Just in the Nick of Time

I went looking in the spot this holiday season where there was a wonderful holiday mural last year but they did not put one up.  I was bummed but figured maybe the artist moved on or something.  Well look what I found today on the side of the florist building - how awesome!  It is him.  You can so tell as it looks almost the same as last year's but this one is so much bigger.  You cannot tell the scope in the picture but this is the whole side of a building.  The street are comes and goes so I have to keep my camera with me at all times to catch it.  This one came just in the nick of time, with it being New Year's Eve and all.  It soooooo made my day and holiday season.  I thought of it as a wonderful timely surprise.  You can think of it as a slightly late Christmas card for you.  Love you all.

Reminder

With the new year at our door step, I have this angel to remind us all to be on the lookout for what really matters.  I know things are going to get tougher for me before they get better, but I have a plan and there is a light that I am headed toward.  Still I know there will be times when I will be upset, discouraged or worried but more than ever I will need to see what I do have over what I do not have.  Life is good if you choose to see it that way and that is the option that I will pick.

Free Cable

Living life cable free has not been to bad but now I have free cable!  I told you have the 3 units shared the cable bill so I only had to pay $19 a month for cable which was perfect.  The other two units did not want it anymore and I did not want to pay the full bill because that is just nuts so the landlord shut it off back in August.  At first it was an adjustment but it really was not that hard to get used to and I would just watch stuff on my computer.  I found plenty and kinda liked it more.  It is much more active looking for free stuff to watch than just passively clicking on the tv to see what is on.  Then I got this "as seen on tv" gizmo called rabbit tv and was in heaven.  It really works.  It cost $10 but I had a coupon so only paid $8.  It really is just access to a browser that segregates all the free tv stuff you can watch on online but it makes the hunt so much easier.  Now new neighbors have moved into the front unit and they installed cable for themselves.  I had not turned my tv on for ages but there was an internet outage so I figured I would turn it on and put in a movie into the player to watch.  I do not have too many dvds and my dvd player is being fussy lately but I have a vhs player and video tapes so I dug out a video to watch.  Once I selected one I went to the tv and turned it on and BAM -- I had cable tv!  It had not dawned on me but the cable is split into all three units so when the new folks in the front turned on cable it turned on cable for all the units!!!  Free cable - for me not for them.  It gave me a bit of a moral dilemma like I should offer them money for a share of the cable but I was doing fine cable free and would not have ordered cable otherwise so I have not said anything but have watched the free cable.  The funny part is that I had to adjust originally to no cable and now I am like why was it a big deal.  I rarely find anything on tv to watch when I want to watch it and using things like rabbit tv, hulu, and netflix then I just watch what I want, when I want.  It is cool to have free cable, free is always good, but if it goes away then it is not biggie as I get more out of being cable free than free cable.

Snowball

I read the below and it made me laugh.  It is so silly but I am ok with it as I needed the laugh.  I have been feeling a little worried, stressed and nervous.  It will be all fine and I will work it out - as long as I can find some laughs every now and then.

I made myself a snowball,

As perfect as could be,

I thought I'd keep it as a pet,

And let it sleep with me.

I made it some pajamas,

And a pillow for its head,

Then last night  it ran away, 

But first -- it wet the bed.

Christmas Day

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.  Wow does time fly by.  I relaxed and enjoyed.  It was close to 80 degrees today so I should have gone to the beach but was too lazy to drive far.  Here are some pictures to enjoy of random Christmas moments.

My sister's Christmas tree.  I asked my niece to send me a picture of it and she made it so artsty showing off the lights.  Nice!  Wish I was there.

My lunch at the Chinese buffet.  I treated myself to like one million bad calories of yummy-ness on Christmas.  They were doing a good business, believe it or not, and I was so happy to get the discounted lunch time rate - yay.

This is my Carla's super sweet niece and her even sweeter dog Domino.  She is a very cute rough and tumble tom boy and he is a total love bug of a ham.

Jane sent me a picture of the ornament cards I used to send.  She still has them and takes them out each year, which makes me feel good.  A lot of people tell me they do the same.  I have not seen them in the stores in years but I loved them.  They was all beautifully embroidered.  

