I received word today that my cousin K passed her nursing boards and is now officially a nurse.
I have cried and cried and cried this morning.
I know her Mom and Dad are looking down from heaven, so proud of her.
My heart is just full to bursting today.
Love you Sis. I am so very proud of you.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Back in Sunny Florida
Whoa, this has been one hell of a weekend. I went from 80 degrees to 60 to 30 to 60 ... and returned to 60 degrees. I drank an amazing amount of wine and promptly passed out cold (5:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. will do that to a girl). I slept on a relatively comfortable futon. I was able to hang out with friends.
And, crazily enough, I was treated like a rockstar.
WTF? I mean, I volunteered for this. No pay. No benefits. No nothing, really, just a committment to serve my college for six years.
I've been on a conference call for three hours now. You can imagine the level of my excitement. The damn thing is supposed to last another hour. I will not. I am choosing to get a bikini wax instead. This seems like more fun.
Yes, you read that right, bikini wax over conference call. The conference call is over a grant I will be applying for on behalf of the College. The problem is the conference call has a volume problem (and has since the beginning), the speakers are approximately fourteen kinds of boring and I wish I had just stayed in ATL yesterday to see the presentation. I know, ridiculous, but really, it would be better than Death By PowerPoint as I am living now.
The Handy Guy is coming over for dinner. No romance, people, don't get excited. Just want to cook for someone and he seems convenient.
Had some absolutely X-rated dreams about Rugby this weekend and last week. Not sure why he popped into my head but if he's gonna do that, I think these dreams are a perfectly acceptable way.
Headed to see Lu this weekend in Venice on Thursday night/Friday/Saturday, then off to Dad's on Saturday night - Sunday. I totally spaced Easter.
Yesterday I was sitting in a bar at the Kansas City Airport (shocking, I know) having a beer (even more shocking) when I start talking to the bartender. Apparently he and his girlfriend have been together five years. He is 33 and she is 27. They have never lived together. Then he says they want to get married. I was like, hold up, stop the bus, back the truck up, WTF? Not that I think living together is the ultimate test of a relationship (as I know many that are perfectly happy/good in their marriages without it) but I think the bigger issue is that they've been together five years with no movement towards marriage. It was a fascinating discussion.
So in the middle of this discussion, he has to serve someone else. I was looking at my calendar and discover, Joy of Joys, that I have Friday off. Good Friday! Indeed, it is Good!
With that wonderful discovery, I order another beer. 'Cuz what's a girl to do but celebrate that kind of news!
And, crazily enough, I was treated like a rockstar.
WTF? I mean, I volunteered for this. No pay. No benefits. No nothing, really, just a committment to serve my college for six years.
I've been on a conference call for three hours now. You can imagine the level of my excitement. The damn thing is supposed to last another hour. I will not. I am choosing to get a bikini wax instead. This seems like more fun.
Yes, you read that right, bikini wax over conference call. The conference call is over a grant I will be applying for on behalf of the College. The problem is the conference call has a volume problem (and has since the beginning), the speakers are approximately fourteen kinds of boring and I wish I had just stayed in ATL yesterday to see the presentation. I know, ridiculous, but really, it would be better than Death By PowerPoint as I am living now.
The Handy Guy is coming over for dinner. No romance, people, don't get excited. Just want to cook for someone and he seems convenient.
Had some absolutely X-rated dreams about Rugby this weekend and last week. Not sure why he popped into my head but if he's gonna do that, I think these dreams are a perfectly acceptable way.
Headed to see Lu this weekend in Venice on Thursday night/Friday/Saturday, then off to Dad's on Saturday night - Sunday. I totally spaced Easter.
Yesterday I was sitting in a bar at the Kansas City Airport (shocking, I know) having a beer (even more shocking) when I start talking to the bartender. Apparently he and his girlfriend have been together five years. He is 33 and she is 27. They have never lived together. Then he says they want to get married. I was like, hold up, stop the bus, back the truck up, WTF? Not that I think living together is the ultimate test of a relationship (as I know many that are perfectly happy/good in their marriages without it) but I think the bigger issue is that they've been together five years with no movement towards marriage. It was a fascinating discussion.
So in the middle of this discussion, he has to serve someone else. I was looking at my calendar and discover, Joy of Joys, that I have Friday off. Good Friday! Indeed, it is Good!
With that wonderful discovery, I order another beer. 'Cuz what's a girl to do but celebrate that kind of news!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Observations from Rural Missouri
I'm back again at Cottey C, located in Nevada, Missouri. Nevada (pronounced Neh Vay Duh, not Neh Vaaa Duh) is located about two hours south of Kansas City and one hour north of Joplin. It is approximately ten miles from the Kansas border.
Nevada doesn't really change. Yes, Wal-Mart is bigger these days, as is the Sonic, but some things just haven't changed. Nevada boys still whistle at the women as they cross the street, the eastern part of town still smells like a Post-It note/Scotch Tape (a 3M factory is located here) and the legendary Cottey food is still, well, legendary.
