Weird Creature, That One

Sometimes my dog completely freaks me out...case in point, I was checking my email a moment ago and Oreo had taken her normal place on my lap.  Then she sat up quickly, began a series of mini-growls, and has been staring intently at the same spot ever since.

My first thought was that my house is haunted, but seeing that I'm the first person to live here, it's highly unlikely that someone passed on in this house and is overstaying their welcome.  My next thought was that my dog is simply odd...and this is quite possibly the answer I'm looking for.  Finally though, I think I identified what still continues to have her completely mesmerized.  I have all of my Christmas (not "holiday" - it's CHRISTMAS) cards taped along my counter on display.  Several of them have photos of babies, families, and even animals.  The particular picture that seems to have attracted her attention is of my friend's dog.  That would explain the growling - I would growl at a floating dog too!

Anyway, in the spirit of the season, I give to you a picture of my dog, Oreo, in her Santa outfit.  If that's not adorable, then I don't know what is!

 Merry Christmas, everyone!

My Latest Obsessions

I figured it was time for a lighter blog since my last one was a tad less than entertaining.  So here we go: my latest obsessions:

1. Wordsmith for Android Phones

I'm a Verizon girl, so that means I don't have the oh-so-popular "Words with Friends" app that Apple users do, but that doesn't mean I can't maintain my Scrabble obsession on my phone.  My younger brother turned me on to this Android app and I've since been firmly embattled in Scrabble matches with my brother and another friend of mine.  I highly recommend it for word-nerds like myself!

2. Angry Birds & Angry Birds Seasons

When they finally brought this app to the Android market, I was very excited.  Nothing tears through my phone's battery like my obsession with these squealing, squawking birds and their grunting piggy foe.  I love it!!!

3. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

There are very few shows out there that regularly make me laugh, but Sunny always does.  At least once an episode - whether I'm watching with friends or it's just me and my dog - there's always something that makes me laugh out loud.  I'll admit that I wasn't up on this show until a few months ago (much to the amusement of some people) but I was dedicated to playing catch-up on episodes.  If you're not already watching, you should be!

Okay, that's it for now.  My obsessions are always changing so I'm sure there will be similar posts in the future.  Have a great one!

Working through some things...

An advance warning: this is a more personal post to help me work through some things myself, but insight/comments are always welcome so I decided to post publicly anyway.  Here goes...

Lately I've found myself in a rather strange place emotionally.  Ever since my last relationship fell apart with little to no explanation except that "long distance doesn't work," I've been struggling emotionally.  And that struggle manifested itself in many different ways - not the least of which was in repeated hurtful tirades towards my mother.  I'm embarrassed to say that it took me quite a while to see that the way I was behaving was not only hurtful, but also entirely uncalled for.  Fortunately, a mother's love is one of the universe's most amazing things and I've come to be in a really good place with my mom again.

Why it took me so long to work through things, I'm not entirely sure.  I place most of the "blame" on the fact that at about 1/3 of the way through my 29th year I'd thought I'd found "the one."  And then about 1 1/2 years later things were over with him and I was left completely heartbroken.  Wounds heal though, and despite the fact that I still think of him from time to time, I have healed.

I've never been the girl to go from boyfriend to boyfriend, relationship to relationship.  While I honestly believe I have a lot to offer, I've been less than lucky when it comes to love.  More than once, someone has joked that I must lack the proper pheromones to attract a good man...and they might be right!  Despite my limited, true relationships, I'd always thought that surely someday Mr. Right would come along.  I'm not saying that I don't hope that'll happen someday, but I've also come to accept the fact that it's not guaranteed either.  And I'm learning to live with that idea...

I have a lot to be thankful for: a family that loves me, good friends (even if they don't all live in my city), a good job, a roof over my head, and arguably the cutest dog in the world (the picture was as a puppy...isn't she adorable?!?).

But I digress...I'm sure there are plenty of very happy, fulfilled individuals that made it through life without finding someone to share their life with, right?  So that's what I'm trying to do.  Instead of dwelling on the more than occasional bout of loneliness that comes from living alone with just a dog for company, I'm trying to focus on the good.  I'm putting a smile on my face even if I don't always feel like it.  I'm finding the friendship I'd lost with my mother.  And I'm planning to LIVE life again!  I have a passion for travel, but I kept telling myself that until I was with someone I wouldn't be able to indulge that passion.  Well, screw that!  This spring, there's a good chance I'll be heading to Italy and meeting up with a few old friends from high school.  And while I'll be traveling there alone, when I meet up with old friends, I'll be reminded that a person isn't defined by the romantic relationship they have, but rather by the life they choose to live - their character and spirit that speaks to the world.

I promise to be more light-hearted next time, but thanks for reading!  Here's to a revival of spirit!

Random little thoughts

What's the deal with adult braces?  I've been seeing an unprecedented number of them lately.  Unless some weird dental issue crops up unexpectedly later in life, if you've lived with crooked teeth trying to escape each other your entire life, why fix it when you get older?  Yes, I know that braces are expensive so perhaps your parents couldn't afford them...so I see that...but still!  If you're going to go the adult braces route, at least invest in Invisalign so the rest of us don't notice.  (Wow, don't I sound like the mouth police?  But really...I've always been a bit of a snob when it comes to teeth.  Whenever I go out with a new guy, one of the first 3 questions my mother asks is, "How are his teeth?"  Seriously.  And that's before my super Catholic mother even asks if HE'S Catholic.  I think that says a lot!)

I love me some 'Wordsmith Free' for my phone (it's the same thing as 'Words with Friends' if you weren't sure) but I can't stand when it takes my opponents days (literally) to make a word.  I get that we're all busy and we can't spend our days in Scrabble Heaven, but if you're going to play a game, don't take forever to take your turn.  I'm going to lose interest quickly...and I'm going to second guess that magical 58 point word you pulled out of your ass after going for 3-letter gems the entire game.  I can smell a Wordsmith cheater from a mile away!!!

What's with people running barefoot lately...or wearing those weird new toe shoe things?

Personally, unless I'm being chased by a hungry bear, I really don't see the point in running long distances - and certainly not in hideous shoes like that!  Besides, if you're ever being chased by a large, snarling carnivore, you don't need to be the fastest human ever...you just need to be faster than your slowest friend!

At any rate, speaking of running/exercise, I must retire since I plan to get up early to pick up 4 dozen donuts on my way to work.  (Evaluations for my classes are next week and I'm not above buttering up my reviewers!)

Badassery

Don't bother looking it up...that IS a word.  Today at least.  I think I mentioned my unfortunate broken toe in my last blog.  Since the initial breaking, it was definitely not in line with the other toes anymore.  In fact, it was like it had decided that it didn't want anything to do with its friends and was sort of hanging out a bit apart from the rest of his toe brethren.  To say I was a bit concerned would be an understatement.

