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Feeling Okay (Pictures)

I’m feeling okay today. πŸ™‚

Had a pretty good week. I was exhausted for a lot of it, and spent Thursday evening sleeping my head off. Took a really long nap today that was not intended, but Aidan was tired and so was I, apparently. I love napping with him. He puts his hand on my cheek. He always falls asleep before me, and he’s soooo adorable when he’s sleeping. Just… perfect. And his little nose is the cutest nose I’ve never seen.

I ♥ my little boy!

Voted on Tuesday. It’s funny when people call it their “civic duty.” I’ve been reading a lot about civil rights and such, and I came across a picture of one of the marches from Selma to Montgomery, to get equal voting rights for black people. The number of people crossing that bridge–the fact that they WALKED for five days, singing and praying, hand in hand, overwhelmes me. It’s not a duty for me. It’s a privilege and hell no, I will no longer take for granted that privilege to vote. I certainly got my ass to the polls on Tuesday. And I was happy to say that minimum wage in Ohio has been raised to $6.85 an hour effective January 1, 2007. Smoking ban is statewide. Strickland is governor. Happy stuff.

I checked my spam email box, and I have received nearly twenty emails from different “deborah”s. Many of the subjects say “hi webmaster” but there are some that pretend to be a long lost friend or whatever. Yes, email blasting is really going to make me buy whatever product you’re offering, or whatever “stock options” you’re talking about. Uh huh. *massive delete*

Next week this time, I’ll have just finished watching a Bob Dylan concert. YAY. I wonder if he’ll sing something from Modern Times. I’m looking forward to traveling again. It’s been over two months since I’ve been out of the state.

But now it’s Saturday night, and I have all day tomorrow to do whatever I want. I’ll probably clean and nap. Oh, and I’m making roast in the Crock-Pot! Mmm-hmmm. With carrots and potatoes. Mmmm. That is going to be soooo freakin’ good, I can’t wait! And I’ll have beef for my lunches next week! YES!

Yesterday, I was reading a book at work. In the book, a soldier fighting in Vietnam was killed. They talked a bit about the funeral, and the main character said he’d heard the taps in the distance. Reading that whipped me back in time, to February, when I heard taps at another funeral. I remember jumping three times, as seven guns went off during the 21-gun salute. I remember the tears rolling down my face, and the shocks going through my body as the taps sounded. I started crying at work again. The anniversary of Grandpa Davis’s death is February 7th. It’s still hard to believe he’s gone. The house is sold. Grandma Davis has moved. It’s just… so strange. I just hope she’s okay.

Anyway, I won’t get all maudlin on you. Heh. I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is in fewer than two weeks! My mom already knows what I want to eat. I am so excited. Mmm. I haven’t had that meal since Christmas, and I am so ready for it. πŸ™‚ Then Christmas! Yikes. Again, I haven’t done one lick of shopping yet. However, I did get some wrapping paper and cards.

The trees look like this now:

Tree & Water

That’s behind the building I work. It’s very pretty out there. I was feeling very restless the last hour at work, so I snuck out back and snapped a few photos.

I was also being a dork (what else is new!) one night and I took this picture of myself, to see what I probably look like sleeping:

Sleeping

That’s all for now. I should probably think of actually doing what my picture suggests! Ha. Gotta get up early to load the Crock-pot!

‘Til next time!

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Potluck (Pictures)

I can’t believe the end of October is already here. Sometimes, it seems that time goes so slowly, but honestly, it’s not.

Tonight was the night for all the little beggars to come out and get free candy. My favorite was the boy dressed as the Phantom of the Opera. When I guessed who he was, he seemed very excited. Also, work gave its employees Highlights for Children magazines to pass out–WHAT A HIT! The kids absolutely LOVED getting them! And the parents were impressed too.

This is what I dressed up as:

Dorky Me
A DORK!

