* i enjoy catching up with people that i hadn't talked to in 10+ years.
* i remember why i didn't talk to some of these folks for 10+ years.
* many of my old boyfriends have found me, or i've found them, on facebook. looking back, some of the guys i dated were .... so not my type. nor was i theirs.
* most people have not changed personally that much since high school/college.
* a lot of people have changed physically since high school/college. some of this change is good. some is not so good. some of it just doesn't matter.
* some people are exactly where i'd have pictured them to be in their lives now.
* facebook status updates are addicting....it's fun to catch brief glimpses into others' lives.
* games on facebook are just as addicting, if not more so, than blogging ever was.
* facebook takes up more of my time than anything else i do online. seems like i always have facebook up, even if i'm not actually doing anything on there.
* i <3 facebook.
Tuesday, March 10
Monday, February 2
Tuesday, January 20
hope over fear
Visitors walk past flags near the Washington Monument in Washington, Monday, Jan. 19, 2009, a day before Barack Obama's presidential inauguration.
Before hundreds of thousands, Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America at 12:05pm EST on January 20, 2009. His inaugural speech included the following: "hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.”
The president thanked his predecessor, George W. Bush, and said he was “humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.”
Obama acknowledged that “we are in the midst of crisis.”
“Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred,” he said. “Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many, and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.”
Saying “The time has come to set aside childish things,” Obama declared “Today, I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time.
“But know this, America — they will be met.”
Friday, January 9
crazy, busy and good
those three words pretty much sum up the way i feel about life right now.
crazy - i've hit a new motivated stride lately. it's time to get things back in order. larry worked on the deck and has it ready for a new round of paint. i just have to figure out what color i want this time. i've started reading on flylady. for those that don't know, it's basically a series of routines that you start and maintain to keep your house clean without spending all of your life scrubbing away. you make it work for you and with your schedule. now, my house is not messy, but there is no real routine to my cleaning anymore. i used to devote saturday mornings to cleaning the entire house top to bottom. i've gotten away from that. i used to do the dishes right after dinner. some days, they are still sitting there the next night. you get the idea, right? on top of that, every other weekend or every third weekend is now spent at the farm getting it back in order and taking care of projects that the in-laws either don't have time for or don't want to tackle. so that jacks with the little bit of order i attempt to maintain.
busy - busy rolls with crazy, in part. my work day seems to have extended itself to about 9 1/2 hours a day. then its home to the kids, homework, dinner (which in itself has become a bit of an issue...most nights i have no desire to cook), baths, bedtime for the kids, larry gets home, we talk, he goes to bed, and i spend about 15-20 minutes just enjoying the solitude. then it's back up and do it all over again. i hate to see what's going to happen when we add baseball and softball back into the schedule. our weekends seem to be a neverending run of house projects, quick cleans, errands and trying to relax a teeny bit.
good - thanks in part to my dad, i've reconnected a bit with a couple of family members that i haven't spoken to in several years. one is a cousin who i loved dearly and looked up to when i was growing up. he's 10 years older than me and was always ... perfect. or so it seems. in truth, he's much more real and normal than i ever thought possible. he has his problems and share of hard times, too. and it seems we've renewed a friendship when he (and maybe even me) needed it most. dad's reconnecting with the family, too, which is a huge step for him in the recovery process. i'm so proud of him. the move to florida seems to have been the next best step for him, even if i was scared and angry for a bit. larry and i have made attempts at spending more time together doing 'fun stuff' that we used to do and that sort of fell by the wayside because we were too tired, didn't have any money or whatever the excuse of the week was. the kids are doing good, too. no real complaints about either of them for the moment. they are even getting along (for the most part) and doing their chores (with a lot of prodding).
all in all, the title says it best. it's been a long time since i've felt this good about changes that i'm slowly incorporating into my little corner of the world. i just hope and pray i can maintain.
