Merry Merry

Well today is Christmas Eve and I am so excited!!! I think this is going to be a very special Christmas this year. Tonight I will be getting together with family over at my Mom's and stuffing my belly with yummy food. Tomorrow we will play Santa ;-) and then we plan to cook a nice brunch followed by a movie.
My trip to Boston was amazing. What an awesome time of year to visit there. We spent three days seeing the sights and dining on local cuisine. I had an amazing piece of sole(fish)...it was the first time I had that kind of fish and I loved it. Oh and I had a cannoli every night before bed. It was awesome. We took a tour of Boston Harbor, Harvard, and walked around Cambridge. We also stopped in to the corner store where Julia Child used to shop. That was pretty neat.
The family trip to Asheville was fun and eventful. Poor Kile had a bad reaction to some medications he was taking and I'm not sure he got to enjoy himself as much as he would have liked. The cabin we rented was really nice and had plenty of space for us all. The Biltmore was decorated beautifully, as always. We had a wonderful dinner the first night in downtown Asheville at a place called Mayfel's. I had no idea that Asheville was so vegetarian friendly and Mayfel's served the best black bean burger I have ever had. I have to go back and try out some of the other local places to eat. Oh...they are also really big on "farm to table" there which is very cool!
I have a few more weeks until spring semester starts and I hope to enjoy them to the fullest. I should be heading up to Chattanooga for the new year. At least that's the plan right now. Once school starts I'm not sure how much traveling I'll be able to do. Between work and these three classes I think I'll be fairly busy.
Well I'm off to pack the sleigh ;-) and head to Snellville. This is my first Christmas without Clay and while I'm a little sad about how different things are I am very excited to spend this time with my family and focus on them. I've never craved my family as I do right now and I just want to soak them up and enjoy every minuted of this holiday.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
P.S. Movies I've seen recently: Black Swan(C), The Fighter(B)

Whoops

So I missed blogging in November by one day...guess this one will count for two months ;-) Speaking of November, it was a pretty good month. Thanksgiving was amazing. We are still eating leftovers against our better judgement. Aaron came down from Chattanooga so he could make his formal introduction to the family and friends...it went very well, as you can imagine.
All my Christmas shopping is done and the tree is up. I should say most everything is wrapped and all ready under the tree too! I don't feel prepared but I must be. I have so much going on this month that I am hoping I can still embrace the season and enjoy it. I am heading to Boston next weekend and that is sure to get me in the christmas mood! Right before Christmas we have a family trip planned to Asheville. Visiting the Biltmore while it's all decorated is the best.
Movies to see...Harry Potter of course, Love and other drugs, All Good Thing, and 127 Hours.
School is over in a week and then I have a five week break. I'm looking forward to that. Oh the woes of taking one class ;-) Next semester is going to kick my butt.
I'm heading to Chattanooga this weekend for something called Main24. I don't quite have my head wrapped around what it is all about but I do know I am going to a party saturday night. That should be fun. You know I always come home from Chatt with fun stories ;-)
http://mainx24.com/

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and is having a wonderful beginning to the holiday season.

From the Noog...again

Sorry it has been a month since I last blogged...guess I've been one busy bee. Over the past month I got a roommate, had a birthday, spent an amazing weekend in the mountains, attended the L5P Halloween parade, carved pumpkins, bought a car, went to Houston and did a ton of other remedial tasks.
Things are going great. I'm busy all the time, which is how I like it! Pete and I are in Chattanooga this weekend for Halloween. We have a big party to attend tomorrow night ;-) Charlie stayed behind to get some R&R at his Gammy's house. The weather is amazing and the leaves are at that perfect fall stage. I love this time of year. All of my favorite holidays and perfect weather!
School is going well, just registered for Spring classes yesterday. I am half way through this semester and not doing too bad. I should be doing better. Getting back in the swing of studying is a hard one for me. I was never that good at it to begin with.
We found out last week that my mom has a small brain tumor. At this point we are all very positive at it seems like the outcome will be in her favor. I take her to the specialist next week at Emory so hopefully we will know more soon.
On the movie front...It's Kind of a Funny Story, Hereafter, The Social Network and Howl are films I have seen recently. I recommend them all. Out of the four I suggest Hereafter and It's Kind of a Funny Story. I'm getting stoked about the two part Harry Potter film coming out in a few weeks. It's sad to know that the whole Harry Potter saga is coming to a end soon.

From the Noog

Well I am glad to report that physics is not longer a pain in my backside! I've dropped it and moved on. I have to tell you my stress level has decreased and I no longer bust through brick walls on Tuesday and Thursday nights. My major has been changed to Art Studio from Interior Design. I will still take interior design classes but I will also study photography, art history, and textiles. It's kind of a basic art degree if you will but I get to choose the areas of study.
I've seen a few movies as of late. Never let me go and The Town. I thought that The Town was great and a well rounded action packed movie with a light steak of romance running through it. Never let me go was a downer. You don't even need to know that this movie exists. I really want to see Wall Street and The Social Network. Hopefully I'll get those knocked out this week.
This week is my 29th birthday. I'm not so sure how to feel about turning 29. Before my divorce I don't think I would have thought anything about it but now 29 feels old and impending. I guess 29 is just as good as any other age to start your life over. I was talking to a friend last night about divorce and how long it takes to start feeling normal again. General consensus says two years. I'm a quarter of the way in so far! It truly is amazing how much a "break-up" can jar your life. It seeps into the least expected places and just keeps creeping up on you. It's one hell of a learning experience but it does leave you foggy...I guess the fog will lift in 18 months ;-)

Bloggy blog

Decided it was time to check in and update...my world is still spinning and physics still sucks. I'm not sure what the future holds for this physics class. I intend to meet with my adviser soon and see what can be done to maybe sidestep this BS or maybe I'll just suck it up. I am having fun just going to school though.
I've been in a funky mood this past week or so and I can only blame it on "The Process". I'm ready to be back to myself but the ride is not over yet. I'm really sorry to those around me who have suffered because I don't have my act together right now. It hurts me just as much as it hurts you...believe me.
I went to the Yellow Daisy Festival with Heather and Lauren this past weekend and boy did we get an eye full. The people watching was amazing. Our breakfast at IHOP had a good side of eye candy too. It was good to see them both. I don't feel like I seen either of them near enough. I'm heading to a cabin in the woods this coming weekend. I'll be taking the boys and my mom with me. I don't plan to do anything but read and reflect. Heck I don't even plan to shower if I can help it! There is a hot tub so maybe that can count as a bath ;-) I'm putting a lot of weight on this little jaunt and I hope it pays off. I just want to clear my head and come home feeling positive about the future. I've never been so out of sorts and restless. Wish me luck!
The weather is starting to cool just a little and it's so exciting because fall is right around the corner. This is my time of year and I am so looking forward to enjoying every minute of it. Thanksgiving is going to rock this year!! I want to explore some new dishes and try to make it more about fresh foods instead of casseroles made of canned stuff...although those are pretty good ;-)
Well I'm off to dive into a book. It's been months since I've read anything other than the paper or The Week so I am looking forward to getting back into a novel.