Judy's mom Bev.  She can be a crackpot but that is why she cracks me up.  She has her moments but it is easy for me to love her since she is not my mom.  She totally has no filter when she speaks, which can be hilarious or hurtful, but I know deep down in there she has a warm and wonderful heart.

Lisa's Christmas tree - OMG it is just as beautiful as she is!

A picture I took today of the bush in the yard.  Like I said it was about 80 degrees today.  I am not sure why they are glowing but I can only imagine that they are infused with the Christmas spirit.

Loren sent me this pic from the beach along with the message:  "Christmas sunset in Carlsbad.  I think I saw Santa's shadow in there."  Awesome!

Christmas Eve

I had a nice Christmas Eve and hope you did too.  I woke up super late as I had to work the night before until 2:30am - man the characters shopping after midnight.  I then made a bunch of calls to my family and friends, did last minute errands, enjoyed shrimp cocktail, posted a bunch of stuff to ebay, and relaxed with some tv (the Kelly Clarkson Christmas special to be exact).  It was good to put my feet up and even better to enjoy the orange soda that I splurged on too!

Bravo Boston!

Merry Christmas to You Too!

Christmas Spirit

Today I went to look for things to resell because it is 75% off all tickets 10 days or older on Mondays - yay.  I went to another town to check out their Salvation Army and I did very well but something else made my trip so worth it.  As I was digging I heard the store music was playing O Holy Night which I said before is my most favorite Christmas carol.  I cannot imagine there is a more beautiful song written.  That indeed made my trip a happy one but in addition there was a special needs employee sorting through things near me who was singing along with the carol.  It was so sweet and he sang well too.  I said to him, "You sing so well!" and he replied, "I love to sing".  "Well don't you ever stop", I praised him.  "Nope, never" he told me before adding, "Merry Christmas!".  My heart melted and filled with Christmas spirit right on the spot.  He returned to his sorting and singing as I wished him a Merry Christmas too.

What I Am Up To

I cannot live on it alone but I have been more aggressive with posting to ebay as it does help.  I have dug through stuff I had that needed to be posted as well as got new stuff to post.  I got this shirt for a buck and put it aside for when it was more seasonal.  I posted it last week and it is at $11.50 so far - yay, I love when I get a spike.  It is the Abominable Snowman from the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer tv show.  It is a funny shirt and in excellent condition.  It kills me what I find.  Not everything goes with such a high profit margin but I wish it did.  I really love the hunt, the thrill of a bargain, and then seeing what it will sell for.  If I could make a real living off this I so would do it. 

PS - Update - It sold for $13 - that is a good profit!

A Lil Bit of Christmas

I got this little Poinsettia at the dollar store and then planted it into a pot I got at the thrift store for 25 cents.  I try not to stray when I am looking for things to resell but I am all excited over this little bit of Christmas I now have in my house.  I really like Poinsettias a lot but they look like they should smell awesome but they do not smell at all.  Always found that odd.  I have no big plans for Christmas I am have been checking out the local churches for Christmas choir shows as I love Christmas carols and that would be fun to do.  Working in retail it seems like Christmas will be here in no time.  And then wham before you know it 2013 will be history.  I am curious as to what 2014 hold in store for me but regardless I will make the best of it.  Hope you are all enjoying getting ready for the holidays too!

Twitch Twitch

I went to the lawyer today and am working on my financial stuff.  It has me freaked out but I am moving it all forward and it will open a lot of options for me.  Because the holiday season has started I have been working regularly in retail.  I cannot live on it but I really do like it.  The time goes fast and I it makes me feel good to have a schedule plus I am really good at it.  The customers have given me so much praise and it really helps my bruised ego. I know what I am good at and what I struggle with.  I have keen self awareness.  The praise from both the customers and the managers helps me put into perspective that it was a curve ball thrown at me last month.  I am good at this.  There were obviously other things happening that I was just not in the know about.  I do not mind standing on my feet and moving around all day.  It is much more rewarding than sitting all day.  The only one thing I have noticed is that when I go to sleep at night my legs twitch like mad.  My legs have always been sensitive at night.  I remember watching tv at night and my legs would twitch and my ex would be like what the hell are you doing.  Then I had that blood clot thing and some veins removed and since the twitch subsided I thought I was all good.  I noticed I could get through a movie or a play without my legs twitching.  I am not suffering now.  I would say it went from very mild to mild but I guess it is good I sleep alone.  It can get frustrating but it is nothing major.  I am looking into some homeopathic things I can try and we will see how that goes.  In the meantime I will just take it as a sign that I put in an honest day's work. 

