pollen anyone?

Every night when I sit down to read fecals, I'm amazed at how much pollen is passed through various animal systems in poop. I wonder if I can get a list of common north Texas pollens and their pictures from my allergist? I know what pine tree pollen looks like, but there are at least 3 more that I see all the time. I know, curiosity killed the cat and all. Thank goodness I'm not a cat.

That's your random poop update for the day. Now I'm off to breakfast.
"Pouring syrup on the pancaaaaaaakes!"

Poop!

So, here I am at work. Waiting until it is time for me to actually clock in. Bored. So I thought I'd share a few things with you to kill time.

#1. It may just be me, but a funny thing happened this morning here at work. I was setting up my "spreadsheet" (for lack of a better word) of my poop samples when I dropped a couple of samples on the floor. Yes, they were in containers. No, it didn't make a mess. Anyway, the funny thing was that when they hit the floor, I muttered "shit" under my breath. Well, yes, that's what I was working with. I kinda cracked myself up a little with that one. It could've just been the fact that I worked 10.5 hours with next to no break that made me a little punchy though.

#2. How freaking fantastic is the weather that North Texas is having right now? Dang, all that rain and lightening and thunder! Great sleeping weather. I didn't even have to use my brand new eye shades today. (and, no, I did not take that blasted sleepy-time supplement this morning since I was late in getting home and to bed)

#3. Why do I have so much trouble believing in myself? The boy didn't call me for a few days, and I totally panicked. He finally sent me a text saying that he was sick, had a fever, and had no voice. Did I let that keep me from worrying that he was finished with me? Heck no! I can twist anything normal situation around into something terrible. Ahh, the joys of being a hormonal woman.

#4. Iced tea is just about the greatest thing under the sun. God, I love me some Sonic with the Route 44 sized tea. Unsweetened, of course. And none of that fruity crap either. Just good old basic black tea. Well, whatever my friend Kim makes is freaking awesome, too. Some crazy blend she makes herself with a little Earl Grey in it. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

must...wake...up...

Good Lord. I'm soooooooooooo sleepy. It's 1:39am, and I'm at work. I had trouble sleeping amen I got home today, so finally about pm, I took the herbal supplement thing with melatonin in it. Lesson learned: do not take said supplement later than, oh, say 9-10am. I was okay until I sat at the microscope. I can't get 4 samples read without nodding off. As I type this, I am waiting for the coffee maker up here at work to finish the pot I'm brewing. Mmmmm, coffee! I'm really glad we've got the Coffee Mate singles in amaretto since the coffee itself is just ordinary. Maybe I'll bring up one of the six bags of Starschmucks coffee I got for Christmas. That would rock! Ooh, it just beeped. Lemme go check it... ... ...

Oh heavenly caffeinated beverage with that scrumptious aroma. How I do love thee!

what do you think of me?

Go here and tell me:

http://kevan.org/johari?name=COTI+Sin

Biaxin can suck it!

For those of you unfamiliar with Biaxin, let me fill you in. It is an antibiotic that is usually prescribed in 500mg tablets that are taken twice daily. There are "regular" and "long acting" varieties. When you take it, it leaves this funky metallic banana taste in your mouth. I can't begin to tell you how much Listerine and mint dental floss I've used this past week. Another side effect is "gastrointestinal distress." Yes, you should take the medicine with food, and I HIGHLY recommend eating a lot of yogurt while on your Biaxin regimen. I've noticed that I deserve a new nickname since taking this (expletive deleted) antibiotic: Gassious Clay. If I were a super hero, my name would be Flatulence Girl. It's poot-er-ific! Ya, I'm not bragging. It just seems like the only thing I can do is laugh for the next day until it's all gone (I take my last dosage today). Thank goodness I haven't spent too much time with the boy. How embarrassing would that be?

Okay, I'm done now. Too bad I can't fill my car's gas tank with this stuff.

the day after...

Ugh. Too much wonderful food. Too many wonderful gifts. Not enough sleep. Not really something to complain about, really. I didn't get the MP3 player I wanted, but I got a rice cooker. Yes, I'm so bloody excited about the rice cooker, I can hardly stand it. Guess it doesn't take much to make me happy!

There was one blemish on the holiday though. I never got to see the boy. He was supposed to have christmas lunch/dinner (whatever you want to call a mid-afternoon holiday meal) with me and Mother. I hadn't heard from him so I called at 1:30pm. He was still with his son, and he didn't think he should leave him. See, the kid's still having a hard time with the boy's divorce. Tough! Get over it! I don't really mean that. I'm being totally selfish. I told him that was fine, to give me a call later in the night, and maybe I'd come by. He didn't call until today. I was a poophead and didn't answer the call, but he didn't leave a message. I know that I'm second in this relationship circle, but all I wanted was a phone call. If I hadn't called him yesterday afternoon, would he have just not shown up at my place? As it was, it was only 1.5 hours notice of his not coming. Am I asking too much? Grrr. And I still have something else to give him. I wonder if he got me anything at all yet.

Post-holiday blahs. Too much hype, too much singing on Christmas Eve to enjoy the holiday, and not enough time with the ones I love. I'll invite you all to my pity party! =)

motion sickness anyone?

Did you know that if you read microscope slides too quickly, you can get motion sickness. Gawd, I soooooo wanted to hurl this morning after finishing my fecals. (haha, that sounds funny) I was in a hurry because today is the boy's birthday, and I wanted to see him before he went to work. He told me last night that he didn't have to be there until about 10am. I clocked out at 8:30 (only 9.25 hours last night--and yes, I punch a time clock), flew out of the parking lot, and stopped at the 7 Eleven. I wanted to get his morning coffee for him, and I also picked up a couple doughnuts and a Coke for him. Everything a birthday boy needs, right? Anyway, I got to his place about 8:45, and I was sorely disappointed when I saw that his car wasn't there. I almost cried a little. Ya know, that little hiccuppy-gulp thing when your eyes get all watery, but no tears actually fall and you get a catch in your breath? Since my cell phone fell out of my purse somewhere yesterday (luckily at home--found it when I got home from work), I didn't have his phone number to call him. I went into the apartment leasing office and had them call his cell phone for me (they wouldn't give me the number--I guess that's safe). I had to leave a message. Pooh!!! Anywho, when I got home, he'd left me a message telling me he had to go in early after all.

So, long story short, I drank the coffee I got for him. Now I'm awake. Blech! OMG, is it really 11:37? I hope I don't have another mini-breakdown at choir tonight. Must get sleep.

19.5

No, it's not the score to my most recent Cosmo test. I actually can't remember the last time I took one anyway. That is the number of hours I slept between Sunday and Monday. Dang! I got home after dinner (after Lessons and Carols) and was in bed at 10:30pm. I didn't get out of bed until 6pm today. Holy crap! That's a long time in bed. I think I needed it though. For the few in my preense Sunday monrning at church, I had to apologize for my behavior. Between rehearsal and the service, I started crying and just couldn't stop. It wasn't really over anything in particular. I think it was just from being so farking tired. I even left in the middle of the service. Kudos to the H-bomb for keeping me sane on the drive home. I got just about 2 hours of a nap before I had to be back at church. What a day!

Okay, maybe I can update more later, but I've got to get back to the wonderful world of pet urine!

caffeine!!!

I need some.

It's a little after 1am. I've got at least 6 hours left to go at work. I'm soooooooooooo tired!!! I'm actually taking little mini naps at the microscope unintentionally. If anyone wakes up in the middle of the night and reads this, feel free to give me a call. The cell phone is in my pocket. I'd consider it a wake up call.

Until then, I'll just eat my organic toaster pastry and hope the sugar kicks me in the ass.

slinging the bling

Oh my good Lord. I just saw the fugliest car yet! Worse than the hot pink Caddy. This was a neonesque burnt orange Cadillac. Not only did it have the fake tire thingy on the top of the trunk, it had a second fake tire thingy on the back edge of the car. Then there were the rims. I think they could've lit a small country with all that shiny-ness. Ugh! I couldn't quite see what was on the flat panel display in the back seat, but the picture in picture was quite clear. Needless to say, the homie driving had his seat so far reclined I could barely see his head. What I did see had a cell phone jammed into his ear though. Typical. One of these days I'm gonna have to pimp out Max to look something like that.

Oh, and boo to the Stars for getting reamed by the Rangers. Boo! (I still love you though, guys.)

what a couple of days

There's nothing like becoming acquainted with your work facility's bathroom floor. No, I didn't fall or anything typically me like that. Nope. It was all thanks to either bad food or super sucky cramps. I was happily working with dog urine one minute and in a cold sweat wanting to hurl the next. I'm glad I work in a medical facility where everything is clean, and the people are even cleaner. Otherwise, I don't think I would've been comfortable worshipping the porcelain god.

And speaking of bathroom things.... When I was getting ready to come over to mother's for laundry day, I walked into my bedroom to get the new flannel sheets. Thomas looked all guilty (like normal, I guess) and I got a whiff of something smelly. I looked at him and asked him if he went poopy in my bedroom. What? Don't you talk to your cats? Anyway, when he didn't answer me, I noticed that there was a smudgy trail from when I'd gone to take out the trash. Yes, obviously I walked through something and tracked it into my house. Beautiful. Stupid neighborhood cats. At least it wasn't one of my cats defiling my sacred space.

