i might not be an engineer......

i have often wondered how it is possible that i happen to stink at anything mechanical, mathematical or scientific. i come from a family of engineers and handy folks. even my mom knows how to replace a toilet and she never even attended a day of college.

my vacuum cleaner stopped working. i was pretty ticked off. i hate the fact that i have carpet in the first place, so you can only imagine how much i enjoy vacuuming the carpet...... a friend mentioned this week that maybe the belt needed to be replaced and i didn't even want to try and do that. but today the situation came to a head. i really needed to clean the floor. it was beyond unacceptable.

i googled to figure out how to replace a vacuum cleaner belt. i disassembled the bottom of the vacuum cleaner and cleaned out the bottom of it. the belt appeared to be in tact (it isn't like i use the damn thing often) but i noticed that there was a tube with junk in it. wowzers. you want to talk about clogged....oh.my.gosh. i continued disassembling the housing for the clogged tube and cleaned it out completely.

now my vacuum cleaner is working and instead of buying a new vacuum.....i can buy new shoes.

God bless google

random concerns

1. am i a bad person because i get the clash and the ramones mixed up all the time?
2. i find it very odd that nutmeg has taken to sitting in the bathtub and meowing just to hear it echo. i had to sit her on the couch this morning and tell her to watch tv.
3. i heart henry rollins
4. why do companies keep changing their logos? what about brand identity? this came to mind when i was in bonaire and they had different coke labels. then last night i discovered a stupid looking label on pepsi. you can change the label, but it still tastes like crap.

you ever have one of those days?

i am having one of those days where i want to write, but i just don't know what to write. so i guess i will write about "this day in history."

december 7, 1988 was the day my paternal grandmother died. twenty years ago today. she was an interesting lady. she had eight children; eight very unique children. my fondest memories of her include going to the library, playing in her basement, and watching her cook. she always had the radio on in the kitchen and it was tuned to WWJ 950. i remember spending the night at her house and i lost a tooth. she made me homemade peanut butter in her food processor. she was also the person that fed my passion for reading. she is the first person i remember taking me to a library and a bookstore. she was an avid swimmer and runner. she was a math teacher. i wish i had the chance to talk with her today and relate to her on an adult level. i know we could trade some really good recipes.

i just thought of something else that is kind of strange. my dad was 32 when his mother died. i am 32 right now. i meant to call my dad today, but i got all caught up in some meaningless stuff. i guess every day is an anniversary of someone's birth or death. but today just feels different.

The Ex-List

This isn't what it sounds like because it has nothing to do with my own list of ex's.

I was hesitant to start watching the new CBS show because it looked kind of dumb. But, now that I have the DVR, it allows me to just record things and watch them whenever I'd like. So this weekend i watched the four hours worth of episodes I had recorded.

And the show was cancelled. Honestly! I spent four hours watching the show and then they cancelled it? If I had waited another day, I would have found out the cancelled the show and I could have just deleted the shows without ever becoming invested.

I guess the show is now on my ex-show list. Bummer.

a mother like no other......

one of my oldest and dearest friends had a baby in september. little griffin was born on 9.12 at 9.12am. he obviously decided to make a numerical entrance. bless his little heart. i was so excited for his birth. i must have spent countless hours shopping for an entire wardrobe for the little guy's first six months. he has to be the best dressed child in michigan.

last week vanessa called me and asked me if i'd be willing to be griffin's godmother. i was over the moon. from the looks of it, my brother and i won't be having children for many, many years (if ever.) the honor of being griffin's godmother is truly overwhelming and exhilarating. this means that i will be a part of his life forever. both of griffin's parents are only children, so i got the term honorary aunt before he was even born. now it is even better because i will be his "spiritual advisor." thank goodness i started going to church again this year. i feel like i can at least wing it when we are in church.

the godmother gig has thrown me into a crocheting frenzy. i started a little sweater for him today and i am half way done with a matching hat. i can't really imagine his nascar loving father appreciating the antique christening gown my grandma offered up. it is quite frilly and has been worn by three generations of my family. so instead my little godson will have a homemade cotton outfit crocheted by yours truly.

wow. this is fun. i haven't told vanessa yet, but i do promise to never buy him the noisy toys. that just isn't nice. i obviously really love the little guy because i am willing to travel to michigan in december for his big day. that takes a whole lotta love. i don't do winter anymore!

okay. i must get back to the project. i probably have at least a good half an hour left in me.....

