As we were painting the other day, Janis Joplin came on the radio and I was singing my heart out, becuase honestly what self-respecting mid-30-year old doesn't know the words to "Me and Bobby McGee"?
And then Adam said "who sings this? is this Janis Joplin?" And I had to choke back my disdain.
And then I said "yes" and he was all "hmm I never got into Janis Joplin" and I felt bad for him.
So I said that I did, and then I blamed it on my being a giant poser in high school, which i probably was if I even really know what a poser was at that time. Which now I no longer know what a poser was at that time but I probably was it. And he said he couldn't imagine me being a poser. Because he knows I'm totally preppy and can't imagine me being 'alternative'. Because I wasn't. But I tried.
I did drink and smoke but not because I was tortured but becuase I wanted everyone to think I was tortured. I wore huge baggy clothes, not because I was attempting to conceal my skin and bones frame but because I was attempting to accentuate it with great big baggy clothes. I also went to some bazaar in town and bought old school plaid bell bottoms which I'm certain I looked ridiculous in. I skipped school, but worried about getting caught and told my parents about it ahead of time to get their approval. I had parties at my house, but made sure everything was cleaned up before anyone came home. I ignored boys, not because I was too cool for them but because I feared they were too cool for me. I did do some stuff I'm not proud of, but nothing worthy of the sort of 'cool' that I tried to portray by nonchalantly bragging about what a Janis Joplin fan I was when everyone else my age was listening to Nirvana.
Which is ironic because there are probably high school kids, this very instant, listening to Nirvana thinking they are retro. Because I am old.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
This Did Not Happen
I received a big box today from my in-laws - late Christmas presents which was a total treat. I love late Christmas.
Inside the box, there were several neatly wrapped boxes and one unwrapped item. A bag of Herr's Salt N Vinegar Potato Chips. I can't stop laughing.
In completely unrelated news - I may have gained about 15 pounds since Thanksgiving.
Inside the box, there were several neatly wrapped boxes and one unwrapped item. A bag of Herr's Salt N Vinegar Potato Chips. I can't stop laughing.
In completely unrelated news - I may have gained about 15 pounds since Thanksgiving.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
I'm Not Exactly Rachel Ray People
Last night Adam and I had some friends over for dinner and I made BBQ beef sandwiches which I have never made before. I did them in the crockpot, meticulously following a recipe I found in a book given to me by my dear friend Michelle.
The recipe was super easy and I was pretty proud of myself and how yummy the house smelled all day long. I even cut up onions and pickles as a topper instead of coleslaw because even though I prefer coleslaw I think that is an East Coast thing. Yeah, like kidney beans.
When our friends came over, I shredded the beef (which made me feel very grown up and wise about cooking, in the manner of Martha Stewart), poured some of the juice from the crockpot over it, mixed it all together and shoveled it out onto sandwich buns.
Our friends gathered their plates and sat at the table as I arranged my own and tidied up quickly in the kitchen, before noticing everyone seemed to be waiting for me. So I hurried to the table with my plate, encouraging everyone to try the food and letting them know it was the first time I'd ever cooked a huge chunk of beef in my crockpot. I could see everyone sort of inch away from their plates ever so slightly, so I dug in to prove that I felt confident about it, even though I didn't. It was pretty good, but not super flavorful. Even so, I still thought it was a bit better than "edible" which was the rave review I actually recieved.
Oh well. I'll file that recipe away under "don't do this one again". At least they were honest. :-)
The recipe was super easy and I was pretty proud of myself and how yummy the house smelled all day long. I even cut up onions and pickles as a topper instead of coleslaw because even though I prefer coleslaw I think that is an East Coast thing. Yeah, like kidney beans.
When our friends came over, I shredded the beef (which made me feel very grown up and wise about cooking, in the manner of Martha Stewart), poured some of the juice from the crockpot over it, mixed it all together and shoveled it out onto sandwich buns.
