I have no idea what to title this post

I finished my eight week condensed course and now have four more college credits to my name. The class took up a lot of my time especially the second half of it and now work has me incredibly busy. This makes finding time to blog difficult and the inspiration isn't so easy. I spend about three hours a day commuting due to the location of Mini Red's camp. Quite a few topics have crossed my mind during the long hours in the car but when it comes time to sitting down and writing it out I'm finding other things that need to be done.

This weekend Mini Red and I have been under the weather. When I picked her up from camp on Friday she was sniffing and sneezing like crazy. I had been fighting a migraine all day and couldn't get out of work early since there was so much to do. The evening plans had changed and Mini Red and I were staying in. This meant no blogger happy hour for me this month.

Mini Red and I did get out and make it to the company picnic on Saturday after much debate. I was hoping the heat and just getting out would help and it did. It was a good thing we went because there weren't many people in attendance. Not one of our executives showed up. The company has gone through some major changes in the last year and it has been very scary and difficult for those of us that have stayed/survived. Things have been getting better but the lack of executives at the picnic was quite a blow to many of us and gives a bad impression of how they (The Executives) feel about the company and it's future.

After the picnic we were exhausted. The drive home seemed to take forever and we were looking forward to putting on a movie and taking a nap. Mini Red pulled out the blow up mattress and made herself comfortable and I crashed on the couch.

Sunday brought more laziness and trying to figure out how to transfer VHS to DVD while suffering another migraine. We also watched home movies from when Mini Red was little little little. Oh how she has changed and I would love to revisit her at that age and just hug her. My favorite was at the age of almost four, on Christmas morning Mini Red was lead into the room with the gifts under the tree. When she saw everything she exclaimed in a high pitched voice, "Look at all the stuff!" Aww she is so cute and I would love to have another. Mini Red says I could just have one injected since I don't have a man. How cute is she?

We then reluctantly ran out to get groceries for the coming week during the thunderstorm and this helped both of us a lot. We enjoyed walking through the rain in and out of the store plus Mini Red was a huge help and made this chore enjoyable because we worked together.

As for my course I learned some really fun stuff that can be done with Photoshop. My third assignment was my favorite. In this assignment we were to show what we learned about channels and creating highlights and shadows among other things like rays of sunlight. I used two of my own photos and four stock photos. I added shadows and rays and used filters. Here are the photos I used:

My end result:

Mini Red’s Night out on the town with Scythian

This all came about when Nicole came to town from Chicago. Her stay got extended and I got an email about the dates Scythian added to their tour. Namely, the CD release party at Flanagan’s Harp and Fiddle in Bethesda. We could all get together see Nicole and listen to some Scythian. This was the perfect chance for Mini Red to finally see them live.

Mini Red has been listening to Scythian for some time now and they have been a real inspiration to her. To see them live was extremely exciting for her.

I made a reservation and my inquiries got us a table smack dab in the middle of it all. I was surprised at how quiet and calm Mini Red was on our way to H&F but that all changed when we sat down. Our group trickled in and I can’t tell ya how nice it is to gather with a good number of friends and listen to some great music. I had been anxious for this evening all week because it just don’t get no better than this.

Mini Red watched intently as the crew was setting up. She would elbow me and say, “Look Mom there’s a Scythian guy. Isn’t that one of them?” Nicole went with Mini Red to go say hi to Dan. For some reason as Mini Red has gotten older she has become shy. She didn’t want to take any pictures and sat rather quietly as Scythian was starting up. I guess I can’t really blame her since she was the only kid there. I would feel out of place especially with so many staring when they realized there was a young girl in the crowd. Plus the adults dancing must have been a sight to her. I know it takes me aback at times too.

By the end of Scythian’s first set Mini Red and I were dancing in our seats. We decided to get ready to leave but then I saw Leks was in the middle of the dance floor and I suggested that Mini Red go up and say hi and get a picture. She didn’t want to do this and I couldn’t understand why. When I offered to go up with her she agreed. She told him she plays the violin and they chit chatted. She told him what an inspiration Scythian has been to her and how this was such a special night since it was the first time she got to experience Scythian live. Leks told her to practice, practice, and practice and told me not to ever let her give up her music. I suggested going up to other band members but she didn’t want to do it. On the way home Mini Red thanked me many times for a great evening. We discussed her not wanting to approach the band and she told me she was afraid they would think she was a freak. I told her they would love to hear how they inspire her and she shouldn’t worry about what others think because in the end she would have regrets and wish she had approached the other band members as she did with Leks.

