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!