Friendly Rendezvous

Last night was fun, all. I met up with IDK, my BFF, Jill, her hubby
(and also BFF), Rob, and good friend, Teresa, for food and drinks. We haven't hung out in ages, and that's just wrong. I had such a good time.

It was especially fun reminiscing about my 29th birthday, which seems a bit funnier now than it did then (except maybe to Rob since he walked away with a fractured hand). This is why I've been to Towson bars only once.

Anywho (why did I use that word?), there's just one more day in the work week, and another fun evening is planned for tonight (can't wait). I've still got nothing planned for Saturday, which seems fine to me after having so much to do during the week. Maybe I'll fit in that Netflix movie that's been sitting around for the better part of a month. Maybe I'll finish reading Butcher's Hill. Oh well. For now, I am looking forward to hanging out with an excellent group of friends tonight. It'll be a long day. It's a darn shame I can't fit a nap in there somewhere...

Oh! And happy leap year.

Breaking News

Well, not really. But I realized on my way home today that I need to find more interesting things to talk about than how tired I am. Yes, I worked again tonight. It was CRAZY. Crazy freakin' busy. Yes, I am tired. My feet are aching and my upper back is a bit sore. Fun. But like I said, I need to find better things to talk about.

So with that in mind, here are today's headlines:

One: I am now on season six, episode seven, of The Sopranos. At this rate I'll be done by the weekend. Tony has recovered somewhat, so I'm not terribly bored anymore, but there's still nothing on Dr. Melfi. Grrrr....

Two: I missed American Idol tonight, and I'm PEEVED. Did anyone TVO it in some way that they can post it/email it/ burn it to a DVD? Was it good? Did anyone sing ABBA? I'm so frustrated.

Three: Nervous boy would like to report that he actually wasn't nervous at dinner. So not only was I wrong about him being nervous, but also about my (apparent) poor ability to read body language. Outrageous. He actually suggested that I clear things up with you all on here... so... there you go. :)

Four: Elliott is super cute when he sleeps, isn't he? Thought so.




Aaaahhh... just two more days until the weekend... I can't wait.

Thoughts on The Sopranos

I'm on the sixth and final season of The Sopranos. I love this show. I've enjoyed almost every minute of it from the first through the fifth seasons, but I have to admit that the beginning of season six was disappointing. I just wasn't crazy about the coma stuff. It's not that the whole thing was unrealistic, but just that those episodes went on forever. They were the longest three episodes to date, and they were the least enjoyable - not because I was sad or whatever, but it was just boring.

I'm four episodes in now, and I am insanely disappointed that there still hasn't been any redemption over the attack on Dr. Melfi. How has this not come up yet? It was disgusting to watch, but I can't be the only viewer who found some comfort after the fact because I assumed that good revenge was coming soon. Anyone? It's frustrating.

At least season six is a really long season - it has about twenty shows. I desperately need Tony to become a bad ass again. I know when I started watching I said that I liked the humanity of the show - watching Tony Soprano expose his soul a little - but it can't be all heart. It can't. What we have here in season six is an unbalanced show... and I fear that if it goes on much longer I'll be disappointed in the finale. Time will tell, I guess.

Not As Bad

Tonight I worked at our distribution center after work again. I left this morning at 7:45 am, and got home at 9:15 pm. Fabulous. Working at the DC this week wasn't as bad as last week (not that it was bad) because it wasn't so crowded. Of course, because there were less people, there was plenty more to do. For a long while I was the only one on my station, and the boxes (I'm trying not to use company lingo) just kept stacking up. I'd start catching up, then I'd get hit with a bunch of orders for which I had to get items on high shelves, and I'd get behind again. I know I've only worked two nights over there, but I strongly believe that the warehouse should have library ladders - the kind that are connected to the shelves and can be rolled back and forth. Just sayin'.

So now I'm home, my belly is full, and I am trying to fit in dog time. My feet don't hurt that bad, but my shoulders ache somewhat - probably because I insist on carrying everything rather than pushing stuff around on a cart. If there's any way I can burn calories and make money at the same time, I'm all in.