Study study study

All I can think about is reading for school and studying. It's taken over my world ;-) Constantly having something hanging over my head is not my favorite thing but it's definitely keeping me on my toes. It was cool to the read in the paper this morning about GSU's first football game coming up this week and their marching band. They have a color guard...ummm why am I not on it??? I wonder if there is an age limit ;-) Haha!

This past weekend was great. Friday night I went with family to see Shawn Mullins perform. It was really great to see all those guys but also a little strange. This was my first interaction with people in the "business" who know the truth about what has happened. All in all it was a good show and it was great to see Kip and the rest of the guys. Saturday started with a trip to the growers outlet for fall flowers. $28 got me a trunk full. Even if they don't last but two months I will have gotten my moneys worth. After a quick shower and a stab at my physics homework Heather picked me up and we went to see the Dali exhibit at the High Museum. If you have any appreciation for Dali this is a must see. Heather and I were both pleasantly surprised and I'll be going back next weekend to take another friend...it was that good! Saturday evening was dedicated to physics and then hanging out with my parents, dinner and a movie at home. Sunday I woke up not feeling so hot. After a lazy morning I headed home and spent the rest of the day with my nose in school books. Today I will do much of the same...nose in a book. I'm trying to get all my reading done for next week as well so I can enjoy the labor day weekend with a clear conscience.

Looks like Charlie is going to have to go to the vet this week. He's been looking really funny...he is all bloated and just looks huge. He's bloated all the time! He's also started doing this thing where he walks and pees. If you know Charlie, you know he is very particular, and behavior such as this would not be acceptable to him. I don't think he even knows he's doing it. Keep your fingers crossed that it's nothing but me overreacting.

Hello Friday

MONEY!

Ummmm...let's see...between last night and today I'm out about $367.
Seems that my physics textbook came with a very important piece of paper with a very important code on it so that I could access the text website and do my homework. Guess who threw that very important piece of paper away and had to pay $50 to access the site???? That's right, ME!!! Then I had to order something extra for my art history class and I need it by Tuesday so I had to expedite the shipping and that was another $60 out the window. The $175 I paid for the GE guy to be here all of 15 minutes was worth it I hope. I at least get to do laundry now. Seems the dryer was full of guitar picks and shirt buttons. The repair guy wanted to know how the guitar playing was going for me ;-) You should of seen my face and how I explained the Clay Cook guitar picks falling all over the floor. After that fun conversation I headed to the grocery where I dropped $80 because I needed cleaning supplies for work as well as food. I cannot leave the house for the next week!

I was up until about 2am this morning thanks to that green tea I had. Who knew green tea would do that to me. I was able to get a good chunk of my physics reading done and half of the homework before I could take no more and had to watch TV. Holy shit!! I'm going to have to really catch on fast or this class is going to leave me in the dust. After I had my coffee and read the paper this morning I went to clean a client's house then I finished up the physics reading and did the prep work for my lab. That's when the repair guy showed, then I clean my house and then ran errands. My art history book was just delivered so this evening will be devoted to that required reading. All in all I've had a very busy day, which is just the way I like them.

OH and last night I caught the tail end of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings performing on a late night show. I've never heard of her but I knew instantly that I had to find her music. I've been listening to it all day and I just cannot get enough. The shit she is singing about is so relevant for me it's not even funny.

Getting back in the saddle

After walking the dogs last night and having a quick dinner I passed out and slept for ten hours. It was the best sleep ever. This morning I decided to head to a yoga class. It's been about a year, if not longer, since I've been to a class. It was well over due and did me a lot of good. Falling on my face in the middle of class was even great ;-) My body is beyond tired but it feels really good. I'm hoping to make yoga a part of my life again. It really does keep me grounded and it helps with the wobbly bits.

This afternoon I packed up my backpack ;-) and headed to class. Last time I was in a college class the iphone did not even exist! So holy shit I made it through and I feel awesome. I assumed I would be the oldest and dumbest in each class and I wasn't so that is something to celebrate!! Now I have to stop writing this blog and hit the books. I have a ton of reading and homework to do in the next 48 hours.

I have to admit I cried on the way home tonight. I was really scared about today for some reason. As you know, a lot has been going on with me these past five months and a lot of changes have happened. I felt a mixture of emotions today...well I've felt a mixture for the past few days and I've tried to hold it all in. I did not want to let myself cry or feeling anything about what has happened to me but tonight I just let it in and then I let it out. Sometimes you just need to embrace how your feeling.

Blah

Today is not going so well for me...I'm having a sad/fat day and having a pity party while I'm at it. The dryer is busted and will need to be fixed. The repair man is scheduled for Wednesday. Fingers crossed that it does not cost too much. Seems that every week I have something that eats up all my extra cash. Last week it was a hefty visit to the doctor. I've had some health issues as of late and they are still causing some discomfort and not just in my wallet. Hopefully by the end of this week I'll be back to 100%. The other awesome thing that happened today is I found out the brickwork on my home is no longer under warranty and the fact that the porch brick staircase is starting to separate might be all on me. I've contacted the other HOA members hoping that we can come up with some sort of solution that will not be too financially burdensome. That gets me to thinking about my wisdom teeth that need to come out and the fact that the house is going to have to be painted soon...oh the joys of being an adult.

School starts tomorrow. Fingers crossed that it's a better fit now then it was eight years ago.

I saw two movies over the weekend. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and Get Low. Two totally different films but both enjoyable. I took a nap in both of them but this should not reflect upon the film ;-) They are both worth seeing but neither of them was absolutely fabulous. I kept waiting to see Jason Schwartzman in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and then I found out that was the part I slept through!!! Bummer!

