Slacker Today = Thanksgiving Neurotic Woman

Thanksgiving is not a great holiday in my life.  I just don’t care one way or the other.

We used to make a big deal about Thanksgiving in my family, only now not so much.  Back then it was at Nana’s house.  When Papa moved into a nursing home, they had a “Tavern” room that we could use, so we just moved Thanksgiving to him.  As his disease progressed and his health deteriorated, he was no longer able to eat.  So Thanksgiving, where we all were eating in front of him, just seemed mean.  So we stopped having it.

I don’t eat Thanksgiving food, really.  I don’t care for turkey, stuffing is gross, cranberry sauce that is shaped like a can is not original.  So it was no big loss.  Family members have started going elsewhere–the other side of the family, basically.   This year is no different.  My mom has been invited for the first time to my younger sister’s house, and she lives in Philly.  My brother’s future brother-in-law has, for the first time, invited his family to Martinsville for the holiday, so they are going.

Me?  Well, I think I’m going to grab a friend and go to the Muppet Movie.

I am having a Thanksgiving, though.  One I am actually excited about.  At my house, and I”m even going to cook turkey–even if it is a turkey tenderloin.  This Saturday I have 10-12 people coming over.  It’s a group that I hang with on Tuesday nights.  I originally started hanging out with them because we would get together to watch the last few seasons of Lost.  We have progressed to still getting together every week, and now we watch old episodes of Charmed.  I go when I can, as work gets in the way more often than not, but I think we’re up to season five.  And the group has grown, and new friends are made.  We try to get together for every major holiday, and this year I offered to host Thanksgiving.

The family you choose to be with is sometimes more enjoyable than the family you’re born with.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my family, but it’s not the same.  I had lunch with someone today who nailed it for me for the first time–I see my family so often, that Thanksgiving just isn’t special.  It’s just dinner.  So this surrogate family, this group of friends, this gang of people who I haven’t seen regularly in months because of work–they’re the ones that I am going to be dining with this Saturday.  They’re the ones that are making this holiday enjoyable again for me.

The only problem with this, well, I guess it goes back to the fact I’m working insane hours.  My house is TOAST.  I have got about two weeks of cleaning to do, and I have done none.  The summer/winter closet switch is still in progress (week seven).  The bridesmaids dresses I have tried and rejected, etc. are hanging all over.  The dog toys are everywhere.  The big bin of photos from Grandma’s house is still sitting in the recycling bin in my kitchen–right where I put it back in September when I got it.  The scrappy supplies from making my future sister-in-law’s shower gift is all over the kitchen table–along with the crystal I couldn’t find a place for from that same trip to Grandma’s in September.  I have had lists and plans and intentions out the wazoo for cleaning, and so far nothing has happened.

So come Thanksgiving this Saturday, I shall be a giant neurotic mess.

Heart vs. Head

I own my house.  Well, technically, the bank does, but you know what I mean.  Part of owning a house is maintaining that house, so that you will continue to own it in the future without it crumbling down around your knees.  I am eight years into this home, the longest I’ve lived anywhere for the last 22 years.  So it’s weird that I am here and have these sorts of repairs to do, as I am not used to being around long enough to do them.  I have started repairs on the exterior, and have another $8500 to go–all cosmetic.  Teardown/rebuild projects, reinstallation projects where the prior owner did a crappy job, etc.  As I do not make a ton of money, that $8500 is something that I would love to see happen, but haven’t got the faintest idea how it will.

Here is my dilemma.  I spent two weeks in Germany this past summer at the generous gift of my friends to serve on a mission trip with my church.  It was a glorious opportunity, and one I’ll not soon forget.  I was incredibly blessed, and it was a poignant reminder of how service is essential to all that lay heartfelt claim to the Christian label.  It was also a chance to connect with some people in my church that I had not known before, and as I was in the minority as an adult (most were in the 21-23 age range) it was also a reminder that I’m not young, that these are our future leaders, and that I am no longer 23 years old myself.

This morning

Yeah, yeah, yeah

So I haven’t shared my inane ramblings with you. I know, I’m a loser. I have been posting, just private journal-type postings more, so in the interest of protection have made those posts private. Or I’ve posted on another forum that only two people in existence know about. So sue me. I’m still here, though!!

What is this blog for, anyway?

I will be the first to admit that I don’t blog like I used to, and when I do it’s on my private site.  I don’t know if Facebook has taken away the need to have a place to post random thoughts and silliness, or if I just don’t have the time.  The truth of the matter is, though, that I still miss it.  And while I love to read blogs, I just don’t necessarily have time to write blog entries.  I’ve also noticed that more and more the blogs that I read are craft related.

