TMI Lauri

Let me start by saying,  I am glad that women have equal rights and all that. Second, let me say, I did not ask for this. I am a pretty traditional woman. I am perfectly content taking care of our home and family. My work is generally a favor to someone. I babysit in the afternoons for a friend who is getting back on her feet. If you have read my other posts, you know that I am a CFO. That is a favor. I do it because I know how to do all of the administrative tasks required of me and I don't charge a ton. My friend needed help with a start-up. It is awesome that I don't have to rely on my husband for every single thing, but I could.  In the past, as a stay at home mom, I have gotten all kinds of crap about my choice to do so. I don't NEED to work. I have a full time (and then some) job with the kids and the house. My husband makes enough for our family. I don't get bored. I don't feel guilty. I get a great sense of accomplishment every day without leaving the ho...

I don't say this to be superior or to offend women, but I seem to be kryptonite for the "normal" woman. Most women hate me. This is far less because of who am and more of what I am capable of. I could probably steal your man... but I never would. It took me many years to realize this about myself. I have always been "one of the guys". Women are cruel to one another and that freaks me out. I avoid it. I don't like to be drug into restrooms with other females. I don't like to talk about women behind their backs. I am confident in who I am as a person and cutting someone else down is not my style and it definitely doesn't boost my self image! Guys, I know I am not perfect, but for those of you I have been friends with for a long time, there is a reason. I am open to additions here men! Here are some ways I unintentionally keep men close to me. If you have trouble holding on to a man, this could help. 1. Talk to them, not at them . I don't like...

I recently had an interesting conversation with some friends. He has a job that allows him to work from home a good portion of the time. The lovely Mrs. in this couple told a story. She came down the stairs one morning. He was on a conference call... in his boxers. His lack of modesty is admirable to me. Of course,  only his wife knew what he was wearing (or not) but I am compelled to wear pants. Most of the time mine are of the yoga variety. My official job title is CFO. I don't make six figures. I work for a small company with less than remarkable revenue. The magic of working for a very small start-up is that I can work from home. The company doesn't need an office or a face. Most of our business is conducted by phone, fax, email, or postal mail. I can stay in my jammies all day and some days, I do.  How many people who work from home don't wear pants? How many times have I called someone "at work" who was shushing a noisy child or just getting out of the sh...

My usual posts are full of realities. Most things I talk about are things that are just now being said out loud or in public forums. I decided to cover the lighter side with this one. I would say that 70% of the blog posts I read are lists. I know that this is pretty true for a lot of you as well. Here are my top 5 reasons why that is: 1. Time. I am a crazy busy person so I can read the main idea of listed points in a minute or two. They are usually the first sentence of each point. I get the idea in less time. 2. Navigation.  Some bloggers babble or get off topic (myself included) and it is often hard to find the point or follow a blog that veers off into randomness. 3. Entertainment.  Sometimes I don't need or care to know the reason for the point. Back stories can get lengthy. 4. Attention span. Reading a giant post (especially if it isn't broken into paragraphs) can quickly become tedious. 5. Ease. Lists are less likely to use language that is hard for an average per...

I am about to make a 7 hour ride to a friend's wedding. My husband and I will be going without the children. The last time I was "kid free" is the weekend I met my husband. By now you are wondering why I am putting those words in quotes. Here is why: when I leave my children behind, an hour or a weekend, I am never really without them. Last summer my kidless weekend was filled with texts and calls from/about my children. I enjoy drinking occasionally. I could have done just that. I did not. I had two drinks with my parents before my brothers wedding and a glass of champagne after. No responsibility and I took no advantage. Now, as I prepare for this long trip, I am certain, I will do the same. I will check on my children often. I will drink little or no alcohol. I will likely be very quiet. I will be surrounded by people I have never met. My husband will know half of them very well. I will show very little of my true self. The man getting married is a college friend of ...

My kids ask a lot of questions. I decided very early into parenthood that is easier to give honest answers the first time than it is to fix what you have said later. My kids are far more informed than most kids they know and I am okay with that. The more I tell them, the less they learn from unreliable sources. These are the things I chose to educate them on rather than hide from them. 1. My tears. Tears are not weakness. My kids need to know that. If THEY caused the tears, they need to know that treating people badly hurts them. If they didn't,  they need to know that tears are okay as long as they don't monopolize your time. I also think it is good for my kids to get an idea of how to comfort someone. I don't want them to be uncomfortable and turn away from the tears of others.  2. Sex. Don't misunderstand, sex is private.  I don't think it can be a secret though. My family didn't talk about it, so I learned from the encyclopedia. World Book did not p...