Monday, December 29, 2008

Happy Birthday to Me!

The Big Four O....whodathunk? I really am still a bit in shock over the whole thing. I don't feel 40 and don't really want to be 40...though I guess the alternative isn't an option either.

We didn't do too much today. Ran a few errands and then had a family gathering tonight with the DadUnit's World Famous Ribs. OMG soooo good. BURP! If you've not experienced the ribs, I'm sorry. If you have you know how good dinner was. Ribs, homemade potato au gratin, 7 layer salad and Garlic baked green beans. German Chocolate Cake with WAY too many candles on it.


Cousin Bruce thought he'd be a funny man and brought a blow torch to light the candles with. Hardee Har har...Our family...such comedians.
 

I heard from almost every person I know in Facebook wishing me a happy birthday. Thanks everyone. That was fun to witness. I'm so blessed.

I decided today my new year's theme will be - well not so much a theme this year or a resolution as it is a plan. I'm going to do/try 40 new things. I've set no limit as to what it can be - so it could be walking a new trail, trying a new restaurant, moving into a new condo...who knows. It's going to be a great year.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Last day in my thirties!

Its still even hard for me to believe that tomorrow I'll be forty. How'd that happen? My grandmother always told me life moves faster when you're older...I didn't believe her then. Now, I think I might.

We were supposed to go to Tubac today. It's a quaint little town full of fun stores to shop in. Unfortunately my Uncle has been in the hospital since I got here and today the prognosis wasn't good. The doctors have done all they can for him and have said it's only a matter of time.

Uncle Dick is 80 year's old. Twice my age. And it's sad to see him in such a state. Thankfully he's not in pain. He's also not willing to chat about the end and what his wishes are. Men. The MomUnit, after hearing the news this morning when we dropped off his pumpkin pie (his treat), didn't much feel like going to Tubac. Which was fine.

Instead we drove to the University of Arizona and I finally found my UofA sweatshirt I've been hunting for. Then to In N Out for lunch. I decided when the MomUnit's number is finally called I'm going to put an In N Out burger wrapper in her coffin with her.

Tonight we're heading to dinner with some family friends to celebrate the first of three birthday parties. Yay Me. I love having a birthday around Christmas sometimes. You celebrate for days. Then tomorrow the DadUnit is fixing his world famous BBQ ribs for me and some other family friends. German Chocolate cake for dessert. Nummers!

The rest of today I'll be sitting outside. There's this bright round thing in the sky that is producing warmth here. I googled it to find out what it is.

So with that I farewell to you all and farewell to my thirties. WAHHHH!!!!

Saturday, December 27, 2008

The Day After the Day After...

It's the day after the day after Christmas today. All's quiet in the Wraspir household - with the exception of dad wheezing in the chair as he reads, the birds outside having some sort of discussion over the bird seed, the dogs barking and carrying on and the clitterclack of the keyboard. But otherwise, it's quiet.

The MomUnit and I - with long standing family friend - went shopping and to lunch yesterday. I'm sure I've told you that the DadUnit and I go out on Christmas eve every year to have lunch, a little father-daughter bonding and buy mom her gifts. Well, it seems the newest tradition - in the last 6 years anyhow - has been the MomUnit and I going to the Gavi Restaurant for some Italian viddles, then shopping. Unfortunately it's me spending my money -but whatever. And yesterday was no exception. It hadn't snowed in the "lowlands" of Tucson and so we needn't worry about driving in snow - Thank God! I did manage to spend some cashola - but the deals out there. My Goodness. It's hard not to buy when things are so cheap. So now I have my school clothes for next semester (that's my excuse for buying new clothes you see).

We got home -slugged around the house, watched the thermometer dip to the 20's and the snow start to fall slightly. Dinner was left overs - because if you've ever been to Chez Jenn's Parent's diner you know that the fridge is bursting at the seems with food and left overs night is a required dinner. The DadUnit didn't eat last night. He was in one of those moods. He was pouting because we were having dinner so early - it was 6:30PM...so we let him pout.

I think he had a bad day yesterday. He was quite argumentative with everyone and hated almost everything. He sat quietly reading most the day - but when he said something it wasn't necessarily nice. I miss my dad.

Today is a lazy day. I had planned on sitting out on the deck and sunning myself -but seeing as it's 26F outside - I think maybe not.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Seriously?



I give up! It's even snowing in Tucson.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night...

I bet you're wondering where I'm typing this from aren't you? Come on admit it, you spend your every waking hour thinking about moi.


Well, thankfully, I made it to Tucson. Mother Nature gave us quite the wallop in Seattle and did all she could to strand thousands in Seattle's airport. But by the time I had to leave on Tuesday they had sorted "most" of the weather issues out and I was off. The airport was a zoo and I wasn't so glad to be on an airplane as I was that day. People were tired, rude and cranky - you couldn't have paid me enough to be an airline ticket agent that day. No way nohow.

Way back when on a trip back into Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, I followed my good friend JC through customs. Saudi customs was crazy strict and would, at any time, try to find something in your luggage they didn't approve of. I used to put all my dirty girly under clothes on top hoping they'd just move along. Rarely did they. Anyhow, JC and I were in the customs line and I was dreading it. He had a green passport - diplomatic - meaning they couldn't search his luggage. He and I passed through "together" so the Arab guard wouldn't check my luggage. We whizzed through customs.

Tuesday morning after BigBro dropped me off, I ended up in a long line waiting to check my luggage. A young lady in front of me and I got to talking. We laughed and joked all the way through the line. As we got closer she suggested I follow her through security because she had a super secret pass to the front of the line. Okay...I'll follow you. We detoured at the end of the 2 1/2 hour security line to the front of the line. They directed us to another 30 minute line. Phew. As we stood in line, I got to thinking about Saudi and how I'd always get frisked when leaving. Secretly I think the Arab women enjoyed humiliating us foreigners because it gave them power they didn't have. As we got through to where we actually showed our boarding pass - I was waiting for the frisking treatment. But nope...they pushed me on through. On the other side - new friend and I parted ways. I stood in another line- Starbucks - but it was well worth it.

I made it to sunny Tucson. I landed in beautiful sun shiny weather. Christmas morning we woke to rain and hurricane force winds. Rain I don't mind so much. It's not white and it's not frozen. Christmas was relatively uneventful. We woke later than normal, open gifts, had Dad's World Famous biscuits and gravy for breakfast and then just vegged out.

I did find out that Blueberry, who was supposed to be watching my cat, made it over to Spokane after all - so she left the keys with a friend to check in on Pookie. Only the keys she left weren't for my apartment. So poor Pookie is home alone and most likely starving right now. I'm hoping tomorrow I can talk an apt worker into going in and feeding him. Poor kitty.

Tomorrow we're hitting the stores. We are most likely crazy to be going out the day after Christmas, but it'll be fun. And I need a Starbucks fix.

We are going to also take in the Desert Museum and the airplane graveyard (mostly for photography purposes for me). Birthday dinner will be tritip roast, and some fixin's. I opted to stay in for dinner as going out for dinner these days sets the DadUnit into a fit and makes him ubber grouchy. So...Happy Christmas everyone.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Ok...enough already

Seriously. Enough. Day 4 of the Great Shut in of 2008 and I've had it. It's not getting very close to ruining my chances of getting to the airport to go south - where there's sun...and maybe no snow.

