Monday, January 11, 2010

For Reals...

A few of my friends (jessica, ilene, lindsey) have taken on a blog challenge to post themselves being real. They have posted pictures with no make up and have exposed their true selves on their blog. I, for one, think that I am pretty real. In fact the day I read Ilene's post I had posted this picture of myself sans make up and sleep. A few posts before that I did a post about the corners in my house that are shameful.
So today I thought I would update you on my corners and give you a real look at me today.
First the corners...
BEFORE
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AFTER
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It still could use a good vacuum, but it has been clean for about a month now thank you very much!

BEFORE
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AFTER
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No, I am not cheating...this is not someone else's kitchen. We have been busy changing our countertops and putting in a new back splash. This was a good chance for me to start a new relationship with this corner. We'll see how long it lasts...

BEFORE
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AFTER
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So this laundry room corner is clearly the corner I am least proud of.  I'm afraid it has only gotten worse.  The entire counter is out of control! Actually the whole room is out of control...
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Speaking of laundry rooms. This is me being real today...
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Not showered, not groomed, not even close...
I even answered the door looking this way!
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The sad thing is, I really didn't even notice what I looked like until a good five minutes into my conversation when I happened to look down at my mismatched slippers.
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I have to admit, I was slightly embarrassed but not enough to think about it for more than a second.
The real thing about me is that, what you see is what you get. I get dressed up on Sundays or outings but that is it. I'm all about comfort and ease or in other words, I'm lazy. I would rather spend time on other things than my looks. Don't get me wrong I can be as vain as the next person when I have a function to attend. In fact, I will go to great lengths to put together just the right outfit. But then it's over and I'm back being lazy.
I get annoyed easily. I am not patient with grown ups. I have a hard time pretending that I'm not annoyed. So I avoid adults who annoy me.
Now here is another truth for you...most people who know me well, know that I HATE cooking. I really, really do. But what you may not know is that I hate it so much that my poor family actually suffers. If Aric did was not so willing to pick up my slack we would all be eating cereal for every meal. I would take cleaning the kitchen and toilets ANY day over cooking. If we ever won the lottery I would hire a personal chef in a heartbeat. I may joke about this, but it really is a source of shame for me. What kind of woman doesn't enjoy feeding her family?! I am working on this issue of mine. I have been diligently working on a serious meal plan. I'll let you know how it goes...
I have road rage. Thankfully having children has helped me bite my tongue, so now I only swear in my head or when I'm alone. I cannot and will not ever understand stupid drivers.
One last confession...the real Jessica relives almost every conversation she's ever had. I am not joking. I think about what I said and how I said it. I think about how it may have been misinterpreted. I worry about how many times I interrupted and if I spoke too much. I'm always afraid that I dominated the conversation and that I didn't listen enough. I worry that I was too honest. Once I had a conversation with my beloved Grandma Marion. In the middle of the conversation I said "...to be honest with you..." and she instantly said "is there any other way to be?" For some reason that has always stayed with me, so sometimes I might be too blunt. Most of the time I tell too much and I am sure I make people uncomfortable. It's like a disease and I don't know how to cure it. I'm just grateful that my family and friends love me in spite of my condition.
So there you have it...the REAL Jessica. Now go on and see how real you can be...

17 comments:

Dave and Ash said...

Yo Dawg, to answer your question: we have a Canon Digital SLR (T1I). It was Happy Birthday to me, Merry Christmas to both of us, and will most definitely be Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day too.

Also, I think one of the fist things I learned about you was that you loathe cooking. So, reconsider: people don't have to know you that well to know that. Probably because you are indeed very real. I like real.

Dave and Ash said...

P.S. Do you want me to come over and help you with laundry? I'm a very good OCD folder.

Ilene said...

I TOTALLY do that reliving the conversation thing. So annoying, right?

I don't get the big push to get yourself all gussied up when you are home. I am usually at home all day trying to get the house looking pretty. Who has time to do that AND do your hair?

In reference to the cooking, are you sure you are Latina? Your reluctance to cook must come from you dad's side of the family...

