Take THAT work!

Current top distractions on the DVR that keep me sane through the worst work at home days… 

• Kung Fu Panda
• Megamind
• Despicable Me

I miss other kiddie movies that used to run and make great background/distraction/mood lifting noise, so I think I’ll pop them on my dvd wishlist. (What’s a dvd?)

The scent of breakfast permeates the air well before 8. The kitchen is on the floor above my room, but it’s like she’s brought coffee and sausage and muffins downstairs and has been walking them outside my doorway with a fan. When I finally manage to get out of the ridiculous waterbed, flipping half the covers off the other side in the process, I go upstairs to find my place at the table ready with a coffee mug, silverware, a survey from her recent doctors visit and an ink pen.

I recognize it as the survey she showed me briefly yesterday, saying it was the 2nd one they’d sent, so she figured they really wanted her to fill it out, even though they didn’t really want her to fill it out, because she didn’t have anything good to say about them and they must know it. This must be some subtle hint that she’d like assistance filling it out — help me, or no breakfast… or something like that. She does allow me coffee before telling me what to write for her on the comments sections. I do so, then go back and fill in all the circles she has put a tiny check mark within. She notices — “Oh, I was supposed to fill in the dots?” she asks me. Yeah, I said, it says it here, and even shows a picture, then again on the back, but it is no big deal. She comments that it must be a nightmare for me to have to deal with someone as stupid as she obviously is.

Here is where it begins to dawn on me the the mood she is in. It is Sunday morning. We, at some point this day, will leave, and she knows it. It’s do or die time, nothing to lose, so she’s going to at last say and do all the things she’s been afraid to, lest we leave earlier than Sunday. I try to brace for it, but I’m on little sleep — and for a moment wonder if I’d dreamt the 3:30 wakeup.

She puts a plate in front of me, and then asks me if I’ve ever just sat outside in the mornings and listened to the birds. She sometimes takes her coffee out there, and it just feels to her like they’re talking to her. Do I know much about what kind of birds make what sounds, she inquires, and as I’m about to mention that James is actually pretty knowledgeable about that sort of thing and she should ask him, she stops me by continuing to speak. There’s one bird, she is saying, who just says “She’s weird. She’s weird.” and she’d like to know which bird that is. The others are nicer, though. Some just say “He misses you, too.” 

She is still talking, but I am running through a kaleidescope of conflicting thoughts: laughing to myself because she thinks the birds call her weird, and sad because I know who she misses. Then of course concerned that she seems fairly serious about the birds talking to her. Then part of me just relaxes and thinks — you got your insane imagination from somebody, and here it is in your mother. Sure she may never have really learned how to express herself well, but she’s got the same crazy worlds spinning inside her head, imaginings of paths not taken, what ifs, and this is clearly her trying to share something meaningful with you. I’ve spent too long in thought, though, and she has stopped her story, sensing something from me. She laughs, and calls herself crazy. The birds are right.

It’s come up several times in this short visit that it’s been nearly 10 years since Dad died, and she’s just again mentioned missing him — so where her thoughts are is apparent to me when she next asks if I remember the song “In the Arms of the Angels.” Sure, I say, but she reminds me anyway that sis-in-law Donna had asked someone to sing that song at Dad’s funeral — the mother of Donna’s son-in-law, Adam, she says. I vaguely remember someone singing, sure, I tell her. She then goes on to ask if I’ve noticed the song being played in the animal abuse ads on TV now, and with only a quick aside about how she knows there are people even where she lives who are just that cruel to their animals — she proceeds to tell me she now has mixed feelings about Donna because of that song on those ads. I guess I’m trying to lighten her mood a little as I point out to her that it doesn’t seem right to be upset with Donna because she chose a song that would 10 years later be in animal cruelty ads. She does laugh at herself there, then goes on to say that Adam’s mother seems to be looking well after 10 years. Oh, you’ve seen her lately, I ask? Sure, mom replies, then asks again whether I’d seen the animal cruelty ads, because they show the singer in them. That’s Sarah McLachlan, I tell her. Sure, she replies, then adds, “Isn’t that Adam’s mother?” No, no it really isn’t.

I would feel better about any of this if she would ever actually laugh at herself when these things are pointed out to her, instead of just smiling awkwardly. I still turn it over in my brain whether she really thought that only Sarah McLachlan could sing that song and thus Adam’s mother must be Sarah McLachlan, or whether it was some sort of weird attempt at humor. If it is her sense of humor, she doesn’t seem to make herself laugh, and these “incidents” just make us awkward for a bit.

