lost another friend this week

You may or may not have heard that Bea Arthur, best known as Dorothy of the Golden Girls has passed away after a fight against cancer. This comes in the same year that Estelle Getty also left us. I was going to write again about my feelings on the Golden Girls, as I did when Estelle Getty died, but I think you may have guessed that the sense of loss I feel for Bea Arthur strikes a similar chord. Even though I know that it was just a television show, I hope that Bea and Estelle are sharing a cheesecake up in heaven and that we can keep Rue and Betty here with us for a while longer.

I leave you with this little token of remembrance from two of the girls.

say hello to my little friend

This 24-oz. bottle is BPA-free stainless steel. And it is orange. And it is going to remind me to drink more water and less toxins. Toxins that spill into the water via their plastic containers. And, I'm going to be able to stop using and reusing so many plastic bottles.

Want more? It also has an inspirational reminder to be optimistic. You can't really see it in the photo, but it reads "OPTIMISTIC My glass is always half full." Those of you who know me might see the humor in this, as I'm not going to be able to add eternal optimist to my resume any time soon.

Negativity has been pervasive in my work environment lately, and this little bottle is serving as a reminder for me to lighten the fuck up, take a step back, and realize that things can't really be as bad as they seem. If things really are as bad as they seem, then there must be a silver lining, even if that silver lining is buried under a pile of shit.

In other news, I'm reading a very interesting book: Green, Greener, Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-Smart Choices a Part of Your Life by Lori Bongiorno. I found it while browsing the local library and it is exactly what I've been looking for, the perfect complement to springtime, and my hope is that it will help me to become even more environmentally conscious (something that is in my goals list for 2009).

This book offers three levels of "greening" up your life. If you want to put in minimal effort and expense, go with the green option. If you have time to step it up a bit and throw more time and money in, go with the greener option, and so on and so forth. It's worth a glance if you are wanting a quick read that can help save some green (in terms of money and the environment).

losing inches

Hello again. I'm back from vacation in Chicago with my family (pictures have yet to be uploaded, but they are coming). My nephews are wonderful, but not enough to make me want to spew a kid out of my nethers anytime in the future. Anyway, back to the point, the vacation was fabulous and I have a bit of a crush on Chicago. I must admit that the vacation reinvigorated me to step up my workouts even more. It may have been the 19th floor fitness room at the hotel with the awesome city views.

So, despite all the e-mails I receive daily about wanting to add inches to a member, beast, or otherwise named male extension, I've been losing inches. I've cut two inches off my waist since I started this whole thing and an inch from thighs. Apparently my ass hasn't gotten the memo yet because there hasn't been any visible progress there, but I'm sure it'll happen eventually. I am happy because I'm operating under the assumption that the decrease in inches means that I'm firming and toning, making the stuff that was already there tighter and now more streamlined. Either that or my tape measure reading skills are lacking. My physical therapist is happy with my progress, but is also trying to pull on the reigns to keep me from going overboard. My core strength is improving, but my wonky pelvis is still unstable. At least it isn't my mental state.

I'll keep you posted and will throw some pictures from the trip up here this weekend.

what am i made of?

My Personality

Neuroticism	12
Extraversion	58
Openness to Experience	38
Agreeableness	32
Conscientiousness	71

You are a calm person who is considered almost fearless by some, however you do not feel nervous in social situations, and have a good impression of what others think of you. You get overwhelmed by too much noise and commotion and do not like thrill-seeking activities. You prefer facts over fantasy and are more interested in what is happening in the real word. You do not enjoy confrontation, but you will stand up for yourself or push your point if you feel it is important, however you feel superior to those around you and sometimes tend to be seen as arrogant by other people. You take your time when making decisions and will deliberate on all the possible consequences and alternatives.

Free Poll

10 years (pending)

My ten-year high school class reunion is fast approaching. It will take place this summer in my hometown. I come from a very small community and my graduating class consisted of 96 students, many of which were in my various "circles" of friends. I was a floater, a mingler, per se. I had friends in every cliche, had no specific tie to any particular group, and was a bit transient in general. As a result, perhaps, I have one close friend with whom I still communicate regularly. I cut loose all of the extraneous people from my life when I went away to college. Not because I didn't like them, but maybe because I hadn't forged real, sustainable connections with them.

It is these people whom I will be seeing this summer. I've run into old friends from time to time, but have never left those encounters with any promised contact. I hope to leave this reunion similarly unscathed, but possessing enough updated knowledge of my old friends to tide me over until the next reunion rolls around.

Why am I bringing this up? It has been on my mind lately. Am I who I wanted to be at the age of 27? Who did I want to be when I "grew up"? Did I meet those benchmarks? I don't know that I ever had set up a timeline of my life. Perhaps if I had, I would be disappointed now. I'd like to think that I'm on track and that I am right where I should be. That's how I feel, though I wouldn't mind tweaking a few aspects of my life. I prefer the "take it as it comes" guide to life - I strive for what I want, but what I want changes.

I guess I'm just looking at my life through a telescope. Trying to see the big picture. Trying to give the two-minute elevator conversation that explains who I am, how I got here, and who I want to become. I'd like to get a firm handle on that two minute "where am I now" so that I can leave people with a clear view of the real Trish. Except that in my mind, I can't really wrap my head around a reason to pinpoint my life like that.

I think I'm like one of those grab bags I used to love as a kid. You get a bag filled with surprises, some of them good, some of them you pass along to others. All in all, the grab bag of my life has been filled with a lot of great experiences who have made me into today's Trish. Tomorrow's Trish may be completely different. Who knows who I will have become by the time this summer's reunion comes around. Maybe I shouldn't write that elevator conversation down in pen, but rather just keep it in pencil. I guess I'm still that transient being I was in high school.

i scream, you scream, we all scream for fish oil

I'm taking a new supplement. To supplement what? I'm not sure. I suppose my diet is lacking in things other than fat and cholesterol, which are not necessarily good things to have in abundance. This is why I've added fish oil to my list of daily pills to go down the hatch. They reek. I hate fish and haven't eaten seafood in over 25 years, but apparently their oil is beneficial for my heart and thus I'm taking one for the team (Team Trish, that is). Luckily I have not suffered any type of repercussion from downing the nasty fish oil pills. No gills. No horrid stench reaching up out of my belly to assault passers by. No desire to swim upstream to find a mate.

In other news, I've come to the realization that working out is the devil. It is the devil because when I work out, I want to do it all the time. Why would I want to work out so much, you ask? Doesn't working out pretty much suck because, as it is named, it is WORK? I'll tell you. I want to work out all the time because mine is a personality in need of immediate gratification and because the results...they do not happen fast enough. And logic dictates that to get something to happen quicker, you should do it more often. But this logic is wrong in this case. I am not supposed to work out every day, according to my health magazines and my physical therapist. At least not the way that I want to. There is a delicate balance of "do this, not that," which is going on in my weekly workout rotation. And I hate it. Back to my statement that working out is the devil. I have decided this because that is what the devil does, isn't it? Tempts you to do things you are not supposed to?

I guess that when I start something new, I'd prefer to be balls deep in it rather than just tiptoeing around. This is not the way to do things if I want to be healthy, says my physical therapist. This means that the fabulous workout I've come to love (I posted a video)...the one that makes my ass feel like it is on fire and that the fire is quickly spreading down my legs...I am not supposed to do that workout on consecutive days.

