January 25, 2005
capricornucopiaeven tho the date (january 22nd) had gotten pushed into the aquarius zone and many invitees apparently decided not to brave the snow, wind, and frigid temps, the much-anticipated capricorn party on saturday--celebrating my 40th birthday, jeff's 50th, jon's 33rd, and and those of various other caps who joined us--was a blast.
i am becoming quite the special-occasion guest at rog and steven's, having just spent x-mas eve and a portion of x-mas day with them, when my holiday travel plans to iowa were derailed by the "frozen parfait of disaster" (aka, freezing rain + snow + more freezing rain + more snow), as well as new year's eve. and i've known for years that those boys can throw a party. but with the help of brian, shawn, greg, eddie, and wayne, they definitely outdid themselves this time. fabulous food, drinks galore, wonderful people, titillating conversation, amazing gifts, and the best birthday cake i've ever had in my life from a piece of cake, all in the exceedingly warm and inviting and comfortable atmosphere that is their home. i even forgave them for inscribing everyone's ages beneath their respective names on said cake...'cause you know i am embracing 40. a few random highlights: - feeding everyone bites of cake from the giant slab that bore my name.
- my “big-girl cup” (i.e., a large glass tumbler), instead of the little plastic glasses that everyone else was using for cocktails.
- my nat sherman fantasia party cigarettes.
- "sophisticated adult refreshments" in the upstairs tv room, and other assorted decadence.
- v's arrival when i least expected it.
capricorns rock. but those who love us and throw us spectacular parties rock more.
10:17 AM
January 20, 2005
don't spend a dime todaysomeone forwarded this to me and i thought it was worth passing on. except for whatever my heat, electricity, water, and the gasoline already in my car are costing (i do have my limits), i'm not spending a cent today. join me?
Not One Damn Dime Day
Since our religious leaders will not speak out against the war in Iraq, since our political leaders don'thave the moral courage to oppose it...Inauguration Day, Thursday, January 20th, 2005, is "Not One Damn Dime Day" in America.
On "Not One Damn Dime Day," those who oppose what is happening in our name in Iraq--not to mention those who oppose the millions and millions of dollars that will be spent on, of all things, the inaugural "celebration"--can speak up with a 24-hour national boycott of all forms of consumer spending.
During "Not One Damn Dime Day," please don't spend money. Not one dime for gasoline. Not one dime for necessities or for impulse purchases. Not one dime for anything for 24 hours.
On "Not One Damn Dime Day," please boycott Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Target. Please don't go to the mall or the local convenience store. Please don't buy any fast food (or any groceries at all, for that matter). For 24 hours, please do what you can to shut the retail economy down.
The objective is simple. Remind the people in power that the war in Iraq is immoral and illegal; that they are responsible for starting it, and that it is their responsibility to stop it. "Not One Damn Dime Day" is to remind them, too, that they work for the people of the United States of America, not for the international corporations and K-Street lobbyists who represent the corporations and funnel cash into American politics.
"Not One Damn Dime Day" is about supporting the troops. The politicians put the troops in harm's way. Now, 1,200 brave young Americans and (some estimate) 100,000 Iraqis have died. The politicians owe our troops a plan – a way to come home.
There's no rally to attend. No marching to do. No left or right wing agenda to rant about. On "Not One Damn Dime Day," you take action by doing nothing. You open your mouth by keeping your wallet closed. For 24 hours, nothing gets spent, not one dime, to remind our religious leaders and our politicians of their moral responsibility to end the war in Iraq and give America back to the people.
