You know how there are some people that you meet and you just click? Smiles form. Laughter ensues.
And there are other people that you don't click with right away but gradually as you learn more about each other the click comes. The smiles come a little more slowly and the laughter may be a tad more subdued but it's there. And it gets louder with time.
There are also the people that you really think you click with. People that you would love to hang out with and do things with but that clicking doesn't quite feel mutual.
Then there are the people from whom you get a definite dislike vibe. That as you chat with them or are in certain social situations with them you get the distinct feeling that they really don't like being around you. There is no effort made to come and chat with you in social situations. There is just "the vibe".
It's not that they hate you but you don't really have a lot in common and in the course of trying to find some compatible conversation piece to land on you find that you are grasping at straws. If you bring up your interests to feel out where there may or may not be a common interest they show a kind of disdain or distaste for the things that you enjoy and you can tell that they don't really want to know more about you? They don't want to smile with you. Or laugh with you.
They are the ones that you feel that that your absence would make them infinitely more comfortable than does your presence?
What do you do in situations such as this? Do you work harder to try and make that dislike go away? Or do you just make it so your absence is pretty much all that there is? Avoiding them and any interaction with them?
Me? I do the second part. When I come across those people with whom I get "the vibe" from I just back off. Sometimes I get "the vibe" from the people that I've clicked with before. So I back off. If I feel that me being around some one is causing discomfort or annoyance I remove myself from the immediate surroundings of that person.
Maybe I should fight through the discomfort. I don't know.
I've been told in the past that I have given off "the vibe". That there are people out there that think I dislike them. Which is weird because I don't think I feel that way. I guess there are people who annoy me but I do my best not to let people know if that is the case. Because usually it's something on my end and not on theirs...if that makes any sense.
When I hear that someone has said "Well I think she hates me." when I have never voiced that opinion, to me that is someone who is "projecting" their feelings. (Basically this person actually doesn't like me and is then projecting those feelings to me saying that I don't like them....clear as mud?)
THEN I think "So I am I projecting 'the vibe' onto people?"
Where do "gut feelings" or "instincts" fall into this whole arena? I really don't know.
I do know that usually when I am feeling "the vibe" there is also a "gut feeling" that goes along with it and thus my desire remove myself from the situation.
And you know I'm not even sure where I wanted to go with this or even where I'm going with it. I just had these thoughts rolling around so I wanted to get them out.
What are your feelings about "clicking" or "the vibe"? Does this happen to anyone else or am I the only one?
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Sharing - It's harder than it seems
My husband is a yoga teacher and not just any yoga teacher, he is a great yoga teacher. Yoga is his passion. He loves it and it shows. He knows his stuff.
He also has technical talents working with computers. And while his dream is to be able to teach yoga full time, right now his job as an IT programmer is what pays the bills.
Yoga has changed my husband. He is not the same man that I married. In fact he goes by a completely different name in the yogic community and even on Facebook. This change did not happen over night. Sometimes the changes came in monumental leaps and other times they came in whispers and tugs. This change has not been a bad thing. It has been good. Difficult but good.
This change and with him immersing himself ever deeper into yoga has brought with it another aspect. One that isn't as good. One that isn't easy. It's one that involves sharing my husband.
And I have found out that I'm not very good at this. Not good at all.
2 1/2 years ago he, along with one of his students opened up a yoga studio.
Last week just before we celebrated our 20th Wedding anniversary the decision was made to close the studio.
He wrote and posted this, Closing the Studio, the morning of our anniversary and then we left for four days. Upon our return I guess there had been some fallout from this announcement. A comment was made about a worry that there had been some "outside pressure" to close and that my husband wasn't being truthful.
First of all, my husband is nothing if not truthful. Ask him to tell you the story of when he decided to skip a class at the U of U while we were engaged and I found out, if you really want to know.
And second of all because I am human and because it is all about me. (<-------sarcasm .="" i="" nbsp="">know
it's not all about me. In fact I struggled with even writing this post and I may not even publicly post it but I needed to get this out.)
I felt attacked.
Where would the most "outside pressure" come from if not his wife?
