Brief Random Thoughts

You know, it's funny, but rarely do you find daughters named after their mothers, but often you'll find sons named after the father. Is it an act of laziness (couldn't bother to come up with another name) or is it an act of hubris?

There's nothing like coming up against a couple of 12-year-old girls to make you realise what a hideous beast they are as a species. 12-year-old girls are the best reason in the world not to procreate.

Ramblings, Surveys and Dancing Stories

Go read and read this. It'll make your heart weep and make you wonder about all those people who voted for our present President into office for a second time because he made them feel safe.

I know I haven't updated in a while, but I've just been busy here at work and at home I have been moving all of my crap up the stairs. I have finally (mostly) finished getting all of my stuff out of the downstairs apartment, except for the stuff that I’m putting out for the garbage men to pick up Friday morning. They'll be in front of my apartment building for at least five minutes just throwing my crap into the big crushing truck.

I didn't get a chance to vacuum the entire apt before the power was turned off yesterday, but I am planning getting out the extension cords and plugging into the hallway outlets. Now to get all of my crap organised into the new apt. That should only take a year or so. *sigh* So much to do. I stopped doing anything at all last night around 7:30 and gave myself an hour of sitting on the couch before I decided to head to bed. I was just so tired that I was in bed before 9:00 p.m. And that's early, even for me! I even got a little knitting done. But that's it, no more slacking for me.

I took a couple of surveys that Jason took and I stole the idea from him.

Your Taste in Music:

80's Alternative: Highest Influence

80's Pop: High Influence

Punk: Medium Influence

Ska: Medium Influence

90's Hip Hop: Low Influence

90's Pop: Low Influence

Progressive Rock: Low Influence

How's Your Taste in Music?

They should have given me a few more options. And a chance to click a "I hate this person's 'music' more than life itself" button, if they're going to put hacks like Sheryl Crow on the list.

This survey (along with my lovely Left of the Dial CDs) have me reminiscing on my old dancing days. I used to go dancing four nights a week. And I would dance for HOURS with nary a break. It was all about dancing. I know people went to the bar (I never got into calling it a "club") to drink, but for me it was all about the chance to dance and express myself. And trust me I express myself!!! My little brother actually hates to see me dance, as he is embarrassed by it. The funny thing is that among other Goth/punk types, I always get tons of compliments on my dancing. My LB is definitely not a Goth/punk.

Anyway, back to my dancing days. In my heyday, I went four nights a week – Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. One of my favorite stories happened early in the evening on a Tuesday. Donna and I were both dancing. She was on her side of the stage (the stage was maybe six inches off the main dance floor), right side as you face out and I was on mine (left). We were both dancing oblivious to all around us, when this guy comes up and starts dirty dancing, or rather, trying to dirt dance with me. I just kept dancing and made a graceful turn and did what my friend Jen calls "dancing with fists and elbows," and I elbowed him hard in the stomach. I heard him make an oomph noise and then he was gone. As I turned back around, I noticed he was doing the same thing to Donna. As I watched, she just hauled off and punched in the stomach. Across the stage and with the loud music I could still hear him say Ouch. I had to turn away quickly so that he didn't see me burst out laughing. I mean, she wasn't even subtle about it! I could have pawned mine off as a dance move, but there was no mistaking the fact that Donna had just out and out punched him. Needless to say, he left us alone. A number of our friends had been standing there and watched the whole thing and they were on the floor laughing (thankfully not literally as the floor was just disgusting). Yo, frat boy, you think you're going to make fun of the Goth/punk chicks? I don't think so. Man, we were such hard asses, weren't we? Or not.

Another time, it was later in the evening and I don't remember what day it happened on, but the DJ was playing the Sisters of Mercy (This Corrosion, I think), and I was doing my thing on the stage and my friend Amir was doing his on the dance floor directly in front of me. Somehow our heads connected…or rather, more specifically, my orbital bone made contact with his bald head and I ended up with a black eye almost immediately. I got some ice from the bartenders and all us regulars teased Amir the rest of the night about my black eye. It hurt, but it was worth it seeing Amir get all embarrassed and blushing with people thinking he had hit me.

You Are 55% Normal (Somewhat Normal)

While some of your behavior is quite normal... Other things you do are downright strange You've got a little of your freak going on But you mostly keep your weirdness to yourself

How Normal Are You?

I like not being normal.

Your Travel Profile:

You Are Well Traveled in the Southern United States (54%)

You Are Well Traveled in the Midwestern United States (50%)

You Are Somewhat Well Traveled in Canada (40%)

You Are Somewhat Well Traveled in the Western United States (37%)

You Are Somewhat Well Traveled in Africa (25%)

You Are Mostly Untraveled in the Northeastern United States (14%)

You Are Mostly Untraveled in Latin America (7%)

You Are Untraveled in Asia (0%)

You Are Untraveled in Australia (0%)

You Are Untraveled in Eastern Europe (0%)

You Are Untraveled in New Zealand (0%)

You Are Untraveled in Scandinavia (0%)

You Are Untraveled in Southern Europe (0%)

You Are Untraveled in Western Europe (0%)

You Are Untraveled in the Middle East (0%)

You Are Untraveled in the United Kingdom (0%)

How Well Traveled Are You?

The places that I really want to visit are: Spain (all of it), Sweden, Latin America, and Russia. Now if someone gave me a plane ticket to England, France, Italy, etc., I certainly wouldn't turn them down. I want to get to those places, but the others are first! Although just to be near the Guinness factory, I might have to move England/Ireland up.

I was just reading on-line that the Hubble space telescope is 15 years old!!! How is that possible? I remember when it went up and there was the big kafluffle about something being wrong and it being unable to send clear pictures back to earth and they had to wait for it come back around closer or something to get it fixed, and I don't even remember how they did it. I do know that it's sending back some pretty cool pictures (750,000 to date) these days though. I saw the Eagle Nebulae and the Whirlpool Galaxy pics the other day and they're pretty freaking cool. You can check them out at yahoo.