Two things I know for sure:
1) Seattle is not a snow/ice friendly city. We're built on 7 hills - not conducive to snow.
2) The Stang is not a snow/ice friendly car

The two mixed means I'm stuck in my apt. On the bright side, the apt is pretty damn clean now. We got 7" overnight. SEVEN INCHES! I'm pretty sure I still live in Washington, but there is a chance that an alien ship picked me up and deposited me back in Minot. I mean, come on, enough already. The snow is so last week!
Moe, Larry and Curly are all frozen. Poor birds. Thank god they have their warm feathers on or they might have frozen to death.


It's important to note that I park under a car port and the Stang rarely gets wet or snowy because it's covered. Well, last night we had a little breeze...and well - it's covered alright. Stupid Snow.

Beautiful, isn't it? You can't tell, but that tree to the right is a rhody and is not usually covered in white snow. I'll be shocked if it survives.


This really doesn't do it justice, but those things at the bottom of the picture are stairs. To the left that mound of white used to be ivy. It's crazy.
Now I know snow is nothing new to most of you who read this. But "most" of you live in areas where snow is a yearly occurrence and most likely are smart enough to not drive a rear wheel drive car...but here...snow is a big deal. In fact, I have no idea what - if any - other news happened outside Seattle in the last three days. All they cover here is the snow...and the "flakes of death".
So today I'm going to strap on the boots and walk down to the mall. I have to get out of this place...why not go to the mall - it is just right here.
In other thrilling "shut in" news - I did get all the heritage photos scanned and documented. And I wrote my goals for next year for work, and personal, and I managed to toss out a butt load of stuff - taking garbage out is a fun exciting thing these days. I wonder if I'm not throwing things out just so I can go out with a purpose.

Friday, December 19, 2008

I said Every day's a new day...everytime I love...

Welcome to day two of the thrilling story of "Shut-In in the Hood." It's riveting story of a young - ahem - lady - ahem ahem who's stuck in her apartment due to some rather icy, snowy weather. It follows said "young lady" through her day of "working from home" and how she terribly wants to leave her apt and so is considering risking everything to drive the car to the store. It's thrilling really.

Having all this time at home has allowed me to do the following:

1. Get some actual work done. While working from home is at times challenging, I can say with almost 100% certainty that I have done some work. I'm working right now in fact.

2. Pack. While sitting in the spare room looking around, I realized that there's a lot of crap in here. And so what better time to start packing said crap then when you're stuck at home. Only 4 boxes packed with stuff I won't need in the next month or so. Although having said that I'm pretty sure I'll need something in one of them. That's how the law works.

3. Scan photos. I have a buttload of heritage photos from the MomUnit's side of the family. While sitting on one conf call after another I have been scanning all of them. They're categorized by family and indexed by date. No not really - well they will be. Eventually. Maybe.

4. Managed to take a walk on the wild side and made the great quest to the mailbox and back. Twice. I know. Amazing huh?

5. Brushed the Big Black Beast of Burden several times...he's almost bald. Only found one flea in the last two days - so maybe we're on the flea mend.

6. Laughed at the crazy neighbor lady who was attempting to get down our hill in her BIG Red Beetle yesterday. See she was out of Pepsi. And apparently when you're out of Pepsi - weather be damned. She ventured out. Oddly I don't see the Big Red Beetle parked up by our apts.

7. Managed to have breakfast for dinner last night. I hadn't actually done much grocery shopping trying to not have a lot here for when I leave for Arizona (in T minus 3 days) and so consequently the weather has caused me to be creative. And so, last night we had corn beef hash and a fried egg over hard. No yolk runny stuff please. Ick. Although I'll have to get creative here shortly as I'm almost out of cream. And without cream how can one have coffee.

8. Discovered there is no Starbucks within reasonable walking distance. If it were warm, sunny and no snow there is one about 1.5 miles. Totally doable. In 21F weather - ah no thank you. Though I did find my gloves when I thought - briefly - about walking up to Rite Aid drug store for something that I now forget.

9. Finished the movie "Jenn - the last 40 years". Stay tuned it may be posted here soon.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

And sometimes I get nervous, When I see an open door,


Close your eyes
Clear your heart...
Cut the cord

Ahem...Happy Thursday. Enjoy my new favorite song as you read this drivel - or I mean blog.

Well, it's cold. It's white. And it's freaking bothering me. We got about 4" of snow last night. Redmond, where I work, is basically in a state of shock. They are frozen to their keyboards as I type.

Here's the funny thing. Yesterday we were supposed to be hit hard by snow. The school districts freaked and closed their doors. In Bellevue/Redmond,not a single solitary flake. Today - school was to go on as planned. They get hammered with snow. These weather people...man...they're good.

The stang is safely parked - thanks for asking. And I'm happily working from home. (Shhh don't tell anyone, but I'm secretly making Ande's Mint Brownies too).

In other exciting news, just a few days and I'm off to Tucson for the holidays. That is, if I can get to the airport. DOH!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Eskimos are moving in next door!

Happy freakin freezin Tuesday. It is butt cold here in the great Northwest. I am not a fan. In fact, I am beginning to hate the cold in my old age (which in exactly 13 days will be OLDer). While it's been sunny - which is fun for Seattle - it's been cold. Today's high 25F. Right now according to the old Atomic Clock it's 17 outside. SEVEN - freakin - TEEN! I don't recall moving to Alaska. It can keep it's cold air...in fact, leave it in British Columbia. They seem to enjoy the cold.

Tomorrow I'll be building an igloo. Seems like the right thing to do considering. How can I without snow you ask? Oh, well...there will be snow tomorrow. Oh goody! I did laugh today at the weather wrong-caster on the news...he said, and I quote, "Right now it's too cold to snow." What's that about? Too cold to snow just means it's too freakin' cold. I'm just sayin' (That one's for you Mrs. Geek).

In other non weather related news, I'm moving. This is the big news I alluded to a couple blog posts ago. It's official now. I'll be renting a kick ass condo from a good friend (Mr. Volleyball and his wife the Dane). They bought a bigger and better condo and have decided to rent their old condo to me for an FANTASTIC deal. I can't wait. It is 4.4 miles from work. My commute will be 8.8 miles round trip - versus the 40 round trip I drive now. I won't move until the end of January so I have a month or so to pack. But if anyone knows me at all, I'll be packed before the end of this blog post.

I met Mr. VB and his wife on Sunday for dinner. Blueberry was with me and she commented on the way home she wasn't too happy about me moving. She just can't understand how I could move so much in my life. It's in my blood is all I could say. I've moved like 27 times in my life...which means I average - hold please while I calculate - 27 divided by 40 equals .67 something or other. Which I think means I live in on spot for an average of 6 months...which doesn't seem right...but whatever. All I know is I LOVE to move. I've become more stationary in the last 10 years mostly because of the expense of moving.

Moving is therapeutic to me. It's a chance to ditch the old and bring on the new. It's a chance to purge. It's a chance to start new. I love the whole packing and unpacking process. Of course, I'm very organized in it so of course I love it. I usually have all the boxes color coded to match which room they go too...and I have an index in which I give the movers so they know which room corresponds with which color. I'm so lying. But you wouldn't put it past me would you? I am very organized in my moving...it comes from so much practice.
So if you're not busy, Jan 31st feel free to stop by and help support my move. I'll be hiring movers so really you'd just be hanging out with me eating pizza and drinking beer. How much fun is that?

There is an outside chance that the condo won't be ready by end of Jan - but I'm just moving ahead with the planning.

Did I mention it's cold outside? It's now 16F outside. Ugh.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Clause

I like many people have a budget. Each month I painstakingly hash out how much money goes to what. Some months I'm more successful at following it than others. But there is, without a doubt, one month I stick very closely to my budget - December.

