Lyrics in my head

Come back to Texas
It’s just not the same since you went away
I bet you missed your exit
and drove right on through the Lone Star State
There's a seat for you at the rodeo
and I've got every slow dance saved
Besides the Mexican food sucks north of here anyway
- Ohio (Come back to Texas), Bowling for Soup

If I could I relive those days
I know the one thing that would never change......

Every memory of looking out the back door
I have a photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It's hard to say, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

Every memory of walking out the front door
I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for
Its hard to say, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

Look at this photograph
Everytime I do it makes me laugh
Everytime I do it makes me......
- Photograph, Nickelback

Four take 2

In honor of Shaych's addition

Four Favorite Books:
1. Prayer for Owen Meany
2. Wicked
3. All Quiet on the Western Front
4. The Great Gatsby

Jimmy Stewart is cool

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

I Believe

The Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again played last night in my living room. My favorite part is always when all four comedians (Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White, Larry the Cable Guy, and Bill Engvall) are up on stage finishing off the show. This particular show was actually filmed in Denver (which is just funny).

Some of the funny lines:

I believe that anyone who wants to wear a thong should go through an application process. - Bill Engvall

I believe you show me a three year old running around the flea market in just their underwear drinking Coca Cola from a baby bottle and I'll show you a future NASCAR fan. - Jeff Foxworthy

I believe guns don't kill people, husbands that come home early do. - Larry the Cable Guy

Ron White ended the segment with this verse:

I believe if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade and try to find someone who's life has given them vodka and have a party.

I love Netflix.

Take Four

I got tagged by EDog for this meme. Have fun!

Four jobs you have had in your life:

1. Teacher’s assistant @ daycare
2. Customer Claims Auditor
3. Sales Support Coordinator
4. Account Reconciliation Specialist
   

Four movies you would watch over and over:

1. The Princess Bride
2. The Mummy (1999)
3. It’s a Wonderful Life
4. To Kill a Mockingbird

(this was hard to drill down, and now I want to watch them all tonight)

Four places you have lived:

1. Schaumburg, IL
2. Lakewood, CO
3. Aurora, CO
4. Ft Collins CO
   

Four TV shows you love to watch:

1. Quantum Leap
2. X-Files
3. Firefly
4. Medium
   

Four places you have been on vacation:

1. San Diego, CA
2. Saco, ME
3. Glenwood Springs, CO
4. Vancouver, BC, CA

Four websites you visit daily:

1. Various Blogs
2. Yahoo
3. Gmail
4. Work website

Four of your favorite foods:

1. Nice medium rare ribeye steak
2. Mushroom Swiss cheeseburger
3. Steamed broccoli
4. Deviled Eggs

Four places you would rather be right now:

1. On a beach watching the tide come in
2. Out on my porch reading a book
3. Playing cards with friends
4. At a rock concert singing along

Four places you'd love to visit:

1. Ireland
2. Paris
3. Rome
4. St Petersburg
   

Four foods you don't like:

1. Tomatoes (in any form really)
2. Spicy peppers
3. Onions
4. Raw Tuna in sushi

Four friends I am tagging that I think will respond:

1. Girlzoot
2. Shaych
3. Mitch
4. Dave, whenever he gets a blog… :)

Intelligent Shoes

Sometimes I think it’s cruel giving machines a personality. My mate Petersen once bought a pair of shoes with artificial intelligence. Smart Shoes they were called. It was a neat idea. No matter how blind drunk you were they could always get you home. Well, he got ratted one night in Oslo, and he woke up the next morning in Burma. See the shoes got bored just going from the local to his flat. They wanted to see the world, like, yanno. He had a hell of a time getting rid of them. No matter who he sold them to, they’d show up the next day. He tried to shake them off, but they’d just kick the door down, yanno.

Is this true?

Yeah, last thing he’d heard, they’d sort of robbed a car and driven it into a canal. They couldn’t steer, ya see.

Really?

Yeah. Petersen was really really blown away about it. He went to see a priest. The priest told him that it was alright. He said the shoes were happy and they’d gone to heaven. Ya see, it turns out shoes have ‘souls’.

Oh, what a sad, sad story. Wait a minute… How did they open the car door?

Dave Lister / Arnie Rimmer
Red Dwarf Queeg

Christmas in July?

I'm listening to my iTunes party shuffle tonight, trying to get some juices flowing for writing on my sadly neglected novel. Admittedly, I am using most of my time catching up on favorite blogs, playing a little word game online, and doing a bit of chatting with friends.

So imagine my surprise when We Wish You a Merry Christmas starts pouring through my computer speakers. Here I am sweltering in the heat with a fan pouring directly on me, and a Christmas song just shocks me out of my flow. Thank goodness I hadn't been writing at that moment; it would have turned from spring into winter by the end of the paragraph!

After flipping to the next song, I start hunting out all my holiday type songs and unchecking them. Now, I realize that the genre is defaulted when the music is downloaded or imported. I just couldn't believe the various genres my holiday music spanned. From Country to Electronica/Dance. Sweet! That means I'm eclectic, right?? Or maybe it's eccentric?

I'm due for my NyQuil (we love you, you giant fucking Q!) so I shall bid you all adieu.

Sweet Dreams.

A Toothy Matter

Today, I went to the dentist to get a filling. I haven't had a filling since I can't remember when, but I was probably in high school. For those of you keeping score at home, that's been a few years. Anyway, my hygienist, Kaylee (she's very sweet and I love her name!), told me that she thinks that one of my tooth-colored fillings had chipped at the edge and they just needed to reseal it. It didn't hurt when she found it, so that was a good sign.

I got to the dentist today and within half an hour I had a new filling. The dentist didn't recommend anesthesia and I agreed. He told me I could stop him any time and get it numbed up if I wanted. He proceded to drill in my tooth, which sounded awful and loud, but didn't hurt a bit. He filled the hole with the funny smelling sealant stuff and was done before I even had a chance to think it might hurt. I had a completely painless procedure. Right now, I still can't believe it was so easy. Truthfully, I don't want another cavity. If I have to have one, I sure hope it is as easy as this one was.

Color Quiz

Here's a quiz I found on EDog's blog. I'll leave it to you to determine how accurate this is. Most of you who read my blog would have a good idea.

Arcadiajoy took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test! "Seeks an affectionate relationship, offering fulfi..." Click here to read the rest of the results.

Back to Work Tomorrow

After the nice long and relaxing (mostly) weekend I just had, it's hard to get ready to go back to work. Ah well, I have to eat, and the kitties tell me that they have to as well.

Check out my nifty word counter in my side bar. I'll update it every day that I write. This time around I'm not going to post my novel as I'm going, but I'll post any little snippets here that I think are spiffy.

Since I do have to work tomorrow, and I am tired already, I bid you all good night. Sweet dreams.

Happy July!

Today is the first day of July, and the first day of EDog's 100 Days Novel challenge. I'm feeling frisky today (and have been working on plotting it for over a week) so I'm going to start. The goal is to write an 80,000 word novel in 100 days (July 1 to October 8, roughly). I have a rough outline, that I am going to continue to work on in parallel to writing the actual novel. I figure I can get the rest of the plotting work done in a week or so, and I won't be THAT far into the actual story to make the changes I anticipate from the background work I've already done.

On another note, I did not get the job that I had interviewed for a few posts back. Thanks to everyone who gave me moral support. I will keep my eyes out for a new challenge as I go boldly forward in the position I already hold. In this uncertain job market, I am quite pleased to have a good job with benefits, my true desire is to find something that is a challenge to me, as I have been doing a similar job in the last three companies I've worked for. And I wouldn't scoff at a sweeter compensation package, or more growth opportunity, either, mind you. I appreciate everyone's good thoughts and I will keep you up to date if anything else comes along.

Now that I've made a little post, I'm going to set up my word counter and get to work on the novel.

Longest Day

I usually put out the quote from The Great Gatsby on the longest day of the year. While I didn't exactly miss it (someone reminded me in the evening, and I took a walk to celebrate and enjoy the day) I didn't manage to get a post up for it either.

