Babci’s chickens finally moved into their new 4×8 shed that I spent the last 2 months building. I still have to put up some trim around the doors and windows but it is fully functional. I’ve dubbed it the “Taj Ma Fowl” as it’s a huge upgrade from the rabbit cage that the chickens were stuffed into. In fact, they were getting so big, that they barely all fit in the cage at night and had to huddle up together to be able to fit in it. Last weekend, the day finally came when we took our chooks out of their portable pen and into the new one and it was not at all what I expected. We put the cage into the coop and opened it up and I thought they would be just tickled pink to have more room to roost at night. Instead of clucking for joy, those dumb birds just sat there in their cage too scared to get out. I was a bit disappointed since I spent every weekend working on this thing and it’s corresponding enclosure for the last couple of months. I decided no way, so I pulled the chickens out of their cage one by one and then shut them out of their cage for the night. I call my mom the next day to see how they did and she was like “they were causing such a racket because they were shut out of their cage that I had to open it back up again.” So there they were in a gorgeous new coop and they preferred to stay huddled up together in a rabbit cage because it was what they knew best. At that point, I realized where the term “what are you chicken?” came from. Luckily for me, they have gotten used to it and hang out in the coop a lot now, even during the day.
What are you Chicken About?
One of my pet peeves has always been people who constantly complain about their lives but then don’t do anything about it. My dad was famous for complaining about the things he didn’t have that others did while sitting on his ass all day, doing nothing. I think that’s where my pet peeve originated from and it didn’t take me years of therapy to figure that out either. Thankfully having such a role model made me realize that doing nothing when you’re unhappy is absolutely the worst thing to do for yourself. It doesn’t matter if it’s a financial problem or relationship issue or work. If you’re not happy, then the small steps you take, any steps are better than just sitting there stuffed in your coop of despair. The worst part is when you start to think that it’s your calling in life to be unhappy because that’s how the cards played out in your case. Babci often would say that she is “unlucky.” I still have to remind her how her life is better than any of her siblings in this stage of the game.
I think the thing I’m most chicken about is starting my own business. It’s partly because I am not a risk taker and partly because I haven’t found something that I’m passionate enough about to take the plunge for. I keep talking myself out of the idea. I say, “you’re doing it to have more flexibility in work/life balance, but you know you’ll probably have less because it’s your business and you’ll be working around the clock.” That’s the kind of stuff I tell myself. I also say that my kids are small and it’s not something I can take on at this time. That’s the practical side talking. I think that’s why most people don’t make major changes in their lives until they are laid off. It’s too comfortable being in that routine otherwise. In the past, I would just curb this desire by changing jobs within the company every couple of years and that kept things interesting. Now, it’s more a balancing act of 2 careers, 2 kids and mom. Maybe now is not the best time..see I don’t even entertain the thought as much as I probably should.
Circus Lessons
Thankfully I’m not chicken about trying new things outside of work. This weekend we went to see a one ring circus that came to town. My husband was like, “It’s 95 degrees out and the idea being out in the sweltering heat under a smelly tent for 2 hours to see a crappy circus is not my idea of a good time.” He almost had my son talked out of it too but then my son declared that he didn’t care if it was crappy, he still wanted to go. (That’s my boy). Part of his curiosity stemmed from seeing Madagascar 3 which featured a circus and he really wanted to experience one live and in person, crappy or not. After all, it’s not every day you get to see someone juggle ping pong balls in their mouth. Raul the juggler was definitely the highlight of my experience but I think the kids liked seeing the animals the best. My oldest son couldn’t wait to go home and tell his dad that the circus was not crappy at all, but really fun.
That’s the other thing people think is really weird about me. I’ll do family stuff without my spouse on a regular basis. Our company picnic was this weekend as well and he’s only been once with me. Enough people point out his absence that I know they think it’s kind of weird. But you know, if I dragged him to every carnival and half brained “adventure” I dreamed up, he’d be resentful and none of us would have a good time. The times when we do things all together he’s ready to wrap up the experience long before the kids and I are. We like to go go go til the point of exhaustion and that’s just not his idea of a good time. So, if we want to go out somewhere for an hour or so, he’s all in. However, if he opts out of the other stuff because we don’t want to be rushed and he doesn’t want to be held captive at a place for too long, it’s a win/win for everyone. In this case I’m glad that I ignore what’s considered the “norm” and just do things the way they work best for all of us.
Okay, those are my random thoughts of the day. Curiosity wants to know. Are you chicken about stuff? What’s your version of the rabbit cage that you live in, despite potentially better things out there in the wild yonder.
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