Skilled in indecision

I am uber indecisive.

Like to problematic levels at times.

I just googled "steps to being more decisive"

And found this:

***********

FOUR SIMPLE STEPS TO BECOMING MORE DECISIVE.

BY ANDREW R. JUHL

- - - -
1. Eeny

2. Meeny

3. Miney

4. Mo

****************

Funny yes, helpful no.

I don't particularly want to get into what the indecision is about, it's nothing really earth shattering at all and the decision shouldn't be so tough.

But grrrrr, it is.

A sure sign of summertime...

While most people are focused on Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial start to summer there's something else that signaled summer has returned in my world - the return of my mother's monochromatic wardrobe!

Her winter wardrobe is filled with variety (and several requisite teacher sweaters) but her summer wardrobe is all one color. Or rather, each day is all a new color.

We're at the beach this weekend and the color of the day is blue. Turquoise sandals, teal capris and a sky blue t shirt, paired with blue jewelry and a Vera Bradley purse with, you guessed it, blue as the primary color. I predict purple for tomorrow and pink for Monday. And yes, each day will include matching shoes and I'd say 75% of the time a purse in that color as well.

I tease her about it incessantly, reminding her that her clothes don't have to be in the same color family to match and that in some cases being in the same color family certainly doesn't mean they match (green is the worst for this!) but really, it's a losing battle.

She's happy with her choices and I'm just happy to say summer is back!

I heart the internet

Again, the internet makes me a happy girl.

A few days ago I got the following email via my Goodreads account:


Hi Stacy, 


I saw you gave a great review to Laurie Frankel's previous book, "The Atlas of Love," here on Goodreads. We're publishing her new novel, "Goodbye for Now," in August. It's already getting amazing reviews, but the most important ones will come from dedicated fans like you.


I'd like to offer you a free galley copy of the book. Please send your mailing address to {nicepublisherman@nicepublisherman.com} if you’d like to read it.


Thanks!
{Nice Publisherman}
{Nice Publishing Company}

So let me get this straight... 

they are offering me a free book, by an author whose debut novel I LOVED and I'll get it as a galley (i.e. proof copy that is not yet published) that is not yet publicly available??

Pinch me, I must be dreaming. 

Yay internet, for making a sucky week just a little bit brighter.  

Music Monday

Tonight I was watching MSNBC and saw some footage of when the president of the NAACP announce that their organization was supporting gay marriage. He teared up during the announcement, talking about how his own parents' marriage was illegal in their home state when they got married and how they had to travel out of state for their wedding.

On some issues even when I don't agree with the opposing perspective I can understand where the other side is coming from. But this isn't one of them.

When the divorce rate is so high and so many of the loudest opponents have been married multiple times how can they in good faith say that a same sex couple getting married devalues theirs? I just don't get it. At all.

So, on this Music Monday I'm being a bit political and sharing Ari Herstand's Do Ask, Do Tell. I had the chance to see Ari a few times last year and he is a super energetic performer and all around entertaining guy.

Enjoy the song and its message.

Laughter and Pearls

On Friday night I went to a reading and book signing for Jen Lancaster.

I heart her.

In case you aren't familiar, she was one of the first (I think) bloggers to turn her internet rantings into a book deal and about 9 years and 7 books later she's still quite a hit. Six of those books are memoirs, with subtitles like "Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smart-Ass, or Why You Should Never Carry a Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office" and "One Narcissist's Quest to Discover If Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, or Why Pie Is Not the Answer." The seventh book is a novel, where the main character buys a horrible fixer upper of a house primarily because it is Jake Ryan's house. Hilarious.

This was the third time I've seen her at the downtown B&N and it was by far the best. I think because she got there 10 minutes early, came up to the mic and said "We aren't officially starting but I'm here, so let's chat. Anyone have any questions?"

Because she's so active on FB and twitter this room full of people was able to jump right in, almost mid-conversation like you would when you are catching up with an old friend. People were asking about her pets, her husband, their latest house projects, and more. She had tweeted earlier in the day a complaint about DC cabs and I asked her to elaborate. I expected the complaint to be that they don't take credit cards but it was more about how the cars are shady ("Cabs are supposed to be yellow, not like riding in the back of your grandfather's car from the 80s") and the weird rules of Virginia cabs picking up fares in the District and that cab fare rates require cabbies to drive around with a bucket of change. It all sounds remarkably boring as I type this, but it was laugh out loud funny in the room.

