Just an average rainy Monday morning. Woke up at 6:30 and let all the cats outside and went back to bed. Woke up several hours later from a deep sleep to the crazy rain that was outside and jumped out of bed to let the cats back in…two drowned rats, one very wet beaver/sloth came in from the back, and one barely damp mama who had the smarts to hide on the covered front porch! ha! Anyways, getting ready to go weigh in (lost another 3 lbs! Woo Hoo!) and checked my email.

Clemo is in OKC!!! John is a friend of mine from the Saginaw days. He was a road manager in the same theatre troupe I was in, and we shared a house. Lots of stories. Lots of memories. We keep in touch scarcely, but still there is some contact. He had left an email with numbers and location. Apparently he’s here this week doing training for his new job?

That’s all I know. I’m going to contact him, and we will get together. How cool! It’ll be interesting to see him after all these years. I haven’t seen him since I left the house that day, to drive to Cincinnati then to home. Spring of 99. Time flies.

There will be more to come on this subject to be sure.

Lost the 3 lbs, which brings me to half way to my 10% goal.

HUZZAHH and Happy Monday.
and I love George Clooney.

I went to see Reign Over Me today. 10:30 in the a.m. on a Sunday is way too early for me to do anything. . . and I am the first to complain and the first to admit that my input on the time went something along the lines of “doesn’t matter to me, any time is fine.”

I didn’t really mean that.

However, I’m so glad I got out of bed for this. The movie was layers of emotion and was so subtle and solid, that I didn’t really mind the somewhat slow pace of it. It was filmed in NYC, so that’s always a nice thing to watch on the screen. Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle were just perfect together. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a “good one” and finally, I did today.

The music in this film is another character. Weaving in and out of scenes, I found myself really paying attention and saying, “I’m buying this.” However, to my dismay, the only original soundtrack is all instrumental. No Pearl Jam covering the title song, no Pretenders, no Springsteen, no Neil Young. (I think it was him.) Hopefully “they” will release one soon with all the featured music. Until then, go and listen to the title song. SO. GOOD.

I am heartsick to hear about Elizabeth Edwards. This woman, no matter what your political views, is an amazing show of grace and fortitude. I’ve always enjoyed her, followed her through the last campaign, through her first battle with the cancer,watched her PR junket for her book and have just been touched by her life.

I was one of the first to suspect that John Edwards would pull out of the campaign. To see them both together, to see their lives and the ups and downs they have been through, they seem the picture of the best things a relationship can be. While I’ve yet to put my full load in anybody’s wagon, I’m glad I still get to have him as an option.

This campaign, and the children, and the chemo…cannot imagine how it’s going to play out for her. Or for him.

There is that scene in The American President where the President and his chief of staff are playing pool:

President Andrew Shepherd: If Mary hadn’t died, would we have won three years ago?
A.J.: Would we have won?
President Andrew Shepherd: If we had to go through a character debate three years ago, would we have won?
A.J.: I don’t know. But I would have liked that campaign. If my friend Andy Shepherd had shown up, I would have liked that campaign very much.

Not to trivialize. Not to compare…really. But it’s what came to mind when I was thinking about how it would affect this current campaign and those to come. I guess only time will tell.

Good Luck to you Elizabeth Edwards. Strength and Light to you.

I put out an entire bag of Scott’s Turf Feed stuff on my front yard two days ago. Now, it says that you should put it down on an already wet lawn, and not to put it down within 24 hours of rain. It’s been a little hit or miss here this week because this was our forecast: Have yet to see ONE DROP. Nada. Zilch. Bupkiss. Big. Fat. Zero.

STILL WAITING FOR THE RAIN.

Have not pulled out all the hoses and hooked up the sprinklers and really gotten into the yard season yet. . . because Mother Freakin Nature was taking care of that for me. (cue lightening strike)

So anyway, allegedly around 11pm tonight it supposed to arrive and let’s just cross fingers Bella doesn’t encounter hail. (cue Debbie downer music wa wa waaaaaa)

I overslept today,so didn’t get to post anything. I am really tired tonight and am completely focused on my grass and how it could possibly be burning up without some ding dang water so. . . that’s what you’re getting.

Here’s to Friday for all the Normal Folk. Enjoy the beginning of your weekend. Peyton Manning is hosting SNL along with Okie Carrie Underwood. Have set the DVR to tape it. I will be working and then going to a Pass Your Plate party tomorrow night, working Saturday and going to see the Jewel Box Theatre’s production of Beehive on Saturday evening, Sunday I will be seeing Reign Over Me with MLynn and Nan, cutting Alli’s hair at some point then who the hell knows. Apparently I’m a busy girl. Who knew.

Huzzahh to you and I love George Clooney.

And one to go on. . . happy day.

I need to be at the YMCA. I do. It’s 8am, I don’t work until 11 or so and I NEED to move my arse.

