Geographically Confused

Definitely a hatchet moiderer...

2012-02-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

Sherwood Forest Faire opening weekend 2012: A Tale of Terror

I went camping this last weekend with Ed and 2 friends, Ally& Ross, for the opening weekend of the Sherwood Forest Faire.

It's Friday night and we're settled in, freezing our buttsoff from lack of fire because we don't have a raised fire pit and in-groundfires aren't allowed. So we all go tobed fairly early (well, early for a festival). At about 3am, a neighboring set of tents that set up some time after wewent to bed starts yelling "Gimme a dollar!" sporadically. This continues until about 7am. Meanwhile, campers from those tents arewondering around the camp grounds, and several tripped over our tent,specifically the corner by our heads. Bynow, Ed is thoroughly pissed off and ready to tackle someone. Somehow (a miracle, I’m sure), I manage toget him to put away the 9mm and soothe him back to sleep, though the “Gimme adollar!” crap continues. Ally later saidshe was commenting to Ross that Ed must have been pissed and was surprised wedidn’t hear her. Ally also deduced fromtheir conversation that they were probably underage, drinking, and high onshrooms and that the “Gimme a dollar!” yelling was a rudimentary mating call(that we later found out worked, much to our disappointment).

We manage to sleep a wee bit before finally draggingourselves out from our tent to get ready for opening day. It’s about 9 or 10am, when someone shouts “Gimmea dollar!” Ed snaps, grabs the hatchet,and storms over to the offending tents and starts yelling at the first face hesees. (Meanwhile, Ross is a few stepsbehind Ed hoping he doesn’t have to get involved in a fight, and Ally and I arehiding in our campsite and I’m trying not to hyperventilate.) To be honest, I don’t really recall exactlywhat was said, but I know that Ed yelled at them about all the yelling andtripping over our tent and that they were being giant assholes to all theneighboring campers.

Later that afternoon (after we retired early from the faire,missing a show we really wanted to see, because we were all too friggin tiredfrom lack of sleep), the camper Ed yelled at stopped by our site toapologize. He said his name was RoadKill, they call themselves the Bum Camp (hence, “Gimme a dollar!”), this wastheir first Ren Faire, and they’d heard that faires were basically non-stopparties. Ed had scared him half todeath, and he was telling his camp mates about the incident (some didn’tbelieve him about the angry man with the hatchet) and encouraging them to keepthe noise down. Some had moved toanother part of the campground already. Ally talked to Road Kill some, explained camp site etiquette (basically,be good neighbors even if there are no set quiet hours and follow the tone ofthe camp ground – if everyone around you is quiet, it’s best to not yell andshout and trip over tents).

For the rest of the weekend, Ed was known as “Angry Ax Man.” At least Saturday night was quiet.

Ah, but all was not well in the Bum Camp! Apparently, Road Kill was harshing on someone’sgroove by trying to get them to be good neighbors and not get kicked out of thecamp site. He was nearly abandoned atthe camp site with no way to get back to Houston, but managed to find aride. Two of him comrades, Tommy and BatMan(?) were not so lucky and came to our campsite to 1) make nice and 2) begfor a ride.

Though our car was full to bursting, we could have askedRoss & Ally to carry some of our gear in their truck to make room in ourback seat. But since Ed didn’t offer itup, I figured he was still pissed and was not interested being thatgenerous. Ross and Ally, being much moreforgiving than Ed, let them ride in the back of their truck all the way fromPaige (just east of Austin) back to Houston in the cold. To their credit, Tommy and Bat Man helpedbreak camp and change a flat on Ross’ truck.

I can only hope that Tommy, Road Kill, and Bat Man take Ally’ssuggestion to re-evaluate their friends.

Parental Professionalism

2012-01-27T09:13:00.000-08:00

As my career advances (yay!), I now find myself essentially in the same "industry" as my father - politics. After resigning from my year and half in Low-Income Housing, I worked for my local county's Democratic Party. My Dad, a long time liberal and Democrat, was elated! Finally, the progeny has stopped resisting her fate and has acquiesced to her birthright!

Okay, so it's not like there were trumpeting cherubim and singing seraphim, but officially getting into politics was a BFD for my Dad.

I accepted that position knowing that it was temporary. I was Interim Office Head Honcho for the remainder of the (elected) Party Chair's term, and he resigned in December (planned). Basically, I was office manager for the HQ office.

Now, I am working for a long time friend and newly elected official. Those of you who know me will know who that is, but since he's 1) elected, 2) a dear friend, and 3) my brother from another mother, I won't list his name or seat here in this blog. So you won't see me dishing any dirt here.

