Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Jake...

I just learned...



...that my brother...



... is coming home...



...in August!

Of course, this comes on the heels of news telling me he's going to Iraq in September with his Army unit.  But he's coming home!

Out

Monday, June 22, 2009

I don't know if anyone has been observant enough to notice that I've been silent on this issue for the most part, but I figured it was a good time to break the silence. I don't really talk about my dad...for personal reasons. We don't speak, he and I. I haven't actually seen him in...maybe five years...I dunno. It's been a while.

Anyway, I wrote a poem today.

---------

Father's Day

You always were the funniest man I knew,
hat backward
arms flapping at dinner
never afraid to tell a dirty joke
to your adoring fans:
children.

Long drives waiting for
"a flash across the sky"
Flash Gordon's ghost will never die
Your taste in music disseminated.

Last night a woman I'd just met told me
I should take my comedy
on the road.
As hard as I try
to be nothing like you
I fail.

Just like you expected me to.

Happy Father's Day.

------------------

Out

Friday, June 19, 2009

Oddballs...

So on my last bike ride (and I promise this isn't going to turn into a bike riding blog) I ran across these four people coming out of the Frisbee Golf park.

Three guys, one girl. They all had their hair dyed weird colors. All the guys were wearing nothing but huge pants and chains. And two of the guys had their hair gelled into HUGE spikes. No biggie, really. I don't usually let people's appearances throw me. I know how good it feels to be different sometimes.

But.

As I was riding up to them, I heard two of them use the word "faggot." I hate that word. Then, they started yelling into the park. The one shouted to someone on the course, "Have you ever had your asshole licked by a fat man in an overcoat?" And the guy on the course just yells, "Only on the weekends."

Funny.

And then I rode by and the girl shouts, "Yeah, you work it, boy." And they all started shouting at me...dirty homosexual things that I couldn't really make out since I was riding away and they were all shouting at once. And I was sad.

I wasn't sad about what they said. I was sad for them. Here they are trying SO HARD to be different with their clothes and hair and piercings and tattoos, and yet...they're acting exactly as I would expect someone who looks like them to act. So really, when you get down to it, they're just as cookie-cutter as everyone else.

I wanted to ride back and tell them. But really, what good would it do? So I just kept riding, depriving them of a response, which I'm sure is what they were after.

Sometimes people are funny...

Out

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Doctor Doctor...

I was talking with my boss today about doctors. She was telling us about doctors she goes to on a semi-regular basis. Their names?

Dr. Mystery (GP)
Dr. Licking (DDS)
Dr. Suess (Podiatrist)

No, I'm not joking. How strange is that?

What odd names have you come across in life?

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Going Out...

I feel like going out.
Like putting up my hair,
shaving,
dressing cutely,
getting into trouble.

So
I put on my sexy underwear
and stay in.

------------

...Out

Monday, June 15, 2009

Rain All Week...

Yup.  That's the forecast around here.  And do you know what I say to that?  Bring it on!

I went out and rode my bike today, since it doesn't look like I'm going to get the chance to do it later in the week.  It was the usual ride, with the trail through trees and the beautiful houses around campus.  I took a short tour of the frisbee golf field in town, too, and let me tell you.  Apparently shirtless frisbee golf is a popular pastime.  And now, so is riding the path through the frisbee golf field.  Can we say hot?  I even got an eyebrow raise from some cute guy...

Anycreeper, it was a nice, long ride.  About an hour all over town, and I didn't even cruise by Water Works.  So there!

The sky was beautiful.



See?

And all that blockage I talked about the other day?



Gone!  (Apparently it wanted to upload this one today and not when I needed it...)  I even saw two guys kicking their way downstream on what looked to be a makeshift inflatable raft.  Cool!  It must have held up, because I saw them again a bit downstream.

All this riding makes me wish I had a better seat...and a water bottle holder.  And a lock.  And a little pouch to carry my wallet/keys/phone/etc so I don't haave these HUGE pockets.  My ass probably looks like a woodchuck...

Enough about my ass, though.  I'm hoping to ride enough to NOT have a farmer's tan when we go to San Diego.  Although, is a wife-beater tan any better?  I can't win.

And now there's supposedt o be rain all week.  Time to stay in and play Chrono Cross on the Playstation.  I never fninshed that old gem the first time through.  Maybe I'll make it this time.

Out

Friday, June 12, 2009

Letters To Entities Unlikely To Respond...

