Back To My Routine

File Under: No longer a TV hostage

Belinda's appearance on Dancing With the Stars meant that I needed to be home Monday evenings so that I could cast my votes by phone and online. Phone votes could be cast up t0 30 minutes after the end of the telecast. Online votes could go into early the next day. I've never voted in the past so I would watch the show later in the evening after going about my evening routine. I haven't been to the gym on Monday or Tuesday evenings in 2 weeks. With the outcome of last night's show, I can now resume my routine.

No more speculation about what happened. It's over, Belinda gave it her best. She was sweet when she said that she felt bad for her partner because she feels like she let him down. On a happy note, she can now return to France to be with her husband, her son, and her pets, including her one-eyed, wheelchair-bound pug.

Tonight, it's laundry night...no gym for me. I'll resume that tomorrow. I've done so well and in about 1o weeks, it'll be street festival season. :)

Poor Rory!

File Under: Guilty Pleasures

I love the show "Gilmore Girls" and was sad when it went off the air. I thought the writing was brilliant, the pop culture references were sharp and fast, and the acting was great. I want to live in a town like Stars Hollow with all it's quirky residents and places to go.

This morning I was sorting laundry and found an episode being shown on ABC Family. Once I heard the theme music, I was hooked. Mind you, I can watch it any time, I have the entire series on DVD. But, to find it on TV was a treat. It was an episode from season 2 or 3. Rory apparently had just broken up with Dean and was so sad. She was having trouble relating to her friends and her mom.

Twice during the episode, I found myself near tears. I felt so bad for poor Rory. I wanted to hug her and tell her that I understand and that it'll be okay. I have never cried during an episode of the show, but this morning I was close. How pathetic am I? I'm laughing about it now.

I eventually got out of the house, made it to the laundromat, the book store (half-off calendars!) and The Gap ($21 pants!). Afterwards I hit the gym.

Now I may run to Target. I don't necessarily HAVE to run to Target but I'm drawn to it just because it's a big shopping day and I don't really feel like schleping out to Macy's. I still have $119 to spend on my Flex Spending account, which expires 12/31. First Aid kits for everybody!

I Need a Manicure

File Under: buffed, not polished

I need a manicure. My nails are just ghastly right now. Ghastly I tell you!

Okay, that was a lame excuse for a blog post. I'm sorry. I'm trying to get better about posting stuff on a regular basis again, but I didn't really have anything interesting to share this evening, unless you want to hear about my trip to the laundromat.

Didn't think so...

That Stranger on the Street

File Under: Curiosities

Today I was traveling from my Lakeshore office to my Central office. I don't do this every day, only a couple times every two weeks. This morning's trip was at about 9:30. I'm a people watcher so if I'm at an intersection, I'll look around and if there's someone attractive on the corner, I'll stare a bit. So I got to thinking, what if the person I'm glancing at were "the one," but thanks to timing and circumstances, the closest we'll ever come to meeting is that short period of time in traffic, which really isn't much of a meeting.

Driving isn't the only place this happens, it could be anywhere, really. Glance out the window while folding clothes at the laundromat and someone walks by. Your eyes meet and as quick as a blink, it's over. Walk into a department store and make eyes at someone in the shoe department. Okay, that last one presents the opportunity to actually initiate more contact than just the fleeting glance but that's just an example.

They say that someone's out there for everybody, just makes you wonder how many met under unusual circumstances, such as a glance in traffic or at the laundromat.

Do you have a story to share?

Where have I been?

File Under: Missing In Action

I haven't blogged in a few days. Perhaps you became worried about me, wondering if I ran off to become a Scientologist. Well no, not yet at least.

I cooked a turkey for Easter. It was my first turkey and it came out very well. See?

At the same time, I've been dealing with a sick cat. Millie went to the vet recently and it was discovered that she needed to have some teeth pulled. The Tuesday after Easter I took her in and three teeth were pulled. She did fine, was a bit disoriented when she came home and she had lost her voice. As of Friday, she had yet to poop and yet to meow. I had a constipated cat. I called the vet and was told to give her some Metamucil. Saturday morning, it worked. She was happy, and was trying to meow again. Then, she sneezed. And wheezed, and sniffled. Millie had a cold. For the next 4 days she slept a lot and made a lot of noises that sounded like a baby with a cold.

This morning she woke up, stretched, meowed and went about her day like nothing was wrong. Millie is finally feeling better. So much better that tonight she lunged at me, just like she's been doing for the past month, leaving ugly scars on the back of my legs. I'm considering introducing her to more cold germs.

Here she is lounging on top of a laundry basket:

Lastly, my friend Andy paid me a visit. Andy lives in Ohio. We've never met in person, until Monday. He and I chat on a message board and we've talked on the phone bunches of times. When he said he was being sent here for a conference, I insisted that I would show him around. Monday evening was stellar. We drove around, I gave him my tour of Chicago, showing him my neighborhood and the places I visit. We even stopped at Target.

On Tuesday we decided to actually get out of the car and have a drink and be social. We ended up at Sidetrack, a popular video bar here in the Lakeview (aka Boystown) neighborhood. Our friend Anthony joined us and the three of us had a lovely visit.

Tonight it was back to my regular routine. It was laundry night. Nothing exciting to say about that.