Say Something #31

I am leaving town tomorrow. Actually I am leaving town basically every weekend this fall. Hooray travel. And friends. And football. And weddings. And birth. And family.

In the interim, I am going to miss these two hounds.

Say Something #30

Headaches are an ongoing 'normal' in this chapter of my story, triggered by a variety of variables. These days I am better able to foresee oncoming headaches and as a result prevent the escalation to full-blown migraine. Tuesday afternoon, this was not the case, a migraine came out of left field and pounded away at my "critical mind" for 36 full hours. At one dramatic point, my entire body went numb... a stark contrast to the seething pain. (Oh... and totally scary!) My "wellness" perspective measures this migraine an average paragraph in length, however, there was no page flipping--I was forced to trudge through this trench. The story continued over the course of two rather unproductive workdays, with a post-work meeting on Tuesday.

As I climbed into bed on Wednesday night, knowing Thursday would bring a brighter day, I touched base with Latte Woman. In a mangled-attempt to simply show I am here, she gracefully relayed an identical message. I wanted to refute her. Stop thinking of me... and my silly headaches crazy woman. My temporary hiccup is nothing but a speed-bump. Invest your energy elsewhere. I cannot quite wrap my head around her--brave, beautiful, caring, fierce, and strong. How does someone with so much on her plate love unconditionally? This woman is in my inner circle for a reason. 

Say Something #29

I actually have posts for Say Something #24-28... but I have been too lazy to steal the accompanying pictures off my parent's cameras, so in the meantime, you will have to settle for the BIG headline of today my life story... and look forward to the missing headlines Friday night when the work week has ceased.

This post is going to be read dramatic... because again today something SUPER exciting happened in my juvenile career. And I am NOT being sarcastic. This is real life JOY. And I do not know how to convey my enthusiasm, aside from scattering in a few random CAPITALIZATIONS here and there.

I heard my boss whizzing upstream, in route to my desk for what I hoped would be an afternoon I-am-losing-my-mind-because-you-are-impossible-to-work-for vent session. I am totally his favorite employee EVER. And yes, I speak my mind just like this in the office. Quite shockingly, he had no interest in me, myself, or I as he had a boss-y type meeting to attend, one his walking pace indicated he was late for. He entertained my musing long enough to invite me to tag along to his "biz dev" meeting. I always feel oh so important at work, but today, I felt particularly important for a FULL hour.

There was business card distribution. People were saying: "I got this deal.", "I can help you here.", "How much we talking?", and more great things like that. My ultimate favorite line, "I will let you marinate on that." I plan to incorporate that into all future bribes. And threats. Also, lest I fail to mention, Biz Dev Dude had an accent, that might have been of Australian decent(!!!).

As the meeting concluded, my boss and I climbed up the stairs to our respective offices (ahem my cube, his office), I pronounced, "I have been waiting for that my whole life." He questioned the "whole life" part... but, seriously, at least the five months since starting. I just had to know what all the schmoozing was about. And now I do, and it is BETTER that I could have imagined. Soon I will have contacts.

To be so lucky. To love my job. Oh happy hump day.

Say Something #27

Baby H began his first day of the last year of mandatory school today. I can hardly believe he is a senior in high school. What happened to the months he served as my ‘real life’ baby doll? The days I spent double-bouncing  him on the trampoline? The seconds he thought I was cool? The hours we spent at Moes? The years I drove him around? The minutes he spent performing for me? 

Now he is so flipping independent, he is hardly any fun. To SATs. To campus tours. To college essays and applications. To the senior, enjoy this year!

Say Something #25

The Northern Virginia Cross Country season got off to a running start this morning. I acknowledge with the amount I post here on high school running, those clueless to my age (and intelligence) might think I am still in high school, spending my afternoons sweating it out on the track. But alas, I am just a super-fan. A really good one at that, right [C.A.H.]? I mean, come on folks, who does not like getting up at the crack of dawn… to drive an averaged hour each way to watch girls pass out for 20 minutes and boys throw-up for 16 minutes? Sign me up, for a ninth and final H family season of running. 

 And he is running.

Say Something #24

This sign made my day:

The little people are just as important as the big people in my life. I look forward to conversation with munchkins the way I anticipate phone calls from long-distance friends. The beat is more spastic, yet the words are cherished equally. Thursday night, while C.R.M. and O.D.M. were feasting on their turkey burgers, my meatless diet came up. Unprepared, the situation spiraled out of control in a hurry. Before I C.R.M. realized the food on her plate had once been alive and O.D.M. was gobbling like a turkey. And then... my five-year old girl lost her hearty appetite. She was visibly distraught... though not to the extent her father would be when he heard the news!

