Michelle's Birthday
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: "I'll Melt With You" by Modern English
Topic: Birthdays

Today was Michelle's 14th birthday. It was the first time since Matt's divorce from his ex-wife that he's had Michelle on her birthday that I know of, at least since 2002. We took Michelle out to dinner at Andy's Grill and Bar here in Wellington and had a pretty good time. I had the grilled salmon and it was very good. Each of us enjoyed our food and drinks - what a surprise for once! Not that Andy's is bad, it is just hard to please all of us at once. LOL

After dinner we came back home and Michelle opened her presents. We got her two books on pet behavior that she asked for, as her goal is to be a veterinarian later in life. After presents it was chocolate cake and ice cream. Matt made the cake and I iced it, so group effort all the way around.

It was a nice change to actually be with her on her birthday.

 

A Birthday Essay From 2007
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: One Day More - Les Miserables
Topic: Birthdays

In November 2007, my mother was celebrating her 55th birthday and was having some reflecting time when she wrote me an email asking me to write a birthday essay about my life. She and I have lived thousands of miles apart since 1995 and rarely see each other, sometime for years at a time. At this time, she was feeling like she hardly knew me really and wondered if I had a good life; if it had been full. She felt she had missed so much and sometimes she felt she didn't know me. The following 'essay' (I use the term loosly as it is NOT my best writing, just a recounting of stuff) is what I sent to my mother. I have updated it a little to include some things that happened this last year:

 

** 

 

Despite everything, my life has been a good one. Were I to go today, at least I could say that I accomplished a great deal for someone my age. Granted, I haven’t climbed mountains like the Alps or anything (I don’t count Mt. Baldy) – I’m afraid of heights and suffocating in the cold in the middle of nowhere – so sue me. I don’t scuba dive – again with the suffocating in the cold, but this time with a drowning twist. But hey, I have done a great deal.

 

I’ve backpacked through Europe by myself at age 18 – climbed the Waterloo monument (picture); stayed in a Paris apartment and walked the Seine River from Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower which I then went to the top of and took pictures. I’ve seen the royal palaces of Belgium and the United Kingdom, and stood in buildings dating back to the first millennia of our common era. I have been to Stonehenge twice and touched the Avebury Stones. I’ve crossed the English Channel and sailed the Irish Sea. I’ve been to more castles than I can count on half a dozen hands, and more cathedrals, churches, grave yards, and historical sites (battlefields, museums, catacombs, etc) than anyone with less than either an Archeological or Historical degree.

 

I’ve been to 29 of the 50 states in the USA (the colored states are the only ones I haven’t been to). I’ve been at the top of the Empire State Building despite my fear of heights and saw the World Trade Center before 9/11. I have been to the top of the Haleakala volcano on Maui – again, despite my fear of heights and the terrible altitude sickness. I’ve been to Hawaii three different times in three different decades 1987, 1990, 2002. It was amazing to snorkel in Maui in January 2002 and listen to the Humpback whale song from perhaps two or three football fields from where they were breeching.

 

I have ridden on the backs of a camel, an elephant, and a horse – and poor Amy our Irish setter when I was like three or four. I have had many animals I have cared for in my life, one dog and one cat in particular I will never get over – Bandit my Belgian Sheppard, and Doobie, my little black and white kitty.

 

I have been to my fair share of concerts of all sorts be they classical orchestral shindigs or wild hard-rocking mosh-pit events, or huge stadium concerts. I’ve seen the Rolling Stones, Sting, Guns N Roses, Living Color, Steve Miller, Grateful Dead, Madonna, Motley Crue, Ozzy, Julian Lennon, Rick Springfield, Jerry Garcia Band, ZZ Top, Nickelback, Korn, Sevendust, Kid Rock, Puddle of Mudd, and a host of smaller opening acts I can’t even remember. Still, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Elektra, and Annie Get Your Gun impressed me more. Yes, I’ve seen musicals and plays both in London and on Broadway – and even at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, although Hansel & Gretel and The Nutcracker were immensely boring both times I saw them there. I’ve seen Samuel Ramey sing Mephistopheles from the front row; he nearly spit on me.