And that will be it for the day, kidlets! I hope y'all enjoyed my ramblings. Or not….

New Pope, New Apartment and a couple of Surveys

So, we got a new Pope yesterday and I have to say that I am less than thrilled with the choice made. When is the Church going to move out of the Middle Ages???? I mean, really. Pope Benedict XVI as Cardinal Ratzinger was known as God's Rottweiler. Now, I don't know about you, but that can't be a good thing. Rottweilers aren't exactly known as being sweet and adorable. Um, no, I think they're more known for ripping people's faces off – now I've met sweet Rottweilers, but I don't think that's what they're known for, so don't send me e-mails saying how Rottweilers are misunderstood, etc. I'm talking about their known reputation – not whether or not it's a valid reputation. Okay? Thanks.

And according to Darrell (one of these days I'll not be lazy and link to him), dear ol' Cardinal Ratzinger was prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the former Holy Office which was also formerly known as a little something called The Inquisition. Nice, eh? I spent the last 26 years ignoring the last Pope, so I guess I can spend the next however many ignoring this one. And I just read at the New York Times that he prefers a "Purer Church" to a larger one. Whatever! Good thing, because that's what he's going to get. I actually think he's going to be even more conservative than the last one. *sigh*

I have one completely empty clean room in the downstairs apartment – the bathroom. I took my first shower in the new apartment and let's just say it was a tad disappointing. The hot water pressure in the shower (but not the tub or the sinks) is damn near nil. I turned the hot tap all the way on, and then turned the cold on maybe a half of a centimeter. If it turn it on to the point where the water coming out of the shower head is at a decent pressure, it's a little too chilly for a shower. I shall be conversing with my Schneider about it, that's for damn sure. I know the pressure is there, it just needs to get to the shower.

The fridge is still not where I want it, so I am refusing to move my kitchen stuff up. If it isn't moved by the time I get home today I shall call and ask. I'm tired of having to run downstairs when I want to eat. Not really very convenient. I live in an apt., not a house!!!! I should not have to go downstairs to shower or eat!!!!

And I guess that's about it.

Survey Day!!!

Your Linguistic Profile:

70% General American English

15% Upper Midwestern

10% Yankee

5% Midwestern

0% Dixie

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Julie answered this survey yesterday, and I figured that it was interesting, so I borrowed it.

01. What is the geekiest part of your music collection?

Neil Diamond and Barry Manilow

02. What do you eat when you raid the fridge late at night?

Nothing as I never have any food in my house for dinner, much less late night raiding.

03. What is your secret guaranteed weeping movie?

Just about any movie with a schmaltzy happy ending, and I'm not sure it's a big secret that I cry at movies. Mask will make me cry every time (not the stupid Jim Carrey one, but the Cher and Eric Stoltz movie).

04. If you could have plastic surgery, what would you have done?

Nothing. It's not that I think I’m perfect (far from it), I just don't believe in plastic surgery. Have you people seen Joan Rivers?????

05. Do you have a completely irrational fear?

Ladders and earwigs

06. What is the little physical habit that gives away your insecure moment?

When giving a speech my voice usually has a waver in it, and my hands shake. See me doing the first reading at best friend growing up's wedding. I had complete strangers coming up to me to comment on my nervousness – which didn't really help.

07. Are you a pyromaniac?

Heavens, NO!

08. Do you have too many love interests?

No. I have one, but he's not interested, so it just doesn't matter.

09. Do you know anyone famous?

Current lead singer for famous guitarist…I can picture him…give me a second. Ah, that's it. Carlos Santana.

10. Describe your bed:

Pillow top mattress on a lovely House of Denmark platform bed.

11. Spontaneous or plain?

I don't even understand this question. Spontaneous or plain what??? Those two words aren't opposites!

12. Who should play you in a movie about your life?

Calista Flockhart could play my skinny high school and college years. Somebody with a little meat on her bones would have to play me after that – but who? Hmmm. Actually, people used to tell me that I looked like Lori Petty when Tank Girl was out, but she'd have to dye her hair red. But please whatever you do, please, please please don't let Sandra Bullock anywhere near it.

13. Do you know how to play poker?

I know the objective and which hands beat which hands, but I never got the whole betting, raising, calling process. My family plays Mexican poker (taught to us by our Mexican family) and that's cool. The most you can lose is a quarter.

14. What do you carry with you at all times?

My purse containing my wallet, lipstick, lip moisturiser, and inhaler.

15. What do you miss most about being little?

Playing all day long, all summer long.

16. Are you happy with your given name?

I used to hate it, but I like it now.

17. How much money would it take to get you to give up the Internet for one year?

Enough to cover the cost of my phone bill which would go up considerably.

18. What colour is your bedroom?

White, although my duvet color is a lovely brick red.

19. What was the last song you were listening to?

Um, no clue. I took my headphones off ages ago…!

20. Have you ever been in a play?

Does some lame little skit in front of my English class in the 8th grade count? If so, I have no idea what it was called, but I remember that I played the uncool girl (it was a stretch – not) whose mother bought her dark blue jeans (which were apparently not cool) and some cool girls were helping me wash them in bleach. I think it took place at camp or some such right of grade school passage.

21. Have you ever been in love?

Excellent question. I thought I was 20 years ago, but now I don't know if I was.

22. Do you talk a lot?

I can talk your ear off, but I like to think I know how to listen too.

23. Do you like yourself and believe in yourself?

It depends on my self-confidence level on any given day. I wasn't liking myself or believing in myself this past weekend.

24. Do transient, homeless, or starving people sometimes annoy you?

Only when they get in your face, but that's a rarity.

25. Do you consider yourself to be a nice person?

I think I'm a nice person.

26. Do you spend more time with your girlfriend/boyfriend or your friends?

As I don't have a boyfriend/girlfriend, I'll say I spend more time with my cats.

27. What is your ideal marriage location?

My church.

28. Which musical instrument do you wish you could play?

Violin

29. Favourite fabric?

Silk

30. Something you love and hate?

Corn on the cob straight from the stalk – so sweet and delicious, but then you have to go and find the damn dental floss.