And laugh out loud funny is exactly what I needed to end this week.

I loved the laughter, I loved how the signing wasn't run like an assembly line on overdrive. Jen took time to pose for photos with everyone who wanted one and spent a couple minutes chatting with each person as they came up to get their book signed. As someone whose love affair with pearls began at age 4 she complimented me on the ones I happened to be wearing and we discussed whether or not women in DC wore pearls. She thanked me for coming out and I thanked her for coming back to DC. I left smiling.

I also left pleased with my strategic parking, at a meter halfway between the B&N and my favorite Chinatown restaurant. I called in a take out order, walked over to get it and headed home to eat yummy food and continue the laughter with Jeneration X: One Reluctant Adult's Attempt to Unarrest Her Arrested Development, or Why It's Never Too Late for Her Dumb Ass to Learn Why Fruit Loops Are Not for Dinner. 

Happy Weekend to me! And to you too.

Technology Blackout and a Broken Head

Last night I had the worst headache I've had in AGES.

I've had migraines with varying degrees of regularity since I was 9 years old, but have been largely bad headache free for quite a while. I still get frequent headaches, particularly of the stress induced variety these days, but they are generally pretty tolerable.

This one was not. It started in the afternoon at work and I came home and crawled into bed, willing it to get dark soon and willing my headache to give enough so I could get some sleep. But sleep wasn't happening so I tried the distraction method and attempted to Skype with Wiggles.

Which is when I realized my internet connection was not cooperating. It tends to be pretty spotty, and Comcast comes out and changes out one little thing and says it's all better and it is. For a little while, and then starts acting like a jerk again. So I need to call and deal with it but... ugh.

Usually a quick reset on the modem works for awhile but last night, it really wasn't having. I was getting maybe a minute of connectivity followed by 5-10 minutes of nothing. So I gave up, gave sleep another shot and it worked. I slept for about an hour and a half and woke up headache free.

I also woke up to realized I had had no activity on my blackberry in oh, 4 hours. Now, I'm not little miss popularity by any means, but there is no way that a four hour stretch goes by without an airline reminding me about their latest deal or Marriott trying yet again to convince me I couldn't possibly live another day without their rewards credit card so I knew something was up. In a rare moment of connectivity I confirmed my gmail box was indeed getting filled with junk so oh joy, I could add the crackberry to the technology blackout.

Oh course, this was the moment when I suddenly and completely out of the blue was overcome with the need to research BlogHer and think about going this year. Seriously, no clue where that came from, but I used my random, occasional, completely sporadic internet connection to try and do some research and figure it out. I'm still not sure. I think I'd like it, but it also seems like a lot of money for such a casual blogger like I am. So, I'm considering that a maybe.

The headache returned last night, making me give up the struggles and get back to sleep and the spotty spotty internet has returned now, meaning I better wrap up and post this now before it's no longer an option!

Stay tuned for more tomorrow, including my laughter filled Friday night fun!

My Unlucky Day

When I was 9 years old my mom and I were driving home from my friend's house and as we turned into our driveway we got rear-ended. The car spun around, ending up facing the other direction on top of a giant rock at the foot of the driveway. Neither of us were really injured, but I did hit my head and my neck hurt so I had my first trip in an ambulance and first time in the emergency room. Once I got home I remember spending the night in my parents room and being woken up every few hours to make sure I didn't have a concussion.

The date was May 14.

Two years later, when I was in sixth grade I sprained my ankle at the end of my school day, on the walk to the bus. I still got on the bus and didn't move my leg for the 40 minute bus ride, making for an incredibly painful first step off the bus and a very slow 1/4 mile walk home. By the time my mom got home from work my doctor's office was closed and this was pre-urgent care centers so, it was off to the emergency room we went. When they were doing my intake they asked if I had ever been there before and I said yes, two years ago on May 14.   Then I realized the date. It was May 14. Let's just say I was sufficiently freaked out by the coincidence.

That was the last time I've had anything bad happen on May 14, and unfortunately I've had a handful of other hospital visits - both ER and inpatient stays at this point, trips with dates that aren't ingrained in my memory.

But after all of this time I still think of May 14 as my unlucky day. I'm never incredibly apprehensive or superstitious about it but in the back of my mind I always wonder if this will be the year May 14 is unlucky again.

Luckily, I made it through this year unscathed and have 364 days until I have to worry about pesky May 14 again.

Music Monday

When the incessant previews ran throughout the fall for Smash I wasn't impressed. I'm a fan of Broadway for sure but I wasn't sure how it would translate to tv.

