Home from the reunion. Had a much better time that I would ever have expected, and really enjoyed seeing old friends.

Not that we’re old or anything. We aren’t. Really. 40 isn’t old dammit!

Some pics from Denver Trollopolloza 2009

(more…)

Ready? Set? Associate!

record

I fully expect this week to be just as rough as every other week this summer. However, I am looking forward to Friday, when I get to escape for awhile.

In the mean time, another game of sorts.

When I was a child:

Pluto was a planet
You had to lick stamps

I got nothing. You can:
1) continue yesterday’s game of word association
2) go check out my book blog
or
3) insult me in this comment thread.

Ready? Go!

Yup. It’s Wednesday.

Today’s Word is: pie

Kat and the edible packing peanuts.

Edible packing peanuts. Tasty cat snacks!

There you go Eric!

Skipped last week for my birthday, however, today is another birthday. So for this week’s game, we celebrate the Alaskan Amazon, sender of catnip and chocolate, and all around hot chick.

So for today’s game you have a choice. You can play off of the previous word as normal, or you can go back and associate from the original word.

And today’s word is: Tania

I’ve always been delighted to celebrate by birthday–it’s an excuse to eat lots of dessert and make people be nice to me. What more could anyone wish out of a day?

Because of that, I’ve never been upset by the passing of the years. And more importantly, to be honest I never thought I’d live to see 30. No, this isn’t due entirely to me depression. I was a child in the 70s and 80s, and I was quite sure Ronald Reagan was going to start a nuclear war with the Soviets and the world as we know it would be destroyed over political differences. Thus living to 39 so far has come as a surprise and a quite a pleasant one at that.

Though my depression did play a small part in that, which is why a couple years ago I decided that by my 40th birthday I wanted to accept myself for who I am: good, bad, or indifferent. So for the past two years I’ve been working on being OK with myself. This has in no way been an easy task, but I’ve been learning things to make it easier: eating well and exercising are probably at the top of the list. That accomplishes two things: First, I know I’m doing what I can for myself, so that makes acceptance easier. Second, eating decently and exercising make me feel physically better. And feeling physically better makes me feel mentally better.

I’m also doing what I can to learn to deal with my “faults.” My hair is troublesome, so I learned that I have to pay extra for good haircuts and stuff that keeps my hair from being frizzy. I get stressed out and cranky, so I learned that I have to take time for myself, or I make everyone miserable.

Doesn’t mean I still don’t have work ahead of my in the coming year. I’ve never been comfortable in my own skin, so accepting my body is still something I have not truly learned to do. But I’m getting better.

And I think I can do it.

In which case, I think I should have a big celebration next year! Three years of work to accepting myself as well as simply surviving longer than I expected seem like an excellent reason to celebrate. So I’m taking suggestions for how I should celebrate my 40th birthday next year.

Anything within reason will be considered, but please keep in mind that I don’t like the sun very much, so a trip to the beach is not even within the realm of possibility.

So what’da’ya think?

Also, happy birthday to Kathy!

And most importantly: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Yup! It’s my BIRTHDAY! Woo! Everyone should celebrate!

And how should you celebrate? You should celebrate by doing something that makes you happy!

My happy plans including going out to lunch with friends and having molten lava chocolate cakes for dessert!

Sometimes I am quite baffled by the search terms that come in for my blog.

I mean, in the past month there were 18 different searches for me? I find that… unlikely.

But I have had some particularly awesome searches recently.

hot chicks with banjos
Eight different searches for this? Really? I am ashamed to admit that I can’t even think of any female banjo players off the top of my head. And as much as I like the banjo, I don’t see myself taking up stringed instruments again. I’m entirely too lazy for the work required to become good.

things that make people mad
Republicans.

bad reviews in 2009 on the abacus group
I have no idea how this search landed someone at my website. In fact, I can’t even remember talking about abacuses here. Not that I haven’t discussed them before, but still…

peonies buds shrink up and look like the
Well hell, now I want to know the answer to that.

broccoli midgets
OK, the Enchanted Broccoli Forest comes to mind, but I know I’ve never written about that.

3.141592653589
and
2.7182818284
Add ’em together and you get a tasty pastry.

this is not sophie
Oh yes. Yes, it is Not Sophie.

TAG! You’re it!

I often complain about my hair, but no one seems to take me seriously.

I’ve spent the evening reading, and when I read I often absentmindedly run my fingers through my hair.

Here is the result: