Campfyre Stories

Well, it’s about to be a fun-filled, comic book kind of weekend.

Shortly, I’ll be seeing Iron Man with Spawn and some friends.  The boy begged for opening weekend and, being the good mom I am, I gave in.  (You know, because it’s not like *I* want to see it to or anything…  heh).

Tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day, which I almost always miss.  This year, though, I am not going to miss it and, in fact, am going to hit several different stores.  I’m also going with Princess to buy a housewarming-type gift for a friend of hers.  Probably I should use that time to buy Dragonmaker’s wedding gift for the following weekend.  After that, it’s off to mom’s for a big family dinner, since my father’s widow is coming to town.  I also got invited to a party, but since he waited until the very last minute to invite people, I don’t think I’m going to be able to make it.

Sunday, so far, is clear, but that doesn’t actually mean anything.  I may wind up doing laundry.  I need to get to the salon to regain the "Bam" that I used to have.  I think I have phone appointments with my friends who are far too busy (or incompatibly busy perhaps) to catch up with regularly.  I have a vague recollection of being asked to help "deconstruct a Tootsie Pop" and I’m not entirely sure what that means, but it’s sure to be a unique undertaking.

I won’t get much of a break in the action.  Girl comes into town on Thursday to be my date for the wedding.  Friday I’m taking the day off, renting a car, and going to the wedding (who gets married at 4pm on a Friday?).  Saturday and Sunday are the Albany Tulip Fest, which Spawn and I make a point to attend every year, usually both days.  Saturday night I have promised a couple of people that we’re going out drinking, hopefully not until the wee hours of the morning, because Girl is leaving on Sunday.  Somewhere in there, we have to get her up to the salon to get her a decent haircut.

*head spins*

Maybe I’ll have a chance to just recover (read: sleep in) on the weekend of 17/18.  That seems like a very long way away at this point.  In fact, it makes me tired just reading all the upcoming plans. 

Yeah, I could totally nap.

There is a distinct possibility that I will be hosting people throughout the summer.  Not a lot of people, and most of them are tentative, but I love playing hostess.  In fact, I enjoy it so much that I often assume the role in places where I am not, actually, the hostess.

The kickoff will start on May 8, when Girl comes to town for a long weekend.  Not only is she coming to be my date at Dragonmaker’s wedding, but it’s also Tulip Fest that weekend.  I’ll most likely be renting a car so that we’re a little more conveniently mobile than usual and hosting her entire stay.  There’s talk of two other people I know coming in from out of town, one who knows the area, one who doesn’t.  Two of my other friends who live out of state are constantly talking about coming to visit, whether or not either or both actually will will most likely be a complete surprise.

Even at my festival, I generally wind up playing hostess to those who need it, welcoming people and providing information as needed.

I’m ready for the summer to have a real kickoff, and I’m hoping that it will bring great adventures.  From where I stand now, looking at a whole lot of potentials, it looks extremely promising.  And, let’s be honest, I could use a good whirlwind summer of activity.

So I was trying to fix my bed for real when I smashed the middle of my thumb with the hammer.  Stupid little cat came in and distracted me.  It hurts and it’s in a most inconvenient spot.  At least it’s not obviously visible and the only people who will probably notice will be the ones I show, saying, "Wanna see something gross?"  (It’s not all that gross, though.)

And then, this morning, I woke up to my bed crashing down.  Apparently my "fixing" made it worse than it was when it was just cobbed together.  Figures.

I keep talking to (and reading the blogs of) people who bitch about how they gain weight whenever they’re in relationships.  Don’t really want to hear about it, to be honest.  I’m the opposite.  I lose weight when I’m in a relationship (it’s the sex or lack thereof).  Lucky me, you might be thinking, to be fit and happy at the same time…  not so much, though, because the other side of that is fat and lonely, and because it’s hormonal and my doctor doesn’t believe me, there’s not much I can do about it.

Finish Reading »

I mean, it’s not like there’s only tedium, but I don’t have anything that can be fleshed out enough to make a story.  Here are some things (in no particular order):

My neighbor called and asked to borrow a cat.

A friend of mine made me feel twelve, so I "passed her crush a note in study hall".

