Whew.....

Well, I'm glad that's over.....all the crap that makes up X-mas stresses me out. Why can't it be more like Thanksgiving? You still get the insane travel part and family dysfunction BUT, you get a yummy meal and time spent with friends with no giving of gifts to get in the way. Admittedly, it is fun to buy gifts for the people you really love but that's what birthdays are for, right? Nevertheless, I had a nice holiday with just my mom and my brother and Shana and found a lovely new set of luggage and some kitchen utensils with my name on them under the tree. Very nice, very nice, but still, I wish X-mas more about spending time with loved ones than worrying that they hate the scalp tingler (a very fun gift, btw) you got them.

Anyway, tomorrow I return to Cinti (there's no place like home) and my carpet that needs to be vacuumed and dry cleaning that needs to be picked up. As nice as my holidays were this year, I am ready for everything to return to normal. This time of year will be upon us again before we know it.

The power of language......

I'm not usually one to find fault with PPFA and the choices they must make to continue the wonderful work they do every day. But. I think they have made a huge mistake in renaming *The March for Choice* to *The March for Women's Lives* as a "reflect[ion] [of] the urgency of the issue and the huge diversity of thoe groups co-sponsoring the march. The new name better represents the broad agenda of those who support women's reproductive health, justice, and freedom, as well as access to family planning and abortion." Frankly, I just don't see how "March for Choice" is NOT inclusive of these issues. To me, "Choice" is more inclusive of the co-sponsoring groups but apparently PPFA does not share this opinion. I just feel like this is a means of de-radicalizing and neutralizing the purpose of this march. Further, why didn't they do this a few months ago? Here we are, almost 4 months away from the event and we are changing our message strategy. Not smart. And if affiliates decide to stick with the "choice" title, then we lose out on consistency....sigh.....

And now that I'm finished with my little rant, I would like to make a plug for the march and encourage you to register at www.marchforwomen.org. April 25, 2004. I hope I will see you there:>

Most of you know....

that I have quite the sniffer. I can smell someone in the room before I see him/her. And Angie's recent posting about not being able to preserve smells got me to thinking that while you can't actively preserve smells, you can be walking along and suddenly a smell takes you back to some moment in time that you weren't actively thinking about 3 seconds before. For example, I was in the stairwell at work and I smelled something that I couldn't immediately place but then realized that it was the smell of the building where I had pre-school. That and the smell of tempera paint. Or, one of the admins at my office wears W!ld Musk by C@ty and that's the smell of my mom from 1984-2000. You know, you walk into the copy room and suddenly you smell your mom and you remember sitting on your parents' bed watching her get dressed and put on make up and thinking that someday you will have a big girl job and will have to wear make up and high heels to work.

I wish we could preserve smells in an album of sorts. Like scratch and sniff photographs or something. Like the smell of your prom date (before he gots sweaty from dancing around like an idiot), the smell in the Gaul house family room on a Saturday night (a mix of taco dip, chlorine and ashes from the fireplace), and the smell of my dog after she's been bathed and fully dry (otherwise she just smells like wet dog). I bet there's a lot of money to be made in scratch and sniff technology. Maybe that's what I'll do after I retire to the spinster lodge in VT.......in between working on the maple tree farm and quilting.......

Family Ties......

Hmph. I'm adopted, I swear. Ah, I needed to get that out of my system before the holidays. My grandma gets upset when I ask if I'm adopted. If that's not quality dysfunctional family fun, I don't know what is......So. The X-mas season is upon us and a.) it doesn't feel like X-mas and b.) I haven't done any stressful shopping or card writing and c.) I have to deal with my mother's family. Oh god. The holiday is 2 weeks away and we are already having issues that I will not go into here although most of you are aware of them by now anyway. All of this is a result of having one's parent live with you and your family and then dealing with the stress by exposing other family members to the insanity. I'm seriously starting to think I might boycott X-mas this year and stay in Cincinnati. Except then my mom would be mad and I haven't seen my brother since Labor Day.......please just tell me I'm adopted.

This is for Scott.....

Go visit this website. I guarantee it will make you feel better:>

http://www.patheticpersonals.com/homeslice.shtml

I need a vacation to recover from my vacation......

Well, as most of you know b/c you were there, Thanksgiving in Lanky-town was by far one of the best holidays I have had in a very long time. There was Roots and whoopie pies, taco dip (without onions on one half), potato casserole and cheese to cut. Yum, yum, yum! I hung out in the hot tub with Angie and Alissa and later Tom stopped by to dip a foot in, I didn't make it to the craftshow b/c I forgot to bring my earrings to be fixed and that was my only reason for going, saw old friends and co-workers and had dinner at Isaac's twice. We had pictures taken with *Santa* and purchased funny (irreverent) Amish Country knick knacks. And there was lots of hair brushing:> Unfortunately there wasn't much sleeping but I can do that at home. Even dinner at my dad's was less dysfunctional this year. I didn't have fun, but I didn't spend the entire drive back to the Gaul house trying not to cry, so that was good. All in all, a truly fabulous time spent with my best girlfriends and family of the heart. I could not have had a better time. Love you all!

