Word Dump

What, it’s been six months again? What can I say, I’m a bad blogger.

Okay, how to sum up the last six months...

Well, I changed careers. That’s a fairly large point, I suppose. I really miss my girls, and I miss the hilarity teaching can bring, but I like being out of the profession. The political aspects of teaching suck. Now I’m in a totally different field: land administration in oil and gas. It’s treating me pretty well so far, and it definitely suits the extremely detail-oriented side of me. On the other hand, there isn’t a lot of room for creativity. It seems like I move farther away from what used to define me with each educational or career change. I’m trying to balance that out by doing a variety of fine arts cont-ed courses. So far, so good.

What else... oh yes. I’m sure this has been the topic of speculation/gossip among various groups for a while, and while I wasn’t going to really post about it, I guess I will to make it easier for all. Really, those people who matter already know, I think. In case my slick new wrist tattoos didn’t tip you off, I opted to leave the LDS church. Not because I have anything against it, but because it just wasn’t right for me. When I first started dating Greg, I was made to feel like I somehow wasn’t good enough because I wasn’t LDS. Seven years later, I realise that’s absolute crap. I’m not particularly worried about the opinions of those people anymore (for so, so, SO many reasons), and what matters is that a) I love myself the way I am, b) Greg loves me the way I am, and c) I’d rather be happy in my own skin than living a lie and being utterly miserable. Believe me, people, I tried. Plus, it feels totally wrong to just be going through the motions for something so sacred to other people. I’m not so much into faking things.

Hopefully this doesn’t cause my LDS friends to run from me en masse – I’m not a bitter ex-Mormon who’s going to start frequenting hate forums, posting about how it’s an evil conspiracy and claiming I was brainwashed. I went into it as a well-informed academic, and I left the same way. I’m not a bitter divorcee. Really, I’m exactly the same: I’m still a potty-mouthed leftist who watches 18A movies and posts a lot about pro-choice and gay rights issues (um... was anyone ever fooled?), and who totally loves all her friend who feel way differently. So please don't feel weird around me - same person, just in a tank top. You can still talk church to me.

Onto more fluffy things... our extension is finally turning into part of our house! I’m so excited for my master bathroom it’s not even funny. But seriously though. It’s going to be awesome. While I’m not really looking forward to the actual *work*, I am looking forward to the results.

Greg and I have decided this is the year of sweet, sweet concerts. Okay, that’s spilling over into 2012... since we bought tickets to Coachella! Serious, so excited. I wish we could have gone this year (Hello, DFA 1979 reunion!!) but ah well. No idea who’ll be playing, but hey... it’s the experience.

Greg just turned THIRTY on Saturday. Seriously, what? When did this happen? To celebrate, we had people over for burgers and croquet. We’re wild like that. Greg also got the Firebolt of laptops, some fancy Samsung one that’s about as thick as an empty duotang but way, way cooler. I’d better be getting something sweet when I turn 30 next year, let me tell you.

I feel like there’s probably more (you know, since it’s been six months), but my parents are out tomorrow and I need to start doing that cleaning thing. Maybe I’ll even post some pictures next time.

Thanks A Lot, Judy Blume

This postsecret made my night. Why? Because menstruation is weird.

I mean, really. It is.

I can't say that I get freaked out by it, or that I ever have been freaked out by it for that matter. Like every girl (I think), I was totally fascinated by this thing that would make me a *~*woman*~*. I poured over Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.

Then, something happened to totally break the spell.

I got it.

Seriously, why do we get the short end of the stick all the time? It's been the better part of two decades, and I'm no fonder of it than I was about two days into my first one.

BUT...

I recently realised that I'm reaching the point you might call "the middle." The way time seems to pass, before I know it I'll be down to "maybe 10 years," then "maybe five..."

...then I'll get hit by "the Change" and will be reminded again how much it SUCKS sometimes to be a woman.

PS- Frank saved this image as "iwouldtoo.jpg"

Just Me and My Laptop

I may have mentioned in the previous post that I've been doing some online shopping lately. There's a reason for that.

It's fabulously antisocial.

Now, I'm not going to say that I hate people, but I will fully cop to being a bit of a solitary lass. I like to read. Putz around my house. Do errands. Alone.

Sure, I can chat up a storm when I'm around people, but I'm always a little relieved when I'm back by my lonesome. I'm always worried that I'm somehow doing something wrong, or that people are seeing right through me and thinking "this girl doesn't belong here." Not that I'm really lacking in self confidence; I just tend to feel out of my element, being as how my element is, well, sitting by myself in a Starbucks with a book.

As a result, the idea of being able to buy stuff from the comfort of my couch, finding great deals along the way, is wonderful. No tracking down someone to ask questions? Great. Not having to fend off sales staff? Excellent. Being able to pick out a shoe and know that they'll have it in my size, instead of walking into the store and asking some pretentious employee if they happen to have a 10/11 in any of the 14 similar shoes I desperately bring up, knowing he'll probably return five minutes later, chewing his gum and saying 'sorry'? Priceless.

One of these days I'm going to wake up and discover I've become a full-fledged hermit.

A Funny Thing Came in the Mail Today...

So, lately I've been ordering quite a few things online. Aldo shoes, for example. Clothing from the Gap. Books. Random baby gifts. As a result, when I found a package in my mailbox this morning, I thought it was one of the many things I'm waiting for.

But wait... Essex? I hadn't ordered anything from Essex...


Wait, what was that email address again?

Ugly Rudolph Slipper Socks? For real? BEST DAY EVER.

Oh, K-Tarns, you rock my slipper-socks off.

In exactly six months, Greg turns 30.

Clearly I need to start planning his party.

Death Warmed Over

Well, that certainly died. Sorry. The further I got in the meme, the older the pictures had to be, and it's a pain to have to dig out my photo boxes, find the pictures, scan them, etc... plus I've been working all the bleeping time.

Which is good. Most of the time.

Anyway, who cares, because tomorrow we're flying to Orlando for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Yay!

I'm so excited.

Except for one little thing.

I have strep throat. AGAIN. The problem with strep is that I can't have penicillin, so instead I get a different antibiotic every single time (since it's always a different doctor). Most of the time that's fine. Once in a while I'll take one that makes me break out or something.

This time? Blarg.

Total pukesville. Plus, I still have a fever.

Not particularly appealing, since I have to fly all the way across the continent tomorrow.

Back to the walk-in clinic it is, then.

Day Nineteen

19. a drunk photo of you

There is a surprising dearth of drunken photos of me considering just how often I was, well, drunk (while in university, at least). I'm sure there are actually many, many photos out there, just not in my possession. I'm equally sure most of them are terrible. But, here is one I managed to dig up:



This night was hilarious. Hi.lar.i.ous.

Seriously, between breaking into other townhouses to write suggestive messages on whiteboards, post-it noting the hosts' entire place, and setting Toto's "Africa" to loop on poor Andrew's computer, it was an all-round great evening of ridiculousness.