Detonation in Three, Two, One...

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!



Sorry... had to get that out before I exploded.


Am having busiest season of all time at that PLACE THAT SHALL NOT BE BLOGGED ABOUT*. It will all be over in two weeks, but all the same... I feel like jumping off a cliff. I hate this time of year.

On top of that, was offered my dream job, but had to turn it down. Because.Of.Money. Gah! If it were even close, I would have jumped on it, but it would have been substantially less money. With Daughter #1 starting college in a month (and three more to follow in only a few years)... no way. Even if we didn't have a child starting college, we couldn't have done it. Can I just say how much that sucks? I have literally trapped myself in this income bracket... yes, there are a lot of sacrifices we could make, but those would be sacrifices that we ALL would have to make, not just me. Plus... I'm approaching 40... is it practical to go back to the scrimping and saving and scraping by that I did in my 20s? I don't think it is. I need to be practical and think about retirement and other responsible crap like that. Gah. This SUUUUUUCCCCCKS. Oh, well. C'est la vie.

I think someone has it in for me. ** Busiest, most stressful time of work ever, PMS, and shifting weather fronts which have the tendency to give me migraines. I'm going to be such a peach this coming week!

Okay. Ending self-pity party now.




So, how was YOUR week? ;-)


On a much lighter and more fun-like note, here is my Simpsons avatar. You can make yours at the Simpsons Movie site. Please to enjoy.









* I know it's grammatically incorrect, but I really don't give a rat's bum this time.


** Of course, not really. But maybe. Perhaps?

A HodgePodge of Nothing Remotely Related...

I don't have one specific topic for today, so here are the thoughts that have been crossing my mind lately...

I think my mirror-image is more attractive than my real image. My face is ever so slightly asymmetrical, and it definitely appears to be better looking in the mirror. This is the reason that I can be fully satisfied with how I look while I'm in front of the mirror and getting ready, and so completely horrified when I see myself in pictures. Perhaps I will invent a device that only allows people to see my mirror-image.... or else I will just walk around with a bag over my head for the rest of my life. Said bag, of course, would be square and purple.

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I know how Harry Potter ends. And I'm not telling ANYONE. ;-)

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These are my cute new shoes. They go really well with my suit that has super long pants. I loved that the peep toes show my perfectly nicely adequately pedicured toes today. Or something like that.

Is This A Sign???

My lucky bamboo plant is dying. The same plant that I've had for over three years and which has grown and flourished. It used to look like this.

Now it looks more like this:



I am sad. :-(

A Bookseller's Dream....

I have a queue of seven books right now (eight, if you count the one I'm reading). I rarely let them pile up beyond four at time, but I can't stay away from Barnes & Noble lately. And if I walk in the store... I. Must. Buy. Something. It's a sickness, really.

I'm so hooked on reading, and I always have been. There's a website called What Book Got You Hooked... if you login and write a quick note about the book that hooked you, you can help your state (US only, I think) win 50,000 books or something. Click and find out.

Better yet, leave me a comment and tell ME which book(s) got you hooked on reading. I know I don't have just one, and I probably won't remember all of them, but here are some of mine:


Shel Silverstein's Where The Sidewalk Ends
Richard Scarry's Best Storybook Ever
Robert McCloskey's Blueberries for Sal
The Paddington Bear series
The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring (do you really need the links?)
The Little House series... yes, including Farmer Boy


I'll stop now; otherwise, this list will be longer than any of my posts to date. Those on the list only represent my pre- and early elementary/primary school favorites. We haven't even touched the Judy Blume years. Or Narnia. Or John Saul. hahaha

Tell me yours!

Random nothingness... and a LIST!

Apparently, I can't add a title to this post. What's up with THAT, Blogger???

I've decided just to post about random nothingness, because I don't want to be a downer. So, instead of blogging about anything going on in my life, I'll just blog about a whole lot of nothing. Of course that means LISTS will be involved. W00T!

Today's list:

Completely Inappropriate and/or Unexplainable Crushes -- these are not people I drool over or would even necessarily want to meet; just have a little tiny crush on them. The Farm Boy need not be worried.

I know I'm not the first person to do this.... I'm pretty sure metalia had one at some point, but I'm far too lazy stressed out and busy right now to go find the link. :-)
*Okay, scratch that. I found the link. Here are metalia's five weird crushes.

And now... here is my list.