My bed broke and it’s currently (temporarily) fixed with duct tape until I can get to the hardware store.

Every time I start to believe that winter may actually end, my mind is changed by cold, grey, wet weather.

Estonia had the coolest revolution ever.  Sign up, get the movie to play locally, then go see it!

I got a friend request on MySpace from a friend from high school.  Realizing how long it’s been made me feel kinda old.

Meh…  that’s about all I’ve got right now.  It’s not that things aren’t happening, it’s just that they don’t really make for very good stories.

Spawn bought himself a bass.  He worked out a deal with my stepfather to give him the money he saved and will work the rest of it off.  Not only am I happy to see him actually have the instrument he wanted, but the motivation he’s expressed to actually work off the rest of the money is real growth for him.

Next up, hitting up the music teacher at the school to find out if he can get lessons that way.  Otherwise, he’ll be exploring other options and we’ll hook him up with good lessons.  I’ve asked him to make an effort to take lessons for 6 more months, making music lessons in general a full year project.  He seems willing.

******

When I started my current job, I spent a lot of time lamenting the lack of a comprehensive training document.  As such, when I found some downtime during the holidays, I decided to write the document that I wish was handed to me.

When it was complete, I passed it on to management where it has been very well received.  I have been praised for having taken the initiative and for having done an excellent job.  I am pleased with that reception as well as the feeling of accomplishment that I got for having completed something that I wished had been available for me, especially something that is not only useful but simple and comprehensive.

This is something I’ve done in every (applicable) job that I’ve ever worked.  Obviously, some of the jobs it just didn’t apply to, like when I migrated people from an outdated technology to a new one, but those exceptions aside, it’s a pretty consistent project for me.

Someone needs to do it…  and that someone is me!

******

My mom and stepdad are going to be out of town for almost a week next week and will be loaning me one of their cars while they’re gone.  This means that, including the MLK holiday on Monday I will be bus-free for 3/5 days next week and 2/5 the following week.  It’s a nice break from the chaos of the bus and I’m sure that the stress of traffic will make me remember one of the reasons I take the bus in the first place (so I don’t have to deal with traffic!)

******

This should be a good weekend.  Spawn and I have lots of plans to keep us busy and we’ll take care of some much-needed shopping and errands.  Hopefully we can make it through and keep busy enough to avoid the "OMG, Why are you still here???" feelings that we both sometimes fall into.

Although, I will say, I’ve been enjoying his company more and more.  You’d think that the teenage years would be the opposite, but he claims to have gotten all the snottiness and know-it-all out of his system back when he was 9/10/11 years old.  I suppose only time will tell…

It’s just a blah kind of day.  Rainy and grey and while it’s exceptionally warm outside (you know, for mid-JANUARY), it’s still just kind of blah.  It doesn’t feel like a Friday, but thank gods tomorrow is Saturday.  I intend to sleep.  A lot.

******

My free time for the year is already started to get sucked up.  In addition to the two weddings that I know I will be attending (in March and May), I’ve been asked to plan for a few other things already this month.  None of it I mind, but it’s strange to watch my free time for the YEAR rapidly diminish, especially since I vastly prefer to be much more last-minute about things.  Will I attend the breakfast the morning after the out-of town wedding?  Um…  I don’t know.  Do I really want to get a room and spend the night in Mass?  I’m already planning to rent a car and, of course, buy a gift…  I have no idea now…  I can’t imagine I’m going to have any more of an idea by the deadline.  I hate having to make these sorts of decisions so far in advance.  I’m thinking about saying yes primarily so that I can give my brother my apartment for an overnight. 

In about two weeks, I’m going to have a car for 5 days.  I’m already finding that my time that weekend is disappearing rapidly.  A trip to the Salvation Army to get rid of the things that have been accumulating is top on my list, but also I’d like to do something with my niece, like the planetarium (is 4 too young for that?) or something else that’s both fun and educational.  There goes that time, all for having a vehicle at my disposal.

