Hulk Smash!!

Oh my gawd, I got so angry tonight. I was in the middle of doing a quest on WoW with a friend and all of a sudden the internet booted me offline and I couldn’t get back on for love nor money. When we’ve called up AT&T in the past, we’ve been told the same things so I tried those first and it kept telling me our login information was incorrect. The more I saw this message, the more the rage built up inside of me. So I tried to call AT&T’s Internet Tech Support. They used to be open 24hrs a day, but when I called at 11.30pm…they were closed. Say what?! That just made me even angrier. I really wanted to break something or rip something up…but I managed to stop myself. I called Nick at work and he helped me to calm down a little. In the end, I gave up…and now I’m watching a movie before I hit the hay…otherwise I know I won’t be able to sleep.

Laziness

I’ve been noticing how lazy some Americans are. I live down the street from a small local gym and they have these large floor-to-ceiling windows on the front of the building. And the treadmills are right there at the front. So most days when I pass by I see people running on treadmills (which I don’t understand when the weather is so nice outside). But recently, I’ve been seeing overweight people walking on the treadmills. I understand that you can use them for that purpose, but what on earth is wrong with walking on the sidewalk where it’s free? The weather is nice, the sidewalk is free and it’s a pretty safe neighbourhood. I could understand it if it was snowing or we were having a bad spell of rain…but we’re not! 

Another thing I saw yesterday was a mom with her kid in a wagon. Have kids legs fallen off? Abby walks everywhere with me and she complains when she gets tired…but at least I know she’s getting tired. Exercise is supposed to do that. I’ve seen too many kids in wagons this summer, we own a wagon but the only time we use it is when we go to places like the zoo. We have such a great walkable neighbourhood, and yet I always feel like me and Abby are the only people who walk anywhere. 

There’s a good thing I’ve been noticing though. There’s been a lot more people on bikes recently, and I’m really happy to see that. I’d love to get a bike again, because I used to love going on bike rides when I was a kid. Abby just has a trike at the moment, but I think she’ll be big enough for a proper bike soon enough. With stabilisers, obviously. Americans call them ‘training wheels’ I believe.

Smile!

So this morning we took Abby to the Picture People to get her photo taken. I like to get one done at least twice a year, and because she didn’t have one taken on her 3rd birthday this year we took her today instead. Abby behaved herself really well and she’s always been good at following directions when it comes to photography…so we got some really nice photos out of the shoot. I took along a couple of props with me, such as her favourite toy giraffe Jeffrey and one of her favourite books- The Cat In The Hat. Abby’s a big Dr Seuss fan And because of coupons and our Portrait Club membership, we didn’t have to pay for anything. So it was a good trip all round, which I like because it’s quite a trek to the Picture People in the first place. 

And then this evening, we marinated some chicken and the three of us sat out in the back garden grilling. While Nick was at the grocery store, me and Abby sat out with a ball and a bubbles set and played. I found this really cool bubble blower at the local dollar store and she loves it because it helps her to blow bubbles easier (Abby has problems with regular bubble wands). Then when Nick came back from the store, we all played a game of football (soccer) and we all had a lot of fun. I like it when the three of us can hang out, because Nick works so much. I’d honestly like it if we could do it more often.

Anchors Away!!

Wow, I had SO MUCH fun this afternoon. I really had a blast, a lot more fun than I’ve had in a while for certain. So as you know, me and a friend of mine went out on his boat. His wife was working during the afternoon and he offered to teach me how to sail. He’s old enough to be my father, just before you get any weird ideas. I’m married, he’s married…so who cares? Certainly not me or Nick, and neither do my friend or his wife (who’s also my friend).

Anyway, it was a scorching hot day and he offered me the chance and I was free for the afternoon so I jumped at the chance. Boy am I ever glad I took it. I can’t describe how calming it was out there on Lake Michigan, it was like a lobotomy for my soul. 

He swung by to pick me up so I could save gas. We drove over to the marina and chatted about stuff along the way. He asked me if I’d ever been on a boat before, and I grew up on a freakin island. What do you think? :p He laughed and he asked if I’d ever attempted to steer one and I laughed. Me? A boat? Riiiight. He laughed again. We got to the marina, unlocked the gate to access it and walked over to the boat. Pretty basic but nice looking boat. Nothing really fancy, but isn’t owning a boat fancy in itself? He gave a grand tour of everything and we started the motor and started to pull out of the docks. 