This past Monday, I decided to go to Solantic to get some x-rays done and at least have someone look at it.  After nearly 2 hours there, it was confirmed that I'd broken my toe.  Admittedly, the x-rays were pretty cool since I'd never had a broken bone before...and seeing it completely shifted out of place was both disturbing and fascinating all at once.

I'd originally planned to just go with the "buddy tape it to the other toes and hope for the best" plan, but on Tuesday night I was in excruciating pain.  I think the toe had shifted even more and it was nearly unbearable.  So today, I went to see an orthopedic doctor to have him take a look.  After giving me three options (1. tape it and hope for the best, 2. numb it up and re-break the toe to set it in place, or 3. undergo surgery to have them put pins in it) I opted for choice #2.

Honestly, the process of injecting my foot with roughly a gallon of Novocaine was by far the worst part.  It seemed to take forever to get it all in there and I was reduced to involuntary tears as I lay back on the table waiting (begging) for the torture to stop.  I should note that given my tolerance of this painful procedure (or lack thereof), it's probably best that I never try to squeeze a baby out as that would probably kill me.

After waiting for 30 minutes or so, the doctor deemed me ready and had me lay back again so I couldn't watch.  I really should have had my mom take video so I could see it later!  Apparently, this was the point where he manipulated my toe in ways my mom said toes should never go.  Almost immediately I felt (and heard) a pop when he broke it again...and then intense pressure as he used some sort of thin metal bar between my toes for leverage as he tried to twist it back into place.  I'm not gonna lie...that bar DID cause me pain as it was pressing into my other non-numb toe, but I got through it.

And at the end of it all, my doc's comment was, "Way to be tough!"  I felt like quite a badass!

For the record, the pain pills he gave me are amazing and at this moment I barely feel anything down there!  It probably helps that new x-rays show that the bone is actually back to where it's supposed to be.

So yes...today I voluntarily had my bone broken again.  And while I don't recommend you go out and try it, it IS pretty damn cool to say that!

Happy Halloween!

Have you ever felt like the universe is out to get you? Or that you have an Eeyore-like cloud of gloom and doom hanging over your head?  The month of October has been a bit like that for me.  Whether it was having my car totaled at the start of the month when some idiot decided to run a red light and t-bone my car (while having a suspended license, an open container in the car at 8 AM, and no insurance), or breaking my pinkie toe just in time to destroy a little indie-movie premiere night with a friend, or simply looking at a student in the parking garage and having her inexplicably drop an entire glass pan of cupcakes...shattering the glass, demolishing the cupcakes, and ruining the apparent birthday surprise for her friend, this month has seemed somehow jinxed.  And why not?  This IS October after all...the month that plays hosts to budding witches, goblins, super heroes, and everything in between.  Still, despite my less than awesome month, there HAVE been some fun things going on lately.  And so, I present to you, my month of October in pictures...beginning with the bad and ending with the fun.

Here's what happened to my beloved car as a result of said accident:

My car was declared a total loss and I was forced to find an alternative means of travel.  *sigh*

I've never been a big fan of Halloween.  I recognize that when I was younger, the main reason I liked the holiday at all was because it meant I would be acquiring a giant bag of candy for FREE!  Dressing up was definitely not my favorite part.  As I got older, my distaste for Halloween didn't diminish.  I despised being invited to parties that were costume-only parties...if I don't feel like dressing up, why should I be shunned from a night of fun???  Besides, for the most part, it seems like the holiday is simply an excuse for young girls and women alike to dress like an absolute tramp in public and have no one bat an eye.  Imagine my dismay when a co-worker decided to host a Halloween party - costume only this year.  I decided to suck it up and embrace the spirit of the holiday...and guess what?  I actually had a really great time at the party.  I opted to capture my youth with a "Sponge Babe" costume and it turned out pretty well:

I don't have any pictures of my broken toe (or the poor student's cupcake debacle), but I do have some pictures from the end of the month...

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend my first Florida/Georgia game.  My friends and I got down there at about 8:30 AM to set up our tailgate and get to the festivities.  We had a blast tailgating, meeting other random fans, etc.  There were definitely some interesting people there...I particularly enjoyed the group of jort-supporters that were going around.  Here's the band of misfits:

And here I am as a jort-misfit myself:

 Eventually it was time to trek to the stadium for the game.  Here we are...super excited to head into the stadium:

I was a little concerned that the result wouldn't be what I was hoping for since the Gators have been less than stellar this season, but I was still optimistic.  Fortunately, after an incredibly exciting game, we got the result we were looking for!  Gators win!!!

And we could simply enjoy the thrill of it all...

I think my friend's shirt said it all.  We're not snobs...we're just better than you!

And that about sums it up!  I hope my couple loyal followers (Hi, Nathan and Tim!) are doing well...and here's to an even better month in November!!!

I'm alive!

It's been over a month since I posted here...but rest assured...

Despite that picture, I am not now a guitar player (though that would be pretty awesome, I'm not sure my fingers are coordinated enough for that hobby).  Life has been gobbling me up and spitting me back out...whole, for the most part. Work is nothing less than a bear lately, but I've been utilizing my weekends to have some fun.

Last weekend saw me in Cape Coral and Ft. Myers for the wedding of one of my law school friends.  It was a great opportunity for a mini reunion of friends I don't get to see nearly as often as I'd like.  Here was the BIG group of us...

And then here's one of just the ladies (which is, of course, nicer to look at)...

I've been itching to travel lately, and while this little trip kept me in Florida, at least it got me out of Jacksonville.  I have so much time off saved up at work, but no one to go on trips with (insert self-pity here).  Hopefully that will change one of these days.  Anyone up for being a travel buddy???

...and I'm off.  Have a great day! xoxo

A Rant

So I'm technically on vacation right now...but that doesn't mean that I haven't been doing work every single day since I left the office. Actually, I had to go into the office last Friday and I'm going to have to go in this afternoon too...so you can't really call it a vacation. Why do I have to keep going into work? Well, that would be because it appears that I'm not just doing my own job anymore. Nope. I'm now doing the work of my own position plus TWO other heads of departments' jobs as well. To say that it's getting on my nerves is a serious understatement.

See that picture? Substitute me for that guy (and give him a MacBook) and that would have been what I wanted to do about 10 minutes ago. Instead, I turn to my blog to rant about how unbelievably frustrating it is to be the one forced to pick up the pieces when other people aren't doing their job correctly.

Perhaps the problem is that I care too much? Knowing that a new student is going to be in a difficult situation if I don't do someone else's job is too much for me - I can't just ignore it. So my poor mother hears me yell and complain on the phone...my dog anxiously jumps up on my leg because she can't understand why I'm literally banging my head against the table...and I'm left with a pissed off attitude that I can't shake and which will ultimately ruin my entire day.

I end my little rant with this statement: I didn't sign up for this crap and I sure as hell am not getting paid enough to compensate for the headache that my job has become.