 

I can swim and dive. I used to waterski, snowski, and surf (thanks to Kathy G). I’ve played team sports like softball (again, thanks to Kathy G) and rode my bike all over West Los Angeles and the beach cities. Although skating isn’t something I like I can ice skate – barely. The most tiring experience of my youth though was marching through downtown Honolulu in a full drum major uniform in 90+ degree heat, not to mention the humidity, for more than two miles while performing with my mace and keeping time for the band. I barely walked away from that one. I was minutes from heatstroke. Thank goodness it started to rain at the end of the parade or I was sure I was going to die.

 

I took ballet lessons for a very short period of time. I am just not a dancer. I also took baton lessons, which I was very good at, imagine that. I even became a baton teacher for a while; my very first paid job at age 12. I am musical though, that’s for sure. I was the first female head drum major in my high school’s history. I can sing, play the piano, xylophone (and variations such as Vibes, and Marimba) and the baritone horn. I have written several songs, performed in several operas & musicals, performed at county fairs, and small venues all over California, and sung the National Anthem at large events. I do not have stage fright. I have been a keynote speaker at several conferences, and sat on the Board of Directors for the Northcoast Inter-Tribal Children’s Court. I was a Toastmaster and have been known to do the occasional Improv should I have a microphone thrust at me.

 

I’ve been in numerous weddings as Bridesmaids and Matron of Honor – my mother’s, Danielle’s, Brandy’s and Lisa’s – as well as being a vocalist at a few – Stacee’s and Amanda’s. AND been the bride in two – plenty for me, thanks! Sorry, but being the guest book girl is such an insult – so, no thanks to you Stacee (wedding #1).

 

I’ve had successful gardens growing everything from all kinds of herbs to onions, peas, and pumpkins. Flowers and odiferous offerings abounded from exotic star gazer and tiger lilies to lemon balm and chocolate mints. I have a decently green thumb when I care to express it, although, I admit, I go overboard when the moment takes me. The most I have ever spent on plants for my garden was $300 in one blow – talk about overkill.

 

I’ve camped A LOT, and I don’t know if I want to do that anymore. From Malibu, Zuma, and Ojai to Gold Beach in Oregon, all up and down California coast and into its interior even in January when it was less than 30 degrees outside I’ve been camping. Poor Honey’s water dish froze in under five minutes during one camping trip. Although I have had enough of camping, I still like house-boating. Best house-boating experience was on Lake Ouachita in Arkansas. It made Lake Mead in Nevada seem like a flatulent camel’s bung hole.

 

I’ve been through terrifying weather conditions and life threatening situations. Forest fires in mountainous Oregon trapped in a creek as the mountain burned above me, blizzards in the very same place. Tornados both in Kentucky and Kansas have gotten me running for shelter, one missing us by less than a mile. The largest earthquake to rock southern California in decades certainly gave my life a twist. Tremendous hail storms in Virginia with stones the size of baseballs that nearly broke my windshield and caused me to seek shelter under a freeway bypass while the storm passed were certainly thrilling. Flashfloods and lightning storms in Arizona were scary! One of the worst storms to hit southern Nevada filled with thunder, lightning, and downpours just so happened to hit while I was in a sinking boat on Lake Mead – yes, that’s a memory I don’t relish. I have skirted death enduring Mother Nature’s wrath quite a few times.

