The Princess Awaits Test Track

The Adventurer's Club Is No More

All that remains is the building and a lone musician to entertain passers by.

Devine Spotted

This is actually the first time I've ever seen this performer. I've heard tons about her, and she is truly something to see. Chris' reaction? "She's pretty hot."

On Safari

Tusker House Has a Rodent Problem

Athena and Marcus reacted much better to the characters on this trip.

Tinkertoy Boy

View From the Fifth Floor of the Villas at Wilderness Lodge

We're here and unpacked. The view from our fifth floor room.

Glory, Hallelujah

SC I95 EXIT 8

Early Morning at the Hotel Before Continuing on to Disney

Early am @ the hotel.

The Crib

We are so loving this minivan.

Confusion

Athena insisted this was the proper way to use her travel pillow. We document it here for the upcoming instruction manual.

And We Shall Blog It, And It Shall Be Good. We Hope.

We leave to visit my main man, The Mouse, on Friday. We're taking Aiden's family with us as well. And a babysitter! YAY! I will post pics of our trip to The World as we live it to the best of my ability. I have many friends who live-blog, and their pictures always look so great. I think my camera on my phone is just kind of sub-par. But hopefully one or two will come out decent.

I am also hoping to make movies each day like I did last June, but the problem with that is that Vista and Windows MM have not been playing well together on my new laptop. We'll see if I can beat that issue, but for now, live blogging might be the best you can get from me.

I am battling a cold at the moment. Although I would rather have the cold now than on vacation, I am finding it hampers my ability to accomplish the bajillion things needing accomplishing before we go. Tomorrow night, we face laundry, packing, and cleaning out my car. Friday morning, the car will get a bath and I will get a mani/pedi (a vacation tradition). We're hitting the road about 1pm. The photos should start appearing around then. I'm sure 10 hours in the car (split over two days) will provide enough interesting fodder to keep you checking back.

Maybe.

Probably not. But at least I'll have pics uploaded when I get back!

Before Ballet Class

Athena has taken to "modeling" whenever we take her picture. She does coy, over-the-shoulder looks and she poses her arms funny. She thinks she is being pretty. Sometimes, the photo comes out quite well. But more often, she just looks a bit silly... like here.

Stormy the Ice Hog. For reals.

Warm-ups!

Some Library Humor

One of my colleagues directed me to this about a month ago, and I'm just now getting around to posting it. Welcome to my world...

Family Values

Today, Athena went shopping with me at the local warehouse store. As we were leaving, she noticed a young man with dreds pulled back in a ponytail. She commented to me, "Mommy, he has a ponytail!"

"Yes, he does, honey!"

"But boys can't have ponytails! That's silly!"

At this point, I explained to her that boys can have long hair OR short hair... whatever they prefer. Just like girls can have long or short hair.

She thought about this, and started noticing people around us... how they all had different lengths of hair. Somehow, this led into some musings on how to tell boys and girls apart. This transitioned into a conversation that I've been waiting for... but not the conversation you THINK it turned into.

She said something about how people always have a mommy AND a daddy. I told her that actually, sometimes people have two mommies or two daddies. And some people only have a mommy or a daddy. All of those different families are still families... but they all love each other just as much.

She said, "Yes. I have a mommy and a daddy though."

"Yes, you do."

"And you love me."

"I love you so much."

"All mommies and daddies love their kids."

"Yes. All kinds of families all love each other."

"I love you, Mommy."

"I love you too, sweetie."

Some Tidbits From My Day

(Overheard at a meeting to determine the nominees for the Wake Reads Together Program this year)
Librarian 1: So what is the theme that ties these two books (Year of Wonders and Fever 1793) together?
Librarian 2: Death
Librarian 3: Death after long and horrible suffering
Librarian 1: So, is that really programmable?
Librarian 4: We could have a mortician show the kids how to make a body look good after being ravaged by disease!
Librarian 1: Right. Moving on...


(Overheard in the car on the way home)
Athena: MOooooooooooooooooom! I dropped my CRACKER!
ME: We'll get it when we get home.
Athena: I can't reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeach it!
ME: When we get home!
Athena: Can we stop so I can unbuckle and get it?
ME: No.
Athena: *sigh* I wish I had a flying cracker.


(Overheard at Dinner)
Marcus: *Pointing at his mashed potatoes* Dangerous!


UPGRADE: Athena's bed time music selection includes These Boots Are Made for Walkin'!
DOWNGRADE: It's the Antonio Banderas version from Shrek. So much for Grrrl Power.

Now I KNOW the Economy Is Bad

I treat myself every so often to a lunch of fried shrimp and hushpuppies at a local restaurant here in Apex. They have won recognition in particular for their fish sandwich. It has been honored in several local publications as a "Best Value" because it's huge and cheap. Their shrimp is also a decent value... $7.99 for about 14 medium shrimp with a pile o' fries and three hushpuppies, plus a soda.

They have a self-serve soda fountain, but they have always had an annoying sign on it that said "Refills are only for dining in the restaurant," which made me wonder if they really had a problem with people coming in off the street (this is near a highway intersection... not a pedestrian area) and filling up their mugs with Pepsi products. But whatever. I would drink my drink in the restaurant, then refill, put a lid on the cup, and take the soda back to work with me to hold me through the afternoon. My conscious is clear. I don't see this as soda abuse.

So I went back yesterday for the first time in several weeks. I placed my order, and they handed me a cup that was HALF the size of the ones they used to have. Probably a 12 oz. cup. I looked at it and said, "I think this is the wrong size cup." He said, "It's the only size we have. It's right." And I could tell from his voice that he had answered this question a million times... and I knew what had happened. Apparently, the owner has decided to cut costs, and he thinks the soda is what is doing him in. Well... that and the hushpuppies, which were half the size THEY used to be. And the cocktail sauce, which was in the same size little ramekin, but it was only half full. And they used to give you TWO ramekins, but I was only offered one.

I was pleased that I didn't seem to be getting less shrimp or fries. But I have to wonder. Does he really think those items are affecting his bottom line that much?

Past, Present, and Future

Forgive me... this may ramble a bit.

Facebook has put me in touch with some people from my past who, in many cases, I had never expected to hear from again. It has made me reflect a great deal on my past lately--who I really am, and how I became that person. I've often wondered if I made good decisions in my life, and if those decisions really led me down the right path. Honestly, more often I've wondered how I got so freaking lucky that I DID make the right decisions, and I didn't end up married to evil emotionally destructive boyfriend from my mid-twenties or Navy guy from my college days. And I really love looking back at events in my life and seeing how they shape decisions I make today.

It takes many women a long time to come to terms with who they are and actually love themselves. I've been fortunate, in that I've been surrounded my whole life by friends who are supportive and real. I have managed to avoid a large amount of backstabbing, catfighting, and mudwrestling. (Sorry... but I wanted to be sure my male readers were still with me).

Anyway, as I reconnect with people who I have known for a TERRIBLY long time... who knew me before I learned to love myself and before I had really formed my own identity... I am amazed at how well they actually do know me. My inner core really hasn't changed that much. And as I am prodded to remember a moment from first grade (which I still remember SO clearly it's frightening)... just one moment when I first met someone... I marvel at how I can recall my little six-year-old mind processing what was happening, and my ability to realize that this person I was meeting... this was a good person. And this person would mean something to me later in my life. Even though I had no concept of what my life would be.

I see it in my kids too. I see their inner core. I watch them process new information and explore the world to figure out where they fit in. It's magical. And the perspective it gives on my own life... it's hard to explain. I am so excited to see what they choose. I'm fearful, yes, but I see their hearts right now... their true selves. And I love what I see. With hearts like theirs, I know it is all going to be just fine.

