Drugged

They drugged me! I'm all discombobulated. I went to see a dermatologist on Tuesday and left armed with 4 prescriptions, plus got another injection in the face. This antibiotic, Minocycline, is making me tired, listless, and dizzy--even more than usual, ha! Plus I have no appetite, which is the bright side of the whole thing. I haven't eaten for 7 hours and have no interest in doing so, even though there's a tasty tuna sandwich waiting in the fridge here at work. Oh well.

I may not even make it to Job #2 tonight. I just want to go to the public library near the house, pick up my latest book that's waiting for me on the hold shelf, go home, and watch more Lost with S. Long day tomorrow doing an all-day outreach, long evening tomorrow going to pick up the baby, long night tomorrow working the rodeo graveyard security shift from 11p-6a, short ass weekend after that.

Me Weekend

I had a "Me" weekend. I didn't even go on patrol. I didn't do much, and it was so great. But it was much needed. I didn't even leave the house on Sunday, not once! On Saturday I slept in, then didn't get off the couch until almost noon. S and I went to the movies (Vantage Point--2 1/2 stars), then we went to the gym which was also great b/c it was Saturday evening and there weren't very many people there. It was so nice to get back to our gym, which is a lovely one, and today I'm sore and loving it. Yesterday I did a bit of tidying up around the house and sent S to get the groceries while I colored my hair (went a half-shade lighter) and later watched the Oscars, as I do every year. So I got the actresses wrong this year, but that French girl was a great upset! I was delighted, as I adore Edith Piaf and it looks like the French girl did an incredible job.

Sometimes you just have to take some time off. And since there's no vacations in our future anytime soon, this was the absolute minimum that I could do for myself, and I did it. My skin is in really bad shape thanks to all the stress of late and I had insomnia on Saturday night, but tomorrow I go to see a dermatologist so hopefully she can help me out.

Tonight I've got the monthly sheriff's meeting, which I almost skipped out on. Hell, I got my perfect attendance pin for last year, what do I need another one for? But what the hell, maybe I'll win one of the door prizes again. Still, until S gets out of school I am not killing myself over my patrol hours and/or meeting attendance. It falls at the bottom of my priorities these days. It's just a shame b/c I do enjoy it, but it's still work. You have to really be on top of your game in order to do the job well and hopefully not get hurt/killed and my game is already maxed to its absolute limit.

Bombarded!

Dang, I just got bombarded here at work. A flurry of questions for me, the reference librarian, in a matter of minutes! That, like, never happens. BTW, this article peeves me off a little. So it's so horrible to refer to us as mere librarians? Now we're "research specialists"? Where's my research specialist salary, then? Can I go ahead and order up a batch of new business cards? Can I get a white lab coat to go along with it?

This is what I'm looking forward to this weekend, and probably in this order, too:

1. Sleeping in tomorrow
2. Going to see a movie or 2 with S
3. Catching up on my reading
4. The Oscars on Sunday
5. Patrolling on Sunday (but not with Mudflap) before the Oscars
6. Working out at the gym at some point

And, since I've been known to actually win Oscar prediction contests--ones with prizes, even-- here are my predictions for Sunday:

Best Pic: No Country For Old Men
Best Actress: Julie Christie (maybe Cate Blanchett)
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis
Best Supp. Actress: Cate Blanchett (maybe they'll give it to Ruby Dee but prob. not)
Best Supp. Actor: Javier Bardem
Best Director: The Coen Bros. (maybe a Julian Schnabel upset but prob. not)

For Whom to Vote?

I'm getting myself to the early voting polls, but cannot do so until I actually decide whom to, you know, vote for. I just can't decide. About the only thing that is certain is that, as much as I respect John McCain personally, I am constitutionally incapable of voting Republican. So who's it gonna be, Hillary or Obama? Not sure yet!

But that's among many indecisions plaguing me these days. I have had my fill of plucking gray hairs out of my head. I am too young to have gray hairs!!! (Although, as I pointed out to S, the hairs started to make their appearance coincidentally when he and the baby came into my life--he would hear none of it. [Ok, so I also noticed them when I stopped dyeing my hair last year. Still!]) I feel like Dianne Weist in the movie Parenthood, pissed off that she is going to be a grandmother and shrieking, "I mean, I was at Woodstock!!!" Yeah, man! I used to consider midnight to be late afternoon! I used to fly/drive almost anywhere on a moment's notice just to see a damn concert! When did I become a gray-hair having, NPR-listening, 10pm-sleeping, early voter??? Oh! I digress. Now I have to decide what color to dye my hair: lighter or darker? Not sure yet!