******

Finally, FINALLY people are starting to talk about politics.  It’s starting to get loud and I love it!  So let me tell you what I’m looking for…  I am an Edwards supporter, as many of you already know.  I spend a lot of time speaking against the other candidates, with reasons why I don’t support them (both Democratic and Republican) and less time about why I support Edwards.  So I want people, I REALLY WANT for people to tell me why not Edwards.  Of all the conversations I’ve had, the only negatives people have given are either superficial and personal attacks ($400 haircut, ambulance chaser) or are just plain wrong and lies (he’s from a privileged family, doesn’t speak about the working class from a personal perspective - too far removed from it).

I’m really looking for people to show me the downside and the reasons that he is not a good candidate.  Not necessarily on the blog, in the comments, but email me, talk to me, but give me reasons that YOU don’t like Edwards…  and make them not be superficial.  I can do it for any one of your candidates, my challenge here is that someone, ANYONE do it for mine.

And please explain to me why his campaign is getting virtually no media coverage.

******

It’s really hard to get back into the swing of things after the holidays.  After two months with many 3 or 4-day weeks, it’s difficult to readjust to 5 days a week, every week.  Not only that, but at the moment there is little to no work to be done in the division where I work, let alone for me specifically.  Being bored sure doesn’t make the day go by faster.  I would so much rather be productive…

******

…and with too much time, my mind starts to wander.  Over the past couple of days a song has been writing itself in my head.  The real problem I have with this is that it sounds like a show tune, and I’m wondering, should I really consider writing a musical to accompany the song that is attempting to be written?  I have, after all, been intending to write a screenplay of sorts to submit to a short film contest later in the year…

******

I think this coming weekend is going to be the last one I have truly free for a while.  I intend to not do anything and enjoy that I have that luxury for two days.  However, I am prepared for popularity, just kind of hoping against it, since I’m sure I’ll get my fill very shortly.

But I think I’m going to spend most of the weekend actively working to keep healthy, since so many people around me are getting sick.  Plenty of rest, lots of juice and maybe a couple of movies (for the *mental* health part )

Really, the month is dragging, and the shorter days and arrival of winter are all doing their best to not help matters much at all.

Tonight I have my first holiday party to attend.  My company is having a dinner and Business Planning meeting at a high end restaurant, which, of course means that I have to dress like a girl.  Little black dress, product in my hair (which means two showers - one to get ready, one when I get home), makeup, pantyhose, heels…  the whole nine.  Apparently the company bigwig will be there (who I haven’t met) and I should attempt to impress him, I suppose.  Considering it looks like I’ll only have about an hour to prep for the holiday thing, I’m less than psyched about the whole thing.  Also, this idea of partying (and drinking) on a Tuesday night, when I know I have to, not only work, but have to be out the door at 6:30 the next morning…  this seems like not the best plan ever.  But the dinner should be good, at the very least.

For all my weekend plans, I only managed to pull off 1/3, largely due to Spawn having (legit) pain and not being really able to walk around.  He seems to be doing better…  just in time to go back to his father’s house.  It doesn’t seem fair that I tend to have him when he’s laid up, when I also tend to have the fun things to do…

When I got home yesterday, Spawn (after having a snow day) had cleaned his room out of boredom.  He did an excellent job and, since he wasn’t hungry and he was doing the dishes before I even could make dinner, I followed suit.  Now both our bedrooms are near-spotless.  Of course, the rest of the house looks like crap  :-/  I guess I know what I’m doing this weekend.

I could totally nap right now.  I’ve been sleeping, but it doesn’t seem to be very effective.

From a conversation with Princess:  Math is everything.  Everything in existence can somehow be classified as math.  Discuss.

When I got home last night Spawn was cleaning the kitchen and whistling while he did it.  Something got through.  It was the whistling, more than anything, that really took me off guard, though.

I had a conversation with a former co-worker of mine.  He had the same experience as I did, except that disparaging remarks were made about his work rather than his personality.  He told me who it was in his case…  I would be surprised if it was the same person with me because I always thought that person liked me…  then again, so did he

I hate feeling set up by people I care about.  Too often I feel like my opinion is only asked when they 1) already know what I’m going to say and 2) intend to do something other than what they already know I’m going to say about it.  This means that when things go wrong, they can look to me and have me say "I told you so", which is not something I generally say, and certainly not something I *enjoy* saying.  At the same time, I’m not particularly fond of saying "Be careful about this specific issue that I’m worried about" only to find, months down the road, that the very situation has arisen and now I’m supposed to be sympathetic to something "that would never EVER happen in my situation". 