Babies must be super itchy

So as I believe I mentioned in a previous post, I had a bit of a 4th of July mishap and absolutely destroyed my knee.  Since then, and with the help of tons of Neosporin, my little knee has been working night and day to make some brand spankin' new skin.  (I had completely forgotten what a pain in the neck [or knee] skinned knees are!)

Well, let me just say that as my knee has healed (it's about 90% okay now) I've rediscovered just how much new skin itches. I mean, seriously...it's almost unbearable at times.  And if I make the grave mistake of beginning to scratch one little part, the whole thing explodes in a deadly mixture of pleasure/itchy agony and I can barely stop scratching.

Given this little reminder, a random thought crossed my mind: newborn babies, with all that brand new skin, must be the itchiest creatures on the entire planet!!!

Why growing up isn't always a bad thing

When I was younger, I could have definitely been described as a "tomboy" most of the time...I played sports, I wasn't into "girly" things like dolls or fashion, and I wound up with plenty of skinned knees and multiple bruises.  Sure, it probably didn't help that I was a major klutz, but not all of my injuries were due to my inability to stay on my feet.  I suppose I should consider myself lucky in that my worst injuries were sprained ankles, a dislocated knee and a few trips to the doctor for stitches.

Fortunately, as I've grown up, I've gotten much more coordinated...and while I'm still a kid at heart (e.g., my weekly kickball league), I'm a bit more feminine too.  You wouldn't have known that yesterday though.  No.  Yesterday, I attended a 4th of July bash in Neptune Beach.  It was a pretty nice day - not too hot, plenty of drinks, tasty food, etc.  Later in the afternoon, a little storm rolled through...and this is where my day went downhill...fast.

A large group of us were gathered under a tent in the driveway when I decided to make a dash for the stairs and get inside and out of the rain.  Unfortunately, at the same time I was making that choice in my head, the girl next to me decided to squash over to give her friend room on the other side.  Disaster!  As I was making my dash, I tripped over her foot and went down in an unladylike heap of embarrassment and shame.  As if falling weren't enough, I also successfully removed the top couple layers of skin on my right knee, scraped the side of my left knee, gashed my right elbow, scraped my left hand, and somehow semi-demolished the big toe on my left foot.  Oh yea...and then I skidded back into one of the bbq grills...fortunately it didn't rain embers down on me (clearly the only plus side to this whole thing).

Awesome, right?  Then, while everyone stood staring at me, only ONE person made a move to help me up and ask if I was okay.  Clearly I was not.  I then became the spectacle to behold in one of the upstairs bedrooms...some sweet girl I barely knew trying to clean up my gashes, my good Samaritan gathering up the bloody towels, while many others stood gawking at me from the doorway.  (As an aside, whoever created alcohol wipes is an asshole...those things HURT!!!)  I made my exit soon thereafter...partly so I could get properly cleaned up at home and partly so everyone else could be free to make fun of "that girl" without me being there to witness it.

Not exactly a fabulous 4th...and definitely a clear illustration of why growing up and skipping the skinned knees is a good thing!

Changing desires (goals)

As I've gotten older, what I desire and what I consider to be measures of my own success has changed dramatically.  When I was young, I measured my success by my performance in school and sports.  My goal was to be the best I could be...in both arenas...but that desire was fueled by the wrong reasons.  I wanted to do well so that I would make my parents happy - not because it would necessarily make me happy.

After college (and later, law school), I was fueled by the desire to have a "good job."  But I quickly found that a good job doesn't make one complete (or at least it didn't make me feel complete).  I suppose for some, success is measured by one's ability to have the material luxuries they desire.  I've never found much happiness in material things.  Sure, we all know that money is a necessity, but I've never found a great amount of joy in tangible things.  Memories of great times spent with family and friends are the things that bring me joy.

My desire now is very simple: I am seeking happiness.  But happiness isn't something you can buy, or even something you can chase after (as Thoreau so elegantly stated in this quote):

Happiness is something that you "achieve" through simply living life.  And so that's what I've been attempting to do lately.  For too long my life consisted of waking up, going to work, going home, going to sleep, and waking up to do it all over again.  There wasn't any variety and there certainly wasn't any opportunity to meet new people or try new things.  My routine has changed though.  Tuesdays are now reserved for a night out with one of my new friends and Thursdays are set aside for the kickball league I joined with my brother and a few friends.

I'm not chasing happiness, but I am finding that I'm much happier with some new activities in my life.  And if I can be happy then that's a success I can be proud of.  :)

Unsolicited Groping?

It happens to everyone at some point...someone with whom you are completely unfamiliar gets in your personal space and you find yourself groped.  Sometimes said groping is "innocent."  E.g., you're utilizing public transportation, it's rush hour, the train, bus, etc. is jam packed and the driver seems to have gone on another bender...  The next thing you know, the train/bus is lurching to the side and someone around you loses the precarious grip they had on the handle and they grab (innocently? conveniently?) onto you.  And wouldn't you know it?  A woman's breasts make for a great padded landing!

Sometimes the groping is "welcomed."  E.g., you're at a bar/club and after a few drinks you decide that YES! You really CAN dance...so you make your way to the dance floor and find another delusional individual showcasing their "skills" too.  We all know where this one is going...crowded dance floor groping can sometimes be unwanted, but for the most part, when you step foot out there, you're signing away your right to be upset if Gropey McFeelerson decides it's a good time to get acquainted with your private bits and pieces.

In the past week and a half there have been two occasions of groping that were neither innocent nor welcome.  (I'm only going to talk about the first one since it was way more embarrassing and that makes for a more interesting post)  So...the first groping occurred last week when I was heading to Charlotte for work.  Apparently the Jax airport has taken a leap into the new millennium with those nifty full-body scanners at the security checkpoint.  The problem was this: there was no signage whatsoever explaining exactly how long one is expected to "assume the position."  A quick Google image search demonstrated that other countries have learned such info is important for travelers, as illustrated by this lovely little sign from a foreign airport:

Had there been such a sign at the Jax airport, I would have known that I needed to keep my arms raised for 3 seconds.  Instead, the security guy told me to put my arms up and then turned and walked away.  I figured that meant he was finished so I put my arms down as they were doing the scan...subsequently ruining the scan and clearly frustrating the security guard.  (Hey, buddy...if you want someone to keep their arms raised, why don't you try using your words and telling them that???  I could have done without your sourpuss attitude, especially given what was to come as a result of my failed scan)  Instead of simply running the scan again, I was relegated to the "you're an idiot that can't complete a simple task so now you get a special, personal scan" line.

