Day, ummm. What day is it?

Right, so it's still June. At least I think it still is.

I think I've kind of missed the ball on the whole Junathon thing - again. Though in my defense I managed to go longer and for more miles than last time. But then I'm petering out instead of being taken out by injury, so... I guess we'll call it a draw then shall we?  I'm not saying I'm really going to bail on the whole thing, just you know gonna scale it back to normal proportions. Or say, any other month that doesn't end in "athon".

So, the plan for the rest of the month? I think I'll for sure do some more yoga cuz that's always fun, in a ridiculously hot, sweaty way. Then I think I'll throw a couple 10ks in just for fun - cuz that too is always fun.

Not to worry, I'm not giving up, I'm just giving into the laziness...

Current Music: Theme from Star Wars (but not because I'm a geek and actually have it in my itunes, but because Family Guy is on and their doing yet another Star Wars episode).

Hello Bloggy

You never call, you never write...

Yet again I have remembered that I do indeed have a blog. And it's not like I don't have stuff to chat about - I have the same riveting life I've always had, I guess I've just become supremely lazy. But you know, with moving, working, mom's doctor appointments and re-runs of the Jersey Shore who wouldn't give blogging a rest?

Did you see how I did that? Slipped in a little something about moving and working with out missing a beat? I'm clever that way.

Yeah, I got myself a job - a pretty good one too. And I know this because it's the same job I had before I fell out of the smart tree, hit all the stupid branches on the way down and moved to Michigan - I'm back working for my old boss in Cali (See? That's the moving part).

It's been a bit and there's been a lot of nothings and somethings, so shall we recap?

December - Mom got sick and I came out to California for an extended "visit", if you want to consider hours of waiting in surgery and doctor's waiting rooms a visit.

January - More doctors and physical therapy, for mom, not me. For me tons of driving and the need for regular therapy and drugs. Oh, and I ran - a lot.

February - Mom started chemo and I spent my birthday sitting with her in the hospital as she gets a big old blood transfusion due to anemia from surgery and chemo. Wait, Valentine's Day is in February, right? I can't remember what that included - I know it didn't include any presents or phone calls from the Hubs.

March - I can barely remember March, though I'm sure it involved lots of doctors visits and I think we did some shopping for new hair and boobs for mom. For me, more running and yoga (and bourbon).

April - Light at the end of the chemo tunnel - and all the other medical appointments were down to a dull roar. Quiet enough to start wondering if I should head back to Michigan and resume my life as it was. Then my old boss found out I was in town and pondering a change - so he called and offered me a job.

From there it's just a blur of running off to Michigan, packing up a bunch of clothes, grabbing the dog, kissing the kitties and the Hubs good-bye and getting back to California to get back to work. Then lots of working and a lot less running and yoga, but more bourbon. And here we have ourselves in October.

Slipped another one it there didn't I? I haven't said a permanent farewell to the Hubs or my darling little kitties, just to Michigan. Though I can't guarantee that there won't be a permanent goodbye between us - things are rough and living 2000 miles apart isn't always easy (though I do sleep better with the whole bed to myself). However I can guarantee that I won't be without my kitties - I'll take being the single crazy cat lady to not having them.

That's the nutshell that has been my life thus far - it's safe to say that 2010 has been another doozy of a year. It does leave me wondering about 2011, maybe that'll be my easy year.

Current Music: Sound of Sunshine - Michael Franti

Can't and Won't

Call it semantics, but it's a big deal around here. We were raised by a man that knew his grammar. I can't tell you the number of times my Dad corrected any of us, including my mom, about the correct use of can & may, can't & won't, who & whom. He would even correct random folks (which I'm sure really made their day) And now I hear my sister drumming it into my nieces all the time "Mom, can I have that?" - her response "Sure you can, but may you?" Dad would be so proud.

