My Own Richter Scale

The Richter magnitude scale measures the seismic energy that is released in an earthquake. It is not a linear scale, but an exponential one, meaning that a 7.0 scale is 10 times as powerful as a 6.0 scale.

I have my own Richter scale, set to measure my wrath. Similarly, it is also an exponential scale. On a scale of 1-10, 10, of course, being the end of the world as I know it, I am afraid I unleashed something this evening.

I am just exhausted. A&Z have worn me out. Cooking meals have worn me out. Going to work is killing me softly and slowly. I blame all this on Thanksgiving: taking a few days off, letting my soul and body experience relaxation, only makes it nearly impossible to return to normal programming. (Of course, there is also the topic of sin...)

Furthermore, Hubby's day job is very busy these few weeks and so he has been getting home towards the tail end of dinner. With our three activities for Aidan, Monday=Kumon, Tuesday=Swimming, and Wednesday=Ice Skating, and Thursday=My private practice, possibly working late... I am just totally worn out.

But no, I set my goals high and decide to make two dinners in one hour upon getting home today at 5. The menu for tonight: teriyaki salmon, vegetables, potato pancakes, corn on a cob and brown rice. The menu for tomorrow night: pepperoni pizza. This would have been manageable had I decided to use some ready-made items, but nope. My plan called for all things from scratch, except for the pepperoni.

Added in there were some episodes of misbehaving children. Aidan refused to do any activity, not even Lego, but only wanted to lay on the floor and torment his sister. Zoe decided to whine and beg for food while I was trying to make dinner.

Good grief. I thought I had accidentally pureed my brain.

The floor plate of my soul had its final shift when Aidan disobeyed just as we were about to leave for swimming. Then the quake happened.

In my opinion, the quake was about a 4. Judging by Aidan's face, I think he felt the quake was about a 7, or maybe a 10.

Let's just say that he rather stay in time out for 40 minutes rather than getting in the car with me to go to swimming for 40 minutes.

Wow. That's something, isn't it? I am not sure a good thing, but something!

We talked. Hubby talked with him too. And in the end of all that, I asked him, "Honey, so what should Mommy do when you disobey again and again?"

Aidan said, "You should hit my hand."

Me: "Do you want me to spank you when you disobey?"

Aidan nodded his very serious and sweet head.

I guess, at some point, getting spanked is way better than experiencing the quake of a lifetime.

As for me, I need to do something about meals, activities, and my sanity.

But we do have two very lovely pepperoni pizzas for dinner tomorrow...