Mae @ Rainydayinmay

The Diary of Mad Fat Girl…

Published on March 8, 2012 by Mae @ RainydayinmayLeave a comment

No, this is not a post about me.

Disappointed? Sorry…

Rather, this is a bit of a review on the latest book for the Blogher Book Club– Diary of a Mad Fat Girl, by Stephanie McAfee. The opinions in this review are solely mine, as this is a compensated review, and they in no way reflect the views of Blogher.

Stephanie McAfee’s tale is part mystery and one hundred percent chic lit. With a story that is sometimes relatable, and occasionally completely ridiculous, she has woven a novel that did manage to hold my attention. I really enjoyed parts of this book. I honestly did laugh out loud more than once. The main character, Ace, is certainly rough around the edges, BUT considering her childhood experiences it was easy to understand why.

The main storyline revolves around three women who work at a local southern high school and have been the best of friends since College. (two of them since middle school.) Stemming from their plots are issues of romance, betrayal, infidelity, domestic violence and about a bazillion crude and outlandish scenarios. The secondary plot would be that of the on-and-off again romance of Ace and Mason, sweethearts since middle school. Primarily though, it’s about an angry, snarky and insecure girl who acts (and speaks) before thinking, constantly, all while desperately attempting to protect herself from any and all heartbreak the world can give.

Overall I found the friendships in the book endearing. I loved the idea of friends from childhood still being tight today, in their 30’s. I loved the intimacy between them, and the unconditional love and acceptance/support. I wish that could have been more a focus over some of the events that take place. While it seemed like the goal of the story was that of an independent girl romance, I felt it weak on the side of romance. I didn’t ever really feel a genuineness between Ace and Mason. Honestly, i think I found the most believable and best written character to be Buster Loo, Ace’s chiweenie…

That being said though, I could name twelve friends off the top of my head that would love this book, I just am not among them. Also, on a sidenote, this is a pretty crass book. Some may not have an issue with that, but it isn’t normally my thing. I found it fairly abrasive and borderline offensive.{ Again, not my thing… Felt it worth the warning though. }

Regardless of whether I did or did not love the book though, is Stephanie’s publishing story. Any writer can’t help but love that!

Ache…

Published on March 2, 2012January 17, 2013 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay7 Comments

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.

GO.

It was a mere gesture of friendly good intention which prompted her to share with me the words. The instruction.

The way that I, as their mother, do not add up.

I didn’t take it personal. I jumped up first, criticizing self in mirror, that I needed the words.

Needed to heed the words.

Needed to be the words.

Needed.

So much more than the loud toned woman, frustrated always. Tired.

Aches.

Aches in my bones and my heart, alike. Different.

Aches from trying so hard to love those previously believed unloveable, only because previous people ached to see themselves and cast these wide eyed children to the wayside.

Aches, the children, in the way their beginnings began.

Aches every second of every day for their differences. For their different. For…

For everything? Possibly. Probably. Rightly so.

Ache.

Always. All around. Rounds and rounds for everyone, on everyone because this lonely, self serving world can’t get enough.

I ache to be the mom they need me to be.

I ache because I fail.

I ache because I’m not. Then I try to be, and I forget, and I fail again.

They deserve better.

But I’m what they’ve got.

That’s it.

Maybe I love them more than they can love. Maybe they gave the tiny bits of all they had to spare to me, heart fragments in hand.

I took them.

I chose.

I choose.

I ache. For them. Because of them. With them.

STOP.

Journaling {week four}…

Published on March 2, 2012January 17, 2013 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay5 Comments

IN MY LIFE THIS WEEK…

Our son left, last week, to go back to Germany. He was home for a few weeks, on leave. Last week also ended an intense 8 week basketball season. This week feels like a giant breather. It was nice to take deep breaths and have no where to go.

We also started a new co-op, which i LOVE already.

Desperately we struggled through the days, catching up on laundry and chores while trying to come up with a routine.

IN OUR HOMESCHOOL THIS WEEK…

slow and easy.

trying to find a routine.

started a new language arts program. Also working on a different angle of diagramming. I am hoping she loves it. Retaking the last unit of math we did, as she just didn’t seem to “get it.”

PLACES WE’RE GOING, PEOPLE WE’RE SEEING…

The rec center for our water fitness classes. Coffee/game date with friends this afternoon. My niece’s twelfth birthday party tomorrow. All good goings. :)

MY FAVORITE THING THIS WEEK WAS…

definitely our new coop. I enjoyed helping in the classes and seeing Gen connect and make new friends. It did my heart good.