But even I do it. For instance, today - as I was arguing with Scott- he said I can't change my own oil or mow the lawn. I said it's not that I can't, it's that I won't - not when there are perfectly trained individuals that can do it for me and save me time and messing up a manicure. That's simple right? But somehow he has trouble with it, somehow he figures because I won't I can't - this from a man who hasn't bought his own underwear in 17 years (I think he literally can not buy his own clothes any more).

And as annoying as I find it to be the only one shopping for my husband's clothing, that really isn't the problem I have (well, maybe it's not a problem yet, but it's got all the markings of one). At yesterday's appointment with the oncologist we were told that my mom is technically "cured" as far as the breast cancer goes - the tumors have been removed and everything looks good, but (come one, you just knew there had to be a but right?) she still has a 40% chance of the cancer reoccurring in some way shape or form. The next step is to give her some sort of protein therapy that does some magical cancer disappearing act on this particular type of cancer and her risk of recurrence goes down another 15% to 25% - so yay that's good news. The number gets even better, down to an 18% (I recall the number being smaller, but my sister and mother think it was 18%, which is another reason why I thought it was a good idea to bring a tape recorder but was voted down, but I digress...) chance of recurrence if she does the recommended course of chemo.

So what's the problem you ask? The path is clear, mom should go the distance with chemo and the protein therapy and reduce her chances of recurrence as much as is possible right? Apparently not.

I just got a call from my sister asking what I think of mom not doing chemo - saying that she just didn't want mom to have to go through all the bad stuff for 7%. She said she just doesn't think mom can do it. And while I like to agree with all the quality of life issues, I find myself in this place where I simply can't bear to think of a 7% chance of losing my mom. So how do I tell my mother - my snarky, sarcastic, uppity, non-compliant, but I can't imagine the earth without her mother - that I simply can't and I won't allow her not to make that extra 7% happen?

Current Music: Restless - Alison Krauss & Union Station

It's a Wonder

Right, so I didn't blog yesterday. But I have a really good excuse - I had nothing to write. It occurred to me that part of the reason that I haven't been writing much is because I haven't had a heck of a lot to say. And sadly, that is still the case. But I said I was going to write, so I'm going to do it (even if it is a bit lame and regurgitated).

A couple of things I've been wondering...

I wonder why I love the shallow moments of being a girl - nail polish, lip gloss, new shoes, whatever!

I wonder when the wrinkles in my forehead decided to take up permanent residence.

I wonder why leftover dinner tastes so yummy late at night.

I wonder why my husband can't manage to put an empty soda can in the recycling bin.

I wonder why everyone here has to call it "pop" instead of "soda" like everyone else.

I wonder why the first day I look for airfares they're super cheap, but the day that I go to buy the tickets everything goes up $50 to $75.

I wonder why it takes so long to get an appointment with a new doctor, really are there that many people that need check ups?

I wonder why sitting in the sun has to be so bad for you when it feels so wonderful.

I wonder how I always manage to get one cat hair in my newly painted nails (all right that one isn't really a wonder as much as an irritation).

I wonder how much longer I can manage to duck my sister's calls.

I wonder if I'm the only person kind of freaked by the new Prius commercials.

I wonder what "Adult Hits" are on satellite radio - sounds kinda scary.

I wonder if they can do laser hair removal on the bikini line, 'cause I'm tired of waxing and shaving - not one of the brighter points of being a girl.

I wonder how bad the new G.I. Joe movie is going to be and why I really want to see it.

I wonder what I'm going to think of to write for tomorrow...

Current Music: Careless Whisper - Seether (I'm not much for remakes, but this one isn't too bad)

Making a List

I'm making a list and checking it twice! Maybe I'm overly anxious for this trip to LA, or maybe I just need to get out of town for a bit - I'm guessing there are actually plenty of answers. But the closer I get to leaving, the longer my to do list gets...

