Green Beans & Cake

Overcoming my hermit ways

I don't if I like to admit this kind of thing about myself, but I really have some issues when it comes to dealing with emotions that I find unpleasant. I've had some time to "recover" from my chocolate party that didn't happen -- but it took me about a week to do so. I've totally avoided e-mail, taking my dogs on a walk (b/c our friends live right next to us...and they are Facebook friends too...), and checking my Facebook account for almost a week. For whatever reason, I just couldn't face my feelings -- so, I did what I do best -- became a complete recluse...a hermit.

I finally returned the e-mail that my friend sent me on Friday. It felt good to move forward and get over the disappointment.

Ahhhh...I feel like I can breathe again.

21 days

...until our new furniture arrives.

Here's a preview.

  

(The leather that I chose looks a lot different from the leather in the online photos.)

fabric 1 for pillows

fabric 2 for pillows

I still have some shopping to do for area rugs, end tables, and (possibly) lamps. I'm taking my time on those items, though.

You might be a nerd if...

...you get locked inside of your university's library.

Fun stuff.

I'm in love wit' a...

...uh...my Kindle! While it did take a little getting used to reading the Kindle version of a book, I really have enjoyed my Kindle (bought it a couple of months ago). I'll have to hide that thing from myself once work picks up and gets super busy in late August. I'm currently reading a fantastic book called, What is the What by Dave Eggers. While the book is a fictionalized memoir of the main character, Sudanese refugee Valentino Achak Deng, the prose is so gripping -- so realistic -- it's hard for me to put the book down.  

On a different note -- lots of changes have been going on in our home lately. The one I'm most excited about -- getting new furniture from Ethan Allen. I'll put up pics once I get everything. The one I'm LEAST excited about -- replacing our flat roof b/c of hail damage. (let's just say that it costs triple the amount of my EA furniture. Way too many zeros $$$) Other changes -- just to see if I could do it -- I have quit drinking coffee for the most part. And wine (on a regular basis). And processed foods. I had a hard time giving up coffee (I had a massive headache for two weeks straight it seemed), but now I don't really crave the stuff. Same thing goes for wine. Now, I haven't sworn off alcohol, I just don't drink it so regularly anymore. I love reading about wine, drinking wine, cooking w/ wine, but it's hard for me to enjoy wine when my significant other can't drink it with me b/c of hypoglycemia. I don't like drinking alone. :(  I've found that I actually feel calmer w/o it. Also, I've been practicing yoga for about a month. Totally addictive. Oh yeah -- and I cut/colored my hair. Gotta change things up sometimes! I wanted to go red, but my stylist warned me that my hair might turn pink when the red faded. No thanks!

 

Random

Leave it to Fox News...

I bet he kicks puppies and kittens too...

From time to time I get completely worked up over little things that in the grand scheme of life shouldn't matter. Example -- today I was enjoying a nice afternoon outdoors with my puppy, Gravy. [Side note: I'm able to do a lot of my work from home, so I decided to complete my work outside versus at my office.] I'm busy working away when all of a sudden I hear what appears to be a jackhammer drilling who knows what in my neighbor's yard. Yes, that's right, a jackhammer. I tried my best to tune it out, but after two solid hours of drilling -- well, it got old. Gravy, the puppy, was alarmed by the noise. So, he did what any loyal dog would do -- he barked. The guy w/ the jackhammer had the nerve to tell him to, "Shut the f**** up."  Now, if we had to choose between two sounds to deem worthy of "shut the f up-ness," which would it be: (1) a jackhammer drilling for over 4 hours straight or (2) a puppy barking at said driller for 15 seconds.

The answer is obvious, no?

By the way -- the drilling did not stop until almost 8 pm!

Seriously?

Read this BBC article about the newly formed Russian/Nigerian energy company.

Is this for real?

House of Pain

Long story.

More later.

A series of WTF events

Is Friday the new Monday or what?

Do you ever have "one of those days" -- the type of day that would have been better lived in the comfort of your bed. Let's see how this started...

• Went to bed at 7 last night b/c I felt like fuegocaca. Allergies played a role in it.  Woke up with the feeling that I should call in sick to work.

• Went to work. AND --

• Part of street blocked off b/c of water pipe break

• A five minute drive took fifteen b/c of said pipe. (All of you city gals, go ahead, laugh! Sarah, don't you remember how my concept of "driving across town" has changed since I moved away from the STL? hehe Katie, is it possible to get anywhere in Phoenix in five minutes?)

• Had skipped my morning coffee. (Uh, not good)  Couldn't find parking place. Finally did -- and it was kinda expensive.

• Head was about to explode. Needed coffee.

• Construction is going on around my favorite locally owned coffee shop.  After jumping across gravel, pot holes, and partially wet cement in heels, found out that a water pipe had burst INSIDE of the shop. No coffee.

• Repeat previous step. Go to office. Find a bookcase blocking my desk along w/ a note that said so and so was going to be working in this office in August, so they are preparing their work area. Um, who gave you the right to block my frakkin' desk? I work in a highly pompous, bureaucratic type of place. Hence my irritation. Putting a bookcase in front of my desk is saying that I'm noting but a peon. Was also irritated that someone else has stolen my office phone number. Couldn't call and complain.

• So, complained via e-mail. (which I usually don't do unless I'm really angry)

• Bookcase got moved. (hehe..by a frightened 20 year old guy)  Still no coffee.

• Phone kind of works.  

• Finally got coffee.

• The world is now ok.

TGIF