Daydreaming (108 days!)

I was just saying to Crisitunity that I feel like I’ve been neglecting my friends’ blogs. I am reading (though sometimes I am guilty of skimming, sorry!), just not clicking through very often from my feed reader to comment. For that, I apologize. There is no excuse for not making time for your friends. I hope to fix that in the very near future. I love you all!!! Really!!!

So, lately I’ve been daydreaming. Thinking about the time, 108 days, 5 hours, and some minutes from now, when I’m on a gloriously long, lovely, relaxing vacation. I’ve come to the realization, just as some of you predicted, that I have gotten myself stretched way too thin. This realization started creeping up on me last week, but hit me full force yesterday when it was all I could do to keep up with work at AcronymCo, let alone any of the other obligations I’ve got going on right now. I ran FLAT OUT all last week with AcronymCo stuff and the benefit stuff, did a bunch of work and cleaning and cooking over the weekend, and come Monday my body just went, “Hey bitch! Sit DOWN.” I rested for the day, Bill patted my head and brought me tea and put dinner together last night, I went to bed at a decent hour, slept soundly, and today I’m feeling much restored.

After the benefit party this weekend, I think there will be a natural slow-down on the photography stuff. The second half of January and the first half of February were incredibly busy with the expansion and the grand re-opening and the tequila party and the tailgate party and the benefit party – I kind of feel like I’ve been living at The Sandstone. Nothing’s on the books for the near future, though, so I’m taking advantage and taking a BREAK. Writing will continue apace, but will be much more manageable – four entries a week for BMP and three a week for UpTake are cake and, when I stick to my writing schedule, are mostly accomplished between Saturday morning and Monday afternoon.

In 108 days, I will be in the extremely satisfying position of spending sixty-five(!) consecutive days exactly as I decide they should be spent. Removing 40+ hours per week of secular obligations frees me up to pursue discipline or pleasure as I see fit. Really, the only thing I have planned is the aforementioned twice-weekly writing schedule, working out every day, and keeping the house clean. Plus whatever photography projects pop up during that time. Bill and I aren’t going to Maine until the third week in July, then I’ll have just a week left of Sabbatical by the time we get back.

Certainly I plan to blog more than I did during my last sabbatical – I was looking back one day last week, refreshing my memory on how I was feeling leading up to, and during, my first sabbatical. I came to the realization that I only wrote NINE entries during my two-month vacation (starting here and ending with this one). That’s just nonsense, right there. I know I read a lot (“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” had just come out), a friend loaned me a bunch of Buffy DVD’s, and we went to Maui and to Maine, but I’ll be blessed if I can recall what the heck I did for the rest of it. Was just plain lazy, apparently. There’s nothing wrong with that, though I would have liked a little more documentation of said laziness (which kind of defeats the purpose of being lazy, I know).

Sigh. Not to wish my life away, but I can’t WAIT for 4:00 p.m. on May 28th!!!

Meh.

I’m definitely coming down with something. I ache all over and my head is stuffy beyond the usual allergy thing (crackly ears are a sure sign it ain’t allergies I’m dealing with). It has been a “Ready! Set! Go!” morning as far as AcronymCo-related work is concerned, so I didn’t get to ease into my day. I can’t go into the details, but suffice to say it’s All Drama All The Time with a certain initiative that this particular R&D factory has taken on. Which is great, and means stability for this site and the people who work for it, but still. The DRAMA, people. Calm down.

Bill and I futzed in the kitchen (ribs, 2x baked potato casserole, and brownies all came out SUPERBLY) and watched the Super Bowl (is it one word or two? I’ve seen it both ways) yesterday. I was totally “meh” about the game – it was actually kind of boring. And none of the commercials really stood out to me or made me laugh much at all. And the half-time show just seemed like one long, light-infested advertisement for the CSI Trifecta. Super Bowl on CBS, CSI on CBS, half-time show The Who, featured songs happened to be EACH of the three CSI theme songs… hmm. Not a coincidence, I think.

The BEST part of the afternoon was, in fact, the video I shot of Bill dancing around to the Bee Gees (we were listening to CD’s prior to kick-off). But he’s told me I can’t share that with you guys, and I was all, “What was the POINT of me getting the camera in the first place, if I can’t share stuff EXACTLY like THAT?!?” So, I’m working on him. If I wear him down enough to gain permission, you’ll know. Oh yes, you will.