1. pack
2. laundry
3. get suitcase out of attic (get second suitcase out, in case I over pack)
4. do toes and nails
5. shave (hey it's winter and I'm married, so?)
6. buy cat food so that they don't starve
7. figure out what to pack (I guess that should come before pack)
8. get bangs fixed (still not totally sure about this one)
9. go buy travel sized everything
10. book shuttles to and from airport in LA
11. clear up the tivo, so I can tape a bunch more stuff
12. go to the market to buy Scott all the frozen food that he'll need to survive
13. continue with the 100 crunches a day, tan in a can and teeth whitening so that I don't look like a mid-winter midwesterner (again why didn't anyone tell me that you gain at least 5 pounds over winter that you've got to take off before beach season - so unfair)

I think that's it for now, but I'm sure it will get longer before it gets shorter.

Current Music: Dude, I just said I had to get the tivo cleared!

What's Your Number?

Do you watch Coupling (if not, really you should be - but not the American version, the real one)? There's this scene in one of the episodes where all the girls (Susan, Sally and Jane) are talking about who was in each others speed dial. The best part comes when one of the girls asks Jane who her number one speed dial was and she said "I don't know, I haven't met them yet".

It got me thinking about my speed dial situation. Number one is voice mail - which annoys me, I'm a gown up (mostly) and I think that I can decide who my number one is. Number two is Scott and number three is my sister. But really, even with the Verizon enforced number one selection, those first three really are my most dialed numbers.

Here's the problem. I haven't taken my Dad off of my speed dial - he's number four (heck some days I called him more than Scott and my sister combined - which means I probably should have mad him number 5, since 2+3=5). Somehow I can't manage to take it off. I know that if I should accidentally click on the number it's not going to go anywhere. I know that it's going to bring up a picture of him on the screen, and probably make me cry - but I really can't manage to take him off my phone.

Part of me thinks it's ok to leave it - my brain knows not to dial 4 (most of the time), it knows that other keys lead to the people that I can actually talk to. And what if I change it and start dialing all the wrong people - think I'm call up my sister at midnight here/9pm there and accidentally call my boss? It could be speed dial anarchy - and no one wants that.

But then I think, maybe it's time for a change, shake things up a bit - maybe bump Scott down a number or two, perhaps I should put my good friend that I never call enough higher up. And maybe I should leave a few open, what I haven't met my number one or at least my new number four?

Current Music: All Good Things - Nelly Furtado

There's Nothing Like It

The other day I was standing in Target, and some ladies were talking in line in front of me. The one lady said to the other, "yeah, there's nothing as good as that". Now I can't remember exactly what they were talking about, but I remember thinking, 'really, that's the best you can do?'.

Today I had a great time playing with the pup out in the snow, just running around and tossing snowballs (she loves that). So that got me thinking, what do I think is better than that (whatever it was)?

Popping off your bra at the end of a long day.
Snuggling under a down blanket on a cool night.
A nice cold beer on a hot summer day.
Playing hooky from work and goofing off for an afternoon.
Clean sheets on the bed after a shower.
Grabbing the dog and a ball and playing around in yard.
Sleeping in.

Those are a few of my favorite things, how about you?

Current Music: Adrift - Barenaked Ladies

It's Been a While

"Forgive me Internet, for I have sinned - it's been a month since my last blog post."

I'm still here. I'd like to tell you that I've just been so busy with the holidays and things, but in reality (with the exception of making a billion holiday cards) I've been reading, watching a lot of tv and generally lazing about.

Since it's been a while I'll give you the highlights:

- Thanksgiving was good, fairly uneventful. But it was the beginning of a downward trend; the stress of buying presents, getting plane tickets to go home for Christmas, thinking about what Christmas would be like without my Dad there, etc.

- A tree almost fell on the house the other day. High winds took out a huge chunk of my favorite tree and missed the house by inches. It did manage to ruin a fair amount of the fence and part of the gutter - but nothing too serious. Happily it happened on the one "warm-ish" day last week so it wasn't too horrible to clean up (not that I did any of it, but I'd hate for the tree guys to freeze).

