It doesn’t hold the same impending sense of doom that it does for you Normals, because my job/school schedule is so different.
Sunday nights have always been my Saturday nights. A night to go out. Or a whole day to commit debauchery and or sloth like behaviors with no ramifications of work the next day.
This is my final weekend of freedom.
It’s not that bad, it’s just the last weekend without classes, without company or travel or working until August. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited for all of the upcoming events on my calendar…but there’s something about a free weekend with no boundaries.
I had planned to spend the day at the Grey Garden’s Pool with my PseudoFam. I slept the whole day away.
I had a lot of fun with Becks and Ringo and Mike last night. Mike and I stayed up listening to music…mmmm…it was close to 5am when we threw in the towel. So…my plans for today went bye bye as I crashed in my dark bedroom with the fans on me. It felt glorious.
I hate that I missed Sunday Funday.
I have a slight sense of impending doom because class officially begins tomorrow. I’ve got to read Joy Luck Club and write a 250 word response each day. It’ll be fine. But putting my brain back into the school mode…oy.
But it’s Sunday night. I’ve called a pizza. My stories are on tonight and I’m uber excited for the second installment of Newsroom. I’m watering the garden, you should see how pretty it is! The yellow squash is crazy! Peppers galore! Hopefully it will continue to produce.
maybe I’ll run the vacuum before the pizza guy arrives. seems like I should actually DO something productive today…
or maybe I’ll just keep watching the Olympic trials. I’m pretty good at that.
also, I’m looking for a good cornbread salad recipe.
I say that because the most perfect times of the day are from 5 am until about 8am. Clear skys, beautiful temps (mild 70s) the birds are chirping because they haven’t stroked out from the heat or been caught by my cats, yet. The cats are skipping about. The garden looks so lush and green. I’ve got peppers galore, more squash on it’s way, a rosemary bush that is a sight to behold. My tomatos have yet to start producing. I hear other people are already harvesting. I just think maybe I dont have the tomato growing gene. But we’ll see.
My yard guy ruint my flowerbeds. I had decided to just plant a bunch of four o’clock seeds and bless it and let it all go natural. Someday I’ll be able to really landscape. Time. Energy. But until then, I love four o’clocks. I’d been watching the little baby plants come up, get stronger each and every day…then WHACK. It was a scene from Goodfellas. I was so pissed. Front and back. It’s what I get for hiring some shifty kid from the bar who’s giving me a $25 deal. I’ll be looking for a new lawn service in two weeks. I’m willing to throw another five or ten spot in order to maintain what plantings I’ve still got living.
But on the bright side…I sure do love a freshly mowed lawn. Edged, clean. I love it. I also love not doing it myself. It’s one of the greatest gifts I’ve given myself this summer.
Yesterday I slept late…did I tell you I finally moved back to my bed? After the storm that broke out my bedroom window I moved into the guest room. I stayed for probably a month I guess. Mostly just lazy reasons. But I wasn’t sleeping. That room is SO BRIGHT. My room is blessedly, purposefully dark. My bed is squishy and wonderful. That bed is also wonderful but I missed mine. Plus, the frame it’s on isn’t locked so everytime I rolled over (often) the entire bed rolled with me. It was like being on a boat ride at an amusement park. I was not amused. SO, I got my shop vac, and my winterizing tools out and covered the inside of the window with thermal plastic like I do in the winter. Shop-vac’d all the bits of glass. Moved out a janky floor lamp. Viola! I’m still waiting on people to get back to me on repairs. I’ve been fielding calls from a contractor who is eager to help…if the other two I’ve approached keep pushing me back, or just not returning my calls, I’m going to ditch them and go with the eager to help guy. Such a pain in the ass.
Oh yeah, slept late. I did go to the pool for a bit. Macie and I hit up Grey Gardens for really, just a few hours. That’s about all we could stand. I got a bit of sun. Went out to Eischen’s for chicken with my second family. We were celebrating the engagement of one of our friends. By the time I was ready for bed last night I looked like a day-glo shirt from the 80’s. It’s better today.
I’m just really enjoying this last week before class. There are things…financial, paperwork kind of things that I have been ignoring. I’d really love the strength to get through those projects this afternoon. I’ve got some late morning appointments so that’s good.
Have you been watching this whole Today Show debacle play out online? Ann Curry is apparently ousted. The debate as to when, how, who’s replacing her has been burning up the air this week. I’m completely, for years, a Today Show watcher, so this is on my radar. I’ve never thought her a strong enough interviewer or charismatic enough personality to hold the anchor chair. I just haven’t. She’s the perfect sidekick. She does great international reporting. She’s part of the team, but not the team leader. I’ve met her before, standing outside the show and a nicer person couldn’t be found. I just don’t think she’s got the chutzpah to hold the anchor. NBC, apparently feels the same way. She’ll be fully compensated, and will be given a position in the company, so I don’t feel too too badly for her. Personally, I’d like it done and over with before they start covering the Olympics.