The funniest thing about my new job is that Dad was here. Dad worked for an elected official who was term limited (same level of gov't, different seat than my boss). So on Dec 29th, Dad moved out of his office, and on Dec 30th, I moved into my office - same building, same floor, just a different spot. Many of my new colleagues are Dad's old colleague. So we are now colleagues. Weird. At least Dad was well liked and respected, and thanks to his good reputation, I essentially have some built-in allies and friends already. He loves to call us up, give us "grief", and generally tease us. He loves his new job (in the private sector, but still heavily involved in politics though he vows he's not going to do any campaign work this year), but I think he misses the hubbub of government.

So it's good to be my Dad's daughter and his colleague. Now, why did I spend so long resisting this????

Fagor Pressure Cooker, how I love thee. Let me count the ways

2011-10-14T16:11:00.000-07:00

After watching copious amounts of "Good Eats," we got a 4 quart Fagor pressure cooker over the weekend. The inaugural dish was Beef Stroganoff. Holy cow that was amazing!!! I can't believe it took under 45 minutes from prep to plate! And it was TASTY too. I think "BS" will be a regular dish at Chez Nish in the future.

So now I'm scouring Food Network for more recipes as I know I will quickly exhaust the teeny tiny recipe book that came with the pot. One of the included recipes if Boef Bourgingon, which is definitely on my list of "musts."

Maybe I'll even don high heels and a pearl necklace and channel my inner Julia Child. Bon apetit!

New Job

2011-09-29T15:21:00.000-07:00

I started a new job nearly 2 months ago. I'm in a MUCH better place here. My job at the HA was being eliminated slowly - first we're not going to be proactive with media anymore. Then the Annual Report for 09/10 was cancelled (per the new Head Dimwit, "I wasn't here, so why should we do it?" Um, because it shows continuity in projects and fiscal matters; because it honors the accomplishments of the staff; oh, and because we promised the Board we'd do one). Then my boss was let go (I think the Dimwit had it out for him from Day 1). And then I was taken off assisting the Non Profit. The writing was on the wall. Plus, I had serious ethical concerns about some major staffing changes. The new Dimwit though a bigger office on the 4th Floor would make me happy? HAHAHAHAHAH!

So now I'm at my local Democratic Party HQ, in a much tinier office, with part time volunteer support staff and I love it! I am learning something new every day (sometimes a whole lot of somethings). I'm challenged intellectually. I'm honing skills and talents. I'm learning new skills (like how to manage people).

Downsides? No benefits, so even though I'm making the same amount, COBRA's eating a large chunk (and I had to drop Ed from coverage). And I'm putting in a lot more hours. Oh, and I may only be here for a few months because the current chair isn't seeking re-election. So the new chair may not ask me to stay on (though the only person who's filed paperwork to be a chair gets along with me very well, but still). Oh, and it's really high stress.

BUT, this is excellent experience. This one of those jobs that can define the rest of my career. And I admit it, I get warm fuzzies that I'm making a meaningful contribution to a cause I feel deeply about.

Now, if I could just figure out a way to tell people "There is only 1 of me!!!!! I cannot do everything in 1 friggin day! If you want better articles in the newsletter, you take it on! If you want the website 100% up to date with more features and resources, you are welcome to have it! And no, I cannot make every single club meeting!!! That's MY time and I'd like to spend it with my husband!"

*sigh* Guess what, I'm hanging out at the office after hours for a clubs meeting.

Pepper? Really?

2010-11-29T13:54:00.000-08:00

The fiance and I just spent 9.5 days hosting his mother for the Thanksgiving holiday. She's a lovely woman, but 9.5 days is a long time to host anyone in your home, and she's a very picky eater. I began dreading meal time. We defaulted to take out a few times, and it seemed like just about every meal was loaded with carbs. I love carbs. LOVE THEM! But they do not love me - especially my waist.

I had lost 30 pounds. I think I've gained back 5 in 9.5 days. =P UG. Guess it's time to start running after that Weight Watchers Bandwagon. I could use the extra exercise anyway.

Back to the pickiness. I made minute steaks one night. Simple, easy, nearly fool proof right? Wrong. Apparently, one half of the the dynamic duo of basic kitchen seasons, the Wonder Twins that are used in every savory offering is practically poison to my future Mother In Law - pepper. Like any good cook (I dare not call myself "chef" for fear than Anthony Bourdain reigns terror upon my lowly head), I seasoned the steaks with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. I seared the steaks on each side, watching for that perfect balance between tasty brown bits (a very technical term) and over doneness. As I sat down next to my FMIL, I noticed her fussing over her plate. She was PICKING OFF THE PEPPER!!!! "I hate pepper. I can't stand it. It's disgusting."