And in regards to the prior post, all is well with me and the boy. He's got stuff to go through and work out and all that mess, but he and I are fine. I do love him like mad. =)

divorce

For those of you still unaware, the new boy I've been dating is recently divorced. How recently, you ask? As in it was officially final today (Monday). The only real experience I've had with divorce is when my parents divorced (10 years ago) and when friends of mine have gone through it. I guess it is to be expected that he is having a terribly hard time with it. He keeps talking about how he's a failure at love and marraige. This isn't constant, mind you. His emotions have been a veritable roller coaster of late. I repeat, I guess it's to be expected. Unfortunately, I'm at a complete loss as to how to act. No matter what I do or say, it seems to be the wrong thing. If I give him space, he gets needy. If I try to comfort him, he gets distant. How can I do the right thing? Given time, I'm sure it will all work out, but it is really hard to be patient. I've never been one to sit around and watch people I care about suffer--I want to help in any way possible. It's when I can't help that I feel like a failure. Was this relationship doomed from the start with its proximity to the separation/divorce? He said that I wasn't the "rebound girl," that in fact there had been a few of those. Nevertheless, I am the first person with whom he chose to enter into a relationship. Too make matters worse, it is easy to see myself growing old with this guy. How do we get past the tough times together...?

Any advice or words of wisdom? Keep in mind, I can't always be strong enough for the both of us. In fact, sometimes it's hard to be strong enough for just myself.

Saturday night's alright...

...except for a killer headache. Okay, maybe not a killer. That was a few weeks ago. I'm at work killing time waiting for an elisa (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ELISA for more info). I hate waiting! I do have one more slide to read, but I figure I've got an hour or so left to take care of it.

I felt guilty. I just read the slide. Of course it was negative. Just like everything else tonight. Arrgh! If I'm gonna spend hours working with poop, I wanna see some parasites darnit! I did find some giardia cysts in one sample, but only one positive out of 26 samples? That means that people in this state are actually doing a good job of using preventitive measures to keep their pets healthy (Heartguard, Revolution, and the like--I recommend you use them if you have pets). Anywho...

Ah, 30 more minutes until I can leave. I guess I should see if I can help out the other people. They tend to help me when I am overworked. Of course all I want to do is go home and take some serious advil-like pain drug. I should have never had that venti peppermint mocha. Stupid head. Enough with the uber boring post. I promise to be more on the ball next time.

I am cursed

I have this terrible affinity for finding places that are noisy.

I got home from work this morning (after a little Chirstmas shopping at Target--oooh, love me some Target) at 9:30am. I got all comfy in my sleepy clothes, brushed, flossed, etc, and got in bed. Thomas was all snuggly and curled up under my right arm under the covers with me. Just as his purring was lulling me into a calm and beautiful sleep, the buzz saw hastily brought me back to the rudeness of daylight. I know I've mentioned before that my neighbor (on the side right outside my bedroom window) is adding onto her house. Needless to say, the contractors feel the need to work during the daylight hours. Blast them! I think the world should switch to a graveyard shift to accomodate me.

Anyway, at about 1pm, I gave up and called Mother. "Please can I sleep at your house?" "Of course, darling!" So I put on clothes of a sort and make the mile and a half trek to my mother's place. Who is here when I get her but her once-every-two-weeks housekeeper. Ugh! The television all blaring and vacuuming noises with spanish being spoken loudly into a cell phone disturbing my sanctity.

I give up. No wonder I can't seem to shake this allergy/cold/snotty mess that is in my head. Sleep is needed to revive the immune system. Not to mention the fact that I haven't seen the bf in over a week. He's probably given up on me by now. I miss him. A lot.

per your request

blog blog blog

There I blogged.

Hahaha! Now I have to go to work at 2:30 in the afternoon. Why do you ask? Well, they closed the lab last night, and there is too much poop for one person to handle. I gotta go clean up the shit. I'll be elbow deep in poo when I should be happily asleep. Grrr. What a phone call to get in the middle of a massage. "Hey, we really need you at work; and yes, you'll have to come back for the night shift, too." Ilovemyjobilovemyjobilovemyjob.... (repeat until belief) Completely ruined the benefits of the massage. Now I'm all tense again. DRAT!

thank God for puppies and kittens

Yep, without those cute little furry wonders, I'd never get to find any parasites at work. Although last night I did have a 12 year old dog absolutely LOADED with hookworms. Good times.

So while I sit there at the microscope and scan slides, I've started making up song titles (and a few lyrics to boot). Tell me what you think...

Junky Poop
Is That a String in Your Ass?
You've Been Eating Vegetables
Tiny Air Bubbles

That's just a start folks. Think what other wonders I can concoct with even less sleep!!!

Incognito

(to continue with the obscure Judybats references...)

I wish the evil c***whore had not seen me the other night. Do you know how hard it is to try to be pleasant with someone knowing that they have said totally evil derogatory lies about you that you supposedly don't know about? Did that make sense? I hope so.

Anyway, so I saw the person who said evil things about me. She was all "Oh, your hair looks really nice. When did you get it cut? I haven't seen you in so long," and all that BS. Like she even cares. Although, it is sad to know that she has alienated soooooo many people that she is trying to "reconnect" with people so she can have at least a person or two to talk with in public places. There were stretches of time when I was laughing with my friends and she was just sitting there all alone looking at us wistfully. Part of me wants to say "Serves you right, sister!" but the other part of me feels bad for her. She's a very sad, lonely, insecure person who has cast away the people who cared about her. It's even more sad to know that all of this happened in a church type setting. Poor girl. At least I did the upright and noble thing by being polite to her. (not that I went out of my way to be nice, but I kept my squirrelly wrath under control until I left)

She Lives

To quote the Judybats...

"She lives, no fear, doubtless in everything she knows
Through time, unchecked the sureness of her flows
She leaves herself inside you when she goes
She lives in a time of her own"

So that song has been going through my head the past couple of days. I know I haven't fully recovered from the crud, but I know that I'm not gonna die. Was it the flu? Meningitis? Hong Kong chop suey flu? Who the heck knows, but I'm on the upswing. At least I don't want to chop off my head from the rest of my body anymore. I haven't wanted to die so bad since I had the flu about 10 years ago. Now if I could get rid of the feeling of fluid-filled ears, I might be onto something good.

Ya, I'm tired now. Gotta nap from this exhausting workout of typing.

why I need a camera phone

Oh my goodness, did I ever see the most hideous vehicle today. It was parked outside the elementary school by my mother's house. I rounded the corner and just had to stop and gawk. Thank goodness there was no one sitting inside it!

Just imagine this:
Fluorescent hot pink stretch 70s era Cadillac with mafia tinted windows, a large angel hood ornament with pink wings, and seriously jacked up SUV sized tires with really blingy rims. It was pimp-a-licious! I now completely understand the need for a camera phone now. Dang it was uuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggglllllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!

I love my job!

So I've got his new O&P girl status. The past couple of nights, whenever I see something positive (tonight was giardia, whips, and hooks), I let everyone know so they can come and take a look if they want. Tonight I got the best compliment ever from my supervisor. He said "You know, you're really good at this!" My response: "I know." It's great to have something you are good at doing even if it is playing with shit all night long. :-)

Ya, for everyone's edification, it is really difficult to work with blood and urine and other schmutz when you have the hiccups. Arrgh!

Thanks, I feel better now.

Boo!

Did I scare anyone? Prolly not. I hope you and yours have a freakishly ghoulish all hallows eve. Tonight is trivia night, so I cannot partake in the scaring of young children at my front door. But then again, not too many venture into my neighborhood. When you've got much larger houses with better candy 2 blocks away, why waste time on the piddly stuff? Oh well! Maybe next year.

And yes, Heather, I will be wearing the cat ears to work tonight.
>^.^<

Gosh!

Okay, I'm sorry people. Maybe I'd post more often if people didn't walk up to me on the street and scream "Dammit woman! Post already!" all day long.

Things have been an utter whirlwind lately. For those not "in the know," there is a new man in my life. And no, he's not of the four legged variety (no more strays for me!). We've spent as much time together as possible since I got back from Ohio, and when we're not together, we're thinking of each other. Yes, it's sappy, but what am I gonna do about it? Those of you that actually know me know that I'm so NOT into believing in things like karma, luck, and soul mates. Well, looks like I was wrong on the soul mate thing. Even though we've only officially known each other a few weeks, I feel like we've known each other for years. And I mean that in the best of all possible ways! We can sit and talk about anything or nothing and be perfectly comfortable with each other. Heck, we've even talked about how it's weird that we can talk about anything. For the moment, everything seems utterly mutual, but knowing me, I'm still a tad skeptical. Who wouldn't be?

Anyway, so there's my update. I promise to try and post more often, but I'm still a little jacked up by my schedule. Stupid graveyard shifts followed by weekday training then back to graveyards. Ugh. I gotta take a nap.

it's been awhile...

