Which one are you?
There are two basic types of people: Hangers-on and Page-turners. I’m a page-turner and I’m finding that so is Lilly.
Since college I have moved more times than I could count, never looking back after any move––except for my time in Manhattan Beach, you can’t beat living on the beach.
In my life I’ve had numerous girlfriends and the second those “relationships” ended, they ENDED. I was never one to linger and try to work things out––regardless of who initiated the break up.
When I left a job––or was asked to leave––I deleted that experience from my brain the instant my ass left the building.
I love change. I rarely look back.
Lilly should be a lawyer. A Prosecutor.
The day we got our dog, Lola, our fish, Ella Therese II, saw her life expectancy dissipate like chips at a frigid crap table. Ella Therese II has lived in Lilly’s room since she replaced the dearly departed (murdered) Ella Therese I. Once Lola entered our lives, Lilly said of the fish, and I quote, “I don’t want her. Take her away. Lulu can have her. When she dies, I don’t want another Ella Therese.”
That’s some cold-hearted shit. I love it. And it gets worse.
We then moved ETII to Lulu’s room; she had a shit fit. Our male Betta with the female name kinda of freaks her out––guess she’s not into trannies. So I quickly took the bowl with the unloved fish to our room where MRS promptly stated that she didn’t want that “thing” staring at her at night. I put my foot down at got her/him a stay of execution, but I won’t be shocked to come home one day to hear that ETII “ran away.”
My women are evil.
And here’s the kicker that confirms that Lilly is my kid. We are in the process of buying a new house. When we found the house we liked and as the girls got all geeked up about their new rooms, we tried to explain that we wouldn’t be living next door to their best friends anymore. Lilly then tossed this dagger out, “I don’t even care about Zachary.” Wow. This is all instinct. I haven’t even tried to teach her this yet. She’s a killer.
I’m not a hanger-on but my “inner chick” is getting sad.
We moved into our house when MRS was pregnant with Lilly. We’d only been married for two or three months at the time. It’s the only home we’ve known as a family and since I’ve been feminized over the last five years, I’m getting a wee bit melancholy at the prospects of jettisoning our crew from its nest. No matter where we end up, I know I’ll always pine for the place where MMW was born. The place where we watched our babies develop into little people. The place with all those secret vomit, urine and diarrhea spots that we are trying to hide from prospective buyers.
The fact that we’re moving less than a mile away and we will remain friends with our neighbors means that we’ll be forced to witness another family living in our house––that will be odd.
The X-factor in all this is that the whole deal could fall apart at any moment as any real estate deal can. A small part of me hopes it does. Then I be granted a stay of execution, just like ETII, and I’ll still be able to label myself a heartless page-turner. And let’s face it, Lilly needs a role model.
Posted by jason on April 23, 2008 at 10:31 am
I’m a page-turner myself. And it sounds like Lilly is a natural. I like that.
Whenever I’ve moved it’s never been just a couple of miles. It’s been way across town, different city or even different state. I don’t want to see the old place ever again, even with fond memories. I guess I’m cold-hearted.
Posted by Penelope on April 23, 2008 at 10:39 am
I grew up as a Forces brat so we moved every 2 years or so all my life. After I married, my (now ex) husband’s job moved us a lot too. I have lived in my current house for 8 years and wow do I have itchy feet!
I’m definitely a page turner ;o)
Posted by MammaLoves on April 23, 2008 at 10:39 am
I’d like to think I”m a page-turner, but I’m not. I probably qualify more than others, but I have a HUGE sentimental streak that I can’t kill.
And Lilly is going to break hearts.
Posted by henitsirk on April 23, 2008 at 11:05 am
Sorry, I’m a huge hanger-on even though I’ve moved a zillion times. But page-turning sounds like a good coping skill!
Posted by Heather on April 23, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Oh man, I couldn’t imagine being friends with ex-boyfriends. Noooo waaaaay. Page turned.
Posted by Worker Mommy on April 23, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Please show me the ways of page-turning. For I know them not.
Except for relationships. If you gots to go I’m booting your ass out and not looking back.
Of course now that I’ve said that I did hang on to two particular relationships where I got my heart broken.