Next up: iTunes updates, pet time, pajamas, and reading... now doesn't that sound just like me?

Irritability

I'm kind of irritable. Here's why.

Last night we had girls night, which included seeing a play down at the Laurel Mill Playhouse, and then appetizers and beers at DuClaw... total fun. It's clear to me that I need to find more time for theatre in my life - both seeing shows and participating somehow. It's super hard to do three plus weeks of rehearsals when you have pets at home who want to be with you, which is why I haven't done much of anything in over five years. Anyway... I rediscovered Bare Ass Blonde Ale (I usually drink Venom, which is okay) which is actually pretty yummy... and had tasty tuna and crab pretzelness. After DuClaw, we went to Max's for our last drink, and this is where I became irritable.

In one word: boys. A group of boys infiltrated our girl group and started flirting. I actually did my best to avoid them and kept talking to Jessica because I wasn't too interested, but one of the boys kept staring at me, so after awhile his friend brought him over for the awkward "my friend likes you" introduction. Fine. Cool. Whatever. So chatting ensued, and at some point it was discussed that I am originally from Ohio. The whole conversation went downhill from here. This guy actually started attacking Ohio... it was strange. I don't think I've ever met anyone who seemed to hate Ohio so much. I told him numerous times that his comments were not appreciated but he still kept going. At some point, I even looked over at the guy who liked me and said something like, "it's a shame your friend completely ruined this for you" (not that he had a chance anyway, but I wanted to make a point).

I excused myself after a few minutes to pay the tab, and what do you know? The guy pulled out the oldest insult in the book, and called me a midget. Yep. Now those of you who know me also know that I am normally not phased by short jokes at all. In fact, I appreciate a good short joke, especially if I've never heard it before (I've heard lots). But this time I just got peeved. We left the bar shortly after and headed home, but even now after lots of sleep, I'm irritated. Midget? Really? F-er.

So... what does Charissa do to calm herself? You've got it.

1. Shower - done
2. Go to CJ's new place and clean/take measurements - done (Nicole did better than I did. Sigh.)
3. Do Laundry - done
4. Put laundry away - done
5. Do floors - done
6. Clip Antonio's nails - done
7. Vacuum - done
8. Clean cat box - done
9. Dust - done
10. Clean bathroom - done
11. Take out trash - done
12. Launder sheets - done
13. Iron - in progress
14. Make food for lunches/dinners - done

Look... Ohio kicks ass, and I'll defend it forever. Yes, I'm short - I know. I'm fine with it. But people suck. Period.

Book Review: Fish

Oh my. How do I review this book? Fish is one of the most graphic and disturbing books that I've ever read. As many of you know, I tend to read darker topics, so, naturally, this book is dark. But Fish is the story of a boy sentenced to time in prison, and "dark" doesn't even begin to describe the brutality that is recounted in this book. Fish has been on my book list since last fall, and after the author (I believe) left a comment on my blog, I felt even more compelled to take on this story.

Here's a summary:
When seventeen-year-old T.J. Parsell held up the local Photo Mat with a toy gun, he was sentenced to four and a half to fifteen years in prison. The first night of his term, four older inmates drugged Parsell and took turns raping him. When they were through, they flipped a coin to decide who would “own” him. Forced to remain silent about his rape by a convict code among inmates (one in which informers are murdered), Parsell’s experience that first night haunted him throughout the rest of his sentence.

In an effort to silence the guilt and pain of its victims, the issue of prisoner rape is a story that has not been told. For the first time Parsell, one of America’s leading spokespeople for prison reform, shares the story of his coming of age behind bars. He gives voice to countless others who have been exposed to an incarceration system that turns a blind eye to the abuse of the prisoners in its charge. Since life behind bars is so often exploited by television and movie re-enactments, the real story has yet to be told. Fish is the first breakout story to do that.

So did I like the book? Yes. Did I enjoy the book? No. This is not a story you read for enjoyment. It is not entertaining, nor relaxing. It's horrifying, but... at the same time, inspiring. It's a story you read because it reminds you that you're human, you're vulnerable, and that there are injustices in life that far outweigh the day to day problems or inconveniences that people like you or I face.