It is weird how this town calls people back to it. Honestly, it is just a small town of 8,000 with a women's college stuck in the middle. My hostess this week, T, was my "senior" (to the uninitiated, she was a year older, and thus, at a two year school, there are freshmen and seniors) and I've been camping on her couch. Last night I passed out (yes, out) on her couch in the middle of a gathering of the Posse (a group of like-minded women all affiliated with Cottey past/present). Never mind the incredibly good wine that was flowing nicely, it was the 21+ hours I had been awake at that point and wa-la, I was passed out cold around 2 a.m.
Two of the most incredible years of my life were spent here. Now I've committed to a two year term on the Cottey College Alumnae Board, with potential to give six years. If my plans hold true, I will gain my Ph.D. just about the time I leave the board. Wow.
Tonight was dinner at Chicken Annie's, a restaurant located in rural Pittsburg, Kansas. The food was incredible. For T and I to have fried chicken dinners and beverages, the total bill was less than $20 with tax. The stranger part was watching the last few minutes of the Butler game at a restaurant in rural Kansas. You might imagine I was in the minority as a Butler fan in a sea of Kansas State fans.
With my future aspirations to be a college president, I wonder if I'll land here. I could live here again, I'm sure of it, as this town as a certain type of charm that truly is indescribable. You'd have to be here to believe it.
Nevada doesn't really change. Yes, Wal-Mart is bigger these days, as is the Sonic, but some things just haven't changed. Nevada boys still whistle at the women as they cross the street, the eastern part of town still smells like a Post-It note/Scotch Tape (a 3M factory is located here) and the legendary Cottey food is still, well, legendary.
It is weird how this town calls people back to it. Honestly, it is just a small town of 8,000 with a women's college stuck in the middle. My hostess this week, T, was my "senior" (to the uninitiated, she was a year older, and thus, at a two year school, there are freshmen and seniors) and I've been camping on her couch. Last night I passed out (yes, out) on her couch in the middle of a gathering of the Posse (a group of like-minded women all affiliated with Cottey past/present). Never mind the incredibly good wine that was flowing nicely, it was the 21+ hours I had been awake at that point and wa-la, I was passed out cold around 2 a.m.
Two of the most incredible years of my life were spent here. Now I've committed to a two year term on the Cottey College Alumnae Board, with potential to give six years. If my plans hold true, I will gain my Ph.D. just about the time I leave the board. Wow.
Tonight was dinner at Chicken Annie's, a restaurant located in rural Pittsburg, Kansas. The food was incredible. For T and I to have fried chicken dinners and beverages, the total bill was less than $20 with tax. The stranger part was watching the last few minutes of the Butler game at a restaurant in rural Kansas. You might imagine I was in the minority as a Butler fan in a sea of Kansas State fans.
With my future aspirations to be a college president, I wonder if I'll land here. I could live here again, I'm sure of it, as this town as a certain type of charm that truly is indescribable. You'd have to be here to believe it.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Whooped, Part 2
Slept last night after I finished blogging from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. For those keeping track, that was 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. Yep. Lots o' sleep.
I got up, got ready and went to work. Two episodes of nausea/stomach distress and I gave up. Total time at work 3 hours. Went back home and back to bed. Slept from noon til about 4, then laid in bed to watch Oprah and read.
Crawled out of bed, got dressed and met the Handy Guy for dinner at 5 Guys Burgers and Fries. It was good and we followed it up with a trip to Home Depot. Ah. Home Improvement Stores. *sigh* I love them.
After that we parted ways and I headed back home. I'm now hot again (sweaty) and feeling a bit blah. I am not entirely sure I should have gone out of the house again today but I'd made the date yesterday and felt bad about canceling.
Nothing else to report. Gotta get packed for my trip to Cottey. Unfortunately my bags will not pack themselves. How Rude.
I got up, got ready and went to work. Two episodes of nausea/stomach distress and I gave up. Total time at work 3 hours. Went back home and back to bed. Slept from noon til about 4, then laid in bed to watch Oprah and read.
Crawled out of bed, got dressed and met the Handy Guy for dinner at 5 Guys Burgers and Fries. It was good and we followed it up with a trip to Home Depot. Ah. Home Improvement Stores. *sigh* I love them.
After that we parted ways and I headed back home. I'm now hot again (sweaty) and feeling a bit blah. I am not entirely sure I should have gone out of the house again today but I'd made the date yesterday and felt bad about canceling.
Nothing else to report. Gotta get packed for my trip to Cottey. Unfortunately my bags will not pack themselves. How Rude.
Whooped.
I had two shots today for grad school -- my second HepB and Meningitis. Both arms hurt and I'm not feeling all that well. I should have spaced them out a bit but I was slacking on the Meningitis and knew it had to get done, so I found my way to the Lee County Health Department for that one, then my Doc's office for the other. Went back to work afterward, but felt blah. Came home, started reading a book and passed out cold. Out until 1 a.m., which is why I'm blogging now. Def do not feel like doing taxes now. I don't know when I will make time for that but I need to, asap.
