Thought of the Day

Oh Miss Babbitt that bitch.  I have no idea who Miss Babbitt is but with a name like that you know it is mandatory that she is fabulous.

Leader of the Pack

I have a couple big things I am working on for next week and one of them is that I am going to announce on Monday to my weight loss group that I will not accept nomination to be leader for the next year.  The year runs from April to March.  There are two honest reasons why I have decided not to do it.  The first one (and the one I will tell them) is that I find it to hard to focus on my own weight loss why leading the group.  I have been gaining and just have not been able to focus on getting it under control.  In order to do that I need to put all my energy into it.  

The second reason (and the one I will not tell them) is that I cannot stand the politics - I hate it.  A few of those old ladies are downright vicious and negative and as leader I cannot just ignore them as I can while just a member.  Unfortunately being leader has not be an overall positive experience for me.  Of the 17 of us - 4 do all the work, 2 complain about everything, and the rest just stare. 

I am going to remain as part of the group because I recognize that for myself I need to and I want to make positive results again.  I know that just focused on myself I will be able to have more energy to do so.  I believe I made some headway during my tenure.  Hopefully I planted the seeds and someone can tend to the garden of change.

Direction

Fun in the Snow

My niece got snow last week down in Virginia.  It was about an inch so they closed school.  Being from the Boston area this cracked her up and so she went out to enjoy the snow.  Looks like she had fun but it is still too much snow for me.  Yuck.

Enjoy the Ride

Genetics

Do you think this is mother, daughter and grand daughter?  

If yes then obviously there is a dominant gene at work here.

More Odd Stuff

I have said before that I would make some posts so that someday when someone has to go through my stuff and thinks, "What the hell?!?" - well they would at least know some of the reasons.  I think explaining this odd & kinda creepy pin   will be a large benefit to that person.  When I was younger we lived with my grandmother.  She was not all warm and lovey dovey by I still thought the world of her.  She was protective and caring plus taught me my prayers as well as manners.  She was wonderful to me.  During the summer my family would rent a cottage in York Beach Maine.  It was always a blast but my grandmother never came with us.  I would miss her terribly so I would send her postcards, of course, but one year while digging around Pop's Sea Shell Shack I came across this treasure of a pin.  I was probably like 8 years old.  I had money for the arcade but knew I needed to get this pin as a present for my grandmother instead of playing some more skeeball.  She wore a watch everyday without fail - puzzle pieces falling in place in place for you all?  But other than her watch she wore no other jewelry still I just decide that it was the perfect gift for her.  Maybe it is the ruby eyes - who knows.  

When I returned from the beach I gave the pin to my grandmother.  She loved it.  She never wore jewelry so she never wore it but she kept a cigar box with her important papers in it (I am not making this up).  So with her insurance papers, birth certificates, and deed to the house she kept this pin - that makes me happy to this day.  When I was in MA last June I was going through stuff with my mother.  She pulled the pin out of the box and said, "I don't know the story behind this one or why it is in her box of important papers but you can have it if you want."  I told my mother, "I know what it is.  I bought that one year while we were off at the beach and gave it to her."  My mother then told me, "I was always curious why she kept that in the box of her most important things and now I know."  And know you know too.

Boys or Girls?

Either way your dresses are too short.

The internet has the weirdest shit on it.

She is so Good

That picture is of my two aunts but this post is about my mother.  My aunts are good but my mother is so good.  I know I am a mommy's boy but my mother truly is good.  Yes she is completely insane but you how much I love and appreciate insane people.  Actually I feel a little bad for my mother because my aunt, who is blue in the picture above, is the oldest sibling and she is very ill.  My cousins moved her to FL in the fall so that my they could be near could take care of her but my cousins are messed up.  They always have been.  People do not change too much.  My aunt is not doing so well right now.  she is just kinda all done with the ride and just wants off the bus.  It will not be that much longer and she will pass on so my mother is naturally upset.  My mother is also at peace though because she has a good relationship with my aunt and always has but family is super important to my mom and so I know it still makes her sad.  I know it is just the natural cycle of life but what makes it horrible are my cousins, they are truly insane (not the good kind of nuts) and keep trying to drag my mother into all sorts of drama.  Kudos to my mom because she is not having it.  Although the peacemaker in the family, my mother's mouth is bigger than mine and she told my cousins that obviously they were making stuff out of nothing due to guilt that built up over a lifetime and now they do not have the time to fix.  I was proud she said that but knowing how much family means, even the fucked up family members, I know it was still tough for her.  