Part of my budget is obviously a food budget. My food budget is most likely higher than most single girls because I truly cook for myself. Without fail each Saturday or Sunday I go to the grocery store with the week plan in hand. I do my best to build off similar ingredients so not to waste anything and to keep things less expensive. (Rant: Cilantro and Parsley really need to be sold in smaller bundles. Who uses that much cilantro and parsley before it goes bad? Ok, "who" that is single?)

For the month of December I add $10 a week to my budget. Not for holiday cooking. Not for buying extra eggnog. And not for buying those multicolored holiday M&Ms. No, each week I buy one extra bag of food for the food shelters. I start the week after Thanksgiving and do it every week up to Christmas.

My local store, QFC, makes it VERY easy in that they started selling $10 bags of food already put together AND they have a bin for that food on your way out. Very convenient and therefore leaves me no excuse to not do it.

It's my little bit of giving back during this season. It saddens me when I see the statistics of how many children go hungry in our local area alone. No one should ever go without a Christmas meal, but at the minimum if I can at least give them A meal, then I feel good.

Today I was picking up this week's bag. To my luck, as I hefted the bag up off the table - it broke. Can goods and boxes went everywhere. An older woman standing by me stopped to help. She thanked me for buying the bag of food. I explained to her how I do this every Christmas and how every week leading up to Christmas I buy $10 worth of food for the food banks. I think I saw a tear. She stopped and looked me directly in the eye and said with more emotion than I could ever conjure up, "Bless you, and thank you."

She began to tell me her story about how many years ago she hit a rough spell and was down on her luck. The only way she was able to give her kids food was through local food banks. She said she was never as thankful in her life than at that time for people who give. She folded her hand over mind and patted it saying thank you and Merry Christmas.

We went our separate ways. Yet I caught a glimpse of her in line and she too had a bag of $10 groceries. Suddenly, my heart was full of joy. It grew three inches today.

So with that, I decided that every month for 2009 I'll buy a $10 bag of food (or $10 worth of can goods). I challenge you to do the same. We may not be able to end hunger, but we can sure help our local families.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Friends call me Heat Mizer - whatever I touch, simply melts in my clutch. Imma too much.

Happy Friday! It really couldn’t have come at a better time. This has been, for some reason, a very long week. I have had almost nothing to do at work for a month then suddenly WHAM 4 projects kickoff in a week and 3 “need” to be completed by the end of the year. Only 1 of them is going to be. And so the constant negotiating with clients on that fact has been all sorts of draining.

And when I feel drained I find comfort in my “still” favorite song. Oh Jason. How I love this song!

Speaking of songs, my pals Dudley Manlove were on TV last night. If you don't live in the greater Seattle area you would not have had them on your beloved TV. I know you've been waiting with baited breath to witness the tunes of DMQ - in better quality than my crappy video skilz - and so now you can. They were on a local show that spot lights art in the area. The lead guitar guy is a shoe maker...whodathunk! No, I mean he REALLY makes shoes.

So - you can see the shoe maker story - which still baffles me by clicking the video link below. You can fast forward the video too BTW. The shoemaker part comes on at / around 14:08. Immediately following that is DMQ ( at 17:02). They do 2 songs and Nancy Guppy (the host) does a quickly little interview between the two songs (20:50)

This is the new lead singer for the group. And while most of you wouldn't know this, he is quickly converting me to his side. He's got pipes. Oh and on the first song at 20:04 Steve the Bass player (to the lead singer's right) gets his serious head bob on! The famous head bob!

This weekend Seattle was on a "Winter Weather Warning" - but that's been cancelled. Thank God. Now I don't have to plan my weekend around snow. Ick! This is a big weekend too....I mean what with all the holiday parties I've been invited to (there's one) and with meeting friends for a holiday bite on Sunday (and to discuss potential life changing news) - I'm just so glad that The Snow Miser isn't coming to town. Because he would greatly hinder my plans and that would be bad.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Jungle life, I'm far away from nowhere, On my own like Tarzan Boy

I blame Patron Saint for the title. She mentioned the song in a Facebook exchange and it's been stuck in my head since.

Ahem!

So, it's been a while. I'd apologize and say I was too busy and all, but that really hasn't been the case - outside work anyhow. Work has picked up dramatically. And while I'm thankful to have 1) a job and 2) actual work to do, I'm bumm'in because I was planning on December being a quiet month. Hotel CaliforniaSoft will have none of that though. They're busy trying to spend Q2 funds. Which is fine by me, it just means that the next two weeks will be busy and fully of unnecessary stress.

Let's do a quick review since we last chatted.

Saturday I spent a few hours at Susan G. Komen helping plan for the up and coming Volunteer open house. I was asked to bring in my creative side to help decorate the volunteer area so it feel more welcoming. As I was spouting out ideas right and left, I realized I may have missed a calling in my life. Decorating. I love the putting of things together to make a big, happy, welcoming, warm environment. I'm not a pro at it by any stretch of the imagination - and people like the StaleMates put me to shame when it comes to Martha Stewart'ing up the place. But I enjoy decorating all the same.

Post Susan G. Komen decorating ideas (and consequently volunteering my time for a butt load of work after) BigBro picked me up and we headed off for the December PhotoGod safari.

We were meeting the rest in downtown Seattle, but opted to take the much talked about Seattle Monorail. Now the monorail has had a checkered past with it's reliability rate - so we weren't so sure we'd make it without at least some help from a fire truck ladder to get us down. And so while we were standing there waiting, I started my photo day.

Our theme was obviously holiday and lights etc. We walked the streets of Seattle and took hundreds of photos between us. Once all was said and done, we all agreed that this trip we didn't get quite the photos we thought. I, for one, had an issue with focusing my camera correctly. Ugh. Damn automatic focusing. I'm going old school now and back to manual focus. You can see all my photos by going to my Flickr site. Here are a couple faves.





So then Sunday...what'd I do on Sunday....? Ah yes. A BIG OL' FAT HANDFUL OF NOTHING!!
This morning on my way to work I was listening to NPR and all the stories were about the rising issue in Africa, poverty around the world, Governors of States called Illinoise who are corrupt - basically your standard depressing news. Each passing mile I found myself dropping further and further into sadness. I pulled into my Starbucks (yes it's MINE). Walked in the front door. Favorite Barrista greets me with, "Your regular?" I nod. I grab my "regular" and as I'm walking out the door sipping the goodness that is a Grande Venti Vanilla American all my depression floats away. Whodathunk that Starbucks had the answer to world peace all along? Give the world a cup of coffee!
Those weather peep are calling for a chance of snow this weekend, which means the Stang stays in the stable if white flurry stuff falls from the sky, which means I'll be doing nothing this weekend. And sadly, I have a fully booked weekend ahead of playing Bah Humbug the Christmas Elf. Maybe I can squeeze in a pedicure too.

Friday, December 05, 2008

iPod-less in Seattle

I knew this day was coming. I had known this day was coming for about 6 months.

Won't you take a moment of silence in recognition of the iPod that has died.

Thanks.

Yes it's dead. It had been making death sounds - or rather not making sounds - for some time. It would happily play along and then stop. I'd hit play and it'd start up again, but then stop. If it was cold (the iPod) then you can forget it playing until it was "warmed up" (You should know that I sometimes forget it in my car and it gets cold in the Hood.)

The other day I plugged it in thankful to have remembered to bring it because I was later than normal leaving work and I knew I'd be in traffic. I plugged it in and the recognizable apple popped on screen. And I waited. And waited. And then I waited some more. Then a URL appeared on the screen directing me to support. Ugh. This can't be good.

