Eyes on the Prize

I had to see an eye doctor today. Turns out I have cysts on my eye. They could go away by themselves, or I can voluntarily have them taken off. Yeah. That will happen. I wish I weren’t so afraid of doctors. It seems to get worse as I get older. I think it's because I like to know what's going on. I like to be prepared. But doctors never have time to explain things, and even when they do, it's not like I could then do it to myself. Does that make sense? Probably not.

What the hell is wrong with Maria Shriver? She looks like an absolute freak. I heard some guys on the radio call her Skeletor. And she's on The Insider right now talking about trying to maintain her weight. She is repulsively skinny. I hope she's OK. Ugh.

Project Runway. It’s off the air for one week, and I’ve already forgotten. I have to find a new show to be in love with. I’m leaning towards Gilmore Girls, even though I don’t agree with Lorelei’s boozing ways. Still, it’s no Buffy. I hate living in a world without a new Buffy episode every week. It’s just not right. I should be happy that a new season of Degrassi starts this weekend, but I still have a little bit of creepiness about enjoying a show about teenagers so much.

Enough of the rambly ramblings. There’s a story coming up on The Insider about M’onique that I can’t miss. I love her. Of course, The Parkers is off the air…

Sims and Runways

Wow. I am beat. With school going full time now, I am always tired. I hate that. Plus, my carpal tunnel is bothering me and scaring me that I will probably have to have surgery some day. How will I write another book? More importantly, how will I play The Sims? That is what I want to do on this lazy Sunday, but I'm scared that I'm making the carpal tunnel worse. But what is life without The Sims? I am actually on a live chat now with a Norton Antivirus help person named Ramil (at least I think it's a real person- the answers they are giving are very robotic) to help me shut off all of my antivirus junk so my Sims will run smoothly. Pathetic, eh? I have been playing The Sims for 7 years. A fifth grade student of mine told me about the game when it first came out, and I have bought every incarnation and expansion pack since. Why do I love it so much? I think it's because it's a blend of playing Barbie's and playing a role playing game. You get to dress them, get them jobs, have babies, make them go to work and school. It's funny and fun and I love it. Why is Ramil taking so damned long?

Project Runway is making me very unhappy this season. I don't like the mean crap. Jeffrey is a jerk. I will never understand why someone can be so hateful. It's one thing to be angry, but he STILL goes on about Angela. Maybe he loves her, like an eight-year-old boy with a crush. Hmmm... And why did they have to bring Angela and Vincent back? That was mean. I just don't like meanness. I liked this reality show because it was all about the talent and creativity, but now, it's playing unfairly. We shall see what evil they bring next season, and I may have to stop watching. I think I'd like Michael Knight to win, as he is very talented and has a good nature. I also like Uli. She says funny things, and her clothes look very wearable (although not by me. By someone skinny who doesn't need to wear bras). I like her "crazy colors." Did you know you can see the final four's fashion shows online. click here:
http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/designers/bios/projectrunwaydesigners/

What do y'all think?

Rainy Doodles

It's Labor Day. I have been a slack blog writer. Ah well. I have a very small audience who I don't think will mind the absence.

It's raining, and I have am now set up in our "dining room," in quotes because we have only dined in here once, and we had to move a table in to do it. Now I am at a card table in the middle of the room, my trusty Tobin at my side, trying to finish my second revision of my novel. It's not going to be so bad, but why is it so hard to sit down and do it? I'm already at page 121 out of 158, so that's nothing really. I do have an extra page/section thing I have to do, also. It's a character description list that I have to fit into the story so readers are less confused. At this point, I am working on the novel at such large intervals that even I am confused about who's who. That's because I changed most of the characters' names after the first round of revisions, as too many were the same or similar to the real-life people they were based on. So that's going to be a little work.

Speaking of work, I'm back (although the kids don't come back until Wednesday). That means the sleep problems are also back. Sigh. I can't wait to see the kids, though.