Lanky-town

I'm dreaming of a Lanky Thanksgiving....Hee! Can't wait to go to Roots and get a whoopie pie, have lunch at I's, hang out in the hot tub, have taco dip, go to the craftshow, see old friends and co-workers, and spend quality time with my very favorite people in the world. (Scott, sorry I'm going to miss you:<) Safe travels and see you all soon! Mwah!

I'm waiting......

for the other shoe to fall. It's inevitable, really. Now it's just a question of how much longer it will be. And I had really hoped that for once, that would not be the case.

This is for Carl.....

Here it is--my something worth publishing (well, not really, but something a little more substantive than say spam re: topical creams;>). So, last month J. and I went to see a photo exhibit featuring images taken during the war in Iraq. We went in support of the son of someone I work with who had recently returned from a TOD in Iraq. Dr. D is an M.D. in the Army and he put together this exhibit as the result of a promise he made to many soldiers to show these snapshots of what they were seeing everyday. Apparently, the Army now issues small cameras along with BDUs and supplies and the photos we saw were taken almost exclusively by soldiers in the Army, with the exception of a few taken by Marines.

Now, what we saw really does defy description, at least in my opinion, but I am going to try and explain as best I can some of what we saw. We saw images of children burned by phosphorus whose faces were horribly disfigured; soldiers playing soccer and football in the sand; patients being operated on on top of a dirty floor; soldiers sharing bottles of water with women and children; crying soldiers standing at a memorial of a fallen friend; a bloody leg that lay smoking in the middle of a road; bombed vehicles with burned bodies scattered about; Iraqi's kissing the hands of American soldiers; and more children with phosphorus burns. I cannot do justice to the images we saw, but I can tell you how very difficult it was to see and I was glad that I didn't see it alone. It's taken me a month to even put this on my blog because it has been hard to share what we've seen, albeit from the safety of an art gallery in Cincinnati.

And despite the few images of Iraqis who were obviously grateful for the presence of the American soldiers, there is nothing that I saw that ever made me feel that this war was justified. Not that I ever felt that it was justified, but here we are *trying* to rebuild Iraq, more soldiers are dying, and our government is too chicken to admit that we screwed up. And to me, the good that may result in the long run (new goverment, improved quality of life for women, etc.) will never be enough to justify the death of the innocent. So, there's my something worth publishing even if it did take me a month to get it up here.

The Offer......

Well, I got *the offer* on Friday. It's a great offer and, more than likely, the only one at this point. It's just not a good time to look for jobs in the UW system. I plan to accept in about 2 weeks once a few remaining details are hashed out, but now I'm struck by the realization that I will be living in Cincinnati (where 3-way means chili) for at least the next 2-3 years. Not that this is a bad thing, I really like it here, but it feels sort of strange. I had been hoping to return to the East Coast so that I could be closer to my favorite people and places but I guess that will have to wait a couple more years. I really do like it here. I like my job and my friends and the town (conservative though it may be) and the new boy (everyone, say hello to Jeff) and it's really nice not having to move. Well, I might move, but just to a bigger apartment. So, the offer......it's a good thing, as Martha would say. Time to get back to work.....

Greetings from Slacker-town.....

Well, it's been busy around here, that's for sure. If only I had a computer and internet access, I wouldn't be such a crappy blogger-type person. Anyway, my subject of choice for today is fall. I love fall. LOVE IT! It is absolutely my favorite time of year. I love the crisp feel of a light breeze that makes leaves do that cool swirly thing in the street. I love the indian corn and the pumpkin that I bought over the weekend. I was so excited to carve my pumpkin that I couldn't wait until until Halloween! I love that it's time to break out all my sweaters and end their summer exile in the closet I love fleece pants and sweatshirts on the weekends. I love, love, LOVE burning my Spankee Candle (Harvest is the best scent ever) while I lounge on the couch in my fleece pants with a good book in hand and a nice view of the falling leaves outside my patio door. Oh, and a cup of orange spice tea/hot apple cider too. I wish it could be fall almost all year round.......

Yes, yes, I am a slacker. I still intend to post something worth publishing but it will have to wait until next week. I would do it now but I am having a less than ideal day at work and desperately wish to order a large swirly alcoholic beverage....sigh.....

Earliest Memories....

I have a few early memories and while they are very fragmented they remain quite vivid. I remember my grandma's 50th birthday (most of you know she was very young when she got married and had my mom) and standing on a chair in the kitchen at her house and helping her blow out her candles. I remember that the cake had butterfiles made out of blue and purple frosting......and then I can remember an Easter Sunday, I was probably 3 or 4, and my mom made M and I stand at the front door while she carved our silhouettes into the wood with an exacto knife. I wore a fluffy white dress with lots of lace and a little white hat tied under my chin with a blue bow......I also remember my dad getting us ready to go to Nancy's house (the babysitter) and he would sit us on the toilet so we could watch him shave. The best part was after he finished shaving when we both got to have a little aftershave on our cheeks just like Daddy....And on days like I had yesterday, I wish more than anything that life could be as simple and joyous as they were when I was four.

