The weekend at the Beach
I like it when Beaner makes this face because I think he looks just like Holly.
Deannie bought Eric the game Riff for his 31st birthday and this is the Blue Team trying to get an answer right. Go Red!
I like it when Ralphy makes this face because I think he looks just like Deannie.
Jewelz
I've been making jewelry lately. I'm not sure if I told you that. Today I finished making this set that I really like. I wanna give it to someone but like the other things I've made (Holly's bridal shower invites and Deannie's toilet) I kinda want to keep it too. I've made so many pairs of earrings that it's getting .... well expensive to keep with the buying the wardrobe to match!
You like?
I call this piece "Stalling" like...I'm making jewelry in attempt to stall studying for my Spanish Mid Term.
Trapper Keeper please?
So it definitely seems that I will be going back to school full time in the near future. Not sure whether that will be this summer or next fall. I'm still working out the details but I'm mega excited and more importantly this means that my goal of graduating is actually in eye site instead of over the mountains and through the woods like it once was!!
Holly is married to Curt and had a baby, named Brodie. Holly, Brodie, AND Curt were at the beach this weekend. Not just Holly and Brodie. Excuse me, Curt, for my brain fart on my last post. I love you, I do.One red streak of hair has escaped my head already. I don't know if it was something I did or if the little red bastard was just an escapee. Regardless -- it hurt.
Today Mom came to my office to bring me lunch. It was nice and I, today more then any day that's come recently, needed to see/touch her face. We're sitting in the conference room chatting away about mid terms and what not when she says, "Oh. You have red in your hair." I didn't tell her about the red streaks. Mainly because she is of the mind set that she gave birth to a perfect piece of human art and those who dare to alter it whether it be tattoo, red hair dye, or piercing in any place other then the ear lobe, are fucking with her art. Her perfectly made, carried, delivered, and raised art. Then she said, "Oh - look. There's more." I let her know that they come out, they're not permanent, and moved on with the conversation. I wasn't expecting her to like it --
Tomorrow is Friggidy Friday, ya'll!
Lyceum
This weekend Eric, Deannie, Dean, Holly, Brodie, and I all went to the beach house for some R&R. We drank wine, sat in front of the fire, googled over the baby, and ate some damn good food. Deannie brought March Of The penguins (Penguino en Espanol) and we sat together and watched it together after Brodie went to bed.
I was sucked in to wanting to see it long ago when the adorable previews came out months ago. Then Cory did a post about it that left me slightly uninterested....however Deannie comes to me and says, "You have to see this movie. There is this part - that reminds me of you -- it's when one of the momma penguins looses it's baby and so it goes and trys to steal one from one of the other momma penquins...." Huh...
I'm not sure what she was getting at.....but....
SO I got the red streaks in my hair on Monday. They are very subtle but my boss did notice them. I have 10 red streaks although some are under neath -- so they are not all that visible. It took Erin all of 20 minutes to put them in. They are attached to my hair with a sort of plastic stuff that is melted on. Eric said it best when describing it much like the end of a shoe lace. Once I'm over the red extensions I will go back to Erin and she will put a gel on them that breaks down the compound and leaves me streak free. For now I feel secretly punkish.
I have a history extra credit paper to do. We were told we could write a paper on a historical exhibit dealing with anything from 1865 to the present and relating to US History. I chose to go to the Alexandria, Lyceum.
I've been seeing this building on Washington Street for years. It's called the Lyceum and damn if I knew what the hell a Lyceum was. Even the smartest people I know had no clue what a Lyceum was. Hear ye Here ye -- a Lyceum is aLatinn word and means 1) a hall for public lectures or discussions 2) an association providing public lectures, concerts, and entertainments. And our Alexandria Lyceum is just that with an museum as an added feature.
The Alexandria History museum, or Lyceum, is a mighty interesting place. It was mega fun learning about the history of Alexandria and seeing pictures of what it used to look like back in the days before cars and pavement.