Also bought my Lee County Parks and Recreation parking sticker today :) Good for a year at all my favorite beaches. Woo Hoo!
Out with the Handy Man tonight after yoga class. He's nice. Handy. Good looking. A gentleman. No spark. Poo. Back to the drawing board.
Alright, back to bed.
Also bought my Lee County Parks and Recreation parking sticker today :) Good for a year at all my favorite beaches. Woo Hoo!
Out with the Handy Man tonight after yoga class. He's nice. Handy. Good looking. A gentleman. No spark. Poo. Back to the drawing board.
Alright, back to bed.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Kansas City Here I Come ...
right back where I started from ....
******
This Friday I head to my alma mater, Cottey College, to be inducted onto the Alumnae Association Board of Trustees. I am thilled. I am honored. I cannot wait.
Need to up my collection of Cottey gear (some new t-shirts) and generally hang out with my lovely friends. I have my reservation made for my friend T's couch and am just so pleased to see her.
******
Had a great weekend with Lu. It seems she is doing better (thank God) and appears to maybe even be a little happy every now and again. I am just so happy for her and glad she is making a place for herself in this world.
Going out with the Handy Guy again before I take off to KC. Am pretty sure it is just friendship but one more "date" won't ruin that. He's a nice guy.
Nothing else to report. So looking forward to my weekend :)
******
This Friday I head to my alma mater, Cottey College, to be inducted onto the Alumnae Association Board of Trustees. I am thilled. I am honored. I cannot wait.
Need to up my collection of Cottey gear (some new t-shirts) and generally hang out with my lovely friends. I have my reservation made for my friend T's couch and am just so pleased to see her.
******
Had a great weekend with Lu. It seems she is doing better (thank God) and appears to maybe even be a little happy every now and again. I am just so happy for her and glad she is making a place for herself in this world.
Going out with the Handy Guy again before I take off to KC. Am pretty sure it is just friendship but one more "date" won't ruin that. He's a nice guy.
Nothing else to report. So looking forward to my weekend :)
Friday, March 19, 2010
Laughing Out Loud
A friend's blog today (Plays with Sirens) was incredibly amusing in his thoughts and one question he posed was whether you laugh out loud while you are alone. Do you? I do.
Particularly when my friend's blog mentions how boobs taste like arm.
I am laughing again. Out Loud. By Myself.
*****************
Today was a particularly difficult day for me. I have this incredibly annoying habit of believing the best in people. Typically this isn't a problem -- in fact, it has served me pretty well overall.
Today wasn't one of those days. For the past two months, I've known about a grant that was due today. Not a particularly large or hard grant, this one, but one that my boss (and her boss) recommended strongly that we apply. No pressure there, nope.
My coworker, the main source of the grant's content, ignored my questions for the past few weeks. Ignored my requests for information in person, via email and via phone message. The only thing I had left was a severed horse head in her bed and although I'm typically not violent, this was a consideration. This afternoon I blew a gasket. I happened to see my boss in the restroom. She asked how it was going.
Now I should say that my boss and I have a good working relationship. We understand each other. I spill. I tell her it won't get turned in today (the due date) because I can't make a milkshake if no one has even bought a cow let alone got it milked. She laughed at me and asks me how she can help. I tell her I need her to move things along.
It was like magic.
And wa-la the coworker was at my door, asking to help me. Inside of one hour, the grant was completed and on its way out into the ether. Awesome.
****************
Received the first estimate on my car today: ~$1200.
****************
Working on a job for Maestro.
Seeing Luana tomorrow -- massages scheduled for 11 a.m.
GRE scores should be in next week.
Beers out tomorrow night with Lu, Mary and Lee.
omg, just wrote Steve. Oh friend, dear God, I wish you would be there. I know you'll be there in spirit, but there is nothing I'd like more than one more of your big bear hugs and a closed car door -- just to make sure I'm safe. Miss you. So Much.
Particularly when my friend's blog mentions how boobs taste like arm.
I am laughing again. Out Loud. By Myself.
*****************
Today was a particularly difficult day for me. I have this incredibly annoying habit of believing the best in people. Typically this isn't a problem -- in fact, it has served me pretty well overall.
Today wasn't one of those days. For the past two months, I've known about a grant that was due today. Not a particularly large or hard grant, this one, but one that my boss (and her boss) recommended strongly that we apply. No pressure there, nope.
My coworker, the main source of the grant's content, ignored my questions for the past few weeks. Ignored my requests for information in person, via email and via phone message. The only thing I had left was a severed horse head in her bed and although I'm typically not violent, this was a consideration. This afternoon I blew a gasket. I happened to see my boss in the restroom. She asked how it was going.
Now I should say that my boss and I have a good working relationship. We understand each other. I spill. I tell her it won't get turned in today (the due date) because I can't make a milkshake if no one has even bought a cow let alone got it milked. She laughed at me and asks me how she can help. I tell her I need her to move things along.
