quickly

What he said. Read it.

Hearts and years...

I'm in bed at 9:28 p.m. I feel like a child who has been sent to bed with the threat that Santa won't show up if I don't get right to sleep. I can hear my boyfriend downstairs shuffling paper and moving things about, but I know I can't go downstairs until tomorrow morning to find out what all the commotion is about.

Tomorrow is not Valentine's Day for me. Tomorrow is my 38th birthday.

Tonight I sit in bed with the laptop and wonder what surprises await me in the morning. I have time to think about what being 38 is supposed to mean, what goals I might want to associate with my year of being 38, etc. I am excited to see what prezzies I'm getting, but I am pretty excited with the kind words and funny things my friends will say to me. I already got this one.

So, what does 38 mean. It means there are still tricks to learn, friends to discover and enjoy, and smiles to be given. It means that I will get another day (hopefully) of giving to other people because it makes me happy. It means that I've been lucky enough to make it this far. It means that I get more chances to learn, forgive, laugh, love and partake. It means that my children are getting older and will soon be taller than I am and figure out that I don't know a lot of things. It means I get fruit tart for breakfast!! Being thirty-eight is just like any other age I've taken on- fierce and amazing.

still around

Yes, I am still around. It's been a huge adjustment to move from full to part time. That sounds really strange. I think that I have been doing more with the kids though. It's really awesome. I've been taking gobs of photos, but they aren't posted here. Hmmmm...maybe I should do more blogging.

Happy Birthday is in order

I have 100's of photos of myself, and Mynx probably has more than that of herself. Unfortunately, I can't find even one of us together. We need to remedy that soon! In the meantime, this is the best I could do to wish my dear friend a lovely birthday.

Couch sitting

I wrote this a couple days ago. I’m still sick, but I’ve been off the couch doing things. Like interviewing! The interview yesterday went very well and I have a second interview with them next week. I’m keeping hope alive on this one. It would be great.

I’m stuck on the couch today. I’ve been battling a cold for 3 weeks now and I’m finally giving in and taking a day to rest. Well, not do as much as I’ve been doing. Here’s a rundown of the holidays, the vacation, and the job search.

The Holidays-

I’ve often felt that a lot of the holiday spirit died with my grandmother. The careful and creative wrapping of gifts, the excitement of decorating the tree, and just the general joy were altered in some indescribable way that horrible November day. I have tried hard to make my children holiday’s happy ones full of all the dreams, lights and wishes that it should be and with that effort it has changed into something different, but special. My holiday season will always have a certain element of missing my grandmother, but I think building memories and traditions with my children is the focus that has changed it into something special again.

The Vacation-

Five days away from home doesn’t sound like very much time, and really I suppose that it’s not that long. It’s the same number of days in a basic work week. So, how can that time be effectively used to create a fully relaxing vacation? I suppose with unlimited funds that would be an easy task, however unlimited funds were available the question would be if one even needed a vacation. Well, despite the Danimal and I not having unlimited funds (remember I quit my job) we took a five day vacation that was actually long enough. We took two days to travel casually to and from our destination. During the first of the travel days we stopped at the Great Sand Dunes and took some fun photos. We also got more information so we can have a weekend camping trip there in the future. Our destination was Pagosa Springs/Wolf Creek ski area and we made it about 2 hours later than we’d planned, but the springs were hot and ready when we got there. They were a lovely après ski each of the 3 snowboard days, too!
What can I say about snowboarding? With crash pads and knee pads it’s a lot less hurty than without. Also, with a lot of powder the falls are a lot easier. :D We snowboarded for 3 days. The first was groomed conditions, the second full on fresh and falling powder, and the third a lovely mix of the two. Each day ended with food I didn’t have to cook or clean up after and then the hot springs. Our drive home was quite simply evil. The snow we had enjoyed on the slopes had turned the roads into a completely icy and windy way home. Seven hours after we left we were home. So, that’s how we had a 5 day vacation that relaxed us. (Notice how I left out the cursing, crying and whining the first morning back on the board?)