I hate when people steal my lines.  I hate it more when they do it in an apparent attempt to be endearing or cute.  I try not to do it to others (except for memes, but that’s something entirely different, they’re memes, they’re *supposed* to be viral), not even to grab a hot topic in the blogosphere.  Ironically, there’s a current hot topic in one of the circles I sometimes skirt that hits home and is applicable to a situation that I am trying not to be involved in.  As much as I’d like to write generically on the topic, I know that some would assume that the reason is something other than it really is, so I’ll save that for another time…  once it’s not a "hot" topic anymore.

My Canadian manager’s first language is French, so he has some odd speech habits in English.  As a result, I find that I very much enjoy breaking certain language "rules" and playing with the language and grammar.  I don’t do it in ways that are obscure or that will hinder him learning more about English or will cause people to understand him less, but I like to think they’re ways that will help him better understand what is possible within the language since, honestly, I think a lot of the English rules (especially US English) are much more flexible than many other languages.

I speak more precisely and slowly when I’m speaking to someone with a heavy accent.  A lot of people have told me that it’s easier to understand me than other Americans, who tend to SHOUT instead of speak slowly and deliberately.  I still want to know if it’s easier for ESL folks to understand other ESL people with the same accent, or if it’s easier to understand native English speakers or if it depends on the teacher.  I wonder about a lot of random things.

I’m really ready for this year to end.  Spawn agrees and claims "I’m done with 2007."  My reply, of course, is, "Yeah, but 2007 isn’t done with YOU."  Or with me.  Or with any of you.  But I am certainly ready for it to end.  I think I’m also done with this post.

Three short weeks in a row, and that’s one of the nice things about the month of November. 

Last week, I took off Election Day in order to go to Spawn’s Parent-Teacher Conference day.  I also ran some errands with the boy and participated in the US Election process, small though it was.  This week, Monday was Veteran’s Day and so Spawn and I got our errands done.  Next week, of course, is Thanksgiving, and my job site closes both for the holiday itself and the Friday following, so that’ll be a nice, long weekend.

It’s also an eventful month, beyond the holidays and days off.  This weekend, for example, as much as I would like to just sit around the house and play video games, I have chores around the house and I’ve committed to collecting signatures to get my candidate on the NYS Primary ballot.

But events happen in more ways than simply things you do.  I’m getting a new position, with my same company, working at a place where I used to work before, in a culture I loved.  Getting back into the System Administration end of things is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while, but it seems to have taken a detour as I tried Project Management, and prior to that, Accounting (???).  I am well placed to have completed everything that I’m currently working on, probably well before I move to the new position and location, which I feel will be a strong accomplishment and will allow me to make the switch in the best possible circumstances and also leave me in the best possible light among my existing team.

I’ve been battling frustrations with things outside of my control and trying to overcome the overwhelming aspects of Other People’s Drama that have been poking at me.  I’ve been encountering reminders of my father in unexpected places and very touching ways.  Reminiscing is hard, but depending on who I do it with, it’s also, I think, therapeutic.

But on a more positive note, in addition to my own good news, I have it coming in from other sources as well.  Girl, who has had the worst luck ever in finding (and keeping) a pastry assistant (she is a pastry chef), has hired a Rocket Scientist.  I kid you not, the woman has a PhD in astrophysics from MIT.  And all she wants to do is bake.  My mother is on the verge of buying a local Music Together franchise - something that she’s been teaching and enjoying for several years now.  She and her partner were also featured in a wonderful article by a local newspaper.  Princess keeps reporting more and more yarn orders for her hand-dyed sock yarn company.  Miz and her boyfriend finally (after freaking out for several weeks) found their new home and are moving in this weekend…  The good news is currently pouring in for so many people and that tempers the frustrating things on the periphery.

All in all this is proving to be one of the most eventful Novembers I can remember, and possibly the most eventful month I’ve had all year.  NOT that I am complaining.  This is the sort of stuff that keeps life interesting.

Tell me. What do you think is the difference between an explanation and an excuse?