editor section of your city's redneck conservative trash paper. Even when their 'gotcha' is that scientists haven't observed frogs spontaneously turning into ostriches or that chimps still exist even though they were supposed to have turned into humans. You'll waste far too much energy trying to explain what evolution is (and what it isn't) before you even get to the rebuttal part.

In fact, just stop reading the Sun, okay?

(It makes me wonder how many creationists would actually consider evolution if they took the time to learn about it with an open mind instead of just spewing out what they think the theory says. Of course it sounds ridiculous when you're going by the creationist version).

[kit_n_caboodle]

You haven't eaten all day. You'll feel better if you eat. Not trying to say your existential crisis will be solved by eating, but you should eat. And try to cheer up. The existential crisis thing is getting old.

[smittykins]

It's Sunday morning. You're going to church. You do not need your work badge to go to church.

[Cervus]

You've never gotten around to participating in NaNoWriMo. Stop telling yourself that you'll do it this year. You won't.

[smittykins]

Just because Romney "won" the first presidential debate, does not mean he will win the election.

(I hope.)

[Kermor]

You've never gotten around to participating in NaNoWriMo.

What's that ?

[JoeBentley]

National Novel Writing Month.

[Silkenray]

Dear me,

You're a pretty neat person. No, don't argue. You are. And you deserve to be healthy, physically and mentally. Hang in there, and try not to worry. It'll get better soon.

Take care of yourself,
Sincerely,
Me

[Aud 1]

You deserve a nice house. I doesn't have to be a big house. The under developed places, the sunny corner of the yard and the unfinished basement are what is important to you. This is because you make things and grow stuff and have no need for every corner of your home to be photo ready.

[DawnStorm]

Dawn, it would be advisable to clean and vacuum your room before the storm comes. Y'know, in case the power goes out.
And for pity's sake, get Flanders to the dog park!

[kit_n_caboodle]

Stop expecting mom to consistently offer empathy or support. You just never know when she is going to be a bag. She's normally supportive, but always always, before going to her with a work thing or an emotion thing, ask yourself: do I really want to share this with her? Are you willing to listen to a lecture for half an hour that doesn't help? Are you willing to have your feelings belittled? Then step away from the phone.

If you ever start seeing a therapist again, and they once again start in on the shallow relationship you have with mom, remember the above.

[Kermor]

Gérard,

When you have scheduled something, you better do it when you have schedulet to do it. So, if you say that you're going to clean house today, from 9 am to noon, you better do it, especially since a) today is the only day you will be able to do it before three weeks, and b) There are some important papers in that mess you absolutely have to recover before the end of the week.

So, move your blooming *** !!!!

[geminilee]

Do not, under any circumstances, drive 600 miles with a dog and two cats (one a typically mouthy Siamese). Just don't.

[cehrriins]

Do not, and I mean it, try to make a quadruple batch of pimento cheese in a regular stand mixer. Cheddar will crawl up and over the side of bowl on low speed. Let's try to forget what happened on high speed, okay?

Now, I need to go wash.

(But the pimento cheese is made for the memorial service luncheon on Sunday. So, technically, I won the battle in my kitchen.)

[Latiam]

Do not be pleased that the fact you finally snapped and yelled "E-nough!" at the kids and telling them you've had it has resulted in quieter behaviour when two months of positive techniques didn't.

You should be sorry you yelled and blew a FOX-40 whistle in the classroom.

Even if that was the only way they could hear you over the screaming, and it resulted in them eating lunch in absolute silence for the first time in, well, ever, because you never ever yell.

It was bad.

[Sue]

Maybe it was Latiam but sometimes kids do need to be shocked into behaving. I know in my family my husband never, and I mean never raised his voice to the kids. Except once. It was a particularly hellish car trip and the kids pushed and pushed and pushed to the point where finally he snapped.

Hearing their dad shout at them startled them so much they smartened right up.

It didn't mean that dad had to continue to be a shouter but it did mean that the kids were made to realize there was a limit even to his patience. Not a bad thing.