31. What kind of bedding do you use?

I have the t-shirt like sheets on my bed right now. In the winter I have these ultra fluffy, faux cashmere sheets.

32. Do you tell your friends about your sex life?

What sex life?

33. What's the one language you want to learn?

Not just one: Russian, Swedish and Portuguese.

34. How do you eat an apple?

I take a nice big bite out of it and then the juice dribbles down my chin and I have to find a napkin…rinse, repeat until it's gone!

35. What do you order at a bar?

Guinness, generally. Occasionally, a margarita.

36. Have you ever pierced your body parts?

Just my ears.

37. Do you have tattoos?

Nope.

38. Would you ever admit to having done plastic surgery any kind if confronted?

I wouldn't have it done, so there is nothing to admit.

39. What's one of the "funniest" things you've ever done?

I'm not a jokester, so there's nothing there. I'm trying to think of a pratfall….Last summer I had my YS and LB (Little Brother because what else do you call your 6-foot younger brother?) in tears from my throwing ability or lack thereof. Apparently I'm quite amusing as I throw like a girl. They would tell you that I was laughing too, but literally I was crying and laughing at the same time – laughing to hide the fact that even after all these years I hear my father ridiculing me because I "throw like a girl." And it still hurts…not a very funny entry, eh?

40. Do you drive stick?

No, I'm a complete klutz with no sense of timing or grace or athletic ability. It is simply beyond me.

41. What's one trait you hate in a person?

Complete self-absorption which usually goes hand-in-hand with people who don't a clue that they have an annoying personality.

42. What kind of watch(es) do you wear?

Ones that tell me the time when I need them to. I'm wearing a Fossil at the moment, but also have a Guess (I think) and then a denim blue one. I'm not really a name-dropper, but very few watches come with the watchband that goes behind the watch itself and since I'm allergic to metal, I have to buy what I can find.

43. Most frivolous purchase?

The two dresses I bought at Trashy Diva in New Orleans.

44. Do you consider yourself materialistic?

When it comes to books, CDs, DVDs, and yarn, yes.

45. What do you cook the best?

Ramen? I can cook, but I don't cook any one thing often enough for something to be considered my Best.

46. Favourite writing instrument?

Any pen with a fine point. I *hate* medium point pens!!!!!

47. Do you prefer to stand out or blend in?

I'd say blend in, but I'm sure somebody out there would remind me of my dancing days – and I don't mean strip joint dancing, but club dancing when I'd be the only one on the stage dancing, because everybody else in the freaking bar had to be drunk before they could get out and dance.

48. Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex?

Oh yeah, I was there for the 80s and wore ties.

49. What's one car you will never buy?

A Hummer.

50. What kind of books do you like to read?

Mysteries, Spy novels, suspense, good fiction, but not chick lit, generally.

51. If you won the lottery, what would you do?

Go to every single race on the Champ Car schedule.

52. Burial or cremation?

Cremation after they've harvested any and all donatable organs and then I want to be scattered from the top of the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan.

53. How many online journals do you read regularly?

Seventeen

54. What's one thing you're a sore loser at?

Anything. I hate not being good at something.

55. If you don't like a person, how do you show it?

I generally don't speak to people I don't like. I can't be bothered to waste my precious time speaking to people who annoy the ever-living hell out of me.

56. Do you cry in front of friends?

I try not to, but sometimes I just can't stop it.

57. What kind of first impression do you think you give to people?

That I'm a true Leo, which I'm not.

58. What's one thing you like to do alone?

Read, knit, watch TV/movies.

59. Are you a giver or a taker?

I like to think I'm a giver.

60. When's the last time you cried?

Saturday.

61. Favourite communication method?

E-mail as I can think about what I want to say. I'm not good on the front line.

62. How many drinks before you're tipsy?

Three, I'm a lightweight.

63. Do you think you're cute?

I have my moments.

64. Do you have problems changing clothes in front of friends?

Not as long as they're female friends.

65. What's the most painful experience you've ever had?

Even though it was high school and therefore oh so many years ago, the day in my senior year when I went to my locker that I shared with my "friend" and found she had moved out w/o saying a word. When I asked her what was up, she said, "Well, it’s not like we've been hanging around or anything." Blah Blah Blah. The reason we weren't hanging around? I actually had to work and the group had stopped inviting me to join them because one of the guys didn't like me. It's amazing how high school sucks so incredibly.

Nothing overly exciting....

Okay, first, I must apologise because I totally lied to all three of you who read my drivel. The last book I read was not Smokescreen by Kyle Mills (although I still stand by my recommendation), but I couldn't for the life of me remember what the last book I read was and I thought that was it, but then I remembered that I had read "Loamhedge" by Brian Jacques, so that is the last book read. So sorry. Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.

The move to the upstairs apartment is going slowly, but today should be the last day that I sleep upstairs and then wander down the stairs with bedhead to shower, as Chris painted the bathroom yesterday. I might have been able to move my stuff up yesterday but I wanted to give the paint sufficient time to dry, so I saved it for today.

****************

I got the following from my Lion Brand Yarn newsletter:

You know you knit too much...

...when you start eyeballing your cat, mentally measuring her for your next sweater project.
...when your best friend takes a "dream of a lifetime" trip to New Zealand & the only thing you ask her when she returns is "How much yarn did you buy?"

My thought was: when you think of a trip to any new city or country, your first thought is "I wonder if there are some good yarn shops?"

*****************

I had a wonderful time Friday night at the symphony with Darrell and Brian. Damn, I was laughing all night long. Those two are dangerous when they're together. They are not for the faint of heart. The DSO did a brilliant job on Shostakovich's 1st Violin Concerto regardless of what the PITA old couple behind us thought. I think they bitched and kvetched the entire night. I so hope they get main floor tickets next time they go, so I don't have to listen to them complain! They absolutely hated the Shostakovich, although they did concede that the young 24-year-old soloist did a good job on it. "Good to know there's good young talent out there." Probably so they can stick with Beethoven and Mozart and keep the old people happy. Honestly, the Shostakovich was beautiful and was just fraught with emotion. Incredible. The Bruckner was beautiful, but I have to agree with Darrell that the repetition was a bit overdone. And since I was listening to it with my eyes closed, I missed Neeme Jarvi losing his baton and hitting one of the musicians in front of him (either a violinist or a violist). DAMN! Probably the only interesting thing in Bruckner's 7th Symphony and I missed it. I happen to like his 4th better, just for the record.