- I've been in California for the last 6 days, I've done little to nothing and yet barely had time to see friends. Though I can honestly say that I've already had my fill of family and am seriously looking forward to my flight back east.

- It has been grey, rainy and generally shitty weather 5 of the 6 days that I have been home. Apparently California didn't get the memo that I come here for the sun. Also, my Mother has decided that the house is warm enough at 55 degrees. I've been freezing cold for all 6 days - though I'm looking forward to a thaw tomorrow (I guess we turn on the heat for company).

- Since Hanukkah is so late this year, Scott and I are celebrating it here - which is strange, since it's always been our personal celebration, but good strange. My nieces have been learning all about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa at pre-school so they are really digging lighting the candles and playing dreidel, and I think Scott is enjoying sharing it all with them. I'm a bit jealous that it's no longer something that is only ours, but we're all having such a great time creating a new family tradition that I expect I'll get over it.

- Scott and I are on the verge, of what I don't know. But I know that neither of us are handling the stress of losing my Dad, the holidays or the problems of the economy very well. I expect we'll be fine if we can get through another couple of months, but it's making an already bad time even worse.

- Even on that verge of what ever it is, we are seriously starting to consider moving. I have no idea how we will pull it off financially, but if the economy in Michigan continues it's ride to hell in a hand basket then we're loading up the truck (again) and getting out of Dodge (no pun intended, but my Dad would be proud :-). I'm thinking Seattle or Portland, possibly Philly - my only requirements for me are a big city, near water and at least a 1-2 hour plane ride from my family.

- On the Dad front, I'm not really feeling Christmas. I didn't decorate the house, I barely bought any presents, and if my Mom hadn't made me come out to California I doubt that I would have left home.

This sort of sums it up nicely (well except for the warm and fuzzy ending):



And oddly enough, the Grinch was always one of my Dad's favorites, so maybe that's a good sign. I'm hoping for a better Christmas next year - but not holding my breath just yet.

I'm off to bed (it's the only warm spot in the house!) - so I say to you, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and/or Happy Kwanzaa!

I'm Ok, You're Ok

I have turned into a liar. I don't exactly do it on purpose, but it seems the safe track. See, what happens is people ask how I'm doing, and I say "I'm ok". And the fact of the matter is that I'm not ok, I'm decidedly un-ok. But I really don't want to burden those people with that, they're just trying to be polite. And what do you say to the person who lost her dad?

I've even resorted to telling Scott I'm ok. He knows I'm not, but I know he's tired of asking and hearing the truth, so I lie. My mom asks, and because I know that she's just as broken I lie to her too. Every once and a while I'll tell my sister, but she never really has the time to hear it, and same as my mom she's just as broken.

But if I can't tell anyone, how do I deal with the un-okness of it all? Who do I tell that I hate having to wake up everyday and going into the office when all I really want to do is sit and watch TV or read one of my Dad's books. And if I can't tell any one how un-ok I am how do I get back to being ok?

Current Music: Hope for the Hopeless - A Fine Frenzy

Speaking of Secrets

I was going to wax philosophical about how great Tuesday's BlogSecret was (and it was, don't get me wrong - I loved telling my secret and sending it out there - not to mention reading other people's).

But then I started thinking that this blog is nothing but secret. Hell, I'm sitting right next to my husband, and he has no idea that I'm writing on my blog. He knows I read them, he knows I comment on them, but somehow he's either never considered that I have one or never thought to ask. Now I know Scott's not the brightest, but I also know that I'm not exactly truthful with it when it comes to this blog. Though I wouldn't lie and tell him that I don't have a blog, I certainly would be somewhat evasive if he asked.

So that got me to wondering why I keep this a secret from him. And I don't truly have the answer to that one. I'll have to ponder that.

