Hi all! Allow me to reintroduce myself.. if you’re into rap music at all you now have Jay Z rapping running through your head.. you’re welcome. If you’re a regular reader to this blog you probably have noticed it’s been awhile since I have written a post. I wish I could tell you my absence from writing was because I was on some grand vacation, or hanging out with Oprah, or doing something remotely interesting. Unfortunately, my absence is because life got in the way.

“Life got in the way” doesn’t really give one the full or honest picture of the last couple of weeks. Life decided to kick the fun up a few notches and what a ride it’s been! On top of the normal, everyday fun I get to have thanks to my body, my body decided to get a UTI and of course my body can’t just get a normal UTi. No, I got a UTI that turned into a bladder infection that turned into a complicated kidney infection.. I truly live life by the words “Go Big or Go Home”. After 3 different antibiotics, countless trips to the bathroom, and my gut being destroyed by the above mentioned 3 antibiotics, I think the infection has left the building. I am crossing every finger and toe possible as I write this.

Because the fun above wasn’t enough fun for my life and the Universe, the Universe decided to send me car thieves that attempted to steal my car and in the process do thousands of dollars of damage. I have a car that according to videos on the internet can be stolen in like 30 seconds or less. I of course got the car thieves that failed the course “Stealing Cars For Dummies” and they spent God knows how much time doing a shit ton of damage to the car just to walk away.. literally. Maybe they drove away in a friend’s car, but they didn’t drive off in mine. Now, I am thankful they didn’t get the car, but also curious if they just don’t have the internet and had never watched the numerous videos out there or maybe the WIFi on their phone wasn’t working at the time.. I don’t know.

These 2 life events on top of the daily dose of all the ways our democracy is crumbling and the innumerable was the world is absolutely bat shit crazy right now left me feeling like writing was kind of the last thing I wanted to do. I have however over been thinking about those quotes you see online or in really corny water color background Hallmark cards that say things like “Life never gives you more than you can handle, “Life is tough, but you’re tougher”, “God only gives his biggest battles to his strongest soldiers.” You know the quotes I’m talking about.

I am sorry, but I think all those pithy quotes are total bullshit and offer little to no comfort. If you have been comforted by the above mentioned quotes that’s awesome, but I think you are in the minority. The truth is sometimes shit happens in life that is tough, that breaks you, and that is a hell of a lot more than you can, want to, or should have to handle. Life is brutal and life is beautiful and often the two go hand in hand. There are absolutely moments and seasons of life that are more than we mere humans can handle and if they break you, you aren’t weak. If the tough moments make you want to curse, watch horrible reality TV, and eat your weight in Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, you aren’t weak.. you are human.

The next time life throws something or maybe multiple things your way that feel like way too much to handle, allow yourself to do what you need to do to get through them. Scream. Curse. Cry. Distract yourself for hours on TikTok. Run away to a remote island with no internet access.. personally that options sounds like a freaking dream. If you need to break down, break down. If you need to put on the mask and solider on, put your mask firmly on. Whatever you need to do, you do. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks alternating between putting the mask on and getting through and screaming like I’m being murdered in my car… I should specify my rental car courtesy of enterprise due to the unsuccessful car thieves. I don’t know why screaming is so therapeutic for me, but boy is it! If you have encountered me driving and thought I was screaming at you, I can assure you my rage was firmly directed at life and the Universe.

The world is a lot right now and when you add to it the normal shit that comes from life and being human… it can feel like too much. Do what works for you as coping strategies. As long as they don’t injure yourself or someone else, this is a coping strategy judgement free zone. You cope how you need to, boo.