...and there is so much to spill.

I just got back from Ohio for training. It was actually fun. The best part of the whole time though (other than the rocking dog awesome steak from Ruth's Chris) was the snow Monday morning. Big pretty flakes that didn't stick to a thing. Oh well, at least we got to see it. Chris and I had a ton of fun playing with poop--parasite training stuff. At least I like it. ;-)

Diwali was last weekend so we had a big Indian chow down at work tonight. Unfortunately, I'm thinking I shouldn't have eaten. I think I got a touch of food poisoning at the airport in Charlotte on the way home. I feel no es bueno. Blech.

The boys couldn't be happier that I'm home. They stuck to me like glue all day today. Granted, most of that I was in bed or watching TV, but they were still right there next to me--touching me if possible. Spoiled rotten kiddos!

I'm sure there was more random stuff that I wanted to blog, but I can't think of it now (1:05am--waiting my 15 minutes to read my samples). There is one other thing I need to post, but it deserves its entry. Until then!

new tricks with oatmeal

So for those of you who like oatmeal, this is for you.

If you are totally desperate for flavor and all you have is plain oatmeal, adding non-dairy creamer isn't too bad of an option. I did that last week. Tonight/this morning I made my usual instant stuff and added french vanilla coffee mate. Mmmmmm--tasty!

And it goes so well with my diet Dr. Pepper.

ever wonder why?

Why are some people so hateful? I found out last night that a person I know has been saying horrible things about me to friends of mine FROM MY CHURCH! Granted sometimes you feel like you have to let off a little steam, and you may curse someone's name for no particular reason. I'm guilty of that, and I don't fault people for doing it once or twice. But for someone to whom I've never been anything but nice, cordial, friendly, and hospitable to say hateful, horrible, vile things about me.... I don't even know how to react. My first instinct was to call the best friend and vent. That helped a little. I still feel hurt though. She had absolutely no reason, no right, no anything to say what she did. I will not post the actual derogatory statements. However, I can say it was most likely projection. While I would never voice the thought about her, if the shoe fits.... I'm glad I knew from the beginning not to trust her. Now, I will never speak to her again. You obviously are the company you keep (in her circle). It shouldn't be worth getting upset about, but I don't know how many people she slandered me around. Wait, slander is spoken and libel is written, right? Whatever, she is now a serious persona non grata.

Grrrr. I'll sic Thomas on her if I ever see her again.

Big Tex

Ya, I thought he was bigger. Guess I was just smaller.

Anyway, the group went to the fair last night. We didn't get there until about 7pm, but that was fine by me. Three hours is perfect. It was plenty of time for me to get my corn dog, turkey leg, and root beer. Mmmmmmmmm! What is better than gnawing on a roasted hunk of meat with a built in handle? I love me some turkey leg! RAH got fried cheesecake and fried oreos. Ange tried the fried pralines. I forget what Peter got, but I'm sure it was something fried. We were all intrigued by the idea of fried donkey tails. Ugh! Were they for real??? As a matter of fact, no. We found out much later in the evening (when we finally read our free map and schedule thingy) that a fried donkey tail is "an all beef frankfurter split lengthwise and generously stuffed with sharp cheddar cheese" that's then deep fried. Sounds kinda like something we should've tried.

We rode the Texas Star (waste of money last night--we barely went around twice) and walked quickly through the automobile buildings. The only Midway thing we did was the "guess your age" scam next to the ferris wheel. I thought for sure the guy would peg me as younger than I am. Let me tell you how uber pissed off I was when he guessed I was 37. Arrgh! Are you kidding me? Do I look that bad for my age? At least I got Melvin the stuffed sea turtle out of it. He's super cute. Of couse then the scammer made some tacky comment about how the winners always pick the prize that most looks like themselves. First he says I look like an old hag, then he says I look like a turtle. Will this asshole never shut up? Now I'm all worked up again. Jerk.

Of course before all the fair stuff, something good did happen. I had a fantabulous conversation via phone with a new prospect. We're definitely taking this one slow folks. It's not going to be like the last one who actively tried to smash my self worth into little pieces. If anyone's getting smashed, it's him. But wait...don't some people like to get smashed?

Stop Drinking Research

What the heck does that mean? I saw it on a billboard the other night. Does it mean...

(1) someone is doing research on how to stop drinking (as in trying to "cure" alcoholism)?
Stop Drinking Research

(2) someone wants people to stop doing researching on drinking?
Stop Drinking Research

(3) someone wants people to stop drinking their research projects?
Stop Drinking (your) Research

I personally like the third option. I mean, a good strong bacterial culture can look a good bit like lemonade if you're not paying close attention. Doubt it tastes the same though.

first workday/worknight

Whoa. I had my first 8 hours of work last night/this morning. What a beating! I have to admit that once I made it to 3am, I was pretty much okay. I started counting down time at 4am. I would announce to the girls I was learning under, "it's 4 o'clock!" Then after a bit "it's 4:45!" Made them laugh quite a bit. The first day/night was interesting. Turns out they were implementing a new "system" yesterday (and no, I have no idea what that means) that supposedly made everything take longer to do. I never knew the difference, so it was okay by me. My trainer and I were still able to leave at 6:15am. Man, let me tell you what. A sausage biscuit from Whataburger at 6:20am is a beautiful thing! Anyway, the first shift was full of watching and then processing urinalysis samples, watching FIBs, PTTs, and Coombs (ya, don't ask). Glad I have all my experience in research! So, I'm off to the new lab again here in about 40 minutes. Wish me more luck staying awake!

what have I done?

Oh good Lord, I think I may have officially lost my mind. I just signed up for match.com per the request of a couple of friends (actually they wanted me to do eHarmful, but I tried that once and got burned). Guess I need to have someone take a decent picture of me to put up there, huh. Funny thing is, I chose the plan that if you don't get "matched" in a certain amount of time, you get more time free. A dating guarantee, if you will. Obviously I don't have high hopes. :-) Where will this lead? Down the garden path or straight to hell? Only time will tell.

*eeeek*

I'm officially poor

Ya, I'm on hold with the credit card people. No one ask me to do anything until I can get my first paycheck from the new job. I gots some serious paying off to accomplish! I appreciate your patience.

Anyone for a road trip?

If so, do not take TX HWY 67. What a nightmare! All the way from north of Cleburne to south of Glen Rose, it's like one big construction zone. Also, who ever though Monday was the day for the Sunday drivers in their duelies to take up precious space on two lane roads? Arrgh! When I finally got off of 67, I thought it would improve. Hah! There was construction in Hico at HWY 6 and two bouts just past Goldthwaite on HWY 16. And do you know how many passing zones there are on hill country roads? Ya, like three. And when you finally reach the passing zone, someone in a huge SUV is speeding toward you in the opposing lane so you are stuck forever behind the slow pokes!!!

I'm so taking a different route home.

At least gas was only $2.03 in Llano! (although I had to wait until the gasoline pump system rebooted because the woman's credit card before me freaked out the system--it was only 5 minutes that I had to wait and swelter on the side of a small Texas highway)

feline jealousy

I always knew that animals could experience jealousy, but now I have proof.

Last night was a night like any other (oh, God, this sounds like the beginning of a really bad romance novel). When I turned off SVU at midnight, I settled into the covers of my comfy bed. Part of the settling includes getting ready for Thomas to "suck." Poor boy. He was abandoned too young by his harlot mother cat, so he still has suckling issues. I know that I shouldn't reinforce this bad behavior, but hey, he's a cat and it doesn't hurt anything. So, I turn off my light, get my shirt sleeve situated, and he comes over. After a little chirpy purr, he settles in to knead and suck on my bicep sleeve. Yes, it's weird. Yes, I've gotten over it. Yes, I'm a totally overindulgent mother. This is where the similarities to other nights ended.

Well, not totally. Sometimes Cornelius will start to wander all over the bed trying to disrupt Thomas. I eventually shove him off the bed or he gives up. Not last night. After much walking around (all over me I might add), Corn finally settled with his front paws neatly crossed on my bicep. The same one Thomas was sucking on. It only took a few seconds of a steely-eyed stare from the Cornman before Thomas gave up and left. Poor Thomas. He just wanted to feel loved like any other long, lost kitten. What made it even worse was that when Thomas left, Cornelius stood up , stretched, and hopped off the bed as well.

Isn't that sad?

Who is Shaqua?

So a few times this week I've gotten really weird calls on my cell phone. The first time someone called asking for Shaqua. I didn't worry about it and told them they had the wrong number. Today my phone rang while I was at the clinic. I said if it wasn't my advisor, I wasn't answering the phone. Well, I didn't know the number so I answered the phone just in case. Here's how it went:

Me: Hello?
Caller: Hey! This is Republic. We did it!
Me: Um, what?
Caller: We're ready for Bandit!
Me: Um, I think you might have the wrong number.
Caller: Is this Shaqua?
Me: No, but I've gotten a couple of other calls for her. Why do people keep calling me?
Caller: Oh, your number is listed on this contract we've been working on.
Me: So I'm gonna keep getting these calls prolly, huh?
Caller: Yes, probably.
Me: Okay. Well, uh, thanks. B-bye.

