Looks like we're next, everybody out

First off, apologies for my sporadic and boring posts as of late. There's not a lot going on.

And there's hardly anything going on as far as writing goes. I've really hit a wall. What I should do is go through my CW textbook and do some of the exercises there. It's so much easier to keep writing once you're already writing, if that makese sense. Oh! And speaking of Creative Writing, I somehow pulled of an A. Bitchin.

Friday, my boss decided to put off the organizing projects at his house. Whew! But I did stop by anyway to pick up my check (lifesaver!) and to learn about the next project he has for me, which actually sounds interesting. I've got to go through their past shows and glean some Q&A that is going to be used for both their AP column (a year's worth!) and the website. Depending on how much time I put in, this project could take from two to four weeks. Plus I can do it from hom. Luck does follow me sometimes.

Having money, I wanted to buy everything in the world, but only went to Raley's for some essentials: potato skins (drool), taquitos, and... what did I get? Some small bags of Kettle's Baked chips that were gone that same day, and some Raley's "gourmet" soup for my grandma. My mom and I also took her a smoothie in an attempt to get her to drink something. My grandparents crack me up sometimes: "What's a smoothie?"

I've been trying to put new mix CD's together lately, and I'd been having a hell of a time of it. I was doing it by just trying to get one huge master list of every song I think I'd want, then trying to divide them. That not working, I gave up and instead would choose one song I really liked to base a CD on, then work around it. That way I'd only have to pare down a list of 20-something songs instead of hundreds.

For some reason I didn't pick up any DVD's to watch over the long weekend. At the very least I could've gotten started on season two of "Nip/Tuck." Ah, well. "Rescue Me" starts tomorrow night! Yay for three of my favorite D boys (Dean Winters, Denis Leary, Daniel Sunjata). I can't believe part one of season six of "The Sopranos" is ending this next Sunday. And season one of "Big Love," just when I was staring to really get into it.

Friday night - or Saturday? No, it was Friday - I was so bored, and going crazy for lack of something to do, and remembered this neat little Yardley spa kit I'd bought for my cancelled weekend alone (would've been next weekend, grumble). It rules! Chocolate-y face mask and papaya scrub especially, mmm. They further cemented my decision to put together a section on the site for review of beauty stuff. But it won't be ready for a couple of weeks - I have a lot of stuff to review!

Oh, and the puppies had their grooming appointment Friday. Poor things, they were shaking so bad as we took them into Petsmart. Even Pepe didn't bark at another little scruffy dog during intake. Man, did they get returned looking like lab rats! They are both shaved so short that their heads and ears look hogmongous. They also shaved T-Bone's bushy tail so it's thin and ratty looking.

Saturday, I couldn't resist the shopping impulse anymore - but I was actually quite good. At Longs, I only picked up something as a gift (for my godmother, whose birthday is in October - far off, but I know she'll love it), and at Target I got paper plates and two body washes that I had coupons for (Dove Energy Glow, and Olay Ribbons). Heh, and I ran into my boss at Target too. He and his wife were buying a bike so she could go, you know, bike riding with him. I don't want to think of how stupid I would look if I tried to ride after probably 10 years of not having been on one. It would be an even bigger disaster than me trying to rollerskate.

Yesterday was fairly relaxing. I worked some on the stuff for the beauty project, read ghost stories (I'm scared), watched Lifetime movies (sooo bad), and made banana bread. Mmm, it came out so good, but took forever to bake. At nine they showed the re-run of the "Law & Order Criminal Intent" with Brad Renfro that I missed the ending of the first time. God, was that cartoon his character made hella disturbing. And at ten, they showed my favorite episode of "Law & Order SVU", with all the evil blond girls.

During LOCI I tried to work on a story for writer's club, but had a difficult time with it. Man, however I try to attack this story, it just won't go. Maybe I want it too much. I should go over my list and choose the story I least want to write, maybe then I'll get something done!

You know what I was thinking? I used to write all of my stories in the first person (I, I, I, without fail), and now they're all in third person, he and she. Is there some psychological significance to this?