I have tried to be supportive and to be honest we have had multiple discussions where he asked me if I thought he should quit teaching because I was struggling with the amount of time his teaching and being there for his students was eating up. Each time my answer was, absolutely not. Until the last time, which was a couple of months ago, and then I was silent. The decision for him to close the studio was completely his and his partners. I had no voice. It wasn't my studio. It wasn't my decision.
Let me explain something. For 2 1/2 years (actually longer than that if you count the teaching he did before he opened up the studio) I have been "sharing" the time that I have with my husband. And, damn, it's been hard.
Because, as I said at the very beginning, that while yoga is his passion, unfortunately right now it does not pay well (monetarily). So he has been working two jobs. He works four, ten hour days at his computer job, Monday through Thursday. Waking up at 4:00 in the morning and leaving at 5. He would get home at around 5:30 depending on traffic. There were some days because of traffic that he only had time to come home and quickly change or I would take workout clothes to the studio for him to change into. (I think one time he even taught in his street clothes.) Our family,specifically the kids, saw him for maybe one hour, four days out of the week. Even his days off were preoccupied with time spent discussing the studio with his business partner or working on the website or teaching plans. They had workshops and other classes that were held on Saturdays, not every Saturday but they were a regular occurance. Yoga in the Park on Saturday mornings in the summer.
On the nights that he taught, his classes would "end" at 8 or 9 pm and I would wait for another two or three hours for him to come home because someone else wanted or needed his listening ear. That is another thing my husband is good at, listening and I love that about him. There were many nights I would just climb into bed and fall asleep before he would ever get home.
When a crisis would arise, as they tend to do, it felt that more often than not he was away at the studio and it was difficult to get a hold of him. And for whatever reason in the past 2 1/2 years it feels like we have had our fair share of crises. When the kids would come home from school and announce that they had a concert or a play that they were performing in, the tension would rise as the dates and times were announced. If it was on a night that he was teaching it the tension would break into frustration. It was frustrating for him because he wanted to be there to support his kids and he also wanted to teach. Frustrating for me because, struggling as I was, it felt that he was irritated to even be informed about these performances.
Planning time together either as a family or as a couple was difficult because I would see something that sounded like it would be fun and it would end up being on a night where he was teaching. And then there was the aspect that since he was never really home the time that he was able to spend at home he wanted to be at home instead of going out and doing something.
Phone calls would come from someone needing his support or a listening ear when it was supposed to be "our time" together. Emails would be sent and if they weren't immediately answered he was "ignoring" or "avoiding" people, feathers would be ruffled and feelings would be hurt and then extra time away (physically or emotionally) would be needed to smooth things over. As a couple we discussed boundaries. He has such a big heart and wants to help and love everyone that he can have a difficult time setting boundaries. Boundaries were attempted to be put in place and they kept being tested. To say the least was difficult.
All of this is a very abbreviated version of what has gone on the past 2 1/2 years. His birthday was almost breaking point because he celebrated with his "yoga family" not with me or the kids. I almost went to his class that night. I have to say that I'm glad that I didn't.
I do feel that I could have voiced an opinion that was for him quitting and closing the studio, and I feel that I would have been highly justified in doing so. And I never did.
I want to say now, I don't want him to stop teaching. It's what he's good at and it's what he loves. The studio will remain closed and right now he will continue to teach in our local parks on Wednesday evening and Saturday mornings.
It's not the teaching that I struggle with. It's the sharing. I used to think I was good at sharing. Now I'm not so sure.
I'm working on it though.
He also has technical talents working with computers. And while his dream is to be able to teach yoga full time, right now his job as an IT programmer is what pays the bills.
Yoga has changed my husband. He is not the same man that I married. In fact he goes by a completely different name in the yogic community and even on Facebook. This change did not happen over night. Sometimes the changes came in monumental leaps and other times they came in whispers and tugs. This change has not been a bad thing. It has been good. Difficult but good.
This change and with him immersing himself ever deeper into yoga has brought with it another aspect. One that isn't as good. One that isn't easy. It's one that involves sharing my husband.
