6.02.2008

CHALLENGE.......POP goes the bubble.

I have a bubble.

No, not the cute, float-in-the-air bubble. AND, I don't care how old you are- soap bubbles are still amazing.


Not a bubble gum bubble, (although I have always wished I could blow really good bubble gum bubbles like the cool girls in 7th grade).

Not a snot bubble. My daughter can blow snot bubbles that are very impressive. And, very disgusting.

Not a spit bubble- I like those...but only when they come out of my 4-month-old. My 4-year-old can't figure out why it isn't quite as cute when he does it. He had a major drool issue well past 3-years-old, I have seen plenty of his spit- it just isn't cute once they speak in full sentences.

So, back to my bubble.

I have a personal space bubble..... a really, really big one. Those who know me well, know that part of my own brand of craziness includes no hugs, no touchy-feely stuff. Not even my parents get hugs from me. I honestly cannot tell you when the last time I hugged my father was...... maybe as a young child? I don't know.
In college, if someone would sit on the same couch as me, I would get up and move to the other couch. I don't think I am weird...ok, yes I do.... but not because of "the bubble." Well....maybe a little because of my bubble.....but, that would have to be a whole other blog.

Anyhow....yes, there is a point to this too-much-information that I am giving you.
Once I became a mother, my bubble popped......sorta. My kids are inside the bubble. My husband can enter the bubble zone too. He would probably argue that statement, but since he doesn't ever read this, he can't argue. So, just assume that I am always right about everything in my marriage. Because, I am.
Other than that though- I am a crazy basket case when people enter my "zone." I am polite and usually give the half hug: other person's arms go out, I slyly turn to the side for the lean. Even at this though, I am awkward and weird. My brain reverts back to the brace faced, hair slightly mulleted, need to buy a better bra, teen from my past all over again.


The challenge for the week:

Pop your bubble.

Even if you aren't, (which you probably aren't), as crazy as me, I am sure you have some sort of bubble.
Maybe it is too small. Maybe it is too big. Maybe it is just right...if so, then I say you suffer from need-a-bubble-itis. If you suffer from this, lets diagnose you with one of the following bubbles:

My house must be perfectly clean bubble, (I definitely don't have this bubble and my husband definitely wouldn't argue that.)

Maybe a:
Toys must be put back in the exact location bubble.

How about:
Germs are everywhere bubble.

Oooohhh... I like this one:
The, My kids touched a dog and now must be infested with fleas bubble. (I might...maybe....just slightly also suffer from this one.)

Anyhow- basically, whatever you are a little crazy about- whatever your crazy bubble is made up of, relax about it this week. Me, for example: When that all-too-touchy-see-him-and-walk-briskly-the-other-way, (mustn't run in holy places), guy at church puts his arm around my shoulders, I will try not to feel the need to shudder. That was mean, I know, but he is a little creepy. When I see my sister next, I will hug her back. My dad and brothers? Hmmm. Well, I just wouldn't be me without a little of my crazy still, so, that will have to be sometime in the future....the far future. It is okay though- because they would be just as weirded out as me.

Time to get hopping...I mean popping.

14 comments:

  1. huh.... well at the beginning of the school year I had alot of bubbles. I too had a personal space bubble, but then I joined ballroom and that bubble went pop. I used to have a talking bubble(in other words I was extremely shy)debate popped that bubble. I also used to have this weird buble where I would not and could not talk to people on the phone, highschool took care of that one. I used to have lots of bubbles but I don't know that I really do anymore. I must suffer from need-a-bubbleitis, so instead of trying to get out of a bubble this week I will try to get IN one, or think of one to get out of, either way, I'll be in on this challenge.

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  2. bubble popping- I am in, maybe I will let the old ladies kiss my kids today- or touch their red hair without cringing :)

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  3. I also maintain a very large bubble! That's one of the reasons I opted to become a teacher - because you aren't allowed to touch the children at all and that's just fine with me! Don't get me wrong, I genuinely love people, I'm just not into touching! I'm going to try and make a dent in that bubble, but this is really going to be hard for me!

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  5. I did it. I don't know why when you are pregnant people feel like they are able to touch your stomach. No one ever touches my stomach when I'm not pregnant. It is just weird. Anyways, I have decided to just deal with it. I saw an old friend last night. I knew I would be in for a tummy rub so I decided to embrace it. When it occured I just smiled and talked while she rubbed. I don't know if my bubble really popped because I still think it is weird but I let her. That is good enough for me.

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  6. I have thought about this and I don't know if I can do it. I must have to many "bubbles" to let one go. If was nice outside this week I would let the clean bubble go...but it is raining! I am going to try for this one. Not sure I can do it.

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  7. Sorry I hadn't entered yet.... I'm still trying to figure out which bubble to pop. Probably my laziness bubble. I'm very good at justifying my laziness and I'm only productive 2 days a week. As for the touching... my bubble has always been too small for others' tastes. My college roomies all had ginormous bubbles and I was the one hugging them all the time (vestiges from living in the South where we all hugged and kissed cheeks before heading into our next class!)

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  8. I have held off on this challenge because really I can't decide which bubble to pop. There are just TOOOOOOO many! So I'm still thinking of what I need to do. I think it's a great challenge just hard for me to make a decision.

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  9. Ha! That is funny! I had the touching thing too after growing up in Utah and when I was 16 my family moved to Texas and that bubble got popped really fast! They are very huggy down there. But, I have to say, I learned to not only tolerate but even kinda like it a bit. Now I'm in the northeast and I totally get weirded out with the kiss the cheek thing...like, of people you just barely met or pretty much don't know at all! Oh, well. Once I had kids what was left of my personal space bubble evaporated anyways. As for what bubble I need to work on popping this week...maybe my "freak out about everything" bubble. I seriously need to just chill and enjoy sometimes. I think I over-worry about dumb stuff a lot.

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  10. Does moving in with your mother-in-law count? We just moved in with her on Saturday and we don't know how long we'll be here... Good thing I like her. Hopefully we won't drive each other crazy. So, yes, I did pop my bubble--my fear of the in-laws. :)

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  11. I think i might have popped a buble this past weekend. Running a marathon with 22 thousand other people put you really close to others. I almost got a black eye several times from flying elbows. I have a few bubbles I can think of popping. So I'm going to try!

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  12. I dont know if this counts..but my bubble is with my church calling...I am in the Primary Presidency, and i get a little stressed if things are not ALL planned out, and talked about, and double checked, so I am just going to relax a lot and just do what is expected. NOT OVER DO IT! :) This will be hard, but I am willing to chill a bit!

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  13. I spent time with my kids at my inlaws this week. I usually drop them and run, but this week I chilled with them a lot more and tried to kill the awkwardness that is still there after seven years of marriage... Bubble popped? Maybe not completely, but it was a good start.

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  14. I popped my bubble...for a week at least. I am very uncomfortable going "out with the girls." I would much rather go out with one person and usually find an excuse not to go if there is going to be a big group. I get so uncomfortable having to carry on a conversation with more than one person at a time. BUT this week I went to TWO group functions. Was it uncomfortable? A little bit. Okay, a lot, but I did feel better after having done it.

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