Tumbling around in my brain

I went away for the long weekend. Again.  Went to Michigan with the Tricycle.  For those of you that are new, the Tricycle of Awesome are Shannon, TheMarty and I.

It was a perfectly quiet, lazy, calm relaxing few days.  I even got to dog-sit their delightful pups Sophie and Schatzie for a few hours. 

I read a lot, drank some, played 7 Wonders a lot (Best.Game.Ever.), slept a lot.
The three of us have this very familial thing that means we do not have to talk every second, or entertain, or be entertained.
"Should we go to Cracker Barrel tomorrow?"
"Sure"
"Are we going to watch the new Doctor Who tonight?"
"Sure"

I spent some time reflecting on my year so far.  I've decided that 2012 has been better than 2011, in leaps and bounds.  The gaping hole from losing my dad is still there, but it reminds me to do better, be better, behave better.

I've let L go (2011's lapse in judgement), and have tried to be open and kind and above board with 2012's dating-ness.  I've decided to let one of my dudes go. I let him know as nicely as I could, I feel my karma is fully intact.  I'm also learning to deal with "dating" someone who is busier than I am.  While I always thought it was what I wanted, I'm finding it pretty difficult to do.  So, if it works out or doesn't, I've learned there is such a thing as too busy, and I need to make some adjustments if I really want a real relationship.

I've decided to return to a project that has been on my mind for some time.  And, I'm doing something about it to make sure that I do it.  I got myself a motivator/coach of sorts.  Someone I care about and trust 100%.  She's already given me homework, and while I didn't quite get to my goal yesterday, I think I can today, and that's the important part.*

I am incredibly happy with both of my jobs.  I thought about whether I have a Career right now, and if I should, etc.  I don't know if my day job defines Career, but I am VERY good at what I do, and because of that, I am proud of myself.  I also am proud of myself for taking my life-long love of all things music and with some patience I have gotten myself my second job.  I was embarrassed, for a while, that it took me over five years to go from brand new volunteer to concert staff.  Why? Who decided the time line on that? Who was I letting down by not getting hired sooner, or somewhere else?  I've let all of that down crap go, and can now just be happy that I am where I am at Old Town, and that I got there myself. 

I want to make some sort of home improvement.  I have been in my apartment for almost 13 years now, and I need some freshening up.  I have zero dollars, so maybe I'll just re-organize my kitchen?  I am starting a list of little projects I can do.

I'd like to take a little long weekend to visit some of my family in MI.  I haven't seen many of them in years, and it could be fun.  It could also be stressful and weird, but who knows.  I'd like to do this alone - take the Amtrack and figure out who to see when (not all of my relatives get along with each other).  Pretty sure VonMom and VonSis don't think that I'll actually go, or, if they do think I'll go, I think they're wondering why I'd want to.
I love my family, all of them, regardless of their connection to me.  That being said, I'd like to spend some time with some people who are actually related to me by blood.  I don't really see how I can be faulted for that. 





*Yes, this is intentionally vague.  All will be revealed in good time. It may be a loooong time from now, but eventually.

Well, because I WAS

Ah, lyrics.
".....the revolution was a lie....."

My forever man

I have always always always loved Dennis Quaid.  I kinda think the reason I still think about my college boyfriend (The One that got away) is because he looked a lot like Dennis Quaid, back in the day.  I'm totally going to watch that new Vegas show, simply because it's starring - Dennis Quaid.  As a sheriff. Yummy.

Sigh. Dennis. Quaid.

So, today I give you this video.  Because:
1.  It has Dennis Quaid, at his hottest.
2. Bonnie Raitt seduces him, with a song and her mad guitar skills.
3. I dream of seducing Dennis Quaid with my mad guitar skills.
4. I dream of having mad guitar skills, like the Queen, Bonnie Raitt.

All the things

My life, and all of its parts, seems very out of my hands these days.

Setting a date? Sure, why not, but let them text me.

Work stuff? Sure, I have thoughts and hopes, but no one is talking about the changes with me.

Home stuff? LOL.

Family stuff?  See home stuff, multiple by raging bitch, add crazy and blend.....

To be in control of ONE THING ANY THING SOME.....THING

I joined a new fantasy football league.  And this one, this one had a live draft.  No sitting in front of my computer in my pjs, taking my time, having the program take out other players picks......NO I had to put a bra on, head out in the rain and do all of the things by myself.
With eight people I do not know, and only one (The Commissioner) that I do know.

Well, me being me, I made pals with the other two women at the draft, and we helped each other out.  OK - They helped ME.  See, there was this rule that if someone picked a player that was already drafted, that person got a "loud, strongly worded warning".  If a second person picked that same player, they got "a warm shot of bar tequila".  Needless to say, none of us ladies had to deal with that.

So, without further whatever, here's my FF live drafted team, named, Electric Pandas:
Philip Rivers
Ryan Fitzpatrick
LeSean McCoy
Ryan Mathews
Roddy White
Miles Austin
DeSean Jackson
Rob Gronkowski
Brandon Pettigrew
Robbie Gould (had to take one Bear)
Green Bay defense and special teams
and on my bench:
Josh Freeman
Christian Ponder
Willis McGahee
James Starks
DeAngelo Williams
Austin Collie

I'm already working on getting rid of the last three on my bench, as well as Christian Ponder.

Wish me luck, my friends.....

Politics again!

Looky here!
Another "post" about politics!!

So, that Todd Akins guy is a co-bag.


See - I can write about politics too!!

Ask her

In 1959, a mother of four was living in post-war Berlin, Germany.  Her older children had moved across the planet - two to Canada and one to the United States, taking her first grandchildren with them.

This woman - brave, strong, broke and with a young daughter - found a way to get herself and her child to the United States.  That journey itself has never been discussed much, beyond the fact that the nine year old daughter was both fascinated and afraid of the small rickety prop plane that brought her here.

This woman and her daughter came to the United States legally, with sacrifice and scrapped together money.  Some treasured family heirlooms were sold, had to be, in order to get the two of them to their new home.

The woman knew some English, the daughter none at all.  The woman set up a tailoring shop and found a little apartment for herself and her daughter.  The daughter started to learn English from watching television.  Once school started the little girl took her brave little non-English speaking self to school and LEARNED.  She learned English, and beyond that, developed a keenly Chicago accent.

The woman worked hard, and so did the little girl.  The little girl grew up, learned slang and curse words, and learned and learned and learned.  She learned her way all the way to a degree from Northwestern University.

The woman grew older, as did the little girl, who had two little girls of her own.  She taught them to love learning, to appreciate living this life in this country, even though she remained a German citizen.  Eventually, the woman passed away, and the little girl started teaching her daughters about some of their German history.

The little girl now grown woman is only recently considering becoming a US citizen. She can take her time with this, because when she was nine, her mother did all of the things legally and properly.  She is a Bears fan, a community leader, and one of the most Chicago-y people.

The mother of four? My Oma.  The nine year old immigrant? My Mother.  You want to talk about immigration reform, and deals for people who came here illegally?  TALK TO HER.

I've got NOTHING

Getting all sweaty, here's a video!

Sigh.  Two things I love most of all.
REM and MUPPETS.

I should watch this every day.