Interesting facts learned (not in any order):
- Precivil war Alexandria was the main seaport carrying tobacco, slaves, flour and fish to Britainn and then receiving slaves and finished goods
- Alexandria had one of the biggest slave trading firms in the east at that time. The firm was Franklin and Arnold and was located at 1315 Duke Street (next door to an office I used to work at)
- Post civil war we weren't the main seaport anymore but with the expansion of the railroads we became the the gateway to the south via locomotive
- In 1892 an electric trolly (The Washington Alexandria and Mount Vernon Electric Railway) began providing transportation between Washington, Alexandria, and Mount Vernon -- cutting the once 1 hour long trek, via boat, to Mount Vernon in half by 30 minutes.
- In 1888 the Electric street car encouraged new land development (the suburbs) and in 1908-1914 84 acres of land were developed in to a suburb called "Rosemont" (Deannie and Dean live here) The area was advertised as having only a 20 minute commute for federal workers in to DC.
- 1881 Southern Bell began erecting telephone poles & lines. There were 100 Subscribers by 1891
- On September 16th (my birthday) of 1889 the mayor of Alexandria turned on the first electric power in the city.
#7 is my favorite fact.
Two Face-ed-ness
I wanted to write about so many things today. Well -- this week actually. My cold sore. The tears I sobbed at my desk out of self pitty. The word “Fuck” and it’s inappropriateness during communication strong points. My sucky 83% on my first History Test. And so much more…but I took time to explain this theory of mine to a friend and realized – it’s best if shared widely.
Two face-ed-ness is an important aspect in adult life, one most often over looked. Lost are the days that being “two-faced” meant the end all of your elementary reputation. No more shall you be shunned from your little clique of girlfriends for being a “two-faced bitch”. These times are over and the accusations are silly and childish.
Example: Let’s pretend for a second that you don’t care for someone and that someone happens to be friends with your friends, or one of your boyfriend’s friends, or your family’s friends, or an x-friend that you once liked but for whatever reason you no longer consider them a friend at all. In these cases, it’s nearly impossible to avoid seeing that person altogether. If you live in the same town you could see each other at the mall much less at the annual Christmas Party! If you live in separate towns, but you went to high school together, you may see them at your reunion. Always be prepared….
So what do you do? You act utterly adult and two-faced. In other words you smile and greet the person as if you are surprised or happy to see them. Or you act casually, as if, “yes, I knew you’d be here, let’s acknowledge each other and move on” and then you ask the polite questions, “How have you been?”, “How is your….(add noun)?”, “Are you still working at (add company name here)?”, “Did you see that movie (add current blockbuster hit)”. I assure you that most often the person knows that you do not care for he/she. Chances are they don’t much care for you either and because of this fact - it is important at this juncture to ask the polite questions, blending with the crowd or the environment, and then swiftly move on to others that you do enjoy.
The behaviors you do
not allow yourself are all the things you’re brain is playing for you in the little movie theater of your mind. You do not spit on them, curse them, call them names, throw them on the ground and scream endless truths at them, or flick your hair in their face. No. Don’t trip them, poison them, verbally curse them or throw your eggnog in thier face. Most certainly (and I am repeatedly a failure at this) do not
uninvite them to parties, public gatherings, and/or events. If the soiree involves the friends of the hated – invite the hated along. If you do not, it’s a sure sign of quiet warfare on your part – and this is not good adult two-facedness.
Another key to being appropriately two-faced is being kind and giving- in a seemingly sincere and controlled way, but not over doing it. For example: If the hated shows up at your Christmas party – you’d not want to focus all your hostessness on them. You don’t want to seem obviously fake. That is a blatant fuck-up and gives the hated the right to stand up and call you out. Don’t over offer cookies, refills, or comforts. Don’t act over interested in conversation pieces. Don’t ask too many personal questions. And don’t drag them around introducing them to your best friends. Just treat the hated as you would treat your everyday acquaintances. Kind.
Some of you may be sitting back in your desk chair scoffing and my admittance of being two-faced. You may not like me anymore. You may be wondering if I am being two faced to you. Maybe I am, but the moral of my story (and if you don’t agree your welcome to give me a better solution) is that no one likes a drama queen starting fist fights or bar brawls. Face it, no one wants to go to a social gathering when they have to deal with you and the hated not speaking to one another. No one cares what your problem is with the hated, especially if they find the hated worth while and/or fun. Here's the kicker people: you can't always help the way you feel but you can always help the way you react to your feelings. Therefore, in my opinion, it’s far better to be the two-faced adult who can handle herself in diverse crowds instead of the immature twat who likes to reveal their inner dislikes to the world. Save those thoughts for your blog.
