Honest Scrap

I've been tagged by the awesome Michelle & her meowers over at When Cats Attack!
Rules for "Honest Scrap" :

List 10 (brutally!) honest things about yourself, then tag 7 more people.  Easy peasy.  (Wait, do I even know 7 people who blog??)

1)  I'm kind of a control freak.  Okay, I'm a major control freak.  I have a tendency to micro-manage some situations, especially when I think I'm being logical.  Anything from loading the dishwasher to writing a new marketing document for work... I'm trying to think of a more self-effacing way of saying it, but it just boils down to it's my way or the highway.  I'm trying to change the way I might present my way, so I don't come across as a raging bitch, but every now and then I fail miserably.  I think of myself as a very logical person, which is good in some ways, but it makes it difficult for me to admit when I'm wrong.  (Rule #1:  I'm always right.  Rule #2:  When in doubt, see Rule #1.)

2)  Repetitive noises drive me absolutely insane!  Especially when I'm trying to sleep... if the fan clicks or if the dog is licking his junk or if B is wiggling his foot and shaking the whole bed, it has to stop or my brain will burst into flames.  Me and metronomes do not mix.

3)  I'm a grammar and spelling freak.  I've always been a right-brained person, and while I can't do simple addition without counting on my fingers, I know when to use a semi-colon and how to properly use "you're" versus "your."  And now of course, I'm going to have the nutjobs coming out of the woodwork to nitpick what I write here, but you all can suck my cat's dirty litter-box infested toes.  I write how I want to, dangit.

4)  I'm pretty insecure when it comes to social networking.  For example, when I first got started on Facebook I was really nervous about adding people that I knew in high school because I hate thinking about what a sad, pathetic, naive little girl I was back then, and I'm afraid that's all people will remember about me.  But then I've caught myself looking at other people in that "high school light" and I've realized, surprise!  Everybody changes!  Durrrrr.  I'm not so paranoid anymore, or at least I'm trying not to be.

5)  I have some pretty irrational fears, and some completely rational ones that I tend to blow out of proportion.  For example, I am basically nervous of unpredictable things (back to that whole control freak thing, I know).  This includes fireworks, electricity, and fire/sparks.  Anything that could suddenly do something bad, like set you on fire or blow up in your hand, just makes me extremely anxious.  I can get past it sometimes (I'm not afraid of the breaker box anymore) but some, I think are a healthy fear!

6)  I suppose I could have included the weather in the list of fears, but it's really more of a phobia.  I am absolutely petrified of thunderstorms and tornados.  Period.  I actually have recurring nightmares involving tornados (the dream interpretation books say I'm stressed out.  Gee-whiz!  Ya think?!).

7)  I really don't like talking on the phone.  I think it's because I express myself better in writing (which is true), and it also gives me time to think of the best way to say things.  At work, I make a point of getting up from my desk to go talk to someone rather than dialing their extension (exercise!  Right?).  But deep down, I think it's something that goes back to when I was a kid.  Mom & Dad ran their business out of our home, and I hated answering the business phone and talking to people I didn't know.  I'm just still trying to avoid it I think.

8)  I've recently realized exactly what it is with me & kids.  Babies kind of scare the crap out of me, because there's so much that can go wrong, and I really have no idea how to deal with children that can't really fend for themselves, or at least communicate effectively.  Toddlers, I can deal with a little bit better, mainly because they seem to be made of rubber, even if they are still lacking somewhat in the communication department.  Age 5+ is what I'm most comfortable with I think.  So what does this mean for me, and any possible progeny?  I have no clue.  All I know is we are broke as hell, and that's no way to bring up a kid, so we still have a couple years before we'll consider having any anyway... so why stress about it now?

9)  When it comes to work, I don't like to leave a project halfway finished.   If I've deemed it worthy of my time and effort, I'll put everything into it and get it done.  But, I can't really say the same for home.  I cleaned up my craft closet the other day, and pulled out my cross-stitch tote bag.  I think there are about 6 unfinished projects in there: a wedding announcement that I started for my best friend (her wedding was what, 2004?  2005?); a baby announcement I started for my other BFF's first child (she's on her third now); a beautiful "Footprints in the Sand" piece that's for my sister that I've been working on since my freshman year in college; a Christmas stocking that was going to be for B for our first Christmas, and then was going to be for somebody's baby, and now I have no idea what to do with it and at the rate I'm going, I'll finish it in time for somebody's grandkid.  