Yellow

November threw me for a bit of a loop but now December is here and so am I.  I am still working on things and fluctuate regularly from everything is good to holy shit what how am I going to do this.  But I want to put that aside to send you all a big thank you.  Many of you contacted me and gave me so much wonderful support.  It means the world to me.  Perhaps for others there are more important things but the key to me is that I need to feel like it matters that I am here (in general not California).  Having all your support is exactly what tells me I do matter.  All of you matter too - I could do any of this without you.  So in appreciation of all that I do have, I also have some gifts for you -- this little yellow flower, the symbol of friendship, that I got at the dollar store and repotted in a yellow vase I got at the thift shop -- $1.50 in total so you can enjoy and I can see each and everyday to remember you.  My other gifts for you are my true and sincere friendship - you know I am in it until the end - along with all my love.  Family is wonderful but they have to love me -- friends do so because they want to.  I have said it before but will say it again - I am a very lucky man.  

Stuffed

As I said I am trying to get over a small cold so I relaxed most the day.  I did however go over to the diner for turkey dinner.  It was so good!  In addition to the above it came with a cup of clam chowder and a large fresh baked dinner roll.  It was so good and total comfort food, which I needed.  Among the many things I am thankful for, I am now thankful for such a wonderful meal today.

Hope

Wish you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by friends, family and love!  I am fighting a bit of a cold so am relaxing today to prepare for the insanity that is Black Friday, although I definitely feel surrounded by love.  What I am most happy for is the hope that I have and which propels me forward.  I stumbled across these words yesterday by Emily Dickinson, the Belle of Amherst, who you know is one of my favorites.  Leave it to Emily, who rarely left her room, to remind me how tremendous and wonderful the world is.  Enjoy!

One More Step

I talked to my mom today and told her the whole nine yard and my plans.  Of course she wants to fix everything but she cannot so it is hard on her.  I know I am not a kid but I can only imagine as a parent, regardless of age, I am still always her kid.  I am ok with my plan and I am moving it forward.  It just kills me that she will worry.  That totally kills me.  I have always done everything in my power not to cause any worry to my family, ever.  And of course since I inherited her traits, I will worry that she is worried.  How crazy is that circle?  I let her know that I am not above asking for help so she need not worry.  She said she would try not to.  A kind but not believable lie on both sides..  All I am focused on is that when I pull out all of this then she will be even that much more proud of me - as I will too of myself cuz that nutty circle works in good ways too.

Going Forward

Well things are moving but it is stressful.  This finance stuff prays on my mind but I am doing my best to work it out.  I just get myself scared then I freeze then I snap out if it eventually and accomplish stuff but then I get scared all over again.  That is a very strange cycle and it lingers with me.  I need to commit to some decisions but it is hard for me to sign on the dotted line.  I know it is good for me and will open up my options but it doesn't mean it is not difficult.  I am ok though, I am in good spirits for the most part.  I need to make a better day time schedule for myself but my part time job is keeping me on track.  I am still dealing with the suddenness of losing my last job.  They unexpectedly let another manager go so there is something going on behind the curtain for sure.  I took care of some medical things this week, I go to the lawyer's again tomorrow and I need to explain this all to my mother.  That is a lot to end the week on but it all needs to be done.  I wish I could fast forward to the good parts but in reality I cannot get to the good parts with just a push of a button.  But that just makes me enjoy the good part all that much more.

Holding

Thank you for all your support.  I may not have heard from anyone at all from my last job after my sudden change but I did hear lots for you and that means the world to me.  True support from real friends!  But it also waters the seeds of "what I am I doing in California"?  I will have a small bit of time to ruminate on that as I have to solve some financial things which puts me into a holding pattern for a bit.  I also still have to tell my mother.  My parents were in FL and drove there so I did not want to spoil their vacation or have that weigh on their minds for the long drive home.  The should be home on Tuesday.  I am a little embarrassed and feeling like a failure that I cannot get myself steady but I do not beat myself up over it.  My biggest concern is that my mother worries so much.  She know inside I am cast iron.  She has seen it but she still worries and that upsets me.  I am the "good boy"  or at least always wanted to be and strive to be.  But I will talk to her soon.  So I am down but not out.  This is a big curve ball and I feel like I was kicked into the gutter and am not 100% sure why --- HOWEVER there are good things about the gutter.  Things seem more real here, I perform better under stress and the only view is spectacular as it is up and littered with stars.

