A Tripping We Shall Go!

Today is my Friday. I am going to Roman Nose with co-workers, Theresa and Linda, tomorrow. Theresa is working; Dana and Linda are Road Tripping!

Okay so we have no idea what we are going to do in/near Watonga, OK but it won't be here. I took tomorrow off and get to sleep till 8:30 ish - Yeah! I will not think about work at tomorrow, Yeah! I will be silly and snarky at the same time tomorrow, Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

What usually happens when the three of us get together is that silliness ensues. I am expecting much silliness. Especially, since all three of us are insanely busy, insanely overwhelmed with projects and Linda and Theresa have just got back in town from trips. We will be tripping alright!

I googled "what to do in Watonga," still don't know what we will be doing. If they have a Steinmart or Kohl's we are golden. If they have a casino Linda and I are good - Theresa not so much, she does not like gambling. Who knows but I will probably come home with a wild boar story of some kind.

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Living it up!

I think I wanted to work in my yard this weekend, now I doubt that will happen. My back is killing me and I don't think a bunch of raking and pruning will help it any.

I am currently working through lunch so that I can leave work an hour early to get home to the heating pad. I hate being weak. I hate hurting. Does anyone have a miracle homeopathic cure for a bad back? Don't want to live on Motrin my whole life - been there done that. Witch Hazel? Parsley? Basil? Anything?

So can it get worse? I have already stated in previous posts that it can and it usually does. Yes, it got worse. My period came a few days early! Really!?! Whoops, my dad just exited the house to do something in the garage, I said the P word. After living so long with all girls, his survival skills kicked it.

Well there's nothing better to tell you that you are still alive than pain. I am living every minute of this day! Look for a happier post in five days.

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Just because I don't feel like it

It's open mic tonight! Leave your own comment blog entry. I am the green one, which one are you?



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I vacuumed today!

It's amazing when the most exciting thing that happened today is that I pushed the vacuum button when I left to go to lunch. I also took a 40 gallon shower and I truly don't care that Al Gore just choked on his soybean sandwhich. I have not had such a long luxurious shower that I used all hot water - marvelous! Another day of boring bliss and I am thrilled.

The only bummer is that my back is trying to go out. Not now, that cannot happen so I am taking ibuprofen and ignoring it.

Then I watched the "Next Three Days." Oh my gosh, my heart was racing through half that movie that I truly think I may have lost three pounds just watching that. If you want a good movie watch it!

Sorry fokes but boring days don't give you much to blog about and today I am thankful for that.

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A Wonderful Day

Mundane, glorious mundane Saturday. Today was chalked full of ordinary tasks and it felt wonderful. The only thing I didn't do was laundry and vacuuming. I look forward to doing that tomorrow.

Dad and I went to Petsmart and then to Sam's where I was surprised at how much I really needed from there. Then we picked up Mom and went to lunch.  Making the day even better, we went to Walmart. My frig is now full and my house is almost picked up.

When you have so much stress in your life, boring becomes as exciting as Christmas. So what could top off this glorious day? An hour long bath with my book and my coke. I can't wait for tomorrow!

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I am sorry but we are revoking your NRA membership

Imagine six women at On the Boarder, scarfing down chips and salsa and out of nowhere comes this. I shall cherish it forever and ever.

“My husband’s was a hunting guide for a while and one time he took a guy out hunting wild boar. Now the guy hunting was in a wheelchair. So all’s he could do is shoot from the chair. He shot a boar through the nose up to the frontal lobe but did not kill it.

So Matt has to go track the boar because it’s not dead and ran off. Following the boar’s bloody trail, he goes into the woods. All of the sudden the boar appears and is rather pissed, he chases Matt into a rather skimpy tree. He then calls me and tells me about the predicament he’s in – ‘What do you want me to do?’ I ask. Oh did I mention he left his gun in the truck!

'What kind of guide tracks a wild boar with frontal lobe damage without a gun?'”

Only a nurse would describe the boar’s injury as frontal lobe damage. Then there was five full minutes of everyone at the table mimicking short term memory loss.

“What did I come here for? Where was I going? Have we met?”

Lunch was hilarious and that was only one story! If all the people at Theresa's former employer are as crazy and fun as the three I had lunch with – I want to go to work there!

I have to say I haven’t laughed that hard in years!

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Whatever you do don't close your mouth

Is it possible to love and hate spring at the same time? My sinuses are angry and my head is paying the price.

Can you use a neti pot too much? Since my body does not like all the antihistamine and congestion medicine, I had to find a method that did not include drugs.  So every three or four hours, I am rinsing my sinuses.

I would also like to know is how much snot can your freaking body make? I have not been able to completely clean out my sinuses. This is my annual  headache that comes every spring but I usually can keep it bearable and work through it. This one came on like a freight train and it is just now starting to ease up.

Who was the weirdo that thought up flushing water up your nose was a good thing. Now, if the neti pot came with a cute guy, I would be more apt to use it. I hate allergies.

