Here is my dog in her Halloween costume, just because.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Psychedelic Furs and People Watching
Last night I saw the Psych Furs at the Trocadero in Philly. I went with my husband and sister-in-law, Maribeth. Her husband was supposed to come too but he wussed out. That's another story tho.
The show was great. Richard Butler is starting to look quite a lot like David Bowie. He looked like he was having a great time and really wanted to be there. That's always nice. Unlike when we see Echo and the Bunnymen and Ian McCullough looks like he just wants to go home. Maribeth said she's not even sure he knows where he is. But as usual, I digress.
As I said, the show was great, I am not sure why they are touring, just for something to do I guess. As far as I could tell they don't have a new album. I didn't recognize three songs, but that doesn't mean anything. I don't have all their albums anyway. They played a couple of songs I had forgotten all about but I said "I love this song!" when they started, "Sleep Comes Down" and "Only You and I".
First adventure of the evening was getting there. We couldn't find anywhere to park. We finally found a lot that was close enough, walked over to the Troc and the bouncer says "have your ticket and your ID." Bet left her ID in the car. She is the youngest of the three of us and is 34, so I said "her's is in the car." He says "Well, you better go get it, it's an over 21 show." Rob says "you have got to be kidding." His response was "That's the way it works." I said, "Not normally when you are 35 it doesn't." So we actually had to go back to the car and get it and they actually checked all our IDs. What I want to know is how many under 21 year olds have even heard of the Psych Furs unless their parents are playing them!?
I am not sure if lots of other people who are close to our age just look really bad, or if the crowd was a lot older, because we actually did look younger than at least 3/4 of the people in there. There were some very strange people in this crowd. When we were looking for a place to park we saw a very large man with white hair, huge earrings and a black trench coat getting out of a cab-he went the wrong direction when he got out of the cab, I sort of thought he looked like he may be going, but then he went to opposite way, maybe he needed to stop somewhere else first-he was there. Bet saw him doing a dance, I missed that. The guy behind us, who was about 5 feet tall, got really annoying toward the end and was just shouting. I doubt he could see over me so good-because he pissed me off. By far my favorite person in attendance was some guy who had this total "I think I am Johnny Depp" thing going on. He had shoulder length, dark curly hair, big black-framed glasses, wearing a black hat, he was going all out. And I so wanted to go over to him and say "yeah, this whole look works for Johnny Depp, because HE'S Johnny Depp." Anyone else, you just look ridiculous. I imagine there are some who would say Johnny Depp looks ridiculous-the fuggers don't like it I know!
Some of the fun at concerts of largely 80s bands is watching to crowd. Rob noted that he thinks it's weird that we never run into anyone we know. I suppose that's true. But no one in high school except my immediate circle of friends was listening to anything that wasn't top 40. I guess 'no one' is an exaggeration, but I can think of about 5 people who may have been listening to what we were listening to. There were people in college but it was Philly, so who knows where they came from and where they moved to after college?!
Oh well. We had fun. And today we went to a family party and I got to harass my brother-in-law for being a big pussy. Next concert is Howard Jones, which I understand from Suzy will be completely mellow. Hey Beth, you guys didn't forget about that did you? Although I know next concert for you is Justin. Did sexy go somewhere? That's all I wanna know.
The show was great. Richard Butler is starting to look quite a lot like David Bowie. He looked like he was having a great time and really wanted to be there. That's always nice. Unlike when we see Echo and the Bunnymen and Ian McCullough looks like he just wants to go home. Maribeth said she's not even sure he knows where he is. But as usual, I digress.
As I said, the show was great, I am not sure why they are touring, just for something to do I guess. As far as I could tell they don't have a new album. I didn't recognize three songs, but that doesn't mean anything. I don't have all their albums anyway. They played a couple of songs I had forgotten all about but I said "I love this song!" when they started, "Sleep Comes Down" and "Only You and I".
First adventure of the evening was getting there. We couldn't find anywhere to park. We finally found a lot that was close enough, walked over to the Troc and the bouncer says "have your ticket and your ID." Bet left her ID in the car. She is the youngest of the three of us and is 34, so I said "her's is in the car." He says "Well, you better go get it, it's an over 21 show." Rob says "you have got to be kidding." His response was "That's the way it works." I said, "Not normally when you are 35 it doesn't." So we actually had to go back to the car and get it and they actually checked all our IDs. What I want to know is how many under 21 year olds have even heard of the Psych Furs unless their parents are playing them!?
I am not sure if lots of other people who are close to our age just look really bad, or if the crowd was a lot older, because we actually did look younger than at least 3/4 of the people in there. There were some very strange people in this crowd. When we were looking for a place to park we saw a very large man with white hair, huge earrings and a black trench coat getting out of a cab-he went the wrong direction when he got out of the cab, I sort of thought he looked like he may be going, but then he went to opposite way, maybe he needed to stop somewhere else first-he was there. Bet saw him doing a dance, I missed that. The guy behind us, who was about 5 feet tall, got really annoying toward the end and was just shouting. I doubt he could see over me so good-because he pissed me off. By far my favorite person in attendance was some guy who had this total "I think I am Johnny Depp" thing going on. He had shoulder length, dark curly hair, big black-framed glasses, wearing a black hat, he was going all out. And I so wanted to go over to him and say "yeah, this whole look works for Johnny Depp, because HE'S Johnny Depp." Anyone else, you just look ridiculous. I imagine there are some who would say Johnny Depp looks ridiculous-the fuggers don't like it I know!
Some of the fun at concerts of largely 80s bands is watching to crowd. Rob noted that he thinks it's weird that we never run into anyone we know. I suppose that's true. But no one in high school except my immediate circle of friends was listening to anything that wasn't top 40. I guess 'no one' is an exaggeration, but I can think of about 5 people who may have been listening to what we were listening to. There were people in college but it was Philly, so who knows where they came from and where they moved to after college?!
Oh well. We had fun. And today we went to a family party and I got to harass my brother-in-law for being a big pussy. Next concert is Howard Jones, which I understand from Suzy will be completely mellow. Hey Beth, you guys didn't forget about that did you? Although I know next concert for you is Justin. Did sexy go somewhere? That's all I wanna know.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
My Cousin's Asshole Husband
We always go to dinner at my aunt's house on Christmas. My aunt's house is all on the second floor and my 84 year old grandmother can't go up steps so this year my aunt cooked and took it to her daughter's house. My cousin, Lisa. Lisa and her husband, Wally, are going through a separation, yet again, I won't even get into that. So Lisa's kids were there and her husband was not because they are separating and no one wants to see him. She's moving out in two weeks.
They have four girls. We had dinner at 4:00 I think because my grandmother goes to bed early and so that the girls could be there and then go with Wally, hereafter known as asshole, to his mother's house. At some point or another he called and said he was on his way.
My son was sitting in the playroom watching tv because he has no interest in playing with five girls (including his sister) especially since the cousins are 8, 5, 4 and 3. He comes into the kitchen and says "I think Wally is here." Not sure why he said "I think" because I guess he came in and went in the playroom to look for the girls.
I said I guess he was there to get the girls and I went in the other room to see, Brandon and my husband stayed in the kitchen. So now I am in the living room, my step-father is in there and my daughter. Asshole did not say one word to anyone. Oh wait, he did speak to my grandmother and ask her how she was, I was standing right there and he pretended I wasn't. So anyway, I think he could have at least said something to my 13 year old who was helping the girls get their shoes and coats on. He could have said thank you at least...common courtesy.
Personally, I think if he was going to behave that way, he should have called Lisa when he was on the way and asked her to have the girls ready, then knock on the door and she could just send them out. If you are not going to at least say hello, or Merry Christmas, what with it was Christmas and all, then you should not come in the house. Should I go to his MySpace page and send him a link to here so he can read this and learn about common courtesy?
They have four girls. We had dinner at 4:00 I think because my grandmother goes to bed early and so that the girls could be there and then go with Wally, hereafter known as asshole, to his mother's house. At some point or another he called and said he was on his way.
My son was sitting in the playroom watching tv because he has no interest in playing with five girls (including his sister) especially since the cousins are 8, 5, 4 and 3. He comes into the kitchen and says "I think Wally is here." Not sure why he said "I think" because I guess he came in and went in the playroom to look for the girls.
I said I guess he was there to get the girls and I went in the other room to see, Brandon and my husband stayed in the kitchen. So now I am in the living room, my step-father is in there and my daughter. Asshole did not say one word to anyone. Oh wait, he did speak to my grandmother and ask her how she was, I was standing right there and he pretended I wasn't. So anyway, I think he could have at least said something to my 13 year old who was helping the girls get their shoes and coats on. He could have said thank you at least...common courtesy.
Personally, I think if he was going to behave that way, he should have called Lisa when he was on the way and asked her to have the girls ready, then knock on the door and she could just send them out. If you are not going to at least say hello, or Merry Christmas, what with it was Christmas and all, then you should not come in the house. Should I go to his MySpace page and send him a link to here so he can read this and learn about common courtesy?
My Daughter
I have to rant about my daughter. She is the queen of gross. I don't even know where to start. Since she has been about five, every year at Christmas and in the summer, after her birthday, we would go through all her clothes and toys and do a major cleaning and organizing of her room. Get rid of everything she'd outgrown. Out with the old, in with the new sort of thing. Well, she is now 13. After her last birthday I asked her if we needed to do that, she didn't get a bunch of toys, what she has she's not ready to part with yet, but it hasn't been out in ages. She said we didn't need to do that. I am trying, very hard, to treat her like a teenager instead of like a toddler, so I said ok.
Well, I figured that since she has a ton of new clothes and since every time she has a dress down day at school I send her back to her room to change into something that actually fits, I better get up there and have her go through things with me. I want the clothes that are too small gone so we can not have these fights every time there is a dress down day! So I gave her warning that we were going to do this. I told her to go clean up the mess on the floor.
Oh-and last week we had a conversation about the difference between messy and dirty. I told her she was dirty and it was gross. And I told her that since it is MY house and she's ruining my carpet and making my whole upstairs stink, I do have the right to tell her it's not ok and I do get to decide about those things, even when they are her possessions and it's "her" room.
