Moody Meow

Writing a paper for Levis today. Why? Because I was a bad girl and didn’t look at the sylabus.
And next week I have another one due.

Some days I hate college.
That whole thing translates to: erica’s at home, in her pajama pants with Voodoo on her lap and 2 snoring dogs on her office floor.
I have good coffee too.

Not only did I get a fair sized lump sum, but I got a raise! YAY ME!
Now I can buy D a nice present.

I’m listening to the Buena Vista Social Club.
I’m wearing my Ireland pullover.
I’ve got a pair of halloween socks on.
(for Anne) I’m a super-girl!
I’ve had a banana, a cup of coffee and my organic cereal.
I rode for a half hour this morning on the trainer.

It’s looking to be quite a day. I’ll post more later. Right now I have to get my timesheets done!

We got our check!! YAY!! So, the bills will be paid and I can finally get my external hard drive so that I can free up my laptop drive. Wow, we have become so dependant on that cashhh.

But at least we are cool now!

If anyone checks their mail today, please let me know if you got your check!! Call me and leave a message or text me. We REAAAAALLY need that school check.

Today I am riding with one of the Response guys, to observe and take in what I can about his job. So, if you have a leak or something and you are in the OUC area, I could see you. If you so feel the desire, gimme a ring on the cell. I will probably be sitting in the truck picking my nose, because there’s usually nothing terrbily exciting going on. Changing out meters is not thrilling. A HUGE main break in the middle of Bumby, well that’s fun! (of course I would then have to drive through that traffic, but it would be worth it).

My new plate came in! I am now an animal friend and it reads “MOODI” . Yes, I am a superstar.

Men in new Jeeps who smoke are assholes. I will get into this tirade later. I should have ridden my bike to work…fucker.

Have a loverly day, and cross your fingers and your toes that our school checks come!!

I am stuck at a co-worker’s desk today so I don’t have the time to really write, but here’s stuff for you!

Google vs C-net I heard about this through TWIT, one of the podcasts I subscribe to. I thought it was interesting and wondered how pervasive this practice is. Imagine Microsoft getting pissed at the NYT and never allowing them any further interviews.

Dumbledore Is Not Dead! I’m offically a nerd. And D and I looked at the toys last night. We are sooooooooooooooo addicted.

The creatures in my head are really fucking adorable!! I want their toys. Love them…. I have the widget too! Yay me!

Feed your garden! I need to get to work and stop playing with these links….

Okay just one more: MacGyver Online: Background Bible I adored this show when I was a kid. And I’ve seen an episode here and there since, and I STILL like it. It must be the mullett.

And I am still pushing Serenity ! You must see this movie!! We looooove this show. Love it! Must see this movie!!! Must! Must! Must!

And this will come in handy when you need primary sources for school!!! Take a look!

Honey, if you want to take us on a cruise…here’s one that right up our alley!!

And if you are feeling left out with the whole widget thing because you have a PC…there here!!!

okay…time to go back to work!

So, after dinner I sat down on the couch for just a moment, needing to rest. That moment was shortly after 4:30…. I woke up in bed, hours later. The nap itself was as restful as any exhausted person could desire. The soft tap of rain rocked my restless mind to and fro, keeping me deep in a dreamless sleep. The problem when I woke was that I had missed class. The good thing was that we were just watching a movie, so no true harm done.

There’s nothing better than waking from a nice, long nap while surrounded by those you love. Although, those you love tend to take up a lot more of the bed than they should (and I would be talking about the fuzzies rather than the huzzie).

And although I’ve not been up very long, I shall go back to sleep shortly. I can’t ride to work tomorrow with this blasted rain. Tomorrow will be a riding on the trainer day !

Play on Tali’s forum today.
I must get work done.

Yeah, that’s the ticket.
And I got a nap yesterday! YAY me!
And I got my homework done.
Now it’s work time.

But I have class tonight, so I know it’s Tuesday.
Had a visit with the doc yesterday to get the status of my cervix. All is well. The damage was not as extensive as she first though, but it was an aggressive beast none the less. I’m due for additional violations (see: PAP) every three months for the next year, then I am going to back to the old routine of the annual. I have to say I am quite relieved. I was also sternly reprimanded for not having a PAP done anually. There’s just something odd about being lectured like a mother by your gyno. But, that’s just me.

