It's Nanowrimo!

I am about to embark upon my first real writing challenge...but not to worry, it's all in great fun. My mind was awhirl with ideas over the weekend as I prepare to begin this great exercise on Wednesday!

Nanowrimo (aside from always making me laugh because if you say it really fast it sounds like something akin to Janet Reno) stands for National Novel Writing Month and challenges all participants to write a 175 page (50,000-word) novel in one month's time, starting at midnight on November 1 and ending at midnight on November 30. Now, since I've never written anything besides poetry, I'm quite sure that I have no idea what I'm walking into here. I'm not sure if I think this is going to be a piece of cake for me, even while working full time and trying to squeeze in other activities. I know I won't be writing at work (with the exception of maybe a few brilliant brainstorms) so it will be delegated to evenings and weekends. I am very excited and have a pretty good idea what my story will be about. The fun part is that you don't need to worry about whether or not it makes complete sense and spelling, grammar, punctuation and such take a back seat. Goes against a writer's natural state of things however, which should be challenging in and of itself. They are looking for quantity here, not quality. There shan't be time to go back and rehash things or edit. There is much in the line of risk taking and writing on the fly. I am excited...so, don't know how much activity will be happening on my blog! Then again...my blog might be even busier than ever! We shall see!

Vacations!

There's something about the planning part of them that almost puts one in that vacation mode. Even though I'm starting to plan my vacation for February now in late October, it somehow brings it closer. I love that! Of course, it fades rather quickly too, this feeling. Ah well...I'm living in the moment. Funny thing is, I'm still not sure exactly where the vacation is going to be. It's a family thing and while last year we had a great time in AZ & NV, I'd like to go somewhere new this year. We've done the Phoenix gig, not much to do there if you don't golf like EVERY DAY! Not that I mind just kind of bumming around with my mother while the guys golf, but still...I'd like it to be more than just relaxing. I'm not really much of a planner when I vacation...I like to fly by the seat of my pants and not follow a rigid timetable, otherwise I feel too constrained. Don't we have to do that every day that we are NOT on vacation? I prefer to just take it day by day and stop when something tickles my fancy. I figure as long as I can fit it all in before I have to hop back on that return flight (with my savage tan in tow), I've done pretty darned good. Now, just have to find a destination!

Ladies Days

Ahhh...the joys of womanhood. Today is not a joyful day in the least. Most days I truly love being a woman and I really wouldn't change it for the world. I'd just like to close my eyes and have it be, let's say, Saturday morning. Yeah, that would work. My 'ladies days' (heard that expression for the first time on 'Everybody Loves Raymond' and I love it) would be over and hopefully I would have also at least tamed the sinus infection that is impending. Headaches are a natural part of that lovely time of the month for me so the sinuses on top of it do not make for a happy girl. Then there are the cramps and the general malaise associated with it all. Blech!

Oh well, I'll try to make the best of it. It's a gorgeous day outside and I'm more than half way through the day. Of course, it would be helpful if I didn't have a new pile formulated on my desk everytime I leave for longer than 10 minutes. Who are these snaky people that keep doing this!!!! I'll get them someday. Back to the grind. Maybe I'll have something a bit more worthy of this space tomorrow!

Never Say Die!

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, when the road you're trudging seems all uphill, when the funds are low, and the debts are high, and you want to smile, but you have to sigh, when care is pressing you down a bit, rest if you must, but don't you quit.

I can't remember the rest of it but this is a poem I received in the form of a mug upon graduating high school over 17 years ago. I still have the mug and use it often and this has become a favorite poem of mine. I call upon it often in my life. I have been calling upon it a lot throughout the past several days. It helps me to remember my blessings in the midst of my many trials and tribulations. Yesterday I was really calling upon it. I was also reminded of how very blessed I am in my life, even though these blessings can somehow seem so clouded. Yesterday, they were brought to the surface when I was faced with an unexpected and undesired rent crisis. I began to fall apart mentally and physically and immediately a friend sprang to my rescue, helping me out financially in order to rectify the situation. I hadn't even asked and it was just offered. I was moved to tears (as if I weren't crying already) and just so thankful to have such a wonderful network of friends in my life. I have a terrific family too (just don't share said issues with them anymore since I've disappointed enough in the past). I am blessed with friends that help financially, emotionally, spiritually and most importantly, DAILY! As one friend helped financially, I was immediately lifted by others who were helping prayerfully.

