This is precisely why I cut my cable. The things (save a few stories) I watch are on basic channels.
How I Met Your Mother! Barney Stinson…Oh lord its been too long since I’ve had fresh Barney! SO happy.
The new Two Broke Girls, Michael Patrick King’s new show…I liked it. I laughed.
Ashton Kutcher I think did just a fine job with the premiere of 2 1/2 Men. I’m ready for the show to get away from Charlie Sheen’s character and get on with the fun stuff. I think it’s going to be a good fit.
I’m watching Castle this morning…new Chief, and of course no forward motion on Beckett and Castle but I love this show.
I have my dvr set for most all the new stuff I want to see…the time to see it? I have no idea where it’s going to come from. But it’ll save till I get to it.
It’s time for me to get up, get ready and go take my first big test in Women in Literature. I’m nervous. She’s known for asking random facts and stuff…gah. herewego.
I just came off of what will go down in history as one of the best Girlfriend Weekends ever. In the history of ever. What’s that you say?
Why YES! Yes I will tell you about it!
Friday night I went back to Batshitcrazytown for the first All Class Reunion/Homecoming. Darci, Delbert, Mindi and I all met and saw our classmates and hung out at the football game until halftime. We laughed so much in that first hour that if I had to go home, it would have been a successful night. Alas, we did NOT go home until the lights came up at the VFW around 1:30 am.
WHAAAAAAAT????
Lord. Yes. I saw so many friends, older classes, younger classes, people I’ve become reacquainted with through social networking. . . it was awesome. The weather was damp and cool, it just FELT like a football game/5th Quarter night. I realize not everyone is a lover of a reunion and nostalgia like I am…but I AM. And so are several of my friends. And we recognize how LUCKY we were to have grown up in the time that we did, with the people that we did to become the people that we are. And we had the best time.
The. Best. Time.
I didn’t even care that I had a four hour nap before getting up to do bridal hair for Dawn the next morning.
Because that’s what I did.
At 7:30 the next morning, I had the priviledge of styling the hair for one of my dearest friends who got married Saturday morning to a man that she has loved for many years. She and I have been through it together. First marriages/weddings. The birth of her son. The death of her parents and my grandparents. Divorces. She and I have been through it together. Since her family joined the First Baptist Church sometime along the 3rd grade, she and I have been a witness to each others life. I can get choked up thinking about it. How blessed we are to have each other. I helped her get ready, placed the tiara and veil on her head, zipped the dress, hugged her and sent her on her way with a sweet prayer.
Heading back to the salon, I banged out one haircut, cleaned up another one of my favorite guys who was getting married that day then headed home for a NAP.
I met Trish at our commuter parking lot and we loaded up and hit the turnpike for the rest of the weekend!
Oh yes. There was more to come.
We talked and laughed and talked as the miles flew past us, got to Tulsa and got checked into our hotel. It was a big big night in T-Town, OSU was playing there, Katy Perry was in concert there, and the concert we were in town for. Thank GOD she got our room when she did or we would have been screw-ew-ewd.
The concert was fabulous. Amazing. Awesome. Both bands were brilliant. We were smiley and happy and didn’t even care that it was raining and we were soaking wet on our walk back to the hotel. The rain was pretty awesome. Lot’s of lightening, cool breeze. We got back to our room and got changed and ordered room service and then turned out the light and talked and laughed forever. If we had been at camp, we would have totally been in trouble.
We slept in, got up and got checked out and found some brunch at our new favorite place in Tulsa. The Brady Tavern (which we dubbed the Brady Pub ala Days of our Lives) was perfect. Great bloody marys, I had steak hash, she had the grilled cheese of the day and soup. Brilliant. We spent the rest of the afternoon at Barns & Noble. I had to get some study time in. So we sipped lates. Studied. Read. People watched. Then we went back to the Brady Pub for dinner…Oh that dinner.
We had bacon popcorn. Popcorn with butter and maple syrup covered with bacon. Holy balls.
We had the deviled egg trifecta. The wasabi egg was our favorite.
We had the family style catfish dinner. Catfish so delicious. Asparagus that was perfect. Stone ground grits. Biscuits.
Seriously.
What the hell.
While we were eating, this guy walked in and sat at the bar for dinner. I called him immediatly.
‘That one’s my boyfriend. Sorry. I saw him first.”
Long hair ala Jesus. Bright purple shirt that was unbuttoned to almost his belly button. Several necklaces. Dark jeans. Shiny belt buckle.
Ohhhh yeaaaaah.
Then he pulled out a big ole book to read and we were both intrigued. We commented and made merry about my purple shirt overly jeweled boyfriend.
“Maybe he’s Armenian,” Trisha says.
“That would make perfect sense.” I say.