To make myself feel like I'm doing more for my body, despite being deprived of the "okay" to exercise how and when I would like, I've been taking more vitamins and supplements. I'll keep you apprised of any other changes.

add another artist to the bunch

I've been listening to a lot of Imogen Heap's music lately. You may recognize her voice as she was in the band Frou Frou, which gained a bit of notoriety from one of my favorite movies, Garden State. She is a solo artist, and I really enjoy her sound:



I also have a few of her songs on my playlist if you'd care to take another listen.

yes drill sergeant

There was a time when progress was measured by how much weight I lost - now, progress is measured by whether or not I need to brace myself to lower down onto the toilet and how much my abdominal muscles throb when I do so. Say hello to my latest workout.



This workout may not look like it, but it is super-intense. My abs are by no means washboard, but I've lost a 1/2 inch off my waist in the past couple weeks thanks to this workout + cardio + additional exercises from my physical therapist. That my muscles hurt as much as they do is probably a sign of progress, but it is also a sign that I still have a long way to go.

Every painful step I take is one step closer to saying goodbye to that stupid pelvic belt so I'm going to keep plugging away at the agonizing torture, brought to me courtesy of "the great one-month slimdown with Jillian Michaels" and Self magazine. Oh, how I am growing to hate you and love you all at the same time.

i heart progress

What have I been doing? Not posting, obviously. AND I actually have a fabulous reason. Progress, people, I've been making progress.

1. I've (finally) painted the office. I chose this color: I am very happy with how the office turned out.
   
   
   I am still trying to get things arranged the way I want, but it is already a space much more conducive to working. The man has agreed that this color would be a good for the walls in the kitchen. Now we just have to wait for the roommate to move out so that we can get started. Added bonus: there is enough leftover paint that we wouldn't have to buy more to finish the kitchen.


2. I've created and committed to an exercise/workout schedule. I've also purchased a physical therapist approved recumbent bike to aid in my therapy. Since starting in January, I've even upped my free weights from 3 lbs. to 5 lbs. In terms of tangible progress, I have lost two pounds since I began working out on January 18 and my clothes are beginning to fit better again. . I'm happy with this progress, since I'm not working out to lose weight, but rather to build muscle and strengthen my core (as a part of my physical therapy). In other words, I'm doing all of the working out, which I hate, because I hate this even more.


3. I've taken on a side project to earn extra income. Also, an opportunity has arisen within my current employment that may allow me to increase my income (fingers crossed). . I have finished the first leg of the side project and I just have to do a few more hours to have the full project completed. The nice thing about taking on this project, in addition to a few extra dollars coming in, is that it has also helped me to schedule weekly library time. I think this will be a good habit, as it will only aid me in completing both this side project and my thesis.


4. Back to the home progress. The man and I have created a much cozier space completely separate from the roommate's area. We've been able to confine the cats to this area and no longer have to worry about the roommate meddling in our conversations or in our space..
   I helped a friend remove wallpaper from her very large bathroom. Wallpaper that was adhered directly to the drywall by the previous owners. Previous owners who were idiots..


5. I've completed and filed my taxes and am happy to report that I got a larger refund than last year. Two-thirds of the money has already gone into paying off my credit card debt, while the other third has been put into my emergency savings (already withdrew a portion of it to get a new tire).
   It has been wonderful to see my credit card debt decrease over the past months. Now that I have rolled all of my credit card debt onto one low-interest card, the progress is much more visible each month. I'm happy to report that I'm right on schedule with this financial goal.


6. I've already cut back on the nagging and interrupting in my relationships. This was a lot harder than I thought it would be.


7. I've been more conscious of the attitude I have at work. Some things have made me consciously pissed off at work, but at least I knew I was being a grumple as a result of those issues and not just because I'm a pessimistic negative Nancy.


8. I've sorted through my belongings and have given quite a few things to friends, family, and charity, while tossing other things that are of no use to anyone anymore.


9. I've realized that lists do not have to come in multiples of 10.


10. I've developed a better system for managing mail and bills.


11. I've finished another major household project. The man and I built a wooden surround for the cat litter box. It will allow the cats to have more privacy while keeping the dog from trying to eat cat shit. Double bonus.

And that, my friends, is what I've been doing for the main part of January and February. I'm tired, but I'm committed to keeping up with these goals so that I can check a shitload of things of my 2009 project list. I'll keep you posted, perhaps I should add that as one of my goals.

i wish we could've played radiohead in high school

I love how the marching band integrates with Radiohead during their Grammy performance. In case you missed it:

today is the day

Article 2 (for BHO) from Andrew Sloat on Vimeo.

simplify, simplify, simplify

Things are still very sad around our house after the unexpected passing of the man's grandma. I must admit that losing her so suddenly has led me to further evaluate my life, as is often the case after experiencing a loss. If I would give my goals for 2009 a one-word mantra, it would definitely be 'simplify.' By simplify, I mean to pare down and eliminate the things I don't really need, know when enough is enough, be happy now rather than waiting for happiness to come and bite me on the ass, make changes now so that I can enjoy my life without all of the unnecessary trappings.

I've broken down my goals (note that they are not resolutions, but rather are manageable and achievable goals) into four main categories. I've already been working toward many of these goals and they require maintenance rather than initiation in most instances. They might seem like a lot, but that is only because they are so compartmentalized that the sheer volume seems unwieldy. In all actuality, this is a shrunken version of my overall list and doesn't include any of the ideas/tactics within the bullet points.

You may wonder why the hell I've shared all of these with you when you don't really give a damn. Well, it's because I'm selfish and I need a kick in the rear to jumpstart myself from time to time. I've put them up here to add more accountability. I can't hide from the list if it has been thrown into the world.

Here goes:

Financial Goals:
· Only keep a balance on one credit card (already accomplished, just need to maintain)
· Lower credit card balance to at least $x by January 1, 2010
· Pay off Student Loan 1 by January 1, 2010
· Contribute monthly to savings account to cover non-monthly budgetary expenses (auto maintenance, pet food, renter's insurance)
· Cut expenses (already do these things, but should do them even more religiously)
· Raise income

Professional Goals:
· Continue taking advantage of all applicable training sessions
· Build and maintain professional network
· Apply myself to outperform in current role - be indispensable
· Complete thesis

Relationship Goals:
· Do not interrupt, over-share, or compare experiences - this disrespects the person speaking
· Be supportive, but also share caution when necessary - do not play devil's advocate unless vital
· Spend more time w/, or communicate more w/ family and friends
· Reach out to others more - volunteer

Personal Goals:
· Keep a tidy house
· Make time for fun, don't schedule life to the minute
· Make physical and mental health a priority
· Minimize stress
· Celebrate success
· Don't be overly critical or take myself too seriously
· Live in the present - don't fret about those things outside of my control
· Train myself to sustain myself

where I've been

I'm sorry for not posting since the holidays. There was an unexpected death in the man's immediate family that caught us all completely off guard. Things are settling down a bit now and the man is dealing much better than last week. I'll post more and will share my New Year's resolutions with you sometime this week.

I hope you all had a happy holiday.

holiday spirit: post 9 - a bit grinchy

There have been a number of things creeping in, trying to steal my Christmas spirit lately. I must admit to feeling a bit grinchy, wrapped in a layer of bah humbug.

As many of you are experiencing, wherever you happen to be in the U.S., the weather outside is frightful to say the least. And, (now bordering on excess) baby, it's cold outside. The combination of the massive snowfalls plus the subzero temperatures has made me rethink my travel plans. This means I may experience my first ever Christmas away from my family. This is devastating to me, as Christmas is the one time of the year when all of my cousins, aunts, uncles, everyone congregates at my grandpa's two-bedroom house to celebrate the holiday. This amounts to over 50 family members, all of whom I'm dying to see. Unfortunately, I don't want to literally die in order to see them, so I may have to avoid travel until after the holiday.