I somehow stumbled onto the blog for Sew Many Ways.  I don’t remember how–maybe it was through Crafty Storage?  And of course I added it to the RSS feeder.  (Yes, I still use an RSS feeder.  So sue me.  I like it.)  The most recent posting was asking about the crafty in you–post a link to something crafty you have done and shared on your blog.  I had to go WAYYYYYY back to find the posting about my afghan!  Evidently, while I knit and crochet and cook and sew and scrapbook and so on, I just don’t blog about that stuff.

Hmmmm.  Something might have to change there!  In the meantime, I’m off to try and find photos of that yummy bread pudding that I had, and I’m claiming my Sew Darn Crafty button with pride.  I promise to post more, with photos, of my accomplishments!!!!

Wow. Just, well, wow!

So tonight was the production of the WeKids choir at church.  The second year we’ve done it, and it was awesome.  1100 people showed up, and it was amazing to see what the children were capable of doing.  The drama, sign language, sticks, and dance was great, and the 104 children sang their hearts out.  Once again, we had the plastic poster to have the names of those we invited on it, and I was thrilled to see H and her boys come again, as well as C and her girls, and B and E and baby B.  Prior to the show I was (again) the official hair braider of the girls, and did about eight girls for the show.  Such a stinkin’ cute group, and I am so proud of them.

Then after the show I received the absolute shock of my life. 

Requesting a do-over

From an email I sent to a friend earlier today:

So let me tell you about my morning . . . .

415am: alarm goes off. Say a few swear words. Hit snooze.

424am: alarm goes off again. Swear some more. Hit snooze.

433am: alarm goes off again. Hit the cat as I try and think of new swear words. Hit snooze.

442am: alarm goes off again. Resigned sigh, cat is skuttling out of the way so I don’t hit him again. Hit snooze.

444am: alarm clock number two goes off. The one that sounds like R2D2 on speed in a garbage disposal. Remember new swear words. Finally get up.

445am: morning bathroom routine. Can tell it’s going to be a fun day because I woke up cramping, i.e., will be a HEAVY day.

500am: make breakfast and eat while checking email

525am: leave for gym. pouring down rain combined with slushy stuff on road means my car is sluggish. blah.

531am: start on bike

549am: curse the bike, the alarm clock manufacturers, my gene pool for not making me a waifish 120 pounds who can eat an entire pizza and lose weight, and mop sweat from face

614am: get off bike, head to locker room

Fill in the blanks….

Outside my window… I hear the sound of rain on the AC unit.

I am thinking about… going to bed soon because I am tired.

I am thankful for… employment. friendship. a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in.

I am wearing… nightgown.  Came home from work and straight into a cotton nightie.  Comfort clothes!

I am creating… a sweater for a friend that just adopted a baby.

From the Kitchen… of Thai Diner tonight.  Plus stuffed pumpkin bread that I made yesterday.

I am going… to make it.

I am reading… nothing new–I just finished a rather boring book about an Italian-American shoemaker, and want bubblegum fluff to read now.

I am hoping… for amazing things.

I am hearing… the sound of the dog slipping on the wooden floor as she desperately tries to gain footing in order to chase the cat.

Around the house… there is way too much to do.

One of my favorite things… scrapping, organizing, media entertainment.

A few plans for the rest of the week… finish the board packages for the VA Beach Credit Union that I’ve contracted for, get allergy shots tomorrow, hang with Ashley and gang tomorrow night, go to choir/Action Kids on Wednesday, have Friday OFF, Saturday is little bro’s b’day but I think I’m taking tickets for either Hal Holbrooke or Ron White, and then Church on Sunday.

A picture to share… this is from a life group social where I had my camera. Underwater photo fun! I’m on the right….

You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone

Several years ago, I went back to school.  Until that time, I did not have a computer.  I figured that since I was at work for 9-10 hours per day, sitting in front of a 17″ screen, there was no need for me to have one at home.  In order to submit my homework and participate in the online requirements, I needed to cave and buy a laptop.  So I did.

I called a friend of mine who owned his own business, working with computers and supplying them to others.  And I purchased a computer.  It worked great for what it was–a tool for my graduate degree, and (of course) a portable jukebox with all of my music.

About a year ago, I started to notice that the cord was fraying.  Plus, the unit itself would overheat drastically if I wasn’t careful and cut off.  Soon I noticed that the power source was sparking against my left leg as I worked, so I went and bought a universal adapter (at the cost of $100, natch) to use.  after about six weeks, THAT cord didn’t work so I returned it and bought another one.  Same problem–the joint didn’t hold and I had issues with the replacement AGAIN.  So I called the guy that I bought the computer from.  He came and picked it up and tried to ‘fix’ it.  Yeah, that didn’t work.  Six weeks later I finally got him to give me the hard drive back so that I can access my music and, most importantly, my contact information.