And Then One Day It Happened

Athena was put under a fair amount of pressure to move up to her big girl bed. We did everything we could to make it enticing. Painted the walls purple... got a new bedroom set... the list goes on. But it was several months after the room was completed (about five) before she finally said she wanted to go there. Now, she was between 18 months and 2 years old at the time. But we needed her to make the change to free up the crib for Young MC. He was born in March, and she moved into her bed around May. Fortunately, it was just before we really felt we had to put Mr. Man in his own room. So everything went swimmingly, and both kids loved their new digs.

Marcus is now approaching 2 1/2, and until last night, he showed no interest in the toddler bed we assembled opposite his crib in his room about six months ago. He is a burrower... loves to be snuggled down in many blankets and with every stuffed animal he possesses (which is a truckload, I assure you). He has not really attempted to climb out of the crib except once or twice when he was feeling particularly brave, bold, and not-so-bright.

Then, last night, out of nowhere, he told Daddy he wanted to sleep in his big boy bed. And that was that. I suspect that Seneca, our babysitter, had been talking to him about it earlier that day because I noticed a lot of his stuff was already moved over there. But sure enough, he hunkered down and slept... almost all night.

He got up at 4am and wandered toward our room. Unfortunately for him, he left his toy broom in the floor and tripped on it, causing himself great pain. I only wish that the cause/effect lesson would sink in, but I'm sure he will leave it lying out tonight too. The funny thing is, since I never think that Marcus might be walking the halls at night, I assumed it was Athena. I went in to offer to get some cough medicine for the awake one, and almost barged into Athena's room thinking that's where Daddy was doing all the comforting. Fortunately, Chris appeared just before I made that error and we avoided having TWO sleepy but awake and grumpy children.

So now we start talking about converting the crib into a bed, and buying a mattress and boxspring. Right after I had the A/C repaired today. And we still have to deal with the roof and subsequent interior repairs.

Perhaps I should have taken that other job. *sigh*

Twinkle Toes

Athena had her first ballet class today. I was hoping to post millions of pictures of little 4 and 5 year-olds in pretty pink ballet dresses and tights and shoes, but alas. I carefully chose a "serious" ballet school where Athena could learn really good technique and form, and they frown on parents ooohing and aaahing over the wee ones. The windows all had sheer drapes on them so we really couldn't see in very well. Many times, I wasn't even sure which kid was mine.

She will not normally take class on Wednesdays. Today was a make-up day for last Saturday. This "serious" ballet school apparently got scared of the rain that fell because of Hanna, so they cancelled morning classes. It's kind of too bad too, because Athena really liked this teacher. If it turns out that she doesn't like the Saturday instructor, I will probably move her to the Tuesday morning class... same instructor as Wednesday.

I didn't get to see everything they did, but she learned to plie... they went through all the foot positions, and she walked with a beanbag balanced on her head. Well, it was balanced MOST of the time.

I was overjoyed to see her enjoy the class. When I asked her what her favorite part was, without hesitating, she responded, "All of it!"

Now I just have to get myself back into it. Still need to shed some more weight before considering it though. I like my knees just the way they are, thank you very much. No need to go and tear them up.

The Roof, The Roof...

Our roof is leaking. It's 4:43 am. It was 4am when I heard the water coming in.

It's a small leak thus far... two places where water is coming into the upstairs area. Water damage to the plaster. Can't see where it's coming in though. We went into the attic... see no point of entry.

Called insurance company. Called roofer. Can't sleep. Drip... drip... drip...

Ah, Hurricane Hanna. You shall be remembered.

Fangs for the Memories!

My new choppers! Had them made this morning. Scared?

Off to Dragon*Con

I'm leaving for Dragon*Con in the morning with a coworker. I'm hoping she will blog with me here as we need to do a staff training when we get back covering what we learn at the conference. Some of what we learn will of course be literature geek stuff. But some will be more interesting to the world at large... like what movie stars were there!

I'll try to post regularly throughout the con, but didn't want to take up space here since many of you who read this won't care. But head over to the other blog over the next five days to see what we see if you are one of the few who are.

Experiment with Mobile Blogging

Well, I sent this picture from my phone then came back in and edited it. The first post was rough because Verizon tacks on an add, but it looks like this might be successful!

Life... In a Nutshell

The past few months have been rather tumultuous for me. I've made some rather large, life-altering decisions and I've been building some new friendships at the same time. This is, of course, exhausting work for introverted little old me, but it does feel good to be taking some risks and putting myself out there. I wasn't blogging so much when I first became a mom, although Chris does have some of my writing from that time archived somewhere. Still, the point is, it wasn't an easy transition for me. I am way more comfortable in my own skin with no responsibility for taking care of the skin (or any other parts) of others. So there were many days in those first few months of Athena's life where I wept in mourning for my old life.

I think all the mid-life crisising and changing going on in my life now is a result of the shift I'm seeing in my children. We are moving into the part of their life where they don't need me to do every little thing for them. Athena finally seems to be getting the whole potty thing (although we aren't done there yet) and even Marcus is showing very promising signs of being trained soon. Athena sometimes helps Young MC put on his shoes and he is trying to dress himself, sometimes quite successfully. Athena even mastered buckling her own seatbelt the other day, which I KNOW she has been able to do, but she has been stubbornly refusing to do it. Suddently, that is all better. And I am seeking to reclaim some of what I was before... the actress, the dancer, the traveler.

I know I should be a little sad that the baby years are over, and I suppose if you insist, I will tell you that I do miss them a little. I look back at the pictures and remember the feeling of that warm, snuggly baby sleeping in my arms. But then I also remember that said baby kept ME from sleeping and I sort of, you know... get over it.

Because of my job and my personality, Chris is the de facto parent in charge. I am capable of parenting, but he gets the bulk of that work because he is more patient than I and because, let's face it, he's here more than I am. My share of the work tends to fall on keeping the household running and making sure there is food on the table. I've been shirking my duties of late because the turmoil in my life (mid-life psychoses, writing performance evaluations, making friends, and dealing with infecting body piercings all factor in here) has been so distracting and exhausting. I spent a good deal of Monday afternoon (which I had off work) just stumbling around the messy, chore-filled house trying to figure out where to start.

So today, I am working another half day. Tomorrow, I am heading to Atlanta for Dragon*Con. I am really hoping that this afternoon I can get a little accomplished at home so I don't feel like such a slug. The infection is treated and only a little irritation is left. My abdomen still has to recover a bit from the antibiotics, but that's not bad. I should have enough stability now to move forward.

I hope...

Hazards of Mid-Life Crises

Well, wouldn't you know it? About two days before I hit the 30 day mark on my piercing, I get the beginning of what would soon become a nasty little infection. Very few piercings result in infection. Unfortunately, belly piercings are more likely than most (although obviously there are piercings in more ... um... hard to clean areas that get infected a lot too). And double-unfortunately, mine has become one of them.

Over the weekend, I started getting some twinges of pain that told me something was wrong, but the piercing has been a little angry ever since I got it, so I figured it was just that. A little redness... no biggie.

By Tuesday, the ooze had begun. This is totally just as gross as it sounds. When I first got pierced, I was told that there would be some oozing initially and to just keep cleaning it. I was pleased to find that I had no oozing at all. I took this as a good sign! Apparently, I was wrong.

So anyway, on Tuesday, I called the piercing place and told them my plight. I described the situation, and they asked me to come in. Needed to see it first hand before making any sort of judgement.