What's really funny about this is that while I was typing this post, I got another call for Shaqua. Who the hell is Shaqua, and why is she putting my phone number on contracts I don't know about???

a day off

Who knew a Saturday could be so lovely? For the first time in weeks, I didn't have to go into the clinic. I stayed up late watching a stupid movie that I love so I slept late today. Almost until 9:30! When I did get up, I moved to the living room, sat in the wing back chair, and read more Japanese stuff. It's called "I am a Cat," and was written between 1904 and 1906ish by Soseki Natsume. I'm only into the third chapter of Volume one, but it's pretty danged good. It was written in chapters and published in some Japanese literary magazine as a serial. It was so popular that it was later compiled into book form and published that way. Now I have it! Thanks Joe!

While I was reading and listening to David Gray, it started to thunder. Quite a rumbling session it was! I decided to close my eyes and meditate on the sound of thunder, rain, and wind when all of a sudden the phone rang. It'd been about 30 minutes, and I'd been asleep. So much for meditation, huh? Mother wanted to take me to lunch, and I'm not one to turn down free food. It was the first time I'd eaten out someplace nice in quite the long time.

Now I just need to wait and see what tonight's alternate plans are for a friend's birthday. I may have the night off as well!

Just in case...

...you didn't believe me, read for yourself.

http://www.guidelive.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/overnight/stories/DN-muse_0920gl.ART.State.Edition2.3e5b3e2.html

MUSE!!!

Okay, now that I am mostly recovered from the girly afflictions of yesterday, I can freely post about the concert I had the pleasure of attending Tuesday night.

I saw Muse. I heard Muse. I felt the life pulse of Muse. I breathed Muse. I was Muse.

I've been going to concerts now for 20 years (no fooling! it may even be 21 years), and this was certainly the best stage show I've EVER seen. It was just the three of them on the large mostly barren stage. What made it amazing was (1) the quality of the music amplification (no feedback problems, perfect balance between the instruments and vocals, the way you could feel the music along with the band), (2) the energy of the band and the crowd--just being there made you feel euphoric, and last but certainly not least (3) the light show. Holy mother of pearl, it was BY FAR the best light show I'd ever witnessed. There were times when the crowd would fall quiet and look around the arena at the projected light patterns on the ceiling and walls during soft slow numbers. During "Knights of Cydonia" and "Hysteria", I could easily say it felt like I understood what it was like to be in a night time battle during the French Revolution Les Miserables style. The pulsating lights combined with strobes and ever changing colors with the video production behind the stage.... Arrgh! There is no good way to describe how bloody amazing it was!!! If I had the money and the time, I would drive to Atlanta to see the show there next week. I knew I loved this band, but now I have an even greater appreciation for them as not only musicians but as performers. And to say performers doesn't do it justice. They conveyed the emotions of the songs as well as the best opera singers.

I feel privileged to have been able to attend their show Tuesday night.

Back away from the Cheetos!

Looks like my normal "cycle" is returning. If talking (or reading) about this sort of thing bothers you, avert your eyes now. This whole bleeding every two weeks has gotten sooooooooooo old. I finally called the girlie doctor (actually about 3 times before we settled on an action plan), and I may be back on the road to normalcy. Yippee. Granted, being awakened at 6am with severe back pain and cramps was not the best way to start the day. Being able to count on insurance to pick up the tab for exams and drugs again is really gonna be sweet though!

Anyway, as per my normal monthly duty, I stopped by the store on the way to work and bought a bag of Cheetos, a bag of Doritos, a package of York peppermint patties, and a small bag of Hershey kisses. The original idea was to get something for a girl up here who's had a bad couple of days, but things kept jumping into my arms. Now, I'm fighting the urge to finish the bag of Cheetos. No...must...back...away.... Their gravitational pull is...not...strong...enough....{crunch!}

Damn.

Monday morning blog

*sorry--I typed this Monday and forgot to post it. Enjoy*

Okay, so my mind is not functioning well enough yet to come up with a better posting title. I thought I'd go for the obvious.

Is it only Monday? So much stuff happened this weekend that it feels like it should be Thursday already. First off, I had the long awaited talk I needed to have with a friend Friday night. No, it was nothing bad, it's just one of those "talks" that sometimes has to happen between friends of the opposite sex. You know, sometimes people can get so comfortable with each other that boundaries start to fade, and things can be said or done that make the other uncomfortable. We are now both in total agreement that our strictly platonic relationship is just that--strictly platonic. Phew. Number one crisis averted.

Saturday was interesting only in that at the vet clinic, one of the techs didn't show up (thought she wasn't scheduled, and had already made other unalterable plans). I technically wasn't scheduled to be there since I'd planned on going to see the GD for her 6th birthday. Things being what they are in my life, that trip didn't happen so I went into the clinic. Thank goodness! Otherwise things would've been really nightmarish. I actually considered not going, but when I was given the keys to the drug lockbox, I knew I had to be there just in case. We had a relief vet who was tons of fun, and the schedule was light so it was an fairly easy Saturday. Started off rough because before we officially opened, we had people without appts lining up to have their pets seen. Whoops! That and I had to call the "head receptionist" to have her walk me through the task of getting the new vet set up in the computer so she could actually administer shots and meds. Trust me, it was a lot more harrowing than it sounds. The rest of the day was fan-freaking-tastic because I napped, watched Emma and some SVU, and went to bed after reading a bit of 1904 Japanese writing.

Sunday (sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY) was typical. Choir, lunch, meet with people for drinks. The only thing different was that I had a Pampered Chef party at my place. It was fun, but it got started really late due to the freaking crazy rain. After that, some of us went to a pub for dinner (bloody expensive and not even very good--must remember that). I've been so tired that I'm afraid that I just sat there like a bump on a log.

the wait is over

I HAVE A NEW JOB!!!!!!!!!

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. After getting rear ended yesterday, crying all day, waking up with a killer migraine at 4am, and being in a fog all day today so far (from the migraine meds), I'm surprised I was with it enough to remember to go to the interview. YAY!!! I can't wait to put the degrees back to use in a lab setting!

and yet...

...as crummy as 2006 has been to me, I just on a whim called a company I know about through the vet clinic to see if they had any lab openings. I have an interview tomorrow morning.

Maybe God hasn't given up on me after all.

2006, you're fired!

Things that have happened to me in the past 5 months....

* lost my dream job
* a/c on car died
* brakes on car died
* tried to go to NYC for interview the day terrorists were arrested in London (ergo, causing the worst airport confusion I'd seen in years including cancelled flights and lost luggage)
* found out I didn't get the (dream) job I was basically promised in NYC
* roomie and best friend of many moons moved to CA
* almost didn't get registered for classes in time
* bleeding every 2 weeks for the last 3 months
* car got backed into in a parking lot smashing my trunk
* can't afford to breathe anymore

I know I'm loved.

By my cat.

For the past two nights in a row, Cornelius has brought me presents right as I was turning off the light to go to sleep. Beetles. Click beetles at that. At least he's not bringing me waterbugs or rodents. It's just unnerving to be all cosy in bed, having read a chapter or two in a book, ready to turn off the bedside lamp when something foreign gets placed carefully on your back or legs. Then it clicks. Then I jump off the bed screaming like a ninny. Two nights ago, I flicked it off my bead knowing he'd eventually find it again and eat it. Last night I never did find the thing; I only knew what it was by the quintessential sound it made. Ugh!

In other news, there really is no other news. I'm waiting to hear from my advisor regarding research time tables. I'm still going to be at the vet clinic working for peanuts. I love having an extra "laundry room" now (the empty room has become the ironing room). I love having good friends like Heather, Ange, and Lynn.

And as such, life goes on.

how could I forget

And how could the H-bomb not post it either?

Last week, we were out driving back from lunch or Starbucks or Milwaukee Joe's when two very funny things happened. First, we were passing a salon when we saw this very tall thin black woman with a huge blonde afro. At the same time we both said "Damn...'fro." Of course we cracked up because it was like human voice in stereo. A couple minutes later when we pulled into her parking lot, she was talking about having to transfer files from her computer at work to some sorta "U drive." To that, we both (again in stereo) said "You...drive!" while pointing at each other. Much more laughing ensued.

Ah...good friends!

Happy Birthday Angela!!!

To my good friend Ange...

Happy Birthday!!!

Turns out my whole weekend was based on Ange's birthday. I had a fan-freaking-tastic (if I do say so myself) party for her Sunday night. It was also in honor of my now ex-roomie (who I still haven't heard from) and his moving to Cali. We had so much fun that continued all the way to 10pm Monday! She stayed the night, and I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Yum! Then we went to lunch with Mama, went to a movie--The Illusionist--and Sephora, went back to my place, made soup, and watched The Mission when RAH came over. It was a great, relaxing Labor Day. Everyone should do that every once in a while.