That's right.  Because I was unable to follow a seemingly easy routine, I was lucky (yea, right) enough to be awarded with a full body check by another security agent.  Perhaps I should have expected a more "thorough" check than in the good old days, but I was completely unaware of how I was about to be violated.  What happened to that little wand-thingy they used to use to check for metal objects?!?  Instead of that, for the next SEVERAL moments (and with one of my co-workers standing there laughing at me) I had a random stranger groping me like I haven't been groped in months.  Though the agent prefaced her groping by telling me she would use the back of her hand on my "private areas," I didn't fully comprehend just how intimate things were about to get until she was all up in my business.  Suffice to say, I feel as though I don't need to make an annual appointment with my lady doctor this year since the agent completed a more than thorough check and I got the "all clear" in the end.  Seriously though, that's the most "action" I've seen in the past two months.  If that's not the saddest representation of my single status, I don't know what is!

And yet it still makes me laugh.  The next time I'm going through security they'll have to drag me out of the damn full-body scanner because I'm not going to budge an inch until they tell me it's okay.  Count this as another life lesson learned.

Hello, Charlotte!

For one night, and one night only, I'm in Charlotte, NC.  Until today, if you'd asked me what I thought of when I heard someone mention Charlotte, I'd have answered: "layover."  A brief rest between flights at the Charlotte airport was all I knew of the city before now.  But after a few hours here in the city, I have to say that I'm quite impressed.  I flew up this afternoon with a couple co-workers for a conference tomorrow.

After some check-in issues (I'm still waiting to attend a conference where there AREN'T check-in issues) we decided to head to Rock Bottom Brewery for a bite to eat - and more importantly - a couple drinks.  Martinis were on special (that's a weird saying..."on special."  I think it's correct though) for just $5 and though the menu on the website doesn't show it, I had a couple absolutely delicious peach martinis.  Even better than the quality food and drinks was the company.  I seriously do love my co-workers!

After dinner, we decided to spend some time strolling the downtown streets.  I've got to say that downtown Charlotte easily has downtown Jax beat.  There were cute, swanky, and fun little bistros and pubs with outdoor seating up and down the streets, the buildings boast some really great architecture, and what I liked the most - the people of Charlotte were out and about, seemingly enjoying this place they call home.  (Perhaps I simply don't spend enough time in downtown Jax, but for the most part you don't really see people enjoying the city.  Everyone seems to have a destination in mind and that's where they go.  They're not strolling the streets or enjoying an evening chatting with friend on a bench along the tree-lined streets like the Charlotte residents.)

It also looks like the next few days are going to be a lot of fun here with the Food Lion Speed Street event going on downtown.  They were blocking off roads and setting up the stages this evening, and while I don't know any of the acts performing, street festivals are always fun.  Plus there were copious amounts of "beer for sale" signs on a majority of the booths.  How can that not be a good time?  Aaaaand, the Oscar Mayer wienermobile was parked on the street...if that doesn't say "awesome" then I don't know what does!  If I didn't have a conference to attend tomorrow, I know exactly where I'd be!

Bottom line: Charlotte is much more than a layover city...I encourage you to check it out if you get the chance!

Bending Reality

I'm not going to use this post to advocate for a strict adherence to reality (how could I possibly do that when I spend a decent amount of time zipping through daydreams?); however, there ARE times when I find myself both baffled and frustrated by the "reality" that people choose to believe.  No matter how much you may want to think that you have some super-special dedication to a task at hand (or if, for some unknown reason, you think the laws of nature should bend to your every whim), you cannot give more than 100% of yourself.  The statement, "he/she gave 110%!" is one that annoys me more than many others.  Why?  Because it is NOT physically possible.

You cannot have more than the whole.  Once you reach 100%, that's it.  There is no more than that.  That is the nature of being "whole."  That is complete.  You cannot ask for more.  When you shift into the made-up territory of 110% you have gone beyond the bounds of reality that I am prepared, or willing, to accept/follow.  If you have 110% of something, do you have all of one thing and part of another?  Hypothetically, that could give you 110% of some possible total amount.  Do you have part, but not all, of two (or more) items?  Again, hypothetically that could give you 110% of some possible total amount.  But if you are talking about one item then you must stop at 100%.  Anything else is just plain silly.  (Not to mention...highly annoying)

All of this frustration was brought on by a question in the end-of-conference survey I completed earlier this evening asking me about how enthusiastic I would be about implementing the new ideas learned at the technology conference I attended.  One of the answer choices was 110%.  That simply doesn't make sense.  No one can give their all...then a little more.  (If you have a little more to give then you weren't giving your all to begin with, now were you?)  It's good to know I was attending a fantasy land conference for the last day and a half, because that's the only explanation I can see for an answer choice of 110% enthusiasm.

Ahh, if only I could say this was the only thing that annoys/frustrates me.  Alas, it's just the tip of the iceberg! :)  I'm curious though - what annoys you?

Time to break out the Harry Potter costume

One of the things that I love most about my job is that it's a constant reminder of my own time spent in law school.  While I was definitely NOT that law student that completely devoured the law and everything about it, I loved law school for the social aspect.  Never in my life did I meet a better group of people all in one place.  I recognize I'm a little biased, but I'm still pretty sure that my graduating class was one of the best ever.  But even if that's just my skewed perspective, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in law school.  It's only natural that if you put a group of people together, expect them to master some of the most challenging material they've ever encountered, and compound that with the innate stress of law school then those people are going to bond tightly together.  (I've met some really great people throughout my life, but the friends I made in law school are, to this day, the ones I relate to the most and the ones that I continually gravitate back to whenever I can. We went through something together that you can't adequately describe to someone that hasn't been through it; for that reason, that bond we have is really tough to break)

So like I said, I love working in a law school because it always takes me back to that time in my life.  Sure, each semester I'm happy it's not me taking the final exams - and each February and July I'm happy it's not me taking the bar exam - but I see myself in my "kids" and I appreciate that reminder.  Part of my "job duties" each year include attending the spring commencement ceremony.  Today is that day this year...and so later this afternoon I'll get decked out in the very Harry Potter-like robes and put on the silly hat that makes me feel like a French painter for a few hours...and while my kids cross the stage one by one to get hooded, I'll be thinking back to my own graduation four (WOW! 4 already!?!) years ago.  For those of you unfamiliar with the attire, here's a picture of me on my own graduation day:

That was my tight "crew" in law school...Susan, Satyam, me, Chris and Navin.  All of us (minus Navin) were in the same legal writing class our first semester (which means we had all of our classes together for our entire first year) and that was the glue that held us together through law school and beyond.  Navin snuck into our little crew because he was Satyam's roommate and we loved him!  After this Fall, I'll have attended the weddings of 3/5 of us...just Chris and I are left carrying that "single" torch now. :)

The regalia I will don today is not identical to my FSU Law garb.  Substitute the above with black robes with purple accents (purple represents "law") and an all black hat with the more common-looking tassel and that will be me.  On the outside I'll be cheering on my kids, but on the inside, I'll be transported back to May 6, 2006 in Tallahassee, FL...looking up into the stands and seeing my Dad (not my Mom, mind you!) crying, my older brother and Mom beaming with pride, my friends shouting "Go, Do-Over!" as my name was read, Professor Gey (one of the greatest professors of all time, and an incredibly brave man who has been battling ALS for several years now) hooding me, and the stark realization that I had just completed a very important chapter in my life.