Fixed It

On top of all the shit going on right now, I got pulled over by the police yesterday.  It seems BOTH my brake lights were out!  I had no idea because how can I see if my brake lights are working?  I was so worried because the last thing I need is to pay for a ticket.  The officer was actually very nice to me and he did give me a ticket but it is called a fix it ticket.  That means I need to fix the problem then go to the station to show that it was all set and I would not have to pay anything.  I know it is just changing a bulb but I do not know anything about car things so I went online.  I watched a video on how to change the bulb, see the internet is useful for more than just watching cat videos.  Then using the internet I found out what kind of bulbs to get and I bought them last night - only $6.47 for the two (including tax).  This morning I heard the landlord out in the yard.  After I watched the video I knew changing the bulbs would not be hard as long as I had the right screwdriver.  I was not sure if I had it but I know my landlord would so I went out and asked him and of course he did!  A power one too!  So lickety split I changed the bulbs and he confirmed for me that that were working.  Now I just have to show the police and I am all good!  I feel so good and accomplished today :)  See I had a problem - I was worried and nervous and yet I figured it out and got it fix plus have no problem asking for help.  I can do this, I know I can.  

Problems and Solutions

I got a great raise last April and then I picked up a part time job and was just thinking that I would be able to feel settled again.  Life comes with bumps and bruises and it has shaken me up yet again.  I now no longer have my full time job.  This is not the place for details but it came fast and quick and was a definite surprise.  It seems even before the surprise I was starting to wonder why I felt so much more validated, appreciated, empowered and productive at my part time job.  Now there is no need to wonder.  It really fucks things up but I will get it solved.  I do not currently know what that solution will be and I am terrified but I know that in order to get through this, I yet again, have to create some solutions for myself in order to have as many options as possible.  A lot of the solutions that immediately come to mind are not happy ones but in the end as long as I survive that I have accomplished what I need to do.  I know some folks that do not know me well think I am soft and emotional.  I admit that I have those aspects to me, no denying that, but in truth inside I am cast iron.  I can walk through fire without a grimace, I have done it before.  It is a survival mechanism that served me well many times.  Now I just have to conjure up the strength to move forward and create some solutions.

Day Off

As I was thinking about writing this post it dawned on me that a lot of you are single so I apologize in advance if this sounds like pissing and moaning.  I am tired.  I do not feel lonely I just feel tired.  No I am not tired because of my second job.  I like my second job a lot.  It goes by quick, helps out a great deal but also is a social outlet too.  I really enjoy the majority of people there.  I am just tired of having to solve everything myself, and do everything myself and take care of everything myself.  Sure the flip side is the sense of independence but it would be so nice to have someone to help pick up the slack or even better help keep me on track.  Just someone so that I know if I stumble it won't be a disaster since someone else will be able to keep it going and help me up.  I have a lot of friends - I know if I had a real bind they have and would help but people have their lives and so the day to day is up to me.  Just nice to have a day off at times.  

Saturday Me

Seriously the is the closest I can get to portray my Saturday afternoons without setting up a cam.  I flip on the 80's internet station and them jam like 30 years have not passed by.  I hope you find joy and happiness in what you do each Saturday too!

Watch the Show

Yikes - the second week of Once Upon a Time in Wonderland took a big ratings dip in its second week!  You must watch the show.  Honestly, it is ok but not as good a Being Human.  I am kinda not digging the whole genie/Arabian Nights mix in but still enjoying the rest of it.  Plus it is vitally important that we keep this man on American tv -- how could you say no???  Sooooo obsessed!