I would like to wish my Tobin a happy tenth birthday. I have had him for almost ten years!!! I love him so much. One blog I will tell the wacky story of how we got together. Yes, I am talking about my cat.

TV!TV!TV!

I am trying really hard (ie. not very hard) to work on my novel revision, but Roseanne is on. I just love this show. It's realistic and funny and sad. John Goodman is truly my favorite actor. This is my last day of freedom (my work contract starts tomorrow), so I might as well get rid of my guilt. If that were only possible.

Sooooo- Project Runway. Last night's show was very upsetting. I think it was a bad idea for the producers to bring family members on the show, and even worse for them to make others design for them. People were mean, and no one's family members need to see their children being insulted by obnoxious design people. It took away a lot of the show's fun. They better make up for it next week.

Tobin is on my lap, purring while I type this. I will definitely miss this when I go back to work. He is so mellow and sweet in the morning. At night, he gets the crazy attack bites. Today will also be my last day of official vacation hang-out time with my mom. We have had such a wonderful time together this summer. We even went to the Jelly Belly Factory in Wisconsin! It was tasty and fun. I bought Matt roasted garlic flavored jelly beans (which I later regretted because they made his breath smell like a garlic tire. I forced him to brush, floss, and use Listerine that night).

I am now going to turn off the TV for a half hour so I can work on my book. Can I do it???

Traveling Blues

I miss Toronto. I think I just miss the freedom of the road. That sounds so cheesy, doesn't it? I look at cars with out of state license plates, and I feel jealous. I do have to admit though that I am getting excited about going back to work. I have some redesigning of the library to do. And I can't wait to see my kids again. Woo woo!

So I've been looking up plane fares. First: Toronto. Cheap! About $200. Perhaps a long weekend in October? Second: Greenville, SC where Matt and I go to visit his family every year. Over $350!!! Whatever! How can that be? And if we want to go from O'Hare to G-ville to my parents' house in Florida, then home again- over $700 a ticket!!! I could go to Europe for that. What is going on? Is it the gas? Supply and demand? Oy.

Today was a mega eating day. I had a taffy apple, which was OK. I couldn't concentrate on it since I was watching TV. I should have savored it. Speaking of TV- how amazing is Roseanne? Definitely my favorite sitcom of all time. I will miss the morning double feature when I have to go back to work.

Degrassi Dreams

I seriously cannot stop thinking about moving to Degrassi Street. Am I psycho? Is it because I am in the weird window between the end of summer and school starting and I need something to fixate on? But I'm already fixated on revising my novel and redecorating the library and... Wait. Maybe I'm not at all fixated on those things, or at least I'm trying hard not to fixate on them, and so I'm fixating on a wonderful fantasy, a la Degrassi Street?

Toronto was so wonderful. Matt and I are already talking about going back. Every restaurant is vegetarian friendly, the transportation is so easy (albeit not cheap), and the cable TV is funny. What more could one ask for in a city?

So who has seen Snakes on a Plane? I would like to see it in the theaters, as I think it will be a nice item to talk about with my students. We'll see if I can convince Matt.

There's No Oprah on Degrassi Street

I’m watching Oprah (which has to do more damage than good), and there are these kids on who hate themselves and the way they look. Some of them are three years old! The whole theory that Oprah’s therapy lady believes is that you automatically pass all of your bullshit through the womb as you have a baby, so the only way not to pass stuff on (like self-hatred, weight issues, etc.) is to get rid of it before you have a baby. Whatever! Who the hell can do that?

In more realistic news, I plan to someday move to Degrassi Street in Toronto. It was so perfect and beautiful and magical. Matt and I already looked up house prices, and we feel that someday we may be able to afford it. Canada, here we come! Maybe.

I have a lot to say about my recent road trip to Toronto, but I have to work on the revisions of my novel before I go back to work (next week!!!). More later!

Oh- and if you’re posting comments (thank you!!!) will you please either sign in with a funny code name so I know who’s posting or just put your name? I feel weird with the “anonymous” thing.

Thanks!