I’m so glad this day is here.

For one thing, this time next week I’m in the air, baby! NYC bound!

For another thing, it’s my salon’s Grand Re Opening party. This is what everyone has been frantically working towards. It’s about to divide the salon in terms of attitudes and willingness to help. It’s been a long drawn out month after month process and most everyone has HAD IT. I’m only 5 weeks into the malestorm so for me, I’m staying positive and trying to keep morale out of the gutter. But MY pateince with the negative kids is running thin.

SO. Tonight, by 5pm we will be READY as we can be. It is what it is. We will celebrate and hopefully come together as a team and just enjoy what we have in our workplace and get a little perspective and just enjoy. That’s what I hope.

I have nothing to wear to this shindig. My closet is a sad sad sad situation these days. I don’t know how it got to such a state…but I’m sure it has to do with the size of my hiney. I may hit the Old Navy for something cheap. I’m also doing the food platters and setting up the buffet and bar so I’ve got a little on my plate tonight. Sheesh. Good thing I feel tons better! My throat barely hurts. I firmly believe the rest, the chicken noodles and the hot apple cider were key!

Hey ya’ll…have a fabulous Thursday! We’ve only got a few weeks left this year. It’s a stunning revelation to all of us, yet it is a fact. Let’s get our Thankful Pants on and really enjoy this crazy time. I really enjoy you. I really do!

“Doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results.”

It was election day yesterday. This state has elected one of the most vapid candidates running to govern our state. Our State Questions were idiotic for the most part…seriously ANYONE can just get a SQ on the ballot these days. Thank GOD the 744 didn’t pass. The last thing we need in this state is to bankrupt all of our state agencies so that we can keep up with neighboring states. I’m all for education. Raised by educators. But this bill was flawed. So at least it didn’t pass.

Chris made the most fabulous statement regarding the election.

Voting for good people in this state is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic

true.

As we get set to move forward, let’s hope that our leaders newly elected can do so in the spirit of what is best for all of us, and not just what is best for them… A task that is daunting at best.

My throat still hurts, but I feel rested and better. Neti Pot and I are attacking this day. Hope yours is full and good.

Welp. I decided to wave the white flag. I woke up last night all sweaty and sneezy and coughy…went to bed at 9:30 again and slept thru till 9am. I only had two appointments today, and so I moved them to later in the week. I refuse to feel guilty for that. When I called in to the salon, our receptionist informed me that my co-worker that I work close to has strep. Had it all last week. SO…I pried myself from the couch and put my body in the shower. Scrubbed. Hair. Skin. Felt better. Took myself to the quickmed place where I paid 77 dollars for them to tell me “it’s not strep. But if it turns into strep here’s this perscription for an antibiotic. You need sleep and fluids. ”

mmmmkay. better safe than sorry. I’ve got two events this week and oh yeah A TRIP NEXT WEEK!!!

I went to my polling place. Got my sticker. and I’m a little sad that no one will see it today…it’s on my bulletin board with the rest of them. I was number 165 at my place. Its lovely weather here, so I hope that people get out to vote. We’ve got some pretty polarizing State Questions on our ballot this year, along with our Woman vs Woman governor’s race…(that’s sarcastic right there. it’s so much more than having a vagina.) Anywhooo…did you vote? GO DO IT. No excuses. Girls…it was a mere handfull of years ago that we DIDN’T HAVE THE RIGHT!!!

giddyup.

I’ve got some chicken noodle soup on the stove with big chunks of veggies and those yummy Amish noodles. That should heal, eh? Pretty sure my afternoon is going to be spent on this couch, in front of this AMAZING tv and watching whatever I want. and sleeping. and sipping hot apple cider.

hope you’re well. now, go vote.

Oh. Mygod.
amazing weekend. just amazing. seriously. the fun that was had by EVERYONE in attendance…off the charts.
I myself am exhausted. I slept for 13 hours last night. Took a 2 hour nap today. I’m fighting a sore throat and chills. I know where that comes from…just run down and exhausted. I’m going to go get some soup and stay in tonight even though I was supposed to watch the Colts play at the bar…just not a good idea. I have 10 days till I leave for NYC and am NOT going to spend it sickly.