I got bad news yesterday. My grandparents and and aunt and uncle live in South Miami. They were supposed to have their open house today, but sustained some pretty serious damage last week from Hurricane Katrina. After repainting the entire house, landscaping the yard and putting up crown molding, the house sustained some kind of unseen roof damage. The ac vents rained. That’s not a great thing. Also, branches from trees blew in 2 windows on the house. So, instead of moving at the end of the year they are going to have to repair the house and then try to sell it. I think it will be a hard sell, personally, but I hope they get it all back up and running soon so they can move to South Carolina like they planned.

I watched Mr. River last night for Anne, who is just beaming. I love being around her. She’s so positive. And River just cracks me the fuck up. My babysitting duties are at an end as of this week, so I can go back to napping. Not that I mind, River is a great kid (reminds me of my brother when he was little) and is so eager to share his life and intersts with others. Oh, and the orange cat finally came up to me!! Her cats are a touch skittish, so I’ve been trying to make friends since I started watching River. I made a breakthrough last night! It’s about damn time too.

Tonight I have class. I was thinking of riding my bike, but I am so tired that I may just take a nap before class. D’s face is healing well, but the bruise on his hip has finally blossomed. It looks mad painful, but at least he doesn’t have the scrapes on his face anymore, just red marks where the skin is still healing.

And with that, I’m off to plunge through the paperwork that has piled on my desk.

D finished Book 3 of Harry Potter….we can now watch the movie!
So, that is what I shall be doing tonight! YAY!

That bitch of a hurricane isn’t headed towards us, but send some kind of happy vibe up to New Orleans. The city you know and love may not be the same after this hussy makes landfall.
So, what did we do this weekend?
cleaned the house
had sushi
watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (great movie…. I was surprised at how much I liked it)
Bought D a new helmet. It’s pretty.
Planned my biking for Tuesday.
Remembered that we both have doc appts next week.
I did a little reading for school.

And today, I am supposed to get together with Julie and Nathan to help out with a few school things.

I slept like shite last night. Man, I need to get off my ass and excersize!

The end didn’t seem as bitter as it should have. I admit that I was glad when Tali headed in the direction of O’Hare International. But, then again, I also knew that I would return to this city.

The trip was all I hoped for. Being in a place like this with someone who knows the roads allowed me to circumvent the tourist shit. There’s so much to talk about. But I should start with Thursday.

Wicked was, well, wicked! Tali and I had spent the day walking around the Belmont and Clark area (which is really a location that tickles my pickle) before rushing home to dress and shower and get all girlified for the show.
Of course, we were late. And on top of being late, the train was delayed a bit, leaving us little breathing room for arrival. But, thankfully, we got there in time.
The theatre was stunning, and afforded everyone equally wonderful seats. Our seats were in the back of the first level, but you could see and hear everything quite well. The stage was dressed with a mechanical type dressing, where atop the rested moving dragon with glowing red eyes. I wanted to take a picture, but I was warned not to do so by Tali. Apparently they would have taken my camera. That would have been bad. The show was amazing and I found myself alternately smiling and remarking “damn!!” quite loudly as an act would end. Elfeba and Blonie were both quite amazing and truly expressed their character’s strengths and weaknesses well. There’s a touch of political and social commentary there, which most people would not expect to find in something as silly as a Broadway play, but it was there, and quite funny. (don’t think, just dance your life away - being popular with your cohorts is more important than independent thinking). And when the play was done, I found myself feeling like a giddy schoolgirl.
When it was done, and my breath restored itself I called Mom and screamed at the top of my lungs in the middle of the over-crowded sidewalk “I JUST SAW WICKED AND I AM IN CHICAGO” If I wasn’t so excited I would have been embarrassed for myself. But I was that happy. Carrie and Tali gave me shit for being such a goober, but I think I handled myself quite well considering the joy I was feeling.