So I tell her to get all the clothes out of her closet, I don't even want to look in there. All I know is last week she took three bags of trash out of there. Actual trash. Why does a 13 year old have 3 bags of trash in her closet? That was when we had the messy v dirty conversation. She gets the clothes, we go through them. So far, so good.
Then I open one of her dresser drawers, it wasn't awful, we went through it. Next drawer, crammed full of stuff, not folded at all, I am still ok. Then I open the drawer where her socks and underwear are supposed to be. Note I said supposed. There are a few pairs of socks, no underwear at all. Not one pair! Where are this child's underwear!? I don't want to think about it. Also in this drawer are stacks of photos-she has photo albums which are no doubt empty. There is her diary that she is supposed to keep for her counselor, some random papers and about ten candy wrappers. Oh yeah, and a burned out lightbulb. So I have a two year old conversation with her about what we are supposed to do with trash.
Then we get to the nightstand. The nightstand was supposed to be for pajamas and cheerleading/dance/gymnastic stuff and her bathing suits in the summer. She opens the top drawer, it is practically empty, there is one pair of pj pants in there. I just shake my head. Then she tries to open the bottom drawer. It is jammed closed. She gets it open, pulls out all kinds of random clothes, picture frames, and some other crap, I don't even know what.
She moves and when she does it lifts the bedskirt and I see clothes. I then make her pull clothes out from under the bed. There were more clothes shoved under her bed than there were in the closet and three dresser drawers combined. This is when the tirade started. I lit into her about lying to me about putting her clean clothes away. About being dirty and gross. I asked her if her friends did this. She doesn't know. I asked if I should ask them if they do this. No, of course not. Why not? Well, no doubt because they don't and she has to know it's gross and doesn't want her friends to know.
So anyway, she tells me it is clean clothes, that's nice. I already don't fold or put her things away because of this nonsense. The only reason she gets her wash done at all at this point is because I don't want her touching my $1100 washing machine. She breaks everything! In addition to the clean clothes, she pulls out two pairs of pajama bottoms that she had "girl accidents" in. I was just like "you are totally gross". So we threw those out because that's hard enough to wash out anyway, let alone after its been sitting and is all dried in and everything. I told her (again) that when that happens you have to wash it in cold water and put it in the laundry. Maybe this is why she has no panties. May she just threw them all away. I am baffled.
After about an hour I had enough and I assigned her two jobs to finish, one being to match up all the socks she pulled from under her bed and put them away since she says they are clean. Believe me, I don't want to be washing all that stuff-it would be at least two loads of laundry. Then I remembered a large rubbermaid container she has in her room that is for storing stuffed animals in. There are so many stuffed animals on her bed right now that there is barely room for her. And it's a full sized bed. So I went up and said "what's in that box?" Her response, as usually "I don't know". She opened it...clothes. As if you didn't already know that! We'll tackle that tomorrow.
She's a nightmare. From now on she's hanging and folding in the laundry room and I'll watch her put her stuff away. I reminded her that the reason I wasn't doing that was that I was letting her show me she was more responsible and maturing. Yeah, not so much.
I guess that's all for my rant!
Well, I figured that since she has a ton of new clothes and since every time she has a dress down day at school I send her back to her room to change into something that actually fits, I better get up there and have her go through things with me. I want the clothes that are too small gone so we can not have these fights every time there is a dress down day! So I gave her warning that we were going to do this. I told her to go clean up the mess on the floor.
Oh-and last week we had a conversation about the difference between messy and dirty. I told her she was dirty and it was gross. And I told her that since it is MY house and she's ruining my carpet and making my whole upstairs stink, I do have the right to tell her it's not ok and I do get to decide about those things, even when they are her possessions and it's "her" room.
So I tell her to get all the clothes out of her closet, I don't even want to look in there. All I know is last week she took three bags of trash out of there. Actual trash. Why does a 13 year old have 3 bags of trash in her closet? That was when we had the messy v dirty conversation. She gets the clothes, we go through them. So far, so good.
Then I open one of her dresser drawers, it wasn't awful, we went through it. Next drawer, crammed full of stuff, not folded at all, I am still ok. Then I open the drawer where her socks and underwear are supposed to be. Note I said supposed. There are a few pairs of socks, no underwear at all. Not one pair! Where are this child's underwear!? I don't want to think about it. Also in this drawer are stacks of photos-she has photo albums which are no doubt empty. There is her diary that she is supposed to keep for her counselor, some random papers and about ten candy wrappers. Oh yeah, and a burned out lightbulb. So I have a two year old conversation with her about what we are supposed to do with trash.
Then we get to the nightstand. The nightstand was supposed to be for pajamas and cheerleading/dance/gymnastic stuff and her bathing suits in the summer. She opens the top drawer, it is practically empty, there is one pair of pj pants in there. I just shake my head. Then she tries to open the bottom drawer. It is jammed closed. She gets it open, pulls out all kinds of random clothes, picture frames, and some other crap, I don't even know what.
She moves and when she does it lifts the bedskirt and I see clothes. I then make her pull clothes out from under the bed. There were more clothes shoved under her bed than there were in the closet and three dresser drawers combined. This is when the tirade started. I lit into her about lying to me about putting her clean clothes away. About being dirty and gross. I asked her if her friends did this. She doesn't know. I asked if I should ask them if they do this. No, of course not. Why not? Well, no doubt because they don't and she has to know it's gross and doesn't want her friends to know.
So anyway, she tells me it is clean clothes, that's nice. I already don't fold or put her things away because of this nonsense. The only reason she gets her wash done at all at this point is because I don't want her touching my $1100 washing machine. She breaks everything! In addition to the clean clothes, she pulls out two pairs of pajama bottoms that she had "girl accidents" in. I was just like "you are totally gross". So we threw those out because that's hard enough to wash out anyway, let alone after its been sitting and is all dried in and everything. I told her (again) that when that happens you have to wash it in cold water and put it in the laundry. Maybe this is why she has no panties. May she just threw them all away. I am baffled.
After about an hour I had enough and I assigned her two jobs to finish, one being to match up all the socks she pulled from under her bed and put them away since she says they are clean. Believe me, I don't want to be washing all that stuff-it would be at least two loads of laundry. Then I remembered a large rubbermaid container she has in her room that is for storing stuffed animals in. There are so many stuffed animals on her bed right now that there is barely room for her. And it's a full sized bed. So I went up and said "what's in that box?" Her response, as usually "I don't know". She opened it...clothes. As if you didn't already know that! We'll tackle that tomorrow.
She's a nightmare. From now on she's hanging and folding in the laundry room and I'll watch her put her stuff away. I reminded her that the reason I wasn't doing that was that I was letting her show me she was more responsible and maturing. Yeah, not so much.
I guess that's all for my rant!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Favorite Songs
When I was Christmas shopping with Beth, we were in Sharper Image and there was a song playing whose lyrics I recognized and after a minute I figured out that it was Blue Monday. I said to Beth "Listen, awful, annoying remake of Blue Monday" or something along those lines. I'd like to point out I am NOT a fan of remade New Order songs...ever. Every one I have heard sucks, imho. She said something along the lines of "Oh yeah, I couldn't place that." And I said, "It's one of my favorite songs of all time." Her response was "Really?" with complete surprise.
Since that seemed to surprise one of my best and oldest (oldest meaning longest amount of time) friends, and since she is the only one who ever reads this unless someone else is sent here to look at pictures of my awesome Duran Duran purse, I'd like to make a list of my all time favorite songs just for future reference. What this means is, songs that I think "I really need to hear {this song} right now", songs I will listen to, no matter how many times I have already heard them, and I have never been sick of them. In no particular order other than I'll start with my favorite bands first...
Careless Memories...Duran Duran
Come Undone...Duran Duran
Save a Prayer...Duran Duran (yes, really...not sick of it)
Blasphemous Rumours...Depeche Mode
Personal Jesus...Depeche Mode
Just Can't Get Enough...Depeche Mode
Edge of Heaven...Wham!
Father Figure...George Michael
Blue Monday...New Order
Bizarre Love Triangle...New Order
Head Like a Hole...Nine Inch Nails
The Only Time...Nine Inch Nails
Kinda I Want To...Nine Inch Nails
How Soon is Now?...The Smiths
Hit...The Sugarcubes
You Oughtta Know...Allanis Morrissette
How Beautiful You Are...The Cure
Icing Sugar...The Cure
Push...The Cure
Ball of Confusion...Love and Rockets
Troy...Sinead O'Connor
I Will Follow...U2
Dancing Barefoot...U2
What's the Story Morning Glory?...Oasis
Cornflake Girl...Tori Amos
Precious Things...Tori Amos
Jane Says...Jane's Addiction
Cruel Summer...Bananarama
Desperate But Not Serious...Adam Ant
The One Thing...INXS
Nothing after 1999 because that's too recent to be an all-time favorite, I could still get sick of it. That seems like enough, it's all that has easily popped into my head, now I'd just be thinking about it too much. I kept with only three per any one band. But I feel I need to add Do You Believe in Shame and Palomino...also Duran Duran. But five from my all time favorite band seems reasonable anyway.
Next time I'll do movies.
As a P.S. I am not sure whether that remake of Blue Monday or the remake we heard of Come Undone last year in Sephora, also while Christmas shopping, was worse. I think maybe the Come Undone remake because it took me a lot longer to figure out what it was. ::shudder::
Merry Christmas!
Since that seemed to surprise one of my best and oldest (oldest meaning longest amount of time) friends, and since she is the only one who ever reads this unless someone else is sent here to look at pictures of my awesome Duran Duran purse, I'd like to make a list of my all time favorite songs just for future reference. What this means is, songs that I think "I really need to hear {this song} right now", songs I will listen to, no matter how many times I have already heard them, and I have never been sick of them. In no particular order other than I'll start with my favorite bands first...