My Fictitious Weekend....

Well, what would have been nice would be to wake up Saturday morning to discover that I did not have to give a presenation and could instead go back to bed for a few more hours. Then, when I woke up, I would find that my entire apartment have been cleaned by mysterious fairy people or similar, and even the dog would have been bathed:> Then there would have been a scrumptious breakfast and the words "fl*x points" would not have been uttered once. Oh, and someone would have done all the grocery shopping for me so I could lounge on my couch (no longer a crummy futon but a big fluffy couch for sitting and napping and more sitting and napping) and read books all day.
Other than that, I really did have a nice weekend and thanks to all of you for your many birthday wishes! Almost forgot--having a yummy massage from some hot shirtless guy named Manuel would have been nice;>

Now for a digression from the pre-planned GBC topic.....this year, I finally felt as though I was older. Normally, I don't feel any older after a birthday but this year was different. I don't know if it's b/c I am that much closer to 30 (which I believe to be the magic age so I am not upset about that) or if I finally have a place of my own and ergo I pay rent (that's a rather adult thing to do) or if it's b/c I have embarked upon a real life career path.....I'm not sure. Either way, it's been an exciting year and much has happened. And, funnily enough, I am in the same place I was last year regarding employment. At least this time I know I will have a job, but I don't know where. And I have real health insurance this time. Very exciting!

Anticipation.....

an-tis-i-pay-shun? Well, we've all had times when we eagerly anticipate something: an event of some sort, a new HP book, good news about a job, etc. Of course, there is the other side of that, the self-doubt, that occasionally plagues fun anticipatory thoughts. Currently, some of the things I am anticipating are: job offers from this organization and others (but what it I only get one offer?), my date tonight (wouldn't it just be nice to curl up in front of my new DVD player and finally see the first season fo SITC?), seeing my parents over the holidays (seeing my parents over the holidays?)....
Oftentimes, anticipation is the fun part b/c the event/situation is over so quickly, but you know, I'm starting to feel a little stressed. Just about the job thing really. Dates and HP books are fun and exciting (HP is on a consistent basis but dates aren't always) but the job thing is a little unnerving.

That's my bit on anticipation--it's hard not to let the job issue cloud my entry but that's what's going on here in my part of the world.

I am anxiously awaiting G's pick for "themed blogs" for our group o' friends. Until the designated theme for the week becomes known, I better do some work. Have a good day!

....and another one bites the dust....

This is the 3rd time I am entering this post....durr....need internet access at home. Maybe next year when I am a full-fledged employee instead of a "Fellow" (see intern in the dictionary). Anyway, I had one of moments this week that reminds you of why you put up with the sucky parts of your job and validates your career path of choice. I was at a well-known company headquartered here in Cinti giving a presentation. Part of the presentation involved hearing from a service-recipient (let's call her Ruby) from one of our funded agencies, and I cannot tell you how excited she was to be there. First, the company sent a black stretch limo to pick her up and then presented her with brand new glasses (guess what the company does...?) after her portion of the presentation. The company even paid her a day's wages b/c she had to take a day off of work to come do this presentation. I will tell you, Ruby has had a very exciting year. She got to meet a Hall of Fame baseball player last month and this week she had her very first limo ride. It was a very touching moment for everyone and expecially b/c Ruby was so genuinely thrilled to be there and the employees were obviously affected by the happiness and joy that Ruby shares with everyone she meets. This is why I come to work everyday (I know I didn't want to get out of bed this morning, that's for sure). It is such a beautiful thing when you can meet a person whose life you have touched and to work with a company that is so committed to this community.

In other news, I have removed my personal ads and have begun a dating hiatus. The emotional f*ckwittage was becoming unbearable and I know I deserve better. Bunch of freakin' crap, I tell you. Besides, with the end of my fellowship fast approaching, it's better to make that decision to stay here or go to another organization without the distraction of some cute boy....Given my last post, maybe I should start migrating toward New England to facilitate the building of my Spinster Lodge in VT......

Blarg...it's the end of the day and I am ready to go home. I wish I could say that I got to visit an amusement park over the weekend (like some people I know) but I had an equally nice time in Chick-a-go with my mom. We saw M*mma M*a and had a great time. And it turns out that we had dinner next to the male lead at the faboo Gr*nd L*x Cafe. For once my brother works at a decent restaurant (altho the OG does make a good strawberry margarita).

And yesterday I had a date with a nice boy with whom I have a lot in common but I'm not feeling any sparks. Durr. Now I know why people get married--so they can stop dating! To be honest, I don't really like all this dating stuff. Bleah. And who the heck knows what men are thinking when they go from calling you everyday to falling off the face of the earth. Whatever. G & A, we may as well start building our house in VT....

Good vs. really truly good....sigh...community service project or free tix to a R*ds game where I will be sitting 4 rows behind home plate...? I think I am going to the ball game. I am so bad...so very bad.

In other news, I agree with G, I'm not sure I could do justice to last weekend here so I will just say that it was truly fabulous and that's that. So good to see my very favorite people...love you!