Dear Library,

I am not upset that you called my boyfriend to offer him a job. Seeing as how he worked there faithfully for years before finding a real job, I can see how the prospect of having him back might have been alluring. What I am upset about is how, when he asked you not to call him because he wasn't serious about applying and told you to call me first, since I needed the job and would be better for it, you called him without calling me.

I realize it's been over six months since we applied, since you called him, but obviously I'm not over it. I feel rejected by the one thing I'd really love to do right now. Why did you not even think I was worth a call? What was wrong with my application? With me?

Last night I had trouble falling asleep, lying awake thinking about this. It's the first time in a little while it's crossed my mind. And I know there is nothing that can be done, really. I shouldn't feel slighted, I know. But I do.

At first I thought, "Oh, maybe we applied too late." The woman at the desk said it was really close to when they were going to hire someone. And for a while they didn't call either of us. And then Robb's phone rang.

I wonder where we went wrong.

Out

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Getting to Know My Town Via Bike...

Note: This is a port from my other blog...Just so you know.


It's funny how much different a town you've known all your life seems once you get on a bicycle.  I've started paying more attention to sidewalks, how busy an intersection is, and where the trees hang low--things I never really noticed before.  It's a blessing to have a long stoplight instead of a reason to shake my fist at the sky and wish I were home.

Yesterday and the day before I spent a few hours on my bike, just cruising around town.  I thought it might be nice to share it with you.  I know...me, posting photos?  It's unheard of!  I think now would be as good a time as any for a blanket apology in that department.  I apologize for neglecting that part of my blog for quite some time.  I remember when every post had at least a little something from my camera.  It's not like I've stopped taking photos.  I take them all the time.  My camera comes with me everywhere.  It's just a matter of getting them from my computer, where they upload on my camera dock, to Robb's where I connect to the Internet.  And before you try to suggest I upload them to Robb's computer or I get my computer on the Internet, I'm just going to say no.  No.  My computer won't connect wirelessly.  And his computer won't take my photo software.  So.  Blah. 

Anywho...I apologize.  Some days it just doesn't seem worth the effort.  I'll try to pick it up in that regard.

Gosh...I typed all that and my photos SILL haven't finished uploading...

*waits*  *fights with stupid computer in the other room that refuses to write a CD of photos and has told me ten times in the last four minutes that it is running low on memory*

There we go!  And...ummm...it uploaded one photo three times and left one out.  And you all wonder why I don't do this more often...

*shakes fist at Xanga*



This was across town, very near to where Robb used to live.  This was the path on which we decided we really wanted a cat after meeting His Royal Highness, Sir Iok Sllod Oog Oog Murphy Pickles Gunther Chuzzlewitt III.  He was a friendly stray cat.

From there I rode on across a bridge that was ALMOST under water.



I may not look like it, but that water is up to the edge of the bridge.  See?

Now it wont' let me upload more photos...what the hell?  Fine.  I had a photo of all this detritus from trees and junk backed up against the bridge, but you'll just have to trust me that you can see it on the right side of thatl ast photo...all that brown crap has water flowing under it.  Blah.

Moving on.  I rode on over to campus, where there are usually a lot of college guys running and biking and doing whatever they do in various stages of undress...but school is out.  So all I saw were Asians feeding the geese and some hippy guy smokingo n a bridge.  But I headed over to the beautiful old neighborhood behind the school and took some photos I've always wanted to take.



This house is one of my personal favorites.  It's the porch that does it for me.  See?



Xanga must have known this, because they uploaded this one three times.  Stupids.

And this is a house I hadn't actually noticed before, but I kind of liked the random green part on the front of it.



It's cute, except for the metal shutters on the front door...eww.  And then I rode across town, passed by where the Water Guy works (I had no idea it was three blocks from where I work), and headed home.  When I got home, I didn't really feel like I was done, so I decided to ride down the street to the little park where people play baseball on one of their two-ish diamonds.  I never see anyone there, but Robb claims it's almost always full when he comes home.

I took no photos of it, but I did snap this:



That's the top of the tower that protrudes from teh ground next to an AT&T building near our house.  I have no idea what it's for, but it's always been significant in my life.  When I was little, I always looked for it from the car.  It's how I knew we were almost to DeKalb.  And now I live right down the street from it.

Funny how life takes you places you'd never think.  Anywho, then I rode as fast as I could home.  It felt good to get out and get to know my neighborhood a little better.  I'd love to go again today, but I think it's going to rain and be nasty out all day.  Blah.

