I Lied

Really, I did. Well, maybe not. I did have the best of intentions of updating the blog the other day, but it didn't happen. So, it's happening now.

Here's the short and long (apologies for the list):

1) I've got a mouse. Or not. We've caught two. Evidence below.


2) I joined Facebook. Yes, it's that time waster of all time wasters. I'm not completely involved in people's lives who I wasn't really involved in for a while, most of which was A-OK by me.

3) I'm still trying to figure out the fine balance of what fits the Liz brand versus what does not on Facebook. My instincts are not nearly as fine tuned as they are with blogging yet.

4) Tournament planning has officially started again, and despite the very late request to help, I'm happy to. Luckily, it'll be a very easy year.

5) I got a car. A 2006 Infiniti G35 Coupe. Red, of course. And fast. Very fast. It's fun.

6) A week or so after getting said Infiniti, I find out that they're coming out with a G35 Convertible THIS YEAR. Figures.

7) The boy's good, but would appreciate another investor for his film. Interested? Lemme know.

8) Peter Shankman is pretty, well, wide open. Saw him at the PRSA banquet a few weeks back, and that's really the only way to describe him.

9) Very, very, very glad that I've got a job. Know of more people looking for them and unemployed right now than I'd like to. Let's hope the economy turns sooner as opposed to later.

10) Quite happy that we've got a new pres and that I got to watch the inaugration at the office. Quite unhappy that NONE of the GOP could see fit to support the economic stimulus package. Humph.

11) I also tweet now, as in Twitter. It's microblogging. I get 140 characters to tell you what I'm doing (which, to be honest, may not be all that interesting). However, I'm still learning and trying to put out decently interesting content. Let me know what you think. See the feed to the left to see what I've tweet-ed recently.

12) Went to go help a good friend from undergrad watch the moving guys pack and ship her stuff recently in Greenville, SC. I certainly think that downtown has quite a bit going for it and those downtowns trying to do the same thing had better sit up and take notice.

13) Had a good new year's, especially because I actually got a decent new year's kiss out of it. Out late, with a bunch o' friends and friends o' friends. Just a few chocolate cake shots. And green monsters. And other such wonderful libations poured by the best barkeep in the world.

14) Buffett's already announced for the summer! Woot!

Ok, that's it. It's enough, isn't it? Surely, it is. More later. Like tomorrow or Saturday later. (Because the rules for Liz time go into effect in T-30 and counting . . .)

Thoughts

1) Happy New Year!

2) I got a new car. It's red. Fast. Shiny. For a really decent price. And I've gotten my phone to work through the stereo system. (Anyone in the market for a 9-year-old CRV with 210K miles???)

3) Though I LOVE the holidays, this year they took a lot of energy out of me. Probably didn't help that I was sick. I'm glad they're over. And I'm ready to be done with the christmas novels I'm still reading for book club that I'm hosting later this month.

4) I miss both of my sisters. (Yes, I just saw Christy.)

5) I want to go ice skating. And roller skating. And learn how to surf. Think I might do one of the first two this weekend with the man.

It's Day Two . . .

And I finally have my idea for this year's Nano: a youth minister and his experiences with the children in his church. Interesting enough that I'll write this from a background I don't have (that of being male), but that I'm also considering writing it in a protestant church. Of course, I don't necessarily have experience as a youth minister, but I could be one, if I wanted, so I'm not so concerned about that.

Regardless, I may not be doing much writing at all this week: I sit for my computer-based APR exam this Friday and I've been severely lax in my studying. I've even avoided my books all weekend because it was just more fun to drive (I have the Miata, you see) than it would have been to study.

So, here are my goals for the week:
1) I don't have to work late.
2) My clients are their normal, non-demanding selves.
3) My car really doesn't need a new clutch and I don't have to go find a convertible to buy this week.
4) I can make up my Nano count this weekend at Jeffi's wedding. (It should only be about 12K by Sunday . . .)
5) Any other calamity which would seriously upset any hope at studying I've got.

And, I've already voted, so that won't be an issue. (Glad I did, too: 3.5 hours on Saturday. Wow.)

Men's Rules for What Not to Do on Match

Match is fun. It really is. If nothing else, as I've mentioned before, it's great for the ego. But I've come to discover a lot of things guys shouldn't do. Now, should any guy on Match (or some other half-way reputable dating site) find this, I feel it my duty to share the below rules for what not to do on Match.

1. Do not say, "I know you," unless you really do. Then, if you really do, stop being a freak and actually talk to the gal in real life. If you don't, you're just proving how completely ignorant you are and how highly you think of us women.
   