Now for the boring weather statistics. I'm not meaning to start a pissing contest, but here are our stats from Southern Wisconsin, where we're knocking on the door to beat the December snowfall record. Not a record worth breaking, if you ask me. Anyway, we received over a foot of snow last Friday, 4-7 inches are falling today, and an additional 3-6 inches are expected for tomorrow (Christmas Eve). The day after Christmas is promising freezing rain, snow, and sleet. Yay. Pardon my math, but that amounts to a fuckload of snow.

The man loves the snow and has little sympathy for my situation, as his family lives across town and there is no danger of him missing his Christmas. The whole 45 minutes of it that he attends. I think he just wants me to stay in town, to be honest. Nevertheless, his attitude is making me less than jolly and I believe I even went so far as to tell him to stop pissing on my Christmas. Not sure what holiday spirit crept out of me with that comment, but I wish it would've taken the stick out of my ass when it made its debut. To say I'm uptight and stressed is an understatement.

Yet, the story of the Grinch Who Stole Christmas has a happy ending, with the Grinch being warmed by the spirit of the season, taking him from asshole to do-gooder in one fell swoop. I'm hoping that life imitates art and that this grinchy feeling washes away and everything works out in the end. That would be a Christmas miracle of mythic proportions. Kind of like that year in the 90s when my pretentious and disliked cousins came down with the flu and couldn't come to our other family celebration.

And now, your reward for listening to my quite silly woes, how about another holiday music selection, brought to us by the late, great Dr. Seuss:



Sidenote: You may not know this, but this song was sung by Thurl Ravenscroft, the voice of Tony the Tiger (from Kellogg's Frosted Flakes fame).

the man who couldn't cry

Artist Scotty Reifsnyder illustrated a book and created a short animation based on Johnny Cash's song "The Man Who Couldn't Cry." I love how he captured the lyrics, tone, and overall feel via artwork.

Click on the photo for a link to the artist's website and for an animated film of the book.

via Design Milk

holiday spirit: post 8

This is by far, in my humble opinion, the best Christmas song ever recorded. And now, for your listening and viewing pleasure, "Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives.

holiday spirit: post 7 - we've been outnumbered

I've got some happy news. The man surprised me with an early Christmas present on Friday: a new kitten whom we've named Rue. She is a rescue kitty who was found in a tree and we figure she is about 10 weeks old. I'm glad that she was found when she was, since temperatures have been below zero lately.



We will be taking her to the vet in the next week to get her checked out, but she is a happy and feisty little thing.

The dog is in love with the kitten. I think her mothering instincts are kicking in. The funny thing is, the kitten is pretty indifferent toward her, which is a manifestation of karma, if you ask me. The dog was quite the bitch to Jack from the time he was a kitten, despite his best efforts to bond with her. Now, Jammer (the dog) is having to deal with the same sort of apathy from Rue. Interesting to see karma at work in the dog world.

Jack, our 15+ pound beast of a cat is quite a pansy. He initially was petrified of the kitten. This makes sense as we found him when he was barely a month old and he had likely not seen very many other cats before. He has been interested in Rue from the beginning, a sort of cautious fascination that often led him to run away like a wee baby whenever the kitten made a sudden movement. As of now, after having been given the opportunity to let it all sink in, he has begun to play with Rue and they are becoming fast friends, much to the chagrin of the dog.

And yes, the bipeds are now outnumbered in our little happy family. In the event of a inter-species wrestling match, we're down one person if we need to tag out so one of us will have to pull an extra shift. My vote is on the man.

coraline

I am very much looking forward to this movie:



For anyone who liked Nightmare Before Christmas, I think this will be in the same vein.

holiday spirit: post 6 - in memorium

Today marks the anniversary of John Lennon's death. As an avid Beatles fan in my teenage years, I drank in all of the Beatles and John Lennon music that I could. I find that this date still pops up in my head each December and I feel a sense of loss, despite not having been born when the event took place.

On this date each year I feel sorry for the many fans who were alive to experience the loss on that day and I feel sorry for those of us who came later and were never able to experience the thrill of a new album release or see a live interview with such an influential and talented individual.

And so, to mark this day, I'm posting one of my favorite holiday songs, sung by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. I like to think that by electing Barack Obama, we are this much closer to at least one war being over.

holiday spirit (kind of): post 5

Today has been an absolutely awful day. I have very little hope that my job will ever be satisfying, gratifying, or bearable. I'm lucky to have a job, so that is all I will say about it. Anyway, I'm in a kind of a funk as a result of a few work issues today and I was near tears as I sat at my desk and read yet another e-mail that made me want to rip my eyes out of their sockets, just so that I would be rendered blind and unable to read the bullshit.

It was at that very moment that my all-time favorite Christmas song came on. My old buddy Burl Ives came on and serenaded me with his Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer television special rendition of "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and as much as I would like to say that my faith in humanity and the upper management was renewed, it wasn't. I am, however, more willing to deal with it now. It is funny how a song can lift your spirits, even just a little.

Thanks go to you, Burl, you've kept the desk rage at bay.

holiday spirit: post 4

I've made a firm commitment to only using real money this holiday season: no credit cards. As I've said many times before, I am on a strict debt pay-down schedule and timeline. I may be spending less this year, but it is all money that I have and thus I won't be spending more in the long run. Also, the man and I are not exchanging gifts so that we can use that money on gifts for others.

I've also made a commitment to buying products from independent and local producers/sellers. I've had to step outside of this commitment for my nephews because I couldn't find a local independent seller of WALL-E DVDs. Other than making a conscious decision to buy local, I'm also making gifts again this year as much as I can. I've plugged this before, but buying homemade via sites like Etsy can yield high-quality goods and can help independent artisans/crafters and their families.

I know that this holiday season is going to be a tight one for many people and their families. I'm lucky that I don't have to worry about how I'll pay my bills and that I have the luxury of being able to make payments toward my debt.

Thinking about the holiday in terms of money doesn't usually make it into the "holiday spirit" category, but I think an economic downturn has the potential to bring Christmas back to its true meaning without the emphasis on gifting. It is amazing how much creativity can stem from times of misfortune and how clearly we can be compassionate to the plights of others more when we are ourselves experiencing hardship.

slumping

If you would like a visual representation of how our economy went into crisis mode (aka went down the toilet), I suggest this:

via Mint.

holiday spirit: post 3

Did I mention that I love Christmas music? I do, but I must admit that I'm more than partial to the classics...think Time Life Christmas with Burl Ives, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, all the greats. If you can stream music online, I highly suggest going to Iceberg Radio. Select "Seasonal" from the list and then "Old-Fashioned Christmas" from the expandable menu. It is what I've been listening to for the past couple weeks. All day. Every day. There is a pop-up player so you don't have to keep the main browser window open: quite handy. Also, the player has many other options if you prefer a different type of holiday music, but like I said, I stick with the classics.

Now, thanks to the standard stations that switch over to nonstop Christmas music during the holiday season, I'm able to listen on my way to work, at work from my computer, then on my way home again. Ah, you've got to love that.

