How do I look? And do you need a pee break?

by maya on March 7, 2009

I have a new look. Yes, I do. So stop reading this in your RSS reader now and head on over to the new me - with a fresh makeover! The last time I had a makeover (read: cut my hair!) was a few months after my first daughter was born. Now that I have everything I had ever imagined (2 little girls and a startup!), I really have no time desire for a physical makeover myself ;) …

So it is all true excitement for me in this part of my world. So head on over, for I’d love to hear what you think!

Talking of how much I am loving my life filled with diapers, baby talk and never ending storytelling, it is time for me to talk about an itty bitty but big life lesson I have learned from my 2.5 year old… If you ever feel you have been pushed into a corner and are having to do things you really do now want to do, then read on …

As much as I love my kids, I have to say this - life is not as convenient anymore. Not in a bad way. Just in a “this is life” kind of way. Like when we bought our first home - loved the home, did not exactly love the never ending stress of having to clean. And then we got our dogs - and all of a sudden we were coming back home every 8 hours - so no going away to have your drink straight from work.Come home, feed the dogs, love them and get out again - so they love you back on those bad days (that is a lie, these creatures will love you no matter what!) …

But life starts to get better - life starts to take on a new meaning and you start to love your own reality (hopefully) and ignore those little inconveniences - the joys of the garden at home, the kisses from the dogs and the incredible joy of seeing those little babies blossom into little loving monsters :)

And so it happened in my life as well. We did differnt things so that life would seem a little less inconvenient. Slowly we ate out lesser and lesser (it is hard with 2 under 2 ;)) and started enjoying other things more (sorry, no idea what we did - but some memory loss is good!). Only recently, we have started to explore eating out as a family again. We went out once and it went well - (2 little girls, on their high chairs, eating their food, while we ate ours!) - and then we went again and again and again  …. Were we on to something here? Was eating-out a viable and sane reality again??? We tried not to think about it and just carried on … little family togetherness - one dinner at a time…

In just a few outings, I could not help but notice the excitement of my 2.5 year old as we started to set out to a restaurant. As I got her ready, I started talking about the restaurant and the menu …

Me: What would you like to eat?

Hmm …White rice…hmmm…pasta …

Me: Wonderful, we will be sure to have one of those, okay?? How fun, right?

Yes! And then, when we are done eating, we go peepee, right?

Me: What? Sure, if you need to pee we can certainly do that

And then, we peepee and wash hands, right?

Me: Yes, indeed, we need to wash our hands clean …

And then it all started to come together. My little one cared not for the food. She does not really love eating out. She lasted the whole restaurant experience every single time only because she wanted to explore and experience a new restroom/bathroom every single time. As soon as we were all done eating, she wanted to go pee.  Every single time.

How profound, I thought. If I could create a little wonderful micro-experiences every time I had to go on a less than desired macro-experience, would I start to enjoy “eating out” as well?

So here is my question to you: Do you find a ways to take a “pee-break” so as to “relieve” yourself when you are placed in situations and experiences that do do not exactly love?

In part 2 of this post, I will explore how exactly you can find your “pee-break” :) based on how I found some of my own …

photo credit: pkolari

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  • Love the new theme, Maya. It's clean and beautiful!

    And your daughter's idea of fun is so cute. I love peeking into restaurant toilets too, by the way. Some of them are lovely!

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Daphnes last blog post..How To Write A Personal Creed</abbr>
  • hi ,how do you do this ? every single time, you manage to bring so much symbolism in your writing ?i am trying to learn how to do that .... anyway, here is what i fell :-1.The new look :  nice, looks more neat and definitely a lot more organised ... however i am not on your blogroll , actually you should specify the eligibility criteria for a blog to be listed here, so that i know how far i need to go !!2.The concept of this post : Quite interesting .. it struck a chord instantly ... During my summer internship at IBM in 2007, i used to hate post lunch sessions ( when i was told to do nothing but read through pages and pages of java code that sucked !!) ...  so, i remember going to have a cup of coffee every half hour ..  gradually, i was addicted to the coffee .. and towards the end of my intern, i would want to go to the office not with the primary goal of working on the project, but in order to consume my cappuccino !!
  • Hi Maya,I love this story!!  So, it was all about going to explore the bathroom!!  The story really is a very fun one.  And the lesson - even better.  Micro experiences, what a great concept - Finding that smaller thing that makes it all worth it.  I'm going to explore this in my brain a bit - see if I can come up with ways to make this happen in daily life.  This is really good Maya!
  • Hey Maya, I thought it looked different.  Very nice!Great story.  I keep hearing others share their children experiences (Sean has great examples on Writer Dad as you probably already know).  This makes me more and more excited about our little one on the way.  But until then I just have to live through you guys.  Thanks so much for sharing!  Eric
  • Hi Daphne,
    Thank you.I have started to enjoy those visits myself, including the maze we usually have to walk thro to get to the bathrooms ;)