In the meantime, entertain yourselves with this, which is the same kind of nutbag behavior we get from Ozzy:

Menu for Superbowl Sunday

We’re staying home. I have no idea who we’re rooting for, as none of “our” teams made it. I’m cooking up a storm. We’re eating up a storm. Here’s the menu:

- Pork Ribs with Stubb’s Original BBQ Sauce (it’s gotta be Stubb’s!).

- Twice Baked Potato Casserole.

- Caramelized Broccoli with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

- Bailey Irish Cream Brownies with vanilla ice cream.

- Chips, dip, raw veggies, tortillas, salsa, beer, whisky, more beer.

- Tums.

Sheldon in a banana hammock.

(Heh. Let’s see how many hits THAT title gets.)

Man. I am un-be-LIEVABLY tired. I am SO sleeping in tomorrow.

The benefit party just… kind of came together, all at once. We now have SEVENTEEN raffle items, with another EIGHT items that are a “maybe, but probably” at this point. I’m going party decoration shopping today at lunch, and hitting a few more restaurants/bars (plus the local BevMo, whose employees frequent The Sandstone). Folks have volunteered to decorate and to man the raffle table. Folks at my work are donating money.

It has just been… awesome. And kind of exhausting. I’m half-way through that list of phone numbers I need to call, hoping the rest will be finished by this afternoon/evening.

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In keeping with the cancer topic, Jen sent me this AWESOME video. If you love Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory (he’s my favorite – except I really didn’t need to see him in a banana hammock), you’ll love this. It is COMPLETELY FULL OF AWESOME. Full. Of. AWESOME.

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I wrote an entry about Gaining, and Keeping, Your Confidence on Beyond Megapixels that seems to be getting a lot of traffic, and positive feedback on the BMP Facebook page. I admit, I’m kind of proud of it myself. It weirds me out though, sometimes, to contemplate how many people end up reading my words. What a long strange trip it’s been.

Comfort Zone

Updated 12:50 p.m. – Someone asked, and yes, the link to make donations is still live if anyone wishes to contribute! Thanks!

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I’m a little outside of my comfort zone, but I’m plowing forward. It’s for a good cause, and it’s good for me!

A friend and I, as well as the owner of the Sandstone, are organizing another benefit party for Joss. I made and printed up a bunch of fliers, and yesterday during lunch I pounded the pavement. I hit several bars/restaurants that we frequent, that all know Joss, asked to put the fliers in their windows, and asked for raffle item donations. Now, I don’t like approaching perfect strangers and asking them for stuff, but I found that it wasn’t too hard for me to do. I just kept Joss in the forefront of my mind, who is one of the bravest people I know. Everyone was very kind and helpful and positive, and I even got a raffle item donated right then and there from one of the establishments.

Joss also sent me a list of some key friends that she wanted specifically invited, many of whom are in the “industry” (bartenders/restaurateurs) and may be able to help out. I was thinking, oh, maybe a half-dozen or a dozen names. Ha! I forgot just how beloved this woman is. She sent me a list with fifty-five phone numbers on it, which is so awesome as to not be believed. However, that means I have to get a little more outside of my comfort zone, and cold-call all fifty-five people, most of whom I do not know.

Again, that’s okay! I’ve just finished number twelve (forty-four more to go!) and I’ve got a rhythm down for the messages I leave when they don’t pick up, or the conversations I have when they do.

We’re doing really well with the party planning – we’ve got eleven raffle items so far, and I’m hoping for more. I’m going to shop for the decorations, someone from the Sandstone is going to decorate, and we have live music lined up. I don’t think I’ll have the time this go-around to take the pictures, since I’ll be too busy helping to run the benefit party, but that’s okay. We got tons last time.

I’m kind of anxious about all of this, because I want a great turn-out and funds rolling in for Joss. But those things are out of my hands, and I AM handling those things that are within my hands. Joss is so darned upbeat about everything, even though she’s incredibly sick from the chemo and radiation, and is getting a double-mastectomy at the end of February.

She’s such a great friend, and a lovely person. Everybody loves her, and I just KNOW the sheer amount of positive energy flowing her way is helping!

Brace for impact.

Okay gang, here we go. This is your opportunity to boss me around. Use it wisely.

See, here’s the thing. I don’t think you all really truly UNDERSTAND what goes on in my head, in my household, in my life. I don’t think you truly FEEL the experience that is life with Bill. I don’t think you really GET the high drama, humor, and extreme levels of inappropriateness that goes on over here on a daily (hourly, minutely) basis. I don’t think you BELIEVE me when I say that Ozzy is out to get us.

