Do I...get a really cute bag that screams out to me that, oh, you just have to have it because the outside is lovely but it's bigger than I want? Bag screaming "Mel!! Pick me!!"
or
Do I get the practical bag that would be more organized and the right size? Practical, organized Mel
Which, btw, so happy I'm not a shoe or bag or clothing fiend because HOLY HELL some of that shit's stupid expensive. And me being my mother's daughter, I only like the expensive stuff.
I'll stick with my books and occasional Apple products, thank you very much.
If only they could tell me which bag to get....
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Thursday, March 08, 2012
3 weeks later....
The country is still debating women's reproductive rights. Ugh.
How about I worry about my uterus and my uterus alone and everyone else can do what they want with theirs?
And if you have a penis instead of a uterus, close your mouth.
Whew, just solved that problem!
Next....
My birthday is in about 11 days. And I want the day to mean something again. I know, as a child, birthdays meant gifts and parties and ponies (ok, maybe no ponies, but you get my point). Years after the giggling girls and painted toenails or whispering silly stories, I'm beyond wanting gifts. However, my birthday should (hopefully) still be important for the people who care about me. It's not like I'm asking for a crazy weekend trip to a far-off destination.
An unexpected phone call, card, or text is lovely. Just to know that you remember me and the one day of the year that is, in a sense, "mine". If I know someone's birthday, I make a big effort to let them know I'm thinking of them on that date, and wishing them well.
If you're close enough to where I am, a hug is the best gift.
In other news....
The Mister is still looking for work. Really REALLY hoping it can be found here because I REALLY really don't want to move. I love the life we have here, even if it means me joining the workforce again.
Thankfully, while he's home, we've really had no major irks or irritations with each other. We're so comfortable around each other, it's odd. Then again, we've never had a particularly volatile relationship.
Amber has an ear infection. Again. I think we're nearing the number 30 here. She hates the ear drops, I hate giving them. Because, first, I have to manage to get Amber to lay down--on the correct side, so I can get the correct ear. This means trying to direct her, which she thinks means "Play, yay!". And when she starts dancing around, Lily really gets going. So when I finally manage to Amber calmed, on her side, and I'm trying to put drops in, Lily is prancing, dancing, and hopping all over the place because Mom's on the floor! Play!
Apparently neither of them have caught on to the habit that when Mom says "ear drops" it doesn't mean the same as "play time".
Oh, to have the seemingly unlimited joy and playfulness of a dog...
And finally....
I haven't run in a few weeks. The shin splints were too painful. I'm disappointed and bummed out, but the weather's been freakishly warm, so I'm hoping to start taking the dogs to the park again. Once everything melts and then dries out, because bringing home muddied dogs ain't my thang.
How about I worry about my uterus and my uterus alone and everyone else can do what they want with theirs?
And if you have a penis instead of a uterus, close your mouth.
Whew, just solved that problem!
Next....
My birthday is in about 11 days. And I want the day to mean something again. I know, as a child, birthdays meant gifts and parties and ponies (ok, maybe no ponies, but you get my point). Years after the giggling girls and painted toenails or whispering silly stories, I'm beyond wanting gifts. However, my birthday should (hopefully) still be important for the people who care about me. It's not like I'm asking for a crazy weekend trip to a far-off destination.
An unexpected phone call, card, or text is lovely. Just to know that you remember me and the one day of the year that is, in a sense, "mine". If I know someone's birthday, I make a big effort to let them know I'm thinking of them on that date, and wishing them well.
If you're close enough to where I am, a hug is the best gift.
In other news....
The Mister is still looking for work. Really REALLY hoping it can be found here because I REALLY really don't want to move. I love the life we have here, even if it means me joining the workforce again.
Thankfully, while he's home, we've really had no major irks or irritations with each other. We're so comfortable around each other, it's odd. Then again, we've never had a particularly volatile relationship.
