More of Nothing - including too close to home school bombing

Let's see, how will I bore you now? I have no news on my medical issues – couldn't get in to see the doctor for the more invasive tests until after Labor Day – so I'm guessing that's supposed to indicate a "no big deal" kind of thing…still, do we ever feel it's no big deal when it's happening to us?

I had a lovely birthday, thanks for all the well wishes. Actual day of I went to my favorite bar after work and had a boatload of work friends show up. The weather was decent (didn't rain, although it threatened later in the evening) and I decided to celebrate my birthday with margaritas. Yum.

I've been working for my current company for 9 years, but it's a pretty big company, so I don't know everybody. Anyway, someone said to me, "So-and-so came to your party." Now, I had zero clue who So-and-so was, but turns out he's kind of high up. Whatever, besides he wasn't there for my party, he was there with his own department. One of my friends is fairly high up (it's all relative at my company as the hierarchy is a bit insane) and knew this man. He talked to him and then brought him over to say Hi. So-and-So asked what the occasion was and I said it was my birthday, and these were my friends. He asked what department, and I said, "Well, that group's from this program, these here are from this department, blah blah blah." He then asked, "Well, what department are you?" So, I told him, but I could tell he was a little thrown by the diverse group. It's normal to go out with your own department, but to make friends in other departments?? That's weird. That's what I get for working with a bunch of engineers. ;-)

Every morning (or most), I go to www.freep.com to check on Detroit news and then I go to www.sfgate.com, mostly for the Day in Pictures, but also to see what's going on in the Bay area. This morning, I got quite a shock. Did anybody outside the Bay area hear about a bombing at a local high school? I know I didn't.

The reason it was such a shock is that it was at the high school near my aunt's house which means that I was pretty sure it was my cousin's school. I jumped on Facebook (See? It is useful.) to check my cousin's status. Sure enough, it was her school. I damn near had a heart attack. Nobody was injured and my cousin didn't even know about the bombing until she was evacuated because she was on the other side of the school, but still. This 17-year-old apparent drop-out had made ten pipe bombs (he detonated two, before being rushed by two teachers into another teacher and the three tackled him to the ground), a sword and a chain saw. Supposedly, the plan was that as students came running out of classrooms to escape the bombs that he would attack them with the sword and the chain saw. Thanks to quick acting teachers and the principal, he was swiftly subdued and we have a happy ending.

Does anybody want to come to Detroit and go to the Zoo with me? I want to go, but won't go alone – it's too boring not to have somebody with whom to share the zoo and the animals' antics. Complete strangers think you're a weirdo if you talk to them and I need someone to whom I can say, "Oh, look how cute the rhinos are."

Really Nothing - Revised

Hey all, it's been too long since I've blogged. I'd like to say it's because I've been doing something fabulous, but that would be a bald-faced lie. I haven't felt like doing anything at all. I've barely done any knitting. I've made a few rosaries (with two more to make), but I've actually been watching TV without doing anything else at the same time. That is so not like me.

I write great blog entries in my head when I'm nowhere near a computer, but now that I have the time and inclination, I can't remember those great blog entries in which I'm brilliantly clever and funny.

I just read this story and dammit! It makes it really hard to hate the Yankees organization. It made me cry - I'm a wuss, I readily admit it.

This morning I heard on the radio something that had me scratching my head, questioning whether Americans really are this stupid. The report was that GM had done a study where they found out that people didn't know that Chevy and Cadillac were brands of theirs (apparently Chevys and Cadillacs are selling, while anything with a GM badge wasn't – I'm thinking GMCs), so they were going to start NOT badging their GMCs – no clue what they're going to call them, but to those of you who don't live in southeastern Michigan, is this true? People don't know that Chevy and Cadillac are GM brands? Along with Pontiac and Buick? Even if they are killing off the Pontiac brand (something they should have done before they killed Oldsmobile, IMHO).

One of my co-workers was pregnant, due at the end of September, so I made her some cute little booties and then started a sweater to go with the booties as I chose red yarn and I figured babies don't get a boatload of red clothing. Anyway, I say she was pregnant because she gave birth Friday night – six weeks early – and the darn sweater isn't done!!! Because as I pointed out earlier I haven't been doing a damn thing, not even knitting. So, now I need to finish the sweater, and then make a preemie hat. I'm thinking that if I could find an adorable dress in white with red swiss dots that the red sweater and booties would be perfect. Hmm.

Hmm is right. I reached a point in the sweater where I don't know what the hell to do, so I packed it up to take to work tomorrow, so my friend Mary can help me. She's an amazing knitter and doesn't let little things like Cast on 2 stitches in the middle of a row worry her. So, I've started a hat.

My birthday is tomorrow and I have to tell you that I got the most amazing present from a group of my friends...a hand-painted picture of Ian Curtis by someone I actually know. She's a very nice young woman (that's how you can tell I'm old - I have a good 20+ years on her) and I'm honored to have her art in my house, as corny as that sounds.



I received some not so fabulous medical news today. I won't know anything for a few weeks, but in the meantime, if you could keep me in your thoughts and prayers (if you're so inclined), that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

And because it has been requested...CATBLOGGING!!!