By:
On:
With: 0 Comments

The Spirit of Fun

The goal was to walk over to the skate park and back.  We got close to it, close enough to see, but Justin was struggling, so we didn’t actually go up to it.  Still, we got in a good walk, and I’m hoping he can see it is very doable.  Yeah, he was exhausted this time, but it does get easier over time.

I am so happy to see all of the Halloween decorations around the neighborhood.  I love seeing people get into the spirit of fun; I worried a little when I added a spiderweb to my front door the other day.  None of my neighbors had anything up.  Maybe they won’t ever, but it is still a little early for some people.  We’ll see.  In one yard, there was a giant skeleton and a giant Jack Skellington, which sang a song from the movie as we walked by.  I love that kind of thing.  Even if I don’t want certain things in my own yard, I’m always excited when others have them in theirs.  I also hate those decorations while in a store, but in a yard I’m into it.  In a store, I’m just there to get what I need and get out; I don’t need the clamor.  I’m appreciating the neighborhood more and more.

I also got a lot of good landscaping ideas.  I need to come up with a concept and try and execute it.  In the past, I’ve just gathered things I like and tried to make it work.  And it doesn’t.  I need charts and plans, spreadsheets.  I’ll keep an eye on other yards in other walks.  The goal is to eventually walk every part of the neighborhood, but I admit it is a little more comfortable on a weekday midmorning.  I’m not opposed to waving at neighbors, but I do like to take pictures of things and certainly don’t want to inadvertently upset anyone.  

[Walk #330, 1.57 miles]

By:
On:
With: 0 Comments

Boo! whatever:

Yesterday was such a lazy day… terrifically so. I enjoyed it though — lazy is relaxing. Jess, Lori, and I watched Survivor (taped) and Will & Grace, ate some yummy soft tacos, and carved our jack-o-lanterns. I just cut leaves blowing in the wind into mind, as it will be up for a few days past Halloween. Not that my decorations will be down until tomorrow, but whatever. Jess’ was scary and Lori’s was silly, which wasn’t surprising from either of them. They are so wonderfully predictable. I like it.

Vote:

I did it… I can’t take it back now! Lori and I went to vote while we were on lunch today. It actually took a little too long because we were unclear on where to go, but once we got there it went pretty fast. I know my individual vote won’t matter here in Oklahoma, but I feel happy that I cancel at least one Bush vote out. It makes me sad to think that he could win tomorrow.  Blah. For anyone interested, I have nothing to hide: I voted: for John Kerry, for Brad Carson, for all gambling measures, for education lotto, against new cigarette/income tax, for immobile veterans not paying property tax, for Doug Dodd, against Native American tribes being fined for not charging cigarette tax, and against most of the justices on the ballot. That was just to be a dick, which isn’t fair. The rest were thought out votes at least.

Nice:

Nice has been the theme of the day. We started the day hearing about Jeff’s Kindness Campaign 2004, as he calls it. It calls for random acts of kindness between managers to the point that we actually drew names to be sure we have a person to do something extra for… a card, helping them out, a gift of appreciation… it doesn’t require money. It was interesting because later I was looking at a book about groups of people who don’t fit in, but who have come together. In it was “Join Me!” This group, British I believe, started when a guy took out an ad in a paper that simply said “Join Me!” He has received responses from around the world and the group now has a mission. “Random acts of kindness for random people.” I think it is great. Too often we take our fellow human beings for granted.

Website/Photos:

I spent hours yesterday morning working on my homepage… hours!  I am pretty happy with it now and it includes a photo album. Visit Brian’s homepage here. Let me know what you think of it! It was fun, but I would like the button at the top to open pages in a new window and could figure out how. If anyone knows, please let me know here. Also, I added reviews. I just put 3 on, but check ’em out.