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My Brain is Imploding

mi·graine   /ˈmaɪgreɪn or, Brit., ˈmi-/

[mahy-greyn or, Brit., mee-] –noun

an extremely severe paroxysmal headache, usually confined to one side of the head and often associated with nausea; hemicrania.

Today, I am the walking definition of migraine. Thank goodness, it's mild as migraines go and I am not throwing up in the dark pleading with the air to stop hurting me. I have had a dull hard ache with just a touch of nausea all day. Thinking for me was next to impossible, which makes it bad at work.

Then I kept getting the most insane emails or calls. One such email exchange began when I sent an email to all staff that explain why our event was important and in the headline and in the third paragraph I explain that it is important that we all wear green as a show of unity. This has be a tradition of this event for the last four years.

Five minutes later, I receive an email from a co-worker who asks "are we wearing green this year." What??? It's in the headline! So not to make her feel silly, I just reply "Yes, and I expected you to wear green head to toe. Actually, a shirt or nice jacket will do." Ignored the fact that in the email she replied with had all that information.

I feel proud that I dealt with the silly co-worker who doesn't read my emails and makes it obvious by asking these question without sarcasm or rancor. I then go about my business. Then pops up another email from silly co-worker who asks "should we email staff telling them that?" Crap! How do I handle this now? Silly co-worker forces me to point out that in this email thread is the 'wear green' directive and it is in the headline and third paragraph plus it is on the event flyer and event website.

The final reply I get is "Sorry Dana, I am busted. I only half read your email." No wonder I have a migraine.

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Well Deserved Luxury

Mom and I took a much needed mani-pedi indulge. I am officially a noodle now.  The best thing that was ever created was those giant massaging chair with hot water attached along with the super skills that make everything on your mind fly out for at least one hour.

I believe Mom needed it as much as I did. We laughed and talked silly with the girls doing the pedi. I stated my favorite part of the pedi as it happened. I discovered all my favorites parts of the pedi was what was happening to me at the moment. I could do without the scrub sponge that tickles tremendously but everything else I could do weekly.

The mani wasn't that cool since it was really a fill. Mom had to tell me how much I was missing by not getting the manicure. When you have acrylics the mani-pedi is less exciting. What I hate is that I have awesome nails but because of my computer work, I destroy them and won't keep them nice. With acrylics, you have no choice, you must get your fills and you have pretty nails most of the time.

This time I choose silver (looks more like a pearly white) bored with red. What's the craziest color you've ever painted your nails?

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Let the Sunshine In

What are you so happy about WE'RE CLOWNS!

I am always tickled pink to see daylight saving return and along with that comes the longer days to boot. I have to say that I am always in mild state of depression with winter comes. Now, with the time change this weekend, I have retrain myself to go to sleep what seems to be early and wake up even earlier.

The problem with this weekend is that I am starting off with less sleep than normal. Big man, Seamus, spent the weekend with me and well, it wasn't as great as it usually is - he's sick and I pray he gets better soon.

This weekend I worked on my SECOND free-lancing job (so cool to be earning money where I am the boss, well technically, the customer is - never mind I digress!). Then I began working on scanning old photographs from Mom and Dad's. The old Polaroid type and older are beginning to fad to the point of loosing them all together. Oddly, the black and white photos hold up really well.

When you scan tons and tons of family photos, it is actually kind of fun - my parents were just as dorky as I am or just as cool as I am...mom had uglier hairstyles but my clothes were worse and dad is just a riot.


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Pimp Tommie and his woman! White shoes really?

Do you really think that stick is going to
hide those skimpy shorts?





My Cousins' Mom, My Mom's Sister, My Aunt

My Mom, Wanda, on the left, Aunt Shirley, on the right, April 1960.

Thursday night, my Aunt Shirley left this earth for her place in heaven. While the family was able to prepare for this through her five month battle with cancer, it is hard. Our hearts hurt for our loss but rejoice the she is at peace.

To all my friends out there, say a prayer for my aunt's brother and sisters, her nieces and nephew, but most importantly her son and daughter and all her grandchildren who are going to miss her the most.

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Up a Tree

"I will get up and do something as soon as you do."

Between web crisis and preparing for the awareness day at the capitol, I feel like these guys.

The exhaustion and stress are starting to display in hilarity. I find that I am having the giggles over nothing.

Dana: "Hey Theresa, do you want to go to lunch?"
Theresa: "Okay, when?"
Dana: "I dunno."
Theresa: "Okay."

That is about the extent of what Co-worker Theresa and I can decide. We have both been so buried in work that we teeter between apathy and hysteria.

Ever been so busy that it seems impossible to get anything done? Ever been so overwhelmed that paralysis sets in?

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When !@#$ Abounds

You know those people who say "it can't get worse," they are complete and total IDIOTS. I am one such idiot! My plate has been extremely full lately and my coping skills are less than stellar - I didn't think it could get worse.

Today, I go to work early to get a lot of work accomplished before everyone could come in, I get quite a few things out and then I send out my announcement about the annual report.

