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Archive for March, 2013

squirrely sunday: easter bunny love

Sunday, March 31st, 2013

Young fluffy rabbit and Grey Squirrel on brown background

 

For this holiday of rebirth and in honor of the season of renewal, I couldn’t resist this little guy snuggling up to an adorable, fluffy, bunny. Don’t you want to snuggle up to him, too?

101 things part four

Wednesday, March 27th, 2013

Halfway through the list! So far, I’ve learned some things require patience more than motivation to get done. Some things, just not super important to me. Others, I still really want to do, and am keeping them on the list. Thanks for hanging in there with me as I evaluate!

  1. Take a metalworking class. Not Done. Just couldn’t find a class that was what I was looking for. I would like to do some casting, and learn to set stones. There were a couple of classes that would have been working with metal, and thus I could cross something off my list. However, I didn’t create these goals just to cross items off my list. I created them to help urge me to do some of the things I’ve been meaning to do. So, I wait so I can learn what I really want. It’s definitely still on my grand to-do list.
  2. Get somewhere on the genealogy of my paternal grandmother’s family (at least two more generations) Not done. I’ve tried, to no avail. My grandmother was a character. I presume I am a lot like her, though she passed when I was pretty young, so I can’t officially confirm that. She kept some secrets and maybe fibbed now and then. Thus, it’s hard to track down those whom she descended from. I know I’m related to Charlie Chaplin. I suspect I’m related to circus folk. That’s not super helpful per se. I really want to know more, and I believe that as the world becomes smaller due to technology expanding, I shall. So, I am still at it!
  1. Go to Ghent, Belgium. Not done. This is much like the Wales trip I mentioned earlier. However, this one is a little more personal, since my family comes from here. I somehow feel very close to this place, despite never having been. So, I need to get there. I made it to Ghent, MN, though that is not quite the same. Still on the list, and it is getting closer!
  2. Put away six months of income in savings. Done! I began to put away a chunk of my paycheck via direct deposit. It’s so much easier to not spend money you don’t ever see. So, I specified an amount to go straight into savings. Easy peasy. I do have to come clean, though. While we saved a large chunk this way, we didn’t save it all this way. We were fortunate enough to get an unexpected windfall which padded the amount a bit. The thing that is nice is that if something happens (excuse me for a moment while I knock on some wood) we will be okay for a while. I want to keep saving, as I don’t ever want to rely on credit ever again for anything. We pay cash, or we don’t get it. We were able to buy a car this way, so I know we can do it. I imagine it will feel amazing one day to pay cash for a dwelling.
  3. Visit the MIA (Minneapolis Institute of Arts) Done! I’d lived here since 1998 without having visited! Crazy, right? I did not have a good excuse for not visiting, other than living around here and taking it for granted. So, I put it on the list to light that extra fire under my booty! I was running out of time, when I saw that they were having a special exhibition of artifacts from China. I’d long thought the terracotta warriors were fascinating, and here was a rare chance to see them outside of China. On top of that, a local paper ran a two-for-one coupon. Now, I’d grown up in the area of the Detroit Institute of Arts, and often found reasons to check it out. I’m not trying to belittle anyone’s art collection, but somehow the MIA just doesn’t inspire the same awe in me that the DIA does. I will try to go back to see more of their collection, and I am amazed by the donations that the Dayton family made to the MIA. It could be the special bond I have with the DIA, but I just don’t see myself building that same bond with the MIA.
  4. Divide and move my perennials. Done! This was a condo goal. Over my time in our unit, my sister helped me establish quite the garden. I hit up annual plant sales, took divisions from friends, from my sister and found some great finds via Craigslist. As we went, I learned what plants would benefit from. For instance, the chartreuse colored hostas that multiplied easily, but were cooked in the sun just as easily? Those would be great under the trees that kept sun from hitting the soil. The super hardy irises? Those would be great in that area where nothing will grow. The hen and chicks that the squirrels dig up? A bug tent designed to protect food on a picnic table could keep those safe until they established. It was really easy to make these decisions in my mind, but more difficult to actually do anything about it. Luckily, the last full summer I lived there, my sis and my nephew helped my divide and divide and divide my plants. We planned, and rearranged. While there isn’t much I miss about living in a condo, I do miss seeing all those wee plants poke up as Spring would approach and develop into Summer. Seeing what would bloom when, seeing how quickly things would spread, and how they all looked together. I must admit, Spring isn’t the same without the garden. However, Winter is better without the shoveling and Summer better without the mowing!
  5. Enter an event at the MN State Fair. Not done. I did at least decide on an event, though! I just haven’t been able to pin down a subject. I don’t know that once I complete it, I will want to do more, so I want to make this one count. Probably to the point of overthinking it. It’s totally on my list, since I just can’t resist the thrill of the State Fair. Although, with the speed this year is shuttling along, I don’t know that 2013 will be my year.
  6. Get at least $1K in donations for the ADA. Not done. We’ve long had a tradition of participating in the ADA walk each year. It is a little selfish, I admit. Since the hubs has diabetes, it is a charity near and dear to our hearts. I would love to make a killing just one year. However, they changed the weekend they do the walk, and we’ve been out of town for the last two years. I will totally do it soon. It is important to me, and to the organization. So, know that I will be hitting you up later this year!
  7. Find the perfect armchair for the living room. Not done. So close, yet so far. I found a perfect chair on Craigslist. Fuchsia tufted velvet. Unfortunately someone beat me to it. It worked out, since that chair wouldn’t be so cute in our current living room. I know I must own a Phillipe Starck Louis ghost chair and an Eames shell rocker in white, but I would like a unique tufted velvet chair that requires hunting. Probably in a rich grey. I know it’s out there, and will come to me when the time is right. It’s not really something I can put on a calendar, since that sort of thrifting/shopping karma is on its own calendar.
  8. Spring clean every nook of the house. Done! I’d already started when we decided to move. However, getting every darn thing out of the house is immensely helpful to doing this.