2. If you're much, much older than my preferred age range--like old-enough-to-be-my-father older--that's not cool. That's not cute. That's creepy. And desperate. And so completely transparent.
3. If you write an email, at least make an effort! You're trying to impress someone on the other side, and dear heavens, if it's me, you lose major points for writing "u" instead of "you" or thinking "a lot" is one word instead of two or for proving that your high school was incorrect in recommending you for graduation because of your severe lack of basic understanding of third-grade English grammar.
4. Don't say something like, "I thought I'd try this." It's like admitting defeat and that all the other women you've ever met and dated (or tried to date) didn't have anything good to say about you. To anyone. Ever. Please, for all of us, grow a pair and don't think that your life sucks because you're on an on-line dating site. You're not admitting defeat; you're pursuing an additional opportunity.
   
5. The profile is there for a reason. Please, fill it out. If we wanted to know nothing about you, we would stare at you from across a crowded coffee shop and do absolutely nothing. Instead, we clicked. If we're interested enough to look at your entire profile, give us at least something to learn about when we get there.
6. Do not give backhanded compliments like: "I love how you don't waste the space above you're shoulders." (Yep, that's a genuine comment off of Match, grammatical errors and all.)
7. Do not send a bold-faced booty call message like this: "Let me be honest . . . I'm not looking for a relationship but . . . I'm a very fun guy and you won't be disappointed." That's repulsive. If you want that, try some other site like Adult Friend Finder. Or Craigslist.
   
8. Balance the ego with modesty. Yes, you should tell us about the good stuff, but don't puff your chest too much. If you do, it means you have no room to care about anyone else in your life.
9. Post a photo. Or 12. A head shot's great, but it's amazing what you don't see in a head shot that you wish you'd known about. Attraction online doesn't always start with a photo, but it's still a big part of it.
10. Get someone who knows you well to see whether you actually match what your profile says. This game doesn't get any easier online; in some respects, it gets harder. Wouldn't it be better if you didn't waste your time and money with someone who thought you were something else entirely, by eliminating that chance at the beginning?

iTunes is the Greatest

But now, their great little invention is about to cost me a bunch of money, I can tell.

When you update iTunes to version 8, you're offered the opportunity to download Genius, which will automatically create playlists that play well together for you from your library. Grand.

That's not it, though. Those people at iTunes are smart and have Genius suggest songs which would go well with any song you're playing. For example, I played Enya's "How Can I Keep From Singing" (arguably my favorite hymn ever), and it suggested these fabulous additions.

• Lullaby (with Ladysmith Black Mambazo); Josh Groban
• The Andrew Lloyd Weber Collection, Sarah Brightman
• Edge of the Ocean; Ivy
• May it Be; Hayley Westenra & Conventus Choir
• J'ai Deux Amours; Madeline Peyroux
• Arms of a Woman; Amos Lee

So, perhaps I really just need to set aside some decent pocket change so I can have all the wonderful songs iTunes is suggesting now. *Sigh.*

Six? Only Six? Geez.

Recently, Melody tagged me for this meme: list six unspectacular quirks. Makes me realize that my unspectacular quirks may not be quirks that I want to share with everyone, but then, they're unspectacular, so perhaps they're not that bad.

Here goes:
1) Even though I have summer robes, I don't grab for them first in the summer. I'm almost always cold - and I'm currently sitting in my fluffy winter robe. (Besides, it's so cozy, it's yummy.)

2) There are times when I cannot be bothered to put clothes away. At all. Like now. You should see the pile of clothes that needs to be put up that's on my bed right now. Luckily, I've got a guest bed, so I still get somewhere comfy to sleep, un-impeded by the mounds of laundry. (Hey, it's a good reminder that I've got more than enough clothes and it does sometimes keep me from shopping frivolously!)

3) I walk around outside barefoot a lot: in the yard; on the sidewalk; in the garden; on the back hill; on the porch; on the deck; down the street. It doesn't matter whether it's raining or not, but I definitely won't be out walking barefoot when it's snowing.

4) My collection of unread books might be more numerous than my collection of read books, but I'm convinced I'll read them all someday! If only I could not visit Border's or Ed McKay's or . . .

5) People who have at least a high school education should be able to correctly construct a sentence. Anyone who can't automatically loses, oh, 50 IQ points in my book (because then it's a choice and why would you choose to not correctly construct a sentence?).

6) I've got 20+ pieces of Texas Toast in my freezer. :)

Is it Really September Already?!

Ok, ok. Yes, it is September. I might be able to handle that.