Wow!

So a lot has been happening. I signed my divorce papers yesterday and popped them in the mail today. Had no idea it would feel the way it does. I assumed I'd be crying and all torn up over it. Funny how things change and how people show their true colors in situations as these. My marriage is now something in my past and something I will look back upon as a learning experience. I never thought I would get divorced, as it was something I strictly never wanted, but I do understand now that sometimes you just don't have any control in the matter. As far as divorces go I think this one went pretty well. There was not a lot of arguing which made it easier for both of us...and when I say "easier" I mean not excruciating ;-)
My life is going in a positive direction and boy am I thankful! I start school in just a few days and I'm nervous, excited, scared, and motivated. A lot of different emotions are flying around as far as returning to school is concerned. Another great thing going on right now is the company I am keeping. I have so many great people around me and there is never a dull moment ;-) My friends and family truly are awesome. I am in the midst of trying to quit the bad smoking habit I took up when the divorce started. I've tried to quit once already and only made it 24 hours. I am at the 24 hour mark again but luckily there is no one around tonight to enable me. I really do want to quit and start working on myself. It's the most obvious thing to start with.
Pete and Charlie are doing great and have been traveling with me some. Tonight is the first night in a week that we will all be sleeping in our own beds. They are warn out...which is a good thing in schnauzer world.
Oh on the movie front...I saw Eat, Pray, Love this week with my mom. I read the book some years ago but I was in a much different place. The movie was much more relevant to my current life and so it had a stronger effect on me this time around. All in all it was a pretty good movie and was right on track with the book. Sometime they change so much stuff up that you don't even recognize it as the story you read.
Well I'm off to catch up on some much needed chores and TV watching. Thank god for the DVR!!

Movies I've seen

I saw Dinner for Schmucks which was really funny. I highly recommend it if you are a Steve Carrel fan. I laughed a great deal. I also saw Inception recently. I think all the hype built it up for me and then I was not super impressed. It is a good movie, don't get me wrong, just did not blow my mind as much as I thought it was going to. The latest movie I saw was The Girl who Played With Fire. Excellent movie! I had very low expectations for this movie as the first one really sucked. The film maker focused on all the important parts of the book and did away with all the filler. Again, if your a fan of the books you must see the movie! I'm looking forward to the American versions of these films. Well...I'm look forward to seeing how Hollywood changes the story to benefit sales ;-)

Cheers

To a great weekend! Friday night was a blast with good friends. No Mas Cantina followed by some fun games over at Autumn and Travis's house. Saturday was spent mostly in the bed watching TV but I did rise up for a yummy bagel from Belly;-) Saturday evening was spent in Little 5 Points shopping and eating at the Vortex followed by a great show at the new Buckhead Theater. Slept in this morning and then hit the food bar at Whole Foods before taking in a movie at Atlantic Station. Oh...I almost forgot about the ice cream from Morelli's this afternoon ;-) Quite the gluttonous weekend! All and all we had a great weekend!
I've done some cleaning around the house this evening to get ready for the week. I am slowly winding down and may crawl in the bed soon with a good book. My arm is still really sore from the tetanus shot I got on Friday. Lets hear it for vaccinations!

Long time...no blog

Hello all two people who read this blog ;-) The last three weeks have been pretty intense. I'll try to work backwards and recap...just got home from a week at the beach with my parents and Autumn. We had a really awesome trip and Autumn was a great friend to bring on a family vaca. We all got a healthy does of sun and I think I am almost done peeling. I have not had a sunburn of this caliber since I was a child. I think I am regressing ;-)
I have registered for fall classes and got all of my financial aid organized. Once you get the ball rolling on this stuff it just kind of takes care of itself, which is nice! I am going to be taking intro to physics and an art history class. Got the physics book in the mail this week and it makes me want to sit down and cry. Looks like someone will be getting tutor! Again...regressing.
This month has been a busy one for me work wise as well. Lots of people traveling in July and leaving pets behind. I don't think I've gone more than one day without a dog or cat to check on. It feels good to be needed! I got two new pet clients this month and possibly will be adding a new cleaning client as well. On the advise of a friend I finally sat down and got some insurance for my business. Should have done that a long time ago.
Well all in all things are really good right now. I've been working on the house, making new friends, spending time with old ones, and just getting back on track. Life seems to be falling into place.

Where do we go from here...

The last few days have been nuts. Today I went to Georgia State and got my advisement on! It was stressful being on campus even with Heather guiding me around. I might need a few more tours before I get the hang of it. Looks like fall semester will be a little boring but hey I've got to start somewhere.
Our 4th of July celebration was really fun. It was a mash of friends and we had a nice spread. Don't you just love American holidays where you stuff yourself silly and watch stuff explode!
I'm headed to bed early tonight and looking forward to some intense hardcore sleep.

Slacker

So it's been a few days since I last blogged. I've just been having too much fun and have been busy. Last night Heather and I went to see Twilight: Eclipse. Throw your $10 out the window and watch it fly away because that will be a lot more entertaining than the movie. I promise. The girl at the Flying Biscuit was suppose to give me a decaffeinated latte and she messed that up...I almost went through the roof last night. It's been about a year since I've had a heavy dose of caffeine and that almost did me in. I woke up bright and early this morning and had the house cleaned by 9am. Around lunch time my parents came over and we went to lunch and then hit up Ikea. Kile has never been and Mom was dying to take him. Not the best choice in weekends...they are having a huge 4th of July sale and the place was packed. You get stuck with the same group of people as you make your way through and my the end you just want to punch them and run. I did get a chair for the basement. Last purchase for my new arrangement. I got it put together and then ran out to feed some cats, I call that work, and then I got the car washed. It was getting pretty gross. Several dogs have been in there as of late and it was starting to smell. That's never good. Now I am home and have no plans for the evening but I am hyped up and looking for some trouble to get in to ;-) Maybe I'll see who I can dig up...