Today is a new day. Is it free of problems, most certainly not. Am I free of my financial problems, most certainly not. Will I ever be, most probably not, but perhaps not to this extent. I choose to be thankful for everything in my life that I do have, for all of my blessings. And for all of my friends out there, I wish to thank you for the love and support you have shown me through all these years and may God Bless you all!

The Root of All Evil

Money money money...must be funny...in a rich man's world...money money money...always sunny...in a rich man's world.

Ok...so I'm dating myself, so what! Yes, I love ABBA to this day but that song haunts me too. It's so true...sometimes I don't think I would know how to function without money problems/issues. It's like it is a vital part of my person or something...do I like it, of course not! If it's not one thing with me, it's another. However, I have a grievance to bear. Aren't banks supposed to PROTECT your money? Isn't that what they're around for. I will never understand why they will pay something when you have nowhere near the amount to cover the payment. It's not like I could walk into the bank and say, oh...you need $308 to open my account, well...here's $150, is that good enough? No? Well, it seemed to be good enough when somebody tried to take it from my account and you GAVE IT TO THEM! Leaving me back in the hole and really screwed over for my rent. I just don't get it. Why, people, why? It is so frustrating and seemingly unending for me. No matter where I go, who I bank with, how much money I do or don't have...it just follows me. I feel like I am cursed with this and I am so tired of it.

However, not being a member of the 'rich man's world'...I may just have to learn how to live with it. But I never have to like it, that much I'll say. Corruption, it's an ugly thing and very prevalent in the banking world. Disgraceful if you ask me.

Enough Already!

Things that annoy me...could I possibly count them? Before you get too far into this post, yes...it's going to be a bit of a bitch fest! So, if you're in a great mood...you'd best close out of this one straight away (no, I'm not English, just love them to death).

Loud chewers have to be one of my biggest annoyances. Sometimes it's not even that they're chewing with their mouths open, they're just chewing too hard and for too long ! SWALLOW PEOPLE...FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST SWALLOW! You don't have to chew the shit until it disintegrates in your mouth...our bodies are made to digest and break down the food we provide for them...so just SWALLOW ALREADY! This annoyance was once again brought to my attention by a coworker that I share break time with. Almost every day this person gets a bag of Wheat Thins to munch on for our afternoon break time and I can hear every morsel as they chew away. I think I sometimes even involuntarily shiver with disgust. It is akin to nails on a chalkboard, or silverware scraping on plates for me...ewwwww! However, I have chosen to prolong my morning and afternoon break times (with two other coworkers alongside) because we have another coworker who is even more annoying (to all of us). So, I'm still definitely coming out ahead in the annoyance factor there, but still.

Don't even get me started on gum popping, snapping, cracking...I'll go postal, I swear...full stop! Hahaha....should have been born in London!

Retro Candy

My trip to the dentist was also a trip to the past! I am so fortunate to have a funny dentist. However, I probably didn't need to laugh quite as much as I did yesterday as he was drilling and picking away. He just pulls stuff out of nowhere and enjoys the banter with his assistants too. I can tell all the gals in the office just adore him. Ok, he's good looking too, but shouldn't that be a law...I mean all you ever do in that chair is stare up into the face and eyes of your dentist!

So, as he was working away on me, he asks Autumn (the assistant) if she's ever done the Wint-O-Green lifesaver trick in the dark. She had no clue so he explained it to her and noticed me nodding (since they had successfully shut me up with what I shall call the 'clamp' to hold my mouth open and keep me from engaging in incessant chatter). He then said "Trudy and I know about it". I laughed. Then started thinking about all of my childhood favorites...those great 70's candies. I don't know...perhaps many of them still are around and I just don't frequent the candy aisle at 7-11 (oh wait, those aren't around anymore either). When I think of all the candy I used to endulge in, it's no wonder this all came back to me as I sat in a dentist chair!

