28 Jan
Hey there! Hi. It’s Friday. What’s up with you? Doing good? Okay, that’s cool.
Oh, what’s that? On my ear? Nothing.
Wait, my *other* ear? Oh. Oh that’s just MY AWESOME OCTO-EARCUFF OF DOOM. He’s magic. No biggie.
Octopus Ear Cuff, courtesy of Marty Magic
So if anybody wants to buy me an Octopus Ring (also from Marty Magic) to make me fully magical, I’d appreciate it. A lot. ALOT, even.
Thanks!
26 Jan
It really was Tuesday Night Meatloaf but that’s alright.
I’m going to go out here on a limb and say that I can make FANTASTIC meatloaf. One of our new-home-wedding-random gifts from the mom-in-law was a spiral bound copy of Betty Crocker’s New Dinner for Two cookbook.
I don’t even like meatloaf, but J (who almost just got referred to as ‘the hubs’ oh lord please smack me if you ever hear me say that) has been helping me develop recipes for us to eat. You know, like a …meal plan. Apparently this is what grownups do – they have a ‘food budget’ and a ‘weekly meal plan’. Said budgets/plans are designed to save us money and you know… time going through the drive-through. They don’t really account for how delicious carne asada fries can be, but that’s because when you’re An Adult, all the fun gets sucked out of life. You’re relegated to searching through your pantry (because you get a pantry right around the time you get a Responsibility Award) for ingredients that you will turn into some sort of Meal. There will be an entree, a side of something, maybe a beverage other than a can of soda.
Responsibility Awards look something like this, in case you’re wondering:
Anyway. My pantry was coughing up things like eight bags of varying bean varieties, cans of diced tomatoes, dried seaweed strips, rice, old bread, and other items that only one of us in this household would consider crafting into something edible. It was then I decided to stop shuffling around and make A Meal Plan because it’s either eat nothing or go through the Wendy’s drive-through yet again, and in all honesty, their new buttered buns make things kind of gross and messy. If you eat a Wendy’s burger right now, your hand feels like you just stuck it into a tub of movie popcorn after somebody stopped off at the salt-and-butter stand. They should knock it off.
We sat down and made a list of six potentially-dinnertime meals that are tasty, easy and that both of us would eat. The goal here is to save money and try to eat healthier. It makes sense: spend a hundred bucks on groceries every other week, or $200+ during each *work*week on fast food and snacks? It terrifies me to think how much gas gets wasted, but I’ve done well at turning a blind eye to that for a solid decade. I’m not ready to look just yet.
Also, I’m in the middle of crafting up a 2012 budget for myself, by the by, so in a short while I’ll have the frighteningly exact figures on how much will actually be saved. The present conservative estimate is about 40%.
Budget… estimate… plan …… DAMMIT, WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!
*sigh*
It’s for the best. I’ve heard.
PS: Tonight’s dinner was pancakes and turkey bacon. It was my first attempt at making pancakes, don’t tell anyone. The food turned out more like failcakes and charcoal, which is really disappointing because normally I’m a decent cook, but I’ll try again in another six days or so. If this were The Sims (something that’s getting a lot of playtime around here), it would have been in the ‘horrifying quality’ category for sure.
18 Jan
Lately it seems like all my thoughts should have a default #1stWorldProblems hashtag after them; I can’t stop thinking about it. For example:
“I don’t like ordering bananas in the Starbucks drive-thru because then I can’t choose one that looks less bruised.”
“It’s really tough to eat and drive at the same time, but I was in a hurry to get to work and needed something quickly.”
“My head hurts from looking at the computer too long.”
“The phone just wouldn’t stop ringing today from all the customers wanting to come in.”
“These fish oil capsules taste really bad, but I took them hoping to help my skin/nails/hair be a little less dry.”
“I have too many email accounts.”
It just. Doesn’t. Stop.
We know how ridiculous it is and yet… what has been seen (or heard) can’t be unseen (or unheard). See, there’s another one: “I’ve been looking at Twitter too long and have a hashtag stuck in my head, but at least it’s better than the 80′s song from earlier”.
Man. So… quick update.
