Working Lots 'n Lots - But It's Time to Walk!

So, um, it's been hard to nail down some bloggin' time lately because I've been working a lot... AND I'm on the Las Vegas MS Walk Committee again this year and the MS Walk is only a little more than a week away, not this weekend but the next! And I've yet to start my own fundraising efforts?!? EKK!!!

So be forewarned, if I get it together by tomorrow's end, this blog will turn into a "Gimme' Your Money So We Can Find a Cure for MS"-themed blog for at least the next week! Although, do please note, I will be able to accept National MS Society donations for at least a week after the official MS Walk date of Saturday, May 10th.

Guilty Confession #8

Didn't I just post yesterday that the latest song I've got stuck in my head is Neil Diamond's "Cherry, Cherry"?!?

Well, okay, okay, anyhow... Here's my guilty confession: This is my 2nd week in a row that I've tried to make it home from work in time to watch American Idol while I continue to work from home... And right now? I'm watching Jason Castro sing "Forever in Blue Jeans," and I'm delighted in totally geek-out fashion.

P.S. Although I didn't watch the second night of American Idol last week, I was upset to find out Carly had been voted off!

P.P.S. *UPDATE* David Archuleta (sp?) is next and so far, I'm totally unimpressed.

Found in My Purse Last Friday...

The photo is of poor quality, but try a guess as to what this is:

Answer: a hard boiled egg... yup.

Leaving for work Thursday morning, I don't know how I'd thought I'd remember it (knowing me), but, indeed, I had thrown a hard boiled egg into my purse to be added to the day's eligible mid-day snacks. Yup, it'd been in my purse allll day long and allll night long, and I found it around noon on Friday. Imagine if I'd found it some time on Saturday, or better yet, the following Monday, today!

12-Hour Days, Anyday! Compared to...

Without volunteering much detail, having learned from Dooce that one shouldn't blog about one's work, I'll just say the last couple weeks have been particularly busy due to the loss of a particular colleague - - yup, can't say much more than that here, but anyone who knows me, they know what I'm talkin' about here. So yeah, we had a staffing change and I'm now working 12-hour days more than half the week for the last 2 weeks...

For the last year, actually, work had already been challenging in all the wrong ways, but I can't say much about that either. However, comparatively, the last two weeks have been an absolute breeze compared to the last year of work to date!

OPTIMISTICALLY: My hope is I'll have a new assistant before the summer months are underway. REALISTICALLY: I'll be lucky to have one by the end of June.

Sooo, wish me luck!

Spontaneous Flying Eruptions of Fur

I'd been watching for this, silently dreading this time to come for about a month now, and yesterday, it became absolutely clear that it's officially official: The kitties have begun their summer shedding.

I scooped up Owen yesterday morning and let him try his usual squirming, wriggling wiggles to be set free, and once I did let him go? There was a visible, billowing puff of cat hair rising up into the air, and all the white lil' cat hairs that I could see plastered to the fabric fibers of my shirt? I loudly groaned, looking upward at the ceiling, "Ohhh nooo! The summer shed has beguuuun!?!" My honey-man then grunted from the kitchen, "Yes, I know."

The "summer shed" amounts to basically twice as much cleaning to be done 'round the house:

1) Vacuuming nearly twice a week,
2) Vacuuming the furniture twice a month,
3) Dusting every week instead of every other,
4) Wiping down baseboards and the stairs woodwork twice a month,
5) Using the dust mop every week and sweeping 1-2 times a week,
6) Running all throw blankets and bedroom quilts in the dryer on 'fluff' twice a month,
7) Shaking all the rugs twice a month,
8) Wash the kitchen's table cloth weekly [SIDE NOTE: They're not allowed on the kitchen table, but they're all over it when we're not at home, as evidenced by the cat hair!]
9) Use a lint brush on all the kitchen chair cushions whenever I can remember...
10) and, I think that's it.

Yeah, just gotta do alllll the above regularly until September's end... geesh!

See, I'm one of those cat owners who doesn't want her home to look like she owns two cats. As to how realistic this expectation is? Um, "No comment" -? [Yes, I'm in total denial.] Although I am certain this doubled cleaning effort over the summers will become impossible to maintain once we have a lil' two-legged wee one to care for. The baby will just have to double as a kitty-cat come the summertime, as he/she will always be covered with kitty hair!

Growin' Up and Up!

I've been meaning to share this since I took this picture! The door frame of our downstairs 'powder room' has been deemed the "growth chart" door frame! [SIDENOTE: "Powder room" is code for a bathroom with nothing but a sink and toilet!]

Here's the angel boy-O's progress since November 10th!

