This whole make-art-on-command thing is rough.
I miss the "make something look good & point my camera at it" method.

This is officially my favorite holiday song EVER!
(The lyrics are pretty NSFW, by the way, in case you didn't already know.)

I'm terribly frustrated.
I've been in a funk for months & I can't shake it.
I just can't seem to find a way around it.
I'm not getting excited about anything like I should.
I want to; it just isn't there.
I desperately want to feel good, feel pretty, feel confident, feel sexy, not be in pain, play, get excited...
I'm tired of having to be careful with myself.
I'm tired of barely being able to manage to do things that almost everyone else can just get up & do:  go for long drives, walk, go up stairs, etc.
I just want to be able to get up & do what I want to do, goddammit!

Christmas Gift Toy & MySpace Layouts at pYzam.com

hunter_rose76 is asking me to find out what everyone would like to eat during the baklava festivities.
He has a few things in mind, but he really needs to know if there's anything in particular you gals & your spawn would like.
(((Read:  Please give him some ideas so his head won't explode!)))

Also, if there are any dietary omissions that need to be made, that would be handy to know as well.
There will already be no seafood or bananas because of my allergies.
merry_raven has a problem with pork, so there will definitely be some porcine-free fare.
If there's anything else we should know about, let me know.

Free-IQTest.net - What's your IQ?

Which sci-fi crew would you best fit in? v1.0 created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Serenity (from Firefly) You like to live your own way and do not enjoy when anyone but a friend tries to tell you that you should do different. Now if only the Reavers would quit trying to skin you. Coming on December 1, 2005: Your Ultimate Sci-Fi Profile: which sci-fi crew would you best fit in? The Sequel Serenity (from Firefly) 100% Galactica (from Battlestar: Galactica) 88% Millennium Falcon (from Star Wars) 81% Moya (from Farscape) 81% SG-1 (from Stargate) 75% Nebuchadnezzar (from The Matrix) 56% Enterprise D (from Star Trek) 44% Bebop (from Cowboy Bebop) 44%

Ingii came by this afternoon and kidnapped Sam and me so I could get out of the house and Chris could get some much needed alone time.
We had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen; Ingii and I shared a BBQ chicken pie and Sam got his very own pepperoni pizza.
Oh, he thought it was the coolest thing ever!

After lunch, we went to Vicki Secret's to exchange the undies Mom got me (I can't stand boy shorts/hipsters) for my usual high-leg briefs.
Seamless and extremely comfy!
I was afraid they would balk at swapping them, as most places tend to be with panties, but the only problem we ran into was finding enough pairs in my size and colors that wouldn't make me puke.
For some reason, all the shades popular this season seem intent upon making me look like I've gone into liver failure.
Since the sizes were all jumbled up in the drawers, a very nice saleslady went to the back and brought out every single pair they had in that fabric.
I now have six pairs of very pretty panties.
Never underestimate the power of pretty panties!

Waiting in line at Cup O' Joe, Sam started begging for coffee of his own.
The barista was nice enough to give him a small coffee cup with "coffee" (water) in it.
Again, coolest thing ever!

We perused Build-A-Bear for a birthday present for Dad (he turns 52 tomorrow).
We struck out there, but I did manage to find a spiffy book at the Discovery Channel Store.
I hope he likes it.

We struck out again at DSW, looking for sneakers and sandles for Ingii.
Ah, well.
She'll find some somewhere else, I'm sure.

All in all, it was a great afternoon out.
We even managed to dodge all the little rain showers as we hopped from store to store.

Now that I'm home, I think I'll take my meds and have a bit of a nap.
All that walking around and Sam chasing--even with Ingii's help--has worn me out.
He's quite the little free spirit, to say the least!

Yesterday was supposed to be my day off.
I did, however, arrange to meet with an important client to finalize their order.
{{{It turned out to be right around $7,000, so go me!}}}
{{{And it's all going to be picked up Friday; go me twice!}}}
{{{AND it's still at a REALLY good mark, even with the 25% contractor discount they got; go me 3 times!}}}

Unfortunately, that's where the happy ended.

One of my long-term customers came in, desperate for 220 ft² of  very discontinued tile.
I'm going to be picking some of it up from the Cleveland store when we go up for the Stewart family Thanksgiving and I'm supposed to "do whatever it takes" to get the rest, up to and including charging them $100 per store I have to have it special delivered from.
I found most of it and am should know about the rest today.