Dang I’m never coming back to your blog again. Somehow I alway manage to make myself sound bad. And I swear I’m really not
Posted by LiteralDan on April 23, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Oh I am a hanger-on extraordinaire. To a fault, at times.
I’d like to think I’m able to turn the page on some things, just not most things.
I’ve got to stop living in the past– I envy you all, but only to a point. If you can hang on to your memories of the house, there’s hope for you yet. And I’ll have to find something to let go of.
Posted by Mooselet on April 23, 2008 at 5:56 pm
I’m a page-turner who likes to peek back now and again and do some re-reading. I’m also a firm believer in not regretting decisions I have made – even if they were bad ones not making them would mean I wouldn’t be where I am today.
But man, Lilly is not just a page turner, but a tear the pages out and burn them type of girl. Sweet!!!!
Posted by Ed (zoesdad) on April 24, 2008 at 6:34 am
Lilly scares me!
Posted by (un)relaxeddad on April 24, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Pageturner. Unless you can keep a digital backup, in which case, definitely a hanger on.
Posted by Blond Girls Dad on April 25, 2008 at 7:41 am
Creepy — similar. We found a house this weekend with a barn, chicken coop and septic tank. The split level 1960’s home had very hip, green paint, so I was very suprised when I got the WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS! We (well, I) were not looking. I was watching my new computer program that tracks how much your savings grow! Three days have passed and the ‘open house’ has two contracts. None are ours. Even though the house was listed five months ago, this has become my fault and two of the three blond women in my house are mad at me.
Suddenly two women who ‘fish’ with dishwashing gloves and summer dresses are interested in ‘nature’ and ‘land’, and I am the weepy one holding on to our soul-less yuppy barn (house), because it is fine, and suits us well.
In fact, what will we do with Sara, our former Beta, who is decomposing in the back yard garden as we speak. When that happened I was the ‘cold one’ for not crying, but celebrating the success of a fish surviving four years in our house.
Yes, boys may be rough for a minute, but girls are mean for a lifetime.
Posted by Julie Pippert on April 25, 2008 at 9:46 am
I used to talk big, like your girls, and I always thought I really meant it. I act(ed) like a page-turner and boy can I be, ruthlessly so at times, detrimentally so at times. But at heart I want to be a hanger-on and I suspect I am. Or maybe I am aging into one.
Posted by Jeremy (Discovering Dad) on April 25, 2008 at 7:48 pm
I’m with you man – total page-turner. My daughter seems to be slightly in the middle, but once things are gone, she doesn’t really talk about them too much again. Your women sound cool to me
Posted by candace on April 26, 2008 at 1:51 pm
I’m so envious of how emotionally healthy Lilly is. She’s already figured out the key to life….
I suppose I know it theoretically but as always easier said than done. Moving on, change…..wait, I have to go cry in my bed now and watch a Lifetime movie.
Tell Lilly to call me.
Posted by Redneck Mommy on April 27, 2008 at 11:03 am
I’m a page turner by necessity.
My husband is a hanger-on.
It’s been a rocky road but I’m intent on slowly changing his ways…heh.
Posted by Jenny on April 28, 2008 at 7:57 pm
I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer. Maybe one day I will. I SAY LAWYER!! They make more moneh. xD
Posted by yellojkt on April 29, 2008 at 7:47 pm
I’m pretty much a page turner. We moved every three years when I was a kid, so I was always starting over.
Posted by Jason on May 2, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I had to stop at our old house the other day, I had a package shipped to the old address. It’s supposed to be up for rent, but it’s still vacant and weird. Don’t miss it a bit.
Posted by Dawn on May 3, 2008 at 7:27 pm
I’m terrible at the anticipation of change, but once it happens, I’m all good.
Posted by creative-type dad on May 6, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I don’t think we’ll ever move from our house. Everything reminds me of something….
Posted by Moobs on May 7, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Send me Lily’s CV, my Chambers’ pupillage Committee want to meet this girl (http://www.11kbw.com)
Posted by Jenn on May 12, 2008 at 9:24 am
I’m a huge hanger-on, I stick even when it’s time to let go. My job mostly.