My iPod has treated me well though. It was the first generation 40 GB iPod, purchased sometime in 2002 (I had in my brain that it was 1998 - but they weren't even around yet so I had to go back and figure out where I was living and what job I was in to make the date connection - that happens when you're almost 40 BTW). It has held all my songs for me faithfully - in fact I sure it has Faithfully on it. We won't get into a discussion about good versus bad songs - we'll just say it held some of the Top 10 Worst Songs too. A whole lotta One Hit Wonders on there just waiting to break out into song. And let's not even discuss the enormous amounts of 80's music that is on there. Or the several songs from some very HARD rock bands, or the Spanish music, or the show tunes...oh my pyschofrantic iPod...you'll be missed.

But the iPod is silent now. It just sits there all white and no color screen resting peacefully. Don't cry for me Argentina softly playing in its hard drive.

Did I mention I was turning 40?

The MomUnit felt my pain last night and was so excited - too excited now that I think about it - when I told her of the death. I had mentioned that now it was Nano Time. I was going to have to leap into the newest generation with bad songs in tow. Then I hear this, "What color do you want?" Does she not know me at all? What color do I want?

Then I hear a 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, IT'LL BE THERE IN 2 DAYS!"


I'm no longer iPod-Less in Seattle. Spoiled in Seattle, most definitely. But not iPod-less.

Thanks Mom! You're the best.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Straight No Chaser

Thanks to Solje for posting this on her blog. Hilarious! Enjoy everyone...

Oh and beware, Youtube will suck you in. I'm just sayin.

You're a Mean One Mister Grinch....

Well, I did it. I pulled out all the Christmas music. I was challenging myself to NOT listen to any Christmas music before Dec 1...and despite Starbuck's best effort to force me...I think I did okay. Admittedly I did have to listen to a few bars of a Nat King Cole rendition of O Come All Ye Faithful...but come one? It's Nat King Cole - it doesn't count.

I haven't really been in the Christmas spirit this year. Primarily because it's come on so fast. Would someone like to tell me where June - November went? I think I've misplaced them. I haven't even decorated my apartment. Usually the day after Thanksgiving I have tree up, the snowman scattered throughout the place and baking some Christmas treat. This Thanksgiving weekend came and went and I had no desire to decorate. Last night I got home all eager to pull out at least ONE Christmas decoration (I decorated the PM Lair with PMDude's help yesterday so I was feeling in the decorating mood). I opened the storage unit and couldn't even see the Christmas boxes. I promptly closed the door and went inside. Maybe this weekend I'll get something out. Maybe. I'm not promising anything.

In other not so relevant news, I've not been sleeping. I do sleep - eventually. It takes me forever to fall asleep and then it's restless sleep and constantly waking up. I have no idea why, but I want it to end. So last night I took an Advil PM - which I had done in the past, albeit too late and therefore causing the drowsies the next day. Last night I out smarted the sleepies I took an Advil PM at 9pm. Next thing I know I'm slapping the snooze button on the alarm clock for the 5th time. And I was still tired. I could have slept for the rest of the day.

So I'm not sure how to approach the lack of sleep. I like my sleep usually. There are times where I feel like sleeping gets in the way of doing things, but I also recognize I need my sleep - and those around me need me to have my sleep...I'm just sayin. I have been know to get a bit Grinch like when I've not had my sleep.

Patron Saint is counting down to Lesleymas which is only a couple of days away. I think it only fair to tell you all that in 26 more days I'll be FORTY freaking years old! So unfair. How'd this happen? Just yesterday I was waking up in a post THIRTY drunken haze thinking I'd be shocked if I made it to 40. And here I am - ten years later - questioning where the time went. Ugh.

Oh well. It beats the alternative. And there is going to be one helluva party in Washington...you're all invited.

And so I leave you with this Christmas song to wake you into the Christmas spirit. And I apologize early.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Once a band geek, always a band geek.

I woke up thinking about the routine. I knew that this was history in the making for me and the first step to me grabbing the rings of what I wanted and running with it. I was the first freshman at Antelope Valley High to march in a parade their freshmen year. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

My band career started at Piute Jr. High. My 7th grade year I tried out and owned the tall flags. They were really just very tall flags that spelled out P-I-U-T-E. I was the "captain" you could say. None of the other girls cared what happened with this small 5 person line. I cared. We followed the band and announced the flag girls. To a 7th grader this was a big deal.



My 8th grade year I decided to step out a bit and try out for banner. They had these groovy head dresses that I thought would be so fun to wear. The banner flipped from spelling out P-I-U-T-E to opening to say W-A-R-R-I-O-R-S. The captain of the banner team didn't like me, and I didn't much care for her. It made for a tough season. But I stuck with it despite the things that were said about me and the things I was asked to do. I remember on several occasions wanting to quit, but knew that quitting was what they wanted.
By 9th grade I was a band geek through and through. I loved everything about it. The performing, the practices, the friendships, everything. I tried out for banner at Antelope Valley High School - and made it. But I wasn't interested. I, instead, saw something much more interesting... the rifle squad. I casually walked over and asked if I could learn. After about 20 minutes I had the basic rifle toss down. The captain of the squad, Shelly, asked if I was interested as they needed a few more alternates. Sure, why not. I wasn't all that jazzed about the banner, so why not. She gave me a few more moves to practice and sent me on my way with my first practice rifle.
I tossed it. I flipped it. I dropped it. I bruised myself. I practiced and practiced until I could barely stand. That rifle went everywhere with me. Everywhere. In fact, BigBro has a story he always tells about the fam camping in Death Valley. It was night and I was out front of the truck flipping and tossing this rifle. All they heard by the fire was,
whap whap whap, crash, "CRAP!"
whap whap - OUCH - whap whap CRAP
And it went on and on. I was covered in bruises. But I was getting good.
Band practice started in August. I showed up with this broken and well used practice rifle and fit right into line. I learned the routine. I practiced. I did all the things freshmen do in bands - all the crap stuff they make you do. And I practiced some more.
The first football game was approaching. I knew the routine inside and out. I had practiced it with the team and I knew I could do it. Shelly approached me and asked me to fill in for someone who was sick. My first field show. I'll never forget it. The smell of the night, the feel of the wet grass under our boots, the slickness of the rifle from the mist...but I was on the field.
Following the field show, were more parades, more field shows, more competitions. All of which, me, a freshman, got to participate in. AV didn't usually allow their freshmen to march in the flag core. They usually had so many participants that you were for all practical purposes red shirted your freshmen year. The grunts. But there I was, tossing and doing 360's with the upper class men.
The year ended and our family had moved across town. I could still go to AV or I could go to Quartz Hill High - the rival. I knew the rival band and I knew their rifle core. Most importantly, I knew they stunk. And I knew I could be the captain of this rifle core and teach them how to be a great line.
I contacted the band director and set up an appt to try out. I was basically challenging the current captain. Looking back now I have to wonder who the hell did I think I was? But I knew that I was better and that I could bring great things to that team.
The day of the try out loomed. I practiced and practiced. I had the routine down perfectly. Sadly I even remember the song...it was, after all the 80's, so Culture Club was the new big thing.
I met the band director in the band room. Set the recorder down. Gave him a brief explanation of what I was going to do and how I had come to be there. I hit play.
The opening bars played, I tossed, I snapped, I flipped, I twirled. I was in a rhythm. There was a critical part of the routine that was a 360 (basically tossing a triple and doing a full turn underneath the rifle). Triples took height, the band room didn't really have the height. But I tossed it anyhow and I put so much effort into it that I kept it low. I spun around and caught the rifle perfectly. I ended the routine and I remember the band director scratching his chin. I could clearly see he was contemplating what to do. Then with a low voice he said, "Welcome aboard captain."
I was so excited. But I knew that was only the beginning. Next step was recruiting and getting in good with the already existing flag line.
I begged my mom to send me to USA camp again. I had gone the year before and wanted to go again with the QHHS team. USA camp was a flag and rifle corpse camp where they taught you discipline, new skills, and about team work. Like I said, I had gone the year before, but didn't really feel the need to prove myself like I did this year. This year I wanted to be part of the Super Sensational team. The team that was hand selected from the instructors and who performed at the end of the camp.
I was put into a level much higher than what I should be in as a sophomore, and put with a team I considered to be the goddesses of the rifle world, Palo Alto. Damn they were good. There were 4 of them and me who made Super Sensational. That's me in the white shorts to the left. What you can't see is the crowd of people watch us. I remember being so nervous and so afraid that I was going to make the rest of the team look bad. But I prevailed and I got my Super Sensational ribbon to prove it.