Ladies and gentlereaders, I have purchased… A VIDEO CAMERA. One of these neat little Flip UltraHD’s, to be exact. I had a stash of Amazon Gift Certificates given to me by various co-workers and one boss who likes to recognize my work for the brilliance that it is. I WAS just going to buy a shit-ton of books, but then I thought that was a little selfish. Bill doesn’t know how to like to read, after all. And I wanted something we could both have some fun with.

Bill will, of course, want to take some highly inappropriate footage of my girly anatomy. Yes, he will. You KNOW he will. It’s a guarantee. Such videos will, of course, not make it out into the public for general viewing. BUT! I am willing to do some PG-13, and even R-rated (for language and adult themes) videos for the enjoyment of my loyal minions.

So, this is your assignment. What should my first video blog be about? Do you want to see me dancing like a fool to Bust A Move? Do you want me to make Zoe pontificate about the meaning of life (she’d do it, you know)? Do you want Bill to demonstrate his version of the African Anteater dance? Do you want me to do some sort of monologue? Do you want a tour of my house? Would you like to experience first-hand what a typical conversation between me and Bill is REALLY like? Do you want me to teach you how to make a Harp Snakebite? Shall I prepare my World Famous Meatloaf and do my best impersonation/mashup of Julia Child and the Swedish Chef?

I don’t guarantee that I’ll be funny, witty, charming, intelligent, intelligible, or even entertaining. I just thought I’d mix things up a little around here. You guys are going to be RIVETED.

And I? Well, I will be DOOMED.

(I hate the sound of my own voice, and I always look like a retard on video. Ah, well, I have no pride! Oh god.)

Bonding

So last night I had another gig at the Sandstone. They had a grand re-opening party (they expanded into the property next door) and hired Johnny Anonymous for the live entertainment.

They KICKED ASS, by the way.

Bill and I took a cab up there, since we were both planning on having drinks. But since I was working, I only ended up having two drinks over the six and a half hours we were there. Both Robert and Amanda met us up there. Robert left after a while, and Amanda hung out with us until the end of the last set. Then I drove us all home in her truck, which was a clown car experience to be sure, in her little single-cab Colorado.

Anyway, it was a lot of fun, all of us hanging out together and enjoying the music. Bill grabbed the camera every now and then and snapped some pictures of me, so we actually have pictures of ALL of us, for once.

Robert

Me

Amanda

Bill - who is growing his hair out rock-n-roll style

Me again

Weirdos

Robert and Amanda watching the band

Me yet again

I took tons of pictures of the band. You can see the whole set here. This is one of my favorites, though, and I can’t really tell you why.

A few favorites.

A few favorites from my gig at the Cruz Tequila Event at the Sandstone Cafe on 1/27/10. See the whole set here.

Secrets

I was just conversing with a coworker. She says that she basically doesn’t tell her husband ANYTHING about her daily life. Things she’s done. Conversations she’s had. Money she’s spent. And she purposefully DOESN’T tell her husband a LOT of things. She says, and I quote, “There are just some things that aren’t any of his business.” And yet, when I asked her, she said that she considered their marriage to be very healthy and happy. And she seemed stunned that I didn’t immediately agree with her behavior. As if to say, “Keeping secrets is Relationship 101.”

I don’t get that. Not at all.

My vision of a good marriage pretty much makes it a NECESSITY that he know everything about me, and I know everything about him. There is NOTHING about me that Bill doesn’t already know, and vice-versa. And if there IS a story that hasn’t been told, it’s because he or I haven’t thought to tell it, yet. No specific and purposeful withholding of ANY information, ever. Hell, we OVER share with one another. Pretty much every thought, feeling, and emotion. Every action and reaction. Even when it sucks. Even when it’s guaranteed to prompt an argument. We’re all about the Full Disclosure. Sometimes brutal honesty IS brutal, but it’s also honest.

So, I just thought I’d throw that out there for conversation’s sake. How do you feel about keeping secrets from your significant other?

Briefs.

Boxers? No. Yes. Wait.

Crazy busy at work. And at home. And I’ve got a photography gig tonight. And I was in training class all day long. And my ass is asleep.

So, just briefly popping in to say “hi”. Go watch this.

Go make this.

Then go watch this.

Plus, there’s a bunch of new stuff up over at No Butts About It.

MWAH, dahlings!