Done and Done

Today was a day of appointments. It started off with taking Jojo to the vet. She's my very first dog sitting client and I have taken care of her for the past two and half years. We were going to the vet to get her a certificate of health so that she can fly to her new home in Los Angeles. After I got that squared away I went to my dentist appointment. These wisdom teeth HAVE to come out asap and unfortunately my health insurance will not cover it. I see dental insurance in my future. After eating a quick lunch and gathering supplies I packed Jojo up and headed out to find the Delta Cargo area at the airport. After getting lost and making several u-turns I arrived at what looked like a huge warehouse. Surprise surprise...it was a huge warehouse. Forklifts and all. I had to leave Jojo there and it was horrible. I got in the car and cried. She was not a happy camper and if you have ever met her you know good and well being in a travel crate in a noisy warehouse is her worst nightmare. She had a two hour wait until her five hour flight and i can only hope she exhausted herself and will sleep on the flight. Saying goodbye to her was hard...it's just one more thing changing in my life and one more thing that's left me. By fall I'll be a pro at change!

Yes!!!

Today was amazing. I had a great meeting with a new client today and we really hit it off. I helped Lauren Fox move to her new apartment, which is awesome. I cannot wait to see it all put together. We had lunch at my favorite spot...CHIPOTLE!! I introduced her to their $4.95 killer margarita. I found out this evening that I was accepted into the design program at Georgia State. I am so excited. It was great news to get before my evening of fun. I headed out and met all the ZBB girls at Ra for sushi and then we went bowling. It was a really fun evening. I'm exhausted and I cannot wait to hit the pillow.

Working for the weekend

Yesterday was intense. I woke up with purpose and did not stop until well into the night. Getting this house back to the way I want it is going to take time. I thought I could do it in a day...HA! I freaked out a little but Heather came to my rescue and we ran all over town doing a little retail therapy. I worn myself out completely and today I am trying to recoup and collect myself. I have a busy week ahead of me and I need to bring my A game.
Today feels good. I don't feel all panicky like I did yesterday and I'm not overwhelmed...currently ;-) I feel at peace with what has happened and I'm ready to move forward on my own. I'm still waiting to hear from Georgia State. Going back to school will be nice and give my life some structure. I have a lot going on right now but I do feel a sense that I'm floating through life. School will be good!
Today has been a great lazy day so far. I was ordered by my Mom to relax today and I think I'm doing a good job. I've done some reading and baked three loaves of yummy bread. Now I am about to watch a movie and hope that turns into a nap.

48 hours

I'm toast. I'm spent. I'm out. I'm tired. I'm exhausted. The past 48 hours was very busy and intense. I've got to go to bed. I'll be back to blogging after my brain firms up.

We put in a full shift today. I was awake by 7:30 after only a few hours of sleep and Clay and I were getting down to work shorty after 9. We made our way to the old house, unloaded, and then loaded up again to return to Atlanta. We did a lot of loading and unloading today and we were like Mutt and Jeff because it got pretty comical at times. Lets see, we had to pull over on the expressway twice to catch things before they flew out the back, Clay backed into our mailbox and put a horrible scratch and dent on the bed of the truck (the mailbox did not make it out good either), and we had numerous other small mistakes and obstacles that added to our funny ballet of errors.
After we wrapped up this evening I headed out to Screen on The Green to watch Star Wars with Autumn and Travis at Piedmont Park. I needed to decompress and clear my head. Today was pretty intense and I had no idea until it was over. I fell asleep shortly after the movie started. You have not lived until you have slept in the grass in this humidity!

Rough around the edges

Last night my neighbors decided to have a party and talk outside at the top of their lungs. I laid here and thought about what I wanted to say and every time I went to get up I just could not bring myself to do it. Finally I could not take it any longer and I walked outside and just simply said "I can hear everything your saying and I'm trying to sleep". That's all it took and they went inside. The I attempted sleep. I've not been sleeping very well this past week or so.
What a day! I met a new client today and her dog Griffin. He is an awesome dog and I cannot wait to start taking care of him. The middle of the day was spent on errands and cleaning. Then this evening I went to see Sex and the City Two with Autumn. Horrible movie. Take booze when you go. I promise it makes the movie bearable. After the movie we met up with Travis and went to Chipotle. Yes I went again!!! I love that place. After dinner we headed deeper into Midtown and attended Crazy Bitch Bingo. Fun was had by all. I think it should be a weekly tradition.
I'm holding my breath that I will hear from Georgia State this week about fall semester. I'm sure I'm going to get in but I want to hear it and see it on paper. I need a plan for the fall. Some kind of routine will be welcomed.

I've had a really good day. Started it off with a lazy morning then lunch at Chipotle. I love that place. It's nothing special but I could eat there everyday. Heather and I then saw "Please Give". It had Catherine Kenner and Oliver Platt in it. I love them both. It was a pretty good movie. It was great to see a movie. It's been months since I've gone to the theater and it made me feel a little more normal. I need to get back into my swing of two movies a week. Hopefully my new budget will allow for that ;-)
I spent the evening packing more boxes. I'm out of boxes and there is still more to pack! It will get done soon. Since I could not pack any more I moved to baking a peach cobbler and making honey wheat Amish bread. The two loaves turned out so cute and they taste amazing. I can't wait to have toast in the morning! The peach cobbler is awesome too. It's a great way to eat peaches ;-)
All in all it was a good day and I'm hoping to get to sleep before 2am tonight. I need to start running again so I can wear myself out and hit the hay earlier. I've enjoyed being up late as I find I'm productive well into the night but it's killing me in the morning with the dogs.

Busy as a bee

Today started bright and early with breakfast at the Majestic with Lauren Fox. We were celebrating her birthday with a 9am waffle...not your average birthday meal. She took me over to see her new place in Virgina Highlands. It's super cool and I can't wait to see what she does with the place. We hit up Ikea next. We were both in need of a few things. I got some gaps to fill. I found two small book shelves that are going to make great bedside tables. Putting them together was just about as fun as getting a tooth pulled but it took longer. After two hours of "building" I have bruises and a busted blood vessel in my finger but I have two marvelous nightstands to show for it. Just after inserting the last screw Autumn arrive for her laundry time. She comes over every now and then to do laundry but we really just use it as an excuse to hang out and shoot the shit. The minute she pulled out of the driveway I was off to a neighbors house to say goodbye. She's moving to L.A. where I am sure all her dreams will come true. Anyway, she's a friend and a client and she needed a send off. I came home with a huge bottle of vodka and some tonic so it seems like I got the good end of that stick. After placing the vodka in the freezer with it's kind I started back packing boxes. That soon grew old so I moved on to bread. I baked two loaves that came out looking like large potatoes but they taste good. That's all I really care about. The house smells wonderful so that is a plus. Tomorrow I'll get fresh ingredients and try again. It's currently a quarter to two and I need to go to bed but I'm wired. This keeps happening. I feel like I have the hebegebees.