I Made That Happen

I have not been to the Salvation Army as much lately as my other part time job is more consistent with money, although I did well with my ebay reselling business.  I plan to try to keep the reselling going to some degree as time permits.  I went this past Friday to see what treasures I could fish out.  I found another Burberry polo shirt, which just shocks everyone at hoe many I have come across - I do have the magic Salvation Army store.  Having snagged that I figured my good luck came through for the day but then as I continued on I found this Game of Thrones shirt!  It says HBO on the back and is totally a Comic Con promo.  It is in excellent condition and looks like it has never been worn.  I am obsessed, as is everyone, with this show and knew I would eventually come across a shirt and I did, and for one buck!  It excites me that it will sell well on ebay but what excites me most is that I made that happen.  I think I posted about when I saw the street person with the Games of Thrones shirt and was totally like damn how did he snag before me?  But I knew I would find one and I did.  I feel like I willed the universe to send it to me.  Life always has different view points and you get to choose the one you want.  Some views take more effort than others but it is worth it.  I focus on the positive, I am good to others and I try my best to see what I have instead of what I don't.  This shirt validates all of that for me!  You might be thinking what a nut - he lives in the SD area and comes across Comic Con castaway shirts all the time.  I can understand that point but it is not the one I subscribe to and that is my choice, which is awesome.  It is hard sometimes to make that choice but the possibility of being able to do so is what makes me love this life.

Homecoming

At my part time job in order to get more hours I have to pick up time in areas outside of the men's department.  Most of the time it is fine, I have done fine china, domestics, home electrics, kids and it has been all ok but lately I have been learning what departments I do NOT like.  One night they put me over in fashion jewelry and well the department was fine, I liked being with all the shiny things. But it is right in the center of a high traffic area so I felt like I was traffic cop all night.  Plus it is not too big there and so I felt cramped.  Next up was ladies dresses - ugh definitely did not enjoy that.  Ladies clothing is just crazy and the lady customers????  Well let's just say lady is is being used very liberally.  One "lady" walked up to the counter with a bag that seriously looked like a Salvation Army donation.  She held it by the bottom, turned it upside done, dumped all the crap onto the sales desk and said, "Return it".  Can you imagine?  So what did I do?  I gave her a huge smile and said in the perkiest voice possible, "Hi!  How are you?".  UGH.  If  ladies dresses were not an adventure enough one night they said you have to go over to that station at 7:30 because Emily is leaving.  I was puzzled and said, "But Emily works in Juniors Dresses???"  Ringing is ringing but my hesitation was, "What teenage girl wants to be helped by the weirdo old guy???"  I was told, "Don't worry it is a Wednesday night so it will be slow".  That gave me some peace of mind until I found out that it was BS.  It is Homecoming season!!!  Doesn't matter what day of the week it is - it was busy!  I must have waited on a dozen mothers and their high school daughters in that 90 minutes.  One even asked me, "So do you like working in girls dresses?"  Obviously she too found it awkward that I was there.  But oooooh I saved the best for last.  One Saturday afternoon I was set to cashier in the ladies shoe dept.  The regular associates would help the ladies with the shoes and then when everything was all set all I needed to do was to ring up the sale.  Sounds easy peasy right?  All I can say is what the fuck is up with women and shoes????  It was insanity!  I was literally afraid for my physical safety!  OH good next time I get asked to do that I think I will request to feed the lions at the zoo by hand as it is less dangerous.  Seriously ladies, it is just a shoe.  So it is all being an adventure and although very nutty at times - I like it, I like it a lot.  I do not think I could do retail full time as it is sooooo tiring and exhausting but for a second job it is fun.  And I definitely smile each Friday that I see that direct deposit into my bank account.

It is Starting

Or really the truth is it is continuing.  I am so obsessed with this actor,  He is British and I blooged about him before.  I found out over the summer he was going to be in an American TV show called Once Upon a Time in Wonderland and I have been dying since to see it.  Well the show started this week and I LOVE it.  I was worried as Alice has a love interest that is not him so I thought he would be a secondary character.  Well he is a primary character as Alice's love interest is missing and he is helping Alice find him.  The first and only episode so far was so good I watched it twice.  I love too that he speaks in his normal British accent.  I watched the Rebel Wilson sitcom recently and they force her to use and American accent.  Her schtick is the same but it just not as funny for some reason without her accent for.  Anyway below is a picture of him from the TV show.  His character is named Will and he is the Knave of Hearts - swoon.  The picture above is from a press promo he did here in San Diego!  OMG I woulda passed out.  I am happy enough to know he was at one point that close.  If I had know beforehand he was going to be here, well let's just say I would be in a story too big for this blog and I would now have an arrest record.  

