It has been a day. 

Thursdays are normally hectic over here.  They end the “workweek”, technically, since this is also the end of our pay period.  So there are meetings galore, last minute cover-your-ass histrionics, and other joys involved with engineers who procrastinate.  It’s just been a day.

Thanks to all of the emails and feedback on the “Trading Spouses” post.  I really was just writing on something that I thought was worth noting, and apparently, a lot of you got freaked out by the Crazy Warrior.  As Bryan and I were having pillow talk last night, we couldn’t stop talking about her.  We both agreed that she’s set the bar high now on Crazy moms for the show, as someone has to be near psychotic to top that meltdown, but we did agree that there’s probably some people out there that could out-do her. 

Also, thanks to the many congratulatory emails.  Word travels fast in our little theatre town, I suppose.  But to answer everyone: I have no date set yet, I don’t have any colors chosen, we haven’t set a location, and no, I’m not registered.  Give me a week, and then I’ll get back to you, promise.

I do know one thing: I want color on my dress.  I don’t want an all white/ivory dress.  I want a splash of bold color.  David’s Bridal has one that I think is along the right vein.. ohgod, there is so much to do.

I’m getting tired just thinking about it.  Maybe I can sit down this weekend, while I have some time to myself, and make a list of what is REALLY crucial and important to me.. things I don’t want to bend on. 

Anyway.. last night was fun.  Talked to Miss Molly for a long time about how CC is treating her, and what she wants to do in theatre (if we could just get her to tech theatre magnet!!), and how incredibly brilliant and talented she is.  I adore her.. she will always be my daughter. I rehearsed for a full ten minutes, then retreated to the lobby to nap for the next two hours.

I will say this.. I am loving this new theatre group.  It’s so EXTREMELY relaxed.. and it’s so low-pressure.. it’s a breath of fresh air.  And everyone’s so happy.. it’s nice.  I’m glad to be lined up in the next two RT shows as well.

Speaking of which, a read-thru tonight for the next one..

“I AM A GOD WARRIOR!!”

This was the cry around my house last night.  Last night was the CRAZY “Trading Spouses” episode which I had been drooling over for a month, but as it turns out, I had rehearsal.  So I had Bryan tape it. 

Pretty much everyone had seen the commercial.  This woman, losing her mind, on camera.  I really couldn’t wait.  This was the pinnacle of reality tv.  This night ALONE was the reason I had forced Bryan to watch endless hours of “Nanny 911″ and “Wife Swap”.  I’d always make up some BS excuse (for “Nanny 911″ and “Super Nanny”, it was to improve my parenting skills; for “Wife Swap”, it was to open my mind a bit more) so that he’d think we were getting something intellectual out of it, but last night even he agreed.. THIS IS WHAT WE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR.

Bryan actually called me mid-rehearsal to say, “You NEED to come home.  You NEED to see this.  OHMYGOD, Sarah, this woman.. I have met this woman..”

And when I got home, we watched it.  But first, Bryan re-enacted the entire thing for me.  He NAILED the meltdown.  It was hysterical.

This woman is the epitome of the religious right.  She made herself a martyr, calling herself a God Warrior the whole time, and generally made everyone else’s life miserable.  To be quite honest, watching her come-apart in front of her own family was ALMOST too uncomfortable to bear.  Even her family seemed shocked by the levels of her craziness.

There were three highlights that we thought were very strong talking points brought up by this episode:

• The Crazy mom, when meeting the other wife, told her that her “guest family” (whom the other wife was a part of) SHOVED their beliefs down her throat, making her feel out of place and persecuted the entire time.  The other wife was EXTREMELY apologetic, chastising her family when she returned home for being so incredibly oppressive.  Then the truth came out (which was not a surprise to the viewing audience, as we had witnessed them being NOTHING but accomodating to this woman.. even attending church with her): not a single thing had been done, nay, even MENTIONED, for this woman to feel as if she had been put-upon.  NOTHING.  But she was a God Warrior, therefore, everyone must be out to find that chink in her armor.
• The incentive for the trade is that each family will get $50K at the end of the two weeks, although the visiting mother would have to determine how that money is divvied up.  The other wife (I’m refraining from calling her the “sane mother”, because that’s unfair) said nothing at all rude or derogatory when the Crazy mother designated $400 to the daughter for a new dryer and then $3K to each son to spend as they see fit.  The Crazy mother, however, ripped up the envelope containing the money for her own family, saying it was a Dark Force entering her house, and she would not allow it in her house.  This is really what spawned her meltdown.  At the very end of the tirade, after we learned what a God Warrior she truly is, we see the other wife designating the money.  And she gave the majority of the money to the Crazy mom.. for her to afford the gastric bypass that would save her life.  And the piece de resistance?  “After learning how the money was to be distributed, [Crazy Mom] decided to reconsider and accept the gift.”  What dedication.
• We never even really understood what religion this mother was.  Although she loudly preached gospels from all areas (and when I say LOUDLY, I mean LOUDLY), it was never disclosed what she really believed.  The only thing that we really derived from her antics is that she was right in her beliefs.. therefore everyone else was obviously wrong.  And when you’re wrong, you’re immediately against God.  She actually told the other wife, “You need to let God into your heart.”  The other wife WAS a Christian.  She just studied astrology.  Nope, obvisously, she is a pawn of Satan.

There is a good and a bad way to share your beliefs.  No, I take that back.  There is an EFFECTIVE way to share your beliefs.. and then a less effective way.  And I imagine, sadly, that most of the America who watched last night’s “Trading Spouses” gathered the same thing I did.. I am NOT a God Warrior.  And even God is glad.