Musings from the Laundromat: Saturday Edition
Yes, Saturday!
Insert dramatic music and shocked face here. Or, a dramatic chipmunk will do:
I am still determined to get two entire days in a row of pure movie-watching, snack-eating, guilt-free nap-if-I-want-to debauchery. But, since I’m the kind of person who can’t sit still – it’s doubtful that will happen even with the opportunity.
I was going to name this post: Random nonsense – until I realized that could be the title of all my other posts (except the interviews.)
First random thing – as I drove here, I did have my reservations about switching up my routine. Would my table be open? What about my washing machines I like to use? Would the place be mobbed? Then I chuckled at the last thought – it IS Saturday after all, and other people have things that they do – outside of the house – for fun.
The place is pretty empty – but my table is taken. I’m at the umbrella table. But, on the upside, the umbrella table is right next to the washing machines I like to use, and they were available. Color me … um … happy, but not as happy as this umbrella:
Actual view when I look up
There’s something I’ve been meaning to share (and this is when the men who read my blog might want to go do something else. Wait – there I go being sexist again! Men could want beautiful hair! Sorry guys.) I have been meaning to share it because us ladies know that when it comes to products that actually work and live up to their claims, they are few and far between.
I found something that exceeded my expectations – and it’s only fair to pass on the good news.
AND … it’s cheap.
Here’s the product:
No, I’m not being paid for this testimonial. (I wish – but I wouldn’t sell out on here) I would never endorse a product I hadn’t tried and loved. But try and love this pair I did. 🙂
The shampoo has little beads in it – they burst and lather and the smell is amazing. After I rinse, my hair is literally ‘squeaky-clean’. It’s prepped and ready for the conditioner. Usually when you don’t pay an insane amount of money on a conditioner – you can tell as soon as you squeeze some into your hand. Not this one. It’s thick – and rinses out leaving the hair feeling almost like you used a sulfate free, more expensive kind.
I have naturally wavy hair – so I straighten it quite a bit when I’m not in a curly mood. As a result, I have some split ends. The very first time I used the shampoo and conditioner – my hair looked amazing. And not weighted down. Light, soft, smooth. Here’s me being smug with my freshly washed hair:
Anyway – get it.
I’ll wrap this up with some Butters. With time on my hands, I’ve been annoying the hell out of her. Taking so many photos and chatting to her, expecting an answer. Here she was being adorable before I left with her ‘baby’:
And here she is giving me an increasingly common look. “Get out of my face with the camera.”
I say no. I’m staying in that wrinkly, adorable face.
But, lucky for her, I’ll be occupied after I get home indulging in some arts and crafts. I’ll be pulling out the clay and the paint today – I’ll share the results in another ‘Random nonsense’ post.
Until then Happy Saturday everyone!
Breaking News: My table just opened up. I shall be relocating. I sit with my back to the wall like a cop. Like to keep an eye on the place … never know when a sock might try to make a break for it.
A womans ‘day off’
A week or so ago, I realized I needed a break. My attitude was reflecting it and my body was shouting it.
I planned Monday and Tuesday off. I SO wanted three days in a row with nowhere I HAD to be!!
My time off was granted!!! My inner physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted woman summoned the energy for jazz hands and cartwheels as I read that email.
Then one of my bosses mentioned a presentation he was giving at a real estate office and that he wanted me to go with him. Tuesday.
Sigh.
So, three days in a row was not to be. I switched my days off to Friday and Monday.
That’s fine. Two days in a row is better than no days in a row. (I do my second job on Saturdays if the days aren’t adding up for you.)
The last three days, I worked sick. My body must have caught wind of the upcoming time off and gave the order: “Okay! Shut down! Head, stomach, ear, muscles – feel free to fall apart now. Fever, kick in! Let’s go! Let’s go!”
I kid you not, I was standing outside in 94 degree weather with goosebumps on my skin. Chills … dizziness – just generally unwell.
I was D-O-N-E!
So, let me tell you about my first day of ‘sickation’. Yes, we took the scenic view to get to my point. You’re welcome. 😉
I don’t know if it’s primarily a woman thing – (and I don’t want to be sexist, but from years of observation, I’m pretty sure it IS primarily a ‘woman thing’) but I can NOT relax until everything that needs doing has been done.
Seriously incapable of chilling out if there are dishes in the sink, dog hairs on the carpet, dust on the furniture, errands that need to be run.
I awoke at 5:30 am and wanted nothing more than to curl back into my sheets and close my eyes.
But, Butters had something urgent to attend to outside. A bird must have flown by the house, or a rabbit must have looked over at her yard. Those are the sort of emergencies that she tends to.
Far be it from me to deny her the feeling of accomplishment. And, she is a woman, probably she couldn’t relax knowing she hadn’t barked at an early morning passing car.
I feel you Butters – I get it.
So, up I got.
And up I stayed.
By 7:30, I decided to ‘just do it’. Nike my way through the morning and enjoy the afternoon.
Grocery shopping entailed 3 separate shops as they each had different items on sale. By 10:00 am I was home.
Of course, Nic was still sleeping, so I hauled in the goods and put them away.