Featured Image Art: photo of “I Voted” stickers

originally posted on Xanga

By:
On:
With: 0 Comments

Vote:

I have decided to vote. I was wavering last week, but I think it is important for me to just do it. Part of my problem is that Oklahoma has already been declared and no votes have taken place.  I know that my vote doesn’t really count in the long run and that is disheartening. I guess the only way to change things is to get out there. It makes me terribly sad that discrimination will be added to the Oklahoma constitution with the anti gay marriage amendment. It also makes me sad that consumers of cigarettes will be saddled with additional taxes.  This is one of the many things that irritates me. I have never understood this, even before I started smoking. Raising taxes on a small part of the population is not an acceptable substitute for parenting.

Soapbox:

Society is not responsible for the following: smoking, underage drinking, gambling problems, or disrespect. Parents are. Too often, parents sit around waiting for morality to fall into their children’s laps.  Apathetic and lazy parenting is to blame for kids not understanding how to behave around other people. It always amazes me how wonderful my parents are. They really taught us responsibility, respect, a strong work ethic, and the importance of family. I am so proud to be a part of what seems to be such a rare type of family.

Halloween Fun:

I hope my Halloween is relaxing. I plan on cleaning, carving a jack-o-lantern, and watching The Others with Lori. I really want to get this place cleaned up… I don’t know why I can’t get my brain to work properly. I just can’t get myself to organize the way Lori, my dad, and so many others I know can. They all argue that I have too much, but I don’t really think that is the problem.  Anyway, what better way to spend a day off than making my house more livable. I invited Patrick and Justin to join us, but for some reason they will be doing a lot of work… it seems a little odd that they would be so busy on a Sunday, but I guess the homeowners have the day off so landscaping is more of a weekend thing.

Commercial:

Although the Child Abuse Network does extremely important work, the commercial playing in Oklahoma is scary. Wynonna Judd is HUGE. And the top she is wearing just gave me a headache. God, it is annoying.

Featured Image Art: painting of children at Halloween (artist unknown)

originally posted on Xanga

By:
On:
With: 0 Comments

Book(s):
I got and plan on starting Closet Case by Robert Rodi. I am interested in all of his books, but that one really sounded like the best. I really need to read more, but I need to get new glasses. I can barely see. It makes it frustrating to try and read anything.

Friends:
I love friends. Justin came over and watched Clash Of The Titans with me the other day. I think I am officially over that movie. Once upon a time I loved it, but I guess I have moved on with my life. Anyway, we later went to Wal-Mart, where we both had to pick up copies of The Day After Tomorrow, which we thought got a bad rap just because the wolves looked ridiculously fake. It was good for what it was and that is all it should be judged on. It was great formula disaster, better than made for TV, but certainly not the best of its kind. I dropped him off at his house and he went in to get my DVDs I had loaned him and Patrick. When he returned, he had a snapdragon in a starter pot, which he offered me. It was weird and a little funny. I took it and when I returned home I planned on giving it to Lori. As I walked by her house, her living room light went out so I quickly ran up and knocked on the door… no answer. So I unlocked the door and sat the plant in an obvious place and left. I am tired of giving people gifts. They appreciate them, but I don’t necessarily want them to. I am turning into my dad, giving things away all the time. It is exhausting when you are at any store and everything reminds you of someone you know. I should just not buy!!!

Shauna (ex roommate), Nathan (her kid), and Bryce (her brother) came into the store on Friday. It was nice to see them. It had been a very long time. I really miss James (Shauna’s husband) though. I really connected well with him when I lived with them, but haven’t seen him in a long time and I miss him. He is very much a homebody, not even wanting to venture beyond his house for long, so it is hard to see him without going over there. I should just go.

Haven’t seen Jess in a while, but I am sure work is keeping her busy lately.

Birthdays:
KC had her 1st birthday Friday. Meghan shared the day as her 21st. Franz, my cat, shared the same day as his 3rd. Mom’s birthday is tomorrow. I will be in Stillwater later today to celebrate. Brent and Laurisa (my brother and sister-in-law) will be in town too. I hardly ever see them now that they live an hour in the other direction of my parents. I also haven’t seen Jason since he was born. It will be a fun day. I hope if I take a movie my mom and I will be able to watch it in peace at some point. No more birthdays until November after this one.