In two months' time, he grew 0.75" and he's grown a total of 1.75 inches over the last four n' a half months! Not bad, eh? My honey-man kept growth marks for the angel boy-O in a certain spot on the wall near the entry door to his old L.A. apartment. I know he took a picture of it somewhere before moving to Vegas, but I'm not sure if included a ruler for comparative reference or not.

I'm still kickin' myself that we didn't start marking the boy-O's growth sooner, beginning in June of last year, when we first moved in!

Why I Love Mah Honey-Man ~ Reason 24

For years now, I have told, asked, requested, demanded and complained to my honey-man about his poor, inconsistent use of the very-necessary turn signal whenever he's driving, and for years, no effort on my part has improved his use of the very-necessary turning signal. This is not to say he never uses his turn signals, but rather, that he picks and chooses when to use them, as the mood strikes him (a lil' exaggeration there).

About a week ago or so, maybe more, I tried a new tactic: I actually told my honey-man quite seriously that if he would please use his turn signals no matter what, it would make me very happy.

Around noon-ish today, my honey-man was driving, and he made this very exaggerated move with his left hand like a marked, backwards flick of the wrist with an upward flare of his fingers, all while leaning forward and at the same time leaning towards his right, towards me...and then he froze into this final position...

Of course all this strange movement got my attention (as was his aim to do so): He was using his right-hand turn signal!!! and doing it Just for me!!! and my happiness!!! ~ Bless him!

'Flicks on Repeat' or 'Guilty Confession #7'

I've been home by myself today, doing all sorts of lil' odd jobs: I've hung the ironing board wall mounting rack in our coat closet, painted 3 wall shelves, spray painted a new torchiere lamp for our bedroom, re-centered the frames above our bed, hung the guest signatures framing mat from our wedding, washed and folded 6 loads of laundry (whites, our bedsheets, our bed quilt, our winter duvet cover with other reds, synthetic darks, and light cottons), uploaded my pedometer records for the month, re-potted my mint plant and a jade, and I've had The Family Stone playing on repeat all this time... it's currently on it's fifth play through... yup.

There are other movies I tend to play over and over throughout a single day. Here's my Top Ten list for favorite 'watch it again and again in a single day' movies:

1) The Fellowship of the Ring (although I do watch all 3 on repeat)
2) Pride & Prejudice (2005)
3) Moulin Rouge
4) When Harry Met Sally
5) My Fair Lady
6) My Big Fat Greek Wedding
7) Amadeus
8) Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
9) The Family Stone
10) Fried Green Tomatoes

No More Secrets

This past Friday after work, although there were other things that had to get done before the weekend's official start, by Saturday morning (and Istayed up until 3AM that night to get those things done!), I was determined to attend this event!

My friend, Daly and I, we went to the gym together right after work and finished in time to attend this speaking event at UNLV featuring Frank Warren, the creator of PostSecret.com.

I have THREE copies of this book - - each given to me by friends, two of which, I was the one who introduced them to PostSecret.com. This copy had no writing on the title page, so it was the one I had signed by Frank Warren. I had actually forgotten to bring the book, but my darling honey-man brought it to me from home!

I can't put into words how profoundly I am touched by PostSecret and its purpose. I visit this website every week. It keeps me in touch with the idea that we're not alone - - and that we all have challenges, and that these challenges come in all shapes and sizes, and we all need a lil' help and that's nothing to be ashamed of.

Admitting ones secrets is the first vital step towards recovery.

Guilty Confession #6

For breakfast this morning, eaten in my car while on the way to work, I had a split, pan-fried Nathan's hot dog on a potato bun with mayo, mustard, ketchup and melted sharp cheddar cheese. Yes, a hot dog for breakfast.

And this is from a woman who normally eats a hot dog once or twice a year at best.

How 'Bout 'Losing My Religion'?

Although I'm really swamped with work this week and shouldn't be 'here' right now, I must take this moment... I said something to one of the young ladies working for me about how REM has released a new album, and that I'd read this one may finally be a lil' buzz worthy for once, considering their last few releases... and her response? (drumroll)

Her: Who's REM?
Me: [too dumbfounded to say anything]
Her: [she stares at me, befuddled, awaiting my response]
Me: You really don't know who REM is? Really? Seriously?
Her: [she shakes her head]
Me: [I close my gaping mouth] No 'Losing my Religion'?
Her: No [shaking her head again, and she's now looking amused by my stunned state].
Me: 'It's the End of the World as We Know It'?
Her: Nope [she's now looking at me like I'm absolutely bonkers]
Me: [I scramble to bring up YouTube.com on my computer, and I search for REM, 'Losing my Religion' and as the video begins, and I turn and look at her expectantly...]
Her: [Nothing... !?!]
Me: [I search for REM's video of 'Stand' and click play]
Her: Oh, I recognize that! That's REM?
Me: You're makin' me feel sooooo OLD right now. You hafta go away!