Life, or something like it..

Pain In The Ass factor

It occurred to me yesterday as I was porting over all the messages from my old site that perhaps I should explain what I mean by the PITA factor..

I happen to have a particularly low BS threshold, but generally speaking, it falls into a broader "Pain In The Ass" factor.. it is non-discriminatory catch all philosophy along the lines that if the effort involved with something/someone/somewhatever takes more time/money/generally feeling good than the end result, it generally won't happen - at least for me.

This used to be my nine cent theory, which kinda evolved over the years. The theory came from an argument I used to have with people when I would throw out tupperware-like plastic containers after one use, back in the day before there were many disposable plastic containers on the market. I would buy pack of like 100 of these things for like $9 or something like that (which conveniently would make each container cost 9 cents). My figuring was that if the container was too gross or ick and would take a lot to clean, I would just pitch it (yes, I would at least throw it into the recycle bin to make up for my wasteful ways, much in the same redundant way that people have diet drinks with desserts or extra large popcorns in order to save calories). My figuring was that if the time to take to clean the container was worth more than the container itself (which we previously determined was 9 cents, and WHO'S time ISN'T worth 9 cents), it was better to just pitch the container.

Now, using the PITA factor for all sorts of things, and not just to justifying throwing out plastic containers. Why do I have only a few friends? Because with most women the PITA factor is high and I don't want to deal with mind games, ego massaging, whining (I mean, other than on my blog! [grin]), competitive mean-spiritedness, etc that goes with most. Why do I use the most convenient method, but not necessarily the most cost-effective way of doing things? Usually the PITA factor. Why do I buy pre-made food and veggies, when I can get fresh for cheaper and have the skills to prepare them to be more tasty? The PITA factor is high, and I could use that time to play with my son instead?

You get the idea...

Okay, don't hate me..

((Originally Posted March 4th))

But I am one of *those* moms... you know, the one that everyone complains about in their blogs.  The scrapbooking, make your baby food, goes all over the place and then back to playgroup, crunchy granola kinda moms..  - which is a bit a contradiction given the cyber-savvy punk that I am..

Probably why I hate labels so much.. in my 20s I would have never imagined that hacker (really, I use my powers for good!) and playgroup would ever go together, but here we are..

Then again, I am about as far from a "Yummy Mummy" as it can possibly get - track pants & Liz Claiborne make up most of my wardrobe, since that dumb "shifted" weight doesn't seem to want to go missing.. 'sides, my PITA (pain in the ass) factor is way too high to contemplate anything too Martha Stewart-ish..

Whinging about the "perfect mom" label

((Originally posted March 7th))

So someone made the (off-line) comment to me regarding my previous post about "Please don't hate me" that we all have priorities... which in itself was meant as a compliment, in that left handed, high school clique snobby kind of way that *of course* we mom's should be making our own food, scrapbooking all the little precious memories, going to a million playgroups etc.

Despite its intentions, the comment really ticked me off - if one holds true, does it also mean that because my "priorities" include making my own baby food (I love to cook), and not to be a fashion dish and do the whole make up thing (which I hate) that I am therefore also a slobbish old-fart?

I think everything in life is a trade off - that is if you try to stay sane through it...

I have the ability to make my own food, and do all the "textbook" mom things only because of the grace of two things - I have absolutely no life, and my husband took the year off with me. 

Having the two of us to look after our little darlin', while financial suicide, was an absolutely wonderful experience that I know very few people are able to do, and am so incredibly thankful to all the things and people that helped make it happen.  How people manage through the baby boot camp on their own still boggles my mind - and single mothers must be modern miracle workers IMHO.