It is not out of malice or disdain, I introduced vegetarianism to these children; I want them to understand and challenge what is presented to them. Though my eagerness, to put it nicely, to share new concepts and ideas with the impressionable is usually a good thing, it can also be a problem... when you recognize you are not the parent, nor the decision maker.

You can imagine my excitement when Father M added this personalization:

This sitter is still for hire.    

Say Something #23

In need of fresh air, I awoke Tuesday morning… and stepped on to the back porch with a cup of piping hot coffee in my hand. I am not sure what I was doing honestly. I was running behind. I had a friend that needed to be transported to the bus station and a job I had an obligation to show up on-time for. Alas I was on the deck with this cup of joy I had no intentions of drinking at its then current temperature, dreaming of the next season. Summer has become rather stagnant. Maybe that is because of my glorious 9-5 job... one that permits little time for drifting idly on large bodies of water in my kayak, hiking new terrain, lounging lazily poolside, or vacationing? Or alternatively, there is a non-dismissible serious stuff surrounding my every move, clogging my pathways in a physical and substantiated way.

All reasoning aside, what matters is I smelled fall on the porch on this early morning. And it was a great great great thing. The change will be welcomed, more this year than others. That slow transition from shorts and tees to shorts and long-sleeves to jeans and tees to jeans and sweaters; flip flops to closed-toed shoes to boots. The thought of school children clamoring at the bus stop, heading back to the classroom. Structure and stability. FOOTBALL! ...dream... dream... dream...

I snapped back into the moment, hurried through my morning routine. Then come 1:00 pm, I allowed myself to break away from the office freezer, for an afternoon stroll with Cube Neighbor Girl, in the almost fall-like atmosphere.

I am falling for fall. Come on now, hurry up.

Say Something #22

So many milestones stick out in my mind. Little has been forgotten. So much has changed. Little has remained the same. This season is a new one. The depression seems far gone… a blissfully wonderful feeling. Except lately, a cumbrous weight of a different variety keeps trying to sink my ship. It is ugly and most commonly referred to as anxiety. Throughout my many revolutions around the sun, I have carried burdens that do not belong to me and taxed stresses more heavily than necessary. That being said, I am generally stable person. In lieu of all the 'real life' bad, this problem is hindering a better me. See this is going to sound absolutely ridiculous but, let me reassure you, oh so accurate. The "greatest" part of depression is the ability to hide behind it. Even with a sound family structure and incredible friends, you can fake your way through much of life. I thought of it more as seeing life through a different lens. That choice is yours. Depression will give you grief--exorbitantly lonesome times--and you will inevitably falter. But mostly you will succeed at keeping this heavily stigmatized diagnosis from the big wide world of judgment. And that, my readers, is a glorious thing. You get to be a quiet person for a while… nobody comments… and life does eventually pick up.

Well… anxiety is an entirely different battle. Let me reiterate: Entirely. Different. The most noticeable distinction is everyone and their pets notice it. You are pretty much a walking mistake without a barrier to hide behind. You mess-up time and time and time again because you are so spun out. Then you get called out for it(!!!). And before you realize the problem(s) you have created, you are trying to collect your ideas and the unpredictability of life, which is no easier than trying to box a cyclone. There is continuous anxiety compacted on top of nervousness and angst--what will be the next blunder? As in crazy, I am mad.

It really has been a jovial couple of weeks.

Say Something #21

Let me list all that is bad:

1. My grandparents are both old and failing (and super stubborn, to boot). My physical distance from Michigan makes me essentially worthless in the healing process. Letters only do so much.
2. M is a sick sick sick little boy. And his mama, while gracefully strong and brave, is understandably a bit broken. This breaks a friend heart--I will keep repeating that here until I am blue in the face.
3. Two weeks from today, I will be forced through the two-year marker of a well-lived life. To say the nightmares have returned is really only a hint at what my sleeping habits have been as of late.
4. I am near certain I have an ulcer. (There is not a bit of stress in my life!) And if that is not the case, my pet parasite is acting out with a vengeance. I can count on one-hand the number of “meals” I have consumed in the past week.

Hooray Life.

Say Something #20

I received the most endearing birthday card from Latte Woman... in the thick of trial her family is up against, no less. I am not even sure why she was thinking about me at all. To conclude her sweet words, she included a bulleted list of everything we need to do this year.