NOTE: If you have sense enough to despise the David Bowie/Bing Crosby duet as much as I do, there is also an option to deselect 5 artists (in the pop-up player mode) so that their songs don't appear in your playlist. Whew, no more Ziggy Stardust or Chipmunks messing with my holiday cheer.

holiday spirit: post 2

If you are in need of a dose of Christmas spirit...the real kind, not the kind associated with presents and Santa Claus, I recommend that you seek out the movie The Bishop's Wife. Be sure to watch the 1947 version with Cary Grant and Loretta Young. It is fanciful and wonderful and heartwarming, and it hits all of the aspects of the holiday (good and bad) then winds down into the true meaning of Christmas. I particularly love David Niven's sermon at the end. Also, you can't help but grin at the special effects. A "must watch" for anyone trying to rid themselves of the bah humbugs.

holiday spirit: post 1

I love Christmas. I love the way you hear a Christmas song and you can feel the warmth of it seeping into your bones, heating you from the inside out like a mug full of hot chocolate. I love how people seem a little bit nicer and dig a little deeper into their pockets to help others, even if they can't really spare the money. I love the innocence of the holiday, if you are able to look past all the capitalist trappings.

I'm going to take a break from some of my standard negativity to bring you a series of holiday-inspired posts. Maybe not all holiday-inspired, but I'll share with you some of the things that inspire the feelings of holiday festivity in me.

a little less disgusted

I'm not refreshed, but I am well-rested, or at least I should be. I must still be dealing with a combination of stress and not feeling well by being extremely tired. I fell asleep by 7:00 last night and actually slept pretty well. I only woke up about 4 times last night, which is a vast improvement over the norm of 10. My muscles are still sore, but I think the sleep is helping to give my body time to get back to normal.

Unfortunately, the sleeping a lot thing doesn't help me to get much work done around the house. I've been trying to prepare for the visit of the man's family, who will be doing their Thanksgiving celebration at our house again this year. I will be visiting my family up north, so the man is on his own with the hosting duties. Still, I feel like I should do my part in readying the house for the onslaught of inlaws. I made a lot of progress this past weekend, and in the process decided to reorganize my filing system yet again. I'm beginning to think I should go to rehab for organizational addiction. I wonder if there is such a thing.

Anyway, I leave for my parents' house on Wednesday afternoon and will return home Saturday. This will allow me to bypass all familial gatherings for the man. I'm sure that sounds rude, but it is an effort to avoid irritating conversation. I'm not in the mood to be harassed about marriage right now, which seems to be the favorite line of questioning these days for the man's other side of the family.

All in all, I'm happy to get away for a while and am looking forward to seeing my family again. And I plan on wearing loose-fitting clothing so that I can gorge myself on the Thanksgiving feast.

it figures

It figures that the first accumulating snowfall would happen on a day when the facilities guy is on vacation and I have to open the office building. No replacement or fill-in was sent over so I spent 45 minutes of my morning shoveling snow. I really hate my job today.

Oh, and in the spirit of nothing, I've obviously resolved to return to sporadic blog posting. I also hate my internet connection and my cell phone that won't hold a charge.

and no, that is not my ass

My pelvis is out of alignment again. This is a bad thing. I have to wear a special belt in an attempt to keep the bones from moving, at least until I can get enough muscular strength built back up to keep things together on their own. I haven't posted about the belt, mainly because I hate it. I wear it under my clothes, over my underwear. Underwear, I must add, that is not the type of underwear that I'm accustomed to wearing. I know: too much information. I usually prefer the thong variety of unders, but now am being forced to wear unders with more material so that the belt doesn't rub my skin off. Because nothing says sexy like a flesh-colored belt and chaffed skin. Except maybe a flesh-colored belt over granny-ish panties. Okay, so maybe they aren't quite granny panties, but they are much more modest than I prefer. Below you will see a lovely model wearing the fabulous belt:

She has chosen to wear a bodysuit or leotard of some sort. With nylons? She must be crazy. Anyway, Ms. 80s Workout Video pictured above and I are obviously uncomfortable enough with the belt-wearing that we are forced to make bad wardrobe decisions. The manufacturer says that there is "minimal bulk" associated with the belt, but they lie. Who wants to make their midsection look any bigger than it actually is? Not I. Yet I wear the damned belt daily, all day, only to be freed when I am going to sleep. Also, the material that keeps the belt from sliding, they give it a clever name but it is the same stuff that you use to keep rugs from sliding on the floor or to line cupboards. Last time I checked, I don't keep mugs and plates on my ass.

That sound of velcro you hear in the next bathroom stall? It probably isn't any kind of adult diaper, it is probably some poor soul who is unfortunate enough to have been prescribed to wear a belt under her clothing. And that clothing is probably ill fitting as a result of the belt because either a.) their pants are too tight or b.) their pants are falling down because it feels awfully ridiculous to be wearing two belts at the same time. And that person must now piss every time they even think about a beverage because the stupid belt is constricting their bladder.

I will say that the belt has its good points. Up until this weekend it had been doing its job quite well. Apparently, the belt decided to take a siesta and in the meantime my muscles and bones plotted some sort of revolution. The result of their jubilee is me not being able to stand upright, bend, or breathe without wincing. And yet I still have to wear the belt. Oh, the wonders of modern medicine.

so much for posting daily

I would've posted yesterday, but I would have had to bend down to plug my laptop back in (I'm in the habit of keeping all energy-sucking gadgets unplugged when not in use) and that wasn't an option. I need to train the pets to do those types of things for me. As you may have guessed, I am still in a lot of pain. I opted to stay home from work yesterday so that I could go in to the doctor and get my back/pelvis/hip thing worked on. I have to go back to the doc on Thursday to see if what they did worked and to try again (if the swelling has gone down). I was in a new realm of hurting after the appointment so I decided that lying on the couch with an ice pack under my ass area would be the best medicine. That and taking the pain killers every 4-6 hours, which I must say only served to lull me into a false sense of feeling better. I say false sense, because if I moved so much as an inch expletives began streaming out my mouth as if I had some sort of pain-induced Tourette's.

It's still early and I'm contemplating whether or not to chance going to work today. I don't think there is any way around it and I'm not sure I can take another day cooped up in the house. I've got a ton of work to do and I'm afraid that not going in to work will cause me more stress, which is never a good thing when you already feel like nine kinds of ass.

Too bad I can't work from a supine position. Or in my pajamas.

hurt

I don't know what I did to my pelvis/back/hips since last night, but whatever it was, it wasn't good. I've been sore for the past week, increasingly so since my last physical therapy session, but when I woke this morning I could hardly get out of the bed. Unfortunately, it seems worse than just having "slept on it wrong."

If I wake up tomorrow in a similar state, I think it will require a trip to the physical therapist and possibly the orthopaedic specialist. I'm immobile at best and the pain is worse than I've felt in quite a while. I hope that things are just out of alignment and that the recurring pain doesn't call for more drastic measures. The man has tried to help me to loosen my muscles, using the method that the therapist prescribed, but that doesn't seem to be helping because I cannot make the readjustment myself. I've been in quite a funk due to the pain. It's hard to concentrate and/or to be good company when you feel like shit.

For now, I'm off to take another muscle relaxer and pray for sleep.

was it colder in the 20s?

I just watched The Changeling. I highly recommend it. Clint Eastwood sure has a knack for directing good, yet depressing, films. I must say it is quite refreshing to see a film that doesn't have to rely on sex to keep the plot moving.

I have one issue with the movie, which may not be a legitimate dispute. I'm not sure. Angelina Jolie's character wears heavy coats all throughout the film. The film is set in Los Angeles. In the spring and summer. I assume that it would be too warm to warrant a jacket that heavy, but then again, I've never been to California. I may have found the movie even more interesting had my focus not been repeatedly grabbed by what I consider to be an odd choice of wardrobe. I have two theories for the jacket/gloves combo:

1. Maybe the costumers were just trying to hide how painfully skinny she was.
2. Or it could be because the main character was met by such coldness in the cruel world of the 1920s.

