i’m a risk-taker
I know that people think I’m uptight, and in keeping with my neurotic tendencies, I felt the need to reflect on this…
Do people think I’m uptight because I can’t handle loud noise, I prefer the conservative nature of the East Coast, and I like my kid to be sitting still at a restaurant instead of running around driving other patrons crazy?
Do people think I’m uptight because I prefer to eat at certain, pre-determined times of the day, I don’t like to snack, and I feel compelled to exercise in 15-minute intervals (e.g. I’d rather die than get off the treadmill after only 27 minutes)?
Maya used sticky sticks to do this on the living room wall. For a change I shut down my uptight tendencies and appreciated her artwork instead. I made it a whole 2 weeks before I crumbled.
Maybe they think I’m uptight because I don’t drink, I can barely handle a cup of decaf, and I’m very particular about…well, just about everything.
Okay, so maybe I’m a bit uptight. But I’ve been working on this for a while now and I feel like I’m making progress! Just yesterday I not only ate non-organic grapes and what was likely farmed shrimp from Vietnam, but I also had lunch at 1:23 pm and walked across the street on a solid red hand.
If that isn’t progress I don’t know what is.
While I'm not going to win Mother/Wife of the Year Award anytime soon, I haven't killed anyone yet or shot myself in the head. And that, my friends, is how I calculate success these days. 
FANCY THAT FANCY THIS 
Ohh boy this post makes me feel so much better about my anal tendencies! I can’t get off the treadmill on a non-even number….even if it means walking til I hit a round figure! Girrrl you are craaay-zee, lunching at 1.23 pm and all! Hahah don’t worry, my friend, you aren’t alone!
ME TOO! So glad I’m not the only one 😉
I figured nobody could relate to my treadmill timer issue….glad I’m not the only anal one around here!
This post makes me a DEVIL 🙂 I am complete opposite oooops 🙂
wow Maya has talent there 🙂
Most guys are completely opposite Bikram!
Ha, good progress!!
Everyone has their own quirks. I don’t know why but I always have to put my socks on my left foot first then the right. The same way with my sneakers. If I start to put them on the right first, I actually stop and start over. Too Weird!! I’ll have to think about some of my other quirky weirdnesses and share. I suppose I should know them better!! Your quirks are part of your personality!!
I wish I hadn’t read this because now I will be very aware of how I put my socks on…
Ha! The red hand gets me. You are wild girl!
Oww.. I love what Maya did. So sweet! And don’t worry, you’re not the only one. Maybe because we’re women? I used driving as my “risk-taking” moments 😉 Have a wonderful long weekend!
I actually think I am an amazing driver! No risk-taking involved in that one at all.
–Ameena,
You are indeed moving out of your comfort zone. WOWwww. xx
Next thing you know I’ll be leaving dirty dishes in the sink!
I’m not anal in the least way – until it comes to my kitchen!! then, it’s gotta be my way!
With regards to the kitchen, I’m only anal that it must be very clean. At all times. Otherwise I’m pretty mellow about it.
You wild woman you!!! :). I am pretty structured/anal myself but I have definitely loosened up as I have gotten older and realized that the world isn’t going to stop spinning if I skip a workout or I don’t have everything planned out ahead of time.
I’m waiting to get to that point but since I’m 35 I’m not sure if I’ll make it!
I too embrace Exercise In 15 Minute Intervals. Otherwise, it makes something in my soul feel…crushed. Don’t even get me started on the timing of my tea drinking and snacks.
This is why, once again I am positive that We Are Soulmates.
We definitely are Kat!
interesting tendencies. I can relate in a certain sense, I am anal about somethings, just different things. PS Maya’s artwork is touching!
On behalf of Maya: thank you.
We are very very similar indeed; the thing is you own up to it; I feel like I tend to make excuses for my uptighted-ness: I can’t handle loud noises, I hate the idea of snacking/eating at off times, I can’t stand slow walkers/slow people in general, etc. Oh dear.
Anything slow really pushes me over the edge. It’s like I was absent when God was handing out patience!
I’ll take uptight with just a slight (haha, slight) touch of sarcasm with a lovely, quiet-at-a-restaurant daughter any day, Ameena!
Why thank you Becki!
Great progress Ameena. 😉 But rememeber, only change if it makes you happier! Ie. if a neurosis is affecting you in a negative way change it, but don’t drink caffeinated coffee for anyone else! I know I won’t, I would have 20 panic attacks in 20 minutes, caffeine is not my friend.
