I feel like I missed this weekend. It went very quickly and was extended but my last day was so empty that well, I feel thrown off.

Let's see: Friday I sat Iris. She was snotty and fever ridden and not happy. We stayed in most of the time. She started to feel a little better about six o'clock, so we went out and sat in the sandbox for a while until the fussies kicked in again. She was out by quarter of nine and normally doesn't go to bed until about nine thirty. That is a lot of time for an eighteen month old. She was deliriously tired by the time she gave up and went to sleep.

Then Saturday, I slept in until . . .ten? I watched West Wing and Bull Durham. I got on a baseball kick in honor of the season opening up. I have seen 61*, The Natural and Bull Durham in the past couple of months. I think I am out of it now and am back into a cycle of regular movies now. I tagged up with my friend Sherry and worked off some gifts in the flower shop in the afternoon. I was able to get a plant and a fancy planter for Angie. She was holding a bbq on Sunday and it was Memorial Day/Birthday/Going away party. Crazy. Saturday night I went and hung out with what felt like a gozillion people. It was great fun.

Sunday, I slept in a little. I went to breakfast with John and his son, David, who has been named as a sophomore to "Who's Who" for athletics and academics. He also recieved some nomination for a engineering program out in California for the highest grade in his engineering course. Georgia Tech here he comes!! Then from there I went rode with a girlfriend out to Angie's extravaganzza. It was great fun. I was exhausted by the time it was over. I went to eat dinner (well I didn't eat, but he did) with John because he had to work while I was at the picnic.

Then Monday, I SLEPT IN...ten again, but didn't get up until like eleven thirty. I am almost done with my Harry Potter book. I should be done by the end of the week. At some point I got up only to dedicate more time to West Wing. John had to work all day, so instead I hung out with Megan. She took me to get my toes done and then we got coffee. That was unfortunate, because I couldn't go back to sleep on time Monday night, but I read a lot in my book.

Today is Tuesday, but my head is so confused that it can't distinguish what is going on. I am supposed to sit for Iris again today, but I just sat for her on Friday so I am even more confused. (I was subbing for all the other babysitters so they could attend graduation with the rest of the county!) There was no traffic this morning. I mean the amount of cars that were on the road were cut by 2/3rds. There was just no one. It was a beautiful morning too. Cool with a smell of mountains. I don't know how else to explain that other than I used to smell that in Crestridge and this morning I could feel and smell it here. It is just fresh mountain air.

Well, Sarah was the closest. . .

1939 Knights vs. Pirates

Last game of the playoffs for the penant.

Number 9, Roy Hobbs comes up to bat....

he hits the damn thing to through the lights and to the farm...

You play fantasy baseball and I believe in it!

Post Script

What is the longest baseball home run ever?


(Yes this is not something that I would typically know, but it may be something that only my brother knows the answer to...)

New & Different

I bought a swim suit from Speedo (don't know that I mentioned it) that is a beginner adult swim suit. It looks and feels and smells just like the one I had in highschool. The only thing is that I don't look, feel or smell like I did in high school. But I thought that it wouldn't be too much to try and swim again. I found a beginners swim guide online and was able to print it up and put it in those plastic protectors so I could take it with me to the natatorium. I had my cap and googles from a hundred years ago. Swim gear on, bag in hand and guide for beginners: I was ready. I thought that I would be able to go on Monday, but my tire was leaking air for no aparent reason according to the tire guys who I sat and waited on for an hour and a half. By the time I was done with them, I was unable the pool was closed. So I went walking instead. I was afraid that I might not have the gumption to go, but turns out that I did. So I went on Tuesday and WOW! was that hard. It said that I was supposed to swim a total of 700 meters in thirty minutes, which I remember doing in high school no problem, but that was not true on Tuesday. I could only swim 300 meters in thirty minutes and felt like I was going to die. I was afraid my body was overreacting so I went walking too with Sherry (except that I can't find my tennis shoes so I had to wear her 11 year old daughter's shoes (both Monday and Tuesday!)!). --That was a lot of punctuation going on!-- Then on Wednesday I went again and this time I was able to do 500 meters, so hopefully today I will be able to do the full 700. Who knows. My Mom was right though: it is harder than I remember. At first I was a little self conscious about my body in a suit again, but then I had to take out my contacts and couldn't tell if anyone paid me any mind or not and my insecurity diminished. I forgot how much I like being in the water. It makes me feel like me. Like home.

In other news, Sherry's eleven (as of today) year old daughter who my parents graciously gave all their old childhood books to, is a ***TADA*** published author. She won a competition for a poem she wrote. Turns out that it is going to be published in a book of international children's work. WHOA!! Go Grace!! She also won the "Presidential Award" at school and recieved a letter from President and Laura Bush. Cool.