    Hi Ankur,,

    Ask and you will be on my blogroll. I would love to add all blogs I read, but I have been too busy and not been reading much. That has been my problem. And really, the real estate on my blog is the only thing that constrains my blogroll :)



    Hi lance,

    Thanks for coming and sharing!! I miss my journeys through blog  world  - but I am grateful for the community of people I met while I was giving it more time. I hope you are well :)


  • Maya, absolutely loved the new look. I could hardly recognize that it's
    Linoluna theme. It's amazing, you have used same theme for GeekDance as
    well but both look so different and yet neat.

    The story struck a chord. It was funny but so very true. Looking forward to your post on 'how to take a pee break' :)
  • I really like your point on loving your own reality.  I also like your point on finding the mini-experience you enjoy within the macro experience.
  • What a sweet story/lesson. I love that you figured it all out. My kids are past that stage but I remember it well. I think I was impatient with them. After reading this, I wish I'd had this insight myself.
  • I don't have kids but I found your story very touching and sweet. :) Congrats on the blog look update -- looks awesome.
  • Hi Maya: This was too cute.  Flavored coffee is my pee break.  When I'm doing something I don't enjoy I just tell myself: fifteen more minutes and it´s flavored coffee time.  And your blog looks great! Is that your oldest daughter in the photograph?  She's beautiful.
  • Hi Eric,
    Having your little one is going to be so much fun! I wish you the best of times and most importantly wonderful health in your family :)



    Hi JD,

    Thanks :) I really appreciate you leaving your thoughts here!

    You seem relentless in your blogging, project management and all that. Do you ever take "pee-breaks"?



    Hi Valerie,

    Thank you...I guess as parents we are constantly trying to figure it out - aren't we? And we all figure out a bit and gamble with the rest :)



    Hi Squawk,

    Thank you so much! I get your newsletter - congrats on the book!! Shame on me for not headin over to your space to congratulate you earlier :(



    Hi Mare,

    Yes, that is my daughter in the photograph - the one that has discovered pee breaks :)

    Am glad you like the new look!


  • I think I'm getting better at finding a silver lining, or finding the positive even in situations I'm not very comfortable with. I love your blog's new look, Maya. It's clean and simple. But the font is a tad too small? Maybe it's just me. But I wanted you to know.
  • Your daughter is so cute!!  Yes, kids sure have a way of making experiences fun!  It's amazing the things and ideas they can come up with. I'm also glad that you and your family are going out more.  I remember a time when my kids were young and stepping out of the home meant having to do some logistics planning.  We also needed to ensure that the place we were going to was baby-friendly!
  • Hi Avani,Sorry, missed you earlier!Yes, same theme in both places - I wanted to be consistent (branding) across my blogs. I like how it turned out - did quite a bit of coding here to make it look nice and make it convenient :)Hi Vered,Thank you Vered. I will increase the font. I think it is a bit small myself. Blogs are hard enough to read already ;)Hi Evelyn,Your kids are gorgeous. I cannot wait until mine get a little older. They are so much fun right now - I can only imagine all the fun stuff I will be doing with them in some time!
  • Hi Maya - I LOVE your new theme.  It's beautiful.  And the picture of your daughter is darling.  When I read the title of your post I wondered where it was going.  I never expected it to end the way it did, but that's a great lesson.  My "pee-break" is often a cup of freshly brewed coffee.  I sit and take in the smell, the warmth of the cup and that first sip.  Mmmmmm.  If it wasn't so late, I would consider having a cup now.  I best pass.  :) 
  • Hi Maya - Your daughter is so cute.  This reminds me of my daughter when she was young.  We were in a restroom and she was fascinated that it flushed automatically when you finished peeing.  After that, she would not use the potty anymore - only the toilet.  And like your little one - wherever we went - all she wanted to do was check out the restroom. 
  • Jasi
    I avoid public restrooms (all restrooms) until absolutely necessary.  I'm a total germ freak. =(
  • Oh. My. Goodness. Growing up, my family called me "The Bathroom Inspector." Every single time we went out to eat, as soon as we'd ordered our dinner, I would have to go. I laughed out loud at your post.
  • How sweet. I was not expecting that little lesson. But it's so true. I have to take a pee break at functions to escape the pressure of social interaction and conversation.

    <abbr></abbr><abbr>Still Life in South Americas last blog post..Peru’s Sacred Valley</abbr>
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