Then it was time to go home and recruit. I had 15 girls show up to try out. All levels of ability and professionalism. But I was able to find 8 (that was how many we were allowed) that I thought would make a good squad. And I had my work cut out for me.
We practiced all the time. We made up routines together - I knew I wasn't the most creative with routines and I relied on a few of the team members who had brought with them some serious skill. And before I knew it we were marching in the Antelope Valley Fair parade. Then the football games followed with many competitions throughout the season. I loved absolutely everything about it. Our team was tight and we were getting better.

Then came the competition in which we'd be competing against my old squad. AV had won all the competitions up to that point - and I figured they'd beat us in this one. We went out there and did our best, we threw in a 360 which was risky in that two of the 6 of us on the field only hit them about 30% of the time. But no risk no glory right? We twirled, we marched, we tossed to the beat of The Final Countdown - remember... the 80's!
Marching off the field, I had only caught glimpses of what we had done and I couldn't recall a single drop. Could it be possible? AV took the field, and I counted two drops on their part. Still, they were good. Damn good.
The award ceremony loomed and I knew we'd most likely go home with 2nd place. Though much to my surprise we won first place. In fact, my team had to prod me to go get the trophy because I wasn't paying attention figuring we had just lost altogether. But we had won. We had no drops and were perfectly in sync the entire time.
I often look back on those years with a smile on my face. It was surely a trying time - high school and all. But I did things that I knew would be paving my wave for the future. I didn't realize then that being a part of something like the band kept me on the straight and narrow. The friends I made there are friends of a lifetime. Many I still talk to. Many I don't. But the memories I have will stay with me forever.
This morning I watched the moving Drumline. That movie reminds me about all the days of practicing and discipline that it took to be something great. It may have been over 20 years ago, but I can still pull out my rifle and do some damage - usually to myself - but I can still toss doubles (outside) and do the tossing and twirling that made a small part of who I am today.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Open up your plans and damn your free...look into your heart and you'll find the sky is yours.

Okay, I’ll get on the “what am I thankful” bandwagon. And I’ll be serious too.

I’m thankful for….

  1. I’m rarely serious
  2. The Stang – what? I’m thankful for my rock solid, kick ass car. Actually I should be thankful to Wachovia since they “officially” own it.
  3. My job. As bored as I am right now, I’m still thankful to have to get up at the buttcrack past dawn and drive my sleepy butt to work. Hoping that today will be the day all my presales projects will become real projects and I’ll be so overworked my head will split into two.
  4. 80’s hair bands. Without whom I couldn’t have so many horrible songs pop into my head very randomly.
  5. Flamingos. Without them I’d not have an odd bone in my body.
  6. OMG, I’m so thankful for coffee. That should actually be #2 or er ah maybe #3
  7. My family. The Family hedge makes me smile and I’m glad that I have a family to laugh at – or with.
  8. Air. Yah, fresh clean air. Rock on!
  9. All the people who work hard every day to make this world just a little better.
  10. Recycling.
  11. Batman and Robin – without them we’d never believe in heroes.
  12. The Interweb (or the internets if your Patron Saint)
  13. Jason Marz – without whom I would not love love LOVE my new favorite song
  14. Water. Without it I’d not be able to be thankful for #6.
  15. Friends. They all rock. And though I may not always agree with them, or what they’re doing, I still think they are awesome.
  16. Pink.
  17. Cameras.

    Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! That means YOU! Gobble Gobble!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

I’ve got too much time on my hands, it’s hard to believe such a calamity

You gotta love Styx in the morning. When I was thinking about what to write in today’s blog, that song popped into my head. And in case you don’t know…you can check it out here – Go ahead PMDude – you know you want to. And be sure to check out they way groovy hair styles.

It’s been a couple of days since I last wrote and so much hasn’t happened that it’s difficult to find anything to write. So let me go back to the weekend update.

Saturday – Apple Cup (aka Crapple Cup)
I survived an Apple Cup party at my house. (For those who don't know the Apple Cup is a college football game between University of Washington and Washington State University - basically our state rivalry). I had a whole lotta Washington Huskies in my house who were sad after the game. Poor little puppies lost to a team that could arguably be worse than them. Let’s put it into numbers so you can see just how bad the Huskies and Cougars were this year (BTW – I’m a Cougar. )

The game wouldn't end. It went into TWO overtimes, but we ultimately tired the other kicker out and won 16-13. Coming into the game, UW had no wins this season, 0-9. Yes, that’s right, sob if you must. A loss to us put them at 0-10. They were ranked #1 of the top 20 WORST teams. Right behind them was the #2 team the Washington State Cougars – who’s season was 1-8 before this game. The 1 win was against a local high school team (I’m joking – sorta). At one point this season the combined score for three games in a row the Cougars played was 169-0. Ugh.

And so with that, we all knew this game would be painful. So I did what I always do when pain is approaching, I throw a party with good food and good drink. Blueberry and I were the only Cougs in the room, and thus the only “happy” two after the game. Although, that’s not entirely true I guess since the Husky fans were “happy” the season was basically over. Not quite though, they still have to play Cal this weekend which will put them at 0-12. Good times.

Here’s a photo of me “practicing” to be a Cougar (see WSU is well known for its party atmosphere). Yep, that's me on the left - the short cut one with a HUGE Coor's bottle in her hand.



Sunday
After cleaning up after the Crapple Cup I had my Seattle SIL and Blueberry over for a day of scrapbooking. I realized I’m so far behind in getting my vacations done, that I’m going to make a concerted effort next year to get these darn vacations done. I have the UK trip from 2006, DC from 2007, Orlando from June 2008 and now San Fran. Of course, in the middle of all that I did the 3 Day album that isn’t quite done and has 67 pages already (I think I have another 10 to add to it).

There may be some other big news brewing, but I’m going to hold of discussing it in the blog since I’m all sorts of shades of powerful and mentioning it may jinx it – if I already haven’t already.

Finally, I leave you with a photo I promised a while ago. Remember the story of the private school and the horrible uniforms. Welcome to ONE of my 1st Grade photos. Just 35 more days in my thirties!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

What Fresh Hell Is This!

Welcome to Wednesday. And because it's Wednesday, you get some good old fashion fun.

First a photo. I mentioned in my last few blogs that I've been scanning old (and I mean OLD) photos of myself. Well here's just a little taste of the Life of Jenn.

The Two Dresses

I can remember with what I consider vivid clarity the moment I got this dress. I loved this dress. It was quite girly. It shooshed and whooshed when you moved. It was, by far, the prettiest thing I had at that time. There was a family we used to visit regularly who lived in Belt, Montana. The Oslee's (? on the spelling of that last name...I was young). They had like a thousand kids, and all of their names started with T's. Tricia was their youngest (I think) and she gave me this dress.

