Day 144

Something learned:

Know your rights and think for yourself.

I grew up not having any concept of personal rights. I was always afraid of authority, they were always right, I was always wrong. My parents were constantly espousing the belief that you must do what you're told or there will be retribution. I was a rule-follower.

I remember my first job in the United States. A bunch of guys and me were standing around and one of them mentioned the phrase "money-shot", which I had never heard before. I asked him what it meant and a look of horror came over his face. All the other guys were snickering and hiding their laughter. He said that he couldn't say, because he didn't want to be sued for sexual harassment. I was baffled that he thought I had the power to do anything like that to him. It was years later, before I understood that I had the right to feel safe and comfortable, and that if someone else knowingly impinged on that, I could take action.

It's such a different world here from the one I grew up in.

Something I'll like to get better at:

Taking care of myself physically. I'm not sleeping or exercising enough. I'm racing everyday to complete all the mental or logistical things I want to accomplish or learn or practice. I need to want to make my health more of a priority.

Today I was thankful for:

1. Completing 20 items on my todo list. I can breathe again.

2. Getting a couple of awesome books from the library

3. Dinner tasting OK, despite my burning it and turning cheddar cheese brown.

4. Kid's art project for her teachers turning out pretty well, and she had fun doing it

5. Kid waking me up at 1am because I had fallen asleep on the couch trying to finish this blog post. She was seeking water.

Looking forward to:

Seeing the kid's stuff at Open House