  

Soon enough, we were out of the marina and the city boundaries. It wasn’t really choppy thank goodness, my stomach doesn’t do well on rough water. He let me take the wheel for a little while and he started to teach me the basics as we cut the motor. The wind was getting a little strong at this point and I tipped the boat a couple of times. He told me to steer in the opposite direction to which we were bending over and told me to watch for certain signs that the boat was going to do that before it actually did. Finally, we reached some calmer winds and waters…and I looked back to take a couple of photos of the city skyline.

  

So we’re out there talking about stuff, sailing and marriage (and how hard it can be!) when he lets me take the wheel again. It was then that he started to call me ‘Circle Girl’ because the wind would blow us around in a circle and I wouldn’t react in time and then we’d be the opposite way to what we were facing.  I luckily got the hang on this by the end of our time out on the lake. When my friend took over for a little while, I got the chance to take in some of the scenery around us. I’ve never seen such clear water on the lake

  

Before we got back near the breakwall, we started the motor again in the hopes that I’d get home in time to meet Abby coming home from Grandma’s. I steered the boat again but this time with the motor running and I was finding it a lot easier for some reason. It took more concentration though because if you let go of the wheel, it would run away with you and then you’d end up going around in circles again :p My friend asked me if I would like something to drink/eat and he passed me a granola bar and a can of ginger ale. I’d like to mention that by this point I was holding the granola bar and the can with the same hand…and steering the boat with the other. Yes, I know that it was a little ballsy but the captain didn’t complain. 

We got back to the marina with time to spare for me to get home. But before we left, there was a female Mallard just idly swimming along. Then another one came to join her. They looked like friends

  

I hope that I get to go again soon. It was such a rush as I’ve not been out on open waters in a few years and I’ve forgotten how much fun it is. Wish I had the money to buy my own boat :p

While The Cat’s Away…

Abby is at Grandma’s for the afternoon to play in her pool, Nick’s gone golfing with his friends, so…

My friend has a boat, okay? Like I have the money to afford one :p

WoW Update

So yesterday, I finally hit Level 30. I know it wasn’t long since I was level 24, as I said I tend to gain about a level every day. It’s not that I play that much either, but after a long day of doing stuff for other people…I just want to have some time for myself. I tend to play from about 10pm to about 1am. Sometimes 2am if I’m in the middle of a quest that needs to get completed. I was up until 3am the other morning when I hit lvl 30 because I was hanging out with the guys and we were having a lot of fun. 

I’ve discovered that the guys in the guild I’m part of are very willing to help out. I don’t always ask for help, but when I do they jump at the chance to help me. A couple of them are always buying my gifts too, which is sweet. I tried to buy a Frost Saber last night for one of the guys and we didn’t realise it was BOP (Bind On Pickup) and so then I couldn’t trade it to him because it was soulbound to me. So that was 8 gold down the drain. Now I have two saber mounts, and I feel guilty using the Frost Saber. 

Because I hit Level 30, it enabled me to learn mount riding and the opportunity to buy a mount. So my personal mount is a Night Saber, and I want a Black Stallion…but I have to be Exalted with Stormwind because I can buy one. 

I have a challenge for you! Look at the photos above, and give my Night Saber a name!

New Shoes, New Page and New Book

And so yes. The never-ending book shopping spree still continues. I bought a strategy guide for World of Warcraft yesterday. It was $25 which I thought was pretty expensive…but I bought it anyway because I’m a big sucker.

   

I may end up taking it back and getting it exchanged for a few cheaper items. I’ve never felt guilty for spending my hard earned money on books, but I am starting to feel a little stupid for spending $25 on ONE book. I’ll let Nick look at it a little later, and if he likes it and feels he can use it then we’ll keep it. If not, then it’s back to Borders you go! :p 

I also got a new pair of shoes yesterday, which I was desperately in need of. I needed to replace my canvas slip ons so I found a really awesome Airwalk pair that I found at Payless (hey, don’t knock it till you try it!) I live for Payless Shoes…they have some really awesome stuff that doesn’t break my budget.