Last night I dreamed a lot, but only have random bits left in my memory. One had to do with my prom, only I actually had a date. The dance went on well into the middle of the night, early morning, and I went with another girl to use the bathroom. All of the stalls were totally disgusting except for the handicapped one which I finally decided it would be OK to use. I also changed back into my regular clothes, which was OK because when I went out, it was morning and everyone else was in their regular stuff too. We all said goodbye and went home, and as I was driving (back to Brentwood, interestingly enough) I realized I had JH's Monopoly game, and that I'd have to give it back to her the next time I saw her.

Another part was that it was the neighborhood yard sale (there actually is one next weekend, but we're not doing it), and my mom was putting out all these neat purses. I thought, "Aw, man, I wish I could keep all these - I've never seen them!" Many of them lit up with sparkly little lights. And I was telling her that the Bath & Body Works semi-annual sale was the next morning, and that I'd be leaving at eight if she wanted to go with me. Isn't it sad that I'm looking so forward to this sale IRL (one week!) that I'm dreaming about it?

I could show you things but I fear that you have seen it all before

My last Creative Writing class was Monday night. I made cookies (Quigleys - see the recipes section) and everyone liked them, yay. Mmm, so did I... and just when I got out of the habit of eating sweet stuff, too. Tonight I was good and had an apple with peanut butter for dessert.

But yesh, I will miss my class and the people in it. I think I still have everyone's assignments we went over so I can look over them and reminisce. I love that the youngest, cute girl (she's like 19? 20?) had an even more fucked-up story than I did.

In my haste to not waste a coupon, I went to Fashion Bug again on Tuesday. I got these green-ish jeans that are really cute, and two more of the comfy cute tank tops (black, and white). I tried on this pink jeans, I think the brand is called Divine, that are supposed to fit well. Well... they don't! They were really tight in the thighs, then flare hella big at the bottom. I can't think of anyone who would look good in that, yugh. At least I got a good laugh out of it.

Having already devoured Erica Jong's "Fear of Flying" (awesome, fantastic, you read it now) I've moved onto Joyce Carol Oates' "Zombie." It's very... interesting. It's told from the POV of a serial sexual predator/murderer named Quentin P. JCO is one messed-up writer, and I so want to be her when I grow up!

Speaking of messed up ladies, the episode of "Epitafios" that introduces the unstable homicide detective Marina Segal is on tonight. In nine minutes, to be precise. Whoo hoo!

Today, hung out with LT - lunch at In and Out (so good, I haven't been there in straight days), then went to see a movie. I think he was hoping for "X Men 3" or whatever but I'm so not into that, so we saw "Mission Impossible 3." It was very surprisingly good. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was brilliantly bad, and hot. After that we went to Peet's and I tried the hibiscus cooler, which is fantastic, way better than the jasmine. It has a kind of fruity-cinnamon flavor that is hard to describe but it's worth going back for even without LT's employee discount.

Heh, until I said otherwise my mom thought this was a date. Mom,

1. He has a girlfriend
2. He has a girlfriend
3. If I had a date, believe me, everyone would know. Actually that's probably not true, I don't really have the whole thing of needing to have a guy to have self-esteem. This is probably a defense mechanism, but whatev. LT and I actually had a conversation related to this about a girl we know who is so attractive and fantastic, but goes around feeling badly about herself when she doesn't have a boyfriend. I so don't get it! I'm going to start one of those overpriced self-empowerment seminars for chicks.

Today was my dad's and EC's birthday. EC's present is on the way to her right now (my bad) and I think my dad liked the gift I got him. I was at Barnes & Noble and thought I could find a book about the real Deadwood*. I couldn't, but found this really neat dictionary of slang from the Old West. I thought it was neat, anyway. Hee.

*An article in the paper today said the new season starting in a couple weeks will be the last. Sob! Blast you, AOL-Time Warner-HBO for wasting so much on that crap "Rome."

Tomorrow I'll likely go to sit with my grandma for awhile, if my grandpa goes out to dinner. She was doing really well the first few days but since has had some issues with dehydration and possible infection. But my mom says she's doing better today so that is good.

Friday I'll be at boss J's house to do whatever work there. Ugh, I have the feeling it will be of very tedious annoying things... but I have to, you know, buy things. Damn consumerist economy...

Coming up close, everything sounds like welcome home

Right now I'm for some reason watching this Lifetime movie with Pam Dawber as a mom with Munchausen (sp?) by proxy... god I want to choke her!