It was like magic.
And wa-la the coworker was at my door, asking to help me. Inside of one hour, the grant was completed and on its way out into the ether. Awesome.
****************
Received the first estimate on my car today: ~$1200.
****************
Working on a job for Maestro.
Seeing Luana tomorrow -- massages scheduled for 11 a.m.
GRE scores should be in next week.
Beers out tomorrow night with Lu, Mary and Lee.
omg, just wrote Steve. Oh friend, dear God, I wish you would be there. I know you'll be there in spirit, but there is nothing I'd like more than one more of your big bear hugs and a closed car door -- just to make sure I'm safe. Miss you. So Much.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Several Items Need Attention Immediately.
1. Jim Lehrer is an amazing speaker. I want to hear him speak all the time.
2. It is the official start of the Hoosier Holidays, aka March Madness. I know many people that take these couple days off to truly celebrate fully. I am not, but I sure am following closely. Go Butler!!
3. Went out again with the Handy Guy. I'm thinking that may be his blog name. We had fun, not sure if there is romance there, but there is genuine "like" there, which is never to be discounted. Worst case scenario, we are friends. Not bad.
4. I started a "door war" at work with my Butler poster. I was showing a bit of Butler pride at work with my poster for the tournament when another coworker started floating me a raft of shit. Now we are all posting our bracket picks prominently on our doors to show who rocks the most -- damn, I love basketball.
2. It is the official start of the Hoosier Holidays, aka March Madness. I know many people that take these couple days off to truly celebrate fully. I am not, but I sure am following closely. Go Butler!!
3. Went out again with the Handy Guy. I'm thinking that may be his blog name. We had fun, not sure if there is romance there, but there is genuine "like" there, which is never to be discounted. Worst case scenario, we are friends. Not bad.
4. I started a "door war" at work with my Butler poster. I was showing a bit of Butler pride at work with my poster for the tournament when another coworker started floating me a raft of shit. Now we are all posting our bracket picks prominently on our doors to show who rocks the most -- damn, I love basketball.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Dreams. Weird Dreams.
I have had the weirdest dreams over the past week or so.
Some are, quite frankly, not PG rated, so those won't be discussed here. The weirdest part of them is that they involve a co-worker and I blushed when I saw him yesterday. I pray that the "mind-reading" superpower never comes to pass because I would have been So Busted yesterday. ai yi yi. In fact, come to think about it, the stranger part of that dream is that I don't find him crazy attractive. Nice to look at, sure, but married, thus, non-fantasy-worthy. (sorry married dudes)
The G rated ones are just so trippy that I would SWEAR I am on something. So technicolor and just plain kooky.
Have you ever had a stretch of weird dreams?
Some are, quite frankly, not PG rated, so those won't be discussed here. The weirdest part of them is that they involve a co-worker and I blushed when I saw him yesterday. I pray that the "mind-reading" superpower never comes to pass because I would have been So Busted yesterday. ai yi yi. In fact, come to think about it, the stranger part of that dream is that I don't find him crazy attractive. Nice to look at, sure, but married, thus, non-fantasy-worthy. (sorry married dudes)
The G rated ones are just so trippy that I would SWEAR I am on something. So technicolor and just plain kooky.
Have you ever had a stretch of weird dreams?
Monday, March 15, 2010
Date.
Yep, boys and girls, I had a date last night.
A few notable things ---
One: he has the prettiest blue eyes I have ever seen. Generally I'm not a blue-eyes kinda girl, I like brown or hazel or green. But these ... oh la la. Like the color of the sky.
Two: he is handy. Like knows how to do stuff. Remodeling, plumbing, etc. Redoes houses for a living and has a plan for that very thing. (thinking of Red Green right now ... "if you can't be handsome, be handy" -- but he is handsome AND handy)
Three: he is well-traveled. We had lots of talks about his travels and where he's been. He has a more than healthy respect for the National Parks system (an A++ in my book).
Four: he is single. No kids, never married. Whoa.
Five: he behaved like a gentleman. Love that.
We are going out again on Wednesday. I'll keep you posted.
A few notable things ---
One: he has the prettiest blue eyes I have ever seen. Generally I'm not a blue-eyes kinda girl, I like brown or hazel or green. But these ... oh la la. Like the color of the sky.
Two: he is handy. Like knows how to do stuff. Remodeling, plumbing, etc. Redoes houses for a living and has a plan for that very thing. (thinking of Red Green right now ... "if you can't be handsome, be handy" -- but he is handsome AND handy)
Three: he is well-traveled. We had lots of talks about his travels and where he's been. He has a more than healthy respect for the National Parks system (an A++ in my book).
Four: he is single. No kids, never married. Whoa.
Five: he behaved like a gentleman. Love that.
We are going out again on Wednesday. I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
GRE -- Done. Mind -- Exhausted.
Just when you think you'll never need that 10th grade geometry again, you have to take the GRE.