*sigh*

Welcome to Summer 2006!

Nervous and excited

I just put in for a new position at the company I currently work for. I’m a bit nervous, as we have already lost 2 of our team to this new department, and my manager is understandably concerned. She is not standing in anyone’s way, which is a nice surprise. Since she came I have felt both more cared for as an employee, and more free to develop myself, and that is in large part due to her style. While I haven’t liked everything that has come down the pike in my tenure here, I’m still a big fan of my current department. I don’t want to leave them high and dry, however, I feel that it is time to spread my wings and take off into the unknown.

Wish me luck!

Things I have Done: The PG-13 Rated Version

I found this on EDog's page and thought I'd break my blog-fast with a fun little game.

I have done 94 of these 150 things.

[1] I have read a lot of books.
[ ] I have been on some sort of varsity team.
[ ] I have run more than two miles without stopping.
[2] I have been to Canada
[ ] I have been to Europe (well, the British Isles)
[3] I have watched cartoons for hours.
[4] I have tripped UP the stairs (I really don't think I've ever done this).
[ ] I have fallen down an entire flight of stairs
[5] I have been snowboarding/skiing
[6] I have played ping pong
[7] I swam in the ocean.
[ ] I have been on a whale watch.
[8] I have seen fireworks.
[9] I have seen a shooting star
[10] I have seen a meteor shower.
[ ] I have almost drowned.
[11] I have been so embarrassed I wanted to disappear.
[12] I have listened to one CD over and over and over again.
[13] I have had stitches.
[ ] I have had frostbite.
[ ] I have licked a frozen pole and got stuck there.
[14] I have stayed up til 2 (and beyond) doing homework/projects.
[15] I have been ice skating.
[ ] I have been rollerblading.
[16] I have fallen flat on my face.
[17] I have tripped over my own two feet.
[ ] I have been in a fistfight.
[18] I have played videogames for more than three hours straight.
[19 ] I have watched the Power Rangers
[ ] I attend church regularly.
[20] I have played Truth or Dare.
[21] I have already had my 16th birthday.
[22] I have already had my 17th birthday
[23] I've called someone stupid.
[24] I've been in a verbal argument.
[25] I've cried in school
[ ] I've played basketball on a team.
[ ] I've played baseball on a team
[ ] I've played football on a team.
[ ] I've played soccer on a team
[ ] I've done cheerleading on a team
[ ] I've played softball on a team.
[ ] I've played volleyball on a team
[ ] I've played tennis on a team.
[ ] I've been on a track or cross country team.
[26] I've been swimming more than 20 times in my life
[ ] I've bungee jumped
[ ] I've climbed a rock wall.
[27] I've lost more than $20 at one time.
[28] I've called myself an idiot.
[29] I've called someone else an idiot.
[30] I've cried myself to sleep
[31] I've had (or have) pets.
[ ] I've owned a Spice Girls CD/cassette.
[ ] I've owned a Britney Spears CD.
[ ] I've owned an N*Sync CD.
[ ] I've owned a Backstreet Boys CD.
[ ] I've mooned someone
[32] I have sworn/yelled at someone of authority before.
[33] I've been in the newspaper.
[ ] I've been on TV.
[ ] I've been to Hawaii
[34] I've eaten sushi
[ ] I've been on the other side of a waterfall.
[35] I've watched all the Lord of the Rings movies.
[36] I've watched all the Harry Potter movies.
[ ] I've watched all the Rocky movies.
[37] I've watched the Three Stooges
[ ] I've watched Newlyweds
[38] I've watched Looney Tunes
[ ] I've been stuffed into a locker/I have stuffed others into lockers.
[39] I've been called a geek.
[40] I've studied hard for a test and got a bad grade.
[41] I've not studied at all for a test and aced it.
[42] I've hugged my mom within the past 24 hours.
[ ] I've hugged my dad within the past 24 hours
[43] I've met a celebrity/music artist.
[44] I've written poetry.
[ ] I've been arrested
[45] I've been attracted to someone much older than me.
[46] I've been tickled till I've cried
[47] I've had/have siblings.
[48] I've been to a rock concert (just last week!).
[49] I've listened to classical music and enjoyed it (and still do).
[50] I've been in a play.
[51] I've been picked last in gym class.
[ ] I've been picked first in gym class.
[52] I've been picked in that middle-range in gym class.
[53] I've cried in front of my friends.
[54] I've read a book longer than 1,000 pages.
[ ] I've played Halo 2
[55] I've freaked out over a sports game
[ ] I've been to Alaska
[ ] I've been to China.
[ ] I've been to Spain.
[ ] I've been to Japan.
[56] I've had a fight with someone over instant messaging.
[57] I've had a fight with someone face-to-face.
[58] I've had serious conversations via IM.
[59] I've forgiven someone who has done something wrong to me.
[60] I've been forgiven
[61] I've screamed at a scary movie
[62] I've cried at a chick flick
[63] I've watched a lot of action movies.
[64] I've screamed at the top of my lungs.
[ ] I've been to a rap concert
[ ] I've been to a hip hop concert.
[65] I've lived in more than 2 houses
[66] I've driven on the highway/been on the highway (and I was even in a CAR!).
[67] I've driven more than 40 miles in abday/been in a car that went more than 40 miles in a day
[68] I've been in a car accident.
[69] I've done drugs
[70] I've been homesick.
[71] I've thrown up.
[ ] I've thrown up on someone
[72] I've been horseback riding
[ ] I've filled out more than 10 MySpace/LiveJournal surveys.
[73] I've spoken my mind in public
[74] I've proven someone wrong.
[75] I've been proven wrong by someone
[76] I've broken a leg.
[ ] I've broken an arm.
[77] I've fallen off a swing.
[78] I've swung on a swing for more than 30 minutes straight.
[79] I've watched Winnie the Pooh movies
[80] I've forgotten my backpack when I've gone to school.
[81] I've lost my backpack.
[ ] I've come close to dying
[ ] I've seen someone die.
[82] I've known someone who has died.
[83] I've wanted to be an actor/actress at some point.
[84] I've forgotten to brush my teeth some mornings
[85] I've taken something/someone for granted
[86] I've realized how good my life is.
[87] I've counted my blessings.
[88] I've made fun of someone.
[89] I've been asked out by someone and I said no.
[ ] I've slapped someone in the face.
[ ] I've been skateboarding
[90] I've been backstabbed by someone I thought was a friend.
[91] I've lied to someone to their face.
[92] I've told a little white lie.
[93] I've taken a day off from school/work just so I don't go insane
[ ] I've fainted
[ ] I've had an argument with someone about whether cheerleading is a sport or not
[ ] I've pushed someone into a pool.
[ ] I've been pushed into a pool.
[94] I've been/am in love.
[ ] I have children.
[ ] I have been on a cruise

Second City Laughs

Last week, I got a chance to see the Second City: The Red Scare down at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. A good time was had by all; there was much laughter and many smiles and nudges as we enjoyed the skits. One of my favorite sections was an improv skit with an audience member.

Grandma: I'm so excited my grandson is coming to visit today! Oh there he is! Introduce yourself to my friends, dear.

John: My name is John.

Grandma: What a wonderful name, John. It's a good American name.

Friend 1: Yes, it's a lovely name, like John Travolta.

Friend 2: Or like a toilet, John. Oh, or maybe like a ho has a John.

Grandma: Yes, such a wonderful name!

All: God Bless America!

Grandma: Are you still single, John?

John: No, I'm married. (gestures to a woman at his table, his wife)

Friend 1: She looks like she's twelve.

Friend 2: Yes, they both look very young.

Grandma: Do you all have any children yet?

John: No, not yet.

Grandma: Good! Any time you get the urge to have a baby, you just go get yourself a cat.

John: We already have two cats.

Grandma: God Bless America! Throw a sweater on the fat one and call it good.

Postie Post Post

It feels like I have been sadly neglecting my blog. Mostly because I have some great ideas about what to blog and no posts to show for it. Ah well, here’s a quick post at any rate.