I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE OLYMPICS!!!!!
We’re in and over the 100’s for the next 7 days. Wherever you are, hope you’re staying cool.
This is my final week of summer break. Classes begin July 2nd. I’m kind of sad. I’ve fully embraced the art of living class free. But my brain is ready. I need to get back into the game.
This week has turned off hot here. Triple digit, break your back, take your breath, melt your a/c unit kind of heat. The only things that get done are early in the morning, when it’s a mild 80. The words HEAT DOME have been uttered. It’s officially Summer. Time to slow it down, find a pool, eat cold foods and make it through.
The cats are usually found camped out under my ceiling fan on the bed, or on a piece of cold kitchen tile. I’ve had a long afternoon nap almost daily since Sunday. I’m ok with it all.
I think it’s ok to slow it down a bit. Take a nap or five. Eat some fruit. I’m not mad about it at all.
I’d like to tell you about my Saturday. It was perhaps, one of the most soul filling, life affirming days I’ve had in awhile.
But you need some back story first.
Once upon a time, a handful of years ago, a tall red headed comic walked into the salon I was working at and was randomly given to me as a client. I’ve written of Spencer before, he’s one of my favorite humans. He’s a comic, among other things, and introduced me to this lovely group of local comics who performed regularly in the OKC Metro.
Well, as you know very well, I’m a damned good fan. When I’m supporting, I am ALL IN. So I became a regular at these events, and eventually got to know the group, and became friends with them.
One of those new friends was named Seth.
Seth is all things we girls look for and want.
He’s smart. He’s good to look at. He’s funny as hell, and his funny is dry and sneaky, and also smart. He can talk Buffy episodes as easily as he can talk politics. He wrote a coloring book about his colon. He is good and kind, and no one’s pushover despite the fact that he eats fake cheese. He’s the first Vegan I ever met.
In his life, he was looking for love…not in the country song kind of way, or even the Buckwheat Wookin Pa Nub kind of way…yet he was looking.
Who he found (or who found him) was a Jersey girl named Abby, who had been working for Teach For America, who had lived and worked in big cities on the other side of the map, who is all things bright and beautiful, and as sweet as she is salty. The perfect combination of Martha Stewart and Sara Silverman, in that she’ll bake you a fabulous cupcake while zinging you with a wit that is just as sharp as her beau’s. She had decided to cast her net wide, to forgo the “practical” location boundaries and just see what she could see.
She saw Seth.
Seth saw Abby.
Providence smiled upon them, opened up job opportunities for Seth, and cleared the path for this couple to be.
Abby and I became friends over the interwebs before we ever met face to face. She reached out to me during a time when I was just failing–flailing in messy emotion. She saw a kindred spirit and we immediately clicked. I finally met her when I went to NYC to surprise Kizz for her 40th birthday. I’d seen Seth that previous holiday season, when he and his brother came to my house for a Friend-Mas Festival. We cooked up the idea that night. “You should come to NYC for the party. I’m telling some jokes.” –“I TOTALY SHOULD”
It was as if we’d known each other forever. As the three of us walked along the snow covered sidewalks after the party, chatting it up, sentences overlapping each other like a perfect layered desert, I knew two things.
1) This couple was an example of what a couple should be. Nothing is easy or perfect or fun all the time. But these two people have the skills, and the desire and the absolute admiration for each other that it takes to navigate all the funk.
2) I had met a forever friend. A soul-sister.
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That was three years ago.
We’ve had face time since then. We’ve celebrated holidays, weddings of our friends, events and engagement photo sessions. My trips there, celebrating my 40th.
Saturday we gathered to celebrate their wedding.
The day began with my searching all over the 10th floor for the Rock Star Suite. Hauling my supplies, wondering around with just the nervous voices in my head for company…our sweet bride was a little “lexic” when giving me the room number. Girl must have had something else on her mind! I did find it, we hugged, we had a mimosa, then I began banging hair. The suite soon filled up with voice after voice wishing her well.
“How are you feeling?”
“Can I get you something to eat?”
“Can I get you something to drink?”
“How are you feeling?”
She was surrounded by love.
And hairspray.
What more could a bride want?