I was crushed. And then I almost immediately become resentful. She was a guest in my home refusing the hospitality I was offering her. I had already planned a lot of the big Thanksgiving Day meal around her preferences to make sure she could eat most of the dishes. And I was getting really tired of hearing "Oh I don't like _____." I wanted to yell "Have you even tried it? When was the last time you tried something new?"

She didn't try the green beans I made (with shallots, balsamic and roasted hazel nuts! Yum!).
Though I really wanted a pumpkin pie, my mother graciously made an apply pie since that's was FMIL preferred.
Her own son made a lovely gazpacho for a soup course - she made tacky comments as he prepared it "How can you eat that?! I can't believe you're putting cucumbers in there!"
When our chicken sandwiches from McD's got mixed up, she wrinkled her nose and said "Ew! Pickles!" and started pouting until I pointed out that our sandwiches had been mixed, and a simple swap would solve that (then she pouted that her sandwich was on a whole wheat bun - like whole grains would someone how damage her).

I felt like anything green and nutritious had been temporarily exiled from my kitchen and, by extension, my plate.

I'm really looking forward to a veggie fest this evening. I NEED GREEN!

It didn't help that it seemed that all she could talk about was her daughter. If she complaining about her, she was comparing me to her. It's no secret that I can't stand my fiance's sister. It's also no secret that she doesn't like me. Last night, as I was putting little dollops of whipped cream on my ice cream sammich with each bite, FMIL said "Oh! K does that too!", I really wanted to blurt out "Please don't compare me to her!!!"

But I remained silent and silently repeated in my head, "I love my MIL. I love my MIL. The visit is nearly over. Nearly over. Think of all the lovely veggies! Broccoli! Cauliflower! Squash! Butternut! Onions! Tofu! Edamame! Yum yum yum yum."

I need a vacation.

Time to resume the blog

2010-11-18T09:13:00.000-08:00

Now that I can access my blog again, I will updating more often. I'm aiming for about once a week.

So if you've been checking, and checking, and checking since May have been diappointed that I've not posted anything - I'm sorry!!! But your wait is over.

Now I need to re-read what I've posted in the past to see if I need to post any updates.

Anticipation

2010-05-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

The garden is teaming with life. All the upside-down tomatoes have blooms and and small tomatoes growing. The Matt's Wild Cherry is covered in small, green, hard, marble like fruits. The Ping Pong Pink has fewer, but larger fruits. The Amish Paste's few fruits are already starting to elongate. And the Sweet 100 is finally starting to get big and has just a couple of itsy bitsy micro-tomatoes forming. The Burpee Big Boy (now called the BBB) has a small fruit on it. The Brandywine is huge, but few blossoms and no fruits yet.

We've got a large bell pepper on one Big Bertha, and few other small bells on the other plants.

Lots of blossoms on the zucchinis. The crook necks have blossoms, but the plants are still on the small side.

The bed cukes are also blooming, but not as large as the upside down cukes. We have tiny little cuke-like growths that are less than 1 inch on most of the plants.

We're dying with anticipation. The garden is filled with all these rock hard baby fruits and it feels like it's been this way for AGES!

RIPEN! RIPEN I SAY! I COMMAND THEE TO RIPEN!!!

Still no okra from Pops. *sigh*

It's steadily getting warmer and warmer, so I hope the heat will bring the ripeness. It's still quite cool at 5:30am (often need a sweater to walk the dogs in the morning. The highs are in the 80's.

At least it's not so hot that we can't enjoy the deck each evening. We're usually out there after getting home. The dogs run amok (Bon even looks like she's yelling "Amok! Amok!" inside her head as she plays leap-frog over Jack - goofy giant puppy), and we chill with a drink and a small cigar. The skeeters aren't too bad, but they're getting a little worse every week. It's nothing a few squirts of OFF! doesn't help. Ed likes to burn a citronella candle. It's one of those nifty coiled up rope candles. I don't know how effective it actually it, but it looks cool. And Ed doesn't seem to be bothered by the bugs as much when it's burning. I don't notice a difference.

So each even, we sit, we smoke, and we try to will the dern plants to ripen through telepathic wishfullness. No luck. And so we wait.....and wait....

Maybe, just as watched pot never boils, a watched tomato never ripens?

Oh Coffee, thy name is Keurig!

2010-03-30T05:59:00.000-07:00

My boss has a Keurig in the office that he lets the rest of us use. I bring in my own K-cups, and we alternate providing filtered water.