And now for the weather report--it's raining men. But not the kind I was hoping for. It's raining men that are in their 40's (and are pervs), men with kids, and men from NYC. WTF?!? I live in the mid-west for pete's sake...sigh...not sure why I wanted to do this. There have been about 3 that seem decent so I am off to pursue that. More updates to follow...

Two trips down, one more to go...and I've saved the best for last. At this time next week, I will be laying in the sun and listening to the waves hit the shore...but no crazy sunburn allowed. Wedding pix are forever and I don't want to be the idiot with some crazy-looking sunburn in any of the pictures.

Had a great week here at UWA. Lots of new stuff to take back to Cinti and lots of excellent career advice. And a suitcase full of materials to lug home. Thank goodness I brought the big suitcase for this trip. We had a great week that was chock-full of fun activities. We got a tour of the W*st W*ng (the Ov*l Office is a lot smaller than it looks on t.v.) and I even got my picture taken at the podium in the press room. Last night we had a roof-top party at the tallest bldg in D.C. (besides the W. Monument, etc) and talk about a fabulous view. Someday I will move to D.C...not that there is anything wrong with the Mid-West. Well, time to go to the airport...

Well, another whirlwind of travel is upon me so this will be the last entry for a few weeks. Not that anyone would notice as there are never any comments (hint, hint, nudge wink). Have to go but feel free to comment in my absence...

It's monsoon season in Cinti...love the lovely monsoons. I haven't felt properly dry in 5 days. Weather man extraordinaire, LH, says the storms will be moving out my midnight tonight, but that means another day with bad hair and splash marks on my stockings. Life could be worse, I know, but a week of bad hair is just...bad.

So, I took the plunge and had my first date with someone who responded to my profile online. He is very nice and we had a good time. Unfortunately, we had a particularly nasty thunderstorm right before we met and it knocked out the power at all the restaurants at the complex where we met. So he had a drink in the dark and hoped the power would return but then after a while it became apparent that if we stayed, we'd never get anything to eat and so we went elsewhere. Stupidly I forgot that he isn't that much taller than me and I wore 2"heels. Oops. Anyway, it was a good experience and I'm sure we will go out again once the two of us are both in Cinti at the same time. Travel season is upon me, and him, so no dates for a while.

First off, Happy Birthday to Scott! Hee hee, you old man:> Anyway, I would like to remind everyone that I have known Scott for forever (or so it seems) and I can still remember him in his Mark Twain get-up for the 5th grade presentation thing we did on the 50 states (...fifty, nifty United States from the 13 original colonies...). I was Benjamin Harrison from Indiana. You know, I still remember that darned Fifty Nifty song. So, Happy Birthday Scott and can't wait to see you in a month and 4 days (not that I'm counting)!

So...HP5. I read it twice in one week. Why, yes, I am a nerd. But that's okay by me. Out of respect for those who have not finished their copy, I will refrain from mentioning specific details, but I do want to say that Rowling did an excellent job of capturing the angst-y and moody (no pun intended) parts of the teen years. Okay, I guess I should have said angst-y and moody 24/7, but at any rate, quite an enjoyable book and of course, I can hardly wait for the 6th installment.

Ok, it's Friday. And there is absolutely nothing on my calendar. What a beautiful day! Well, I have 3 "to do" lists sitting in front of me but this means I might plow through most of the items on my list. Yay!

I'll tell you, I could have slept in today. I did not want to get up at all. Now, this is a bit unusual for me as I have become an early riser and am up no later than 6am, but today, I didn't get up until 6:15. The problem is getting out of bed, because once I am up, I'm awake. I mean, I stumble into the bathroom and try not to fall back asleep while I relieve myself, but then I go make my coffee and life is good. And, my dog always comes to get me up when the alarm has gone off more than 2 times. She's good like that. And this morning, I could hardly get her to stop sticking her wet nose in my face.

So, this weekend I have much organization and cleaning of my apartment on my agenda. No HP marathon reading sessions. No taking 5 hour naps like I did a few weeks ago. Just cleaning and trying to figure out what the hell to do with my stuff. Now that it has finally stopped raining 24/7, I can put some stuff in my storage closet. There is definitely a flooding problem in the storage room but I think that I picked a closet that is in a drier spot. Let's hope so b/c I have a massive pile to remove from my living room.

We're having a blood drive at work today and I'm all signed up! I have found that the best thing to do is not look at the blood coming out of your arm and into the little bag. This is my good deed for the day, I suppose.

Not much else to mention except for HP5. Loved it! Loved it! I read my book in a total of 14 hours over the weekend. Of course, my apartment didn't get cleaned and my dog didn't get a lot of play time, but all is well now that I have my HP. Can't wait to read it again!

Must stay positive...I love my job. I really and truly love my job. But...I have come to the realization that I HATE events planning. HATE it. So, when today's golf outing is over and I am driving home to my dog, I will be done with events planning for the remainder of my internship. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!

In other news, after grousing about how difficult my father is to shop for and that Father's Day was just around the corner, guess who forgot to call her dad on Father's Day before he left for the airport? I am a doofus. And now today I must call and apologize for being an asshole and not calling my dad on F. Day. My brother didn't call either, so I am not alone in the asshole boat.