It’s November. NOVEMBER!!! It feels like November outside too. We had a cool front move in…I’ve been sleeping with my windows open and ceiling fan going till about 3am last night. I woke up with a horrible sore throat and sneezing and coughing. Gross. Shut everything down, took some meds. I changed sheets and set up the Grownup TV today and that was it. The rest of the day was spent…resting. Seriously, I crave more. CRAVE it. It’s bound to happen. For once, I’m going to listen to my body and obey.

November means NaBloPoMo as well! I started doing this because of Kizz. I do a lot of things because of her but that’s another post. We’ve got one a day this month! Join me, won’t you? And head on over to our best good friend Chris a.k.a. Numskullery and wish him well. He’s doing NaNoWriMo…an entire NOVEL!!! The Jens are writing this month as well! WRITE WRITE WRITE!!!

My good friend Julie is hopped up on getting me to write a play. She’s a good motivator! We’ll see where it winds up.

For now, I leave you with a few pictures I’ve stolen from other people. I’ll get to post mine later…it was a great party. I send humble multiple thanks to each and every one of you…it was the time of my life.

and just for a few giggles…

I sit here this morning in a sweatshirt and under the covers, with at least one kitty curled up by the open window…and yes. on top of my costume for today. natch. I’ve got my coffee. I’ve got the VH1 Classic Totally 80’s channel on the tv. Santa Fe Soup is in the crockpot warming for todays work potluck. My first appointment canceled so I’ve got a little extra time to just be.

Be Thankful.

I’m taking this time to be really active and present in my state of thankfulness. (and to realize Ted Nuget was really strange looking…big nose holes.)

I am so thankful for my friends and family, who have actually seen past my crazy the last few weeks to push forward and put together a Totally Tubular and Awesome Birthday Bash! TONIGHT!!!! I’m so excited. I really am. and I’m afraid I’m going to cry and streak my spray tan so I’m going to dial it down here…but seriously. How did I get to be so lucky to have all of you in my life? I mean really…I’m not the easiest human to love…sheesh. But you do. and you continue to lift me up from across the world…hands across America, picking me up, brushing me off, whispering…everything will be ok!

So today, I am Thankful for you.
all of you.

Do I even dare type the word “change” in this space again? Are we all so OVER IT that the mere sight of those letters put together forming that word will provoke projectile vomiting ala Stand By Me?

Perhaps.

Today, we’ll look at some synonyms:

accommodate, adapt, adjust, alter, alternate, commute, convert, diminish, diverge, diversify, evolve, fluctuate, make innovations, make over, merge, metamorphose, moderate, modify, modulate, mutate, naturalize, recondition, redo, reduce, reform, regenerate, remake, remodel, renovate, reorganize, replace, resolve, restyle, revolutionize, shape, shift, substitute, tamper with, temper, transfigure, transform, translate, transmute, transpose, turn, vacillate, vary, veer, warp.

warp. I like that one. Transform…I really like that one. A Lot.

I’ve been thinking about transformation. Thinking about my impending birthday, and my goals for the next year. The things I’d like to see transformed, and the transformation I’d like to see as a result of all of this past…regeneration.

I was asked at work yesterday by one of the owners, not a hair stylist, “have you made any friends yet.”

My first response was just to say, “Ohsureeveryonehereissonice!” . . . but that really isn’t the case. Everyone IS fine. Some are nicer. Some are in a completely different world than I live in and we have nothing in common…but it made me really think…no. The answer is no. I haven’t made any friends yet. I feel like I might, soon. I hope that I do. I hope that people can get to know me and that they will like me…but as of now, my only friends are my clients. And they aren’t friends. They are Clients. (the line does cross in some instances…)

I wondered if I was being authentic to myself. Was I showing these people who I really am or was I trying to scope out the ones I wanted to like me, and manipulate myself into what I thought their mold of a “cool kid” looked like. I’ve done it all my life. You’ve done it. We’ve all done it…the trick is to recognize when we’re doing it and stop. And get centered and real with who you are and move forward in that vein. The need to connect with people is so great at times, that we will do whatever and sacrifice whatever just to get IN. Just let me IN and THEN you’ll know that I’m smart. and funny. Don’t judge my body. or my clothes. or my lack of style. or my fine, thin hair. Don’t look at my bitten nails or my size 10 (sometimes 11) feet. Please don’t compare me to these cute little bodies that work and live and breathe all around us. Just know me, and I’ll show you.

It’s easy to get lost, in a new place, isn’t it?

Warp.

Warped.

Cindy cited a Ted Talk in her blog today. I watched it…and at least I know my heart isn’t frozen up, because I did cry.

I want you to watch it today. Yeah yeah yeah. it’s 18 minutes. Suck it up. Watch it…think about the connection we have…and what you can do today to authentically connect with someone else. Moving forward just as yourself. Sans the “cool girl” facade. Let’s see what can happen…I see you. Who you are. And I love you. . . just so you know…

http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf

I found this jacket today for my 80’s costume.

THIS.

JACKET.

Monday.

Laundry.

Groceries.

Banking/working on taxes.

deliver things back to el reno that are taking up all the room in my car. shop vac. cupcake holders. etc.

make big batch of posole.

clear out the dvr.

rest. perhaps a nap.

I can’t tell you how happy I am to have a day to get some things done on my timeline, with NOTHING to do, and nowhere I MUST be. This is the perfect way to start the week that holds my BIRTHDAY PARTY~

This is Chrome’s birthday weekend. It was actually Friday, and I text her and fb’d her so she knows I love her and have been thinking of her all weekend…sending good joo joo for a new year…it just doesn’t seem right to not commerate it here with a few thoughts.

The blog is not my first priority lately. It’s not because I don’t love you. Or that I don’t NEED to write the jibblejabble out of my brain…it’s just busy. BUT…it doesn’t mean I’m not talking to all of you daily in my head. Which brings us back to the jibblejabble and my need for the writing. aaaaaand full circle.

I’ve had many a memory with our girl Chrome…we’ve got inside jokes that only she and I are in on, and on the one or two occasions a year that we’re breathing the same air we laugh like hyenias and cry like babies. We’ve slept in a car on the side of the road before. We’ve lived in a one room motel room for a summer together. We’ve laughed and we’ve fought like only people who love each other can. The girl likes her coffee at room temperature and her Dr. Pepper warmed by the hot car. She confuses her Dayquil and her Nyquil and sleeps through her soaps on sick days. She is marching in her one woman band straight towards clarity and growth and peace and all things good, and she drops crumbs for us in the way of Dr. Ronnie’isms so that we may be sustained as we follow. She is generous and giving and even when she’s melting right down to the ground she will still be amazed and show you the cool new mascara that slides off your eyelashes in tubes.

This year for her brings a new living arrangement. Which should help her afford to breath a little easier, and will put her closer to her Tribe. All of these things I love. I wish I could be there for her this weekend and help move and paint and diffuse the overwhelmingness of it all. One weekend in the fall of 97 she was living in Cincinnatti an I was living in Goshen, Indiana. She called. (landline. no cell phone for us then) and the panic was setting in. It was moving weekend. and the progress was stifling. I jumped into my little Toyota Corolla and drove south about 4 hours and we got that shit moved right away. That weekend, I tasted my first Starbucks Frappuccino and ate my first Skyline chili dog.

It’s a full moon weekend as well. Last night, we gathered in my yard and as I looked up I heard her voice…”there’ll be another moon”

indeed.

Here’s to a bizzillion of them! Happy Birthday my dear dear friend. Unlike that stinky nasty new drink we tried in that road stop on the side of the turnpike…you ARE my favorite!

Man this week has flown by. I was so busy yesterday…the only thing getting me through was the promise of dinner with Trisha at Ludivine last night. SOOO good, once again. But dude. Tired. Not sleeping this week. Mind rolling. I’m ready for the weekend, though. Hanging out with friends, bartending and getting a little extra $ will be fabulous.

Meanwhile, I’m filling up the mug with more coffee and heading to the shower. Happy Friday, ya’ll. I’m motoring.