Work this week was just plain "ugh." I had to send out 1,200 letters, but only after I labeled and stamped and stuffed them all. It was all evil, I tell you.

Since my June weekend alone & away is now off*, I went ahead and spent some money on clothes Friday. Yay Fashion Bug! I got a plain pink tank top (sleepwear probably), a pink one with sparkly lace, a red with gold dotties, and a pink and white fake-layer shirt. They are all very cute. I'm so sick of all my clothes so I went through yesterday and weeded out a bunch. Oh, and I had tried on some pajama pants at FB but they:

1. Were all ugly
2. Were all capris
3. Didn't fit right

Well, scratch out both Fashion Bug and Mervyn's as good places for fat girls to get much in the way of PJ's. I'll have to check out Target though I doubt there will be much there either...

*Every time I try to plan this it is inevitably messed up. My problem is I make the reservation months in advance, then have to cancel because I run out of money. I should stop doing this. Plus I decided that if I have that kind of money I'd rather travel around - either to see EC in Tucson or to Chicago to visit my relatives there (though, they're supposedly going to stop by here in June after doing some looking around Oregon, where they are planning to move to).

I just got paid (cash) for work I did a few weeks ago, and I'm sooo setting it all aside for the Bath and Body Works sale in a couple weeks. Whee!

I know, I haven't added anything new to the site in hella days. My bad.

I was thinking, I've really broken myself of the sugar habit. Other than the Hershey's chocolate bar I had during PMS earlier this week, I've had no cravings for sweet stuff. The thought of it sometimes even grosses me out. Could this be from my quitting soda** and getting less sugar that way? Now if only I could break myself of the salty snacks thing, I could seriously lose more weight.

**I've been having only diet, caffeine-free Diet Pepsi. It's not that bad.

Yesterday my grandpa went out and about, so I went over to stay with my grandma. She's been feeling great but is supposed to be resting, and we want to make sure she does. And she really did, yesterday, even took a few naps. I relaxed with a book (Jonathan Kellerman's "Flesh and Blood" - it's so-so) and TV and my mom was around later with dinner (milkshakes from Jack in the Box and this yum little cornish game hen my dad made).

Not much going on. I finished reading "Accomplices" Thursday so I've got to bust my ass on getting something ready for the next night meeting in two weeks. I should do that today. Will I? We'll see (yeah, I know you'll all be living in suspense until you find out next entry).

In spite of all my efforts to not learn who kicked the bucket on "The OC" season finale, I was foiled by my newspaper (the Contra Costa Times). Fuckers. I suppose it's my own fault for being three or four weeks behind... the poor DVR is stuffed with shows that it will take me forever (if ever) to watch. I still have two eps of the original British "Touching Evil" that I don't really want to watch, but am unable to delete. At least Robson Green is kind of a babe.

This week I went to a proficiency testing for a position at the Brentwood school district, and am proud to note that I finished first. Ha! There were 70 questions for the main (math and reading) test, plus 20 more for aides. You're given one hour for the first part, then fifteen minutes for the second, but I finished all 90 Q's in about 35-40 minutes. Really, it was ridiculously easy, and I'm quite appalled at the lack of standards. The math seemed to me like about 8th or 9th grade algebra, and the English was even easier.

I don't get all the fuss the state is having over the high school exit exam. All you need is an 8th grade comprehension of math, and 10th grade English. If you can't pass those things as a senior, you shouldn't get a diploma. Instead of doing the STAR or CTBS or whatever-it-is testing, the schools just ought to practice the exit exam over and over. Jeez, must I be called in to solve every problem the government can't figure out?

It's plain to see that I like you

The weather has been hot-ish this weekend, wah. It has been nice having the sun out though.

Friday I had a job interview at an auto dealership. It was a receptionist's dealy which sounded good to me except for the hours, which were 11 AM to 7 PM, weekdays. That doesn't really fit well with my early bird type-ness (or whatever) plus I would miss out on both day and evening's writer's clubs, gah. So after my interview I had decided that if they offered it to me, I would turn it down. It turns out I had nothing to worry about on that point as they politely refused me when they called Monday evening. Is it completely stupid that I'm offended for not being given a job I don't want?