Current Music: Let Me Out - Ben's Brother

More Ramblings

Have I said I miss you guys lately? Yep - I guess the cloud is lifting a little bit, because I realized it's been ages since I checked in with my little blog world. That's a good sign right? Maybe it's just all the cold weather waking my lazy ass up, who knows.

Things I do know:
- My Dad died a month ago yesterday, and I didn't cry all day - just thought good thoughts and felt really ok with that.

- I am watching way too much TV - well I guess the problem is that I'm not - the Tivo is desperately close to full. But the thing is I didn't really add a lot of shows so I'm not sure if I'm watching slower or Scott is secretly filling the tivo up with his crappy shows or what.

- I am getting addicted to Facebook - it's like a sickness I swear. I've caught up with college friends, high school friends and even some elementary school friends. I even caught up with one of my college flings (it was too short to call a relationship).

- I may have started a strange "flirt-ationship" with the previously mentioned fling - it's kind of fun to reminisce about old times, but strange when the old times were mostly sex.

- My house is a mess. Another thing that happens when you are in a fog for a month, your house goes to hell. I'll be cleaning tonight and much of tomorrow, since we've got company coming on Saturday.

- Scott is my new hero. Yeah, go figure, but my darling hubby has been amazingly helpful and supportive in this whole thing. Doing laundry, taking care of all the fall clean-up stuff, doing the dishes, etc. I realize that most of that list is stuff he normally does but he's done it without me nagging and bitching and that's the wonderful part (that and having clean underwear, because if it had been up to me...).

- I am so not ready for Halloween. I haven't put out any Halloween decorations, though I did manage to get some pumpkins. I did buy some candy, the bad news is that we've pretty much eaten it all.

- I have been freezing my ass off the last couple of days. In my denial of fall, haven't gotten out the big down comforter or any of my sweaters, the result being permanently cold unless I'm attached to my space heater under my desk.

- My iPod is woefully out of date, so I've been listening to Yahoo radio at work - it's not too bad.

- We took some time to go look at the fall colors on Sunday and had a great day. It's nice to know that great days are still out there.


I guess that's all I know for sure, but it's not a bad start really.

Current Music: Outside - Aqualung

The Looking-Glass Room

"She was up on the chimney-piece while she said this, though she hardly knew how she had got there. And certainly the glass was beginning to melt away, just like a bright silvery mist...In another moment Alice was through the glass, and had jumped lightly down into the Looking-glass room...Then she began looking about, and noticed that what could be seen from the old room was quite common and uninteresting, but that all the rest was a different as possible."

Through the Looking Glass (And What Alice Found There)
Lewis Carroll

That's been my life since Monday - common, but as different as possible. One minute we're joking and laughing, the next crying inconsolably. The crying usually comes when I realize that he's gone, the laughing when we think of a good time or funny memory.

The hard moments are when I go to ask Dad about something, where does he keep the flags, or did he remember to tivo the new Grey's Anatomy? And then I realize that there's no one to ask.

The service was lovely - you should have seen how many people turned out - people he knew from work, people from his transplant team and support group, tons of friends and family. I can only hope to be that lucky when it's my turn.

We've taken care of all the mundane and horrible things that need to be done, the autopsy, the services, the cremation, the "final resting place". It's sort of like trying to put together a wedding in three days, only you can't concentrate because your brain isn't working right and you're crying all the time.

There is a bit of good news, if it can be considered good news, his transplant team decided to request an autopsy. His passing was not due to his transplant, the heart was as good as it could have been - it was a pulmonary embolism. So perhaps September 22 was the number no matter what. I guess the good news is that I can stop being mad at the transplant team now - and just go on being mad at the universe.

As much as I needed to see my family, hug my Mom, kiss my Nieces, cry with my Sister and Brother-in-Law and sit with my Uncles and Aunts - I now need to go home. I need to get back to my house, where the pain is less real and somehow softer. I need to get away from the bickering (I don't care if we order a vegetable platter for the wake), the decision making (I really don't care if my Dad is in a bronze box or a marble box - what I really want is to not have to put him in a box) and the tears of others. I need my time to grieve and see how truly deep the wound is and how, if it's possible, to heal it.