Sunday was Book and Lover’s Day. A bittersweet day for me, as it will be the last time it will be held at the Tattered Cover in Cherry Creek. They are moving their flagship store to the newly renovated Historic Lowenstein Theater in June. I’ve been assured that it is a lovely new location for my cherished bookstore. Change is, and I will certainly shop at the new location, it will just take a while to feel like home.

At any rate, I bought some yummy books (less than last year even!) and enjoyed the day with my friend Girlzoot, her new beau, and my mom. Ice cream, books, and a nap, what a lovely rounding out of a spectacularly beautiful and clear Spring day in Colorado.

Here’s the list of the books I bought:

100 Love Sonnets by Pablo Neruda
The Tale of Desperauex by Katherine DiCamillo
Eats Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss
Lamb by Christopher Moore
The Complete Short Stories of Mark Twain
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
The Best New American Voices 2005 ed. John Kulka, Natalie Danford, and Francine Prose
Shardik by Richard Adams

And now all I want to do is read... ah, books.

Clouds

Clouds
Originally uploaded by Arcadiajoy.

Last weekend, instead of working, I went with a friend to the San Luis Valley and we spent some time outside. We hiked up to Zapata Falls Sunday morning and this was the view from the trail. You can see the Great Sand Dunes just before the mountains. It was simply beautiful.

Random Jack of Kindness

On Tuesday I got a call at my desk at work and a nice lady at the other end said she wanted to bring pizza to my office. Who was I to say no? I had registered on Jack 105.5 FM to win a lunch for my office like the day before. It was really cool!

Being the slightly paranoid bundle of joy that I am, I double checked the caller ID number before I let my department know that pizza was coming. Once I was sure, I checked with my manager (she said free food is always welcome) and then sent out my massive email.

The department has grown more than I thought and I estimated 35 people for pizza and wings. When the time came, there was a large line to the conference room. I got a t-shirt and a nifty certificate and everyone said I should go first. Well, I'm not much of a pizza person and my mom brought me a sandwich (we were supposed to have lunch anyway). Everyone came and went, and thanked me for getting the lunch (which was nice). In about 20 minutes nearly all the food was gone. I took a couple of slices to the security guard and the receptionist and brought one of the facility managing type people up for a slice. A couple of people came in for seconds, but it was pretty slim pickings.

Then my supervisor, my manger, and my director all came in about 30 minutes after the food arrived. There was like one wing left. I felt bad, they hadn't told me they were going to be in a meeting. I did say it was first come first serve. One of the other directors said not to feel bad, I brought joy to many other people. There was even a guy who always looks dour and he was smiling and laughing being personable and everything. So I shrugged it off. Not my fault.

So anyway, thank you to Jack 105.5 FM for a lovely Random Jack of Kindness. Now I just need to call them and leave them a message so they can play it on the radio *grin*

Commercial appeal

Today is the first day after turning forward our clocks for Daylight Savings Time. I have one less hour to do all that I want to do today (and I stayed up late last night watching a movie because it was there.) And I've spent probably another hour (or two) messing around on the Chevy Tahoe website to make a Tahoe commercial. I've made four, because I'm an overachiever like that (and easily distracted by shiny things).

Here are the ones I've made (so far... someone please help me!)

Get it
Not a stalker
Sitting around
Documentary


So much fun!!

I got the idea from EDog - check out his commercials!

If you make one, send it my way :)

Bubbles on the wind

It is now the end of March, and Spring has begun, for the most part, with temperatures in the 60’s and beautiful blue skies and lots and lots of wind. I was driving home the other day, thinking of a quick note I had sent a friend of mine, and I started having a bit of a little girl daydream, thinking about what my wedding would be like someday (if I were getting married, having found the person and made the commitment and all those lovely things that haven’t quite happened yet).

I wandered in and out of this musing as I drove down to Aurora through an incredibly dull and drab industrial complex over long and somewhat bumpy highways and overpasses. The best parts of this drive are that one, I’m not driving into the sun, and two, when it’s over I get to have dinner with my mom. So my daydream was a pleasant diversion, giving my usually overactive imagination something to grab and shake a bit.

I had visions of a poufy (but not meringue) white dress with lace and tiny buttons, a thinner, healthier me, a handsome groom (somewhere in the distance and a bit out of focus), and my friends and family. In the past I had thought about who would give me away and the friend who graciously accepted the honor stood beside me, looking quite dapper in his tux. As I looked around to see the rest of the wedding party, my daydream burst into tiny bubbles and drifted away into the bright blue windswept sky. The image left in my mind was both comforting and sad.

I had always imagined I would have my two best friends stand up for me when the day finally arrived. I could see them in whatever puffy sleeved, sateen dress in some shade of blue the bridal party were forced to wear, one brunette with warm dark eyes filled with love and laughter, and one blonde with bright blue eyes filled with joy and mischief. For the first time, it struck me; one of my best friends won’t be there at my wedding.

I know she is gone, and I have accepted it with as much grace as I can. On the trip down to her funeral we had discussed needing more road trips for glad tidings, weddings, successes, vacations. It was not to be in those hot August days where you could hear the heat reflecting off the pavement drowning out all other sound. She has passed beyond us and nothing I say or do change that simple and final fact.

After the daydream disintegrated, I had this vision of her there, at my wedding, watching over it and smiling. The ones you love never really leave you; they live on in your memory. I only wish that I had more than my memories of her to share with me those milestones I have yet to reach.

The smell of the ocean

I've taken a step in the direction of better health. I've joined my local Curves, an exercise club for women. The little perky teenage girl at the desk showed me around the machines, and since I'm a pretty quick study, I think I have the workout down. I have an assigned locker in my office lockerroom. I bring in my sweats and tennis shoes, and I've gone to work out three times since Friday. The plan is to go every MWF after work. Maybe if I get in gear in the morning, I'll go before work... but probably not for a while (so not a morning person).

The first night after I did the training turn around, I sat in my car with the window down and my bottle of water, gathering myself for the drive home. Looking up, I saw the sign for the strip mall. It said, in big blue neon letters, Pacific Ocean Marketplace. I'm on the phone with a friend and I tell her cannot believe the audacity of whatever corporate conglomeration that sadly mis-named this area. I live on the Front Range in Colorado. This makes the Pacific Ocean over the Rocky Mountains and across three and a half states and what, a thousand miles away? I mean can you really see the ocean, let alone smell it so far away?

Bittersweet chocolate missing the funny

Last week I had a surreal little email exchange with Girlzoot about an octegenarian named Daisy noticing that Spring was two weeks away. I got the reference to the line in The Great Gatsby (one of my all time favorite books) where Daisy Buchannan asks "Do you always wait for the longest day of the year and then miss it?" Literary bizareness, very good. Then I talked to her again today.

G: Her name was the weird thing.
J: Glory? or something?
G: No, Daisy, like in the book.
J: Ohmigod, you're kidding! I didn't get that!

And today I got a Happy Pi Day email from another friend. I saw it and smiled that she emailed me and let it go. Seems I missed something here too...

G: Did you get that email, Happy Pi Day?
J: Yah, I didn't open it because I was at work. Was it funny?
G: Um, yah, today is 3/14.
J: It is...
G: Today is 3/14...
J: OH! Hehe, I get it!
G: Ok...

I guess I'm just missing the funny in my life lately. Need to look more on the funny side. One of our later exchanges was funny, but not in the traditional sense:

J: I am on my way to writer's group.
G: Well, what are you working on?
J: Not much right now. I mostly go for the social occasion, lately.
G: I need a little less social occasions. I miss my house; I miss my bed.
J: Yah, I hear you.
G: I want to sleep in my own bed.
J: You poor baby.
G: Shut the fuck up.

Here's to enjoying the lighter side, or at least the funnier one.

Another good day...

Today, I brought my copy of Heart of Gold with me, because I was going to show one of my writerly fellows at writing group tonight. When I got into the office, one of my coworkers asked how my novel was. Pleased she asked, I told her I had it in the car. She wanted to see it, and later in the afternoon, I went down to get it and show her. She liked the phrase "supporting her words with numbers" on the back in the little about the author blurb. Warm fuzzies all around.

