Things That Sick Me Out #2

Fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt. There is something about the gelatinous layer of pseudo-fruit lurking at the bottom of the yogurt cup that I have always hated. It's just kinda gross.
Give me smooth, blended yogurt any day.

Vacation here we come!

I'm sorta copying Dunkin here, but one week from today we'll be on our way to New Mexico!! We're going to be staying in a cabin in Ruidoso for four days. In 74 degree weather. I get to wear a jacket at night because it will be in the 40s! I even bought a new raspberry colored scarf for the trip. Overboard you say? I think not. We're going horseback riding and hiking and who knows what else, so I have to be prepared in case it's cool outside. I'm sure I'll buy some good turquiose jewelry, and hopefully some good quality beads to make my own jewelry. I don't know how I'm going to make it through next week! I always feel a little sad for the pups having to be in a kennel, though. They have abandonment issues, and I always feel like they must think we've decided to turn them back in, but I'll GET OVER IT and so will they.

It's Wayback Wednesday Sexy Mama!

This week, The Kept Woman wants us to post pictures of ourselves as sexy mamas. I don't really have any sexy photos that I feel comfortable posting on the internet, so I'm cheating a little bit. Here a few photos from my recent lingerie shower.

Not too sexy....




Getting warmer.....




Mama Mia! I think my face shows the surprise upon opening this one!


(Yes those are underwear, and yes there was a matching bra with equally shocking, um, holes....)

Let me know if you played!

Why is it still 100 degrees outside?

I live in Texas. I was born and raised in Texas yet every "Fall" I wonder why it is still 100 degrees outside in September. As if it is surprising. Or unusual. Or different. But it's not. That is what happens when you live in Austin. I'm not being greedy. I don't need a winter (although I would love some snow), if I could just have a fall. It's hot year round here with some cool days or weeks thrown in. I have pictures of myself in shorts on Christmas. I'm sweating by the time I get to my car after work. I DREAD going outside. I AVOID running errands. I HATE sweating (unless I'm working out, but then I'm not wearing makeup or trying to keep my hair somewhat styled). We have to run our AC constantly. I hate this, yet I still live here. Fall is supposed to be about sweaters and boots, leaves turning colors and falling, being able to leave the windows open during the day, etc, etc. Instead, it is hot as balls outside. There are no sweater and boots, only capris and tank tops. There are no leaves changing color. Only dying grass. Did I mention it is really hot here? A 20 minute walk with the dogs and they are panting for their lives. So why, you ask, do I still live here? Because each year I expect something different. I expect that by some sort of wonderful change in the global climate, we will actually HAVE A FALL SEASON. And that, my friends, is the definition of insanity.

Profound

From Dubyaspeak:

The good news is -- and it's hard for some to see it now -- that out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic Gulf Coast, like it was before. Out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- he's lost his entire house -- there's going to be a fantastic house. And I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch.
-- Dubya pep talks the residents of the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast as only he can, Mobile, Alabama, Sep. 2, 2005

Oh THANK GOD! I'm so happy that Trent Lott will be able to rebuild his house. Whew. It was touch and go there for a little while. It's sad for ANYONE to lose their home, but if anyone will be able to rebuild, it's Trent Lott. To add insult to injury, according to Bush, the house will be "fantastic". What about those who can't afford to rebuild at all? So insensitive.

Idiot.

Failure is Right

Go to Google and type in "failure". That's about right.

Are you KIDDING me?

Yesterday I had ANOTHER roach fall from the ceiling on to my desk. Luckily, this little bastard (well, he was actually quite large) was scratching so hard on the light fixture, I heard him long before he actually took a dive. I saw his large antennae moving around as he came over the edge of the fluorescent lights. I watched him swan dive right on to my computer and proceed to walk around my desk. I have pictures from my friend E's camera phone, so I'll post them once I get them.

Today, another roach fell, but this time behind my co-worker's desk.

Are you kidding me? I don't know how much longer I can take it.

Happy Anniversary-of-the-Day-We-Got-Engaged!

I love you!

Advice Needed

I don't know how many of you have dogs or are dog lovers, but I am very sad right now. I have been crying most of the evening.

I have seen many an ad for dogs that people are voluntarily giving away. I always judge them. I think that they are lazy and must not have truly cared for their dog. We are now facing the possibility that we will have to give our female dog away. We will be that person. We love her dearly. We have cared for her well.

The problem is that she has gotten increasingly aggressive, and we have seen our other dog become aggressive, too, from being around her. When we got her, we noticed that she was dog-aggressive to strange dogs (not to our other dog), but now it has started with people, and the cats which is NOT okay with me. I have visions of her killing one of the cats in front of me. For those of you who don't know, my sister and I witnessed one of her cats being killed by her neighbor's pit bull, and it was one of the most horrific things I have ever seen.

I have spent hundreds of dollars on obediance training, and it didn't help at all. We cannot have people over to our house, and if we do, the dogs have to go in their crates and end up barking the entire time. People who used to be deemed "okay" by the dogs, are now being growled and barked at. This would all be fine if they were 5 pound chihuahuas, but they are 40-50 pound dogs. They look and sound scary.