I got crabs

I ate crab rather...snow crab to be exact. We went to Joe's Crab Shack to celebrate Father's Day today with Kile. I must tell you, there can be nothing more American than a huge bucket of food, a paper bib, and waiters and waitresses that sing and dance every 15 minutes. All that was missing was horrible country music and Coors Light. It was an absolutely amazing feast for the eyes and the stomach.

I started the day off with my ritual of watching Sunday Morning on CBS. I have not been able to watch it in a few months due to not being able to focus but it seems my focus is coming back and with it some of my weekly habits. I enjoyed some coffee and then headed out to Snellville to my parent's house. We ran some errands, ate our crab, ran a few more errands, and then I cleaned their house. I've gotten home just in time to watch True Blood.

I got the new Black Keys record today. Seems they have gone back to their original sound on this one. If your a fan then go out and get it or download it like most people do in the 21st century.

Yesterday was spent doing nothing but enjoying Showtime and HBO. Comcast is running a special so I was able to get those channels back without my wallet even noticing. I watched TV until my brain turned to mush and then I got ready and went out with the girls. We had a great dinner at Agave. They did not put us at a very good table so conversation was a little challenging for some. I had my usual dish of shrimp and grits which was spot on. After dinner a few of us went to see The Wood Brothers. Oliver's voice gets right to your core and just latches on to your heart.
Today I have to confess started off with more TV watching but I did get myself in gear and left the house for a few hours and attempted to be productive. While I was unloading the groceries I noticed how empty my fridge is and how sad the pantry is becoming. Going from stocking a kitchen for two is a lot different when it becomes one. I made myself cook something tonight that required me to use the stove. I don't think I have used it in three months! I've been eating out of a box or going out. That's all got to change.

I am still patiently waiting to hear from Georgia State. I hope that I am able to start school in the fall. I really need something to put my energy into right now.

I can't sleep

From birth each of us sets out to discover who we really are. But when trauma occurs we create ways to survive. Often we split into pieces and abandon the most vulnerable parts of ourselves boxing them up in tiny packages and tossing them away. Later we spend our lives looking for these parcels hoping to meet someone who can help us find these lost splintered pieces of ourselves.
-I'm watching TV and someone just read this out of a book. It hit me like a brick.

Going through the motions

I think I slept better last night...or I'm just getting used to crappy sleep at this point. I was up and out by 10:30 and picked up my buddies Jenn and Trish for brunch at The Flying Biscuit. Yes, I ate there twice within 24 hours so shoot me! Tomorrow is T's birthday so we were celebrating a day early. That's my fault because I double booked myself for tomorrow night. I'm a hot commodity these days. Yeah right. After stuffing myself I ran some errands, washed the car (Charlie helped), and then sat down in front of the vortex known as my computer. I've been working on "details" again today and organizing budgets. I've got to step away and do something enjoyable with my evening.

Seems my family just keeps getting bad news. 2010 was suppose to be a good year. I can only hope that next year will be better. My family in Houston got hit with some really bad news today. Keep us all in your thoughts.

Tonight, Jojo, my first dog client is moving in for the next few weeks. Her owner is moving across the country and Jojo is on a waiting list for a "doggie flight" in July. I am very sad to be loosing a good neighbor, client, and friend. This is the second great client I have lost to a move this year. A lot of stuff is changing right now. I don't do "change" very well but I think that is "changing".

ADULT SWIM

I did not sleep well again last night...so again it was all I could do to get myself vertical this morning. I cleaned for another client this morning and listened to Darrell Scott's new record. If your not a fan you should be. After I got home from cleaning I headed over to meet up with Autumn. We went to the pool over at Piedmont Park. It was a lot of fun. If you go between 3 and 5 you get in for free so you can't beat that. We spent a few free hours laying by the pool and taking part in adult swims. There were 150 people at the pool and 130 of those did not qualify for "adult swim" so it was pretty amusing. After we had our fill of splashy splashy we trekked back to 13th street, met up with Travis, and then had a great dinner at The Flying Biscuit. I must eat there once a week so I was ready to order the minute I walked in. Upon return home I made my rounds to visit a few furry clients and finalized my plans for the weekend. Seems like it's going to be a good one. Now I've got the season premiers of Top Chef and Man vs. Food to watch and hope that I tired myself out enough today to sleep better tonight.

It's cheaper to keep her

Today was a long, productive, emotional, thunder stormy kind of day. Last night was not a good night for sleeping. The sugar from that ice cream kept me up like I had snorted drugs and once i did fall asleep there was a ton of commotion next door that kept me up. It did not help that I was hot so I tossed and turned until i was able to get myself vertical around 9am. So the day started off slow. I cleaned for a client and listened to a couple records while doing so and that seemed to perk me up to head into the rest of the day. Cleaning is so therapeutic...something is wrong with me ;-) After cleaning I hit up Target, Lowe's and the bank. Then came home for a nice cold shower and met up with Clay to go over details. After a killer sandwich at Jimmy John's I returned home to no power so the garage doors were not moving. Thanks thunder storm! The front door is locked up tight from the inside so luckily Clay scaled the side of the house and got me in through the deck door. I've spent the last two hours emailing, drafting, brainstorming and hoping that I am moving in the right direction with all this divorce stuff. It's very overwhelming and you have to put your emotions on the shelf or you will never get through it. It's creeping up on 10pm and I need to shut it down. Tomorrow is another day and I'm thankful that I made it through this one. (Hey thanks for the great Avett Bros T-shirt)

Manic Monday

Today was productive. I slept late then threw myself together to attend a doctor's appointment with my step dad. You know your getting old when you have to go to the doctor with a parent. Next thing I know I'll be feeding him baby food. We have entered a whole new phase of life. On the way out of the burbs I hit up the vet for some pet meds then made my way home. There was some work awaiting me at home that I really did not want to take care of but did anyway. I took care of some overdue paperwork, packed some stuff up, made some phone calls and then hit up the monthly HOA meeting. The it was off to dinner with two great friends and neighbors, Dannee and Camille. We had ice cream at Morelli's for dessert which is my favorite place to indulge. I had the peanut butter cookie dough. You can only imagine how good that was!
So Charlie turned 7 over the weekend and I totally missed it! Poor guy spent his whole bday at the groomer. Not the way a schnauzer wants to spend his birthday. I think he has some peanut butter and a new squeaky ball in his future.