Then, a friend from another floor came in to say hi, and I showed her the book, and she was suitably impressed. Beyond the book, I was glad I ran into her, since I rarely see her anymore. We used to work in the same department and now we're on different floors. And she's been very busy flying hither and yon for the company. So all around good to see her :)

Then I showed the book to the security guard, who's a very nice man who always says hello. He was amazed. He asked when it would be published and how did I possibly write a novel in 30 days. More warm fuzzies.

I went up to the executive floor and showed another friend, the EA for the president , my book, and she was just floored. We chatted for a moment and then I went back downstairs to show my former supervisor (who gave me a day off in November to help finish the book). She had already left for the day *snap* so I'll just have to bring it in tomorrow.

Not like I mind, after all the positive reactions... I should write a book every November... Oh wait, I do!

And now, back to the writing or editing or something resembling such.

Good Things about Thursday

Today I had a good day. A handful of small things come to mind that made me smile or laugh or touched me in some way.

First, on the news this morning, the winning lottery ticket for the $365 million jackpot story made me smile.

Later, I went to Chick-fil-a for lunch (which is a good thing all in itself) and when I came back to the office, I made the day of one of our IT contractors by telling him where the nearest Chick-fil-a was located.

Back in the car, I decided to turn on my cd player instead of the radio and found unexpected music from my youth that made me smile and sing along. We Didn't Start the Fire got a double play even.

Finally, driving down to Aurora, I passed a large dump truck that had a giant Transformer Autobot sticker on the driver's side. It caught my eye and I laughed out loud as I passed the truck.

Somedays it's the small stuff. Today was one of those days.

Day of Quizzes

You Are a Boston Creme Donut

You have a tough exterior. No one wants to mess with you. But on the inside, you're a total pushover and completely soft. You're a traditionalist, and you don't change easily. You're likely to eat the same doughnut every morning, and pout if it's sold out.

What Donut Are You?

The Story of the little Christmas Tree

My mother still has her Christmas tree up. She's got a project this year to write down all the stories associated with all the lovely ornaments she's collected and displayed over the years. I'm going to help.

Here's the story of the little felt Christmas tree that hangs on her tree every year, usually in the back, because I made it when I was six. The tree itself is green felt, with a bit of stuffing between the two sides, with a silver corded ribbon and some shiny sequins shaped like candles, stars and moons glued on with Elmer's glue.

The day I made the little felt tree I was in kindergarten. Some time before the craft happened I was pulled away from the group, probably to take some medicine. I tended to be a sickly child and was always taking some sort of medicine, usually some pink bubblegum flavored syrup. By the time I got back, all the big gold star sequins were taken to top the other children's trees. I gathered what I could, which looks like two gold moons, two red stars, two gold candles, and a tiny blue star, which topped my tree. I decorated the tree with the glue in paper dishes in the middle of the table (which is why there is glue on the front sides of the ornaments) and had the nice teacher stuff and glue it together. The teacher also wrote "To Mommy 1978" on the back of the tree.

Today when I was sitting in Mom's living room waiting for her to get ready for the play we were going to see, I looked at the little Christmas tree and started to cry. I took it down and turned it over in my hands and realized that the nice teacher, so many years ago, had spelled Mommie wrong, on top of everything else. I really was feeling sorry for myself. I had a very trying day at work, was told I was letting things get to me, that everyone felt the way I felt, that I shouldn't be as frustrated as I clearly felt, and not to make a scene as it wasn't good for the team. As I looked at this little ornament, I felt like my whole life had gone the same way as that long ago craft project. Everyone got to the table before me and got the good stuff, and I was left to make the best of what I got, which was pretty pathetic and sad. Every time I try, it seems I fall on my face, and everyone has something I want, but I am too afraid to go after it. Hell, I don't even know what my gold star would be at this point.

Since getting home from the play, I sat down to finish writing this post. I'm not saying that I had any epiphany and now realize that if I'm given lemons I should make lemonade, but I did think that I'm possibly the only child who still has their little ornament from kindergarten on the family Christmas tree. I'm just trying to decide if that's enough.

Good Day

I had a list of things to do today, and as I was writing them down I thought that it might be too many things. Sometimes I get carried away and write lists and lists of things I want to accomplish that would take an entire week, and I want them done in a day or a weekend. Not so with this list. except for the cleaning (one specific cleaning thing) I did everything on the list. Huzzah!

Silly, I know, but it made me happy in many ways to get a pen and cross the things I'd finished off my list. Maybe I'll make another one tomorrow.

(And as a post scriptum of sorts, I posted two days in a row...)

Writing

I feel that for too long I've been too busy to write. I'm not talking about the wonderful and crazy time in November, but just every day, every week kind of writing. I don't think I'm ever going to be an every day blogger; I just don't see having that much interesting to say, let alone having the time every day. I have a daily journal that I manage to find the time to write five lines about my days, and most days that's more than enough to write. I know people who do write daily, who make the time every single day for one if not more entries on their blogs. These people inspire me; their dedication and devotion to their writing, no matter the subject, is amazing.

I've recently been told that I should blog more. My jaunts through blogland show that it is possible. I know that a few people consistently read my blog. I find that I want to be entertaining, and I'm not sure if I achieve that. (No, I'm not looking for validation here; I have a fairly good view of my own writing - I just am thinking on the screen here.) I suppose not every day is a circus.

More than the blog, which can be a good source of discipline and feedback, I'm thinking of my other writing, what I write for the various groups I engage in and what I write that inspires me. Weekly, I sit with mostly like-minded writers and lately I tend to use the time as social and kick back time. I should be using it more for the actual process but I think I've needed a place to blow off steam and to have no requirements. Which is probably why I haven't finished any of the assignments given.

I think some blame belongs with my day job (which incidentally I just mistyped day joy) and the extremely hectic and stressful last two months. I got so run down that I got sick (just a little head cold but more than enough to slow me down a lot and make me feel woozy and unproductive). I'm working to get through the next month on a more even keel and just do my hours and leave; no over time, no late nights, no taking work home. I am working personally on letting all the junk the last two or three months go; getting past the anger, jealousy, resentment, frustration, and under-appreciation is important for my own mental and emotional, not to mention physical, health. As I work through that junk, I expect I'll become more productive in my professional life as well as more productive in my personal life. Free of all the negativity, I will be able to shake off this seeming cloud over my writing and get down to it.

I want this year to be a very productive year. I expect to have a large body of work, whether it be short stories, exercises, poems, or a novel or two, by December. I want to page back through the files, touch the pages, and generally tap the reservoir of ideas and stories I know I have in me to tell.

Lone Wolf

What Is Your Animal Personality?
brought to you by Quizilla

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone! I don't really have any resolutions as such, so I won't share what I don't have. But I do want to make this year better than last year. I will strive to have my attitude to be a more loving and accepting one, both of others and of myself. I suppose that is a resolution, but don't tell anyone. I just want a better year ahead, to use my gifts to the best of my ability.

May you all have a blessed and peaceful New Year.

NaNoWriMo Finish

I finished my NaNovel (back on Nov 29th) and I'm so glad it's done! I am thinking of getting back to it in a week or so, give it some time to simmer, and start editing. This year I finished the book and the word count which was my goal.

Contgratulations to all other winners including these fine folks I consider my friends and Novelists all:

Girlzoot, Sasha, EDog, Survivor, and DaveToe

Huzzah for a great November!

You want to take a bite...

Ok, my NaNovel this year is about a stripper and I've been chatting with my writing buddy EDog about the whole book. We were talking about how there are no "adult" smilies on the IM service we use, but how you could dress your avatar like a hooker.

Now we were just being silly and it was pretty funny, but after we made our female hookers, we went to the male wardrobe and made some. Here's my favorite, the manwhore with his big smile and wink and his shirt open to the world. He's practically saying, "You want to take a bite..." in some heavy sexy accent of undetermined origin.