Tonight I finally get a break from Job #2 but I have to attend the HOA Board meeting to determine when the new Board we voted in is going to roll back the recently-increased unfair bullshit HOA fees. I need that extra $57 bucks a month back! Fuckers! Oops, guess this kvetching belongs on the other blog.

Unfaithfully Yours, Hey Love!

I have always, always wanted to own a copy of the movie Unfaithfully Yours but until recently it was only found on VHS. Finally at long last it's out on DVD and I got a copy for my anniversary present! The 2nd half of my present was for S to watch it with me. He tried to last night but was asleep within about 20 minutes. I was asleep in about 40 minutes. So goes our life, lately!

This past long holiday weekend was a good one, although our wedding anniversary was a little subdued due to both of us being tired and also having the baby with us. S is being driven crazy by us b/c I have turned her on to the R. Kelly song, "Hey Love", which we LOVE to sing together in the car over and over and over again! Also our new family project is for me to teach them both how to say the Spanish alphabet. S needs to learn it for the academy and the baby just needs to learn it.

I'm feeling a little zaftig lately, thanks to V-day, anniversary, and not having recovered completely from the holidays. Especially these days working late at Job #2 most nights and I don't have the energy to go to the park to run when I haven't even had dinner yet. So S and I got a stellar deal to reactivate our gym membership for pennies and we took it. I love the gym b/c I can actually read on the treadmill, stair stepper, bicycle, etc!!! I figure we'll go on weekends and Thursday nights when I don't go to Job #2. And that damn Mudflap is going with us! He has not been to the gym since the last time he and I went together--2 years ago!!! (Though he's been paying for his membership all this time!) I told him all aboard the pain train! Drop your purse, honey, and pick up that medicine ball!

Pre-Trial Conference Today

I went to our so-called "Pre-Trial Conference" today. We were supposed to go to trial on March 31 and since the whore requested a jury trial, it was going to take the entire week. Well, there's a new judge in our Family court b/c the other one left to run for state legislature or something, and he said he wants us to try mediation again since that last failed worthless attempt was back in 2006. So he set our trial for a new date of fucking July! HOWEVER--he and the amicus and our lawyer, natch, agreed that we can wrap up our temporary orders hearing next month since they were abandoned last November when the lying old bag delayed them and we didn't follow up b/c we thought we'd be going to trial in December anyway--which never happened due to the doddering old fool's delaying it. And based on the amicus' attitude and our lawyer's confidence that she can wrap it up and win us "temporary" custody in one afternoon, this is good news indeed. I just have to pay for 2 transcripts: S's mom and my cousin's but the $ will be well spent b/c I am fully expecting to win "temporary" custody until we go to trial in July, which will just be a formality by then.

Thank God I did not have the unpleasantness of seeing the whore's nasty, evil face today. I had a tasty taco for breakfast and would have been displeased to throw it up.

S got a 98 on his test today, yay! And we had a lovely, big sushi dinner last night, even if it wasn't plucked off the body of a naked chick (there's always next year!). I also got the cheesecake I wanted, yummy! And my alcohol-flavored chocolates. Then we went home and got into bed to watch more Lost, then I was asleep before 10pm. Crash! This weekend will be a long holiday weekend with the baby and I guarantee you I am sleeping late tomorrow morning. Sunday is our 2-year married anniversary and will find us spending it at a wrestling PPV at the sports bar. Hey, why not?

Quasi "Free" Stuff

So I recently scored some more free stuff. Today I got a free strawberry shake! But as tasty as it is with its strawberry chunks, whipped cream and cherry, it will cost me much anguish if I drink more than 1/3 of it. This is b/c I am lactose-intolerant. I have no tolerance for lactose! So now it's sitting in the work fridge here and I am trying to forget it's there.

Also, I got 2 free tickets to the upcoming Houston Rodeo! There was really no one I particularly cared to see in concert this year, which is kinda rare, but S said John Legend might be a possibility and I agreed. But he's playing on a night where we have to go pick up the baby and since the damn rodeo charges tickets for ages 2+, at a minimum $16 ticket for the baby that just wasn't going to work. So S said we will go see Rascal and Flatts on another night, which I am fine with. But these "free" tickets will cost me puttin' on my sheriff's badge and holsterin' up my "6-shooter" to work the graveyard security shift out there on one night at the end of this month, from 11p-6a. Yowch! Worth it I suppose, as long as I manage to stay awake.