She goes on to tell some stories of yard work, and of Joyce’s spy — the neighbor across the street, whom mom actually likes very much, but is certain has no life except to spy on her and report every weird thing she does to my sister. At least, every weird thing she does outside, because, of course, Pete has put hidden cameras throughout her house on the inside. She hasn’t found them, but knows Pete is good with “the technology” and since he installed her security system, he must have put in cameras, too. She is bolstered by the fact that Joyce once said to her “We know more than you think, mother” in some context that has long since been lost in a faraway phone conversation — but can only mean she has spies. The neighbor is a pretty good actor, mom says, because the other day when he went for his mail mom asked him if he’d seen the turtle she tried to help across the road and he said no. She knows he did, though, and that after they spoke he went straight in to call Joyce with an update.

While I finish eating, she excuses herself to get her new cellphone so I can give her one last lesson in it’s use before we leave. We went over it yesterday, but when she brings it, she slides it to me, then starts to take my dishes. I point out that I already know how to use the phone, so why doesn’t she have a go with it while I deal with dishes and just guide her.

She takes a couple pictures, and is happy at having a phone with a camera. Then she reads off names to me to prove she’s found the contact list. I’ve put in entries for My Home Phone, My Cell Phone, and My Email — because she told me people ask her for them and she can never remember so she tries to look them up. She gets to the entry “My Home Phone” and says it as “Your home phone”, then asks, “Is this how I call you at home?” Read it again, I suggest. Whose home phone is that? She decides to call it; her home phone rings. At last she gets it, and again laughs at herself.

“Why don’t you try calling Joyce to see how she is feeling today”, I suggest. I’ve come back to sit by her, so I can watch what she is doing more closely. On the screen are five names at a time in the phone list, with only one highlighted. She is scrolling down, and as soon as Joyce’s name appears, she stops and asks me how she tells it to dial. The entry two above Joyce is actually highlighted, which happens to be James — who is still asleep downstairs, so I stop her from hitting the green phone button she has discovered on her own. I point out which name is highlighted — and she laughs about having accidentally called James before probably by doing that very thing.

She passes me the phone and tells me to call Joyce, at which point I get up to go get dressed. “If you can’t figure out how to use that phone I guess you’ll never find out how she is,” I say. She manages to call, and as she is talking to Joyce, I have finished my coffee and am walking to put the mug in the sink. I hear her tell Joyce how mean I am, and that I’m wearing a jacket in the house on the first day of August, and aren’t I ridiculous — then she says “oh, if Kim hears me say that she’ll get mad.” I’m 4 feet in front of her at the sink, she is facing me, and this is what she has said. The birds are right.

So, hey, it’s 2010 and stuff. Welcome. Yeah. Most of you knew that already. So far I’ve had more work to do for less pay than I can remember in a long time, put our household on a strict budget, and resolved to take the need for some personal changes more seriously than ever before. As for how all that’s working out for me, well, tonight it took two Tylenol and a Lynchburg lemonade to make the pain go away from hunching over the desk all day, so I could go hunch over a table with some friends and play Cthulhu for hours.

So yeah, there’s that. I’m gaming again, but I’m still off the electronic stuff, I swear. It’s only the good clean paper and dice gaming for me, man. It occurs to me it was only Tuesday I heard Ben was still playing WoW like an addict, and I actually kinda felt sorry for him. After tonight’s few minutes of gaming interlaced with hours of bad puns and tangents, I’m actually thinking the computer games might be a little more immediately satisfying. I forgot how much I dislike “cliffhanger” gaming sessions, unless I’m running them, of course. Let’s just say tonight’s session was a real train wreck and leave it at that. *wink*

A new year always seems like a good excuse for attempting some changes, so why not follow that crowd. The job scare didn’t hurt either. So, I’ve recently brushed up on some PHP basics with the notion of looking into Facebook app programing, and then gotten merrily sidetracked with the phenomenon of social media’s influence on modern advertising, and sort of haphazardly found myself reading up on SEO instead. Heck, today — I wish I could say for fun — I made some photo slideshows with flash, another set of skills I probably ought to have and really just don’t. Essentially so far 2010′s been all about “back to school” for me. Apparently after you go to your 20 year high school reunion you start to wonder if all your knowledge is really 20 years old, and start to seek out new skills. Or it could be just me.

Haven’t forgotten how to write, though. Well, not literally at least, see I’m doing it right now! Grammar is a little out of left-field these days, but I do like to capture what I’m thinking and worry less about what grade I might get. Felt good to stretch the mental muscle a bit to write up the first in my SEO tutorial series, where I’m essentially taking the general concepts I’ve picked up, focusing them for real estate agents, and even further focusing them based on what can actually be done with our websites. I’m actually looking forward to writing up hopefully the next two lessons over this weekend, so I can get ahead in case things get insanely busy again.

I meant when. I’ve put in more hours for work this month than in ages, and it’s nuts when I’m supposed to be cut back to a 24-hour work week. There have been some interesting challenges for sure, and honestly it’s been coming at me from so many sides it’s been hard to decide where to focus. Just when I get the plan in place to use all my idle time to study, somebody goes and takes away my idle time. I guess that’s why I have to resort to making time to journal again at 1AM, when I’m supposed to be on a 10PM bedtime schedule. Shyeah.