She then said there was another reason she didn’t want to approach them. Her face already hurt too much from smiling and to meet more of them would make her cheeks hurt even more.


It was a special night and we shared it with some great friends. Everyone seemed to be watching Mini Red for her reactions to it all. One of our friends said, “This will be a night she will remember the rest of her life.” Mini Red agrees.

Thanks guys for another great show. You are truly talented.

My Surfer Girl

Mini Red and I were at the beach in the beginning of July. It was chilly but she was in the water none-the-less. She is very good at staying in our sight because none of us were ready to brave the cold water with her. At one point my Father expressed his concern about how far out she was. When I said, "She's the strongest swimmer in the family and handling it great" is when I realized it was true and stopped worrying, but I'm still keeping an eye on her.

Vacation is in less than two weeks and I've scheduled surf lessons for Mini Red. We are both very excited! I plan on sitting on the beach with my coffee watching the lessons in the morning and in the afternoons Mini Red and I will jump waves together.

After our week at the beach Mini Red gets to stay for a second week with Grandma and I get to go back to work. That's when the two of them will do the water park. Yup, my Mom does most of the slides right along with her but I don't think I be posting photos of my Mom running into the water like Mini Red is above.

What's a shy girl to do?

It’s Friday and I’m all for being comfortable at work. The pants I chose to wear demand a pink shirt so I wore the one I wear most often with these pants. It wasn’t until I got to work that I noticed some slight discoloration and fear I may have a mark on my shirt. I feel like I’m really slumming it today but I’m not gonna worry about it and just gonna get my work done and get the hell outta dodge. I guess I should have worn that low cut pink top instead.

For lunch I ran for some fish and chips at Eamonn’s. I deserve it with all my hard work lately. The young’n who works there remembers me from around town and I caught him lookin but then I remembered this mark on my shirt… Oh well he’s too young for me and these things ain’t got no milk to feed that baby boy. I have to be sure to go back there soon though since there were some yummy dudes patronizing that place.

On my way back I was stuck waiting for the light to change and I noticed him. It was Court House Boy (CHB) crossing over to my corner to wait with me and the rest of the crowd. I have crushed on this dude for years because he is scrumdiddlyfuckinumptious. We've exchanges a few hellos and the obligatory smiles that translate as, “Hey, how ya doing...Buddy?” With my shirt in disarray and the fact that I tend to be a bit on the shy side not-to-mention I have no idea what to say... You know what I did?

I pretended like I didn't see him.

The problem is... It can be difficult to miss me with the red hair and the hot pink shirt with a possible mark on the boob. So I sucked it all in including my chin and acted like everything was normal and as if he weren’t standing to my left (and back a little). What could I say anyhow? “Is this mark on my shirt noticeable? Right here... Near my boob.”

The light changed and I walked ahead doing my best walk possible knowing he might be watching. This was much easier and the back of my shirt doesn’t have any marks… I don’t think. I can’t believe I wore this shirt; it’s going in the trash when I get home.

What else could I have done?

You've got to ask yourself a question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?

Today is Friday the 13th and supposedly a very unlucky day. There are a schloo of theories as to why this is such an unlucky day but nothing definite. There are certain things I tend to be superstitious about but this is one I have let go.

The number 13 has been considered bad luck for quite some time now and seems to be the center of all superstitions. This is one superstition that can be seen all around us such as in buildings that don’t have a thirteenth floor. I mean really… It IS the thirteenth floor they’ve just named it the fourteenth. Unless, they created some tiny floor in between that they can call the thirteen so the fourteenth is really the fourteenth. Kind of like floor 7½ in the movie “Being John Malkovich” where there is a floor between floors.

Baseball players seem to be a very superstitious group. I have to wonder though… When their lucky socks, which they refuse to wash, don’t seem to be lucky anymore… When do they finally break down and wash them?