Five hours later, many heads of hair had been banged, a few tears had been shed, fabulous presents had been unwrapped and promptly left in the suite (I’m an idiot. Who leaves behind the entire series of Friday Night Lights as well as the first season of Parenthood??? An idiot. That’s who.) Laughter was ringing out, mixing with oooh’s and aaah’s of admiration once the bride was assembled.
She was stunning.
The epitome of grace, of style, of sexy va va voom.
Her dress DID in fact have to go over her head.
I took just three pictures all day, and was so completely present and involved with the festivities that I didn’t even think about it the rest of the day.
Hair-Do-Hall-Of-Fame
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The ceremony was beautiful. I met the girls in their “holding room” which was hotter than ass. Seriously. That was a facility fail. No one puts women and brides in a hot room after they’ve been outside in 90 degree heat taking photos. Lord. Last minute pinning, spraying, juzzgghhhing and I was off to find my place in the audience among my friends.
Tears. I cried more than five tears. The reading of Piglet and Pooh broke me. When one of the ministers asked for a quiet moment to meditate on the couple at the front, I had to bite my lip in order to not make noise.
I felt such happiness for them. It was such an honor to be asked to be a part of this day, to be a witness to this love, and this life. I could cry again. Lord.
The party that happened afterwards was perhaps one of the best things I’ve ever been to. And I see a wedding every single weekend. Surrounded by Dan and Derek and Spencer and Carri and Anthony and Jenelle…we danced and laughed and soaked up all the love.
It took place at the Oklahoma History Center. The view was spectacular as the sun was setting, the Capitol in the background. Lovely. The catering was by Cheever’s. Delicious. The wine and special homemade brew were flowing, as well as a delightful gin cocktail that had cucumbers and something else in it. I need to know what that was. Slurp. We danced and sang karaoke and were given the gift of life in a box of flip flops to wear the rest of the night. Go. Pick your size. Take off your Kate Middleton shoes and be free. The 7 or more cakes were cut, devoured and just when the sugar high was ending, the Big Truck Taco truck pulled up outside with ice cold Pop’s pop and fed us again.
There was also a wall full of wedding photos and the wedding date. From 1970 to 2012, friends, family all showcased in their love and wedded bliss. There was a message from Seth and Abby posted in the middle. Commentary on their beliefs for their marriage, their belief in marriage equality, and just a lovely way to show their heart’s passion.
I stole this off of someone’s fb wall. The words were too beautiful not to share.
The evening ended at the hotel bar, where we took the bartenders by surprise. A lot of laughing. A lot of toasting. Oh, and Alice Cooper was checking in. Yes. That Alice Cooper. Seth got a photo and a handshake I believe.
I hugged and kissed the bride and groom, and checked out about 1:00 a.m. The rest of the bridal party was walking down the street to another hotel. Squeezing one more hour out of the party. As I watched them, my brain wanting to join, my body screaming for Spanx relief, I saw Seth and Abby holding hands, leading the charge.
As they walked away, the lights of downtown glowing around them, I knew I had been a part of something special, and I knew that I’d follow them anywhere because if anyone could lead us to Happily Ever After…
I have become completely discombobulated on my days this week. When the alarm goes off it takes awhile to cut through the sleep fog, dragging me back to reality where I have no idea where, who, what, when, WHY I’m awake!
Thankfully, my day does’t start until 10am at the salon. I’ve got a few clients, a little break…time enough to go to the supply house to gather supplies needed for tomorrow’s Hair Bangin Extravaganza, then back for a few more end of day clients. Tonight is the “Welcome Party” for the wedding guests. So many are flying in from different states. I’m going to run by for awhile and mix and mingle, take a few party pics, then home to scour Youtube for bridal hair video inspiration and sleep.
Tomorrow will be nuts. But, I have total faith that I will get that hair perfectly beautiful, and everyone will be happy. There’s time for me to get home and shower and spiff up into one of my Dallas purchases and Kate Middleton shoes before heading back down to the chapel to help with last minute finishing touches.
I want to tell you about Seth and Abby. Their love story is one of my favorites. It’s a tale of serendipitous timing, perseverance, bravery, and the most beautiful example of finding your best friend across the miles that I’ve ever heard. It’s funny…I just can’t remember a time that these two were not in my life. Instant connection. I’ll save their story for another post.
I am so happy to be able to share in this day, to be able to use my skills to make them happy, to help them breathe easy. It is such a gift, to ME, to be a part of their day in this way. I can’t wait for tomorrow night.
We got in late last night. It was a full 8+hours of travel. I was nauseous for most of the day…turbulence and I didn’t remember I had Dramamine in my backpack until we got to Denver.