10)  (Whew, I'm running out of things to write about!)  Another thing that doesn't seem to translate from work to home: I have a 'green' job, but I'm not doing very well with being 'green' at home.  I think part of it has to do with the infrastructure, or lack of, in Toledo.  We don't have a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, so we have to search through the Kroger or Target for the 'eco-friendly' products and pay a hefty premium in many cases.  We have some good sources for food at the local farmer's markets (and I think locally & sustainably grown food is better than any 'organic' label) but they're still not very convenient.  We still use some regular cleaning products, simply due to the fact that we bought them long before we decided to 'go green' and haven't run out of them yet, and I'm not going to just throw them away (because remember, there is no away!).  We recycle everything that the city will take, which like most cities, is limited to paper, cardboard, tin, aluminum, and #1 and #2 plastics.  We conserve energy as best we can in our leaky old house, but I know we could do so much better.  It's frustrating sometimes, but a lot of the time I'm just like, eh.  Which is what got the world into this mess in the first place: people thinking eh, whatevs.  Hippie freaks, makin' a big stink about pollution and trees and stuff, doesn't matter, doesn't affect me.  I know better, dangit!

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So, now I'm supposed to tag some people... so I'm tagging anybody who's reading.  TAG!  

Structure is helpful

I'm moving beyond the lame-o high-school era surveys of myspace to the world of blog memes.  Don't ask me what 'meme' means, but if it gives me something to write about, then power to the meme!

The rules of this particular meme:  Go to your photo files, and find the 6th photo in the 6th folder.  Write about it.

My photos are stored on Picasa online, in chronological order... so here goes:

This photo was taken this past summer at B's parent's house.  His brother was home on leave from Iraq, and so of course a yard party was in order.  B-Dubz is known for having some great parties, and the yard is the ultimate place for one (hell, we had our wedding here!).  Plenty of room for cornhole, a fire pit, barbecue, and places to just sit & chill with a beer or five.  And Jake, of course, LOVES having the room to run.  He was pretty pooped in this pic from running and wrestling with Bailey and chasing Bocce balls and cornhole bags.  Our little backyard at our house is just big enough for him to poop in, but doesn't really give him space to stretch his legs!

If I remember correctly, it rained like hell later this night too, and I was catching a cold so I was pretty miserable.  Lots of drunken debauchery, but most of B-Dubz's close friends are good people so nothing to worry about.  Can't wait until summer again... it's kind of torturous, having to write about this photo when it's still single-digit temps outside!

The best laid plans of mice and men...

... I think the rest of that quote is in Scottish, but to paraphrase, they often go to hell in a handbasket.  Let's hope we can avoid that, because I have a whole litany of plans.

B's spring break is coming up in March (March is not spring, by the way... at least not in my neck of the woods), so we're going to plan a road trip to visit a bunch of family.  North Carolina, Virginia, and Pennsylvania being part of it.  It'll be fun, but again, March is not spring.  I'd much rather be able to take this trip in, say, June, but since B will be taking summer classes it won't be possible.  So, March.  I'll be taking my long underwear!

Before that though, are many other plans.  This weekend we're going to Columbus to visit some friends, next weekend we're going to a big motorcycle expo in Cleveland, I'm going to Pittsburgh near the end of February... with a plethora of presentations, dinners with friends, and doctor & dentist appointments in between.  And at some point, we'll start scheduling these classes I'm supposed to teach.

I'd love to plan a trip out to Washington for later in the summer, maybe for the week between B's summer and fall semesters.  It's been over 2 years since I was there last!  Pathetic!  I'd love to plan it so that we fly out there, then rent a truck to haul the rest of my belongings to Ohio, but that might get too expensive.  We'll have to see.

I'm planning my garden already, and planning a whole list of home improvement projects for spring too.  Painting our bedroom, routering the cabinets in the kitchen & re-painting them, stripping the paint off the built-in china cabinets in the dining room, working on the half-finished bathroom in the basement.

I have plans to go to the library today, and I may even throw in a much-needed trip to the gym.

And of course, there's the BIG 3-0 coming up.  We're thinking of having one party right between our birthdays... at Chuck E. Cheese.  Come on, it'd be awesome!  Beer, pizza, and whack-a-mole!  Celebrate our not-growing-up!  Right? 

Right now, I'd settle for having warm feet.  I'll have to plan some time for laundry tonight so I can wash my wool socks.

I'm workin on it, really!

It's not like I don't have material to write about.  I mean, my life is just so darn exciting, ya know?  

For example, I was in Atlanta last week to learn how to teach a class.  Cool, right?  The class is meant to be taught to interior designers and architects, and it talks about "Healthy Indoor Air Quality by Design."  Riveting, right?  Right?  Helloooo?  Am I the only person around here who thinks this stuff is important?  (Notice, I didn't say interesting, just important.  Big diff.)  Oh wait, maybe I am.