My uptightness doesn’t bother me but I can’t say the same for Ali and Maya…I feel for them.
You go, Ameena! Haha, oh, gosh, I love reading your posts, Ameena. You always make me smile, even when I’m stressed 🙂 Love the “I Love You Mom”, even if it’s on the wall! Nice artwork, Maya!
Thanks Jessie! I hope you feel less stressed soon!
Okay so we have our differences (my closet will never see shoes as nice as yours), but I am realizing how alike we are after reading this. I too have to exercise in increments of 15, and I don’t drink, and only now am venturing back into restaurants with the kids. I don’t appreciate any loud kids while I am eating (I would actually enjoy dinner more without the kids, but then we couldn’t call it family dinner).
And as adorable as the artwork is, 2 weeks is a long time to have left it there. I am not sure I would have lasted that long.
And if you ever came to Temecula we would eat at an even time, I would serve healthy homemade organic food, and of course the kids would eat outside. I would be so lucky to have you all as dinner guests. I would probably make you talk a lot so that you could entertain me though.
If I were lucky enough to be invited to your house for dinner the least I could do would be to entertain you! One day Marie…we’ll get tgoether. I know it!
Okay me again. My darn (darling) daughter hacked into my account or something and do you think I know how to fix it?
Dude, next thing you know, you’ll be wearing sweats to the store. I’m not sure I support this downward spiral 😉 Oh, and I know you’ll appreciate this. Last night, I went to the grocery store and while paying, realized I had dried spit up all over my shoulder. How far we’ve come 🙂
It’s too late! I already wear sweats to the store. Although they are usually accompanied by a hat so nobody can recognize me in my mess state.
Mom, Aunt Marion & Uncle Harley all want to adopt you as you would fit in perfectly (shhhh, say it softly).
Would your parents be interested in taking in a sometimes raucous, mojito-sipping, loquacious, uber-extroverted snacker who eats 3 meals plus 3 healthy snacks daily when she’s not mainling coffee directly into her veins?
I adore Maya’s artwork!
Really? I’d fit in perfectly? That would be a first for me!
We would get along so very well. CD hates loud noises – can’t even be in the kitchen when I unload the dishwasher. Sometimes I wish he was hard of hearing, but I do appreciate it when he’s watching football and keeps the volume turned down…can’t stand a loud TV blaring in the background.
Our loud TV is usually tuned to Sid the Science Kid or some sort of cartoon with off-key singing characters. I’ll take football anyday.
Also, had to sneak in a “Hi Heather – I’ll miss you”.
I haven’t had the pleasure of hearing Sid the Science Kid yet but I fear it’s inevitable…
How funny…Ali gets VERY bothered by me emptying the dishwasher. He actually gets offended by it. It’s kind of funny.
A whole two weeks!? You continue to impress me. 🙂
Now I’m impressed with myself. 🙂
Listen if it isn’t broke don’t try to fix it. Don’t bother trying to be not uptight you will just throw everyone off!
Good point!
oh wow… so that’s what is called “uptight”, my mom always called it “being organized” and “having a discipline”. sorry mom, still don’t have it. haha :)))
LOVE the euphemisms. Your mom is a smart lady!
Progress is good !!!
Its ok Ameena, we can be uptight together. Everyone else can go ahead and eat dinner at 9pm with their children running around and driving everyone else crazy. I’d rather be uptight than a pain in the ass. 🙂
Also, that message on the wall is adorable. I love it!
Well said…I’d rather be uptight too.
you really shouldn’t eat conventional grapes, I’m worried about you.
It was just a few, I promise Lauren!
I’m not much of a risk taker either. I like to have a plan for everything, and when things don’t go to plan… well… people die.
Have a great weekend LOL.
*kisses* HH
Of course you like to plan…that’s why we get along so well!
Oh gosh!!! How I would love to be like you. So disciplined and proper. I really REALLY wish I was like you Ameena 🙂
Then you’d be boring and uptight. Trust me, you don’t want to be like me!
I’m so glad I’m not the only one. I can only workout in multiples of 15 minutes, if I step on the edge of a tile with my right foot, I need to do the same with my left foot, I need my evening snack biscuits in even numbers, I send my husband emails with step by step instructions for vaccumming… I could go on! Instead I will say, “HI FIVE AMEENA!!!”
I eat 4 pieces of chocolate instead of 5. I get you on the even numbers!