In my life, if you’re on the list of those whom I’d consider “not my type” chances are I don’t go the extra mile to maintain contact. No Christmas cards. No mid-week lunch. No “Happy Birthday!” …………. In the absolute WORSE case – I kill you in my sleep – but I reserve those for the ones that I really can’t stand.
Now go off and be adults!
A Fair Trade
Luckily I didn't put anything in the refrigerator this weekend except left overs. And good ones at that. Dinner at Ruth Chris for Eric's birthday was spectacular. I had a steak that was so big I laughed at it. Back when the Europeans unsettled the Americas they engaged in trade with the natives. This trade not only enabled the Europeans to gain access to this newly discovered land but also gave the Natives guns (lucky them). I have learned from my ancestors and engaged in a trade of my own. One relating to beauty of course.
My hair dresser (Erin at Sugarhouse Day Spa) does such a great job on my hair that I literally get stopped and asked, "Who cuts your hair?" about twice a month. She's amazing. I went in to get my hair did by Erin on Friday, before the big birthday escapade. Erin greeted me with a smile and a hair-do of her own that incorporated little blue streaks. This appealed to the rebel side of me. The side that doesn't worry about what my mother's opinion might be. I compliment her on them. She informs me that they're extensions and that she does them herself. I tell her of a movie I have in my possession that MIGHT not be quite out on DVD yet. She tells me that she's got color samples of these fun extensions in her car. I tell her that I'd love to look at them and she tells me that she's off on Monday nights. I look at them and show great interest in a reddish color -- she tells me that they're only $6/each and that she can order them on the phone on her way home if she wanted to. I remind her that I have no school on Monday's and that I'd love to cook her dinner and maybe we could watch a movie. She thinks that's a wonderful idea. Pictures in a few weeks.
The following picture is not a good example of what Erin does to my hair nor a good example of how sexy I was on Friday. It's simply a picture of me tired, possibly after a night of staying up late with Holly, and without make-up -- holding the love of my life. The point of these pictures is not to be stunning but rather to show you how
much I love Beaner and in turn how much he loves me. He was equally tired -- I'd just woken him up from a nap -- so at least we're matching in fatigue.
I don't know about you but I think minus the pale skin, blue eyes, reddish hair, and an exact mold of both Holly & Curt's features -- that he looks like he's partly mine. No doubt.
So Check this out....
For Eric's birthday I scratched on the dress and decided to go with some half naked ensemble that I purchased from some guy name Frederick. I figure a predinner romp only makes the food taste better, right? Besides -- then we can come home snockered after we meet up with friends at the bar and I don't have to look like a totally turkey trying to put this retarded garter belt on whilst shitfaced. Let me tell ya -- it took me 20 minutes sober to get the fucker on -- I can't imagine what'd I'd accomplish soggy.
So I get my hair did, go to a friends house to fiddle with the cotton picken garter thing, struggle with my self esteem, and then head home. I come home, dressed to the 9's in not much, and seduce my 31 year old man until he weeps. (Ok he didn't weep...but he was close.....) I had it all disguised under my coat -- pretty sweet, eh? Happy birthday to me!
So the reason for this post is not to brag about the fact that even with a jello ass I still can perk it up a bit. Nor to tell ya that wearing a winter coat on top of this ridiculous get-up -- I still froze my ass off. No. It was to tell you that I've lost my mind.
Skip back two paragraphs.
And Marissa your really the only one I'm writing this for because I know you can relate....
So I go to Deannie's to dress up for my sexcapade and need some scissors to cut something to put in Eric's birthday card. Then I go to the back of the house to begin my preparations. I ask Deannie to bring me back the scissors because I need to cut off the tags on my outfit. Deannie takes forever and I wonder, silently, "where the fuck is she?". She tells me she can't find the scissors. They've disappeared. I tell her I put them back where I found them earlier. She probably called me a liar under her breath and went back in to the living room. I finish getting ready. As I begin to walk out of the house she says, "You put the scissors in the refrigerator!" and then laughs. Confused, and sure that she was joking, I asked her if she'd read my blog today. She said no. Convincingly. And when I told her about the cell phone incident she looked at me like I was insane! Clearly I am. I wonder what I'll find in the fridge tomorrow....