Now it's Tuesday, the day after Labor Day. I woke up in a fairly good mood and came to work. Seems like I should've stayed home. Everyone up here today is all moody and/or pissy. Gotta love the emergencies and things that happen over holiday weekends. *Gosh!*

At least the weather is beautiful. I hope it lasts. Now if it were only November, cool, windy, cloudy, hockey season type tea weather!

cheering up

Well, things are going better now that the "work week" is over. Just left the vet clinic (almost on time) an hour ago and came to Mother's for laundry duty. Stoopid cat got on my bed this morning and tracked litter all in my sheets. Bad Cornman! Oh well, at least he's cute.

It was basically a crummy week. Said goodbye to the roomie and 20 minutes later got the form letter from NYC saying that another applicant was chosen. Smurlfeh! (that's a covered mouth version of an explitive) That night sucked royally (except for Peter coming over and and consoling me with a bottle of wine while we read my Maldives travel diary). The next day, I dragged myself outta bed to get to the vet clinic for the staff (staph?) meeting which was a total downer. At least we had free lunch. Oh, but wait--it was chicken. Arrgh!!! Can't something go right for me this week? After work was choir with everyone asking me about the NYC gig. Props to KC for bringing me a CD and chocolate to take my mind off the crapola! Thursday was spent mostly in front of the computer and on the phone trying to get resigstered for "class" this semester. It finally worked then I broke down into a total headachy mess. I think the stress finally got to me. Friday started off to be a good day at work, but it went downhill. I was supposed to leave the clinic about 6 so I could go home, get my laundry, and head out to my father's for dinner and a laundry date. Well, at 5:20pm, we started working on this one dog who was having trouble "going #1." Turns out the poor guy was blocked. When I finally left the clinic at 7:20(!), I knew I was going to be seriously late for dinner. I called and expected to be told not to bother (the bad frame of mind was back), but all was well. They were holding dindin for me. Thank the gods. Of course everything for the last 2 hours had been so stressful that I was sooooo not hungry. The ice cream with strawberries was fan-freaking-tastic though!

Now all I've got to do is relax while the sheets wash and dry then go to dinner with a friend (she's paying). Keep me in your happy thoughts. I still slip back into "worthless" mode every so often, but things are getting better. At least I'm not Job!

NYC

I did not get the job. Looks like I'll be in Texas for awhile.

it is finished

I officially live alone again. The roomie and I said goodbye about 20 minutes ago. He gave me his key back. He is leaving super early tomorrow morning with the GF to drive to California. I'm glad he has someone to go with him--help him with the driving, help him get settled in once he gets there, and all that stuff. His car was packed to the brim with clothes and boxes. Wonder what kind of gas mileage he'll get on the way out there?

As for me, I'm not sure how I feel. Lonely is one feeling that is right at the surface. Granted I've basically lived alone for the last couple of months, but he was still around. Now I'm offically in charge of all the house duties on my own. While I love being alone in the house, I'll miss him terribly. I'm also happy. He's been wanting to get this next degree and move on with his life for so long. It's about time he got into a great school with a good scholarship. I just wish it were closer! I'm also a little anxious. The crazy one knows that the roomie is leaving. I don't want him showing up at my door again. Roomie did leave his baseball bat for me though!

So why am I crying? It's like the end of an era. We've been friends for many years, close (even best) friends for at least 5 years. We've lived together for the last 3 years. What will I do if I need him or his input in a situation? Who's gonna be around to tell me whether or not I look decent before I leave for a date? Who's gonna help me with Thomas? :-)

Now I have to wait 12 more days to see if my life is gonna change as dramatically as his. Maybe that is part of my anxiety problem today. Still not a word from NYC. Anyone got some Paxil to spare? (just kidding, folks)

bored bored bored

I'm sitting at the vet clinic. I've played Jewel Quest, Text Twist, and a few crossword puzzles. I've checked my email umpteen times. Our last client left at 4pm. Yet, I have to stay until the bitter end. We're all just hanging out and playing on the internet. It's only a skeleton crew at this point, too! It's only 5pm!!!

So, I guess I'll rant a little. I WANT TO HEAR FROM NYC!!! I'm dying here! How am I supposed to go on with my everyday activities not knowing where I am going to live in a couple of months??? That and the most recent edition of my alma mater magazine had two huge articles on two of my sorority sisters. (Yes, I was in a sorority. No, it wasn't your typical group of stupid blonde chicks. Not that there's anything wrong with stupid blonde chicks. And no, not all blondes are stupid. And no, not all stupid people are blonde.) What the poo have I done that's note worthy? Oh wait, I've been told that I'm not good enough for a raise. Arrgh!!!

Okay, I feel better now.

Do we live on the sun?

Okay people. I'm sick to death of 100+ degree weather. I feel like we live on some other planet or not-too-hot star's surface. Almost everyone I know is having health problems, and I blame it all on the heat and lack of rain. I've been fighting a headache off and on for a couple of weeks, and now my throat is sore. H-Bomb has been dizzy and nauseated. RAH is just cranky. All of this is attributable to the crappy air quality and blistering heat of Texas summers.

Now if I could just find out about that job in NYC, all would be good in life.

bloody mess

Yes, I'm speaking of myself. I'm at the vet clinic today, and the second room we had was two chihuahuas for "the works." The first one went like clockwork. The second one, after we get it to the back starts acting all a fool. We put on the party hat (aka: muzzle), got the nails trimmed, got the fecal sample, and then tried to get blood. HAHAHAHAHA!!! Little thing wouldn't quit squirming. We had to have the vet come out and take the sample. I felt like a worthless vet tech, I can tell you that. Anyway, during all the squirming and general hyperactivity, she split one of her toenails and got streaks of blood all over my nice pretty white shirt. Ergo, I'm a bloody mess. Thank goodness for H2O2--I was able to clean most of it up. Needless to say, she was very happy to be free from us and back with mom and dad.

Do you know what time it is?

Well, I have my luggage back finally. What kills me about it is the time they delivered it. Here, enjoy the minute by minute account.

Last night I went to sleep about 11pm. I'd gotten home from choir, Roomie was still out, and I watched a little Who's Line on BBCAmerica. When I turned off the light a little before 11, I snuggled in and fell fast asleep. At one point my phone rang, but I was too dopey to reach for it. It was only 11:09pm, and when the message thing booped, I figured I should check it. It was Ange telling me something about Friday night plans. No biggie. I went right back to sleep.

Then my phone rang again! This time it was 1:28am. WTF? It was the middle of the night and a number I did not recognize so I let it go. Then it rang again. Surely, this is a wrong number or they will leave a message. Yep, they left a message alright. In the meantime before I heard the message boop, I'd gotten up to go to the bathroom. When I got to the front of the house, there was someone banging on the front door. Not just knocking, mind you--banging. That's when I checked the voice mail; it was some Indian sounding dude saying "This is American Airlines. I have your bag. Open your front door. I've delivered your bag, open your door." Again, I think WTF??? I find my glasses and robe in the dark, make it to the front door, and before I can open it my phone starts ringing again. Dude! I get the point! So I open the door and say "Do you KNOW what time it is???" His response: "I just deliver the bags and you said you wanted it first thing in the morning." Never you mind that I needed it first thing in the morning SIX DAYS AGO!!! I signed for the bag, took it inside, and pretty much slammed the door in his face. I guess it's not his fault entirely, but to beat down a door at 1:30 in the morning should typically elicit some hostility I would think.

But wait--there's more! I leave the bag by the front door because at this point all I want to do is go back to bed and calm down (as imaginable, I was fuming). When I get to the hallway, I hear Roomie's door open. He's on his knees, afro abounding, with his baseball bat in hand. Now if that's not funny enough, he then says under his breath "What's going on? Who's out front?" or something to that effect. All I said was, "It's my luggage. They brought it." In his sleepy haze his eyes opened to the hilarity of it all. We laughed and laughed and laughed until we went back to bed. I was still really pissed off, but hey--I had my bag back.

Glad to know the roomie is willing to put his life on the line for me after I've already taken care of problems though! :-)

Tuesday

So that's the best title I can come up with today.

I spent the better part of yesterday dealing with an ever increasing migraine. I blame it on the fact that I STILL don't have my luggage from when it was lost last Thursday at Laguardia. When I was starting to regret being alive, I gave up and took some of my migraine medicine. Ah, Ultram (aka Tramadol). It's a prescription that I take way less than the doctor recommends, but if I take a full dose (50-100 mg) I become a drooling cranky idiot. Last night I took 20mg and went to bed. I had trouble sleeping and kept having these crazy hot flashes. Stupid drugs! Why can't the pharmaceutical companies fix all these things so I can take the correct dosage to get rid of the headache without feeling like a menopausal woman?!?

Anyway, the headache is better--not gone, but better. Poor H-bomb's got the same affliction, but her's has been going on for a few days. Balls to that! She has a job where she actually has to pay attention to people and drive so she can't take any good pain killers. Poor girl. Let's all wish her a speedy recovery.

off with her head!

Yep, I'm wanting to cut off my head. For all of those out there on hormones for any reason, don't fark with the scheduling of them. Do EXACTLY what the doctor recommends. And when the doctor's assistant says, "Hmm, we've never tried that before. Why don't you let us know how it works out for you," know that that means, "Hahaha, you're gonna be screwed!" I'm now on my second migraine in a month. I want to die.