 

I am an accomplished cook. I wouldn’t go so far as saying chef, but I make good food people like. I am a hostess from the word go and have thrown many a successful party for all occasions. I love food. Let me say that again. I LOVE FOOD. I eat good bread (like sour dough and rye) and pasta and mashed potatoes with joy. I indulge in broccoli, spinach, and salads like it was chocolate. I absolutely love cheese – feta, gouda, gorgonzola, cheddar, brie – oh the list goes on and on. I am a carb-o-holic! I have eaten many things that most wouldn’t try – octopus, squid, quails eggs, escargot, pheasant, ostrich, buffalo, bear, elk, deer, eel, all kinds of fish and their roe (yes, caviar). I’ve even catered a few fundraisers, small parties, and a small wedding.

 

I have dated my fair share of men in my life – white, black, Christian, Jewish and otherwise. There has not been a period of more than four months when I have not had a boyfriend, lover, husband, etc since I was fifteen years old. Unbelievable? What can I say – men like me I guess. No matter what size I am, I have always had the pleasure of a man’s company. Have I always enjoyed it?  Now, that’s debatable! I have had three men outright propose to me and received rings from them. I’ve had three other men seriously talk marriage with me, and I seriously considered marrying all of them. I ended up marrying two of them. These were my serious love interests: Jack Leach, Brian Newman, Mike Alber, Dan Taylor, my ex-husband Mike Arrasmith, and my current husband Matt Robbins. All the rest were just ‘boyfriends’ and guys that I dated – not loved – all 29 of them. The greatest age difference was between Dan Taylor, who was 31 at the time, and myself at age 19. Yeah, we talked about marriage and his children called me mommy. I was too young to become insta-mommy at age 19 to a five year old and a nine year old. Something else to note: 4 Brians, 5 Mikes, 2 Adams, 2 Pauls, and how about that Stone! There were other guys I went out on one or two dates with, and quite frankly I can’t remember their last names – so here is a salute to Terry, Chris #1, Chris #2, and Tim.

 

I have certainly held a lot of jobs: baton teacher Westminster Academy, peer tutor LAUSD Marina del Rey Jr. High, Pizza Man, Music Plus, Discount Library, Penguins Books & University Pub (in England), Petries Plus, Magic Mountain (2 separate occasions), JKF Travel Time Telemarketing, The Daily News, caretaker for Sean the Autistic Man, babysitter of two annoying Dutch children, Talent Tree Temporary Services (worked at Zenith Insurance, Pacific Rim Assurance, some Savings & Loan, and some mortgage company, then Lamps Plus Corporate Headquarters and Talent Trees Head Office for the SF Valley), LAUSD as a Music Teacher, Sequoia Personnel (worked at Pacific Lumber, Restoration Hardware Headquarters, some mortgage and reality company, United Indian Health Services), Dell Arte School of Physical Theater,  Blue Lake Rancheria, the United Church of Christ, the City of Eureka, the City of Arcata, Blue Lake Casino, and now Wichita Public Schools. Yes – retail, food service, private corporations, publicly traded companies, the lumber industry, Indian tribal government, public and private school systems, small and medium size cities, a theater company, a newspaper, telemarketing, babysitting (adults with disabilities and young children), data entry, teaching, entertainment industry, loss prevention, gaming industry, religious related work, housekeeping, accounting, grants and transportation management, upper management, human resources and budgeting! I even have a gaming license since I worked in the Tribal Casino. I have done a LOT of different kinds of work. I haven’t worked in the medical industry – well, scratch that – I worked for United Indian Health Services at their clinic – doing accounting, but still in a health clinic setting. So yeah, I have worked in just about every industry, with the exception of Aerospace and prostitution! I have always had a job of some kind dating back to 1984. I’ve been working going on 23 years and I am 35 years old – WOW! I have had as many as four jobs (one full time and three part time in 2002) at the same time – not including teaching private voices lessons to boot.

 

Mom, you wanted me to write you a single page essay about my life during the period of time that I was divorcing Mike and meeting Matt. Why? I am so much more than that troubled ending and happy beginning. Don’t get me wrong – Matt is my world and I love him, but I am a whole person with considerable life experiences without him. He’s the cream in my coffee, the icing on my cake, the whooo hooo in my sex.