Careless Memories...Duran Duran
Come Undone...Duran Duran
Save a Prayer...Duran Duran (yes, really...not sick of it)
Blasphemous Rumours...Depeche Mode
Personal Jesus...Depeche Mode
Just Can't Get Enough...Depeche Mode
Edge of Heaven...Wham!
Father Figure...George Michael
Blue Monday...New Order
Bizarre Love Triangle...New Order
Head Like a Hole...Nine Inch Nails
The Only Time...Nine Inch Nails
Kinda I Want To...Nine Inch Nails
How Soon is Now?...The Smiths
Hit...The Sugarcubes
You Oughtta Know...Allanis Morrissette
How Beautiful You Are...The Cure
Icing Sugar...The Cure
Push...The Cure
Ball of Confusion...Love and Rockets
Troy...Sinead O'Connor
I Will Follow...U2
Dancing Barefoot...U2
What's the Story Morning Glory?...Oasis
Cornflake Girl...Tori Amos
Precious Things...Tori Amos
Jane Says...Jane's Addiction
Cruel Summer...Bananarama
Desperate But Not Serious...Adam Ant
The One Thing...INXS
Nothing after 1999 because that's too recent to be an all-time favorite, I could still get sick of it. That seems like enough, it's all that has easily popped into my head, now I'd just be thinking about it too much. I kept with only three per any one band. But I feel I need to add Do You Believe in Shame and Palomino...also Duran Duran. But five from my all time favorite band seems reasonable anyway.
Next time I'll do movies.
As a P.S. I am not sure whether that remake of Blue Monday or the remake we heard of Come Undone last year in Sephora, also while Christmas shopping, was worse. I think maybe the Come Undone remake because it took me a lot longer to figure out what it was. ::shudder::
Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 22, 2006
More Annoying Things About My Job
So at my job that I love so much I get 12 sick days and 5 personal days per year. If those days are not used they accumulate, forever. When you retire the school district pays you for the days, but only up to 100 and the last I heard it was $50 per day, nevermind that it costs them $80 a day for a substitute if you do use them. But that's a different rant.
So, as of the last statement I have 65 days, this is my 9th year. Last year I used, if I recall correctly 42 for an extended sick leave when I was in a car accident and messed up my knee. So, I did all the math earlier today and basically what this means is that I have averaged 6 days per school year. So, when Brandon ran away on November 13, I took a personal day. Well, according to our contract, I am "not allowed" to take a personal day that day because the two school days immediately prior we had off. So now I have to "provide documentation" that I really had an emergency. It is so annoying and ridiculous. The best part of the whole thing, is that if I had not been upset and had been thinking clearly, I could have just called out sick and they wouldn't be bothering me about this. What I am saying is, they have the system set up so that I would be better off to have lied about the reason I wasn't there. Totally stupid.
Today, with our paycheck, we get a letter that says if you are taking a medical leave of absence, you need to provide ten days notice. Huh? Under what circumstances are most people able to provide ten days notice that they are going to need a medical leave? I can think of 2, pregnancy and scheduled surgery. I think I have never received any notice so ridiculous in all my life.
As if this school district doesn't have enough trouble keeping people already, they need to give us even more reason to want to go elsewhere. I can retire after next year. Have I mentioned that? Time to start looking into my next career move.
So, as of the last statement I have 65 days, this is my 9th year. Last year I used, if I recall correctly 42 for an extended sick leave when I was in a car accident and messed up my knee. So, I did all the math earlier today and basically what this means is that I have averaged 6 days per school year. So, when Brandon ran away on November 13, I took a personal day. Well, according to our contract, I am "not allowed" to take a personal day that day because the two school days immediately prior we had off. So now I have to "provide documentation" that I really had an emergency. It is so annoying and ridiculous. The best part of the whole thing, is that if I had not been upset and had been thinking clearly, I could have just called out sick and they wouldn't be bothering me about this. What I am saying is, they have the system set up so that I would be better off to have lied about the reason I wasn't there. Totally stupid.
Today, with our paycheck, we get a letter that says if you are taking a medical leave of absence, you need to provide ten days notice. Huh? Under what circumstances are most people able to provide ten days notice that they are going to need a medical leave? I can think of 2, pregnancy and scheduled surgery. I think I have never received any notice so ridiculous in all my life.
As if this school district doesn't have enough trouble keeping people already, they need to give us even more reason to want to go elsewhere. I can retire after next year. Have I mentioned that? Time to start looking into my next career move.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Almost forgot
I also took more pictures of my leaves. Fun! There is my cat on the deck and the other picture is actually the pool. Can you see the cover??
Photos
This is what happens when you leave an 11 year old and a 13 year old home alone from school when they have a day off and you don't The children got bored and went crazy with the digital camera. These beauties are going with the Christmas cards.
Enjoy!
So it's been a month
but I have good reason. The only people who read this blog entered the Nanowrimo write a novel in a month challenge which inspired me to do the same. So I spent all of my writing time in November doing that. I actually did it too! I have little icons I can post here that verify that-but that would actually involve me figuring out how to do that and I don't want to. I am not really all that big on reading directions on getting anything done on a computer.
I also did not have the best month ever personally. My son ran away and we have been dealing with him and all his "issues". I am not sure how an 11 year old can be that depressed. I am however, completely willing to blame it all on his biological parents. So we have to get him a psychiatrist appointment to rule out bi-polar disorder, which bio-mom has so we may not be ruling it out. I am about talked out on him though.
Work sucks as usual. I have decided I am just bored out of my mind there. You can't really be all that enthusiastic about teaching when you are bored yourself! I told my assistant today, if I wait out my ten years until the pension vests, that means as of today I have 305 days left. But who's counting? I have to work out how to use up my 60+ sick days.
I am working on my Christmas cards. Last year I never sent them because I was in a car accident on December 15 and I hadn't gotten them done prior to that since I was working on my thesis. I guess I have to do it this year. The envelopes are addressed. I have to print out the pictures for the cards. I'll post those. They are a little bit odd but my sister-in-law who is just about my best friend thinks I should go ahead and send them. My kids are weird. Trying to get pictures of an 11 year old boy and a 13 year old girl is a lot of fun anyway.
So that's the update. Nothing exciting.
I also did not have the best month ever personally. My son ran away and we have been dealing with him and all his "issues". I am not sure how an 11 year old can be that depressed. I am however, completely willing to blame it all on his biological parents. So we have to get him a psychiatrist appointment to rule out bi-polar disorder, which bio-mom has so we may not be ruling it out. I am about talked out on him though.
Work sucks as usual. I have decided I am just bored out of my mind there. You can't really be all that enthusiastic about teaching when you are bored yourself! I told my assistant today, if I wait out my ten years until the pension vests, that means as of today I have 305 days left. But who's counting? I have to work out how to use up my 60+ sick days.
I am working on my Christmas cards. Last year I never sent them because I was in a car accident on December 15 and I hadn't gotten them done prior to that since I was working on my thesis. I guess I have to do it this year. The envelopes are addressed. I have to print out the pictures for the cards. I'll post those. They are a little bit odd but my sister-in-law who is just about my best friend thinks I should go ahead and send them. My kids are weird. Trying to get pictures of an 11 year old boy and a 13 year old girl is a lot of fun anyway.
So that's the update. Nothing exciting.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Leaves
Just want you to see my leaves. This is what we did for a few hours today. This is round one of just the front yard.
Duran Duran Show
So on Friday I went to see Duran Duran at the House of Blues in Atlantic City. Lisa and I were wandering around the casino floor so she could smoke. The House of Blue is upstairs so we were heading upstairs. I stepped onto the escalator and saw, coming down the other side, John Taylor and Nick Rhose, I turned around to look at Lisa and then I looked back at them. I was in total shock! Lisa then yells at me for not getting off the escalator when I still had the chance! So I yelled back at her for not pulling me off when I couldn't think straight while staring at John Taylor. There wasn't actual yelling, of course. We got to the top and went right back down but it's a long escalator and I know John knew I recognized him so they were long gone when we got back down there. When we were about halfway up I saw Nick look behind him, seemed like he was checking to see if anyone was back there. I don't know how they walked past all the people we saw standing upstairs. The only reason to be up there is going to the show, and none of them seemed like John and Nick had just walked by. The whole thing was sorta weird.
Hard to believe that two adult women with children are still rendered speechless at the sight of pop stars. Completely ridiculous I admit.
I thought the show was great but the crowd was really strange. There was some guy behind Lisa and I that was complaining about stuff before the show even started. The show was supposed to start at 9, there were road crew on the stage messing with stuff and he was pitching a fit. Like Duran ever comes on before 9:30. Whatever. Then he was complaining about the sound. Between every song we could hear him bitching about something. Beth came to get us when the poor decision to perform House of the Rising Sun was made. I don't get that choice but whatever.
The crowd in the area where everyone else was was no better than the original location where Lisa and I were. A bunch of drunk women who clearly don't get out much. Neither do Lisa and I but Lisa no longer drinks and I can hold my liquor way better than they can-not that I was drinking either! There was some guy who Lisa said smelled real bad-I didn't get close enough after she said that. But he was ramming his tongue down some chick's throat and the whole thing was really gross.
Anyway, they played My Own Way which was really cool! Heather made a comment that there was really no talking about our favorite parts and all after the show. Which is just another part of the strangeness. So I'll do that now. Since the only person who reads this was there and is who I would have been talking about it with anyway! Hi Beth. ;-> What else was cool, Hold Back the Rain, but since they did that the whole last tour, I am sort of over that being really cool, it's cool because it's a good song, but no longer like "Wow they're playing Hold Back the Rain." I thought Some Like it Hot was really awesome. The Internet makes it possible to ruin any surprises whatsoever and I had looked up set lists so I wasn't surprised by hearing those songs. But it was still really cool. I think since there is a fill in guitar player (since 'someone' left again) makes it less likely that there will be changes in the set list from one show to the next.
I didn't really like the changes to Serious, but it was a cool song. Electric Barbarella was a lot of fun. The end of the show could stand to be mixed up a little. Girls on Film and Rio...yeah, we know. And I realized on Saturday that they didn't do Careless Memories, first time ever I didn't hear them do that. My favorite song.