But then again, I may be reading too much into it. That one sticking point aside, it was a very good movie.

porn for women

The bubble reads "As long as I have legs to walk on, you'll never have to take out the garbage." This is a fantasy for most coupled, heterosexual women. Porn is usually a fantasy. Thus, this is porn for women. I bought this book of postcards for my friend Tracy's birthday. You can find it here. Even the man found them funny. I tried explaining that these could be considered "how-to" cards. The man laughed. And that is the case and point for why this is porn for women.

mmmm...minty

I'm very tight when it comes to my budget. I carry around a notebook to record expenditures and track all receipts. I'm probably not normal. As if that is a surprise.

For those of you are not as stringent in tracking your spending, I suggest trying Mint. Mint is a free, online software application that helps you monitor your personal finances. You can track your spending in categories and even compare your spending habits to the average of those in various locations around the country. The software is a safe way to manage all of your online bank accounts in one place, making it a handy way for me to update my own offline budget spreadsheets.

I highly recommend this service. Everyone is pinching their pennies these days, why not use this as a way to keep track of your green?

are you trying to tell me something?

I don't often partake in refreshment from the office candy dish. I did today. This is what my candy told me:
Do you think I should see a doctor? Maybe if I keep smiling, no one will know that I'm the carrier of some sort of pathogen. Thanks for the heads up, Dove.

if i had an extra 20 rolling around...

I'd so buy this:

Maybe I'll just put it on a credit card and call it an election present to myself.

I love the concept - not too in your face, but just enough. Maybe I'll wear it to Thanksgiving with the man's very Republican family. Too snarky? I think not.

get out of my brain

I had four days of software applications trainings at work last week. I, perhaps selfishly, dragged my friend Tracy along with me so that I had someone to help me troubleshoot when no IT staff are present. They are never present, at least not physically and not during my work hours. So, here is my official apology - Tracy, I'm sorry for making you endure the torturous training days. I think I'm being punished for my selfishness.

How am I being punished, you ask? My head. My head is full of images of InfoMaker. My brain is brimming with data. I have now determined that I do not have a head cold. I instead have been struck down with the consequences of my actions and am paying penance for causing someone else to sit through a training that she may never really need. My head is nearly about to explode with FERPA violating material and if it does in fact spew out that confidential information, then I'll be fucked. If you notice a girl sitting in a corner muttering about ID numbers and ethnicities, that's probably me.

How do I know I'm being punished? I've been dreaming about the software program, thinking of tables and criteria and sorting in the between stages of asleep and awake. I thought about it a lot during my sick in bed time: ID numbers, entrance codes, joins, all of the crap that accompanies the reporting software we now use and that I need to utilize on a daily basis. You'd think it would be enough that I spend time each day writing and running these reports, why can't I think of something more interesting while drifting off to dreamland? Maybe something like Johnny Depp. But there is no Johnny Depp for me, instead I have to endure an indefinite amount of data. And data doesn't look good in a pirate's costume.

invalid

This weekend has been a blur. I've not been feeling well so I slept through the majority of it. I seem to have some sort of head cold, the kind where it you can't concentrate and it hurts to read or watch television. Not too fun for a weekend. I woke up this afternoon (from a nap) thinking that I had overslept and missed work. It was only 4:00 pm. I can't even blame any kind of meds because I haven't taken any - just my brain being fuzzy as a result of the damned cold virus.

A number of people have been sick at work lately and I blame them for the propagation of my virus. Of course I'll likely go in to work tomorrow because of the amount of work that must be done, but I'll try to lock myself away in my office as not to contaminate others or scare them with my incoherence.

I realize I'm not too interesting right now - I've got some upcoming projects that I'll chronicle in the coming week.

hello winter, i still don't like you

It's cold. It's rainy. It snowed yesterday. It is officially winter. For as much as I appreciate the changing seasons, the winter is the worst thing about living in the Midwest. I've attempted to convince the man agree that we should move somewhere warmer. Unfortunately, I've managed to find a man who loves everything about the snow. Another testament to the fact that no one is perfect.

For all the faults that I found in Las Vegas - I must admit that the weather is quite a draw. Only 6 more months of winter. If it is as shitty as last winter - over 100 inches of snow - I may die.

oops

So much for one post every day. It seems that at the end of one week I managed to miss a day. To make up for my forgetfulness, I'll be posting two today.

I've been watching True Blood on HBO lately. I must say that I find the show very intriguing. I'm not a believer in vampires and I don't read the many "novels" on and about the subject, but I do find the series to be addictive. I suggest you check it out on Sunday nights at 9:00 pm CST.

my president (elect) could beat up your president

Note: this will be my last election post. I just thought I'd leave you with one last photo.

via http://obama08.tumblr.com/

is obama president?

We did it. Now the countdown begins. This morning is the first morning in my adult life that I awoke with a sense of optimism in regard to the direction of our country. I'm ecstatic that we are months away from having someone in office who is more concerned about the common good than lining his pockets. Congratulations, USA, you've done well.

yes we can

Whomever you agree with, vote for that person. But by all means vote. And if you want to see a better tomorrow, vote Obama.

my kid will bite your kid in the face

We had trick-or-treaters this year. Two of them. They are the demon spawn of one of the man's friends. Let's just say that I'm not too keen on their parenting style, or lack thereof. Not that I know how to parent, but I can honestly say that I would not be a awful as these two individuals.

I did not see the trick-or-treaters, not only because I didn't want to be around their parents (who I am assuming were dressed as bad parents, as that is the attire they choose year-round), but rather because Jammer (who is in essence, my kid) doesn't like kids. These two idiots know this, yet they bring their children over (which is about 15 miles out of the way) because they are mooches and know that we have good candy. Okay, I'm sounding like a bitch here, but I'd have rather just given the man's work friend some candy to take home to his kids, which I did last year because I don't blame the children for their misguided upbringings.

Instead of doing a repeat of last year, which caused no harm to anyone, I had to attempt to keep the dog calm in the upstairs den while the trick-or-treaters were present downstairs with those who decided to bring them into the world. Oh, and I should mention that they were in the house less than five minutes before the 2-year-old wandered off and found his way into the upstairs bathroom...and the parents didn't notice because they were too preoccupied with being incompetent. I must mention that the man was the one who noticed the child missing, and he was likely being observant only because he was waiting to catch the other kid stealing. And the dog, she also noticed the erratic footsteps of the unwelcomed guest upstairs. She noticed by hopping up and down and trying to break down the door while whining and barking and causing my brain to explode.

Needless to say, I if I felt I could actually speak to these people in a language they would understand, this is what I would attempt to convey:

"My kid doesn't like your kids. Your older kid is an ADD-riddled thief who steals each time he comes to the house and he has tried to physically frighten my kid. If you bring your kids back to our house, I am not going to try to rummage through my kid's feces to find the other half of your kid's face."

The end. And this is why I shouldn't have children (at least not the kind that walk upright).

jerk

This morning I watched part of the movie The Jerk, which I had never seen before. As a result, I now have added a half dozen pop culture references to my mental archive. For the first time I now realize why the man licks my face and seems to find it quite amusing. And also why he sometimes calls the dog Shithead...or maybe that is simply because in light of her recent bad behavior and putrid breath, she most certainly has a head chock full of feces.

absence makes the heart go fonder: las vegas volume 1

I must say that Las Vegas was an experience. The views (at night, when you couldn't see how filthy everything was) were truly spectacular.

Here is our view:You can see the water show at the Bellagio in this shot. You can also see the Eiffel Tower and a few other Vegas landmarks in this photo. The man deserves complete credit for this photo. He spent quite a bit of time at the window to get this shot while I was asleep. Slow aperture speeds make timing the pic with the water much more difficult and I doubt I would have had the patience. Given that my camera is closer to the point-and-shoot variety than the man is used to, I am happy with the photo.

