Thanks Mom

I am grateful for my mom. Sometimes she really pisses me off, and sometimes I really piss her off, but when it comes right down to it, I know she loves me and I love her. And that, my friends, is a really nice feeling.

I'm also very proud of her. Two years and counting... she is one strong woman.

B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

I am grateful for small gestures and quirky comments that come out of nowhere. This morning I was about to leave and when I grabbed my purse, there was a banana in it. I gave James a quizzical look and he simply stated, "I thought you might need a banana today." I accepted, and he was right. I did need a banana today. Yum.

Do you think this counts as one or three? I'll go with three.
-kind gestures
-odd comments
-bananas

Change of Plans

I thought about it, and I do not think it is helpful to list negatives. So scratch that.

Today I am grateful for the big 'ol grin and bear hug I got from Thomas. Thank you, Thomas, you made me very happy.

Pretty sure everyone reading this knows who Thomas is, but on the off chance you do not...

This is Thomas


I babysit Thomas. He is four years old, almost five. He is one smart cookie, and his smile is contagious.

Pros and Cons Day 1

So I have not been in the best of moods as of late. My mom suggested something she once thought was cheesy, stupid, useless, and a waste of time. Turns out I think its cheesy, stupid, useless, and a waste of time, but if it helped her in the long run, why not give it a shot.

Every day, write something down that you are grateful for.

I am changing the rules because at this point I can think of way more things that I hate than I can things I am grateful for. So as a compromise, I am listing one of each. One thing I am grateful for, one thing I loathe. And I will try to be specific. After all, it would be a lie if I said I am grateful for my friends, because honestly, they really piss me off sometimes. Same thing goes for family, a roof over my head, food to eat... sure, great, whatever, but there are things about each of them that drive me crazy. That and its so cliche it makes me sick.

Right now I am having a real hard time staying focused on the positive. As soon as I find something positive I sabotage it by thinking of all its drawbacks. I will try my best not to over-think this little experiment. So here it goes.

I am grateful: for seeing the movie Anvil! The Story of Anvil today. Steve "Lips" Kudlow might be a jerk sometimes, but his attitude toward life is really something to be admired.

I hate: being interrupted. If I am rambling on and on or have lost my focus, jump right in, but when I am trying to tell you something about myself, how I am feeling, what I am thinking... have the courtesy let me finish a sentence.

And thats that. Much less explaining next time. Just the pros and cons of every day.

less than elegant

In effort to nurture and care for the lovely plants that adorn my apartment, I brought some outside to spray a little "go away bugs" mist on them. This particular bottle has the tendency to miss the actual target and go for walls, shelves, tables, etc. so I played it safe by spraying in a wall/shelf/table-free-zone.

Maybe you have been to my apartment, maybe you have not- but I'm here to tell you, the only wall/shelf/table-free-zone is the ledge surrounding our patio.

This one.


"Go away bugs" spray complete. Mission accompli..... @#$^&*@!

Down goes the fuchsia. *SPLAT!* I do not push it over, I do not even think I brushed against it or slammed a door or exhaled with gusto against it. This plant committed suicide. ON MY WATCH. So I forgot to water it every once in a while, I didn't sing it songs, and I might have let the bugs go a little too far. But plant suicide? Common!!!

Despite my medical training and rapid response, the fuchsia had some seriously damaged appendages. I'm not much of a surgeon, so I amputated.


Me: "Branches? Who needs branches!? Not you little guy!"
Plant: "WTF, first you try to kill me, now you chop off my limbs?! Bitch!"
Me: "Its okay, its okay. I'll put you outside where you can get some sun."
Plant: "Are you kidding me? I like SHADE lady, SHADE. Do you even know how cold it gets at night? It stinks out here, and its windy. I bet you wont even remember I'm out here."
Me: "Suuurrrreee I will little guy, hope your arms grow back!! Best of luck!"



So I was in an amputating mood. Cut cut cut. Remember how hard it was not to cut all of Barbie's hair off? Or how good it felt when you did it anyway? Remember how good it feels to snip snip snip away at a piece of construction paper, unfold, and reveal a snowflake? Or slice into a perfectly prepared grilled cheese sandwich? Good times.

I have three fuchsias. All were thriving. I hacked two to bits, and left a third untouched. My rationale? If the two dismembered plants thrive and grow to be healthy, full, and magnificent spectacles then they can rub it in the other leggy, droopy plant's face (it always feels good to be better than someone else, right?). If they turn brown, crisp up, and shrivel, then point their mangy little tendrils at me, at least I will have one healthy plant to show off to them. (SEE, I cared a little bit! One survived my masochistic ways!)

Dismembered limbs.


The one that escaped unscathed.


Wish these plants luck- they need it.

I dont know what we're yelling about!!!!!

I cannot say for sure, but I think the world might be a better place if people would whisper or speak softly when they would like to be heard.

Enough yelling. Enough. You do not need to raise your voice to be heard. I hear you. Believe me, I hear you. If what you have to say is so important that you feel the need to shout, just stop and reflect for a moment. Think about it. Still need to scream in order to get your message across? Fuck it. Fine. But I'm not listening.

What do you think?

So I was watching a movie with Mer the other night and I said, "dude, that guy looks like my grandpa."

After looking up photos of both my grandfather and Mr.Ackland I can say that yes, they do look sort of alike. I can also say that Mr. Ackland looks pretty much identical to every single "grandpa" I've ever met.

Grandpa Brunick


Joss Ackland


And you guessed it folks, that adorable blond bombshell in the arms Mr. Brunick? Yours Truly!

Thanks Shannon!!

I would like to introduce you to my new bicycle, graciously donated to me by the lovely Miss Shannon. Tomorrow I'll walk it down to the bike shop next to the apartment to see if they can't help me get the tires in working order and maybe clean it up a bit.

Seriously, how rad is this bike!?

growth

Fuchsias:
A couple months ago...


And now.


Cilantro:

A while ago...


And now.


Basil:

Three/Four weeks ago...


And now.


What can I say, I'm giddy!

they call me mellow yellow

So a while back, about the time I was doing all that overreacting to James heading to Thailand, I had a bad day. A crabby, angry, poor poor me, I'm-going-to-sit-right-here-and-pout day.

Thankfully, Mer, being the brave woman she is, asked if I would like to go to Lance's with her. I probably snapped at her and grumbled some more, but I rounded up what was left of a bottle of vodka and took her up on the offer. Bless her soul! I was still feeling quite sour, but when we got there I tried hard to turn off "bitch mode" and go into "I'm fine, really, just tired mode." It may or may not have worked ("may not" being more likely).

Lance stepped up and escorted me outside to smoke a cigarette. And now it was time for booze.

Ladies and gentlemen, a discovery was about to be made. A dangerous yet oh-so-fabulous discovery. Citrus and starch. Lemon and potato. Happiness in a shot glass. *A healthy squeeze of fresh lemon juice topped with an even healthier portion of vodka.*

This drink deserved a name. Brainstorming commenced.



Mellow Yellow was born.



I've said it before, but I want to say it again. I have wonderful friends. While Mellow Yellow didn't hurt in lifting my spirits, it was Mer and Lance that brought me out of my funk. They have a way of just knowing what I need. Aside from creating a delicious drink, Lance and I did some kitchen gardening- planting some basil/chive/cilantro/parsley seeds. Aside from watching out for me, getting me out of the house, and driving around, Mer got me some flowers, a rockin' card, and picked up my cluttered room for me.

Who does that!?

^ THESE GUYS ^