1. Nick Simmons, offspring of the Lord of Rock himself, Gene Simmons. We'll call this one inappropriate, because he's far too young for me... but he's very clever and witty. Never seen or heard of him before? Watch one episode of Gene Simmons Family Jewels, and perhaps you'll understand.

2. Hugh Grant. I don't think he's hot or anything; I found him rather pathetic after hooking up with Divine Brown whilst he was in a relationship with Liz Hurley... so let's call this one unexplainable. There's something about him that makes me watch his movies. Yes, even Music & Lyrics. Yes, he really sang in that movie, too. Yes, I'm embarrassed now that I have divulged this one.

3. James Earl Jones. Definitely unexplainable. I think it's the voice. And that's all I have to say about that.

4. Harry Potter. I know. Totally inappropriate and way too bandwagon. Again, I'm not drooling over him, nor am I trolling the internetz for his Equus pics (even though I'm sure my daughters are). I'm not even going to type his real name, because I should just go crawl in a hole right now.

5. Jason and Grant from Sci Fi's Ghost Hunters. Again, unexplainable. It's probably more Jason than Grant (I like grumpy bald guys???), although I do love to hear Grant say, "What the frig?" everytime something possibly paranormal happens. What the frig??? How cute is THAT?!?! hahahaha Anyway, I love that show, so that's the only thing I can come up with as an excuse.

6. 1950's Bobby Darin. Both inappropriate and unexplainable. Inappropriate because I hadn't yet been born during that time, and unexplainable because Bobby is up in that great nightclub in the sky. Although... who knows. This could be the start of a whole new list-- dead guys upon whom I have little crushes. Hmmmm....

Maybe I should stop while I still have a little dignity left. What's that? I have NO dignity left? Okay. *ahem* Well, thanks for stopping by. Guess I'll head back down into that hole now...

A Downer of A Return...

Overwhelmed.

That's what I am. I can't even begin to list all the crap that's weighing on my mind. The sad thing is that I have some time to deal with things right now, but there's so much to do that I don't even know where to begin.

I wish I could say that our vacation was helpful, but not really. The conference I attended in Atlanta was okay, but not great.

Ever been in the place where you stare at the ceiling in the morning, dreading what awaits you as soon as you get out of bed? I'm not depressed. Honest. There's just TOO MUCH stuff. I've even tried delegating, but ha. ha. HA! Not helping.

GAH. I hate being in this place.

So yay... I'm back. Sorry it's not more cheerful. I'm sure I'll be back to my grumpier self soon with some typical, snarky posts (not to be mistaken with actress, Markie Post, oh she of the Lifetime Movie of the Week).

See? Even my attempts at humor suck. ;-)

I'm Home... but not for long!

We arrived home from California very early this morning, and I am headed out to a conference in Atlanta very early tomorrow morning. Talk about jet lag!

Here's a quick recap of what we did in CA (I'll post more later):

6/15: arrived in Ontario (California, not Canada); drove to Menifee where brother-in-law lives. Stayed in Menifee/Canyon Lakes area.

6/16: drove the kids to Hollywood for the afternoon. Spent more time on the freeway than we did in Hollywood, but knew that was going to happen.

6/17: spent Father's Day waiting for the guys to golf and then ate dinner at BIL's house. Also spent much time being annoyed with the Farm Boy's twin. I definitely have the good twin!!

6/18: went to Knott's Berry Farm and Soak City for the day.

6/19-21: half of us sailed and half of us ferried from Long Beach/San Pedro area to Avalon on Catalina Island. Were only scheduled to stay there a day, but the sail snapped on the sailboat, and those who were sailing were stranded in the middle of the ocean for a while. Finally, they motored into Avalon. Instead of going on to Two Harbors, we stayed at Avalon the entire time. We did some horseback riding, snorkeling, beachcombing, glass-bottom boating, kayaking, eating.... you name it. The Farm Boy was able to go scuba diving with his siblings and saw the resident 300 lb black sea bass named Fred. The weather there was absolutely beautiful! I'll post some pics later!

6/22: Sailed/Ferried back to Long Beach/San Pedro. Spent some time on the boardwalk in Long Beach at Shoreline Villages... wanted to take the older kids on the Queen Mary, but ran out of time. I'm pretty bummed about that. Drove back to Menifee.

6/23: had a quick lunch at a relative's house in Upland, then drove into Ontario to the airport for the flight home. Returned just after midnight.

