Monday, August 25, 2008

Cast

Ok, in all likelihood, there will be a relatively recurrent cast in my blog, and just for the record I thought I'd provide a little information about who's who:
The People:
  • Darla, my soulmate and best friend. We've been through a lot together, and there is nothing that either of us doesn't know about the other. Drives the men in our lives crazy sometimes, but such is life. We met 20 years ago in beauty school. We are identical twins born 10 days apart to different mothers, but that's ok.
  • Helen, my roommate, and one of my oldest friends. We met in Mrs. Ward's senior English class, a year or so ago *g*. She's just moved back to TX, and is rooming with me until she can get back on her feet.
  • Nathan, Darla's older son. Also known as The Boy. He is deaf, and 5 years ago received a cochlear implant, which is, in our opinion, the most amazing thing that could have happened to him. He knows that his impairment does NOT have to stand in his way of doing whatever he chooses with his life. The past 2 summers he's worked as a lifeguard at the pool down the street from their house.
  • Nicholas, Darla's baby. Also known as Noodlebutt and The Baby. He's almost 2, into everything, and recently reprogrammed the answering machine all by himself. Yeah, we learned about that when Autie Rae called 42 times and kept thinking someone had given the baby the phone to answer. We believe him to be my mom's cat come back to us, as Nick has many of the same habits as the cat did.
  • Erin, fellow wench, born 1 day shy of 10 years before me, she is our identical triplet, except she was born before us. She's got awesome kitties, and bred designer cats for awhile until she started working for the Humane Society.
  • Countess Mary, fellow wench, Madame for Local 13 of the IWG. Also known as Countess or Doc. She's a college level English teacher.
  • Laura, fellow rennie, my assistant and friend. She & Mike live about 5 minutes from me.
  • Mel, co-worker, our brains are frighteningly in tune with each other.
  • Craig, another co-worker, love him, think he's kind of a pain in the ass sometimes
  • Lea Ann, my big sister. She's 9 years older than I am, has 2 grown boys, Jimmy, who just got married in Cancun, back in June, and Joe, who is hoping to return to Alaska, apparently. Her husband Jim thinks I'm a total wack-job, and I'm ok with this.
  • Jon, my big brother. He's about 5 years older, and has 1 grown son, Johnny, an almost grown son Stevie, and a daughter Jamie. There was a time that his wife Sindy & I were VERY close, but we've drifted apart.
  • Mom, should be self explanatory. She's been gone for 6 years come September. I still miss her, but she shows up from time to time. Apparently she thinks Joe needs to pull his head out of his butt, because when he's been doing things he might better avoid, she seems to go along behind the car he's riding in, popping streetlamps out as he passes them
  • Edie, my late grandmother. She's been gone since '92, but pops up in stories periodically.
  • Tony, probably my oldest friend... I've known him since we were about 12. He was the first male with whom my mouth had absolutely no filter... I have no qualms about saying ANYTHING to him. He's married to His Darla, (not to be confused with My Darla, pictured above), and they have 2 precious little boys. He should also not be confused with Erin's Tony, who may or may not be included in the cast.

The critters:

Rhonda, my oldest, and bitchiest cat. I've had her since about '91. She's all white, with one gold and one blue eye. Feral to the bone, despite having a cozy house to live in since she was about 3 months old. Also known as Princess and Gorgeous. Firmly believes we should all worship her
  • Bow, my second and brattiest cat. I've had her for 11 years now. Pastel calico, grey, beige & white. the fat cat of the family. Also known as Huzzbucket, Babycakes and The Brat. Firmly believes that anyone who comes through the door is there to hold her and/or scratch her.
  • Leo, my baby, is almost 10 years old. He's a beige/yellow tabby. The big sissy of the family. Also known as Handsome and Honeyboy. Firmly believes that anyone who comes to the house is out to get him.
  • Sable, my best boy's dog. She is a pit bull mixed mutt. Dumber than a rock. sweeter than you can possibly imagine. I've learned that it's just better for me to go in Nathan's room when I arrive at the house, let her out of her crate, and roll around on the floor with her for a minute, so that we can get on with life.
  • Mr. Moro (currently known as Nicholas), Muffin, Mr. Tears, Boots-all are late cats

