PickledCherub

Today we went out to Clackamas, all the way to Target to spend our gift cards from Mom. I got a small Crock-pot, and some tights, and kitty litter and a kitty scratching thing, plus basics like toilet paper and dish soap.

I made it through the holidays and only started crying on Boxing Day. Usually I cry on both Christmas and Christmas Eve. Life has been a lot of changing for me lately, a lot of sad and nervous and stressful things, and some good, nice things. I'm really not that communicative about feelings and emotions, so when I do get to express myself it's fairly, um, expressive.

Our neighbors are a rowdy bunch, always bringing in van-loads of sheet metal and appliances in the early morning. They get pretty mad about when someone parks in front of their house (which, if you ask me, is pretty ridiculous, considering that we're practically on one of the busiest streets in town). Today Chris noticed that they stole a No Parking At Any Time sign and stuck it in the ground right where they like to park. There's always someone in the neighborhood who is super territorial about parking. Last place it was the guy across the street who would come knock on our door if he even thought someone who might be visiting our house had parked in front of his.

Anyway, I'm over-tired and burnt out and stressed, but I agreed to close for Steve tonight. SO I'm trying to relax before work. think Malcom is on.

When I got out of bed this morning and stood at the top of the stairs holding my laptop, a cup pf coffee, and my phone, I felt like I couldn't make it down the stairs. It was a bit scary, that kind of leg pain/weakness. But I'm sure it's due to the recent constant up and down stairs with heavy items, as well as the running around at work. I feel better now, and I made it down the stairs just fine, if a bit slow. I need to stretch. This is the first day of my three day weekend, and I'm looking forward to marinating the holiday lamb, unpacking, and wrapping and enveloping presents.

I had a horrible walkthrough with the old landlord. He was very antagonistic, very mean, and bitter. But his poor daughter was there. He practically accused me of stealing the For Rent sign, and for training my cats to piss in the basement. If you're reading this, don't rent from Shmrian Schreeland. He's a poo. (I used a pseudonym.)

I dreamt last night that I was getting my hair done by a famous Japanese hair stylist, who gave me short bangs and long, straight, blonde hair.

Sabrina and I went to the Lutz after work and played Elvis pinball. It was awesome. There's this plasctic Elvis doll that swings its hips.

I'm going to be in Philadelphia from January 6th until the 17th. I hope to get up to Providence and also to NYC for a bit.

I thought my IUD fell out, because it hasn't been bothering me at all. It's still there. May this year be as infertile for me as the last one.

Basically, I'm tired. If it weren't for the day off I get at Christmas, and the day for Christmas Eve, I would never get to sleep. I'm hoping that we can get stuff mostly cleaned up by Saturday. I'm sure that we can, if we put our heads together. Tomorrow I have a walk through with the old landlord. He is a total poo-face.

The cats are nuts.

Everything is finally moved out. We even dumped our trash on campus and got a talking to by the Physical Plant guy. But it's all done, and I feel a million times better. Next, I have to put it away and give it away.

Chris and Marty are trying to hook up our washer/dryer. I'm sleepy and haven't taken a shower in a long time.

I had sort of a breakdown last night after a Disjecta meeting in which Bryan asked me why I did all of the stuff I did. I couldn't really answer. I do all of this different stuff, but why?

So, I'm still on the fence about taking this job. It's a skill set I could very well use in my life, but . . . I'm not thrilled about the way things are going. The meetings take two hours a piece, and then there's all the other work that I'd be doing on the side. Maybe in an hours per week outlook it's not that big of a commitment, but what if I continue to dread going to the meetings? On an individual level, I like everyone who is involved, but as a group . . . not so much.

Tonight Marian and I went to a Speakers' Bureau Initiation seminar for Affordable Housing NOW! Link The seminar focused on not the need for affordable housing (although we did learn a lot of facts: such as there are at least 2500 homeless people living in Portland right now, and that's the most conservative estimate), but on the rhetoric the organization uses to get its point across. Their philosophy is that the Left, the Liberals, need to utilize the same tools and language that the Conservatives, the Right uses. Make appeals based on values, not policies. What's the difference? Instead of saying "Gays and Lesbians are functioning members of society and therefore deserve the right to marry," you should frame your argument like this: "I believe that equality is an essential part of American society." (OK, so that's a different issue, but you get the point, right?) It was a neat seminar. I left thinking, "Wow, I really care a lot about this." I've had that feeling about the Red Cross, too, but never about Disjecta. Oh, it's sad.