Seriously though, this is probably going to boost my travel time considerably.  Which is cool, yes, but sucks as well.  As much as I love going places, trying new restaurants and staying in swanky hotels (on someone else's dime, no doubt), I'm such a damn homebody that most times I'd rather be on my couch with a cat trying to sit on my computer and B doing his impression of a Tourette's patient in the next room.

But, thus is the nature of my job.  So this Friday I'm giving the class for the first time, to the higher powers at work.  Wheeee!  What? *hurl*  (I'm getting much better at speaking in front of groups, except when (a) it's people I know and (b) I don't just know them, I work for them.  In these situations, my face gets redder and more tingly than usual, I play with my hair and generally look like a tard.  Joy!)

So you see?  I have material.  I just have to actually write more.

Back, and Forth

We survived Christmas!  Mom was here for a little over a week, which went well I think.  I lost patience a couple of times, which I'm sorry about, but I guess it's my fault... I don't call her often enough, so I never really know how she's really doing, so I expect the worst when she comes to visit, which makes me anxious, which leads to me being kinda snippy sometimes.  But I only lost it once, which is pretty dang good if you ask me.  We had some fun though, playing cards & shopping & hanging out.  Resolution #1: Be more patient.  Resolution #2: Keep in touch with friends & family better!

Christmas itself went pretty well too.  I was kinda stressed about cooking a fancy dinner for the in-law's but it turned out great.  We almost had an incident with the mashed potatoes... did you know they turn to GLUE when you wait until they're cold to add the cream & mash them?  Amazingly enough the salmon didn't catch fire and I didn't forget anything, and the soup was awesome even though we made it with crab instead of lobster.  And there's actually still a slice of pumpkin swirl cheesecake left that is calling my name!  Resolution #3: Eat healthier, while still enjoying what I eat!

***

Supposed to get the Suby (aka "The Blue Booby" according to B) back from the shop tomorrow.  It took a lot longer than it should have due to the warranty company being a bunch of jackasses and refusing to cover the claim.  But thankfully the guys at my shop went to bat for me & convinced them to cover the majority of the repair, and they even convinced the dealership to cover part of it too which surprised the crap out of me!  We still have to pay a little bit out-of-pocket but it's affordable and worth it too, considering our shop warrantees their work for 3 years.  I hope I never see them again, but it's still good to know.  I am SO TIRED of having car problems!  Resolution #4: Take care of this car like it's the last one on earth!

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I managed to convince the "higher powers" at work that I needed a different computer.  For the first several trips I was using my personal laptop, which I didn't really feel comfortable with, so I asked for a work laptop a couple of months ago.  They gave me a hand-me-down old Dell that weighed somewhere close to ten pounds (I'm not kidding!) and would crash every time I let it go into hibernate mode.  So right before Christmas I went to the tech guys & told them I needed something light-weight and more convenient to actually travel with.  We got to chatting about my options (a new Dell) and someone mentioned MacBooks, and I mentioned the new "green" MacBook, and they were like, "You want one?  They cost the same as these Dells" and I was like, "SCORE!!"  So I now have a 13" MacBook and I am in loooooove.  And so is B.  Resolution #5:  Stop thinking of myself as still being the last man on the totem pole at work.  I work hard, and I've earned the respect (and the priveledges!).  So now the problem is that my stupid brother-in-law went & got himself an iPhone, and I want one of those too.  Wah.

I'm into the "green" and environmental stuff, yeah, and I think that people's standards of living need to shift in order to save the economy AND the planet, but I'm not necessarily anti-consumerism like some people.  Anti-credit, yes, anti-spending-above-your-means, yes, but that's not the same thing.  Just, you know, justifying myself and my wanton desire for shiny Apple products.  Resolution #6:  Get rid of credit card debt, then get rid of the credit cards.  

***

Travel picks back up next week with a 2-day jaunt to Atlanta for a big training seminar, which may result in my frequent flyer miles going through the roof.  I'm learning how to teach a class to interior designers about indoor air quality, through the organization that we earned our fancy-pants certification from (GREENGUARD Environmental Institute).  Most designers & architects have to earn a certain number of "continuing education units" to maintain their memberships in the national and international associations and such, so being able to teach a class to them for a CEU will get us in the door at a lot more design firms.  I've been feeling more confident talking to groups of people, so having a script like this class will make it even easier I think.  I'm looking forward to it.  Resolution #7: Be more confident!

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Yes, there are more resolutions, but they're for ME.