And in response to A's blog, I need to work on making new friends, too. I have some friends here but I want to make friends outside of the office. And a date wouldn't be so bad either. They have these young professionals groups that do social events and volunteer projects and everytime they are doing something cool, I am out of town somewhere. But not this month! This month I plan to do a couple of activities with the YP group. But not until after I've read the new HP book. That is definitely the first priority:>

Ugh...aerobics totally kicked my ass last night. Looks like an *dvil kind of day...of course, one does not shed 10 lbs. by sitting on one's ass. But we have a good time and I guess that's as good a reason as any to keep putting myself thru torture twice a week.

So, Father's Day is this weekend. My father is so hard to shop for. He could always use a new pair of pants or a shirt or something, but he's so damn picky and never wears the nice stuff I get him. Like the nice khakis I bought a few years ago that are still hanging in his closet with the tag still on...I suppose I could just take the easy way out and send him a new chamois. He likes those. I was trying to do a "Best of Cinti" type-gift-thing, but I am running out of non-perishable goods to mail to him. I could send him a car jar and a box of malted milk balls and call it a day. Darn him for being so difficult to buy for.

In other news, it's time to start thinking about "what next" after my internship is over in, like, 7 months. The organization wants to help us with finding new (permanent)placements (can't be an intern forever) and they have already started that process by telling us we need to at least start thinking about what cities or geographic regions. Now me, I've pretty much come to accept that I will need to be mobile for the next 10 years. I don't mind so much where I live so long as the position can take me to the next step. I'm NOT going to Arkansas. Or Texas. Or Florida. I do have my limits. I just can't believe it's already time to start thinking of what next. Even my CEO here in Cinti has asked that question. And of course, everything depends on the offer that he will make. I wouldn't mind staying here for 2 more years before moving on...sigh.....

The Fummer is back...I had the lovliest weekend. I got a full night's rest Friday and Saturday nights and had 2 naps that lasted 3-5 hours in length. It was...lovely...I went to the grocery store and the bank and the car wash and that was it. The rest of the time was spent lazing about my apartment. I did do laundry, tho. I had to, I was out of underwear. And now I am out of quarters.

So, yes, I did the moving thing and cleaned out my mom's house. I brought home an entire car load of stuff and my uncle took, like, 6-7 boxes with him to be picked up by me next weekend. How have I accumulated so much damn stuff? Part of it is b/c I am a woman and women get strapped with things like, china, for example, and tea sets and music boxes and tons of shit I don't need. But since it's worth $60 a plate, I'll keep it. And so I gave away the crib M and I both used, as well as the bassinette, and the B*rbie corvette (that was mine). Also, the CP Kids, stuffed animals out the wazoo, board games and the like. And then I went thru the boxes in my closet with letters from Andy B***n written in marker, old M*rch*nd*ser's with the marching band group photo on the front, notes, notes, notes folded in various shapes, group notebooks (that reminds me, where is the CJ?), and about a hundred birthday and holiday cards. I found more pictures (Ang, the ones from the night we stuffed our bras--little did we know that someday we would be so naturally and fabulously endowed) and old yearbooks and you name it, I saved it. It's so funny to look back on that time in my life, our lives. And here we are now...I wonder what's next?

Just to let you know that I will be out of town this weekend and half of next week, so I will be on a blogging hiatus. I have to help my mom move this weekend and I am attending a conference next week in Indy. Can't wait until my life is back to normal and there is no more out of town engagements. Not that travel isn't nice, but not for 3 weeks straight.

So, this is the weekend where I send my childhood toys to G**dwill. In fact, I was supposed to drive up to my mom's last night, and here I am at the office today when I should be going thru the G**dwill pile right at this very moment. I better get my work done so I can get going. Be back in a week or so!

Had a great time in Boston (So proud of you Manda!) despite the rain and chill...now must never take a vacation again b/c work piles up in my absence. Blarg.

This is a very sad day, indeed. My academic advisor, mentor, and a favorite professor has turned in her letter if resignation and is packing up her office. She will be moving back to NY and taking a research assoc. position at C*rnell. When an institution of higher learning denies tenure to an outstanding scholar and well-loved professor, it defeats its very existence as an instituion of higher learning. They should change the name from F&M College to F&M Money-Making Machine. That's how it seems to me. It's a very, very, very sad day....

Okay, no more complaints about my blog if no one is going to leave comments...This will be short anyway since I have yet to prepare for my monthly evaluation and I need to get crackin'...Work is good but busy, as usual. And I can't believe it's time for another evaluation. Time passes so quickly...I can't believe I have been here 3 months next week. Crazy.