Getting home last night was glorious. The kitties welcomed me back, I laid my suitcase in the living room floor (where it still sits) changed out of my travel clothes, and flopped. I had a huge day of hair banging today, starting at 9:30 am with Abby’s bridal hair run through. This is Wedding Weekend, and festivities begin tomorrow night. Today we worked out Abby, and then banged a little Grandma hair and discussed the M.O.B.’s hair as well as the sisters. Our Saturday morning schedule begins at 10am and we work until we have to leave for photos. Did I mention that the happy couple lives in JERSEY??? This is all a long distance wedding. Seth is from OKC, grew up here, and they decided to have the wedding here.
It’s gonna be fabulous. I’m excited.
Tonight is a critical game for our Thunder. But I was reminded once again while at the grocery store a few minutes ago that this is such a great thing for our city. I had on my Thunder gear, many others did. As I was walking out, a woman probably in her early 60s gave me a sweet little “thunderup!” Unifying the city in a way that hasn’t happened since the bombing. I love that so much it makes me teary. If Miami wins tonight, it’s over. If the Thunder wins, they come back home. I just want them to come back home. Feel the energy, feel the love.
I’m feeling the love of recreating a meal that Dion had for us when we arrived. Cold grapes, wheat thins, sharp cheddar. I have a sour green apple, and more fruit to make a salad like we had there.
We slept late today. Real late. So we didn’t get started out into the world until almost noon.
We headed straight to Portillos. Lord but it’s so good. Locals know it. Which is how I know it. We needed fuel for this day.
Dion and I shared an Italian beef special. Italian beef and Italian sausage with hot and sweet peppers and cheese fries.
Lord.
Back on the bus we headed out to the Museum Campus area. It’s Illinois Resident week a the Shedd, which means Dion got in free and got us all a fat discount. YAY! It also meant there was a line to get in.
The line was long, and it was hot, but it moved fast!
This elicited more moaning and groaning and end of times prophecy from Wonderboy. This photo pretty much sums up our stay in the Windy City. Beautiful scenery, the city in the background, amazing museums in sight…and flop.
Wah Wahhhhhhhh
I have laughed till I peed. We all laughed.
We love to laugh
Wonderboy decided to continue with making the crazy faces and we got into the museum with air conditioning and penguins and jelly fish and sharks.
Freaky. and Awesome.
It was pretty freakin awesome.
Tonight we came back for swimming, chinese food, cold beer, some cookies and are in disbelief that by this time tomorrow it will all be but a memory.
Once we got up, there was some general funk about. Wonderboy didn’t want anything that was here to eat. No cereal, no fruit, no poptart, no toast, nothing. He wouldn’t say what he DID want, just pouted.
As we were gathering our information on bus numbers and routes to get us to Michigan Avenue and eventually Navy Pier, it just seemed to get worse.
I’m sure it was nervous energy, combined with hunger (if he was that hungry he’d have eaten a pop tart so I don’t buy that stuff) and just general unease about being in a new place, big city, someplace what was NOT Great Wolf Lodge. All self contained and tidy.
But we made it to Michigan Avenue. We went into the first place he got excited about which was The Cheesecake Factory. (facepalm.) BUT, it IS a ritual thing that he and Bonusmom do together, he was comfortable there, and he started smiling. Priceless. Thank you JESUS. We had a great waiter, who coddled us and gave him a little birthday sunday which he scarfed down. We made a little shopping plan to go to the Lego Store and then across to the Hershey’s Store. Both things were the best in the world. So, it was then that we began to walk a bit, heading toward the river with the intent to catch a water taxi/boat cruise of some sort and head to the Navy Pier.
It was hot. It wasn’t as hot as it’s ever been, but it was hot. And windy. We stopped for slushie’s and water and kept moving and it was then that we saw signs for the Navy Pier. Well, somehow, unintentionally, we walked all the way. Instead of getting a cab, or finding a trolly (which I never saw)–the signs diverted us from the path to the river where our original intent to catch a water taxi would have happened. It wasn’t a bad walk. For a 10 year old it was the end of the world. I have no idea why we didnt catch a cab. I have no idea why we didn’t find a bus. I just don’t. It didn’t come to my mind. Bonusmom didn’t say let’s do it. We all just kind of focused and walked…Luckily, we made it. We made it and there was a water feature that Wonderboy promptly went and cooled off in. We walked up and down Navy Pier, nothing much jumped out at us. We were over the shopping. The Imax wasn’t showing anything till this morning. The Ferris Wheel wasn’t operating due to the high lake winds…someone would wind up in Michigan. Lord. BUT, we found a Build-A-Bear, we found a Candy Store. There were smiles again.