I can't say that I miss being in Las Vegas. But I do miss being on vacation and actually having some quiet quality time with the man. Having tasted a bit of freedom, so to speak, has made dealing with the roommate and the constant barrage of phone calls much harder to deal with now that we have settled back into normal mode.

If only we had won big in our gambling endeavors...maybe I would've spent my week at home throwing all of the roommate's belongings into the yard and prank calling all the people unlucky enough to have to work for a living. But alas, I am still encumbered by a large workload and an even larger fatbody of a roommate whose lot in life is to occupy the sofa until we can afford to kick his ass out.

if you are looking for 30 things to do...

I've been quite absent from regular blog posting. As punishment, (for either me or my readers, depending on how you look at it) I'll be posting for NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month). This means I will attempt to post every day in November. That means I'll be posting 30 times in 30 days.

If you are willing to join me, go to the website to sign up. If you want, e-mail me and I'll post a link to your site here as well. I'm thinking I won't have any takers. Most of my friends are a bit committment-phobic.

Oh...I almost forgot. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

things i did in vegas, which did not include getting married

In no particular order:

1. rode on the X-Scream thrill ride. LOVED it! The man was less happy about the whole thing, but I giggled the whole time. I would have loved to go on the ride a few more times.


2. laid out by the pool in the beautiful 80-degree weather...note: not all half-naked people should be half-naked. Contrary to popular belief, there are not that many attractive people in Las Vegas.


3. watched CSI (Las Vegas) in Las Vegas. note: I am a dork.


4. saw numerous hookers...er...escorts.


5. went to Hart and Huntington's tattoo shop at the Palms. Bought a souvenir t-shirt. Did not see Cary Hart (unfortunately).


6. gambled. Lost money. Gambled again. Lost more money.


7. ate some crappy food. note: stay away from Toby Keith's restaurant. Food was awful.


8. ate some good food.


9. shook Elvis' hand. note: I know it wasn't really Elvis.


10. went to the Jimmy Buffett street party and concert. Drank about 7 loaded Landsharks. Wore a hat (made of balloons) shaped like a parrot. If you look closely, you will see that it is a boy parrot.
    
11. people-watched from our upgraded, 18th-floor room. There was a tv in the bathroom mirror, which was pretty cool.
    
12. walked. Window-shopped. Walked some more. Drank. Walked.


13. learned a lot more about the man's family. Now I better understand the good things and the not-so-good things about him.


14. nearly passed out from having walked so damned much.


15. called a few people, pretending to be on our "honeymoon." Laughed a lot.


16. rode in a taxi that almost got into an accident. Learned some profanity in a language I didn't recognize.


17. watched the Bellagio water show. Pretended that I was in Ocean's 11 or 13 - I didn't like 12.


18. saw Pete Rose. In Vegas. Will that man never learn?


19. wore my beautiful new shoes. (I will post a picture next week.)
    
20. realized that the man and I can go on vacation and not get sick of one another. Bonus.

how today is kicking my ass

It is not even 7:00 AM and today is totally kicking my ass. How? Let me tell you. WARNING: Session of whining and bitching ahead.

Today we are celebrating a coworker's birthday so I made rice krispie treats with M&M candies. I was proud of myself. I was able to inexpensively make a delicious treat for my coworkers. I did the shopping and the cooking as soon as I got done with work. Yay me.

This morning, while I am getting ready for work, the man comes upstairs to inform me that the bitch of a dog pulled the tray of treats off of the counter and proceeded to eat half of them. And they have chocolate in them. And she knocked over the garbage can. She is a bitch.

I did not have time to make new treats before work so I had to go spend $8 on cookies. $8 that would've been spent on something in my budget, like gasoline or an oil change. But now, that $8 will be going into the maws of my coworkers. That is something that I don't mind, as they are my friends and I wanted to bring them treats. The only thing is that my dog is a massive bitch and she cannot be trusted. Ever. I know it is bad to be pissed off at an animal, as they do not have a concept of time similar to humans and likely don't understand lingering anger. I can't help it. She's gotten into the garbage a handful of times in the past months and now she's grabbing food off of the counter (off the way back of the counter, mind you). I think she needs an intervention. And I don't like her very much right now. Which is yet another example of why I shouldn't have children.

Oh, and I've gained over 5 pounds since my pelvis has been out of alignment again. Gaining weight makes me feel like ass. And it makes my ass bigger. And the physical therapist is severely limiting my activity. And I am hating my dog today. Today is totally kicking my ass.

theme song

Lately I've been loving the song "Mushaboom" by Feist (music video here). I particularly like these lines from the lyrics:

Unpacking the bags and setting up
And planting lilacs and buttercups
But in the meantime I've got it hard
Second floor living without a yard
It may be years until the day
My dreams will match up with my pay

You may know that I'm generally not a fan of female singers. I've written about Feist before, I like her voice because it is unique, though I'm not sure I could listen to an entire album straight through without getting sick of it. The lyrics of this particular song are optimistic, yet realistic at the same time. That's how I feel about my life right now. This song is my perfect theme song for fall 2008.

finally

Design*sponge has finally done a Madison design guide. Click here to see it.

Note: I absolutely love the design*sponge blog. It includes sneak peaks into designer/artist homes and links to new trends and items. Check it out if you are in need of some interior design inspiration.

a tisket, a tasket, put your f*ing clothes in that laundry basket

The house is a sty. The man is winning his battle against the clothes hamper in the bedroom - clothing is strewn everywhere. Even over the doors of the closets and on the cat's bed. This weekend I'm going to have to try to wrangle him into the realization that if he would like the lovin' to continue, he has to at least attempt to place dirty clothes IN THE FUCKING BASKET. Right now, as I type these words, the basket is sitting there empty, with a moat of dirty clothing all around it. That laundry basket is the castle keep of laundry baskets, an impenetrable fortress.

This weekend will be all about cleaning the house, or rather, urging the man to do his own laundry, relinquish control and allow me to do his laundry, or wake to find himself being smothered by the weight of his dirty clothing. I may even stuff a sock in his mouth for good measure.

conversation upon my homecoming

Me: did you just wink at me?

The man: yes

Me: since when do you wink at people?

The man: that's just for you. I don't do that for anyone else.

Me: okay...

The man: I'll give a thumbs up or a wave to just about anyone, but that wink, baby, that wink is just for you.

Sweet? Yes. Out of the ordinary? Definitely. I don't know if leaving the man alone for four days is such a good idea. I will spare you the details of how he kept feeling me up, claiming that he was checking to see if my t-shirt was printed or if the logo was an iron-on. That, too, was followed by a wink.

best yet

I'm back. I've been absent due to overload of work and (if you can believe this) extra-curricular activities.

I had the best birthday ever. Seriously. Ever in my life. Perfect day, perfect gifts, perfect boyfriend making it a perfect day. It was wonderful. I have fabulous friends.

In the weeks since I've posted I've been somewhat stressed due to work and hip problems, but I've been in good spirits. I'm liking being 27. I think it is a good age, and so far it has brought me many happy times.