Hopefully the new album will come out soon and we can all go see them again. Heather said it was a weird show and she was really distracted, I agree with that. She wants a 'do over'. I do too, but more because I like going to see them! Maybe one day I will actually see John and say hello instead of just staring at him like I am an idiot!
Hard to believe that two adult women with children are still rendered speechless at the sight of pop stars. Completely ridiculous I admit.
I thought the show was great but the crowd was really strange. There was some guy behind Lisa and I that was complaining about stuff before the show even started. The show was supposed to start at 9, there were road crew on the stage messing with stuff and he was pitching a fit. Like Duran ever comes on before 9:30. Whatever. Then he was complaining about the sound. Between every song we could hear him bitching about something. Beth came to get us when the poor decision to perform House of the Rising Sun was made. I don't get that choice but whatever.
The crowd in the area where everyone else was was no better than the original location where Lisa and I were. A bunch of drunk women who clearly don't get out much. Neither do Lisa and I but Lisa no longer drinks and I can hold my liquor way better than they can-not that I was drinking either! There was some guy who Lisa said smelled real bad-I didn't get close enough after she said that. But he was ramming his tongue down some chick's throat and the whole thing was really gross.
Anyway, they played My Own Way which was really cool! Heather made a comment that there was really no talking about our favorite parts and all after the show. Which is just another part of the strangeness. So I'll do that now. Since the only person who reads this was there and is who I would have been talking about it with anyway! Hi Beth. ;-> What else was cool, Hold Back the Rain, but since they did that the whole last tour, I am sort of over that being really cool, it's cool because it's a good song, but no longer like "Wow they're playing Hold Back the Rain." I thought Some Like it Hot was really awesome. The Internet makes it possible to ruin any surprises whatsoever and I had looked up set lists so I wasn't surprised by hearing those songs. But it was still really cool. I think since there is a fill in guitar player (since 'someone' left again) makes it less likely that there will be changes in the set list from one show to the next.
I didn't really like the changes to Serious, but it was a cool song. Electric Barbarella was a lot of fun. The end of the show could stand to be mixed up a little. Girls on Film and Rio...yeah, we know. And I realized on Saturday that they didn't do Careless Memories, first time ever I didn't hear them do that. My favorite song.
Hopefully the new album will come out soon and we can all go see them again. Heather said it was a weird show and she was really distracted, I agree with that. She wants a 'do over'. I do too, but more because I like going to see them! Maybe one day I will actually see John and say hello instead of just staring at him like I am an idiot!
Monday, October 30, 2006
I Hate Fall
I am in a mood. I have nothing really to say. Just feel like complaining. The time change sucks. Everyone is all out of whack. The weather is crazy.
Work is the usual. However, I found out that another 'specials' teacher has been pulled from her stupid reading buddy day to substitute in classrooms a few times. She came to ask me if I had been pulled a lot. I said no, the real answer is not at all but she doesn't need to know that. Then I found out from one of the classroom teachers that she never shows up for her reading buddies-so maybe that's why the principal pulls her and not me. I am actually doing what I am supposed to be doing. I'd like to know what she is doing with the 80 minutes a week she's not showing up for the one teacher who told me about it. And if she's not showing up for her, she's probably not showing up for anyone else...so what's she doing for three days a week? None of my business I suppose.
All of us got notices that we'll be covering for teachers at some point in the upcoming week while they are at workshops. It's so ridiculous. They were told to call in no sub needed and we have to cover. So several of the specials teachers are calling out sick. However, since my day is Monday and I am calling out Friday so that I can hang out with Stacy who is visiting from Florida and going to see Duran Duran with my Duranie friends...I am not going to turn around and call out again Monday. I figure I'll cause enough trouble calling out Friday to make up for it. There is always a problem with subs on Fridays and since there may be other people calling out to make their point, there could be no one for me, and since I actually have classes Friday, she'll have to do something about it. The art teacher was advised not to call out since she is non-tenured. The whole thing is stupid and has been brought up with the union, but they never do anything about our ridiculous schedules so I have no reason to think it will be any different this time.
I know I am totally in the midst of my PMS because I am so miserable I am sitting here thinking (and you must say this with a whine) "I don't feel like going to a concert Friday." Dammit! I am going to be completely pissed when I get my period on Friday. Totally is a curse. Blegh. I am going to go watch tv for a while. Something completely mindless.
Work is the usual. However, I found out that another 'specials' teacher has been pulled from her stupid reading buddy day to substitute in classrooms a few times. She came to ask me if I had been pulled a lot. I said no, the real answer is not at all but she doesn't need to know that. Then I found out from one of the classroom teachers that she never shows up for her reading buddies-so maybe that's why the principal pulls her and not me. I am actually doing what I am supposed to be doing. I'd like to know what she is doing with the 80 minutes a week she's not showing up for the one teacher who told me about it. And if she's not showing up for her, she's probably not showing up for anyone else...so what's she doing for three days a week? None of my business I suppose.
All of us got notices that we'll be covering for teachers at some point in the upcoming week while they are at workshops. It's so ridiculous. They were told to call in no sub needed and we have to cover. So several of the specials teachers are calling out sick. However, since my day is Monday and I am calling out Friday so that I can hang out with Stacy who is visiting from Florida and going to see Duran Duran with my Duranie friends...I am not going to turn around and call out again Monday. I figure I'll cause enough trouble calling out Friday to make up for it. There is always a problem with subs on Fridays and since there may be other people calling out to make their point, there could be no one for me, and since I actually have classes Friday, she'll have to do something about it. The art teacher was advised not to call out since she is non-tenured. The whole thing is stupid and has been brought up with the union, but they never do anything about our ridiculous schedules so I have no reason to think it will be any different this time.
I know I am totally in the midst of my PMS because I am so miserable I am sitting here thinking (and you must say this with a whine) "I don't feel like going to a concert Friday." Dammit! I am going to be completely pissed when I get my period on Friday. Totally is a curse. Blegh. I am going to go watch tv for a while. Something completely mindless.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Belly Dancing
As I posted earlier, I had a few bad days this week. For whatever reason I was miserable. Well, last week I had talked to Lisa about going to a belly dancing class at this place near where she lives. We decided last week that we were going to go. I am glad that I did. I was definitely cheered up and feeling better after that. Although, Lisa thinks I should go on medication, I think that’s just so she won’t be the only one on meds!
We got scarves to wear around our waists that have beading and coins that jingle. I think we were not shaking hard enough because everyone else had beads and coins flying off but Lisa and I didn’t. In addition to the regular dance, they have a veil dance that we were working on. The veils are 9 feet long. We were doing that and Lisa got tangled up in her veil and almost fell. That was pretty funny.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Work
So for some reason I am suddenly bummed out this morning. If I try to discuss this with my husband than he gets upset so I will leave him alone. Brandon drives me crazy every morning, what else is new? He is the most miserable child I have ever met. I don't think that helps my mood any. This morning I got "I have decided I no longer live here". and when he got dropped off at school and I said have a nice day "you know I am not going to enjoy it." Uh-huh. Then he proceeded to walk into the building like he was walking to the electric chair. I just kept smiling at him and waving until he did finally have no choice but to smile because I was being so ridiculous.
So, I was fine but then as soon as I pulled in the driveway here I just felt like "bleh". Earlier I said that my schedule this year wasn't so bad. Well, on paper I guess it's not but in reality it sucks. I just cannot beleive that the board of education or the taxpayers in this district can possibly be aware that for three out of every seven days I am simply a glorified babysitter. Well, one of those three days I have two classes-80 minutes. The rest of the day, babysitting. I did not go back to school and do all that work, with a family, to get a master's degree and babysit. Why don't I just open a home day care center.
I guess it is time for me to get serious about looking for a new job. Although I am extremely practical and the fact is that ten years vests your pension and this is my ninth. I don't know if I want to continue in the public schools at all, so why should I move to a new school for one year? Then again, maybe I'd like it better in another district or another grade level. I just don't know what to do. I do know that I have to work for 340 more days for my pension to vest. Who's counting? And that is not even a whole year.
Oh well. I think I am just feeling way to sorry for myself right now. So I better not go on.
So, I was fine but then as soon as I pulled in the driveway here I just felt like "bleh". Earlier I said that my schedule this year wasn't so bad. Well, on paper I guess it's not but in reality it sucks. I just cannot beleive that the board of education or the taxpayers in this district can possibly be aware that for three out of every seven days I am simply a glorified babysitter. Well, one of those three days I have two classes-80 minutes. The rest of the day, babysitting. I did not go back to school and do all that work, with a family, to get a master's degree and babysit. Why don't I just open a home day care center.
I guess it is time for me to get serious about looking for a new job. Although I am extremely practical and the fact is that ten years vests your pension and this is my ninth. I don't know if I want to continue in the public schools at all, so why should I move to a new school for one year? Then again, maybe I'd like it better in another district or another grade level. I just don't know what to do. I do know that I have to work for 340 more days for my pension to vest. Who's counting? And that is not even a whole year.
Oh well. I think I am just feeling way to sorry for myself right now. So I better not go on.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Oops!
LatelyI have been spamming my friends which is what I was not supposed to be doing. So I guess I should remember to come here instead.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Family Reunion
Last weekend I went to Painter, Virginia for a 75th birthday party/family reunion. The party was for my grandmother’s cousin. Painter is on the Eastern Shore of Virginia for anyone who has never heard of it, which I am pretty sure, would be just about everyone. The party was at one of the honoree’s daughter’s houses which is on a creek-which my husband, who is from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, informed me is actually called a “gut”. Whatever that is.
The weather was horrendous and we drove the entire four hours in rain which varied from mist to absolute downpour. Thankfully they had planned ahead and got a large tent for the party, just in case. The weather unfortunately ruined plans for boat rides and most of the outdoor games. Even when it was not raining, just about the only people brave enough to venture from under the tents were the children. Who were all wet and muddy and I am glad the party was not at my house! But this is why I have decided to not have large parties ever again!
