We interrupt this program
Due to weather and my inability to not help people when they need it. It’s annoying to be sure. But hey, karma right? And what did I really lose anyway? A so-so buzz, computer access, TV watching, laundry folding and the brain numbing joy of sitting on my couch or on my back patio staring at that big white wall.
More heavy storms rolled in again on the first, and that 100 degree weather the news people were predicting finally made it over here yesterday. It was nap-inducingly hot. But I stayed cool with my motorcycle riding. Finally. The BF got a new bike and he’s making me go out so I can get “practice” and be “more comfortable”. I have to say, it’s fun, but stressful. I’m pretty nervous with traffic and I need to work on my stop-start skills. I need to be faster off the line so I don’t get squashed.
And is it just me, or does there seem to be a news story everyday of some poor slob getting killed on his/her motorcycle by a truck?? I wear a helmet but I’m not sure I will fair any better just because my brain isn’t physically all over the street. The word is you don’t think about the bad stuff. Pay attention and don’t do anything stupid. It’s seriously like learning how to drive all over. I need to re-train myself on how to “see” the road. I think I am taking today off.
Plus, two of my schoolmates took their big test and passed! So happy for them. A little bit jealous. A little bit scared. A little bit guilty and anxious. We all want to pass. So I really should be studying. How often do I type those exact words in one of these rambles? I should get paid for it and I would be rich.
It’s like Transformers over here
Autobots Unite!
It’s just more construction. It’s like giant, metal, dinosaurs are rumbling up and down the street. All that machinery I can see and hear, just through the trees. Creepy, sort of. And funny because they are making alot of noise but nothing seems to be getting done. I am sure someone went to school for a long time to plan this mess, but it just looks like a bunch of holes and gravel blocking everyone’s driveways. I’ve seen the “finished” work around town. As far as I can tell, they dump rocks, put up a warning horse, then let it sit for about 3 weeks, until all the fill is gone and you are left with a huge, 4 foot wide, crack in the road that could blow out a tire when you run over it. Then one random day, when you are late, a month from now, you will be driving down a constructed street and be stopped by a “Closed” sign while they lay an asphalt strip for 6 hours. The dirt and debris will remain, however, for another 2 weeks after that.
Time to refill my glass. Check next post for explanation.
I want a refund!
One hundred degrees of blistering sunshine and heat stroke have been replaced by 70 degrees of overcast and drizzle. NOT that I am complaining. Too much.
My air conditioner is OFF. Money saved.
BF is at work. Rode his bike there because it’s so nice and dry today. Hmmm. I guess rain-riding experience is necessary. Still…
My kids are gone. They went to the beach. Again, because it was supposed to be nice and hot. They may or may not be in tornado conditions along the shores of Lake Michigan in Indiana. I don’t know. It’s probably not a good thing when you have to rely on Facebook for the status of your children. BUT, I do trust who they are with and it is just threat of rain right now. Apparently the super heat wave that rolled in down from the north last night and caused us all that trouble, swooped up all the hotness and carried it away to the east somewhere. Cause it sure ain’t here.
I, on the other hand, had many plans for this day of hot and alone. I did get up early. Check. I did shower, shave, hygiene, blah blah blah. Check. I did pay one bill. Check. I did do one load of laundry. Check. And this is where the happy story ends. I am at an impasse. I need to study, but I want to drink. I need to balance the checking account, but I want to drink. I need to finish the laundry, but…you get the idea. Just a little. Not drunk. Just for…fun? Because it is July 1, it’s Friday, and I have, truly, nothing to do today? I don’t need to drive anywhere. I wouldn’t anyway. And it’s not even hot! And that makes it all the better! Now I won’t get overly sweaty or tipsy too fast! Plus, I can still do that other stuff while drinking.
Then it’s settled. I am inviting my friend Jack over and we are going to BS thru the afternoon. Thank you sounding board/inner conscious/internet. However, I better get on that check book thing first. Numbers tend to go all loopy after a few hours of the sippy juice. Later.
As promised: Higher level thinking! Stink Bugs!
And it’s a crappy pic to boot. But I was so surprised and shocked that I had to hurry and take it with the phone. I have never in my whole life seen one in person. Weird right? And there it was just sitting on the garbage can. I only know what it is because the kids are always talking about them and their shield shape. And there it is! And you thought this was going to be just another lame ass Friday. As I was trying to take its photograph it started walking away from me so I got one more pic and it picked up and flew away. And I haven’t seen another one since?
Here’s another question: Where do stink bugs live? Like, in trees? The ground? They must be hanging out somewhere when we don’t see them. Any bug people out there want to help me out?