The goofy chick standing next to me is my sister. Who swears she never EVER wore pink, but now I have proof. (insert evil laugh). The dog's tail you see is that of our beloved Beagle, Happy - who was always in or around us kids.

But back to the dress. I don't remember wearing the dress out of my bedroom much (you know playing dress up and all). I grew out of it pretty quickly, too. But it was definitely a princess dress for me. Our family didn't have much and we'd never EVER be able to afford such a nice dress. In fact, most my dresses were hand me downs from Goofy Pink Girl. (My sister will kill me for posting this photo, but it will all be worth it.). I can remember when it was time to pass the dress on too, and I so didn't want to let it go. I had a feeling I'd never be in anything like it again.
And then I had this dress...

You can't tell its a dress, but it is. It itched. Man did it itch. I hated it with every fiber of my being. My memory is that my mom made it - but I can't be sure. I have no idea why I have that in my head that she did, but I do recall mom making some clothes for us some times. Anyhow, the dress didn't have any defining points to it. Other than apparently I had lost a tooth - I'm willing to bet I lost that tooth when pulling the bulky green drape fabric that was way too heavy over my head. And the white lacy collar itched - it added "color" and "dimension" to the dress. I am pretty sure this was a hand me down from the Goofy Chick behind me.

These two pictures can't be too far apart either. Both in Montana. The green monster one I think was when we actually lived in Great Falls on 15th. The cute girly dress I'm not at all sure where we were living at that point, but I know it was Great Falls - somewhere. Side bar: We lived in a few different houses in Great Falls. To put it in perspective, I went to 4 different schools in my third grade year. We lived on base, we lived off base, we lived as a whole family unit, we lived with just mom and me (my personal favorite), and we lived on base again. I think.

I have several memories of GF. Some good, most not so good, some funnier now that I'm older, some I kind wish I could go back in time and erase altogether.

I'm drawing a blank on the good right now. I'm almost 100% positive there was some good. Maybe I'll just come back to them.

The bad are so much easier to remember. Why is that?
My favorite is getting grounded for bringing the MomUnit flowers. I had extremely mean parents who were ungrateful for the things I did for them. I was so proud of myself for bringing her a handful of freshly picked flowers, they were beautiful in my eyes. Plopping them down on the counter mom asks, "Where'd you get these?" I probably responded with something stupid like, "I found them." As the conversation progressed and she pressed me for more details where I got them, I had to tell her I picked them out of this ladies garden. See, smart child that I was, I left the roots on them...so mom was hip to my lie. My mean mother whom I just gave fresh flowers to, took me - probably by my ear - back down to said ladies house. Made me apologize and I had to do yard work for a couple of days for this lady. The nerve of my mom teaching me a lesson. Though admittedly I never picked someone else's flowers again. I don't even like flowers! I do think this is why I hate yard work though. Scared for life.
Ahem, moving on.

MJ broke her ankle and used to whack me with her crutches. I think I still have bruises. The funnier part of the story is how I told mom and dad. See we lived on this gigantic hill - which I'm sure if I were to go back to now wouldn't be more than a slight decline. Well, MJ liked to ride the skateboard down the hill - she was the rebel, the one who threw caution to the wind and openly defied my parents - we were expressly not allowed to ride the skateboard down this hill. (It should be mentioned that this was all in the 70's at some point - helmets weren't really a thing yet. Which wouldn't have mattered since I'm sure mom would say our heads were the hardest part of our body and we couldn't possibly hurt ourselves there. Anyhow, we were at the bottom of the hill - mom yells for dinner. (mom had a very distinctive voice to me as a child. I could hear her yelling for miles) I trudge uphill, plop myself down for dinner, started eating. Mom asks, "Where's your sister?" I casually respond between bites of chicken that she broke her ankle and is at the bottom of the hill. Speaking of bottoms, I think mine was sore for months after that.

And GF was the place where my sister wrote on the refrigerator. To THIS day we still argue over who wrote on the refrigerator. When I start getting all sassy about MJ and I mom will ask, "Who wrote on the refrigerator?" And if MJ and I are together, we'll point at each other. But, I know in my heart of hearts, and will stick to this until the day I die that it was her. She knows it too. But she swears it was me - which meant the "I-Don't-Knows" did it which meant we both got a whoopin. Scouts honor - it was her.
I scrubbed my brain for good Montana stories, but unfortunately I can't find very many. I don't remember being unhappy there, but I do remember that the family was stressed. I remember the family starting to come apart at the seams. In the end, Mom, MJ and I moved to California and started a new life. Then the good times really started. I think.

Now, wanna see a picture of the mature, and classy, woman I've grown up to be. I'm miles away from that Green Monster dress, and thousand of lessons from the flower plucking.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Would you understand what I meant if I said I was only human?

There are two very obvious redeeming qualities about me that, if you know me at all and if you are observant when you read this blog, you would be able to say without a doubt that yes, those are redeeming qualities.

I say they're qualities because some, who will remain nameless, have mentioned nonchalantly that they could also be negative attributes to one's personality.

I say, "Bah." And "Whatever."

I'm turning 40. Without a doubt in 41 days I'll be 40 years old. Ugh. I'm not happy about this age, but it has given me an opportunity to look through my life and draw some conclusions on the good, the bad, and the "oh-my-god-I-wore-my-hair-like-that." See, I'm having a birthday party and you're all invited. (It's safe for me to say that since neither of the two party planners read my blog on a regular basis.) Because of said party I have been scanning old photos (watch this space as some may appear here in the near future) for a photo montage of Moi! This exercise has brought up some interesting memories and has stopped me cold a couple of times as I realized a pattern emerging. Which brings me to my redeeming qualities.

Redeeming Quality #1 - I like to be in control.
Ms. Jackson and I have some of the same personality traits. We both like to be in Control. Some would say I'm a control freak. And "some" may be right - to an extent. I've known some "control freaks" in my time and I can say that I am not like some of them. I do, though, require a certain amount of control over situations - especially when I'm involved in them. Don't confuse control with planning though. No way. Two very different things. Planning is just a method to make sure that things turn out appropriately - okay so it's a formof control.
When I looked up control freak in wikipedia. I was sad. That couldn't be me, I had hoped. I don't see being in control of my every action a bad thing and I'll argue that to my death. After all, I do come by it naturally I was raised in control.
There are only a few times in my life in which I feel like I need to maintain absolute control over - My birthday and it's ensueing party is one of them.

I can pinpoint exactly in my life where wanting needing to be in control of my birthday. That aside, I'm very serious about making sure my birthday celebration is fun and one I can remember. Wanting to control that "funness" is not a bad thing. That said, I've relinquished all planning rights for my party this year. I'm sure it'll be splendid, fun even. Sure of it.

So my point...um, yes, what was my point?

Oh right - my redeeming qualities. Being in control is one.

Redeeming Quality #2 - A bit obsessive at times.
It's appeared to me through reliving a few past experiences that I can be a bit obsessive over some things (i.e. pink, the 3 Day, DMQ, recipes, etc) some of the time.

It's redeeming quality #2 that brings me to the point of this blog. Twlight.

I was addicted. The books are actually written for the teeny bopper age, but so was Harry Potter and look what happened there (not too surprising but I was addicted to HP too). The story is a romance between a teenage girl and a vampire. It's situation in Forks, Wa - which apparently is one of the rainiest places on earth - thus why vampires can live there so easily - the whole sun thing.
Anyhow, my hair stylist turned me on to these books. In fact, the entire salon was reading them at the time. Surely, these sophisticated women had good taste in literature. I had my goal in sight. Find the books and read them. I couldn't put Twilight down. I spent the entire weekend reading it. Then on to book two, three and four. More than 2000 pages of reading and I'm finally done. I finally finished book 4 last night. I took my time finishing the book because I knew once it was done, I would no longer have anything to obsess over. Well, for today anyhow.