So it may seem odd that I would travel all that way for a party for my grandmother’s cousin. My husband was rather unclear on why we were going down there. Actually, when I was growing up, I was rather close with one of my (third) cousins from this extended part of the family. Her name is Tisha. So it was all very cute, Tisha and Tricia.
Tisha is two years younger than I am and we wrote to each other all through high school. I had a few other pen pals, including my cousin who had been tragically moved away to
But, since we are cousins, we are now all caught up. It seemed very strange to me that I had not seen or spoken to her in almost 20 years, and as soon as I got there, we looked at each other and both said “you haven’t changed at all”. I was very afraid I wouldn’t recognize her-people I went to high school with and saw every day for 4 years I don’t recognize. In the grand scheme of things, I didn’t ever see Tisha that much-but there she was and I knew it was her. She is married and has three sons. She only lives about two hours from me, according to her, although I have mapquested it and they disagree. (And yes, I think I just invented a word.)
Overall it was a very nice trip and I am happy we went. Tisha’s oldest sons and Brandon played all day long, badminton, in the rain, and were bummed that they aren’t able to just stop by and play video games. We stayed in a hotel close by and went back Sunday morning for breakfast. We traveled a long way to visit and they wanted to visit with us as much as we could.
Hopefully, we will be able to get back in touch and not have 20 years between the next time we see each other.
Well, it is getting late so I better go get some sleep. I don’t want to wind up catching whatever my husband has; apparently it is a terrible illness. ;->
Men are Babies
Why are men such babies when they are sick? My husband has cold symptoms. You would think he is dying. This started last night, he was complaining about it. So today it is worse. Don't get me wrong, I am not denying that he has these symptoms, but it's a cold. So he has to go get some Nyquil, also fine. But then he decides he has to take it at 7:00. So while my kids' music teacher is still here, he goes upstairs and falls asleep. When I send Brandon in to say goodnight, apparently it is too much trouble to say goodnight to him. Brandon comes back and tells me "daddy wouldn't even give me a hug." I can assure you that I have never been that sick, nor do I think he is. I am just annoyed because now Brandon is going to be extra miserable in the morning and I am the one who gets to deal with it!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
There...it's done
I knew the link for Viv Pickle. I didn't know how to edit the links, that was the issue. So, I had my husband help me with that and now I know how to edit links. So, there is a link to Viv Pickle, and to my other blog.
Making me learn how to do stuff when I have to go back to work in five days. **sulking**
Making me learn how to do stuff when I have to go back to work in five days. **sulking**
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Best Birthday Present Ever
I was supposed to do this...I forgot. Actually, I am trying to change to my other blog but I haven't figured stuff out on there yet. At any rate.
My friend Beth, who is the awesome-est friend ever (ask her other friends too, they'll agree) gave me the best birthday present ever last week. My husband is even upset about it because "that's the most thoughtful thing he has ever heard of." Requires some backstory:
Beth and I became friends in 9th grade because we had Latin class together. At some point that year or the following, my memory sucks, ask her, we became best friends because of our mutual love of all things Duran Duran. As was required of all Duran Duran friendships, her favorite was Simon and mine was John. You couldn't be best friends with someone who had the same favorite, of course. All Duranies know this. In 10th grade (1985) we even went to England with the school trip.
For my birthday, Beth had a personalized purse made for me with the Duran Duran theme. If I could figure out how to edit the links-I have read the directions and I do NOT find the code it says I will see to edit links- I would post the link to the Viv Pickle site where you can find out for yourself about how to get your own personalized purses. But I can't figure it out because I am fairly computer illiterate and I just don't care all that much about it. But not only did she come up with this idea to have the purse made, she sacrificed her own concert t-shirt and a scarf that she bought on the trip to England so that I could have this purse. The t-shirt was from the time when Roger Taylor was not in the band and since I also love him, she gave up the scarf so there would be a picture of him.
Now, I ask, how cool is that? And since Beth is the only one who reads this blog and comments on it, you can now comment about how cool and wonderful you are! So here are the pictures, as promised, outside, the inside flap and the inside lining. Feel free to tell whoever you want to see them to check them out.
My friend Beth, who is the awesome-est friend ever (ask her other friends too, they'll agree) gave me the best birthday present ever last week. My husband is even upset about it because "that's the most thoughtful thing he has ever heard of." Requires some backstory:
Beth and I became friends in 9th grade because we had Latin class together. At some point that year or the following, my memory sucks, ask her, we became best friends because of our mutual love of all things Duran Duran. As was required of all Duran Duran friendships, her favorite was Simon and mine was John. You couldn't be best friends with someone who had the same favorite, of course. All Duranies know this. In 10th grade (1985) we even went to England with the school trip.
For my birthday, Beth had a personalized purse made for me with the Duran Duran theme. If I could figure out how to edit the links-I have read the directions and I do NOT find the code it says I will see to edit links- I would post the link to the Viv Pickle site where you can find out for yourself about how to get your own personalized purses. But I can't figure it out because I am fairly computer illiterate and I just don't care all that much about it. But not only did she come up with this idea to have the purse made, she sacrificed her own concert t-shirt and a scarf that she bought on the trip to England so that I could have this purse. The t-shirt was from the time when Roger Taylor was not in the band and since I also love him, she gave up the scarf so there would be a picture of him.
Now, I ask, how cool is that? And since Beth is the only one who reads this blog and comments on it, you can now comment about how cool and wonderful you are! So here are the pictures, as promised, outside, the inside flap and the inside lining. Feel free to tell whoever you want to see them to check them out.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Pictures from the Flameworking
It's really hard to take pictures of glass. Without a flash you can't see anything, but the flash reflects off the glass. Go figure. The coolest thing I made was this chain. I have to work on the other picture.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Flameworking
So I signed up for a three day course in flameworking because when I see people doing it I think "that looks cool". Yesterday was day one. It is freaking hard! The booklet said "beginner to intermediate" and when I called I said "so, if I have never done this before, this is ok?" and they said yes. Naturally, there are no other beginners in the class. AND one woman in there has beads in the same book that the instructor has items in. Does she belong in a beginner class? I think not. But that's another story.
The course is at Salem Community College the instructor's name is Sally Prasch. She is amazing. Very nice and helpful. She is just a guest instructor there sometimes.
She decided to start out with the hard stuff first because then the easier stuff is really easy. We received borosilicate tubes, which is hard glass which we were supposed to pull points onto the ends of and make into clear beads. Uh-huh...that didn't happen. My very first attempt I was not turning my hands the same direction so I have a very cool twisty thingie, very cool, not what we were supposed to do. So that was eventually turned into a hanging ornament.
Next, we were supposed to make some little vases and put color on them. I somehow blew the wrong end up. However, with some help, I did manage to get a vase, with color on it. It's got a rather interesting shape to it. All in all from the attempts at hollow beads I have three hanging ornament things...and the vase.
The she showed us how to do some stuff with solid tubing. That seemed a little easier. Since the class was from 8 am to 5 pm, at some point or another I gave up on the hollow beads and such and decided to make a chain out of the solid tubing. When I left last night I had two links completed and the loop started to join the links onto.
So today Sally started by showing us how to make beads with soft glass. The so-called "easy stuff" I heard about yesterday. Yeah, not so much. The problem is that the hard glass you can pretty much not know what you are doing and things turn out ok. Stop working with it, go back to it, no problem. So, there I am, working on my nice soft glass bead, it's looking pretty good and then pop it explodes. Super. You have to keep it hot the whole time. Good to know. So I try again. There is a fine line in the keeping it hot. My next attempt I kept hot, and my lovely color decorations melted right into it. I think I may have gotten it and I may have made three decent beads. I'll see tomorrow when I go back and get them from the oven. But I decided, all in all, soft glass is a pain in the ass.
I went back to the chain. Sally helped me join the two links. It's hard to do because you can only get the one you want to bend hot or else you won't have linked chains, you'll have joined, which is not what I wanted. So then I made two links all on my own, got them linked together with a tiny bit of help and it went really great. So I had two chains of three and I linked them together with another link totally by myself. Then we had a break for dinner. I was going to add three more links but horrible stuff was happening! It was like had no idea what I was doing. I was terribly upset because I had done three really quickly! One of them was all kinds of deformed. I decided it was late and I had had enough of that.
Finally, yesterday and again this morning, Sally showed us how to make "end of the day pendants" using all the scaps you have left over. So I made two of those. It's sort of hard to tell for sure what they'll look like because the color does weird stuff and doesn't show so much until after it's fired. They both looked pretty good though.
So tomorrow it's only from 9-3, which should go fast since I was there 9-8 today and I could not believe it when it was 8! If my pendants look good I think I will stick with that. Give everyone pendants for Christmas! ;->
The course is at Salem Community College the instructor's name is Sally Prasch. She is amazing. Very nice and helpful. She is just a guest instructor there sometimes.
She decided to start out with the hard stuff first because then the easier stuff is really easy. We received borosilicate tubes, which is hard glass which we were supposed to pull points onto the ends of and make into clear beads. Uh-huh...that didn't happen. My very first attempt I was not turning my hands the same direction so I have a very cool twisty thingie, very cool, not what we were supposed to do. So that was eventually turned into a hanging ornament.
Next, we were supposed to make some little vases and put color on them. I somehow blew the wrong end up. However, with some help, I did manage to get a vase, with color on it. It's got a rather interesting shape to it. All in all from the attempts at hollow beads I have three hanging ornament things...and the vase.
The she showed us how to do some stuff with solid tubing. That seemed a little easier. Since the class was from 8 am to 5 pm, at some point or another I gave up on the hollow beads and such and decided to make a chain out of the solid tubing. When I left last night I had two links completed and the loop started to join the links onto.