not a squirrel…

Tuesday, March 26th, 2013

So, the title of my blog got a lot less ironic today. I’ve been dealing with mounting exhaustion for a while now. Each day it has been harder to extract myself from bed. I started falling asleep during favorite TV shows and movies. Not when I stayed up too late, or figured I would watch TV as I drifted off, but during things I wanted to see. I began to sleep away entire weekends. I would fall dead asleep, even if I had plans or somewhere I needed to be.I stopped running, or really doing any activity because I was just. Too. Tired.

So, I brought it up at my last annual exam, and made an appointment around the same time to see my neurologist as a precaution. My regular doctor ran every blood test known to man, including some that were highly, highly improbably. The gamut ran from checking white blood cells and my thyroid to every STD in the book. (If any of the STDs came back positive, I would have been floored. It’s just me and the hubs, and he’s clean. Where would it have come from??) All came back perfect, and I gave myself a pat on the back for taking my vitamins every day. So, on to the neurologist. He gave me a once over, and said that I might have some sleep disorder. He explained some of the possibilities, such as sleep apnea. “I can’t have sleep apnea,” I thought, “I’m not obese!” It turns out that sleep apnea isn’t exactly what I thought it was, and thin people can have it, too. So, I was set up for a sleep study. It’s really strange to make a doctor appointment that occurs at night. When the receptionist asked if I was available to come in that day at 8:30, I managed to stop myself before actually saying, “But it’s already 9!” D’oh. I made my appointment, and per the instructions I took the following day off work. I thought that seemed a bit much just to watch me sleep for a night, but whatever. They are the experts…or at least I hoped so. Otherwise, it just seemed weird to let them watch me sleep. Upon finding out that I would be sleeping in a top-of-the-line Select Comfort bed and that I could watch anything I liked on their HDTV with satellite service, I told both my job and the hubs that I might need to take a few sleep studies. You know, just to make sure.