Allow me to share:

• drink coffee
• drink wine
• cook some foreign food
• go biking
• start running again
• long walks (possibly in the rain)
• a girls weekend get away
• Spa World
• make brownies

... the list goes on!

I love this idea. And I plan to steal it. So I thought I should credit her first. Also, by posting, I have something to hold us both accountable. To 25...

Say Something #19

Below is an email I received from a friend, regarding 16 & Pregnant/Teen Mom star Farrah Abraham's new book. 

To: You

I just returned My Teenage Dream Ended by Farrah Abraham citing "offensive content" as the reason. I read this dribble so you didn't have to! And now, I present you with a list of my favorite quotes. Ahem.

"Let's go upstairs and you can help me finish getting ready." Derek was always good about watching me get ready. Afterwards on the way out of the room, I grabbed his manhood and dared him to stick it in right then and there.
 
Then Derek wanted to mix things up and decided we should have sex in my sister's room down the hall. (My sister wasn't home, just FYI.)
 
We claimed our sex life back on the hood of his car and I looked at him and all the millions of stars in the sky and I will never forget how perfect it felt. Best of all, Derek dropped me off at home on time for curfew.
 
I just kept repeating to myself, We're broken up. I'm too young for this. He flirted with ugly girls.
 
Clearly my period had arrived. This was too much. I said, "Okay, maybe this is a sign that we shouldn't talk anymore. It's not working out." He seemed fine with that.
 
I knew I should never take back a guy who stole, smoked, did drugs, and worked at Burger King.
 
He was tall, confident and cute. The only thing about him that fell short of my expectations was his car - it was kind of a beater.
 
My mom came upstairs and turned the lights on. She took one look at me and said, "Oh yeah. Your water broke. It has that smell." I had to laugh because all I could think was that the smell reminded me of having Derek's cum inside me.

Also, this video.

From: R.D.S.

Do you feel second hand contaminated, the way E.J.R., a fellow friend on the email chain, does?

Say Something #18

I discovered Peppadew peppers when they were served as an accessory on my Blood Mary at Miss Shirley's Cafe in Baltimore, Maryland two weekends ago. How was this a first? The taste pleased my palate.

Say Something #17

I recently switched cars... my new ride has a cup holder perfect for Nalgene bottles. Those who know me even a little, associate me with the 32-fluid ounce jug I am forever toting along. The simple things.

Say Something #16

As summer nears an end, I am inspired to share my particularly fabulous Memorial Day weekend--how summer began. Monday, May 28, 2012 marked my first official day off since the beginning of my young career. I capitalized on the long holiday weekend by migrating South to Raleigh, North Carolina for time with my favorite family. My boss was gracious enough to let me leave early on the particularly slow Friday, he has since changed his tune. Traveling the dreaded I-95 (on the ever popular "first" weekend of summer), I got there no earlier… however, saved myself from getting in late, late. After impressing (ahem, shocking) K.N.F. with my casual Friday attire, we got down to business with  homemade salsa and conversation. Words flowed effortlessly into the wee hours of the night. Only having covered about a third of the necessary topics, at the end of night one, I was unsure we would manage to get through the rest of them. 

Saturday K.N.F. and I awoke to cell phone rings from a “jealous” sister. We quickly prepared ourselves for a swimsuit-less swim date with the rest of the family. I left soaked--blame the double-trouble-two-year-old-twins--perfect for lunch at my first ever Indian buffet. I am not sure I would do the whole combo again. But all must live once. The afternoon passed restfully in front of the television. This K family is capable of encouraging behavior far beyond my comfort zone. Like watching TLC's pregnancy shows and Taylor Swift sing-a-longs. Bizarre. In an attempt to hit all my 'must-eats' we dined at Mellow Mushroom for dinner. I could tell endless stories about our waitress… I will leave it with the entertainment value was almost as good as the food.

Hiking at Eno State Park took place on Sunday. The crew: five adults, two two-year olds, two dachshunds. There was time for river swimming. And when I say swimming, I mean digging for rocks and splashing. A significant amount of splashing. More appropriately dressed, but equally soaked, we picnicked at the park. Then rushed those in need home for a nap. I partook in some relaxing business. K.N.F. and I went for falafels for dinner. This is 'our thing' as the two of us first experienced these together pyramid picnic style in Egypt, four years ago. I have yet to comprehend why the Research Triangle is such a falafel hotspot. No questions asked, huge visiting perk. The day came to and end with a walk with Ramsey, the dog. I needed a long walk to mask the extra “vacation” calories. 