Fish is a story of youth, of consequence, and of exploitation. It is also a story of grace, but this is not it's sole purpose. Fish exposes a side of humanity that we live in ignorance of, or that we choose not to acknowledge.

We are all representatives of the causes that we support. For me, it's the Christian Children's Fund. For others, it's Child's Play, the Red Cross, or some other association. TJ Parsell, the author of Fish, has chosen prison reform, and his is a first hand account of the mistreatment he suffered under the "protection" of the prison system. Fish is a terrifying record of Parsell's experiences, but his story is one that should be heard, and one that is definitely worth the read.

I'm. Gonna. Win.

Update. This was an office thing. And if my math is right, we won $16. Damn it.

TGI-Thursday

Isn't Thursday the next best thing to Friday? Especially when a HUGE BLOODY storm is on the way. I am so excited! This storm could certainly turn out to be a dud (I doubt it), but the mere thrill that a gigantic ice storm is on the way is exhilarating. Let's just hope I can get to work and home again without any difficulty so that I can enjoy it properly.

In other news, Elliott continues to improve. He hasn't been sick - not once - since he's been home. We've resumed his hyperthyroid medication, and I'll take him for blood tests in about three weeks to determine what level of medication is appropriate.

His mood in general is - what I'd call - a pain in the butt. After 6 or 7 years of training, he has now rediscovered the kitchen counter. Not that he does it in front of me, he's smarter than that, but because he's deaf, he doesn't know how much noise he makes when he jumps on the counter and knocks things over. He totally gives himself away. And let's just say that the kitchen floor is mighty wet right now after I chased his skinny butt around the apartment with a water bottle.

You bet I did. He deserved it. He'll live...

Good Omens

Today was a good day. I know I've been a tired, lazy blogger... my apologies, but every work day for the last two weeks has felt like a Thursday, and that has really been rough on my psyche. Even though it's Wednesday, this week I've felt tired every day; and up until this afternoon, I've felt like I should just crawl into PJs, into bed, and call it a night.

But I didn't. Nope.

I went out to dinner and had a really good time, and then afterward I remembered that tonight is a total lunar eclipse! Have you seen it? It's not done yet (it will peak at 10:51 PM EST), but so far it's still just stunning. I wish I had a quality camera (and some skill) to capture the view. It's so pretty.

So I am finally in PJs now, and Antonio is half curled up under the blanket next to me. Elliott (looking healthier and healthier by the day) is walking from room to room, pausing in front of the space heater on occasion to get toasty, and me? I'm going to stay up to watch the rest of the eclipse, and then curl up, read a little, and go to sleep. Good things are on the horizon, folks... all signs seem to be pointing to yes.

Me = Tired

Today I worked from 8ish to 5ish at the job (unlike many of you, I did not have the day off), and then headed to our distribution center for some extra hours (read: cash). It is actually pretty rewarding work, seeing the products that you manage being shipped out to your customers... but now... I'm sleepy. I left there at 8:45 or so, got home around 9, ate everything in sight in my kitchen, and now I am crawling into bed.

Don't worry, CJ came and let out Antonio - I did not leave him for 14 hours straight. He might be a little peeved that we've had about 15 minutes of playtime, but the bottom line is that he's fine. He's a trooper.

Maybe tomorrow I'll have something interesting to say, but for now I only want to rest my feet and brain. Call me a whiner. I don't care. I'm tired.

Lump

I know Sundays are my cleaning days, but I'm just not into it today. Yesterday was a rough day, so my motivation to get things done today is nil. *sigh*

On the docket for today: get haircut and go see CJ's new place. Is it wrong that I'd prefer to stay in bed the rest of the day? I need cheering up.

Steak and Illness

Last night I was taken out to Roy's in B-more. Roy's is that restaurant chain that's all about Hawaiian fusion, so they serve a lot of seafood/sushi/pineapple goodness. We started with the "Crunchy Golden Lobster Potstickers" and the "Kobe Beef Tataki." YUM. And so for dinner, as you can guess, I got the filet mignon. Leave it to the Ohio gal to get beef at a seafood restaurant. Oh well.