The Job Search-

What can I say? I’ve looked at a lot of job boards, read a lot of job descriptions and applied to a number of positions. I have an interview tomorrow so we’ll see how that goes. I’m taking my time in finding just the right fit. I am not taking the first thing that comes along unless it’s a good fit and fulfills more than just the need of a paycheck.

2007

MERRY NEW YEAR!!!! wOOt!!!!

impending death

Somehow THIS seems a lot more relevant than THIS to me. The constant deaths of innocent people is a lot more important than this one man who has ruined so many other lives. When will it end? That's all.



The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home.
– James Madison

Dear Snow,

Dear Snow,

Thank you so much for your recent appearance at our home. We really enjoyed your visit. However, we really were not expecting you back so soon. And while we enjoy short visits this is entirely too much. I'm afraid I am going to have to ask you to leave for a bit. You can come back for a day or two at a time, but you are starting to effect our ability to work, play and live life normally. I can now snowboard in my front yard, but I would much rather be skateboarding. Thanks for your understanding.

Best regards,

Smoooochie

You can see photos of it all HERE. I'm sure there will be more after this current blizzard is done.

What Abby Said...

READ AND LISTEN!!

If anyone is in the area I highly suggest checking out this band. They are really quite enjoyable and yet another reason for me to take a trip to the SouthEast.

My Elfster!!

I just got this awesome CD from my sweet friend Mynxie. She got my name this year. She is the bestest EVAR!! Thanks, Mynxie.

I'm a quitter

I quit my job. My last day of work was today.

BUH BYE NASTY MANAGEMENT!!! SO LONG AND FAREWELL!!!

WooT! I'm taking off the next 3 weeks to chill and figure out what's next.

2006- a summary

A shout out for Mynxy for reminding me about this meme. This is a good one to do each year, compare to the last, and plan for the next. So, here is my list.

What did you do in 2006 that you’d never done before? I learned to carve both front and backsides in a bowl. Visited Seattle. Deskunked my dogs. Snowboarded. Cooked a Tandoori Turkey.

Did you keep your new years’ resolutions and will you make more for next year? Yes. I did. Yes. I will.

Did anyone close to you give birth? A LOT of people did. What was in the water? I think the count is up around 10 at this point with still one on the way.

Did anyone close to you die? Thankfully, no.

What countries did you visit? I only traveled domestically.

What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? A really decent ollie. A maid.

What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? January 19th, 2006. We drove through a blizzard to Casa Bonita to celebrate Bronte’s birthday. April 1st we moved into our beautiful house.

What was your biggest achievement of the year? I paid off both my credit cards and my car. That’s pretty big.

What was your biggest failure? I bought Dan a kilt that he looks super sexy in, but he doesn’t like it because it’s still stiff.

Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing major. I nearly broke my tail bone snowboarding and then got pretty banged up skateboarding. It was worth it.

What was the best thing you bought? My skateboard. Definitely my skateboard.

Whose behavior merited celebration? The American people for kicking the Thugs out of office. IMPEACH BUSH NOW!!

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? The Bushistas

Where did most of your money go? My children. I suspect it will remain that way for years to come.

What did you get really, really, really excited about? Paying off my debt! WoooooT!!!

What song will always remind you of 2006? Transformer by Gnarls Barkley

Compared to this time last year, are you:
happier or sadder? Happier
thinner or fatter? Fatter
Richer or poorer? Richer

What do you wish you’d done more of? I’m a broken record. I would have skateboarded more. I can’t skateboard enough. I need MORE!!!

What do you wish you’d done less of? Putting up with morons, both personally and professionally.

How will you be spending Christmas? With my boyfriend- he’s my sexy Santa. WooT!

Did you fall in love in 2006? Nope. I stayed in love!

What was your favorite TV program? The Deadliest Catch, Top Chef, Project Runway

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Yes. I do.

What was the best book you read? Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Offce

What was your greatest musical discovery of 2006? Lupe Fiasco

What did you want and get? My house! I love it!

What did you want and not get? A different job.

What was your favorite film of this year? Little Miss Sunshine!!