Interview Day

As I sit in a Border's on 2nd Avenue at 31st Street, I'll fill in some of the gaps from yesterday before I get to the interview itself.

First thing I did before we left the house was repack my bags--had to get all the liquidish stuff outta my purse and carry on bag. That wasn't such a big deal until I never got my bag last night, but you already know about that! By the way, it still has "not been located." Next thing I left out was that my flight to O'Hare was cancelled because of weather, not terroristic threats. The airport was fogged in and there were thunderstorms in the area. Next was that on my over full flight to LGA, I had an empty seat next to me! The girl at the window and I chatted a bit. She was super sweet, recently graduated from some Washington school, and going into Americorps. Before that started, she was going to visit her brother in NYC. We were originally going to share a cab, but I got stuck with the bag problem. She'd been travelling from Seattle and was exhausted so took her leave. I can't say I blamed her.

So there is some of the stuff I thought you might enjoy. Now onto today. I woke up 2 minutes before my alarm went off then proceeded to hit snooze for 20 minutes. How is that possible you ask? Ya, I dunno. I got showered in the tiniest shower ever. The whole room was very European in size: twin bed, tiny window, little bathroom with a box shower and the toilet in the corner. Tiny I tell you! I went downstairs to the free continental breakfast and got a muffin--not a fruit to be seen. Went back upstairs and put on some makeup, tried to do my hair with no product or brush, and packed up my stuff. I left the hotel, caught a cab (Singh was wearing a turban and listening to "pingy-pingy" music), and was at the OCME within 10 minutes. I then sat inside forever to wait until my appointment time--I was 40 minutes early.

When someone came down to get me, it was a guy named Scott. He was super nice and all, and I had no idea he was actually one of the interviewers. I thought he was delivering me to one of the women I'd been in contact with previously. Whoops! I was in typical talkative mode telling him all about my travails from yesterday. Thank goodness he laughed and was super friendly. After a mix up as to who had signed up for the conference room, we settled in a small post-amp area to talk. I hate to say it so early, but I really think they like me. They kept saying "you won't hear from us, it'll be HR calling you--uh, I mean, if we offer you a position." Then when I left it was "We'll talk soon!" Keep your fingers crossed guys! They were totally cool with me not being employed by a lab at this moment, and they accepted my reasons without question. Not even a funny look! They seemed sympathetic in fact. Can everyone say "Awwwww!"

I know that's keeping it pretty short considering I was there for a little over 2 hours. Now I'm finished with my Defense Vitamin Water, and I'm ready to get a good lunch before I head back to the airport. I'm gonna head out into the 78 degree sunshine and wander to find someplace yummy. Check for updates later!

Weather and Terrorists make for a crappy day

Where to start? I guess at the beginning of the day.

I totally couldn't sleep last night so I slept a little later than I wanted (even with cats jumping on me begging to be fed--bastards). I showered, shaved, and took my time getting ready. Then I hear my cell phone ring from the other room. A couple of minutes later, the home phone rings. Mother is on the phone asking if I've seen the news. No, I say. Why? Thank goodness for Scotland Yard, but couldn't they have waited a little bit, a few hours even, to arrest those 21 terrorists? Roomie and I flew out the door to get to the airport as early as possible. I think I ended up waiting in line to check my bag almost as long as I did in the line to get through security. Then it was time to sit and wait.

Little did I know I would wait waaaaaaaaaay longer than I planned. My flight was supposed to leave at 11:15. It was delayed to 11:35 then 11:45 then 1:45. Okay, so actually that last one was the next scheduled flight. Mine was officially cancelled. That would cause me to completely miss my connection at O'Hare. I called my travel agent, and she got me transferred to a direct flight to LaGuardia. I even got in earlier than planned. Unfortunately, my luggage didn't make it along with me. I did the whole standing in line to report it lost, and they gave me the number to call and check on its progress. [It is now midnight EDT and it has still "not been located."]

So with no luggage and no planned way to get to my hotel, I signed up for a "shared van" service (like Super Shuttle). It was only $15 to get into Manhattan, but it took forever. Pretty much as soon as the van was full-o-people, the heavens opened and let forth great sheets of rain. We couldn't see more than a car length or two in front of the van. It was super scary! Glad the driver knew what he was doing. Unfortunately, my hotel was the furthest into the city, so I was the last to be dropped off. I just had him drop me off at Macy's instead. I was there FIFTEEN MINUTES before they closed. I ran upstairs to the correct suit department, found a brand that I new would fit, and grabbed a pair of slacks that doesn't look too bad with my (only pair of brown Birkenstock) shoes and a couple of different tops. Once I got my hotel room all checked in, I walked down to a Duane Reed (a NYC Walgreens) and bought a new set of makeup, toothpaste, socks, and toiletries. After that, I went to a little place a couple doors down for some cheap chinese food. Mmmmmmmmmmm! I could so love New York. Hot and sour soup, moo goo gai pan (with shrimp instead of chicken of course), steamed rice, and a ginger ale. Perfect!

Anyway, I'm wiped out. I know I left a lot out (like the uber gay couple that looked like a couple of old Elton Johns complete with crazy glasses and a Louis Vuitton luggage set). Please forgive, but I gotta get some sleep before the interview tomorrow. At least I've got my glasses in my purse so I can ditch the contacts.

leavin' on a jet plane

Well, the T minus is down to hours now. I leave in about 12 hours to head to NYC for the interview. Arrgh! I'm not nearly as nervous about the interview as I am about the test. I've got the books in my computer case to read on the plane. I figure I've got two flights (here to Chicago, Chicago to NYC) to get a lot of cramming in. :-)

I've always been good at procrastinating when it comes to studying. When I was in college (the first couple of times), I would get some serious cooking time in around final time. People would have freshly baked cookies, brownies, lasagne, etc. Anything I knew how to make, I would whip up. One of my faves for finals was dolmas. That takes the better part of a day--dealing with the grape leaves is definitely the most time consuming part.

But back to the dealio. If anyone is so inclined, I'll take lots of happy thoughts, prayers, adulations, etc in my honor come Friday at 10am (EDT). I'll need all the help I can get to NOT TALK TOO MUCH!!! That's a habit I gotta break. I figure that'll happen about the same time I learn to be patient.

Not Bach again?!?!

I swear to the fourth avatar of Ganesh! I'm sick of turning on WRR online when I'm at the computer and having to listen to one of the stupid Brandenberg Concertos! One of them is being played at some point every day between 10am and noon. Can't the midday people play something different every once in a while? Hell, I'd even take some different Bach, but I'd prefer Buxtehude if we're gonna stay around the same general time frame.

That's it for now. Maybe later I'll post about the craziness I had to deal with last night between the phone, gym, and *bucks.

T minus 4 days

Ya, the cramming thing isn't going too well. I've tried, but reading up on cell and molecular biology is BORING. I actually read some during the sermon yesterday morning. I'm a bad Christian girl. Oh well. I'll try to get some more read tonight instead of staying out/up until 1am.

In staying up ridiculously late last night, I did have rather a lovely chat with a guy friend (nothing amorous involved). We talked about all the "Texas girls" and how many of the people here are so into looks, fashion, and material things. He and I both agreed that NY may be a much better place to meet someone real. Like I told him last night, I'm glad that all these men like me so much, but I'm sick of being every guys best friend. Guys love me! Gay, straight, bi, or thai--they can't get enough of my friendship. At some point I want to be someone's "special friend." God, that sounds soooo hokey! You know what I mean though. My big dream: sleep in on Saturday, make coffee or tea, get back in bed with the newspaper, and sit and read the paper with someone I love. I'm such a dork! And I wonder why I haven't found anyone to my specifications yet. :-)

T minus 5 days

So I have my interview Friday. Good Lord I'm starting to get really anxious. Not necessarily about the interview itself (although a couple of questions they will ask have me tied in knots), but about the possibility of leaving Texas. Other than my time in college, I've lived here my whole life. Talk about culture shock! That and I only know one person up in NYC well (I've got a couple of other acquaintances). Do I want to leave everything I know and love down here for a shot at something new? There are some friends I really can't imagine living without (H- bomb and RAH spring to mind first). Heather has told me to go for it, and she'd be happy to come visit. Hell, her new boyfriend can afford to fly her there to see me often! (not really often, but it's a nice thought) The other has said nothing one way or the other, nothing congratulatory or wistful. Does that mean I won't be missed? Doubt it. How could you not miss me?!?

Anyway, I've got 5 days to reread some old texts--a "crash course" if you will in biochem and cell and molec bio. I'll have to take a test after the interview on those and genetics (that one won't be a problem). At least this way, instead of worrying for 5 days, I can cram.

Well, it's off to Bible study for me. It'll be good to see the lot of supportive friends there. They always brighten my spirits and make me feel loved! Arrgh! More people to miss if I leave! Now I will quit borrowing trouble and turn to Acts for a couple of hours.

return to chaos

It took me a little while to get settled back into the good old routine of working after a fantastic week of lazing about. Granted, I've not had to do too much at the clinic (other than work exceedingly late last night trying to balance the money situation). But now things are nutso!