I do so love the rodeo and I have a long history with it! From the college scholarship they gave me to all those years spent sneaking in with my father on forged press passes, those were some good times. I have a list of the 5 best concerts I've ever seen in my Whole Entire Life and one of those concerts was there at the rodeo when Kool and The Gang played. What a scene! Another memorable one--though not on my Top 5 list--was when Bocephus played and the police were trying to figure out a way to arrest the entire audience. According to my dad, they didn't have enough paddy wagons there that night.

But I love the other parts of the rodeo as well. I love looking at the kids' art and buying western-themed stuff from the vendors. I even enjoy inspecting the smelly prize-winning animals. I remember the first time I saw the calf scramble. When the kids charged straight into the calves' paths and the calves turned and bolted, I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe! And even though I don't like to gamble, I always bet on the chuck wagon races.

It's fun to be a Texan. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Pink Handcuffs, Heart Shaped Cheesecake

Those are the things I want for Valentina's day! Well, I won't be getting the pink handcuffs (real ones, for patrol!) b/c they cost around $60 bucks, which we can't spare right now. I did put in a call to my Sgt. and asked him if I would get in trouble for having pink handcuffs. He said there's no policy on handcuff color but that if I got them to expect ribbing from the other deputies. Like I care! I'm a girl! I also saw this intriguing looking Malibu Rum flavored chocolate candy and I would not be opposed to getting some of that tomorrow as well. How I love Valentina's Day! Still don't know where we're having dinner tomorrow night but I was unsuccessful in finding a body sushi place. I still want sushi, though...

I am getting S a gift card to his beloved Smoothie King b/c there is one on campus that he consistently uses all his weekly allowance to frequent--he says he needs his vitamins. He is still suffering from his cold but his class Director is also sick so they have had an easygoing week so far. He tried Claritin and Sudafed yesterday with no relief, but we slept in the same bed last night so I'm hoping at least the contagious period is over.

Tonight I've got a board meeting of the High-spanic Health coalition. My 2-year term on the Board is coming to an end and I have to decide if I want to run for reelection. There's pros and cons: pros are how cool it looks on my resume and how the Library and my higher-ups think it's cool that I'm on the Board. Cons are the Wednesday night meeting times that are now interfering with my schedule to earn $ at Job #2 and that they recently voted to require financial contributions from Board members. I don't mind making a financial contribution but times are tight right now and will be until S graduates and gets a job. S said to contribute $10 but I would never do such a low amount. What to do, what to do!

Interesting tidbit note: S found out yesterday that one of his classmates is the first cousin of the amicus attorney! And apparently they are very close and talk every day. Like the amicus needs any more reason or evidence that S and I should have custody of the baby.

Avoiding S

Poor S has a bad cold. He even stayed home from school today. So I have been avoiding him as much as is humanly possible, which is not easy when you're married to someone. Yesterday at the movies (Meet the Spartans--avoid at all costs unless you enjoy wasting your valuable time) I held his arm, not his hand and did not eat after him when he snuck in a bag of mixed snacks. I am constantly washing my hands and using alcohol-based hand sanitizer, Monk-like. That's what they tell you to do in order to avoid catching colds! Let's see if it works.

I worked all weekend. On Saturday Mudflap and I went out on patrol in my district, although it almost didn't happen b/c we were both angry with each other. I was angry at him b/c he went out on Friday night patrol with C. and I did not think it was safe for him to ride with me beginning Saturday morning on only a couple of hours sleep. He was angry with me for even questioning his sleep-deprived cop abilities. I threatened to ask our superiors' opinions on the matter; he threatened to not go patrol with me if I did so. In the end we went but I told him I was not going to allow him to use his weapon if necessary.

What's funny is the district used ME as their Spanish-speaking translator when we went on duty! Man, desperate times call for desperate measures, I suppose! There was even a request over the radio to send the Spanish-speaking reserve unit to translate at a bad accident scene, which I think is so funny (the Spanish-speaking, not the accident). Boy, was this an unfortunate scene. A Ford Expedition vs. a Chevy Cavalier. The 3 passengers in the Chevy never had a chance. One of them died at the scene and the 2 others were extremely critical. It makes me want to get a bigger vehicle, gas prices be damned. I am not kidding.