Why do I have such a block on this right now? I wanna know WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY? It’s something, that’s for sure because I used to just jump right up and don the streachy clothes and head on over.

So far today, I climbed out of bed at around 5am due to the ungodly snoring that was next to me. He’s got to have a bruse the size of my fist and feet from all the kicking I did to get him to shut up. . . finally I took pity on us both and moved to the couch. Then the babies were whining so I let them out. Then I just gave it up, made some coffee and turned on the tv where I proceeded to watch the last two days of The View and caught the weather forecast on channel 4. The only thing remotely interesting about that was when Rosie jumped down the Young One’s throat for voicing. . . HER VIEW! I’m ususally a big Rosie fan, but she was in my opinion, out of line. Whatever. I should be the guest host, then we could really rodeo.

But that’s it. Tv. Coffee. Cats. Oh, and laundry in the dryer to wear today, but nothing that is KEEPING me from going to get on the treadmill.

whine.
spit.
hiss.
whine more.
wa wa waaaaaaaa.

I need to get a book for work today. When I left yesterday, I only had two appointments. Both men. That is a total of 1 hour of work in my 9 hour day. Bleagh.

Here’s a question for you. I just got all my paperwork in the mail to get my Tag/Title/Excise Tax taken care of for Bella. (That’s her name) My question is…personalized plates? I’ve always been pretty annoyed with vanity plates, but the thought of one saying MKAEP doesn’t make me sick. But, do I want everyone knowing it’s me? Like there’s a big mob of people tracking my every move. I probably could just get the one they give me. I’d like to get the breast cancer support one…but do I want a pink and blue plate on my cinnamon car? Now THATS vanity. Whatever.

Boreing today. Huzzuh to you and I love George Clooney.

It was the IATSE Union that I worked for. I also helped build a food show and did load in/out for Les Miserables…and had a small interlude with another roadie named Revo who drove one side of the barricade during the show.

The really hot bass player was with Blues Traveler…duh…they PUT ON the Horde Fest. We stood next to each other, bobbing our heads to the beat of some other band, and gave each other googlie eyes.i had no idea who it was until I was picking up trash and found a “souvenir” program with the band’s picture on it.
To this day I’m sure he pines.

I stated that the switchboard operator was not a job that I liked. However, I must clarify. I made it fun. I answered each line with a different dialect. I have had at least 3 office jobs where I did that. THAT was fun.

Chrome pointed out that there has been a lot of meat involved in my career thus far. True. Lots of cutting and slicing and serving. Anyone got a clue as to the underlying meaning of that? I had a point but have since forgotten it.

The shitty drawers were by far the grossest thing I’ve ever encountered. I railed for HOURS at Chromeplatedgirl when I got home that wee morning…and you know…you KNOW that the jackass who shat himself went back out to the bar, stinky and commando, and ordered more beer and wings. I hope his butt burned for days.

on that note, Huzzah and good night. and I love George Clooney

I’ve worked at least one job since I was sixteen…Actually before I was sixteen, I worked for about two days at a snow cone hut but cut my two fingers to shreds so that ended that career pretty fast. When I got my first car the Chevy Sprint, I got my first car payment and my first “real” job that lasted all through high school. Alas it began a list that is so much longer than what this post will be…we may have to do a Redux Edition! But for now, we’ll start with:

1)Pennington’s Pantry-A great little Mom and Pop restaurant in downtown El Reno. Owned and run by a family and cast of characters so eclectic that David Lynch would just shake his head and walk the other way.

2)Sirloin Stockade-my bff got a job here one summer and I thought, what the hay I’ll go too. Two summer jobs isn’t too much. It’s like a Golden Corral, or a Western Sizzlin’ or some horrific place that has that nasty salad bar and buffet. But we served you wearing brown pants, beige peter pan collared shirt with ribbon bow tie and a kerchief cap on the head. I had to clean out the salad bar at night, squeegee that crap and remove the kale and bleagh. Not a big fan. I got fired/quit/retired the day that the nasty boss, Earnie, who’d hit on my bff and she had quit earlier in the week, got in my face and said I had to wear the kerchief and the ribbon. I said I really didn’t and walked away. I’ll never forget the freedom I felt when I walked out. Too much for a teenager to do.

3)Stockyards Cafe-The Mom and Pop place moved out to the new stockyards that opened outside El Reno. Cowboys and steaks and Roper Boots and Rocky Jeans. Too many memories to even start on here….another post in and of itself.

4)Jack’s Meat Market–When I finally got my crap together and went back to college, I got a job serving BBQ at this little (again) family owned shop. I learned how to slice deli meats on one of those scary mean slicer machines. Yup. I sliced my thumb once. Not off, but it hurt. I had to work Saturday’s which sucked, but in the summer our boss who was always a little tipsy would bring me Popsicles to eat! Great little gig.