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? My Hootie took me to my favorite restaurant.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A job where I am appreciated. That’s the one thing missing in my life right now. Well, and a maid.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? Nice jewelry is key.

What kept you sane? The Danimal and skateboarding. No joke.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Keith Olbermann. GO KEITH!!!

What political issue stirred you the most? The B.S. in Washington.

Who did you miss? My grandmother. I always do. I always will.

Who was the best new person you met? I finally met Annetastic in person.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006: Listen to people when they tell you who they are and believe them.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
“And so they kick, push, kick, push, kick, push, kick push, coastAnd away they rolledJust rebels without a cause with no place to goAnd so they kick, push, kick, push, kick, push, kick push, coastSo come roll with meJust a rebelLooking for a place to beSo let's kick...and push...and coast”

Recently Said in My House

"Dan! Stop skateboarding in the house!"

"Geoffrey, Stop skateboarding in the house!"

"Bronte! Stop rolling through the house on your Heely's."

"Don't tell that I was just skateboarding in the kitchen."

Proclamation of Thanks!

I’ve been trying all day to decide if I would post about the various things that I’m thankful for. It seemed a little cheesy to talk about all that I’m thankful for, but even though I am thankful everyday for these things I don’t really share it with the general public. So, rather than just saying these are things that I’m thankful for in my life I’m proclaiming my thankfulness to the world.

WORLD, LISTEN UP! I AM MOST THANKFUL FOR THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE AND THINGS-

1. My sweet children. They are the light of every day and the motivation behind most of my determination.
2. My most amazing boyfriend, Dan. He’s without a doubt the most perfect person for me to spend my life with. He is my echo and partner in all things. Quite simply, I love him.
3. My dogs. They (like my children and boyfriend) keep life very interesting. And unlike my boyfriend and children give the best puppy love evar!
4. My dear friends, both near and far. I never would have made it this far without them. I hope I tell them all enough that they know who they are and how much I love them.
5. My beautiful 1886 Victorian house.
6. My debt free life. O.K. nearly debt free. I still have that darned student loan, but the auto and the CC debt from the ex are GONE!!!
7. My skateboard. It gives me hours and hours of joy. It’s my zen.
8. My mother and my father. In their own crazy ways they love me and let me know that I matter. It’s important to know that you matter.
9. A Congress that has a Democrat majority. While the Democratic Reps and Senators might be just as big of assholes as the ones they replaced at least King George and the Bushies don’t get a free pass anymore. Now if we could just get that fucker impeached I’ll have that to add for 2007.
10. Dan’s family.

The Word

One of my favorite blogs has something to say. READ IT.

Cape Town would be a lovely place to get married, actually

South Africa has given gays the right to be married. In most American states domestic partners, regardless of the length of time together, can't even get insurance benefits on one other the others plan. Good job America. Way to lead us into the future! :P

My NeeNee

It’s the ninth anniversary of my grandmother’s death tomorrow. This occurred to me regularly over the course of the last few weeks, but today is the day I realized it. There is a difference between having the knowledge of something and actually realizing it. Today I realized it. It hit me full force and I’ve been fighting tears off and on all day.
I don’t know what to say really. What is there to say about someone you loved as dearly as I loved her? There is no words that are adequate. She was my mother, my best friend, and my echo. I will miss her always.

Answer for Kirrrrt

Geoffrey and Bronte in their helmets


Kirrrt was asking me about skateboards for his boys in a comment down below. I started typing out an answer, but it got long enough I felt like it deserved an entry of it’s own. His question was:

“I have a question about skateboards. The ones I bought my boys have crappy little white wheels that barely roll. Do I need to upgrade the boards (better than the Wal-mart el-cheapo model) or can I upgrade the wheels?What should I be looking for in skate wheels for a 6 and 7 year old?”

As a mother who skateboards I have a little experience with this. The answer actually involves a few questions, but really it’s important to buy the best board for your child, yourself, or anyone that is going to really ride. After all, it’s your money AND it’s your loved one.