Amber has an ear infection. Again. I think we're nearing the number 30 here. She hates the ear drops, I hate giving them. Because, first, I have to manage to get Amber to lay down--on the correct side, so I can get the correct ear. This means trying to direct her, which she thinks means "Play, yay!". And when she starts dancing around, Lily really gets going. So when I finally manage to Amber calmed, on her side, and I'm trying to put drops in, Lily is prancing, dancing, and hopping all over the place because Mom's on the floor! Play!
Apparently neither of them have caught on to the habit that when Mom says "ear drops" it doesn't mean the same as "play time".
Oh, to have the seemingly unlimited joy and playfulness of a dog...
And finally....
I haven't run in a few weeks. The shin splints were too painful. I'm disappointed and bummed out, but the weather's been freakishly warm, so I'm hoping to start taking the dogs to the park again. Once everything melts and then dries out, because bringing home muddied dogs ain't my thang.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
so frustrated!
With all of the discussion in the news about the Obama administration putting forth requirements for contraception for women, and all of the backlash from conservative and religious groups, I feel like screaming.
First, there's: Women on panel protest lack of women's opinion in hearing
Hey, I've got an idea--why don't a group of women get together and make plans about how to treat men's health issues. Especially whether their testicles can be cut off, or just force vasectomies on random men. But wait! That's not fair! There's the prostate to worry about, too...
Then there's: This shit-frosted turd cake
Put an aspirin between your knees? Really? Maybe this guy should put some medical studies in front of his eyes.
And if he's going to argue that there's "more important" things going on with the country than sex, he's clearly obtuse. Worrying about the health and well being of the citizens of the country is a job for the leaders, as well as taking care of protecting them and, oh yeah, maybe helping PREVENT unwanted pregnancies for people who are unemployed and can't afford to even take care of their own needs, let alone another person's....
So many people argue that they don't want the government in their bedroom--but isn't that exactly what's happening here? Instead of helping women see to their reproductive needs, conservatives are sticking to the same old abstinence, baby-making is our duty, and sex-is-for-baby-making-in-marriage-only lines.
I'm guessing that means sex, for women, is only supposed to occur in marriage, and then only for procreation. However, if a man has needs before marriage, he's allowed to slut around and be "the man" as much as possible.
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
It seems to me that lately there's been a very obvious, very backwards drive against women's rights from a political party.
Douchebags.
It pisses me off.
If someone took away my option to prevent pregnancy, and I couldn't find a doctor to sterilize myself or my partner because we're "too young" or haven't had enough kids yet (often-cited reasons for refusing sterilization, from what I understand), and I ended up getting pregnant with no option for abortion...I would become another statistic.
I said it.
Some people are meant to be parents, some people would be good parents even if they didn't want to have kids, and some women wouldn't even survive pregnancy with their sanity intact.
First, there's: Women on panel protest lack of women's opinion in hearing
Hey, I've got an idea--why don't a group of women get together and make plans about how to treat men's health issues. Especially whether their testicles can be cut off, or just force vasectomies on random men. But wait! That's not fair! There's the prostate to worry about, too...
Then there's: This shit-frosted turd cake
Put an aspirin between your knees? Really? Maybe this guy should put some medical studies in front of his eyes.
And if he's going to argue that there's "more important" things going on with the country than sex, he's clearly obtuse. Worrying about the health and well being of the citizens of the country is a job for the leaders, as well as taking care of protecting them and, oh yeah, maybe helping PREVENT unwanted pregnancies for people who are unemployed and can't afford to even take care of their own needs, let alone another person's....
So many people argue that they don't want the government in their bedroom--but isn't that exactly what's happening here? Instead of helping women see to their reproductive needs, conservatives are sticking to the same old abstinence, baby-making is our duty, and sex-is-for-baby-making-in-marriage-only lines.
I'm guessing that means sex, for women, is only supposed to occur in marriage, and then only for procreation. However, if a man has needs before marriage, he's allowed to slut around and be "the man" as much as possible.
