day out with Mr. Toddlerpants

I figure as long as he doesn't mind sitting in his stroller, we'll go places and do things so he can calmly see nice things. A couple days after his birthday, he and I went to Como Park in St. Paul. Truth be told, I was also hoping to catch a whiff of the "corpse flower" but it was gone from the conservatory by then.

This. Blog. Bores. Me.

Once I figure out what to do with it I'll get back to posting but in the meantime, feel free to visit for the COUNTDOWN TO VEGAS CLOCK!! WOO HOO!!!

MySpace Countdown

Jury Doodie

I'm not needed for jury duty, like not at all...I called the info line and they've no use for group "C" so I didn't even have to show up for the selection process. Aces.

civ-ACK duty

Back when I worked in The Office I'd have loved to have been on call for jury duty but then again I'd probably come back to a healthy dose of "you're the worst employee we've ever had, please do your share in writing a departmental procedure handbook and oh by the way, we've promoted your favorite team member, ol' snoozy pants tea break taker, to work director" when I got back.

I'll post about how it goes. Ten bucks says they'll want nothing to do with me.

Charles already likes books (that's my boy)...#1 son spared the marshmallow-on-a-stick-snowman's face...I still like to cook (German Christmas dinner, hideous looking punch, New Year's Day traditional good luck dinner...we had lots of fun with Mr. Snowman and the holidays were as happy as they could be, welcome 2008.

a message for the neighbor

Disclaimer: Living in the sticks isn't the worst thing in the world. It's generally quiet and usually a short car ride from wherever we may need to go on a regular basis. This message is for all the "Beths" in the world who can't mind their own damn business and seem to thrive on the misfortune of others.

Dear Beth,

I now know where the "nosy neighbor" stereotype comes from, it comes from you. You know full freaking well that my husband and I aren't big into living in suburbia, that we're here as a result of a housing choice made long before I came to living here.

When I stopped at the neighbor's garage sale at the end of the summer and introduced myself to her I was a little put off that she knew which house I lived in, how many children I have and how old they are. Let's see, how would she know that? I never met her in my life.

You know we are "hi"/"bye" people in this neighborhood. Our philosophy is that we do not live in a townhouse so there's no reason to coexist to the point of downright friendliness and familiarity for the sake of an association. If your curiosity must be satisfied regarding our social lives...my husband loves his work and does most of his socializing there, we are getting involved in our church/school and I have a handful of friends I communicate with on a regular basis.

Now, to the point...this message is all about how you told my husband yesterday about the tragic loss of our yard-behind neighbor's infant. You actually approached my husband as soon as he came home from work and ambushed him with the horrible news as he was bringing the garbage cans up the driveway. WHAT??? We barely even knew she was pregnant! How is that our business?

I've asked you about your "mom's club", I've asked you about who you use as a babysitter and you don't share ANY information about such things, things that are positive and productive. You even snickered on my son's first day of school about how far we have to drive to bring him there.

To your (and your husbands) credit, we can trust each other to be normal enough to do small favors when you/we are out of town so thanks for that but please, keep the garish, gauche gossip to yourself. I would think that you have FOUR CHILDREN would keep you busy enough to mind your own business, two does it for me!


Sincerely,
Hotdish

nada

Seriously, I can't think of a single thing to post about. I'll spare you another account of driving through Wisconsin.

Remember, two heads are better than one. That is, unless they're both talking to Ralph on the big white phone during a holiday dinner. One, two...AH AH AH!!!

You have a nice day.

Thursday's thoughts and theories

There is no such animal as an "open door policy" in an office, anything you say can and likely will be held against you. Carry on.

hair and now

having Mr. Toddlerpants did a number on my hair which is why it's so short right now...I don't mind it short but prefer it long...like this:


Oh wait, those are extensions.

~photo: waiting in line @ the Washington Monument, May 2005

Thursday's thoughts and theories

Obviously if it's been 20 years since I graduated high school then it's been 20 years since I was eighteen years old. If I could redo a good dozen of those years between then and now I surely would...and not even with that "knowing what I know now" crap people say either.

So, I realize not many people read this blog but if you do and you're between the ages of 18 and 30 and don't have a bunch of grown up obligations already...THESE REALLY ARE THE YEARS TO MAKE IT ALL ABOUT YOU. If you have the slightest inkling that you should do one or more of the following, do it/them!

1) Travel
2) quit your lousy job and do something you love instead, even if it means having two jobs you love to make ends meet
3) go to school
4) break up with the jackass you're dating
5) ANYTHING as long as it's not illegal or immoral

Best wishes.

post #200

I have to get packing....off to the Land of Lincoln in the morning, again. Birdie will be minding the store.

image from irlgov.ie

cons and pros

Here are the cons: I knew it was time to leave "the office" when I...

1) started to wear noise cancelling earphones all day long
2) gained 30 lbs and elastic waistbands and black clothing became my friends
3) clockwatched (click photo the photo of Parker and Toni and if you like a good office/indie movie, rent it)
4) cared and got offended about the fact that there's such a thing as office politics
5) got busted crying over personal matters beyond my control (death of a loved one included)
6) realized I should have been keeping a log and recording conversations

Pros: All was well because I...