Our friends gathered their plates and sat at the table as I arranged my own and tidied up quickly in the kitchen, before noticing everyone seemed to be waiting for me. So I hurried to the table with my plate, encouraging everyone to try the food and letting them know it was the first time I'd ever cooked a huge chunk of beef in my crockpot. I could see everyone sort of inch away from their plates ever so slightly, so I dug in to prove that I felt confident about it, even though I didn't. It was pretty good, but not super flavorful. Even so, I still thought it was a bit better than "edible" which was the rave review I actually recieved.
Oh well. I'll file that recipe away under "don't do this one again". At least they were honest. :-)
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Apparently I missed class that day...
It seems that everyone in the universe knows that a much more common way to hang a hammock is to tie some rope or something around a tree and hang it. I say this because more people than I would like to admit have responded to my story about the hammock, baffled, wondering why I didn't just tie it to the tree. To which I say - the directions said drill a hole!
Also I have been reminded of the hammock hanger invention. Yes, thank you, I actually did know about those but I'm cheap and it's much more cost-effective to go about destroying Mother Nature. Actually the real reason is that I don't want one of those because we get 80 mph winds here and I was hoping to have something that I would not have to worry about catching a gust of wind and crashing through my neighbors windows in the middle of the night.
Strangely, my husband is less concerned with the hole in the tree and more amazed that I found the drill and knew how to operate it. Come on people. He must be amazed that I managed to survive 27 years without him around to teach me how to turn on the lights.
Also I have been reminded of the hammock hanger invention. Yes, thank you, I actually did know about those but I'm cheap and it's much more cost-effective to go about destroying Mother Nature. Actually the real reason is that I don't want one of those because we get 80 mph winds here and I was hoping to have something that I would not have to worry about catching a gust of wind and crashing through my neighbors windows in the middle of the night.
Strangely, my husband is less concerned with the hole in the tree and more amazed that I found the drill and knew how to operate it. Come on people. He must be amazed that I managed to survive 27 years without him around to teach me how to turn on the lights.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Well there's good news and there's bad news.
The good news is that the glass people brought the newly cut shower glass today and IT FITS! As of right now, I can take a shower in my new bathroom and it seems that it is complete, although I'll leave the final decision to Adam when he gets home from work. Undoubtedly he will see something that I did not.
Now the bad news. After the Re-Bath people left, I was super hopped up on happiness because the glass fit and the workers were out of here in a half an hour, and it was only 3 pm and 70 degrees and sunny. So I changed into outside clothes and went out and worked in the yard, soaking up that sunshine and melting away my depression. I pulled all the weeds and scrub out of my flower beds and played with my dog. It was lovely. Then I got a brilliant idea. I have had this hammock in the shed for almost 2 years (!) and so I drug it out and decided where I want to put it in the yard. I got the tape measure and measured the distance between the two trees and saw that I could put it there. I was super excited and thinking I can have this hammock hung up in time for Adam to get home from work - he'll be so proud of me! Keep in mind I'm like completely doped up on sunshine. Can anyone guess what ridiculously stupid thing I did then?
Piece of Evidence Number 8,794,394 that I am not from Texas, nor did I belong in the Environmental Protection field ---> I followed the (probably written by a Northerner) instructions and pulled out a drill and drilled a hole in the tree. Then I stepped back, looked at it, watched an ant crawl in it, and thought: WHAT AN IDIOT!?!?!?!?
WTF was I thinking? As soon as I did it, I realized what I had done to my pretty little live oak and all the surrounding pretty little live oaks, so I ran and got the can of tree paint and totally slimed the entire tree. I hope I got it in time. If my entire yard dies of oak wilt I am going to be so so so pissed at myself.
Adam wasn't exactly happy either. So, yeah. I don't have a hammock and my husband is not proud of me. But I can take a shower. It's a game of win and lose my friends.
