Find out

Well, imagine my surprise in arriving at work yesterday to find sitting out on the communal desk - a multi-page printout of my blog! Guess that either someone in my department Googled my name or the guys in the Technology department were suspicious of the URL I occasionally visit from work (only, of course, when there is downtime and I am have no paperwork to catch up on.) Pffftt! I am one of the few in my office who doesn't routinely have old paperwork to catch up on! (Did I mention I am anal-retentive and can't stand leaving things half-finished? I'm working on that.)

Anyway, welcome to my personal, online world, dear colleagues. I don't really write about work here, so I doubt you'll find anything too interesting. I do, however, share a lot about my family life and my views on life and the world, which you may find shockingly non-politically-correct. You may also be somewhat surprised and/or offended by some of the other blogs I find highly amusing and insightful. (Hey, if you don't hold it against me, I won't hold it against you.) Nonetheless, you are welcome to visit anytime - just be sure to wipe your feet before you come in.

Sanctuary time.

Hubster traded with someone his Saturday off and was SUPPOSED TO have this past Tuesday off. But due to teh weather and someone too quick on the draw, cancelled his day off Tuesday. He’s been into double OT since about 10 this morning. What maroons.

Brother Dear also worked then I believe has skipped over to his friend’s house with the bigger-than-ours-TV. Sheesh. What is he 10?!

So I treated myself to a chick flick (Helen) - which has yummy John Corbett (formerly Adian on SaTC…). Enjoyable - about 8 of us chicks in the whole theater. And then shopping.

Give me a break. I had a coupon. And I used it.

It’s been a long time since I’ve done a book report.

And now as an adult, I usually read for pleasure. Judging only that

a) it was horrible, I couldn’t get past page 5 (which is very rare);

b) it was okay

c) it was wonderful, I couldn’t put it down, I hope the author writes a sequel, can’t wait for Hollyweird to destroy it on-screen.

The Sun Also Rises by Ernie, Chapters 1-7

All of the jasminlive characters are believable, bu so far I don’t like any of the female characters. Lady Brett - I can only picture the face of the Brett from MatchGame…Rather.

Robert is weak, rather. Which, Ernie, I find terribly ironic considering he’s the boxing champ from college…physically strong, but weak in personality. He marries the first woman who pays him any attention. He lets Frances get away with saying anything to him, however rude. Even Jake wonders why he puts up with it.

I like Jake the best, so far, the narrator. He seems to have the most going for him - he has a job, anyway.

It is awfully easy to be hard-boiled about everything in the daytime, but at night it is another thing (last sentence of chapter 4). I just really like that line.

I also enjoyed the banter about the wine / champagne in chapter 7. I particularly agree with the count on what I expect from a wine: ”…all I want out of wines is to enjoy them.” That is probably most of these characters view on life, too - just to enjoy oneself.

Unfortunately both Jake and Robert are in love with Brett who plans to marry Michael, yet claims to NEVER write him. So it should be interesting to see how it plays out.

The so-called work friend that I was supposed to have lunch with today phoned about an hour ago to cancel. She didn’t want to go out in this ‘weather’. It’s sprinkling and only about 60 degrees. Not like it’s a monsoon or golf-ball size hail.

She did in fact call herself a wuss, so I didn’t necessarily have to, but I told her she will not hear the end of it. Since I usually bring something for lunch, I will have to go out in it as I don’t work in the big house where there is a conveniently located cafe. So she won’t have to step outside at all.

I do have a protein bar. But I was so ready for a nice sit-down lunch.

We re-scheduled for next week. She said, even if it’s snowing. I’m holding her to it.

Metamorphosis

I'm back from Kaua'i - tanned, relaxed and gearing up for what is going to be a life-altering event next Tuesday - my gastric bypass surgery. I met with my surgeon, Dr. Mark Vierra, the day before I left for Hawai'i, and he felt that I was ready and in great shape for surgery. I trust him so much, and I know he would not operate on me if he weren't 100% convinced that the surgery was necessary and that I was a good candidate for success with both the surgery itself and the post-surgical commitment required to make the surgery successful in the long-term, eg commitment to exercising - hard! - nearly every day for the rest of my life, eating a very healthy yet restricted diet, taking my vitamins and supplements religiously to maintain my health and following up with him as suggested forever-and-ever-amen. (Did I mention that he is very strict and expects his patients to be willing to jump through major hoops? Yeah - my kind of guy.)

This time next week, I plan to be recovering in the hospital by way of regular pain medication and making myself get up and walk the halls as soon as I possibly can - preferably within a few hours of surgery. This early walking is key to a successful surgery as far as my doc is concerned, and I agree. I can barely contain my excitement about this surgery and the changes it will help me create in my life!

This upcoming week will be very busy for me - making last minute arrangments for my pre- and post-op needs, sending out invitations to https://www.chaturbaterooms.com/ opening and planning for my son's fourth birthday party (July 17) and trying to maintain good diet and exercise right up until my surgery. My posting may be light this week, but I promise I will write something as soon as possible after my surgery to let you all know how it went. Thanks to everyone who emailed me or commented with kind words and good wishes.

Oh, and I'll post some pictures from Kaua'i soon!

Sometimes you can ignore them. Sometimes not.

This morning when I woke and let the dogs do the doody, I realized that I was HUNGRY. So I slapped together a PB&J - toasted (great little invention shared with me by my cousin Pam when I was 9). Crunchy PB only, please. And seedless black raspberry jam (I have enough to contend with the peanuts getting lodged in my molars…).