So today Sally started by showing us how to make beads with soft glass. The so-called "easy stuff" I heard about yesterday. Yeah, not so much. The problem is that the hard glass you can pretty much not know what you are doing and things turn out ok. Stop working with it, go back to it, no problem. So, there I am, working on my nice soft glass bead, it's looking pretty good and then pop it explodes. Super. You have to keep it hot the whole time. Good to know. So I try again. There is a fine line in the keeping it hot. My next attempt I kept hot, and my lovely color decorations melted right into it. I think I may have gotten it and I may have made three decent beads. I'll see tomorrow when I go back and get them from the oven. But I decided, all in all, soft glass is a pain in the ass.
I went back to the chain. Sally helped me join the two links. It's hard to do because you can only get the one you want to bend hot or else you won't have linked chains, you'll have joined, which is not what I wanted. So then I made two links all on my own, got them linked together with a tiny bit of help and it went really great. So I had two chains of three and I linked them together with another link totally by myself. Then we had a break for dinner. I was going to add three more links but horrible stuff was happening! It was like had no idea what I was doing. I was terribly upset because I had done three really quickly! One of them was all kinds of deformed. I decided it was late and I had had enough of that.
Finally, yesterday and again this morning, Sally showed us how to make "end of the day pendants" using all the scaps you have left over. So I made two of those. It's sort of hard to tell for sure what they'll look like because the color does weird stuff and doesn't show so much until after it's fired. They both looked pretty good though.
So tomorrow it's only from 9-3, which should go fast since I was there 9-8 today and I could not believe it when it was 8! If my pendants look good I think I will stick with that. Give everyone pendants for Christmas! ;->
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Dentists
I hate the dentist. I had to get a tooth filled today. My mouth is killing me! I do not understand why anyone ever decides they want to be a dentist. The whole thing is gross and no one likes it.
I think being a teacher is bad enough, no one wants to be there either! But at least there are always a couple of kids who like it enough to make it worth something!
My missing post has appeared. I actually read the troubleshooting and figured out how to fix it. Yay me.
I think being a teacher is bad enough, no one wants to be there either! But at least there are always a couple of kids who like it enough to make it worth something!
My missing post has appeared. I actually read the troubleshooting and figured out how to fix it. Yay me.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
13th Birthday
Alyssa is officially 13. We had a very interesting day yesterday, her birthday. While talking to my son's friend's mother, my call waiting clicks and I see Alyssa's biological mother's maiden name on my call ID. So I tell the woman I am talking to, whose children are also adopted "Oh my god, the kids' mom is calling." She replies "Oh, I'll let you go." "Uh, no...we don't talk to her!" So I didn't answer. Then I was telling Rob about it and speculating that perhaps she has no access to a computer right now because she has left her husband (third one) and if she's with her parents maybe they don't have one. She always sends the kids emails on their birthdays and maybe she called because she can't email. To which my (sucker) husband replies "well, that makes me feel bad."
In the meantime, Alyssa is helping me get ready for her friends to come over and I told her Cara called and I didn't answer and asked her how she feels about Cara calling. I have no idea how I would feel if my mother abandonded me when I was 3 1/2 and I haven't spoken to her since and now I am 13. She said she didn't know. I asked her if she wanted to talk to her if she called back. She said she didn't think so. I told her she did not have to and it was totally up to her but I was sure she was calling to say happy birthday.
Obviously she called back, otherwise, I wouldn't be bothering with this. After some of Alyssa's friends were here, they were on their way out to the pool and she called back. She said "since it was a big birthday, she wanted to call. She wasn't sure if that was ok or not." I asked Alyssa again if she wanted to talk to her, told her it was up to her, she didn't have too; she took the phone. I could tell she was really uncomfortable. The dog was barking because the girls were standing at the door so Cara tried to talk to her about pets. Aly was freaked out I think.
So that was the first event of the day. We were not officially having a party because that stresses me out too much. I cannot handle the kids birthday parties. Too many people here, in my stuff, hate it. So it was just Alyssa's friends K & Z (from the Kelly Clarkson concert), my niece who is 11 and her friend from school. My sister-in-law came with her whole family to bring my niece here. Her husband and 3 sons hung out with my husband. Brandon went to his friend's house after karate. My mom and step-dad, step-brother and his wife came over for cake.
After cake we went to see "John Tucker Must Die". I was absolutely dreading it. It was surprsingly not terrible. There were some really funny things in it, I don't think the girls got it but Bet and I were cracking up. In some ways I guess it's good to go into a movie expecting nothing. Can't be disappointed that way. I was reminded why we never see movies in theatres though. All told it cost me $89.50 for seven tickets, a large popcorn, five drinks and two kinds of candy.
We get in the car and Aly informs me that her money fell out of her purse. She had put her birthday money in her purse. Needless to say this is after she has been told you don't carry all your money around for no reason at all. She "forgot" how much money she put in there. We went back in to look for it but, of course, it was not there. I got her to admit later that it was all of it, she lost $160. Thankfully, she had gotten some checks and those she had given to me so she didn't lose everything. That's a way to ruin your birthday.
We came home and my aunt was here. She called in the morning and wanted to come over. I tried very hard to prevent her from coming but she was determined so I think there was no way around it. She came much earlier than she was supposed to and by the time I got here Rob was totally stressed out because the boys (my jail bird cousin's kids) were running rampant and the younger one had broken something of my son's. My brother-in-law was totally trashed and shirtless. He had tried one of my aunt's meatballs, shoved it in whole, had sauce all over his face and then wiped it on his shirt. My brother-in-law is a piece of work.
After about 15 minutes here, with the lost money, my husband flipping out, the boys running around, I decided I needed to start drinking too!
Before they left the older of the two boys pitched a fit. All in all that visit was a nightmare. That's a whole other issue I have to deal with now. I don't want them coming over if they are going to run wild through my house. And I know my aunt is going to let them run wild.
As far as the rest of the party. The girls swam for a while, ate and hung out. Aly was disappointed because K was supposed to spend the night and like she always does, she changed her mind. Z never called her mom when I told her to. Her mom just showed up around 9:45-just after I said "Did you call your mom!?" After my s-i-l and her family left and we got cleaned up it was almost midnight.
So, it's a good thing I didn't have an actual party. Since I wanted to avoid the strees and the late night after cleaning up the mess. Tomorrow we get to do it all again for Brandon's birthday. Yay.
In the meantime, Alyssa is helping me get ready for her friends to come over and I told her Cara called and I didn't answer and asked her how she feels about Cara calling. I have no idea how I would feel if my mother abandonded me when I was 3 1/2 and I haven't spoken to her since and now I am 13. She said she didn't know. I asked her if she wanted to talk to her if she called back. She said she didn't think so. I told her she did not have to and it was totally up to her but I was sure she was calling to say happy birthday.
Obviously she called back, otherwise, I wouldn't be bothering with this. After some of Alyssa's friends were here, they were on their way out to the pool and she called back. She said "since it was a big birthday, she wanted to call. She wasn't sure if that was ok or not." I asked Alyssa again if she wanted to talk to her, told her it was up to her, she didn't have too; she took the phone. I could tell she was really uncomfortable. The dog was barking because the girls were standing at the door so Cara tried to talk to her about pets. Aly was freaked out I think.
So that was the first event of the day. We were not officially having a party because that stresses me out too much. I cannot handle the kids birthday parties. Too many people here, in my stuff, hate it. So it was just Alyssa's friends K & Z (from the Kelly Clarkson concert), my niece who is 11 and her friend from school. My sister-in-law came with her whole family to bring my niece here. Her husband and 3 sons hung out with my husband. Brandon went to his friend's house after karate. My mom and step-dad, step-brother and his wife came over for cake.
After cake we went to see "John Tucker Must Die". I was absolutely dreading it. It was surprsingly not terrible. There were some really funny things in it, I don't think the girls got it but Bet and I were cracking up. In some ways I guess it's good to go into a movie expecting nothing. Can't be disappointed that way. I was reminded why we never see movies in theatres though. All told it cost me $89.50 for seven tickets, a large popcorn, five drinks and two kinds of candy.
We get in the car and Aly informs me that her money fell out of her purse. She had put her birthday money in her purse. Needless to say this is after she has been told you don't carry all your money around for no reason at all. She "forgot" how much money she put in there. We went back in to look for it but, of course, it was not there. I got her to admit later that it was all of it, she lost $160. Thankfully, she had gotten some checks and those she had given to me so she didn't lose everything. That's a way to ruin your birthday.
We came home and my aunt was here. She called in the morning and wanted to come over. I tried very hard to prevent her from coming but she was determined so I think there was no way around it. She came much earlier than she was supposed to and by the time I got here Rob was totally stressed out because the boys (my jail bird cousin's kids) were running rampant and the younger one had broken something of my son's. My brother-in-law was totally trashed and shirtless. He had tried one of my aunt's meatballs, shoved it in whole, had sauce all over his face and then wiped it on his shirt. My brother-in-law is a piece of work.
After about 15 minutes here, with the lost money, my husband flipping out, the boys running around, I decided I needed to start drinking too!
Before they left the older of the two boys pitched a fit. All in all that visit was a nightmare. That's a whole other issue I have to deal with now. I don't want them coming over if they are going to run wild through my house. And I know my aunt is going to let them run wild.
As far as the rest of the party. The girls swam for a while, ate and hung out. Aly was disappointed because K was supposed to spend the night and like she always does, she changed her mind. Z never called her mom when I told her to. Her mom just showed up around 9:45-just after I said "Did you call your mom!?" After my s-i-l and her family left and we got cleaned up it was almost midnight.
So, it's a good thing I didn't have an actual party. Since I wanted to avoid the strees and the late night after cleaning up the mess. Tomorrow we get to do it all again for Brandon's birthday. Yay.
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Things I Don't Need to Know About
I was pretty sure I could get through my entire life not knowing that if one is arrested and not bailed out quickly enough one gets sent to county. Also, one can only call a number so many times before needing to call someone different. But because I have a cousin who no one understands, I now know these things.
My children have directions not to answer the telephone unless they recognize the number on the caller ID. My parents did not have this luxury. Neither do I, because my children do not follow this rule, especially my son. So yesterday he answers a call which is a collect call from my cousin. Now, I know she has a cell phone so I cannot, in good conscience, not take the call, obviously something is wrong. She's in jail. She is such a dumbass. Unpaid traffic fines and outstanding warrants.