So, I took the sleep study. I had packed my best pajamas, since I was gonna be on camera, and the novel I was currently reading. It said to bring all your toiletries and such, but I figured I would just do my thing when I got home the next morning. I brought my medicines and purse, and that was about it. I was checked in, and taken to my room. It looked like a classy hotel room that happened to have a weird machine in it. I was told to change into my pajamas, and they would be back to hook me up. I changed into those fancy pajamas and a very nice lady proceeded to wire me up. There were wires everywhere. Electrodes were pasted to my legs, arms, chest, back, neck, head, face, feet…if there is a part not listed, don’t worry, there was probably a wire leading to it. Then, I got to try a CPAP machine. She brought one of each mask type, excluding one that went up my nose on account of my nose ring. I was really hoping I wouldn’t need one, because once the air was turned on for the CPAP, I felt like I was going to choke on the air. Then, I got a rundown of where everything was located. Remote, channel guide, all the bed settings, how if I needed someone just to speak since they would be listening. Finally, I got to settle in. I could read, watch TV, whatevs. I just had to give them a five minute warning of when I would fall asleep so they could hook my myriad of wires to the machine they would be monitoring me through and turn on the camera. I took my meds, tested out all the bed options (My sleep number is 80, if you are wondering. 85 was too much, and 75 wasn’t enough.), and turned on HGTV. When I felt like I had some potential to go to sleep, I sheepishly said something. It’s really weird to speak out to the air and assume someone will hear you. However, they did and a voice from above said someone would be there in a moment. She came in, and hooked my bundle of wires to the machine. A mic was put under my nose to monitor snoring, sleep talking, that sort of thing. Then, I was instructed to lie on my back and await further instruction over the speaker. She left the room, turning out the lights on her way. I then heard instructions to do things so they could check the equipment. Things like breathing in and out, blinking, and speaking. After that, it was sweet sleep time.

I slept and had some crazy dreams. I know I woke up a few times, and a couple of those times were so brief that I wondered if they would notice I was even awake. Finally, I woke up and had to pee. I had no idea how long I’d been asleep. I wondered if I would be bothering anyone by asking to go to the bathroom. I pondered for a bit. However, I really had to pee. I quietly said that I needed to use the restroom. A voice said she would be there in a moment. Sure enough, a knock on the door. I said to come in, and the door opened. A different woman came in, and turned on the light, warning me that it would be bright. She unhooked the wires from the machine and clipped them to a lanyard so I could go to the bathroom. When I was finished, I had her come back into the room. She asked if I was ready to get up for the day. I asked what time it was. She responded, “You want to know what time it is? Two o’clock in the afternoon.” Yup. I guess I should be ready to get up. I was told they got some good data, and she suspected I would need to stay for a nap study. She also mentioned that she got me a turkey sandwich from Panera. Yay! Oh wait. I can’t eat turkey. A moment later there were balloons and confetti floating from the ceiling. “CONGRATULATIONS!!! YOU QUALIFY FOR A NAP STUDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!” What did I win? “FOUR OR FIVE TWENTY MINUTE NAPS! DINNER FROM PIZZA LUCE! HELPING YOURSELF TO ANYTHING IN THE KITCHEN*!”

Okay, so there was no confetti nor any balloons and no exclamations. However, I totally qualified for that nap study and got to order anything I wanted from Pizza Luce. I had to change out of my pajamas, though, and there were significantly fewer wires involved. Basically, the run down was to stay up for two hours (no napping/drifting off allowed), then they would come in, plug in my remaining wires, do a couple of checks and tell me to nap. In my free two hours between naps, I ate a bagel, drank some water, watched random HGTV, read a couple of chapters in my book, and ate my pizza. I took four naps, and I slept for all of them. What can I say? I know how to sleep.