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
It seems to me that lately there's been a very obvious, very backwards drive against women's rights from a political party.
Douchebags.
It pisses me off.
If someone took away my option to prevent pregnancy, and I couldn't find a doctor to sterilize myself or my partner because we're "too young" or haven't had enough kids yet (often-cited reasons for refusing sterilization, from what I understand), and I ended up getting pregnant with no option for abortion...I would become another statistic.
I said it.
Some people are meant to be parents, some people would be good parents even if they didn't want to have kids, and some women wouldn't even survive pregnancy with their sanity intact.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Random bits & pieces of media
I haven't posted any pics or video of the furkids recently, and since I have a surplus of random pics from the iPhone....
 |
| Glowing-eyed children at play |
 |
| Lily takes the "I'm just laying here staring at you innocently" approach...and then.... |
Yes, I realize it looks like Smudge is being cornered & tortured by Lily the bully, but wait until :15. What a tease!
 |
| Her royal Pudgeness. She likes to sit in unflattering positions for some reason. |
 |
| Lily holding down my foot, just to make sure it doesn't go anywhere. |
Before you watch the video, be warned: there's cussing (lots of it!) and Lily abusing the Mister. Hence the cussing.
Back in the day, the Mister used to do this with Gunner--hide a toy behind him, or under him, or under a blanket, or in a hard-to-get spot--and tell Gunner to "fetch it up" because Gunner was a game dog.
Unfortunately, Lily doesn't understand the concept of retrieving the toy herself--she just jumps all over the Mister until he gives up and shows it to her.
 |
| Damage I did to my tongue. I wasn't trying to pierce it, seriously. But I had a very sore tongue for a few days. Biting tongue not recommended. Listen, my life isn't all fuzzy animals and funny Misters. |
 |
| The freezer full of soups! And wild game meat... |
 |
| This is the Mister. Shoveling. In shorts. And slippers with socks. I believe he's got a cigarette in his mouth, too. Classy |
 |
| Driving home in the snow one night, we parked in the garage and I put my hand in the snow on the car hood and went in the house. A few minutes later when I came back out to the garage, I saw the Mister had added his hand. Awww! |
 |
| Smudge the "cat" helping herself to Amber's food. I'm telling you, she thinks she's a dog. |
 |
| Amber staring at me. She does this all the time--rests her head on the edge of the coffee table and looks at me with that precious face. Awwww! |
Sunday, February 12, 2012
February
The first few days of February have been frustrating and fun.
Do-it-half-assed-yourself with Mel & Mister!
The Mister and I wanted quieter fans in the bathrooms, since the construction-grade ones that were installed in the house were about as quiet as a drum solo. We could hear them over the shower running.
Since I'd replaced so many switches in the house last year, I felt semi-confident replacing the fans. Since the Mister had re-installed the fan in the guest bath, I felt mostly confident we could replace all of them.
So we attempted to replace one of two in the master bath to start.
The process began with removing the old, noisy fan/light. Not too bad.
But the new fan was bigger. The Mister had to cut a bigger hole in the ceiling.
Then there was the matter of mounting the new fan. Since our attic is terribly difficult to get into, he didn't want to have to go up to try to mount it, especially since it meant I'd have to do work from the bottom that I probably wouldn't do right.
He figured out a magical, half-assed way to "mount" it: use some anchors through the drywall on one side, screw directly into the joist on the other. The fan stayed where it should.
Unfortunately, the damn thing wouldn't work right. Yes, the fan would come on. But only when the lights were off. The lights worked either way. The Mister suspected we needed a switch with more poles on it.
We tried searching the internet, contacting the build website we'd gotten the fans from, and contacting the manufacturer. No answers on the internets, the build website provided some, and the manufacturer knew less about what I was asking than I did, which was extremely frustrating.
After cussing and trying everything he could think of, he finally relented to my suggestion that we call an electrician.