I bought my first items off Craigslist the other day, and it was a fabulous purchase. I bought a bed frame and 9-drawer dresser for $45. I threw in an extra $20 so they would deliver to my house (after determining that they weren't crazy wack-job nutters). I love the dresser/mirror and I'm happy enough with the bed. We already had a nice mattress, but it is a full-size and I wanted to upgrade the headboard (or lack thereof) as cheaply as possible. Some day we might get a queen, but right now our Serta is fine with me. Anyway, I didn't want to spend a lot of money and I got away with a pretty good result for very little expenditure or effort. Photos to come.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Detroit for my nephew's baptism. I'm taking Amtrak, which is another first for me. While in Europe I took EuroRail everywhere, but I've never been on a train in the US, so I'm a little nervous. I figure if I could handle the trains in a variety of countries where I didn't speak the language, I should be fine here. Taking a train will allow me the option of getting up to walk around intermittently, which in turn will allow my legs to function by the time I roll into Ann Arbor.

I'll post more when I get back and will have photos to share with you.

old maid

Hi. I turn 27 tomorrow and up until this very minute I wasn't very happy about the impending birthday. For some reason I'm now super-excited about being 27. I'm thinking it is a good year, a good time for change, a good excuse to make changes to improve myself and my happiness.

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday weekend. I'll fill you in on all the latest when I return.

you're my only hope

Well, it is finally Friday. That means there are only seven more days until I can go to the physical therapist and he can readjust my pelvis back into place. And hopefully I'll be a fully-functional human again.

As for the weekend, I'm going to move as little as possible. I don't know if I can do much more than menial tasks around the house, but I'm not going to complain. I'm going to watch the NetFlix movies that have been sitting on my coffee table for the past month. And possibly finish more of my thesisn't. But that may require sitting, which isn't in my "lie on the couch all weekend" plan. We'll see.

As for you, I hope you have a splendid weekend full of running, jumping, jungle-gym sexcapades, and kickboxing. I'm going to live vicariously through you.

maladies #9: oh, how i've missed you

Some of you may remember this post from almost exactly a year ago. The post wherein I explain that my pelvis was all wonky and subsequently one of my legs was longer than the other. I proceeded to go to weekly physical therapy sessions for up through last November, when, um...I stopped going because I had more pressing medical concerns (see this post regarding the heart issue which made me nearly insane).

Anyway, to sum it up: I stopped going to the physical therapist. I should not have. And now due to a weekend of indentured servitude to my parents I am once again left with a wonky pelvis and one leg wanting to be longer than the other. Oh, and the pain is the unbearable, throbbing, makes you sweat if you think about it pain. Yay. And I have to go back to the physical therapist and get chastised for not continuing to see him. I did the exercises he prescribed, I just didn't go in for follow-up appointments. I was wrong, and now I'm being punished.

The "injury" happened August 13 and I can't get in to the therapist until August 29. There was too much lifting, twisting, and standing on concrete. I thought the issue would resolve itself, that my pelvis would magically shift back into place. It didn't. The pain has gotten progressively worse and I'm now wishing I had made my therapy a priority over work responsibilities. If I had taken the time out of my workday to actually continue going to the therapist, this wouldn't have happened. Hindsight is 20/20 - but now I can barely see through the pain.

I'm not whining, though it may sound as though I am. I am just so disappointed that I put myself into this situation again. And moreso I'm frustrated that as I quickly approach my 27th birthday, ultimately no progress on my medical/hip situation has been made.

the musicians, not the sugary treats

If Cake and Eminem had a baby, it would sound like this. I'm loving this song right now and can't wait to hear more from Flobots.

a bit edgier than normal

A very perceptive coworker has heard a very tense tone in my voice this week. I say very perceptive because I haven't confided in this coworker about anything other than a general distaste for a few aspects of my job. It is true, I've been edgier than normal. And tense. And stressed.

Lately I've been contemplating the future. My future. My future career and where I want to be. More importantly, why am I not there yet?

A lunch date with a friend/former coworker has helped me to put my life into perspective. It is always amazing to me that I can meet with this friend for a few minutes and walk away from the conversation with an entirely different attitude about the goings-on of my life. It is one of the things I like most about her. I've reached a conclusion: I might not be sure about where I want to be, but I know why I'm not there yet. I've set unreasonable limits on myself and on my career aspirations. I've been content to stay in the same place and be unhappy without trying to better my situation. This is not how my personality usually manifests itself. Because I'm not normally one to just wade in despair without seeking change, I've been making myself even more miserable and in turn I'm projecting my misery onto those around me, whether they are already dreary or not. I'm a downer and I don't want to be a downer anymore.

It seems that it is about time that I take the advice I'd been dishing out to my friend Kristen for the past couple years - do what you need to do to make yourself happy. Make happiness a priority. I haven't quite figured out how to do that, but I'm going to try.

goodbye to a friend

Estelle Getty of Golden Girls died today. This is a very sad day. I've been a fan of the show, and particularly of the quick-witted and snarky character Sophia Petrillo, since it aired in reruns after school while I was in late elementary and middle school. Perhaps not the best choice of subject matter for a preteen girl, but I loved the show and forged a connection with the characters.

Ever present in my life, this show ran in syndication while I was in college and got me through many sleepless nights. It has been a constant source of comfort throughout my life, always there waiting on the Lifetime channel to be a good friend when I needed it. A shared love for the show cemented my friendship with Kristen, whom I plan to someday live with when we are old and widowed and golden.

Goodbye, Estelle, and thank you for being a friend.

one, two, three

You may notice a slight change in the layout of my blog. I had noticed it was quite heavy with sidebar content, so I decided to utilize a 3-column layout to alleviate the need to scroll down.

what i'm listening to these days

I've finally got a pretty good playlist going at Project Playlist, the wonderfully amazing site where you can set up a music rotation free of charge. I'm sure many of you are already using this marvelous site, but if not, go set up the 2008 version of a mix tape. Mine is here, if you are interested in what I've been listening to while at work lately. I've kept it rather mellow and work appropriate. Unfortunately, a number of the indie bands I like are not available through this service, at least not yet. Anyway, check it out for a random sampling of what gets me through the day.

For those of you who don't share my taste in music, I've spared you by not loading the playlist directly to this site. There is a link in the left sidebar if you are so inclined to visit it often. Also, it makes it easier for you to check my blog from work without alerting the others in the cube farm.

wisconsin welcomes you!

I'm happy today. No, I didn't win the lottery. Yes, I'm going to go to work. No, I'm not taking Prozac. Then, why am I happy, you ask? My wonderful friend Kristen is moving back to the land of cheese from her eight year stint in what I consider the state of discontent (also known as Minnesota). I know, not all of MN is bad, just the part where I lived during the time in which I lived there.

Anyway, as I said earlier, Kristen will soon be moving back to her homeland due to a new job opportunity. Yay for her! I couldn't be happier. She'll still be a few hours away, but she will be much closer, and the distance will be much more bearable than the 7 hour drive into hell had been.

I'm planning to help her and her devil dog Ella (her description, not mine) unpack in a few weeks. I foresee many fun weekends in the future. Our college years were a study in frugality - it is amazing all of the things we did without a lot of money. Three years later, we are still slaves to a budget, but we are older and wiser and hopefully even more creative in how to pinch pennies. Perhaps I'll even stop acting like a 70-year-old shut-in.

what color are you?

i am lawngreen #7CFC00

Your dominant hues are green and yellow. There's no doubt about the fact that you think with your head, but you don't want to be seen as boring and want people to know about your adventurous streak now and again. Your saturation level is very high - you are all about getting things done. The world may think you work too hard but you have a lot to show for it, and it keeps you going. You shouldn't be afraid to lead people, because if you're doing it, it'll be done right. Your outlook on life is bright. You see good things in situations where others may not be able to, and it frustrates you to see them get down on everything.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

living room wrestling entertainment

Yesterday when I got home from work, the house was empty with the exception of the dog and cat. I decided, for some odd reason, that it was the perfect time to clip the dog's toenails. Perhaps it was because the clippers were in the same drawer as the scissors I was looking for to snip the end off of my icy pop. No, the scissors and dog nail clippers were not touching, as that would be gross.