Now the bad news. After the Re-Bath people left, I was super hopped up on happiness because the glass fit and the workers were out of here in a half an hour, and it was only 3 pm and 70 degrees and sunny. So I changed into outside clothes and went out and worked in the yard, soaking up that sunshine and melting away my depression. I pulled all the weeds and scrub out of my flower beds and played with my dog. It was lovely. Then I got a brilliant idea. I have had this hammock in the shed for almost 2 years (!) and so I drug it out and decided where I want to put it in the yard. I got the tape measure and measured the distance between the two trees and saw that I could put it there. I was super excited and thinking I can have this hammock hung up in time for Adam to get home from work - he'll be so proud of me! Keep in mind I'm like completely doped up on sunshine. Can anyone guess what ridiculously stupid thing I did then?
Piece of Evidence Number 8,794,394 that I am not from Texas, nor did I belong in the Environmental Protection field ---> I followed the (probably written by a Northerner) instructions and pulled out a drill and drilled a hole in the tree. Then I stepped back, looked at it, watched an ant crawl in it, and thought: WHAT AN IDIOT!?!?!?!?
WTF was I thinking? As soon as I did it, I realized what I had done to my pretty little live oak and all the surrounding pretty little live oaks, so I ran and got the can of tree paint and totally slimed the entire tree. I hope I got it in time. If my entire yard dies of oak wilt I am going to be so so so pissed at myself.
Adam wasn't exactly happy either. So, yeah. I don't have a hammock and my husband is not proud of me. But I can take a shower. It's a game of win and lose my friends.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
2012 Reasons to Be Happy
HA - just kidding. You probably just clicked on this to see if I am actually insane enough to try to come up with 2012 reasons to be happy. Which I am not.
But I do have reasons to be happy - we all do. This weekend I told Adam I was grumpy - which I was - and he got upset and asked me what do I have to be grumpy about. And he was right. What complaints can I possibly have, compared to what some are going through?
One of the reasons I really really love my job is because I feel like I actually get to help Soldiers. I don't do anything honorable. I'm not a nurse or a medic or a therapist. What I do is try, however I can, to help make the places Soldiers live and work nice and comfortable. And it might not sound like much but I try to make a difference and I try, through my work, to show my appreciation for their service. Occasionally I get to develop a tentative relationship with one of the folks I work with regularly, and I get to know them a little. Only a little, but still. I get to hear about their holidays and their backgrounds and learn that they got to go home for Christmas for the first time in years. Not because they had chosen not to these past years, but because they were physically unable to because they were deployed to a war zone. And it brings tears to my eyes to think that this weekend I was feeling grumpy because my husband and I were having a hard time selecting a closet system for our tiny closet.
Just who do I think I am? I should be counting my blessings that I even get to choose!
Okay so this wasn't exactly peppy. I'll try again tomorrow maybe.
But I do have reasons to be happy - we all do. This weekend I told Adam I was grumpy - which I was - and he got upset and asked me what do I have to be grumpy about. And he was right. What complaints can I possibly have, compared to what some are going through?
One of the reasons I really really love my job is because I feel like I actually get to help Soldiers. I don't do anything honorable. I'm not a nurse or a medic or a therapist. What I do is try, however I can, to help make the places Soldiers live and work nice and comfortable. And it might not sound like much but I try to make a difference and I try, through my work, to show my appreciation for their service. Occasionally I get to develop a tentative relationship with one of the folks I work with regularly, and I get to know them a little. Only a little, but still. I get to hear about their holidays and their backgrounds and learn that they got to go home for Christmas for the first time in years. Not because they had chosen not to these past years, but because they were physically unable to because they were deployed to a war zone. And it brings tears to my eyes to think that this weekend I was feeling grumpy because my husband and I were having a hard time selecting a closet system for our tiny closet.
Just who do I think I am? I should be counting my blessings that I even get to choose!
Okay so this wasn't exactly peppy. I'll try again tomorrow maybe.
Oh Yeah... My Blog
Sorry I haven't posted in so long - I have been consumed by rage and frustration over my bathroom remodel-gone-horribly-wrong and any postings (or other contact with human beings, for that matter) has the terrible potential to go downhill very quickly. So I have been trying to not really talk to anyone.