I was going to write that life was starting to slow down (being done with tourney and almost done with the crisis situation at the office), but then I realize this is what's happening so far in September:
- Baby shower on the 6th
- My APR panel on September 9
- My baby sister's and my father's birthday on the 11th
- The big crisis conference that I'm planning, with four others
- Bridal shower on the 13th (Gotta RSVP and hit Sur La Table)
- Bookmarks on the 13th
- My birthday on the 14th (and some sort of planning for some sort of event)
- Winston book club on the 17th (The Red Leather Diary, Lily Koppel)
- Greensboro book club on the 21st (Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen)
- Hopefully, the end of the crisis situation I've been working on since March

OH! And Alli comes to town for a visit. Well, a stay. Five weeks of it (yeah!).

Busy September. But how's that any different from the rest of my life? ;)

Imagery and Sybolism

Imagery and symbolism is on my mind these days, as I have to admit that I'm considering another tattoo. I've thought for years about getting another, but had to answer two questions before that could happen: "Where?" and "What?"

I've recently been able to answer the last of those two questions, with the help of an artist on Etsy, and the second one will involve quite a few symbols. Aside from being thrilled that I'd finally found the 'base' of my second (because I feel it represents a lot about who I am now), I decided to look into the symbolism of those images in both my current and my future tattoo.

I did and here's what I've found out (courtesy of VanishingTattoo.com):

Star: As a light shining in the darkness, the star is often considered a symbol of truth, of the spirit and of hope. The symbol of the star embodies the concept of the divine spark within each of us. Their nocturnal nature leads stars to represent the struggle against the forces of darkness and the unknown.

Turtle: The spirit of the turtle is one of protection, healing and inner knowledge. The Turtle is considered by some Indigenous North Americans to be one of their the oldest, most sacred symbols. They believed that North America was created on the back of a turtle. Turtle is also courageous because it makes progress only when it sticks its neck out, and moves forward with patient, steady flow in order to achieve the desired results.

Mermaid: Mermaids are a symbol of subtle feminine power and mystery. The long flowing hair of the Mermaid (symbolizing an abundant love potential) can also be seen in the representations of the Goddesses Aphrodite and Venus. Mermaid symbolism includes: beauty, elusiveness, mystery, allure, privacy, persuasiveness, sensuality, and love. The song of the Sirens (also mermaids) call men to abandon themselves, to transform, to die to self and emerge into a new form with new knowledge and understanding.

Heart: The heart is the eternal symbol of love, romance, and the very life force within all of humankind. Getting to the "heart of the matter" suggests that the heart rules the source of truth and love.

Crown: The crown has long been used as a symbol of royal power and authority. The crown is a visible badge of office, granting the wearer the absolute right to rule. That authority to rule was often held to be divinely inspired. As a symbol, the crown also symbolizes leadership, and the rightful authority which comes from being elected by a group to serve as their leader. It symbolizes an individual's sovereignty over their own life, feelings, thoughts, and actions. The crown symbolizes self-control, and is a reminder to use power and authority wisely and justly.

After finding that information, it's pretty obvious to me why I decided on that design. If you know me at all, I'm pretty sure you'd agree.

My Top Wines . . .

And wines you probably ought to try, as well. I found these at the Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar Top 100 tasting last year. I just found my notes on them, and here are the best (or at least the best, as I considered them, sometime late in 2007).

• Ronchi Di Manzano, Merlot Colli Orientali del Friuli, Italy, 2004
• Clos Mimi, Syrah; Paso Robles Petite Rousse, 2004
• Beaucanon Estate, Cabernet Franc; Napa Valley, 2002
• Schramsberg, Mirabelle Brut; North Coast, NV
• Greg Norman, Cabernet Merlot; Limestone Coast, Australia, 2004
• Raylen, Category 5; Yadkin Valley, 2005
• Zilliken, Riesling Mosel-Saar-Ruwer; Butterfly, Germany, 2005
• Frei Brothers, Chardonnay; Sonoma County, 2005
• Estancia, Pinot Noir; Santa Lucia Highlands, Stonewall Vineyard, 2004
• L'ecole #41, Semillon; Columbia Valley, 2005
• Qupe, Syrah; Central Coast, 2005
• Spellbound, Petit Sirah; California, 2005

A votre sante!

Weird Stuff You Didn't Know You Wanted to Know About Me

You had no idea you wanted to know, did you?