It's not like I didn't take it when I first got into grad school -- 14 (gulp) years ago. So the scores were a little outdated ...
Took the test. Got reasonable scores -- need to check in with the FIU folks to make sure they are acceptable. If not, I'll have to retake. I'm not thinking I will have to, but I don't want to ditch the prep materials before I know either way.
Spent today in my house in my robe. Not sure I plan to leave. Pretty happy to just be right here.
It's not like I didn't take it when I first got into grad school -- 14 (gulp) years ago. So the scores were a little outdated ...
Took the test. Got reasonable scores -- need to check in with the FIU folks to make sure they are acceptable. If not, I'll have to retake. I'm not thinking I will have to, but I don't want to ditch the prep materials before I know either way.
Spent today in my house in my robe. Not sure I plan to leave. Pretty happy to just be right here.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Studying for the GRE
I've been studying, off and on, for two months for the GRE. I knew I'd have to take it, knew that I'd need to study and really knew that the mathematics would be my personal suffering point. Yes, I know my math, but let's be honest here -- when was the last time you needed to do a square root, long division, mixed fractions and geometry by hand? Without a calculator?
Yeah, me either. It's been awhile.
The writing -- not so worried about. The vocab -- not so worried about. The math? I'm petrified.
Friday. 12:00 - 4:30 p.m. Pray for me.
Yeah, me either. It's been awhile.
The writing -- not so worried about. The vocab -- not so worried about. The math? I'm petrified.
Friday. 12:00 - 4:30 p.m. Pray for me.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
New blog on the blogroll/life
http://www.lovegivesmehope.com/
-- a new addition to the blogroll. Because even cynics like me need to believe.
The last of my friends left today -- CCM. She got here on Saturday and we spent the past four days laughing, sunning ourselves and having a great time with other friends, T and her daughter K. It was truly essential for me and I really appreciate their visit more than I can express in words.
Tomorrow commences my 2.5 day study session for my GRE. I took it last 14 years ago when I applied to IUPUI for my MPA. Now that it is 14 years later and my scores aren't valid, I get the distinct joy of retaking the test. Needless to say, my algebra, geometry and trigonometry skills are in much worse shape than they were 14 years ago, so some serious study is required. Please think super-positive thoughts for me this Friday between the hours of noon and 5 p.m. as I will need all of those (and your gray matter too) to get me through this.
-- a new addition to the blogroll. Because even cynics like me need to believe.
The last of my friends left today -- CCM. She got here on Saturday and we spent the past four days laughing, sunning ourselves and having a great time with other friends, T and her daughter K. It was truly essential for me and I really appreciate their visit more than I can express in words.
Tomorrow commences my 2.5 day study session for my GRE. I took it last 14 years ago when I applied to IUPUI for my MPA. Now that it is 14 years later and my scores aren't valid, I get the distinct joy of retaking the test. Needless to say, my algebra, geometry and trigonometry skills are in much worse shape than they were 14 years ago, so some serious study is required. Please think super-positive thoughts for me this Friday between the hours of noon and 5 p.m. as I will need all of those (and your gray matter too) to get me through this.
Shoulda Woulda Coulda
I did something last night I should have done a month ago. It took me that long to really wrap my mind around it, accept it was something I needed to do for me and make it happen.
Sometimes I just really need to think things through.
And other times -- acceptance is what sucks most.
Finally -- making it happen can make me absolutely breathless, but I always know I've done the right thing by one measure:
How did I sleep last night?*
Like a child.
_____________
* for those that know me well, you know that insomnia is an ongoing battle in my life. Waking up and staying up happens fairly often for me. The sheer fact that I didn't wake up last night "wondering if I did the right thing" leads me to a very happy place today.
Sometimes I just really need to think things through.
And other times -- acceptance is what sucks most.
Finally -- making it happen can make me absolutely breathless, but I always know I've done the right thing by one measure:
How did I sleep last night?*
Like a child.
_____________
* for those that know me well, you know that insomnia is an ongoing battle in my life. Waking up and staying up happens fairly often for me. The sheer fact that I didn't wake up last night "wondering if I did the right thing" leads me to a very happy place today.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Busy busy me.
Friends in town since Saturday ... the weekend has been a blur of beach time and food. I have had a ball -- laughing and joking, just really enjoying my weekend throughly.
Tomorrow: more beach time. This time up at Manasota Key. Sharks' teeth hunting. I freaking LOVE spring break.
I'll fully post when I get a minute.
Tomorrow: more beach time. This time up at Manasota Key. Sharks' teeth hunting. I freaking LOVE spring break.
I'll fully post when I get a minute.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Mailbox 1, Teenage Driver 0
In my continuing quest to be a good human, I agreed to take Mary and Lee's 15 year old out driving. I'm trying to be a positive role model in her life and God Knows, I need all the help doing so that I can get.
When it became apparent that she'd get her drivers' permit, I agreed to take her out driving. I told her that we could go sometime after school and that we'd tool around until she got the hang of it. She was, of course, totally excited.
