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May 30, 2007
Don't Get Me Started
#$@(*&$@#(*&@#(!))~!#)~)#$&)$
That's the "soft", PG-13 version of what I'd like to say at the moment.
I hate moving.
Hate.
It.
Back next week. If I'm lucky.
Posted by Da Goddess at 08:40 PM | Comments (1)
May 28, 2007
Memorial Day
I had fully intended to post something warm and moving today. However, the loaner laptop is off on a technically troubled long weekend and I can't upload the photos I took at the annual dressing of the graves down at Ft. Rosecrans. Forgive the typos and disjointed thoughts...my heart's in the right place, even if my computer isn't.
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Little Dude and I set out early Saturday morning, as we have for the last few years. The moment we walked through the gates, I teared up. I always do. LD walked a bit taller and with a bit more reverence. Kids swarmed around us, some not sure of the protocol or perhaps not caring. Regardless, I was proud that my son knew.
We stopped at a friend's father's grave prior to the ceremony and paid our respects. Then, we set off to find LD's pack. We had to wait a while, as we had arrived a good 45 minutes before them. Yes, there are some events where I am incredibly early. This is one of them.
After much waiting, the pack showed up, the ceremony began (poor sound), and then, finally, we set off to place flags in front of each grave. LD took his job very seriously and helped a few other kids who were unfamiliar with the process to place the flags just so.
When the job was complete, after we finished with the pack, we made our way out to the Pt. Loma lighthouse. A couple hours later, we returned to Ft. Rosecrans to visit a few more "friends". LD made an extraordinary effort to pick up as many of the flags that had already fallen or were in danger of falling while we were there. He was so serious about it, so adamant that I stop so he could right another flag or seven.
It was only after about an hour of this that I told him we'd have to go. He was disappointed. "But Mom! First, the flags can't touch the ground," he said. "And second, these men and women deserve nothing less than a job done right. They gave us nothing less, didn't they?"
I blinked a few times and swallowed hard. My son, so young and yet so firm in his beliefs, said so much in such innocent words.
Remember them all -- and not just once a year. Carry the efforts of those who served, those who still serve, and their families with you always. They deserve nothing less.
Posted by Da Goddess at 10:50 PM | Comments (2)
May 23, 2007
His Name Is Calgon
Posted by Da Goddess at 01:12 AM | Comments (3)
May 19, 2007
The Day After
Had lunch with my mom and my sister yesterday. It was so nice just to sit and chat with them. I can't remember the last time we did anything like, if we ever had.
After lunch, I asked for my mom's opinion on which photos I should print and frame. I had her look at a few that accompanied an article I'd written. She actually read the whole article too and liked it. When she told me this, I felt like a little kid again, hungry for my parents' approval. Eating every bit of it up and doing an inner dance of joy. Funny how I could go from 41 to 8 in the blink of an eye.
I don't think we ever really get over that need for praise from our folks. Perhaps it's what keeps us young. Or maybe that's what makes us human. All I know is I made my mom proud and nothing else mattered for a couple of hours.
Later, I headed off to a blues concert with the blues society. I helped man our table and occasionally went in to catch a bit of both acts. Following the show, my friends took me out for drinks. We hoisted one for Big Joe Turner and a few for the rest of us. We were surprised to find a blues band at the bar and doubly, triply surprised to find a few other performers just hanging out and eventually sitting in for a couple of numbers. The music was fantastic and the fellowship even better.
Aside from drinking too much, it was a great day. 41 isn't bad at all. Except for this little headache, that is.
Posted by Da Goddess at 02:32 PM | Comments (2)
May 14, 2007
Little Dude and the Dream
Yes, LD got to meet Amanda. He presented her with a bouquet of flowers, a stuffed alligator, and a card he made (with his email address) just for her. She gave him a big hug...okay a few hugs. Amanda was very sweet and patient with LD. He was a little shy but he got over it soon enough. The smile didn't leave his face for hours.
First Mrs. Smash, and now Amanda Shaw. At least his crushes are getting a bit closer to his age. Maybe the next one will actually be within reach.
Posted by Da Goddess at 03:45 PM | Comments (8)
May 11, 2007
Additions to the "I Love LD" List
I've posted a million times on the things I love about my son and the list just keeps growing. Here are a couple of the latest entries:
- "I want to get a good job so I can help take care of our little family, Mom." This was the second time in two days Little Dude had expressed his wishes to help with expenses. Originally, I had mentioned a babysitting course for boys and girls at a local hospital and asked if he was interested. Hey, he loves little kids and they love him, why not? His immediate reaction was how it could benefit us since we're "really poor" (his words, not mine). I told him any money he earns is his alone, but damn if I didn't tear up over it.