Ok, so I'm a little looped out on the lack of food and needing a shower and about 6000 words today, but I am still laughing.

Princess Princess I'm a Fairy Princess (aha!)

The Fairy Princess

You are youthful, cheery, and exuberant with a
sunny disposition and a mischievous sense of
humor. You are very lively and are always up
for a good bit of fun. You have a deep love of
nature and animals.

Role Model: Titania

You are most likely to: Convert a pumpkin into a
useful mode of transportation.


What Kind of Princess are You? - Beautiful Artwork (Original Music is BACK!!!)
brought to you by Quizilla

Princess Princess I'm a Fairy Princess

Well, not really, but here is what I got on the test.


The Noble Princess

You are just and fair, a perfectionist with a
strong sense of proper decorum. You are very
attracted to chivalry, ceremony and dignity.
For the most part you are rather sensible, but
you are also very idealistic.

Role Models: Guinevere, Princess Fiona (of Shrek)

You are most likely to: Get kidnapped by a stray
dragon.


What Kind of Princess are You? - Beautiful Artwork (Original Music is BACK!!!)
brought to you by Quizilla

Thanks to Girlzoot for posting her results.

All About Sevens

I learned something out at the Boulder NaNoWriMo Kick Off Dinner at Conor O’Neill’s, Tuesday night. Actually, two things. I just realized I hadn’t posted it.

First of all, I learned a practical and quick way to calculate the tip on a meal. If you take the amount you owe and divide by seven, you come darn close to a 15% tip. So, an easy one, if your meal was 14 dollars, your tip is 2 dollars. The exact 15% tip would be $2.10. So it’s pretty close.

The other thing I learned is about measurements, precisely how to tell the difference between a butt-load, a shit-load, and a fuck-load. Imagine you are at dinner and with your dinner roll you get a pat of butter. One pat of butter is a normal amount. Now, to reach the first unit of measure multiply the normal amount by seven, you have seven pats of butter, and that’s a butt-load. For the next level, you raise that by another level of seven, you have almost 50 pats of butter, and really, that’s a shit-load. And if you had seven times that, you would reach nearly 350 pats of butter, which no one would argue is a fuck-load. So that’s the secret.

And my friends and I always thought a butt-load was six. Hey, we were close!

Price Gouging?

I saw this gas sign on the way to my NaNoWriMo Kick Off meeting tonight and I did a double take. I pulled into the lot and looked at the sign from the other side and took a picture. Prices here in Colorado have come down some 50 cents over the last few weeks, however someone forgot to tell these folks.

Perhaps it was due to a shortage of fuel at this particular station. But the same company, just 20 blocks up the road (and it's a big road) had a much more normal spread. I pass that station every day and I believe it was 12 cents between 85 and 87 octane, and another 14 between 87 and 91. And another 20 blocks was a station I didn't get a chance to photograph, but it was a normal spread as well.

I sure wouldn't pay for this, and even when it was at it's highest, I don't think I paid quite as much as the premium price on the sign is. But after all this, you probably guessed that I pay a little attention to gas prices.

New Kitty Picture

Things in my house are pretty quiet right now. All the doors are open and I have one kitty on my hassock and one kitty in the bedroom. Everyone seems to have survived the first few days with the new kitty (Deke) here. There is some hissing and spitting, to be expected as they work out their pecking order (and everyone has to listen to me - especially about not eating the bird).

As quiet is good, I'm taking a moment to post a new picture of my new kitty. His grandma told me that he has a heart on his side, can you see it in the picture?

Kitty's Coming!

I'm adding a new baby boy to my household, one of the four-footed furry kind. I have some pictures from August, but I'm excited and posting this away from my home computer. I'll post pictures soon!

Deke should already be on the ground in Denver now and I get to go pick him up after work. I wish I could have taken time off today to go get him but I took tomorrow off entirely so I could spend it (barring the quick trip for kitty food and toys) with him and his new brother, my big fat sassy cat, Alec.

I am a little nervous, but I'm sure everything will work out fine. I am so excited to get him to my little home.

More soon!

Following the Yellow Brick Road

As I have so many other things to do today, I have been sitting with my laptop and bouncing around Blogland. Here are a few of the gems I picked up along the way:

Heimlich Maneuvers
Stories from Rick's Cafe
the study of an honest contradiction

And some really strange wild things that I couldn't understand due to a language barrier.

What Advanced Degree Should You Get?

You Should Get a PhD in Liberal Arts (like political science, literature, or philosophy)

You're a great thinker and a true philosopher. You'd make a talented professor or writer.

What Advanced Degree Should You Get?

Guess I should go back to school... I'd be talented at it :)

What Serenity Character are you?

Which Serenity character are you?

Kaylee Frye 94%

created with QuizFarm.com

Birthday Blues

I am a big fan of birthdays, and I always try to have a good time on mine. Last year I went to San Diego and stayed on the coast so I could see the ocean. We walked on the beach every night, and ate lots of seafood and got sand in our shoes.

This year I just took the day off, as this week was packed with bright and shiny meetings and necessary work things (such is the life of a corporate accounting specialist). It was not the most stellar day, as when I got to my mom's house she informed me that her dog, Charlie, which was also my dog from high school, had died that morning. So the rest of the afternoon dealt with the great loss of a very dear friend and part of the family.

I'm kind of at loose ends this weekend, I've got nothing to do and a whole lot of time to do it in. And all I can think about is the fact that everything in my life from that time in my life is slowly slipping away. And there is nothing I can do to stop the sands running through my fingers, no matter how hard I cry.

Fun Game

Reply with your name and
1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll tell you what song/movie reminds me of you.
3. I'll pick a flavor of jello to wrestle with you in.
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
5. I'll tell you my first memory of you.
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you.
8. If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal. You MUST. It is written

I'm very late in posting this. Girlzoot, Shaych, and Valium, please accept my apologies.

You are Scooter.
You are a loyal, hardworking person, better known
as a doormat.

SPECIAL TALENTS:
Going for stuff.
LEAST FAVORITE MOVIE:
"Go For Broke!"

QUOTE:
"15 seconds to showtime."

LAST BOOK READ:
"300 New Ways to Get Your Uncle to Get You a
Better Job "

NEVER LEAVES HOME WITHOUT:
Coffee, clipboard, and Very Special Guest Stars.


What Muppet are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Study conversations

Things overheard at Paris on the Platte by the very patient guy at the end of our table:

G: Mar-duck.

A: I think it’s Mar-duke.

G: Marmaduke?

A: Yah, the big orange dog.

G: I think he’s red, in fact I think it’s Marmaduke, the Big Red Dog.

A: That’s Clifford, the big red dog

G: I don’t know, they’re all big and red and they all created god.

Relativity of intelligence

You are smart; you can make it go.

I got this phrase from STtNG, from the episode where Geordi was kidnapped by a space-faring race that stole technology from other races, and wanted to steal Geordi for his talents.

It has now become a stock phrase in my vocabulary. And girlzoot just flung it back at me. I told her how smart she was after she learned me something new on the internet thingy. She said, "Yeah, I can make it go." Made me laugh, and practically snort hot cocoa out my nose.

Maybe you had to be there...

Don’t ask me what to wear

Don’t ask me what to wear

I have no embroidered
headband from Sardis to
give you, Cleis, such as
I wore
and my mother
always said that in her
day a purple ribbon
looped in the hair was thought
to be high style indeed

but we were dark:
a girl
whose hair is yellower than
torchlight should wear no
headdress but fresh flowers

Sappho
Translated by Mary Barnard

Four Years Ago Today

Four years ago tonight, I was soaking in a brand new hot tub in Aurora, CO, drinking wine coolers, smoking Marlboro Lights, listening to Lee Greenwood, and watching the footage of the World Trade Center destruction play over and over and over again on CNN or any channel we turned to. Later, when we were outside in the steaming water, the window open so we could hear the TV, we looked up in wonder and a little terror, the primeval terror of the unknown, as we heard the sonic booms of fighter aircraft take off from a nearby Air Force base. Our voices burbled over one another as we began to explain to each other the fact that military aircraft were flying overhead, it was ok, nothing to be alarmed by. But everything alarmed us that night. We were together and we were safe, but what did that mean anymore, what did anything mean?