I was just getting ready to do some cuts for a customer of mine who just so happened to pop in while I was finishing up with everyone else when Warehouse Will came back from the first leg of the delivery he was doing for me.
The builder, who had promised me he'd have a whole crew of guys there to help unload the truck hadn't showed and Will had had to tromp up and down a muddy hill with about 3,000 lbs.-worth of tile to put in the customer's garage.
(It's a new build, so the customer wasn't around either.)

Matt hit the fucking roof.
Blah blah blah this and blah blah that like every deliver that has ever gone wrong was somehow MY fault.
He then informed me that I was going to go with Will on the second trip to the site to help him unload since there wasn't anyone else there.
Never mind that I had shit of my own to do (like take Chris to pick his car up from the shop).
And oh, by the way, how the hell are we supposed to cram Will, myself and his two kids into the cab of a Ford F-250 truck?!?

Rather than have to follow Will in my car all the way up to Apple Valley and back, I called Chris and asked him if he'd watch the kids (3 and 5) while we were gone.
He graciously agreed, so I took them to my house while Will got the second load ready.
We left as soon as I got back.
Will was all sorts of appreciative that I brought my iPod along so we could listen to something other than intermittent radio.

1¹/₂ hours later, we got to the house.
Well, NOW the owner and some other guy are both there.
I guess the owner heard about what happened with the first run and came up to make sure the second one was okay.
I explained what happened and made everything right by him.
He still hasn't decided whether or not  to call and waylay Matt for sending my happy ass up there in the first place.

After we unloaded, Mr. F gave us the grand (and I do mean grand) tour.
Three levels of lake-front (okay, artificially-crated pond-front) splendor including 6 bedrooms, 2 decks, a boathouse w/ dock and an all-cedar jacuzzi room!
Naturally, I asked him if he was looking to adopt.
Will and I are now invited to the housewarming party.
It should be one hell of a good time.
We're also going to be taking the kids up at some point to go boating & fishing.
I'm still trying to picture Maddie catching a fish, but we'll see.

After the tour was the 1¹/₂ hour drive back to the store.
My back can barely take 30 minutes in a car with decent suspension before it starts twitching and yelling at me.
Add to that the unloading of another 3,000 lbs. of material (which we thankfully didn't have to tromp up and down the hill to do) and I'm in one hell of a nasty state.

Back at the store, Matt and I had a little chat about his blowing up at me.
He apologized and went up down and everywhere about how he didn't know it would take so long and am I okay, etc.
He also said I can come in an hour late today.
Gee, thanks.

I declared a no-more-yelling-at-Lydia week and left to rescue Chris from Will's kids.
Today, Matt gets to hear about how much fun that was.
If nothing else, it should illustrate to him how far out of their way everyone had to go to accommodate  his little hissy fit.

While watching the series premier of Jericho (set in Jericho, KS), Maddie got a very pensive look on her face after the big explosion blew up Denver.
Then, she--very seriously--said, "It's a good thing people in Ohio don't blow up things."
There was a long pause and then she continued, "Except Iraq."

My daughter, the next political commentator!

*very slow minor key*

Happy birthday.
Happy birthday.
People dying everywhere,
Everybody's in despair;
But it's your birthday,
So happy birthday...





HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUNTERROSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ya don't look a day over 28!
*ducks*

While I am supposedly somewhere in the very heart of this whole mess, I actually know blissfully little about the situation as a whole.
In fact, just about everyone seems to know more about what's going on than I do, including a few who have practically been begging to not be involved.
Hell, I don't even know who has said what to whom.

It is my understanding that some very nasty things are being said about me.
If that is not the case, I have been lied to--but that isn't exactly anything new.
If that is the case, that is also nothing new.
It isn't the first time I've been an emotional whipping boy.

Either way, I know I can take solace in knowing that nothing said about me will affect who I am or how I go about living my life.
Yes, it's the old "Sticks and stones may break my bones" tactic, but in this case, I think it's the most appropriate stance for me to take.

We had Maddie's birthday breakfast party this morning.
I arranged the early-morning gathering in a fit of desperation, and it actually turned out quite nicely.
Last year on her birthday, we woke up to 3/8" of ice stuck to everything and no power (or heat) in the house.
We managed to take her to the movies, but there was no cake or dinner out or anything.