Didn't get to babysit Iris this week, but am on weekend duty on Friday night. She calls me "Ray-ray" which is sooooooo cute. She has been sick and snotty and hopefully will be better enough for us to go to the pool on Friday. I don't see her swimming 700 meters either, but I am sure bouncing up and down and squealing with glee will be on the agenda.

OH! I started eating baked potatoes!

Today is a sad day. My friend Alan is going to Iraq. If you ask him, he is going for ninety days, if you ask me there is no telling how long he will be there. One of my co-workers has a cousin who has been there for over eighteen months and was commissioned for ninety days. The thing that gets me is that no one seems to be talking about it any more. Even on NPR it is a third story due to lack of interest. There was a car bomb that went off in a Bagdad restaurant today, but there are no details on the casualties. That means that Americans are dead and no one seems to care anymore. Third story. It was buried, the third story. I hope that he does come home in three months, that would be nice. I feel bad for him that he is there during the hottest months of the year (or at least from my perception they are). Alan also flew in Afghanistan (my spelling on foreign countries is always interesting). He has been in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica and now to Iraq. He said that he will do one more tour in Germany after a break here in the States after his ninety days and then be done. I don't know if he will be done with his service or just being out of the country. I appreciate our military. I understand that they protect our freedoms. I just can't figure out which freedoms they are protecting in Iraq. Generally speaking I don't care for war, but it is not like we are fighting Hitler, who was committing genocide. Although we don't seem to mind the genocide in Darfur (like I said, my spelling on foreign countries. . . ). I am just sad and afraid for my friend Alan. He is a man of God and will make some woman a good husband and some child(ren) a great father. Most importantly, he is my friend. I hope he makes it back.

It's from Jerry McGuire.

Meg was so sick last night. I was supposed to babysit Iris last night because I swapped shifts with Robyn to go see Dad's concert. Meg called and said that Iris was at Sue's because she was sick and needed a break before going to work, but to stop by to pick up a bag and a car seat before going to get Iris. (Yes Iris has won the baby of the week award again in case your wondering) So I went to Meg's house to find it a total disaster. I asked her how long she'd been sick (I saw her on Sunday and she was fine). She said since Monday night. I asked her why she was going to work and she said because she had to go to work. She was so out of it that she gave me a bag with diapers, wipes and a winter outfit. She put the car seat in the car without me noticing and said she was off to work. I went down the road to get Iris from Sue's house. Sue and Iris were out walking the dog and (here is where the baby of the week award was won) Iris looked up at me, smiled and said,"Rae-rae!" Imagine that! She knew who I was and called me by name! I started to put her in the hot winter outfit to take off the dirt covered sun dress she had on and decided instead to put a short sleeve shirt on her that Sue had. From there Iris and I went to the Dollar Store for a summer outfit, a no spill sippy cup, juice, and snackies! Oh man did that make things better. From there we went to the flower shop and helped Sherry close the shop. By the time we were done, Meg had called twice. She had been sent home from work she was so sick. When I called her back she asked to be taken to the grocery store to get some sick people food. I said sure. So I went and picked Meg up and off to the Ingles we went. Sick person shopping is hysterical. She got a chocolate muffin, a doughnut, Campbells chicken noodle soup, juice, gingerale and oyster crackers. There was almost no rhyme or reason to her shopping. We went round and round that store looking for stuff. It was crazy. When I finally dropped she and Iris off, I was dizzy. Iris said, "Bye-bye Rae-rae!" (Extra points to the baby award next week).

Went to Dad's concert last night. Mom and Carter were there and so were my Uncle Carter and Aunt Cathy and her daughter Shelley. I haven't spent that much family time with Uncle Carter and Aunt Cathy since they got married so I still feel wierd about the whole new aunt thing. She fits right in with our family. Her daughters do too. But it is still a new relationship. She invited John and I to the wedding on Memorial Day weekend (which totally scored points with me). Don't know if I am going to go, but the invite was nice just the same. The choruses sang well. I think the guy sitting next to me thought I was bonkers because I knew most of the pieces (except for the ones that were in another language...almost though, I just make up my own words to those). I thought I would tell him that I was Dr. G's daughter, but then I had more fun letting him think I was crazy. Carter knew all the words too. I couldn't see him singing, but I could feel him singing inside himself, especially to Les Miserable. We all went for icecream afterwards in the golf cart. Mom is getting to be a better driver since the last time I was in it. She had only driven it like twice when I was in it before. She took me to a nook in the forest that you can only get to by golf cart. PTC is so cool sometimes. Brusters Icecream is the best. I got Rasberry Chocolate Truffle. It was amazing, but a little rich. I couldn't eat it all, but it was the perfect sugar rush to get me back to the mountains. I made it back home in record time. I have never seen so little traffic in my life. There were police everywhere, but that was because they had to shut down 285 (ugh, my condolences to those who have to drive on it today!), but after that it was like being on a speed train: Zooooooom!! Zipppppp!! Zipping through the connector is like unheard of, but now I know for sure how long it takes without traffic. With traffic it is anywhere from two hours and up, but without traffic it is faster than I am willing to disclose to my parents who are rolling thier eyes and am sure to get a phone call telling me to slow down. ZIPP! Luckily, I was in bed by midnight so I slept in until seven and gave myself permission to be late (especially since no one else in my department is here this week!). So this morning I got here at eight. Oh well. . .interview in thirty minutes. ***Wish me luck!:LUCK!!***(Name that movie quote)

