Tuesday, October 30, 2007

I Had

a dentist appointment today. Got in the chair and the hygienist began looking at my chart, made a clucking noise, then asked "What are you here for today?"

I think I made her mad when I said "Uh, Y'all called me."

Sunday, October 28, 2007

The Holidays

As in: The holidays are just around the corner.

I subscribe to Woman's Day and the latest issue came with a stock paper cover advertizing something that I care nothing about. I turned that stock cover to get to the actual slick cover and was met with: How to Have the Best Christmas Ever!

At which point the magazine was given a violent sling into the nether reaches of the living room. After careful, thoughtful consideration of my behavior (read a hysterical, slobbering, sobbing meltdown) I determined why the cover, and the realization that the holidays are actually going to come around again this year, affected me so.

Last year, I was focused on getting through them, getting through the *first* holidays without my Dear Donnie. And I did. And I remember telling someone that it was pretty awful, but that they would be the only first ones I'd have to get through. I obviously wasn't in a place to think long-term about the reality of there being second and third and so on holidays without him.

And I can't say for certain I'm in a place where I can do that now. Not that I have much choice in the matter.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Family Album


Me in my Brownie uniform (I'm about seven in this picture), my bubba Michael and our baby sister Tricia (who is now 38). Where does the time go? Are there even Brownie Scouts anymore?

Friday, October 26, 2007

Home

Been offline all week. I'm thinking I need to do that more often.

Update tomorrow. Be good. I'm going to bed reaaalllyy early tonight.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

randomsoutherner Goes Green...Sorta

Just mopped the kitchen floor with a mixture of warm water, white vinegar and baking soda*. I sprinkled extra soda on a couple of tough spots (like the ring around the kittie food bowl-what's up with that?) and it is now pretty sparkling clean.

And there is no 'cleaning solution' aroma remaining. And my kittie isn't walking on chemical residue. And I'm not sneezing my head off & in imminent danger of an asthma attack. All in all, a win-win situation.

*This a great toilet bowl cleaner too. Just pour in some vinegar, a good handful of baking soda & let the fizzing & bubbling do all the work.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

It's A

particularly crappy weekend here at Casa de Widowhood Sucks. Thank goodness for a comfortable sofa, a 32-inch flat screen and a surfeit of mindless yada yada on the satellite.

I'll be beyond busy at my conference next week--might get an opportunity to update sometime around Wednesday--surely someone will have done something silly or humiliating* by then.


*The good money's on....me for that.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Dear

Ellen Degeneres:

You screwed up. Now shut up about it and stop being a famewhore.

Dear Lady Who Runs the Amimal Rescue from where Ellen Degeneres Adopted:

Please consider scheduling the surgery to remove the stick up your ass as soon as possible. I can assure you, you will feel much better afterwards. Also, shut up about this situation and stop being a famewhore.

Dear Britney Spears:

Oh Dear God, why am I bothering? A letter is written by a sender on the premise that the receiver can read. And in this case, I believe it's genetically impossible for the child to stop being a famewhore.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Updates

'Boone' arrived yesterday. I'll take it with me to the Myrtle, 'though I'll likely not have much reading time.

Things at work are about the same--suffice to say there appears to be a couple of folk who are bound and determined to continue to propel themselves towards an end goal that, as best I can tell, is fraught with those 'pesky little unintended consequences.' Which is fine-I can only hope they're prepared. But I know they're not. These are the kind of middle-aged people who are afflicted with severe cases of 'Rampant Adolescentism'.

On my to-do list for the weekend: a mani-pedi; a trip to to the discount liquor warehouse for some supplies for next week and packing.

And thank goodness this week is closer to the end than the beginning.

Monday, October 15, 2007

I've Pre-ordered



this from Buy.com (great site for books, electronics & lots of other goodies) & it's supposed to ship tomorrow. Daniel Boone is one of those people that I think I know a lot about, but I also think a lot of it is myth and tall tales. Likely due to a childhood that featured daily doses of Fess Parker as the eponymous Boone.

