Maybe I Don't Hate Everything

I managed to make it to the tanning booth. I like that term better because I really prefer the stand up, which is more of a booth than a bed. It is like four minutes in heaven. I can't tell you how it improved my mood! It turned a nothing day around.

Dinner group was great. I loved meeting new people and hanging out with old friends. I'm glad to be involved. We just had the best time. I love it.

Yesterday one of the students brought me some lotion because he said that the lotion I had (a gift) smelled like ass - charming. Anyway, he brought me some mandarin lime energy lotion from Bath and Body. I little dab under the nostrils has awakened me - and given me a bit of energy. I'm loving it!

Did I mention my employer is treating us to our choice of body wraps, massages, or facials today? I'm getting a hot stone massage. I can't wait. Only 4 more hours! HAPPY!

I need to get busy ready the news and surfing the net.

I Hate Everything

Do you know that George Strait song, "I Hate Everything"? That's how I feel today. I'm pissed off at the world, and I hate everything.

I know why. I have not had time to tan in 3 days. I must find time to tan today or it's gonna get UGLY. Okay, it's already UGLY, it's just going to get uglier.

I'm really trying not to hurt or maim someone, but I still have several hours to get through before I can leave.

Of course, I'm not sure my dinner companions tonight will enjoy me. I have a dinner party to attend. It's a dinner club, and the theme is Italian tonight. It's my job to bring an appetizer, and because I have such a great imagination, I'm bringing bruschetta. How creative is that?

Last night I attended a great party. We ate, drank wine, and played with shoes, jewelry and handbags. I managed to snag a great pair of black high heeled sandels -- HOT -- and a new handbag in a lovely lime green. (I was assured that this is the color for the spring.)

Speaking of spring, I CAN'T WAIT. When will it get here? VERY, VERY SOON, I hope. I am tireder of winter this year than I can remember being. Someone asked me recently if this winter were colder than other winters. I can't remember. I try very hard to forget winter. That usually works for me.

That's all for now. I'm going to try to think happy thoughts and make it through the next few hours.

Something Like the Sun

I'm now addicted to tanning. I swear. It's my new favorite thing. I literally count the minutes until I can tan again. I love it, love it, love it. Now, I don't actually get tan. I don't have enough of the Spanish & French blood to tan the way I'd like, but I do manage not to burn, unlike my mother would have done.

Yes, it seems my dad's great-great-great-great grandfather, Juan, came from Toledo in central Spain in the 1790s. He landed in New Orleans, and changed his name to John. Who knows why since the French owned Louisiana then. The Americans wouldn't get it for about 20 more years, so you'd think he'd have gone with Jean. Anyway, he married a French woman. And it's to Juan & his bride that I owe what little tanning ability I have.

M, the one with Mexican & Indian blood and the ability to get very tan, says that I least I bronze. And for that I am grateful - even as I am jealous of his tanning ability. It's true. It could be worse. I could be like my northern European mother and just burn.

I don't really visit the tanning bed for the tanning - I say that because tanning is really next to impossible for me, and saying this makes it seem like I don't care that bronzing is the best I can do. I visit because it's as close as I can get to the sun these days. It's warm and bright. I close my eyes and remember what it feels like to be at the beach. I can almost hear the waves pounding the shore. I love the warmth. I almost weep when my 4 minutes are up.

Soon, I hope, the sun will return and with it warm weather. I can't wait to get outdoors again. I love the heat. Until then I'll have to make do with trips to the tanning bed and the memory of what summer feels like.

My New Favorite Quote

I do love a good quote. I have thousands that I really, really like, but my new favorite is from Marilyn Monroe. Yep, she had several good ones including:

"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best."

My new favorite, however, is below. I just love it because it's how I feel these days.

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they are right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."--Marilyn Monroe

Two Things

Last night I got one of those emails asking for "two things." One of the questions was "What were two things you did last night?" I answered this question with "drank champagne" and "wore a tiara." That got me to wondering just how many people could answer the question that way. Now, I knew of at least five others who could, but I'm thinking that there probably aren't many more than that.

