Senile mentality

This has got to stop. Tonight I teared up when they introduced the President for the State of the Union address. sheesh....

Older age...

I've noticed a strange and unsettling thing recently. Well, not really recently... more like somewhat-been-there-all-along-just-getting-worse.

Sentimentality. It's totally out of control.

It started with the Pepsi Christmas commercial years ago... puppies and kids. Normal, snot-nosed, badly dressed kids and puppies. I have no idea if they were in the same commercial. Might have been 2 different ones. Brought me to tears.

Then I started crying with the Budweiser Christmas ads with the snow and horses and dalmations.

That morphed into tearing up for award shows and Miss America.

Now it's chick flicks. "You've Got Mail" "Sleepless in Seattle" "Stepmom" "Ghost" "Father of the Bride" (1991) "Beaches" "Moonstruck" You get the idea.

But yesterday was the worst by far..... I broke into tears at the end of Overhaulin'. I didn't even know this show existed. I was channel surfing. I did not intend to watch the whole thing. I was supposed to be cleaning and stuff. It's a vehicle makeover show. The team steals your car, totally refurbishes it and surprises you by returning basically a new vehicle. It's like "Extreme Home Makeover" only for cars. This week the person who got overhauled is the guy who started the show, Chip Foose. It really was quite cool and they didn't do it in a week like they normally do, they took about 3 months (I think). They stole a pickup truck that Chips father had driven and given to Chip, who wanted to pass it on to his son. He had many plans for the trucks makeover, just never had the time and besides, his son is only 6... I'm thinking Chips dad was the instigator for this one. Chip was totally bummed when the truck came up missing and totally flumoxed when it showed up again. The truck was brought to a hot rod auto trade show and hidden in the booth (whatever) of the company that provided the engine for the pickup. The engine companies owner was in on it... totally surprised Chip.

I bawled for a good 20 minutes.

I am losing it.

Time to go inhale paint fumes.

Painting? In January? sheesh...

Rules for painting...


1. Do not paint over the electrical outlet faceplates and sockets.

2. Do not plaster over the electrical outlet faceplate.

3. Do not use a utility knife to pry the plastered faceplates off.

4. Do not use the REALLY BIG flathead screwdriver to pry the faceplates off... it slides nicely into the electrical box.

5. Do not use said screwdriver to smooth out the plaster ridge around where the faceplate has been pried off.

6. Do not stick bare metal end of vacuum cleaner hose into electrical box either.

7. Do not aim the putty knife at yourself or any body parts you own and have a liking for and push really hard.

8. Do not assume you will actually be able to paint on the day you designated as 'start painting' day.

9. Buy more masking tape than you can possibly imagine needing.

10. Keep the catz locked in a different part of the house... no matter HOW much they whine.

More later......

Chronic illness

I know I am still sick. BB is beating me again at Scrabble. It is shameful. Whatever shall I do?

On the upside... it puts him in a good mood. ;-)

So close...

Six more hours and I am free for 10 days.... paint the bedroom is on the agenda and not much else. two hours at work and 4 more at a meeting to be held 3 blocks from my house.... not bad.

I shouldn't complain... I got life pretty good. Just as I was trying to leave work I came across a note to self... I was supposed to gather some information for one of the firefighters about a disease his cousin has. I was supposed to drop it off Monday. oops... so pulled together a packet and called to make sure he was working today and he invited me to dinner... pasta, spinach, broccoli and shrimp with a killer salad wasn't on the diet... but it was soooooooo good. I love it when I get to eat at the firehouse! Am glad I don't work there, tho.. would weigh 500 pounds.. oops!

Off to bed... am exhausted and alone tonight... time to catch up on sleep!

Growing old sucks

I have'nt had a good nights sleep in days.

The cold from hell is still here.

I flashed at work today... to the point of changing clothes.

On the upside.... I'm not peeing my pants when I cough anymore.

What day is today?

I am losing track of time... not a good thing when deadlines loom or the stove is turned on. Last night the beans tried to burn down the house. Today it was the vacuum cleaner sucking up giant cat fur-covered splinters in the basement. (I still don't know-don't want to know- where the splinters came from. At least the catz weren't wern't wearn't what a weird word were not bleeding when I left.... I think. At 9 tonight I remembered that I hadn't looked at tomorrows lesson for continuing education. Oops... quick... tell me all you know about Marburg fever. However, I do know that dooce takes nice pictures. I managed to make it there today. Good lord am I wandering.....