There are so many superstitions out there and they could drive a superstitious person crazy. I don’t want to be superstitious so I just don’t listen to any of them. Some say it’s all in our freaky little heads and we make our own luck. Maybe the superstitious just want a little magical luck in their lives? I guess if something wonderful happens in your life and you can attribute it to some superstition you have then why wouldn’t you do everything you can to make more wonderful things happen in your life?

There are a few that do run through my mind:

See a penny, pick it up; all day long you will have good luck… But it has to be on heads.
Some say pick it up no matter what since money is money. Some won’t pick it up unless it’s on heads. For me it depends on my mood and if I feel like picking up the dirty thing off the ground. There are times I will pick it up and flip it over so someone can find it and have the luck. I’ve even been known to set up Mini Red to find one since she gets so excited over it. If it cost me a penny or two to put a smile
on someone face then why not?

A cricket in the house brings good luck. To kill it is bad luck.
This is why my marriage ended. Hahahaha. Our house was full of crickets and they drove me crazy. I became the world renowned “Cricket Killer”. Once I chased one down the stairs and I leaped four or five stairs down to land on it. Maybe that makes me a “Ninja Cricket Killer”?

A black cat crossing your path is bad luck. A white cat crossing you path is good luck.
Phooey! That’s bordering on racist! Hahaha. This one is different in different countries, e.g. in Britian and Ireland it’s the opposite.

Walking under a ladder is bad luck.
This is one I tend to adhere to and can’t bring myself to walk under a ladder. Even a leaning ladder forms a triangle. The superstition is based on the triangle and that triangles represent the Holy Trinity. By walking through the triangle you’re a violating the Holy Trinity and breaking it. If you violate the Holy Trinity then you are in league with the devil. So heed this one.

Knock on wood… Three times.
Yup, I do this one! It was believed that good spirits lived in trees, and that by knocking on anything made from wood, we could call upon these spirits for protection against misfortune. I think the three times is because three is lucky and goes back to the Holy Trinity thing.

I’ve also heard:

Don’t step on one of those painted handicap in the handicap parking space.
I used to adhere to this one but then thought “If I can step on it then I should thank God I can and don’t have to park there”. I step on them all the time now.

There are so many good luck superstitions that just don’t seem lucky to me such as:

A robin flying into the house.
Hello! I don’t see the luck in this plus there will probably be bird poop all over your house now.

A bird pooping on your head.
Ewww gross!

To pick up a piece of coal that has fallen in your path.
Now your hands are dirty and your getting it all over you.

Rain on your wedding day.
I guess this could be lucky because if you can deal with that than everything else, in married life, will be much easier.

Superstitions are pretty much all in your head and are based on what you believe in. So if you believe something is lucky then it will be and the same for bad luck. I have decided that Friday the 13th will be lucky days, hence forth, so for me they will be. I say any Friday is lucky because it means I made it through another week.

Some superstition references obtained from oldsuperstitions.com

Are you a single, lonely woman that is tired of sleeping alone?

It’s the newest thing… The Boyfriend Pillow.
This morning The Kane Show was talking about this boyfriend pillow for the lonely, single women. Not yet available in the US except maybe by mail order.

In a quick review I found this article and this article on this new, patent-pending, aide for the single woman.

On the show this morning they were saying the arm is detachable and can be heated up in the microwave. I didn’t see anything in those articles about that but I can think of a different version of the boyfriend pillow that has a detachable part that is not an arm. Now that’s one I would consider buying.

You should always look your best whenever you walk out the door.

Sunday, I got up and started writing that last post. In the midst of that I needed to get the massive laundry done so I sorted the piles and was ready to go. The only thing left was to change out of the shorts I was wearing, due to the big hole in the crotch. Along with that I added some undergarments to the top and bottom so as to not scare my neighbors when I walked down the hall, yet what I was wearing was still not par to wear out in public.

So I’m sure you’re asking yourselves, “Why is she telling how awful she looked?”

I am so glad I made some changes to my wardrobe because when I stepped out to switch laundry I locked myself out. The first thing I did was try and wish the door to open with my eyes but I quickly realized that wouldn’t work. I reviewed what I was wearing and the state I was in because I was going for a walk to the folks where there was an extra set of keys.