I bought a large variety pack of k-cups. I've not tried all the varieties in the box yet, but I'm working my way through. My thoughts so far:

English breakfast tea - very good. Just want EBT should taste like (though EBT's aren't my preferred tea). B+

Earl Great tea - AWESOME! I love EGT, and this one is very good. My new morning staple. I've already purchased a box. A

Organic Green Tea - perfect for an afternoon. I don't like a lot of caffeine, and this is a good option for me. A wee bit bitter, but not anymore bitter than the Flavia green tea I've had at other offices. I have a box of it, but I'm not sure I'll get more once I'm out - not sure that I want a hot beverage in the afternoons with summer on its way. B+

Emeril's Big Easy Bold - a big nasty flop in my book. Very harsh flavor. Tasted somewhat burnt. D-

French Roast - not bad. Not amazing, but still good. Roast could be richer, but it's not weak. I give this a B. Needs more tasting.

Cinnamon Roll (Donut House) - not for me. The cinnamon tasted burned. My Sweetie reports he liked it. D+

Butter toffee - yummy! My favorite of the flavor coffees so far. Sweetie reports this is his fav flavored too. B+

Nantucket Blend - had this one earlier, but needed to refresh my memory. Today I added one Moo and a bit of FrV dry creamer (the horror!). Smooth, well blended. No bitter after taste. No harshness. A good morning blend. I think I may need to pick more of this up. B++

More reviews to come!

The Garden is here!!!

2010-03-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

To date, we have planted:

In the bed
12 pepper plants - 4 varieties of bell peppers, 3 plants each (purple, green/red, orange, and yellow)
6 yellow squash
6 zucchini, 3 pickling cucumbers*
3 slicing cucumbers
room for 9 okra plants from Pops and maybe some onions.

On the deck
12 seed potatoes in "grow bags"
3 cherry tomatoes (each a different variety - Ping Pong Pink, Matt's Wild Cherry, and Sweet 100) and 1 paste tomato (Amish paste) in upside down planters
3 Brandywine tomatoes in a container
3 Burpee's Big Boy in a container
*we also have one pickling and one slicing cuke that will go into upside down planters

The herb area
2 stevias/sweet leafs
2 Pesto basil plants
2 Italian flat leaf arsley plants
Chives in a container
Catnip - survived from last year
Arp rosemary - also survived from last year
2 pots of aloe - rescued from Sissy last year

This evening I need to work on the front flower beds. There’s gonna be a whole lotta transplantin’ going on! Mexican heather into the beds, geraniums into the Mex Heather's former pots, 1 boston fern into the shady part of the bed and a Butterfly Weed into that pot (then back to the deck), plus some caladiums and fox tail ferns and 2 more Butterfly weeds into the beds.

I am SO thankful I don't have to mow, edge, & blow. Salvador's crew do an awesome job of that for me!

New jobs

2010-03-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

Started a new job at the end of last week. I won't go into much details about the where's, but I'm working in what is essentially the marketing/PR dept of a local organization that does a lot of good work for the people of Houston. I'm excited to be a part of such an organization, and to FINALLY be in a position to use my degree. I started crying this weekend because I was so happy. And then my Sweet Patootie pointed out that I had also gotten the job on my own merits, and not with my Dad's help or any of our family political connections. I can't really describe how good it makes me feel.

One of my biggest fears of returning to Houston was that it would reinforce my identity as "Ken's Daughter" - that I would only be a reflection of my Dad's success. While it's certainly helpful at times to be "Ken's Daughter", it's also a lot of pressure. What if I screw up? What if I offend someone? I would hate for my Dad's reputation to be tarnished because of something incredibly stupid that I'd done. And in the ever changing political climate of Houston, what if Dad fell out of favor? Even though he's not an elected official, he's connected to several. In fact, his former boss was recently involved in a big scandal that ruined boss' career. What if Dad's current boss does something scandalous? Dad could be dragged through the mud by association. Would my repuation suffer as well? Afterall, we have a fairly uncommon last name (and I'm often asked at political events if I'm "Ken's Daughter" or "Ken's Wife" or "Kin to Ken") - so making the connection between us is quite easy.

So I'm proud that I was able to get this all on my own (save for the fact that my parents raised me and provided countless oppourtunities for me that had contributed to my success - but you get the idea). I'm also relieved. This is my success, and if I fail, it's my failure. Just like all my failures in Chicago.

Bed Hog

2010-02-06T05:02:00.000-08:00

How is that a 60 lb dog manages to hog a queen sized bed from a full grown woman? I try to move him back to his "side" (which is more like the middle), but he gives me the side eyes, or makes this pathetic noise halfway between a whine and a groan.