Anonymous said...

can i just steal this post because almost every. single. thing. you said is me. except the part where you cleaned out your corners of shame. i still have rooms of sham. what ev. and the fact that you re did your back splash and your counter tops. haven't done that...

i love you.

Anonymous said...

okay, reliving that comment...was that 'i love you' awkward? i should have said "i love being friends with you" or "i love that you are so real" or "i love your slippers" something else instead of just plain 'i love you' because I am not a lesbian, not that there is anything wrong with that...

the wrath of khandrea said...

i did a similar experiment about a year and a half ago. maybe 2 years now. i organized the one corner of my kitchen counter that collected junk. and it stayed nice for almost a good year. and then, real life came back.

i think everyone should be allowed one corner for real life.

doodooguru said...

great post.

I likie the new back splash and counter. I have never tiled anything. Everyone says it is easy. I guess I am just waiting for that perfect project..., like 3 bathroom remodels all at once!

Lindsey said...

HA! No wonder I love you so much!!! I have that EXACT same corner in my kitchen... SAME. .. . EXACT SAME!!!! :) And, I swear in my head... but all the time, not just in the car... AND... I love you! No wonder we are such bloggy BFFS!!! (Nat too.. hilarious how we are all so much alike?)

Jessica said...

You are so naturally beautiful, you never need makeup, anyway. That laundry room would be SO hard to clean up for me...because it has a door that you can shut. And as I've told you a million times: who cares about the cooking? You do so many things so well that you can let Aric or Grandma Takeout do the cooking all you want.

Lauren in GA said...

You are absolutely beautiful. I think you look beautiful without makeup.

And mismatched slippers are hot.

I do that, too!! I relive conversations, too!! I spend a lot of time obsessing over what I said and what I could have said better.

You did an awesome job, Keeping it real.

Alison said...

Hee, hee, hee! I love the "real" you! I actually read your finalization post but couldn't get it to post my comment. I am SO SO SO excited for you guys! What a long road...but totally worth it! Camden is such a doll and fits right in. And now (especially after Sat) you won't be able to remember all the worst parts of the last year+ and you will think adoption is AMAZING (trust me, it is like giving birth). But such a miracle! I am so happy for you guys...and say hello to your family for me! Can't wait for that post!!

Christie said...

Okay, how have we never met? Like all of our blog friends are THE SAME. Crazy.

I like the real you, except for those messy corners. My inner OCD is about to jump on a plane and come help you. Ask our mutual friends, they'll tell you - I'm diseased.

Becky said...

I love the real you Jess!

I am with you on re-living the conversations. It often keeps me awake at night, and even though I know I am being ridiculous, I can't stop!

Jean McKendrick said...

I really like your new counter tops and back splash. Our kitchen is in great need of being redone but dang, it can be so expensive!!!
I thought the different colored slippers were pretty funny.
Before Kaden could really speak he was YELLING, "GO", in the car when we'd get stopped at a light or another car would be driving slow... I tend to say rude things or lose my patience in the car too. :)

Laurie said...

First off, I read about the finalization and was so excited for you, and then got lost in the internet and never commented. What relief you must feel! And I know judges LOVE adoptions too. Your family probably made the entire week for the judge and staff.

Second, I answered the door in my bathrobe recently, and not when I'd just gotten out of the shower. Because I'd never gotten into the shower. Totally gross. And doesn't everyone have a corner like that in the kitchen?

I'm going to link to you so I remember to pop in more often.

Leah said...

I hate cooking as much as you do. One time, at enrichment, they asked everyone to go around the room and say if they like cooking or cleaning better. I said I hated both. Litterally everyone let out a collective very loud GASP like all of the oxygen had just been sucked out of the room. I was not expecting that reaction!

calibosmom said...

Why would anyone get out of their pj's & slippers if they weren't going somewhere? I don't understand those moms that wake up at 5am to get ready so their husbands and kids don't see them all tired & messy. NO thank you! Although I'm sure some mornings my family sure wish I did.
I finally stopped swearing in front of the kids when Hannah was about two and kept saying "DANNIT DANNIT DANNIT!" Oops. Love ya twiners! You are as real as they come!