So, there I was, wearing the dress I had worn to work, preparing to give the dog a pedicure on the living room floor. The first three feet were a breeze, she didn't mind at all. The front left paw, however, is a different story. That paw is the paw she licks ALL THE TIME, despite me spraying it with some sort of anti-lick potion that obviously does not work. In other words, that paw is apparently tender, or magical, or something, and she didn't want me to go near it with the clippers. I was not going to leave the dog with some nasty looking, 3/4 finished pedicure. I wouldn't paint the nails on my toes and one hand, leaving the other hand to look sad and bedraggled and I wasn't going to allow my dog to walk around that way either.

If you had entered the living room at the time of the last paw nail-cutting, this is what you would have seen: a 26-year old woman in a dress sitting atop an Australian shepherd dog who is writhing and twisting to escape the wrath of the nail cutter. Jammer escaped multiple times and I grabbed her by the back legs so she couldn't run away. The sofa sectional is subsequently stumbled into and separated into two pieces. My foot is wedged under the coffee table and the dog is using her untrimmed toenails to drag herself by one leg away from me. The poor cat is sitting atop the sofa with a concerned look on his face.

The dog breaks free, leaving me a wrecked contortion of a person on the floor with an assortment of clippings stuck to my bare leg. (Now is the time I wish I would've turned the air conditioning on before striking out on this endeavor.) This battle continues for at least another ten minutes, rolling and twisting across the living room floor, me jumping up to get a better hold on the dog, the dog turning into a boneless, flailing beast that is able to thwart my every grip. Finally, Jammer breaks free. We are left looking like two gunfighters in a duel at high noon: the dog panting, sitting on one side of the chaise lounge and me, pissed off and looking like a hot mess on the other side of the chaise. It was time to bargain.

Me: Now listen, I'll give you a treat. Do you want a treat?

Jammer: [head cocked to the side, liking the sound of the word treat, proceeds to jump excitedly onto the chaise]

Me: I see you want the treat. You can't have it until you let me cut your other nails. Come here and sit down. [all this is said in my sweetest possible voice, though I'm sure it was said through clenched teeth and I was all the while prepared to lunge across the chaise and grab the bitch by the collar - literally, she's a bitch, I wasn't really being that derogatory]

Jammer: [turns head to other side, begrudgingly gets down from the chaise and sits next to me as if it was no big deal at all]

Me: You realize that if I weren't overjoyed by your agreement I'd be extremely pissed that you didn't just agree to letting my cut your damned nails, which I've been trying to do for 25 fucking minutes, before I mentioned the word treat.

Jammer: [again, looks at me because all she heard was "blah blah blah treat"]

I proceed to cut her nails while she sits unbothered. After I have finished she takes off like a rocket into the kitchen where the treats are stowed in a cupboard. She is no worse for the wear, while I am a sweaty mess of dress and flesh and dog hair. If this isn't considered parenthood, then you can go fuck yourself.

it has begun

I spoke on the phone to a very good friend last night. I friend from graduate school who once stayed with me in my one bedroom apartment for a while after her divorce. That is how good of a friend she is. This friend is now pregnant, and while I'm quite happy for her and her husband, it is marking new stage in my life as well. What is that stage, you ask? The stage where the friends I have chosen in my adult life are now choosing to create babies on purpose.

I don't dislike kids, I just dislike the thought of kids coming out of my body and then wanting me to take care of them. I like my nephews (more posting about the holiday weekend will follow when the thought of the events of the weekend stops making me throw up in my mouth a little). I am not worried about this particular friend changing as a result of the baby, but I do worry that I'm about to become that friend "who doesn't understand because she doesn't have kids."

I've had friends with children before, but they have always already had the children when we've become friends. And yet, I've still become "the friend who doesn't understand."

The question is, how do you "understand" when you are purposely protecting yourself to avoid ever having to "understand" what it is like to be a parent?

i love it when you call me big poppa

This week has been interesting in terms of children and the man. We attended a familial baptism party on Sunday for the man's cousin's spawn (yes, that was hard to follow). There was an abundance of children running around: not our idea of a fun time. The cousin's 3-year old kid, when asked if he knew the man's name, quickly called him"Daddy!" I was out of the room, but I guess it was quite humorous. At least for everyone other than the man. Then the kid realized it wasn't his dad and called the man by his name. Still, weird situation.

It is also evident that the man's father wants to be a grandfather. As the man's half-brother will not be impregnating anyone until they develop an XBox with a sex hole, the burden lies solely on us. Me and the man. Procreation. Needless to say, this is not going to be happening. I like my sex to be recreational. Anyway...the man's father keeps asking us when we are going to fill the house with kids and get rid of the roommate. Again, not going to happen. The roommate behaves like a child and that is about all we can bear. This event once again epitomizes the reasons why I don't enjoy the man's family gatherings.

As for awkward situations with family members, here's another: On my last visit to my parents, I was cornered by my dad and questioned in regard to "my future." Questions flew in regard to when the man would ask me to marry him, why he hasn't asked me yet, and how my dad can't die until I'm "settled." Keep in mind that my father is 54 years old and is in near-perfect health. I told him that if he plans on dying after I get married, I won't get married for another 35 years. Also, I reminded him that he raised me to be independent and not to need a man to support me...I guess that all backfired now that he wants more grandkids and a married daughter.

Did I mention that we are going to visit my parents and attend a family reunion for the 4th of July? Well, we are...with the side of the family who believes in marriage before sex. And despite me not knowing half of them, these distant relatives all seem to feel comfortable asking me when I'll get hitched. I think I'm going to laminate a sign and stick it to my back reading as follows:

1. My name is Trish.
2. The uncomfortable-looking guy standing next to me is my boyfriend.
3. Yes, he's quite a bit older than I am.
4. We live in sin.
5. We like it.
6. We don't know if we'll get married.
7. We don't want kids. Even though I know we have the potential to make beautiful children.
8. Note: If you talk about your kids, I'll talk about my cat and dog as if they are as important as your children.
9. I graduated from college a couple years ago. I'm not done with my master's thesis yet.
10. I have a job. I only like it sometimes.
11. My boyfriend has a job, which he likes most of the time.
12. Did you notice that my brother is here and he has two kids whom I'm sure he would love to talk about? Yes, you should go look for him.

I'm thinking the items above will cover all the normal questions that nosy family members like to ask. And, as an added bonus, I'm directing people to harass my brother, who has had the fortune of living out of the state and missing the last five family reunions. He must be punished.

It'll be nice to be home for a couple days and to see my brother and his family. I hope the man and I live through it.

things i need to know

And I thought I was cheaper than this:

$5190.00The Cadaver Calculator - Find out how much your body is worth.

I'm glad to see that I can still fetch a pretty awesome sum - at least enough to pay off my credit cards. Time to rethink that insurance policy and go with cadaver mongering.

Moving on...you know my distaste for most children and my fear of anything in large numbers? Well, the survey I took below gave me information that could one day save my life in the event of the above dislike/fear combo confronting me on the street:

20
You know, it is always good to know your limits. As long as our school system keeps a cap on kindergarten class enrollments, I'll be safe. (thanks goes out to Tracy, who supplied me w/ the links)

ready

I just spent five minutes trying to determine if a piece of debris on my desk was the product of vigorous pencil erasing or the carcass of a dead bug. I am so ready to be on vacation from work until Tuesday.

P.S. it was scraping from the pencil eraser.