Out

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Snippets on Tuesday...

I've been writing snippets of poetry, things that aren't quite fully realized but that need to be recorded.

Things like this:

And when she comes to it,
She'll know it's the end.
No bells; no party.
Just a quiet slipping between the sheets.

I've felt the vague urge to write poetry lately, like there is someting pushing its way up from my subconscious like a whale beneath a frozen ocean. And as far as this metaphor goes, I'm sitting on top going, "Whoa...it feels a litle rumbly..." And then not being able to express it any more creatively than that.

I think it's there. I just have to prime the pump. It's been so long.

And they're all about her. All my snippets, about some random girl (perhaps the girl in the green dress--or was it a coat--that sometimes come through my peripheral imagination?). My muse? I don't know. All I do know is that she's gotten on a bus and had all eyes on her for a second. Some, longer. And she walks.

Anywho...labor pains.

Out

Monday, June 8, 2009

I Saw A Movie?!

Yes, I saw a movie. In the theater. That NEVER happens.

The boy and I went to see Up. And I suggest you log out and go see it RIGHT NOW. The first five to ten minutes of the movie were maybe my favorite scenes in all of cinema. Holy cow. So moving.

The movie was an interesting collage of a lot of random elements that ended up working out REALLY well. Go see it. I mean that.

In other news, (to take a cue from Peter Griffin) do you know what really grinds my gears?

I can't stand hearing people say "social security." No one says it as it was meant to be said, as two words. All I ever hear is "Sosecurity" or "Soshsecurity." It never used to bother me, but now, I'm so tired of hearing it. Even the NPR announcers say it from time to time.

Stop it. And go see Up.

Out

Friday, June 5, 2009

Boys...

So, if you've ever met a boy, and I think most of you have, you might agree with me when I say that they're ridiculous. Not in a bad way.

This was my morning conversation with the boy:

Me: I love you.
Robb: Do you?
Me: Yes!
Robb: Do you love the Water Guy?
Me: No, I do not love the Water Guy! I don't even know the Water Guy.
*smooch*

And then, before he leaves...

Me: I love you. Have a good day.
Robb: I love you, too. Ask the Water Guy about home delivery. *wink*

I'm just shaking my head going, "What...but...I...what?" Sometimes boys are silly.

Out

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Email Carnival...

So, I just got this email from the boy:

"If you ever wanted to buy a used carnival ride, check out www.usedrides.com"

He's at work. As am I. And people marvel at how the Internet raises productivity?

Out

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Not Enough Hours...

Is it odd that I always make a mental to-do list longer than I have time for?

There are some obligatory time eaters every day such as:

Before work I work out, shower and get ready. I go to work, and while I'm there I catch up on the blogspot blogs I read. Once I get home I work out a bit for the second time. Then I eat something and catch up on Xanga blogs. I check my email. Some days I make sure no one has announced they're getting married on Facebook. And then there's Animal Crossing for the Wii, a game that runs in real-time, even when you're not playing it. I have to visit my town every day for fear that my neighbors will move away and all my flowers will die.

All those things I count as fairly obligatory. It doesn't mean I don't enjoy them. I just feel like I have to do them every day.

That leaves me with about two hours, maybe, that aren't taken up by making dinner with Robb, eating, showering, driving, etc. And in that time, I feel like I have to keep up with everything else that's going on. That's not to mention laundry or dishes or grocery shopping or phone conversations or fights.

Some days, it's just too much. I get to ten thirty when we try to shower and go to bed and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world...." Oh, wait...that's Louie Armstrong. I think, "Gosh, I wanted to go do that." Or, "I wanted to watch that, read that, try that, etc."

And the next day? I do the same thing. Is this how life is? Is this what everyone goes through? I want to try someting new. I want to drive down a road I've never been on without worrying about what won't get done while I'm doing that.

And yet, any one of those things would be something I'd miss if it wasn't a part of my day. Can I file an extension?

Out

Monday, June 1, 2009

Viva La Love Story...

Viva La Love Story...
Who knew that one and one could add up to so much? Check out this YouTube video. It's pretty amazing. And this guy's story kind of made me tear up a bit. I think it's that fatherly care thing...

[for some reason my video won't load]
[*yells* "TECH SUPPORT!"]

Try going here, where I had no issues: http://viewtiful-justin.xanga.com/703208824/viva-la-love-story/

Stupid Blogger...

Amazing.

Out