Other than the symphony, my weekend was spent moving my shit up stairs to the new apartment and let me tell you what a good time that is. Well, I would, but I don't want anybody being all jealous because I got to move heavy ass 21st century furniture up a narrow early 20th century stairway and they didn't, so I won't make you all envious. I'm nice like that!

I must get back to work…I have issues with which to deal…

Two More Surveys Stolen From Clarity

I stole two more surveys from Clarity.

*If I were a month, I'd be: August

*If I were a day of the week, I'd be: Friday

*If I were a time of day, I'd be: 4:00 p.m.

*If I were a planet, I'd be: Mercury

*If I were a sea animal, I'd be: a sting ray

*If I were a direction, I'd be: North West

*If I were a piece of furniture, I'd be: a big, comfy chair

*If I were a sin, I'd be: sloth

*If I were a historical figure, I'd be: an Aztec

*If I were a liquid, I'd be: a margarita

*If I were a tree, I'd be: an aspen

*If I were a bird, I'd be: a robin

*If I were a flower, I'd be: Gerbera daisy

*If I were a kind of weather, I'd be: mostly sunny.

*If I were a mythical creature, I'd be: gargoyle

*If I were a musical instrument, I'd be: violin

*If I were an animal, I'd be: rhinoceros

*If I were a colour, I'd be: black

*If I were an emotion, I'd be: depression

*If I were a vegetable, I'd be: an artichoke

*If I were a sound, I'd be: a yell

*If I were an element, I'd be: fire

*If I were a car, I'd be: a Mini-Cooper

*If I were a song, I'd be: "Atmosphere" by Joy Division

*If I were a movie, I'd be: "Before Sunset."

*If I were a food, I'd be: PB&L sandwich (Peanut Butter & Lettuce)

*If I were a place, I'd be: Detroit with a touch of San Francisco.

*If I were a material, I'd be: rayon

*If I were a taste, I'd be: vanilla malt

*If I were a scent, I'd be: honeydew

*If I were a religion, I'd be: Catholic

*If I were a word, I'd be: Change.

*If I were an object, I'd be: a book

*If I were a body part, I'd be: legs

*If I were a facial expression, I'd be: a yawn

*If I were a subject in school, I'd be: spelling

*If I were a cartoon character, I'd be: Eyeore

*If I were a shape, I'd be: a trapezoid

*If I were a number, I'd be: 7.

Survey #2

Last Cigarette: college…so long ago, I couldn't even tell you the year (1985?)
Last Alcoholic Drink: last night, Guinness
Last Car Ride: Ride? Um, Friday night to the symphony with Brian and Darrell
Last Kiss: Bloody hell…this is pathetic. I don't have a freaking clue.
Last Good Cry: Saturday
Last Library Book: No clue, I'm a book-buyer.
Last book bought: Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception
Last Book Read: Smokescreen by Kyle Mills (Highly Recommend, along with the rest of his books)
Last Movie Seen in Theatres: Shrek2 or Harry Potter III
Last Movie Rented: "Super Size Me"
Last Cuss Word Uttered: ass
Last Beverage Drank: chamomile tea
Last Food Consumed: Steve's veggie creole from Tenny Street
Last Crush: I've given up on crushes.
Last Phone Call: My boss calling to ask me to photocopy something for him, after he apologised for bothering me.
Last TV Show Watched: I watched an ABC Family Movie last night, "Everything You Want." Does that count? If not, TV show?????? I think it was "Queer Eye for the Texas Guy."
Last Time Showered: this morning in my downstairs apartment after sleeping my upstairs apartment.
Last Shoes Worn: Wearing my all-black Chucks as I type.
Last CD Played: Listening to CD#4 from Left of the Dial.
Last Item Bought: Pizza for my cousin Glen who helped me move on Saturday.
Last Download: pictures from webshots.
Last Annoyance: Moving!
Last Disappointment: Finding out how few friends I actually have
Last Soda Drank: I so rarely drink soda, but it was probably a Vernor's at Grandma's on Easter. I think that's what she had or was it a Caffeine Free Coke?
Last Thing Written: The sentence above.
Last Key Used: My desk key
Last Words Spoken: I have no absolutely no idea.
Last Sleep: last night.
Last Ice Cream Eaten: Homemade vanilla ice cream from TJ's with their famous Carlotta Chocolatta Cheesecake (double chocolate cheesecake with ice cream and hot fudge)
Last Chair Sat In: The desk chair where my butt is firmly planted right now.
Last Webpage Visited: amazon.com – to figure out the name of the new Artemis Fowl book.

2004 Tigers Doubleheader

One Thursday last September I got to work at my usual time (6:00 a.m.) and had an e-mail from Glen to a group of us asking who wanted to go to the Tigers game as it was going to be a rare doubleheader (Wednesday's night game being postponed due to rain). I immediately responded saying I couldn't go because I had to work. Within the hour I had figured out that I could and should go. It was a GORGEOUS day and how often are there doubleheaders these days (um, never) and I knew that there was really no reason I had to stay at work all day just to put my hours in. I had comp time coming to me, so I asked the bossman and he said Go for it. I then e-mailed back and said, "Hell yes, count me in."

