In Search of OU Football Shoes

For the past few weeks my running shoes have been causing terrible blisters and sore spots on my left foot. Primarily my big toe and its ball (what is that thing called... you know, the joint that works your big toe. Your big toe ball joint thing). Anyways, I've been on the search for new shoes and haven't found any I liked so far.

A couple of days ago, my friend Marsha emailed me and asked if she could come stay with us because she had to pick a friend up at the airport and she wanted to come down the night before. Certainly! Marsha came friday night and like all girls would... we headed to the mall. SHE was looking for new shoes to wear to the OU game today, I was just along for the ride. However, I found my new shoes! It always works that way. You look for something... you can't find it, but stop looking and BAM there it is!

I wore my new shoes (currently I am walking in my running shoes as a temporary condition has slowed my gym activity some) this morning and I think i'm going to like them!

Here's me and Marsha as she left to get her buddy at the airport.

I Write Everywhere

My gym story is here.

It's our blog that we used until it went belly up a year or so ago! It's back!!!

Summer Serenade

I know August catches a lot of unwelcome flack what with its oppressive heat and lack of holidays, but I for one, love it. Good things have usually happened to me during this month and though I’m coming up empty in relating specific recent instances, I still consider it one of my personal favorites. As we bid farewell to sultry summer and gear up for clear, crisp, cooler, bright autumn days (the cooler part won’t happen until October for Okieland), we kick off these changes with this Labor Day weekend salute. This closing summer fling is met with mixed emotions as I reflect on the subtle and not so subtle changes soon to occur. While looking at my handy dandy activities planner, I see I have a full dance card for every single weekend. In no particular order my list includes Fantasy Football auction, college play, chili cookoff, art festival, photoshop seminar, TBC cousin reunion, niece visiting from NC slated to shoot some exceedingly overdue family portraits, Latino dance party and Ker’s ultimate babygirl shower. Whew! All this is in addition to my usual, demanding weekend tasks. And let’s not forget my intensifying movie watching addiction. I upped my plan to three-at-a-time from Netflix recently so I’ll be frequently firing up the microwave for tasty snacks washed down with yummy beverages. (And yes, by “beverages,” I mean bottles of vino. You know me too well.) ;-)

Much like the very ornery blogger I am, I hope to kick-start the long weekend off right by totally pissing off my favorite airhead Xanga blogger by inciting her to riot thanks to the goofy name I plan to use to get onto her locked site. I expect a testy, venom-strewn, obscenity-laced, retaliatory private message in response. Good times!

Have a safe and fabulous weekend!

Follicle Follies

“No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his soul in behalf of his friends.”—John 15:13

To what lengths will one go to help a friend? As I pushed the button to start this Netflix selection, I had no idea what to expect and no intention of reviewing it, but the best laid plans, eh? Much like the anonymous viewer’s quote on IMDB, I found it strangely addicting and though initially ambivalent, ended up replaying it a second time before reluctantly returning it to home base. It’s a late 70s movie set during what I can only guess is the autumn after the Summer of Love (1967). A naïve Oklahoma cowboy with the unlikely name of Claude, on his way to report for duty in the U.S. Army, is befriended by a ragtag band of carefree hippies who hang out in Central Park as they live life in the moment and revel in their everyday existence. Taking advantage of every opportunity, their fearless leader, the Pied Piper of free spirits, Berger, shows Claude an alternate slice of life as he enters the psychedelic underbelly of a heretofore unknown universe. While in Central Park, he locks eyeballs with a vision of pure loveliness in the form of steed-riding Beverly D’Angelo (pre-Ellen Griswold), an upper crust debutante born with the proverbial spoon in her perfectly-bowed mouth. (Yeah, she flashes her boobies several times. Remember "Vacation"?) Our hirsute Robin Hood aids his new-found friend in surmounting any obstacles in his quest to be near his new love. And it is this sacrificial willingness that leads to his downfall. Though the opening moments show Berger and his gang of merry men burning their draft cards, refusing to fight for a belief system they despise, a system that mindlessly feeds the never-satisfied appetite of a massive war machine, it is he alone that carries this lofty ideal to its furthest conclusion and pays the ultimate price. This movie begs the observer to question just what defines a true 'hero'. During the gut-wrenching final shot of Berger’s grave nestled among thousands of fellow compatriots killed on foreign soil, silent tears fall. If anyone displayed the embodiment of selfless surrender it was our cock-eyed optimist, Berger. And could the catchy ditty, "Manchester, England" puulllleeeeze vacate my noggin? Let the sun shine, indeed.