As was I. After all, I have very fond memories of my cousin T teaching me how to drive in the Federal Penitentiary Cemetery in Terre Haute. (yes, you read all that completely right -- not likely I was gonna kill anyone there)
I pick her up at 5. She is ready to go, quite excited for her big day of driving. We get in the car, she gets herself and the car adjusted properly and Lee's last words to us are: "are you sure you don't want a helmet?"
Nice jinx, Lee.
We start out back behind their house, in a neighborhood close by. It is going relatively well with the normal first time driver stuff of too wide of turns, etc. We are having a good drive, I'm trying to instruct her without driving her completely crazy. Then we turn on the last street before we head out of the neighborhood. We meet her personal Waterloo: A School Bus.
Mind you, the street is like 1.75 lanes wide, like many residential streets. Yes, an engineer would probably tell you it is two lanes wide, but two lanes for say a Smart Car rather than a School Bus or two. She sees the school bus coming and panics.
Scoots all the way to the edge of the road and WHAM! My side mirror and the mailbox it hit are obliterated.
I shout: "Stop The Car!!!" and she does, pulling over and I get out of the car to retrieve my mirror and inspect the damage. She is nervous now, scared I'll yell at her, while I'm just freaking stunned. I explain to her that we need to apologize to the guy with the mailbox.
We do, we offer to buy a new mailbox and then we get back in the car, her driving.
Why? Because I don't want her to be scared out of her mind driving. We go to Lowe's, she buys a mailbox and we return to the scene of the crime. She gives him his new mailbox and apologizes again. We then head down the road to practice parking.
After getting whiplash for twenty minutes, I call off the exercise and we head to her house. She tells Lee and he is incredulous. Thinks we are kidding. When he walks outside, it is clear we are not kidding. The crying commences and we head back inside.
Lee asks me if I want a beer. I tell him I want a case ...
And later that night, back at home, I make the Tallest, Stiffest Gin and Tonic known to mankind. And fall into a restless slumber.
When it became apparent that she'd get her drivers' permit, I agreed to take her out driving. I told her that we could go sometime after school and that we'd tool around until she got the hang of it. She was, of course, totally excited.
As was I. After all, I have very fond memories of my cousin T teaching me how to drive in the Federal Penitentiary Cemetery in Terre Haute. (yes, you read all that completely right -- not likely I was gonna kill anyone there)
I pick her up at 5. She is ready to go, quite excited for her big day of driving. We get in the car, she gets herself and the car adjusted properly and Lee's last words to us are: "are you sure you don't want a helmet?"
Nice jinx, Lee.
We start out back behind their house, in a neighborhood close by. It is going relatively well with the normal first time driver stuff of too wide of turns, etc. We are having a good drive, I'm trying to instruct her without driving her completely crazy. Then we turn on the last street before we head out of the neighborhood. We meet her personal Waterloo: A School Bus.
Mind you, the street is like 1.75 lanes wide, like many residential streets. Yes, an engineer would probably tell you it is two lanes wide, but two lanes for say a Smart Car rather than a School Bus or two. She sees the school bus coming and panics.
Scoots all the way to the edge of the road and WHAM! My side mirror and the mailbox it hit are obliterated.
I shout: "Stop The Car!!!" and she does, pulling over and I get out of the car to retrieve my mirror and inspect the damage. She is nervous now, scared I'll yell at her, while I'm just freaking stunned. I explain to her that we need to apologize to the guy with the mailbox.
We do, we offer to buy a new mailbox and then we get back in the car, her driving.
Why? Because I don't want her to be scared out of her mind driving. We go to Lowe's, she buys a mailbox and we return to the scene of the crime. She gives him his new mailbox and apologizes again. We then head down the road to practice parking.
After getting whiplash for twenty minutes, I call off the exercise and we head to her house. She tells Lee and he is incredulous. Thinks we are kidding. When he walks outside, it is clear we are not kidding. The crying commences and we head back inside.
Lee asks me if I want a beer. I tell him I want a case ...
And later that night, back at home, I make the Tallest, Stiffest Gin and Tonic known to mankind. And fall into a restless slumber.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
"Grandma wants to know how to shut off the vibrator"
Oh yeah, readers, I WIN for the most disturbing text message received ever.
This morning at 6:57 a.m., my phone rings. Since I have neither children nor a reason to get up before 7:15, I am sleeping, soundly. I immediately wake up, answer the phone and briefly note it is my Dad calling before I hear this: "Tell me how to make it stop buzzing."
No "hello," no "sorry for waking you up," no pleasantries at all.
Dad's phone has found its' way to vibrate and apparently this is what qualifies as a stone-cold, katy-bar-the-door emergency in his life at 6:57 a.m. Have I mentioned he's retired?
I tell him to look at his phone and tell me if there is any buttons on the side of it. He says yes, I tell him to push them and he says okay and hangs up. No pleasantries again, just hangs up.