Baby steps, baby steps! Besides, who cares if you’re uptight? It’s your life. =D
It shouldn’t matter that I’m uptight and yet I annoy people with my uptightness. Not sure why…
i cannot gas up my car to a random number. i HAVE to top up to the next round $ number. you are not alone 🙂
Ah! I hadn’t thought of this one but now I fear I’ll be following in your footsteps!
In my home we call that endearing. 🙂
I think I would like it in your home…
I like cardio to be a multiple of five (20, 25, 30 minutes, etc.). I’m also a big rules girl, and I find that when I don’t follow the rules, it bites me in the butt (even though other people seem to get away with rule-breaking just fine). But good for you for walking on the wild side 😉
Agreed…other people can break the rules with no problems but I always get caught!
you are cracking me up Ameena!
although, I don’t like to buy things if it’s not even change.
I’ll just leave the rest with the cashier.
I only like coins if they are quarters, the rest bug me!
see!
everyone has their thing!
xoxoxoxo
Love quarters…the rest of the coins just seem unnecessary!
I think if you moved to NYC, you would have a love-hate relationship with the city. I do at times. it is so freakin’ loud, the only time I don’t mind it is when i go clubbing and i bet you hate it. 🙂 omg, how do you eat at fixed times and not snack? I love my jalapeno popppers with tea, or a piece of dessert after dinner.
I haven’t gone clubbing since…before Maya? I couldn’t handle the noise, even in my 20s!
Uptight? Says who!? I mean, crossing at a RED hand is living on the edge. Seriously. I don’t joke. In Madrid it’s a little red man. You can die if you don’t follow the strict red/green rules. I have seen way too many near death experiences. Eat the grapes… but please, wait for the green hand.
When I finally get to Madrid I promise to obey the little red man!!
Not anal, wellll just a bit. Anal makes me comfortable, all the mugs have to have their handles in the same direction, the towels on the rail have to have the fold pointing the same way. All my shoes are kept in boxes and my clothes are hung in colour groups, all reds together blues etc and from light to dark. We all have our OCD moments. BTW The stick writing is gorgeous.
My clothes are hung according to style, then color. It’s the only way to make getting dressed in the morning less of a hassle!
I love maya’s artwork. Progress is good 🙂
Thank you Ayala!
Well Hallelujah! That is real honest to goodness progress. Did you rub each grape individually before eating it?
Nope! I only gave the bunch a quick wash…how’s that for daring?
I can relate to certain of your anal instincts- loved your funky blog and following your adventures !
Thanks Priya! Glad to know I’m not the only anal one out there…
Is it possible to sit on the fence on this one? I find myself to be uptight and then non-uptight about the same things. Hmmm I am confused
I contradict myself daily so I’m in no position to judge!
Love what Maya did! Although my anal tendencies would surface too if I saw any kind of wall art on my walls that was actually ON the wall!
I am the most disorganized , organized kind of a person. I pull it all together in the last moment. With the kind of precision clockwork that you mentioned in your post, I would be a nervous wreck well before it’s actually time. But I appreciate this discipline because it really sorts out life in the way you want it, unlike mine 😦
I wish I could give you my discipline and take some of your spontaneous nature…we’d both benefit. 🙂
Aww…I LOVE that “I love you Mom” even if it was on the wall. Sometimes reading your blog is like someone reading my mind and writing everything out for me. I think there comes a time in every mother’s life where we finally realise that our kids may be the cure to our uptightness. For me, it’s many many times. It all started with the first time K spat food all over my face. Now we’re at about the same place as you. My walls have become an art gallery. Sigh.
Maya totally cured me of my fear of vomit! So you are absolutely right!
I hate getting off the treadmill when the time isn’t in five minute increments… Today I was on for 35 and I wanted to keep going, but not for 40!
So it’s not just me!!
So nice to meet another uptight lady out there!
You’re not alone!
*wipes keyboard with antiseptic towel*
😉 Anna
I have an antiseptic spray nearby for the exact same thing…I clean my keyboard like clockword, every Monday morning. 🙂
I adore this post. I can definitely relate to it — while I’m not even remotely update, I am super OCD, and there is definitely some overlap. I HATE loud noise and large numbers of people. You know what I especially hate? When I am in a public place (e.g., the subway, an elevator, the gym, the grocery store) and people around me (sometimes multiple people at the same time) are playing their music loud enough for me to hear THROUGH their headphones. I think this is pretty much one of the rudest things that people in the 21st century do. Seriously, it’s like borderline sinful. Music is a personal choice. You should not subject those around you to your personal music choices. Ever. Unless you’re at a party/bar, obviously, or a store or gym where there is SOFT music playing over the loudspeakers. It is unacceptable to play your headphones so loudly that those around you can hear. I feel like some people would say this is super uptight of me, but I have a feeling you’ll agree with me on this one. 🙂
PS — thanks so much for voting for LGR! We won our category and have secured at least a $125,000 grant (we have a shot at $1M!).