Well, I am very excited about Amanda's graduation in 2 weeks--and not just because I get to go to Boston to see her graduate. An Ode to Amanda is forthcoming, I swear, but I just wanted to say how excited I am. Amanda, I am so proud of you! I am looking forward to time spent with my second family (Mrs. P included) and since this is really the only vacation I get this year, I intend to enjoy myself. And then, the following week, I have to help my mother move into her new apartment. While I am very excited about said apt. I am not looking forward to moving all this crap again. And it forces me to move out the rest of my stuff...even tho I have no place to put it...And not only that, but I have found that it is no longer practical to save childhood toys and whatnot for the imaginary future children that Matthew or I may have. I saved all my C*bbage P*tch dolls and furniture and the B*rbie corvette, etc. and now I am going to give almost all of it to G**dwill (a very fine UW agency). I am kind of sad at having to do that but I can't store it anywhere without paying an arm and a leg to do so, nor does my mother have the space to keep it for me, and who's to say any kid will want to play with this stuff in 10 years anyway? So, I picked out my favorite ones and will have to find someplace to hide them from dog-that-destroys-all-things-soft-and-furry. Suddenly, I find myself missing my 8 year-old self...

Alright. You complain that I don't blog frequently enough and then you don't even have the decency to come and comment. Darn you! Darn you!

Ahem...Ode to my dog on her 8th Birthday...I guess Shana can now be a member of AARD (retired dogs, get it?)...anyway...to my faithful animal companion who gets fur all over my bed and ocassionally gets in my hamper (little stinker)...who is always excited to see me even when I'm only gone long enough to take out the trash...who greets me with hugs and kisses when I come home from work...who loves me unconditionally and has outlasted a number of boyfriends (and even vomitted on one of them, hee!)...who never forgets to take me on our daily W-A-L-K (I dare not say the word)...who is so kind as to "help" me cook my dinner by standing under my feet and trying to catch anything that falls...who helps me spend my hard-earned money by eating foregin objects that force me to take her to the emergency animal hospital and pay to have said object removed or be forced to place a $30 phone call to animal poison control...who is a loyal, faithful and loving pet (kid with fur) who hates baths but loves to play and makes me the crazy dog lady I am so proud to be. Happy Birthday Shana!

Ahem...An Update by Kelly...well, you know who I am already. Yes, I apologize, I am a very bad blogger. Bad Kelly, very bad Kelly. Anyway, I will spare you the reasons for my poor blogger posting habits and I will now launch into my Ode to Angie and big, huge, enthusiastic congratulations to Alissa for a job well done. 3 more years to pillow hats. Sorry I couldn't be there:< I am so very proud of you!

Ahem...Ode to Angie on her 24th Birthday (are you really that old?) Happy Birthday to the person who: remembers every foreign object eaten by my dog...always helps me with the job application process...made pet resumes for Shana (loved those)...is a tireless cheerleader...talked me thru many a moving-back-to-Lanky strategy...remembers that I love yellow roses...whose *butt* calls my cell phone and leaves funny "ketchup, please"-type messages on my voice mail...is also a crazy dog lady like me...writes down predictions for the last 3 HP books and tells me all about them on a train ride to the F**ld Museum in Ch*cago...spontaneously decides she wants to make homemade soap in the Br*dy B*nch kitchen at 11:30 at night...shares almost all the same fun, fearless feminist values I do. Happy Birthday sister of the heart! I love you!

Bad Blogger Kel-ly. Durn it. Just been so busy. So, here I am on a Monday afternoon and seriously dreading the meeting I have to go to in an hour. I swear time stands still during those meetings. I wish I had some candy to make it better...left all my candy at home and now will have to purchase candy from evil vending machine upstairs...

So, if you are looking for something to do this summer, why not come visit me? There's tons of stuff to go see and do and besides you'd be spending time with me...Doesn't that sound like fun? But don't come after the 3rd week of July. This is a strictly first half of the summer kind of offer. I miss you all so much and wish I could have come to Lanky for the so-called holiday weekend. Instead I did a mountain, yes a mountain, of laundry and attempted to find creative ways to store things in my tiny storage-less apartment. Really I should just put in giant shelving units on all the walls and eliminate the storage problem but then I couldn't have furniture. R-Maid needs to come up with a line of storage couches/chairs and the like. At least I have a roof over my head...

It's good to be back in Cinti. Only have a second here but I had a great time in Nashville and hope to attend this conference again in future years. Very busy week ahead and to make it worse I rec'd the news that my academic advisor/mentor/favorite professor was denied tenure. Needless to say I am very upset by this and seriously considering a big F**K OFF to the Professional Standards committee. And to the institution as a whole that will not be receiving any more of my money if they do not repeal this decision. That being said, I need to go home now and start writing some letters.

Ah, the Fummer returns from a brief foray in the Windy...very busy weekend and very glad to be home. Esp. now that I have *my own place to call home*. Love that! I had a nice time helping my grandma with her show but I don't think I plan to do any more this year. I just dread the whole packing up and loading the van part that comes at the end. My grandma always brings more than she needs (or has ever used--at least to my knowledge) and insists on loading the cart so full that it tips in the middle of the street. And then we have to go to the storage facility and see the creepy old guy that works there. Anyway, I'm glad to be back although it was nice to see my mom and my friends.