crazy - i've hit a new motivated stride lately. it's time to get things back in order. larry worked on the deck and has it ready for a new round of paint. i just have to figure out what color i want this time. i've started reading on flylady. for those that don't know, it's basically a series of routines that you start and maintain to keep your house clean without spending all of your life scrubbing away. you make it work for you and with your schedule. now, my house is not messy, but there is no real routine to my cleaning anymore. i used to devote saturday mornings to cleaning the entire house top to bottom. i've gotten away from that. i used to do the dishes right after dinner. some days, they are still sitting there the next night. you get the idea, right? on top of that, every other weekend or every third weekend is now spent at the farm getting it back in order and taking care of projects that the in-laws either don't have time for or don't want to tackle. so that jacks with the little bit of order i attempt to maintain.
busy - busy rolls with crazy, in part. my work day seems to have extended itself to about 9 1/2 hours a day. then its home to the kids, homework, dinner (which in itself has become a bit of an issue...most nights i have no desire to cook), baths, bedtime for the kids, larry gets home, we talk, he goes to bed, and i spend about 15-20 minutes just enjoying the solitude. then it's back up and do it all over again. i hate to see what's going to happen when we add baseball and softball back into the schedule. our weekends seem to be a neverending run of house projects, quick cleans, errands and trying to relax a teeny bit.
good - thanks in part to my dad, i've reconnected a bit with a couple of family members that i haven't spoken to in several years. one is a cousin who i loved dearly and looked up to when i was growing up. he's 10 years older than me and was always ... perfect. or so it seems. in truth, he's much more real and normal than i ever thought possible. he has his problems and share of hard times, too. and it seems we've renewed a friendship when he (and maybe even me) needed it most. dad's reconnecting with the family, too, which is a huge step for him in the recovery process. i'm so proud of him. the move to florida seems to have been the next best step for him, even if i was scared and angry for a bit. larry and i have made attempts at spending more time together doing 'fun stuff' that we used to do and that sort of fell by the wayside because we were too tired, didn't have any money or whatever the excuse of the week was. the kids are doing good, too. no real complaints about either of them for the moment. they are even getting along (for the most part) and doing their chores (with a lot of prodding).
all in all, the title says it best. it's been a long time since i've felt this good about changes that i'm slowly incorporating into my little corner of the world. i just hope and pray i can maintain.
Tuesday, January 6
um....
happy new year!
seriously, i've got nothin...i just couldn't handle the night before christmas story 10 days after christmas. it was a good christmas, tho. and a nice new years. now it's just cold and dreary and wintery. bring on spring!!!
seriously, i've got nothin...i just couldn't handle the night before christmas story 10 days after christmas. it was a good christmas, tho. and a nice new years. now it's just cold and dreary and wintery. bring on spring!!!
Wednesday, December 24
merry christmas
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
Wednesday, December 17
frickin frackin brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Yesterday was the ickiest day so far of the crazy weather we've had lately. Ice. Freezin cold, slippery ice. School was delayed a couple hours, so the kids were thrilled. I went in to work late. My normal 15-20 minute drive took 45, but that's okay. I was safe, the truck was safe and I saw no accidents. The kids got to school with no problems, and got home with no problems. I left work and got home in the freezing drizzle. No biggie.
Until I opened the front door. It was 58 in my house and the heater was blowing!!!!
I know I said a minimum of 10 cuss words right in a row before I made it three feet inside the door. I had to call my ex......dammit. Built a fire and waited. He showed up around 7 and by 8, we had heat again. In fact, much warmer heat than we'd had lately. Apparently there was something wrong with a relay and a heat strip and a something or another else. I'm just happy to have heat again. Except, I had to actually be nice and thank my ex. Dammit. Guess that was my Christmas present to him.
Until I opened the front door. It was 58 in my house and the heater was blowing!!!!
I know I said a minimum of 10 cuss words right in a row before I made it three feet inside the door. I had to call my ex......dammit. Built a fire and waited. He showed up around 7 and by 8, we had heat again. In fact, much warmer heat than we'd had lately. Apparently there was something wrong with a relay and a heat strip and a something or another else. I'm just happy to have heat again. Except, I had to actually be nice and thank my ex. Dammit. Guess that was my Christmas present to him.
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