THINGS I AM WORKING ON…

being more patient. I need to be!

I’M READING…

The Baker’s Daughter by Sarah McCoy

SHE’S READING…

Sizzle by Lee McClain

In Darkness by Nick Lake

I’M COOKING…

some exciting curry dishes are in the works. that makes me smile. Nothing like a good curry!

I’M GRATEFUL FOR…

so much. My beautiful family. My little sister. My friends. That spring is around the corner…

I’M PRAYING FOR…

My friend’s beautiful little girl, who has a brain tumor. Specifically she is on my heart every second, of every day…

A PHOTO, LINK, VIDEO OR QUOTE…

“What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls the butterfly.”

~Richard Bach

Three…

Published on March 1, 2012January 17, 2013 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay3 Comments

Me–

– again, I’d like to read two personal (non- work assignment) books. {I’ll take this moment to point out that I’ve had the same goal every month. In January I read two, and in February I read 5. FIVE. I didn’t read 5 books for me in all of 2011. This is huge, folks!}

– I really want to celebrate my birthday right. This is a big one. Every year my birthday month is such a struggle and I lose myself in the planning of Genny’s birthday festivities. This month is different. And this birthday HAS to be different because it’s a big deal. One I feared I’d never see…

– more handwritten letters. I keep saying it…

Capture–

– my pet, on a walk

– my workout

– young

– old

– something suessical

– spring

– irish

– birthday toes, x’s 2

– kites

– cake

Us–

– birthdays. Specifically mine and Gen’s. Doing something really special for Genny’s birthday, but I’ll wait to blog details until it comes closer.

– We’re going to see West Side Story and I am really, really, really excited!

Heart–

– for the season of Lent I’ve given up television and senseless spending. I am really excited about both sacrifices- and am moderately embarrassed to admit that both of them ARE sacrifices. It shouldn’t be like that.

– I need to be better about shaving out quiet time to center myself…

– I missed journaling in February due to everything being out of whack. i’ve really missed it. I want to get back to it, everyday this month.

Home–

– we’re reducing… We emptied out a storage shed and are purging. I love that.

– together we are building a cool project that i can’t wait to show you… When it’s done.

– spring cleaning is underway. It started after the Oscar party.

Health–

– My immune system is out of control. It is ridiculous what 5 months of pneumonia can do to a girl. I want to learn how to repair it so that i stop catching EVERYTHING…

– I am going to increase the level of difficulty in my water classes.

– My goal is to lose another 5 lbs this month.

– I’m also going to start hooping. Chw is going to make me one and I am really nervous/excited.

– Also, curious about trying green smoothies. (It takes me awhile to warm up to stuff…)

– yoga, at least weekly.

Love–

– catch up on our weekly reading together. We’re a bit behind.

– Sneaking away on mini-dates. I love them, maybe more than full dates…

– working on projects together. I love that.

– holding hands and walking. happiness.

take two…

Published on February 29, 2012 by Mae @ Rainydayinmay4 Comments

Confession 217- I’m cold and my head hurts.

Confession 218- I am not, at all, graceful and apparently that’s catchy…

On Monday we started a new homeschool co-op. Part of the deal, if you will, about a co-op is that your child takes classes with other kids- taught by parents. It’s pretty cool, really. If you don’t teach, (which i currently do not) then you need to help out.

Cool.

So, First period I found myself helping out in a literature class for very young kids. It was all a rushed assignment so I am not sure their ages, but guessing K-1st… Cute kids. Anyway, the teacher read a few books to them about seeds and planting, and then we did a project. The teacher seemed put out at our winter’s lack of snow and a little unnerved that there are birds in the trees that also have buds on their branches…

In other news, it’s freezing out and it’s calling for snow these next two days.

Lovely…

It’s been completely stressful, busy or emotionally crazy ever since we made the family decision to homeschool Genny again, back in December. It has been a lot. Finding a normal routine proved difficult and so we just stopped trying. We made it mostly unscathed, me somehow believing yesterday would come and a normal flow of peace and productivity would just sweep us away.

You would think I’d be smarter than that…

Instead we had a bloody dog paw/injury. I had a migraine. Genny fell into the counter, while feeding the non-injured dog, and sliced her eye lid open. I fell, at the rec center, after my water class. Genny grabbed a pot, off of the stove, by the base.

We desperately need a do-over.

And a nap.

And a good allergy med, but that’s another gripe for another day…

Maybe we also need for it to not snow here in the valley.

Just in the mountains… No matter what that literature teacher says…

Hope your weeks are going fantastically smooth and lovely!