A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

Do you ever have those days when EVERYBODY is on your shit list? I keep thinking, "why is everyone intent on pissing me off?"

Then I realize, of course, it can't be everyone else. It has to be me. Gah.

I can't wait until this month is over. Two more days. I might be normal again after that.

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Thanks to you all for the well wishes and thoughts while I was "out" losing my gallbladder. You're all so thoughtful, kind... and funny!!

And no, wire, they didn't let me keep my gallbladder. I think I signed a paper that donated any tissue to science. I can't be entirely certain, as I was mostly out of it that morning. ;-)

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Daughter #1 graduated Sunday and is currently on her way to our nation's capital. Like I need one more thing to worry about. haha I'm sure she'll have a great time. Daughter #2 celebrated a birthday over the weekend. I'm really glad that she doesn't feel too old to hug her mom. Yet.

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My poor Farm Boy is bearing the brunt of our busy life and his 'ailing' wife. Poor, poor Farm Boy.

The Return of the Creature from the Grumpy Lagoon....

A check-off list of sorts:

1. Gallbladder removal surgery- CHECK
2. Daughter #1's Graduation Open House party (10 days after surgery)- CHECK
3. Recuperation from gallbladder removal- HALF CHECK


Still to do:

1. Daughter #1's Graduation ceremony Sunday
2. Catch up at work (like that will ever happen)
3. Catch up on blogs (very likely never to happen)

I've missed you. Hope to see you all soon.

Yet Another Short Hiatus...

Surgery is scheduled for this Thursday. See you after recuperation! Who knows... maybe I'll be able to read blogs while I'm out of commission!

A Couple of Updates...

Update #1: Thanks to all who encouraged me to see a doctor. My gallbladder is indeed the culprit, and it is necessary to have it removed. So, surgery is looming in the very near future, along with graduation parties and everything else we're doing this month. BUT, I know it's important to take care of this, so time will be made.

While I'm glad that I now know what the problem is, I'm not thrilled about having surgery. On the bright side, I'm definitely glad that it's treatable and am fully aware that it could be something much, much worse. For that, I'm sooooo grateful.

So, thanks again for all your advice and support!

Update #2: I chickened out. No drastic hair change. Just highlights and a slightly different, slightly shorter cut. I'm such a wuss! ;-)

Of course, I don't have the AFTER picture with me. I'll try to post that later tonight. :-)

A Lesson In Vanity...

I'm doing it. Tomorrow, I'm cutting my hair.

You have to understand the love/hate relationship I have with my hair. Every other month or so, I have a good hair day... and that's when I love my hair. The other 359 days of the year... I really hate my hair. HATE. IT. With the passion of a thousand suns.

As I've noted before, I have a really large head and a round-ish face. To counteract the big-ness and round-ness, volume at the top is extremely important. However, even though I have a lot of hair, it's extremely fine. "Fine" and "Volume" are not friends. And although I have become a master at backcombing and teasing when necessary, I'd rather not walk the earth sporting a bouffant hairstyle.

So, here's the BEFORE picture. Have I mentioned how much I love my MacBook Pro with built-in camera?


It's longer than it's been in a while. Probably too long. [note that I am not saying "too long for someone my age," because I'm in huge denial. Huge.]

Tomorrow, I'll try to post the AFTER. I'm still not even entirely sure what style I'll be going for with my stylist... I just know it will be significantly shorter. AND... then I'll have weeks and weeks worth of posts about how much I hate my new hair... how I can't wait until it grows out... blah, blah, blah-dee blah.

Open Letter to Ms. Carrie Underwood

Dear Ms. Underwood,

Although I'm not a country music fan per se, I do enjoy listening to your music. I think you have a rather pleasant voice, and I don't think you've lowered yourself to some of the shenanigans others in your age group seem so intent upon pulling off. For that fact alone, you should be commended.

HOWEVER, there's something that needs your attention tout suite. And that is your "Before He Cheats" song. Oh, sure it's clever... all girl power and whatnot. But for the love of Bob, do we have to listen to it every time a radio is playing??!?

I walked into an office yesterday, and one of the secretaries had her radio on. Guess what was playing? Yes, it was you and that song. Later, I stopped in the grocery store, and there you were on the muzak roll. After frantically running away, I hopped in my car and turned the key in the ignition. Holy Nightmare, Batman! There it was again! On MY radio. I wasn't even listening to a country station... now that song has invaded pop stations, too!

So, fine. I can walk around the earth with cotton stuffed into my ears and drown out every instance of your song playing... well, no. I can't. You see, now it's stuck IN MY BRAIN. And it won't leave. I even tried drilling into my temple to make it stop... God, please make it stop. That didn't work either.

Do you understand my plight? I like you. Really, I do. I like some of your other songs even. Just not that song. So, if you would be a peach, could you please just ask every radio station/TV show to stop playing it? Oh, and while you're at it, please outlaw any teenage girls from singing that song at a high school/middle school talent show. 'Cause... No. They just should not. For my part, I just won't step foot in a karaoke bar, because preventing that song from being sung there would be too much to ask of you.

Thanks for listening. I know you're a really kind, outgoing person and you'll really take this into your most sincere consideration.

Earnestly,
Grumpy K. Frump

Let the Games Begin... or Rather, Let's Not.

I hate the year prior to an election. All the mud-slinging begins so early anymore. It's kind of like going shopping in October when Christmas stuff is already on display. Every year, they start earlier and earlier.

Recently, a politician in our state who is running for a different office was embarrassed by some writings that were "unearthed."* His views in those writings were quite contrary to his publicly expressed views. Is he two-faced? Does he say one thing and then write another? I don't think so.

Those recently discovered "writings" were dug up from something he wrote as a college student. What the?

I know that some of you who read my posts are college-aged or in your mid- to late 20s. Others of you are closer to my age. Some of you might relate to what I'm writing here; others may not.

My point is I am SO different now than I was at 20 years old. I like to think I'm a better person now. Sure, I was fresh-faced, ready to change the world for better, and very much a global thinker back then. I'd like to say that I'm still those things to some degree... well, maybe not so fresh-faced. ;-)

I'm more tolerant now in some ways than I was in college. I understand life a little better, but I've had the advantage of time and experience, too.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I have grown up a lot since college. And I hope that no one would ever judge me NOW on something I said or wrote back THEN. That would be stupid. Really stupid. None of that takes into account anything I've learned or done since that time.

So, politicians? Please. Don't go looking for dirt on someone only to find something they wrote when they were younger, possibly more impressionable, and without much life experience. Because, if that's all you've got on a person, that's a pretty pathetic attempt to discredit all that someone might have done as an adult.

Thanks.

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On a completely unrelated note, for those who are interested... I went to the doctor today. Blood work was done, and an ultrasound of my innards is on the calendar. Should be very interesting. I get to see a picture of my gallbladder. Whoo-eee! :-)


*His opponent's camp is denying that they were a part of this mysterious find...