 

On this, your 55^th birthday, look back at your life, as I have looked back on mine. I’ve lightly touched upon a few things that help define me, but still this isn’t all that I am. You were right, mom, I could write a book, and my life isn’t a third over yet. You heard me! Just like Aunt Corrine, and just like you, mom, I know that we live into our nineties – we just don’t die young. I’ve got far more years ahead of me than I do behind me. I am finally truly happy and I plan on being so until the day I die. Be glad for me, as I am for you, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll right you another essay when I turn 55.

 

Much love and caring, your daughter,

Alison

Bangla Dhun and other things that make me smile
Mood:  bright
Now Playing: Bangla Dhun by Ravi Shankar
Topic: Birthdays

I am in a fabulous mood, having recovered from a brief bout of food poisoning, I am back at work and preparing for month end; that’s not why I am in such a good mood though.

This birthday was by far the best birthday I’ve ever had. Let me recap all the birthday goodness.

My very good friend, Shurree, flew in from Kentucky on Wednesday (October 22) night and the fun began. When we got home from the airport we picked Matt up at home and it was off to Andy’s Grill & Bar. We had a quick dinner with the very best Long Island Ice Teas in Kansas. Yep, each of us had one of those bad boys! It was a giggle filled night to say the least. When we got home, Matt gave me my remaining birthday presents. This year he bought me:

1.    Sex In The City – all six seasons in that pink suede book

2.    Sex In The City – the movie

3.    Phil Lesh and Friends – triple CD

4.    Scrabble Deluxe version on a turntable

I just absolutely love all four of the presents~! I have already watched all of 1 and 2, listed to number 3 and can’t wait to play number 4 with Kyle this weekend.

The next morning (my birthday!) Shurree and I went looking for the new bakery in Wellington. Well, we couldn’t find it, as it apparently went out of business. We ended up grabbing something at McDonald’s (big mistake). Then we went shopping at the Super Wal-Mart for groceries and things. We bought Icee’s at Subway and went home to kick back and watch Sex In The City. Then we met up with April and Rita at La Mesa in Wichita for a light dinner and a pitcher of margaritas. We had fun and took pictures. I will post them.

Friday, we picked up Christina and I took both Christina and Shurree for massages at Heritage College. Heritage College teaches massage therapy so you are getting massaged by students who have to put in so many hours of massage work before they are licenses. It only costs $25 for 50 minutes and it is as good as any salon around without the pretentiousness. After massages, we met up with Chris and the four of us had a wonderful laugh filled lunch at N & J Bakery in Wichita. Boy did we pig out. We ordered the Vegetarian Appetizer Plate which comes with hummus, baba ghanouj, tabouli, dolmas, falafel, feta cheese and kalamata olives; oh and of course regular pita bread and fried pita chips.

Chris and I decided to split our lunches. She got the lamb gyro and I got the chicken artichoke pita wrap – that way we got half of each wrap. Christina got the beef shawarma which she liked greatly. Shurree also got the lamb gyro. Everything was fabulous. Then came dessert and coffee. We had an amazing vanilla cheesecake and tiramisu – splitting the two desserts between the four of us. They each had Turkish coffee, while I merely dipped my cheesecake into Christina’s coffee pot now and then. Man Turkish coffee is strong stuff. I was afraid we were all going to be zipping around like coke fiends! It reminded me of Trader Joe’s chocolate covered expresso beans. We each took a little box of leftovers home there was so much food! Anyway, I bought $20 worth of baklava for the dinner party Saturday night as well as three tubs of hummas and both regular and fried pita.

After we got home from lunch, we hung out and watched more Sex In The City, and then I started making dinner – a turkey sausage red pepper lasagna. Joey and Kaitlyn came over and we created Kaitlyn’s first D&D character – an elven archer. It took about two hours of updating and recreating characters before we began. We ate a nice salad and had lasagna and before we knew it, it was 2:30 am and we’d been playing D&D 9 hours. Joey and Kaitlyn went home and we all went to bed exhausted.