Pop rocks...those were the bomb! How about the sugar sticks, fun dips, candy cigarettes, candy necklaces and bracelets, wax bottles (and I ate the wax too), pixy stix, atomic fire balls, jawbreakers, laffy taffy, chick-o-sticks, and who could forget the candy buttons and nerds? Oh yes...those were 'sweet' days indeed! Now I just cringe when I think of half of them, if not more! Except for the chick-o-sticks, are those still around, they were awesome!

Root Canal

It's D-Day! Yep, today I get to learn the fate of my broken teeth. I'm concerned that the dentist will take one look at them and say he can't do the root canal now (even though it's already begun) since I lost part of it. However, I don't think he'll pull them either (though that would be much better overall) since they're chewing teeth. Suffice it to say...I'm not looking forward to it. Oh well, hopefully this will be the last time I'll have to endure this crap!

I am looking forward to being comfortably numb for the remainder of the day though. I think it took about 3 hrs for the novocaine to finally wear off last week. Silly me, to think I might actually come back to work after my appointment. I guess I'll just worry about making up the time later. It is such a Tuesday today! Not entirely sure what that means, but it's not such a great day. It's a mighty poopy one actually. Time to change the template again...I'm tired of pink. Ugh...darn dentists.

Rain Rain Go Away

Rainy days and Mondays...sometimes get me down. I'm not quite as dismal about things as The Carpenters. Today I would have preferred to have stayed home in bed, but no such luck. Sadly, I'm actually looking forward to 'Root Canal, Part Two' tomorrow afternoon. I was chewing on some 'Sugar Babies' on Friday night at the movie (review to follow) when suddenly something didn't feel right. Lo and behold, I lost part of the back of the tooth on either one or both of my root canal victims. I've been in a world of pain ever since and taking Ibus like they're going out of style! I just hope this doesn't mean even more work and/or trips to the dentist office! I also hope that whatever they do this time will actually hold the damn teeth together for more than 3 days! This is getting ridiculous!

So...'Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning' should have been titled 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (and it can't get worse from here). I was colossally disappointed in the movie. After all, wasn't it supposed to be preemptive of all the gruesomeness to come? Granted, with R. Lee Ermy you are virtually promised to have some great lines and terrific humor, and he certainly delivered. I was disappointed with several aspects of the movie, let me name just a few. As the title of the movie suggests, we are to be given a history of Leatherface. Now we do learn of his beginnings but all in the first two minutes of the film. I was hoping for a bit more depth to this exploration and also, being a lover of psychology, was hoping for more delving into the mind of the man himself. I will say the acting was good all around and there were some great scenes. From the gore factor, it does stand up to the 2003 remake. It definitely lends to the 70's 'slasher fests' which gives it a great overall creep factor as well. Just didn't think it lived up to the hype. I'd wait for the dvd!

Technophobia

If it's possible to suffer from this made-up disease, I am on my deathbed! I have just subscribed to my first personal home internet service after receiving my first 'real' computer from my cousin (they purchased a new one and needed to get rid of the old). However, I am having technical difficulties and am currently on a 'live chat' with a representative from the ISP I chose. Well, let me tell you...there is nothing live about this one! Anyway, this person has been less than helpful and I am already thinking about canceling my service...before it is billed to my credit card! This is more of a headache than I thought it would be. No wonder it's taken me all these years to merge onto the information superhighway! Well, we shall see what develops I guess.