Butt pains and more....
First and foremost I'd like to say,
Happy 31 st Birthday Eric!! I love you more then words can properly express! Last night I watched Broke Back Mountain....more on that later....I've been shopping for a dress to wear tonight at dinner. I'm taking Eric out for a nice meal for his birthday -- and thought it would be nice to wear a dress. I never wear dresses unless it's a wedding. And tonight I wanted to be especially...sexy (I feel dumb)...for E. Store after store after store and nothing really called to me. At mall number two yesterday I started feeling this little twinge (Honey -- pay attention:
Twinge: n. A sudden sharp pain.
Webster's Dictionary) in my left butt check. I've been feeling a mild muscle tightening there for a few days but I just thought it was from over activity or something. Anyway -- as the day moves on, and the dresses get looking worse and worse on me, the butt hurts more and more. By the time I've given up on the dresses -- I'm limping. Yes, limping. I limp my ass home (no pun intended! Ha!) and crawl in to bed with a heating pad pressed to my butt. Eric comes home:
Eric: "I called you earlier and you didn't answer the phone. Why did you skip class?"
Me: "My butt hurts."
Eric: "What?"
Me: "My butt hurts. I have a major annoying cramp and it got so bad I was limping!"
Eric: "Flip over" (he did not say this in THAT WAY - FYI)
Me: "What?"
Eric: "Flip over. Let me see."
Me: "Okay......" (I'm not normally THIS easy)
Eric:
poking at the cheek over and over again ...."Does it hurt here??" "Here??"
Me:
laughing - hard - and feeling stupid
Eric: "OH my God your butt is so ...... jiggly!"
Now he's laughing "It's like Jello!"Me: "OH MY GOD! Get away"
Eric: "Don't tense up..."
laughingMe:
ashamed "I don't feel very sexy right now"
No wonder I looked like shit in all those dresses! My ass is jiggly like jello!
(Thank God I love him AND I have a good understanding that neither of us works out, eats right, or looks like a super star naked! Otherwise I'd have killed him!)The butt thing really hurt last night but I didn't take any mind altering drugs. I wanted to but I didn't have any. I don't think Eric believed that I didn't take something peculiar...
This morning as we're getting ready for work he says:
Eric: "What the hell! Jessica. Can you come in the kitchen please? I need to speak with you."
Me: "Huh?"
Eric: "Come here. We need to talk about something."
Me:
thinking....what did I do now? Leave a drawer open? Use too much dish soap? Not vacuum a spot? ..I walk in the kitchen and he's got the refigerator door open..... "What's up?"
Eric: "What the hell is this"
pointing to the inside of the refrigerator...Me:
looking and not seeing anything looking unlike what a refigerator is supposed to look like. Desperately searching for SOMETHING I realize I've left the steak there that he'd cooked for me to take to lunch. "Oh. The Steak? The one you cooked for me to take to lunch? Yea, I'm sorr......"
Eric: "NO, not the steak. Keep looking."
Me:
Looking...looking...looking..."Oh my God. WEIRD!"
no wonder I didn't hear his call last night "I can't believe that! I
swear I wasn't drinking last night"
Eric: "You should take a picture and Blog about THAT!"
My cell phone was sitting, freezing it's ass off, in the refrigerator right next to the milk. I think my ass has gone to my head. I didn't get a picture....sorry guys...
Brokeback Mountain otherwise known as the
Gay Cowboy Movie by someSo I watched it. And these are my honest thoughts. Brokeback Mountain made me un-com-for-ta-ble. Yes it did. I had a hard time watching some scenes. The sex scenes & the very emotionally kissing. I love all my family and friends that are gay, and as a general rule they don't make me uncomfortable. If they do make me uncomfortable it's NOT because they're gay, believe me. I just wouldn't want to watch them have sex with one another -- any more then I'm sure they'd want to watch me. I felt, at those moments of the movie, that I was standing directly inside someone's most personal diary. Like I was a bug on the wall watching their deepest darkest secret come to life. An intrusion on my part. Luckily for me, there is a scene or two of that type, but not an overwhelming amount. I think to say, "There's not all that much gay stuff going on", which I heard a lot, is absolute bull shit. One gay sobbing make-out scene is enough for me. 5 and I'm uncomfortable.