We had a good time, but I can definitely say that a person who is a planner to a fault (ME) will always have a stressful experience with people who decide what to do at the last minute (Farm Boy and all his family). I know the kids had a good time, as did the Farm Boy, so that's all that really matters. I will spend three days in a [NICE!] hotel all by myself while at my conference, so that's where I'll have MY vacation. ;-)

And with that... I need to get back to packing. I have lists to check off and minute details to fret over. W00T!

Sunny CA... here we come...

Not that I've been around much lately anyway... but now we're off to California for a family trip. For NINE DAYS. Can I handle being around all our kids AND the Farm Boy's family for that long??? We'll see. I don't have that much sanity left as it is. haha

I'm hoping to be able to catch a little blog time while I'm there, but who knows.

Right after we return, I'm off to Atlanta for a conference. Ugh. Atlanta in late June. My hair is already wimping out just thinking of the humidity. Oh, well.

I've been in and out of most of your blogs to see what you've been up to for the last month or so. Sounds like everyone is as busy and crazy as usual. I'm still surprised at how much I value blogging and the bloggy friends I've made. I've only ever had one "blate*," but am hoping to meet more of you someday. I don't plan to give up any of it at this point, even if I don't have a lot of time to post or read right now. So there. I'm still here to stay.

Anyway, hasta la vista, my babies. See you again soon!


*"blate" is a bloggy friend date, but I can't remember who coined the term. -R-? Stefanie? metalia? I want to be sure to credit whoever it was!

Ann Curry is Making My Brain Bleed...

Gah. I don't mean to be a stranger. Really, I don't. It's just that there's so much to do, I'm so very tired still (c'mon... it's been a month now. I want to feel NORMAL again!!!), and blogging is moseying its way down the list of priorities right now. Gah.

Here's something I had to get off my chest, though.

Please, for the love of Bob, NBC, PLEASE stop letting Ann Curry do interviews. PLEASE!

As a person, I think Ann Curry might be kind of a nice woman. In fact, she might be fun to hang out with, shoot the breeze, go shopping... you know. She seems like a very pleasant person with a decent sense of humor. A nice girlfriend-type. She also seems like a great, caring mom... I love to listen to her talk about her daughter.

As a journalist, she's fabulous reading the news. She also does great "special assignments" when she heads over to places such as Kazakhstan, Nepal, Iran*.... very interesting with the serious news. What I'm trying to say is she's a very intelligent woman with a lot of strengths.

HOWEVER...

... as a "fluff" journalist, interviewing celebrities and whatnot, she is truly painful to watch. Did anyone see her interview with the Hoff? Yes, we know all about the Hoff's little problem, but let him promote his show (it's not really his show, but let's run with it). Okay? Or how about the one with cute little Bindi Irwin and her mom, Terri? I seriously had to change channels during that one... I was that uncomfortable! I'm not even going to talk about the Brangelina interview. Yikes.

Ann, please just stop. I know you don't mean to offend your guests, but you do. You interrupt awkwardly, you say things you shouldn't, you react even more awkwardly... I find myself actually holding my breath listening to one of your interviews!!

Please just stop. Please. You're such a nice, pretty lady. You have gorgeous hair. And I'm sure you have a fabulous brain! I don't want you to leave altogether... just no more interviews, m'kay????

Thanks for listening.



*Okay, so maybe she didn't have special assignments in those places per se, but she is really good at those wherever they may be.

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...

What Should I Be When I Grow Up?

I need a new life. No... that's not true. I love my life. How about a new profession? Yeah! That would make me feel a lot better.

So, what could I do for a living? Maybe if you knew my strengths and weaknesses, you could recommend a new job for me.

Let's look at my strengths:

1) I make great lists. I'm very good at the whole "numbering" thing.

2) I'm grumpy. A lot. Give me a reason to bitch and moan about something, and I'll... wait. I don't even NEED a reason. I'll bitch and moan about anything! I'm sure that's a strength, right? Right?

3) I am a "Microsquishy Office" whiz. You need tabs set in Word? No problem. Would you like a dot-leader with that? A database? Sure. I'll whip one up for you right now. Spreadsheet plus fabulous charts? You got it, mister. Don't even get me started on Publisher. It's a piece of cake, Brend.

4) I'm generally a good teacher. People say that I am empathetic, caring, easy to work with, and that I don't make people feel like idiots... well, not to their faces anyway. But that's what blogs are for, right?

5) I can sing. Some people think I sing really well. I can also play the piano. And the violin. More the piano than the violin though. A little guitar, too. So, let's just call this one, "I'm musical."