Ohhh he is so perfect and makes me very happy.

Which Season?

We had Santa Ana winds this past weekend and red flag warnings but luckily no fires.  They had some over at Pendleton that were pretty bad but are contained now.  It is fire season but that is never a season to get used to.  We have a good shot at some rain this Thursday and I hope we do.  I do not mean to be so inane, talking about the weather - or the lackthereof.  This time of year it always gets to me.  I guess I do miss the seasons and Halloween always reminds me that it should be a different season but it isn't.  Ah maybe it is all the British tv shows I have been watching.  I may not have cable but I do have internet.  London is just always laden with seasons - good bad or indifferent.  No more seasons for me though - at least not for 2014.  I will not be headed back to MA for the holidays.  I can squeak out the money, I just cannot squeak out the time.  I am entering into the busy seasons for both my jobs.  Seasons, season, seasons.  I can wait until Spring 2014, I just hope everyone else can.  I am sure they will, right?  Some days are a puzzle.

A Little Smarter

On Monday during lunch I went over the the St Vincent de Paul thrift shop and they were having a big 50% off sale.  They had a locked case with electronic items and so I sifted through it.  I came across this smart phone that with the discount was only 10 bucks.  It was in a protective case and looked in general good condition so I thought I would give it a try.  I can upgrade my phone but I hate being under contract - I dunno why as I have had the same carrier since I first got a cell phone (just another odd quirk of mine).  I brought it home and got it on my wifi no problem.  Then I factory reset the phone to clear everything out, I put my number on it and uploaded my contact -- ta dah!  So now instead of being six years behind the times, I am only three which is remarkable for a man that still used VHS.  I was worried about texting on the screen because of my pudgy fingers but the talk to text feature works awesome.  I can even speak in Spanish and it writes my text in Spanish - wow technology!  I am sure they have translators where you can speak English and have the text be in Spanish but that would defeat the purpose of learning and practicing Spanish.  Any way I can do all sorts of stuff now that I could not do before and probably won't use but I can if I want.  I bet the person that owned it before me got an iphone or something but I am super glad with his hand-me-down.  Thank you kind sir!

Long Weekend

I went to TJ on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend.  I went to see Oscar and it was the first time I had seen in him 9 months.  He had made the decision to go to work with an unsavory element (that is how I will put it).  He gave in to the temptation and so we knew we could not hangout any more.  He contacted me in the middle of the summer.  He no longer was working for them.  He came to the decision on his own that it was not a viable path for his life.  They said you came with nothing you leave with nothing so he paid he way out with what he earned and is free.  He asked me a couple times to come visit him but I needed a bit of time.  He works for a company that sets up events and has Sundays free.  When I felt the comfort level I needed I think went down.  We had Chinese food and went to the movies.  We talked a lot and he seems like he is in a much better place now.  I am glad for him.  He wants me to come back again and go out for some fun but I have been working a lot at my part time job and so have been busy.  I will see him again - just focused more on the help my part job is giving me - maybe at the end of October near his birthday.  Silliness can wait for a bit.  I am just glad he looked healthy and is happy.  That pleased me greatly.

I Must Figure Something Out

Behind my daytime job is an empty lot that my window looks out over.  It is fenced in but there is nothing there.  Recently they did some road work and while they did they filled the empty lot with a lot of equipment and heavy machinery.  During this time the fence was open.  The road work is done and the fence is locked again.  Well I noticed a couple weeks back that there is now some awesome graffiti way in the back on the wall of the building that abuts the lot in the east side.  It is crazy fish and very stylized and I am dying to get a picture of it.  I keep thinking of ways but have not gotten it yet.  I finally found a gap in the fence but I am too chicken to cross the lot because of snakes or black widow spiders I may stumble upon as I cross.  I cannot get a picture with my zoom as it is too far.  It is such a dilemma!  I want a picture so bad to add to my Esco graffiti collection.  I know there are worse problems to have but I have to find a way!