With that said -- it's important to look beyond those few scenes to see this:
the movie was about the struggles of the gay man, and country-bumpking gay men no less, in the 60's and 70's. They were gay men in the heart of the west at a time when it just WAS NOT HAD. The invisible gay men of that time were far different then the stylish, interior decorating, high pitched, men of today. There wasn't Queer Rancher for the Straight Rancher. There was no gay pride parades. There were no gay bars. No purple flamingo fun restaurants with confetti on the tables. No. These men were treated about as nicely as a black man would be treated in those parts, in those times.
What made me cringe was that they, and everyone around them, were
so, so , so uncomfortable. These men were ashamed, and scared, and angry, and hiding, and desperate. It was terrible. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time praying that no one would see them hug too long, or find out they were in love, or say something terrible to them .... ugh! It was like watching Roots all over again. Icky social ickiness!
The acting was spectacular and they deserve every award they get. It was all incredibly believable. Uncomfortably so.
I
did cry at the end.
Excel, and why it should be put in a printable format
SO I'm sure you all got my news about the Spanish Quiz results. Yeah, me! It's so fun to keep getting A's. In high school I don't think I got an A on anything. Ok I did get an A in that gym class for flirting with the coach but that doesn't count.
Tonight is my first History Test of the semester.
Today has been mega busy. So busy in fact that I've been doing nothing but running around, receiving commands, putting out fires, and printing ridiculously long and unformatted excel spreadsheets. Ugh! Is it just me? Is it not the rudest thing to send someone, an executive, an excel spreadsheet that is not formatted for printing when it is intended to be read on paper? What I mean is, if you send someone (like my boss) a spreadsheet that she's supposed to print and refer to during a conference call - PLEASE for the love of all things decent - take some time to make it printer friendly. For if you don't, the assistant to that executive (me) gets to spend several
panicking minutes reformatting your nothing but sloppy work, mid conference call. This type of behavior reeks handing-in your homework on a piece of paper that you violently ripped from a spiral notebook. Point made.
Now, do you want to help me with my homework or what? Here is what I have to learn for my History Test tonight.
Four Essay Options (pick one)1.Discuss the factors which gave rise to rapid industrialization in the US 1870-1900
2.How did urbanization transform lifestyles of the Americas?
3.How was the west won/lost ? Define Manifest Destiny and qualify it with Westward expansion
4.Compare the presidential and congressional plans of reconstruction. Compare those two plans to those of the freedman’s plan and those of the Southern Nationalists.
Terms1. Congressional Plan
2. Presidential Plan
3. Radical Republicans
4. Freedmen
5. Carpet Baggers
6. Terrorism
7. 14th Amendment
8. 15th Amendment
9. 40 Acres and a Mule
10. Compromise of 1877
11 . Manifest Destiny
12. Disposition of N.A.
13. Dawes Act
14. Crazy Horse
15. Geronimo
16. Sodbusters
17. Cattle Barons
18. Cowboys
19. Status of Women
20. Turner Thesis
21. Monopoly of Capitalism
22. Gilded Age
23. Organized Labor
24. National Market
25. Immigration
26. Tenements
27. Ghetto
28. Farmers Alliances
29. Island Communities
30. Plessy v. Ferguson
The Big Ugly Dress Sex Toy Party
I do feel like a pathetic sack of shit that I’ve not blogged in what seems like eons. I have been so busy lately. (
I just hate it when people say that to me when I've been neglected. It implies that your life is somehow far more precious then the one of the person you've let down.......I’m sorry for being a sack of shit for not blogging and then blaming it on my selfish life style.)
I find, that because I’m in school 3 nights a week, my weekends fly by without so much as a 20 minute period for me to sit and write down my thoughts and feelings on this here blog. I will, once again, attempt to be better at updating and illustrating the oh-so-boring vigors of my life. (I made that word up. Vigors. But I think it fits. Vigors = happenings)
I’m planning a party. It’s a Big Fat Ugly Dress Sex Toy Party. What is that you ask? Well I’ll tell ya! It’s a sex toy party, for girls, and you have to wear a big fat ugly dress (preferably 80’s style) to attend. You will not be allowed in the house without an ugly dress hanging from your delicate shoulders. The poofier the better and a prize will be won for the worst dress of all. I’m thrilled! Ebay has many, many, many dress options for no more then $20.00. I’m either going to go the Ebay route – or spend a Saturday shopping in Thrift stores with Deannie. You’re jealous aren’t ya?