6) I have a freakish memory. It comes in handy when you need to remember the name of the guy who was that other guy's friend in that movie we watched when we were living in the house in that one neighborhood... yeah. That one. His name was Steve. I'm my own little imdb.com, but not just about movies. About a lot of stuff.

7) I love to read. Books are my nirvana. If I could hole up on my couch with a cup of tea and a good book, life would be peaches and cream, baby. Peaches. And. Cream.

8) My typing skills are generally better than most people who do that sort of thing for a living. One of my colleagues jokes that there is smoke coming off the keys when I get done typing. Yeah. I'm that fast. Eat my dust.

9) I am very particular about my hair. That's a strength, right?

10) I might not be the most fashionable person on the planet, but I can definitely tell you if you should not be wearing "that." Not that I would... unless you asked. If it were a truly heinous case, I might write you a fashion ticket and pass it to you under the table. That way, no one would see, and you wouldn't be as embarrassed. See? Empathetic. I'm good like that.

Now let's look at my weaknesses:

1) I'm tired all the time. Second favorite thing after curling up with a good book... SLEEPING. So, if you could find me a job where I could work from my bed and that had very flexible hours, that would be super. Thanks for asking.

2) I'm a shortie. And although I used to be strong.... ummm, yeah. Not so much anymore. So, no heavy lifting, m'kay?

3) I don't like stupid people. Ignorant is one thing... if you don't know how to do something, I'll teach you. That's fine. If you don't want to LEARN, then that's just stupid. If you don't know how to drive- but you do anyway- and then get in front of ME... that's stupid. Therefore, I hate you. I'm not sure this is a weakness. In fact, I think it's a strength. Just mentally add it to the previous list. Thanks.

4) I'm incredibly self-conscious about my body. Yes, I lost weight. Yes, my clothes look better (except for the ones that are too big). But I'm still not good on that whole body image thing, so let's just not talk about it, okay?

5) I'm not exactly a patient person all the time. In fact, I might start yelling at a certain person who doesn't have the freakish memory I do because HE didn't remember that one thing I told him about the thing he was supposed to remember. Mmm hmmm. Where was I going with this? Oh, yeah... not patient. Nope.

6) When I get stressed out, I tend to ramble and not make a lot of sense. Gee? Really? Perhaps that could be happening right now as I [rapidly and furiously] type this post???

7) I feel a lot older than I really am. I need to stop that.

8) I let myself get run down too easily. Then I get sick. I need to stop that, too.

9) I'm a do-er... and I don't delegate much easily. I've only been in a management position once in my life... and for some reason, that job was okay. I was good at that. Every other job, though, I've had to just do everything myself. That way, I know it gets done. It's not that I don't trust anyone else... it's just that my brain won't let go of things. I guess you could call this one, "Grumpy has CONTROL issues."

10) There are a LOT more, but we'll call the last one my insatiable need to always be RIGHT. I don't necessarily have to have the last word, as long as YOUR last word is something along the lines of "Oh! I see now! You're correct, of course!" See? Wasn't that easy???

Okay. There you are. You all are geniuses... I read your blogs. SURELY, someone out there can tell me what profession I should pursuing. Or maybe I need to be visiting that nice building with the padded walls... where they'll put me in that lovely white jacket... and feed me jello all day. Hey... if it pays well enough, I'll take it. :-)

A Post About Nothing in Particular..

Since I don't know how to blog about what I really want to blog about (not comfortable putting other people's issues... or my issues with those other people... out there at this point in time), I guess I'll blog about nothing at all in particular.

So, in no particular order, here we go:

1) I find a certain commercial for a product that shall be pseudo-named SOTOX* highly contradictory. The tag line is something along the lines of "SOTOX gives you the freedom to express yourself."

Really? I thought it froze your face so that you COULDN'T really express much. Did anyone watch Halle Berry try to cry when she accepted the Oscar? How about Nicole Kidman? That woman can hardly muster more than THREE total facial expressions anymore. Actually, it might be closer to TWO.
I don't think SOTOX gives you the freedom to express yourself. If anything, it might give you the freedom to hide what you really think... and I think that I love my laugh lines and forehead crinkles too much to inject poison into my face. I've earned them.
I'm sorry if you're into that kind of thing, but don't you kind of wonder what the long term effects might be?? Every other year, some new study comes out to contradict some old study... and you just know that horrible side effects of using SOTOX will be unearthed someday soon. I'm just sayin'.