J’s leg is slowly getting better. The x-rays showed that the reduction and alignment did what they were supposed to do, and the break should heal properly. Later on this week he’ll get fitted for a below-the-knee brace and will be able to finally bend his leg. From there, when calluses start forming around the bone, he’ll be able to start attempting to put weight on it on an ‘as-tolerated’ basis. That’s another 4 weeks or so before even considering that first attempt, but both he and the doctor are optimistic. It will be nice to get him to the point where he can at least carry things independently (like mugs with no lids, plates of food, etc).
This whole experience has been humbling for him I’m sure, and a wee bit more stressful on me than I anticipated. While it’s comforting to take care of him, there are times when I just don’t *want* to get up off the couch again. Or go to the store after just getting home because I forgot to pick up Item A and he really needs it right now.
I feel bad about even complaining at all, because this isn’t about me. This is about a grown man – 36 next month – who is now essentially dependent on me for basic needs. He can use the restroom on his own, but he can’t shower on his own. He can put food in the microwave but for the most part can’t carry it back. Yes, he’s on crutches, but it’s not an easy task to use crutches, hop, and carry things. There’s that whole part where your hands are occupied with holding the crutches.
I’m just very excited for the day when we can look back on this, and the good news is that it isn’t nearly as bad as it could be. He didn’t even have to be hospitalized overnight (though they strongly suggested it). It also has made me much more aware of handicapped people in general, even those with basic things like an arm in a sling, or a limp. People in wheelchairs or power scooters have also caught my eye lately. How do they maneuver? How do they shower? How do they go to the bathroom? Obviously there are ways for them to do so, but they’re most likely not easy or convenient. What about homeless people in wheelchairs, or homeless amputees? I can’t fathom. Especially thinking about people who have serious injuries and live alone, or are homeless. It’s been eye opening, and makes me appreciate all my mobility, first-world-ness and even my health (despite its less-than-greatness at present).
I was going to talk about some upcoming events and ideas I have, but that’s for another post. Time now for tea and sleep on my nice warm first world …couch. *sigh*
14 Jan
Hey. Hi. ‘Sup? Yeah, it’s me again, trying to get back to writing daily.
Tonight is a Pink Floyd-jasmine tea-massage-and-soup kind of night. I know you might be having chili or something, but for as for my household, we’re having soup. We wanted cereal (Cinnamon Toast Crunch to be exact) but the milk’s gone bad so soup it was.
Since we’re moving workstations here at home, I get the joy of using The Husband’s pc/desk area. It’s strange. It feels like I’m intruding. Also his keyboard isn’t conducive to typing, mostly just gaming. The keys don’t flow as well or something.
What else, what else. Oh! So… I don’t know if you guys know, but it’s a bitch to help somebody with a broken leg get showered up. Seriously. Our bathroom is a custom job, all marble tile and whirlpool tub and rain showerhead, and that tile gets super slippery. It’s not safe. It’s pretty and spa-like, but ‘safe’ is just not an accurate descriptor. He found a bench for me to pick up at some point soon.
I had more in mind but there’s a serious headache starting to creep up and knock on the back door of my skull, so it’s off to bed with me. Have a good one.
13 Jan
Hey!
So. It’s been an interesting week. First off can I just say I looked at my blog and saw that it said 397 FOLLOWERS, which I have to research because…. holy crap, where did that come from?!?! Maybe it’s a glitch. Not sure. But if it’s true… thank you!!!
I chopped some more hair off.
…and added some red to it.
J broke his tibia AND fibia.
I celebrated turning 31 by kicking it with some of my favorite drag queens (the food was awesome as well).
So… yeah. The past ten days have been kind of a whirlwind. Between regular work, my sickness and taking care of J, there’s also been a lot of work on my part being put in toward my event planning company, Cupcake Coordination. Things are going well, it’s just been hectic. It’s for the best though – things are going well.
That’s what’s up with me. Somewhere in there I managed to sleep a little bit and keep telling myself that tonight will be the night I’m in bed by 830. Mmm, sleep.
What’s up with you?
2 Jan
It all started with a box of books.
My mom shipped a care package to me in late winter 2011. Despite having just turned the corner into 2012, it would be an injustice to pretend that we are still in the past year. It’s difficult to really grasp that, since both I and the husband are off on holiday today, not to mention it’s a balmy 65 outside. Definitely a day for reading on the porch, at least for the next few hours.