So, before the uber-budget hit, I plopped down the dough to sign on for another 6-months of ass-kicking bootcamp, this time at an indoor location. I got three days in, then the snow-ice hit. Then I got kinda sickly. Then I just got really off my schedule, which brings us to now. Tomorrow… er… later today is the last day of January and I’ve been to bootcamp three times! Woohoo! Month one down, right!?

It’s the timeslot. I cannot do getting up at 4:30 daily, fancy new-fangled light-therapy alarm clock aside, I have not been able to do it. Just knowing I’m going to TRY to get up the next morning causes me to have the worse time getting to sleep that when the light wakes me up, I just want to smash the light. I’m seriously considering swapping to the evening class back at Stone Mountain Park, which would be outdoors, but at least would be 6:30 in the evening instead. I have decided to decide this weekend, and make a fresh go at whatever come Monday. Of course, I could just go to the Saturday bootcamp at Stone Mountain park and tell them in person, but that’d mean I’m running come Saturday and I can already feel the notion-of-exercise-induced-insomnia coming on.

In what seems like an unrelated note to the reader, yet is clearly only a tangent in my brain, I’ve also decided to actually do the little photography project I’d considered doing a couple years ago, wherein I take goofy pictures of my favorite things and try to capture their story. Figure out, essentially, what makes them my favorite. Stupid, likely, but either all this crap sitting around on shelves are just toys and junk I’m hoarding, or they actually are “special” and deserve a little consideration.

Alright. I think I can walk away and consider that a big meaty journal entry for 2010 to sink it’s teeth into. Take that 2009! 2010 journal entries are going to kick your ass, and this is just the first one!

Congratulations! You are now registered for US 10K Classic 2009. Please check the event’s official website for updates: http://www.us10k.org

Your event details>> Walk/Untimed Run

Looking forward to seeing you on Labor Day! Please plan to pick-up your race number on Saturday or Sunday, September 5-6 between 10:00am and 5:00pm at the Family Festival in the Galleria Gardens. The Gardens are located in front of the Renaissance Waverly Hotel, behind the Galleria complex at the intersection of I-285 and Cobb Parkway (Hwy 41). THERE is NO RACE DAY RACE NUMBER PICK-UP. Please bring your e-mail confirmation with you to the Family Festival to expedite your race number pick-up.

Do you have feelings of inadequacy?
Do you suffer from shyness?
Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Margaritas.

Margaritas are the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions.

Margaritas can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you’re ready and willing to do just about anything.

You will notice the benefits of Margaritas almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live.

Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, with Margaritas.

Margaritas may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Margaritas. However, women who wouldn’t mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it.

Side effects may include: Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, Erotic lustfulness, Loss of motor control, Loss of clothing, Loss of money, Loss of virginity, Table dancing, Headache, Dehydration, Dry mouth, And a desire to sing Karaoke.

WARNING: The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you are whispering when you are not, may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them, may cause you to think you can sing, make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.

 Apparently JamesT’s mom has quite a sweet collection… Animals, Simon & Garfunkle, America, Peter Frampton, Rod Stewart, Gary Wright, Neil Diamond,  Bob Seger, Beatles…. Leo Sayer… yes, Leo Sayer. James is reading off these titles to me and commenting on “the only songs he recognized” as a youth and how he would play a song or 2 of most of these and go through the stack pretty fast. He gets to Leo Sayer and I’m like “Whoa!? Seriously?” That was one of my first two 45s, bought as a youth at a yard-sale for a dime, as I recall, “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing/Magdalena” –the other was Rita Coolidge “Your Love (is lifting me higher)”.  Technically they were the first records I ever had that weren’t red or blue or green and went along with storybooks, though they were still played on my same toy record player. I SO played the heck out of those two 45s that mom and dad broke down and got me a real stereo with record player that Christmas and encouraged the fam to get me records to play on it… ANYTHING… so I’d leave those behind. I have vivid memories of Dad and myself playfully arguring that Leo Sayer must be a woman with a voice that high pitched.

As I recall, with the stereo that year I got my first LPs… Kenny Rogers “The Gambler” from dad, K-Tel’s “Full Tilt” 1981 collection, Rick Springfield’s “Working Class Dog” and the ever mysterious “Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk”, which contained the words “Star Wars” and thus I forever tried to love, but didn’t really “get”… at least at 9-10 years old.

Four records, of course, weren’t nearly enough, and thus began my “allowance” phase — which I was given bi-weekly along with a trip to Hills, where I could pick out a 45 or save up for an LP (save! ha). I think Mom and Dad were compelled to give me an allowance  just to keep me from playing the same record over and over (which I actually still tend to do even today, a cd may not change in my car player for a month or until I have the same passenger more than once and I get self-conscious about what was playing for them last time). I remember more than once being reminded that the “stereo” had more than just a record player, but was also a radio — though, without an antenna all I seemed to pick up was country music stations so it was worthless to me.