It was a month ago yesterday that I spoke to her last. Only a month. The last time. How can that be?

Geekish Nerd?

Pure Nerd 78 % Nerd, 43% Geek, 34% Dork

For The Record: A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia. A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one. A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions. You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd. The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful. Congratulations! THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

Katrina

It seems everywhere you go, Katrina and the aftermath finds its way into conversation. Last night when we were out seeing The Wizard of Oz at the Boulder Dinner Theatre it came up. How people could be in such dire straits and we be out enjoying ourselves?

I am lucky, I suppose. I have not lost any family or friends, no one I know personally was in the path of the storm. A friend's new boyfriend evacuated to Colorado, leaving behind his ex and their children against his will. There are so many other stories, so many faces of people, our people, my people, so many that have been devastated, have lost everything except their lives, that it is mind-numbing.

The single worst disaster that has ever hit us, and we seemed unable to move, unable to snap out of the spin. Pictures of the storm, pictures of the people, stranded, angry, calling for help; cameras capturing the images, able only to report not provide the water, food, and medical supplies so desprately needed.

Relief has begun to arrive, and is arriving, at least one of my friends is going down as I write this to provide relief services to the refugees, and another might be called upon at any moment. I feel so helpless, that my thoughts keep spinning, my private grief mixed with a national grief, one we all share. A grief with no end in sight.

Random Thought

And as he drove on, the rain clouds dragged down the sky after him for, though he did not know it, Rob McKenna was a Rain God. All he knew was that his working days were miserable and he had a succession of lousy holidays. All the clouds knew was that they loved him and wanted to be near him, to cherish him and to water him.

--So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish, Douglas Adams

Stargazing

Last night I sat on the sidewalk while Charlie lay in the grass, enjoying the cool night air. I looked across the way and saw Cassiopeia hanging over the end unit of the row houses, the one where Kerri lived when we were in high school. I’ve always liked Cassiopeia, the great big W in the sky; it’s one of the constellations I can almost instantly recognize.

I remember soft twilit evenings on the roof at Kerri’s house, watching the stars come out in the summer. Her friends tried to show her the different constellations, and she could see the Big Dipper, but she could never see Cassiopeia, no matter who tried to show her. Sitting on the sidewalk next to my dog I thought of those distant evenings with her, and murmured the little song we made up sitting up on the roof.

When the wind blows
On the roof-top
We are cold
Under the cat blanket

The view of the sky became blurry, my eyes glistening. I felt this hole in my heart big enough to hold the sky, knowing she had gone beyond my pale. In my mind, forevermore, she will reside in the soft grey twilight among the scattered stars as they begin to shine.

Sweet dreams, my dear friend. You will be forever missed.

Festival Banner

Festival Banner
Originally uploaded by Arcadiajoy.

Last Sunday, we went to the Renaissance Festival in Larkspur. Friends of mine are on the Royal Court of the Faire, and we visited and stayed for the fashion show and the final joust. It was a cool day, with the temperatures down in the 80s and a nice breeze practically everywhere.

Triumph for the Pack Rat

I keep stuff. More stuff than I need, but less than some of those poor souls who do not remember what color the carpet is under all the stuff (and can't tell from the pathway, because it has turned grey with wear).

I have about 4 boxes of papers in various places in my house (mostly in my garage) from different times in my life that I refuse to part with. During my last move, we moved them, and I promised I would look through them and toss what I could and file what I needed to keep. Well, it's coming up on my second lease renewal and I just haven't had a chance to get through all of them. I did get through part of one of them *yay* about a year and a half ago, and I occasionally go out to the garage and dip into one of the boxes, bringing out a treasure of incomparable worth, that sits on my dining room table for a while, then moves to my desk, where it collects dust in the open, instead of in its box.

I also keep things at work. I hoard my letters, with all their precious attachments, on the off chance I might need them again. This has worked for me in the past; I have found emails or letters that helped me resolve an issue. But at my office, I have one little drawer and one hanging file corral on my desk for all my files. We share a tall 4 drawer for all our customers' invoices, and that's it. I have had a pile, wrapped lovingly with rubberbands up in my cabinet for over a year now. I just put some of it with the 4 boxes of stuff I pulled out of our 4 drawer and shipped off to outside storage. But if I ever need it back, it is in a box, safe and sound. Just like I like it.

My files and emails are about in the same state of pack-rattedness as the rest of my desk. I don't ever delete emails, but I'm sure I should be, but I might need it three years down the line. You never know. And I store all my attachments, named with helpful names, on my personal network drive (which has not reached as gigantic proportions as you might imagine; it's still fairly reasonable). And every month, squish all the files down into a nice, helpfully named zip file. Which go back to, you guessed it, when I started at this company.

Well, today was exciting for this pack rat. I had an invoice for a 2003 charge that I could show we paid in our system, but the 2003 files are in storage (and I have never even requested one, isn't that amazing!). So I decided to go through my old email attachments and lo, there was my beautiful proof, including all the bells and whistles attached, laying quietly in the dusty old zip file. I was so excited I showed my co-worker, a wonderful woman with a daughter my age and a good sense of humor, and she laughed. She never keeps anything past its useful life: email, paperwork, paper clips... But she appreciated my triumph, and agreed that yes, today was a good day to be a pack rat.

Now, if I could just find my keys and my cell phone I could get on with my weekend.

Laughing Lord & Lady

Laughing Lord & Lady
Originally uploaded by Arcadiajoy.

I spent the fourth of July in the company of this noble couple, recent additions to the Royal Court. After a lavish repast, we explored the extensive grounds of their lovely estate, enjoying the pleasant summer evening air. After the sun went down, we enjoyed a fireworks display. Many thanks to the laughing lord and lady for a very enjoyable evening.

Alanis

Ok, so after the margaritas I shared with my co-workers this afternoon on a lovely shaded patio in Boulder, I get in my car to go run an errand. My radio is on and I hear Alanis Morrisette's Ironic. Which is only marginally ironic (I suppose there's irony in that...) but not the version from Jagged Little Pill. It's acoustic, and done very nicely. And when she gets to the part about the 10,000 spoons and only needing a knife she sings:

It's meeting the man of my dreams, and then meeting his beautiful husband.

I love Alanis.

I'm going to get the re-issue of JLP the acoustic version... the two songs I heard sounded really good.

UPDATE: Jagged Little Pill Acoustic is quite good.

Vancouver, anyone?

Ok I might be over reacting (my mother certainly thinks so) but Sandra Day O'Connor just retired. I'm not quite sure how things will come out, but with a mostly conservative Congress and a conservative Executive branch, one can't help but think a conservative justice will be confirmed. We needed Sandra Day O'Connor's moderate voice, and I think we're going to lose that. Along with the defense on some of our rights the Supreme Court has defended with sometimes the slightest of margins.

Hey, one of my exes is Canadian... maybe he'll let me crash at his place...

Lyrics in my head

You've always been
Time and again
The one to take my hand
And show to me it's okay to be
Just the way I am
With no apology

Garth Brooks - A Friend to Me

Liquid Luminosity

Driving home tonight I was under a spell. I could barely keep my eyes on the road. An early summer thunderstorm and the setting sun painted the sky with a marvel of nature and physics, a stunning rainbow lit the stormy sky my entire drive home. At first I only saw a part of the rainbow, an arching swath of color and light spilling on the ground from the dark clouds. The colors glowed so clearly, like liquid light pouring from the sky. I could see the vivid bands of color spilling onto the ground and buildings behind it.

The other edge of the rainbow looked like a pastel drawing on dark grey paper, smeared smoothly with a celestial finger to blend the colors and light into a band of soft beauty. After a few moments the light came together and I could see the semi-circle from end to end. I thought of my great-uncle who told me a story of how he had stood on the side of one mountain and saw a three-quarter rainbow arching into the sky and dipping into the valley below him. I always wondered if there were a perfect spot to see a circular rainbow, from end to not end banded in bright liquid luminosity.