After my interview I went and hung out with LT, an acting/journalism/creative writing friend from college. We've never really hung out before, it was fun. We went to Peet's and I had this jasmine ice cooler thing... I don't know why I was so surprised that it actually tasted like jasmine, but yeah. It was weird but good, I have been craving one since then. I want to try the hibiscus too. We also went to Barnes & Noble and I lusted over hella books that I need. Yes, need, not want. I was going to get Jacquelline Susann's "The Love Machine" but my shopping and car-filling of the day before had nearly bankrupted me. Boo.

Saturday, I did nothing. Cleaned maybe? I'm sure I can't remember. We had Chinese food for dinner which was delish. I will probably die after drowning in a thing of sweet and sour sauce. We watched "Con Air" which I'd also seen the night before, but that didn't stop me the second time. I love the little dude in the purple dress.

Oh! And in my book-lust, I went to the library Saturday morning to pick up a few. Usually I get too many and never finish them, so this time I only got three. A short story collection of Shirley Jackson's that I've already finished - brilliant; Erica Jong's "Fear of Flying" which I just started today, and is hilarious; and Joyce Carol Oates' "Zombie."

Sunday was mother's day and I had a bunch of groceries to cook yum meals. For breakfast I made french toast, steak fries, and smoothies (strawberry, apple, grape, raspberry)... and I was going to do sausage but my dad had made bacon. As an aside I'll admit that I was unfortunately PMS-ing and almost started bawling because I made a huge mess on the counter while making the smoothies. I got over it, we ate, and went to visit my grandma in the hospital. I am happy to add that she is doing great and will be able to come home tomorrow.

For dinner I made baked sesame chicken, an asian salad, and cornbread for dinner. Dessert was the yum candy bar cake with sweetened condensed milk and butterscotch... exactly what I needed that day, and delightfully cold!

Monday I was running about here and there. I put gas in my car again, and dashed over to Bath and Body Works for the new pomegranate lotion. Only, they didn't have in yet. I did get some of the Tutti Dolci Mango Sorbetto body souffle (mmm), two Savannah Bee tinted lip balms (black raspberry for moi, pecan for my ma), and... oh, a rubber duck-shaped, banana soap sponge (yeah, I do realize that is the most complicated description ever).

Now, the pomegranate lotion - and other Temptations stuff - came in yesterday... did I go back yesterday to get some? Of course I did! It is brilliant. The saleschick gave me a little flyer for the semi-annual sale that I put up on my wall (June 5! And they open early!) I could single-handedly support that business, I tell you.

Besides that, yesterday I did a bit of work at the office: Basically printing out 1,200 labels for mailing. And I had to buy envelopes to stick the labels on, which I brought home to do last night and this morning. Whew. At least I could watch TV while doing that. Of course I still have to do the postage (tomorrow... I'll have to head back into the office, I can't just hijack the meter), and the actual stuffing of these envelopes. It's some document that J is supposed to e-mail me tonight or tomorrow morning, hopefully; hopefully because it's supposed to be sent out on Friday.

Oh, and class Monday night was okay. I was feeling super wiped out and just down in general. We got a late start and read a couple of stories - not mine, luckily. I'm supposed to be first up on this coming Monday. I hate reading out loud, especially my own stuff. Though, I am set to read the last part (finally) of "Accomplices" tomorrow night at writer's club. I am going to show off and make cookies for class on Monday, too... though now that I think about it I really would've preferred them this last week. Eh, cookies are always good.

I can actually feel the temperature getting higher in my room. I hate that! Quit it! Yes I'll stop.

This entry is mostly dull, my apologies on that. Do I have any TV bits? (My TV blog is obviously not destined for use.) I finally caught up on "Prison Break", including the season finale, yesterday. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone though. Some just-generic-enough thoughts: I feel bad for Sucre's overweight cousin, heh. Dr. Tancredi, what the hell are you thinking? And, Pope's secretary is a dumbass. End.

I'm 3/5 of the way through season one of "Nip/Tuck." While Julian McMahon may be one of the most beautiful men ever, I think I have a bigger crush on Dylan Walsh. Not devastating, but he's a real cutie and his Dr. McNamara is so much nicer than Julian's Dr. Troy. What the hell, I'll take both.

Radio, you let me down

6:30 is way too early to be blogging. When I say something that makes absolutely no sense (more so than usual), that will be my excuse.