Am not amused by the mayor of New Orleans.... he wants to repopulate the town "all chocolate".... and he says God brought the hurricanes because he is mad about Iraq?? Am going to start calling him Mayor Chocolate Robertson and ask if his teevee is tuned to the CBN... cry-baby blasphemy network...... I vote we declare eminent domain and raze the whole 9th ward (and related drowned neighborhoods) and resell to upscale developers who will cause an influx of uber-wealthy everybody's to flood the place and remove every last vestige of uniqueness from the parish. Homogenize the whole damn place. Plant a McDoogles in the heart of Bourbon Street... replace the cable cars with taxi's, cover the cemeteries with cement and make another parking garage. (this doesn't sound a lot like me..... wonder what got me going this time....)

I think I have a fever....... my cheeks are red......

Maybe it was Hillary yammering to a predominantly African-American group about how the Republicans are acting like plantation owners? Or maybe it was Gore whining again... or this whole, "I KNOW God" thing.. Can't you just hear Tommy Cruise yelling and finger pointing.... THAT'S IT..... Tom Cruise and Pat Robertson, Point/Counterpoint, on the history of religion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tickets on sale now.......




I think I have a fever.

Ma

Day 15

Yup, it's still here. Rats. Better, but still here.

In other news.... it's been way too warm for January in Chicago. 54 degrees one day and the next, it snows. Warm enough that somewhere in BBs apartment, a fly hatched and is now making me nuts with its flapping up against the window. I would like to kill it but am too lazy to get off my ever-expanding rear end to chase it down. Apathy is a terrible thing.

My laptop is dying. BB and I ran several scans on Friday and found the 'pute loaded with spyware. Cleaned it all up and now things don't run correctly. Today it won't recognize the USB cable from my camera. Error reports abound. And it takes forever for it to do anything. grumble grumble grumble The wonders of modern technology.

On the upside.... if the computer doesn't work, I'm more likely to finish the novel I've been working on for 6 months. :-)

Days 10 & 11

By day 10 I thought I was feeling better.. that feeling lasted until I got into the truck and drove to work... the exertion of getting up and dressed and into my vehicle caused undo exhaustion... I finally caved in and called the doctors office nurse, Kathy the wonderful. She said, "Oh yeah, it's going around. I call in a prescription. Are you allergic to anything?" Just like that. I shouldn't have gone to work most of last week (but did because of some weird, warped thinking that it was "just a cold". Just a cold it may be, but I was hacking all over stuff and co-workers (which they no doubt appreciated) and the desk and store clerks and and and...) Anyway.... after 24 hours on antibiotics (which I do NOT advocate for a viral infection) I feel like a new woman! I am still hacking, and still draining, but I FEEL better. The rest will clear up eventually.

Better living thru chemicals!

Day 9

I've been told that I sound better... or I sounded better yesterday than I did Friday... Although Suzen thought I sounded horrible... but my sister (calling from Miami) said I sounded better, so did BB... then again.... Suzen woke me up, so she got the full benefit of morning throat.... ;-)

Hmmm, almost 8 pm... BB just called and is on the way over... it's the first time I've spoken to a human today... not bad.... ;-)

This weekend is the first time in a long time that I haven't been 'doing something' almost every minute of the day... the enforced rest hasn't been all bad.... am busy reading the paper, magazines, bidding on eBay... haven't done that since 1999... maybe I should start selling stuff again... lord knows I have enough junk around here to dispose of.... I'm looking for another camera bag for my Mavica.... I have need of another one.... it's the right size for my Christmas present from BB.....


Konica Minolta Dimage Z6... isn't it pretty??? And it takes gooooood pix...... ;-D

{{{sigh}}} lost my first auction.... bid on another.... and so the eBay race begins....

Day 7

I am soo tired of this cold... left work early again today... only stayed as late as I did to (almost) finish a project for work on Monday.... called off my extra job for Sunday... my scheduler said she cancelled me yesterday after listening to my voice mail. She said I sounded like I was dying. I am very grateful that she cancelled me. I feel like crap. I hate colds. I am waiting to get to the sounds-bad-but-feels-pretty-darn-good stage. It was supposed to be here by now.

I am parked on the couch with the kitties and plan to stay here until Monday. I have new reading material, the computer, the frig is handy when I feel the need to forage (does Wendy's deliver Frosties??), potty is close (although I have already established that I really don't need one), phone is close and Christmas tree is still up and the lights are on... I'm all set.

On the upside.... I can catch up on TV!

Day 6

I love being 45...

I'm old enough to know better but still young enough to get it done....

I have pretty much figured out what's important and which battles to pick ...
or not......

and I can pee without actually being anywhere near a bathroom... all I need to do is cough...
once.