She did not call her mother, we guess because her mother told her last week she had had enough and was "done with her". Believe me, she knows damn well her mother would not leave her sitting in jail, but whatever. She made her choice and called her loser boyfriend instead. Maybe if she had started with mom she would have gotten her out in time and she wouldn't have spent the night there.
So, I got to be the one to tell my aunt. Very tactfully I might add, "Um, yeah, did you know your daughter is in jail?" I sort of assumed she knew, otherwise I'd have at least told her to leave Boscov's and sit in her car so she wouldn't have to break down in the store. She called me this morning on her way to try to go get her, but she hasn't called me again. I assume she got her.
Aren't families fun?
My children have directions not to answer the telephone unless they recognize the number on the caller ID. My parents did not have this luxury. Neither do I, because my children do not follow this rule, especially my son. So yesterday he answers a call which is a collect call from my cousin. Now, I know she has a cell phone so I cannot, in good conscience, not take the call, obviously something is wrong. She's in jail. She is such a dumbass. Unpaid traffic fines and outstanding warrants.
She did not call her mother, we guess because her mother told her last week she had had enough and was "done with her". Believe me, she knows damn well her mother would not leave her sitting in jail, but whatever. She made her choice and called her loser boyfriend instead. Maybe if she had started with mom she would have gotten her out in time and she wouldn't have spent the night there.
So, I got to be the one to tell my aunt. Very tactfully I might add, "Um, yeah, did you know your daughter is in jail?" I sort of assumed she knew, otherwise I'd have at least told her to leave Boscov's and sit in her car so she wouldn't have to break down in the store. She called me this morning on her way to try to go get her, but she hasn't called me again. I assume she got her.
Aren't families fun?
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Whoa, it is seriously hot
I like summer. Partially because I am a teacher and I have off. But I also despise being cold-so I like summer and generally do not care about the heat. However, 97, feels like 105 is even too much for me. I actually went in the pool yesterday. In addition to not liking cold, I don't like to be wet (yes, I take showers) so for me to go in the pool, it's hot.
Yet for some reason, I am going to go to the boardwalk tonight with my cousin. We'll see how that goes. Mainly I want to see if she has any explanation into her "issue" with not getting a medical procedure done. That is her thing, and she has her own blog about it on MySpace so I am not going to detail it. But when I was in Florida with our other cousin and she bailed out of getting the procedure, again, the two of us were completely baffled. She makes no sense.
Oh well.
The other thing I wanted to mention was the NJ DMV and my pleasant surprise today. I had to get my license renewed and I was dreading it because we have this new 6 point identification thing in NJ and every woman I know who has gone to get their license renewed since it started has had a problem with the marriage certificate. The DMV tells them they can't accept "that one" because "it's the pretty one they give you at the church" they need the official one from city hall or whatever. So, they have to go to city hall and get another copy, with a seal. Fun.
Well, I was married in Barbados. So, I was worried, because if they don't like it, it's kinda too bad. I can't just run over and pick up a new one! The girl kinds rubbed her fingers over the one spot to check that it was an actual raised seal, which it was, and that was that. The woman who took my picture and all looked at it and laughed because it has my status as "spinster". Yeah, I was thrilled with that at the ripe old age of 25. My husband's status was "bachelor". So anyway, in addition to not having any issue with my documents, I was out of there in 15 minutes!! Unbelievable! And my picture is not that bad. So, all in all, a good day at the DMV.
Yet for some reason, I am going to go to the boardwalk tonight with my cousin. We'll see how that goes. Mainly I want to see if she has any explanation into her "issue" with not getting a medical procedure done. That is her thing, and she has her own blog about it on MySpace so I am not going to detail it. But when I was in Florida with our other cousin and she bailed out of getting the procedure, again, the two of us were completely baffled. She makes no sense.
Oh well.
The other thing I wanted to mention was the NJ DMV and my pleasant surprise today. I had to get my license renewed and I was dreading it because we have this new 6 point identification thing in NJ and every woman I know who has gone to get their license renewed since it started has had a problem with the marriage certificate. The DMV tells them they can't accept "that one" because "it's the pretty one they give you at the church" they need the official one from city hall or whatever. So, they have to go to city hall and get another copy, with a seal. Fun.
Well, I was married in Barbados. So, I was worried, because if they don't like it, it's kinda too bad. I can't just run over and pick up a new one! The girl kinds rubbed her fingers over the one spot to check that it was an actual raised seal, which it was, and that was that. The woman who took my picture and all looked at it and laughed because it has my status as "spinster". Yeah, I was thrilled with that at the ripe old age of 25. My husband's status was "bachelor". So anyway, in addition to not having any issue with my documents, I was out of there in 15 minutes!! Unbelievable! And my picture is not that bad. So, all in all, a good day at the DMV.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Air Travel
I have not flown for two years. Two years ago I went to Miami by myself to see my cousin and her best friend. It was a girl's trip. Sole purpose of which was lay by the pool, drink and go out dancing. I don't recall the flying part sucking royally. But this trip to Orlando was horrible.
First of all, taking your shoes off is just stupid. So there everyone is, with their kids and bags and everything else and no one has shoes on and the line is backed up because everyone is trying to get their shoes and their kids shoes back on and get their stuff. It's just ridiculous. I have no interest in blowing up anyone or anything, but I firmly believe that if someone does, they are going to find a way, even if they have to take their shoes off.
I flew on Southwest because they had a good deal, $59 each way-bargain. My aunt has flown here from Florida tons of times on Southwest and my uncle has come here from Nebraska. My aunt was the one who told me about the special. They are great. Um, yeah, so we get there and find out there are no seat assignments. You get on and sit where you want. The flight was delayed for over an hour. I forget why now, weather probably. Thunderstorms, it is summer after all. When we finally board the plane there are 38 people already on board (they told us this-I didn't count) so naturally, even though we are in the "A" group, can my family sit together? No, of course not. So we stick the kids with a girl who looked their age and we sat two seats away with a woman who was sitting alone. God knows what my kids were doing during that flight. No doubt annoying the people in front of and behind them.
The flight was generally horrendous. Loads of turbulence. We dropped several times. That's great. Once I was in the bathroom. They knocked on the door to check on me. There's a little light in there that tells you to go back to your seat. Well, sorry, can't do that right this second. When I came out they asked me if I was ok. Said I had nerves of steel. It was a lot of turbulence.
The flight home was equally wonderful. I forgot to get our boarding passes the night before so we were in the "B" group for boarding. We left to allow two hours to drive from Vero Beach, where my cousin lives, to Orlando. It's usually an hour and 45 minute drive. Our flight was supposed to leave at 4:50. We were there at 3. A little earlier than the recommended hour and a half they want you to sit there and do nothing, not too terrible. We are checking our bags and the guy says "it's still showing on time but there is weather here and weather there so it is going to be delayed". Yeah, imagine that, there is weather. **sigh** Yes, there are thunderstorms in Philadelphia and Orlando in July. After about 15 minutes of sitting at the gate we are informed that the flight is delayed until 6:45. Great. Almost 4 hours in an airport with an 11 and 12 year old. Fun. There was "weather" and an air traffic control problem. Ok, well, who scheduled all those flights for the same air space??
The people at the gate tried to blame Philly. The exact quote was "If a leaf falls on their runway, they shut down." Interesting. I've had far more problems leaving Orlando than I have had with Philly. That "weather" and all. And I once sat 14 hours in the Atlantic City airport. (then my kids were 4 and 5-imagine the fun that was)
Anyway, they tried to make everyone feel better by changing the time to 6:00. Moved another flight that was supposed to leave at 6 from the gate, which caused everyone to line up. Bad enough I was a "B". I wasn't going to be last in the line for "B". And then we stood there and no one boarded the plane until about 6:15. We did find three seats together so my kids didn't have to sit alone this time. We took off at about 6:50. Yeah, 6:00 my ass. That flight was also generally terrible. Lots of turbulence. We got home hours after we were supposed to. Then the storms actually hit so we drove home in terrible rain, flooded roads. Overall a wonderful evening.
I guess the moral here is not to go to Florida in July. Actually, I guess it's don't go anywhere in July. The thunderstorms are going to cause problems and your air travel is going to suck all the way around.
Then again, since I am a teacher, I have no option but to go places in the summer. See, and everyone thinks it's so great being a teacher.
First of all, taking your shoes off is just stupid. So there everyone is, with their kids and bags and everything else and no one has shoes on and the line is backed up because everyone is trying to get their shoes and their kids shoes back on and get their stuff. It's just ridiculous. I have no interest in blowing up anyone or anything, but I firmly believe that if someone does, they are going to find a way, even if they have to take their shoes off.
I flew on Southwest because they had a good deal, $59 each way-bargain. My aunt has flown here from Florida tons of times on Southwest and my uncle has come here from Nebraska. My aunt was the one who told me about the special. They are great. Um, yeah, so we get there and find out there are no seat assignments. You get on and sit where you want. The flight was delayed for over an hour. I forget why now, weather probably. Thunderstorms, it is summer after all. When we finally board the plane there are 38 people already on board (they told us this-I didn't count) so naturally, even though we are in the "A" group, can my family sit together? No, of course not. So we stick the kids with a girl who looked their age and we sat two seats away with a woman who was sitting alone. God knows what my kids were doing during that flight. No doubt annoying the people in front of and behind them.
The flight was generally horrendous. Loads of turbulence. We dropped several times. That's great. Once I was in the bathroom. They knocked on the door to check on me. There's a little light in there that tells you to go back to your seat. Well, sorry, can't do that right this second. When I came out they asked me if I was ok. Said I had nerves of steel. It was a lot of turbulence.