I went in, and they agreed that it was not (yet) an infection, but had potential. Oh yeah, my overachieving white blood cells... gotta love 'em! Anyway, they changed out my nice sparkly jewelry for a plain, longer barbell to accomodate the swelling, gave me instructions for a salt soak (three times a day for ten minutes a pop) and sent me on my way.

I began my soaks, and found the easiest way to do them was in a nice tub of warm water. Wednesday night, when I finished my soak and pulled the drain on the tub, I stood up only to hear a distinct *ting* on the tub floor. I looked down, and there was the barbell, with no closure. The other ball on the bar had apparently immediately gone down the drain. Dammit.

This early into the piercing (up to three months), they suggest that you come in to have them change out the jewelry, so even if I had wanted to do it myself, I really needed to have them do it. Just looking down at the oozy hole was enough to convince me there was no WAY I was going to do it, and so I got dressed, jumped in the car, and headed into town.

When I got there, someone was getting her nipple ring changed out. It was not someone I really wanted to see get a nipple ring changed, but it was interesting nonetheless. Then it was my turn. He cleaned the wound, replaced the barbell with a new ball and sent me on my way. And oh, there was pain and discomfort, my friends.

They told me to come back today so they could look at it and be sure it wasn't becoming an infection. I headed in thinking that I was feeling much better actually, and the salt soaks really seem to be working. This demonstrates how unrealistic I am. He looked at it, took the barbell out, did some squeezing, and declared my piercing officially infected. JOY!

Because he is holistic, he recommended continuing the salt soaks for another 24 hours before resorting to evil antibiotics. I did actually consider this. But that would mean that if the salt soaks did NOT work, I would be going to Urgent Care on a Sunday morning before I had to be at work. Not cool. So I sort of flipped a coin.

I left a message for my doctor's nurse with details of my situation and requested that she call in a prescription for me. If she needed me to come in first, well... I couldn't do that as I was in meetings the rest of the day. I'd opt for Urgent Care on Sunday and go forth with my hippie salt soaks. She called me back quickly and said, "No worries... I'll call it in."

So now I have a Z-Pac. And I'm looking forward to being infection-free within 72 hours. Sure, I feel bad that I cheated a bit. I know antibiotics aren't great for me in the long run. But seriously. Did I mention the ooze? This totally needs to go away. Now.

Bear With Me

Sorry, guys! I'm still here. I've been writing performance evals at work and that has pretty much used up all my writing energy. I'll try to catch you up on the goings on over the next few days.

Not tonight though. My piercing has gotten very angry... almost to the point of infection... and it has me feeling a bit out of sorts. But soon! Once the long salt rinses have had more time to work. :-)

Everybody Cha-Cha!

My friend Jen is considering joining my gym, so Monday night, I brought her along to a class of her choosing. This is the first time I've taken a class in about a year. I love their Hip-Hop class on Thursday nights and intend to restart, but I haven't taken any other classes. Jen also would have chosen Hip-Hop, but she is currently working Thursday nights. So instead, we picked Latin Fusion. Class is Mondays at 7, which is actually a very good time for me to take a class.

We got there super early in anticipation of her being assaulted by a "Member Consultant" to pressure her to join. However, as luck would have it, none were available. So instead, we sat outside the studio for thirty minutes gossiping, which is of course what going to the gym with a friend is all about.

We were both fairly certain the class would kick our butts. Both of us have a dance background, but for me at least, that background is pretty far back. Ten years now. However, as class started, I realized that I did, indeed, have enough basic coordination to do the moves pretty well. We were also fortunate that the class wasn't very crowded. Many of the classes are almost unpleasantly cramped, since the gym is so large, but not this one. So we had some freedom to spread out and, if necessary, accidentally go left when the instructor says to go right.

So about fifteen minutes into the class, she and I were both thinking... this is awesome! Fun! We should find some salsa dancing when we are at DisneyWorld in December! Then about fifteen minutes later, we were like... uh... when did our heart rates get to be about 200? Salsa dancing? What was I thinking? Salsa is for chips!

But at the end of the class, we both agreed it was a great one. I couldn't do a lot of the ab work at the end due to my still-healing piercing (no crunches until mid-October), and I felt a bit fortunate for that as I watched Jen get through the set. Still, I'm sure it will pay off.

My plan now is to continue going every other day, and just incorporate the classes in as the day comes up... so this week Latin Fusion on Monday, next week, Hip-Hop on Thursday. The rest of the time, continue the treadmill and the weights. Again, the weight isn't dropping off as much as I would like, but I see huge improvements, both in my measurements and in my energy level. And really, as long as I look and feel healthy, I really don't care too much about how much I weigh.

Overheard at My House

Chris had hockey the other night... his last game of the season. He was up for Highest Points in the League. And he was playing the team with the other guys who were closest to catching up. But he had a good lead, and all they had to do was keep the top guys from getting lots of points as individuals.

They did manage to do that... but just barely. And they lost terribly. So Chris was feeling a bit dejected, but okay. He finished telling me about the game, then went to take a shower. Upon exiting the shower, we had the following conversation:

Me: Feeling better

Chris: Somewhat. I'm cleaner at least.

Me: True. And you know what they say. Cleanliness is next to...

*dramatic pause*

In Unison (because I have lived with this man long enough to know...): Me.

Here Comes the Hotness

I've been going to the gym every other day for just over a month now. Even though I haven't shed a lot of pounds, my shape has definitely changed for the better. Tonight, I decided to put it to the test.

I went to my closet and pulled "it" out. For some women, it's that pair of perfect jeans that they can only really wear when they are at their favorite weight. For some, it's a slinky black dress. For me... it's the red sparkly shirt.

I bought this shirt in San Francisco in May of 2005. It was on sale at BCBG for $100. I had to have it. I kept walking away from it and coming back to it. I mean... it's red. (gimme) It's sparkly. (gimme) It's a halter shirt. (whoa, nelly! The "ladies" cannot really "do" halters.) So I tried it on. This was about a year after I had Athena and I was still pretty skinny from nursing. I'd put a little back on, but not all of it. I looked awesome. Seriously. So I bought it.

Then I got knocked up. Fortunately, everyone loves a pregnant belly nowadays, and the shirt is stretchy, so I wore it for the Annual Caran Holiday Party. No. I didn't wear it. I rocked it. I totally LOVE this shirt.

Then Young MC came along and the pudge could not do "the shirt" justice. I had to put it away. Tonight, I pulled it out. I told Chris I just wanted to try it... to see how far I had to go. I want to wear it at the next Annual Holiday party (not until January), and maybe on a vacation or two before that if I can pull it off.

I put it on. Chris' eyes bugged out. In a good way. Like, in the "Look at that hot chick from Battlestar Galactica wearing nothing but a thong" kind of way.

It's going to Dragon*Con with me in a few weeks. It's going to Disney with me in October. It's going everywhere with me if there is even the slightest possibility I can dress up. I would wear this shirt every day if I could. I am so freaking happy right now that I have my red shirt back. WOOT!

Books and Meme

Jumping on the Jessey Bandwagon!

I resisted the STRONG temptation to make comments… especially when technically some works are named twice. (Last time I checked, Hamlet was included in the Complete Works of William Shakespeare.)

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you love.
4) Strike out the books you have no intention of ever reading, or were forced to read at school and hated.
5) Reprint this list in your own blog.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 The Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma- Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte's Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

I Rest My Case

It's not that I don't like housework. I'm just doing what's best for my kids.

Overly Clean Homes May Up Risk of Bowel Disease

Quest For the Hotness: Mile Marker Three

Happy Birthday, Harry Potter! And here we are at Mile Marker Three.