Or rather, I don’t. I nervously made and attended my follow up appointment. I was expecting them to ask me if I remembered ripping all the wires off and running around the hall naked or something. I mean, that would totally explain everything. Am I right?? It was not so interesting, though. The rundown was that during my insane sleep, I wasn’t really sleeping. I roused thirty three times. An hour. Normal is six or seven times. A night. Also, those nap studies? I really shouldn’t have been able to fall asleep so soon after sleeping for over 14 hours. Much less in three minutes that first nap. I certainly should not have hit REM sleep in 8 minutes much less during a 20 minute nap. On the bright side, it took me longer during that second nap? (Normal would be hitting REM during a NINETY MINUTE nap.) So, all the classic symptoms of narcolepsy. So, there were a couple of options. We started with the hope that the narcolepsy was caused by the not sleeping (and not the other way around). So, I left with a plan to change my prescription that I take at night to the morning to see if that was the problem, halving the dosage, then starting a sedative. I did each of those things, and the problem still continued to worsen. I was still waking up despite the sedative, and still getting more exhausted during the day. So, today I met with my sleepytime doctor. Anyone guess I have narcolepsy? If you did, you get a gold star!**

Now, I admit to not really knowing much about narcolepsy. I’ve heard the term, I know it has something to do with falling asleep easily. However, it’s pretty different than what I thought. It’s less I’m typing this blog pokjaf dkaroiyhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhnCS

What? Huh? Where was I before I passed out and ruined my keyboard with drool?

It’s that you can fall asleep quickly and reach REM quickly. It’s that your sleep centers are screwed up and despite being exhausted and getting to sleep so easily, you can’t necessarily stay asleep or rest.

So, the short of it is, I will wean the sedative and add a stimulant in the morning. The idea is that the stimulant will suppress the sleepiness during the day, it will wear off in the afternoon, and because I wasn’t sleepy all day I will sleep at night. Right now I am operating at a major sleep deficit. So, I’m hoping this is the magic trick!

I’m also hoping that my blog title wasn’t a self fulfilled prophecy. If I start sprouting soft grey hair and a tail, I am changing my name to Fabulous Tilda Swinton, STAT.

*That wasn’t brought in by an employee to eat for lunch. So, no Trader Joe’s Indian for this lady.
**Not a real gold star. A virtual gold star you can keep in your mind to remember this moment.

linked:stay classy

Monday, March 25th, 2013

Happy Monday!! I know the weekend was too short, but grab your coffee, relax for a minute and let these links keep you busy until you wake up!

This first link is amazing to me. I mean, how long has wine been around and this has only just been done? Wine in individual servings already in the glass. Now you can be classy anywhere!

Maybe it’s the wine talking, but how does one steal an entire bridge?

Those bridge thieves were clearly crafty, but were they as crafty as these art thieves? At Gawker, the FBI admits they still haven’t solved this 23 year old art heist.

The polls appear to be closed, but I think it’s still worth a peek over at Typefight. Graphic artists are pitted against one another to see whose typography reigns supreme.

Over at Bill Cosby’s site, the polls are still open! Go vote on your favorite Cosby sweater! I was surprised to see less Coogi than I expected.

The Iraq war was already a decade ago. The Atlantic looks at the war ten years later.

On a possibly happier note, the Star Tribune looks at the Twin Cities this year versus last year. Yeah, I don’t think we’ll be rocking bikinis anytime soon.

Finally, this wouldn’t be Narcoleptic Squirrel, if I didn’t share at least one furry little guy! This video combines squirrels and cats in the best possible way.

squirrely sunday: going in fighting

Sunday, March 24th, 2013

badassquirrel

I’m gonna attack this week and take advantage of every moment. How will you take advantage of the new week?

 

 

101 things: part three

Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

Part three of evaluating my attempt at making <a href=”http://dayzeroproject.com/”>101 goals to do over 1001 days</a>. Check out part one <a href=”http://narcolepticsquirrel.com/2013/02/05/1001-days/”>here</a>, and part two <a href=http://narcolepticsquirrel.com/2013/03/13/101-things-part-two/>here</a>.