Oh wait, the movie. Yes, the movie is coming out this Friday. I am going to manage to NOT go on opening night and instead will go the Friday after Turkey day with Chicken Lady. Yay.

And the best part, Cedricc Diggory from HP plays Edward. Nummy!
I highly recommend these books if:
1) You are interested in just a good read with little to no heavy thought involved
2) You like love stories that aren't the norm.
3) You breath oxygen.
4) You have two X chromosomes

Monday, November 17, 2008

You know, there's a moment when you're famous when it's unbearable to go out because you're too famous.

I'm famous...almost.

Another photo got picked up to be used on someone's websites. I could start charging, but it's so much more fun to give them away for free.

So check me out.

Now, it should be pointed out that I did none of the writing. Just the photo is mine.

I also find it amusing that a photo that I will think about, ponder, set up, take several shots of to get the perfect shot - doesn't get picked up. And yet the photo I just happened to snap for fun gets picked up.

Officially now I've had 2 photos published. I'm almost famous. Almost.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Shhh, or your miss the epiphany!

Do you hear that?

That resounding thud when someone gets it. That sudden flash of light that shocks even the heardiest of souls. That moment when you read something and suddenly everything you've been puzzling over for what seems like a lifetime falls into place and you know that you can move on. That you're at the crossroads and the next step will be your greatest yet.

Thanks to Patron Saint - I realized something. I'm a IGUG (her term not mine). That's right. I'm a I-Gave-Up-Girl. I really don't know when it is I officially gave up, but I know in my heart that I did. I suspect - very sincerely - it has to do with her "further punishment" theory. I had been down that path so many times that I knew it by heart and knew how it would end. So why bother? Why not live out my existence in this world in what I thought was peace?

If you've ever been on vacation with me you know I'm the type that can barely sit still. I want to see and do everything. I don't want to miss a thing. That's how I feel a lot about life too. And yet, one of the most important aspects of living life to its fullest I put on a shelf never daring to take it down again. I was missing out.

So what now?

I know I'm missing out. I know that the next whatever will most likely end badly and hurt - will it be worth it? Will the potential of more happiness out weight the pain that may take it's place? Could I just live and experience without a plan? Could I just jump in head first and let the cards fall where they may? Could I let go that much?

Looking at my life through the rear view mirror I flinch at the moments when I can almost hear my heart breaking - still. Those memories are painfully clear to me. Though if I'm honest with myself they aren't just my relationships that have ended badly. No they are the relationships of others who have lived on and are a vision of what I want/need. My experiences colored and put into motion the way I would approach any relationship I'd be given. They were defining who I would be and how I would be in a relationship. Right or wrong - good or bad - they would be a part of who I am - today! If I put them away, the next relationship wouldn't see them and wouldn't see how horribly bad I am at this thing called love. Or would he see them and appreciate them for what their purpose was - to make me who I am? I'm holding out for the latter.

So officially starting Jan 1 - I'm back on the horse. Why not until Jan 1? Who has time during the holidays to get involved? I will dedicate 6 month to the pursuit of "la otra media de naranja" - the other half of my orange. And you lucky readers get to take the trip with me. Oh goody!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

I've Been Spending Way too Much Time Checking my Tongue In the Mirror...

I'm bored. So my way of dealing with it is watching the video of my new favorite song. It puts a smile on face and makes me sing in my head. (Like I need that).

Enjoy! I know I will be.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Why not Minot?

Back when I was in 1st grade we lived in Minot, ND. "Where?" you say. Go ahead, go Google it. I'll wait.

Right, a dreadful place to be sure. My memories of Minot are simple, it was cold there. Very cold. I hardly remember the spring and summer months at all in Minot. I do remember that the state bird of Minot was the mosquito. Those things were enormous. During the summer months, they’d “spray” for mosquitoes on base (which is military brat term for base housing). I remember, vividly, me and my friends (none of who’s names I remember) running behind the trucks that were spraying pretending it was a "smoke screen" or something. And back then, in the 70’s, you can bet your bottom dollar that the stuff they were spraying wasn’t healthy for kids to be ingesting.

The winter months in Minot are the most vivid. Mostly because it was so freaking cold there. I remember every car having an electrical cord sticking out from the grill and people plugging their cars in at night. Not because they were being green and recharging their battery. No because it was so cold that it was the only way the blasted car would start in the morning.

We used to have snow drifts too. We’d frequently open the front door to leave for school and be greeted by a snow drift higher than the eves of the house. Good times. My sister and I took full advantage of snow drifts and tunneled through them and had snow forts. I can remember one collapsing one time and MJ and I laughing at it – not realizing that we very well could have died.

I lost my first tooth in Minot too. A bowl of Fruit Loops was the thief.

Our neighbors had beagles. Can't remember their names though - the beagles that is. Well and the neighbors now that I think about it.

Oh the memories.

I learned some new things in Minot too. I learned about "snirt". Snow and dirt mixed = Snirt. It was everywhere after a good snow and the plows would clear the roads.

I went - very momentarily - to a private Catholic school. Goofy and ugly uniforms. Ick. Nuns are scary people. I suspect we got kicked out because of my sister - but that's just me.

The MomUnit was hired into the Boeing Company. Her boss came to dinner one night. Little did any of us know that her "boss" (or maybe the guy who hired her) would later turn out to be my stepdad.

But probably the most appropriate, most relative memory of Minot that I hold dear.

I learned what the word bored meant. I can remember it like it was yesterday. MJ had friends over and they weren't letting me play. I had nothing to do. I whined complained to mom who then bestowed the knowledge of a new word on me.

I never imagined when I learned that word that I would experience the amount of boredom I’m experiencing today! I mean, I’m writing about Minot – that should say everything.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Ring My Bell-elll-eelll Ring my Bell!

I know every person reading this blog was told by their mom or the grandmother the same thing. "Be sure to always wear clean underwear in case you're in an accident." There are so many other reasons to wear clean underwear – I’ll assume the majority of readers know that. And there’s the other point that if you were in an accident you would most likely need clean underwear – but I digress.

I read an article in Cosmo that pointed out the many things that us girls do wrong in trying to capture the eye of a man. It said that in our everyday life we encounter many men who could be a potential capture mate. One of the points in the article that stuck with me was that even when you are just running to the store – make yourself presentable as you never know who will be sniffing the cantaloupe in the vegetable aisle. For a while I agreed and made sure I was “presentable” when I went out. (“Presentable” is all relative really).

I do my grocery shopping on Sunday mornings – usually before 8am. I don’t do the “presentable” much anymore. I’m lucky if I remember pants since I usually don’t have coffee yet (it’s on the grocery list to stop at Starbucks in the store first). I admit there are times that I think about it – but I also only see the scourge of the Hood when I’m at QFC that early. And by what they’re wearing I look like I’m dressed for a ball.

I tell you those two facts to bring you to last night’s events. I had just finished my salmon and rice (MMMM - and I can't believe I've never posted my all time favorite salmon recipe - "watch this space") when I heard a ringing. It wasn't loud or anything, just a ringing. I thought it was on TV so I ignored it for a moment - then realized it was our fire alarm. Our alarm goes off a lot more than it should. In fact, I’m convinced that we’ve all been conditioned and so if it were an actual fire we’d all assume false alarm and die. That being said, I decided to go outside to investigate.