Fortunately, the electrician was out of town for the week. Yes, fortunately.
Because while we waited, we attempted to install the second fan in the master bath. And this one the Mister wired a little differently than the first--and it worked!! Yay!!
So he pulled apart the first one, rewired it, and it worked too! Hallelujah!
By that point, the guest bath fan was no big deal. I had most of the minor install work done by the time he was done cutting the hole in the ceiling, so he basically just wired it, taped it, and tightened some screws.
yay us!
In the past week, we also tried pilates. Since the Mister's doc told him he needs to stretch his hamstrings so they stop pulling his back the wrong way and strengthen his core muscles to support his back better, and I need want to try some no-impact exercise, this fit the bill.
Before we went, the Mister was skeptical. "I don't know if I'm going to really be into this"
Well, ok, but don't go into it thinking you're going to hate it.
So we went. We worked some muscles, built up a light sweat, spent some time together doing something good for us, and the Mister liked it enough that he wants to keep going.
yay me!!
A few days ago, after going to pilates, I started to feel icky. After checking out the tonsils, I discovered ick in them. Tonsillitis (hence the previous post).
I slept, I emergen-c'd, I drank water, I had soup, gargled with salt water, had fruit smoothies, and today I can say I feel 75% better. My one tonsil is still a little swollen, but since I'm feeling better, I imagine it's just a matter of time before it catches up.
Of course, after the first day of me being sick, the Mister started to feel yucky, too.
He's tired, sore, and just blah feeling. Hopefully he'll catch up to me, too.
Today, since I was feeling more energetic, I went to the pet store to get a cable to replace the one Lily broke, from use & cold weather, on Friday. I also managed to find a tug toy that allows me to play with both of them at the same time. They can either tug against each other, or me, and I can tug against both of them at once. win!
yay doggies!
Do-it-half-assed-yourself with Mel & Mister!
The Mister and I wanted quieter fans in the bathrooms, since the construction-grade ones that were installed in the house were about as quiet as a drum solo. We could hear them over the shower running.
Since I'd replaced so many switches in the house last year, I felt semi-confident replacing the fans. Since the Mister had re-installed the fan in the guest bath, I felt mostly confident we could replace all of them.
So we attempted to replace one of two in the master bath to start.
The process began with removing the old, noisy fan/light. Not too bad.
But the new fan was bigger. The Mister had to cut a bigger hole in the ceiling.
Then there was the matter of mounting the new fan. Since our attic is terribly difficult to get into, he didn't want to have to go up to try to mount it, especially since it meant I'd have to do work from the bottom that I probably wouldn't do right.
He figured out a magical, half-assed way to "mount" it: use some anchors through the drywall on one side, screw directly into the joist on the other. The fan stayed where it should.
Unfortunately, the damn thing wouldn't work right. Yes, the fan would come on. But only when the lights were off. The lights worked either way. The Mister suspected we needed a switch with more poles on it.
We tried searching the internet, contacting the build website we'd gotten the fans from, and contacting the manufacturer. No answers on the internets, the build website provided some, and the manufacturer knew less about what I was asking than I did, which was extremely frustrating.
After cussing and trying everything he could think of, he finally relented to my suggestion that we call an electrician.
Fortunately, the electrician was out of town for the week. Yes, fortunately.
Because while we waited, we attempted to install the second fan in the master bath. And this one the Mister wired a little differently than the first--and it worked!! Yay!!
So he pulled apart the first one, rewired it, and it worked too! Hallelujah!
By that point, the guest bath fan was no big deal. I had most of the minor install work done by the time he was done cutting the hole in the ceiling, so he basically just wired it, taped it, and tightened some screws.
yay us!
In the past week, we also tried pilates. Since the Mister's doc told him he needs to stretch his hamstrings so they stop pulling his back the wrong way and strengthen his core muscles to support his back better, and I need want to try some no-impact exercise, this fit the bill.
