Monday, April 30, 2012

Yay Stuff

Here is some cool stuff that's been going on lately:

The boys got in to their school of choice. Go Falcons! I met with the assistant superintendent on Friday. She gave me a cockamamie bull story about not making the boys go somewhere that they didn't want to go. Sure...except they didn't want to go to the other school a month and a half ago, seven appeals ago, more than one politician and lawyer ago. Doesn't really matter I guess; they got in and they're happy about it.

Girl on the Corner wrote another book. She always lets me read them before she publishes them and I'm so excited to start reading this one. I'll let you know as soon as it's published so you can buy your own copy.

My yoga challenge is done today. I feel really good but don't think I'll continue to go every single day. It got to the point where the instructor would say "Set your intention for today's practice" and I'd think "I'm pretty sure my intention should be to feel peace or to focus on perfecting the poses, not to add a sticker to the chart that shows how many classes I've done this month." On the other hand, I was running my hand down my arm the other day and was startled to find a lump. It took me a minute to figure out that it was a tricep.

I get to go away with BFF in the summer. We're sitting down this week to plan. I love having something to look forward to.

I hope cool stuff is going on for all of you too.

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Monday, April 23, 2012

Weekend Haiku

the sun was shining

on a deck in the mountains

I pretended to read but just so you wouldn't think I was lying there with my eyes closed while my girlfriends went for a walk around the lake.

What? A haiku is 5-7-34 isn't it?

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Funny

It seems I've been quite serious lately. Sorry about that. I so rarely get riled up about anything; it's a foreign feeling to be all consumed.

Here are some stupid/funny things I've done lately:

1. Yesterday I was watching tv when my phone rang. I answered in a creepy whispery voice because the people on tv were having a conversation and I didn't want to interrupt. And then I was laughing so hard I couldn't explain to the caller what my problem was.

2. I was being badass on Monday. So I skipped yoga (gasp) and then I also ate unhealthy food. It was like I was trying to show some authority figure that I couldn't be controlled. I'm a rebel and you're not the boss of me. Except it kind of backfired because I am actually both the authority figure and the boss of me and I had to work extra hard yesterday to make up for it.

3. While dropping their luggage off at the school the night before their school trip, the boys were told that they would need waterproof clothing. They did not feel like going to buy any so we asked if they could wear plastic garbage bags. Then we went home and I decorated some plastic garbage bags for them. I drew a suit and tie, a shirt unbuttoned to the waist with sporadic chest hair and a heavy gold chain, a quirky lion wearing shutter shades, and another that said I heart my mommy.
The boys hope that it rains so they'll get to show off their fashion clothing.

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Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Poor Baby Gonna Cry

My brother used to say this to me whenever we had an argument. It drove me nuts, and, of course, never failed to make me cry. I like to think that if he said this to me now, as a grown-up, I'd handle it much better. But every once in a while, on the right time on the right day, it would still make me cry. Right this very second, for instance, would work for him.

It's gloomy out today; that doesn't help.

The boys have gone on a school trip. And though I'm partly thrilled to have some time to myself, I will miss them. I like them; they're pretty awesome.

One of my monthly contracts involves interviewing companies to feature them on a website. I get the names of the companies off the directory on the website and call them to ask a few questions. It's surprising how many companies are not interested. And, try as I might not to take it personally, so many people in a day rejecting me makes my self-esteem even more fragile.

And speaking of rejection, the boys are still not in their school of choice. But I'm not giving up. I'm waiting to hear back from teachers, a principal, some politicians, and a lawyer. Surely, one of those people can help.


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Since I started writing this morning, I've had two phone calls. Both governmental type people that want to help. It might be a sign that I should stop feeling sorry for myself. Also, the sun has come out. And both boys have texted. So, fine, maybe I won't cry then.

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Monday, April 16, 2012

Snob

I don't know where I get off being so high and mighty sometimes. It's not like I wear only haute couture or have my hair styled weekly, or even bother to put make-up on most of the time. But, geez, I can be so judgey.

I was getting ready to go to Dinner Theatre (again!?) on Saturday night and complaining to a friend that I was tired and didn't feel like getting dressed.

Friend: You're never going to get lucky with that attitude.
Me: How am I going to get lucky at dinner theatre on a platonic date anyway?
Friend: Well, the dress has a pretty low v. That's a good start.
Totally judgemental and snobby me: Fabulous. The dinner theatre crowd will flip back their mullets, hitch up their massive belt buckles, and fight my date. How romantic.

Regardless, none of the mulleted cowboys even gave me a second glance. Hmph.

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Friday, April 13, 2012

Five Favourite TV Shows

Split into genres because I have a lot of favourites and I don't want to write about my favourite sit-coms and not have room for my favourite reality show or drama.

Sit-com
Right now my favourite is "New Girl." Zooey Deschanel is quirky as hell and it's the one show I can count on to make me actually laugh out loud (as opposed to thinking "that's funny" but not actually laughing). My favourite line, and one that I've started using: (Jess tackles Nick in a friendly game of football causing his back to go out. He says he's fine and walks away) Jess says "Are you sure you're ok? You're walking like a Disney witch. Let me drive you to your doctor."




Drama
My DVR is full of shows that I watch every week. So, to pick a favourite in all the genres is difficult. So, in this category, I'm picking long-time favourite. And the winner is..."Grey's Anatomy." I do really like this show, but probably the best thing about it is that every Thursday night, my neighbour friend comes over and we watch it together. This has been going on since before the show even started (when we watched "The OC" together every Thursday). We don't talk; we just watch and then she goes home. Easiest friendship ever!