Heaps of Horror

Leatherface...Jason...Freddy...Michael...are you catching on yet? Ahhh, yes...it's that time of year and Friday the 13th to boot! I have finally worked up enough nerve and gumption to take in 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning' tonight. I refuse to go see a horror film during the day...that's just too sissy to me. Plus, it totally loses the effect, I think. Of course, last Friday night (opening night for the movie) I decided to go the safe route and see 'The Departed' (excellent movie, I highly recommend) instead. It's taken me a whole week's worth of days to work up the 'steel' needed for 'Chainsaw' (pun very much intended). I saw the remake a few years back and had chills for several hours after the completion of the movie...and I even cheated and went to the matinee, with 2 other friends! Tonight, I will go it alone and hopefully not scream too loud in the theater.

I love horror movies...just that tingling, freaked-out, paranoid, ridiculous feeling that nothing else can provide. I feel quite prepared for it after watching several horror flics at home throughout the week. I'll have to give you my review tomorrow! Maybe someday if my blog becomes as sophisticated (because we know it's not the blogger that needs the lesson in sophistication) as that of my favorite blogspot planetdan.net...I will figure out how to put my reviews/etc...on another page or part of the site. I'm still learning!

Template Trouble

You may have noticed...(yes, ALL of you out there reading this blog) that my template seems to change quite often. I really haven't yet found one that I'm happy with, but then they always seem to change with my moods. Much like the backgrounds on my computer here at work. Truth be told, I've always been that way in one respect or the other. For awhile, it was my hairstyle that was ever changing (not the color like so many others, however). I often wonder what that says about my personality? I consider myself to have very eclectic tastes and often surprise myself with the things I find interesting and/or fascinating. I am definitely a student of life and hope to always be! I've always said that my dream job if I could have it (and if it actually existed) would be to become a professional student. Yes, to actually be paid to attend school on a full-time basis. I love to learn and take in new things. I am a huge trivia buff, tape Jeopardy every day, love crossword puzzles and logic games and sometimes bore my family to tears. One of the things I dislike about being alone so much is the fact that I don't have anyone to really converse with (although I do talk my cats ear off)! I'm talking stimulating conversations about current events, politics, etc...

I do deem myself somewhat a geek at times, but I love the nerdy, intelligent side of me also. Not enough to make that my prominent character, but enough to not be embarrassed about it. So, I guess until they make that professional student an actual working job title, I'll just keep cramming it in!

Lonely Kills

This is for all the lovelorn out there...I often ask myself what the heck I'm doing wrong to be so unlucky in love. I hate being lonely so much of the time and yet I don't feel I am taking an active role in the pursuit of ridding myself of this pervasive loneliness. I'm constantly falling for the wrong guys and finding it so difficult to rid my heart of them. This is especially prominent now that winter is once again dawning. I'm not a real active winter person...I do a lot of hibernating, reading, reflecting, etc...therefore, the more time at home I spend, the more alone I feel. I don't like the whole dating scene/process, I actually dread it to be honest!

Here's my big dilemma...I truly believe in fate and one could say I am even a product of fate. My parents and grandparents before them all had fateful meetings. My mother's parents met when my grandfather almost ran my grandmother over with a car. He then walked into the nearest store (it was a small town) and asked the clerk who that woman was...they had their first date that very same week. My parents met at a drive-in theater where they had each gone to see a movie with their roommates. Ironically their two friends also dated for a while, though they eventually broke up. My mother and her girlfriend shared their six-pack with the guys. Also ironic, neither of my parents drink beer anymore. Anyway, my struggle is just how much of a part do I have to play in things if I am counting on fate. Do I have to help shape this fate or do I just wait it out? I've been doing the latter for quite some time now.

I have tried the dating services and that just seems so forced somehow that I just don't think it's right. I don't know...I'm just talking out loud here, like I do so often. After all, there is currently nobody else here to listen.

Any ideas and/or advice for the long lonely winter looming ahead would be so 'warmly' received!

Holy Blast of Coldness!

As the snow flies outside...it is 65 degrees in my office right now. BRRRR! Inevitably, when it's 29 freaking degrees outside we can't get the heat to work in here. I can't figure this place out sometimes.