So, at first glance, it would seem that the quest is a total failure. Today, I weighed in at 206. My goal for this day was 190. But I'm not discouraged. Here's why...

I haven't been watching my food intake. At all. I've been eating and drinking what I please. I am trying not to eat when I'm not hungry, and I've been doing a little portion control... but only a little. For the most part, I've been eating like a normal person. With a little stress eating thrown in... particularly during that whole "decision week."

The reason I've lost weight at all (on the 7th I was 208) is my slavish devotion to the gym. Ever since July 5, I have been to the gym every other day, with only two exceptions. Both times I made exceptions, it was because I simply couldn't get there on that day... no matter how I rearranged my schedule. Once we were completely out of town.

So each visit to the gym means 30 minutes on the treadmill and almost always at least a little time on the machines. Unfortunately, my piercing (yes... it's mine) means I had to eliminate crunches from my workout until mid-October when it is considered completely healed. I had gotten up to 100. So, my piercing still rests on a slightly flabby belly. But if I can keep this up, and maybe even do better with food, that won't be an issue for too long.

Historically, I've always lost my belly fat first, but I think after two children it won't be so easy. Another reason I'm not discouraged is that several people have said that it looks like I've lost weight. And that's really what matters, right?

So damn the torpedos, man! Full speed ahead!

For Those Who Thought Libraries Were Boring...

Okay, okay... laugh all you want at the Wizard Rock concept. But take a minute to look at this. For anyone who worries that kids don't think reading and libraries are cool, this will prove you wrong. For anyone that thinks that there is nothing more awesome than seeing a bunch of people jumping around having a good time without any controlled or illegal substances... you will love this. Personally, I just think it's neato.

Of Bats and Big Decisions

Today was a big day.

First, I got a haircut. It's cute. Too bad it will never look this good again, since my hairdresser won't come do my hair every morning. I sure wish I had a hairdresser at my beck and call. That'd be sweet.

Anyway, then I went home and sent an email to decline the job offer. Yep, I turned down lots of money to continue on as a public servant. And I feel good about that.

Ten minutes after I sent the email, I got a call from work. A bat had flown into the library. Yes, a bat. (My theory is movie promotion, but what do I know?) Animal Control and the police were there, but they really wanted to talk to a manager. There wasn't one to be found. Could I come in early?

Abso-freaking-lutely I can. You don't get bat extermination in the corporate world. They can't deal with the elevators.

Is this a sign?

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

After years of staying in contact with my former employer (from my pre-blogging days), something I never REALLY thought would happen has happened. In quite a whirlwind move, I have been offered a job. Technically, it's my old job... or a piece of it, plus a new job... well... new to me. These have been mushed together to match my skill set really nicely.

Some history: My old job was in corporate America, but working in the field of Library Science... namely large computer databases. We're talking REALLY large. More than 14 terabytes of information, and a lot of it really expensive stuff. Patents, trademarks, drug pipelines, market research, blah, blah, blah.

I was really good at my first job there, so in a year, they promoted me. But they couldn't replace the old me... so I was essentially doing two jobs. Then, I was doing that so well, they promoted me again. But guess what! They couldn't replace me... so I was doing three jobs. After a year of this, I cried uncle and up and left. I was eight months pregnant at the time, and I just couldn't keep doing that. That's when I came to the public library.

I've been here for four years now. It has it's ups and downs, but I do like it. So now, I have to decide.

My old company offered me a lot of money. Around 20K more a year -- more if the bonuses come through. Serious money. Think of all the debt we could clear...

It's also a 9-5 job. No weekends. No nights. With the exception of when there are tight deadlines. And it's possible that would happen frequently, knowing some of their clients.

I'd also be giving up the cushy government benefits. Health care at both jobs lines up for the most part... but the biggie is retirement. The state is going to give me a pension PLUS pay my health care when I retire, assuming I stick it out another 26 years. Corporate America won't do that. In fact, government won't even do that anymore. If I leave and come back... those health care benefits go away.

So... money now? Or money later? Risk corporate ups and downs in a bad economy? Or stay with a government job? Work a regular schedule or continue to work some nights and weekends? Both jobs offer intellectual stimulation, but the library work offers more physical activity... which I might not alway like, but I certainly need.

I have until tomorrow to decide.

Chris and I spent more than an hour last night debating the right thing to do and came to no solid conclusion.

Tonight, I believe Mr. Jack Daniels and I will have to work this out.

A Mysterious Belly

Oh, my! Look at what someone did today! Who could this belly belong to?

Yucky Cavities

Athena had to have three cavities filled today. Yeah, yeah... bad parents... blah blah blah. For the record, the dentist said that it was clear the cavities were caused in part by weak enamel, which is not bad parenting, but bad genetics. Related, but not the same.

We had to be there at 7am, which in and of itself, sucked. But she was excited to be headed out on an adventure, mainly because she had no idea what was in store. (Muahahahahahaaaaaaa)

They gave her a cocktail that helped her relax (made her drunk as a skunk) and then they kicked us out of the operating area. We heard the screams from the novacaine shots (mommy isn't cool with those either, so I was on her side), and then she was fairly quiet for the rest.

She was pretty doped up and was seeing double on our way home. It was, I am a little ashamed to admit, quite amusing. She also had a couple of freakouts... mainly caused by the drugs. My favorite was as she was leaving the office, when she became hysterical because the "goody bag" they gave her was not COMPLETELY full of toys and crap. That was awesome. Warmed the cockles of my heart with her selflessness, that did.

Within a couple of hours, she was back to her normal self. Chris spent the whole day with her, and she apparently ate constantly. Mostly crap too, which should be great for further cavity development. Fortunately, the ordeal is over for now. Let's hope she's willing to go back for her normal cleaning in September. They say she won't remember much of the morning. Here's hoping!

I Have a Place Where Dreams Are Born...

I have a place where dreams are born
Where time is never planned
It's not on any chart
You must find it with your heart
Never, Never Land

When I was 7, my father basically forced me to watch My Fair Lady on television with him. I say forced, because he basically said, "Just try it for a bit, honey. See if you like it." Within two minutes, I was glued to the screen. I then proceeded to listen to the soundtrack over and over for a year.

Did I get sick of it? No. But what happened a year later that made me stop listening? I saw Sandy Duncan play Peter Pan on Broadway. My first Broadway show. She flew right over my head. And at that point, the Peter Pan soundtrack never left my turntable. It became my standard homework background music for most of elementary school. Even in fifth grade, when one of my babysitters introduced me to pop music (mom and dad weren't hip like that), I still had those show tunes in rotation. It began a whole lifestyle for me... one that I pretty much put aside when I got married.

Today, I took Athena (and Chris) to see this show that started it all for me. Athena has been to the theater once before, when we were fortunate enough to be given tickets for the touring company of The Lion King. She did really well, which was an extra shock because it was an 8pm show. However, the pageantry of that show alone is enough to engage her, and when you add the African beat and harmony, you really can't fall asleep or complain.

Before we left for the theater, I prepped her with all the theater etiquette I could. She wanted to bring her "Jingle Bear" toy, which I refused to allow since he ... well... jingles. She wore a new dress (not as dressy as I would have liked, but it's my fault for timing the distribution of the new stuff so badly). Grandma came at 11:30 to look after Marcus and we piled in the car to head downtown.

We picked up Aiden and Kathryn on the way and had lunch downtown. We ended up getting to the theater way too early, but it was fine. Both kids were enthralled, although Athena, the skeptic herself, noted right away that 1) Peter Pan was a girl and 2) she was "flying on a string." *sigh* I guess she didn't get her mother's ability to suspend disbelief.