I can't imagine giving her up, but it might be a reality if she doesn't shape up. If any of you know people experienced with dogs, please forward my link on to them. I'm at my wits end. The only positive is that the rescue organization from which we adopted her insists that you give back any dog that you can't keep, so I know she will go back to a good foster home. I'm just plain sad. We don't have kids, so the dogs ARE our kids. And they are so sweet to us. As I type, she is chasing her tail. She is just so damn cute.

Any thoughts?

I...

I saw this on the Dallas Ks and loved it:

i am not: greedy
i love: my life away from work
i hate: being told what to do
i fear: someone will break into our home at night
i hope: I figure out what I want to do with my life
i hear: bad grammar all the time
i crave: sugar, salt and sleep
i regret: not dumping my college boyfriend sooner
i cry: about once a month and it's a doozy
i care: about unwanted animals
i always: kiss my husband goodnight
i believe: there is so much corruption in our federal government, it is beyond repair
i feel alone: when I'm driving home from work
i listen: to CNN all the time since Katrina
i hide: the fact that I'm scared shitless about my professional future
i drive: a Honda Civic
i sing: really loudly only in my car
i dance: only when really drunk (I'm with you Dunkin)
i write: emails all day long
i play: Scrabble with my husband
i miss: having summers off
i search: for my purpose
i learn: from trial and error
i feel: ugly most of the time
i know: I'm a smart, funny woman
i saw: the last supper, the mona lisa and the eiffel tower. The mona lisa is disappointing.
i succeed: with most crafty things
i dream: to be anxiety free
i wonder: how I will live without my dogs
i want: to learn how to silversmith
i give: not enough
i fight: when being talked down to
i need: a cooler climate

Way Back Wednesday For Reals!

I'm going to do a make up/combination of two wayback Wednesdays--Friends and School Spirit, so bear with me on the length of this post. I just couldn't let TKW down!

Here's my first best friend, G. We met on the first day of Kindergarten. I said, "Hi!" She stuck her tongue out at me. It was a sign of things to come. We were friends up through 8th grade (see cheerleading photo), but she was a bad kid, and we drifted apart. I hear she's married with two kids and loves being a mom. Who knew?


Now we'll skip to volleyball. The following are 7th grade and Freshman year photos. I quit after Freshman year because lets face it, how many volleyball players are 5'2"? I'm third row from the top on the left. My good friend A is the blonde on the fourth row.


Now we'll skip to high school. I was on the drill team. Here is my photo. Sigh. could my hair have been any bigger? This was the early 90s? Hair wasn't supposed to be like this. I also included a performance photo similar to TEH. I'm the one on the end on the front row.


Which brings me to my current friends, HV, HT and C. I was on drill team with all of them. I met HV and HT my freshman year, but I've known C since kindergarten. This is me and HV from drill team (I found out today she is pregnant with kid #1!!! She's the first of my BFF to get pregnant).
And at her wedding:

Here is C, HT, me and HV at a wedding.

And us at HT's wedding:

Of course my bestest friend of all is my big sister R. We had some rough times with each other growing up, but now we are best friends:


And I can't forget my gorgeous hubby, the rockstar!! This is from Vegas when we eloped.

The End.

Wednesday Rant

Hey you! Yeah YOU, the one calling me right now? Guess what? If I don't answer my phone, there's a good reason why. I could be screening, I could be in a meeting, I could be down the hall talking to a friend, there might be someone at my desk (in which case I wouldn't be rude enough to answer my phone)--you don't really know. I might just be working on something and don't feel like answering my phone. Point is, I'M NOT ANSWERING MY PHONE. So calling me three times in a row and not leaving a message is really a waste of your time. Plus, if you email me, I'm much more likely respond in a timely fashion. Oh, and leaving a voice mail with your name and number, but no clue as to why you are calling? Don't do that. Just don't.

Way Back Wednesday

Okay, we are having computer issues. My computer isn't recognizing the wireless keyboard, therefore I can't type anything, therefore I can't scan photos, therefore I can't post anything tonight. I have tons of great photos, though, so please check back Thursday morning when this will all be resolved, and you can laugh at my drill team photos. We're talking BIG hair and lots of stage makeup :) Plus, I'm going to do a makeup post from last week. The friend photos sort of overlap with the dance team photos....

Horrified

What I'm about to post is hard to read. I read this last night on CNN, and I literally started bawling out loud. This whole situation in New Orleans is just unacceptable. The following just made me sad and angry. So a child loses everything, and we can't let him keep his dog? I'm pissed.

Superdome evacuation descends into chaos
Evacuee: 'I would rather have been in jail'

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AP) -- At the front of the line, the weary refugees waded through ankle-deep water, grabbed a bottle of water from state troopers and happily hopped on buses that would deliver them from the horrendous conditions of the Superdome.

At the back end of the line, people jammed against police barricades in the rain. Refugees passed out and had to be lifted hand-over-hand overhead to medics. Pets were not allowed on the bus, and when a police officer confiscated a little boy's dog, the child cried until he vomited. "Snowball, Snowball," he cried.