  

I want to replace my black leather ballet flats next and they had some really awesome pairs…but I REFUSE to buy American Eagle shoes. I made a pact with myself that I would never give any of my money to richie-rich, preppy kid companies like AE or Abercrombie & Fitch or Hollister. Those places just make my skin crawl and they’re so pretentious. So even though I liked the shoes, I have my principles. I’ll check out what they have at Target…I might find something I like there

And last but definetely not least, I now have a photo gallery with a few photos of myself and Abby. Feel free to peruse at your own time It’s the second page which is called ‘Blurred Negatives’

Writer? Hahahaha!

I am amazed at the amount of people who seem to think that I’m a writer and that’s my job for a living. Gosh, I so wish. I do love writing and I’ve always been told from an early age that I’m pretty good at it…but I cannot write a book or anything with substance to save my life. I’ve tried countless times to write a book, but I always fail because I get terrible writers block. I am certainly no JK Rowling. 

The most writing I do is on here, and I doubt I’m going to get any awards or book deals from it all. I know some bloggers do get book deals from their musings, but they’re usually people who are well known on the Internet and I’m afraid that I am not one of them. It’s not a sob story or an opportunity for anyone out there to feel sorry for me…it’s just the cold hard truth. It’s a brutal world out there online and it’s really hard for a small fry like myself to get into the big pond with the big fish. 

Besides, they usually talk about relevent stuff…and I tend to just talk out of my ass most of the time. I’ll admit now that I lead a pretty average, dull life and it’s nothing special. But writing this blog helps with my bipolar disorder and helps me to get the thoughts out of my head and onto something tangible. 

I kept a lot of paper diaries as a kid, and I can look back on them now and laugh my head off about how naive and clueless I was about so much in the world. Maybe I’ll put all the entries online one day, that’s quite a big project though.

Dun dun duunnnnnn!!

So last night all shit hit the fan. My crazy neighbour who lives across the hall from me finally got kicked out last night and was sent packing with her cat in tow. The poor kitty sounded so sad, I was more concerned for him than that drunk bitch. Both the women in the apartment drink, but one was a stupid drunk and the other was a violent drunk. The stupid drunk was actually okay when she was sober. I’ve never seen the other woman sober, PERIOD. She was always hanging around in the halls propped up against a wall or being dragged home by her scumbag boyfriend. 

So anyway, last night the two of them came home steaming drunk as usual and one of them hit the other. Then a fist fight ensured with the violent drunk getting kicked out because she wasn’t on the lease. The cops came over to talk to the other woman who had calmed down a little by now, but I could see through my peephole that she was bleeding so the EMT’s were there too. 

Then I went over to Jeff’s and we got talking about the two of them and I discovered that the apartment manager was kicking out her boyfriend and he was a little disorientated because he didn’t know what to do next. He said that he still loved her and that they had their daughter together so he didn’t want to move back home to Texas because that would mean that he would never see her again. I honestly don’t know how he put up with the apartment manager for so long. Sure he’s knocked her around a couple of times, but I know that’s only because she’s thrown stuff at him and started fights. She’s a pretty aggresive person and he’s very placid…they’re not a good match at all. 

Drama, drama, drama. I’ll keep you posted on what happens next

VBS is Great!

It was the third day of VBS today and I am enjoying myself so much. After my half hour with the kids, I don’t do anything else for a whole 90 minutes so I walk home and eat dinner with Nick while Abby is occupied with her classes. It’s nice because it gives us a little time to spend together doing things we’re not allowed to do while Abby is around, like watching Family Guy. We both love that show so much (I like American Dad too) but we can’t watch it while Abby is around because it’s not age-appropriate. Bummer :p 

I was a little uneasy about doing VBS at the start, but as the week’s gone on I’ve loved more and more of it. I love working with Brad because he is so easy to get along with and we have a blast together. Faith Fusion Finale is definetely my favourite time because the kids get to be involved and they have a blast with us. Brad’s also one of the Sunday School teachers so he’s automatically better with the kids than I am. I just get nervous in front of people I don’t know very well. I’ve learned with kids though that they don’t care if you screw up, because they don’t know what it’s supposed to be like in the first place. So being up on stage in front of them has turned out to be easy. 

Now, Pastor Kelly asked me tonight if I’d like to do a song with the kids on Sunday during Children’s Time and myself and the kids have to perform a song for the congregation. Ohhhhhhh crap. That’s what’s making me nervous. If I keep my back to the congregation I think I should be okay. So they get to watch me wiggling my butt in church….BIG DEAL, get over yourselves. I’m enjoying myself and so are the kids. Isn’t that the most important thing?