For example, this morning a guy I work with came by my office, probably just to ask me a quick question and then go on about his day. Instead, he was subjected to a 45-minute diatribe about how people should live up to their promises and stop trying to weasle innocent consumers out of their hard-earned nickels and dimes. I hope he didn't mistake my lecture at being directed at him, but probably he did - because lately every time I open my mouth whatever garbage spills out either is taken the wrong way or is so tainted with my own bad attitude that it can't help but be taken for exactly what it is - poison darts aimed at whomever is unlucky enough to be standing in my way.
So, needless to say - I'm not exactly a fountain of entertainment these days. I have to wake up at least 30 minutes earlier than usual because of the current shower situation. As anyone who knows me even a little bit knows, this is a terrible strain on my lifestyle as I am sooo not a morning person. Except what actually happens is that I don't wake up early, thereby throwing the entire morning's schedule off and causing both my husband and me to be late to work every single day. And being late, even though I should totally be used to it and just accept it as fact, really puts me in the worst mood so then I'm grumpy when I get to work. Then I spend the better part of the morning attempting to avoid any personal contact because that will undoubtedly end up aggravating me even more. So I answer emails or play with my spreadsheets all morning and get a headache from staring at the computer screen. By lunch, I feel alienated and disconnected and starved for conversation so I seek out my lunch date (read: husband) where we spend an hour eating soup and trying very hard not to talk about work. After which, I return to my desk and spend the rest of the afternoon catching up on all the face to face communication I tried so hard to avoid earlier in the day. By the end of the day, I feel tired again and ready to get home and relax, but then there is laundry and dishes and tidying up and the dog and the annoying neighbors and the dog behind us that never stops barking. And, well, the list goes on.
And frankly, readers, all of this is nothing but a raging case of seasonal depression because I just cannot stand this cold weather. And of course by cold I mean, like, 60s.
So, I'll try again and see if I can write something a bit less depressing. Stay tuned.
For example, this morning a guy I work with came by my office, probably just to ask me a quick question and then go on about his day. Instead, he was subjected to a 45-minute diatribe about how people should live up to their promises and stop trying to weasle innocent consumers out of their hard-earned nickels and dimes. I hope he didn't mistake my lecture at being directed at him, but probably he did - because lately every time I open my mouth whatever garbage spills out either is taken the wrong way or is so tainted with my own bad attitude that it can't help but be taken for exactly what it is - poison darts aimed at whomever is unlucky enough to be standing in my way.
So, needless to say - I'm not exactly a fountain of entertainment these days. I have to wake up at least 30 minutes earlier than usual because of the current shower situation. As anyone who knows me even a little bit knows, this is a terrible strain on my lifestyle as I am sooo not a morning person. Except what actually happens is that I don't wake up early, thereby throwing the entire morning's schedule off and causing both my husband and me to be late to work every single day. And being late, even though I should totally be used to it and just accept it as fact, really puts me in the worst mood so then I'm grumpy when I get to work. Then I spend the better part of the morning attempting to avoid any personal contact because that will undoubtedly end up aggravating me even more. So I answer emails or play with my spreadsheets all morning and get a headache from staring at the computer screen. By lunch, I feel alienated and disconnected and starved for conversation so I seek out my lunch date (read: husband) where we spend an hour eating soup and trying very hard not to talk about work. After which, I return to my desk and spend the rest of the afternoon catching up on all the face to face communication I tried so hard to avoid earlier in the day. By the end of the day, I feel tired again and ready to get home and relax, but then there is laundry and dishes and tidying up and the dog and the annoying neighbors and the dog behind us that never stops barking. And, well, the list goes on.
And frankly, readers, all of this is nothing but a raging case of seasonal depression because I just cannot stand this cold weather. And of course by cold I mean, like, 60s.
So, I'll try again and see if I can write something a bit less depressing. Stay tuned.
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