Anyway, the kids were well behaved AND Athena didn't even have an accident. All day. I am about 80 times more excited about that than her sitting through the show. Which was very well done and enjoyable. It was good to get back to the theater. Chris even enjoyed it.

Although I'm guessing that had as much to do with Tiger Lily's smokin' hot body than with the rest of the show...

Quest For the Hotness: Mile Marker Two

I forgot to weigh in on Monday, Amy's birthday, so I did it on Tuesday. Didn't really matter, since the holiday weekend was filled with Bratwurst, tortilla chips, and stress-eating. My goal for this day was 200. I weighed in at 208, which is three pounds heavier than my LAST goal weight. So... time to rededicate.

Starting Saturday, I've been to the gym faithfully every other day. I should have no trouble going again Friday, but Sunday will be a bit of a challenge, as we have a pretty full day planned. Still, if I miss Sunday and have to put it off until Monday, that won't be so bad. Once every third day is still better than never. But, I'm really trying to force myself into the every-other-day habit... no slacking. Otherwise, I'll just slack completely.

My next mile marker is July 31, Harry Potter's birthday. My goal for that day is 190. I sincerely doubt I'll be able to knock off 18 pounds by the end of the month... I'm not sure that would be super healthy, but if I can get down below 200 I'd sure be happy.

Rain Can't Stop the Wrock

First, for all of you out-of-touch people out there who have not heard, there is a music craze sweeping the nation. Fans mostly consist of 11-15 year-old girls, but as the New Kids on the Block can tell you, that is an excellent fan base to have.

It's called "Wizard Rock" or "Wrock" for short, and it basically started with a couple of brothers writing Harry Potter-inspired music and playing it for their friends. They are now known as Harry and the Potters, and they are quite popular indeed, recently playing a show at the famous Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill as part of their national tour.

Down the road from Harry and the Potters, two other brothers (okay, half-brothers technically) started up a kind of parody band as the arch-nemesis to their buddies' band, calling themselves, naturally, Draco and the Malfoys. And thus began the huge explosion of Wrock bands all over the country.

My library was fortunate enough to host four of the top Wrock bands in the country this weekend as a stop on their summer tour, including the aforementioned Draco and the Malfoys. Lindsey Dunn, a mighty fine Young Adult Librarian I am fortunate enough to have on my staff, contacted the band more than two years ago and asked them to make a stop here on their next tour. They emailed back and said they would love to play here, and they would be in touch.

Long story short, they emailed about four months ago and said, "Hey! We can be there on July 6th between a show in Virginia and a show in Atlanta." Despite the fact that the date was on a holiday weekend and smack in the middle of Lindsey's vacation, she said, in essence, "Bring it." And bring it they did.

Their tour includes themselves, plus Justin Finch-Fletchley and the Sugar Quills, The Whomping Willows, and The Remus Lupins. So Lindsey kicked into high gear to ensure this was the best program in our library's history. She got a sponsor to pay for them to be here. She got on the phone to find out how if we could get special permits to allow more people in our building for a special event. We couldn't. So she found out how we could get a stage set up outside and somehow convinced the musicians that early July in North Carolina "really isn't so bad."

After lots more coordination with other county departments, the plan was set and the big day arrived. Due to her careful planning and the assistance of several other staff members, every detail was thought out and accounted for. And that was a really good thing when, at 6:15 pm, about an hour and a quarter into the show, one of North Carolina's world famous lightning storms descended upon us.

For safety reasons, the band could not simply play through the storm. Electrocuting people in our parking lot is generally frowned upon by upper management, and no one wanted to clean it up, besides. So we started letting people into the building while the band tried to figure out what they would do. Getting their equipment inside was out of the question. We had given out rain tickets for the first people who arrived... up to the number we are allowed in the main part of the building. As I expected, many people simply chose to pack up and go. At our highest count outside, we had about 250 people watching the bands. We only had room for 130 inside, once you also factored in our staff and sponsor's staff. But we do have a few side rooms that gave us a little more space, so we put people in those two rooms, explaining that they were there as shelter, and they may not be able to see the rest of the show from there.

As it turned out, once everyone was out of the parking lot, only a little more than half of the people with tickets were in the main room, which gave us enough leeway to empty out our side rooms. Our sponsors seemed to be less than happy that we had to constantly be counting bodies and were possibly going to turn people away, but laws is laws, folks, and the two sheriffs deputies there were not about to cut me any slack on this one.

In what I feel was remarkable time, we were back up and running again by 7pm. The sponsor has his own little Wrock band, and they entertained the crowd while our headliners moved in what they called a "Violent Femmes" array of equipment... a bass and amp, two acoustics, and a snare drum. No mics. The Whomping Willows finished out their set, which Mother Nature had so rudely (and dramatically) interrupted, and we proceeded with a very "unplugged" session. In fact, Draco and the Malfoys really got into it by tossing out their playlist and taking requests only.

One of my biggest concerns was that the crowd would simply trash the library, having been granted practically free reign to do so. But instead, as the picture below attests, they actually sat down in a more orderly fashion than any storytime group we've ever had in the library.



They sang along, danced when prompted, but only in a very polite, orderly fashion, and when the concert was over (and MAN it was surprisingly good!), they hung out for only 15 or 20 minutes to buy merch and have the band sign stuff. In fact, the hardest folks to push out the door were the musicians. They are a totally awesome, friendly group of guys, and they were acting like they were going to hang out all night. Fortunately, this gave us a chance to get this picture:



Eventually, they did head out to the pavillion to break down their stuff. As they were doing so, they told us, with what I feel was sincere honesty, that this was the most fun concert they had yet to play. The chaos, the unpredictability, and the REALLY fantastic audience made it work for them. And me. Don't tell, but I've been listening to some of their stuff now. shhhhhhhhhh

Wall-E Meets My Kids

So I went to see Wall-E on my birthday with about eight of North Carolina's biggest Disney Geeks. I loved the movie and enjoyed the conversation afterward that verged on geeky, but was really more along the lines of pure appreciation. My only disappointment was the realization that my kids would most likely NOT like Wall-E, so I wouldn't be getting to enjoy it with them.

The themes in Wall-E are a bit too grown-up for a four- and two-year-old to really get. And although the lack of dialogue makes the movie more accessible and VERY beautiful, I was sure it simply would not capture the attention of my frenetic offspring.

As this past week went by, my friends began sharing their experiences with taking their children to see it... some my kids' ages, some a bit older. All advised me against taking the terrible twosome. I mean, they barely sat through Kung-Fu Panda, and that was full of action and silliness. Wall-E is far more subdued and ... I'll say it again ... beautiful, and the soundtrack is mostly that of Hello, Dolly! This is a great thing for ME... bringing together my Disney Geek and my Musical Theater Geek... but not necessarily a great thing for the kiddos.

So today, while I was in the shower, Chris asked Athena if she'd like to see Wall-E. Why yes, she declared. She would love that. So I shrugged. I mean... best case... I'd get to see the movie again. Worst case, I could run the kids around the lobby while Chris enjoyed the movie. So, I looked up movie times and off we went.

We armed ourselves with a large popcorn and cups for sharing. Both kids got lemonade. We figured that would hold them until at least half-way through the movie. But guess what!

They. Loved. It.

Both kids were engaged with the movie almost all the way through. Marcus wasn't as engaged, but he sat relatively still through about 90% of it... maybe 95%. Athena asked questions as the story progressed and was clearly VERY concerned for Wall-E's health and well-being.

This is terribly exciting to me. Perhaps it won't be true for every movie, but they have progressively gotten better and better about sitting still and watching the flick in question. The more we take them, the better it is. And with all the movies that are made for kids now, we are never really short on choices.