We spent quite a lot of time at the restaurant, then headed to James Joyce for drinks. I had a Boddingtons and then a Corona (because who knew they had Mexican beer at an Irish pub?), and this morning I am feeling the effects. It's really not as bad as it should be... but my eyes are extremely light-sensitive and I am just the slightest bit nauseous. Yes, I've has water, and Excedrin, and more water, and crackers, and more water. Time heals my hangovers... and unfortunately, I cannot stay in bed all day today.

This girl has things to do. *sigh*

Charitable

Sort of.

The girls and I went to Elliott's Pour House tonight for a Make A Wish fundraising event, plus the bonus of a Singles' Night. Katie has sponsored a number of fundraisers here before, and like a loyal friend, I show up to them all. It's my duty, and I accept it whole-heartedly. Anyway, it was actually pretty fun - we met a few nice folks, and I got to talk a lot about Transformers the movie and Atari (I know, I know... I'm a nerd), but I'll be in bed by midnight, though, which is KEY for my old self (and I'm not embarrassed to say so.)

I don't know... for tonight I'd like to dub this event Make A Wish You Won't Always Be Single night. Happy Valentine's Day, lovely readers...

I Voted For Hillary

I just felt like getting that out of the way. There have been a lot of Obama folks out there today, so I just wanted to be straight up about where I'm at. As of 9 PM, there are 30 more minutes left in the Maryland Primary (extended a total of 90 minutes due to the inclement weather), and no one is really reporting results or making any guesses on the state. In fact, the lead story on the news is still the weather...

Prior to today, the projection has been that Obama might sweep MD, VA and DC... and if he manages to do so, I'll be holding out for Texas and Ohio, where Clinton is leading. The Potomac Primary consists of a mere 168 delegates, whereas Texas and Ohio combined have 234 delegates. Hell, PA has 188 delegates... so if my girl can keep momentum in states like those... I'm still feeling relatively confident.

But, if I don't get my way... I'm comfortable with Obama. In fact, I'm comfortable with McCain. Hillary's most assuredly my top choice, but none of the top three presidential candidates freak me out. At this point, there is still a lot of time.

Hmmm... I guess if Hillary wins, I'll have to stop calling her "my girl," won't I?

Update:
I took a survey on Electoral Compass, and I received the following results. I was closer to Edwards, but since he's out, I am next-closest to Hillary. It's like I actually know myself or something...

Book Review: The Pillars of the Earth

Okay... so Cherylann was right. This book rocks. At 989 pages, this book is truly epic, and because I still don't consider myself an official "reader," an epic novel was quite a challenge for me.

A summary from the author's website:
In a time of civil war, famine and religious strife, there rises a magnificent Cathedral in Kingsbridge. Against this backdrop, lives entwine: Tom, the master builder, Aliena, the noblewoman, Philip, the prior of Kingsbridge, Jack, the artist in stone and Ellen, the woman from the forest who casts a curse. At once, this is a sensuous and enduring love story and an epic that shines with the fierce spirit of a passionate age.

Admittedly, the first 50-100 pages were hard. It's not that the book wasn't interesting - it was - but I'm not used to reading fiction, so it took me awhile to get into the rhythm of the story. This book is incredibly detailed, with a slew of main characters. Tons! Off the top of my head: Tom Builder, Philip, the Bishop, William, Jack, Aliena, Ellen, the church... I wonder if the writer is really just that great at character development, or if epics, by their very complex nature, allow for better development. Thoughts? Discuss amongst yourselves.

As I told Cheryl, I found a lot of the book very graphic... it's not that I'm a prude, but some of the language just makes me uncomfortable. On top of that, some of the violence was really hard to read. I'd like to think that some of this could have been avoided, but that might not be true. The time period of the book is Old English/Medieval, and the violence and barbarian-like nature of the events play into that. Was it necessary? In all likelihood, probably.