I forgot to put deodorant on again this morning. I went out last night like a fool, got drunk, and woke up late – causing me to dash with out deo. Shit! But it reminds me of the time my friend Stacey had a stinky armpit. (just one was stinky …..and I can’t remember why) She was sitting in the back seat of Heather’s car at the time. She discovered her stinky armpit in the privacy of the backseat. Instead of silently praying that we didn’t notice the pit, she wiped her hand across her stinky armpit to smear the stink on to her hands. She then reached forward and around Heathers driver seat, placing that hand directly in front of Heather’s nose, forcing Heather to smell the stench from the very tips of Stacey’s fingers.. She did this to gross Heather out of course, and it worked. Twice. She did it again when we left the spa later that day. I just love those girls.
The Spanish quiz
Estudio mucho hoy. Seriously. I think I did ok though on the quiz. I forgot, mid test, the word for "TODAY"; which really blows because I know that word. I've already used it in this here post. I'm sure I didn't fail but I studied for 7 hours today so if I did fail I'll just drop out and give up my dreams to teach since one must have 4 semesters of a foreign language (or Las Lenguas de extranjeras) to get a teaching degree in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Moving on....
I have to do a book review for my History 122 class. That would be US History POST civil war. It doesn't HAVE to be a non-fiction or a biography. It can simply be a novel ABOUT a time period POST Civil War -- such as "ragtime", the depression, reconstruction, or even on the effects of unbanization, education, technological advaces, etc. during these times. I have chosen to do a review under the heading of education. I'm reading, The Story of My Life -- a biography of Helen Keller. Thoughts?
So I don't know if I've shared yet -- but I sit next to a deaf girl in my history class. She has two interpreters that sign for 20 minutes at at time and three hours altogether. It's facinating and distracting all at the same god-damn time. Before taking Spanish, I wanted to take Sign Language as my foreign language but they don't offer that in our area. So sad too bad.
They (the student and her two interpreters) have asked me to take notes for her. I suppose it's hard for one to watch someone else speak with thier hands and write down what the hand-speakers are speaking all at once. Of course -- I said, "of course!" like any nice person would do. It makes me take way-good notes dude, AND she's going to get me an A on my book review (1/3 of my grade!!). I love her. Her name is Amelia.
Check out the "THE MIRICAL WORKER" and watch it. It's moving. I saw it when I was little and I've never forgotten it. It stuck. Like the fucking word
HOY is stuck to my brainicles right now!
Mis sentimentito por espanol
The itsy bitsy spider....
Have I mentioned before that we have a
Black Widow spider as a pet? In a little spider aquarium thing, of course. Well we do. Yes, and she's a big'un. Her belly is bigger then a small marble and not quite as big as a big marble.
Every now and again Eric cleans out her cage to remove the remains of the crickets she's sucked the life out of. When I've seen him do it he some how scoops her into a shot glass, covers it, and goes about his business. I'm not sure how he did it last night.....
After I got home I went straight for the living room to get some one-on-one time with E. We snuggled (no, we didn't do "it") for about 10 minutes and then I got up to get a bottle of water from the kitchen. As soon as I walked in the kitchen I noticed the spiders cage, on the counter,
WITH THE LID OFF! I was
breathlessssssssssssssssssssss. Eric, "What's wrong?"
Me, "WHERE is the SPIDER?"
Eric, silence.....walks over....looks around...."Oh THERE she is! Oops!"
Me, running across the house to get as far away from the
BLACK WIDOW that has
ESCAPED from her
OPEN CAGE and decided to
TAKE A HIKE ACROSS THE KITCHEN VIA COUNTER TOP!!
Eric, "I can't believe I forgot to put the lid back on. Good thing we found her or we'd have had to move out!"
.jpg)
I like it when Beaner makes this face because I think he looks just like Holly.
Deannie bought Eric the game Riff for his 31st birthday and this is the Blue Team trying to get an answer right. Go Red!
I like it when Ralphy makes this face because I think he looks just like Deannie.
.jpg)