2) I usually listen to the Today show while I'm getting ready for work... and I have to say I really, really like Meridith Vieira. SUCH an improvement over Katie C., in my opinion. She is always gracious to the people she interviews, whether it's a Head of State or some fool who drove through a living room.
What I really appreciate about her the most, I think, is that I don't know where she stands politically. With Katie, you always knew. As a journalist, I like Meredith's objectivity. She still asks the questions that need to be asked, but they don't seem so much like interrogation coming from her. Her questions and follow-ups are smooth and well-delivered (do you hear that, Ann Curry? Are you writing this down?).
Considering that this show has become pretty much a "soft" news show, I think she handles her assignments pretty well... from the week of horror at Virginia Tech to cooking with the Take Home Chef. Meridith gets a thumbs up from me.

3) My stomach is a churning, rumbling, painful disaster. I know it's stress. Duh. Stressful time of year. Got it.

What I worry about is that my sister, at the tender age of about 33, had to have her gallbladder removed. She let it go on for so long... she almost died. Now, she and I are two completely different people. I eat healthy foods and include a good balance of veggies and fruits. Fried stuff and fast food are not my thing. She, on the other hand, has very bad eating habits and freely admits it. Her food groups are fast food, chocolate, diet soda, and chocolate. Eating a handful of oreos for breakfast is par for her.**
A couple of weeks ago, I experienced a kind of stomach pain that I'd never felt before. It was very high and wasn't really any version of nausea I'd ever had. Really, it was more like pressure... but it got so bad, I couldn't sleep or even lie down. The only position that felt comfortable was sitting, doubled-over. It did go away, but since then, I've had similar pain...just not as intense. Knowing my sister's experience is either making me more aware of what this could be... or it could be scaring me hypochondriacally into making the pain even worse. 'Cause now I have ONE MORE THING TO WORRY ABOUT! gah.

So, my dilemma is this-- do I wait until after May is over, and, subsequently, all my major stressors are out of the picture? or do I attempt to schedule a doctor appointment and get things checked out, even though I don't have any time to go?


And there you are. A post about nothing particularly in particular.***



*Yes, I'm a chicken. I'm changing the name so I don't get any nasty emails. Like they read my blog, but whatever.

**My sister is actually pretty hilarious; and even though she eats like crap, her food issues make for some very funny little anecdotes. Like, when her students know she's in a bad mood, Snickers bars magically appear on her desk. Apparently, parting with chocolate or facing a cranky Ms. B is an easy decision those kids make!

*** Because if you're going to overuse a word, you might as well go for the gusto.

35 More Days...

In thirty-six more days, I'll be normal again. That seems like a long time from now, actually.

However, there ARE things to celebrate:

1. Grad class = OVER. Won't know my grade for a while...but stick a fork in it, I'm DONE. For this semester anyway.

2. Daughter #1 performed admirably in this past week's district music contest. I'm so proud!

3. Daughter #2 survived a church camp retreat this past weekend. She came home sunburnt, a little scratched up, and very tired... but in one piece.

4. I did not turn into Daffy Duck, nor did I curl up into a fetal position and drool excessively.

5. I can fit into all my old summer clothes that I haven't been able to wear for about three years. They're not exactly in style, but I'm a FRUMP, right? Who cares! My skinny clothes fit! SUPER W00T!!!

6. I might actually have a little time to read blogs this week! I miss you all a lot!

Life is good. Busy, but good. :-)

One of Two Things Is Going to Happen...

I’m either going to go absolutely butt-nutty and bounce around while laughing maniacally, ala Daffy Duck,

OR...

...my husband will find me curled up in the fetal position, convulsing periodically, and drooling excessively. I may or may not need adult diapers in that scenario.

I know I tend to make mountains out of molehills, but this is a really stressful week for me. If I can just make it to next Wednesday without completely losing it, I will consider that quite an accomplishment.

Until then, I will probably not be posting much. Again. Quelle surprise.

I really do love blogging, and I miss it so much right now! More than posting, I miss reading all YOUR blogs. My guess is that I will be a hit-or-miss blogger from now until at least the first week in June. Wah. That makes me sad.

In the meantime, could you all send me some good juju so that I may a) find a few additional hours in the day to get everything done, b) pass my grad class final, c) find enough time to finish my grad class final project, d) keep up with my kids' activities this weekend/next week, and e) stop screaming at everyone like the banshee I've become.

If you could just do that, I would be ever so grateful. Thanks in advance.