Lately, he's been trying to sleep alongside me, facing me, with his head next to mine or on my shoulder. Cute right? Not so much - he needs a bath, and he's REALLY warm. Plus, he leans in, putting his weight towrd me, gently pushing me closer to the edge of the bed.

At least he's quiet, unlike a certain Sleeping Loudly in the next room.

Dog House

2009-12-03T14:41:00.000-08:00

I'm in the dog house. SAM's mad at me that I posted on a social network site "delaying wedding. I hate being poor!"

I guess a relative called him. So he texted me that he's really mad at me, used a few expletives, and said I have a big mouth. I'm pissed too.

I'm pissed because I DON'T WANT A WEDDING. I just want to be married and get on with our lives. I don't need an elaborate event to prove I love him. I don't want the stress of planning a wedding. And I don't want to spend a bunch of money on just one day. It's not worth it to me.

There's a few factors at play. 1) I've already had a Big White Wedding from a marriage that ended in divorce. I don't want want to go through the stress of planning another BWW, I'm already over wanting the "dream wedding" (I'd rather have a good marriage), and since we spent so much money on just one day, I'm not too keen on doing that again. 2) SAM eloped with his first wife. So I understand that he WANTS a wedding (partially because I think some of his family is pressuring him to have one). BUT, he's not been involved much in doing any of the research and planning. I have a hunch all of that will fall on me - partly because I'm the bride and partly because I'm not working right now.

BUT, if this election goes well, I'm about to become CRAZY busy. So won't have much time available to plan a wedding. And my Dad's about to start running another election (which rules out fall 2010).

So I'm about ready to just say "F it all!" I'm starting to feel like it's more important to him to have his dream wedding (that we can't afford - hence the delay) than it is for me to be his partner.

I want to scream and cry at the same time.

I need another vacation

2009-12-01T09:50:00.000-08:00

My darling Secret Asian Man's (aka Ed) mother stayed with us for OVER a week for Thanksgiving. While she was an excellent house guest, long visits are still very stressful, and I'm happy to have my house back to myself.

Thanksgiving day was more or less succesful. We hosted 11 people! 11! (Why do I feel like I'm in "This is Spinal Tap"?) The turkey turned out beautiful - we brined it a la Alton Brown's "Good Eats". And we had too many sides and desserts, but is it really Thanksgiving unless there's too much food?

But a whole week without adequate access to the internet was tough. I feel so out of the loop! So I'm frantically trying to catch up on my blogs & fav community site before I head out to do more phoning for Mr L's campaign. Early voting has started, and election day is around the corner! EEK!

Tilapia Helper & other experiments

2009-11-13T11:23:00.000-08:00

We're a little prone to experimenting in the Oli-Nish family kitchen. Though for the record, Ed's not allowed to "experiment" anymore except on his own plate. Early in our dating he tried to create wonderful dishes for me, and they flopped. The salmagundi he attempted would have been a lovely "leftovers" stew (which is what salmagundi basically is). Only pasta should not be allowed to stay in a crock pot for a whole day. It made a great thickener, but was barely recognizable as pasta.

The second "Ed Surprise" was an even more colossal failure. I don't think I will ever let him live it down. We were gifted with some wonderful ground venison, and were itching for chili. Alas, we were out of chili seasoning packets - but Ed thought that the taco packets we had would substitute just fine. I think it was the worst thing I've ever tasted that was technically edible. Venison and taco seasoning should never be in same thought process, let alone dish. Yetch!

But even though Ed's been banned from experimenting, I've had more success with it. Back in college and act of poverty and desperation lead to "Pink Pork Chops" - a successful experiment from marinading and cooking pork chops in red wine vinaigrette salad dressing. Though the gravy's pink too, it's pretty tasty.

A bored and bare cupboard afternoon in college (what is it with college?) let to the discovery that nutella really does taste good on just about anything, including baked chicken. Though I think I'll save that odd combination for pregnancy some day.

A Rachel Ray recipe inspired my new love of Brussels Sprout - as long as they've been lightly steamed then sauteed with butter, onions, garlic, and BACON! (but then, bacon makes everything better)

The most recent experiment was also a success: Tilapia Helper. Yesterday, while emailing back & forth, the usual question was asked: Any ideas for dinner? Ed was feeling fish, and we have a bunch of individually packaged frozen tilapia fillets in the freezer. I'd been avoiding them after discovering that being frozen hadn't done much to preserve their texture. And then it dawned on me - surely we have a box of Tuna Helper somewhere in the kitchen? Canned tuna's texture is a bit lacking, and tilapia's a very mild flavored fish. I I wonder if this will work......

