Sell or be Sold

(I wrote this post months and months ago...it just never got posted!)

I love the Ricola commercial.  I don't know if it is the Ricola song or the background, but it makes me want to be a part of the Ricola movement.  A movement? Yes, a movement...for me at least.

I come from a Mother who happens to be very persuasive.  She vehemently believes in Diet Sierra Mist, exercise for therapy, gargling with salt water, well-behaved dogs, sorting clothes before washing, her microplane zester, her lemon juicer, and the list goes on.  Here is the kicker-the things that she markets must be proven to be effective.  She sort of has her own FDA system.  She can tell you all about her method or product that she would live and die by.  I love this about her because she also believes in me.  Note to you: don't mess with me-she will take you out-BIGtime.

"Where is Ginger going with this?"  I put that in quotes because I know you just asked yourself that question.  I love to sell and I love to be sold...just like Mama!   However, I am hard to persuade if you don't have a good case.  For as long as I can remember I have wanted to like Ricola.  I have been trying to sell myself on Ricola for a long time.  My tastebuds have been in direct opposition of this sales pitch which is very annoying.

Guess what?  A few months back my tastebuds gave in and we now LOVE Ricola!!!  The smart folks over at Ricola created some delicious combinations involving honey.  I can now proudly purchase bags of Ricola drops and not feel guilty for wasting $2.94 on a pretty bag.  Yes, I used to purchase the Ricola cough drops because I found the bag irresistible.

Monday around 2:30 my throat revolted against any calm or pleasant feeling I had in my body.  It felt like I was healing from a tonsil piercing.  My mother was in town and suggested that I (forced me to)-you guessed it-gargle with salt water.  I did.  That didn't help.  I painted/sprayed my throat with Chloraseptic which was NO treat for the ole palate.  That didn't help.  After writhing in pain all the way down Lookout Mountain my Mother suggested that I call the doctor and beg for an appointment.  This is another thing I learned from her.  If someone tells you no it means you didn't explain yourself appropriately.  We give lots of detail in situations like this.  After visiting the doctor I went to the pharmacy to pick up some cough drops.

As I approached MY Ricola cough drops I noticed a bewildered man pacing in front of the cough drops.  Since I know the feeling of utter confusion when faced with this important decision, I asked if I could be of assistance. The man told me that he was in town visiting and that his child had fallen ill.  They needed cough drops.  I would also like to say that he was oddly confused by the concept of a cough drop.  Yet another note, we were dealing with an intense language barrier.  I was immediately torn between my old standby, Luden's, and my new love, Ricola.  I decided that I needed to tell this perplexed stranger about my study on cough drops.  I asked the age of his child and whether he or she could be trusted with a hard cough drop.  He said yes.  I am proud to report that he left with not one but two bags of Ricola after hearing the pros and cons on the whole lot of cough drops.  I would still say that cherry Luden's are a wonderful treat for any tot...or adult for that matter.

I am my mother's daughter.

Thoughts upon thoughts

My very dear friend and Emma Virginia's Godmama, Win Daniels, told me to write a blog.  Here is the problem: I have my suspicions about blogs.  Does one say that they write a blog or post a blog or OHMYGOSH this is so confusing!!!  It is not that I don't enjoy a good blog read (?).  I just don't know (definition of know: to apprehend clearly and with certainty) about them.  In fact, in no way am I clear or certain about the details of a blog.  However, I am intrigued.

There is one blog in particular that can pull me out of any fog any day at any time.  A funny-as-hell girl we went to Ole Miss with has a blog that leaves me guffawing and snorting maniacally every time I read it!  Most ofen on the racy side and always candid, I relish a new post from her. Then there are the blogs written by superbly negative mothers.  Those scare the H-E-doubleL outta me.  I know that these women are being honest (maybe?), but they don't even pepper their stories with happy.  I see the blogosphere (blog lingo, I think) as a community.  It even comes with cliques.  People that have health issue blogs tend to read others like them, crafty bloggers like other crafty blogs, mad mommies like other mad mommy blogs, and so on.

Here is the issue: I am having a major identity crisis.  I love so many aspects of  life (yes, mine) that I can't chose just one!  Since I have convinced myself that you, dear reader, may have an interest in one or more aspects of my life, you get to hear it all.  I am glad that some of you will join me through happy, sad, scary, thrilling, interesting, inspirational times.  I plan to tell you about the funny, sad, scary, thrilling, smart, tiring, interesting things that happen or have happened in my life as well as my role as mommy, wife, daughter, friend, innovator, volunteer, learner, faux medical professional, exercise procrastinator, and so on. 

Pear Tree

My married name, Birnbaum, literally means pear tree.  I chose PearTree for the blog name because it carries beautiful symbolism.  The pear symbolizes longevity because the pear tree generally lives a long life.  The pear tree is also known to symbolize mankind's salvation.  In some places the pear tree symbolizes a female baby's birth due to fruitfulness and longevity.

It should be noted that I created this blog under the name PearTree in January of 2012 shortly after my newborn son was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis.  Initially, in the midst of the devestation, I imagined that I would write solely about the trials that were being presented.  I kept the blog private until now (October 2012).  I am happy (and relieved) to say that this will NOT be a blog with the narrow focus of trials and tribulations.  That would be an injustice to the many blessings and happiness of life.