Oh I Forgot

When I went back east in August we had a party for my three niece's that have birthday's in August.  Of course my birthday is in August too so I also get in on the action!  Well my niece Jordan made me this card and I just love it.  She did it without any prompting and used her own dollar.  I know the dollar is supposed to be a gift but I think it is a bribe so she can get to San Diego.  Smart kid!

Depressed Perhaps

I dunno what is going on with me.  At either of my jobs I am busy and productive but outside of work I have no energy or motivation.  I do not know why I have not or cannot blog.  I am happy at work and even very silly at my part time job.  This Sunday I had off and I did have plenty to do but I decided to lie in bed and read magazines.  I probably would have been happy with that as it is a treasure to get time to do so but in reality I just slept.  Part of me thinks that I am depressed but I am not sure why.  I am focused on a couple money things that will be all done by the end of October and I think I just keep thinking about that.  It is positive that these things will be cleared up but I just spend a lot of energy thinking about them.  Maybe it is normal, just the everyday-ness of life.  I will keep at it and see what motivation I can get in place for outside of work.  I think posting regularly will be a step in the direction toward more motivation.

Nutcase

I have not blogged in ages and not I am going to post this - hence the title, "Nutcase".  Everything is fine but I just have been lazy.  Tsk tsk.  My part time job is going fine and the musak there cracks me up!  This is on it and it is SUCH a guilty pleasure of mine.  I LOVE this song!  It is true.  Well there is this Asian kid I work with that is a competitive break dancer - hmmm interesting.  Well we were working at one of the cashier stations together and normally I am very serious at work but this song came on and I was like do you know this song?  I love this song! I got so excited.  He was born in like 1992 so had no idea what I was talking about and then the silliness just took over.  I started singing and pantomiming to this song - jumping out from fixtures and dancing with mannequins.  He was like OMG you are nuts!  I told him if he tells a soul I would shank him with a coat hanger.  He then told me that I was probably on the security tape and I told it was would be fine since if it went viral then I would tell everyone he slipped me a mickey.  He could not stop laughing, especially since I do know every word.  He would be waiting on a customer and I would be be behind the customer and lipsyching away.  If the customer did turn around would be completely serious and they would be utterly puzzled.  Sometimes the silliness just overpowers me and the crazy comes out.  He will never be the same.

Look at Me, Look at Me

My niece will turn 16 on this Thursday.  She worked full time all last summer for the town.  She worked over the school year at a yogurt shop.  She also worked all this summer both at the town and the yogurt shop.  What did she do with all that money???  She bought a car!  How impressive!  She bought the vintage VW in the picture above to be exact.  It is funny as she does not have her license but has just been wanting a vintage VW and wouldn't you know someone at church was selling one.  It is from 1978 & only has 41k original miles.  The guy got it and fixed it up but is now working on two other restoration projects so decided to sell this one.  It was too good of a deal to pass up.  My brother-in-law will drive it over the winter and keep it in shape while my niece gets her license.  So by time spring comes and she has he liscense she will be hitting the road in her own car, that she wanted and she paid for in full - wow!  This is the niece that I told you about before.  She writes to me regularly but she has trouble verbally expressing herself.  I think it is so incredibly awesome and amazing that she did this but I did get one chuckle out of it (although I was not laughing at her, I would never do that).  I was talking with my other niece who I have said before  is EXACTLY like me.  We think alike and have an identical sense of humor.  Well I said to that niece, "I think is so terrific your sister got a car!  One point that has me thinking though is that she is a bit socially uncomfortable and yet......" I did not know how to exactly end that sentence delicately when my niece chimed in without missing a beat, "....and yet she got a car that says LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME!"  Exactly!!!  Oh we laughed over that one (although again not at my niece that got the car -- more over my niece that always is thinking what I am thinking!)  Anyways it is just amazing all around.  I love those kids.  I cannot wait to go for a ride in it next summer!