  1. Take ballroom dancing.Not done. I want to do this with the hubs, and need to get him to cooperate.
  2. Get G’s dragon triptych framed.DONE! (This is the first one of this round I have done, so it gets all caps!) G used to work at the MN Renaissance Festival. There was an artist out there, whose work he admired. In fact, there was a specific watercolor he really wanted. It was a triptych that made one large picture of two dragons intertwining. He coveted it for several years, and his parents purchased him the prints one Christmas (they are signed and numbered by the artist). It was enough years ago that we weren’t married yet, though we were a couple. His parents weren’t sure what sort of framing he would like, so they decided to leave it up to us. So, the prints sat and sat and sat. Michael’s decided to throw an omen our way and had a sale on custom framing that was more than they’ve done that I can remember. So, we took them in. We wanted something really simple so the art could shine. Did you know custom framing is expensive? I mean, really expensive? We had the sale, plus a coupon, and we still spent about 3 times what I anticipated. However, I bought it for G for Christmas last year, so it was a present, too. They are hanging in our bedroom and look lovely. Totally worth it.
  3. & 35. Write in my regular blog once a week for a year, write in my secondary blog once a week for a year.Not done. I tried. I really did. However, a blog is a lot of work. I did have a decent stretch of writing in this blog once a week, but once you forget a week it’s really easy to forget two weeks, then three, next thing you know months pass by. The secondary blog was a crafting blog I started with friends. This one was going to get me crafting regularly again and get our blog going again. That one was even harder! Twice the inspiration needed. I’ve learned a lot about blogging recently, and I know ways to make this a reality. I also know to focus on one blog and get it up and running before committing one’s self to multiple blogs. So, I am focusing on this one, trying to get up to more than once a week, and that is plenty right now! Besides, I think quality is more important than quantity. No one wants to read terrible posts, especially if there are a lot of them.
  1. Do my top secret project!Started! So, when I put this together, I didn’t want to disclose my secret so someone wouldn’t scoop my idea. Since I would love to be on Project Runway, I wanted to see if I could do it. I started a blog wherein I did the challenge along with the contestants. I was hoping it would become an internet sensation! (maybe) I didn’t quite finish, but I learned very many things. The first, I can do it. I can sew like the wind when I have to. I can make it work. So, that part was important. The second, it is really, really hard. Mostly, it is hard to do when you have a job and a life and are trying to squeeze in fast paced projects. The third, it is really, really expensive. Even when you are buying fabric at a warehouse that is half off. Very different than a show paying for everything. Finally, it is also hard to do all the stuff they do on the show without all the resources they have on the show. Like, when it comes time to make your own fabric pattern, it takes a lot longer when you don’t have an expensive computer and an even more expensive program to design it on. A lot longer. So, those things combined got me way off track. Not to mention some of the other health things that halted other tasks on the list.
    I have the stuff for at least two more of the projects, and I will do them. The biggest thing I wanted to do was prove I could handle making something under a tight deadline, and I definitely accomplished that!

    How far I got on my fabric design. It would be a repeat, using my love of all things feathery, the pink feather being me sticking out from everyone else.

    How far I got on my fabric design. It would be a repeat, using my love of all things feathery, the pink feather being me sticking out from everyone else.

  2. Try out for the MN Roller Girls.Not. Done. So, I could totally see myself doing roller derby. The thing is, if I am gonna do something, I don’t wanna half ass it. So, if I would do roller derby, it would be for the MN Roller Girls. The thing is, they are hardcore. They are serious, well known, and very competitive to get into. There are other leagues that would be easier to get into, but again with the full-assedness. So, if I were going to try out, it would be full assed. I just never had the time to train for this when I was training for a marathon, then getting injured and sick. I think I will get into skating more seriously, then go from there.
  3. Go to the Lizzie Borden house.DONE! It was awesome! I want to go back! I would have liked to stay in the murder room, but we were going for my birthday which is near Halloween. That is the season when everyone wants to do spooky things. So, we were lucky to stay there at all! We got the last room, which was just attic when Lizzie lived in the house. I hustled after work to get G from JFK airport, the cheapest place for him to fly in. The unfortunate part was that my GPS was drunk, so I wound up doing some driving along Madison Avenue on a Friday night. On top of that, JFK is a god-forsaken place. I finally found G, and we made our way to the house, calling twice to let them know we would be late. Sadly, this put us in too late to catch the exclusive-for-guests tour. Another reason to go back! We still got a tour, I got some great snaps of the place with me in my Victorian finery, we met the cat of the house, and had a great breakfast with two really cool people, and two really weird people. If you get a chance, I highly recommend it!
  4. Volunteer at WRCMNNot done. I still want to very much. I really want to work with the abandoned baby squirrels and injured squirrels (imagine that). It’s mostly been a scheduling issue. I just need to buckle down and do it!
  5. Take a pattern drafting class.Not done. I don’t know for sure if I will still do this one. I have drafted things by figuring it out and using math (again, I know, right?) but don’t have training. I learned a lot about drafting by trial and error during my PR project. I want to experiment and self teach myself some more before I take a class.