Saturday, I managed to sleep in until 11:30! That’s truly amazing, although I did go to bed at 2:30 am. Anyway, we bummed around the house watching even MORE Sex In The City and then started to clean up and prepare for Christina, Jared, and Tina to come over for dinner. Kaitlyn and Joey were also supposed to come over but Joey got sick and stayed home. That night I made Cornish game hens stuffed with an herb, onion, celery & cranberry breadcube stuffing, mashed potatoes & gravy, and sautéed squash & peppers. We had roast garlic and sourdough along with all that hummas and pita for appetizers, as well as fresh grapes, frosted pretzels, and candied orange slices. I served the raspberry Belgian Lambic I love so much with dinner. We also did some Vodka tasting. I had the vodka in the freezer so it was very cold and brought it to the table in a bowl of ice. Typically, I would go Martha Stewart and have saved milk containers and put the bottles in water into the freezer with flowers to make everything ‘pretty’, but hey, I didn’t have the time or energy. The taste test was between Stolichnaya, Skye, Grey Goose, and Chopin. The overall group favorite was Skye. Stoli and Grey Goose got the greatest snub, Chopin did a little better because of the general rubbing alcohol smell and aftertaste of those three. Skye was smooth and didn’t leave an aftertaste.

So, we had dinner and did some flaming shots off of our bar. Oh course – Flaming Gorilla Tits! I made Christina, Shurree and Matt my famous Milkshakes (Buttershots, Baileys, Kaluha, French Vanilla Creamer and cardamom over shaved ice) and made Jared a Long Island Ice Tea. Tina decided to just do shots of Cabo Wabo – making Sammy Hager proud and rich!

After our ‘dessert drinks’ we retired to the living room for some Rockband! It was quite funny. Jared started to play the drums, had too much trouble with it and jumped away. Tina ended up playing the drums on like five tunes. Shurree and I shared the microphone back and forth while Matt played bass and guitar until his fingers hurt, then he passed it to me, and I played bass while he took a turn singing two tunes. They went home around midnight as we were all pretty tired and toasted.

Sunday morning Shurree and I watch even MORE Sex In The City until it was time for us to leave for the airport. Matt and I drove her to Mid-Continent and went home to a quiet evening of reading on the bed with each other.

Overall it was a fabulous birthday weekend!

 

Happy Birthday Daddy and a blog to boot
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: Birthday by The Beatles
Topic: Birthdays

It’s been a little while since I have blogged about what’s been going on for the simple reason that a bunch of stuff has been going on lately.

 

After being sick from July 4^th through July 20^th with a throat, sinus, and ear infection, my mother came for a visit July 24^th through July 27^th.

 

Her visit was way too short and it left us both feeling rather blue. I was going to write this blog Sunday night after I dropped her off at the airport but I was just not in the mood. Then, last night I was going to write this blog and was just too tired and needed to vege-out. So, today, during my lunch hour that I am forcing myself to take, I am blogging away.

 

I was happy to see my mom for the first time in three years eight months. We laughed, we cried. I introduced her to my co-worker Dalia, who happens to be my mom’s age, and they hit it off tremendously. So well in fact, that we didn’t just do lunch on Friday as we had planned with Dalia, we hung out with her from 1pm – 9:45pm on Saturday at her house, going out to lunch with margaritas for a good bit in the middle of the visit. My mom loved Dalia to pieces so much that she invited her out for a visit to California. When Dalia completes her PhD, she and I are going to take a trip to Los Angeles to visit my mom. Amazing!

 

Both my mom and Dalia bought necklaces for Bill’s cancer fundraiser and combined with the money from Vikki’s jewelry party we’ll be depositing over $200 this week into bill’s account. I still haven’t booked a party with Joshua’s mother or Robin yet, but I have that on my to-do list for the week.

 

Work is slowing to a predictable breakneck speed; something I am used to and relatively comfortable with, even as we begin the audit season.