HAHAHAHAHA!! Gotanother interview. Yes that is supposed to be all one word!! HAHA!

I didn't go into much detail yesterday on Hillary because I didn't really know what to say, but after talking about my experience a couple of times to folks who were excited for me that I got to go, I think that I know what I want to say.

First I should say that Senator Clinton is an excellent speaker. Whoever writes her speeches does and excellent job and her delivery was great. She spoke in terms of being a member of an all women's college. She graduated from Wellesley College and was able to convey well wishes appropriately to the graduates. She encouraged women to continue their education and spoke of a bill that granted federal assistance for day care for non-traditional women students, which she worked on and was passed. She encouraged the women to be teachers each in their own way. She encouraged mentoring (which btw I think I might sign up to be for the next school year at the High School). One of the last things she asked was for gratitude for the journey of life and that it was a beginning to the "adult world" where not everyone acts like an adult. Then she posed a question along the lines of did you ever think that you'd be here in your life? All I could think is no. I had no idea that I would be invited back onto that campus. I caused so much drama and was so disgraceful at times while in school. I did go to class and take my tests, but I never thought that I would make anything of myself. While many people believe that a college degree is something of substance, I thought that it was just the next thing to do. As a senior in high school it never occured to me that some people don't make it through college...or to college. Why wouldn't they? I did only what I had to, to get through school. If I had put some effort into it, I would be elsewhere. I had no idea until standing there listening to Senator Clinton that I am a part of a larger, greater purpose. I am the product of the second women's revolution. In this graduating class in the United States, there were 200,000 more undergraduate degrees given to women than men (See Morning Edition on NPR). I am the product of an outstanding & prestigious women's institution that produces well rounded, critically thinking women. I am one of many women who impacts the world positively everyday. It almost made me cry to know that I was able to stand and listen to someone who fought to pave the way for me. (Okay, so I did cry: out of gratitude for the experience). Strangely, Senator Clinton didn't say anything about all that political (or at least that I could tell; the conservatives might have been cringing every ten seconds). She only spoke for about twenty minutes and sat down. It is not something that I will forget. She was so elegant and intelligent and wonderful. I am so grateful that I was invited.

Hillary was great!

That was my weekend...oh, and I dog sat for three untrained dogs in a million dollar home.

So I was sucker punched by my boss yesterday. I was totally not prepared to make a mistake and get yelled at for it. I could see if it were a huge mistake that cost money, but I just made a human mistake and it made me strive harder in the jobs search. Strangely enough I saw immediate results. I feel like I am on a roll lately because I have been to about an interview a week. I am going to an interview today. I don't even know what the position is because I didn't apply for any set position per se, just sent in a resume and a note saying "if I qualify. . ."

Finally turned my ac on the other night during Monopoly only to find yesterday that it wasn't really working. Had to call my land lord on that one. Turns out that the thing is totally broken and it is brand new. Hope it is under warranty. Although, it might be like my parents refridgerator (spelling) and have broken the day after the warranty expired.

Can't find anyone to go see Hillary with me. While those of you who are staunch, close minded people laughing at me, know that my family has abandoned me on this one. I found a girlfriend who wants to go, but she has to work things out because she has a new baby. I told her to bring the baby, but that might not work for her. We shall see.

Baby sat Iris on Tuesday night. She is learning about a word a day. Tuesday she said a whole sentence. She was chasing a cat and the cat went around the corner. She turned, looked my directions threw her hands on her hips and asked,"Where did she go?" It was amazing. She won the best baby award that night for the sentence and for the no fuss "Nite-nite." Yeah, that was cool. Never had that happen before, usually I have to put a little elbow grease in in order for her to go to bed, but nothing. Just said "Nite-nite Iris" and poof. Asleep. Amazing.