Well, except the trailer they showed the most interest in was that freaking Chihuahua movie. *sigh*

Ai, Chihuahua indeed.

Quiet Evening

Chris has decided to take Athena camping tonight. By camping, I mean he took the tent and a sleeping bag and headed to the park with a couple of buddies and their kids. He says he took an air mattress, but I see the air mattress is still here, so I think what he actually took is a thin mat that does accept a little air, intended for campers who rough it far more regularly that we do and who actually carry their gear on their back.

He also refused my offer to take the van instead of the ION, so I sure hope it doesn't rain. But Athena is stoked for S'Mores, and right now the forecast looks agreeable.

This means Young MC and I are home. He tottered off to bed at 8pm, so I've had a very peaceful, easy-going evening. I have a good book to read for my book club and I'm thinking of lighting a few candles and meditating in the tub for a bit. Chris has only been home from Origins for a few days, and already he's out all night again. It's a little odd after years of him never going anywhere... he's had two business trips, one long solo vacation, and now this camping trip away. I thought it would be hard to get used to, but actually, it's kind of nice. Since I have taken so many trips without him, which my Introverted self needs so badly, it's nice that he gets to enjoy a bit of that as well.

Tomorrow, we clean up the house to where our friends won't balk too badly, and then have a little cookout. I have to plan a menu. Probably Brats and burgers. Maybe some baked beans. Some sort of dessert... maybe cheesecake if I can get up early enough to get it done. Good times. Happy Birthday, America.

The Quest for Hotness: Mile Marker One

Well, here we are at Mile Marker One... my birthday. My goal here was 205. Yesterday, I was at 206. Last night, I had two Margaritas and Fish and Chips to celebrate my birthday. Today, I weigh in at 207.

BUT

I am not discouraged. Honestly, I've made only a half-hearted effort this past month or so. Little to no exercise, and more desserts than I really should have indulged in. So... I have lost nine pounds, and that makes me happy.

Today won't be a good day for the diet, since I'm eating out for lunch AND dinner AND having buttered popcorn at the theater when I see Wall-E. I have never bought into the "plain popcorn is better" mentality. I do understand it may be true, but that fake buttery substance movie theaters use? The stuff that must be made of plastic and wax? Yeah... that stuff is awesome. I'm not giving that up no way, no how.

Then tomorrow, I need to kick it up a notch. Especially if I want to meet my next goal... Amy's birthday, which is only about a week away. ACK!

Single and Lovin' It

Chris is at Origins. This is the fourth year he's gone, and once again, he is not here on my birthday. Scum.

The first challenge will be keeping the kids entertained, and that's all set. Tonight, we had pizza and watched Dora, Diego, and Backyardigans. They are in bed now, and with any luck, will be snoozing soon. Tomorrow night, we're hitting Monkey Joe's with the Gundlachs (Today is John/Geoff's birthday! WOOT!) Then Friday is a Parents' Night Out at the daycare, which Athena has requested I take her to. I may call some friends to see if they want to go out. (Jen and Brandy... if you're reading this... I'll call ya!)

Saturday is my birthday. My wonderful mother-in-law has agreed to watch the kids overnight! So, I'm headed first to Greensboro to see my mom for lunch, then to High Point to visit friends and watch Wall-E with a bunch of Disney Geeks, including my friend George. (What does one WEAR to a Disney Geekfest, I wonder?) Another friend Jack (a former bartender) has sent me a birthday drink recommendation, which I shall try either Friday, Saturday, or both... depending on the circumstances.

I'll be back here Sunday, and may try to take the kids to the pool. We'll see. Then Monday is back at work and Chris comes home Monday night.

The second challenge is to keep the kids healthy. For two years (see here and here), one or more of the kids was sick or cheating death whenever he went to this conference. So far, everyone seems to be very healthy. Keeping my fingers crossed!

And there is some reward to getting it all done alone. Chris does it all the time. Now I get to prove I can do it too! Yay me!

A House Divided

The Universities in North Carolina have a really long history, and along with that, an incredibly strong fan base. This is particularly true with our ACC schools here in the Triangle Area. UNC, Duke and NC State are all within thirty miles of each other, and this leads to strong rivalries, and, oddly enough, marriages.

Chris and I have such a marriage. He went to NC State (boooooooooo) and I went to UNC (yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay). We are a House Divided.

Just to give you some idea of how big a deal this can be... I'll tell you a story of when Chris and I first started dating. He had made it quite clear that he was very interested in me. We were on our first date after we had been chatting at game nights and online for a few weeks. He was at my house, sitting on the couch, and we were watching Return of the Jedi. We were chatting... and our schools came up.

I am a little bit older than he is. I already knew he was at NC State in grad school, and I had just finished grad school in Greensboro. So I had already adjusted to the idea that he was the enemy, academically speaking. He, however, did not know where I had done my undergrad. When I told him, his eyes widened and his expression was easier to read than a large print copy of Good Night Moon. He was making a decision... can I actually date a UNC grad? Can we have a future together? Can she be half as awesome as I think she is if she bleeds Carolina Blue?

Obviously he came to his senses and our relationship moved forward. But, there are still issues. One of the major ones is the kids.

We had to make a pact when I learned I was pregnant with Athena. Neither of us were allowed to buy any of our own school's merchadise for the kids. Others could buy for us, but we could not. Soon, the NC State stuff started coming in from Brant, but Jason followed up with a healthy dose of UNC. We both have good friends, apparently.

Which brings us to today. Recently Marcus picked up one of Chris' NC State ball caps. He wore it around, which was terribly cute as it's way too big for him. But he loves it, so Chris adjusted it to as small a size as he can, and Marcus wears it all the time.

Naturally, this has been bothering me. So Mom and I were in dear old Chapel Hill on Friday, and she learned that Marcus was in need of a Carolina ball cap. She purchased a very cute one that is actually in his size.

I gave it to him yesterday.

He wore it for ten minutes.

He tossed it aside and last night, he slept with the NC State hat.

I have failed.









But there is still hope for Athena.

The Screwing: The Final Frontier

So my loyal readers (all six of them) will remember back in January, we discovered some major negligence on the part of our builders and arranged to have it fixed. Well, for those of you who are wondering "What ever happened with that whole deal?" here is your answer.

They fixed it. Yesterday. Finally.

For the past six months, we've been going back and forth with the warranty guy. He's been very nice and very helpful, but he kept having to bring someone else to look at it. An engineer, a contractor, another engineer, an HVAC guy... the list was endless. Finally, when I was at Disney in May, he called and said he only had ONE MORE GUY to come see it. I felt like my crawl space was being featured in "Homebuilding Freaks" magazine.

So Chris stayed home yesterday morning to be here when they came to fix it. This was because they thought they'd need to come into the house to fiddle with the HVAC return or some such nonsense. As it turns out, they did not. In fact, they didn't even tell Chris when they left. The warranty guy came by later and left a sticky that the work was done. Now all that is left is that he needs to come repair the garage floor, and we're done with this. Only cost to us: $150 to have the walls professionally dried and treated for mold.

Rock on.

Hermione Strikes Again

Thank all that is good and holy that Chris does the laundry (up until the folding part). Look what he found in the dirty clothes this morning. Good thing he found it too... as it was tiny. It would not have survived the spin cycle, methinks.

Clearly, Athena thinks it's the coolest thing ever. I believe she used the word "cute."

Meanwhile, the poor cat is looking all around the floor of our room trying to figure out where the thing got to. Athena threw it into the bushes, so Hermione will probably be confused the rest of the day.