Good memories for a good day...

Signs of old age already???

So earlier this afternoon I had a brilliant idea for a blog.  Unfortunately (or fortunately - depends on how you look at it) I failed to jot down my idea at the time and have now completely forgotten what it was I was going to write about.  Suffice to say, it would have been the most amazingly awesome blog post you'd ever read throughout all of your lovely little life.  EVER.  I sincerely apologize for allowing old age to creep in and rob me of my thoughts, thereby robbing you of your delightful reading adventure.  (This really doesn't bode well for my future, does it?)  I promise that I will make a quick little note of my ideas the next time they strike so that they can travel from my mind to your eyes and heart where they belong.

Until then, have a lovely evening!

Warning: Graphic (Canine) Content

So this post will probably be classifiable as a rant, but that's okay.  Here's the thing...I am a HUGE animal lover.  I only have a dog right now, but over the years I have owned everything from cats and dogs to rabbits, birds, horses, fish, hamsters, and even a wild duck we helped rehab once.  Allergies developed through the years though so I prefer dogs these days.  But this post is not about my previous pet ownership or my allergies...

No, this post is about the rude, inconsiderate, obnoxious, etc. people that allow their dogs to defecate in their neighbors' yards and don't clean it up.  I don't even let MY OWN dog go in MY OWN yard without picking up after it...for several reasons.  Aside from the aesthetic look I'm going for, I also know that there are kids that run around barefoot in my neighborhood and looking out for dog poop shouldn't be something they have to do.  For a bit of cuteness before what's to come, here is a picture of my dog...she likes to control the remote. :)

Every pet owner should consider several things before getting their new best friend.  I know that when I selected Oreo, I chose her for several reasons (aside from her uber cute-ness).  First, I wanted a dog that wouldn't shed.  Check.  Second, I wanted a cute dog that wouldn't shed.  Check.  Finally, I wanted a small dog because we all know that small dogs = small messes.  Check.

There have been several occasions since moving into my house a year and a half ago that I have found the "leftovers" from other dogs in my yard.  And while it is always an annoyance, they were usually at least small annoyances.  Today was another matter entirely...

I was running a little late this morning (perhaps the result of Cinco de Mayo) and when I was taking Oreo for her second walk before I left for work, I couldn't help but notice that there was a new addition to my lawn since our first walk about an hour earlier.  The reason I couldn't help but notice?  Oh, that would be because the excrement soiling my lawn was literally baby elephant-sized (Oh, dear God, how I wish that were an exaggeration)!  Seriously.  The poop was about 1/2 as big as Oreo's entire body.  So gross!!!

At this point, I had two choices.  (1) I could leave it there and wait for weeks of rain and sprinklers and lawn care to slowly get rid of it (likely while allowing the grass to die beneath it because there's no way anything was penetrating that crap) or (2) I could clean it up (I'm gagging just thinking about it now).  I chose option #2 and again, I wish I was exaggerating when I say that after getting my thickest, most durable plastic bag from the house it took me BOTH hands to pick up the ginormous poop while suppressing my gag reflex.

WTF?!?  First of all, I'm actually mildly concerned about whoever's dog left such filth on my lawn because that's simply NOT natural.  I can't even imagine how large the dog must have been to have done that.  Does someone in the neighborhood have Clifford the Big Red Dog as their pet for real?  And second, if your dog does leave those things around, clean that shit up.  Seriously.  What's wrong with people?!?

Fin de rant

Spring has sprung

Ahh...the season of new beginnings.  Flora and fauna alike are abuzz with new life...trees and flowers are blossoming and newborn goslings are the babies I've seen the most of (though I have no doubt just about everything is breeding right about now).

That goes for people too.  It seems like I can't jump online or talk to a friend without hearing about either upcoming nuptials or a little bundle of joy on the way.  This past weekend was spent in Orlando for the wedding of a friend of mine from law school.  It was a lovely wedding and reception and I had an absolute blast seeing some friends I don't get to see as often as I'd like.

I'm going to make a bold statement and say that the speech the groom-to-be gave to my friend during the rehearsal dinner was, quite possibly, the best speech I've heard at any of the many weddings I've attended.  Not only was his rapture readily apparent to everyone there, but he said the absolute sweetest things to his bride-to-be.  (And no, I'm not talking about sappy, cheesy lines that sound lovely but aren't worth much)  His speech was clearly from the heart...spoken from a man to the woman with whom he is madly in love.  As a spectator, it felt like the entire room melted away and all of the guests were given the unique gift of watching an intimate moment of unabashed love between a beautiful couple.  At the end of it all I have no doubt that all the women in the room (married or not) were in love with the groom-to-be...and all the guys that were there with dates were suddenly hating him for setting the bar so high.  :)

Love is a beautiful thing and I'm happy to have had the opportunity to witness so much of it this weekend!  xx

Movie Roulette

I used to go to the movies frequently...back in undergrad, it was almost a weekly thing with me and a few of my friends.  That's not the case anymore, but I do still enjoy a good cinematic experience.  Who doesn't?  (Actually, my friend, Damien, doesn't enjoy going to the movies and I find that to be quite odd...but I digress)

Typically for me, Sundays are frequently spent with family - most often it's just me and my parents since my brothers usually opt out of said family time (or simply have "better things" to do with their time).  Personally, I like having some routine in my life and Sunday family-time is one that I enjoy.  I appreciate it much more after having lived away from my family for so long.  Off track again...

Anyway, today, I went to see 'Date Night' with my parents.  (Yes, a little odd to go to a movie titled 'Date Night' with one's parents, but oh well!)  My parents (i.e., my mom) like to get to the theater early enough to catch "The Twenty" before the film.  Personally, unless it's a movie that's likely to be quite full, I see no reason to arrive 20 minutes early just to watch mostly commercials and an occasional "exclusive look" at what's likely to be a film I have no interest in seeing.  But I still show up early to keep Mom happy...

However, this is not a post about the movie I saw, what I thought of it, etc.  No.  This is a post about all the random people that you encounter at the theater.  In particular, those people that choose to sit near you.  As I mentioned, I arrive early when I'm seeing a flick with my folks.  As such, once we've settled into our seats, it's only a matter of time until the surrounding seats are filled by others...and that's what I like to call movie roulette.  You never know who you're going to get.  It could be the loud popcorn muncher, the guy/girl that fidgets nonstop (I've probably been guilty of that one from time to time), the person that thinks the "no phone calls or texting" rules don't apply to them, the guy that thought a hot dog was appropriate movie fare (that odor should not be introduced into an already suspect environment), or the worst of them all...the constant talker and/or loud laugher.