At the end of October I’d also purchased several books, impulse luxury buys, but still ones to be read. Anthony Bourdain’s books; a hardback, gold-edged edition of Lewis Carroll stories.
One night we were watching TV and the 1972 version of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” came on. It was the weirdest, darkest, most disturbing version I’ve seen to date. It was more draining than I care to admit, but you know what? That pink book right there allowed us to follow along nearly verbatim with the movie. I love all things Alice-related, but sometimes it just goes over the edge.
Anyway, the books in the box…
Inside the aforementioned care package were things from my adolescence, mostly books. At least a dozen. I’d been trying to locate the Dark Tower series for the Kindle app on my phone, but with failing luck, and had almost given up entirely. Sorting through the randomness of that box was fun, though the best part was seeing that first book unexpectedly mixed in: The Gunslinger. First book of the series, one that I purchased close to twenty years ago.
“The Man in Black fled across the desert, and the Gunslinger followed.”
I started reading, and a few days later was gifted with hundreds of free eBooks. The Dark Tower series was in there… as were other full series like Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Wheel of Time, various works by Tolkien and Douglas Adams, and a huge assortment of crime/mystery novels. Some self help, some political, a feast of words that will keep me entertained.
The books – all 2 Gb worth – were loaded onto my phone. I devoured the Dark Tower series, remembering and forgetting and getting lost in the desert right along with Roland and his crew. After so long of a respite, following them along on their voyage through the doors of all seven books was an interesting trip. When I got to the end I did what the author suggested, and stopped at the happy shiny portion. Took a few days off and then read the real ending/beginning. It went down easier.
Prior to that series, I had just read the first book of Game of Thrones, “A Song of Ice and Fire” and found it satisfying after making the decision to stick with it. My coworker said, from over my shoulder, that it “looked unfriendly”, between the font size and physical size. It reminded me of a cross between some fictional previously visited world and the Wheel of Time world (from the quick browse I did). It fit right into the place my brain had been looking for, but didn’t unlock the door the way the Gunslinger did. It made me start thinking of writing again, but I had to finish the story first (you guys)!
Then I got a Kindle.
So now I find myself 37% of the way through the second Game of Thrones book, a bit of a difficult read but overall fairly compelling. There are two more in the series, and then hundreds left to peruse. Will I read them? Of course. I’ll read them because they’re there, not because I necessarily am interested in what they contain or what their authors think. For example, Sarah Palin’s book is on there. If it wasn’t, there is nothing that would make me wake up one morning with a glint of excitement in my eye, wondering what on earth Mrs. Palin has to say.
While the Kindle will never replace the love I have for actual books, it certainly is easier to handle than the bi-monthly trip to the library, carting a dozen books at a time to the car. I find myself reading for at least two hours each day, sometimes more. It’s relaxing, it’s stimulating, it’s enjoyable, and it’s a little bit sad because I know it will end. My goal is just to keep reading until the story is over, and perhaps someday write my own.
Hello, 2012. Welcome to the year of the written word.
22 Dec
There’s a lot of Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays debate going on, if you haven’t noticed.
A lot of people say “Let’s put the Christ back in Christmas” or “Jesus is the reason for the season” or “Happy Holidays won’t offend people” or something along that line that’s been fed to them by friends and media and marketing. Maybe that’s what they really do want, and that’s fine, but I feel as though this new ideology (like much that’s supposed to be P.C. these days) has been brought on with the dawn of the internet, specifically social media. Think about how rapidly things have changed from the mid-90’s, when people were just discovering The World Wide Web. It’s different. Very different. In any case:
1) I don’t care what your religious beliefs are or aren’t. If you want to go to mass on Saturdays, temple on Sundays, and go out to the forest with your Wiccan group on Tuesdays, you do it. Have a great time. Just don’t be a jerk about it.
2) If you want to say “Merry Christmas”, or “Happy Holidays” or “Have a lovely Thursday”, well… same to you, buddy. You do realize that it’s the thought that counts here, right? You’re sharing the joy that you feel because there’s a chill in the air and later tonight you’re probably curling up with a cup of coca and a good book. You’re going to hang with your friends or your family (if you’re lucky, that’s the same thing), and you want to share your happiness with others. Thank you.