linked: i like you

Monday, March 18th, 2013

Another feature! I know, a lot of blogs have a post of links as a feature. I love these posts. I love finding out what people are interested in, finding new things to do or read, learning something, reminiscing, and so much more. So, every Monday, I would like to share with you what I’m enjoying, reading, learning, discovering. Some I’ve found through others, some I’ve found while surfing, but I want to share all of them with you for one reason or another. I thought Monday would be a great day for this. That way, when you drag yourself into work first thing Monday morning and you are still waking up with a cup of coffee (or three) you can look busy for a few minutes and have some things to help get you through a Monday morning, and maybe the rest of your week. So, here’s my first installment! Enjoy!

It has been nearly 76 years since the Hindenburg disaster that made traveling by zeppelin a blip in history. This 75th anniversary article provides a history of the successful years of the Hindenburg, zeppelin travel, and photographs of the marvel.

Speaking of history, it was only 100 short years ago that women marched on Washington to work for the right to vote. The Smithsonian covered this incredible event.

Now to the future! The LA Times speculated what 2013 would look like, 25 years ago.

In 1967, Walter Cronkite visited the home of the future! The living room is quite lovely, and I would like us to get on that kitchen of the future now.

Love Game of Thrones? Check out School of Thrones. If you are behind where the show is, there may be spoilers. I still think it’s delightful.

Been keeping track of the worst fashions of your favorite celebrity? The Fug Girls released this years Fug Madness bracket, with the Madness beginning tomorrow.

Finally, the best thing I saw over the last week. Cracked is great at dispensing knowledge laced with humour. However, this look at the beloved Fred Rogers manages to be sweet and sentimental. If you watch the videos, you’ll want a box of tissues handy.

squirrely sunday: beer responsible!

Sunday, March 17th, 2013

beeringsquirrel

 

Here’s to a happy Saint Patrick’s Day! A couple of tips for imbibing this holiday: 1) Choose wisely. Sure you can just have a Bud, but perhaps choose something a little more delicious and Irish and, well, special. B) Make sure you have a sober driver, whether you choose to have a friend drive the car, catch a bus or hail a taxi. Cheers!!

101 things: part two

Wednesday, March 13th, 2013

I know I was gonna bang this out over one week, but my blog freaked out and I couldn’t.
Just as well. I learned how long it will really take to bang this out and how long it is to read. So, I am cutting down to ten (or 11, in some cases), and posting them each Wednesday so you all don’t get too bored! Here’s part two, keep your eyes out over the next few Wednesdays for parts three through nine!