Nobody else was able to get out of work at the last minute, so it was just Glen and me at the ol' ballpark. It started out a little chilly, so I had layers which I divested as the sun rose in the sky. Oops, getting ahead of myself. Glen and I get downtown and park the car at the Fox Theatre Parking Garage and are standing at the corner of Woodward and Montcalm waiting to cross the street. Luckily, neither of us felt the need to speak at that point. There was a small group of people waiting with us and when the light changed we all proceeded across politely. Cars were able to turn left onto Montcalm from Woodward or something because a cop was yelling at the cars to stay to the left because the sidewalk was under construction so all of us pedestrian were in the street. I hear someone ahead of me say to the cop, "Their other left, eh?" My head snapped up and I searched for the person belonging to the voice, as I heard that phrase my whole freaking life. I spotted the extremely grey head of my father and grabbed Glen's arm and literally ducked behind the garbage can. Glen thought that I was saving us from a mugging or something, until I hissed, "That's my father." We let him get a little ways in front of us to avoid any sort of run in with him. We even had to cut straight across the parking lot instead of angling like everybody else – you know, as the crow flies. He stopped to glad-hand the parking lot attendant and pretend (like I told Glen) that he likes African-American people – trust me, he doesn't. He would argue the point, I'm certain as "one of my best friends is Black." Yeah, right, whatever (and I don't think he does actually), that's why the "n" word was used quite prolifically when I was growing up. If there is one thing my father is, it's a racist asshole. Oh wait, that's two things…

We kept our eyes on him and managed to avoid running into him and we made sure our tickets were in the upper deck and not in the greatest location. My brother informed me later that my father goes to all the day games, and trust me, he doesn't sit in shitty seats. I told him it would have been nice to know ahead of time! Before I got tickets to the home opener last week I had my brother find out if *he* was going to be there. My YS told me that that's what I get for skipping out of work. Yeah, whatever!

The games themselves were entertaining…although the first one was not entertaining in a good way – if you're a Tigers fan. They lost by a ridiculous amount, 26-5. The 3rd inning lasted a year and a half, and if I remember correctly they gave up 11 runs and went through the batting order damn near three times – just in that inning. It was a complete debacle and Glen and I were just laughing, because pretty much, it was laughable. Sometime late in the game I decided to put on my rally cap. Glen took one look at me and said, "That's the surest way to get on the scoreboard." Oh shit! I immediately put my cap on correctly, as not being spotted by my father was way more important than encouraging the pathetic Tigers to rally. It wasn't going to happen anyway. By the bottom of the 3rd inning, Tramm had taken out all of the top players and were saving them for the second game. The second game it was like a completely different team came out to play. They ended up winning 8-0. It was an insane day. A whole lot of fun combined with a mini-heart attack early on.

There are a myriad of reasons why I don't wish to run into or speak to my father. And no good reason why I should bother. A few years ago he found out where I worked and he just had to let me know by sending me an e-mail. I ignored it as I have all his e-mails since then – all two or three sent on my b-day each year. I know some of you are thinking, "Geez, Kathleen, he's trying to reach out to you." But no, he's not, it was just his way of making sure I knew that he could and did find me, at least work-wise. He treated me and my little brother abominably our whole lives and I figure he made his bed and he has to lie in it. The only one of my siblings that talks to him is my Born-Again brother and he does it because his preacher told him to. He takes particular delight in upsetting my mother by calling her with bad news whenever he can like when our neighbor died a few years ago. I think he regrets the path he took 15 years ago, but tough noogies. You can't burn bridges and expect them to be there when you want them back. Will I regret not speaking to him whenever he leaves this mortal coil? Hard to say, isn't it? I think what I will regret is that I had a father for whom I was never good enough. And I'm comfortable enough in who I am that I know it's not me and was never me. I'm sorry I'm not able to throw a baseball unlike a girl, but guess what, I am a girl and I'm not an athletic girl. I figure if the ball makes it to the other person holding the mitt then it doesn't really matter about my form.

And no, that's not all he did, but it gives you an idea of the piddly things that were important to him. I did everything I could to get his attention growing up, but was completely unsuccessful. When I was in high school, my friends and I had an intramural soccer team and even though my team won a lot, my father never made it to one of my games, until we played the OS's team and then he came with his camera and took pictures of OS and her team. Did he take a pic of my team? Um, no, he didn't. And he never came to another game, although he went to more of my sister's. And now that he wants my attention, I can't be bothered. And why should I? He's going to be the lonely old man whose kids don't want to see him. Am I bitter? Actually, not really, I spent years in therapy dealing with the fact that I wasn't good enough for my father and I'm a better person for those years. And I know that I was worthy of his attention then and am now, but now I don't need his approval.

Left of the Dial

Bloody hell! Where did that wind come from? The walk in this morning was a tad Marcel Marceau-ish. And a lot colder than I had expected. Thankfully I'm not silly enough to think it's summer so I was prepared with scarf and gloves, but I almost wish I had had a hat. Official temp of 41, RealFeel of 32. Not really that cold, but damn, that wind is insane!!!

I was reading The West Virginia Surf Report a month or so ago and Jeff mentioned that he was listening to his Left of the Dial boxset. I went to amazon.com to check it out and saw that it was something that I would most definitely be interested in, so I called up my favorite CD store and asked them to order it for me. No problem. Well, the next day John called me to say that somebody had just turned in a USED copy and did I want that. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME????? HELL YES!!! Well, I got it last night and I'm listening to CD 1 right now and it is even cooler than I thought it would be. Yes, I know I’m stuck in the 80s when it comes to music, but I can't help it. That's what I like. My only issue is that, of course, the Joy Division song included is "Love Will Tear Us Apart." Sure, it's a great song, but geez, people, they did have more than one good song. Ah well, I guess I shouldn't complain, at least they included Joy Division. I want to go dancing.

I was hoping to get back to the gym this week, but I'm still experiencing pain in my back from the shingles and it's enough to make me not very happy. I'm really ready for it to be gone, really gone. I so want to be done with pain killers, too, especially since it seems that Vicodin has lost its magic touch with me of making me tired. I took one last night and yup, you guessed it, I was up half the night. So frustrating. I guess I'll stick to ibuprofen at night. Or Aleve.

I have a very full weekend ahead of me. I have symphony tickets for Friday night and I'm very excited about that, Shostakovich's Violin Concerto #1 and Bruckner's Symphony #7. I love them! Besides that I'm also moving this weekend. Ooooh, I have to call Detroit Edison, just a sec…..