Anywho… as the still mostly tipsy JamesT is enjoying his nostaliga moment with all these records from his mom’s collection, and inspired mostly by the “Frampton Comes Alive”, I had to share a bit of nostalgia of my own.

The nostalgia was probably a requirement of these family reunion weekends anyway, even though I like the new traditions, too. Making our hats was fun, making (and eating!) the derby pie was fun, and our derby “lotto” made the race fun to watch, even if I didn’t win. I think we should probably make our hats in advance and just show up with them in the future… so we could be more elaborate, and though it was rich and delicious, I wasn’t fully pleased with my chosen derby pie recipe, so i think i’ll make the tradition to try a new recipe for it every year until we find a winner.

But… gah… it’s late for this crowd, and the wake-up call for breakfast will be all too early, so I’d better shut up and get some sleep. Sunday is the “official” reunion day, and we have to get that overwith so we can have our yearly gossip-fest.

Have to say that this day really didn’t turn out anything like I’d planned. Finished my book The Nine, so I guess it’s time for some Alleve and bed, to dream about Supreme Court Justices or something. I did also manage to get an ink cartridge today, so it wasn’t a total bust. I have declined tomorrow’s “Tinkerbell Fairies” party invite, though, to remove any possibility of slacking off. Hopefully tomorrow I will feel better and be more productive. REALLY looking forward to Monday’s appointment with Dale. Despite Dalton’s wise words to the contrary, sometimes pain does hurt, and I’m ready to be rid of it.

aoide

Our adventure finding the place will be something we laugh about every time we get in James’ car — or I will, but hopefully he’ll get over it and laugh, too. Someday we’ll go back up there to hunt down the pieces of his car he left in the ditches and potholes.

We were glad to share in your first viewing of Serenity, and maybe next time we’ll work on making up some better “old Bob stories” to tell you when you ask 100 times… or maybe we won’t have to make them up, since we now have “beer bottle of doom”!

Anyway, in case you didn’t already know — the trip was a blast, and we appreciate you so much! Just thought you and “the world” ought to know!

… wishes everyone happy new year!

On his mom’s side, his grandparents are both full of health complaints, and likely won’t be doing much travel in the future. I’m glad they got to see our house once, and that they made it to Alabama last summer to finally meet mom. James’ aunt Iris has moved back in with them in her transition back to town, and while she looks for work, but it seems she might not look for her own place afterall, since they seem to be benefiting from having someone living with them to help out.

This was also Jen’s first Christmas solo, and I guess the separation is underway, with a year required before they can divorce. She expressed how nervous she was to be visiting the family after all her drama, and was afraid we’d all be mad at her just because we all like Marc. None of us have to live with him, though, and we all support her on her road to happiness however she may have to get there.

I didn’t spend much time with James’ dad’s side of the family this visit, other than some time Christmas morning, and even then his Aunt Mary was too sick to join us. I think Noah was suitably spoiled by Santa, though he was grown-up enough to wait for us to arrive before opening presents Christmas morning and not complain. James’ Dad and Noah will be coming down to Alabama to help set up the New Years eve fireworks show, or rather his Dad will help. Noah will likely get stuck playing games with GNI, pending they managed to extend her visit.

If we didn’t need to check on Kitty, and if I didn’t have work issues, including needing to pick up my paycheck, we probably would have just headed on to Alabama to see my family and start on the fireworks prep, but instead we came back to Atlanta for a couple days. It is always nice to get to sleep in our own bed again after a trip to Chattanooga with the “Worst Waterbed on Earth^TM“. So, today including some random work nonsense, we’ve been doing laundry and packing for a cold New Years eve working outside.

Not really sure what the post-New Years fireworks plan is. I guess there might be some drinking and carousing at the house afterward, if we’re not all just exhausted from the clean-up. Next day we will have to walk the site by daylight and make sure it’s all taken care of. Neither James or I have to work Friday, so I guess we’ll figure out our schedule as we can. We likely won’t head back until at least Saturday, or if they have worked out to extend Ivy’s ticket, we’ll likely be heading back to coincide dropping her off at the Birmingham airport, probably Sunday. The frewtnut niece and her hubby should be on their way home today, though.

Anywho… long gone are the days of just enjoying the holidays, as we continue to endeavor to put on these firework shows. The cabin getaway with Kit & Bob the following weekend should be just the nice, no-brainer break that could use after all this travel and work. For those of you lucky enough to just “enjoy” New Year’s eve at some party, perhaps with a tasty beverage, and with or without fireworks, know I envy you and also wish you well. Drive safe and we’ll see you next year!