- "I want to meet her and give her a card and a present of some sort...and I can I give her flowers, too? Do you think she'll be in town long enough to go out to dinner with us? I have $16 in my pocket right now for dinner, you know." On Amanda Shaw, 14-year-old violinist (who some of you may have seen in Hurricane on the Bayou)...he's crushing big time. She's performing here on Sunday and he's going to be front and center. My boy is nothing short of romantic. God help me.
- "If I had stronger muscles, I'd carry you to the car so your back wouldn't hurt anymore." Just hand me the tissues and move along, folks.
- "My favorite part of this song is the part that makes you smile." This was said about a song we both enjoy and listen to frequently.
- How he listens to music. Odd to you, but not to me. Here's the thing, this kid hears things in songs that most people miss. Phrasing, subtle touches, tone are key with L.D. He feels music deeply and seems to drink in each and every note fully.
- Singing "I'm Walkin'" to me. After hearing this tune just a couple times, he'd memorized the lyrics and sang it to me at dinner one night. Goofball. It's not just this song. He's done it with others, too. Nice voice.
- "Marilyn Monroe was gorgeous!" This proclamation came after I showed him photos to verify this was the woman he was asking me about. I'm still not sure why he was asking me about her, but he was.
- The smile. There are times when everything in the world absolutely sucks and all it takes is one smile from the kid to make the gray clouds part.
I know it seems silly to others for me to keep track of these things, but my baby is growing and I want to remember as much of this as I can. Plus, now I always have something happy to read when I'm feeling particularly vexed and frazzled.
Posted by Da Goddess at 10:57 PM | Comments (6)
May 10, 2007
Wishful Thinking
If I could have just one thing (not money or anything truly enriching, practical, and certainly nothing ESSENTIAL)...say something TV-related...I'd pick a clip of this week's opening of Boston Legal "Guantanamo By The Bay".
Absurdly wonderful is all I can say. Jerry "Hands" Espenson performing the "happy song" in his head for Shirley gave me the biggest laugh I've had in ages. Two days later and I'm still giggling.
Go figure.
Bow-bowm...bow-bow-bow-bowm...
Posted by Da Goddess at 06:18 AM | Comments (0)
May 08, 2007
Not Dead Yet
Despite rumors to the contrary, I'm not dead yet. Not even near-mortally wounded, if you must know. However, health, family, and other loved ones' concerns have trumped blogging.
Some of the more high profile loved ones have had big things happening in their lives. Anna Nicole died. Paris-ite got in trouble with the law...AGAIN. And my time with Brit at Promises brought us even closer together. Sure, I was only there for my addiction to Canasta and reality TV, but an addict is an addict is an addict. We totally bonded, y'know?
Of course, now that 'site is heading to prison, I'm stuck without a place to live and need to 1) find a new place, and 2) get moved in by the 21st. Yeah yeah...the hotel heiress needs a few days alone before she goes to the slammer. Can't move in with Brit cuz of her new honey and all. I'm hoping I can work with some of my connections and get myself into a Kato/Juice situation, but then again, that didn't turn out so well, did it?
Been working with an attorney on the injury stuff. Good and bad news on that front. I won't bore you with the details. The hospital is attempting to find me some sort of job I can perform with my physical limitations as I'm not able to return to the unit I was on before I got hurt. Patient and personal safety are of the utmost importance. Sadly, I don't think there will be anything that will make use of my mad napping and hobbling skillz, but we'll see. They've mentioned "scheduling" as an option and I swear I think the poor computer will never recover from the copious amounts of cranberry juice spewing from my mouth when they said it.
If nothing else, I'm a very practical person. I KNOW I'll have to make many adjustments to accommodate my limitations, but taking me out of nursing completely and giving me a job that leaves my very expensive nursing education sitting on a shelf is just not the answer.
As you can clearly see, my hurdles are nothing compared to those of my close and personal friends in La La Land. Course, if my soon-to-be-a-jailbird pal had any sense in that pea-sized brain of hers, she'd hire me to house and pet sit for the duration of her incarceration. But that's the thing about celebs...they're so not concerned with my needs. They really only like me for my beauty and connections.
Oh well, since none of them care about my impending homelessness, I'll just go OD on some of the opilio the guys from Deadliest Catch sent me. I'm horribly allergic, so that should buy me some time in the hospital. Three squares, a roof, and a call button. Doesn't sound all that bad to me.
Posted by Da Goddess at 01:14 AM | Comments (9)