Sunday I went to C.'s church to work their annual health fair, as I did last year. It's always such a lovely event! I love working events where they feed you--breakfast and lunch! Today and tomorrow I'm at Job #2 all day for more accreditation visits. It's nice to have a break from Job #1, although I miss my office.

This week is Valentina's Day and our 2-year wedding anniversary! We want to go eat sushi off a girl (aka "body sushi" or "Nyotaimori") but I'm having a hard time finding a place. The restaurants don't advertise this service on their websites.

In Grammy news, my love Levon won his Grammy! Also The Band got a lifetime achievement Grammy. Finally, the Grammy's show really has become quite boring. I could only watch about 15 minutes of it before my brain synapses started to shut down in protest. But I'm glad for Levon and it was nice to see Robbie Robertson in the audience, looking hot as always!

Good Show, Lads

So last night was fun, even if we didn't get to meet the legendary Undertaker. We did, however, get to meet the legendary Sign Guy! I grabbed him as he was on his way inside the arena and he was very funny and very nicely took a picture with me. Sadly, it did not come out b/c my camera's batteries were low. :-( But Sign Guy is a big part of the entertainment for me, S and I are always trying to spot him when we watch the PPV's and he has the best signs, ever! You truly have to admire his passion and dedication b/c he travels all over the country to attend wrestling events. It's like, what he literally spends all his money on! Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top also showed up last night to sit in the front row, as he usually does. But S and I skipped out early b/c we were both tired.

Yesterday I spend the entire workday at Job #2 b/c we had the state accreditation agency in for a visit. They brought the group to the library and one of the ladies grilled me about the Vet Tech collection and my future plans for it. (Boy howdy, have I been learning a lot about Vet Tech books lately! Did you know there's entire books written about how to anesthetize a damn horse?!?) I gave her my professional librarian spiel. Later the Director of the school came to me to tell me he likes the way I handle people and I handled that lady real well! I said it was a pleasure. That's why they pay me the big bucks!

One Whole King's Cake--Happy Mardi Gras!

I just scored an entire king's cake from the work party upstairs. They bought too many. Hey man, Lent starts tomorrow, I gotta get my decadence in now! What the hell am I going to give up for Lent this year? In previous years it has been things like: booze, french fries (Lord, that was tough), cake/cupcakes, cussing (Lord, that was tough). In fact, it was last year that I gave up cussing. I remember being out on patrol and hearing my fellow cops cuss like sailors, as we do, and I recall thinking, "God! My ears! Do they kiss their mothers with those mouths!?!?" I guess this year I could try giving up ice cream. I eat it once or twice a week.

Speaking of decadence, we ate at this restaurant last Friday night with Mudflap and co. This place, specifically their portion sizes, is ridiculous. S, the baby and I were eating leftovers the entire weekend and we still have some left! In short, I sort of fell in love with the place!

So tomorrow night we will attend our next WWE event at the Toyota Center. I called up my fellow sheriff's deputy who is this guy's best friend and made arrangements to possibly meet him, maybe!!! I would love for S to be able to meet another of his favorite wrestling legends so I'm hoping it won't be too crazy there tomorrow night.

6 1/2? Do I hear 5?!?

Tuesday night-Thursday night my pain level was at about 8 1/2 -- 9. This a.m. I got down to 6 1/2. Now it's hovering around the 5 1/2 level! Jesus is just all right with me! Jesus is just all right, oh yeah!

Looking forward to a somewhat relaxing weekend. We do pick up the baby tonight however, then we're going to an Italian restaurant for dinner with Mudflap, C., and their women. Mudflap's b-day was on Wednesday so I guess that's what tonight's event is honoring. It'll be so nice to catch up with C. and his wife, who just ran the Houston Half-Marathon together. He even sent me the video of them crossing the finish line! Studs.

The rest of the weekend I am planning on SLEEPING LATE, and trying to get my life, car, and household in order. They have all been suffering lately due to my insane schedule. I even broke down and bought paper plates for me and DH to eat on at home so that we have less dishes to do during these hectic next few months. I might even invest in some plasticware as well, the way yogurt-loving DH goes through spoons! I draw the line at plastic cups b/c I do care about the environment somewhat.

Even work has been hectic. At Job #1 I, along with one other person, wrote an entire grant proposal in a little over 24 hours, starting right when I got back to work yesterday and sending it off this morning. And at Job #2 they are all getting ready for our accreditation visit next week so I have been ordering books like crazy and now have to catalog and barcode them. I am a mad librarian machine!!!