I send out an email to more than one thousand employees saying how great it is and to go check it out, here's the link. Then within three minutes, I start getting emails stating that the link takes them to different website. So I check the links, they are correct, so why does it send you to the wrong website? Lo and behold, my domain has expired! Then I get to the domain registry and my user name and password don't work. Panic ensues!

After much chaos, the domain gets renewed and my panic settles down. Then I keep refreshing my website hoping that it go directly to MY site not the domain renewal page. I have to call and ask why won't it redirect. Now, it's up to my web hosting server to update or refresh. I then call them to see if I can expedite the refresh, only problem Verio support won't answer the phone!

I sit here at 7:23 p.m. with my site still not visible and I am just about sick with nerves.

Can it get worse? Yes, and it usually does.

While I was on my three hour call with Verio (actually while I was on hold with that insane woman saying  "the next available representative would be right with you")  Mom called me and tells me Seamus is very sick and is having extreme arthritis. It can get worse!!

I think I want to run away to Alaska. There's no problems there right? They have days where the sun doesn't set, you can't be overwhelmed or depressed in the sunshine. That's it I am going to Alaska, I feel like a wet cat!

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It's an Odyssey Alright

Somehow, I think my name got changed to Dave and H.A.L. is in control of my life. I don't like H.A.L. The only response I want now is "Yes, go ahead." Go away H.A.L. I don't like you.



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When the cries slip up on you

Watching Les Miserables on OETA tonight I was totally floored by the flood of emotions it brought - actually I am shocked. I would think people who have not read the book would find the musical wonderful but for those like me who practically studied  the book, this is spell binding.

I loved the story Victor Hugo wrote with so many twist and turns and moral judgements and heartbreak. As I watch and listen to the musical, the book comes flooding back. 

I will confess this is probably the worse thing I could have watched at this time in my life. You hide things down deep and Hugo just pulls every thing up through his characters, everything from the struggle to make a living (Fantine), enduring the overly moral (Javert), to love those who don't return the love (Eponine), to redemption (Jean Valjean). Les Miserables captures the gamut of life.

The following song is about young Marius who was hurt at the barricades, but the opening line applies to all things in my life, "God on High, hear my prayer. In my need you've have always been there."



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Do What???

There are moments in our lives that define who we are and what we will become – today did not hold any such moment. I sat on the couch and vegged out to the point that I have to say it was not that great of a day.

The lazy days that have a wee bit of productivity are the best days. Today, nothing, nada, zip. I wasn’t even in the mood to read. I have kind of gotten out the habit of reading again and with my departure from caffeine I am falling asleep the minute my head hits the pillow.

Now I sit watching Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, after watching Underworld Evolution. I am appalled at my apathy and at the same time don’t care enough to do anything about it. I wonder is there another Underworld coming out? Sexy guys in leather and sweaty… can’t ask for more in a movie.

I hope I have the gumption to be more productive as my house is a disaster and I have to do some office work before Monday. I seemed to be getting behind in life and that is not a state of being I am accustomed to.

Who out there is laughing at me by this point? The tangents in my writing are proving that Dana needs to put the keyboard down. Am I the only one who has days like this, days where forming a sentence is difficult? Am I slipping?

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An Acquired Taste

Sometimes I really miss the absurdity of my youth. In the late 80's there was an a definite style to every single thing that we did. Whether it was in our dress, attitude, music, and language, "like you know."

I used to live for my monthly "Interview Magazine," for my art, fashion  and celebrity culture. Man O'Man, did I think I was so hip, now I have to laugh at myself a wee bit. And then there was performance art, Laurie Anderson was my favorite.

What's your favorite 80's memory?




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Lunch for Eleven

An impromptu lunch today found me breaking bread with co-workers that I normally don't eat with - a nice turn of events. As yesterday's entry announced that I was going to have a high school student shadow me all day. Since I had a guest, I invited the entire fifth floor to join us at On the Border. You really can't go wrong with Mexican food. There were 11 of us and it was fun.

I think it was really especially nice since my high schooler's mom works at with us and it showed her that the floor could rally around to show her kiddo a good time.

Today, my co-workers made me proud. The shadowing went well too.

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Me and My Shadow

Tomorrow, I will have a senior from Yukon High School job shadowing me all day. Do you know how intimidating it can be knowing that you can shatter someone's dream with your boring job? The student coming wants to be a journalist, I hope that she won't totally judge the rest of her potential life on my job. Yes, the media is a large part of my job but so is the web, twitter, brochures, pictures, and other unglamourous stuff.

I have some media releases saved for tomorrow and photos to post so we will have stuff we can do together. Since she's a high school student and not a college student in J-school, I won't be able to give her stuff and turn her loose. That's okay, I just hope that she learns something and has fun.

I love doing things for the kids but it makes me nervous. And kids can smell fear!

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I need to be like Seamus

Do what ever you will, I don't care...that is what Seamus thinks. I wish I was more like him. Would you sit perfectly still and let someone hold your chin like this? I would probably knock their hand away and give them a dirty look. I need to be more like Seamus!


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