So I got this email last week while at the B&B in TN about a possible job interview. As it so happens, they scheduled it for next week without consulting me first. Okay, how in the world is someone supposed to get reasonable airfare to NYC in less than a week for under, say, $800? Not possible I tell you!!! I emailed back yesterday after I got my assigned time and asked if we could possibly make it the week after so I could at least get a 7 day advance purchase price deal. Instead of bothering with the email, I got a phone call this morning about 10:30 asking if I could be there next Friday--that's 7 days exactly in the travel booking world. Arrgh! Looks like I'll be flying out to New York next Thursday and returning Friday night (basically Saturday morning). What makes this even funnier is that there was a guy at the movie I went to Tuesday night wearing an "I [heart] NY" t-shirt. Was it a sign from beyond or just coincidence?

So, what can little fat mice do in NYC on a Thursday night that will still leave them refreshed for a morning interview for a FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC job opportunity? I'm taking suggestions.

Other than that, life is boring. More as it happens....

2006 Vacation -- last day

Okay, so I'm posting this a few days late, but there wasn't much to say about the last day. We overnighted in Meridian, MS (the bustling metropolis!), had dinner at Applebee's (not Applebeer's since it wasn't in Irving), and watched a little House. We got up fairly early 'cause we were both cranky and ready to hit the road. That hour and a half traffic delay really put a kink in our plans and in my mood! Poor Richard!

We got checked out of our Rodeway Inn (impressive for a motel even if I didn't like the incorrect spelling of the place's name) by 8:30am and hit the road. He decided that we'd brunch somewhere along the way. No problem with me. I ate more breakfast on the trip than I had in months so the lack of morning food was just back to the norm. We eventually crossed into Louisiana sometime around 10-10:30 and totally didn't even try to see any of the Natchez Trace. Who wants an hour detour when you are already running 2 hours behind schedule? Not I! We stopped for lunch at a Burger King in Dehli, LA. That served its purpose, and we were back on the road quickly.

When we crossed the state line into Texas, I did a little car seat dance of joy. Those last couple of hours were the worst! We knew we were close to home, but it still seemed so far away. It's like all the mileage signs were appearing in increments of 4 miles. Dallas 181---Dallas 177---Dallas 169. Arrgh! Just wanted to be home!

So all in all, it was a typical last day. You don't want the trip to end, but when it's time for the end, it can't come soon enough! :-) It was a great trip, but it's good to be home again.

Vacation 2006--Day 5 (AKA day from hell)

What a bizarre day. I'm so freaking tired, but I'll try to cap the highlights of the day.

Woke up. Went to breakfast at someplace called the Oakwood Cafe in downtown Dalton. It was good and cheap. Went back to the visiting homestead to pack up our schtuff and hit the road. We got to Atlanta about 12:30 and met Peter for lunch. Actually we met at St. Phillip's Cathedral for a look see then had lunch across the street at Fellini's. Slice of spinach and mushroom pizza with a salad. Works for me!

This is where the day went to hell in a handbasket. We left Peter to head off to Chattanooga while we were gonna go down to the Coca-Cola museum. Bah-hah-hah!!! We took Peachtree Rd all the way downtown. That wasn't too bad. The Boy and I had lots of fun verbally jabbing each other in the car. We FINALLY got down to MLK street, pulled into the garage and parked, and set out for the museum. Whoa, did we go the wrong direction! We came up the escalator in the middle of ghettoville. We knew it was close, but we started off going in the opposite direction. I was a little freaked out, and I could tell Boy was not happy. We eventually stopped and asked the most normal looking person we could find where the place was. We were only about 2 1/2 city blocks away. [Oh ya, by the way, I was wearing jeans and a black tee, and it was 105 degrees in downtown Hot-lanta.] When we got to the place with the flashing Coke sign, there was a line out the door to get in. We were told it would take ~45 minutes of waiting to get in. Nope. We were having none of that. We had to get to Jackson, MS before dark. So...we hit the road.

Do things improve here? Good Lord no. When we were at the 15 mile marker on I20 (meaning 15 miles from the GA/AL border), the highway stopped. Not slowed down, not stopped then started up again, stopped. It took us a good 30 minutes to go the one mile to the next exit. I got out the atlas and found an alternate route. Bah-hah-hah!!! So did half of the other people from I20. We got over to this other road and went about 5 miles before it slowed down to a crawl. With a CVS looming on the horizon, we gathered strength to go and get nourishment from the drugstore. Thank goodness for Dr. Pepper, beef jerky, and Dove chocolate! We got back on the slow road thinking most people would take the next turn to get back to I20 and we'd keep going to another road a few miles further. We got another 2 miles down the road, and it came to a dead stop. After sitting for 10 minutes, we turned around and took the original hwy 100 to get back to I20. ARRGH!!!! Anyway, long story short, it took 1 1/2 hours to go about 4 miles. Needless to say, we were well off our Jackson by nightfall schedule.

When we stopped for gas outside Birmingham, we switched driving duties which meant it was my turn. It had been raining for about 30 minutes at this point, but it was only drizzling instead of pouring. I drove us about 3-5mi down the road when I came over a blind hill. Guess what? Yes boys and girls, I got pulled over by an Alabama State Trooper. Double damn. He called me out of the car which had never happened before. Then he told me to sit in his car while he wrote the ticket! I knew I was a dead girl. As it happened, when he called in my license and heard that there was a clean record and he saw how absolutely adorable I am, he gave me a written warning. Oh ya, the details: I was caught going 90 in a 70. I know I know! I drove the rest of the way to the motel with the cruise control set at 73mph.

So now, we are all checked into a motel in Meridian, MS. We never would've made it to Jackson and still been awake. What a nightmare of a day. Thank God for Italian Rosso from Montalcino. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm! G'night!

Vacation 2006--Day 4

Ah, the joys of small towns in the mountains of Georgia! It is so beautiful here. All the birds, trees, and all manner of wildlife have refreshed my soul. The world is beautiful again.

Today we slept as long as the tyke would let us, had breakfast, and set out for the outskirts of Atlanta for a mini SMU reunion. There were the three guys who all went to school together, the two wives who had much about children and home life to discuss, and me. It was a bit odd, but everyone was so wonderfully nice and welcoming! Joy made a fantastic pasta with pesto lunch (there was also grilled chicken and a tomato basil salad on the side, but you know me). The pesto was made with fresh basil from their garden. Made me want to start trying to grow basil again! We stayed there until about 3:30pm then had to head back to Dalton because the extended family was to arrive shortly--had to give them a little time to recoup!

Once back in Dalton, we sat around and talked while James went off to play music for the vacation Bible school's last night. Then we ate hamburgers and grilled corn out on the deck under a cloudy Georgia night sky. Was that the end of the night? No! There was ice cream with Magic Shell to be eaten and "Girl with a Pearl Earring" to be watched. Then it was midnight and time for sleep.

Vacation 2006--Day 3

How weird is this? I love Dalton, Georgia. But I'm jumping ahead of myself....

Wednesday morning was delightful if early. We set the alarm for 7:15am so we could be at the tennis courts be 7:30 (ahead of any young 'uns). After hitting snooze twice, I finally got us up at 7:30. We still made it to the courts in high time. RAH would say that we played a game; I called it a rout. At least I got a few points and good shots in. Then we had to clean up quickly to make breakfast at the Inn. A fantastic plate was put before me with strawberries, grapes, raspberry cream cheese coffee cake, and a roasted red bell pepper fritatta. Mmmmmm! It was heavenly. During Breakfast, RAH chatted with the people at the next table (who we'd met the night before). Turns out they had recently left a church in Murfresboro where a school friend of RAH's was the music director. They had sung in his choir! What a small world!

After all the chit chat, it was time to hit the road to Dalton with one last pass through Sewanee (I'd forgotten to buy something a friend requested the day before). It was at that point that I realized we were running a full hour behind schedule. Dalton is in the eastern time zone while Monteagle and Sewanee are in central. Oops! Needless to say, we made excellent time. We even had time to stop and have lunch (again at Cracker Barrel). Gotta love me driving the Beemer through the mountains.

Anyway, the rest of the day was spent chatting and catching up with our friends here in Dalton. The kiddo was cranky earlier than normal, so we just ordered take away from Outback and stayed in all night. Again, yum! We stayed up entirely too late and got up when the kiddo awoke about 7:30 (remember, it's eastern now--felt like 6:30!). I've enjoyed sitting in the "couch room" watching the bird feeder this morning. So far I've seen cardinals, house finches, wrens, chickadees, titmice (nothing from the peanut gallery here), sparrows, a thrush or thrasher--I always get them confused--and of course squirrels. I could stay here forever!

V'06--D2--addendum

So after the respective naps, RAH and I went off in search of the chapel. He was DYING to find a piano or something musical to play. When we got there, the speaker for the night was setting up his presentation. Ya, guess who was talking??? I'll get there later. Then we wandered around the assembly for a while. After getting back to the B&B, we watched a little TV, and set out for dinner. We went to a place called Pearl's that opened my senior year at Sewanee. It was freaking awesome but uber expensive. Why the poo not? So is the whole trip if you think about it.