When you arrive early, you're leaving it to fate to decide who your closest movie-going companions will be.  Today?  Today, unfortunately, was the loud laugher.  I knew there was a potential problem on our hands when the pair of ladies that sat directly behind us were thoroughly enjoying a very non-funny preview.  Given that 'Date Night' is a comedy, my concerns were quickly validated just a few minutes into the film.  Yes, I get that it's a public theater and people are more than entitled to laugh...but if you're laughing so loud and for such an extended period of time that I can't hear the follow-up punchline, we've got a problem.  Such was the case today.  I lasted all of about 5 minutes into the film before getting up and moving over to the side seats to escape the relentless cackling behind me.  Does that demonstrate a lack of tolerance on my part?  Or a lack of manners/perception on theirs?  I'm not sure which it is.  But I do know that I enjoyed myself much more after swapping seats!

Yes, I'm doing nothing on a Saturday night

There's absolutely nothing wrong with quiet Saturday nights at home.  In fact, I quite like them from time to time.  Give me a couple good movies, some popcorn, and I'm all set.  Add some good company and that's even better.  Unfortunately, this Saturday evening isn't all that lovely.  The original plan was to head to St. Augustine to catch up with an old friend from Tally.  We haven't seen each other since my birthday weekend last year (a bit ridiculous really since we live less than an hour away from each other), and I was excited to see him and have a change of scenery for a night (let's face it...Jax can get pretty old pretty quick) but the tickle in my throat from last night evolved into a near-nonstop-cough-fest today.  Thus: no St. Augustine; no Brad; no drinks; nothing.  But my DVR is now entirely caught up with all TV shows (movies are an entirely different story since I still have a ton saved...oh, and WTF is going on on 'Lost'?!?).  Anyway, the emptier DVR marks at least one accomplishment for the day.

Originally, I had big plans of getting lots done today; that didn't happen (aside from the above DVR cleansing).  I took an afternoon nap and only ventured out of my house to pick up some grub from Chick-Fil-A (for the record, that's my favorite fast food place so I'd prefer to remain in ignorant bliss if you know of some terrible franchise health code violations or other such nonsense).  During said excursion, I took note of the multiple bounce houses set up outside my local Chick-Fil-A.  Let me just tell you, those kids were having an absolute blast!  I wanted to jump in there myself and bounce to my heart's content.  Alas, I did no such thing, but it got me to thinking about how much fun life is for kids.  Why do the majority of people let that fun slip away as they grow up?  Sure, there are times to be serious...but when it's not that time, why can't we all just have fun?!?

Give me random conversations about silly nothingness.  Give me laughter so intense that it makes it impossible to breathe.  Give me friendships that you just know will last forever.   Everything was so easy when we were younger.  Why does growing up have to be synonymous with stopping all the fun?  I don't think that it has to be that way.  Henceforth, I shall do my best to hold fast to the fun whenever possible.  Who's with me?

Giving back...

I'm not necessarily proud to admit this, but I'm also sure I'm not the only one that could make the following true statement: I live a very self-centered life most of the time.

I've been doing a lot of self-reflection lately and have realized that despite the many things that I would like to change about my life, or the things that I wish would happen...for the most part, I am a very fortunate, blessed person.  I'm healthy, have a good job, a roof over my head, live close to ALL of my immediate family, and have some phenomenal friends all over this lovely country of ours.  Yet I have the tendency to continue to want more.  To focus on the things I wish I could change or the things that I wish I could have instead of appreciating all that I've been given...all that I already have. 

In an effort to focus outside of my own little box for a change, tomorrow morning I'm going to be volunteering with HandsOn Jacksonville for their monthly beach clean-up in Jax beach.  While I'm not entirely excited about getting up so early on a Saturday morning, I am looking forward to doing something that will benefit others for a change.  I used to volunteer quite a bit through undergrad, but since then I've slipped away from that.  Tomorrow is the day that I give back...again!!!

Kids are weird!

So I got to witness some odd child behavior this past weekend when I was taking Oreo for a walk.  There are quite a few kids that live in my neighborhood, but for the most part they're not bad kids.  Weird though?  I'm thinking yes.  It was pretty windy on Saturday afternoon and one of the kids that lives across the street and a couple houses down was trying desperately to stack some empty aluminum cans into a triangle/pyramid.  Why?  I'm not sure...but Mother Nature had other plans for him; every time he'd get to the third level of his stack she would send a gust of wind to blow them all down.  After the 4th or 5th such failure, this kid had apparently had enough.  He let loose with this war cry type shout and started kicking the cans away in frustration.  And here is where it got highly amusing...

I could barely hold the laughter back when I saw him run back into his garage, only to return about 30 seconds later holding one of those foam gardening mats you can kneel on.  Following another shout of rage, he began to use the gardening mat to smash the cans into the sidewalk.  He kept running from can to can, ranting and raving the entire time, crushing cans beneath his mat of destruction.  It was hilarious.  When he finally smashed the last can he proceeded to throw the mat down to the ground with one final shout of rage and bent over, panting and trying to catch his breath.  I'm telling you...this kid was on a mission of vengeance!  And I loved every minute of it. :)

Happy birthday to ME!

Yes, I'll admit, it's definitely a little self-indulgent to dedicate a post to myself on my birthday.  But since no one else is going to do it, I figured I'd pick up the slack.  So here we go...this post is dedicated to an amazing, fabulous, wonderful woman...ME!  :)

I'm really not as excited about my birthday as this post might indicate - but I am definitely a fan of all things me so here we go.  (No, I'm really not "that girl"; I'm changing things for the sake of entertainment.  Sheesh!)

I was reminded over the last day or two how nice it is to receive something in the mail that isn't a bill, circular, magazine, or even something you bought for yourself online.  While those last mailings are indeed welcome, they DO come with a price tag and that's their big downfall.  But a true piece of mail that's just for you and just to brighten your day/wish you well/send some love, etc.?  Well that's some special stuff right there! And a big thank you goes out to the senders of said special stuff.  It's much appreciated!

My birthday celebrations have mellowed in the last couple years.  Coincidentally (or not so coincidentally since we all have to grow up sometime), the last big celebration was the "over the hill" party my friends threw for me on my 30th.  (Aren't they clever?)  My friend, Damien, and I used to have joint birthday parties during the law school and few-years-post-law-school heyday, but now that we live in different cities that tradition has ended.  (Sadface)  Today will instead be a day spent with family in the afternoon/early evening and then I'll meet up with some friends tonight for a few drinks and fun.  Plus, Lent is officially over so I can actually enjoy a soda again (cheers of delight abound).

Let's be honest...I never thought I'd be 32 and single...and I definitely never thought that the vast majority of men I meet and date would continue to be immature and unreliable...but hey, it is what it is.  All things in good time, right?  In the meantime, the rest of my life is pretty great.  And that, my friends, is all that matters.  As long as there's a smile on my face, I really can't complain.  Besides, smiles are free!!!  (My dad always taught me, "if it's free, it's for me" - so I'm sticking with that)

If you're in or around Jax tonight...come share a drink with me!  (Or more precisely, come HAVE a drink with me...I don't want to share...it's my birthday after all and I want my own drink...and in my humble opinion, you deserve your own drink too!)