Oh you should know that my typical home-from-work-not-going-anywhere-attire is flannel pants and a big ASU sweatshirt (neither match) – oh and a for good measure I have a head buff I use to pull all the hair out of my face. Yah – a winning combination.

So, I wonder outside to make sure the bldg really isn’t on fire and there’s this guy standing by my car. Tall, blondish, in a suit and a very nice camel hair jacket. Cute? Definitely. He extends his hand and introduces himself (I don’t remember his name) and says he just moved in on the weekend and points to his apt. He wasn’t sure if this was a drill or the real deal. We laughed about how glad we were that it wasn’t 2am, and chatted with my upstairs neighbors who saw us out there and decided to come out too. It was like a block party without the alcohol.

Then I heard the sirens. Firemen! Oh goody.

Oh hell.

Here I stood – already chatting with Mr. Hotty from L5 – and I realize what I was wearing. Why did I have that head buff on? Mom and Grandma may have been right about clean underwear, but I’m telling you the Cosmo article was spot on. So here I am surrounded by men - Mr. L5, 6 firemen who all appear hot in their uniforms (what?), and me in my blue oversized flannel pants and ASU sweatshirt...nice one!

Oh and it was a false alarm.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Heigh Ho Heigh Ho, it's off to work we go

What more fun than to come up with 7 things I did this weekend that has to do with the 7 Dwarfs (or little people if you think Dwarfs is un PC. )
Not listed in any particular order

#7 Sleepy- Got up at the butt crack of dawn on Saturday – for no particular reason other than my body decided it was “time”. As I lay awake in bed, my mind drifted back to a Saturday morning in our house in Redmond. It was almost as if it had happened yesterday instead of 12 years – ah I mean 22 years ago (good lord). It was a Saturday and I was sleeping. My mom burst into the room and announced, “Rise and shine. You can sleep when you’re dead.” Almost immediately I thought, “Or when I live by myself.” When I grumbled what time it was she announced it was 9AM. Why so early I thought. I got out of bed knowing full well that it would be a day of cleaning – outside or inside depended entirely on the weather. I must have said something about it being so early, because I remember mom saying that when I got older I’d be lucky if I could sleep by 7am. “Yah right,” I thought. She was right. Again.

#6 Happy - Managed to finally input all my recipes into my recipe database. Yes, I’m that geeky to have a “database” of recipes. But when one has over 1000 recipes, and one wishes to make each and every one of those, one must have a way of tracking said recipes. Even written out it still sounds like I’m a geek. Thankfully though, but finishing up the “T’s” I had stumbled off one of my favorite, and forgotten, recipes. Decided that recipe should be this week’s line up.

#5 Dopey - Sometime on Saturday I was bored and decided to make cookies. Chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips. MMMM….While the cookies were baking, I decided to clean out the cabinet above the stove. This cabinet usually housed things like Olive oil, and vinegars. I pulled everything out, mentally making a tally of items I had.

3 bottles Apple cider vinegar.
3 bottles Dry Sherry
1 bottle Sake
3 bottles Marsala wine
Dad’s ever famous dry rub
Two Costco size containers of McCormick Montreal Grill Seasoning (I love this stuff)
Box of Kosher Salt
2 bottles White wine vinegar
And a tub of Carnation instant breakfast powder

Now the interesting, or not, thing about this list is the large numbers of bottles I have of the same item. Crazy. But see if I run out of something, say Apple cider vinegar – every single time I’m at the grocery store I remember I need vinegar. And I buy it – forgetting I already did that twice before. I couldn't even remember when I had bought the instant breakfast so that went instantly into the garbage. As for the other multiple items, I debate on keeping them or putting them in the bag for the food drive. Tough decision. I mean, how many people need Marsala wine.

#4 Grumpy. Made a mental note to ONLY follow my grocery list and do not deviate.

#3 - Bashful. Had breakfast with the StaleMates and Blueberry. Burp. Buttermilk pancakes that totally hit the spot. Breakfast was good, but not spectacular. Managed to not spill coffee or maple syrup on myself. And for the record, this has nothing to do with Bashful - he's the toughest of all the dwarfs.

#2 Sneezy - The woman who is responsible for Dudley being in my life (I was also her maid of honor at her wedding) was in town – so we had coffee and cookies at my place. Upon passing over my threshold and kicking off her shoes she announces a bun in the oven. Yay! Maybe this one will be a girl. We spent much needed girl time talking about everything from politics to baby cloths. I mentioned that I was allergic to all discussion related to actual child labor. No single woman should EVER have to listen to that. Though I'm certain if they discussed it in such vivid detail in high school there may be more girls allergic to sex.

#1 - Doc - Made Hunter’s Stew for dinner and two days of left over lunches. Hunter’s stew requires dumplings to be put on top. As the stew became ready I realized I was almost out of bisquick. I debated just eating the stew without dumplings – but knew instantly that it wasn’t the same. Keys in hand I went and got biscuit. Upon returning home, I turned to get some water and went back to the bisquick. Shocked to see the box and the plastic bag opened. I didn’t remember opening it. I went ahead and used it. I KNEW that the box was closed so I had to have opened it. Still I thought about what if I hadn’t and what if there was poison inside. And what if I died…no one would ever suspect bisquick. So I found a pen and a piece of paper and wrote my family and the FBI a note that read, “If I’m found dead, check the bisquick.”

Friday, November 07, 2008

Rest Sweet Rebecca

Rebecca passed last night. Her time in this world was short, we all knew that, and yet hearing she’s gone fills my heart with sadness. Her passing was the right thing. Her body was taken over by the darkness. She’s at peace now and will no longer suffer. It sure is easy to type, but hard to believe.

I only barely knew Rebecca. Met her twice I think. Each time she was battling, fighting, for her life. She was okay for a little bit and then the darkness came back. This time, it would never leave. What I knew of Rebecca was that she was very loved. Very loved. She loved animals, she loved people, and she loved life. The love she sent out into the world circled back tenfold to her. She was a source of good and I’m glad to say I had a chance to have known such an angel.

I’ll see Blueberry tonight to see how she’s fairing. I suspect not well. See, Rebecca is the first one from her cancer group who has lost the battle with breast cancer. AND to make things more difficult, Rebecca is our age. That’s the kicker for me too. Rebecca is my age. It just blows yet another hole in my little world. People do die. And people do die from Breast Cancer. Now I feel more renewed than ever to fight the battle for those lost and for those who we can save. Can I get a WHOA?

So if you have a moment, give a thought to her sad loved ones left behind who now feel for her loss. Because her loss will be felt. By many. For along time.

Rest Sweet Rebecca. You will be missed.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

I Sure Hope My Doppleganger is having fun

Too all my friends who posted almost immediately on Facebook regarding my recent change in relationship status. You're sweet to assume that my status has changed from "single" to "no longer single". Rest yourselves though, I'm still single.

And to all those friends who were recently concerned that my Facebook gender status changed from Female to Male. Relax. I'm still a female. I think. I'd surely make an ugly male posing as a female. So, thank you for your concern.

I did find it amusing that I hear from friends so quickly on Facebook when a status like my relationship changed. I felt loved, even if through an Internet connection, that you all would be that excited for me to have found someone. Perhaps my doppelganger has and hasn't shared the excitement with me.

OH GOD! What if my doppelganger is a guy? And he has access to my facebook account? Oh the drama!

In other, not so alarming news, a dear friend of Blueberry's has taken a serious turn for the worse. She was who Blueberry was walking the 3 Day for and unfortunately the cancer is back and it brought reinforcements. If you have a spare prayer today, won't you wish Rebecca a safe journey. She won't be with us much longer. *sniff sniff