Monday sailed by. I decided leaving at 7:00 pm would help me avoid the loathed interstate. Magical idea. I sailed home in four hours, hitting up a few back-roads and not a single road-block. The car ride alloted me time for a lengthy conversation with my brother, which was a fabulous plus. The only down-side was the 5:00 am Tuesday morning wake-up call... and the couple hours of work I had to put in while visiting. Everything else, weather included, was Southern perfect. Oh and thou shall not neglect complimenting (and thanking!) K.N.F. for making her famous brownies; there was lots of nibbling on these. As if we needed iced-brownies to go with the dozen Krispy Kreme donuts. 

You see, this weekend came and went in one sizable blur.

Say Something #15

As 'funemployment' came to an end, I had to dissociate myself from baby E.R.G. among others. At the conclusion of my final afternoon with E.R.G., her work-from-home mom was prepping me for the joys of an office setting... like a cube was not enticing enough. One of the things she recalled missing about the office were water cooler conversations. You do not get those at home. Imagine that. So it took me quite awhile to understand what she meant... till today, in fact. How long have I been working? Four months. So. Not. Slow. In my defense, I spent the first month of employment locating the company water cooler. And when I did, I was most certain I was the only one who used it. (Actually… I am nearly certain this still stands). 

Well today folks was a mighty big day. I ran into one of the four semi-my-age-non-HR girls at the water cooler. Not only did we partake in a dialogue about this, that, the other… she showed me the ‘room temperature button’ on the machine. I often complain to Cube Neighbor Girl about the overly efficient water cooler. A new understanding--I may never work from home again. And voila! a problem solved.

Say Something #14

I awoke to rain lightly tapping the tin awning outside my window. As if I needed a larger challenge to get my sleep deprived self out of bed and to the gym. I persevered through the obstacle, and met a bunch of equally dedicated fools for Release 82 of BodyPump. And, per usual, I had no regrets. That class is brutal.

Say Something #13

It it nearing midnight. My alarm will go off in five hours. This was a rough Monday, one where I hesitated posting because there was seemingly nothing positive I could pull from. Three hours ago, I was closing shop, when my neighbor called... and I have been with her ever since. She distracted me by having me decorated signs for the neighborhood meeting tomorrow. And then gave me a much needed pep talk. Tuesday is another day. 

Say Something #12

Life can change with the blink of an eye. This happened in my own life not far enough back that I have been wholly healed, though long enough I have been able to recreate and redefine me. A piece of me needed to begin writing to share my recent zest for life. After struggling for months with denial, anger, bargaining, and admittedly depression... it is now, 23 months later, I am beginning to accept the death of T.C.M. My friends and I remember him fondly, and rejoice in what his life was.

Another switch was flipped recently. And since then, so much has changed. The other piece of me, here today, felt compelled to verbalize the story below.

Latte Woman entered my life in September 2011, when I was struggling with the one-year milestone. She has been an integral part of my healing process, a dear friend from day one. 

But in late July, Latte Woman seemed utterly absent from my life. Despite more than one text to reach out to her for coffee dates or wine nights, miscellaneous runs or outdoor play... not a peep from her. It was a rare Saturday, a Saturday free from obligations, a Saturday I began much later than my normal rise time with a late morning workout. Then vaguely suspicious something was terribly wrong, I gathered up the tupperware I had been harboring from all the delicious meals Latte Woman has recently prepared me, and I marched the two doors down to the G's house. I knocked. And knocked. And knocked. Eventually Latte Woman's husband opened the door. We stared silently at each other. With an action plan, he spoke first, "I will go find Latte Woman." From where I was standing in the entryway, I could see her outside, hunched over the deck railing. She was visibly thin, 100 meters away--a shell of her former self. The tension in the air was palpable. I migrated towards the kitchen to meet her halfway. It was the first time in a long time I could not fill the air with words. I was speechless. Her eyes filled with tears, mine followed suit.

I was guided me to the couch to greet her two beautiful boys. And it was then, that the all-too-familiar feeling of heart piercing pain returned--the one where the world standstills, nothing matters, and perspective immediately shifts. Despite M's contagious smile, the bandage on his lower right leg served as the physical sign something was off. My heart silenced the internal screaming.

