Unsolicited Advice From the Deep End

If you EVER buy your 15 year old daughter one of your children, a new queen sized bed...
and you have to buy all new bedding because you don't have any other q.s.b.'s in the house...
and your husband orders suggests that you "Just go buy the stuff without her!"
Do yourself a HUMONGOUS favor...
Listen to his demands advice...

How do I know this?
Let me give you the quick rundown...

• New bed arrives
• Sister is visiting from NC
• She is on the same wavelength as husband
• I am a rebel.... I want to do things MY way (which incidentally in THIS case was a mistake)
• I say "It's HER (daughters) room, SHE should be there to see what she likes"

Here is where it gets ugly...

• Sister says "okay, great!"
• We go to first store and suggest 16 comforter sets... daughter looks and makes face similar to this:

I told you before, I get this one A LOT lately!!

• By store #5... yes, you heard right.... store #5, we've heard all kinds of negative reactions, including "I HATE polka dots with a burning passion!" and "Eeew! Stripes are sooooo ugly!" and let's not forget the texture critiques including the "Too" family - too bumpy, too scratchy, too slippery(?) ...don't ask... because I have NO idea!

• Sensing my breaking point, my sister becomes the voice of reason... "Just buy a set of sheets and deal with the comforter ANOTHER day" followed by the thought in her head, I'm sure, 'Another day after I'm gone!')

• Sheet's grabbed
• Home too late to cook - Pizza ordered
• Catch sister glancing at me with "Poor you" eyes
• TOTALLY embarrassed and want to strangle daughter

I couldn't even complain to husband because then I would have had to have listened to a 35 minute lecture on why once again I should obey listen to him!!

I'm safe though sharing my story with you, because he never reads my blog on his own!!

The end of the story was much happier!

• Sister and I go shopping ALONE... for OURSELVES!
• Happen to find comforter set that will work
• Buy comforter set
• Daughter loves it
  
  - I know because this is the look she gave me when I handed it to her:

What have we learned here:

1. There IS such a thing as being too accommodating to your kiddos...
2. 15 year olds can be pains in the butts...
3. Occasionally, my husband is right
4. $3000. can do wonders for your smile *see pic above where daughter just got her braces off!!

Flash Dance Cards

I get the distinct impression that my Husband thinks blogs are stupid...

He tries to be supportive, but I find myself disappointed with his reaction every time...
It usually goes something like, "Is that it?" or "oh"...

I don't think I'm being paranoid either.

Possibly, I've been using the wrong approach all along...
Maybe if I used some type of visual aid to ... well.... "aid" him to know when the appropriate time to chime in with positive feedback in the form of encouraging words and /or applause, it would be extremely helpful...

If only I could think of something that would really get his attention...
You know....
Other than my stimulating words...

I think I've just had a brainstorm!!!!

Not to be confused with a braincloud which is far less productive and far more common than the full blown 'storm' version...

I think that if after I share my blog-thoughts from now on...
Instead of having to say "That's it!", which is how I queue him to respond with obligatory oooo's and ahhhhs...
I will use a visual aid to facilitate my plan!!

If this idea works, I could start up a business
(business idea #496 to be exact... but who's counting)
where I create customized flashcards with images tailored to each husbands particular sensory triggers

Their primary purpose would be for the blogger to use on the blog-ee...
Here's how they would work -

• Blogger reads blog aloud to blog-ee...
• Blog-ee half listens and eyes occasionally glaze over...
• Blogger whips out flashcards...
• Blog-ee snaps to attention and responds appropriately!

Voila!

My prototype cards are customized to include a couple of my husbands "visual triggers"
I'll show them to you...
In NO particular order....


The first one looks like this -

Here is the other one that will work just as well -

Am I alone here?

What pictures would be on your flashcards?