Operaaaaaa

Last night was awesome. After dinner we went back to Autumn and Travis' and played a few rounds of cards. I remember Uno but cannot remember the other cool game we were playing. All I know is there was a bell, tons of yelling, and then a great deal of laughing after each round ended. What was that game called??? After cards we sat around and talked about weather or not we will be attending our high school reunion later this summer. I have always said reunions are not for me and that I would never go but I'm thinking I might out of sheer curiosity. I'm still friends with the people who really mattered so seeing all those that didn't does not really appeal to me.
After talking for a while Autumn, Travis, and I headed a few blocks up for some of the most amazing people watching I've done in a while. We sat outside of some place called Flip Flops (people actually hang out there) which gave us a great view of the clientele coming and going from Opera. It was a drunk'n flesh fest of young people looking to hook-up. Girls in tiny clothes with huge shoes wobbling all over the streets and guys doused in cologne and hair products. After this overload of eyecandy we hit up The W for some photo ops and dancing. All in all it was fun evening and I think Autumn had a great birthday celebration.
I'm off to Snellville to have a relaxing afternoon with my parent's. They are always pamper me when I'm there ;-)

A good groom is hard to find

Had to set the alarm to get up and take the boys to the groomer this morning. I spent the rest of last night packing some stuff up and purging. I also spent an hour and half on the phone which is totally not like me but I guess I had a lot to say. After talking forever I resumed purging and then finally hit the hay a little after 2am. I think I'm still on Arizona time.
So far, today has been a combo of productive and lazy. I'm running on hour cycles of each. I've packed a good number of boxes today and with each one my load has gotten lighter. I spent a few hours running errands. I was not on any time constraints and was only out for a few items so I spent some time wondering around a few stores and just soaking in Saturday. I picked the dogs up around 4pm and boy were they ready to get out of there. Every time I pick them up from the groomer I am always pleased until I get home and inspect them more. This time, poor Pete had a horrible cut on his ear and an uneven uni brow. Charlie just looks okay. I think it's time I call and complain or find a new groomer.
I'm heading out soon to celebrate Autumn's birthday. We are starting with dinner at Six Feet Under off of Northside. It has a great view of the skyline up on the patio. I'm looking forward to hanging out with some good friend tonight.

Get'n er done

We pulled in the drive about 10:30 last night and everyone was in a decent mood considering the long haul home. I spent a few hours doing my "re-entry" which included unpacking, laundry and going through a huge bag of mail and paying bills. I slept until about 9:30 this morning and then headed straight out to my Mom's to pick up the boys and clean up the mess that they made for the past two and half weeks. I cannot believe I was gone so long...the house felt really foreign when I walked in. After returning with the boys I had a great dinner with Jenn and Trish. They have become such close friends and I really love having them in my life. They are good people!

Atlanta, I love you

I seem to be the only one who wants to get up this morning and hit the road. I should not say that I wanted to get up because I surely did not! Six hours of sleep, after that drive and hotel hunt in the middle of the night, is about four hours short of what I could really use. I feel more sick this morning and even more eager to get home. I will probably not hit my bed until at least 1am at this rate.
Later...
It's midnight and I'm digging through a huge pile of mail.

Oklahoma City or bust

We got a late start which means a late arrival. We were doing pretty good until we ran into a hotel snafu. Every place we stopped was booked. We had to drive 26 miles further to finally find a lone Hampton Inn with one room left. I get to sleep on the roll away(I've always wanted to try one). Made me think of the lumpy sofa bed I've been spooning with all week.
I'm in a bad place physically tonight. My body has plain shut down. That hike up to Cathedral Rock did a whammy on my legs and I also feel a little sick. I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed and getting a really good nights sleep.

Wear'm if you got'm

So I hiked to the top, or what I thought was the top, of Cathedral Rock this morning. Somewhere along the way Heather and Lauren turned back. It got pretty steep so it was a good thing I had on my stretchy pants ;-) A girl needs to not be restricted on such a climb. So after climbing on all fours and hoisting myself up on rocks I turned around and looked out over Sedona. There was an amazing breeze and it was so quiet and peaceful. The trek down was hard because my legs were tired and the rocks were slick and steep. I obviously made it down and I'm so glad I did it.
After a quick shower we had a nice big lunch. I think a nap might be in my future. Tomorrow we head home. I don't want to go home. I don't want to return to the reality that I left behind. I do miss the dogs and would love to give my parents a big hug but other than that I'd just like to be left here.
We have a long drive tomorrow to Oklahoma City. Should take us about 14.5 hours not including stops. With the kind of stops we made on the way out here it will probably take us about 17 hours. Then you also have to factor in the two hour time change. Should be a long day.
All in all this had been a good trip. It is great to bond with your friends and not have to worry about work or responsibilities.

The taste of nostalgia

We went to The Grand Canyon today. Amazing!!! I took tons of great pictures, sat by the rim and felt how small I was and then ate a bowl of vegetarian chili that reminded me of home. We had lunch at the fancy pants lodge that was at the south rim. The chili tasted like the chili that Clay and I always cooked during the fall. It tasted sad in my mouth but I soon got over it and moved on to a salad.
The views today were overwhelming at times and just awesome. I would go back in a heartbeat. There was this overhang that was just calling my name so I ventured out and took a seat. I'm very scared of heights so this was insane for me to do. Sitting there and looking out into that canyon was the best thing I could have done for myself today. Lauren was across the way and got a great picture. It's the one I posted with this blog and I'm in the top right corner. Click on the picture and it will make it larger so you can see me. Every time I think back about sitting there I get a rush of anxiety!!
I've got the vodka and tonic back out tonight and laughing my ass off. It's great to be with such great friends right now and really let loose. It's much need!