Distraught, Latte Woman and I relocated to the porch where I learned days before my unannounced visit, 11-year old M was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer). We spent the next two hours, together, sobbing. To date, hands-down, the most difficult conversation I have endured with a friend.  The waterworks flowed and flowed and flowed through the afternoon. (My tears brought reprieve to the Northern Virginia drought!) In my feeble human brain this does not seem fair. M is one of the good guys--funny, well-mannered, athletic, bright, giving, and wise (just like his mama!).

At the peak of heat on this July afternoon close friends of the G family arrived with a sushi buffet. We lingered on the porch awhile longer exchanging tearful hugs before heading inside. The gang prepared plates. My nonexistent appetite was undeterred by the gorgeous sushi spread. And I was definitely not alone. I sliced fruit in an effort to be physically doing. I washed dishes in an effort to busy myself. I changed bed sheets with Latte Woman to temporarily remove myself from the downstairs pain and sorrow.

Mostly I listened and observed, cringed and cried for the remainder of the day. 

There is a long, and quite possibly bumpy, road ahead... and I will be there for each leg of the journey. Each one of us may have a grand moment of two in life, but the older I get, the more I am convinced real legacies are about relationships, authenticity, consistent faith, and genuine love. I cannot allow myself to sit around and wallow. I am challenged to wake up each day and live a life more committed to love--not in big Earth-shattering ways, but in seemingly small ways of showing up, serving, and displaying authentic, life-changing love for the people in my life. There is no limit to friendship. I am going to stand behind Latte Woman (and family) and fight this to the bitter end.
  

Say Something #11

Our return, near sunset boat ride from Annapolis, Maryland to Baltimore was rather tumultuous to say the least. And I think my parent's polar opposite reactions were worth every second of drama.

Mom: "Take me to land. I do not care how much it cost." Then later, once safe, on the verge of tears, admitted to thinking, "I want to elope with my daughter to New Zealand. I want to be one of S.K.H.'s 250." To give you some context, in the season of weddings, the two moms and three daughters spent a better portion of the morning comparing wedding notes. I guess my mom has no interest in M.J.H.'s dollar store wedding.

Dad: "This rain is diluting my vodka."

I felt entirely safe. The number rule of boating, in my book, is trusting your captain. And I did.

Say Something #10

Today I lived an ideal Friday. I got up. I went to work. When the work day closed, I took the long way to Reston to allot myself some much needed decompression time. I met up with S.K.H. for an episode of Dance Moms while traffic on the beltway died down. Then, together, we drove to Baltimore, Maryland to meet up with our families... who ventured out earlier that afternoon, leaving the working women behind. After dropping off our belongings, we jumped on the boat and took off for Pasadena, Maryland for a late picnic table crab dinner. A stomach full of hush puppies later, I climbed back on the boat and headed with gang to our "home" in Baltimore... where I searched the clear night sky for shooting stars for the duration of the cruise along the Chesapeake Bay.

Say Something #9

I am opinionated. Some might even say very opinionated. That goes mostly well with people who know me. But you can imagine how well that goes as the entry level girl in the male-dominated contracting world. You guessed it: well. Some might even say very well. 

Since starting my job, I have encountered several grammatical debates with my boss. Quit laughing readers. This working Thursday began quite roughly to be not-so-dramatic. At 7:17 am I sat frantically reviewing a document, that frankly should have been completed days ago, with the utmost urgency. As I am turning the pages, I note my friend, the comma, has re-inserted itself after the e.g. in each parenthetical lists. 

And the following conversation ensuses...

Grammar Girl: The comma is back [following e.g.]. Why?
Boss Man: Despite the descrepencies on the internet, I think that is the right way.
Grammar Girl: So, you mean I was right all along?
Boss Man: I am not as set in my ways as you think.   

So powerful. So influential. At such a young age. 

Say Something #8

I am tucking myself into bed in 3.5 seconds. Yes, it is only 8:00 pm.

Say Something #7

I picked up a new book tonight, Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson. I am excited; I hope this sparks the reader in me back to life a bit.

Say Something #6

This weekend I traveled to Greenville, SC to attend a wedding shower. And while there, experienced an added perk of the South: proximity to other places in the South where people I happen to like a whole lot live. Life has taken my friends to separate states, so we have to make a concerted effort to reconnect. Over the years, our phone calls have gotten fewer and father between, but there is no doubt when we get together we still 'know' one another. This was evident the minute I stepped off the plane.