I hate that first 'scrape' of the season, it's such an ominous sign of things to come. I had to get the scraper and brush out of the trunk today, not fun. It just seems too early for it to be this cold already. Then the 50's will creep back in for the weekend just to give us a little taste of what we won't be seeing again for a good 6 months at least! Well, unless we also have an unseasonable March. I haven't read the almanac (why, because I never do) because I really don't see the point. What exactly can we do about the weather anyway? Leave, I suppose, if we're wealthy and/or have unlimited amounts of vacation time. Not me, I'm stuck with it and it don't matter none what that darned almanac says!

Easy Doc!

Discretionary caution...is apparently a skill that is not taught in dentistry school. At least not in South Dakota, where my dentist received his degree. Just after getting started on my double root canal yesterday afternoon, while drilling away at my teeth, he utters 'this is going to be a tough one', apparently believing his assistant's ears were the only ones tuned in. Believe me 'doctor', when you have a drill in my mouth (that I made the horrific mistake of looking at prior to the start) I am not going to be missing a beat! So, the long short of it was that the initial part of my double root canal, double crown extravaganza is going to take two appointments rather than the one that was anticipated. I liken that to something along the lines of 'I think we're going to need a bigger boat'. Ugh.

I implore all of you dentist-hating people out there to suck it up and DO NOT miss your twice yearly checkups...heck, even once a year is better than nothing. And brush, brush, brush and floss, floss, floss. I am an avid brusher and flosser but decided to take a 5yr. hiatus from the dentist office itself. Not a good idea, believe me...I'm feeling it now. And the ibuprofen isn't helping much!

As Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts, 'Pretty Woman') said herself so eloquently...'you shouldn't neglect your gums'.

Drugs, Glorious Drugs!

To gas or not to gas...THAT is the question. Nah...not petrol, we don't have much of a choice there. I'm talking root canal here...I will shortly be undergoing my second root canal. I had one probably 6 or 7 years ago (perhaps longer). My question is do I take the nitrous oxide or not? I've always been quite prone to cavities, unfortunately, and the nitrous was always a favorite of mine growing up. I believe I also received ample doses during my last root canal. Needless to say...I am not looking forward to my trip here in less than an hour. My only hope is that they will discover I won't need another on the tooth next door and can escape with just a crown on that one. Oh please say I can! I'm thinking nitrous for sure. Somehow the thought that I endured childbirth with nary a one medication just isn't helping right now. That was almost 13 years ago and although I can certainly remember that pain...it is not quite as ominous as this lurking toothectomy! Ugh...I'll let you know tomorrow what the outcome is.

Monday Bloody Monday

Monday...blechhhhhhh! That's what this Monday feels like so far too. I have no ambition for anything and the desire is definitely lacking too. I'm not ready for the cold weather and (no...don't say it!) snow that is predicted for later in the week! Maybe I'm just already dreading this and therefore, my mood is foreboding. Who knows...I can always just blame it on the Monday thing. Ever notice that's the only day that we can blame our horrible moods on...just two words to forgive so many unutterable behaviors and attitudes...'It's Monday'. So, why don't Tuesday-Sunday work? Why can't we say, 'Ugh, it's Friday'? Instead, we say 'Thank God it's Friday'. I'd like to try it sometime...just say well, you know, it's Friday. Huh, this should be interesting. Now, if only it were actually Friday!

Living for the Weekend

Ahhhhh...the weekend draws near! What a whirlwind of a week. However, I happily bring it to a close today. The past couple days have been better than the first three, tis' for sure! I'm looking forward to a rather ghoulish weekend. I've gone into horror mode overload! My 'Netflix' queue is overridden with gore and galore. I'm getting a good head start on Halloween, I suppose. The big question is do I dare attempt to see 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning' by myself at night? I refuse to see a horror film during the day...that's so weak. I believe 'The Departed' will win out and I will have to hold out for 'Texas' until next week when I can see it with a friend. I'll just have to get my freak on at home with the rest of the movies.

