Ever since her seizure on Sunday night, Kaylee has been going to work with me. I've been keeping a close eye on her to make sure that she doesn't have anymore seizures, because if she does, then we'll have to treat her for epilepsy. So far so good...we haven't had any repeats and the vet let us know on Wednesday that her lab work came back normal. I keep telling her, it's a good thing she's so cute, cuz we might have sent her back, labeled 'broken'.
Thankful
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so I've been thinking about what I am thankful for in my life. The list could get pretty damn long, so I'll keep it short and sweet. The top five things I am thankful for are:
1) Dave - he gets me. We don't have to work hard at our relationship and I am so thankful for his stability in my life. He's strong without trying to take over or becoming overbearing. He's smart without arrogance. He's patient, way more so than me, and just an overall nice and kind person. I don't know what I'd do without him in my life.
2) My mom - she is ALWAYS there for me and I am grateful for her advice and support even when I want to push her away. She's the strongest woman I know and I am thankful that she is this way because it has made me a strong person. I am thankful that she has been such a great role model that I am not afraid of becoming a mother myself. I am thankful for her friendship and understanding and ability to laugh at herself and find humor in even the worst situations.
3) My pets - they keep me from becoming bitter and cynical about this world we live in. There's nothing more comforting than furry creatures who love you NO MATTER WHAT.
4) My home - I love how comfy and welcoming it is, despite all of the constantly circulating pet hair. And even though I complain about wanting new furniture and new floors and a new roof, I am grateful that I have what I have and hope to never take advantage of the fact that I am blessed with a beautiful home.
5) My friends - Jill: who loves me just as I am and is never afraid to tell it like it is, Loren; who is patient and generous and one-of-a-kind, My 10 cakes flickr group: I am glad I stumbled upon it during a time in my life when I was feeling friendless. Every member of 10 cakes is awesome and I am glad to know them, even if it's only through the world wide web.
A letter to Bank of America
Dear Bank of America,
Though I would never in a million years reopen an account with your less than stellar institution, please continue to send me your solicitations. I enjoy watching my dog, Prue, do to those paper attempts to woo me back the same as what you did to my bank account during the three months that I was out of my mind, switching from my wonderful credit union to your disastrous excuse for a financial institution. As a matter of fact, I enjoy watching this shred-fest so much that I would like to take this opportunity to authorize you to add my address to all of your direct mailing lists.
Sincerely,
Chelle
Though I would never in a million years reopen an account with your less than stellar institution, please continue to send me your solicitations. I enjoy watching my dog, Prue, do to those paper attempts to woo me back the same as what you did to my bank account during the three months that I was out of my mind, switching from my wonderful credit union to your disastrous excuse for a financial institution. As a matter of fact, I enjoy watching this shred-fest so much that I would like to take this opportunity to authorize you to add my address to all of your direct mailing lists.
Sincerely,
Chelle
BFF?
I spend most of my days yelling at this little black dog, "Stop chasing Leo!; Leave your brother alone!!!; Don't molest the cats!"
I also yell at this cat, "Stop tempting your sister!; Move away from her if she's bothering you!!"
Then I stumble across this scene. They must be training me for my future (furless) children.
I also yell at this cat, "Stop tempting your sister!; Move away from her if she's bothering you!!"
Then I stumble across this scene. They must be training me for my future (furless) children.
jack o'lanterns
Dave and I carved pumpkins for Halloween. Even though we have no kids. And are in our late twenties. Dave is big into Samhein, as he calls it, so to him, pumpkin carving is a necessary tradition. It was fun, but I made him scoop out the pumpkin gunk. I am lazy like that.
Another Scottish Weekend
Dave and I went to his second Highland Games this weekend at Stone Mountain Park. Again, he did really well, winning third place in the stone throw, second place in the caber toss, and first place in the 56lb. Weight For Height with a height of 12 feet. He also placed second overall in the B Division. Here are a few videos from the competition:
Dave makes 11 feet look easy.
The winning throw of 12 feet.
The 22lb. hammer throw.
The caber toss.
The 56lb. Weight For Distance.
The B Division group.