The flight home was equally wonderful. I forgot to get our boarding passes the night before so we were in the "B" group for boarding. We left to allow two hours to drive from Vero Beach, where my cousin lives, to Orlando. It's usually an hour and 45 minute drive. Our flight was supposed to leave at 4:50. We were there at 3. A little earlier than the recommended hour and a half they want you to sit there and do nothing, not too terrible. We are checking our bags and the guy says "it's still showing on time but there is weather here and weather there so it is going to be delayed". Yeah, imagine that, there is weather. **sigh** Yes, there are thunderstorms in Philadelphia and Orlando in July. After about 15 minutes of sitting at the gate we are informed that the flight is delayed until 6:45. Great. Almost 4 hours in an airport with an 11 and 12 year old. Fun. There was "weather" and an air traffic control problem. Ok, well, who scheduled all those flights for the same air space??
The people at the gate tried to blame Philly. The exact quote was "If a leaf falls on their runway, they shut down." Interesting. I've had far more problems leaving Orlando than I have had with Philly. That "weather" and all. And I once sat 14 hours in the Atlantic City airport. (then my kids were 4 and 5-imagine the fun that was)
Anyway, they tried to make everyone feel better by changing the time to 6:00. Moved another flight that was supposed to leave at 6 from the gate, which caused everyone to line up. Bad enough I was a "B". I wasn't going to be last in the line for "B". And then we stood there and no one boarded the plane until about 6:15. We did find three seats together so my kids didn't have to sit alone this time. We took off at about 6:50. Yeah, 6:00 my ass. That flight was also generally terrible. Lots of turbulence. We got home hours after we were supposed to. Then the storms actually hit so we drove home in terrible rain, flooded roads. Overall a wonderful evening.
I guess the moral here is not to go to Florida in July. Actually, I guess it's don't go anywhere in July. The thunderstorms are going to cause problems and your air travel is going to suck all the way around.
Then again, since I am a teacher, I have no option but to go places in the summer. See, and everyone thinks it's so great being a teacher.
Vacations
Why is it that we need a vacation from vacations? Bleh! I am home now and so far today I have unpacked, put away clean things, sorted laundry, have laundry in the washer and dryer, three more loads (at least) to go; it took me almost an hour just to clear out the mail from the week. My house is a mess since my husband came home four days before the rest of us and did nothing around the house. Why would he? Whole other issue anyway. I have had enough working today.
Oh! And for some reason I have a whole circuit that is blown. The refrigerator in the garage is on it and who knows how long it's been blown? I had to clean out the fridge and throw a bunch of stuff away. No idea what the problem is. Every bathroom outlet in the house is on that circuit so I couldn't dry my hair this morning. Who puts the outdoor outlets, garage and all bathrooms on the same circuit? What is that!? That is going to have to be husband's job. Gotta draw a line somewhere.
Oh! And for some reason I have a whole circuit that is blown. The refrigerator in the garage is on it and who knows how long it's been blown? I had to clean out the fridge and throw a bunch of stuff away. No idea what the problem is. Every bathroom outlet in the house is on that circuit so I couldn't dry my hair this morning. Who puts the outdoor outlets, garage and all bathrooms on the same circuit? What is that!? That is going to have to be husband's job. Gotta draw a line somewhere.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Surprise, surprise
I am as good at this as I am at writing in a diary. I think about it and don't do it.
Not much going on. Getting ready to go on vacation. Took my daughter on the spur of the moment to see Kelly Clarkson last night. It was ok. Not my thing but since she went to Depeche Mode with me when all my friends were scarce, I figure I have to repay. I got to sit with my friends who actually had seats. Aly got to bring two friends and sit on the lawn. Aly's first concert was two summers ago when she saw Hilary Duff with one of the girls who went last night. I won't put other people's kids names so we'll call her "Z". Z is the daughter of a friend of one of my friends who I went to the show with.
Following this?
When the whole thing came about, Aly had a friend over, we'll call her "K". So I invited her as well since I sort of felt bad like "Hey, I know you're over here hanging out but something cooler has come up so you gotta leave". So her mom has never been to a concert!!! I cannot fathom such a thing. But she said ok. Her dad then said "you're going to let her sit on the lawn with all the pot smokers?" At Kelly Clarkson? Whatever! The girls said there were some drunk people up there and they were second hand smoking. I figure as long as they are telling us this stuff, we are safe. It's when they stop telling us that it's a problem.
Digression.
So anyway...Aly and Z had a grand old time because they are loud and obnoxious. I forgot to mention that K and Z are in the same Girl Scout troop so no one was a stranger in this group. K decided that she is not a concert person so this will probably be her first and only concert. She sat on the blanket in the grass and thought Aly and Z were crazy, singing at the tops of their lungs and dancing around-which they sort of are! But that's how you are supposed to act at a concert!
So that was last night. Monday I went to the beach with my new friend Heather. Funny how at this stage in my life my closest friends (besides my husband) are my "pledge mom" from my sorority (who I am a month older than) five girls from high school and my new friend Heather-who I would not know except for one of the high school friends. She had off and since I have off all summer she thought maybe she finally has someone to go to the beach with. I was so happy! No one ever asks me to do stuff!! So now we are both happy because we have a beach friend.
Update on my assistant...her husband is still out. But she is going to Florida now. I told her I thought that was better for her and her son. Show the husband that life will move on without him. So I'll see her tomorrow when we get down there. We were going to go to Islands of Adventure but I guess her son decided he didn't want to go there again so we'll just be staying with them and not hanging out. Her birthday is Friday so I think I'll get some "beverages" to celebrate.
Definitely won't be posting during my vacation. I have decided to leave the lap top home. It is an experiment! Ever since I have had a lap top it goes everywhere. I waste entirely too much time on here! So, I will hang out with my cousin and probably drink way too much instead. Maybe I'll actually take some pictures and post them when we return.
Not much going on. Getting ready to go on vacation. Took my daughter on the spur of the moment to see Kelly Clarkson last night. It was ok. Not my thing but since she went to Depeche Mode with me when all my friends were scarce, I figure I have to repay. I got to sit with my friends who actually had seats. Aly got to bring two friends and sit on the lawn. Aly's first concert was two summers ago when she saw Hilary Duff with one of the girls who went last night. I won't put other people's kids names so we'll call her "Z". Z is the daughter of a friend of one of my friends who I went to the show with.
Following this?
When the whole thing came about, Aly had a friend over, we'll call her "K". So I invited her as well since I sort of felt bad like "Hey, I know you're over here hanging out but something cooler has come up so you gotta leave". So her mom has never been to a concert!!! I cannot fathom such a thing. But she said ok. Her dad then said "you're going to let her sit on the lawn with all the pot smokers?" At Kelly Clarkson? Whatever! The girls said there were some drunk people up there and they were second hand smoking. I figure as long as they are telling us this stuff, we are safe. It's when they stop telling us that it's a problem.
Digression.
So anyway...Aly and Z had a grand old time because they are loud and obnoxious. I forgot to mention that K and Z are in the same Girl Scout troop so no one was a stranger in this group. K decided that she is not a concert person so this will probably be her first and only concert. She sat on the blanket in the grass and thought Aly and Z were crazy, singing at the tops of their lungs and dancing around-which they sort of are! But that's how you are supposed to act at a concert!
So that was last night. Monday I went to the beach with my new friend Heather. Funny how at this stage in my life my closest friends (besides my husband) are my "pledge mom" from my sorority (who I am a month older than) five girls from high school and my new friend Heather-who I would not know except for one of the high school friends. She had off and since I have off all summer she thought maybe she finally has someone to go to the beach with. I was so happy! No one ever asks me to do stuff!! So now we are both happy because we have a beach friend.
Update on my assistant...her husband is still out. But she is going to Florida now. I told her I thought that was better for her and her son. Show the husband that life will move on without him. So I'll see her tomorrow when we get down there. We were going to go to Islands of Adventure but I guess her son decided he didn't want to go there again so we'll just be staying with them and not hanging out. Her birthday is Friday so I think I'll get some "beverages" to celebrate.
Definitely won't be posting during my vacation. I have decided to leave the lap top home. It is an experiment! Ever since I have had a lap top it goes everywhere. I waste entirely too much time on here! So, I will hang out with my cousin and probably drink way too much instead. Maybe I'll actually take some pictures and post them when we return.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
What do you say?
My friend called me earlier to tell me her husband left. Just went to work yesterday morning and didn't come home. She called him at work to ask him what time he'd be home for dinner and he informed her he was not coming home! No warning, just left. They've been married for 20 years! I offered to go visit so she could talk, she said no. I have no idea what else to say or do. They have a 14 year old son and they lost their daughter, who was 18, last January. I feel the same way I felt then, I want to do something to help her somehow, but there is nothing I can do.
I am going to visit my friend tomorrow in Washington DC. She had a baby in May, I want to go see them both. She went through a lot to have this baby, everyone was really excited for her. We were all shocked when she wrote to tell us she had her and she has Down's Syndrome. I think I would freak out, but she has been really calm about it. Hopefully it won't pour all day long! I hate driving in rain!
I am going to visit my friend tomorrow in Washington DC. She had a baby in May, I want to go see them both. She went through a lot to have this baby, everyone was really excited for her. We were all shocked when she wrote to tell us she had her and she has Down's Syndrome. I think I would freak out, but she has been really calm about it. Hopefully it won't pour all day long! I hate driving in rain!
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Why am I here
In the summer I get bored. I don't go to work, there is nothing on tv. I get tired of working around the house. So I write ridiculously long emails to my friends. But they have lives, so they don't respond. Then I get neurotic. Writing in a journal makes my arm hurt, because who writes on paper anymore? So I said to one of my friends "maybe I should start a blog". And she thought that was a good idea also, and I have known her for 22 years. We can talk in half sentences. So, it must be a good idea if we both think so.
I have decided that message boards are NOT a good idea. (above friend warned me of that) The level of nastiness that some people get into is just ridiculous. It's like middle school. Been there, done that, sure as hell don't want to go back.
So anyway, I think I have this all set up now. It's late, I am going to sleep.
I have decided that message boards are NOT a good idea. (above friend warned me of that) The level of nastiness that some people get into is just ridiculous. It's like middle school. Been there, done that, sure as hell don't want to go back.
So anyway, I think I have this all set up now. It's late, I am going to sleep.
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