The Quest for Hotness: Return to the Gym

So I'm a few weeks into the Quest, which means it's officially time to get off all that ass I'm trying to rid myself of and start exercising. I don't suppose I HAVE to exercise, but I prefer to eat more liberally than most diets would allow, and therefore exercise is key. Of course, pair that with the fact that we have been paying for a gym membership that has gone largely unused these last few months and, well... it's time to get hoppin'.

So I had a half day at work today, and some plans I had fell through, so instead of moping about, I made the most of it. I came home, had lunch, ran a few errands, then, dutifully checked in at the gym. I then realized I had not brought water, and had to buy a bottle for $2 in their little shop. *sigh* I really had to though... I cannot work out without water.

I walked into the swanky locker room and stopped short... there was a MAN in the locker room, doing something with the towel bin. Fixing it, I suppose. I looked around... yep... women's locker room. Looked at him again... looked around... no naked women apparent. Hmmmmmmmmm. Finally, in what seemed like hours but was probably about ten seconds, all was explained when another attendant (female) shouted, "Okay, ladies... all clear... the man is leaving the locker room." Whew! For a moment, I thought we had gone all coed.

I changed, bopped upstairs, and jumped on a treadmill. BNL blaring from my iPod, I set the timer to 30 minutes on the "random" incline program and took off. Now, almost always, I sort of cheat my 30 minutes. When the timer hits 25, I hit "cool down"and do a five minute cool down... which on the treadmill is really just standing still with finesse. But today, I took it all the way to 30, and THEN I did my cooldown. YAY ME!

After that, I did some time on the machines... legs, abs, butt. Good times. I did quite well, I think, and the only real demoralizing part of the whole thing was the fact that I was there when school let out, and so most of the people working out with me were young, nubile, teen girls and their pimply, gangly counterparts. In fact, while on the treadmill, a young girl jumped on the treadmill in front of me. She had "CHEER!" eblazoned across her ass on the orange short-shorts she was wearing.

"Great!" I thought. "I don't have to Quest for the Hotness... I can just follow it!" *sigh*

Some Photos From the Trip

The view from our balcony.... no zoom used...

Me in the Winner's Circle at Saratoga Springs...

Enjoying my (now) traditional Glowtini...

Captain Hook Topiary, Flower and Garden Festival

Le Scooter Ne Marche Plus

For the first time ever at Walt Disney World, we rented an ECV. These are those little scooters that you see advertised for older folks who can't get around much on their own anymore. Designed for locomotion and not so much for long term care like wheelchairs, scooters are really nice for people like my mother... over sixty, chronic pain, long-time smoker, poor walker. At first, Mom was just going to try to walk the parks, but before we even started our first full day at Epcot, she admitted she wanted to go ahead and get the scooter.

I'd love to show you a picture of her on it. I have a great one. But mom is not a fan of having her picture taken and asked me not to post it, so there you go. We used the scooter each day, and by our third day, Mom was a pro. Well, except she seemed to think she could use her feet to brake, which really doesn't work so well, and I fussed at her the whole time to keep her feet up so she wouldn't break her ankle. It was a nice role-reversal.

So anyway, back to the third day... the only rain we saw during the daytime on our trip fell on Monday. Fortunately, due to my awesome Disney planning skillz, all three downpours fell in rapid succession during the ninety minutes we were enjoying Croque Monsieurs at Chefs de France in Epcot on Monday. Unfortunately, they didn't have a covered area for mom to stash the scooter, so although we didn't get wet, the scooter did.

We lifted a stack of paper towels from the restaurant, dried it off the best we could, then mom decided to sort of wheel it out of the spot where she had expertly parallel parked. It didn't start. At all. Nothing. nada. *sigh*

Unfortunately, the number printed on the key to call for help is merely an extension. In this day of cell phones, I wonder why they don't just give you a full number, but anyway... we were right there at the restaurant, so we went in and spoke to the manager. Apparently, their phone is not on the WDW system, so the extension meant nothing to her either. However, in true Disney customer service fashion, she began making phone calls to try to figure out who she needed to call.

Fifteen minutes later, she got someone from the International Gateway to come. Ten minutes after that, he actually arrived in a way-cool "tow-scooter" to take the dead carcass away and trade us the shiney new one on the back.

Mom tried to start it with the tow-scooter guy still there. Nothing. Then he said, "Ma'am... it won't start unless you are sitting on it."

We looked at each other. "Oh," we said. "Well, um... then the other one may work after all." No one told us this little rule when we got the scooter. Sure, it makes perfect sense, but, duh... we aren't thinking or anything... we're on vacation.

He was very nice... waved, and let us go on our way with the new scooter... probably returning to the International Gateway to laugh at us with his coworkers.

Can We Fix It? No, It's F**ked!

So the first step is admitting you have a problem. I do recognize that my obsession with Disney is a problem. And yet, unlike the original twelve-step program, I believe that the best way to deal with my problem is to continue to take as many trips to the Mouse as possible. If nothing else, you... my fair readers... benefit from hearing my people-watching stories.

I learn a lot about people at WDW. It's the sort of place that brings out the best and the worst in you. I usually come back with one totally gossipy-sort of story that I just accidentally stumble across. Want to hear the one I picked up this time? You know you do...

So mom and I are in line for Kilamanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom first thing in the morning. She is pumped to be doing this, which is awesome, because Mom wasn't really there to ride the rides or see the attractions. She was there to eat. So anything she was willing to do was okay by me. And I love the safari ride. (A note to those of you who have done this attraction that has no relevance to the story... We saw NO giraffes. Have to wonder what's up with that, since that's the primary animal you normally get to see. Illness? Regular down-time. Dunno.)

Anyway, as we were waiting in line, an argument erupted behind us. And I mean ERUPTED. Here's what I picked up on while trying to pretend not to notice the hubub...

MAN: Well, I am TIRED of everyone complaining! If they don't want to be here with me, they shouldn't BE here with me.

WOMAN: Well, I don't want to be here with you. I never wanted to be here with you. I'm only doing this to be with my kids. I don't even LIKE you.

MAN: Well, your KIDS want to be HERE!

WOMAN: I didn't want to be in the parks with you YESTERDAY, and I don't want to be here TODAY, but you are forcing me.

MAN: I'm not forcing anyone!

(By now the teen boy is crying and the pre-teen girl is wringing her hands... not that I noticed of course, because I'm not one of those people who rubberneck or anything).

WOMAN: FINE! I'M LEAVING! (exit, stage right)

So a few minutes later, when it was clear that it was okay to look, I checked out the scene closer. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, I thought. There was the teen boy, the pre-teen girl, the dad, and his NEW WIFE with a NEW BABY, small enough to be in an infant seat! His new YOUNGER, SEXIER wife, I may add.

Now I'm guessing that this was the most awkward trip-planning ever.

"Hey, ex-wife. Wifey and I are taking the kids to Disney. Wanna come?"
"Well, I hate your guts, you bastard, but sure! I'm sure that even though our marriage is a total shambles and you have already remarried and had another kid, I'll be just fine hanging out in line after line with you and your new love. Should be a blast."

Fascinating weirdness, that. At first I thought the guy was a total jerk, but upon observing his behavior after the ex left, he chatted with me a bit and he was quite nice and polite. He was wearing an Edmonton/Canes Stanley Cup Finals shirt, so I didn't point out that I was present when the Canes beat his team in round seven and took the cup. Just didn't seem to come up in the conversation.

Perhaps I'm a bad person for peeking into the lives of others... but really... it was like a buffet... all laid out for me. Wonder how the rest of their trip went... think they made it work?