  1. Finish the things in my project box.Not done. This box contains various things that need some help. All the items are clothing, but they need altering for one reason or another. Some are projects that were finished just enough for their purpose, but I want to finish them the way the should be finished. Some are things that I don’t wear anymore, but still love so I want to alter them into something I will wear. Some are things that (usually because of age) are not wearable as they are, but are full of fabric to harvest or could be used to pattern for a remake. No matter why the box is there, instead of less full it is now more full.
  1. Go to England and Wales with G.Not done. I’ve not been to England or Wales in years, and G has never been (I know, right???). We thought it would be a perfect trip for our big ten-year anniversary. I had some dollars from a work bonus set aside, so I began looking into it. Then, I got put on a project for work that had me out-of-town during that time. We didn’t come up with an alternate date, and the fund got put into things like unexpected car repairs. However, we are determined to make this happen, sooner rather than later.
  2. Move to LA.Not done. I would like to get to work on some filmy/TV things G would love to work for a certain game developer, and we would love to be close to some of our west coast friends. I thought that giving this a deadline would get us on doing it! We aren’t there yet, but we have made some headway. We did get rid of our condo, which was a big thing keeping us stuck here. Selling a home is different than giving notice on an apartment. Now we are in an apartment, so that is a big obstacle gone. G is in the process of applying for his dream job, which if he were to get in, would require a temporary relocation to Quantico and then a more permanent location to a place of their choosing (though, G can give them preferences). We want to see how that shakes out, then will go from there. I do know for sure that California would not be a long term situation. We are people who need seasons, which California is notoriously lacking.
  3. Draft and build a corset.Not done. This is to be part of a costume, but other costumes keep popping up and getting in the way. It would be a big help for my big dream of being on Project Runway, but since it is questionable whether it will stay on the air, this has also kept bumping the priority. I did get sources for the supplies taken care of, and I will certainly get there. I just need to not get so excited to make all the things.
  4. Enter Masquerade at CONvergenceNot done. I was close. So close. Until I developed a fever and illness and had to have my niece go in my stead. She had put together a costume, and was ready to go, so it worked out. But, it was a bummer. I haven’t come up with another thing I’ve wanted to do as much yet. I know I will, but since the process is a lot of work, I want to be really in love with the idea.
  5. Get my wedding gown taken care of. Finally.Not done. Not that after 12 years, time is of the essence. However, it was an honest-to-goodness Vera Wang. I got a great deal on it, and it was a dream come true to wear one of her gowns. I want to keep it forever, regardless of whether or not I have someone to pass it on to. I should have taken it to the cleaners straight away, but I foolishly didn’t. So, it is still on the hanger, in the garment bag, just like I hung it up in the hotel on our wedding night. I’m not overly concerned about staining, I just hope there aren’t holes or things that are more difficult to repair. I think I will have it professionally dyed and possibly wear it for other fancy things. I swear, the next coupon I see for gown cleaning will get my butt into the dry cleanery and get it done. I’m hoping the process will also make it more compact. The layers and layers of tulle Ms. Wang designed into that thing make it voluminous to say the least.
  6. Get my Mystery tattoo.Not done. When I reached my first goal weight, I got a tattoo of a wee black cat named Sabbath on my right thigh. My reward for my final goal was to get his sister, Mystery, on my left thigh. I was very close, but a chronic neck injury flared up and hated progress. Then I got several rounds of steroid injections. They are not kidding when they tell you steroids make you gain weight. Also, it is real weight. So, I am back where I started and need to get back down. And get that tattoo. Sabbath is very lonely.

    Sabbath, brand new!

    Sabbath, brand new!

  7. Get my running tattoo (after I complete my marathon).Not done. I signed up for the marathon. I trained until about a month before. When I got wicked bronchitis, I tried to keep training. However, it is really hard to run when you can’t breathe. It’s hard to get back to breathing when the genetics you’re blessed with mean that bronchitis sticks around for at least a month if the steroids and antibiotics work correctly. I was still hacking up my lungs by the day of the marathon and had to postpone that dream. Why does getting sick have to get in the way of things? I will do that marathon, though I am still rebuilding mileage-wise so it is a someday item.
  8. Get my Raven tattoo.Not done. One reason is dollars, the other is that I don’t have quite the perfect art yet. I want her to be absolutely perfect because she is so important to me. I love ravens for many, many reasons. I want this tattoo to capture all of them.
  9. & 31) Take a ballet class, Take a tap class.Not done. The biggest reason is funding. It’s hard to justify dance lessons when you are cash strapped. However, I found a place I want to go, and my passion for dance was recently reignited, so the next round of classes, I am all over it!

squirrely sunday

Sunday, March 10th, 2013

power company squirrel

This guy is hard at work, just like many of us will be in too short a time. Why are weekends so short???