Before we went, the Mister was skeptical. "I don't know if I'm going to really be into this"
Well, ok, but don't go into it thinking you're going to hate it.
So we went. We worked some muscles, built up a light sweat, spent some time together doing something good for us, and the Mister liked it enough that he wants to keep going.
yay me!!
A few days ago, after going to pilates, I started to feel icky. After checking out the tonsils, I discovered ick in them. Tonsillitis (hence the previous post).
I slept, I emergen-c'd, I drank water, I had soup, gargled with salt water, had fruit smoothies, and today I can say I feel 75% better. My one tonsil is still a little swollen, but since I'm feeling better, I imagine it's just a matter of time before it catches up.
Of course, after the first day of me being sick, the Mister started to feel yucky, too.
He's tired, sore, and just blah feeling. Hopefully he'll catch up to me, too.
Today, since I was feeling more energetic, I went to the pet store to get a cable to replace the one Lily broke, from use & cold weather, on Friday. I also managed to find a tug toy that allows me to play with both of them at the same time. They can either tug against each other, or me, and I can tug against both of them at once. win!
yay doggies!
Thursday, February 09, 2012
whine
Why, oh why, did she let me have my way about my tonsils when I was 8 and cried at the thought of surgery to have them removed?
I was 8! I cried when my sister put gum in my hair just to "see what would happen".
Now, at the age of 30, I still have my tonsils. And they're infected. For the second time in 4 months. And it sucks.
And the thought of having surgery on them as an adult sounds horrible, like an actual horror movie, from all the stories I've heard.
Why haven't doctors figured out a better, less painful way to remove tonsils?
I was 8! I cried when my sister put gum in my hair just to "see what would happen".
Now, at the age of 30, I still have my tonsils. And they're infected. For the second time in 4 months. And it sucks.
And the thought of having surgery on them as an adult sounds horrible, like an actual horror movie, from all the stories I've heard.
Why haven't doctors figured out a better, less painful way to remove tonsils?
Friday, February 03, 2012
Conversations with the Mom
On the phone today, I ask what her plans are for the weekend.
Instead of a coherent reply, I hear "ow, damn it, I just fingered myself"
well, that's awkward.
After laughing at her own hilarity, she says, "No, I mean, I just nailed myself"
omg Mom! seriously!?
She gouged herself in her own palm with her fingernail.
Still. Words you should hope to never hear from your mother are "I just fingered myself" or "I just nailed myself"
Instead of a coherent reply, I hear "ow, damn it, I just fingered myself"
well, that's awkward.
After laughing at her own hilarity, she says, "No, I mean, I just nailed myself"
omg Mom! seriously!?
She gouged herself in her own palm with her fingernail.
Still. Words you should hope to never hear from your mother are "I just fingered myself" or "I just nailed myself"
Monday, January 30, 2012
Camera 3
I'm going to channel Jon Stewart for just a minute because I have something very important to say....
Weather, meet me at camera 3.
Seriously, weather? This is how you're behaving in the middle of what's-supposed-to-be winter?! It's the end of January and we've only gotten a dash, pinch, and sprinkling of snow. You do realize this is Montana, right? We're supposed to be up to our ears in snow by now. If not ears, at least ankles. And instead of 50's, the temps are supposed to be BELOW ZERO, keeping snow in it's place on the ground instead of sublimating what's left of the ice on my yard.
While I know the skiers are bound to be frantic and likely having breakdowns due to no snow on their favorite hills, there's something more important to consider here. Think of the trees! Think of all the little forest critters, damn it! Because, if this is how you're going to act, weather, come summer, all the trees are going to self-combust by mid-June when the sun thinks of even winking at them. They'll just stand there, gasping for some kind of precipitation, and see the sun coming up over the peaks and throw up their limbs in despair, giving in to the inevitable--fire, smoke, and death. All the poor little forest critters who live among the dehydrated trees will have to run far, far away--probably into town, because they can't go anywhere else, and then people will run them over or shoot them because people are assholes.