So I'm awake, I get ready and go to work. I am at work maybe five minutes. Now Dad is calling again. I pick up the phone and am greeted by "It is still buzzing." I ask him what brand of phone it is, he tells me Motorola and that it is serviced by Verizon. I then ask him what kind of phone it is, and he says, quite disgustedly, "a cellular phone, Athena." I tell him that I know that much, but is it a flip phone, regular phone, etc etc. I ask him if he has the box the phone came in so he can tell me what phone it is, but all I get in reply is "if I had that, I wouldn't be calling you." Testy testy. I know the man is cheap, so I'm not concerned in the least that he has anything fancier than a flip phone.
I ask him to take off the battery and tell me what model number the phone has. He struggles and struggles, can't seem to get it open, so I tell him to call me back when he opens it up.
About five minutes later, I've looked up all the specs on Motorola phones and call him back. Battery is still not out. Now mind you, this is a man that can build an addition on the house with a pencil drawing and some rudimentary math -- but a cell phone battery opening? Too much. I walk him through the steps and get the phone to "ring" again. He is delighted.
Ten minutes after I hang up with him, I get the following message from my step-sister in-law: "Can you call your dad? He needs help with his phone. Grandma emailed me about it." Then stepsister in-law relays the message that will live in infamy: "Grandma wants to know how to shut off the vibrator."
For those of you playing at home, the customer service on this call went like this: from Riverview (Dad), to Fort Myers, to Riverview (Dad) to Riverview (Grandma), to Riverview (Grandma) to La Porte (Sister-in-law) to Fort Myers.
This morning at 6:57 a.m., my phone rings. Since I have neither children nor a reason to get up before 7:15, I am sleeping, soundly. I immediately wake up, answer the phone and briefly note it is my Dad calling before I hear this: "Tell me how to make it stop buzzing."
No "hello," no "sorry for waking you up," no pleasantries at all.
Dad's phone has found its' way to vibrate and apparently this is what qualifies as a stone-cold, katy-bar-the-door emergency in his life at 6:57 a.m. Have I mentioned he's retired?
I tell him to look at his phone and tell me if there is any buttons on the side of it. He says yes, I tell him to push them and he says okay and hangs up. No pleasantries again, just hangs up.
So I'm awake, I get ready and go to work. I am at work maybe five minutes. Now Dad is calling again. I pick up the phone and am greeted by "It is still buzzing." I ask him what brand of phone it is, he tells me Motorola and that it is serviced by Verizon. I then ask him what kind of phone it is, and he says, quite disgustedly, "a cellular phone, Athena." I tell him that I know that much, but is it a flip phone, regular phone, etc etc. I ask him if he has the box the phone came in so he can tell me what phone it is, but all I get in reply is "if I had that, I wouldn't be calling you." Testy testy. I know the man is cheap, so I'm not concerned in the least that he has anything fancier than a flip phone.
I ask him to take off the battery and tell me what model number the phone has. He struggles and struggles, can't seem to get it open, so I tell him to call me back when he opens it up.
About five minutes later, I've looked up all the specs on Motorola phones and call him back. Battery is still not out. Now mind you, this is a man that can build an addition on the house with a pencil drawing and some rudimentary math -- but a cell phone battery opening? Too much. I walk him through the steps and get the phone to "ring" again. He is delighted.
Ten minutes after I hang up with him, I get the following message from my step-sister in-law: "Can you call your dad? He needs help with his phone. Grandma emailed me about it." Then stepsister in-law relays the message that will live in infamy: "Grandma wants to know how to shut off the vibrator."
For those of you playing at home, the customer service on this call went like this: from Riverview (Dad), to Fort Myers, to Riverview (Dad) to Riverview (Grandma), to Riverview (Grandma) to La Porte (Sister-in-law) to Fort Myers.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Hello ... and goodbye
First, I'd like to welcome a new blog to my blog roll: Would I Buy It Again? Basically a food blog with no pretentiousness, they cover everything from fast food to local restaurants -- in and around Indianapolis. So for my Indy friends (and, for those of you Up Nort' -- they even cover Albano's. Yeah baby.), I recommend you check this out.
So that's the hello.
Goodbye? To the guy I met for dinner last night. I'm fairly certain my paper napkin had more personality. Harsh, you say? Not even harsh enough.
******************
Date 2 tonight. New guy. If for nothing else than blog fodder, this is making my week interesting.
******************
Also, in case you are not aware, I am wearing Sassy Shoes today. I am feeling Sassy.
So that's the hello.
Goodbye? To the guy I met for dinner last night. I'm fairly certain my paper napkin had more personality. Harsh, you say? Not even harsh enough.
******************
Date 2 tonight. New guy. If for nothing else than blog fodder, this is making my week interesting.
******************
Also, in case you are not aware, I am wearing Sassy Shoes today. I am feeling Sassy.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
It rains, it pours.
After no dates for the past three months (Rugby was the last) -- I have a date tonight, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. All different guys.
WTF?