Saturday, when J.M.S. picked me up from the tiny Greenville-Spartanburg airport, I felt I had entered a different world. Or at the very least, stepped back a few years in time. As the Olympics played in the background, we caught up on the past couple months before heading downtown to meet her incredibly gracious family for lunch at Takosushi. My brother, C.D.H., drove up from Altanta, GA to meet us for Greenville's greatest [food] offering. Since C.D.H. has been MIA since Christmas, we broke from the group to walk the riverfront and fill the extended gap, that has been 2012. Once the late afternoon thunderstorm rolled in and made being outside no longer fun, I headed back to J.M.S.'s place... and my brother took off. Then like all girls, we spent the next couple hours getting ready for the evening shower. The actual shower was, of course, lots of fun... and allowed me to reconnect with a few of the more local bridesmaids, the ones who have done everything thus far, like hosting this shower. Newberry Hall catered the event--orzo salad and craisin cookies, oh how I have missed you! Afterward we went out downtown, where I dominated the pool table all.night.long. Along with available tables... and affordable prices... Greenville does not offer much in the line of competition. But I like winning. I like winning lots. I was more than okay with my record come the end of the night.

Sunday, I got up early to meet J.L.W. who traveled northwest to see me in person. I guess the four-hour phone calls have not been doing it for her lately. We found some pancakes for breakfast... and began an in-person marathon conversation. After pancakes, we headed to the riverfront for more walking and talking. She was eventually able to pull herself away from the enthralling conversation to meet with another friend. I spent the afternoon quite productively sleeping. I cannot remember the last time I was as lazy. I have zero regrets, it was blissful. There was some sort of Mexican feast my stomach was not at all prepared for offered for dinner. And an Olympic night cap.

Today, my first day-off from work since starting, I caught up almost entirely on email. You have no idea the weight lifted off my shoulders when I have a clean inbox. I squeezed in a run. I lunched with J.M.S. And now, I sit, forcing myself to do a bit of writing and a lot of reading before my flight home.    

Time well spent with 'my people'.

Say Something #5

I stayed up late to watch McKayla Maroney win gold in the individual vault (since each gymnastic event has been spoiled by my day-late viewing schedule). Her doing so seemed more guaranteed than most anything else in my life, like an on-time flight tomorrow. I have followed M.R.M. from the 2011 World Championship to the Olympic trials through the team qualifiers to the team gold and, finally tonight, to her event, where the favorite fell to silver.  My emotions got the best of me; it was impossible to separate myself from the visibly startled teen. There is nothing positive or inspiring I can make of this story, the disappointment must be insurmountable (and that is without comprehension of what it is like to hone in y-e-a-r-s at the gym). May the happiness of silver honors register tonight, for Maroney.

Say Something #4

Hanging out with the S family today, I learned of their newest pet pig. I had the pleasure of being virtually introduced to Sally... and could not help but share her blurry adorable-ness with the world.

In four months we will meet in person, and, by then, I imagine she will be a sizable sow.

Say Something #3

I have over committed myself... it certainly did not take the re-entering the writing world for me to realize that, but I now have a clearer picture. There is a lot going on. And I hope to share more in the coming days.

For now though, this: On Wednesday at my work function, I learned a lot about the harsh realities of business politics. I left with a sour taste in my mouth... and it is still resonating poorly with me today. So what this boils down to is a challenging day of work... followed by a tough conversation with the women of 'my hood'... and 23 months without T.C.M.

Say Something #2

After yesterday's monsoon, the one that left hail damage on my car, the sunrise this morning was spectacular. I carved a nice spot out on the non-blind-spot side of the winding dirt road leading to my house and watched that red, red sun climb its way into the summer sky. This would be better with birds fluttering around me I thought to myself.

Say Something #1

I miss writing. I miss writing bunches and bunches. And my 'lightly seasoned' working self is out to do something about it. I am challenging myself to write something, even if only a sentence, each day in August. Here we go...
  
I woke up exhausted after having nightmares. I overdosed on coffee... then marched myself to the office where I kept the lights off until I "came to" around 2:00 pm. Four months in, and I control the atmosphere. Surprised? I did not think you would be. My boss introduced me to some people in the late afternoon. Then I went about my business for the rest of the day, counting down the minutes until my pizza party with the neighborhood munchkins.

As luck would have it on the first day (of 30) to meet my goal--the one I set for myself--I would fail not only in getting a sentence submitted to the World Wide Web, I would fail C.R.M. and O.D.M., my five- and three-year old friends next door. Instead I wound up at dinner with grown-ups talking about work-y topics. Equally fun? Debatable. The night pretty much never ended.

So I was really happy when my alarm went off at 5:00 am this morning.