 

The children come home from Matt’s parents on Thursday. I still need to do a clothing run for Kyle – icky! School uniforms for one more year. He will be so excited when he finally gets to wear the clothing of his choice when he hits 6^th grade and begins middle school.

 

Matt’s father assures me there are tons of pictures from the trip to Walt Disney World so I will probably begin posting those this week after he emails them or sends them on a disk home with the children.

 

Tomorrow is the Greyfeather campaign in Chris Hood’s world and Sunday is the Ravenloft campaign Joey is running. It feels weird not to be running a campaign. Ronda, Matt and Joey’s campaign is stalled until Ronda is available. Tony, Matt, and the kids’ campaign is on hold until the next weekend we have them with us. The City of Continual Light campaign is on hold until Crystal comes for a visit. CJ, Matt, and Joshua’s campaign is on hold until we get a time worked out when they can play considering Sunday’s are now Ravenloft. I’d like to start a new campaign with a ton of people, but I think that will have to wait until Greyfeather is completed and I have no idea how long that will be at the rate we are moving – months and months I suspect.

 

I started a Facebook page and have reconnected with a bunch of people. It is truly odd finding them, some after 18 years.

 

Today is my father’s birthday! Happy Birthday, Daddy! 59 – WOW~

It's My Grandmother's birthday and my Aunt died this morning
Mood:  down
Topic: Birthdays

My mother just called me to let me know that my great aunt Ardith died this morning at her home in La Costa ( San Diego County ) California . She was 89 years old and would have been celebrating her 90^th birthday on June 10. Aunt Ardith has been suffering from Alzheimer’s of a pretty advanced nature and was nearly non-verbal; the last two years has seen a rapid decline in her mobility and strength. We were all preparing ourselves for this coming eventuality.

My mother is doing her best to handle this, as today is my grandmother’s birthday as well as my grandfather’s memorial service in Arizona . Grandpa Zink died in February and was cremated. They are scattering his ashes today on the Colorado River near my uncle’s outboard motor shop on the river there in Arizona .

With the shocking death of my cousin Barbara happening in August, followed a week later by my cousin Harry’s death, and then my grandfather’s death in February (all of which my mother has not fully come to grips with yet), Aunt Ardith’s death is another blow to her and to the family.

I was very close with my Aunt Ardith. She actually flew to England and visited me while I attended college there in 1990. We spent a great deal of quality time together in London going to museums and seeing plays and musicals. Of all my aunts she was the least judgmental of my choices and the most accepting of the changes in my life. She was spunky and funny, and just a little on the wild side – a definite ‘different’ kind of lady in our family when compared with my aunts Peggy, Corrine or my Grandmother.

I am handling this well, as I know that she is through with her suffering, which believe me she was suffering locked inside a body and a mind that had given up, yet with a heart that just wouldn’t. She’s at peace.

I'm Special, thanks for asking!
Mood:  special
Topic: Birthdays

Well, my birthday was yesterday. I purposefully stayed away from the computer so the temptation to check my work email would not overtake me. I watched a movie from Netflix "What a Girl Wants' on DVD and finished my new RA Salvatore book, "The Orc King". I tried to take a nap, but that didn't happen, the UPS and FedEx guy kept waking me up.

Yesterday we received the two mattresses I ordered for the two new futons and my halloween costume. We bought a small futon for under Michelle's bed that matches the color scheme of her room and will give her a place to sit under her loft bed. The futon folds out to a twin size bed as well, so Kayla will have a place to sleep when she comes with Matt's parents at Christmas.

The other futon is a queen size futon bed that will go in the sitting room. It will serve as the children's couch so they have somewhere to sit while they are playing video games other than the floor. It will also give Deanna a place to sleep when she visits this Christmas as well. I just couldn't put poor Deanna in a bed with Miss Kayla-elbows. How many college seniors would dig sharing a bed with their baby sister high school freshman? I can't think of any.