It was a hit! Normally, tuna helper's not too high on my list of dishes I look forward too. After spending 5 years with a Hamburger Helper addict (the ExH), I wasn't too keen on anything called "Helper". =P But Ed seems to like the stuff, and it's a great excuse for him to do some experimenting on his own plate - usually with the addition of canned or frozen veggies. (though I have to admit that the cheesier HH's are good with a dash of curry powder)

So while the tilapia was browning in some butter, I opened the last box of Tuna Helper - Fettuccine Alfredo. It was SO good.

I wonder what I'll do next in the kitchen.......

Thanks for reminding me I'm losing my job

2009-11-10T07:46:00.000-08:00

I'm filling in for a gentleman, Mr N, who recently ran for election. He decided to take a leave of absence, and so I have been filling in for him since the end of August. If he won the election, there was a very good probability I would have been offered his old position full time. He didn't win the election, and I have not been officially told whether or not he's returning to this position.

The last time I saw him (day before the election), he told me he did not intend to return to the position and that he thought that another elected official may offer him a staff position. HOWEVER, The candidate for whom I'd been volunteering (Mr L - running for a different position), spoke to Mr N last night and Mr N told him that he is returning to the position on Monday. I found this out about 30 minutes ago from my Dad, one of Mr L's closest friends and advisors.

Since the election, I've had many coworkers ask me if Mr N is coming back, sometimes dropping by my cubicle to ask. I've done my best to smile and answer something like "Oh, I'm not sure. I haven't heard anything yet." But on the inside, I'm screaming "Gee, thanks for reminding me I may be out of a job soon. You don't see me stopping by your work area and asking if you've been laid off yet. Moron!"

Just 5 minutes ago, a coworker dropped by my cubicle to ask if Mr N was coming back. I didn't even recognize this guy. But everyone around here knows Mr N and I'm in his old cubicle. This time, instead of my usual vague answer, in my emotional state, replied "You know, but asking me that reminds me that I may not have a job soon." He stumbled over some words, tried to reassure me that they'd find a way to keep me, and then patted me on the back. (WTF? You remind me I could lose my job and then pat me on my back? I never said you could touch me!)

What gives? Why do people think it's okay to just drop in and remind me I'm about to be unemployed, again, around the holidays. I just want to slam their stupid heads into my desk. It takes every ounce of propriety I have not to yell "So, have you been laid off yet?"

I want to crawl under my desk and cry.

So I'm slowly packing up my personal stuff out of my desk drawers and will start slowly taking my things home with me.

Mr L's in a runoff, and I know he wants me to come work his campaign full time. But I'm worried that I won't be able to afford my health insurance (which was absolutely the most pitiful thing I've ever seen). And even after that the situation's tenuous as Mr L can't offer me anything officially until he's elected. If he's not elected, I really don't know what I'm going to do.

PART 2

Now I'm starting to get pissed. 1) Mr N should have told this himself. I shouldn't have heard it from anyone but him. 2) I fee like he LIED to me. He's told be at least twice now that he didn't intend to return, but he's told my MOTHER that he might, and now he's told Mr L that he will. When we would run into each other at election/campaign events, we would hug and chat and ask about each other's SO and were very friendly. Now I feel like he's completely stabbed me in the back.

I really wanna give him a piece of my mind (a few colorful words come to mind), but 1) that would be rude and 2) I don't want to say anything I would regret.

Still, I hate stewing in this. Grrr.

Nap Time should be an unalienable right

2009-11-09T11:30:00.000-08:00

I think somewhere in my genetic code is some cat. Considering my long history with cats (another post someday), I wouldn't be too surprised. It would also explain that annoying little whisker that keeps trying to sprout off the left corner of my lip.

Or maybe it's the time change, stress, or medication. Who knows.

But I've begun to see the value of a daily siesta. If I could just get an hour in for some shut eye-time at about 2pm each day...oh bliss! But then I'd have to stay an hour late, and I don't want to do that either. I value my non-work time and don't really care for getting home past 6pm as it is (especially now that it gets dark early). If only there was a "pause" button - I could just pause time so I could nap. Mmmm, that would be heaven. No lost time, increased energy, and no more yawning!

Post Election Exhaustion, Liquid Life, and Doggy Decisions

2009-11-04T10:33:00.000-08:00

Good news: Mr M didn't lose. Bad News: He didn't really win either. He's in a runoff. And Mr N lost.

So I don't really know what's going on with my job. I really like it here and I want to stay, but I will gracefully leave my post if required and save my crying, kicking, screaming, mitching & boaning for when I get home.