I woke up around... 3:45, as my mom was up and about getting ready so she could drive my grandparents to the hospital for my grandma's surgery this morning. I meant to get up and say goodbye before she left at 4:30, but I must have fallen back asleep. Next thing I knew, it was 5:30 and I was vaguely awake, mulling over some dream I had about going on a school trip to Poland with my husband (guh?). I'll have to write it fully in the dream section later, but basically we were on the wrong flight at 10:00, instead of the right one at 1:00. Yeah, because there are probably so many direct flights from Oakland to Poland.

I never did get anything together for yesterday's writer's club. Wednesday night after my weekly home spa stuff, I tried to re-write the beginning of "Good Girls." It was kind of fun, but it was like 10:00 and there was no way I was going to A, finish it; B, type it up; and C, print six copies to be ready the next morning. I've kind of hit a wall in writing lately. Though I have plenty of ideas for short stories I haven't written yet, I've had a hankering for a new one. Well, working on GG did insprire one that I wasn't going to write until sometime way after the novel was published and I was admired and famous (I'm pretty presumptous aren't I?).

Yesterday I went to Panera to get a souffle for breakfast, but they were already sold out at 9:30. Sob. So I picked up one of the asiago cheese bagels instead, and it was very fresh and delicious. I wish I'd gotten more. I also made a trip to the video store to pick up the next two discs of season one of "Nip/Tuck." I was annoyed because I was going to get "Queer as Folk" but they only had seasons two, three and four. I can't watch out of order!

This morning I've got to do my food shopping (mmm) for Mother's Day and "fill" up my car (boo - and there are quotation marks there because I can not afford to completely fill it). I have an interview at an auto dealership this afternoon, cross your fingers, and then I'm going to Peet's with LT. Really, of all the times for me to have quit caffeine (two weeks today). I don't think they have smoothies or anything there, but I'll deal. I feel like I could use some caffeine right now, truthfully.

There's still nothing in the house for breakfast, so maybe if I hurry and get ready now I can go score a souffle before getting to my errands.

Why don't you say what you mean, when you do what you say

I still haven't written anything for writer's club tomorrow, though I do have a rough draft now of an outline (for the haunted house dealy). I made it on... Monday night? while watching "The Constant Gardener." CG was not boring, but it was fairly long. I notice that now, my getting restless as movies start to near the end of the second hour. Come on, you know you could squish it all into 90 minutes if you wanted to.

As for the other rentals: "Brokeback Mountain" was pretty good, but not so fantastic that I understand Ang Lee and Co.'s going into convulsions over not winning whatever awards they were whining about not winning. Heath Ledger's cowboy voice made me giggle, as did the way both he & Jake Gyllenhaal would get washed up while STILL WEARING THEIR COWBOY HATS. That's just funny.

"Hostel" was pretty much disgusting, and I stopped watching when Dumbass #3, also known IRL as Jay Hernandez, got started in on with a chainsaw. I can't watch serious gore in movies anymore, and my grossed-out-ness may even be transferring to books as I discovered when trying to re-read "American Psycho" last week. In some ways I enjoy the movie much more; I wouldn't call it watered-down, just more accessible and... digestible? It was on Sci-Fi last week but didn't start until 11 so I only watched for awhile before bed.

Heh, and for some reason they're also showing "Law & Order SVU" on Sci-Fi. Either I'm missing out completely on how that fits in, or they have just decided to air anything that will get them ratings. I don't blame 'em, I'll sit down with Detective Stabler (Christopher Meloni) anytime.

My teacher was sick Monday night so I didn't have to go into class, which would have been good if I had done something productive with the time I would've usually been in school. Eh, what you gonna do?

I did do something good on Monday, which was apply for one and a half jobs. The half is one where I acutally go to a testing for all applicants, next week. The ad I saw said apply by the 17th as opposed to on the 17th, but no biggie. The whole job is at this independent grocery in Pittsburg. I don't think it would be necessarily fun but at least it would be a change from office work. Dude seemed impressed with my resume (actually, he said, "Impressive resume") and said he would think about it and call me. Indeed.

Besides that, I've applied online for a few different jobs (all office stuff), and just got back awhile ago from applying as a receptionist at an animal care clinic. I don't see me getting this one, though; Chick seemed let down by the fact that I don't have any experience in a medical setting, and then in true ditz form I forgot to fill out the last page of the application which was four small/easy essay questions. Duh!

