Tori’s Writing Hole

Two weekends ago, we took a trip to Six Flags Great Adventure with my parents. The five of us piled into my parents’ minivan and set out for the three hour trip to Jackson, NJ. We took the GPS - which meant that we were steered through some of the more scenic areas of NJ - meaning the stinky ones. It was fun. Then there was traffic - more fun. Basically, it was a family road trip, only I’m an adult now. So I can curse at the other cars.

We went through the Wild Safari first. Julia was not nearly as enthused about this part of the trip as I thought she would be. Pretty much just the emus were interesting.

Next came the actual theme park. Completely huge. Especially when walking with/pushing a stroller with a three year old. We decided (Stephen and I) to try taking Julia on her first ride - which just happened to be the Big Wheel ferris wheel. We were pretty sure we were going to have a meltdown - but she loved it! And then she loved every ride in the kids (Wiggles, feh) section - even the ones she rode alone!

Aside from being raped for food and drink at the park, we had a great time. Left much earlier than usual because well, we had a three year old, and Stephen and I only got to ride one roller coaster. But, we’re already looking forward to the next time!

well, at least of my writing life. Well, in this case it’s actually writing getting in the way of writing as well. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks trying to find writing jobs. Unfortunately, this leaves me little time to write blogs and poetry and stories - what I want to do. Sigh. If only people would pay me to blather on and complain.

Julia’s developing like crazy into a wacky storyteller in her own right. Evidently, the star of her stories is a "real princess" named "Fishy". Not sure what her naming convention is - she’s got Smushy-smush the friend and has named her stuffed cat "Poof". At least they’re not all Sally or Mary or something.

We’ve learned more about Smushy - in case you were interested. She eats grass and drinks juice, she sleeps in the bed with Julia and she gets a bath when Julia washes her hands. I know you’ve been dying for an artist’s interpretation of what this creature looks like, so here you are - Julia’s Smushy-smush:

Tags: writing, mom, imaginary friend

I’m not good at it. Never have been really, I always asked for my presents early, be it Christmas or birthday… I just couldn’t wait another minute to find out what my present would be.

I’m worse now. They massacred my breast with a spring loaded needle that drove into my skin and took out samples. The lidocaine injection pre-op worked just on my skin, but not the tissue below. I feel like I was boob-punched. And of course, there was a mishap - a snagged needle on some breast fibers, which required a snip by the dr. Oh, sorry, that never happened before. Pffft.

So now I’m waiting. Thursday is the day. Dammit, I just want to be able to say that my boobies are free of cancer and that I can go on with my life. That is, until some other crisis causes me to freak out. I really wasn’t lucky in the health department. Kid department, hubby department, sure… but health, aw, hell no.

Crossing fingers and toes, and waiting.

Tags: cancer, boob, procedure

No, I haven’t lost the ability to write. Smushy-smush is Julia’s imaginary friend. She’s three and has an imaginary friend. I’m pretty sure I was at least five before my first imaginary friend appeared, Joobie-Jop. My dad ran him over with the car one day on the way back from my grandparents (did I mention I was quite the morbid child?). Then came Gerten, my second and final imaginary friend. He was about three inches tall and lived in the bathroom (though he could come along on car rides).

But I digress… the similarities between Julia’s lil’ friend and mine are kind of spooky. Smushy-smush is also diminutive, although she’s more like an inch tall from what I can tell. She talks to Smushy-smush in the car - just like I did. But there are differences. Smushy-smush is a "pet", she’s female, and she’s pink and soft.

Want to see a picture?

Quite the cutie, eh? Look for more adventures of Smushy-smush coming soon.

Tags: imaginary friend, daughter, child

sometimes, it seems like all I need to do is vent. There are just more evils in this world than good happy things, and I can’t stand that anymore. I worry.

Life’s thrown me another curve ball - no reason to post exactly what yet, but it’s a shocker. The stress is making my other illnesses worse, and pretty much put my life at a standstill. Even though it’s only been a week, it feels like a year of waiting.

Gas prices make me feel like puking. Serious puking. I dreamed that they went up to $7 overnight, and that isn’t even that off the mark. At over $4.09 a gallon, I can see it happening. And while I’m glad that we drive a teensy, fuel efficient Ford Focus, I still wish we had a hybrid. I bet many, many people do right now.

Politics - another pukey thought. Hillary, just concede to Obama. Obama, for the love of God, win. Please. We need change, and another Republican isn’t the way. CHANGE. Your motto - make it happen.

Hmm, what haven’t I covered? Religion? UFOs? Bugs that fly up your nose as you open the screen door, making you sneeze and inadvertently swallow the bug? I kid, but not really.

Hopefully, life will stop being so darn curvy soon.

Tags: illness, gas, politics