But then I watched the first episode and... I was hooked!

Tonight's the season finale and I've had this song, the main theme song for Bombshell, stuck in my head today so now I'll share it with you.

My date with a 3 3/4 year old

Friday was the big day - Bug and I went to see the Imagination Movers!

The Imagination Movers Rock-o-Matic Show! And honestly, it really did  rock! :)

And it was great.

I think her favorite part of the day was seeing the Movers in person. My favorite part was our conversations.

Her eyes never left the stage!

Case in point:

On the drive to Baltimore,
Bug: How did the Imagination Movers get out of the TV show to come here?

As we got to our seats she noticed a little boy wearing light up glasses,
Bug: They forgot to give me my costume!

When Rich, her favorite Mover, came up into the balcony near our seats,
Bug: (pointing to the stage below) he belongs down there


At dinner, when she was trying to take the lid off her fruit punch,
Me: You need to keep that lid on and drink from the straw because that fruit punch is mighty red and your dress is pretty blue and we don't want them to mix.
Bug: Ok
(A few minutes go by as she's eating and drinking then she looks up and asks)
Bug: Aunt Stacy, what does mighty mean?

And her best line of the day:

"That place was full of happy cheerful people"

 It really was a great show and I have to say the Movers did a really good job of trying to keep  it entertaining for the adults, throwing in songs from Blink 182, Coldplay, U2 and some oldies like Twist and Shout. They also worked in A LOT of Baltimore references, my favorites being the drummer's reference to himself as the Cal Ripken of children's music and their closing at the end "Thanks for coming, hon!"

I know I have to keep my natural tendency to spoil the munchkins in my life in check, but seriously, that afternoon was well worth every dollar I spent!

A very happy kiddo at the end of our date! 

What's the Big Idea?

Remember waaaayyyy back in January when I wrote about being the best aunt ever? Well, the exciting day is almost upon us - tomorrow afternoon Bug and I will be enjoying the Imagination Movers.

We just told Bug a few weeks ago about going to the show and she's quite excited. She's started calling them "The Mag" and can't wait to go see them.

I think one of us will enjoy it a bit more than the other.

I've been doing my homework. I figured out logistics like where to park and some kid friendly restaurants near the theater where we can get dinner. And more importantly - I learned the names of the four Imagination Movers: Scott, Dave, Rich and Smitty and, I can tell them apart! Impressed, aren't you?

I also learned about the sidekick, Nina. She always wears red and pink. Apparently Bug would like us to dress like Nina tomorrow, but I don't really own red or pink so I suggested she do that without me.

I really hope it all goes well - that the show lives up to her expectations and that I can successfully pull of my first Aunt Stacy & Bug date in about two years!

Music Monday

The latest song I can't seem to get enough of is another country tune.

It's funny - I feel like I hear it every time I turn on the radio (which is a good thing, because, ya know, I can't get enough of it) but my mom who is also a country fan, heard it for the first time this weekend while watching a countdown show at the hotel. Then we heard it on the radio three times the next day. :-)

Anyway, without further delay you can join me in starting my week with a little "Springsteen"

Seriously, Mom?!?

I just wrapped up my second back to back weekend road trip with my mother. This time was to JMU for my little cousin's graduation. Yes, she's almost 22, but she's the baby of the family and a child I started babysitting for when she was an infant so she'll always be the little one in my eyes.

Anyway, the real news of the past 24 hours is not the graduate but the highly entertaining conversations I had with my mother.

I'll preface this by saying that my mom is the kindest person I know. She's so generous, she's sees the good in everyone, will talk to anyone and is just generally a great person. However, she doesn't also exhibit the most common sense.

Exhibit A:

Last night at dinner, I was feeling indecisive (as usual):

Me: "I'm not going to be ready to order until I have to tell her [the waitress] what I want"
Mom: "Oh, so you know what you want"

Exhibit B:

Background: My mom has 2 sisters

Me: "I'm playing words with friends with your sister"
Mom: she names one of them
Me: "No"
Mom: "Well then who?"
Me: Um, the other one.

Exhibit C:

As a child my mom shared her bedroom with her Aunt, who according to family legend always slept holding her purse in the bed with her. Apparently my mom picked up on that particular behavior as she started last night with her purse in the hotel bed with her. I guess it got a little annoying so she moved it to the floor, right next to the bed, where she could lean over and grab it. When I asked why that was necessary she responded with "Well, where's your purse?" I pointed to the table, across the room. She said "oh." I guess she was surprised the compulsion to have it by your side didn't continue on to my generation.