I'm happy to report that I have not seen any bugs en mi casa lately. A little spanglish anyone? My supervisor is taking a spanish class and it is so funny to hear her speak--you know "hab-lo." Too funny. It makes my espanol sound close to fluent, I'll tell you. We went to Ch*potle last week and I taught her how to give her order in spanish. At least she tries. I keep saying that I will take a class one of these days. I'm settled in to the new job and apartment...I need to get my rear in gear. But there's always some reason to put it off. There's softball starting next week and book club and...crap. I'm running out of things. Maybe I could buy a CD and listen to it in my car. But that cuts down on NPR time. Well, I need to go home and starch/iron my blouses and pack my stuff. By goddess, I'm going to go see Minnie Pearl's hat on display if it kills me!

The bad blogger returns to make a short entry...it's Tuesday and I have a very busy week ahead. I'm going to Chick-a-go on Friday to help out at my grandma's quilt show, having brunch with friends on Sunday and then making a mad dash back to Cinti since I have to be at work Monday morning. At least I'll get to raid my grandma's huge stash of fabric. Time to start a new quilt. Except that I sort of didn't finish the last one so I better get my rear in gear before she comes to visit my in April. Must have a finished product. Really I have no excuse for not having it done.

Things are good here in Cinti. Nice weather and grass is a-growing. Of course, the bugs are a-coming in my house b/c of the warm temps so must take some extreme bug deterrent measures. Besides just squishing them on my wall and leaving a lovely brown streak on the white paint...Not a fan of those uninvited guests and my dad isn't around to kill/spray the critters for me. Now being the independent and self-sufficient woman that I am, I will squish/spray the critters and hang the art work and all the other stuff that dad's do. Much as I love my dad, and appreciate his help, I am glad to be 492 miles away:> And 280 away from my mom:> Which is almost, but not quite, as good as being in Siberia or something.

Yes, I am a bad blogger. I only have, like, 2 minutes and then it's back to work. I am suddenly very busy with work and starting some really exciting projects so things are good. I have made some friends and have been quite social. I have to make myself sometimes but it's just that I really enjoy time to myself in my BIG GIRL APARTMENT where I LIVE ALL BY MYSELF!!!! Hee hee. The weather is quite nice and I can't wait to put some potted flowers on my porch. I'd plant some but there are some tennants whose cats run loose and will trample my beautiful landscape:> Also, I booked my tix to Boston after 1.5 hours trying to figure out why I wasn't getting a confirmation. Silly me ended up with a total of 8 attempted reservations on D*lta flight whatever I picked. Oops. So, going to Boston and am so very excited. Must run but be sure to leave lots of comments...

Happy (belated) Birthday to Manda! I mean, I didn't forget but I am belatedly posting it on my blog. And Happy (very belated) Blog Birthday Posting to Alissa and Hef, for that matter! So much love to all of you and just remember that you will all turn *50* before I do, or Gwen, thus making G and myself the Blanches (think Golden G*rls) of the group. Without the gratiutious sex with many partners, serious denial about our age and no blue wrap-around dresses with huge shoulder pads. Hee hee!

Am a bad friend! Hee! Not much going on her in Cinti...I still haven't kept my kitchen table clear of clutter for more than a day at a time. I think I have turned into my mother and that scares the bejeebies right out of me. Hmm...I am fully insured now! That's reason enough for celebration in my book. I should have a party for myself. Maybe now I can afford some thera-pie;> Must run...be sure to make lots of funny comments!

Okay, blog is back to normal. Hee hee! I just read G's blog about the day she spent in my hotel room. Hee hee, testing fire alarm system. Guess I should have mentioned that to you...Except that I didn't know about it until the end of the day when I saw a paper shoved under my door advising of said event. Anyway...

Well, I am back in the world of work. So far there is no data entry and probably there will never be any for me to do (whew)! So much has happened in the 3 weeks since I have been in blogging-country that I am in a mad dash to catch up. Unfortunately I do not have the leisure to write a nice long passage about my exploits but I will say that I have been having a great time. With the exception of spending too much time with my family during the moving process. Def. too much bonding time. I think I might be ready to see my dad again in July. Not that anything bad happened, but it was 24 hours a day, every day for 4 straight days and I just can't stand being around anyone for that amount of time. So anyway, things here in Cinti are good. Big girl apt. is shaping up nicely. I am going to spend fab. gift certificate to P**r 1 this weekend and buy one of those nice dresser thingies that G has in her room. I still have a crap load of laundry sitting in laundry baskets. But they are NICE laundry baskets. The nice R-maid kind that you can hold against your hip and has the sturdy handles on them! Yay for laundry baskets!

Have already started making friends--v. excited about this! I will be going to an art gallery this evening with another intern (she's interning for credit) and her friends and we will be having dinner and then going to the gallery. I expect to see some other co-workers in attendance--some of whom I spent Wed. evening with at a happy hour, or POETS, as they call it here. Must go and prepare myself for a day of meetings. Meetings ARE good!

testing...