1) was allowed to wear noise cancelling earphones all day long
2) had okay health insurance
3) worked across the street from a nice Starbucks
4) learned a thing or two about people
5) actually don't care that they heard/saw me
6) can't think of a pro, I really should have done that

For ten years I worked there to pay most of the bills (thanks to my mom's generosity, she was proud of me and showed me so by making sure all of my ends were met $)...a lot of people would love to have an opportunity to work a steady schedule (M-F, 8-5 give or take) but it was becoming the death of me.
It may not seem like it by some of the content in this blog but I rarely think about the place anymore. The more time passes, the less I remember about my time there and for that I'm grateful. The thirty pounds are now gone, my nerves are much more steady and Starbucks is just a car ride away.

And these children that you spit on...

I was tired of looking at the word "church" in the name of my blog. It offended me, LOL.

What the he11 happened to my Bowie collection? Another Yetti incident I'm guessing.

Thursday's thoughts and theories

I went to my neurologist of eight years for my semi-annual appointment on Tuesday. I have a condition called Dopa-responsive Dystonia which means that on occasions I shake, have slurred speech and my motor skills are a bit ephed up (very relaxing and fun to explain to people who think it's worthy of commentary).

I found out at my previous (lengthy and test-intensive) appointment that I do NOT have carpal tunnel. That is great because I'm guessing the place that used to cut me a paycheck wouldn't be interested in retro-paying disability for damage done while sitting in the sh!ttiest cubicle known to man in their fine institution. I have, however, been diagnosed with sciatica which has sent me reeling to the chiropractor and on the recommendation of the same neurologist at the same previous appointment, to physical therapy.

As far as Tuesday's visit...it seems I have the DRD as under control as it can possibly be these days and I attribute the change to the fact that I no longer work in the aforementioned pants environment and switching to (mostly) decaffeinated beverages (neurologist's orders again, go figure). I only left with samples of migraine medication for those once-a-week-eyeball-to-neck- and-beyond zingers that leave me helpless to the point of tears.

Are you in constant pain? Instead of telling a bunch of people who can't relate and as a result think you're a drama queen, see a competent neurologist or MD that specializes in your brand of pain.

Image from Wikipedia's definition for cubicle.

Welcome China Dragon

A Chinese takeout has opened near us named China Dragon. There's nowhere good to eat around here that isn't an oversaturated chain restaurant so it's nice to have something different as an option. The food is fresh and good unlike the competition further into town who sold their soul to the buffet-going crowd by taking on more square footage and less concern for how the food tastes...but the buffet does have crab legs floating in the chaffing dishes on the weekends. Minnesota...well known for great seafood.

Sad that I post such things, I know, but it's a ray of hope for us in the "sticks" as it was so nicely described as I was telling someone at the reunion where I live.

rhymes with crappy

I thought there would be no harm in adding a little extra shine to my recent hair coloring before the reunion and since I had a $2 coupon, I went with Shine Happy from Clairol. Basically, after ten minutes of the noxious concoction on my head, my color was stripped and my hair felt like straw. It was as if I had just used Sun In for that sassy brassy effect.
A special thank you to John Frieda for inventing luminouscolor Glaze because as you can see from the photos in the previous post, using that in the 11th hour saved my bacon. File the glaze under things I like.

Click this sentence for a fabulous blog reviewing the Clairol stuff.

stop schmop

Since I don't watch local news and the only paper that can be delivered to the hinterlands is the enemy paper (which we don't get in more ways than one), I had no idea about the new law here in the land of 10,000 crap drivers...stop signs are now optional! I know this because while driving yesterday at least eight vehicles rolled right through them as I was driving by intersections at anywhere from 40 to 55 mph!!! Isn't that great? Perhaps they should consider outlawing octagons all together!!!

today's date: 10-4

click for links to cb recordings from the 60s & 70s, not for those who are easily offended...if you can get through it you'll find it's pretty much a case of the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Arizona and the virtues of water

It's been 15 years since I lived in Arizona. I love Arizona. I don't think I'd like living in Phoenix anymore (suburban sprawl, you can get that anywhere). I liked the extreme/dry heat and the diverse terrain.

Drinking water wasn't the chore it is now, I drank it ALL THE TIME and I was a size 6. I actually went to a store that was called "Water N' Ice" to get refills in my water bottle (it was long before the bottled water phenomenon of today). LOL, nobody knows how I weigh a mere 9 lbs. more than that now and feel like sh!t ALL THE TIME so I'm going back to agua. Anyway, here's a couple people who mean the world to me visiting Arizona and a bit about H2O.


Ten benefits of drinking water, taken from lifehack.org

* Get Healthy Skin
* Flush Toxins
* Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Attack
* Cushion And Lube Your Joints And Muscles
* Get Energized And Be Alert
* Stay Regular
* Reduce Your Risk Of Disease And Infection
* Regulate Your Body Temperature
* Burn More Fat And Build More Muscle
* Get Well