We left just in time to make it to the Twilight Prayer service at the chapel. It was kinda nice. A little bit-o-God in Tennessee. After that was over, we stayed to hear the nightly speaker. **drum roll please** Our guest lectioner for the night was none other than Gene Sparling. Who, you ask? He's the guy who first spotted the ivory-billed woodpecker back in 2004 in Arkansas. Dang was I excited! We were there for almost 2 hours. Even RAH was rapt. I wish you all could have heard him speak as well. It was amazing.

Now I'm back in the room while the Boer is off watching Friends in the main house. I'd rather get a little shut eye before the alarm goes off at 7am so we can go hit the tennis courts before the kids wake up.

Vacation 2006 -- Day 2

Ah Sewanee! How I love thee!

We got up fairly late this morning (about 8:30), but lazed around until 9:30. Once I could finally get Richard off the computer, we went out behind the hotel and played a bit of tennis. To say that I am a bit rusty is putting it mildly. I was pissing myself off. Granted almost every time I got a good smack on the ball, I would lose my grip on the racket. See, I couldn't find my own racket before I left town, so I "borrowed" one from the church. [an aside: My church choir is having a garage/rummage sale, and there were 5 tennis rackets just sitting there on the great hall floor. I figured I'd give it a week try out to see if I want it to replace my as-yet-unfound racket.] The grip was rubbing off in my hands as I tried to play. Oh well, can't really use that as an excuse--I'm still lousy. It was also a sucky court with no lines and grass growing between cracks in the asphalt. Who knew where the ball was gonna bounce after hitting one of those clumps of sod!

After we got cleaned up (thank God for cold showers!), we jetted off to Sewanee again. I took RAH through the chapel (All Saints), showed him the carillon bells, my old dorms (they've changed up the road leading to Emery), the new equestrian center, the pitiful excuse for a football field, Lake Cheston, and Alto Road. We had to kill time until 11:30 for Shenanigan's to open. Mmmmmmmmmmmm! It's as good, if not better than I remember. I had a killer reuben while the Boer had a cheeseburger. Then we went off to the cross again to hike some of the perimeter trail. Turns out, he doesn't really like hiking. There are "creepy crawlies" out there that could get him. Hahaha! I am glad we turned back when we did though, since almost everwhere we went on the trail was downhill. That means the whole way back was uphill! After that and tennis, my arms and legs are a bit sore.

I then made him drive us to the Natural Bridge. Absolutely amazing still after all these years. It's a big natural bridge formation on the mountain side. Too difficult to describe so I'll try and post pictures later. Unfortunately, I got away from home without the cable to hook the camera up to the computer.

Now, we've just checked in to the B&B where we are staying tonight. He's sleeping on his bed (all snuggled in his comforter snoring away--quietly at least) while I sit on my bed and type with the computer in my lap. I guess this is what they mean by lap top! Anyway, I think he has a great idea. Time for a nap!

Stay tuned for further updates.

Vacation 2006 -- Day 1

RAH and I have made it to Monteagle, TN. What a loooooong couple of days!

We didn't get away until 4pm, so we only made it as far as Little Rock, AR the first night. We had a nice, boring dinner at the West End Smokehouse and Tavern followed a couple of hours in front of the boob tube before falling asleep (at a "lovely" Motel 6 on the west side of town). I think I got him hooked on House (rerun on USA at 10pm--he told me it was too early to go to sleep).

The alarm went off super early this morning, but I was already awake. Drat the motel beds! We started off the day at the Waffle House (#488). Mmmmmmmmm--hashbrowns done the right way! We hit the road about 9am and hardly hit any traffic. We made Memphis by 11am and went straight to Graceland. Whoa. Talk about being surrounded by 70s kitch! It was hilarious. I took pictures of a room that actually had green shag carpet on the ceiling! Then there were all the exhibits of his "costumes." Super garish! It was AWESOME!!!! Got finished with that as soon as we could and got back on the road. We left Memphis at 2:45 and hit Nashville by 6pm. We made excellent time! Of course, that means we got there in time for the end of rush hour traffic. Yippie. Went straight through to Manchester where we stopped at the local Cracker Barrel for dinner.

Now were are all checked into the Smokehouse in Monteagle, TN. I did drive up the mountain and head straight for the cross though. Even RAH was impressed! It's a huge white cross erected on the side of the mountain overlooking the valley below. The cross itself can be seen from all around. So moving! I love this place!

Tomorrow we're planning on doing a lot around Sewanee including visiting with my old choir director and letting RAH play the organ in the church. I'll update tomorrow night (if the next place has wifi).

WiFi here we come!

Reservations

Who knew it could be so difficult to find hotel/motel reservations? I'm trying the AAA website (thinking my membership will give me some super fantastic deals), and everything affordable is a king bed (two of us traveling--not dating). Do I make the booking and hope I can sleep through all his kicking and snoring? Do I wait until we hit the town and hope to find something better? I guess some of it has to do with summertime traveling of the billions of familes in the world. All I want is a room with 2 beds. Is that too much to ask????

Hot as Balzac

Why did people settle in Texas? I guess I can understand the idea of lots of land, good grazing, beautiful scenery (like the Hill Country). But dangit, why didn't they leave come July or August???

So thanks to the inordinate amount of Texas heat, my car is in the garage (for the second time in a week). This time he's getting a new radiator. Let me tell you how fun it was to pull into a parking spot Tuesday evening about 6:30, get out of the car, and hear this sound like flowing water. Yes, by Jove, it was all the coolant being purged from my reserve tank. Glad there weren't any cats or dogs around. I could've been blamed with the death of many poisoned animals. After everything cooled off, we checked the radiator, and it looked like there was still fluid in there. I hoped for the best and decided to head home (granted at this point it was about 11pm--much cooler right?). By the time I got to my friend's house to drop her off (maybe ten minutes of driving), the temperature guage started rising--fast! Well, I pulled into her driveway, popped the hood, and was blasted by heat. Not a good thing. We went inside, got some large cups of water, and poured them onto the radiator and reserve tank caps to hasten the cooling. When I finally could get the caps off without burning off my eyebrows, I noted that I was pretty much out of all fluid. Coolant, water, everything--gone. Off to the store for coolant! I was quite surprized that the first place we went had coolant. I got the kind that had to be diluted (that "premixed" stuff makes me nervous--what if it is too dilute, too concentrated?), went back, diluted it by half with water, and added it to the reserve tank. It was hard to see into the radiator, so I added the little bit that was left over to it. When I finally got home at almost 1am, I was tired and sweaty. If your car is overheating, you help it out by not running the a/c. Well, when I passed a TxDOT sign at 12:45am, it said the temp was still 96 degrees. UGH!!!

All the fluids got topped off first thing in the morning, and I made it about 50 miles in the heat of the day with no problems. Things were going quite well. I stopped off at the house for about 15 minutes to change for dinner with friends, then left and drove another 10 minutes. Wouldn't you know that after that short jaunt, the whole coolant boiling over incident happened again. Double damn! At least this time, I was carrying pre-mixed coolant in the car with me. Topped everything off again and waited to call the garage this morning. Stupid Texas heat.

Now the boy is fixed to the tune of about $500. Whoa. I guess that's what credit cards are for (unfortunately). If anyone has any odd jobs, I'm taking suggestions. Monetary donations are also being accepted.

it's Backwards Day!

Don't you love waking up in the morning and deciding to do everything out of order? OKay, so that's not really how it happened, but that'show it feels.

When I finally was able to drag myself from the lush comfort of my bed, I was hungry. I didn't want to take the time to actually cook anything for breakfast, so I went looking for substitutes. what I found was leftover shrimp egg foo young. That seems breakfasty, right? I mean, it's like a Chinese omelet. Eggs are a breakfast food. There you go. Leftover Chinese food for breakfast.

I stopped at the gay Starbucks to meet a friend to compare recent hair make overs before I ventured to work. While there, we split what I deemed to be dessert. They have this fantastic cranberry oatmeal bar thing that is sooooooo delightful. Yummy! That and the shaken Zen iced tea is a marvelous mid-morning snack.

Come about 2pm at work, I realized it was time for lunch. I went to the bougie Starbucks a few doors down looking for a refill of my tea and one of their fancy sandwiches. Let me just tell you that I picked the one place that had no lunch type food. I ended up getting a fruit, yogurt, and granola thingy. It was really good if a bit more of a breakfast food than a lunch food. Unfortunately, it was a ton more expensive than the same "fruit and yogurt parfait" thing from McDonald's. Oh well. It was really good though!

At least dinner should be a real dinner. The H-bomb and I are going to Outback from some good old bloody cow. No bloomin' onion, no margaritas, not even iced tea. Just steak. Maybe I can afford that!

So the trend today was lunch--dessert--breakfast--then dinner. Things can still change though!

new blog!!!

Oh, I'm so freaking excited! I can finally have a blog where people have no clue who I am unless I reveal my secret identity. Ha ha! Let the games begin!