20 days until paradise.......

In twenty short days, I will dip my feet into the ocean. How exciting is that? And during this week I am going to sit on the beach, gain some freckles, look at life under the sea and avoid all contact to the "mainland." Oh how I wish it could be today. Seven days of sun, sea and no phone or computer sounds so delightful. How am I going to make it through ten more days of work?

Did I mention I have already packed?

Dean......

are you still looking for me to post? x0

PVX 924.....no more

i am really home now....



i feel so good. i just put my new georgia license on the saturn. she is so happy! her new plate is silver and has a peach on it! it matches nicely.

i know most people don't feel like a license plate is that big of a deal. well, i am different. i love license plates. this one is actually very special for the following reasons....

1. it is the first license plate i have ever had under my own name and birthday.
2. i had to get over 10 documents together to obtain the license.
3. my license picture rocks.
4. it means i officially "live here"

i have never had a drivers license for any state but michigan. even though i have lived in three other states, i haven't ever committed enough to obtain a license. i lived in chicago for nearly two years and never put down roots. i have roots now. i have a home. gosh darn it....i am really happy about that. i finally feel good in my own skin in my new state.

it might be cheesey....but i feel like holly golightly in breakfast at tiffany's. i have finally bought some furniture and gave the cat a name! (or at least put a license plate on the car. either way, i have arrived.)

i think there is something wrong with me

this weekend was quite interesting.

i promised myself that i wouldn't work and would try to go and do fun "new" things in my city. this is the first weekend in months that I did not work. that is pretty interesting in and of itself.

this weekend was a special "holiday" in georgia. in celebration of back to school, the state waived sales tax on all clothing and shoes (and some other stuff i don't care about.) i was jazzed all week long to go buy new clothes and simply marinate in retail therapy. i woke up bright and early on saturday morning and prepared for my day. i went through old cd books and picked out a few cds that i havent listened to in years. i stopped and picked up some mcdonalds breakfast and drove over an hour north to visit the largest outlet mall in georgia.

i walked the entire outlet mall. i went in every store that i liked and some stores that i didn't really like. i wanted to purchase. and after walking miles in nearly 100 degree heat...i didn't purchase a thing. i really wanted a lemonade and i couldn't even find that!

another strange fact i discovered.....i think i am a closeted john mayer fan. WTF! i listened to john mayer throughout the day on saturday. does this happen when you move to georgia?? is it because he is a hometown boy? it really doesn't matter, it is just embarrassing.

sunday morning came early. nutmeg sat outside the door moaning and begging to come in. i really wanted to let her in, but her brother is a demon and if you let one in, you have to allow everyone in. "the boy" enjoys getting under the covers and claws my legs until i am forced out of bed. i haven't slept in for weeks.

i have a new habit of waking up early on weekends and i try to get out into the world. it feels good to be "out there" and part of the living. this morning i was in search of a whole foods for yams, limes and cream cheese (don't worry, i wasn't going to have them together.) i also drove out to kohls in another attempt at clothing or shoes. once again.....i didn't find a thing. not even a pair of flip flops!!

on the way home i stopped and did a little antiquing. i was tired and needed a nap after all of my errands. it would have been wonderful to get home, change into comfy clothes and take a nice nap. this was not in the cards. instead of taking a nap, i got lost. and when i say "lost" i mean that i didn't even know what direction i was travelling in. i NEVER get lost. EVER. but, today I am surprised i didn't end up in alabama. i think i was close! i am not exaggerating here.

later in the day i almost ate a hot dog.

to sum this all up.........i intentionally hung out in 100 degree weather, couldn't bring myself to purchase clothing or shoes, discovered a deep affection for john mayer, got lost and almost broke 11 years of vegetarianism.

and, i had a glass of sangria. i don't drink wine.......

there is something wrong with me.