I'm pondering taking on NaBloPoMo for October, just as a way to keep my mind busy - but I haven't committed to it yet. In other odd/interesting news, my Mom wants us to take his car (both of ours are old and getting a bit out of shape - and she doesn't really want to deal with it), so we may be driving across country in a day or two. That's gonna be one wild ride!

And thank you all (my legion of devoted readers) for your kind thoughts. Friends make anything easier to bear.

Current Music: The Funeral - Band of Horses

Blocked Up

Not dead, not stuck without power post-hurricane, not trapped in a box by a serial killer. Just Blogger-block.

I am lacking anything for anything funny, witty, interesting or otherwise "blog worthy". Mostly I've just been a big old Debbie Downer. But my horoscope said:

This would be a perfect week to spend some time alone.

And so far it's been right. It has poured rain, there's been sunny days, the cats have been crazy, the dog is filthy, the husband is his usual PITA (pain in the ass) self and work is as spectacular as it always is. That's been my week.

My current bright and shiny moment is the purchase of two new shades of OPI polish. The new fall collection is absolutely awesome, and now "Yes I Can-Can" and "You Don't Know Jacques" are mine (and I'm pondering buying another one or two).

Sort of sad when the high point of your week is nail polish, but you take it where you can get it.

I Wonder

I wonder about a lot of things - some are big, some are small. For lack of anything better to post, here are some things that I've been wondering about.

• I wonder how I manage to get so many little injuries on my body on a day to day basis.
• I wonder how I'm going to make it through to November with all the politics, it's already killing me and there is still sooooo long to go.
• I wonder how I managed to missed so much of summer. It's September and the only tan I have is out of a bottle.
• I wonder how much longer I can keep my job, not because I'm going to get fired but because my boss drives me nuts and makes me want to quit on a day to day basis.
• I wonder how I can continue find a way to get a housekeeper once a week, since I have managed to been a really crap-tastic house keeper (and we all know what a great housekeeper Scott is).
• I wonder how much longer I can "keep up with the Jonses", it's so hard to have rich friends (not that they are difficult about it, it's all me).
• I wonder why so many birth control commercials have swimming pools in them - what is that about?
• I wonder if it's ever too early to start becoming the crazy cat lady.
• I wonder if the right pair of shoes really can make the day better - sometimes I think it's absolutely possible.
• I wonder how much Law & Order I can watch before my brain turns to mush.
• I wonder how much longer I can stay in this state and keep my sanity.
• I wonder how I can get a Wii Fit.
• I wonder why I Tivo'd Hole in the wall - I am so dumb.
• Oh yeah, and I wonder why I got my hair cut - I don't mind the 4 to 5 inches she took off the back, but I'm unsure as to why I let her put the evil bangs back. Seriously, I am dumb.

Of course there's more, but really how much are you really wondering about what I'm wondering about?

Numbers

Not much new to report, just odds and ends. So I thought I'd give you a run down in numbers:

17 - The number of years that Scott and I have been together, as of today. Yep it's the anniversary of our first date (which was supposed to be a one night stand - obviously I am not clear on the concept of one night stand).

8 - The number of times I've listened to Duffy's Warwick Avenue since Monday.

4 - The hour of the morning that I finally dragged my sorry butt home the other night. It's fun to go out drinking with co-workers after a late night at the restaurant, it's even more fun if you don't have to stop drinking at last call because it's the bar you work in and the bartender is there drinking with you.

9 - The number of days that it's taken for this sunburn on my back to stop hurting and itching.

3 - The number of days that Scott has been mad at me since I came home at 4:30am (sure, I left at 4, but it took a half an hour to get home).

10 - The number of times I've apologized for not calling and coming home so late. Even though I'm not really all that sorry.