OK. I'm going to unpack some more stuff now.

I don't know how Pantene does it, but whenever I use Linsday's conditioner, I have to softest hair.

Tonight Shauna Marian and I went to the Tube and to Embers. Embers has one dollar drinks on Thursdays, and all sorts of people dance. Now I'm going to "sleep."

Dear Bloggy, I've been busy. Mom's OK, they know what's wrong with her. Something with a nerve in her and how it makes her body think that her blood pressure is too high, so she passes out. Ann, my thesis professor, is doing OK, too. I've been baby sitting her three month old and three year old while she's in surgery for serious kidney stones. A lot of baby sitting is pretty natural stuff, trying to figure out what to do with fussy babies and antsy toddlers. I like it, and I find it pretty rewarding to help out a really nice couple and to get to know their sweet kids. I'm also on call this week with the Red Cross and I've been to two fires, one in Northeast and one in (gasp) Tualatin. Tualatin is a far south suburb of Portland, and it feels like almost every suburb I've been to. Once again, it's nice to help people out, even with just little things.

Chris and I have been sleeping at our new place the past few days. It's nice to spend time there alone, but I miss the cats, and Lindsay and Sedna. I like moving. I like getting rid of stuff that I don't want/need and getting new stuff from boxes that I packed away. I've accepted the fact that I'm not such a good organizer, and that Chris is much better at it. We have so much storage space in our kitchen that we don't know what to do with it. We have a cabinet just for tea and coffee.

Moving also means I have a reason to go to the horrible strip malls and buy things. Here is a list of things I bought for the new house.

1) A spice rack (8.99) and some spice jars (.99)

2) A bamboo cutting board, medium size

3) Holiday Greetings napkins and coasters from the dollar section at Target

4) An Eight pack of paper towels

5) The new Target brand of eco-friendly cleaing products Lavender Floor Cleaner and All Purpose Spray

6) A stainless steel garbage can for the bathroom

7) This thing that you put across your bathtub to hold soap and stuff

8) Assorted imported candy

9) A dog bowl that has a plaid design and a cartoon dog that says "Eat Your Dinner" (This is Sedna's holiday surprise)

10) Polenta

I bought a mini evergreen tree at Trader Joe's and presented it to Chris as our Commitment Tree. I said, "This tree represents our relationship. If it dies, we break up." I thought that was pretty funny.

Tonight, we sleep at the old house.

Update:

1) My mom is in the hospital (again) because she passed out and had chest pains. I am planning to have to fly to Philly possibly sometime in the next week, if necessary. Thing is, Mom is in the hospital it seems like once a year. So, I'm not entirely worried, except that every now and then I start to cry a little bit. I try not to think about it. We'll see what happens.

2) Moving is alright. I've been packing in fits in between doing things. After cooking up some fish tacos (Tillapia--yum!) and a blackberry pie (not so yum) and before going into work, I packed half of the kitchen. I'd like to be in the new house by next weekend, but who can say. Marty might have the floors redone.

3) Manager stuff keeps being awesome and annoying. I have to go to the bank tomorrow morning just to get quarters. Sarah said she's going to start school again in February, so I'll be doing about the same amount of stuff that I'm doing now.

4) Everyone asks me how things are going with Chris. It's weird, maybe, that it's not an issue. Sure, we have issues and things that we talk about (such as my rash of scary penis dreams: such as the bloody dismembered horse penis sliding out of a man's zipper scene that I had while sleeping through Rear Window). Otherwise, it's nice. We're both busy and stressed and stuff, but that's life, right?

5) Recording and the Animal Kingdom Recording Studio. Chris and I have been recording March Fourth, a local crazy zany marching band with stilt walkers. We recorded a show at the Crystal Ballroom and it went alright. We're making money doing it, too.

6) Disjecta stuff is progressing. It looks like I'll have some work to do eventually, after I meet with Brian about stuff. He sure is charismatic.

7) I've been spending a lot of time with Marian and Shauna lately, which is totally awesome. It makes me so happy to be around those ladies. I'm used to being in a triumvirate of ladies!

That's the update. I'm having a Holiday Mingler sometime the weekend of the 18th. You should, like, totally come. Marian's dad is bringing a barrel of wine for us to bottle. We're going to perform a super secret holiday dance routine.