On the upside.... I stayed home from work today...

K&K.... bring coffee mugs.... lots of coffee mugs...... ;-) Have fun girls!

Day 4 of the cold from hell...

I am going to stick Tampax up my nose. I am thoroughly convinced that is the only way to stem the flood of mucus. It is green and chunky and since it doesn't taste like pesto (don't ask) I am convinced that my brains are being blown out each time I raise a tissue. (Brains along with a gajillion tiny viruses ( I wonder if they are swimmers or if they just float along on the liquid...)) I'm also pretty sure that I am losing lung tissue every time I cough but I am too afraid to look at what comes out. (There is nothing worse than this cough. Harsh, painful, productive, paroxysmal... Okay, fine... there are things worse than this cough... but not right now, OKAY???? I'm having chest pain!!!) And the damn boogers are hungry! I have been craving sugar all day... So far I have fed them honey cookies, fudge, peanut brittle, and chocolate. Am hoping real food will get them to shut up until the drugs kick butt and plug up the works. Real food.... Swedish meatballs and rice... comfort food. It's about all the comfort I'm getting tonight.... BB has a meeting tonight (business, get your mind out of the gutter) and an early morning meeting so I am on my own... which isn't a bad thing... according to the literature I perused today I am probably at my peak viral shedding stage today... just as well he isn't here... although he's already been infected.. we are just waiting for his symptoms to develop.... {{{ sigh}}} me sick, he sick, me sick, he sick.... I wonder how long we will pass it back and forth before it goes away.... {{{{{{snark, snort, snuffle, blooooooooow}}}}} I hate colds....

On the upside, if I take a sick day now, it's the new year and my payback of unused sick days from last year won't be affected.... ;-)

Tournament of Roses Parade

The Tournament of Roses Parade is not the same when held a day late in the pouring rain. What a soggy mess. Think I will go eat breakfast.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!!! Welcome to 2006.... (snarrrrrk.... sniffle) what a gloomy day it was. Overcast, dark gray, precipitating... but 51 degrees, so BB was happy. I am not. No snow. All rained away last weekend. But, it's been a good weekend.

I find myself not making any resolutions this year. I always break them so why bother? Instead, I am going to reflect on the good things in my life.

Like family get-togethers. I've been very lucky this year that my folks have been in the Midwest for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. We did T-day at my house and last weekend at my sisters house in Michigan. Both weekends were relaxed and happy... without the tension and in-fighting you read so much about at other peoples houses this time of year. It seems the magazines and papers and talk shows dwell on "how to cope if your sibling makes you feel like a loser" or "what to do when your dad shows up drunk for dinner". I feel so sorry for these people.

I was listening to the sex segment on the Kathy and Judy show on WGN last week (?) and the question of the day was ... "On Christmas day night, do you ever ask for or expect to get sex?" The answers were very interesting ranging from "are you nuts?? She's been cooking all day, there have been people over all day and she is exhausted! (from a man), to "Of course and if he doesn't offer, I will ask for it" (from a woman) and everything inbetween. There were several of the "too tired" answers from both men and women. I nearly feel off my chair laughing thinking of Christmas Day at my house... this year the only reason I got out of my PJs was to go to Walgreens for drugs for my (still) sick sister. There is no getting up at the crack of dawn (no little kids)... we wander out when we get good and ready... then there is coffee and cookies and really-bad-for-you things to munch on while the "Santa" presents get put under the tree. We finally get around to opening the presents (usually because someone wants breakfast and we cannot eat until after presents), laughing at all the silly things we are given. After breakfast, some people nap, some people read the paper, some play on the computer, some watch TV.... we treat it as a vegetative type day. We usually get around to putting on clothes for a late afternoon supper. Once in a while we take in a movie... but the whole day is low key and relaxing. (sneeze) I like holidays that are low key.... Relaxation is good..... so I guess that answers the radio question for me should the occasion ever arise (so to speak!).

Good things, like BB.... who spent a large portion of yesterday in my cat fur and dustball-laden basement installing a humidifier on the furnace. (cough, wheeze). Who today helped me procure a gi-hugic shelving unit for the basement so I can complete my workroom. We added a side trip to Sears for more screwdrivers... I never seem to have enough! And tonight.... after it was clear that I was developing cold symptoms, he packed me up and took me to his place for TLC and hot tea. Not many boyfriends would take on a girlfriend with a cough and runny nose and sore throat.... he's already been exposed, so why not.... ;-) I love this man dearly!

As long as I have my family and BB, all is right with the world.

Happy New Year.....