And on a final note, John and I had an anniversary yesterday. Three years since our first date.
In Seinfeld's Elaine's language: SHUT UP!

Tickled Pink


I am extatic (I wonder if that is a word) about my tickets. I am tired of telling people around here that I have them. No one likes her so instead of being happy for me they snarl.

I am supposed to hear back from a job interview today. Someone asked me this weekend why I would take the job since it doesn't offer any more money. I finally found a couple of reasons: nice answer: better benefits; not so nice answer: to get the hell out of this joint.

Generally speaking, yesterday was one of the happiest days I have had. I don't know if it was my return to ASC or what. I know that I spilt coffee down the front of my favorite dress and it didn't even phase my mood. I felt self-assured, self-confident and full of self esteem (I just listed three things that all mean the same thing!). Whatever it was, I felt great without being cocky or arrogant or I just felt good. Last night I played Monopoly with Grace and Cooper and Sherry and when we stopped, Grace had both Park Place and Boardwalk. I think I will be the first out. That is okay by me though. I have been beaten by my brother so many times in that game, I am used to it. We played the game in my apartment because Sherry still hadn't seen it yet. Having that many people in the place made it feel more like a home. Maybe it was just the kids part that made it feel like a home. I don't know. I was glad to get to spend some quality time with Sherry and her kids. Then John came over and swept me off to Cornelia for food, friends and fun. I was glad to go. I was happy all day.

The last news of yesterday was unfortunate: John's Mama fell. He sent her flowers for mother's day and after picking them up off the porch on her way into the house, she fell and busted herself up pretty badly. She went to the emergency room and all. He couldn't figure out what was going on, she frequently leaves town without telling him to go visit friends and family. So he thought maybe she had gone away for the weekend. Turns out she had, just not where she wanted, rather where she had to go. She is better already though and there were no broken bones, just bruises and such. Bruises are still bad. I hate bruises. We might go see her come Memorial Day weekend when I have a day off. I love days off. I wish I still had summers off. That would be the coolest...or warmest. I had a great day yesterday even though I didn't have the day off. I still feel good today.

The following is not for normal people. If you have a sensitivity to dark humor or a sensitivity to reality, I suggest you skip today's entry.

Amateur Night

The other night was Cinco de Mayo: I couldn't figure out what was going on. I went from my house out for milk and back and managed to have one drunk in front of me (I say drunk, but it could have been anything because any substance makes people jerk the steering wheel so they can stay in the lane except heroins because they just knock you out and crash into things like buildings) and one drunk behind me. The guy in front of me would sway to the left and jerk, then sway to the right and jerk. If he'd of been on a dance floor, he'd been really good, but on the country road all he was doing was avoiding ditches. The guy behind me was right on my tail with his brights lit up like he was on the back side of White County heading towards Lumpkin on a river road. It was awful. The reason I call it amateur night is that true "drunk" drivers don't make silly little mistakes like these guys. These guys are the ones that give real "drunks" a bad name. Real drunks drive to work and have empty pints of vodka clinking around under their seats. Real drunks have a bottle in their desks at work or their lockers at school or make sure their classes are close enough to their dorm room for touch ups or line the bottom of their purses with the airline bottles so while they are out shopping they won't have to stop. Real drunks don't drive at nine o'clock at night when the cops are looking for them, they make the four A.M. run because they can't find where they left their morning liquor and are shaking violently and trying not to puke, just trying to get to a 24hr mart where someone will sell to them aka the bootlegger. These guys make the road unsafe, these amateurs. Being sober while they are drunk makes me nervous. I wish they had some kind of service for amatuer nights. In Atlanta there are taxis and trains. In the mountains there are limited taxis, but I know a man who got a DUI on a horse (I think the first clue to the officer was that he was on the horse backwards and passed out, however the horse seemed to know where he was going!). Maybe that will be my fortune maker: "Amatuer night" drivers for those who scare the drunks and the recovering. It would only operate on holidays and weird reasons to be drunk, like Cinco de Mayo. I could even manpower it with the drunks and the recovering. At least they don't scare the beejezuz out of me when I need milk for my morning coffee to avoid the shakes and the... Some habits die hard.

Oh yeah, whoo hoo....I get to go! I get to go!