And I'm utterly exhausted. This is what I hate about campaigns (other than the fear of defeat). I was up way too late watching the outcomes. And donating blood probably didn't help either. But donate I must, for I Committed For Life.

I like donating blood. I get to lay down for a few minutes and let gravity and my pulse do all the work. I get some juice and a snack, it's a great excuse for an awesome breakfast, and it just makes me feel like a good person. I wasn't able to donate for a few years do to some body art, but I'm happy I can donate again and hope to donate regularly. My phlebotomist was great. All smiles, very gentle, and fun to chat with. Oh, and I earn points too so I can get a T-shirt, a water bottle, an umbrella, etc. But mostly, I just like doing something good.

Today is also the big decision about the new dog, "Morgan". On one hand, I really want to keep her. She's got a great personality and gets along wonderfully with our current dog, Jack. On the other, she's not fully house broken. But to me, that's "fixable." It's a matter of training and my Aunt C's got lots of experience with house training rescue dogs. I just don't think I want to "trade her in" for a house trained dog with a lackluster or poor personality match to us. She's a touch "over enthusiastic" (I wouldn't say hyper), but I think that's the excitement of being in our home. A lot of things are still very new to her. As the new becomes familiar, I'm confident she'll mellow out. Jack mellowed out quite a bit and looks like a giant lump of coal in comparison to her sometimes. But that could also be fatigue from playing with Mo so much.

UPDATE: Mo was returned. Long story short: Jack's a wimp and wouldn't assert his position over her when she started showing dominance. She's still a great dog, and the foster Mom is confident she'll find a good Forever Home, but it will be as an "only" dog or as part of pack that's equally assertive.

Election Nerves & Broken Feet

2009-11-03T14:56:00.000-08:00

I hate election days. I'm a big ball of nerves and have the urge to both puke and run around yelling "Squee!". Though considering I have a broken foot, I can't really run around anyway. Maybe I should just start scootin around in my desk chair. They already think I'm odd here.

While the local election this year isn't "World Changing", it could completely change my world. And I hate that. Let me explain.

So I have been Mr. M's campaign assistant while he seeks a position. I've known Mr. M for nearly 20 years - since I was 10 years old. He's a great guy. Smart, funny, caring, dedicated, and genuinely has the public's interest at heart. I say that not just as Senior Campaign aide, but as a friend and someone who known Mr. M and thinks of him as the brother I never had. If elected, there's the possibility of a position on Mr. M's staff for me. Obviously, he can't outright offer me anything - that would be illegal. But he's indicated to me that he trusts me completely and that he would want me by his side (nothing inappropriate there - he's in a relationship with an AWESOME person). There's the good cahnce of a run-off since there are 6 others vying for this position.

I'm also been filling in for Mr. N's position at his job while he's running for another position (he and Mr. M are not opponents). If elected, there's a good chance I'll be offered this position full time. That would be really nice too. I like it here and feel confident in my skills.

So basically, there's a risk that at the end of tonight, I may realize I no longer have a job of any sort, and it terrifies the crap out of me.

I really want to go throw up. And I'm not sure if it's in the Indocin for my foot or the nerves. I feel completely out of control. I don't like that my career is in the hands of thousands of voters, and I'm even on the friggin ballot!

Broken feet suck too. >=P

Learning to Love Drool

2009-11-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

I was never a dog person. Growing up, I liked dogs just fine, but I preferred cats. Cats don't have that "dog" smell, they don't drool, they don't need to be walked, and they're largely independent. When I was about 12, I begged for a dog. I that classic image in my mind that I would get a dog and it would be my best friend. The reality was I had the attention span of a gnat and while Nick was an awesome dog, I just wasn't a dog person. Luckily, Nick got lots of love and attention from Dad, who treated him as the son he never had. ;)

I've always had cats. There have been very few years without a cat in my life. (Turns out, when I was given up for adoption, I was replaced with the gift of a cat from my birth-mom's sister) And my two current cats, Claudio (aka Boo) and Hero (aka B**** Cat) are very loved, adored, spoiled, and well fed. They have been my replacement children for the last 6 years years. Their presence had solidified my identity as a "Crazy Cat Lady."

And then we got Jack, and suddenly I became a Dog Person too. Jack is our sweet, lovable, cuddly Black Lab & Pit mix. He's both the strangest Lab we've ever known (doesn't know how to fetch, dislikes water) and the wimpiest Pit we've ever known (hides behind my legs when startled by neighbors on our walks, during thunder, at car horns, at video games, etc). He's great with Hero and Claudio (he and Claudio are buddies), and is gentle with my young nieces. He's been such a joy.