SLEEP

I'm getting very near the point where I will be totally sleep deprived! Week before last got all thrown outta whack on Monday night, when I stayed up until my new roommate arrived safely from Colorado, at 1 fucking 30 in the morning. Fortunately, I had made arrangements at work so I was able to sleep in and didn't HAVE to be at work until around 1, so I slept until about 8, had a shower, hit a restaurant for lunch and a little flirt, and took my tired ass to work, and then went home and picked up my roomie, and drove over to her workplace so she could see the route before she had to drive it the next day. By the time we had dinner and got back home it was almost 9. Wednesday's my day of torture at the gym, at 5 a.m. (yes, this is MY choice), so once I finished doing whatever I had to do before bed Tuesday night, and crawled in, and settled down to sleep (with 3 cats), it was about 11:30. Yay, I got 5 hours before the alarm went off at 4:15. Came home to pick up a couple of things, picked up the roomie at a meeting point, and off we went for the southwest side, for dinner with our crew. By the time we got back to her car and home, it was 8:30, and I needed clean underwear.... Finally crawled in bed about 11... don'tcha just LOVE 19 hour days??? Thursday was pretty much a blur and I had to take my car in for new brakes and leave it there. Friday I was supposed to go to Grapevine for the show, but by the time I hit Walmart for a handful of things, got home, picked up the roomie and had to go BACK to Walmart, I was pooped. Saturday, after about 4 hours of sleep, I did my first bellydance workshop. 3 hours of tribal with Rachel Brice. She, by the way is awesome! Some of the ways she can move her body are almost disgusting, but she puts on a helluva workshop. I was registered for hers and another on Saturday, plus 2 on Sunday. By the time we were down to about the last 1/2 hour of Rachel's, I was DONE. My arms & shoulders were burning, and my twice broken in the same place foot was screaming 'STOP NOW BITCH'. I went home for a nap, then back up for the show that night. Sunday was the show I was dancing in, and I knew that if I tried to do either workshop, I would not be able to dance in the show, so I just took a leisurely morning and early afternoon, then went up in time to get checked in for the show. Monday night Darla, Nathan & Nick arrived for a few days. More about that in my previous post... Friday we giggled more, as they came back around 11:30 that night, with Nathan STILL sick. I missed Beginning day because I was having a bout of whatever Nathan had. Roomie & I managed to get to the grocery store, Walmart, the hardware store, and church over the weekend, but damn were we wiped out... we both slept for like 2 hours yesterday afternoon. I went to bed about 10, hardly able to keep my eyes open, and with a RAGING migraine, so I took a hydrocodone, and flopped into bed, thinking I would be out in no time (as is fairly normal when I take the hydrocodone). notsomuch this time... I think it was 11:30 before I fell asleep, and THEN I woke up at 12:45, 1 something, 2 something, 3:30, 4:15, and finally at 4:55. So yeah, I'm going on like 5 hours of sleep... not good zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Sunday, August 24, 2008

ok so I'm not so good

Ok, so yeah, I suck at this blogging thing sometimes. The last month has brought a lot of activity. The beginning of August, I hosted a house concert for Marc Gunn’s latest cat CD. Big fun for about a dozen folks. I think the cats had a good time too. Princess Rhonda sprawled where everyone could see her, but wouldn’t try to touch her. Leo hid, as it is his firm belief that everyone was here to get him. Bowbits, little attention whore that she is, just wandered about the room from person to person, collecting all the rubs and scratches she could. The weekend after that, I acquired a roommate when a friend moved back to TX and needs a place to get back on her feet. The last time I lived with anyone other than my mother was 1986. Fortunately there’s enough space in the house for both of us. We are still adjusting, but we’ll get there. Last weekend, I had my first public bellydance performance. Happily, I didn’t have any problems, other than a small last minute change to my costume in order to cover up my backpiece and not be breaking the ‘no visible tattoos’ rule that our studio has. My sister, roommate, cousins, and a couple of friends made it out to watch me, which was cool. This past week was crazy busy. On Monday night, my very best friend, Darla, and her 2 boys came in for a couple of days before going on to see her stepmother. 3 adults, a 17 year old, and a 20 month old make for a full house!!! Tuesday night Darla & I got a wee bit toasted. Note to self, Bunratty’s Meade is AWESOME, but dayum it will kick your ass!!!! We had to go shopping for school clothes on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then Thursday they headed east to the next stop, which was supposed to be a 2 night stay near her stepmother. Turns out that she was lied to about accommodations, and therefore needed to get a motel room, at $75/night. Between not being able to afford more than one night, and the fact that the women she was visiting chain smokes despite her COPD, emphysema, and 24/7 oxygen tank, which made Darla & our big boy sick, it was a 1 night stay and they were back here by Friday night 11:30. This next week will be a busy one as well, since I’ve still got to pack for PARF next weekend!!!! Coming, hopefully in the next few days, a handful of reviews on the CD’s I’ve gotten lately…. Teribus, Killdares, Rathkeltair, Marc Gunn…..