Dear Abby
I love this! Abby is definitely a woman that I look up to. I think she hits the nail on the head with this particular piece of wisdom...and so many young women of my generation should take her advice to heart. I get tired of hearing about failed relationships because of some fatal flaw in the other person. We are not perfect...not one of us. And that is what makes us interesting and unique individuals. Yet we all need love and companionship in our lives. So instead of focusing on ourselves and our wants, and more prominently what we don't want, maybe we should all take more time to really get to know others before we just discard them as "creeps" or freaks and move on.
WOMAN WHO'S A REAL CATCH HAS TROUBLE FINDING ANGLERS
By Abigail Van Buren Tue Oct 16, 8:00 PM ET
DEAR ABBY: Call me confident, but I know I am a real catch. But for the life of me, I can't get a date with the "right" kind of guy.
Abby, I am beautiful inside and out. I was raised in a great family with good morals, I'm kind to everyone, I've got a killer personality, great sense of humor, an inspiring attitude, and the glass is always half-full.
This may seem cocky, but my two problems with men are: I seem to attract creeps, and the kind of men I deserve don't think they've got a shot in hell, so they don't ask me out.
Most of the dates and relationships I've had have happened because I asked the other person out. I've been in two major relationships with very attractive, bright men, and I'd like to experience that again.
I'm so sick of meeting creeps! I really want someone in my league. I've been told a thousand times that I'm gorgeous, stunning, or asked why I'm not modeling. Yesterday someone called me Miss America. I'm well-read and in tune with the arts, smart and funny. Where are the male equivalents? -- DATELESS 23-YEAR-OLD
DEAR DATELESS: They died of altitude sickness, trying to climb the pedestal you have placed yourself on. You have described your obvious selling points, but what about the quality of your character? Are you nice to people who don't want anything from you? Are you giving? Sensitive? Can you compromise? Are you interested in other people?
Perfection does not exist in anyone. And the sooner you become less preoccupied with your own perfection, the more likely it is that you'll meet your male "equivalent."
“Is there anything worn under the kilt? No, it's all in perfect working order.”
This past weekend we went to a Scottish Games, which is a festival celebrating the clans and culture of Scotland. Dave has decided to become an "Highland Athlete" and compete in all of the heavyweight and strength competitions in as many Scottish Games as we can possibly afford.
This was actually his first time competing and he did really well. He placed ninth overall in his division and he walked away with a first place medal for the caber toss, where you attempt to balance a tree trunk and then throw it end over end trying to get it to land as close to the 12-o'clock position as possible.
We had a great time, though it did kind of remind me of field day in elementary school. There was a great deal of waiting your turn and a lot of curiosity about your place in terms of points. Plus, it took all day and it isn't getting any cooler in Georgia, even though we are currently in the middle of October. What's up with that!?
I feel loved
I have not been myself this week. For some reason, I have been caught in this web of depression, hating myself, my life, my job and especially hating the area where I live. Atlanta is not an easy place to be because it is a city steeped in hate. This hate has been present for decades and has nothing to do with me, really, but it drags me down because I can feel the aggressive disdain that many of the residents seem to have for one another. At least, this is the case in the part of Atlanta in which I currently reside.
My husband has borne my "funk" like a saint. On Wednesday night, I reached an all time low and I could see how it was beginning to affect him. So I made him a promise. I told him I would make a conscious effort to be more like my usual, upbeat self the next day. And I kept my promise. And things are looking better.
The flowers and Oreos that Dave had waiting for me when I got home certainly helped.
I'm not sure I could do it again.
The word "dating" scares me. It's not that I haven't had my fair share of dating or that it didn't end well for me. What scares me is how it has changed in the three (almost four) years I have been with my Dave.
When I was dating, I tried all of the different avenues that are now considered "old-fashioned" thanks to the advent of the internet. I sat in coffee shops, I played intra-mural sports, I joined a running club, and I even went out on a blind date arranged by my grandmother. These avenues were all pretty successful, but then I was in my early twenties and I think that makes it A LOT easier to date.
Now I am approaching thirty, and the rules have changed. There is now Match.com, eHarmony, Craigslist, Nerve.com...and even Myspace, where you create a packaged you to try and "sell" to potential "buyers." It's bad enough that you can't be completely yourself during the process of trying to find a job, but now you have to create what's basically a resume in order to find someone that will date you?