Friday we spent the day with Julie and Cat. They arrived a little after 11 to meet us a Tali’s house. For the rest of the day we wandered through Chicago, ending up at the Museum of Science and Discovery. I would have loved this place when I was a kid, because I had a fucking blast as an adult. It is exactly what it sounds like, a museum about industry, its effects, and a lot of how’d they do that. One of the cooler exhibits was the toy-maker assembly line. You paid 3 dollars to get a Graviton made right in front of your eyes, and when it was done, it was packaged up for you and you got to take it home. It was a lot of fun to watch, although Julie and Cat were the only ones to take advantage of it. But the best display was the “Game On” exhibit. All the games through the ages, including Pong (which Tali kicked my ass at), the Eye toy, the original NES system and all kinds of other video games were displayed. The exhibit was busy as hell, so I didn’t get to play Ms. Packman or Sonic, but man I played a lot of games! So fucking cool. The rest of the evening was spent missing the Art Institute (by 6 frickin minutes!) and walking all over the town. We had Chicago deep-dish pizza. Oh my. So delicious. Then we headed back to Bellmont and Clark to eat Clark’s. Actually, we went there to drink, which we did in excess…..

And I should write more…but there will be more later. I really need to head to bed now. I’ve got the double class tomorrow and a full day’s work. So, nite nite!

70 questions
Current mood: Frickin tired man!

70 Questions

1. DO YOU SNORE? Like a fucking elephant

2. ARE YOU A LOVER OR A FIGHTER? I love fighting. I lovingly fight.

3.WHAT’S YOUR WORST FEAR? Open water, and failure

4. AS A KID, WERE YOU A LEGO MANIAC? I liked play-dough.

5. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF “REALITY” TV? I watch it. I ADMIT IT!! It’s fucking mindcrack.

6. DO YOU CHEW ON YOUR STRAWS? No, but I require them for all beverages. Cold drinks hurt my teeth

7. WERE YOU A CUTE BABY? I think all babies are ugly, but I was a stunning toddler. All cheeks and dark features.

8. IS THE SINGLE LIFE FOR YOU? Not anymore.

9. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR KEYBOARD? Silver…..mmmm…. Powerbook!!

10. DO YOU SING IN THE SHOWER? Not normally. I have a habit of screaming at the dogs when I shower. They like to run all over the house e because they know I am wet and naked and I can’t chase them, so they seem to take the opporunity and expliot it fully. I do sing in the car, though.

11. HAVE YOU EVER BUNGEE JUMPED? Rubber bands and I don’t mix

12. ANY SECRET TALENTS? All my talents are pretty public !! Har har har… I kill me!

13. WHAT’S YOUR IDEAL VACATION SPOT? Somewhere with snow, D and our creatures. I wonder if the beagles would like to ski…. hmmm

14. IS JAY LENO FUNNY? He’s funny looking

15. CAN YOU SWIM? Quite well.

16. HAVE YOU SEEN THE MOVIE “DONNIE DARKO”? Uhm, no. Am I not cool now?

17. DO YOU GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE OZONE? Well it’s quite important. I do my little bit for the enviornment. One day I would like to do more…

18. HOW MANY LICKS DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO THE CENTER OF A TOOSTIE POP? None, just bite the fucker

19. CAN YOU SING THE ALPHABET BACKWARDS? Why would I try this?

20. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON AN AIRPLANE? I was just on one 2 days ago…and I wanna go again… oh oh !! Can I ???

21. ARE YOU AN ONLY CHILD? No, I have siblings….. the bloody wankers!

22. DO YOU PREFER ELECTRIC OR MANUAL PENCIL SHARPENERS? I like pens

23. WHAT’S YOUR STAND ON HUNTING? If you kill it, you damn well better eat it. I loathe trophy hunting.

24. IS MARRIAGE IN YOUR FUTURE? It’s in my present.

25. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes, it’s quite pretty if I put my mind to it.

26. WHAT ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO? Codine, people who don’t use their turn signals, women in Hummers (they make me hyperventilate) and bad animation

27. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAID, “I Love You”? about 10 minutes ago. I don’t know for sure, as David.

28. IS TUPAC STILL ALIVE? Yeah. He and Elvis are doing the dirty in the back of a 69 Mustang. I hear Hoffa is filming and going to release it on the internet!

