John Hughes

I have been having a night! Started off with watching the latest "Gilmore Girls" episode. I know, not an 80's film but it's what came after that counts. My lover-ly husband found "Better Off Dead" on ABC Family. John Cusack at his finest if you ask me. Then I found "Some Kind of Wonderful" on Oh!, Oxygen Network. Just in time to see Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson) give Keith (Eric Stoltz) some pointers on how to deliver, "a kiss that kills." Such an AWESOME movie. I feel like a giddy school girl whenever I see the film, especially that scene.

There's something about a John Hughes film that will always strike a chord in me. Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink (Ducky!), The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and the aforementioned Some Kind of Wonderful all remind me of being in junior high and high school and feeling different and wondering if I would ever fit in. Then once I got married, I fell in love with "She's Having a Baby". Another great, but underrated flick.

If you ever have a chance, rent a few of his films and make a night of it. You'll be surprised by how much you end up relating to the characters.

OK Go - Here It Goes Again

I would pay LOTS of money to any gym that let me do this on their treadmills. Did you see them do it live for the VMA's? Very cool!

My newest toy. Isn't it pretty? Isn't it tiny? Don't you want to run out and buy one? I love apple.

I know, I know, I'm a crass consumer. But sometimes I just can't help myself.

communication

I really hate it when people don't tell you what they are thinking. Especially if you are asking them for an honest opinion. Or they talk to a third person about an issue with you instead of going directly to the source. Case in point, someone was trying to get some papers from me that needed to be turned in last month. So does she call me, email me, try to contact me in any way? NO! She goes to my friend instead and drops the info that I haven't turned in the papers. So then I get told a week later by this friend that I need to get my ass in gear. Wouldn't it have been easier to get a hold of me directly? She could have had her stuff that much sooner. So my passive-agressive self decided to wait and see if the woman would ever contact me directly. She finally did today and I had those papers in her hot little hand with in two hours of her call. See how easy that was? She could have had them last week but she had to go and tell someone else first. What a pisser!

White & Nerdy

Weird Al is a genius. So when he has his 'do-rag on, he looks like my brother-in-law Scott.

Change

My life has been in flux for so long now, I don't remember what stable is anymore. Like I stated in my last entry, we are in remodeling hell...still. A little closer to done but still far off. I miss having friends over to hang out with and to cook for. I'm a damn good cook and the world is missing out! Ever see the movie "Big Night"? I'm planning a feast along those proportions once my kitchen is done. I'm surprised my knives haven't rusted away from disuse.

In my misguided attempts to better myself, I agreed to become PTA president of my kids' school. I was supposed to be Vice President and learn about things so that I could step into the Prez position next year. But life being what it is, things changed dramatically within a matter of a week. When that happened, I calmed myself by thinking about how great it would be to work with our principal (totally cool and a fellow Oxy grad). But not two weeks ago, we learned that she was being promoted to a position with the school district and would be leaving us October 31st. What a pisser.

That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?

Random Thoughts

Until yesterday, it had been almost a year since I'd posted anything new. So shall I give you an update on my life?

My brother-in-law, Scott, and his wife, Vero, adopted a beautiful, one month old, little girl in December 2006. She was an early Christmas gift for them and managed to turn their lives upside down in no time flat. Things seemed to be going well but in July we found out that she had some profound brain damage. At some point either during gestation or birth, she suffered a stroke. When we looked at the CT scan, areas that should have been brain were now filled with fluid. It was just heartbreaking. The most hopeful thing the doctor said was that because she is still so young, early intervention could make a huge difference in her abilities. She won't be 100% but she won't be a vegetable either. She's begun an intense regimen of physical therapy and is making strides. She can hold her head up more and the other night, she banged on a drum - all by herself. Scott and Vero's belief in God has given them much strength and hope. I can't imagine how I would have approached the situation if I were them.

My sister-in-law had her first child in May. It's the first birth I've ever attended, besides that of my own three kids. I have to tell you, it's just about the most awe-inspiring sight in the world to see this new life pushing it's way out of someone's body. Amy sailed through it. Austin was born in about 6 hours. It was funny because my friend Cat was her doula and she almost missed the birth! Amy was so strong and sure of what she was doing. It was a new side of her for me to see.

My own sister, Leanne, had her first child about two weeks later. (She and Amy have a strange, cosmic connection to one another. They will often have the same clothes, taste in stuff...it's just weird.) Cat was her doula too but made it to Lukas's birth in plenty of time.

Life goes on. I'm reveling in all the baby time I've gotten. I've always wanted to be the cool, favorite auntie. I think I'm gonna win this contest. ;-)

My Own Private Hell

So it's been 1 year and 3 weeks now since we started remodeling our kitchen and master bath. That's 55 weeks or 385 days that I have been without a kitchen and I've had to share a bathroom with 3 children. Thankfully, my sister finally moved to my side of town and is only 5 minutes away. I've been allowed to use her kitchen to make a week's worth of dinner over the weekend. It's gotten to the point that even the kids hate fast food. I guess one positive of all this, the kids like to eat salad and vegetables now. I think the thing that bugs me the most about all this, my middle son just started kindergarten and he has no desk to do his homework on. It's odd the things you'll fixate on.