I do try to carry all the bags at once – but this cold/flu thing has rendered my muscles into jelly. SO! Three trips later, I was done.
If you’re like me, this is also the moment you take to clear out the fridge of expired foods and uneaten leftovers.
I stood and looked around the kitchen. Whimpered a little. And sprung into action. Next was the living room – which extended into my bedroom, connected to my bathroom. Then when it became apparent that Nic’s bathroom wasn’t going to clean itself, I did his too.
In between cleaning (and placing this adorable pumpkin in my kitchen!)
I took advantage of the heavy winds outside. I washed my fake plants and put them outside to blow dry.
House done.
Check.
Next, the side job I took on. I finished the last 500 of thousands of envelopes I have been stamping, labeling, stuffing and sealing.
Finished with that, said goodbye to Nic and his girlfriend and vacuumed for the second time today. Wind + desert sand + shedding dog = multiple vacuum moments.
Finally got to sit down for a few moments after that … to pay bills at the computer.
I realized I had forgotten an item on my shopping list – and I would have just let it go if it was something I could do without. Went BACK to the store for dish liquid.
I didn’t leave with just dish liquid though – I decided to treat myself. I guiltily put a small bouquet of flowers in my cart.
Do you love my little art model? It’s like it’s saying “Whoa! Where did those come from?”
I think I deserve them.
And now, at 5:33 pm, 12 hours since my eyelids parted on this Friday – I am FINALLY on the couch. After a achingly wonderful, welcome shower, and baking some cookies.
I can now take some medicine and exhale.
Until it’s time to make dinner.
I know I’m not the only one – women, I salute you!
And as for Butters – I think I exhausted her with my whirlwind of determined activity. She actually rolled her eyes at me! I caught it on camera to share with you.
Wishing everyone a very happy weekend! And I hope you find time to recharge.
My (too?) gay proud memo moment
Just had a very eye-opening experience.
I get memos all the time from lenders – I’m alerted when rates improve or worsen, when a new program is available and when there is a change in procedures with an existing program.
So I’m sitting and working and ‘ding!’ I have an email from a lender we use a lot.
Ever have a moment when you feel like you’re part of something important? Historical? When you know you won’t soon forget the moment you’re in and have a feeling your children might remember it too?
I was a student aid for the attendance office in high school. On January 28, 1986, I was in that office when I had to deliver a note to each classroom advising the teachers and students that we lost 7 souls on Space Shuttle Challenger. (It wouldn’t be until a few years later when the gravity of that task hit me.)
I still have the rate sheets from 9/11 – the alerts and market suspensions.
And today – a good moment.
I read the following memo and knew that I was part of a special moment:
“Effective immediately, on a case-by-case basis, VA will provide the home loan guaranty benefit to same-sex married couples in a manner consistent with the benefit currently in place for opposite-sex married couples. After reviewing the following information, VA will determine whether a same-sex married couple can be qualified for a VA loan using the income of both spouses:
- Date and State of marriage
- State of residence at the time of marriage
- State in which the subject property is located
- State in which the couple currently resides
- Estimated closing date of the VA loan”
(Etc. I won’t type the whole email – I don’t need a plagiarism suit)
So! I’m reading this – and the grin on my face is getting bigger and bigger … The fact that it’s the VA loan is even more exciting to me. From “Don’t ask don’t tell” to VA home loan benefit for same-sex couples?
Very cool.
Now – I ran with the ‘very cool’ sentiment, literally.
Holding the memo that I printed, like Charlie held that golden ticket, I breathlessly shared the news with whomever would listen. My eyes glistening with a shiny happy ‘very cool’ glaze.
Did not – for ONE second – occur to me that not everyone would share my excitement or my opinion.
Oof.
I mean – seriously, NEVER did the thought that perhaps not everyone would be as shiny eyed as me over it, enter my mind. At all. Ever.
Naïve!
For sure.
I mentioned to the first person I told (after my eye-opening experience) that I needed to look at that. I needed to look at the fact that I didn’t think anyone would have differing opinions. He said, “Well … you wouldn’t.”
That made me feel a little better (but not less naïve). I’m not comfortable that the thought wouldn’t occur to me that not everyone was open-minded and for equality.
And I’m still surprised.
Oh well, years from now, when my great-grandchildren are thinking I’m pulling their leg about same-sexed couples being treated differently at one time – I’ll get to share with them the story of ‘the memo’.
Driving me Bonkers!
I have been told I drive like a grandma.
I suppose I do. If the grandma is a patient, calm, highly skilled driver!
But, in 28 years of driving, I have not had a speeding ticket or been involved in an accident while I’ve been driving.
(Okay, if we’re counting the time I backed into my moms Durango the morning after she arrived from out-of-town, then I’ve had one teeny tiny accident. But I was so used to just reversing in the driveway and there not BEING a vehicle there!)
No moving violations on public roads. There. That’s better.
So I get to vent – because I CAN throw a stone. My house is not made of glass when it comes to this topic.
I’m pretty anal about following the law. I border on annoying with my honesty.
I’m the driver that would stop at a stop sign the day after a zombie apocalypse.
(Just one of many reasons why I wouldn’t survive a zombie apocalypse.)