And above the main rainbow, the second rainbow shimmered at the edge of my sight, like an object in the darkness that you can't see straight on, but have to watch through your side vision. I couldn't be sure, but it seemed to me instead of being roygbiv it was vibgyor, a dim and fragile reflection of the main rainbow. Everytime I tried to look straight at it, the second one became blurry and smeary until I blinked and looked away.

The entire three-quarters of an hour I spent driving home became a study of the rainbow set as it seemed so close then moved back and back to finally become a faded rememberance of the shining glory it was, then to finally fade as the light left the sky and the rain cleared.

Happy Summer

Do you always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it? I always watch for the longest day in the year and then miss it.

- Daisy Buchanan The Great Gatsby

Good Day

I spent most of yesterday either with my mom or at her house. She had a salon appointment at noon, so I toodled myself and my shiny little laptop down to her house to hang out with the dog and to get some work done. More hanging out with Charlie happened than actual work (I still need to write out my bills, and finish the writing I had started).

All around, except for some extreme heat and some heated words, we all had a lovely day. Charlie was perky and alert, she sat in the grass in the sun for about 10 minutes, watching the world go by (not much exciting) and having the wind blow her clean white fur. Mom gave her a bath that morning so she was all shiny clean and smelling like shampoo. I brought her back up to the porch in the shade and got her some water with ice cubes in it (she likes that) and she drank some. She sat on the towel next to me while I surfed the web (I love wireless, oh, so much) and started work on my project. After a while I grabbed a slice of turkey and Charlie ate it all up, fairly daintily, but with vigor. And I brought her a pillow to sit on which she did until Mom came home.

Out in the hot hot sun (I should have parked in the garage while mom was out) we unloaded the stuff in my trunk and figured out how to put down my back seat. I'm not so great in the sun, and it was really hot (around 4pm) so I decided we were going to 7-11 and I got myself a Slurpee and an iTunes code. Much better with liquidy ice to slurp on. The trip revolved around getting some lovely bookcases that were on sale at OfficeMax. The nice manager guy helped us get the 4 bookcases and one major DVD stand (all assembly required) into the trunk, and complemented us on being prepared and not making him try to figure it out.

We ran the bookcases back to mom's garage, stacked them up nicely for her (she's got a project of vast proportions moving and organizing stuff in her computer room where the bookcases are going to live) and I went and got another Slurpee. Mmm icy cold. Thinking of getting one right now... Anyway, once we got back we relaxed a bit then decided to fill our bellies. We ran out after to Costco to look at a shiny white electronic device which shall remain nameless but they were closed.

We got back, Jeff next door was watering the plants, Charlie was enjoying the evening sun, and Mom and I started making a little stepping stone from a package I got. We mixed up the cement, poured it (well dumped it) into the little mold, and pressed Charlie's front paws into the middle. And washed everyone off. I'll post a picture when I see it next, it was dark last night when we were done (and half eaten alive by mosquitoes) so no piccy. While it was drying, and to finish off our day, we watched Hotel Rwanda, which was very good.

So all in all, good day. Oh and Mom's visit to the salon was lovely, she was all nail painted and hair coiffed and lovely herself.

Update

Charlie is home with Mom. She took her home on Monday, after a long weekend in the hospital. Monday night she ate some turkey and drank lots of water, and while visiting a neighbor stood up with the help of a sling (her front right leg was hurt from the IV and her back end hasn't worked well for a while) and while standing tried to chase a cat (slowly, but with vigor and much tail wagging).

So the vet said give her time, see if she adjusts to being home. She's been standing on her own as the wound on her leg heals, and last night she even had a bm (I sounded like the proud mother of a toddler getting toilet trained with all the encouragement). She even is walking around a little - after we'd been on the porch for a while, she walked over to the screen door and patiently waited for me to open it for her. Once inside she found a nice spot and laid down, pretty as you please under her own power.

I can see her spirit in her eyes, she's still very much Charlie although her body has slowed down considerably. She is not asking for much, and generally accepting what is given, when she used to be quite demanding. Her time is coming, but it isn't right now. No matter when, I am blessed to love and be loved by her gentle little soul.

More on Charlie

So Charlie went into the hospital on Wednesday, after being very lethargic on Tuesday night when I visited. Her bloodwork was not good, and she didn't seem to be getting any better. Friday night I came down after work to visit her at the vet's, and nothing looked promising. I left Mom's house after we watched The Aviator (pretty good flick, if LONG) and promised I'd come down in the morning to see how she was.

This morning we hoped for good news, but weren't really expecting it. We took Charlie out (with her IV unhooked and the tubing attached to her little leg) and she did a little duty (which was encouraging, as it is her kidneys they're worried about) and we sat in the sun and she slept in our arms. All the dogs getting walked that morning were interested in her, but the techs kept them at a distance. One really cute set of Boston Terriers (one black, one brindle) were quite interested and barked at her, or at us. After a bit it got pretty hot in the sun so we retired back inside.

We didn't have an appointment, but the staff was great and let us wander around with Charlie. We got her some water, which she was excited to drink, but she barely licked the food. Dr. James came in with her thick chart and showed us the results from this mornings' bloodwork. Three of the high numbers had come back down toward the normal range, one dropped 60 points from yesterday to within 12 of normal (I'm not a medical person, so I don't know what exactly that meant, but that it was good.) Dr. James was encouraged, and said if she'd eat, he'd send her home. He also said that at this stage, the kidney failure was controllable, but probably not repairable. But it was up to her, and he put B vitamins and some medicine to calm her stomach and encourage her appetite. Her stomach was probably upset from the way her body was acting.

So now we wait overnight again, and he'll call in the morning with an update. The office is closed Sundays so we can't visit, but he lives close and checks on his patients that are staying over the weekend in the morning and evening. He's a very good man, and has known Charlie since he bought the practice 16 years ago.

I know in my heart that it's not a great solution, and that she is getting older, as we all are. She's not in any pain, and I know she would like to be home again, to the only home she has ever known. Our mood is lighter, this afternoon. Our little fighter is still fighting, and as long as she's willing, we're happy to have her with us.

Charlie Lass

Birthday Pup,
originally uploaded by Arcadiajoy.

I didn't post this picture when her birthday happened back in February. Looking back, I find that a bit odd (especially with all the pictures we took of her that day).

At any rate, my baby girl isn't doing so well today and I wanted to get some positive energy going for her so I thought I'd share her here.

She’s been a part of my family for over 17 years, and except for one small issue with Mom’s favorite leather boots, she has been a wonderful, sweet, and loving dog. To my mom, she’s my sister, and we both love her very much. Even tho she lives with Mom, she’s still my dog, and I have pictures of her at work and at home.

I’m having a hard time with the eminent possibility of her passing. One of her most endearing qualities is in her doggy love; she loves us unconditionally. No matter what we say or do, we are her people, her family. And if we’re really good, she’ll give us puppy kisses.

I know this has been kinda disjointed; it’s hard to consider losing a member of the family.

Please keep her in your thoughts this week, if you would.

Texas Star

Texas Star,
originally uploaded by Arcadiajoy.

I decided to get a pendant while I was in Texas and I looked and I looked but I didn't see one while we were out and about. Here is the pendant I found at the airport just before getting on the plane. I really like it. The stones are amber, different colors.

Dallas TX

I just got back to Colorado after a week training on our new platform's accounting system. While I was there, I saw my best friend from high school and college, who I haven't seen in over 2 years since she moved to Texas. Instead of boring and long evenings at the hotel, I was treated to her charming company and whisked away from the mundane every evening.

My favorite evening was Wednesday night we saw Star Wars Episode III. We sat in the air-conditioned silence of a mostly empty theatre as the epic drew itself to a close and whispered back and forth about plot and our thoughts. Afterwards, we even talked about it over dinner at Firewater, a bar and grill close by. While we were eating possibly the worst meal ever (definitely the worst on the trip) some music came on over in the bar area. We finished what we could of the meal (and sent back the bad, colored vodka disguised as a Cosmo) and went to check out the music and discovered it was a live band playing.