I hate voice-activated voicemail dealies…PITA! I'd love to talk to a person!!!!!! And why can't they look up my account using my address? Why do they need my Social Security number? And why did I think to do this six minutes before my meeting with the Big Boss?? I'm so silly.

I don't think I've expressed my displeasure with Comcast recently, but since I just had the joy of setting up the process to transfer my cable and computer system to the new apartment, I have new venting to do! If you have Comcast cable you have seen the new and fun commercials where they try to tell us all about their new fabulous customer service. Well, I'm here to tell you it's a lie. First off, to transfer my cable (which we all know means they do NOTHING) and my computer service they're going to charge me over $40 ($15 for cable, $25 for computer) and since I'll be having a new address they will be ringing the bell of the new apartment into which I'm not technically moving until Saturday on Friday. I asked if there was any way that they could buzz me at the old apartment (same building, people, just a different apartment – this is NOT rocket science) and the answer is NO. I explain to her that I'll be at the old apartment doing whatever it is I'll be doing (probably packing shit up) and is there any way they could be buzz me at old apartment as it is in the same fucking building. The answer was NO. Hmm, I then ask, if I put a note on the front door asking to buzz me at old apartment would the service person do that. "Um, no, I can't guarantee that." Are you fucking kidding me??? I said, "So the new fabulous commercials that tout your new wonderful customer service is a lie?" She didn't really much care for that statement and got a little snippy and said, "It would be bad customer service for me to say yes they would since that would be a lie." Good point, but guess what, not mutually exclusive here, kids. It's still bad customer service when you can't put a second bloody number on the work form and say "Buzz at this # if no answer at first #." I ended the conversation with "If I had an option, I'd so be switching from Comcast." And hung up the phone. I hope they recorded that phone conversation for customer service whatever it is they say they do, but we all know they don't. And who wants to bet money that the service guy has issues with what I want him to do on Friday and he refuses to do it. Fuckers.

I think that's all the utility stuff I have to switch over…of course, I now need to beg, borrow and steal friends to help me move my shit on Saturday. The problem is that I have heavy ass furniture and not a whole lot of what I would call burly, heavy-lifting-stuff-type of friends. Ah well, I guess I'll send out the e-mail and see who is sweet and kind and generous and bored enough to help me out on Saturday. I'm going to try to move stuff throughout the week as the rooms are painted so that all that has to be moved on Saturday is the big stuff: bed, dressers, bookshelves, couches, TV. I guess we'll see how organised I am – not very.

Well, I've listened to all four CDs from the Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the 80s Underground and I have to say that I love it. There's only one song on it that I could eliminate which is pretty damn good for a boxset with over 80s songs in it.

I guess that's it for now…kind of a boring entry today, but hell, you all should be used to that by now!!!

Have a good one and keep your fingers crossed that the move goes smoothly!!!

Champ Car Season Starts This Weekend, Work Crap and Corrections

The 2005 Champ Car season starts this weekend! Yippee!!! Yay!!! To me that means summer is officially on its way and that means I get to go to races, which is pretty much what I live for. The first race of the season is the venerable Long Beach Grand Prix and I won't be there. *sigh* My friend Elaine and I went to it in 2000, so that'll have to keep me happy for a while, if forever, as the contract with the LBGP is up this year and the hated IRL is trying to snake their way into it. We hate them, you know.

The races I'm planning on attending this year are: Milwaukee, Cleveland, Toronto, San Jose (maybe), Vegas and Mexico City (REALLY WANT TO). Not too many now that most of our Midwest races are bye-bye. In the old days I would have also gone to Detroit, Michigan, Mid-Ohio, Chicago, and just last year, Road America. It makes me sad when I think about it. And when I lived in SF, I would, of course, go to Laguna Seca which is a race track I just LOVE! It's not a great track for passing as it's a tad old and the cars are so much more than they were when it was designed, but it still has the legendary Corkscrew which is just breath-taking watching cars go through the turn. I can't even imagine driving it! It's craziness!!! The drivers say that as you take turn 8-8a, all you see is sky as the track falls 50 feet down and then sweeps into Rainey Curve. Lots of people like to stand on the inside of the track at turns 8-8a, but I prefer standing at the base of Turn 9 (Rainey Curve) and watching the cars sweep through. It's one of the most beautiful sights in the world! Man, I love that race track.

Last Wednesday I met Ursamajor for dinner and when I got in my car to go to the restaurant, I saw that I had a note stuck under my windshield. The note was from a guy who had seen my license plate (personalised CHAMPCR) and had to comment as he's also a huge Champ Car fan. I laughed all the way to the restaurant and had to show Urs as she's also a Champ Car fan. This guy is having some people over to watch the race on Sunday and he's invited me to join them. I'm looking forward to it, as it's always fun to find more Champ Car fans with whom to bash Tony George and his ilk. I figured he'd withdraw his invitation when he found out how old I am, but he called the other day and mentioned it again, so I might not be watching the race alone on Sunday!

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I've been having trouble sleeping since I got the shingles and I had been blaming it on the painkillers, but I figured out (and had it verified by the doctor) that the cause was my new inhaler. I stopped taking it on Sunday and I've actually gotten some sleep. I had asked the doctor about the prednisone as well and she agreed that they were probably the cause of the night sweats I'd been experiencing. Talk about being completely miserable. That's been me at night for the past 2-3 weeks. Competely unable to sleep and when I would fall asleep briefly I'd wake up cold and sweating. It sucked! Instead of doing my inhaler morning and night, I will only be doing it in the morning with the same for the prednisone, until it's gone, I guess. I'm really looking forward to sleeping tonight, as I'm hoping to sleep through the night for a solid 8 or so hours. It'll be something new and unusual for me.

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One of my favorite co-workers is moving to a different building. I'm so bummed. He comes in the same time I do which gives me somebody to talk to at 6:00 a.m. He makes me laugh as he's a complete knucklehead. Damn, it's going to be lonely in here.

