WINE VS. SLEEP

As someone dedicated to hypochondria and overall "shpilkes," I'm pretty hardcore when it comes to popping pills. That is, I DON'T like to take medicine of any kind unless I have to. I have this irrational fear about mixing medication with just about anything: wine, coffee, Pink Berry... No joke, I have called a doctor before to ask if it was okay to take Advil with Diet Coke. (What if just one time, my body couldn't handle the ibuprofen, caffeine and NutraSweet combination, and POOF, I die?! This is a valid concern!)

I think one of the scariest things about being a single mom is feeling like you can't get sick-- you always have to be in control and the one in charge. So, I especially get nervous when I get sick (or have an itchy leg... ) and need to take something that could potentially, though probably not, make me drowsy when I'm alone with Jonah. God forbid he wakes up at night (which he almost always does lately), and I'm in a Tums induced coma?!

Anyway, herein lies the issue: I have not been sleeping well at all. I'm exhausted. I need a GOOD, solid night of sleep. I ALSO, really need to relax and reconnect with friends and would absolutely benefit from a lovely glass of Pinot Noir or two. Jonah will be sleeping at his dad's.

It's one thing to mix a Motrin with orange juice, it's another to pop a Lunesta with chardonnay. Uh, uh. No, NO.

So the question is: What do I need more? Wine or sleep? What do YOU need more of? Has there ever been a time when you've mixed? I'm even more curious about this: Have you ever OR would you ever take a sleeping pill to help you sleep when children are present (sleeping)?

One thing is for sure on my end: unless there was another coherent adult present (and even then, I would be nervous about doing this), I don't think I could take a medication that might potentially keep me from having to pick up J's Pillow Pet off the floor 3:45 am or any other mothering matter. In fact, I'm pretty sure on the Ambien warning label it says: Do not mix with goldfish, toothbrush battles, preschool drop off, or dirty lunchboxes...

Speaking of zoning out... wouldn't a day at the spa be amazing?!

Well, now through February 28th, my friends at Red Tricycle are giving away a luxury spa treatment to Burke Williams!

• Simply go to http://redtri.com/newsletter-signup and sign up for Red Tricycle
• Enter "Perfectly Disheveled" in the Referred By box
• A random winner will be selected from all entries. If one of my referrals win, I'll also win a spa treatment!

Now THAT is a win win situation. (And, a night that neither pills nor wine will be necessary to induce sleep!)

BURGERS AND LOVE

After spending stupid money on a pre-fixed shitty steak and service dinner many many moons ago, T-Ko and I decided (like everyone else), that V-day was for amateurs.  We figured why not share our love over something we both really enjoyed and do it comfortably and casually... So for the last few years, V-Day has been all about Burgers and Beer. It's been great. 

Well this year, we decided we'd kick it up a notch and still get our burgers, but decided to "zjuszh" it up a bit and go for massages AND a movie. We had gift certificates to Burke Williams and a babysitter so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to make a "date" of it... 

Some random thoughts and things I had throughout the evening that I have to share...

• Before the massage, in the women's spa area, I noticed something almost instantly: women. Duh. No seriously, women, in pairs. All doing a "girls night/fuck valentine's day" thing. Good for them I thought... I suppose I'd do the same thing....
• In the steam room, I fell asleep and dreamt I was Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big was going to have a pair of red Louboutins waiting for me when my massage was over. (Burgers are fine too though).
• My masseuse looked like Chris Farley with a ponytail but he gave me one of the best massages of my life... If you don't count the explosions I heard for 25 minutes coming from the movie theater above the room. (Needless to say, massage was totally comped. Explode away, suckers!).
• I ate a 1/2 pound burger with grilled onions, mushrooms, and cheese on Valentine's Day. I felt like Mr. Big.
• We, okay, I decided that we should see "Confessions of a Shopaholic." The theater was, again, FULL of chicks. It occurred to me though that while I appreciate these women being out on V-Day, the fact that they are out in droves makes their singledom soooo obvious. The "i'm not staying home with my cats and a box of chocolates - hear me roar" attitude is loud and clear.  It's like the valentine's version of the Scarlett letter. Seriously. On the other hand, you've got the men in the audience, who like my husband, are only there because their wives dragged them (and "Kicked them in the nuts," according to T-KO) and are fulfilling the V-Day stereotype on the opposite end...  and I couldn't help but wonder which cliche was worse...  Well, according to T-Ko, our cliche is way worse. Especially since his masseuse looked like Chris Farley's sister....

What did you do for Valentine's Day?  Which side of the Cliche Coin were YOU on?