Cheers! xoxo

Who needs sleep?

Between the last two nights, I'm working on about 8 1/2 hours of sleep...I fear I may be too old for such shenanigans!  I could still be sleeping if I wanted (clarification: if I could).  I'd like to be sleeping right now, but despite the fatigue, I seem unable to sleep past 8 or 8:30 on the weekends no matter how tired I might be.  Ridiculous, internal clock...how I loathe thee.

Last night was an "interesting" night.  After some "pre-partying" at my house (hooray for the tradition of Wii bowling before a night out) it was off to Caribbee Key for some live music and good company.  That's where things got, well, interesting.  That's truly the best word for it; I'm not trying to be redundant or simply lazy in not choosing another word.  'Interesting' works best.  I won't recap all of the bits of interestingness (spell check is trying to tell me that's not an actual word, but I disagree. Damn you, spell check!), but suffice to say INTERESTINGNESS existed in abundance last night!  At one point it was like we'd stepped into a time machine or something...a woman dressed straight out of Flashdance bellying up to the bar...another killing the ozone with what appeared to be an entire can of aerosol hairspray in the bathroom (I practically choked on the sticky, hairspray-saturated air in there)...like I said...time warp-y, trippy, [insert favorite adjective here].

And now...what to do today?  Seafood festival?  A day at the beach with a cooler o' beverages?  A quick trip to St. Augustine for the afternoon?  Who knows?!  The weather looks to be beautiful so there's no wrong choice so...I'll guess I'll leave it up to my weekend house guest to choose.  Enjoy your weekend!

Too quick!

That's how I feel this year is flying by...way too quick! It's already the end of February and it feels like it was just Christmas. Apparently I'm not the only one feeling that way though; I saw a pickup truck on Tuesday that still had its big red Christmas bow on the front of it. I thought to myself, "Really?!?" That guy was either really late taking down his truck's decorations...or he's just REALLY early. Either way though: no bueno.

Things have been going along well though. After yesterday, another batch of students made it through the bar exam - now the waiting game begins - and in a few short weeks we'll already be gearing up to prep the new batch of Spring graduates for the July bar. Yikes! With larger and larger classes graduating the workload continues to increase. We're hoping to hire 2 new people in our department in the near future to help with the workload and I have my fingers crossed. We definitely need the extra sets of hands!

Tonight I think I'm going to head out to Caribbee Key to see my brother's friend (I don't know him well enough yet to call him my friend), Alexander Seier, play for a little while. He's actually quite the talented musician - and a really nice guy to boot - so I'm looking forward to that. He has some of his own original work available on iTunes so if you get a chance to check him out, please do!

Have a great weekend!

Appreciated

Sometimes people feel as though they're working their tails off and not getting the recognition or appreciation they deserve.  Luckily I have a great boss...lately things have been crazy busy, hectic, somewhat stressful, etc. but on several occasions, even amidst all the chaos, my boss has taken the time to thank me for all my help and tell me I'm doing a great job.  And that appreciation from her is definitely appreciated by me.  It gives me the motivation to keep pushing through the tough stuff because I know it's not going unnoticed.

Still, it was time for a little change around here so last night I decided to change up my hair color again.  I've been a "mostly fake" blonde for a while now - so long that it's tough for me to really remember what my natural color is (something in the "mousy" light brown family).  So I've done a 180 and I'm a brunette again (with a touch of blonde highlights).  I've gotta say...I'm loving it!

Okay, time to get on the road to work. Have a great day, all!

Entertain me, please!

So Jacksonville is typically not a mecca for great entertainment opportunities, but this weekend was a welcome change of pace.  On Friday evening, I had a chance to see Dane Cook live at the Veteran's Memorial Arena.  I've enjoyed his comedy for years, but this is the first time I was able to see him perform in person.  While I'd heard a number of his bits before, I still thought it was a good time and I'm glad I had the chance to go.  Plus, I randomly ran into a guy I haven't seen in years there so chance encounters like that in a massive crowd are always fun.

Last night, I was back at the Arena (2 nights there in a row = rather unprecedented) to see John Mayer (and the tail end of the opening act, Michael Franti).  What a blast!  I'd heard mixed reviews on his live shows, but I really enjoyed it.  And while I hadn't heard a lot of his latest album, the show he put on was enough for me to "complete my album" on iTunes today...so I suppose he achieved his goal for at least one person in the audience.

One thing that I did find frustrating though happened after the Dane Cook show when I was exiting the venue with my brother and sister-in-law.  It was understandably crowded and we were like cattle being herded through the doors to our outdoor freedom.  Unfortunately, a number of smokers decided that it was a good idea to light up in the middle of said massive crowd before getting out of the main throng of people.  I don't know, I just find that incredibly rude.  The last thing I, as a non-smoker, want is to have some inconsiderate @sshole lighting up and blowing his smoke in my face because he couldn't wait a moment or two longer to get away from the crowd.  I wish I could say this was an isolated incident (Ha! Play on words since that's the title of Dane Cook's tour), but unfortunately I was unwillingly accosted by the smoke of not less than 3 different people while we tried to get past the crowd.

Other than that though, it was a great weekend - rounded out by some father-daughter bonding over an early dinner this afternoon.  I haven't had a chance to hang out with just my dad in a while and it was a lot of fun.  I find that I've remained quite the "daddy's girl!"  :)

Rubber chickens have rubber necks...

...but you know what else has rubber necks? Or at least rubberneckers?  Yep, that would be JTB on a morning when there is even the slightest of fender benders.  My morning commute was doubled today because of the fact that everyone felt compelled to slow to a near stop (and sometimes an actual stop) just because a few cars had failed to use proper highway safety and were in an accident.  Said accident did not appear to be major and there were no cars blocking any of the lanes of traffic.  This didn't stop everyone from crawling past and gawking at absolutely nothing of interest.

Pet peeves about driving in general:

1.  People that slow to gawk at accidents that are nothing more than a fender bender (obviously)- you're killing my commute!

2.  People that have not learned how to use a weaving lane - keep moving, people, and we'll all get where we need to go.

3.  People that text while they're driving - you're endangering the life of yourself, your passengers, and everyone else on the road...and let's face it...you're really not THAT important that it can't wait!

Okay, that's it for now. Here's to hoping tomorrow's commute is a normal one!

Taking a moment

It can be so easy to take things for granted.  When I was growing up in PA I used to be insanely jealous of my mom's side of the family who were all living in FL.  I thought it would be so amazing to live in "paradise" year-round...with the palm trees everywhere and the beach just a few minutes away it all just seemed so idyllic.  I've lived in Florida on and off since the summer of '97 and I have definitely come to take my location for granted.

