Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Bored: An Ephinany



“I’m bored”
She looked around the room. Okay, she thought, that’s plausible. One would only have to get tired of 24 plush Disney characters, play every bored game known to man, ruin the hair of 17 fashion dolls and 10 actual barbies, exhaust every possible building construction for a collection of approximately 500,000 Legos... She was beginning to hate Santa Clause.
MOOOOMMM!”
“What?!”
“I’m BORED!”
She thought of dinner not made, and the fact that she had probably 2 hours worth of dishes to do before she could start. She thought of bed clothes not changed in a quarter of a year, and the quarter inch of dust on the cluttered mantel. She thought of the movie she’d wanted to see two years ago, that she hasn’t even seen via netflix because the children won’t let her watch anything unanimated.
“MOM?”
“Oh. Right. Bored.”
They looked at her, expectation rolling off of them in high crested waves, threatening to drown her.
“Well, why don’t you start in the kitchen?” 

Written for Trifecta

EXHAUST (transitive verb)
1a : to consume entirely : use up <exhausted our funds in a week>
  b : to tire extremely or completely <exhausted by overwork>
  c : to deprive of a valuable quality or constituent <exhaust a photographic developer>
2a : to draw off or let out completely
  b : to empty by drawing off the contents; specifically : to create a vacuum in
3a : to consider or discuss (a subject) thoroughly or completely  
Please remember:
  • Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.
  • You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.
  • The word itself needs to be included in your response.
  • You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above. 
  • Only one entry per writer.
  • Trifecta is open to everyone.  Please join us.

This week's word is: exhaust.

12 comments:

  1. Ha! When they're done, send 'em over here. Nice write.

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  2. Oh! She is mom. Got confused in the voice, thought that was the child's internal dialogue for a sec there!

    Hehe, gotta wonder if it actually worked. 'Let's play Do the Dishes!'

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    1. Oh, yeah I can see that'd be easy to do... Thanks, I'll watch for that.
      My kids are still young enough that they do enjoy doing dishes, but it's not very helpful. When they're old enough to be helpful, they won't think it's fun. How did our species survive?

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  3. This is great! Sounds like my house.

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  4. Well that's where my mother started with me... :( Loved this.

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  5. The pulling of one's own weight makes all the difference. Encourage even sloppy assistance. Like all else, it will get better with practice.
    Fun piece!

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    1. Yes, I agree. If I don't let them help now, they will resist much more later. It's a real exercise in patience, but totally worth it. Not just because they'll help, but it gives them a real sense of being needed and valued, as well as capable. We 3 (I've a 5 & a 3yr old) all folded king sized bedsheets yesterday, and then they "helped" make up the bed. It was fun. But it took way longer.

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  6. Oh, I like that - put them to work (and then sneak away to watch that movie :))

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  7. Ha. That sounds just right. Hope it works!

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  8. Poor Mom-never any rest for her but then she is a super Mom-knows exactly how to deal with any emergencies;-)Loved this-very cute:-)

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  9. That's the way to do it, put 'em to work.

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