One story I have heard about the man that I think is true: He was looking out of his cabin window and upon seeing chimney smoke from a cabin about a mile away said, "Time to move on, neighbors are getting too close." My sentiments exactly.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

More Celeb Brilliance

Learning Four-Syllable Words Has That Effect on Many Celebrities
Lindsay Lohan, about being in rehab: It was a sobering experience.


via Celebrity Wit, Oct 12, 2007

Amazing

isn't it, what a weekend of beautiful weather, a brisk walk in the early morning cool, a bout of productive and fun work and a good meal out of town can do for one's psyche.

What also helps is coming around to the realization (for the millionth or so time in this life) that one cannot control certain events or the behavior of others.

Right now I'm watching The Iron Giant, a wonderful, witty movie from a story by Ted Hughes, written during the height of the 'Red Menace nuclear attack' hysteria. Funny that's it's still timely and on point all these years later.

Tomorrow it's back to that place with those people. Maybe I need to dig out my copy of this little gem and do some reading later.

Speaking of work, this year at our annual conference I'm responsible for the vendor hall. Filled with vendors. Who are, in theory, business people. Late Friday, my association president forwarded me an email from one vendor rep who related that she was promised setup/conference information on August 30 and that, quoting now from her email, "it is now 12 days before the conference and I DO NOT have any information."--capitalization hers, mind you.

I've sent the information out three times, once in a letter about a month ago and two mass emailings since then. I responded to her by letting her know the information has been sent three times, to the representative indicated on the registration form--which on this company's form, was someone else, not her.

I recognize this is something of a customer service situation. These vendors are paying us for space in the hall and we have a responsibility to ensure they get what they've paid for. But in this instance, it goes beyond that. They're paying for space in the vendor hall to get to school district representatives who have money to spend. And I'm one of them. Now I have a feeling that Miss Thing may have figured her little missive was probably going to get some clerk or secretary in trouble--because that's how some folks roll, you know, getting off on causing grief for some underling.

But what she's done is piss me off. I'm certain she will want me to come by her booth and listen to her spiel in the hopes I'll drop some green with her company so she makes a nice commission. I can't wait to tell her that she has blown her opportunity with me and the reasons for that.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Things

totally suck right now, mainly professionally, but there's some personal suckitude going on as well.

And it's just too mundane and prosaic to relate here.

I'm at the point where I'm getting on my own nerves.

Don't look for much* here over the next couple of weeks--maybe I'll be recharged after my conference at the Myrtle week after next. Anything's possible.

*An ironic use of a figure of speech; I can't imagine anyone coming here looking for 'much' of anything these days.

Monday, October 8, 2007

Actual Internet Headline

'Manhunt 2' game still banned in Britain.

Aaand Franco is still dead*.


tm Chevy Chase. Man I'm kinda old.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

The Preacher

from my church has resigned. Well, I say my church--I attend, but have never moved my letter from my previous church.

This hurts me in a couple of ways. One, because of why he is leaving. He's leaving because there is a small group of truly horrible people in the church who have now successfully run off two young preachers, through their petty insults and nastiness, combined with almost daily street talk about this preacher and the previous one at the local diner. Nice fucking Christian behavior, huh? Among the reasons why I do not refer to myself as a Christian and generally take the head off anyone who accuses* me of being one.

Two because, this preacher had only been at the church a few months when my Dear Donnie passed. He came to the house that day, and called me at least once more. He also performed Donnie's memorial service; he and my Donnie never met, and yet you would have sworn during the service he and Donnie had been best friends for twenty years. In other words, he made the effort.

I've spent most of the day composing a note to this man in my head; seems like such an insignificant way to let someone know you will never forget them and be grateful and thankful to them always for bringing you a moment's peace during the worst time ever.

*And by accusing, I mean even if someone innocently asks me if I'm a Christian. I always tell them I certainly want nothing to do with the likes of those people.