6 - The number of loads of laundry Scott has done while sighing heavily and rolling his eyes - his way of telling me that I should be doing the laundry, not him

2 - The number of birthday cards I need to make for birthdays that I missed.

11 - The number of magazines I've looked through lately looking for a good haircut (number found is zero).

5 - The number of Double Stuff Oreos I had in place of breakfast.

12 - The number of times I've had squirt vile pink medicine down my cat's throat since Wednesday. The good news is that we're almost done, the bad news is that I think the cat is plotting something.

7 - The number of times one of my clients has called in the last two days to find out when his tile would be in.

1 billion - The numbers of typos I've made today, seriously having typing issues.

Current Music: Heartbeat - Scouting for Girls

Pop Quiz

Today we have a multiple choice quiz, let's see how you do...

1. It's Monday, you've left work early to get your hair done, but that leaves some extra time when you get back. Once you get home do you:
    A. Start the ginormous pile of laundry that needs doing.
    B. Get on line and do some blogging ('cause you are really behind).
    C. Sit on the deck in the sun, read a book and have a glass of wine.
    D. Work on the cards that you've been needing to get done for ages.

2. Tuesday rolls around, you have to take the cat to the vet and go grocery shopping. But after all that you've got a little more time, so do you:
    A. Do the laundry that you still haven't done.
    B. Weed the garden, it's over run (again).
    C. Curl up on the sofa with the sick kitty and watch TV.
    D. Do the work you took home to do.

3. Happy Hump-day! Your boss made you want to run screaming from the building, so you did - an hour early. Should you:
    A. Do the laundry, it's still on the hall floor.
    B. Sit around playing on the laptop and watching the Olympics.
    C. Go for hot dogs and a movie with your husband.
    D. Medicate the sick cat then go to bed.

4. It's Thursday, the weekend is in your sights, but you've got a ton of work to (from leaving early all week). You could:
    A. Still do the laundry, it hasn't magically done it's self.
    B. Make your husband a lavish meal in true June Cleaver fashion.
    C. Work late and get things done, but be really pissy about it.
    D. Clean up the two piles of cat puke that you found down stairs.

If you answered C to each question, then you had the same week I did - see, it doesn't always suck to be me.

If you answered B or D to each question, way to get things done!

If you answered A to each question there's still plenty of laundry here for you to do, come on over (I still have wine left from Monday).

Current Music: It's Five O'Clock Somewhere - Alan Jackson

What's New

My guilt over my neglected blog has gotten the better of me. Alas, I don't have much to report. I've had a ton of random things running about in my head, some of them might be blog worthy, maybe just I wasn't feelin' it this week.

But in case you were interested...

• Scott is the biggest hypochondriac (I blame his very Jewish mother). He had a headache the other day, which he then decided must be a migraine (even though he has never had one before). I suggested that perhaps - since he was describing his symptoms as headache, backache, nausea and fatigue - that he may have a flu. He immediately decided that was it and went home for the day. Near as I can tell, he didn't have either.
  


• I went to a horse camp on Saturday (just to pick up, not to stay) - that was interesting, in a boring, horsey kind of way. On the plus side of things I got to see a llama with a very unusual under bite. I'm not sure if there's much call for orthodontia in farm animals, but if there is this place has a patient!


• The Olympics are starting soon, so TV is over for a while. Though it does give me an excuse to go do the gardening I've been neglecting all summer. Oh and maybe read a book.
  


• I may have to buy a mouth guard to wear to work - every time one of my bosses starts talking to me I start grinding my teeth. And even if it doesn't help my teeth, maybe it will keep me from saying something to them that I might regret.


• I spent the better part of an hour trying to return a bra at Victoria's Secret today. Yes, very young manager chick, I realize that wore it and that's bad. But your sales lady told me that I wouldn't fall out of the top of it - and I did, at work. So I would like a different bra please, preferably one that I don't fall out off in front of clients. Is that too much to ask for?