I very much agree with you on this one! Actually, I fear more for their hearing than anything…how can listening to something that loud be okay for someones ears?
Yay for progress. I can relate. I have crazy tendencies too that I know must make some people think I am crazy.
While I was in CA I went ahead and did the Brazilian Blowout. I thought of you as I was getting my hair straightened. So far so good.
I’m glad it turned out well! I’ve never done the Brazilian Blowout because the Japanese process is permanent. But I hear good things!
You and I are pretty similar!! I’m neurotic about the same things. Want to keep me up for days? Switch my tea with coffee, I’m like a bee on crack. I can’t sit down. And if I miss a meal time or I have to eat later? Yikes…
Decaf is about all I can handle…and yet some people can drink 8 cups of regular? I don’t get it?
I don’t either!!!!
I don’t think YOU think you are uptight. Preferences and knowing what you like and what you are willing to compromise on (HMMMM….let’s look at so many of your other daughter/husband/traffic themes posts) is a character strength…not a flaw
You always make me feel 100% better, so thank you for that. 🙂
You made me feel much better about my ‘tendencies’. I swear I’m driving myself crazy these days. And watch out when crossing the street! 😉
I don’t think your uptight. I think your normal. Everyone else is just scatter-brained. Or they have bad taste. Or both.
I’m so glad someone thinks I’m normal. 🙂
I think your fantastic. I aspire to be as grounded and fabulous as you. Your little one is adorable. PS: Love that u keep Maya quiet at a restaurant, nothing worse than a rat bag kid when your trying to enjoy a meal. 🙂
Thank you Anna…your compliment means more than you know!
I love hearing about people’s neurotic tendencies 🙂 Neurosis makes people more interesting.
So why does my husband just think I’m crazy? 🙂
Thx for stopping by on my blog and for the comment.
I dont think you are uptight. Every person has some different neurotic tendencies but they differ from person to person. Some people love cleaning can not tolerate a single particle of dust while others can’t be late. Its so normal.
I totally loved reading this and Your little one has done a good job.
Thank you Swati!
Hi Ameena..
Visiting for the first time. I love the fact that you are an exercise freak too! With a boy friend who hates working out within four walls (he prefers outdoor games over gymming), I get so bored going to gym alone. I love running.. I can go on and on for about 40 -45 min.. I guess we share similar interests.. visiting your blog was fun.. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a link to your profile. I am glad! You have a reader in me 🙂
Take care
I used to love running…but my bad knee stopped that unfortunately. Thanks for coming by Shruti!
I thought my list of neurotic tendencies are higher. Guess I am glad I have a match and don’t feel as guilty 😉
The great thing about blogging is that we can make each other feel better! I love it.
WAIT? You went on the red light? Don’t tell me you forgot to look both ways becaues that would be so daring… with your eyes closed?
On the red light! With my eyes closed. Can you believe it?
“Just yesterday I not only ate non-organic grapes…” -hahaha this line made me laugh out loud
I’m extremely uptight about a lot of things, but I think one of my best skills is giving off the appearance of being laid-back.
Maya’s so cute!
I cannot get off the treadmill unless it is in 15 minutes intervals either! 🙂
And I have many many neurotic tendencies and I am glad I am not the only one either!
♡ from © tanvii.com
so i had the same issue when i use to go to the gym. but the wall art? i dont know if i could handle it on the wall longer than 5 minutes. i’d sweet talk my kid to transferring it to paper, but two weeks? you’re a strong lady 😉
I wish this could have been transferred to paper! But it was way too big.
So, it’s funny because I actually think that I am TOTALLY a risk-taker, not uptight at all and love to live life as it comes. However, when I actually look at my habits, that is so not the case. Major example: I start work officially at 8:15 every day. However, if I’m not here an hour beforehand, I go a little loopy. Talk about rigid.
Don’t even let my husband get started with my food/kitchen quirks.
I do like the wall art – very cute!
I go a little loopy when I’m even 5 minutes late for work. Not sure what my problem is! It’s not like I’m going to get fired for being late…and yet I can’t help myself.
I feel your pain Kristina!