The good news portion of that is that one of the people leaving my building is someone who needs to be smacked upside his head. This guy is leaving my dept., going to a DIFFERENT building a mile away and he asks me, "Can you get me keys for my new desk?" "Um, no, you're no longer in my dept. And you have to get the keys from the building where you're going to be." "I was just trying to find an easier way to do it." Well, yes, you're quite right, it'd be much easier for you if *I* went to the other building and got your new desk keys for you, but give me a fucking break you lazy ass piece of shit. I'm telling you! Some of the inherent laziness around this place makes me crazy. I was trying to help out one person recently by informing him that parts he needed by a certain date hadn't arrived by that certain date. I sent him an e-mail informing him of this and suggested he contact his supplier to find out when and if they would be arriving. His response??? "Kathleen, please call Supplier." UM NO!!!!! For one, I do not have the name or phone # or relationship with the supplier. YOU DO! Or rather, you should. I wrote him back and said, "I don't have name or number." MUCH TOO SUBTLE!!! He sent me the person's name and number and then promptly left to go on vacation for over a week. And this was at something like 2:00 p.m. and trust me, he didn't get in before 9:00 a.m. Yeah, we got some hard workers here all right. I am NOT their secretary!!!

I don't mind helping people who are swamped and working 12 hour days and just really kicking butt. But when I know that the person is a lazy motherfucker who does jackshit all day long I have HUGE issues with them pawning crap off on me.

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Yesterday the weather outside was incredibly gorgeous, but inside it was SWELTERING. I was wearing a sleeveless, lightweight top, but was just sweating. Of course, it didn't help that yesterday was one of those run around like a crazy woman days. I had to make a run to another building and when I asked the shuttle driver to crank the AC as I was just beyond over-heated, he did something that caused all the cool air to be pumped directly into the back of the minivan. I got NO air at all. I was just dying. Sure, the building person sent out an e-mail saying that due to the unseasonably warm weather there might be cooling issues, but when I walked through the building I found the other areas were quite cool. It was 85F in here. No wonder I was hot. I like hot when it's outside because that's where it's supposed to be hot. When they make you work in a "climate-controlled" building, then fucking control the goddamn climate!!!! Or I'm putting a chair through the bloody window. One of the guys here insisted on driving me home because he was sure I was going to expire as my face was beat red. He took the long way with the air conditioning blasting the entire time. It definitely helped, as did the nice, cool shower I took as soon as I got home. Then I veged on the couch knitting away and watching I Love the 90s, Part Deux.

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Also, I must correct this entry where I claim that my favorite Nancy Drew was The Password to Larkspur Lane. I've been re-reading the books (in order) and I must say that my favorite one is The Secret in the Old Attic. The second I saw the cover I knew that it was the one. I loved that book!!! I don't know why I like it better than the rest, because they're all good, but something appealed to me. It might be that it was the first one I got as a present (I don't know that that is a fact, but I don't know why otherwise), whereas the others were hand-me-downs. I don't know, but IMO, they have all (so far) stood the test of time and adulthood.

And with that, I must leave you and finish up a finance report and then maybe I'll have some lunch.

Tigers Home Opener and NASCAR Drunks

I'm back at work. Ah, the excitement that is getting up in the morning, showering, dressing, leaving the house and sitting at a desk for 10 hours a day. It doesn't sound like much until you're stuck at home for two solid weeks with just the cats for conversation and company. I love my cats but they suck at dialogue! And I'm a people person, dammit. I need human contact!!! I'm notorious for not wanting to go out at night in a spontaneous manner, but that's when I've been with people all day long at work. Sitting home for two straight weeks is tough. I got so so so bored with my own company.

Yesterday was the Detroit Tigers Home Opener and I had tickets for the first time since (I think it was) 1981. And the weather was the same as it was then – HOT and SUNNY! In Michigan! In April!!! It was insanely ridiculous, but I was not complaining, even when I ended up carrying my jacket, sweatshirt, and blanket out while wearing just a T-shirt. Yup, a T-shirt in Michigan in April and let me tell you, I was HOT!!! No, not smoking *tststst* (sound of steaming escaping) hot, but sweating hot. Who'd have thunk it?

The day was an interesting one. Mine started at 4:00 a.m. when my alarm went off so that I could get to work by 5:00 and get 5 hours of work done before heading downtown. And I did it. I did my weekly reports that the bossman hadn't seen in 2-3 weeks due to my illness and went through my e-mails and voicemails (oops, that reminds me, have to call someone now) and then ran home (I actually drove to work yesterday – slacker) and made PB&Js for Glen, John and me. Darrell had pooh-poohed and ridiculed my offer of a PB&J, so he didn't get one. His loss. ;-)

I ended up driving although I was leery about putting four people in my car since the rear door on the driver's side doesn't like to close if it's accidentally opened. Promises were made….that's all I'm saying. ;-) Our first attempt at heading downtown was aborted at Michigan Avenue when I realised that I did not have my brand new 1935 World Series cap. It had gotten forgotten in the futile shuffle of trying to find a hat to fit Darrell's incredibly large head. I found it on the floor still in its plastic bag and then ran back to the car. The drive there was a joy since every fucking road in the metropolitan Detroit area is under construction – literally every single one. It's mind-boggling. We got there sans mishap and even got the VERY LAST PARKING SPOT in the Fox garage. SCORE!!!

We had plenty of time to wander around the stadium, but our first stop was left field so that Campbell could check out the statue of Al Kaline. Campbell was sporting the finest in home opener fashions with his very own formerly owned by Al Kaline mitt. VERY COOL!

We stopped into one of the shops to try to find Darrell a hat (or Tigers ears), but had no luck. I was bummed. I so wanted to see Darrell in the Tigers ears. It would have been sweet!!!! While wandering we ran into a friend who is 9 months pregnant. We're hoping the excitement of the game plus the Mucho Nachos induced labor, but I haven't heard anything yet, so I'm going to guess that it didn't happen.