What I loved about the book was its fabulous character development (which I mentioned), it's rich detail, and most importantly, that it wasn't any one kind of novel. It was all novels. It was a mystery, a drama, an adventure, and a love story. The story surpassed period constraints in the telling of it, yet leaned heavily on the details of the time period for atmosphere. It's just incredible, it really is. And it's really worth your while to pick it up and give it a try.

At the end of the novel, there was no more than a three page sneak peak into the sequel, World Without End. I know Cheryl started it , and she probably finished it, but after reading those three pages I knew I'd have to read it. I'll read a few books in between, of course, but there's no doubt that World Without End is making it onto my 2008 reading list.

I Hate Cold Weather

You know why? Because three mice were spotted in THREE MINUTES at work today. Wha? After someone spotted the first one I jumped on my chair (yes, I am that girl). After the second one was seen, I started shutting down my laptop. After the third one was spotted, I wheeled out of my cubical (without touching my feet to the floor), put myself together in the aisle, and booked it out of that building.

ICK! It's not that we have a gross building, it's just that we have a subfloor on the entire first floor for cables and wiring. And when the temperature hovers around zero degrees, those suckers are going to find a way in. I get it. Ick... but fine. But can't they stay put until after I've left for the day? Can't I just be blissfully unaware?

God.

Two Things

One
So Friday was E's birthday, and it was my second time at our Irish bar version of Cheers in a week. It was great seeing you all - so much fun - but I learned an important lesson thanks to jwer... Charissa and Irish cider do not mix. I think I had a total of four beers, which is not too much for me, but I spent much of Saturday feeling queasy and blah. I'm blaming it on the cider. (And not jwer.)

Two
Last night I had a dinner date and learned something equally as important as not liking cider... I am not good at reading boy body signals. What I thought was lack of interest - darting eyes, okay eye contact, etc - might just be nervousness. I am a bit shocked. I think it's weird that I might make someone nervous, but I'm pretty sure that's what it was. The night was a good time, and no further details will be shared, but I think I need to reevaluate how I perceive my environment. It's possible that I'm not as in the know as I thought I was. Damn.

Another Elliott Update

I received Elliott's biopsy results yesterday. For his stomach biopsy, it's just inflammation. For his duodenal biopsy, the results showed he has IDB - Feline Inflammitory Bowel Disease. The vet said that this can be attributed to food allergies, and since we've been told that Elliott is allergic to chicken... it all makes sense. I'm supposed to make an appointment with an internist to decide how to treat it, but I think I'll wait a few weeks and let him gain some weight first. I also have to get him retested for hyperthyroidism, but again, I want him to gain some weight before I put him on any medications or anything. He needs some meat on his bones. :)

Where's George?

As a departure from a week of Elliott-posts (he's doing okay, by the way, he's just super skinny), I'd like to brag about a dollar bill I came across recently.

See, this dollar was a Where's George dollar... and using the website, I tracked it all the way back to Arlington, Texas. Where... it was... a tip at a strip club. Oh yeah.

So what did I do? I spent the afternoon handing the dollar to folks at work and then telling them where it came from... at which point they promptly handed the dollar back or dropped it. Ha! No fears... I gave them each a squirt of Purell afterwards. It was just a lot of fun to watch people react and guess just where that dollar had been [ahem] tucked.

(Blurry photo of the dollar and the web log shown here... )

Oh - did I mention (I'm sure that I didn't) that the Knotty Pine Inn bar burned down? YEAH! Monday morning, I think. Now it's all boarded up with those tell-tale smoke stains above each window. What a tragedy, right? I mean, I never went in there myself, but that place was a landmark on this side of town.

Oh, for shame.

Would You Pay $1800 For This Rubber Duck?

No? How about this one?

















Still no? But wait - I'd like to point out the extra piece added to the duck's head. It's included in the price! What a deal, right?

So yes, you guessed it. That bluish piece added in the second photo above is not only an original part of this duck's head, but also the "blue plastic thing" extracted from Elliott's stomach yesterday. Elliott is officially the most expensive cat I've ever owned, and by default, this March of Dimes duck is the most expensive charity I have ever donated to.