You better get used to it

So this morning I had the great idea of taking a run on this awesome trail here in Flagstaff. Not sure what made me think that was a good idea. Between the nice dry heat and the altitude I about busted a lung. So my jog turned into an hour power walk. Upon returning I was covered in a nice layer of dirt and coughing my internal organs up. It was great. Hey at least I got to sweat and feel for a while.
So one really shitty thing about the dryness out here is that my hair is breaking off. It dries really fast which is nice but I'm going to have a lot less of it when I get home! We went back into downtown Flagstaff for lunch and then got a relaxing pedicure. Tonight we just hung out and tried to relax.
My life is upside down right now. I'm about to go through a divorce if you did not know already. I'm just going to put it out there. It sucks, it hurts and it's sad. I'm not going to pretend any longer that I'm okay with it because I'm not. I'm hoping this trip will give me the strength that I need when I return home to get through what lies ahead. I'm so grateful for the company that I keep and being surrounded by strong people that will help me. It's very important in times like these to have people that can help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. The light is very dim right now but I know it will be brighter one day.

Sedona-rita

This morning we got up and headed out for a nice scenic drive through the mountains into Sedona. The four of us did about five hours of shopping. We were total tourist today in our search for amazing turquoise jewelry and thoroughly exhausted once we were done. The red rocks in Sedona are amazing and we have planned to return there for our last day and hike to Cathedral Rock. I've been told it's a steep but amazing hike and well worth it once to make it to the top. People claim that the vibe on top of the rock is like no other and that I should benefit from those good vibes it gives out. I'll take anything I can get right now. I must recommend the Oaxaca Mexican Restaurant in Sedona and their house margarita. It was the best thing I could have done for myself yesterday. Two of those bad boys and I was good to go.
Summer headed back home today after spending two days with us. It was really great to see her and reconnect. We only see each other every few years. We bonded several years back during an amazing summer time filled with all sorts of stuff young girls do that their parent's would be ashamed off ;-) We reminisced about riding on the back of motorcycles, hanging out at The Waffle House all night, shooting guns, chasing boys and spending our paychecks as soon as we got them. Sounds real classy.
Tomorrow is our "day off" which means we don't have to drive anywhere and we have no set plans. It will be nice to relax and not get behind the wheel.

Petrified

Today started off good until we took a wrong turn. 40 miles later we were back where we started. Once we made it to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert things started looking up. We got some great pictures and saw some amazing landscape. We spent several hours winding around the state park and taking in the sights...then hunger struck. We hit up historic Flagstaff for dinner and then came home and crashed. Flagstaff is a college town and these kids make for great people watching while eating. The downtown area was having an "art walk" and each store had cookies and wine, for free. So dessert was awesome.
I was really smart and forgot to wear sunscreen today so now I'm a very attractive shade of red in some really great areas. I'm really smart these days.

Vaca...ting

I think it may have started today...vacation. I have finally relaxed a little and am feeling the good vibes of my friends. My old friend Summer came up from Phoenix today. She's joining us for a few days of tourist fun. We spent the afternoon exploring historic Flagstaff and doing the shopping thing. We cooked an awesome dinner on the grill and enjoyed eating around the table like a family. After dinner spirits were a must...well before dinner spirits were a must too ;-) I'm feeling good and that lumpy sofa bed is calling my name...

Driving and crying

15 hours of driving will make anyone want to cry. My whole body aches unlike any ache I've ever felt. We hit a pretty cool trading post that almost made that drive worth it.
In my attempt to avoid Cracker Barrel I landed at a Golden Corral. We all know how that is going to end up...or come out ;-)
Upon arrival in Flagstaff we had trouble finding the apartment we rented and then we could not find the lock box where the key was suppose to be. It was a very intense half an hour that I am glad is over.
I've never been so happy to be on a lumpy hard sofa bed in my whole life. Reminds me of making my grandmother sleep on her sofa bed with me when I was a kid. I always wanted to sleep in the TV room and wanted her in there with me. Tonight I will go this sofa bed alone. The gals may find me folded up in it come morning.

Driving and crying

15 hours of driving from Oklahoma City to Flagstaff would make anyone want to cry. We hit an awesome trading post on the way that almost made the drive totally worth it. I've never been so happy to be on a lumpy sofa bed in all my life. It reminds me of being a child and making my grandmother sleep in the TV room with me on her sofa bed. Except I have to sleep in this one alone. I would always ask her to hold my hand while I fell asleep...that way she could not escape to the comforts of her own bed. Never ask a grandparent to sleep on a sofa bed...it's just cruel.
My goal of avoiding Cracker Barrels on this trip landed me at a Golden Corral for dinner. You can only imagine how this story will end ;-) I think tomorrow calls for a detox of a sorts. Eating on the road is not for the faint of stomach.
I can no longer hold my bloodshot eyes open...

Picking up speed...

And picking up the pieces. Today was an intense drive from Atlanta to Oklahoma City where I have landed in a very scary Comfort Inn. I'm sad to say my head is no clearer than it was yesterday. Remind me not to eat at a Cracker Barrel for the next hundred years unless I was to cry into my salad.
On a happier note our drive was pretty decent, no rain, no wrecks and no "oh shit" moments. We passed through Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas and then Oklahoma. I was lucky enough to have a run-in with the Alabama State Patrol. One ticket in 850 miles is not too bad. Tomorrow will take us another 850 miles on to Flagstaff and we make take a detour into Santa Fe.
Well off to bed and perhaps to buy a special friend a birthday gift online before my head hits the pillow!

Switching Over

So I'm switching over to a new blog. The old one was not doing it for me any more, but I'll keep it up for a while (moosemovieblog.blogspot.com)

I've just returned from a whirlwind of a weekend in southern California with Clay and Maureen. We landed in L.A. last Wednesday and spent two days in Costa Mesa with Clay's Dad. It was awesome to see him and visit with friends and family. We took Moe to see Laguna and Newport and then into L.A. on Thursday. We did the touristy thing and made our way up to the hills to get a good view of the Hollywood sign. It was a mess of a drive but well worth it! Friday we headed to Pismo Beach to attend the rehearsal dinner for Matt and Emily Mangano's wedding. Then Saturday was the wedding in San Luis Obispo at Enda Valley Vineyards. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful wedding. I got home last night and slept like a cracked out junky after some well needed Mellow Mushroom. I was so tired and it felt so good to be in my own bed.

Tomorrow I leave with Heather and Lauren to drive to Arizona. It's our annual summer trip. I can only hope that the open road will be good for me heart.