Aidan was Scooby-Doo, but he pronounces it “Fooky-Doo.” Here he is in his costume a few days ago:

Scooby Doo

He loved his costume! This is the first year he specifically asked for one, so I made sure I got it for him. His reaction was so worth it. “Oh, I love this! Thank you, Mommy, it’s just what I wanted!!!” πŸ™‚

Work fed us. Fazoli’s. Yum. And speaking of work, I’m starting to do “1Rs” which are the first stage after working proofs. Big time stuff, that. I’m getting good at this, and I do enjoy it. I could tell you all sorts of things about Zaner-Bloser handwriting style. Strokes and curves and la la la.

What amazes me is the volume of different handwriting programs out there. Naturally, I think ZB is the best, but there are so many others! I’d never even thought about it before!


Vampire Aidan!
Vampire Aidan!!

Just Me
Just Me.
This is what I look like these days.

Flirty
Callin’ myself “flirtin'” here…

Aidan & Me
Aidan and Me. πŸ™‚

Now, if you’re wondering why he appears to be naked, here’s the story. He’s actually in his underwear, but here’s the thing. As soon as he walks in the door, he strips down to his underwear. Don’t ask me why. It’s just how he unwinds, I suppose.

Ack. It’s already nearly 11! I guess it’s time for me to head towards the bed, huh?

See, time DOES go fast. Now there’s Bob Dylan and Thanksgiving to look forward to! Eeeek!

‘Til next time.

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Potluck Entry (Pictures)

Writing.
Still hiding from the writing world. It’s really, really, really hard for me to see people getting book deals, multiple book deals, great feedback and moving forward while nothing’s happening for me. I can’t write–I get a mental block every time I try, topping out at about 10,000 words before I give up. My ideas fizzle out. I start thinking that it’s going to suck anyway so why bother. And I file the document away. Another failure.

I keep hoping it’ll happen for me one day, but that hope is seriously diminishing, and I think that maybe it might not be in the stars for me. I know I have talent, but the people who pay don’t want to read what I have to write, even if it is good writing. That’s a very depressing thought. Since I’ve been so shielded from that world, I haven’t had to worry about the bitter feelings and things, but sometimes, someone pulls me in, and I see their successes, and I get that bad feeling in the middle of my torso–like in that hollow in my breastbone or whatever–and I just get reminded of how I’m going nowhere. It’s hard to keep going.

I’m really seriously considering giving up on ever being published. I don’t have the kutzpah to try anymore.

Aidan.
You’ve seen my updates on him. πŸ™‚ He’s so smart. “Mommy, look! This is hilarious!” Except, his Ls are Ws, so he says “This is hiwarius!” He’s overwhelming, though. I’m drained at the end of the day, and as you all know, I spend almost every evening with him. He demands a lot, he doesn’t always listen, and I have a hard time getting him to pick up after himself. Raising a child is HARD.

Aidan & Scooby Doo!

He’s REALLY good at computer games, and memory/concentration type games. I mean, really good. He knows things that most kids don’t know until kindergarten, if I am not mistaken. For example, he knows his left from his right. He knows near and far, short and long. And when he’s not being bratty (which fortunately, isn’t often), he’s very affectionate. He likes to play games and pick the wrong answers on purpose. And there’s this one sound in the Backyardigans game that he knows drives me crazy, and he likes to play it really loudly then laugh at me when I freak out.

Boys.

Work.
We just relocated to a new building. The outside of the building is WEIRD, but the work space is pretty sleek. Too dang COLD for my taste (I need to get an electric heater STAT), but I think it looks very modern and cool. Here’s a picture of where I sit:

Work

Yes, that’s a Barbie lunchbox! Heehee. My United Way one is sticky and gross, so yeah. You can see proofs that I work on, my proofing board, all sorts of things. I like the space–it’s nice and bright. But there is a lot of traffic where I sit which can make it hard to concentrate. Usually I stick on my headphones and get lost in my music, though. And there’s the FREEZING MY BUTT OFF aspect of it. Otherwise, it’s okay, as long as I have plenty of work to do.

Me.
Up until yesterday, I was an emotional wreck. Roller coaster like crazy. But now I feel like ME again, which is a VERY GOOD THING. I don’t like feeling out of control crazy like that.