I decided that avoiding the center of town was best and cut through some side streets. I was glad I didn’t have to wait long to cross Connecticut Avenue and was wishing I had sneakers on to just run over there.

I hadn’t expected the folks to be home from the beach yet but thank goodness they were. I figured if they weren’t home I could always run to my Aunt’s who had a key to the folks who had a key to my place.

Mom was sitting in the kitchen talking on the phone when she saw me walking up the street. She knew something was off because she knows I wouldn’t be caught dead looking like that in public. Plus normally I drive over or I’m running past on a jog. She and Dad got a nice giggle at my expense and Mom gave me a lift home. I think she was afraid one of her friends would see me walking through town like that.

I might be dressing nicer for laundry in the future for fear of this happening again.

The Big Catch Up... Are you Ready?

The posts have been few and far between and what has been posted has been minor stuff. I guess I should get a little caught up.

Last Thursday I had a project due for class and it had me all in a tizzy. I had been working on it for about a week and last Tuesday when I was in class I realized I missed a few of the requirements and had to throw the whole thing out and start from scratch. I left class right after the lecture and got home and got to it. I worked til 3am got up the next morning and got back to work immediately after dropping Mini Red off at camp and worked til late afternoon. I was done and had met the requirements but there was an issue with part of it that I wasn’t quite sure how to deal with.

After the lecture on Thursday I asked my professor for some advice and he said it would take some doing but I could have til Tuesday to turn it in if I wanted. On the other hand he noted that I met all the requirements and could turn it in as is. I worked on it during our lab and got a small portion done but I wasn’t happy. I decided to turn it in and still work on it over the weekend and then see about turning it in again on Tuesday. I needed to turn it in at least for me. I needed to show I could meet the deadline with the requirements met. I also need to show I can take that extra step to do what is really necessary and show it's more than the requirements and that I can be thorough and turn out a good product.

Not sure what I think of my end product. I guess it’s like an artist looking at their own work and they can be their own worst critic. I love it and hate it. Now I have to start my final project and the blank canvas can be the most difficult part. I’ll be working on this through out the weekend.

This weekend I was supposed to go to the beach again but I woke up Friday morning and just didn’t feel right. I’m exhausted and just couldn’t see making the three hour drive when I couldn’t leave as early as I planned, which was to work from home in the morning and leave around noon. The goal was to make it to the beach for happy hour but then my presence was requested in a meeting at 1pm. This meant I would be in the office and I couldn’t turn it down since I didn’t have official leave time on the books and had only gotten a verbal ok from a supervisor.

On top of that I got a peek at Mini Red’s room. I try not to be overbearing since most kids grow up living in a messy room and I try to let her take care of it knowing that when I see it in such disarray I usually go a little bat shit like I did Friday morning. The most amazing part is her laundry. I know our lives are crazy lately but her laundry is multiplying like rabbits. I’ve had her do some of her laundry when she is hanging at Grandmas while I’m in class but it hasn’t even made a dent. So I laid some Catholic guilt on her and let her know some of the reason I’m staying home this weekend is to do some cleaning in her room as well as her laundry. There is so much laundry that my Mom has offered to do it this week and I just have to drop it off. I might have to take her up on some of that.

Since there was no beach I mention grabbing a drink after work to a few of the girls at the office and they were all up for that. Liz is the one who finds new places so we checked out Seagar’s in the Hilton near the King Street Metro. After there we headed over to Joe Theisman’s where there was more of a crowd but we all agreed that Union Street Pub is the place that consistently has a better choice of eye candy. Plus they have these great bar stools that are a little wider with handles so you can hold on if you drink too much.

I got home a reasonable hour, especially for someone my age. Yes, I’m old! Last weekend I was sitting on the beach watching Mini Red play in the ocean. I was thinking about how I’m turning 39 next month and that means 40 next year. Holy Fuck I’ll be 40! There were tears in my eyes as I contemplated this. I’ve already told friends that we need to throw me a party. I haven’t had a birthday party since I was 8 and I figured there’s no beating around the bush about this and I would just be blunt about it. I even suggested an extended chick’s weekend at the beach and that would lower cost for some of my friends but in thinking about this more I may need to do something spectacular for myself. I’ve never been one to say I have to do this this and this by the time I’m this this and this age but I may not be able to do this this and this for much longer. I need to get crack-a-lacking but life is getting in the way.