I can't explain it. I'm the same me I've been all this time.
I'll let you know if any appear worthy of a second date.
WTF?
I can't explain it. I'm the same me I've been all this time.
I'll let you know if any appear worthy of a second date.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Hypocrisy/Hypocrites
There's a few things that have been on my mind lately -- but only one of which I'll talk about now: hypocrisy and hypocrites.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypocrisy
Main Entry: hy·poc·ri·sy
Pronunciation: \hi-ˈpä-krə-sē also hī-\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural hy·poc·ri·sies
Etymology: Middle English ypocrisie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin hypocrisis, from Greek hypokrisis act of playing a part on the stage, hypocrisy, from hypokrinesthai to answer, act on the stage, from hypo- + krinein to decide — more at certain
Date: 13th century
1 : a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially : the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion
2 : an act or instance of hypocrisy
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypocrite
Main Entry: hyp·o·crite
Pronunciation: \ˈhi-pə-ˌkrit\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English ypocrite, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin hypocrita, from Greek hypokritēs actor, hypocrite, from hypokrinesthai
Date: 13th century
1 : a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2 : a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
Alrighty then, now that we have Merriam-Webster's official description, let's talk about a few things that have gotten under my skin lately:
My aunt and uncle and their constant ravings about "socialist" healthcare. Hypocrites? Oh Yes They Are. They accept Medicare, which is essentially socialized medicine for older Americans. To not be a hypocrite would be to pay full freight on their health care -- something that two people with serious health issues (breast cancer, heart issues) cannot afford. So instead of not accepting Medicare, they accept the benefit and rail against others receiving it as "waste."
A friend whose children are on the school lunch program (and breakfast) -- but who constantly tells me that government wastes money on public programs. Ahem? *cough cough* How's the windows in that glass house?
And finally another friend, whose life's mission, it appears, is to tell me that Government Is Too Big. When asked what he'd eliminate, his answer is "government waste." Way to go on the Limbaugh/Hannity/Beck talking points, dipshit, but WHAT WASTE EXACTLY? Would you prefer to do without roads and streets? Fire service? Police service? EMS? Schools? Colleges? Public utilities? Parks? Tell me what bothers you then ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT rather than just repeat "government waste" over and over and over like some parrot. Ai Yi Yi. Meanwhile, he's collected unemployment checks in the past ...
So hypocrisy. It's on my last fucking nerve.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypocrisy
Main Entry: hy·poc·ri·sy
Pronunciation: \hi-ˈpä-krə-sē also hī-\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural hy·poc·ri·sies
Etymology: Middle English ypocrisie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin hypocrisis, from Greek hypokrisis act of playing a part on the stage, hypocrisy, from hypokrinesthai to answer, act on the stage, from hypo- + krinein to decide — more at certain
Date: 13th century
1 : a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially : the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion
2 : an act or instance of hypocrisy
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypocrite
Main Entry: hyp·o·crite
Pronunciation: \ˈhi-pə-ˌkrit\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English ypocrite, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin hypocrita, from Greek hypokritēs actor, hypocrite, from hypokrinesthai
Date: 13th century
1 : a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2 : a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
Alrighty then, now that we have Merriam-Webster's official description, let's talk about a few things that have gotten under my skin lately:
My aunt and uncle and their constant ravings about "socialist" healthcare. Hypocrites? Oh Yes They Are. They accept Medicare, which is essentially socialized medicine for older Americans. To not be a hypocrite would be to pay full freight on their health care -- something that two people with serious health issues (breast cancer, heart issues) cannot afford. So instead of not accepting Medicare, they accept the benefit and rail against others receiving it as "waste."
A friend whose children are on the school lunch program (and breakfast) -- but who constantly tells me that government wastes money on public programs. Ahem? *cough cough* How's the windows in that glass house?
And finally another friend, whose life's mission, it appears, is to tell me that Government Is Too Big. When asked what he'd eliminate, his answer is "government waste." Way to go on the Limbaugh/Hannity/Beck talking points, dipshit, but WHAT WASTE EXACTLY? Would you prefer to do without roads and streets? Fire service? Police service? EMS? Schools? Colleges? Public utilities? Parks? Tell me what bothers you then ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT rather than just repeat "government waste" over and over and over like some parrot. Ai Yi Yi. Meanwhile, he's collected unemployment checks in the past ...
So hypocrisy. It's on my last fucking nerve.
Breathing in, breathing out
Just trying to get my life sorted appropriately. I have so many things going on and there are times I just feel like I'm running in a circle. I'm trying to focus -- set parameters and make progress.
One week from Friday I take my GRE.
Six weeks from now my taxes are due.
One week from now, my girlfriends will be in town.
And ... a couple of dates this week. Not sure what I'm gonna do about that yet.
One week from Friday I take my GRE.
Six weeks from now my taxes are due.
One week from now, my girlfriends will be in town.
And ... a couple of dates this week. Not sure what I'm gonna do about that yet.
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