Yesterday I came home and laid my things down on my dining table and stared. I stared hard trying to figure out what it was I was looking for. I couldn't remember what it was that I was trying to find. I looked around my apartment. Went into my kitchen and looked around. I couldn't figure out what it was that I wanted to do that was missing. Then it hit me, something I miss is a land line. Strangly enough I find myself coming home to expect something, ready to do something and then I realize, I am looking for my phone to check my messages. Having a cell phone on me all the time, people can reach me with out problem. For example, when I get home today there will be no message telling me that I have an interview tomorrow with Fieldale. Instead I recieved the call right here at work. (Yeah, snuck that in there didn't I?) That small joy of knowing that someone called me or having 20 messages is gone. Eliminated by technology. I can't decide if this is a good thing or not. I still find myself looking for my cigarettes sometimes too and this is a good thing that they aren't there. So is it a good thing that my messages are gone? I don't know how to feel about this. I just know that I feel stupid spending time looking for things that aren't there.

Another one bites the dust. . .


So the interview was a dud. Oh well. I was more confident and professional than the person doing the interview. When I gave her my resume, she folded it and put it in her purse. Yeah, that was the kicker for me. I thought about saying, "Call me when you can afford me!" but instead I said, "Have a great day it was nice meeting with you!" Hurray for God speaking through me, because what my head comes up with to say is just wrong.

Yesterday I got to babysit Iris. She was such a good baby. She is eighteen months old as of the second. She is finally getting hair. (My cousin Emily would just about die at this considering her son needed a hair cut shortly after birth!) She has little wisps that are growing over her collar and ears. It is amazing. I didn't think she would ever get any hair. She has begun making sense in her baby talk too. She is now communicating things like bottle, mom, play, "bump" which is the trampeline. It is cool. Last night I taught her "poopey!" She had an exploding diaper which caught her off guard. She jumped and grabbed her backside and gave me this look like, "was that me?" (She has been a little constapated lately and Meg didn't know what to do. I gave her two prunes and took care of that!) So I looked at her and said, "Did you go poopey?" and she mimmiced me back. From then on everytime she passed gas she looked at me, grabbed her backside and said with big, happy eyes,"POOPEY!" She proceeded to laugh hysterically after saying the word. When we tagged up with her Dad that night, he was shocked and delighted. I think her potty training will go pretty good. Everytime I think about the look on her face the first time it makes me laugh. Stark shock and totally unaware. Hhahahahaha.

Last night putting Iris to bed was so hard. Everytime she would come within a hair of knocking off, the phone would ring. The first time it was her mom, the second time John. Meg ended up working late and instead of Meg, another babysitter showed up. Meg knows that I pumpkinize after ten o'clock and keeping me out on a school night is not a good thing. Thank goodness for fresh recruits. The young woman who came to relieve me was another single mother who works with Meg and one thing about working in a restaurant, no way to go to sleep at ten at night. It never happens. She was wide awake and probably cleaned Meg's whole house before she made it home. Meg is the manager now and her responsibility has jumped ten fold. She also had two people call in last night which meant that she was the only wait staff (Tuesdays only call for three servers). I can't imagine. I am glad I don't work there anymore. I don't know what I was thinking. Sometimes I think I get a little more sane and then I realize that's not possible. I am sure she is exhausted today. She has to work again tonight. Thank you God for letting me work in an office today.

I felt like I ran all weekend. I ran to Macon on Friday for work. I ran to PTC to meet up with Dad and hangout until we went to see Mom's play. After Mom's play, we struck the set. The next morning we ran to have our picture made as a family and Mom and Dad went off in process and bought a golf cart! Yes, they are officially in PTC, they bought a golf cart. Then I ran to the old house to pick up books for Grace. Then I ran to Marietta to hook up with friends. Then I ran to Carter's house because I was exhausted. I was so grateful to find that Carter was only one exit away from where we were in Marietta. Whew. Then the next morning Carter and I ran to church, went to the service, ate lunch and played handbells from which I ran to Dahlonega for a business meeting with friends and then I just couldn't run any more. I went home to nap and watch a movie, straighten my apartment and prepare for today. I watched "Taxi Driver" with Robert DeNiro and Jodi Foster. Jodi won an Oscar for her role and prior to the little un in "The Piano," she was the youngest actor to win an Oscar. Jodi will probably be one of the few actors to achieve three Oscars. (Her other Oscar was for "Lambs") I was not impressed with the movie. It was very eerie although it was very well acted. Anyway. . .

Today I am not running, however, I do have an interview. I am not dressed in anyone's out fit, it is mine. I am excited and ready. I recieved two flush letters in the mail yesterday: one from the technical college and one from a place I applied for in Gainesville as a discharge planner. I decided to place my flush letters on the side of my refridgerator. I remember the men at Tech used to put them on their door for everyone to see. I think it is a good idea because it reminds me that I am doing what I am supposed to do. I will take any prayers that folks are giving out today. I will also take any luck folks are handing out too.