Monday, January 12, 2009

The Ugly Cry


Okay, I'll admit it...I cry on occasion. And the last year and a half...I've done enough crying for my entire family! In fact, in the last...say...4 years, I've cried enough for an entire village. I don't mind crying, once in a while. I think it's good for you. It's kind of cleansing in a way. But there are several different kind of cries. There's the "new mother" cry...the cry you do when you first see your baby be born and then every time you look at her for the next, I don't know, 10 years of her life. There's the "I'm proud of you" cry. The cry you do when you see your kindergartner up there belting out the "ABC" song on the cafeteria stage. There's the "I'm so happy to see you I could burst" cry. That's the cry you cry when your husband wakes up from a stroke. There's the "I can't believe my kid is that stupid" cry. That's the cry when your kid jumps over your other kid's leg in mid air and comes crashing down on his head on the coffee table and busts his ear open and you have to rush him to the E.R. to get his ear stitched up (or in our case glued up). And trust me, there's so many more cries I could tell you about and I'm sure you know of them. But the cry I want to tell you about today is the "Ugly Cry". This cry is very random and somewhat pointless and very very ugly. It's the kind of cry that makes you come up with sounds out of your body you never knew you had....the blubbering billowing cry. It's the cry that doesn't really fit into a category other than it's own "Ugly Cry" category. And well...last week, and today, I have busted out with the Ugly Cry on more than one occasion.
Last week, it was when I finished Where the Red Fern Grows. Okay, maybe this cry could fit under "The Grieving Cry" but the cry I came out with definitely fell under the "Ugly Cry". I mean, when the first dog died, I was shuddering from crying so much but when the second dog died...Little Ann...I couldn't even breath I was crying so hard. I mean, when she drags herself onto Old Dan's grave...OMG, it was more than I could even handle. The Ugly Cry that day was fierce!!!
But today, for some odd reason, my Ugly Cry, just kept creeping up on me. First, it was a commercial on T.V. I can't even remember which one. The water works start. Then I was looking at photographs on the computer and I busted out with the water works again. Then I sat down to watch The Biggest Loser, which I had DVR'd from last week. Oh man, the Ugly Cry just belted out. It was so unbelievable I actually had to turn the TV off, just to regain my composure.
Well, the reason I'm telling you this is because I think everyone should be allowed one Ugly Cry a week. But that's it! Ugly Cries are redundant and meaningless and only make for more ugly crying. Last week when I finished the book, I got my ugly cry out. DONE! (And why do all great classics have to end badly...geez!) And then this week, Biggest Loser...I got my Ugly Cry out...DONE! It just sucks that my Ugly Cry reared it's ugly head on Monday. Now I have all week to get through. This is going to be tough! I'm sure it'll try to sneak up on me, but I'll restrain myself because like I said, one ugly cry turns into another ugly cry and the next thing you know, you're popping pills and hiding flasks under the bed. Really not a good thing so...folks, get the ugly cry out, but then clean it up. You got a life to live and it's very much worth living. Learn from the ugly cries...I am. In fact, this is the first time I've ever watch Biggest Loser. It was very touching and my ugly cry made me realize that I have a heart and that my heart breaks for people with the weight of the world on their shoulders. It was so moving and inspiring, I can't wait for the next episode. I have so much to say on the Biggest Loser subject. I'm sure I'll blog about that soon. Like I've said in the past...


Stay Tuned!....

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't watch Extreme Home Makeover.

My crazy crazy life said...

hahahaha, trust me, I have watched it and the ugly cries are fierce!!!

My crazy crazy life said...

OMG, in fact, I'm pretty sure that's what spurred my ugly cries today. I saw the end of Extreme Home Makeover yesterday. That was more than I could bear.

Micah said...

Are you pregnant? Hee Hee, JK.

My crazy crazy life said...

Micah, the opposite of pregnant! If you know what I mean!

Micah said...

I think we all do. Close enough! ;)

TinaB said...

I'm peeing my pants I can't stop laughing in fact you forgot to mention the laugh so hard CRY that you pee your pants. That's always a good one.

Mary Schneider said...

I get the "ugly cry" thing, but ONCE A WEEK???!! You need meds!

By the way, I was just talking to the boys about reading that book, but I'm not sure Benji can handle it. I always remembered it being such a great book, but it is crazy sad, huh? Maybe I need to rethink this.

If you can't find a reason to do the ugly cry next week, just watch Old Yeller...you'll be good to go.

Nicole said...

Oh Where the Red Fern Grows is the biggest ugly cry book in the whole world! But then so was Marley and Me and Old Yeller and any book with a dog that dies!

No, Fern is the worst.

Anonymous said...

I read the book when I was in Kentucky, where red ferns are abundant, a constant reminder of that sad book. I'm with you ~why do all the great classics end tragically, I mean ~ we all have enough crap happen to us in real life that we really don't need to read about someone else's, but then again, it makes you appreciate that it's not you and your love that the red fern grows between. Sorta like watching Schindler's List.
PS: I only do the ugly cry once a decade. ~ Kat

Anonymous said...

You are just now starting to watch The Biggest Loser? I watch it religiously and cry my eyes out every episode! Seriously - EVERY episode. Goodness I love that show!

My crazy crazy life said...

Tina, oooo, the pee your pants laugh cry is a good one...darnit, I'll have to blog about that one when it hits me again.

Oh, and Mary, I mentioned the meds...the flask under the bed thing...I got that idea of meds from you!

Sunny said...

I think I'll avoid watching the afore mentioned programs! My life affords me more than enough oportunities to engage in the ugly cry. However, I find that I'm always interupted by a child and never able to let the ugly cry run it's course.

Nicole said...

UglY cried today and thought of you. Our dog got lost today. Bear in mind we have only lived here for 4 weeks. So his being lost was TRAGIC! Oh the ugly cry I had. and then 5 hours later I cried the ugly cry again when he was found. And lots of people saw it. The hotel help where we are staying, my brand new friend who's yard he jumped out of, my sister in law over the phone got the best in her ear...again DOGS!!

Joie de vivre said...

I used to teach 4th grade and we would read Where the Red Fern Grows every year. And yes, every year the water works would flow. Especially when I would hear a few quiet gasps of disbelief from a few of the kids when the first dog dies. Try reading Summer of the Monkeys. Another tear jerker.

Anonymous said...

This post made me laugh because I have cried during both episodes of Biggest Loser this season. Poor Jerry had to go home. and then he looked so good. Can you believe it? It touched my heart.

Nurit "1 family. friendly. food." said...

I don't know the books. Will have to check it out. Should I?
What a hilarious post! Fantastic!

Chef E said...

I love your blog, see your cooking one too...my therapist said we should schedule one good cry a week!

So doctors orders rule...