All the while keeping an eye on the backyard - that Mama and her are safe from Shasta. Let them back in. And then the begging begins. Nope, All Gone, I tell them.

Then I self-satisfactorily march into the bathroom to begin the morning Toilet. Imagine my surprise, shock and amazement to see my reflection sportin’ a purple smudge at the right corner of my mouth. Looking strangely similar to the zit I have on the other side.

Must be Nature’s way of evening the uneven things out in that crazy thing we call Life.

I’m sure the dogs would have fought for the right to lick it right off. Perhaps Hubster, too.

And you know those people that say you shouldn’t ever SKIP breakfast - screw ‘em. I am not hungry when I skip it. Right now, I’ve already had a morning snack. And I am currently working on a second breakfast of popcorn.

The Robin family seem to have flown the coop or at least their nest. Hubster says he saw a couple of the in the locust tree in our backyard - about 30-40 feet from the nest. I’m still keeping an eye on that Shasta.

Anybody else watching Season 4 of Coupling? I’m not sure about the new guy, Oliver. Have to see a bit more to decide. The jasminelive show is still very funny, but I do miss the Jeff-isms and his facial expressions.

It was The Mominator’s turn to call yesterday. Seeing that is was Father’s Day, I thought I would call. She seemed a bit put out that I actually wanted to speak to my Dad and and said that she’d call me back. Dad and I talked for a bit then Brother Dear came home and he hopped on the phone with us. We had a rather nice chat. Probably more than the usual 30 minutes that she and I allot ourselves. I didn’t even look at the clock until the end. With her, every couple of minutes just to see how much more I have to endure. Then he asked if we wanted to speak with her. “NO!” Perhaps that’s why she hasn’t called back. She can get her panties in such a wad.

Another cool day in paradise - high of 70 and more rain.

It seems that with the increasing reliance on cell phones and the lack of the need to dial "1" before calling a long-distance number when using a cell phone, folks seem to have forgotten that they need to dial "1" when using their old-fashioned landline telephones. Evidence to support my assertion: the prefix of my cell phone number is the same as one of the nearby area codes across the state line in Massachusetts. (Do you see where this is going?) Since getting my NH phone number, I've received between three and ten calls a day from fellow New Hampshirites who are trying to call Massachusetts but have forgotten to dial the "1".

I was flummoxed by the multitude of wrong numbers, thinking the "wires" were crossed (I'm dating myself here - there are no wires!) It took me about two weeks to figure it out, and now that I have, I remind the callers to try again with a "1" in front of the number. Almost all of them apologize, chuckle at their oversight and thank me. I'm trying to be patient and polite, but I'm not chuckling because some of the numbers people are trying to call are businesses, including one hotel, and my phone has been known to ring in the wee hours of the morning and late at night. I've resorted to turning my ringer off at night, which has been a source of angst this past week with D's illness and surgery back in California.

So, teachers and parents, please do not forget to teach our next generation about dialing the "1" first. I thank you for your support, and I look forward to speaking with fewer of you.

Ever After

I leave for Europe in two days. I have much to pack and to prepare. I am unsure if I will be blogging while I am there--not that the throngs of readers I carry will be disappointed--but I want to write about something of which several of my friends in the ‘Sphere are already aware. I have always preferred that someone cut to the chase with news, and so I deliver it the same here: R and I divorced this year. It was very difficult. I chose not to write about it for several reasons, but the most important was that after the weird, psychotic blog stuff last fall, I became aware of just how insane people “out there” can be, and the safety of my ren, R, and myself became more important than sharing about very personal stuff. I also wanted to respect R’s privacy, and ultimately, I felt it really wasn’t anyone’s business unless I chose to share it with whom I deemed trustworthy. It hasn’t been easy to not “think out loud” here, and I have seen my infrequent posting affect readership, hits, etc., but respecting and protecting have been more important than a few nice words or search engine hits. I am unsure how to turn off comments; I would if I knew how. Since I have comment moderating, I will simply not post any. I will say that I have learned several important things that I did not before have a grasp on: 1) People can divorce amicably. It is painful, but not insurmountable. 2) Don’t judge anyone. Ever. Period. No one has the answers no matter how well they write them, eloquent or inarticulate. I understand now that while divorce may not be the best answer, it is sometimes the only one; thus, I will not tell anyone he or she is wrong for doing so. That person is the only one who lives in that marriage and can make a decision. 4) And let me tell you, ren aren’t “scarred for life.” It is painful, it isn’t easy, but they can be happy, successful, moral people. R and I are committed to our girls and to be good co-parents. The girls know they are loved. They have been leaders in their classes at school (that’s another blog another time), within their peer groups, and in their extra-curricular endeavors. It is an absolute lie to say that divorce ruins ren’s lives. It is true that adults can choose to behave selfishly and involve their ren in things in which they shouldn’t, that adults wrongly use their ren as leverage, that adults can speak hatefully about one another or tear the other parent down in front of or to the ren. Those selfish behaviors can occur in a marriage as well as between divorced parents. It is the choice of behavior of the adults that so negatively affects the ren. R and I don’t involve the ren in things that aren’t for them; the ren are not used as leverage, and we never speak disparagingly about each other. I have asked the girls if they feel jaded about marriage. With pause indicative of reflection, they have individually responded, “No. But this has taught me to be older when I marry, and to be very careful who I choose to marry.”

That said, it is late. I am tired. I need to sleep.