We finish up and get to the second concert/same venue as last night and decide that we maybe don’t love so much the opening band so go sit down and wait for them to finish and our 5 hour energy drinks to kick in. Finally we go up, the band files onto stage, neither one of us have ever seen them before so we’re taking it all in. There’s the guy who looks like Crabman that we saw riding his bike while we were eating brunch! There’s horns! A trumbone! Taking it all in. They start up, the energy is rolling across the crowd, and all of a sudden:
OH MY GOD.
That trumbone player is my sexy Armenian boyfriend. Right there. Onstage.
All of a sudden the necklaces and the unbuttoned shirt is WORKING.
Seriously.
It was a perfect way to end the weekend. Laughing so hard, dancing ourselves sweaty, watching the shitstorm of a show that was the crowd.
After driving through every bit of construction that Tulsa had to offer, we got back on the turnpike and headed home.
We got a new market in town. Sunflower Farmers Market to be exact. It’s fresh and shiny and new and yes…it’s a bit of an effort to get parked and get inside and yes…inside is a small space so you’re navigating all kind of crazy people just like you trying to find the new flavor, grab that container of fresh delish hummus, get over to the produce OR like me, get your mits on as many containers of Roasted New Mexico Hatch Chilies as you can.
The chilies are seasonal, and there’s only about another week left, so I’ve been grabbing and grabbing and freezing for the winter. Big containers of fresh roasted chilies, the big turning roaster outside in the parking lot. It’s awesome. I chopped some up for my posole last week. They have amazing flavor.
It’s nice to have that option here. The produce and meat specials at the market are amazing. Other items are pricey, or comparative to our only other organic/health food market in the area until Whole Foods opens. I got some interesting things today, we’ll see how I like it. The Sunflower Market brand is really affordable, and good. I bought the most amazing tasting hot dogs for Labor Day weekend, I kid you not my hand to God the best tasting hot dogs in the world. If you get the chance, I know, the price, but the TASTE is stupid. STUPID GOOD
You won't even believe the taste
SO. That’s what I did today after class and a lunch date with Hillz and MGirl. Hit the grocery, then got a pedi, then dropped off the last of Mandrea’s stuff at her place then came home and now I’m in. Time to settle in, have some nosh, do some homework and get ready for my story. . .
People have disappointed me, new people, old people, football people, tv people…disappointed.
It’s been a long while since I’ve felt this way. It doesn’t mesh well inside of me. I don’t like it. It’s prickly and pokey and generally unpleasant.
I told my PseudoSis that at 21 a weekend like that would have put me down for 2 weeks with binging and purging.
At 40, it just means I’ll buy a Paula Deen poundcake from Walmarks, be generally bitchy for about 72 hours, then start to write about it and file it away.
Her response was, “Yes, there’s something to be said about maturity. . . and a little cake never hurts.”
I’ve given myself until 2pm class time this afternoon to dwell. Then it’s back in the saddle. This horse and pony show isn’t canceling due to disappointment.
There is a moment, in the HBO movie Grey Gardens, where Little Edie says to Jackie Kennedy…”it could have been me…it SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME…”
The moment ends on an upnote, with a little promise and a little snicker between Big Edie and Little Edie…but there is a truth to that line, resonating with such…grief over what should have been, what her life Could have been…
It breaks my heart every time I watch this story. Every single time.
Yes, it’s an amazing story, parts of it crack me up, but mostly I am struck by these lives that were once so full of promise and energy…and you see where they’ve gone…
It’s frightening, really. And a reminder that it goes by all too fast. And if one just sits around wanting, and never doing…poof! You’ve missed it. You’ve missed it and it’s too late.
So. What are you doing today…TODAY…that is moving you forward?
Remember?
Forward Motion.
Just one car length ahead, a mile or two faster to get you to your destination.
Are you sitting around making plans and making lists and talking about trips and new adventures…
Or are you doing?
Little Edie’s life scares the crap out of me. It’s so easy to get stuck in blame, and shame and guilt. It’s so easy to take the…well…easy way out. And while these women are full of determination and strength…it seems they are stuck in their glory days. They are stuck.
Big Edie scares the crap outta me just because. Batshitwoman sitting in bed cooking some corn on the cob on a hotplate…Lawd.
I slept last night. Granted, it was drug induced but whatever. It was great sleep and I woke up for some coffee and a really nice bike ride, home to eat some posole and watch a little tv and relax.
There’s a cool breeze blowing through the house.
Healing.
I’m starting to watch the PBS Sherlock Holmes. SH always reminds me of Clemo and his love for it. I have to say, I dig it. It’s a great show.
Cute. Smart. British. What's not to love?
I scheduled someone from Lowes to come out and estimate new windows. I can’t do anything right now…unless it’s just stupid affordable. I have no idea how much it will cost. Monday at 10:30 we’ll have that answer!
I’ve a few cuts tonight at work. I’ve a few errands to run. But I feel good. Rejuvinted. Alive. Happy.