Health:
I have a dentist appointment tomorrow morning. I am one of those dentist fearing people. I don’t really understand it, but I just don’t really like going. I have an abscess so I hope that I will have a tooth removed. It really needs to go. I hate that such a small thing can impact my overall sense of well being. It makes me feel sick all over!!!

Observation I made at work: Our inability to keep paper from cutting our skin is the dumbest thing ever. God seriously needs to rethink that whole thing. I was ringing someone up and the cover on the book he was buying sliced very easily into my finger… ouch!!!

Work:
Things seem to be getting much better. It is great to have employees who support me. I am impressed with everyone in my department at the moment and it really feels great. They are the best!!! I again enjoy my job and I am grateful for that.

Audacity: We have a man who keeps coming in the store and harassing a certain person in my department. He started out as a shoplifter, but has recently started only coming in to just show that we as a store do not scare him. Although he does not have the opportunity to steal, he does have an opportunity to make people uncomfortable. It is to the point that I wish I didn’t have to schedule certain people alone, but can’t penalize them for the actions of one asshole. I am just venting as I can see no way to get rid of him. Our store is willing to call the police on him, but he flees before it ever gets to that. It is aggravating.

Featured Image Art: photo by Sagar Patil (via Unsplash)

originally posted on Xanga

By:
On:
With: 0 Comments

Happy C******s Day, all!
I am feeling kinda weird today. I spent the day feeling sick because I started eating. I should have done it more gradually, but I rushed into it. Oh well. I was back at work today after a 4 day vacation. It was a little irritating seeing what didn’t get done, but I will just crack the whip this week. I do have a new employee who I work with tomorrow. My department doesn’t have the turn over the rest of the store has so a new person is a big deal. I did discover that the DVD section needs to be further expanded, which is both frustrating and exciting because the section started out so small and has taken over.

Movies:
Lori and I are watching movies again. Sleepy Hollow and Ernest Scared Stupid (unless I can get out of that one somehow). I did see the USA Frankenstein movie last night. It was okay, but I wanted more. It sould have been a mini series instead. They tried to cram too much in. Edit 11:54: We ended up watching Underworld, which Jess had. It was okay. I am not that interested in Vampires and Werewolves, but it was appropriate. I made meatloaf, which took forever to cook (because I turned the heat down instead of up when I need to). I think it made it more moist. It was sooo good. I enjoy throwing stuff together, but I never cook. It was the second time in the three years I have known Lori & Jess that I cooked for them. Not that meatloaf really counts either. It was a good evening.

TV:
During my brief time off I watched entirely too much TV. I think that I would watch constantly if the only thing on was The Practice, Law & Order, CSI, etc. I love those shows.

Featured Image Art: still from Underworld (2004)

originally posted on Xanga

By:
On:
With: 0 Comments

Halloween:
I decorated my house for halloween, so I thought I would decorate my blog too. Yay Halloween!!!

Movies:
Lori & I watched Vulgar and Nightmare Before Christmas tonight. Vulgar was disturbing. I think next time I watch, I will skip over the parts that were awful. I thought it was good. Nightmare Before Christmas was excellent as usual. It was the first time Lori had seen it, but I think she liked it. I enjoy it.

I decided I wanted a movie night each week, so those were the selections this week. Next week, probably One Hour Photo & Eight Legged Freaks. I think for our sanity we need to watch something light after something so heavy. We’ll be on Halloween movies all month! Sleepy Hollow, Strangers On A Train, Mary Reilly, Monkeybone, Gods & Monsters, and maybe a little Harry Potter! I invited Jess to join us, but I didn’t realize I was going to start it today.

Featured Image Art: vintage Halloween postcard

originally posted on Xanga