What a weekend! On Friday night I went to dinner with L. At the restaurant, the waiter told me that L looked like a young Keanu Reeves. L doesn't, but he was okay with that as long as the adjective "young" was attached. I can relate. These days I love any reference to "young" that includes me. Sadly, the word "young" is rarely attached to anything about me. At least I don't get "old" very often . . . yet.

We did enjoy the waiter's reaction because he kept coming by to look - and sent most of the staff over. It was too crazy. There was a Mexican band that L wanted to play "Tainted Love." While they didn't actually play "Tainted Love," they did play a song that sounded a little like it, so we just sang the lyrics to "Tainted Love." Well, actually L sang the lyrics. I couldn't remember them.

Then on Sat., I started the day by going to Super Target for groceries. I managed to buy only groceries. I also managed to spend $167 buying just groceries. I can't seem to help myself. I lose my mind in a grocery store. After the grocery-buying extravaganza, I headed to yoga where we did tree pose again - and the teacher took time out to assure me that I didn't have to do it if I didn't want to. I guess she didn't want to incite another crying jag.

After yoga, M picked me up, and we went to lunch followed by a bit of shopping. She took me to one of her favorite places - this former monastery that used to be out on the country. It's a lovely place that I would like to visit in warmer weather. We had a nice time just hanging out. We intended to write and meditate, but we mostly just talked. It was a nice change of pace.

Sat. night I attended a gala - that's where I wore the tiara and drank champagne. A group of us bought a table and had a girls' night. It was lots of fun.

Then came the Super Bowl. Having grown up in the era of the Aints, I have to say that it was pretty sweet watching them win - and win by playing the better game. Sure, there were a couple of trick plays, but they didn't need the officials to help them. They won by playing the better game.

What a weekend! I need some time to recover. Too bad, it's back to work and back to snowing. Have I mentioned just how tired I am of snow? In case I didn't, I'll mention it again. I hate the snow. I want the spring!

Another Crazy Day

Today was CRAZY. It was just one thing after another. Okay, so maybe I asked for it by drinking 3 glasses of red wine last night, but I've had a headache most of the day. I had to cover substitute teach this morning - that was a riot given what I was subbing for and my lack of background in the field. The really sad thing is that the students asked me to teach them again because they think I'm a better teacher.

This afternoon has been one crazy thing after another. I'm so ready to go home and start the weekend. Tonight I'm off to dinner with a friend. Tomorrow it's lunch with another friend. Then off to a gala tomorrow night. Finally, it's Super Bowl time on Sunday. It's going to be a wild weekend.

Another Day in Paradise

It's another day in paradise if your idea of paradise is gray and rainy. It's not really raining - just an annoying mist. It's cold - a typical winter day. Did I mention that spring can't come too soon?

Last night I set up a Facebook account for my mother's cousin. She wanted one, but she didn't want to have to go to the trouble of doing it herself. That was interesting. Luckily, I selected a photo that met her approval. I hope she enjoys her FB time.

This week I had a couple of readings done - one was a past life reading in which I discovered that I have had a past life where I was very happy. Hmmm. Another was strange but interesting. I'm still trying to figure it out. Oh, well, it was something different, and did I mention it was free?

I've been trying to get finances in order. That's a challenge. I did manage to get the taxes filed and a couple of IRAs consolidated. Doesn't that sound impressive?

I'm rambling now so I'll stop.

Passwords

I hate passwords. I have a few that I recycle, but every once in awhile, I try to make up something new. The problem is I can never remember my brilliant idea. Of course, I don't write it down. Why would I do that - writing it down means that I have to keep up with it. And anyone could find what I wrote. What happens? I have to have it set and reset - then reset again.

This very thing happened to me yesterday when I was trying to do my taxes. First, I had to remember which of my five email addresses I used to set up my account. (Yes, I have five. No, I do not know why. Actually, I do, but the story is boring so I won't bother to repeat it.) I finally managed that, but I couldn't remember if I used my email as my user name or if I made up a user name. After finally figuring that out, I had to come up with the password from a year ago. Of course, I could not. Of course, I reset it. Of course, I have no idea now what I reset it to. Thank goodness, I can at least remember my name and SSN.

Today I tried to remember the clever password I used to set up my account with my investment firm. About 20 tries later, I still have no idea. I think that's going to have to be reset, too.

This is what I get for trying to be careful and clever. I just lock myself out!