...Whew...in a terrible rush. Sorry my blog has lay fallow for a while. Hmmm..where did I get that choice of words. Will blog again soon. Cinti is good so far. Must find a pcp and a dentist. CANNOT fly to Lanky just to see Dr. G. Just not feasible. Also, cannot fly to Lanky to see Kim or Dr. W. Definitely out of the question. Bleah!

Big Girl apartment is good and Big Girl Cubicle is, well, good. It the first time that I've had a whole desk all to myself. No one to put their germy hands on my keyborad or mouse or to breathe their germs all over my phone. Ick! Must dash but love to all and please send lots of comments! Still don't have a new name for the fabulous blog!

Okay. Going to have to change the name soon...still no proper suggestions (no offense). Maybe Fummer Trying to Find Herself. Or Fummer who is about to take a blogging hiaitus. Did I spell that right? So, yes...Moving Day is fast approaching and will commence on Feb 3 weather permitting. I think I may have ironed out most of the wrinkles in the moving plan but it will all remain to be seen, huh?

But I am officially unemployed at the moment. I was given the boot yesterday after lunch. No more data entry and no more auditing. I remember when I thought I would never be done and then suddenly, it was finished. Now I can properly deal with the anxiety that accompanies the start of a new job. Yikes! Promise to blog again before starting hiaitus.

You know, I never REQUESTED that I get email solicitations for p*nis enlargement. WTF?!? Really. And since I'm on the subject of p*nises (is there a plural form, I wonder), this morning on my favorite morning show in Chicago (I can listen to it on the web) they had a guy on from "P*ppetry of the P*nis who can make his p*nis into different shapes. Now, how does one discover that he can make his p*nis into the shape of a turtle, hamburger, or Loch Ness monster? And I guess that the show is so popular that they are holding casting calls for men to be in the show in Chicago. I think he said that the shows have pretty much sold out world wide. He also says it doesn't hurt to perform p*nile manipulation. Not sure what I think about this. But since I'll be in that area in the next 2 weeks, maybe I should get some tix and see for myself...

I finally went. I saw it in real life. It was...beautiful. I saw the butter sculpture at the Farm Show. Hee! Actually, it was really cool and I had a good time with H. We had a baked potato and the best milkshake I've ever had. We saw lots of cows and horses and rabbits and of course, the butter sculpture. It was a cow this year and I got a picture of myself posing with it. We saw tractors and combines and horse pulling contests. Clydesdales are the biggest animals that I have ever seen in real life (not counting the elephant I saw at the Philly zoo when I was 12). It was so cool. I wish I had time to go back for "Sheep to Shawl" but I just couldn't make it.

And here I am in the Land of Data Entry with a stack of pledge forms 3.5 inches high...sigh...I think I'm only here for another week or so. I still haven't started packing or anything. I have so much crap to sort and put in boxes or throw away. I don't really like moving b/c it just involves so much packing and unpacking and it forces you to own up to your pack-rat tendencies. I guess it's a good thing in that respect. I should hear this afternoon if I'm approved for this apartment that I want. Keep your fingers crossed:> Yay! Big girl apartment for me! The imaginary apartment will finally be reality. Except for the decent furniture part but that will come in time. Besides, I'd just have to move it again in 11 months when I get relocated for a permanent placement. And next time, I'm hiring movers, dammit!

So much to do and too little time to do it all. Bleah. I'm still looking online for apartments and out of all the ones I've searched, only 3 are within 10 miles of my office. And I meant to start a little packing this weekend but I didn't get that far. By packing I mean dumping the papers out of my vegetable bin (soon to be a sock and underwear bin) and taking the bin to my dad's house along with the dog food and books and knickknacks, etc. Packing won't be so bad since I don't have all that much stuff here in Lanky and almost all the stuff at my mom's house is already packed in a box and taped shut. So I am leaving this week to go look at some places and hopefully sign lease by Friday pm so that I can head back to PA on Saturday. A big thank you to BANG! for the great pet resume for Shana:> Which reminds me that I have to call the vet. Gotta go!

Perhaps I should resolve to be better at blogging this year...I would like to note that I have successfully kept a resolution from last year and have continued into 2003. Brace yourself for this one: I floss regularly b/c of a resolution I made for 2002. I also made it in 2000 and 2001 but it didn't seem to stick. I am oh so proud of myself:> I'm still working on resolutions for this year, one of which will be to take more time for reflection which I am sucking at already...So, I guess I'll have to change my blog title now that I'm moving again. Any ideas, G? "Fummer in Cincinnati"? That's lacking some...punch, perhaps. It could be called "If Ya Smell What the Fummer is Cooking." Hee hee hee. I am so funny:> Well, back to work...

I.Finally.Got.A.Job. Wheeee!!!! Yay me! I am so very excited about getting a job and no longer being *second choice* for everything I interview for. La la la la la. And now that the waiting is over and I know that I am going to *Cincinnati* (yes, WKRP and all that) the panic has set in as I think about all that I have to do within one month's time. But I have health and dental insurance!!! So much to think about...And to think that I have to relocate within a year to a new organization is something that I cannot even begin to entertain. One thing at a time. Must find a new vet, bank, doctor, residence...whew...But first I must get back to work as there is trouble in the Land of Data Entry.