And I have found out that I'm not very good at this. Not good at all.
2 1/2 years ago he, along with one of his students opened up a yoga studio.
Last week just before we celebrated our 20th Wedding anniversary the decision was made to close the studio.
He wrote and posted this, Closing the Studio, the morning of our anniversary and then we left for four days. Upon our return I guess there had been some fallout from this announcement. A comment was made about a worry that there had been some "outside pressure" to close and that my husband wasn't being truthful.
First of all, my husband is nothing if not truthful. Ask him to tell you the story of when he decided to skip a class at the U of U while we were engaged and I found out, if you really want to know.
And second of all because I am human and because it is all about me. (<-------sarcasm .="" i="" nbsp="">know
it's not all about me. In fact I struggled with even writing this post and I may not even publicly post it but I needed to get this out.)
I felt attacked.
Where would the most "outside pressure" come from if not his wife?
I have tried to be supportive and to be honest we have had multiple discussions where he asked me if I thought he should quit teaching because I was struggling with the amount of time his teaching and being there for his students was eating up. Each time my answer was, absolutely not. Until the last time, which was a couple of months ago, and then I was silent. The decision for him to close the studio was completely his and his partners. I had no voice. It wasn't my studio. It wasn't my decision.
Let me explain something. For 2 1/2 years (actually longer than that if you count the teaching he did before he opened up the studio) I have been "sharing" the time that I have with my husband. And, damn, it's been hard.
Because, as I said at the very beginning, that while yoga is his passion, unfortunately right now it does not pay well (monetarily). So he has been working two jobs. He works four, ten hour days at his computer job, Monday through Thursday. Waking up at 4:00 in the morning and leaving at 5. He would get home at around 5:30 depending on traffic. There were some days because of traffic that he only had time to come home and quickly change or I would take workout clothes to the studio for him to change into. (I think one time he even taught in his street clothes.) Our family,specifically the kids, saw him for maybe one hour, four days out of the week. Even his days off were preoccupied with time spent discussing the studio with his business partner or working on the website or teaching plans. They had workshops and other classes that were held on Saturdays, not every Saturday but they were a regular occurance. Yoga in the Park on Saturday mornings in the summer.
On the nights that he taught, his classes would "end" at 8 or 9 pm and I would wait for another two or three hours for him to come home because someone else wanted or needed his listening ear. That is another thing my husband is good at, listening and I love that about him. There were many nights I would just climb into bed and fall asleep before he would ever get home.
When a crisis would arise, as they tend to do, it felt that more often than not he was away at the studio and it was difficult to get a hold of him. And for whatever reason in the past 2 1/2 years it feels like we have had our fair share of crises. When the kids would come home from school and announce that they had a concert or a play that they were performing in, the tension would rise as the dates and times were announced. If it was on a night that he was teaching it the tension would break into frustration. It was frustrating for him because he wanted to be there to support his kids and he also wanted to teach. Frustrating for me because, struggling as I was, it felt that he was irritated to even be informed about these performances.
Planning time together either as a family or as a couple was difficult because I would see something that sounded like it would be fun and it would end up being on a night where he was teaching. And then there was the aspect that since he was never really home the time that he was able to spend at home he wanted to be at home instead of going out and doing something.
Phone calls would come from someone needing his support or a listening ear when it was supposed to be "our time" together. Emails would be sent and if they weren't immediately answered he was "ignoring" or "avoiding" people, feathers would be ruffled and feelings would be hurt and then extra time away (physically or emotionally) would be needed to smooth things over. As a couple we discussed boundaries. He has such a big heart and wants to help and love everyone that he can have a difficult time setting boundaries. Boundaries were attempted to be put in place and they kept being tested. To say the least was difficult.
All of this is a very abbreviated version of what has gone on the past 2 1/2 years. His birthday was almost breaking point because he celebrated with his "yoga family" not with me or the kids. I almost went to his class that night. I have to say that I'm glad that I didn't.
I do feel that I could have voiced an opinion that was for him quitting and closing the studio, and I feel that I would have been highly justified in doing so. And I never did.