Since then I have been sans laptop.  I have an old desktop in the back bedroom, and that is what I have been using for my job search and correspondence for the last two months.  But it’s slow, and inconvenient. Not to mention the AC doesn’t circulate back there, and whenever the door is open the cat leaps at the chance to go destroy the chair that is in the bedroom.

It’s weird.  I had gotten into the habit of checking email, Facebook, and blogging while in front of the TV.  I miss being able to do that–I feel like I am wasting a ton of time by stopping everything to go back into the back bedroom and work.  I miss being able to pull up actors on IMDB so that I can instantaneously answer “where have I seen them before?”.  I miss being able to write on my prayer blog every day, because it is not something I take the time to do in the back room.

At the same time, I have noticed tonight that there is quite a bit I haven’t done.  For tonight, for just the night, I have swiped my laptop from work and am using it for personal reasons.  I have work to do tomorrow, but I am currently trying to do personal stuff, mostly just because I can.  I haven’t done laundry, I haven’t done dishes, I haven’t cleaned my house, I haven’t finished making a baby sweater for the same guy that sold me the laptop as they just adopted a baby girl.

But I’ve played approximately 82 rounds of Fast Money in Family Feud on Facebook (say that nine times fast), looked up tons of miscellaneous comments, and checked in on all kinds of useless celebrity gossip.  (Jessica Simpson is qualified to judge Project Runway finals?  Really?  Have you seen how she dresses???)

This just solidifies the fact that I need to get another laptop.  Quicker than planned.  And it’s going to be a Mac this time, as I cannot stand to deal with the problems IBM is giving me again.

And if the laptop has made me unproductive, just wait until tomorrow when I get my new TiVo…..

Never, Never Have I Ever….

When I was in college, that was the name of a popular drinking game.  One which you would throw out something absurd like “Never, never have I ever played strip poker”, and everyone that had played strip poker would have to take a shot of whatever beverage we had around.  If you knew someone really well, you could get them in a lot of trouble.  (Conversely, your best friend holding a grudge could so get even playing this game.)  This, for some reason, reminded me of that.  Not as risqué, perhaps, but still fun.  The idea is to take the 100 things, highlight those you have done, and share.  Here goes:

Gone from the public view….

This blog has been dark for a few weeks, but that doesn’t mean I have been silent.  While I have been blogging off and on at WordPress for the last three years, I have been feeling a motivation to continue, but in the format of a conversation with God.  I don’t know why.  I think it’s because while I feel I talk to God all day long, I do not have formal, structured prayer time because it feels awkward.  I can write, though.  So I think I’m going to try to have a blog for God, completing my prayers for each day as they come to me.  We’ll see how this goes.  It is not for anyone else, it is for me, and it is for God.  So I may not be visible on this particular page, but I’m still around.  So leave me a message if you like and I’ll get back to you.

Hostess/Martha or Content/Mary?

Yesterday was a day-long (well, five hour) women’s retreat at the church that I grew up attending.  It’s a fine church, filled with many fine women.  With a friend, we comprised the entire 20-45 demographic, but it was still fun.  I have this thing every time I attend that church though–I call it attending church-lite.  I feel like there is no meat there sometimes.  For example: I knew I had to watch what I wore, the makeup I had on, and how I had my hair because my mother would be there–and those are the things that are important at these events.  Still, it was a nice time, and it was great to see old friends.

Back to the point: one of the breakout sessions yesterday was on how to be a hostess.  “Extending Hospitality: Welcoming Guests and Easy Entertaining”.  All about how to be a great hostess, to make sure that everyone’s needs are met and taken care of and that all are happy.  Even came with a recipe book emailed after class so you could have a bunch of hors d’eouvres  to choose from.

Today’s lesson at kids church:

Listaholic at the movies

I love lists.  I live by lists.  Do this, buy that, go there, get this.  Clean that, see this, do that, call there.  It’s a process, you see.  A way to feel like you have accomplished something.  Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to CROSS something OFF one of the lists.

There are lists of chores, lists of people, lists of errands to run, lists of books to read, lists of lists, and (my favorite) lists of movies to see.  The Yahoo! Movies editorial staff has released the top 100 modern-era movies that are a must-see for all movie buffs, and all movies have been released 1990 and later.  For once! A list that doesn’t make me feel guilty for never having seen Casablanca or The Godfather!  (Yes, I know, I am lacking in my movie history.  I will watch them.  Someday.  I swear.)

Here, then, are those movies, with the ones I have seen earmarked. It’s not too bad–I’ve seen over half.  There are some I disagree with–like Boogie Nights or Anchorman, and of course there are some that I feel were unfairly left off.  What are your favorites?

Housesitting

A man that I used to work with very generously requests that I house/dog sit frequently while he and his wife (and occasionally the step children) go away on holiday.  This year, the oldest boy is a senior in high school, so they decided to take the opportunity to go to Mexico for spring break.  I am on the last day of seven in their house, a beautiful home by the river, secluded and serene, and must admit that I am always thankful for these paid vacations as they are my refuge away while still being in town.