8:44 AM
January 19, 2005
catching up, starting freshso, deshi wants to know what i’ve been up to during my extended hiatus from blogging. aside from continuing to be challenged at work (in one way or another); doing my usual friday happy hour thing with my boys (which often goes way beyond the traditional few hours after work); first anticipating, and now thoroughly enjoying, basketball season; and building a small obsession with collection of martin gordon striped shirts (if you own one, you understand)...i can honestly say, not a whole helluva lot.
i’ve been lazy. obviously not blogging. not really reading a lot (tho i’m trying to ease my way back into it). watching a lot of tv (albeit some of it, really, really good tv). blazing through my netflix queue at a speed that makes it a really good deal.
okay, so i did turn 40 this month. while the birthday itself wasn’t a big deal (as much as i had dreaded it for a few months prior), i do feel like this is a turning point. last year was my “rebuilding” year. it was a little rough at times. i cried a lot. some days...some entire weeks...were a struggle. start to finish.
this year, i’ve got: - my motto: shakin’ shit up in the ‘05. i'm not sure yet what exactly i'll be shakin' up, but it'll be somethin'. trust.
- my mantras: look forward and not back. focus on what i have, instead of on what i don’t. and redefine, redefine, redefine. that last one, in terms of my relationship to/with sandra. if i want her in my life at all--which i do--i MUST accept that it’s on new terms, as reluctant as i've been to see it as permanent.
- a whole new attitude. if i don’t change my own mindset, no one else will. nor will anyone want to hang out with me. ever, ever again.
i also have anitra (goddess love her) saying things like, "you're still one of the most rockstar-ish people i know. heh." :D at 40...what more could i want??
4:39 PM
January 18, 2005
three’s a charmnot that you care...but this week’s women’s ncaa rankings are out and my buckeyes are...*drum roll*...NUMBER THREE in the country. woooo hoooooo!!
this comes on the heels of an amazing game against then-number-four-ranked rutgers on sunday. i was there, in my row-e seat, waving my spirit towel (which i know makes me a complete and total dork), booing the refs’ bad calls, and going hoarse with the best of 'em.
this ranking matches the program’s highest in its 40-year history...back in 1992-93 when katie smith was playing (and i wasn’t yet paying much attention). katie, by the way...when she’s not tearing up opposing pro teams during the summer...is on the ohio state bench as an assistant coach a grad assistant, along with her lynx teammate, tamika williams (who really is an assistant coach).
now if they can just maintain their nation-leading field-goal percentage (52.4%), continue to kick some defensive ass, and hang on through the regular season, sandra (forever, i hope, my hoops companion) and i will find ourselves scrambling for final-four tickets, come march.
go. bucks.
10:07 AM
January 17, 2005
mlk daywhile part of me wants to wax philosophical about this day, who and what it commemorates, and why it's a whole lot more than a just day off from work (for some, anyway)...sorry, kids. it's just not happening.
i started the day feeling bitter that i am working today, on a federal holiday when everyone i know (except, of course, my colleagues) is off. (*whispering* especially after a rare sunday evening of spirited carousing, for which i am now paying dearly. )
but thanks to aaron mcgruder’s installment for yesterday, i feel a little better.
11:39 AM
January 14, 2005
don't call it a comeback. i've been here for years. --ll cool j
some experiences, however inconsequential, simply cannot pass by without comment.
today, a baby shower luncheon was scheduled for one of three women in our office who is pregnant. earlier in the day, much squealing was going on around the corner from my office, so i popped out to see what the fuss was about. several female staff members had gathered around “mom”. it seems that she had just been presented with a “baby”...one of those creepy, “lifelike” infant dolls that parents sometimes use to teach their little girls (and sometimes boys, if mom and dad are striving for gender-neutrality) how to nurture.
okay....?
the expectant mother was encouraged to carry around “baby” for the entire work day. so far, i believe she has. at the luncheon, when she presented “baby” to her husband (who had been invited in for the occasion), he took it reluctantly, held it for a hot 3 seconds, and promptly returned it to her, with an absolutely priceless look on his face.
as if the whole “baby” thing is not scary enough... “baby” actually belongs to another woman on staff, one of 3 vice presidents who is in her mid-50s and has children in high school and college. apparently, it had been a gift from her staff (including 2 of the 3 now-pregnant women) last year. apparently, she had really wanted it. apparently, she thinks it’s “precious.”
the workplace? it can be frightening.
p.s.-- yeah. i'm back.
3:20 PM
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