Elliott is fine. Our reunion was far more anticlimactic that I imagined, as he's still a bit pissy. I know he is happy to be home, but because he's out of sorts, I haven't yet picked him up because of his general bad mood. I've rubbed him and kissed him and petted him, but we'll have to see how he does tonight to know how soon he'll come around. All I do know is that I am so happy to have him home. I love him, I love him, I love him, I love him.

Well, at least I've learned a few important lessons as a result of this situation.

Lesson #1: Hard plastic toys are not dog toys. Even though you think you can trust the dog not to swallow it, you just can't trust the cat.
Lesson #2: Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Translated - vaccuum more often.
Lesson #3: Give to charity. And by charity, I mean the SPCA.
Lesson #4: In the end, all roads lead back to you. Translated - oops.

Elliott Update

Elliott had the endoscopy around 2:30 pm today. So far - success. The vets pulled a hard blue plastic thing from his stomach - I have no idea what this could be. I asked them to save it for me so that I could look at it, and I also had them take photos of his insides because I wanted to see what they saw. They said the lining of his stomach was thickened, so they took a few biopsies while they were already in there and those will be back within a week. Common sense is telling me that it could be scar tissue or calluses from that plastic thing.

I just called again before I started this post, and the vet tech said that Elliott is still pretty drowsy from the anesthetic, but his temperature is normal and his vitals have been good all day. They plan to check on him again at 9 pm tonight, and if he's feeling better they'll see if he's interested in some food.

I am feeling a lot better and very optimistic, but I'm still somewhat guarded until I can hold him myself and see how he is. I am very, very excited to go and pick him up him tomorrow night, and the traffic to Annapolis at 5 PM should be so much fun. I'll post more information once I see him for myself. Thanks for the happy thoughts, all. So far all of that good energy is working for us.

I Don't Even Know Where To Start

I'm tired... maybe that's a good place to start. And sad. And tired.

I left work early today to get Elliott back to the vet. It was decided that we'd do some x-rays before our doctor referred us to an internist, and the quicker, the better given his rapid weight loss. So we arrived at the vet around 4:15, and they did two x-rays (one from the top and one from the side). Immediately a strange shape popped out. As the vet said, "Well, we found something, but I have no idea what it is." Hmmm...

Here's a rather poor picture of the strangely shaped thing. From the top (not shown), it looks round. From the side (as seen here), it looks like half of a quarter with a jagged edge. Don't look at the see-thru circle in the image, look for the half-moon shaped white object below it. It was nearly impossible to tell where this strange thing was, because Elliott is so dehydrated and skinny. She thought maybe the gallbladder? The stomach? Or a tissue mass? Thinking the stomach, I guessed that maybe it was a piece of a toy, but the doctor said that plastic doesn't show up like this on an x-ray, and she said it's some calcified thing. Okay.

Next we decided to run some Barium tests. I've had it done before on me, but for those who don't know, they pretty much force-fed Elliott lots of liquid Barium. Barium shows up on x-rays, so the idea is to take multiple x-rays over a period of time to track the "digestion" or movement of the Barium. This test showed us that the strange thing moved, which might be proof that it is in his stomach, which was important. It was at least a temporary sigh of relief - seeing it on an x-ray and knowing where it was.

So by this time it's 8 PM or so (that's about 4 hours later by the way), and the vet referred me to an emergency clinic in Towson for an endoscopy. With any luck, the gadgets on the end of the endoscope can grab that thing and pull it out. So my vet calls Towson to set things up, but then sits down with me after the call with a new suggestion. Apparently the vet at the Towson clinic said that they couldn't fit an endoscopy in until Wednesday, and said that they'd take Elliott to surgery tonight instead. My vet (being the awesome lady that she is), turned down this doctor and called another emergency clinic instead, because she said she got a "bad vibe" from the Towson doctor. So far my vet has been fabulous, so I trust her completely. If she got a bad vibe, we wouldn't be going to Towson.

So we went to Annapolis. Yeah.