Reality
Hands down "The Biggest Loser." I watch other ones, but they're mostly stupid and this one is amazing just to watch the transformations, not only physical transformations but the contestants seem to become better and stronger people mentally as well. Plus, Bob and Dolvet are sooooo nice to look at.





Game Show
My favourite, and the only one I watch, is "Jeopardy." I'm really smart, you guys. I answer a lot of the questions correctly, and if not correctly, always loudly and that always startles the kids which is part of the fun of the show.

Kids
Another tough one. The boys don't watch as much Disney channel as they used to; mostly the tv is tuned to the NFL network. But occasionally, when they're not home and I have the tv to myself, I'll throw on some "Hannah Montana." A couple of weeks ago, the Sunday Disney movie was her movie. It was a good one. I don't want to give away the ending, but I think it all worked out for the best.

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Thursday, April 12, 2012

Immersed

You know when you're so immersed in your life that you think anyone talking to you must be so sick of hearing about the same thing over and over again but you really can't help it because at this very moment those are the only things that you can focus on?

To whit (that's a cool word that I've always wanted to use):

My kids have still not been accepted into their chosen school. We have been denied five times. I am taking it to a higher power. In the school board, I mean, not, like, God or whatever. It's very hard on my self esteem to keep getting denied even though I know it's not personal. All the same, I think that's what "They" are counting on and that I'll just become so despondent and sad that I'll go away. I'll go away when I've found justice *looks into the future with hands on hips and cape fluttering behind in a classic superhero stance*

And the other thing? This 30-day challenge at yoga is simultaneously kicking my ass and making me feel like maybe it would be nice if I let me have something for me all the time. Because I'm going away for a couple of days later in the month, I've done two classes in one day a couple of times. So I'm 46.2 per cent done. Yay! That's almost halfway. On the other hand, I think my kids are starting to feel like yoga orphans (that's like a golf widow except for mom instead of husband and yoga instead of golf and yes, I totally get that that might be a little overkill on the explanation).

So there you have it. Maybe tomorrow I'll have something different to say.

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Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Please

Rarely do I want something so badly that I'm willing to fight for it...or even try that hard to get it.

I'd like to lose at least 20 pounds, but not enough to stop eating Easter chocolate and those damn cookies my mom keeps making and sending over for the boys.

I'd like to have more money, but not enough that I'm willing to get a full-time, out of the house job and deal with the politics of an office all day long or even enough to look for freelance work rather than just let it fall in my lap.

I'd like for the boys to have their own laptops, but not enough that I want to research all that technological gobbly-de-gook in order to find ones that are perfect for their needs, both now and all through high school.

But, for this one thing: I am fighting. I am calling people and emailing them and making myself a pain in the ass. I am using logic to convince them and when that doesn't work, I am using emotion.

My kids are only allowed to go to the school that they're designated to. The problem being, they've always wanted to go to the other high school. Always. Their dad went there, I went there, most of their extended family went there. It's where they always assumed they'd go. But now the school board says "NO." And I know it doesn't seem like something to fight for, really, what difference does it make? They're both good schools.

The difference is that my kids want this! And with the other disappointments that they've had in the last year, maybe it's this one tiny thing that I can get for them.

Please.

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Wednesday, April 4, 2012

OW!

Obviously, by "return to our regularly scheduled program" I meant I would write whenever I damn well please, not every day like I had been. Just kidding. I'm trying; I really am.

Anyway, today I'm at a local high school working in the library. It is one of my very favourite places to be, so I took the day off writing work so I could be here.

The thing about this library is, though, that there are two levels. And, yes, of course, there's an elevator, but it's inconvenient to use so I just use the stairs. The twenty-four stairs that take me from one level to the other.

Did I mention, by chance, that I'm doing a 30-day yoga challenge? And while I realize that I've only done three days, my thighs feel like maybe it's been a little longer. And every stair adds one more day to that. And I have to go up and down these stairs pretty often.

OWWWWW!

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Monday, April 2, 2012

Some Stuff I Did

Spring Break is over.

Some stuff I did that kept me from Lily Starlighting:

- I caught up on my reading. My goal was to read more than 47 books this year. I just finished number 16.

- X's cousin came to visit. 'member how I said she was the best guest ever? I may have been a little premature on saying that. Not that she's horrible. Cause she's not. She's really nice. But she's a talker...to the point that people in my household may have taken to hiding in their rooms with their doors closed.

- I signed up for a 30-day challenge at the yoga studio. That started yesterday. I've gone twice. I'm 6.7% done.

- I managed to get all my work done even though the boys were home for a week. Because I am a rock star!

- I celebrated my brother's 41st birthday. He's an old guy!

- Also it was Sugarplum's birthday. I won't say how old she is, but she's younger than me by quite a bit.

- I went to a dinner theatre. I made my debut on stage as a female floor hockey player. I was not asked back. Surprising.

- I went to a movie with the boys, X's girlfriend, and her son. We saw "Hunger Games." The boys were nervous to see those other people but it was fine and relaxed so that was a relief.

- I got a pedicure at the school where people learn how to give pedicures. It wasn't the best pedicure I've ever had; it's already flaking, but I like the friend I went with and I never get to spend enough time with her, so that was cool.

That's pretty much it. We can now go back to our regularly scheduled programming.

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