I was bound and determined to make this year's celebration better for her.
I let her pick the restaurant and then called Bob Evans to have them set aside a big table for Maddie, Sam, Chris, all four grandparents, my brother, two of her friends and myself.

I also snuck in a surprise for her.
You should have seen the look on her face when the manager walked up with a stack of three HUGE M&M's pancakes, complete with eight candles!!!
PRICELESS!
After all, what better cake could there be for a birthday breakfast?

She made out like a bandit, too.
A Razr scooter, Eeyore hat and gloves, a twirly snowman atop a tube full of candies and two hand-sewn (by Grandma) nighties from Grandma Christy & Grandpa Bob.
Clothes from Grandma Toy & Grandpa Bernie.
A stained glass window decal kit, a GameBoy Pokemon game, a GameCube Pokemon game, the skirt and top outfit Amber picked out, a long-sleeve tee, two pairs of funny socks and Clue from Chris, Sam & me.

I have to go now.
If I don't the Birthday Girl will have me tarred and feathered for not helping her with the Yule tree.

James P., an old childhood friend of mine, called from Guam today.
He's been in the Airforce (NOT the career path I would have expected from him) for something like five years now.
He called and left a voicemail saying, "Hi, it's James. I don't know if you remember me, but you gave me your number at the club the other night."...etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Chris checked the messages before even knew James had called and I got the "Hoooonnnneeeyyy....Who's James?"
Hence, Jameses being more trouble than they're worth.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


So this is the thanks I get for being his bodyguard in Kindergarten - 2nd Grade!
Hrumph!
*L*

He moved to the same little town I grew up in from the Philippines when we were in K-garten.
He was one of the youngest in the class and I was one of the oldest.
I also had a good 6" on him.
I was one of the tallest in the class and he was easily the bittiest.
Naturally, I gut stuck watching the kid's back.

A couple years later, his mom, Luz, started babysitting us while my 'rents were at work.
We ran around together for years.

I haven't seen James since...*thinking*...I was still taller than him...and he's better than 6' now (or so I have heard).
Of course, getting an accurate height description from Luz is almost impossible.
She's every bit of 4'8".


-----------------------------------------------------------------


Well, I've waxed nostalgic long enough.
I can't keep putting off decorating that damn pointy tree.
*mutters* Goddamn not-a-nice-soft-Frasier-fir tree!

http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/badgers/



...mushroom! mushroom!...











P.S. It's all Becki's fault for reminding me of the site.

Open Mic.

I have just turned the annon on.

Open mic time- tell me
something real, something true, something about you. Or anything, really, as
long as it's honest. Anonymous commenting is on, and IP logging is disabled from
now until Wendsday, so feel free to speak your mind. Nobody here but us maniacs.


Come on in, shout out loud, but just don't leave a gorram mess on the
rutting carpet.

I'm sorry to announce that Sam's beloved Bear-Bear is falling apart...Literally.
So far, I've sewn up his crotch, foot, chin, back, tummy, leg and an amputated ear.
Tonight, I had to sew his head back on.
His head can't turn anymore but at least it won't fall off in Sam's lap and scare him to death.
I'm afraid he won't last much longer, what with all the abuse he takes from my dear little walking tornado.

I'm desperate to find a back-up Bear-Bear for when this one finally does bite the dust.
There's just one problem.
We can't seem to find the same bear anywhere.
He came in a gift basket from the hospital when Sam was born and he doesn't have any brand markings at all.
We've looked all over the internet in and every store we can find that sells teddy bears with no luck.
Chris even tried calling the maternity ward at Riverside to see if they might know where he came from!
We've found bears that look similar, but I don't think Sam would accept anything but an exact double.
I'm posting this in the hopes that someone out there might be able to point me in the right direction.

Here are Bear-Bear's stats:
He's 15" tall, medium brown, velvet paws, a triangular black nose, nappy fur, a slight pot belly and black button eyes, with articulated shoulders, head (formerly) and hips.

Please!
If anyone has any idea where I might find a new Bear-Bear, let me know.
Sam is a wreck without him.
Without Bear-Bear, he's almost impossible to get to sleep at night and won't nap at all.

I'm even making this post Public so anyone who knows someone who might be able to get their hands on one can read it.
I'm open to any and all suggestions.

Wish me luck.
I'm hopped up on Valium.
I have promised myself a treat if I'm a good girl.
I have to stop putting off getting ready and go get dressed now.