I got there about 8:30/8:45, watched a few dogs foam at the mouth, watched one family put their dog to sleep, and we waited. At this point Elliott has growled and hissed at everyone at our vet's office, and now is falling asleep in his crate. Seriously, how bad does it have to be for him to be falling asleep? He's still not home, dogs are sick and dying, and he can't keep his eyes open. He was so obviously at his limit.

So to make a long, long story as short as I can at this point, the vet came in, reviewed his x-rays and paperwork, confirmed the findings, and took Elliott for the night. He was growling and hissing so much that I offered to take him to his cage. He's not a bad cat at all... but five hours of being poked and prodded is a lot for a sickly little kitty cat.

It's 10:30 pm now, and I'm home with Antonio. I've had a few good cries, and I am hoping and praying that this endoscopy works. If they can't remove it with the endoscope, they'll go straight to surgery right then and there. Money isn't an object, but I'm already down $1500 so far today... and the surgery will add another $2000 to the damages.

Here's a photo of Elliott that I took while we waited for his bed to be ready. Poor kitty.

I have hope that everything tomorrow will go well, but please send Elliott happy thoughts. He is not a happy kitty right now, and he's also without his loving mom and dog. Despite the horrible evening he has had, every time I picked him up or stuck my hand or face in his crate, I was able to calm him down. We're bonded, 'Lellie and I. He needs him mom just as much as I need my cat. Sweet dreams little guy. Be strong for me.

Crazy Busy

I have a busy week ahead. I don't know how I'm going to make it, honestly. Besides work every day (and at least one early day), I have the following:

Monday - dinner with L
Tuesday - lunch with J; night open?
Wednesday - potential drinks with C?
Thursday - drinks (or fundraising) with K
Friday - another Irish birthday celebration for E
Weekend - house/pet sitting

What to do, what to do... this means I have to clean today and go to bed early tonight if I am going to have any chance of making this work.

Laundry - done

Put away laundry

Vaccum - done

Trash - done

Dishes - done

Dust and declutter - done

Prep items for post office (return, return, gift) - mostly done

Pay bills/rent - done

Setup landlord w/ new router - done

Netflix (reviews to come later)

Read Pillars (I'm halfway through) - in progress

And I have errands to run during the week that I have to fit in somewhere.

Bank

Post office

Goodwill

Car wash

Lastly, I have Elliott's health to contend with. The vet told me to stop the medication for the weekend so kick start his appetite and (hopefully) stop the vomiting. We've now been a vomit-free household for about 36 hours. She's seriously concerned that he's not gaining weight, and should he not show any results soon, more invasive tests will be needed. My fear there is that anything they find will be in the category of problems that may be unfixable. I can't even begin to imagine how painful that will be.

But high hopes, right? For now I will resign myself to a day of order and relaxation, with some cat cuddling mixed in for good measure.

Update @ 1:15 pm: I spoke too soon. Yet another vomity day for Mr. Elliott. I cried this time. I can't take watching him waste away. He's such a good little soul.

February 1, 2008

What a great day yesterday was! February 1, 2008 was my FIVE YEAR anniversary in Baltimore, Maryland. Woo-hoo! That's just crazy when I think about it. I moved to Baltimore after being laid off in Ohio, and I followed my (now ex-) boyfriend here because he had already moved to this fine city. Now look at me - five years later with a job I love, tons of fabulous new friends, and lots and lots of dates (haha).

Anyway (in all seriousness), I love this city. I do. Drugs, murders, STDs and all. :)

So Katie and I went out in Fells Point last night - it's the first time I've gone out in Fells in a long, long time - and there was no smoking in bars! It was awesome! We hit up Max's and The Wharf Rat (where we got smokey anyway, because they have that big fireplace), had beers and met new people.... but most notably we saw ACW and Mrs. ACW there! Yay! It was so great seeing them so unplanned! Luck me, I'll be seeing them tonight at a certain someone's birthday bash!

I'm telling you - January has never been my month (seizures, surgeries, car crashes, animals sick, etc - but my fabulous 2008 is really starting in February, dangit!

Flashback Friday

'nuff said.