This particular stay, however, is a bit different.  I got here EARLY last Saturday, as the had to leave for their flight at 430am.  The golden retriever they don’t care so much about, but the ‘puppy’ (who is about 3 now?) they don’t like to leave in the crate for too long.  So I was here, we had fun, I was at church at the crack of dawn on Sunday for the sunrise service and then there were two more services before a brief break until the family dinner at 430.  (First one we’ve had since the 1980s I believe….)

Monday, however, the entire story changed.  The house interior is being painted.  The painter, a lovely man, has a house key so he could let himself in, but the last thing I wanted was to be asleep in bed when he got here so I had to get up early.  Then there was the drywall guy–they can’t do but so much work until he got here, but he didn’t show up until late afternoon.  Also the laundry girl comes on Mondays, but she had to leave and then come back because her son had a dentist appointment.

Tuesday, painters at 8am, along with the drywall guy.  And the regular housekeepers.  Only they couldn’t do but so much because the painters are all over the place, so they’re going to come back at another time.  Then there was the lawn service people–they were going to replace some of the deer fencing and shrubbery around the perimeter, but needed access to the basement so that they could get to supplies

Wednesday, painters and drywall at 8am.  (Actually, drywall dude has been showing up around 730am, painters around 815).  Then there was the HVAC person for the upstairs guest bedroom (turns out they needed a new filter and some freon, nothing major).  The lawn service people were back again to install new sprinkler systems–MWF for the grass, T/H for the shrubbery in case you were wondering. Plus the guy to build the scaffolding in the stairwell for the painters.

Thursday, painters and drywall early again, though drywall was gone fairly quickly.  Appliance people were here to fix the innards of the SubZero wine locker, had to pull the unit out and basically replace everything. Painter’s wife came by to take photos and lord love a duck she talks more than I do and would NOT shut up!

Friday, painters early, drywall coming eventually to remove scaffolding.  Had to take the dogs to the groomers at 8am as well.  Plus the housekeepers are coming back early to make sure that all can be accomplished, however upon their arrival they took one look at the painters and said ‘we’ll be back at 3 to try and finish up before the family comes home’.

You know, it’s a good thing that I have not found a day job.  This is house managing, not house sitting!  Still, it’s been a fun week away, though I have to admit my t-shirt and yoga pants make me feel under dressed–even for the hired help!

I’ve lost my blogging buddy! :(

When I jump started this blog back in January, it was with a friend who had just started a new blog herself but didn’t know what to do or if she would even write.  I offered her the same challenge that had been given to me–to write something every day for a specified period of time, and I would do it with her.

Unfortunately, my blogging friend (who is still in high school) has had a difficult time these last few months, and has not been able to use a computer for blogging for the last several weeks.  Without that accountability, I, too, have fallen short.

The sad thing is, the challenge was for 60 days.  I made it for 56.  Four days short.  I realize that once I started ushering for Wicked that there wasn’t much in my life that was, well, blogworthy, but that is still no excuse to stop blogging like that.  I feel that I not only let my friend down I also let myself  down by not living up to the 60 day challenge.  So I owe myself four more blog postings.  I don’t know if I’ll be back to daily yet, but I’ll make an effort to not be silent.

One down, four to go to fulfill my promise!

Snapshot of Americana

I have been gone all day.  I was at church, home long enough to change clothes, at a church function, then at a revised Sunday dinner before discovering a missed phone call and spending an hour on the phone with an old friend.  When I finally got in the house, I checked Facebook and email to catch up.  Upon which, I discovered, the new health care package was passed.

If I were to take this at face value among my Facebook friends, there is an interesting conundrum.  Evidently 2/3 of my vocal (i.e., post all opinions on Facebook) friends think this country is now going straight to hell in a handbasket.  Then there are the few vocals ones that say thank god for finally doing something about health care.

What I find interesting about this ratio is that the majority of my Facebook friends are staunch supporters of health care reform.  They have just remained silent compared to those that are die-hard Republicans and think that supporting health care reform or President Barack Obama is akin to aligning oneself with the devil.  The decry the desecration of the Constitution in the past day, that the national decision makers have forgotten the principles upon which the country was founded, and that we are now, essentially Europe.

Now don’t get me wrong, I haven’t read the news all day.  I just find this humorous.  I disagree with much of those opinions, and the one thing that keeps coming back to me is this:

Founding Fathers never had to deal with HMOs or insurance companies.  They could trade a side of beef or a wheel of cheese for decent medical care.  If you can find a doctor that will work for such wages in today’s economy then please, by all means, let me know.  I’m moving to your town.

Interesting nighttime reading!  Time to check on the news reports and see what all the hooplah is about!