I want to say now, I don't want him to stop teaching. It's what he's good at and it's what he loves. The studio will remain closed and right now he will continue to teach in our local parks on Wednesday evening and Saturday mornings.
It's not the teaching that I struggle with. It's the sharing. I used to think I was good at sharing. Now I'm not so sure.
I'm working on it though.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Milestones
Life is full of them. We look towards them, sometimes with joy and excitement and other times with trepidation. Hopefully we look back on them with fondness and without sadness or regret. Sometimes looking back can include all of these emotions.
This past week I was witness to one of the bigger milestones in my oldest son's life. He graduated from High School.
He graduated from mine and my husband's alma mater. He also had two grandfather's, a grandmother and many aunts, uncles and cousins who attended this same High School. Our family doesn't fly far from the nest, it seems.
Here he is walking over to get his diploma. When he raised his arms and stood there for a second or two I couldn't believe it! It was out of character for him to do something like this. But I LOVE that he did it!
One of Jona's biggest struggles is in the social arena. He stumbled onto the "Brony" community and found a love of the new version of the tv show "My Little Pony". He really connected with this community and show and the message that it sends out. One of inclusion and that everyone is different and that's okay.
For his seminary class this year he was asked to participate and either do a talk or a musical number. He chose to do a musical number but he didn't choose a hymn or a traditional Christian song he chose one from the MLP community called "It's Great To Be Different". If you want to listen to it you can go HERE.
These are the words to the chorus and then the words to one of the verses.
Isn't that amazing? Isn't HE amazing?
I knew it would be hard to pick him out among all the other graduates on the floor so I got him a Brony sticker to put on his graduation cap. It says has a pony with the words "Every pony equal. Every Pony Loved" at the bottom.
He will be an incredible missionary. I know it.
This past week I was witness to one of the bigger milestones in my oldest son's life. He graduated from High School.
Pleasant Grove High School Class of 2013.
Here he is walking over to get his diploma. When he raised his arms and stood there for a second or two I couldn't believe it! It was out of character for him to do something like this. But I LOVE that he did it!
Here he is receiving his diploma (well actually this was just the case, they had to pick up the diploma outside right after the ceremony)
Me and my boy.
I am so pleased with Jona. With the choices that he has made. He has autism and while he has an incredible mind he struggled with handing assignments in, working with people in groups and being able to express himself the way that he wanted to. Seventh grade was especially difficult but after that he worked. He worked really hard to get assignments handed in on time and to do the work he was given. That's not to to say that he didn't need a reminder or two from mom and dad but his grades have always been good grades and I always looked forward to parent/teacher conferences with his teachers.
George, Ty, Me, Jona, Kenna and Jillian
The Family
For his seminary class this year he was asked to participate and either do a talk or a musical number. He chose to do a musical number but he didn't choose a hymn or a traditional Christian song he chose one from the MLP community called "It's Great To Be Different". If you want to listen to it you can go HERE.
These are the words to the chorus and then the words to one of the verses.
"Isn't it great to be different?
Isn't it wonderful to be exactly who you are?
When you learn to start accepting yourself
You'll become a shining star
Isn't it wonderful to be exactly who you are?
When you learn to start accepting yourself
You'll become a shining star
I just wanted to tell you that the hardest thing I've faced
Wasn't the teasing or the pain
It was convincing myself I wasn't stupid, strange, or lame
And helping others do the same."
It was convincing myself I wasn't stupid, strange, or lame
And helping others do the same."
Isn't that amazing? Isn't HE amazing?
I knew it would be hard to pick him out among all the other graduates on the floor so I got him a Brony sticker to put on his graduation cap. It says has a pony with the words "Every pony equal. Every Pony Loved" at the bottom.
Here he is showing off his diploma
And jumping for joy that he's done!!
To be perfectly honest I am unsure how I feel about this milestone. I have so enjoyed watching him grow and learn. And, in all honesty, he has taught me so MUCH. He has made me become a better mother and a better person.
Jona is now getting ready to put papers in to serve a two year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is the next milestone.
He will be an incredible missionary. I know it.
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