I left my ex the day before I turned thirty with the hope that I was still young enough to get my life where I wanted it to be. Life doesn’t always turn out the way you expect it. I guess I’m just trying to figure out what I need to do next. I’m in College and getting that done but what else is there? There are places to see but not sure where I want to go plus there really isn’t anyone to go with. We are back to this alone shit again. This is what I like about going to the beach when Mini Red is gone… I’m not alone and at home I just get sad over this shit.

So I digressed… Sorry.

Saturday, I headed out to get some things done. I ran to the bank so I could get quarters for the laundry. Picked up a coffee at Dunkin and headed over to my Aunts to help her with her computer. It’s funny… I was telling here there is a service called The Geek Squad that she could always use. She said, “Why use them. You are my geek!”

Oye! I guess I am a geek.

Next, I stopped in Home Goods to see what they had before heading over to Shoppers to pick up broccoli for a dish I was making for a barbecue Saturday night. I put the broccoli in the cooler I keep in my car and headed over to UA Nails in White Flint to get my toes done. I had planned to get a well deserved and needed pedicure on Wednesday but I ended up working on my project all day. I picked out my nail color and the girl was working on my feet and it was feeling very nice I must say. I was thinking this is a treat that really isn’t expensive enough to break my bank and I need to partake more. The girl grabs my flip flops to put on my feet so she can paint the toes and she has a funny look on her face and then I see it! I have two different flip flops on and I've been wearing them all day! I couldn’t stop laughing and the girl couldn’t help but laugh too. I can’t believe I did that. I guess I need some more sleep.

I couldn’t help but be reminded of the shoe incident from fifth grade. I couldn’t decide which shoes to wear to school one day so I put a different shoe on each foot and was checking myself out in the mirror. I lost track of time and somehow forgot I had two different shoes on and ended up at school like this. OMG! So I called my Grandma since Mom wasn’t home and asked her to bring me a shoe that would match one that I had. I thought she would just bring one shoe and that would also resolve my dilemma of which shoe to wear. Plus I could blame it on her if it looked bad. The problem was…She brought both and I still had to decide which shoe to wear.

After the pedicure I headed home with my two different shoes to get a load of laundry in and make the broccoli salad. I picked up Mrs. M a little late, as I am usually at least a little late, and we headed to Woodbridge for a Poker Barbecue (that’s gonna get some comments from Uncle Keith) at Google Boy’s house. I don’t know how to play poker but Google Boy’s Wife really knows how to cook and that was what I was looking forward to. I brought Mrs. M since she is a killer poker player but I made the mistake of letting Google Boy know that.

The food was excellent, as I had expected, and Mrs. M and I joined in a game of Wii bowling before the poker game got started. I didn’t play poker since I’m clueless about the game… or at least was clueless. Liz showed up and joined the game stating she had no idea how to play either but in the end she nearly ran away with everyone’s money until Google Boy got a really good hand and wiped her out.

Today is the BIG laundry day. I’ve separated out the laundry into six piles, 95% of which is Mini Red’s. One load is in and this may not be as easy as I was hoping. I had to go two floors up to even find an open machine.

Now, I guess, it's time to head into Mini Red's room and her bathroom. I'm really scared!

I just bit IT in the hallway at work...

I can't stop laughing because it was hilarious and NO ONE saw it!

We need to hire more people so I can have a witness.

If a chick bites it in the hallway and no one sees it did it really happen?

Curiosity killed the cat

Ok so I got this from Arjewtino and had to see where I rated. Seems I'm racier than he is even after the photo of him in a pool with another dude's arms around him.

This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words:
ass (3x) , sex (2x) , porn (1x)

I wonder if I say Shit!, Fuck!, Damn! if my rating will go up. Let me go see......

I wanna see what Uncle Keith's site will rate expecially after (*WARNING* may offend or mezmerize) this post.

Hmmmm "unable to fetch and rate the url". I wonder if it's just off the charts.

HA !

I just went to a...