I digress.
So – the reason I need to vent – is because the following events happen to me on a regular basis:
- impatient attitudes from behind me IN THE SLOW LANE (get in the flipping FAST lane)
- cars pulling out from a street onto the highway in front of me when there is NO one behind me (you couldn’t wait ’til I passed?)
- annoyed people behind me at stop lights for not turning right on the red when the road to the left is not clear (you can’t see what I see, dumbass)
Let’s take these one by one shall we?
SPEED LIMITS:
Speed. Limit.
Limit.
Limmm-it.
LIMIT!
I observe these things.
I observe them because I interpret ‘limit’ to mean, the most – the max – the tippy tippy top.
And because I’m also conscientious, I don’t do the speed limit in the left lane – I stay on the right hand side. So, if I’m in the appropriate lane for the appropriate speed, do not get behind me and try to mate with my bumper! Don’t! Just stop it.
I’ve taken to refusing to watch you in my rear view mirror after noticing you tail gating – I do this so that I don’t absorb the negative energy from your hand gestures or foul faces. There is a passing lane available to you. Use it.
PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF ME:
(Yeah … there’s just no way I’m putting that string of words into a search engine … no pic for this one LOL!)
Stop it.
I’ve comforted myself with the following reasoning: Because I’m such a safe driver, my car must be emitting a ‘safe aura’ which other drivers interpret as ‘she’ll stop/let you in/roll on her back in the submissive position’.
*sigh*
And I do.
What drives me bonkers – is when a car in a complete stopped position – pulls out in front of me so that I have to slow down to avoid hitting said car, when there is NO ONE behind me.
Seriously! WAIT! You could have a whole road to yourself. Just let me pass first!
I think at this point, I need to make the following clear: I don’t drive slowly. I seriously just am going the limit. If I was creeping down the road at a snail’s pace, I could understand not wanting to wait for me to pass.
Anyway.
Next.
DOING THE ‘WHY AREN’T YOU GOING??’ ANNOYED SHRUG BEHIND ME AT A RED LIGHT:
I believe turning right on a red light is much like a driver’s license … it’s a privilege, not a right. (Okay, it is a ‘right’ but not a RIGHT … wait … forget it.)
You may turn right on a red light IF it is safe to do so and you’re not interfering with traffic that has the green light.
If I’m not GOING, it’s because there are still cars APPROACHING! You can’t see them. You are behind me.
And even if there is a brief moment or two of no cars zooming past – guess what I’m doing?
I’m calculating that even if I DID pull out at that precise moment, I would cause the car that is still approaching in the near distance to have to adjust his speed significantly or change lanes in order not to HIT me!
Stop it.
The part that annoys me the most is that there are people on the road that I see daily.
I really try to be very understanding when someone is an arsehole on the road.
I do.
I give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I imagine the following: “Maybe they’re late to work and stressed out about that” “Maybe they got into an argument with someone before they left the house and are just not thinking clearly” “Perhaps they just got bad news and are in a hurry to get somewhere”
But – when the same drivers do it regularly – no excuse.
Get up on time. Leave early to give yourself enough time to get to your destination, like I do. And quit being such dicks on the road!
Ooo! And OFF road too! Don’t even get me started on the people who speed through my neighborhood, kicking up rocks and dust with their obnoxious speeding tires. Kids and animals are out and about … slow the hell down.
Glee, Dickens and Drugs
After watching the season premiere of Glee on DVR, I was moved to look up a quote. While on the boards – I saw comment after comment about the upcoming Cory Monteith tribute episode. Negative comments.
A lot of people it seems, feel that a tribute show is not only not in order – but in bad taste. “Hollywood shouldn’t be glorifying drug use!”
As if his body of work and part in making Glee a successful television program should not be acknowledged or celebrated.
If that is the case – then we all really ought to stop celebrating or recognizing the following people and their contributions to history and culture:
Van Gogh, Edgar Allen Poe, George Washington, Ernest Hemingway, Winston Churchill, Florence Nightingale, Sigmund Freud, Pablo Picasso, Stephen King …
Just a few people who used/abused drugs during their lifetime.
And if you’re thinking about putting on a heart warming holiday film in the next couple of months, make sure it isn’t ‘A Christmas Carol.’
Do you think if TMZ was there to report every time Charles Dickens got into opium that we may not have ‘Oliver Twist’ or maybe there would only be a tale about ‘One City’? ‘Mediocre Expectations’?
Drug use, abuse and addiction is nothing new. As long as there are humans with physical, mental or emotional pain – there will be a drug to numb it. Addictive ones – that grab hold and render the user dependent.
But does an addiction define you? Shouldn’t a persons accomplishments be celebrated? In spite of flaws, handicaps or addictions?
No, drug addiction shouldn’t be glorified. But if using drugs disqualifies a person for any good they may have done – then you’re going to have to cast a much wider net than ‘Hollywood.’
I’ll be tuning in for the tribute show the 2nd week of October, because I know they won’t be celebrating his drug use.
His sad, untimely death closed the curtain on what might have played out. I look forward to remembering the moments that have made me smile on an innovative show he was an integral part of.
Debauchery Soup 