It's been well over two months since I have posted. My whole life has changed since my last post about Alice in Wonderland. I feel kind of like her right now, in that I'm trying to figure out what's going on and how to get back to my life and out of this rabbit hole.
I've seen very few movies these past months. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo(don't see it, read the book), The Runaways(okay but not great, don't see it unless your interested in Joan Jett), and one other one that I cannot even remember. I hope to return to the movies soon.
I've nothing to share book wise either. Hopefully that will change soon as The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest comes out next week.

I head to California in a few days to visit family and see two of my close friends marry each other. I'm excited to get away and see a part of Cali I've never laid eyes on. Then out to Arizona for a 10 day road trip. I hope the drive will clear my head and heal my heart some. Spending time with good friends is always good for the soul. So when I leave Wednesday I'll be out of pocket for a good two and half weeks. I cannot wait!

Today I am laying around in my pjs enjoying Saturday for what it was made for. Contemplating "I, Alex Cross" by James Patterson and a few movies on OnDemand.

Holy Crap!

It's been well over two months since I have posted. My whole life has changed since my last post about Alice in Wonderland. I feel kind of like her right now, in that I'm trying to figure out what's going on and how to get back to my life and out of this rabbit hole.
I've seen very few movies these past months. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo(don't see it, read the book), The Runaways(okay but not great, don't see it unless your interested in Joan Jett), and one other one that I cannot even remember. I hope to return to the movies soon.
I've nothing to share book wise either. Hopefully that will change soon as The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest comes out next week.

I head to California in a few days to visit family and see two of my close friends marry each other. I'm excited to get away and see a part of Cali I've never laid eyes on. Then out to Arizona for a 10 day road trip. I hope the drive will clear my head and heal my heart some. Spending time with good friends is always good for the soul. So when I leave Wednesday I'll be out of pocket for a good two and half weeks. I cannot wait!

Today I am laying around in my pjs enjoying Saturday for what it was made for. Contemplating "I, Alex Cross" by James Patterson and a few movies on OnDemand.

Alice in Wonderland

Well...I cannot quite put my finger on it but something was a little off. The cinematography was amazing as well as the makeup and costumes. Helena Bonham Carter stole the show! She was great as the Red Queen. Anne Hathaway was first runner up for her performance. It was cool to see her in a different role. I think you should see it for yourself because I'm not really sure how I feel about it.

Shutter Island

I read the book a few months back and love love loved it! The movie was right on par with the book but I did enjoy the book more. The movie was made to seem creepy and a little scary at times but the book never felt that way. Clay liked the movie and has decided it's worth owning. So if you have not read the book you may enjoy the movie more. The twists and turns that the story takes are great!

The Wolfman

I had some high expectations of this movie because of the cast lineup. Unfortunately it fell flat even with all the big names. Slightly cheesy at times and just not as good as it could have been.

Holy Smokes!

A quick run down of the last week
Day1: Fly to L.A. and walked all over the place with Stacey D

Day2: Walked around more and discover The Coffee Bean's Holiday Dream Tea Latte...thanks to Stacey D then spent the evening in Redondo Beach at Old Tony's. It was an awesome seafood place...again thanks to Stacey D.
Old Tony's

Day3: Day off with Clay. Lots of sleeping and then dinner with Ken and Josh at an awesome spot in West Hollywood.
Umami Burger

Day4: More sleeping...followed by the nominee reception at The Wilshire Ebell Theater

We then had an amazing dinner at Sky Bar in Hollywood.
SkyBar

Day5: Grammy Day!! So we had our hair done, then our make-up done, then we were taken in a Limo to the Grammy's! I saw celebrity after celebrity. The show was amazing to watch in person and the guys won Best New Artist. It was an insane day and very memorable.

Day6: Whoopi praises Clay's voice on national TV on The View!!! The guys were all over the TV, in all the papers, and all of our phones never stopped ringing!

That Evening Sun

Hal Holbrook is awesome in this movie. He plays an aging farmer in Tennessee who's son has placed him in an old folks home. He decides to leave and head back to his farm after three months of feeling lonely and live out his life as he wishes. When he returns home he finds that his lawyer son has rented his place to the town drunk and his family...see the movie to find out how the story goes! It's worth seeing just to see Holbrook at his finest.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox

Clay and I were both pleasantly surprised. As quoted from Clay's blog "Wes Anderson has a style all his own. I suggest it for all ages as well." It was even better due to the fact we saw it at The Plaza Theater which just celebrated it's 70th anniversary. I love that place and if you would like to support it www.PlazaAtlanta.com The movie was just downright cute and funny. Roald Dahl wrote some amazing children's tales!

I'm not so good at this

So I just took notice that I am not a very good writer and I don't at all tell you what the movies are about that I see...I only share how much or how little I liked them ;-) More of an opinion review than anything. I need to work on actually telling you a little bit about the movie!!! My bad!

Crazy Heart

Oh my, oh my, do I love me some Jeff Bridges!!! This was a great film with spot on acting. Jeff Bridges might as well be his character Bad Blake...it was that believable. Maggie Gyllenhaal was wonderful as always. The story is a little heavy on the heart but the ending is sweet. If you are a traveling musician of any kind then this is a must see.
(Bridges won a golden globe this past Sunday for his performance)

The Lovely Bones

I read the book so I knew what the hell was going on and what everyone was thinking. Clay on the other hand did not read the book and said he did not feel the movie/story was very cohesive. We both agreed that the writers interpretation was a little off and not very fluid. The cinematography was amazing!!! I liked it better than Avatar because it was so creative. I would see the movie again just for all the cool shots. Oh and Stanley Tucci's performance was killer!!! He is one of my favorite actors and this part was really a breakthrough for him.
Read the book because as always the book trumps the movie.

Up in the Air

It was okay to pretty good. I expected a little more humor from this writer but all in all you could tell it was his film. It was pretty depressing in the right ways if that makes any sense...it was not "I want to kill myself" depressing. I was not happy with the ending. I always like things to be settled at the end of a movie and this one tried to do that but I still had questions. There were too many possible ways the characters could have gone...in my mind anyway. Clooney did a great job. He may have a future in acting ;-)

An Education

First movie of 2010!
"A wise and colorful coming of age tale". I had no expectations of this movie when I sat down today at the theater. If I had, it would of met them all. I loved the story. A great surprise was that it was written by Nick Hornby which as Heather stated "accounted for the great dialog". He wrote About a boy, Fever Pitch, and High Fidelity.