Should I take the compulsion to have the purse
 nearby as a sign she doesn't trust me?

Exhibit D: 

This one I didn't experience first hand, but got a phone call from my dad about once she got home. See, mom is always worried about getting lost. Always. She doesn't often actually get lost, especially not on the very easy drive up and down 95 between my house and hers, but still, she's super paranoid that she's going to do something wrong. 

So tonight she gets home and tells my dad she thought she went the wrong way on 95 when she first got on the highway. Not because of a road sign or a missed turn, no. Apparently she thought she must have gone the wrong way because "there were so many cars driving in the other direction."

After lots and lots of laughter I hung up the phone with my dad, not before suggesting he keep my mom close to home tomorrow as I think she's had enough excitement for one weekend. 

First World Problem

I got a really really bad haircut tonight.

I keep telling myself it's only hair. It grows back. It's not a big deal. I'm sure others will think it looks good, even though I don't.

But... UGH.

It took me ages to find someone around here to cut my hair. For the first year and half that I lived here I'd just schedule haircuts with my old stylist when I was back in town visiting friends. I never made a trip just for a haircut, but always managed to work them in when needed. Probably about a year and a half ago I finally made the switch to someone local. Part of my hesitation was the whole trust issue. When you find a person who does what you want with your hair you stick with her! The other issue was cost. My old stylist worked in a snazzy salon, but also had a full set up in her house and by going there I only paid $20 for cuts. When I'm just getting a trim 90% of the time I hate the idea of paying $40 or more like you have to do around here.

So things were going well with the new stylist. I don't go super often, probably once every 4 months, so this was probably the 6th time I had been to her. Every other time it's been FINE. Last time she pushed to give me bangs, I said no and she respected it.

This time I asked for a trim. And then even showed her how much I wanted taken off. My hair was just resting on my shoulders and I wanted maybe an inch off, so it was clear of my shoulders and you could see beneath it. She asked about going shorter and stacking it a bit in the back, like hers. I said no, I was good with the style I had and just wanted a trim.

Then I took my glasses off and turned myself over to what I thought were trustworthy hands.

Now, I'm pretty darn blind without my glasses. So I could vaguely see what was going on and thought it I looked a little on the short side but not too bad. I didn't say anything because well, once it's cut, it's cut.

I realized just how short it was when the blow out started. She was curling it under and I realized just how little there was on the brush. Just how soon she was reaching the end of my hair. She didn't quite cut bangs, but cut the front just barely long enough to tuck behind my ears. Basically, I can tuck but it won't stay put. And overall length, well, it's above chin length for sure. I seriously think I was born with more hair than I have now.

I didn't say anything, because I'm non confrontational to the max, but I'm not going back. And I'm NOT happy.

And I know tomorrow I'll go to work and I'll get compliments on how it looks. And I'll have to be polite and say thank you. Even though it doesn't matter if others think it looks good when I absolutely hate it and don't feel like myself at all.

Seriously, trying to remind myself how 'first world' this problem is and I do know that.

But I'm still bummed. Really, really bummed.

Thanks, Twitter!

Today was a day of great twitter finds...

First, the cast of West Wing reunited for a PSA to promote walking. I heart them, and, as one of my friends said after watching it, "I'll do anything CJ and President Bartlett tell me to do!"

Then there was the open letter from the Consumer Product Safety Commission to "Dr. Addison Montgomery" of Private Practice. Apparently on last week's episode of the show Addison had a baby and brought him home from the hospital and put him in a very unsafe crib - filled with blankets, pillows and a padded bumper. Seriously? She plays an obstetrician for goodness sake. I know it's just a show, just entertainment, but a lot of people get their information from tv and will see a "doctor" doing something and think it's ok. I LOVE that the CPSC reacted the way they did and I really hope that the post gets some publicity and attention.

And then there were funny tweets that just made me laugh, like this one:

"@delrayser: OH at Obama/Karzai meeting: "Wait, Clooney's not here with you? But I got an email!""


Or absolute ridiculousness, like this: 


Sen. Scott Brown's 23 year-old daughter is on his insurance, thanks to Pres.Obama! A plan, Brown wants to repeal!#GOPocrisy

I know there are lots of people out there who still don't "get" twitter, but I have to say, I absolutely heart it and find SO much great stuff there every single day.