For as much mail as I send, I rarely send my mother cards although I do call her 2-3 times a week.  Well I saw a "thinking of you" card that was perfect so I got it and sent it to my mother.  I wrote some words of encouragement to say that I know how hard this is for her but I also know how strong she is and that I love her very much.  So then later she calls me and she is crying and crying - I thought my aunt passed or maybe my dad was having a really bad episode but no.  She was crying because she got my card.  Once she composed herself she said that she had no idea why she is so lucky to have such a caring son and that she can always depend on me during difficult times.  I have had friends tell me that but my mother never said that before.  I know that I too am insane and have my annoyances but she is always there for me too.  I am glad I made her happy even if I made her cry. She is so good - crazy as loon, but so very good.

He is so Good

Recently I came home to a large package in the mailbox.  I could see it was from Matt but had no idea what it was.  The mailbox is at the bottom of the hill so I had to wait just a short bit before I could get to the heart of the mystery.  I opened it up and it contained a fluer de lis candle in a very baroque looking tin as well as a Waterford Crystal Fluer de Lis Ornament   How awesome!  How good is he?!?  The candle is great but the ornament - it is sooooo shiny.  Plus I adore Fluer de Lis, Waterford and ornaments so all rolled in one - its a freaking trifecta!  I put pictures below but trust me I for as great as it looks, it looks even more fabulous in person.  To top it all off he shipped it in a Temecula Olive Oil box.  I remember when we went there!  Plus it seems I am not the only hoarder on the block - huh mister Matt???  Perhaps I am just more vocal.  Thank you for adding to the hoard and thinking of me.  You are the best!

More Than I Could Chew

This week the weather has been super nice.  Seems like it has been chilly and rainy for so long but not lately. I have been doing my best to get back to exercising this week and made it a point to walk everyday during lunchtime.  Today was super nice out, as you can see by my photographic evidence.  Since it was so nice I decided to walk to the post office and the bank and then back home.  It is between 7-8 miles all total.  Man what the hell was I thinking.  It was great to feel the sun for that long but since I have been so remiss with exercise lately - it was a little more than I should have.  I am exhausted now and my feet are killing me.  I am glad I did it as remember when I had no car a walk like that was nothing.  So although tired - it was good for me, I enjoyed it and most of all, shows me proof that I need to get back to a regular exercise routine!

Reminder

A little politeness goes a long way - even in today's world.

As well as graciousness never goes out of style.

Slow

Catching Up With Christmas - Part II

I love all my nieces and nephews so it was super great to see them all over Christmas but I especially love my oldest sister's middle daughter.  OH she kills me!   I will tell the truth and admit that I think she is so awesome because she has MY personality.  My sister tells me all the time, "She drives me nuts!  She is just like you!".  So needless to say when we get together it is not long before someone in the family is saying, "Will you two knock it off".  On Christmas Eve after the family party my niece came back to my mother's house so that she could wrap presents for my mother.  I sat with her as she was wrapping presents and I was cleaning out my mother's camera and camera phone as I do every time when I visit.  Her cameras are always filled with miscellaneous pictures of nothing or pictures of thumbs or just really horrendous shots.  I came across one of my nephew that was so hysterical.  Of all my mother's oddball pictures, it was the best ever.  I showed the picture to my niece and said, "When the hell did Bam (what the kids all call my mother) meet Mr. Tumnus from the Chronicles of Narnia???".  My niece is 18 so when she saw the picture she immediately got the joke and the Narnia reference.  Mr.  Tumnus is the half man half goat character and when you look at the picture below you will understand my question and the joke.

My niece and I just laughed and laughed for an hour straight over my damn joke and this insane picture.  We both had tears and could not speak.  Then I hear my mother laughing in the other room so I said, "Bam what the hell are you laughing at in there?"  She said, "I don't know!!! You two won't stop laughing so now I am laughing."  My mother then came into the kitchen where we were and said, "You two cut the shit.  You made me tinkle in my pants!".  That is when the calamity truly just took off.  It is midnight and my niece and I were howling in laughter.  The more we laughed the more my mother is yelling all sorts of obscenities at us and then my father comes out the bedroom and says, "Jesus Christ!" - which is the most he ever says.  I told my niece that I had to take her home because I actually had a headache from all the laughing and yelling and craziness of the night.

I brought my niece home and was not even 3 minutes from her house and my sister called me.  She said, "What the hell did you two do now?  When are you going back?!?"  Oh I just cannot even tell you how many calls I get from my sister yelling at me for being a dingbat.  As I sat in a terminal at Logan on Christmas day, my niece texted me the infamous picture and said, "Do you miss me yet?"  Oh I sure do, I really, really do.  Just writing this I was laughing again over it all.