The game itself was FABULOUS!! Especially if you're a fan of the long ball or Dmitri Young or my own very personal favorite, Brandon Inge. Dmitri hit THREE home runs. That's THREE home runs in one single season opening game. How cool was that!!!! And he scored on one of his other at-bats because he got hit in the hip by a pitch. It's all good. My Brandon hit a beautiful home run in the 2nd inning (after Dmitri had already gotten his first) with Carlos Peña on base. And when I watched the replay of the game last night, you could tell that Brandon knew the second the ball left his bat that it was gone. He didn't even look, just took off jogging down the first base line. Ah, it was beautiful.

Of course, for some reason all tickets that I get to baseball games (I don’t think it's the same for hockey since there was no hockey this year and I can't remember last year all that well – except for those stupid people behind Glen and me at My Igor's return to the Joe who made disparaging remarks about My Igor) come with instant drunken assholes in the row behind me. I don't know why this is, but it happens more than it doesn't. And yesterday was no exception. First off, it was just men everywhere. Very few women were there or children. Guess that's a clue not to go back for a home opener. The lines to the men's room were stupidly long – longer than the lines to the women's room at Cobo back in 1981 for the Bob Seger concert. And trust me, the lines didn't stop the men from drinking beer, beer and more beer. So, drunken NASCAR assholes show up behind us in the top of the 3rd inning (I'm sure it was because they were too busy drinking beer outside) and promptly asked how we got our three runs. So, we told them, being the good nice Samaritans that we are. Not that the loser believed us, because I guess a woman told him? Who knows…all I know is that Glen heard him say to the women in his group "Sit down, bitches." Ah, now there's some couth and class for ya.

And they just got better from there. At one point, I noticed something bizarre going on just in my peripheral vision and I turned my head toward Glen for a better look and sure enough, the fuckhead behind us was bopping a baseball-looking beach ball off Glen's head multiple times, and I heard him say something about needing to do it again. At that point, I turned my head and looked directly at Jackass NASCAR Loser Fan (they had proclaimed their love of NASCAR over and over again, so I was NOT stereotyping, thank you very much) and gave him the Look of Death. He stopped, but not because he wanted to, let me tell you. Glen had overheard him say that he had managed to get kicked out of every single Tigers Home Opener that he'd attended by getting into a fight and that was his goal for the day. Yeah, now there's maturity for you. This person was at least 40 years old, chronologically, but about 14 emotionally. And then we discovered that he hates Dmitri Young. And EVERY SINGLE TIME Dmitri would come up to bat this paragon of NASCAR-ness would yell, "Hit him the neck. I hate that cocksucker. HIT HIM IN THE NECK!" One of his cohorts said something about how that would injure/kill Dmitri and his response was "Let him die. I hate that cocksucker." Yeah, somehow they always find us. And from something Glen overheard, he simply didn't like Dmitri because he happens to be Black. Yeah, welcome to White Suburbanites as they make their one trip to Downtown Detroit in 2005. Still racist after all these years. Unfrickinbelievable. I'd like to pound the crap out of people like that.

After Dmitri hit his third home run of the game (only the third person in baseball history to do that, after George Bell and Tuffy Rhodes), Campbell was trying to get in the "Hit him in the neck" guy's face, but I had to stop him. That guy was stupid and drunk, and would have killed him, but it was hilarious seeing Campbell screaming, "Yeah, go Dmitri. You're the man!" And something about not hitting him in the neck. And jumping around like a mad thing. It was HILARIOUS! We had also determined around the 7th inning that after I had said that one of the players was cute that he got a base hit, so then we had to do that. Campbell jumped right in and said how cute Carlos Guillen was and then it was Darrell's turn, so he muttered something about Pudge being cute, but it didn't work. We told Darrell he couldn't do it anymore as he was a jinx, but Campbell was right there doing what he could to help the Tiges win. Not that it was really an issue at that point, but it was again stinkin' hilarious.

Glen would have joined us in the frivolity I'm sure but he had gone for a walk (to avoid getting into a fight with the fuckhead behind him) and thought he'd find a nice quiet restroom in which to pee. Well, once again, beer mixed with asshole turned against poor Glen and he ended up in a restroom where two guys felt the need to start a fight and the police came in, locked the doors and then proceeded to kick everybody in the restroom out….that would be out of the BALLPARK! Thank God he had his cell phone because he called us to say he couldn't get back in and he'd meet us at the car. We offered to leave right away but he said he was fine, so we watched the remaining inning and a half and then met him at the car. The poor thing never even got to pee!!!! And he's the biggest baseball fan of the group (well, he is probably tied with Campbell for that honor) and he missed half the game because some loser gets his kicks out of getting into fights. I hate loser asshole NASCAR types who can't handle their alcohol.

While watching the replay last night though, I had to laugh. Jeff Daniels, Hollywood actor and huge Detroit Tigers fan, was at the game and they had him in the booth and were talking to him. At one point, Mario asked him if he watched the other teams to see how things go down in relation to the Tigers, etc. Jeff said, Yes, and that he had watched the off-season signings and losses particularly. Then he said, "I think we have a chance to take the Central Division this year. Minnesota lost a few people." Mario, 'Yes, they did." Jeff: "And they picked up Eric Munson." I about fell off the couch I was laughing so hard. Jeff realised immediately what he had said and said, "God bless you, Eric." with his head on the desk, while Mario and Rod laughed. I was crying I was laughing so hard. Eric Munson was the bane of my existence last year as he just sucked royally. If there was an error last year you can guarantee that Eric was the cause (except for that Colorado game and that was Jason Smith's fault, but supposedly he's not that bad, so I'm supposed to give him a break this year – we'll see). I tried calling Glen to see if he had heard it, but there was no answer. Bummer. I did call Darrell and he had muted the TV, but I had to share it with him. It was too golden!!!!

That was essentially my day - all in all, it was a good one, but it would have been a lot better if drunken assholes would just stay home and if Glen could have enjoyed the game – the entire game!

I guess I'll wait another 24 years before I try going to another Tigers Home Opener.