29. DO YOU CRY AT WEDDINGS? I did at my sister’s. I didn’t at my own….strange

30. HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR EGGS? sunny side up…

31. ARE BLONDES DUMB? I don’t know… I’ve never given a blonde and IQ test. I think yuppies are dumb though..

32. WHERE DOES THE OTHER SOCK END UP? On my suitcase. They are great for making your luggage stand out on the conveyer belt with the other 92475984753 black suitcases.

33. WHAT TIME IS IT? 2:05 om

34. DO YOU HAVE A NICKNAME? Ubergoober, Broadzilla, E, Grumpasaurus-Rex… bitch.

35. IS MCDONALD’S DISGUSTING? All fast food grosses me out…except Pita Pit… mmmm Pita!

36. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE IN A CAR? This morning. I drove to work, listening to Kasabian and singing.

37. DO YOU PREFER BATHS OR SHOWERS? I love both but in the interest of time, I take showers.

38. IS SANTA CLAUS REAL? No, but neither is military intelligence, but you don’t see everyone else freaking out about that do you ?

39. DO YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR NECK KISSED? Mmmm mgoood!

40. ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? Yes. We have a nightlight. Although it’s gotten better over the years. I’ve come to realize that the noises in the dark are just our creatures being assholes.

41. WHAT ARE YOU ADDICTED TO? Caffiene, smokes, tired muscles, animals, my huzzie, the internet, wine, and good conversation.

42. CRUNCHY OR CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER? XXXXXXX-tra crunchy!

43. CAN YOU CRACK YOUR NECK? Ewww no, and I HATE the sound of people popping various body parts.

44. HAVE YOU EVER RIDDEN IN AN AMBULANCE? Nope

45. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BRUSHED YOUR TEETH TODAY? Once. But I’ve cleaned my nose ring twice!! =)

46. IS DRUG FREE THE WAY TO BE? Only if you are a quitter

47. ARE YOU A HEAVY SLEEPER? Most of the time…

48. WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR EYES? Poop brown

49. HOW LOUD DO YOU SNEEZE? I have a gentle-lady like sneeze. And I always use a tissue… I mean my arm!

50. DO YOU LIKE YOUR LIFE? I love it. If you added winter I wouldn’t have anything to complain about.

51. WHO’S BETTER: STONE COLD OR THE ROCK? I like the Rock…he’s nummy

52. ARE YOU PSYCHIC? I’m just psychotic…

53. HAVE YOU READ “CATCHER IN THE RYE”? Once….

54. DO YOU PLAY ANY INSTRUMENTS? No…but I’m a mad dancer

55. HAVE U EVER STOLEN MONEY? Yes, and I got fired for it too…

56. CAN YOU SNOWBOARD? No, but I am fair on skis

57. DO YOU LIKE CAMPING? No… not unless it’s in one of those plush cabin things. I don’t do sleeping bags and roaming bears.

58. DO U SNORT WHEN U LAUGH? Yes, it’s quite embarrassing.

59. DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC? Yup

60. ARE DOGS A MAN’S BEST FRIEND? They are my husband’s best friend

61. YOU BELIEVE IN DIVORCE? Of course….till paper do us part!

62. CAN YOU DO THE MOONWALK? No, but I think I’ve walked on the moon before. Or maybe that was just the acid.

63.DO YOU MAKE A LOT OF MISTAKES? All the time. But I try to learn from them

64. IS IT COLD OUTSIDE TODAY? No, it’s hotter than the Devil’s balls out there.

65. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Twizlers

66. DO YOU WEAR NAIL POLISH? No… if it chips then I methodically pick it off and it drives D nuts when he finds polish shavings all over the house.

67. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN KISSED? WTF? Is this a fucking 5th grade questionare?

68. WHAT’S THE MOST ANNOYING TV COMMERCIAL? That new Pepto one where they dance!

69. DO YOU SHOP AT AMERICAN EAGLE? I have once. I got 2 shirts for 8 dollars

70. FAVORITE SONG AT THE MOMENT? “No More” By Ronnie Size

I am back to work this morning, after taking yesterday off due to a later than anticipated arrival home.
I’ve got so much to write about, so much to share about my time in Chicago, but all of that shall have to wait until I get out of class tonight. Yes, today I return to the hallowed halls of Rollins. I am looking forward to this semester if for no other reason than it brings me closer to getting the fuck out of Florida. Chicago was a tantalizing taste of what a big-city should be. I fell in love with the El. I fell in love with the huge park off of Lakeshore Drive. I am just in love.