I guess I could look it up on the internet seeing as I seem to have all this free time. Should have researched that first huh? Anyway, here’s the other Stink Bug picture:
Ummm, I should probably be studying
But it’s soooo nice outside! And I really want to go ride the motorcycle! But, I am afraid to go out by myself. It’s probably the best time to get on and get used to it, but I feel kind of stupid practicing on the street. And if I fall off or something happens then I am really in trouble. I guess I’ll just have to wait until the weekend.
Let’s see…I have also wasted most of the morning doing things like paying bills and cleaning laundry. Yay.
And…I did some self-care maintenance that my sister may not like too much….I colored my own hair! With a box product! And then I cut it! I am so sorry A, but I had too!! I was feeling so old and gray, and even though I am an almost pretty, cool chick, my hair gave me away at the hospital yesterday. Usually people are really kind and humor me when they claim they can’t guess how old I am. They never think I am my real age, but not yesterday. This woman—who was very, very, nice and not unkind at all—just asked me what I have been doing all this time between nursing and whatever the hell else I must have been doing…”since you aren’t as young as some of these other ones around here” Man. Totally busted as the old lady on the floor! So I told her the basic truth about all of us old folks—second career. Total flip on the job we started doing as the ‘yutes” we were (that was for you A, remember at the arboretum—yutes—hahahaha–we still think that’s pretty funny), to the job I’m going to end up doing for the rest of my life. Wish I had started out here, but timing and circumstance just wouldn’t have it that way…but it’s all good now. Anyway. She was a great lady and I had a great day. Which leads me to my next bit of happy….
Last clinical as a student! And I had the best day! (Second only to my ER clinical….you never forget your first love)…anyway…I could go on and on and I know that no one except me likes to hear about it so I will just say that I had 2 of the best nurses for my last 2 days, who taught me more than I could have hoped for this late in the game. I got to do all my skills and even some new ones. Excellent hospital, excellent clients, excellent nurses and staff that were kinder than they needed to be. Even though they will never see this or know it’s about them, I am forever grateful to have my last days of “hand holding” be held by them. Thank you.
So before we get all mushy here…let’s get back to my hair. I colored it and I was skeptical. And afraid. I could hear my sisters voice inside my head telling me how sorry I was going to be. But it turned out really good. Like, really good. A nice color. Not brassy. Not fake looking. I had picked the color closest to my actual hair, because all I wanted was to cover those pesky grays. And it worked! It’s really natural looking. Did a pretty good job on those gray ones too! And of course, I cut it most of the time myself any way. I limit it to my bangs because they grow in my eyes and I start looking a little nerd-sweaty when they part in the middle…not a good look. But I have to say my hair looks like I just left a salon. I know you won’t believe me sister, so I took pictures. Quite nice. And good enough for now until I can get out to see you after school is over!
And my hair must just look so good, because I went to go get myself lunch (Jimmy John’s—I am kind of having a serious problem with that place lately—it’s like every other day now–but so good) But not the point. The point is, TWO, yes, TWO guys, on their own, and separately, were giving me the eyeballs and trying to hit on me! Ha. This hair is so powerful! Is “hit on me” even a phrase still used these days?? I don’t think it’s happened to me in a while…but it did today! We don’t need the details…just the fact that it’s still a possibility is soothing enough. Glad I shaved today too! That kind of inner confidence really makes the men take notice! I feel like I should go buy new underwear or something! HA!
And don’t worry sister or anyone else, I already told the BF. No need to get crazy. I just got talked up, no biggie, but in the end I just took my stuff and left. I know better then to mess up a good thing! And to the BF: You’re the only one for me! XO
Ok that’s it. Kids will start trickling home so I better get back to the books—so it looks like I was actually doing something constructive.
And as a side note—the weather is turning a bit overcast here now, so I guess I don’t have to worry about riding that motorcycle after all. Excuses excuses!
Lab Final is up next. Then the Renal Test. I will post if I can. Later.
It is cold cold cold…
This is a picture I took with my phone of some crazy ice melting/freezing thing that happened and I don’t know why. You could almost fool yourself into thinking this is way out in nature instead of in the Wal-Mart parking lot. City folk got to get their outdoors from somewhere. Hey. You really can get everything from Wal-Mart!
Before you get too cozy with it, here is the other shot, where you can clearly see the Best Buy thru the trees. How enchanting!
And yes, I have all kinds of other things I could be doing right now. Like school. School is sitting in the kitchen, scolding me because I haven’t cracked a book for two days and I have a test Tuesday. Procrastination is a bitch.
Speaking of…in case you think I have no follow thru, the News of the World claims there is nothing to worry about with all those animal deaths that were occurring a few weeks ago. Oh, what? You forgot? Just because it is totally and completely gone from the news? Refresh your memory and scroll down my little blog here. I posted a whole bunch of stuff. But not to worry, it’s a natural thing that happens ALL the time. Practically EVERY day, all around the world. No big deal. No poisons, no accidents. Not because of fright or fireworks or lightning or even someone doing it on purpose. And most definitely NOT environmental or related to global warming or the end of the world or any other crazy conspiracy theory you crazies have out there. Crazy! It just is what it is. Animals die in mass numbers, at random times, in random locations, every day. No need to look into it any further! Hey look! Kittens playing in a box! Adorable! Let’s roll one more phone photo!