I actually tried Match.com and it was a painful, albeit brief experience. I met some guys who were just messed up in the head. The two that I dated from the web had lists of deal breakers that were so detailed that I was sure to fail their idea of the perfect mate. My own list of deal breakers was short and sweet by comparison: likes coffee, likes the beach, likes kids, has a good relationship with his mom, likes dogs and cats, reads, looks good in a stetson, can hold a conversation, is not an alcoholic, is not addicted to sports or television.
Nowadays I think that guys have too many options. Guys just assume they have an unlimited supply of girls to "choose from" and want to constantly keep their options open.
I dated a guy for a whole year before we had the "exclusive" talk and he actually told me we should see other people, but keep dating - and sleeping with, mind you - each other. So I did...I immediately went and found another guy to date and introduced the two of them. They were okay with it because they both didn't want to commit. Needless to say, I dumped both of them. The guy who wanted to "see other people, but keep dating each other" showed up at my mom's house last month to ask about me...SIX years later. Guess he's finally ready to commit, LOL!
There are women of my generation who, thanks to shows like "Sex in the City," embrace the lifestyle the guy who dated me wanted me to embrace. What happen to our values as a society? When did we start valuing ourselves above all else? We have become a society that is so used to having our every impulsive need want met, that we don't have the patience for others.
I had a single friend tell me that a guy she is seeing told her that they needed to "talk long and hard" about what it would take for him to see her exclusively. He said that being exclusive was hard work. Warning bells began going off in her head and she asked me for advice. Of course, exclusivity is hard work. It requires a certain amount of self-control, which less mature people seem to lack. You have to control your natural inclination to flirt. You have to control your emotions in terms of blowing up over little shit. You have to control your desire for excitement and adventure with the knowledge that there is security and comfort in being with the same person for any length of time. You become more of a team and it's less about you. But there are times when that teamwork is crucial, when having someone else shoulder just a little bit of the crap that life deals out is the only thing that keeps you going...the only thing that allows you to make it through the day.
Things have definitely changed and I am so glad that I am no longer in the dating trenches. I really don't think I could do it again.
Actual Conversation
Me: I am so sore from yoga...you have no idea. The instructor kept coming over and helping get deeper into the poses. I'm ouchy...
Dave: Well, do you stretch after?
M: What do you mean, "Do I stretch after?" After yoga?
D: Yeah. I stretch after my workouts and it helps.
M: *blink...blink*
D: What?!
M: You do realize that yoga IS stretching, don't you?
D: Yeah, so...
M: So do you really think it's necessary to stretch after stretching? I mean do you walk to cool down from walking? Or eat after eating? Or...
D: Shut up.
The benefits of exercise
I'm starting a new exercise regime and I desperately want to stick to it, but as it is my own self as the lone motivator, I'm not sure how successful I will be. Nevertheless, I am planning on either running or walking for at least one hour every other night. I started on Sunday by running/walking on my clothes stand treadmill for five miles!! See, I distract myself by the television that is cleverly mounted right at eye-level above the treadmill. I watched over an hour of Along Came Polly, walking during the movie and running during commercials.
Have you ever noticed that there are A LOT of commercials on TV anymore? Like an average of TEN per commercial break? I literally thought I was going to die as I was running my ass off, waiting for the damn movie to come back on. I'm sure it made for a good workout, but I realized the reason why I do not watch much television. TOO MANY DAMN COMMERCIALS!!
Anyway, back to my exercise ambitions!
I skipped Monday and Tuesday (oops, already screwing up the program). On Wednesday, I went to hot yoga. I love me some hot yoga, but I really hate the fact that I have to drive way out of my way to the yoga studio because there is not a yoga studio near me that does the hot yoga. If you've never tried hot yoga, YOU SHOULD! It is the best workout you can have while standing / laying on a little mat. It's a major workout, not too mention that you sweat your ass off (literally) in a room that is 105° and nearing 100% humidity. It sounds like it would be Hell-on-Earth, but I assure you, it feels blissful when you are done. Like you have been cleansed of all of your stress.
Since yoga was yesterday, that means that today is a day off from exercise (yea!) and tomorrow I will have to run / walk again. Just not during the commercials this time :)
The first...
...post to my blog. I'm kinda scared, but have lurked around the Blogosphere for so long, that I felt I needed to participate. So here I go...
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