• While I was at Victoria's Secret I decided to placate the young manager chick and I bought some new underwear (5 for $25 is a pretty good deal, right?). I now have sayings like "I kissed the quarterback" and "team pink spirit" on my underwear. I think I may have reached the point in my life where I should stop buying underwear, and maybe bras, at Victoria's Secret.


• Due to peer pressure, I've joined Facebook. I have no idea what to do next.

Anything else you guys need to know?

Current Music: Trucker Hat - Bowling for Soup

And I'm Back...

As Mark Twain said, "Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated".

Mostly I've been recovering from a three day drunk-fest, and then getting back into the normal grind of regular life. That's the part that sucks - the real life part, not the drunk fest part.

So let's see, when last I posted I had just returned from the big Gay Ho-Down and the Honky Tonk Queen contest. I did promise you a video, so here is one of the "past queens", I'm happy to report that the newly crowned queen was even better than this "gal" - which I suppose is not really a stretch.



Directly after my second round on the Ohio turnpike (which was magical) I worked for a week then set off into the annual Mackinac Race week routine. The parade, Family Night, Boat Night, and then the actual race. Scott set sail for the island and I hit the road (oh yeah, again) to pick him up. So four days, seven bruises, too many drinks to count and one good sunburn later and we're back to regular life.

Anyway - I'll get back into my groove, maybe do another NaBloPoMo ('cause that's always fun - ha!).

Current Music: Let Me Out - Ben's Brother

It's The Thought That Counts, Right?

I sent in my pitiful NaBloPoMo post on the phone last night and apparently it didn't go through. I really didn't say much - so you didn't really miss much. But I say this counts for Monday and Tuesday!

Day three of the trip, we're headed off to Gettysburg today, should be good for the hour or two - then I'll be bored out of my skull. But, according to Scott and my mom, not everything is about me - who knew?! My uncle is driving up from Virginia to join us, that should be, um, interesting. He's beyond preachy and pedantic, but he's family so what are you going to do? No matter which way you look at it, it is going to be a long day.

Yesterday we checked out the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, and wandered around Hershey. It's true, the street lights really are shaped like kisses - so cute. We checked out the Hotel Hershey and it's lovely 1930's interiors and the Hershey Gardens (those were my picks of course). A good day all in all.

BTW, yes John Corbett is not just a pretty face, the music was pretty good. Yes, he does seem like a regular guy - he drinks Corona or Jack and soda (with lime), and he likes to pick up cute girls (mostly brunettes if that helps!). Pretty regular guy, right?!

Current Music: Mercy - Duffy

Strike!

My girl KimmyK is the smartest girl in the universe! She suggested I go on strike. That way I could just blog away and visit all my peeps and enjoy myself - the way it was intended! And I totally would, except...

1. Striking does not pay well - actually, neither of my jobs pay particularly well, so I guess that's not really a very good argument.

2. I've tried it before, and it doesn't work. What tends to happen in the battle of wills I lose - my ability to handle the grossness is lacking compared to Scott's. Well, he's a guy of course he can handle more gross than I can!

3. Guilt. While I was not raised either Catholic or Jewish I have enough guilt to give any of those kids a run for their money. I know that my mom won't actually care about how clean my house is. I know that there's no NaBloPoMo police - that I don't have to post every day. I know that every single one of my clients isn't going to call when I'm gone - so I don't need to leave notes on every file. But I feel like I should, so I do.

And in housekeeping news - progress has been made...

Yesterday, when Scott told me he was going to stay home I told him to fold the laundry that had been sitting for three days - I didn't hint, I didn't ask, I told him. AND IT WORKED!

Today, he asked what he could do to help, and he looked at the To-Do list and he actually ta-did! Now, he only did half the laundry, dusted, swept and vacuumed the floors - but as you'll recall I only expected that he would maybe vacuum. So I'll consider that progress!

We'll see what happens tomorrow, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Current Music: We're All In This Together - Ben Lee