Matt says it is an excuse for me to buy furniture. I can't argue, but I do like to justify my purchases. I figure, Matt's little sister will be with his parents another four years at least, and each year they come to visit, she'll most likely be with them. So, the queen size bed that Deanna will use this year will come in handy in the future. Not to mention, you can't have enough optional places for people to sleep or sit in my opinion. I just wish Kyle's room was more condusive to a futon under his bed, but he has so much crap everywhere all over his floor - OY - enough to make even the die hard messy person inside me to shake their head.

But futons weren't the only new pieces of furniture I purchased. I got a new DVD stand for the living room since the one we had was full. It's just a second one that looks just like the first. Matt is taking it as a personal quest to fill it with more DVD's. I also bought eight new dining room chairs, which I have to say I got at a steal of a price and for less than half cost with free shipping. They are so much more comfortable than our old chairs and I am sure that everyone will agree with me. Now we finally have eight matching chairs around the table. The old ones are being disbursed around the house for use here and there for minor seating, such as in the pool/game room, hallway, library, and living room.

What am I going to be for halloween? Yes, I haven't mentioned that yet have I? I am going to be Medusa. I am wearing a black dress and a black and white wig. I have a gold colored headdress with snakes, and a snake armband. I also have a bag of little snakes that I am going to sew into my wig. I have green make-up I am going to use on my eyes and lips as well. I also have long eyelashes with silvery prism lashes among the black lashes. I am going to play up the eyes with stage 'doe eyed' make-up. I am not sure if I will wear snake fang teeth or if I am going to go buy a large rubber snake (like 5 feet long) to carry around with me. Matt bought me an Aes Sedai ring for my birthday so I will be wearing a golden serpent ring as well, which I doubt anyone will truly understand.

So Birthday present wise - Matt bought me a DVD of Mozart's Magic Flute with Diana Damaru as the Queen of the Night from Covent Garden. I was very pleased with that. And of course, he bought me an Aes Sedai ring. My grandma sent me $100 as did my Dad. My Aunt Mary Ann sent me $25 and so did Matt's dad via a gift certificate to Barns and Nobel. He told me to buy that Dune movie I wanted.

I've been feeling ill for the last few days on top of being extremely tired. Showing Shurree all over Wichita, playing Tour Guide Barbie, and the hostess with the most-ess has just worn me out. I'm glad she came for the visit and learned about the job opportunities in Wichita. I don't know how she feels yet, I'll just have to wait and see.

I'm so incredibly tired, I wish I could go home and sleep. Yawn!

It's My Birthday!
Mood:  special
Topic: Birthdays
So, it's my birthday. Yeah me!

I didn't have birthdays when I was little. I had my first birthday that I don't remember, and my fifth and sixth birthdays which I remember a little. My father then totally converted to being a Jehovah's Witness and that was the end of my birthdays.

My friends Chrissy and Mia had a party on my 15th birthday, although it really wasn't for me.

I have never really had a birthday party as an adult in my honor. My ex-husband never did anything for my birthdays. Nothing really special. Occasionally he'd bring home Chinese food, but nothing really romantic or special. No flowers. No candy. Nothing really. Occasionally I got a card I am sure he just picked up somewhere without much thought. It never had anything but Happy Birthday in it, no personalization or notes. That wasn't his style.

Matt's much better by far. He not only spends money on me, he spends THOUGHTS on me. Actually giving a shit and doing something that I would really appreciate.

I took the day off work and did nothing. I watched some of the first season of the Sopranos we have rented on DVD. I played a little on the computer. I have lounged around not cleaning up after Friday night's promotion party for Matt, I've done NOTHING. AND, I could care less if the house gets cleaned.

Matt's been wonderful as usual. These last few days have been extra special. He's a gift...a big unwrapped birthday gift all year long and that more than makes up for all of the stupid, terrible birthday's I have had my whole life until he entered it.