Here’s a picture of my car. With some snow gently falling on it. Its pretty. Especially when you don’t have to go anywhere.
Dang! My neighbor is trying to start a riot over here!!
If you read me, you know I live in the Chicago area, and even if you don’t read me, I just told you, so…
This is MOSTLY Bears territory around these parts. We do have the Packer fans of course. We ARE a tightly populated, close proximity region. Dense, even. With people of all sorts. And that’s cool. Except this weekend.
In case you haven’t heard, or have been out of the country, or just don’t read the paper or watch the news or look at the internet, this weekend has a football game going on. It’s kind of a big one. It’s for our NFC championship title and then the Superbowl. People DO get a little nuts!
It’s the Green Bay Packers of Wisconsin and the Chicago Bears of Illinois. Playing in OUR town. In OUR stadium. In OUR lifetime! It’s only been about 70 years since they played each other in a championship game! Seriously! 70 years!! (FYI–Chicago won that game AND the 1941 version of a Superbowl, played at Wrigley Field no less!) And I have to say, it is pretty exciting!
But my neighbor is like 80 years old and lives mostly alone, except for her daughter, who is not there 24/7! Good thing football is played in winter. Less traffic and likelihood of hanging around outside comparing teams.
Basically the city of Chicago, Green Bay, and probably pretty much all of the south to north area of Illinois and Wisconsin will shut down for a few hours on Sunday to see what will happen on this historic day! And it’s not just me.
I can almost hear my sister’s eyeballs rolling inside her head, thinking that I am being overly dramatic. Uh uh. Click on any sports link on any internet, the game will be there. And it sucks for Pittsburgh and NY because they play too, for the Superbowl, but no one seems to care. At least no where around here!
These are some quotes from articles I thought were funny (the first two are from the same one–click here to read the whole thing):
Not that the Super Bowl seems to matter much: Packers fans said beating the Bears at Soldier Field would be a wonderful cake, with a Super Bowl victory serving as the frosting.
AND THIS:
“For guys who have followed the Bears all their life and truly hate the Packers, yeah, this is their Super Bowl,” said Mark Foster, 54, who plans to erect a 5-foot (1.5-meter) inflatable Bears helmet outside his home in Lansing, south of Chicago. “We can lose 50 to nothing in the Super Bowl to Pittsburgh or the Jets, but if we beat the Packers, who cares?”
AND THIS (A little history if you have the time—click it!):
The next chapter in the “NFL’s oldest rivalry” puts the Bears and the Packers up against each other for a spot in the Super Bowl. Some are saying this is the biggest game in the teams’ history; they’ve faced off 181 times before – dating back to 1921 – but only once in the playoffs, in 1941.
For nine decades, they have broken each other’s bones, and they have smashed each other’s teeth, and they have irrigated their fields with the blood of the other,” says the St. Petersburg Times. As this year’s teams head into their rubber match, both Chicago’s and Green Bay’s hometown papers are reflecting on this storied rivalry and reviving the excitement of the teams’ 1941 postseason matchup. Here, a look back, through Chi-town and cheesehead eyes, at that winter day:
Nope…gotta go read it! Link at the beginning…it’s worth the few minutes.
And even though this is old and we KNOW that the Bears and Packers are going to play, this is still a good article from ESPN (linked here):
If all goes well, Soldier Field will be the epicenter of all humanity on Jan. 23.
Now, that is drama!
Anyway, I’ll keep an eye on my neighbor, make sure no one throws stuff at her house and whatnot. And for the record, I am a FOOTBALL fan. I love the game, the whole game, the teams, the players, the physicality of the whole sport and I am totally rooting for the BEARS because they are MY home team and I want US in the SuperBowl!!
But I can’t say that I hate the Packers. And they are really good this year. The Bears are too, but man, I just don’t know! For sure it will be a good game. No doubt everyone on the field will be playing the best football of their careers. Oh yea. It is that serious! But not too serious. Lots of jokes flying around. And just cause I like you, I will end this with a joke on behalf of Bears fans everywhere. It’s from the internet, where else?
A teacher tells her class she’s a Packers fan. The class agrees with her except one little girl. When asked who she likes the girl said the Bears, the teacher asked why and the girl said “because my mommy and daddy are fans”. The teacher replies “that’s no reason to like them, what if your dad was an idiot and your mom was a moron then what would you be?” The little girl replied back, “a Packers fan.”
Thank you and Goodnight!
GO BEARS! GO BEARS!
just shy of pretty 