3) If your religious beliefs don’t allow you to celebrate holidays, or if you want to sit at home and steep in your own bitter hate, or if you want to go build a snow fort covered in goat blood, GO FOR IT. Or don’t . Whatever. Who am I to tell you that’s not right? Of course it’s right – FOR YOU. You are not me and I am not you, and that’s fine. You know when it’s not fine?
4) …it’s not fine when you guilt me (and everyone else) into being one of the Kringles. What’s that? You didn’t buy presents for every single person you know? You don’t want to do Secret Santa at work? You didn’t spend hours choosing out a Christmas card with deep meaning and writing a special note inside to go with all those presents? You aren’t even going to wear a holiday sweater?!?! WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU!?!?!
Look. I don’t want to. Is that okay with you? Because it’s okay with me, and that’s just how it is. Give me the aforementioned cup of hot cocoa and good book, and I’m a happy camper. Yes, I will probably bake something or paint something, because that makes me happy, but please don’t make me feel worse that I don’t have money to buy presents just because it’s Present Buying Time. Not to mention that people don’t want crappy gifts. They don’t want the gift basket from Bed Bath & Beyond. They want the gift basket from Bass Pro Shop or Dior. Don’t lie if you say that’s not what Christmas is about, because you know if you woke up on Christmas morning expecting presents and the only thing in your living room was a nativity scene, you’d be sad. And kind of cranky.
So here’s what it comes back to: it should not be offensive to say either Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, because it’s the thought that counts. It’s like saying “Have a nice day”. There are some people out there who are seriously wishing that other person a Merry Christmas (or a Happy Holiday), and that’s thoughtful of them. There are a larger group of people who only say a greeting as a reflex, and a large group of *those* people who would rather just not say anything at all but don’t want to look like an asshole.
I personally say “Have a great holiday”, and here’s the primary reason why.
I work in customer service at a marina with hundreds of tenants. At the beginning of each month is when most of my tenants stop by or call in. Once we get to the second week of the month, people are already starting in on the greetings, which is nice. The majority of the people are done with walk-ins/call-ins by the second week though, and it won’t be until the first week of January that I’ll hear from them again.
I’ll talk to people every day, of course, but it will definitely taper off as they prepare to go wherever they’re going or do whatever they’re doing. This is just a majority thing.
While most of my customers are lovely people who I *do* genuinely want to wish a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and Festive Good Day, I also don’t always want to spend a lot of time getting off of the phone (where most of the interaction happens). Saying “Have a Merry Christmas and a great New Year” takes kind of long when you’re trying to keep things short, and tends to turn into “Have a Merry Christmas and a Great New Year and a Happy 2012 and see you next year and …all that stuff…”. It’s become some lingering awkwardness. Maybe that’s just me, but I don’t do well with ending conversations. It’s a bit different in person, but personally I just say “same to you” if someone wishes me a festive greeting.
So. It’s easier for me to just say “Happy holidays!” or “have a great holiday season!”, because that sums everything up and is brief. It’s nice. If they don’t celebrate any particular holiday, they can take it as “have a good time relaxing”, like how when Brits go on holiday and all that sort of thing.
And if they don’t want to relax or hear any of it, they can go directly to hell.
Have a nice day.
10 Dec
I heard it briefly today and it’s stuck in my head. There are worse things to be stuck in there, and besides, my car is fueled on car-aoke. That’s right: I am an AWESOME singer (in my car).
What else, what else… oh! So I went back to Phoenix, though you probably knew that. It was actually a really great time for the most part. There are phone photos that need to be uploaded, and words to be said, but that’s for another time. Right now I have some holiday projects to work on, so they’ll be uploaded after they are given out, because I don’t want to wreck the surprises.
How are YOU doin’?
1 Dec
I just saw this commercial the other day for Snap On Feathers.
Un-embeddable ridiculousness: http://youtu.be/oie6ObNYdRM
Okay, seriously? SERIOUSLY!?!?
If somebody can glue some feathers onto a $0.25 hair clip and call it “the new fashion craze”, I am in the wrong industry. Additionally that commercial bugs the crap out of me. It made it sound like OMG SNAP ON FEATHERS are the new hotness for Christmas presents, and yes, you’ll be getting a rant from me on that commercialized season. At some point.
Right now, let’s just go ahead and focus on how if I received those as a present, ever, I would not hesitate to throw the Side Eye Deluxe.