1. Have your boys worn out their skateboards? This is a pretty easy question to answer. Are they chipped up on the nose and tail? When you spin the wheels do they stop spinning or not spin at all? If the answer is no and the boards aren’t being ridden you aren't going to want to get anything other than a Wal-Mart board. Why pay money for something that is going to sit in the garage most of the time? If they are using them and having a lot of fun riding then invest in a good solid board. You can get a good blank deck at most skate shops for about $25-30. You can get away with fairly generic trucks, but make sure that the bushings are swapped out for something soft. Bushings are CHEAP (maybe $3) so it’s worth it. Also, make sure that you have some decent bearings. They don’t have to be the top of the line, but bearings are what make the wheels roll smoothly so they are important. Now, on to wheels.

2. With regard to the wheels the most important question is what surface do they skateboard on? You are going to need to get wheels that match the surface because if you get a soft wheel on the street you will need new wheels every two weeks. If they are in a skate park (Atlanta is about to get a new Woodward park!!) and the surface is "wood" then you are going to want to get a wheel that works for that surface. Here we need soft sticky wheels for the park because it's like ice. So, when you are at the skate shop ask them what they recommend for the surface that your boys are skating.

3. How much do you want to spend? You can get blank decks at your local shop or even on eBay for pretty cheap. Then build it up. The good thing about a skateboard is you can swap everything on it out if you wear it out or it doesn’t fit your need anymore. If your kids really like skateboarding invest a little bit upfront and then you can upgrade as they get better.

4. What are you riding? I’m not joking. Get yourself a board (longboards are really fun and super easy to learn) and go out with them. Skateboarding is a very bonding sport. I feel like I am a lot closer with my kids since we started boarding together. Trust me on this one.

Lastly, and MOST IMPORTANT start this rule right now while they are young.

NO HELMET, NO PADS, NO SKATEBOARDING!!

EVERYONE falls and at some point everyone hits their head and it can be very serious if a helmet doesn’t take the majority of the blow. Whether they are on a $15 skateboard from Wal-Mart or a $175+ custom board do not let them ride until they have on their gear. My eleven year old knows the rules and he’s take a number of falls where when he got up said, “I’m really glad I had on my pads/helmet.”

Well, what do you know?

All I can say is "It figures." This doesn't surprise me. It just gives further proof that the agenda was there well before the war. WELL before the war. It also confirms that for the entire Bush administration the neocon 'theories' have overshadowed reason, logic and most importantly FACT. Great. That's just great.

WHOA!

Ted Haggard. Alright, let’s examine his statement here briefly. He was merely contacting Mr. Mike Jones for a massage and for meth that he threw away. According to the reports that I’ve read this is what he’s admitted. He admits that he purchased illegal drugs from a male prostitute that he contacted after getting the prostitutes number from a website that advertises gay prostitution. First of, WHOA!! Is this covered in Sunday School under the section about repenting for your sins? Never the less let’s get back to the facts.
This man is a minister of a 14,000 (that’s THOUSANDS) person church and somehow the general populace is supposed to believe that not ONE of them is a massage therapist? Or knew of a massage therapist he could go to if he was legitimately interested in a massage? And by my recollection of growing up in Colorado Springs there are MANY licensed massage spas in the city. In fact it’s home to one of the best in the country (and it's AMAZING!!) So, rather than spending some of what I imagine to be a pretty hefty salary at a spa near his home he drove for over an hour to meet with a male prostitute he found on the internet for a massage? I don’t know about anyone else, but I call bullshit on that defense.
Secondly, crank is not pot. It's not something you just purchase on a whim. You don’t go from being a Christian fundamentalist role model who has never done drugs EVER to purchasing methamphetamines with no intent to use them. Why would you? Why would someone who is “model Christian” even think it would be alright to purchase an illegal substance from a prostitute secretly? What part of that is even remotely something a good citizen would do much less a holier than thou evangelical leader? Again, after weighing the basics against common sense I’m going to have to call bullshit on the defense.
Shadenfreude indeed, my friends. Shadenfreude indeed.