It’s good to get back to the old routine, though. I walked the fuzzies this morning. And I arrived to the office politics going full force. So, we shall see how this week plays out.

See all you crazy people in school tonight!

This shall be brief. I will be home tomorrow, which makes me both happy and sad. I’ve had a great time in Chicago. I didn’t take nearly as many pictures as I would have liked. I spent more time gawking than trying to capture the moment.

Wicked was amazing.
Hanging out with the “Witty Bitches” left me with a perma-grin. There’s nothing that says love like Chicago deep-dish pizza, exahustion from walking from one end of downtown to the other, and booze at 24 hour diner.
The Ren fest was pretty cool. I spent most of it hung over. Remind me to skip the rum the next time.
Today, it was all about the nap. And although I took a long nap this afternoon, I am still really exhausted.

I will write all about my travels when I return home. But I think I need to take Monday off. I need to catch up on lost sleep.

I really miss my family, specifically D. I think he would have loved this place.
I’m off to fall asleep reading Harry Potter again. I am still on book 5….one of these days I will finish it!

Having a great time!!
Missed the Art Institute…bloody wankers closed at 4:30!
Went to the Museum of Science and Industry. Fuckin’ rocked
Had a fantabulous time with Julie and Cat.

Will go to a Renaissance festival tomorrow.
Time to go to bed.

It’s thundering here, and it reminds me of home.
I miss you Snoogs.

Holy shit!!!! I love this place!!! I went to: the coolest diner ever, the best comic store I have ever seen, an Army Surplus store that blew every other Army Surplus store out of the fucking water, and a thrift store made for people like me. I’m in love with the neighborhoods, the architecture and sheer walkability of the place. The trains take you everywhere, and I mean everywhere. There are tons of indie stores, little shops that hold all you can imagine. And this place is loaded with personality. Tali took me to Bellmont and Clark, where the cool shops are. We walked around for hours, taking in the sights, talking about everything we saw. I admit that I am a touch overwhelmed. There’s just so much to look at!!! I feel like a kid at Disney, pointing to this and that and giggling like a fool.

The flight in was a dream. I got here early! I know, its a shock that planes could possibly come in early. The flight was uneventful, save the flight attendant reminding me that I had “something in my nose.” It was also a pretty empty flight, so I had lots of room. I spent most of the time gazing out the window, watching the thunderheads roll past. Also, you’ve never seen Nature at its most spectacualr unless you’ve seen a sunset from the sky. Breathtaking.

I got in. Tali took me to the grocery store and we marveled at the sights. We drank wine on her back porch till late. I was supposed to head downtown with her this morning so I could explore while she worked a half day. Instead I slept. I was a teensy bit hung over. When I woke, I went out back to call D and smoke. Bad thing was, I locked myself out of the house. I called Tali, who was more than a little amused (she didn’t tell me that the back door locked itself unless you turn a nob…so technically it wasn’t my fault!). She left early to rescue me. So, I had time to kill, I called a few people, and then played Bejeweled on my phone till Tali’s roommate Carrrie (she’s a fucking riot, and really sweet!) came home. She saw me on the porch, stranded, and let me inside to shower.

I must go now, though. We are going to see Wicked tonight, and I am going to take in more of Chicago. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!

Pictures are forthcoming!

I’ve chilled out now.
I have a lot to look forward to, specifically my flight this evening.

Chicago will quell my nerves.

I just lost a really good post with all my funky links. Shit. Damn. Fuck.

Well no links then. I gotta work….blah!
And this is TMI so if you don’t want TMI - stop reading.

I started my period. I can’t use my normal period appliance. I’m going to have to buy diapers. I’m very unhappy about this. The timing for this cycle is all kinds of off. Shit!

** End TMI **

I think that was one of my less offensive TMI revelations. Go me!