Outside there was a large porch area with a bar and a bandstand. Bad Karma, a four (sometimes five) man band from Ft Worth, was belting out covers to songs from the 80s to today that sounded as good as the originals, with great flair and gusto. We stayed to the end of the second of three sets and ended up on stage dancing and singing to Mustang Sally with the band. That was fun.

Afterward, during the set break, I asked the bassist if they had any cds - he said no, they mostly did covers, and I told him that they sounded really good, just like the originals they were emulating. (besides Mustang Sally, my favorite was The Georgia Satalites Keep Your Hands to Yourself). He got us cards and said to check out the website (which we were already planning on doing). Before we left, he came back and said they were playing Friday night in Ft Worth. Which was a real bummer, seeing as my plane ticket was for Friday afternoon. Altia was all ready to follow them the next night, damn our current plans.

The next time I'm in Dallas, I'm definitely checking out Bad Karma's schedule... it was a lot of fun (and did I mention that the lead singer was hot? Altia said that she thought that he would be more Girlzoot's type... he reminded me vaguely of BNL's Steven Page.) I think I'll forgo local offerings for a chain that night... just to be safe.

So the training was ok; I did learn some things. The company, however, was stellar. I had such a good time, getting back to the hotel progressively later (oooh, the last night was after midnight - ok after 1 am... hehe) The one thing I regret was we didn't get a picture together of us. I forgot my camera every night except the last and it just didn't work out... But I have lovely memories :) And a small Texas State flag blowing in the imaginary Texas wind.

Good-Bye House

View from Across Street,
originally uploaded by Arcadiajoy.

Last night friends of mine had a "Good-bye House" party to celebrate the house they lived in for over 25 years. This little bungalow in North Cherry Creek has been sold, sadly not for the beautiful house, but for the land beneath it. My friends are moving to a smaller house a few miles away.

The next door house (which was not nearly as cute as this one) has already been scraped and a hulking building stands where once was a yard both front and back and even on the side. Most of the block now has succumbed to the scrape and build epidemic that is raging through some of the most beautiful parts of the metro area.

A friend once told me how she hated to see the scrape-offs, and the resulting hulks squating where once a home lay sweetly on the lot, these houses built with speed and money. At the time, I thought the houses she pointed out looked nice, they were big and new.

But I changed my mind when my "Uncle" sold a house that was scraped to make way for a complex of townhouses, tall and shining, but lacking warmth and charm. I'm sure the people who live there feel that their home is lovely, but the little house where I stayed with a friend and consumated an illicit love affair will always be in my mind when I drive past that lot.

And after today, when we plan to go visit once more (everyone was tired when the last guest left so we didn't actually get to talk) I don't think I will ever drive down that street again. This house has been part of the landscape of my life for as long as I can remember. I celebrated my first Christmas in Colorado by the fireplace here, we fingerpainted in the living room and danced to records on the old victrolla. It started out as a cozy and dusky home of friends of my mom's and became partly my home, growing up with their son then daughter, watching the renovation expand and beautify the house, hearing Hummer work in the back yard deep into the twilight, playing pool and asking personal questions of my "little brother's" friends in the oubilliette. This is a place in my world that I will never be able to go back to, except in my mind's eye. I guess it's true you can never go home again.

Kitty Cave

Kitty Cave
Originally uploaded by Arcadiajoy.

Here's my cat, Alec. It was nice out yesterday but he decided to crawl under the down comforter and take a nap. Whenever I can't find him, this is one of the first places I look...

Runaway bride

The whole thing on the runaway bride from GA has got me thinking. She said, in a prepared statement, that she wasn't running from the wedding, but from herself and issues and fears that had become out of control for her.

Perhaps it's a personal perspective thing, but a 600 guest wedding with a 26 person wedding party is a big, huge thing. And it could be a scary thing, whether or not you are deeply in love with your fiancé and are committed to spending the rest of your life with them. But, it also can be a way of life, all milestones and events are celebrated with vast numbers of friends and family, and this was normal and expected. So possibly it wasn't scary. But the thought of letting down a single person or even a handful of people (fiancé and parents, friends, family) in whatever way could be a crippling fear.

The fiancé said that the first thing he did when she got home was place her engagement ring back on her finger. Now, I can see that perhaps she took off her ring to go jogging (she disappeared while jogging, remember) but the legacy of the engagement ring has always seemed to be to wear it until the wedding, and switch the band and the ring after and never never take it off again. I know that some people do, but I would rather wear the ring and know where it was at all times than take it off and possibly lose it or have it stolen. Regardless, what if the wedding was part or all of her reason for fleeing? Wouldn't putting the ring back on her hand signify a ball and chain, a terrible weight on her? When she first returned she had not, to my knowledge, spoken to a professional therapist about her problems, and I see the possibility that this would only add to her stress.

Of course the ring's return could have been comforting, but then why didn't she take it in the first place? If she was running from other things, but her commitment and dedication to her husband-to-be was so strong, wouldn't she have taken the ring as a reminder, even if she wore it on another hand or on a chain? But she took off so fast, you say? Bullshit, she purchased the ticket days in advance of leaving. She had plenty of time to get the ring if it meant that much to her.

And on the pressing charges / suing the runaway bride, I'm of two minds. First of all, she didn't know that she was being looked for on a national level. Have you ever ridden a bus from GA to Las Vegas? It takes nearly 48 hours. How much news do you think she saw on the way? Also, people disappear all the time, and some of them are looking for a new life, they disappear themselves. Perhaps in her state of stress and fear, she didn't think it would be a big deal. She was wrong; it became a huge deal, but she shouldn't have to pay for it. She was not the one who set off the national media, her family and fiancé did that. Not every missing person gets national attention, but then again, not every bride has 14 bridesmaids either. Does this mean the wealthy are more important and get national coverage? Gee, I never thought of it that way. Perhaps she should pay for it, after all, she has the money... Or was the sheriff's office duped into looking for someone who didn't want to be found?

On the criminal charges, I think she should be charged for false reporting of a crime. I'm pretty sure that's a felony. She was trying to make herself look a victim instead of a runaway when she said that she had been kidnapped and sexually assaulted. Again, she probably wasn't thinking straight (as the whole situation leads us to believe) but from my perspective, she still knew right from wrong when she lied to the authorities in NM. And when people lie about crimes like kidnapping and sexual assault, it makes it more difficult for the true victims to be believed and heard.

The most important thing to come out of this situation is that the bride-to-be gets some help. From a brief interview I saw on the Today Show this week, her fiancé stated that she was seeking help and had been talking to someone. In no way do I trivialize her fear or whatever issues led her to flee the arms of her family and soon to be husband, and I sincerely hope that she can get the help she needs to resolve the issues that took over her life in such a dramatic and farflung fashion.

I admit I don't watch the news much, and I haven't taken to reading the newspaper or news-feeds online. Most of my news is from the radio and a brief buzz on the TV in the morning. I imagine while this situation, which took up quite a bit of my news time these past weeks, several more people were killed in Iraq; I know that the Number 3 man in Al Qaida was captured, and that somewhere children are starving. I'm not terribly informed about these things, but this story and the Teri Schaivo story are the two most recent and all-consuming by the media. Is it because they are domestic stories? Human interest? Both were terribly personal stories, things I did not need to be privy to as a complete stranger far from either of their homes or lives. But I know, and even I know a lot. I'm sure that says something, but I just can't put my finger on what...

Busy Busy

Haven't been updating as much as I should due to training at work. I'm on a project team working toward implementation of a new ERP software package for my new company (we combined forces with two other CPG companies and are going to market as one entity). While this is VERY exciting and I'm thrilled to be part of the project, I'm pretty worn out. I've learned more about my company and the way things work on a macro level this week then in the last 2 years. Of course I had my nose in my numbers and worked in my little corner of the company most of the time anyway.

So now I'm hoping to get some balance and to post here a bit more regularly (well as regular as I ever am...)