You know what I hate? Having to fill out the employment section instead of just attaching a resume. My handwriting is bad enough, and then they make all the boxes hella small!

I stopped by a 7-11 on my way home, and got a cranberry-grapefruit Sobe that has made me really, really thirsty. Need water! Also, some of these fantastic Terra brand chips I love but haven't been able to find anywhere! Olive Oil, Roasted Garlic and Parmesan cheese. Mmm. They used to sell the big bags at Costco, but not for the last couple months, and they've never had that flavor at Raley's.

"Most Outrageous Moments" had more hilarious (and not un-outrageous) moments last night. One was from an old school Jerry Springer, where he told this old woman in the audience, "I love you" (presumably in response to something she'd said). She said, "And I'm still a virgin, too!" I was LMAO for days, and only partially because that's so me in fifty years.

The other was also with an old person, this time a guy this news reporter was asking about something where I have no idea what it is. The man said "I'm actually going swimming there right now. There are a lot of homosexuals there. I love that even though I'm heterosexual. God hasn't blessed me with the homo experience." (Seriously, that's what he said. The look on the reporter's face was classic.)

That reminds me of my favorite OM: A reporter was on the street, asking various senior citizens if they would ever vote for an admitted heterosexual. Most of them were outraged at the thought, but one old man said, "I'd vote for a heterosexual woman, but not a man!"

Enough of my ragging on old people - I have at least one job on my list to apply for online (I'm just a busy little bee aren't I?), and then I will eat lunch, and then write.

Give until nothing's left then wish to give more

I really feel too restless and distracted to blog but thought I should check in, anyway.

Swear, since getting sunburned last weekend I haven't left the house without wearing sunscreen just in case. Thursday morning I went out to do my errands early: to the bank and to the grocery store to buy my stuff for dinner yesterday. I was tempted but didn't give in to more of the Romance FiXations stuff.

After coming home to put my stuff away and other blah-blah I actually did go out to the video store. I picked up "Brokeback Mountain", "Hostel", "The Constant Gardener" and the first disc of season one of "Nip/Tuck." They are all due back on Tuesday and I have only watched "Nip/Tuck." Though I have to cover my eyes during some of the surgeries, this is a neat show and I shall continue watching it.

It was funny, though; when I'd gotten back from my early errands, my mom had just been on her way out and asked if I'd gone to the video store. Well, of course when she was out on her own she also went and picked out two of the same things. Luckily when she went back they let her return them, I don't know if it was for credit or if they actually gave her money back though.

Friday I didn't do much other than do a good cleaning of my room. I thought about going to see a movie but there's nothing out I'm interested in, and who has the money anyway?

Yesterday was cool. I did more cleaning and had straight years before I had to start cooking my dish, which was roasted veggies (eggplant, onion, zucchini, garlic and tomatoes) and pasta. MB came over while I was still cooking, and was greeting loudly (and possibly slightly violently) by the doggie-dogs. LS and JH showed up awhile after that and we had much yummies:

- My pasta stuff
- MB's salad with nuts and craisins and feta cheese, mmm
- MB's "married beans" which I liked even though I don't usually do beans - they were garlicky and yum
- LS's tabbouleh, which is neat... kind of felt like eating breadcrumbs (I like breadcrumbs so I mean that in the best way possible)
- JH's fruit salad for dessert, mmm... I just had some awhile ago

We played this game, "Apples to Apples", which may indeed be the best board game ever. I'm so going to buy it the next time I'm at Target and I have $29.99! Or however much it is. After L&J left M and I went out to see Chris. As instructed by my mother, I adominshed him for not coming to see our "new" house yet (in September we will have lived here for three years). It's so funny, they have two puppies that are like Pepe and T-Bone in a parallel universe. Schroeder has T-Bone's bug eyes, but he is much smaller (only three pounds!). Chia looks like Pepe but is a girl, and brown and white. We took them for a short walk and somehow got involved in watching "Match Point" (I think?) which is the most nonsensical movie ever. Scarlett Johansen is in it, so I guess that tells you something.

