What to Call the 2000 – 2010 Decade?

11 December, 2009 | dcfemella | Comments

I just realized that the decade has almost ended and there is still not really a name for it. You have the 80s and the 90s. What in the world do you call the years between 2000 – 2010? 00s sounds silly. Or I guess you could also call it the “double-Os,” still ridiculous.

I read that some people are calling it “the aughts” or the “aughties.” Ummm…nice try, but that sounds worse than 00s. Your attempt to be cutesy with it is actually more of a failure than anything else.

Me? I usually call it the 2000s. Simple, truthful, and people can understand what I years I am referring to. However, when you get to the year 2011 and beyond, and you are calling 2000 – 2010 the 2000s, then what do you call the rest of the years?

It is a debate that is not going to alter anyone’s life, but it’s still an interesting one to think about. What do you think we should call this decade?


My Child is Not Doing Well in School

9 December, 2009 | dcfemella | Comments

child not doing well in school

My kids have different personalities and taste. Ever since they were little, Cebastian preferred things you would usually consider “boy stuff,” while Isabelle preferred things that you would think “girl stuff.” However, with this difference comes another one. Learning.

I know that I shouldn’t compare my children, but I am doing it out of worry. With Cebastian, I never had to worry when it came to school. His teachers always exclaimed that he is one of the brightest kids in the class. He was reading and writing by the time he was four. There were some issues with his speech, and I got a speech therapist for that, but other than that, Cebastian has never had any problems.

Isabelle is having issues at school. Her teacher told me at the first parent/teacher conference that she was worried. Isabelle was having problems with number recognition, sight words, and reading. I have bought her flash cards, started focusing more on her when it came to her homework, and try to read with her every night. She has made significant progress, and I’m happy about that, but she is still struggling.

I once read a book called “MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths,” which tries to help your parenting by you knowing your personality type and your child(ren)’s.  After reading this book, which is one of the best parenting books I’ve ever read, I realized that Isabelle’s personality is the complete opposite of mine, while Cebastian’s is exactly like mine. I know that I need to adjust the way I teach her because she is more of a visual and auditory learner, while I am more of a kinesthetic one.  I’ve asked the teacher for some techniques, and she told me to use flash cards, pictures, and detailing the problem.  It seems to be working cause her interim report card came back that she has improved immensely.  However, her reading is still not where it should be.

I worry that laziness might be a factor. When I am asking Cebastian questions when he is doing his homework, she can usually gets the answer before him. However, when I see her work, I can tell that she raced through it.  I keep telling her that it doesn’t matter if she finishes first or not, it’s about trying her best.

Education is very important to me, and I want my kids to excel in it.  I wonder if maybe getting a tutor is the best next step.


Sleep Sleep Sleep Makes Everything Better

8 December, 2009 | dcfemella | Comments

sleeping eight hours a day

I’ve been sleeping eight hours a night lately, and I must say that I feel a whole lot better. I’m not struggling to get up, I’m not yawning during the day, and I am smiling more. It really is true that you need a certain amount of sleep in order to feel better. Not everyone is the same. Some people only need six; others seven, but whatever that predetermined time is, you should make sure that you take it. I’ve noticed that people, who are depressed, on the Internet or workaholics, usually suffer from insomnia.

Last year, when I was severely depressed, I barely slept. From June til December, I was sleeping two hours or less. At first, it started affecting my mood. If you looked at me wrong, I was ready to take your head off. Then, I started getting debilitating headaches. From the time I woke til I went to sleep, I had to deal with excruciating migraines. In December, I dealt with severe blows in my life, and I started sleeping even less. While at a store, Isabelle jumped on my back, and I dealt with a month of not being able to walk cause my back felt as though it was going to break. Any other time, I would have been fine. However, because my body was shutting down, it couldn’t recover from it. It’s something that I never want to feel again.

I noticed that around Thanksgiving, I was sleeping less and less. The reason is that I remember how hard this time of year was for me last time, so I fear that it will happen again. However, I realized that I was fearing something that I would never allow to happen again. The mind is the most powerful part of a person, and it can help make things better or worse. I decided that this time, I want things to be better.


Shoulder Pain is Getting Worse

7 December, 2009 | dcfemella | Comments

 182.365 i haven't got time for the pain

For the past six months, I have been having trouble with my left shoulder.  It’s tight and painful.  I try doing circular movements and pulling it back to see if it’s dislodged. Nothing.

Today, more than ever, it is really bothering me. I don’t know if it’s the way I was sleeping or what, but the pain is constant now. I know that I should head to the doctor, but I have to be suffering enough for me to go. I know that isn’t good, but that is how I’ve always been.

I went three weeks with pneumonia before I finally got pushed to go to the doctor. The doctor said that if I would have waited a few more days, I probably would have been hospitalized.   Due to that, I coughed like a smoker for two years because my lungs were scarred.

Has anyone had similar issues with his/her shoulder? It started getting worse when I started actively running, but I don’t understand why that would be an issue. I guess maybe it’s time that I stop being such a wimp and head to the doctor’s.

I Need a Nap!

2 December, 2009 | dcfemella | Comments

Cat Nap

On the weekends, I try to always take a nap during the day.  It replenishes me, and I feel like I can take on the world (if I have to).  It’s a luxury that I don’t have during the week.  By 1 or 2, I am drained. My brain isn’t awake, and I sit at my desk daydreaming about the nap that will never happen.

I always envy those offices that have a room designated for sleeping. When I lived in Fredericksburg and was commuting to DC (a two-hour commute each way), I would go inside my car and take a 30-minute nap. If I didn’t, I would be in a horrible mood the entire day. I wonder why we are a society that doesn’t believe in naps?

It starts in Kindergarten.  The kids were slowly weaned off of taking naps.  Isabelle didn’t mind because she stopped taking naps at four.  On the other hand, Cebastian needs his naps.  He’s eight, and he still takes naps on the weekends.  The teachers tell me that he sometimes starts dozing off after lunch, and I don’t blame him cause I am the same way.

I wonder if this is one of the reasons that there are so many people suffering from sleep disorders in this country.  Not everyone is the same, so someone can probably sleep for a full eight hours, but someone else probably needs it broken up (someone like me).

Even if it’s just a power nap (20 minutes), I think that many people need it.  They need to take a rest before they can continue being productive.  I guess for now, I will have to take my naps on the weekends.  I say this while I begin yawning.