Is that what you want, weather? Do you want the trees to commit suicide and the critters to get run over? Because from the way you're acting, that's what's going to happen.
So get your shit together and sky poo on us already! I've grown up enough now to appreciate winter for what it is--a season lasting 4-9 months where I get fucking cold and everything looks white and pretty. So stop being a self-indulgent asshole, weather, and get your act straight.
Montana. January. Sub-zero temperatures. A couple feet of snow. Ice-covered roads. People getting into accidents because they don't know how to drive. Shoveling every day in my Uggs and mittens, scarf and hat to stay warm.
Do it! Damn you, make it white and icy and cold and winter, weather!
Weather, meet me at camera 3.
Seriously, weather? This is how you're behaving in the middle of what's-supposed-to-be winter?! It's the end of January and we've only gotten a dash, pinch, and sprinkling of snow. You do realize this is Montana, right? We're supposed to be up to our ears in snow by now. If not ears, at least ankles. And instead of 50's, the temps are supposed to be BELOW ZERO, keeping snow in it's place on the ground instead of sublimating what's left of the ice on my yard.
While I know the skiers are bound to be frantic and likely having breakdowns due to no snow on their favorite hills, there's something more important to consider here. Think of the trees! Think of all the little forest critters, damn it! Because, if this is how you're going to act, weather, come summer, all the trees are going to self-combust by mid-June when the sun thinks of even winking at them. They'll just stand there, gasping for some kind of precipitation, and see the sun coming up over the peaks and throw up their limbs in despair, giving in to the inevitable--fire, smoke, and death. All the poor little forest critters who live among the dehydrated trees will have to run far, far away--probably into town, because they can't go anywhere else, and then people will run them over or shoot them because people are assholes.
Is that what you want, weather? Do you want the trees to commit suicide and the critters to get run over? Because from the way you're acting, that's what's going to happen.
So get your shit together and sky poo on us already! I've grown up enough now to appreciate winter for what it is--a season lasting 4-9 months where I get fucking cold and everything looks white and pretty. So stop being a self-indulgent asshole, weather, and get your act straight.
Montana. January. Sub-zero temperatures. A couple feet of snow. Ice-covered roads. People getting into accidents because they don't know how to drive. Shoveling every day in my Uggs and mittens, scarf and hat to stay warm.
Do it! Damn you, make it white and icy and cold and winter, weather!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Week 3
I feel like I just reached some unattainable goal.
On Tuesday, I attempted the first day of week 3 training--warm up walk for 5, run 1:30, walk 1:30, run 3:00, walk 3:00--and then repeat once more.
I did it! I ran 3 minutes twice! My legs got a little sore, but nothing horrible like Tuesday.
The weekly training will continue to involve longer runs and shorter walks, but for once I feel like I can actually do it.
yayay!
On Tuesday, I attempted the first day of week 3 training--warm up walk for 5, run 1:30, walk 1:30, run 3:00, walk 3:00--and then repeat once more.
I did it! I ran 3 minutes twice! My legs got a little sore, but nothing horrible like Tuesday.
The weekly training will continue to involve longer runs and shorter walks, but for once I feel like I can actually do it.
yayay!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
New Shoes
Same pain.
Of course, I started on longer runs than previous weeks, so I figured it would be harder.
But, really, shouldn't my shoes make me invincible to pain?
And, let's be honest, with shoes named "Storm electric violet lightning" shouldn't I be a professional marathoner as soon as I put the shoes on?
Of course, I started on longer runs than previous weeks, so I figured it would be harder.
But, really, shouldn't my shoes make me invincible to pain?
And, let's be honest, with shoes named "Storm electric violet lightning" shouldn't I be a professional marathoner as soon as I put the shoes on?
I may have the same pain, but at least the shoes have some purple on them.