The Anniversary

While I was in Boston recently we had a 50th Anniversary dinner for my parents.  We know how much things like that mean to my mother and she knows that we know so my parents figured something would be going on while I was there but they did not know the details.  Sunday while I was there was the date for the big party for all the August birthdays.  My mother decided that was when the anniversary party was going to be.  On each Saturday night they go out to dinner with friends and I got those friends to divert their normal plans and bring my parents to the dinner party.  So the biggest known secret turned out to be a huge surprise!  It was about 25 of us and just the family which is exactly what my parents wanted.  They were so caught off guard when they came in an saw everyone.  Confusing the elderly is not a kind thing but I found it amusing.  As they were putting it all together my niece walked up to my mother wearing the dress that my mother got married in.  My parents did not have a big ceremony.  They got married in August 1963.  This month is their 50th wedding anniversary and next March is my sister's 50th birthday.  You can add that up and I do not need to remind anyone that the world of 1963 was hugely different than that of today.  Yet in the middle of figuring out what was going on when they walked in, as soon as my niece approached my mother, my mother shouted out, "Oh My God, that is the dress I got married in" and then tears followed and streamed and streamed -- she is so mushy.  It was so touching I cannot even express it.  My niece is 16 and was such a good sport to wear it.  A lot of 16 year olds are moody and would never have done it but my niece was excited to do so and it just put it all over the top.  After the first hour she did change into a super cute little Charlotte Russe sun dress.  We had a wonderful time and my parents were thrilled.  Michelle arraigned for 2 bottles of champagne which was so incredibly gracious and kind.  My brother gave a toast with it and we all enjoyed the bubbly.  It really was one of the best nights in a long, long time.  All that aside --- on top of it all, how awesome and sweet is this dress?  Sooooo adorable!  And my mother was that size once!

What a Heap of Craziness

Oh wow that was nuts.  I got to Boston and back safe and sound.  Although I was there a week it was like a whirlwind of one family party after the other.  I will update soon.  But before I left my internet connection started acting up.  Is the connection not my computer.  They tired to fix it but it kept going up and down and then I had to leave.  On this past Thursday the guy from the cable company was at my house and it took him 90 minutes to get me back on line.  Replaced wires,. modems. signal increases, ugh.  Yesterday it was still a bit wonky so I called again today and so far so good - fingers crossed.  Yesterday started my first day without cable tv and I am having serious withdrawals but as long as my internet stays connected then I will be ok, I think.  If not then in the fall when my car payment is up I might reconnect cable on my own - just kills me to pay that much for tv.  Anyway I have a lot to post and will try to post each day for a bit.  I missed you all - hope you are great!!!

Be Right There

I leave on the red eye tonight and land in Boston early Wednesday morning!  I am so excited for vacation.  I can't wait to see the kids and family and friends --- plus not have to work!  There will be a family dinner for my parent's 50th anniversary -- a big family birthday party BBQ - and hopefully a some fried dough at Salisbury Beach and seafood too and maybe some Chinese food on the drive back home - yum, yum, yum,  See ya soon!

For A Friend

"Hello!  My name is Walter and I eat chalk."

Cable Crisis

Long stupid story short my sweet deal on cable is coming to an end.  I paid $19 a month and now if I want cable then I am going to get it on my own and it is like $70 a month.  I will think about it while I am away but I cannot justify more than $2 a day for TV, I just can't.  It will kill me for a while at first but we will see.  Oh Honey Boo Boo, World's Dumbest, many Housewives and Breaking Amish -- how will I survive?  The new Breaking Amish is in LA and it is soooo good.  That is them up above and the kid in white cracks me up.  He is Mennonite not Amish but he says gems like, "Hollywood Blvd is a sinful place", "the people here need to be more modest", and "I don't like being in this club because I am worried I am going to impregnate a woman".  He is priceless this is true but is he worth $840 a year???  Errrrr I am so annoyed.

Check It Out

Look!  I came across some great art here in Esco that I have not seen before.  I have not found anything new in a while so I was super excited over these two.  They were in an alley between 2nd and Grand so it was not really on the beaten path but I found them!  I think the woman is super beautiful -- love her eyes, the color and that it almost looks like a photo when it is not.  But I really love the vintage looking Cigar ad.  It is new not old but I love the look of it.  Plus if you look at the bottom left corner, the gold coin says Escondido!  It is so one of my all time favorites.  I thing these are art and I get so happy when I get to them before the punk kids spray their graffiti tags on them -- that is not art that is pollution.  But regardless of what happens to these I have them documented.  I am so happy today!