This morning I woke up just way too wiped out to get my heathen ass to church, so I ate a hogmongous breakfast and showered forever and went to Cost Plus World Market. I want to live there, or barring that, buy everything. I had a ten dollar budget and went only three cents over! I got a Mother's Day card (so cute, it has Olivia the pig... whoever that is), some more of these looks-like-cucumber-slices eye pads, and some hummus chips that I am not impressed with. Bah.

The peeling on my arms is so gross and driving me crazy. I just remembered I have a loofah, and it will probably be painful but I'm going to go scrub. After that I should kind of really sit down* and work on something for writer's club this week.

*Since I'm going to be working on my posterboard outline, I will have to lie down on the floor. Details, details.

I'm not the one who knows it all, and I can't even save myself

This picture is from the chapel at the San Xavier Mission Tucson:





Gorgeous, and mind you, this is only the chapel (my pictures from inside the church didn't come out, as did many of my pictures - too dark and the flash wouldn't work). It's a beautiful, humbling place.

My sunburn has faded mostly into tan now, though there's a teeny section on my right shoulder (where the worst of it was) that is trying to peel. Ugh, quit it! I'm going to exfoliate the hell out of it tomorrow.

I haven't done too much this week. There's been no word yet of the online work I still need to do. I finally made it back into school on Monday night after not having been there in three weeks. The mannequins continue to be freaky even as the class gets smaller, ha ha. We had the poet Le Pham Le in to talk to us. She is an amazing lady who came to America as a refugee after the fall of Saigon, and her poetry is so inpsiring. I am reminded all-too-often of how ignorant I am about history.

Yesterday... I don't know what I did. I did make a cobbler that is quite frankly not too good. We had no cans of straight peaches, so I used crushed pineapple, pears, and a can of fruit cocktail. Also, we ran out of milk so I had to substitute some half-and-half. I don't know if that's what made the dough misbehave and not bake all the way (my usual impatience for it to be done doesn't help either), but yeah... it's not baked through in the middle. Yugh. When made right, the peach cobbler is the bomb, but what I made last night, just plain bombed (yes, this is where you jeer me for trying to make a clever pun).

Heh, there was a new "Most Outrageous Moments" on last night that had one hilarious clip. It was a news station that was supposed to have an interview with an anchor and someone else on satellite, but there was a problem and the anchor, Paul, was showing up on both screens. So he began a dialogue with himself: "Well, Paul, we're having trouble because we received the wrong satellite coordinates." "Do you know when this problem will be solved, Paul?" "No, Paul, but we'll keep you updated." "Oh, thank you so much, Paul." I was rolling for hella days.

This morning I was woken up at five (luckily after my hella deep dream) to Pepe throwing up in my bed. I really wish he would, you know, not do that. It always seems to be when I have the leopard print sheets... I know they're tacky, but damn. I went through the ritual I know by heart now: Rip sheets and mattress cover off bed, usher Pepe outside, spray bed stuff and throw it into the washer, and watch Pepe come back in and run upstairs. Ha ha! I didn't even try to go back to sleep this morning. I watched infomercials until "Mama's Family" came on at six... god, best show ever. In getting stuff out of the way early (cleaning my room, tarot journal, reading the paper - comics and classifieds), I got into the shower early and took the dogs for walks at 9:00. They were very happy about that.

Yesterday my grandparents stopped by, and my grandma brought me one of Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware novels that I haven't read. Bitchin. I think I'm going to save it for my relaxing weekend alone in June. Good news on that: I got my check from my office work a couple weeks ago, so now I have repleted - and more so - the money I took out from my savings. Word. That is on my list for tomorrow:

- Bank
- Video store*
- Grocery store

*My mom says I should go, and I will, because I do feel like watching movies... but I also realize we're four weeks behind on "The OC." We should probably watch those sometime.

I feel like going to the theater to see a movie, but there's not an actual movie I want to see. I can't wait for "The Omen" to come out in June. I just wish EC were here so we could see it together... sob.

Tomrrow is also writer's club, whoo hoo. I'll be reading the next-to-the-last section of "Accomplices" then... which means I have to start thinking about something else to write, huh? I'm having problems moving forward on my haunted house novel, too. I have a big posterboard I've divided into three sections: One for characters, one for brainstorming, and one for the outline. It will look impressive should I ever complete it. I still have the neat Accomplices brainstorm I did on a legal pad; I'll have to scan that in sometime so you can see genius (ahem) at work.