Ya know what they say about potato chips and being able to have just one? Apparently, Labs are the same way. So this past Saturday we brought home a Chocolate Lab mix we've re-named "Morgan." She's a sweetie, but very energetic. She's got a great personality, but she's had very few lessons in manners. She's crate trained, but not house broken. =P And she pulls like crazy on her leash. I'm really hoping that we'll be able to successfully deal with both problems. She and Jack get along so well. They love to run all over the back yard together, sometimes taking turns chasing each other. And when they're tired, they lay together and nibble each others face. They will often lounge together, wrestle together, and whatever Jack's doing, Morgan's gotta do too. She's a bit "monkey see, monkey do".

Both are pure bred Attention Hounds.

So here's to hoping that our little family is near complete. The only thing I could want is a baby, but all in good time.

I never knew I could love 1 dog so much, let along 2.

Anticipation

2009-10-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

The best thing about anticipation is the excitement. The worst part is the wait. It can be both fun and excruciatingly frustrating at the same time. (anyone with problems, um, making a complete "word" in "scrabble" knows what I'm talking about)

Right now, I'm watching the clock. I'm willing it to be 5pm. And yet no matter how hard a try to impose my will on time, 5 doesn't come any faster.

I'm also on pins & needles waiting to find out of my Ex-Hubby, Kilt-Boy, is coming over for dinner. He's in town doing an inventory run for a vendor friend at TRF, and since we parted somewhat amicably (what point is there in making it nasty when there's no money, no property, and no children?), I'd love to see how he's doing, catch up, laugh, and he can see the cats (ok, so they were the closest thing to a valuable to argue over, but I let him keep the furniture and the fish!). Kilt-Boy arrived at the Festival grounds safely, but he's having car trouble and the mud's nightmarish out there. So dinner may be a no-go.

Tomorrow morning is the biggy. We bring the new girl home for a test run! We're picking up Mocha, a gorgeous mix-breed rescue dog. We're keeping her with us through Wednesday evening to see if she's a good fit for our household. We've already got a second crate and Jack has lots of toys that he's not interested in, so we're pretty much set for her. I really hope she works out. She's very sweet, playful, loves the water, and with some more Poochy-etiquette training will make a great family member and hiking companion. We're not sure how old she is, but she's too calm to be a puppy and too healthy to be of a significant age. So we're guessing 2-3 years.

Oooh look! It's 5pm! I'm outta here!

Oooh, a blank page

2009-10-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

Blank pages are tough. I never know just what I should fill them with. The obvious for a very first post on a brand spanking new blog would be a little background as to the why I'm starting a blog.

1) It's good therapy to write.

2) I enjoy reading other blogs.

3) (and this is strange) my Mom says I'm a talented writer when it comes to stream of consciousness. (told you it was strange)

So maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to work some of my own drama out and entertain any readers at the same time.

The next obvious topic for a first post is a little background on me. First, the title: I've had a few major moves in my life, and sometimes I get a little confused trying to remember which geographic region of the US I'm in. Sometimes I have a really strange accent blending an odd concoction of Gulf Coast speech patterns with the nasal twist of the Chicago suburbs (or the reverse of each - yeah, Chicagoans would get really confused by that). Sometimes I even get confused as to which HOUSE I'm in when I wake up in the morning. Am I in one of my many dorm rooms in college? Am I at my parents' house? Am I at our old house on Lake Michigan? No, I'm at the new house, and there's a big dog trying to lay on top of me.

I'm in my late 20's, divorced and still good friends with my Exhusband, and living less than a mile from my parents & childhood home. My darling Ed and I met back in the Chicago area just over 3 years ago. He's my Sweet Pattootie, and I'm his Little One - yet I'm nearly half a foot taller than he is. He was offered a very good job down here in Houston with the county, and since I'd lost my job (thank you real estate market!), and his company seemed to on the verge of collapsing from poor management and apathy, it was a good time to move. I brought 2 fat cats to the relationship, and we recently acquired a Black Lab/Pit mix who's the weirdest Lab and wimpiest Pit I've ever met. 4 months later and we're still trying to teach him to fetch. He doesn't care for water. And he gets spooked very easily by car horns, thunder, the weird guy on the next block, inflatable Halloween displays, and people putting out their garbage or recycling whom we encounter on our daily walks. We hope to add a second dog to the family soon and will be hosting one this weekend on a trial run.

The third obvious topic is what do I want from this blog. Right now I'm kinda jonesing to learn about this "Blog Roll Topic O'The Week." It would at least give me something to think and write about. Mostly, I'm just hoping that my online friends from another site (whose rules are something reminiscent of fight club - first rule is not to talk about it on other sites) will find me here and enjoy my non-other site thoughts.