Total Eclipse of the Heart

Like many of the other crazy people in the state, we were up at the wee hours of the morning this morning watching the Lunar Eclipse. C set his alarm for 3:45am so we wouldn't miss any of it. It was a bit early... we all headed back to bed for about another 30 minutes before the real action began.

C snapped my picture while we watched and after he got it.. he said "MOM! How do you do that!?!?" He meant smile at 4:30am just like I do all the other times. I am a professional actress! hehe






As it was becoming daylight...

Without a Hitch

Her: young, very emotional, somewhat unstable, huge slob

Him: older, batched it for years, tight with the money

The expected fireworks, emotional meltdowns, verbal assaults and pissy catfights never transpired as the late afternoon nuptials this past Saturday between my relative and his considerably younger bride went off with nary a glitch. But there were bubbling undercurrents of malevolent feelings and not without some merit. Let me explain why. Years ago, “J” dated his beloved’s older sister and though she herself wed several years go, long squelched residual feelings of jealousy came shooting to the surface much like bubbling lava surging its way to the volcano’s cone. Rumor had it that both this trouble-making female and one of their brothers and his spouse would be officially boycotting the proceedings but this proved unfounded. However, both these offended crones showed up swathed in ebony and you can’t tell me that was a coincidence. (Word: Expect trouble if you marry the younger sibling of a jilted older sis.)

By the dawn of last Friday, I seriously considered popping a calm-inducing pain pill (left over from the car accident) just for the hell of it had I had another soul-crusher day like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but the rollercoaster that is my worklife slowed to half-tilt boogie (hehehe, CM) and I never resorted to such drastic measures. Still, it's wise to have a Plan B. :)

Besides the “what entryway is accessible today” dilemma, we are now experiencing a serious parking problem for those of us utilizing the south lot. Parking is truly at a premium and I cannot swear that fisticuffs haven’t or won’t break out as we scramble for limited spaces. I’m back to walking on my treadmill in the wellness center at noon but since I refuse to relinquish my coveted slot, I’m getting more of a workout what with having to truck over on foot. And that’s a good thing…

Thought to Ponder

Ummm.... Question.

Should elementary aged children be in the delivery room??? At their request.

We Should Have been Doctors

Good Monday Morning! After a rough weekend and spending truckloads of money trying to make me feel better and hanging with a few friends, i've made it to Monday. Yuck. The good thing is, one of the thorns in my side is on vacation this week! yeah!!!

I've been chatting with my distant partner in crime... my best partner in crime at Chaos College... JJ. The one that always does the Depression tests with me online and we've self diagnosed (and medicated) for years. Today, we've decided that we're going to have nervous breaksdowns. Actually I think i've started mine already.... well he has too, we just havent made it official.

Because we're unclear on how to begin the breakdown process, we turned to professional help.... Googled it.

According to Wikipedia:

Mental breakdown (also known as nervous breakdown) is a non-medical term used to describe a sudden, acute attack of mental illness such as depression or anxiety. When used in common social discourse, the term often has pejorative connotations.

Specific cases are usually described as a "breakdown" only after a person becomes unable to function in day-to-day life due to mental illness. At that point the person's condition is advanced, and seeking professional aid is likely advisable.

Like the term “sanity,” the terms "nervous breakdown" and "mental breakdown" have no medical definition and are not used in a clinical sense. However, the medical or personal problems precipitating a sudden breakdown may well benefit from professional medical or psychological treatment.

A mental breakdown is not the same as a panic attack, though mental breakdowns can trigger panic.

Causes of breakdown might include:

chronic and unresolved grief
unemployment
academic problems - he does work at Chaos College!
career burnout - been a major problem for years! I'd love to make a change.
social stress - I miss my friends back home so much!
post-war trauma
chronic insomnia and other sleep disorders - I can't sleep worth shit.
serious or chronic illness of a family member
divorce
death of a family member
pregnancy - He's not knocked up, but I am... and I long for the day to be able to wear skinny clothes and be able to catch my breath.
a traumatic, violent, or near-death experience
deception by a loved one.
The sudden, acute onset of the following mental illnesses might be classified as breakdowns:

clinical depression
bipolar disorder
psychosis
dissociation
post-traumatic stress disorder
severe stress - i know he has this at work... and since my wonderful boss passed away, i've had to suffer through with less than desirable replacements!
anxiety

Our next step is a good cry. Uncontrollable cry. I think... no, i'm pretty sure I can spit one out. He thinks he's not able to produce... I say BS. If you want it bad enough, you can do it! We need some time off work to regroup. Go fishing. Go shopping. Watch daytime television!