We contemplated getting a cab back to the condo, but decided to make the bus trek, and made our transfer and came right home! HUZZUAH!
Dion got the car out and we ran some errands, got some dinner, came back to the condo and while he went into his room to teach some online Rosetta Stone classes, we went down to the pool. Wonderboy and I got in, and let the cares of the day float away. He played down there till it closed at 10pm, we watched the planes coming into O’Hare. That was a sight to see. (it doesn’t take much to entertain Bonusmom and myself!)
I think yesterday was a learning day. I don’t think all new experiences are necessarily fun while learning, but I do think that at some point, in the not to near future, Wonderboy will look at this and talk about walking all over Chicago, how hot it was, being right by the Great Lake, eating pizza and hot dogs…I think he’ll like it.
Mostly, playing games on my computer has put the biggest smile on his face.
I got up at 4 a.m. after bartending and working the night before. We got to the airport, everyone was exhausted, Wonderboy had stayed up all night. Our flight was delayed a bit because that crew had gotten in late the night before and FAA Regulations INSIST on letting those dudes rest a Full 8 Hours.
WHO gets a full 8 hours of rest these days, I ask you?
The dude flying our plane. So that was a relief and a little anxious combined It was all well. We got to Denver, boarded immediatly. I bought Wonderboy one of those neck pillows and he immediately went comatose asleep. We found our way into Midway, got our baggage, got our Metrocards (that’s what they’re called in NYC, I don’t remember the Chi name) and jumped a train into the city.
First time on a train, and Wonderboy’s immediate response was “I don’t feel too safe on this thing”
I just laughed.
It was about an hour and a half commute, and we were all worn out and HUNGRY. Dion met us at the stop and we walked a few blocks to his GORGEOUS condo overlooking Lake Michigan.
Some Lou Malnati’s was in our future, yummy deep dish buttercrust pizza, then back to the condo to just collapse. Wonderboy on my computer, Bonusmom on her nook, Me on my phone and working on WB’s iPod touch. I did watch the game, damn the loss…we’ll come back on that.
Sleep was glorious and peaceful.
It’s going to get ass hot today. Into the 90’s. We’re heading to Navy Pier, on a boat cruise, and to Michigan Ave to shop.
Wonderboy’s words yesterday were:
“I’m ready to test out some food. Pizza today, hot dogs tomorrow.”
I do believe he is blood of my blood.
Gotta hit the showers. There’s stuff to be purchased, and food to be eaten.
Last night several EHS alumni gathered to visit, drink, and spend some time with our English Teacher, Bill Guy. He’s in town from San Diego for HIS high school reunion. It was a wonderful night, on many levels.
Sitting around the table, there were several student council presidents, cheerleaders, straight A-making-self-proclaimed nerds, non-joiners, and…me. People drove 45 minutes to three hours to get there. A table that would have never happened 20+ years ago, not only happened, but shared in laughter and pictures, and stories with a common thread of all, at one time, sitting in one man’s classroom.
I have said it before, and will say it again: I Love A Reunion.
More than most people.
Last night it was lovely to see the pride on Bill’s face because I think he got it. He got that he made an impact on our lives. He figured out, by some magical wonderful way, what we needed in that English class. Honesty. Respect. Discipline. Laughter. Encouragement. Strength. Passion for the work.
He was honest in his opinion of diagramming sentences.
“You will probably never do this in the real world. But you have to do it now.”
He encouraged our creativity.
“Mr. Guy can we listen to Whitesnake during class?–Sure.”
He humored our silly sides.
“Mr. Guy were you ever a hippy? –No, my mother wouldn’t let me.”
He gave us nicknames.
“Little Freaks.”
And twenty plus years later, a table of adults, with their share of success stories and full lives gathered to toast the man who saw in us, what we perhaps, couldn’t even imagine for ourselves.
In his letter to me, folded in my graduation card and dated May 24, 1989 he wrote:
“You have so much ahead of you. Just remember that you can have whatever you want. But…you will have to pay for it, either in effort, patience, determination, or maybe with tears and self-respect. The tricky part will be in deciding whether what you want will be worth the cost. In the final analysis you will get what you pay for!”
During this break in classes, as I embark on the final year of This Grad School Thing and contemplate “What’s Next?” I started to doubt. Visualizing the END of this is difficult. There is clutter, and papers, and test scores, and it’s just really foggy. That scares me.
Last night was a reminder. It was a bright light, cutting through the funk and the fog. Educators make a difference. Teachers, the good ones, impact a life forever.
I want to be that.
Sometimes a simple little reunion, gathering around a table on a patio, sipping cold drinks and sharing stories is just that. A simple reunion.
Misti Ridiculous 