Here is me, my niece and my clinically insane mother who is destined to be canonized for dealing with me all these years:

Here is the crazy picture Bam took of my nephew unintenionally as Mr. Tumnus:

So you can get the joke - here is a drawing of the real Mr. Tumnus:

I Have Been Thinking

I admit I spent a long time thinking about this picture, sounds sad but there are worse ways to spend my time.  I understand why he has no shirt because if I had Matthieu's body then I would be permanently shirtless also, so I get that.  And then of course since he does not wear shirts he cannot pin his name badge to his shirt so he wrote his name across his chest, which I am sure doubles helping him on how to spell his fancy, Frenchly, stylized name.  The piece of the puzzle which I have not yet solved though and which leaves me a befuddled is star drawn in sharpie on his shoulder.  Matthieu looks like he is puzzled over it too so at least I am in good company.

It's a Party!

In October I put on Customer Service Appreciate week activities for my folks and among the decorations that I set up were mylar balloons all over the office.  They were stars of all different colors.  At the end of the week I told everyone to take the balloons home and I took a gold one home.  I put it up on my door and you cannot believe how happy it made me - or perhaps you can!  I just felt happy every time I saw it.  Balloons are for good things like parties.  One simple gold balloon and I would felt festive everyday because of it.  Finally it was just dragging on the floor and I knew I had to get rid of it but I knew I had to get a new one to replace it so I got the above heart to replace it.  I was only a dollar but what an investment.  I even had a friend that said what is up with the balloon and I was like I am having a party!  So now I have a heart shaped balloon that will last for a while and make me very happy.  I am such a simple man in more than one meaning of the word - and that pleases me. 

About Face

I have decided that I want to create some positive new habits so I have been reading about making habits  I have seen to create a new habit you need to do it every day for a month.  I can think of worse things to do with my time so I am going to pick a list of things and do them everyday for a month and see what happens.  One of those things is to post in my blog everyday for a month starting with this post.  I do not need to make posting in my blog everyday a habit  I post enough but it is something I enjoy so my challenge with doing it every day for a month is a challenge to do something I enjoy every day for a month.  I deserve that.  I know all my posts will not unveil the mysteries of the cosmos but they will be positive and enjoyable for me to do.  I also think it will help me become less of a procrastinator and more in action.

Refills Please

I am doing fine.  A lot on my mind and a lot to blog about but just waiting for the right frame of mind so that I can get it out cohesively.  No complaints here - work has got me very busy and I have some work related stuff to say but this is not the right forum for it.  Nothing bad at all - just the opposite, it is very good.  I will catch up by this weekend at the latest on putting some posts up.  Hope you are all fantastic.   I think me and this lady just need a refill.

Catching Up on Christmas - Part 1

Well it was a whirlwind trip to MA for Christmas.  I spent a lot of time with family but got to squeeze in time with friends too.  For all of those that I missed, don't worry as I will be back in August and be able to stay longer and will see you then - promise.  In the meantime Judy and her boyfriend Paul had Debbie and I over for dinner at their place in RI.  Their place is awesome too!  It is an old converted factory and is such a great space.  Here are some pictures and comments:

How insanely pretty, perfect and pink is their tree?!?  Love it!

How sweet - yack!!! I just threw up a little in my mouth.  HA just teasing.  Judy and Paul are a super sweet couple and I am very happy for them both.  It is great to see them so happy and it was incredibly nice for them to have me over.

Yay - Merry Christmas Eve Eve - was an awesome night (with my mis-matched scarf and all!).

I don't know - seriously I don't, but it fascinated the hell out of me.

How good of a host is Judy?  So inviting and welcoming!  I think she secretly subscribes to Martha Stewart's Living magazine but I am sure she will deny it.

Very odd and yet highly intriguing 70's quilt art that Judy got passed down to her from her aunt.  I have never seen anything like it! You cannot tell from the picture but it was puffy, so of course I was like, "Can I touch it?  I need to touch it." Well I did touch it and it was awesome.  Amazing art is always tactile too!

01.01.2013

Happy New Year!  I got back from my whirlwind trip and work has been so busy.  I have stories to tell but all I have done so far is change the format of my blog, clean my desk and reset up my wifi.  I am so proud that I reset my wifi up all by myself.  It broke ages ago and although I have a laptop, I never take it off the desk and so was too lazy to try to fix the wifi.  In addition I really did not think I could do it.  Yes it did take me most the afternoon but success!  I did all by myself and it works!  I am so off topic right now that it is not even funny but I really needed to pat myself on the back for that one.  I stayed in on New Year's Eve.  I was supposed to work a half day but ended up working almost a whole day and was so tired.  I was also going to write an end of the year story last night.  I have a very sad story about Oscar that just breaks my heart and I wanted to write about it.  Instead I figured that I would write a post today to start the year - it felt like a more positive thing to do.  I will update you in the future about Oscar.  I wish him the best is all I can express now.  I also wish everyone the best.  It is a new year and I am ever the optimist so I know it will be the best ever, and if not well at least I have wifi - yay!