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| If you need a detailer in the Philly area, Chris from Hunter's Finish Line is the man for you. I am happy to pass along his info, he finished the clean up and got it back to looking how I never dreamed it would look again. |
I've had good practice admitting defeat lately as I have been involved in a series of unfortunate events that have me throwing in the towel at the end of the day, secure in the knowledge that a new day dawns tomorrow. Admitting defeat allows me to test if the resilience I pride myself on is still intact.
Between the paint fuckery in my car last Wednesday (entirely my fault, I still shiver when I think about it), two sort of broken toilets and one actually cracked toilet at the shore this weekend that may or may not have leaked into our efficiency apartment (I'll find out the extent of the damage this weekend, no one's fault), and a 12 day old new storm door ripped out of the frame on the porch down there (probably someone's fault), I've been putting out fires like a fucking boss.
When a series of small shitstorms happens in quick succession and it begins to feel like a larger problem, I don't ask why can't I catch a break because I've caught a million breaks in my life and I don't need or deserve one right now because it's all still small shit. Throwing pity parties is so not my style either, because I fucking hate pity parties especially when I'm the hostess and sole attendee. It feels self indulgent and boring. I do throw a mean tantrum though...which is also self indulgent but rarely boring, hahaha. In the grand scheme of things these are mosquitos on the skin of life.
The first thing I do is deal with it because the only way through it is through it. I do what I can to put the fire out or call who I need to call to fix it. The second thing I do is find the humor because honestly my first instinct is never cry - it's always laugh - unless I am stuck somewhere in a travel related hell. The third thing I do is try to spin it funny. If I am dealing with some pain in the ass thing, I can at least attempt to entertain others with the tale. So when I share a WTF/ugh moment, never feel bad laughing at me. Life is messy and messy is good material for laughs.
I don't think I'll be able to top the fact that I drove home from Pier 1 with green dog poop bags on my hands after the paint incident for quite a while. That mess will live in infamy. Thank God for dogs. And the fact that they need us to carry bags for their poop.
Linking up with Kristen & Gretch
ha, I like your attitude (and your insight into the fact that you've had many breaks in life - wise). That paint spill stresses me out just looking at it! That's truly so crazy and I can't believe how much you got up! It is true, the craziest "wtfffffffs" do tend to bring the best memories.
ReplyDeleteAnd bless Dogs forevvver.
If that's the "after" picture from your paint spill, I commend you and would like to shake your hand
ReplyDeleteLove it... "Mosquitos on the skin of life"
ReplyDeleteMy MIL always has those green poop bags in her coat pockets. She will be prepared for a paint incident should it ever happen to her lol
ReplyDeleteWhat actually happened with the paint? I feel like I missed it if you posted about it
i shiver to think about what i would do in the paint situation, as i have no dogs to carry poop bags around for.
ReplyDeletei love all your wording with the pity parties and whatnot. hilarious. 'these are mosquitos on the skin of life' was my fave line. i do agree though, there is no point is wallowing or crying, it doesn't fix anything. i have had some pretty shit things happen in my life, thankfully it was all in the beginning of my life, so now any time something happens i'm like 'well it's not as bad as xyz' and it doesn't bother me, you know? i mean, paint in my car would bother me, and so would a brand new door ripped out of the frame, but not enough to ask for a break. i do like to complain though, because i like to vent and laugh about things. what else can we do but laugh when shit like that happens?
Way true to laugh! Initially, I start cursing and getting a bit angry, but then I realize it's not the worse thing ever and something worse could have happened. Gratitude attitude
ReplyDeletehas helped me tremendously! It's the best. The more grateful, the more good! Lemons into lemonade!!! Look how much money America's funniest videos has earned and the people on the show. Laughter is the best medicine!! Love, Your Momma
I often joke about my own first world problems, but that definitely helps me keep perspective. People in Houston have flooded houses and are losing everything and are living in temporary shelters while watching a river crest and that has given me a lot of perspective this week. "The only way through it is through it" is cliche but true and laughing totally helps. I applaud your thinking during the paint situation and whatever you had to pay the car detailer, but it looks like it was worth every cent!
ReplyDeleteI can't even imagine the paint fiasco! I love your attitude about everything in this post-- sometimes when things go wrong it can be so hard to keep them in perspective, but really complaining about something doesn't make it go away or solve any problems for anyone!
ReplyDelete"The only way through it is through it." That's a damn good quote. I think my husband sees his fair share of pity parties and tantrums from me, but I try to masked them from the rest of the world. Laughing is also a reaction of mine, but it's mostly to keep from crying- especially in that car-paint debacle! WOOF.
ReplyDeleteGirl... When I read of your paint mishap in an earlier post, I had difficulty imagining the extent of the damage. Seeing your evidence makes me shudder, too! Ya know, I've come to realize that the old saying, "If I didn't laugh, I'd cry..." is spot on sometimes. I mean, bad/crazy shit is going to happen to all of us. No one is immune. All we can do is deal with it/fix it/clean it up/replace it and move on. How we deal with it is entirely up to us. As long as we're dealing with it, we might as well make it entertaining, right?
ReplyDeleteGlad you were able to get the paint cleaned up! Have a good one!
I saw when you shared this on FB, and I thought, "this could have easily been me." Things like this happen to me all the time. Ugggh
ReplyDeleteAnd the messiness is how we grow up too.
ReplyDeleteSo you're not going to spend your time writing self-indulgent "why me??????" FB posts while waiting for someone to coddle you? ha ha
As someone who chose "through" as a word for the year, I get this.
This is awesome, I love laughing at the absurdity of crap that happens in life. I will never look at dog poop bags the same way, I will always be thinking I wonder what else I could use these for... you know in an emergency sitch!
ReplyDeleteI seriously can't even with that car, I wish I was a fly on the wall watching that go down. Those pier 1 employees are for sure still talking about you.
ReplyDeleteThe number of times Hawkeye's poop bags have come in handy... unreal.
My dogs don't go out with us enough to carry around poop bags in my car, but perhaps I shall stash some in there for an incident that may happen like this. You just never know when you need a poop bag to save the day! I am with you, sometimes you just have to laugh at the situation because crying doesn't solve anything. The only way through it is through it. Words to live by right there.
ReplyDeleteYou have made me want to have poop bags in my car at all times! I'm so impressed with how well they cleaned it up for you!
ReplyDeleteOMG the paint! i would have cried! so great that you managed to find someone who did such a graet job without destroying your seats.
ReplyDeleteI like your attitude. It doesnt help to get upset about most things - if you can laugh & find humor in it, its the only way to be able to handle problems so much better. Its no fun handing anything when you're mad at the world.
ReplyDeleteEesh..when it rains it pours, right? At least you have a blog to share your misfortunes and hopefully laugh about it in a few months. Hoping things get better for you! Thanks for linking up with us :)
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting to hear exactly HOW this paint job happened... Hoping the damage is minimal and won't require too hefty of a fix!
ReplyDeletestorm door fuckery by renters?
ReplyDeleteI could not help but laugh out loud when I saw your paint catastrophe. Glad you were able to fix it/find a detailer though! You're a damn good fire fighter. I usually procrastinate a bit before actually dealing, but trying to get better at that. "...the only way through it is through it"- but finding the humor in it definitely makes it a little easier!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I'd missed the story on the paint but that looks like a total pain in the butt to deal with. I love your attitude, sometimes all you can do is laugh!
ReplyDelete"In the grand scheme of things these are mosquitos on the skin of life." Loved this! And I totally understand this.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about the paint in your car!!! YIKES!!!!
I hope you get ladybugs soon.... I don't know I tried. :D
XOXO
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