Preparing for something BIG. Won’t say much more about that for now.

Got my first ever flu shot today!! Oh my. The part I hated was when the nurse was actually injecting the medicine in. I don’t mind the initial prick. I actually rather like it. It’s the other part that sucks. But it’s over. The spot is a little sore, but nothing I can’t handle. And anyway, this is nothing compared to the FLU. Ugh. It’ll be nice not to get it for once.

I’ve been craving Chinese food lately. Beef and snow pea pods, mostly. And rice. Lots of rice. I used to hate Chinese food. I still don’t care for too much of it, so for me to crave it is very strange. Other cravings I’m having:

– Spaghetti w/Eckridge hotdogs (which were buy 1 pack get 2 packs free at Meijer!);
– Japanese Steakhouse (hibachi steak, ginger salad, rice with ginger sauce, bean sprouts);
– Steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, roll with lots of butter;
– Sausage McMuffin w/egg, hashbrown;
– An ice cream soda from Margie’s Candies (or whatever that place in Chicago is called);
– Double chocolatey chunk Rice Krispy treats;
– This:
Thanksgiving Dinner 2005

I should go eat now. Guess which ones on the list I’ll have. Tee hee. ‘Til next time….

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Potluck Entry/Conversations With Aidan (Pictures)

A HUGE storm blew in last night. I was home alone. I was downstairs making a bologna sandwich when it hit full force. It was SO LOUD. I glanced out the window. Visibility was 0. Things were pounding against the windows. I got scared and ran down to the basement. Gracie was right beside me. I crouched down, wondering if I’d REALLY be protected down there if a tornado hit.

I went back upstairs, grabbed a couple of blankets, and went downstairs again. I crouched until all the banging and clanging stopped, then I went back upstairs. The electricity was still on. And it was eerily calm. That scared me.

I was relieved to open the door and see the sky was not green, and it was still raining pretty hard. There was hail everywhere. The yard looked as though it had been snowed in. I grabbed my camera and took pictures because I was just amazed:

The neighbor across the street was grabbing the stuff that had blown over to other’s yards. As I was taking pictures, the tornado sirens came on. That’s when I went back downstairs. Then I calmed down and finished making my dinner, went upstairs, ate, finished reading Burned, played on the computer for a while, took a Tylenol PM, and was out by 9:30 or so. 6:30am STILL came too early, though.

Work was work. I swear, that lunch hour goes by more quickly every day….

The front of the house needs work. The siding is torn in a LOT of places, there are cracked window frames (and possible windows?). It’s kind of scary, you know. This is the second pretty violent storm I’ve been in this year. I ALMOST had a panic attack last night–not even sure how I talked myself out of it. But if the storm had happened three years ago, I’d have been a wreck.

Today’s mail brought some good surprises. The Little Mermaid + goodies, and a beautiful letter from wlotus. I got a letter from verytruly on Monday, so now I have two letters to answer, yay! πŸ™‚

Okay, I am tickled because I just found out that iTunes carries 2Hype by Kid-N-Play. Man. Talk about 1989! *feels old*

The weather was a nice, cool 61ΒΊF today. I can deal with these temps. It’s when they start dipping in the 30s and 40s that I have problems.

Here are a few pictures:

Autumn Sun & Clouds
The fall sky.

Aidan
Little Aidan. Only he’s not so little anymore….

Budding Rose
Rose bud from the yard.

Thank GOD tomorrow is Friday. I don’t have any plans, so maybe I’ll make Aidan watch The Little Mermaid with me, if we don’t do it tonight.

And my latest (amusing) conversation with Aidan:

Aidan: Look at my peepee!
Ronni: (Glances at Aidan. Notices his “peepee” sitting neatly on top of his underwear, which he has pulled down slightly) Aidan, put your peepee away! i don’t want to see your peepee!
Aidan: Look at it!
Ronni: NO!
Aidan: Pwease?
Ronni: No, put it away!
Aidan: I got to go potty.

That child…..

I need to answer emails. And work on a website. And eat at some point, too.

Bye.

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