Something Cool

My brother-in-law (specifically, Chris' sister's husband) writes an occasional storyline for Walt Disney's Comics. One of his stories appears in the March book (No. 690) - ISBN 978-1-60360-025-5. I don't have any permission to scan the panel or the cover art for you, but it's cool enough to tell you about it. He put in a little tribute to Chris' dad, who spent his career managing restaurants... If you happen upon the book (or you own it), check out The Winter of Their Dissed Kismet." One panel about midway through the story features a restaurant called "Caran's Costly Cafe." Nifty!

The Quest for Hotness

I am joining Jessey and Amy in their quest for hotness. Chris is on the quest too, I think, but perhaps not as formally. I'll let him out himself if he wants to make it official. I was going to start next week after returning from Disney, but since I have had strep these last few days, I haven't been able to eat well. So... I figure that's as good a kick start as I can get.

I will probably find a counter to put on my sidebar, but for now, here is the lowdown.

Starting Sunday, May 11 - Weight 216lbs. (Don't freak... I'm 5'10". Yes, I'm overweight, but I'm not a pumpkin. I can carry a lot of weight without showing it too badly.)

Goals:
June 28 (My birthday) - Weight 205
July 7 (Amy's Birthday) - Weight 200
July 31 (Harry Potter's Birthday) - Weight 190
October 31 (Chris' birthday and post Disney trip two) - Weight 170
January 1 (The year's birthday) - Weight 160

If I reach that goal, I will still be about 8 lbs heavier than when I was in college. Rumor has it that any woman can attain her college weight at any age post-college. I tried it once before, and I only got to 168. That was ten years ago. So really, I'll be happy at 170, I think.

So I Know What I'm Doing This Weekend...

I stole this from Allears.net. (Deb, please forgive me... I wasn't sure how to make the link permanent.)

May 2008: Journey into Narnia is currently closed and undergoing a major renovation, and will reopen as The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian on June 26, 2008. Guests can experience an exclusive opportunity to see behind-the-scenes footage, original concept art, storyboards, props and costumes from the latest installment of "The Chronicles of Narnia." They can explore Aslan’s stone table chamber set recreated directly from the original molds, see blueprints used for the motion picture, and meet Prince Caspian.

The "Prince Caspian" theme park character -- seen at right in a promotional photo shoot at Walt Disney World Resort -- is scheduled to begin regular meet-and-greet appearances on May 16, 2008. That same day, "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" is scheduled to debut in U.S. theaters. The film, presented by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media, is the second motion picture based on C.S. Lewis' series of classic books.

A Tribute to All Moms, But Mostly My Own*

*The title of this post is an obscure reference for most people indeed. First one to post the correct answer to what it references will get a prize (probably an adult beverage... and I probably know who will guess it.)

So here we are... Mother's Day. I actually don't encourage my family to celebrate Mother's Day, and I would have been at work today if not for the strep (it's official! Woot!) It's another Hallmark Holiday like Valentine's Day, that is set aside for something we should really do all the time. So I say "Bah, Humbug... I love my mom and don't need anyone to force me to say it."

Still, since we're here and having this little chat, I'll go ahead and say it. I think my mom is the shizzle.

Having kids of my own was, like it is for so many people, the turning point for me. I had always appreciated my mother, no doubt. She makes a fabulous grilled cheese sandwich that the neighborhood kids would clambor to our house for. She put up with my A-TI-TUDE when I was pubescent, and she is still very loving and caring and looks out for my best interests... sometimes without me even knowing.

Although we have certainly had our issues, and we still do not agree on politics at all, we have always gotten along. I always respected her opinions, even when she didn't respect mine. But now that I have kids of my own, I have learned a whole new world of information about what her life has been and what she has really done for my sister and me.

I have been blessed with amazing opportunities for travel. Many of those doors were opened by my father and his international company, but they were facilitated by my mother. She made sure I was well-rounded and sought out all sorts of opportunities for me. I'm even glad she forced me to take piano when I was five, even though I thought I had no interest. (I do wish, however, that she had chosen a better teacher).

She is pretty good with a computer, which I KNOW is rare for her generation. She taught herself a lot and has taken a couple of courses. Her biggest strength is probably Maj Jongg, but it's not her only strength. I'll be teaching her a little more about blogging this weekend, as I make my first attempt to post pictures live from Disney World. So, Mom... here is my blog entry about how awesome you are. Thanks for the trip! And thanks for everything. Really. I mean... everything. I love you.

Dear God, What Happened?

Three months ago, we had the SWEETEST little boy. He loved everyone. He loved anything. He did as he was told. He was a joy. Then he turned two. And now... NOW... Well, see for yourself, if you can stand it. Here is what happens when you offer him a delicious (although drier than normal... I'm trying to figure that out...) helping of Chicken Tettrazini and refuse to let him have yogurt instead:



Impressive, eh? And to think, I didn't start shooting this until he had already been going for about five minutes. And he CONTINUED for another five. Nothing wrong with his lungs now, as you can see.

An Open Letter Robert Downey, Jr.

Your new movie? Kicks. Ass.

And I just wanted to let you know that as long as you are sober, you are officially on my "exceptions" list. Call me the next time you are in the neighborhood.

Oh, and could you bring Gwyneth Paltrow with you so my husband will go along with this? Much thanks...

I Got the Fever

100.3 to be exact. I started feeling like crap at the end of the day yesterday, and by about 5am this morning, every time I swallowed it felt like a knife was jabbing me in the ear. Lovely. Then the chills started.

I laid out of work today, barely moving and shivering almost constantly. Chris went and got me some lozenges and he is making dinner downstairs now. I haven't eaten since this morning and I am ravenous. I'm also expecting that the hot food will sooth my throat. I'm off tomorrow anyway because I work Saturday, so that's a small blessing... except I have a million errands to run tomorrow. bleh. Hopefully the fever will break tonight and I'll feel better tomorrow.

My Fifteen Minutes...

My new best friend George generously offered me an opportunity to guest blog over at his popular (among the Disney Community) website, ImagiNERDing. He gets about 500 hits a day and has about half as many subscribers. George inspired me to write a little piece on my stay at the wonderful, but short-lived Disney Institute and he published it last night. Feel free to go check it out. You non-Disney people may even be interested. If nothing else, you get to see a picture of me at age 25, and (to borrow Jessey's latest catchphrase) superfly!

...And I Lived to Tell The Tale

Athena turned four last week. Her party was yesterday. This was the first, honest-to-God birthday party I've hosted for either of the kids. I actually allowed Athena to invite her friends (normally we just invite OUR friends, and if they happen to bring her friends... fabulous bonus). She invited 12. Daddy invited 2 more. Five of the original 12 came and they brought a total of three siblings. Well, technically one sibling was actually invited, but whatever. Neither of the two Chris invited on his own came. However, they both SAID they would. Hrmph.

We rented the shelter at our local park. Between 11am and 3:15 pm, I managed to take the family out to eat, go to Party City to get final supplies and balloons, go to BJs to get candy for goody bags and other normal grocery items, take the kids and Chris home so he could create the goodie bags, went to the grocery store to pick up the cake and ice as well as a few normal grocery items, then go back to the house, pick up the birthday girl and the goodie bags, plus various party needs like tablecloths, etc., then go to the park and set it all up. I am awesome.

She had a Hello Kitty theme, which she loved. We had cake, the kids ran themselves silly, Athena tore through her gifts (seriously), distributed the goodie bags, then everyone departed. We went to Friday's with the Gundlachs, and the wait staff sang to her... which surprised her more than pleased her. We then went home to show off the new tv, which Mr. Gundlach was kind enough to help Chris fix up.

I drank.

It was an excellent end to a really great day.