5)Roadie/Union Worker–I used to sub for the stagehand union here in OKC. I cannot remember the real name (Chrome?) but I did load in/load outs for many concerts including Metallica, Boys II Men, Horde Festival where I met my favorite boys The Barenaked Ladies and jammed with the really hot bass player for the lead band who I can’t remember now. It was hard work, but dang I loved it!!!

6)Actor–Toured with various theatres, did summer productions, met the people who complete me and ate way too much McDonald’s.

7)Switchboard Op–I’ve had this job several times. Before I left for college and then when I’d come home from tour and get temp work this was how I did it. Multi-Tasking mixed with talking. I didn’t love it, or even like it. Means to an end.

8)United Supermarkets/Meat Market-This was the job I had when I was married (spitooey) and trying to finish college while my ex-husband sat at home and played Nintendo. I actually liked this work. It was plodding and not much to juice up my brain, but I learned about cuts of meat, and to check the exp dates on the cold cuts and cheeses before you buy them. The fresh stuff is always in the back. I also became the world champion of turkey bowling in Kingfisher Oklahoma.

9)Bartender/Buffalo Wild Wings–My first bartending job. The guy asked, have you ever bartended before? My answer was, “Noooooo, but I’ve been in lots of bars before, PLUS I’m an actor so I can ACT like I can bartend!” Hired. I almost killed a man with my first Long Island Tea that I made, and in a moment of panic, asking my coworker for help I shouted “I have two buttery nipples!!” This is also the bar where upon cleaning the restrooms at the end of one Saturday night, I found some shitty drawers stuffed behind the toilet in the men’s room. I am still scarred.

10)Beer Sales Rep–Began working at Coors as the switchboard op, another temp job. Stayed with the company, enjoyed all the men, drank lots of beer, got to work lots of fun events, moved into sales, worked myself to a nub being on call 24/7, began to hate everyone and everything and then I quit.

These are really just the tip of the iceberg….but some of the highlights in my working girl career….What are your favorite jobs? Worst?

Huzzuh to you and happy Tuesday!

Weighed in this morning…I knew it was going to be ugly. Gained 1.2 but ok. I ate everything that wasn’t tacked down this week due to moon cycles and work drama and drank a large amount of celebratory beverages on Saturday night for Joe Bank’s Birthday.

This week, I’m inspired. I’ve worked in my yard this weekend, sneezed my fool head off, but getting my body moving. I’m commiting to the Y at least twice this week, maybe more.

I’ve crossed off a few of my New Years List. Cross off #3-did that this morning. Opened a savings account. Mine only. It was a measley little deposit, but I am proud and on my way…#12 and 13 we took care of last weekend. And lastly, but not leastly #20 is done. . . kind of.

For Homecoming Week at my university, we’ll be doing a reader’s theatre production of Steel Magnolias. I directed it for my senior seminar project and at least three of the original cast members will be in it. Including myself as Truvie. November 3rd is the date, one performance. While this isn’t what I had in mind when I wrote the list, I figure it counts. And there’s a lot of the year with shows that need casts…so who knows what will happen on that front.

That’s about all I have for today. Heading to the Ace Hardware for fresh birdseed, a sprayer for the yard weeds and maybe a trip to the Autozone for new floormats for Bella. Finally named the car. I’ve never named my cars before, but since this is the first NEW one, it was deserved. Have you named your cars?

Marshall:They just pay me to drive the limo, sir. I’m not here to tell you who you are.
Joe Banks: I didn’t ask you to tell me who I am.
Marshall: You were hinting around about clothes. That happens to be a very important topic to me, sir. Clothes, Mr…
Joe Banks: Banks.
Marshall: Banks. Clothes make the man. I believe that. You say to me you want to go shopping, you want to buy clothes, but you don’t know what kind. You leave that hanging in the air, like I’m going to fill in the blank, that to me is like asking me who you are, and I don’t know who you are, I don’t want to know. It’s taken me my whole life to find out who I am, and I’m tired now, you hear what I’m saying?

Luggage Salesman:This is our premier steamer trunk, it’s all handmade, only the finest materials. It’s even watertight, tight as a drum. If I had the need, and the wherewithal, Mr. Banks, this would be my trunk of choice.
Joe Banks: I’ll take four of them.
Luggage Salesman: May you live to be a thousand years old, sir.

Joe Banks:I have less than six months to live. The Waponis believe they need a human sacrifice or their island is going to sink into the ocean. They have this mineral your father wants so he hired me to leap into their volcano.
Patricia: What?
Joe Banks: You’re not going to make me say that again, are you?

Patricia:I wonder where we’ll end up?
Joe Banks: Away from the things of man, my love. Away from the things of man.

Joe Banks: I tell you one thing, though. Wherever we go, whatever we do, we’re gonna take this luggage with us!