Today was an ugly, overcast, cold (by Florida standards) day but it's still a whole lot better than what a lot of my friends in other states are dealing with.  I was on my way to meet my parents for dinner at a Mexican place down by the beach.  From my house, it's only about 5 miles to get to the beach.  Turning north on 1st street, I caught a glimpse of the ocean and found myself finally taking a moment to soak in my surroundings for a few seconds.  Sure, it definitely wasn't the perfect day to take a stroll along the sand, but it was still beautiful - overcast skies and all!

So my goal for the week: take a few moments each day to appreciate some of the little everyday things that I've come to take for granted...my favorable location, a good job, great family and friends, etc.  Hopefully this can become a habit for me.  We can all use some more focus on the positive things that surround us every day.

Reconnected

I've received a ton of forwarded, trite emails over the years telling me that "people come in and out of your life for a reason, don't be upset when they leave, blah blah blah."

Well sometimes people aren't meant to be gone forever and end up resurfacing at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected ways. Just last week my younger brother ran into a kid he went to grade school with while out at a bar here in Jax. They went to school together in PA! Small world...

Lately I've also had the opportunity to reconnect with some of my friends from my 2 years spent at Pitt. In particular, reconnecting with J has been a real treat. J is one of those people that always had a smile on his face, a kind word to say, and something downright hilarious to add no matter what the situation. When I transferred to UF after 2 years in Pittsburgh we lost touch. Finding each other after more than a decade? Craziness! What's awesome though is that when we had a chance to chat on the phone today for just a few minutes it was as though no time had passed at all. Now that's something really special. Of course we've both changed a bunch since back then, but deep down there's a lot that's the same. I really look forward to picking up our friendship where we left off years ago!

Saying goodbye

Pets are a wonderful addition to a home, but one of the bad things about these wonderful creatures is when they're taken from us.  Today, we were forced to say goodbye to our cock-a-poo, Curly.

Curly was an exceptional dog.  I got him when he was just a puppy, not long after moving to Florida.  Since he stayed with my parents while I was in school, he ended up staying there permanently because that was his home.  He always had the sweetest temperament and never met a person he didn't like.  His best friend was my parents' cat, Hubba Bubba (a senior citizen in his own right at 15 years old).  Often, dogs are more interested in exploring, playing, etc. than being around people...but  Curly was most content when he was sitting next to you being pet for as long as you would. 

He had a long (13 years) and happy life, but out of the blue yesterday he was struggling to use his hind legs and kept collapsing when he tried to walk.  He didn't appear to be in any pain and just had this confused look on his face because he wasn't sure why his legs weren't working.  I said my goodbyes to him last night in case things didn't go well at the vet today...and unfortunately they didn't.  The vet thinks that he ruptured a disk and said that his hind legs were mostly paralyzed.  About the only benefit to that was that he wasn't in any pain.  It was a difficult decision, but my mom decided it was time to say goodbye to Curly and she stayed with him in his final moments.

He will be remembered and forever loved...

Chorus

So last night I went to see 'A Chorus Line' with my Mom.  Initially I wasn't extremely excited about it, but I heard good things from a couple people at work so my interest was piqued.  The show is billed as "The best musical.  Ever."  Well...

Let me preface the following by saying that I enjoy the theater and musicals in general.  With that said, the above description of the show is some serious false advertising if you ask me.  For real.  You couldn't pay me to sit through it again.  The singing wasn't bad, but the dancing was mostly mediocre and the story line...OH! The story line! Terribly boring.  It was a struggle for me to stay awake - a challenge that proved too much for my Mom who decided to use the time to catch up on a few little cat naps.  I'm sure the elderly woman I was sitting next to (who was flying solo for the evening) was annoyed by my restless fidgeting by the end of the show.  But I couldn't help it!  All I could think about was how uncomfortable I was and how much I wanted the show to end.

Aside from 'Tits and Ass,' the only number in the show I semi-enjoyed was the reprise of 'One' at the end when all the players came out for their last song/dance/opportunity to bow.  I'm just not sure if I enjoyed it because I was entertained by it or simply because I knew it was the last thing I had to sit through before I could remove myself from the uncomfortable seat, get in my car, and go home.  In the words of my mother as we were exiting the venue, "THAT was a disappointment!"  I agree.

Back to the 80's

I was reading an article in Entertainment Weekly today about Pee-wee Herman's new stage show currently running at Club Nokia in L.A. through February 7th.  Seriously???  Is there really such a dearth of entertainment options that he was booked for an almost 4-week run?  I suppose anything is possible in Hollywood, but surely there have to be some better options.

I'm not saying that I never watched Pee-wee's Playhouse when I was a kid...but even then it was more of a morbid curiosity than anything else.  Frankly, sans illegal substance I'm not sure that show could possibly make sense.  The same could be said for 'Pee-wee's Big Adventure' - all that trouble just to get a bicycle back?

Anyway, that's all for today.  If you have any thoughts on Paul Reubens, feel free to share.

Hmm, TOO single?

Is it actually possible to be too single?  I put this out there for you to decide - but I personally think that it IS in fact possible to be "too single."  How do you know when you've attained that distinct level of singleness that's really too single?  One clear indication would have to be when your mother tells you she's been praying novenas for you to meet someone.  Yes, that's novenaS plural...apparently one wasn't cutting it so she went the multiple route.  For those of you that aren't Catholic, a novena is "a form of worship that consists of special prayers or services on nine consecutive days."  Lovely.  At the rate things have been going, my mom will be praying her consecutive novenas indefinitely.

If these novenas are successful though, I expect Mr. Right to come knocking on my door lickity split...that's how it works, right? Maybe one of the furniture delivery men yesterday was actually "the one" and I let him slip right through my fingers.  Shame on me.  Ha!  I love my mom, but she does some pretty amusing/crazy things sometimes.

Back to basics

A few years ago (back in the myspace heyday) I used to keep a blog...and there were actually people that read it! Getting some of my thoughts in writing became somewhat cathartic for me but I fell away from the practice when I abandoned that website. To that end, I've decided it's time to start writing again...and maybe people will actually check in from time to time for my perspective on things. I can't promise that my posts will be especially insightful all the time, but I'll do my best to keep them entertaining whenever possible.

Today's musing/query: what happened to the obligatory courtesy wave you're supposed to give when someone lets you go in front of them in heavy traffic? Seriously. I've been monitoring this situation for quite some time and I've noticed that very few people uphold the simple gesture that used to be the norm. I think I'm one of the few that do...at least here in Jacksonville. Sure, it may be difficult to see my wave through my tinted windows, but I always toss one to the good Samaritan that lets me squeeze into the flow of traffic. For me, there's nothing more frustrating than letting someone into traffic in front of you (when they've already been denied access by a half dozen cars in front of you) and they fail to even acknowledge your kindness.

Here's a suggestion for everyone...let's bring the courtesy wave back!!!