No I didn’t take a pill beforehand. I worked my arse off all day long so I figured it wouldn’t be necessary
One of my FB friends said it’s a symptom of premenopause.
Which just kind of pissed me off.
I am only 40 damnit.
But if I don’t start sleeping I’ll be looking every single year of it.
I’ve done everything from Melatonin to Ambien, to meditation to voodoo. The one thing that always worked on me was Lunesta…but those are like 100 bucks a pill.
Because they are MAGIC PILLS. And apparently magic is expensive.
Happy back to our normally scheduled week. I’m going to shower and get to class.
As expected, our weather broke here in The Plains and the mild 80’s have been rejuvinating to body, mind and soul.
All of those “things” that have been killing my psyche around the house, piles, and floors, and cobwebs and sheets and closets…well. I haven’t made it to the closets yet. But I can breathe deeply in my home again. I went to Sams yesterday and stocked up on enough sundries to last (maybe) this semester. Toilet paper, Paper towels, cleaning supplies, laundry soaps etc. It feels good to have that in stock now, too. Feels good.
So, I haven’t gone on a bike ride, yet, but I have done the things needed in order to move forward with some clarity. My desk is here…did I tell you that Lynn found me a 20 dollar desk at the Habitat for Hummanity, bought it, loaded and delivered it last week??? It’s perfect. Except I cant get the top to attach. So I’m working on that. I’m ready to get that room in order…it’s coming together. I haven’t stopped for anything today but to gulp some soup for lunch. I’m tired.
Friday night I got together with some of the YaYa’s and Macie. As usual…it was a good time. It can get a little out of hand, and in hindsight it always seems to when we’re all together but that’s just what happens. Saturday night…Oh yeah. Saturday I went to Melisha’s house to watch the OU game. Just a small gathering. Work friends. It felt so good to have football on tv and eat great food and drink some beers. We sat outside when the cold front and rain moved through and just giggled and laughed, all four of us! It was bliss. I got home late and kind of felt like damnit all yesterday, but worked a wedding last night and then home for some great sleep.
I admit, I miss being in class, but having today off is just the break I needed. I’ve got a few more things on my list so I need to giddyup. Hope your labor day is less labor and more of a day!
The past two weeks have been fraught with great gulps of new and scary and exciting and adjusting and compromise. It’s been…a lot. And right up my ally. Anyone of you that know me, and know how I live my life cannot possibly be surprised by that. I get the same bunched-up-ness over change and leaps in life as everyone else does, but man oh man. I do get joy from it too.
After two weeks of juggling, here’s how the balls stand.
I’m failing one hundred percent on the homefront. I’ve paid some bills, and will pay the rest of my first of the month stuff this weekend. I need deep cleaning, and mopping, and and dusting and folding of laundry and mowing and weedeating and getting things cleared out in the garage before winter.
I’m failing about 80 percent on eating and exercising. I haven’t been on a bike ride since the first day of school two weeks ago. I’m tired when I come home so even though i DO have healthy foods, chicken, fish, veggies, in the house, I could give less of a shit about it. God Bless the 3.99 Little Caesers Monday pizza.
I’m succeeding elsewhere. I’m managing work. My clients are sparse right now, but they’d be sparse whether or not I was in grad school because it is the Dread Month September. Where all businesses go to die. It’ll pick back up. It will.
School is going well. The second week was less over/underwhelming. I think I really would drop my YA Lit class, but I’ve already read all of the books and since my goal is a 4 point grade average…might as well stick it out. I can feel my brain firing differently, growing and learning to juggle the life and the work. I can feel it creaking and groaning and waking up in order to draw connections on the symbolism and running themes in the literature that I’m reading.
I am thankful for that. I’m thankful that I have clients on my book and that I’ve made a friend in one class. I’m thankful that I have student loan money to help me live. I am so so so thankful for the break in the weather that’s in the forecast…Our state, my city, has been on fire for 3 days now. Homes and churches and businesses and animals…lost. It’s been a brutal brutal summer. But come Sunday and throughout next week, our highs are in the 80’s and morning lows in the 50’s. I’m so thankful for that I could cry.
I’m thankful for a long weekend. I’ll be working a wedding on Sunday, but I’m thankful for the extra money I’ll make that will support my last concert weekend of the year.
I’m thankful for the beginning of FOOTBALL! It’s a way of life in my state…and the people here are frothy around the mouth in anticipation. I’m one of them. I’ve got my OU shirt already laying out on my bed for today. My Colts open next weekend…canna wait.
Most of all, I’m thankful for you. For your support. For your comments. For your emails and texts. Checking on me, sending me links to articles and software and stories to read. I couldn’t get through it without you.
I hope to get some rest this weekend. To get on my bike and get some clarity of the mind through exercise. To knock a few things off of my house work to do list. And to get through my homework that’s due. I hope to have a little facetime with friends and just enjoy it.
Misti Ridiculous 