I'm looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend though...not too many plans, which is great. Just housework and movies and some outside time too, since it sounds as though we're stealing another weekend from summer. Again, just hope we don't have to give it back next year! However, as nice as the nice weather is...I miss fall. Unfortunately, my favorite season is also our shortest and therefore, one more summer weekend means we're also robbing fall of another and that much closer to the winter ones. Ok, I'll admit (and not just because I'm a native 'Minnasohtin', don't you know now) I don't mind winter...the snow portion of it anyway. The extreme cold I could do without, but am certainly well equipped to handle it. Nothing screams 'hot cocoa' like a nice cold, snowy evening in MN. I love to hunker down and hibernate in the winter. Brr...now I'm cold. Hey, guess what...I have hot cocoa in my drawer, yay!

Ok...just a few more to go here in the office (speaking of 'The Office', great episode last night)...then I'm off to start the weekend. So long for now!

Haaaarrrruuuummmmph on "Hump Day"!

I usually like Wednesdays, honest. Not liking this one though. I'm hoping the Twin's will turn things around for me soon here and blast those darn 'A's' straight away.

My grandma always used to say that money is the root of all evil. I always found that to be a severe statement since I believe that a lot of good can be done with money when it falls into the right hands. Today, I'm leaning more toward the former...money is evil and right now the people holding my money aren't too far from it. I'll be the first to admit...I've written my own miserable story when it comes to my finances, or lack thereof. However, I am so tired of the crap that I seem to be put through everywhere I turn, whether with this bank or that bank. They say absolute power corrupts absolutely and they aren't a-kiddin! It seems a large sum of money has gone missing from my account and now I have begun the process of trying to defend myself with all of the red tape B.S. that is S.O.P. No wonder I hate acronyms so much!

So, today is not a better day than was yesterday or the day before. The sun is shining however, again, but it's not working it's magic with me. I am looking forward to the day that I can actually turn that corner WITHOUT hitting the freaking curb. Holy migraine Batman! Signing off, a happier day to all.

Sunny Days

Sunny days...keeping the clouds away! I used to scream that song at the top of my lungs, it was a fave for sure. There is such an innocence about it, that and 'It's a Sunshine Day' by the Brady's themselves (or was that the 'Silver Platters'?). What is it about the sun that brings happiness and joy to so many. I mean isn't it really just eating us alive anyway? Huh...interesting. It is nice though, sure beats the dang clouds. Actually, I'm probably just bitter about the sun because I no longer tan...I endure the burn, peel, disappear cycle. Why does our skin change so much over the years, or is it something else? I used to brown like sausages when I was little and now I just really don't. Maybe it's because I'm so stinking busy I don't have the time to get out in the sun like I used to and therefore, never establish a good base. Oh well, I figure it's not a big deal anyway, since I am exactly the color God made me. Works for me.

Well, not as much gloom looms today and yet the world is not quite yet my oyster. The sun is trying to shine, as am I...but we're both struggling a wee bit. I don't have much to ponder today, perhaps I'll be able to offer up more enlightenment for a Wednesday. Tata for now!

Let's outlaw Mondays!

Mondays...Mondays, rarely fun days. I find I sometimes aid a lot in their lack of fun-ness. There's just something about the idea of having to face another Monday...with the gloom that looms you'd think we had a whole weeks' worth ahead. The old expression 'not too bad for a Monday' has no place in my repertoire, at least not on this particular Monday. I suppose it doesn't help a great deal that it's such a beautiful day outside, for the first in October! We're stealing some summer days here...just hope we don't have to give them back next year.

Woke up tired...still tired...have a headache and lots of nothingness floating around in my head. You ever have those days where you just feel like you must have to be THE most unproductive member of society? It's not as though I'm without the ability to function, just the desire, which somehow makes it even worse. It's very odd...like I'm going through the motions so methodically and absently at the same time. Huh, who knows. It's been a frustrating day too...lots of little irksome things piling up to make one big bleeding ulcer out of my day.

But hey...tomorrow is Tuesday and it could be a fun day after all. Until then, hope everyone's Mondays are cheerier than mine!