Unmitigated

Blogging 101 Class

This is my first time writing a post on my android tablet. The interface is weird, and I am still getting used to typing on a flat keyboard, so we will see how it goes.

Last Thursday, the item I chose to finish was a PowerPoint presentation that I would need for a class I am teaching today. At the History Attraction where I work, today is the All Staff conference. Back issues prevent me from attending most of the day, since I still can't sit for very long, but a few months ago, I agreed to teach an afternoon session for blogging newbies, which they are calling Blogging 101.

In a little bit I will leave for yoga class, then I will have just enough time to come home, get cleaned up, and go visit my place of employment for a couple hours. It will be nice to see everyone, but I wish I had a shirt that said, "Ask me about ANYTHING ELSE." I am in one of those states where I have disappeared, and I am only a dysfunctional set of vertebrae. Sounds like a first world problem to me, so enough.

While I was making the bed this morning, my mind wandered where it often does during household tasks: The Newlywed Game. If Bob Eubanks were to ask us, "How many pillows are there on your bed?……" How would I answer? There are 8 rergular pillows on our bed, but there is also one little decorative pillow. I always think that we would have planned something out ahead of time, like, 'always use the widest possible definition for objects' or that we would have somehow come up with a secret code...one blink for no, two blinks for yes.

Then I remember...we have bee married for more that 26 years, and nobody is going to invite us to be on the Newlywed Game, and who the hell thinks about this stuff? Probably just me.

And just so you know, the android post thing is not going to work. You can only select a single category, and since there are no directional arrows on an android keyboard (at least none that I was able to find) it's a big pain to try to get the cursor to the bottom of the post if you need to go back and edit, for some reason. Trust me on this one. I have been able to comment pretty well with the tablet, so that makes me happy.

Which is good, because I just had the hot flash from Hades, so I am now a clammy mess. Yeesh, this day is not starting out too well, is it?

Getting My Sh*t Together

For the last 8-10 weeks, my lower back pain issues have been roaring for attention, along with other things in my life, so I am on a short medical leave from work while I get my shit together.

In an effort to give some structure to my days while I am off, I am also trying to finish things.

I am a great starter of things. I only finish about 50% of the time. So, while I am off, I will be finishing the unfinished, and blogging about it, so you can see what a pathetic project person I am.

The first thing I finished was the painting in my bedroom. Handy Jeff had done the walls, ceiling and trim, all while the yucky carpet was still in place, to protect the pretty hardwood floor underneath. That meant that after (now) 20-year-old Boy took up the yucky carpet, there were bits that needed paint, very close to the new shoe moulding. Handy Jeff did the painting in August, 2011. Five months later, I finished the touch-up. That's actually pretty good, for me.

The second thing I finished was this, which I did yesterday:

22-year-old New Bride's kitchen, still has the original knotty pine cabinets, and built-in banquette seating. The vinyl on the seating was orange-and-white gingham, and 60-years-old. I found some vinyl on sale at the fabric store in a butter-soft mustard/gold color, and started re-covering them. Eighteen months ago. *Sigh* But now, the last two pieces are complete, and ready to be reinstalled, thanks to Handy Jeff and his nail gun. The staple gun was not strong enough to punch into the wood used in the construction of these pieces, which is why the project got put on hold for a very long time.

Hopefully, this blogging and finishing will not only give structure to my days, it will also keep them from turning into a haze of napping and Pop Tarts.

What's new with you?

Residents of Lake Wannabe

Lake Wannabee

 

Mr. MacGillicuddy, Apt. 2A

 

Miss Minchin, Apt. 1C

 

Mr. Dirks, Supt., Lower Level

 

Updated: A Few Random Thoughts Before Work

1. My boss is out of town for most of this week, making this a very productive period for me! No interruptions.

2. Seeing trees fully leafed-out every morning makes me a little happier.

3. The endocrinologist was a huge waste of time and money.

4. I am determined to keep going until I get help from SOMEwhere. It has to be there. It HAS to.

5. I don't mind rain so much when it's also 70 degrees outside.

6. Actually, I kind of like a summer rainstorm. We had high winds with a cloudburst the other day, and a line went down somewhere nearby. We were without power for about six hours. It was restored right when DTE said it would be, though, and the next day, they called back to make sure everything was okay. Wow.

7. At our annual All-Staff Conference, everybody got a pedometer. I've been wearing it at work, and trying to make sure my work-related walking is at least 5,000 steps per day. When the parking lot is crowded, I can get in 1,200 steps just walking to and from my car!

8. I keep thinking about the Couch to 5K program, but I just can't get myself to move after work. 

9. See number 4.

10. I could stop on this number just to make all you OCD types happy.

11. But I'm a little bit cruel.

Ed.: The Village Store offered all employees a little sample of their new fudges, made right in the store!

 

Top to bottom: Maple Pecan, Vanilla (with Jimmies), and Milk Chocolate

We spent a few minutes afterward, browsing the store, and one of co-workers actually said, "Don't let Mary get to the book section or we'll never get out of here!" 

 

Another Hair Post

Is it just me, or do I spend an inordinate amount of time blogging about my hair?

Wait.

Don't answer that.

It's just that my hair can set my mood for the day. For the next month really. For a couple years, I had what I thought was a cute little boy-cut. SOOOO easy to care for, what a charm. I looked in the mirror and thought, "Okay. Cute. Short is appropriate for a woman my age."

Then I saw a picture of myself. It was from BlogHer 2009, at this awesome Italian restaurant in Chicago, with an incredible group of amazing people: Vodka Mom, Stiletto Mom, Sprite's Keeper, Literal Dan, Jennieology, and more! Of course we had a great time, the food was delicious, the dessert was to-die-for, and the waiter took pictures for us. I think it's on Facebook somewhere. I don't want to see it again.

Because my first thought was, who's the cross-dresser, and he could sure use some hair and make-up tips!

Oh. My. God. That's. ME.

 

 

 

So, I've been growing my hair out for a while now. And I got over the whole silly "woman my age" thing. Yesterday, I met some friends for lunch in the same suburb where John Paul (stylist) and his wife Pam (colorist) work their genius. I needed to schedule appointments with both, so I stopped in. The receptionist said the magic words, "Are you available this afternoon?"

Seriously, my heart leapt. Yes! I am available. I love haircut and/or color days because I feel so pretty when I leave there. And both John and Pam are fun to be with. Funny and sweet and sarcastic and witty. I'm drooling here. It's embarrassing.

As I was getting ready to leave with my new cut yesterday, John asked about my daughter's wedding, "Are you going to wear your hair up?"

I wanted to cry. People, I am nearing 50, and have never once worn an up-do. Never. So the answer is a resounding, "Yes, I will be wearing an up-do, and we'll need a trial! We get to do it twice! to see how it goes! and he'll make recommendations! because he's the best there is at what he does! (really. He has two Tiffany Awards, that's like the Oscars for hair stylists)!"

Anybody want to bet on how many times you hear about this before the wedding in November?