1. What is your occupation right now? Account Executive
2. What color are your socks right now? What socks?
3. What are you listening to right now? The hum of the chiller pad underneath the laptop and Gypsy playing with her string toys.
4. What was the last thing that you ate? Roast chicken and mixed vegetables
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Yep.
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Dad
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes
8. How old are you today? Younger than I've felt in months.
9. What happened to number 9? It went to go visit Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street and got mistaken for a cookie.
10. What is your favorite drink? It's a toss-up: Italian flip martini, oreo milkshake or a half-caf vanilla latte.
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yep, just not necessarily a color that would make you think it was dyed.
12. Favorite food? You mean right this second? Hmmm. Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Therapy. Later, it might be something else.
13. What is the last movie you watched? The Return of Zorro
14. Favorite holiday? Christmas
15. How do you vent anger? I cuss. Like a sailor. Loudly. Or frown and stalk off.
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? We had toys? Really? Seriously, I don't know the answer to this one.
17. What is your favorite season? SUMMER!
18. Cherries or Blueberries? Cherries
19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? Nope. I want them to reply to the tag I put on their blog and respond to the meme.
20. Who is the most likely to respond? Alli
21. Who is least likely to respond? Perhaps this question should be least likely to be the first to respond . . .
22. Living arrangements? A fab little craftsman with the world's best deck with a hot tub in a historic neighborhood that's not stuffy at all.
23. When was the last time you cried? When I woke up crying during the wee hours last Monday morning
25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? Jess ;)
26. What did you do last night? Cook jambalya and watch too much television. (For a girl who basically canceled her cable, that's quite a feat.)
27. What inspires you? Art; beauty; challenge; faith; friends; profundity.
28. What are you most afraid of? Snakes. The drain at the bottom of the pool, especially if it's painted black. (If you remember that I spent 5 years as a lifeguard at the city pools and that I LOVE to swim, this is pretty ironic.)
29. Plain cheese or spicy hamburgers? What?
30. Favorite dog breed? Siberian Husky or Greyhound or Border Collie.
31. Favorite day of the week? Friday (even though I normally work late on Fridays)
32. How many states have you lived in? 2
33. Last book you read? My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult

The Menagerie

Lo and behold: in my work email today, the Revolution Health enewsletter, which proclaims, "It's About Time for Yourself." Would have been more apropos before Saturday (and, in truth, I got it Thursday of last week, but didn't have a chance to look at it), but nonetheless, there are some good points included in this article. Try this one on for size:

When you leave yourself off the priority list, you actually cheat those you love out of the "whole" you. Instead, you bring to relationships "a diminished version of yourself," says psychologist Debra Moore, Ph.D., of Sacramento, CA.

And this one:

But if you take just 15 minutes each day to relax, your body will thank you in many ways, says McKee. You'll lower your blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen consumption.

Read more here.
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As was pointed out to me today, The Harbour (this blog that you're reading right this very second) is 3 years old today. Wanna know how it all began? Start here. Happy reading.

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Been thinking a lot about grief recently, for good reason, as those of you who have to deal with my rants about the unbelievable events that happen in my life are aware. (Bless you.) Thus, I've been doing a bit o' reading, as I'm wont to do, and I find this:

It is not healthy to avoid grief or to deny a major loss for a long period of time. Avoidance of grief may lead to serious physical or emotional problems later in life.

To which, I think, "Yikes. I'd better get cracking." I'd add more here (there's so much more I have to say on this subject), but it goes against The Rules for Blogging.

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Simply: Frozen Thin Mints rock. And I love that the rain smells so sweet right now. Just wish I had a front porch swing so that I could go drink my wine outside, opposed to inside by a window.

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Reynolda Gardens this past Saturday:

Stress Manifestiations in My Life

It's been a crazy week. Need evidence?

1) I'm driving the CR-V like it's an Indy 500 car.
2) I'm really, really upset that my CD player works when it wants to and doesn't when I want it to.
3) The CDs that I've gotten to play have been turned up really, really loud.
4) I'm considering buying some Eminem. And My Chemical Romance.
5) I slept four hours last night and had two cups of real coffee this morning. I slept about as much the evening before.
6) 25 appointments. 5 days. Enough said.
7) I have an intense and bizarre need to run, oh, say 10 miles, hard.
8) Things done pre-Belize:

• Mowed
• Laundry
• Found the passport
• Put the right docs in the safe box
• Tell the credit cards not to accept US purchases for a while, since I won't be here
  

9) Things still to be done pre-Belize:

• Dishes
• Vacuum
• PACK!
• Photocopy the passport
• Talk to my dear sis about my power of attorney
• Trash out
• Oh, finish work. Real work, that I get paid for. Lots of it.

10) I want everything on the list that motivates me. And right now, I can have very, very little of it. Luckily (?), challenge is one of those. Godiva, lots of good wine, etc., etc., etc. - just not happening today.

11) I'm believing that I need a hero right now. (Shrek 2 is what's in the CD player right now . . .) You know, this kind of hero?

I need a hero
I'm holding out for at hero 'till the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight

I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero 'till the morning light
He’s gotta be sure
And it’s gotta be soon
And he’s gotta be larger than life
Larger than life

I don't. I can do it. Really. Maybe.

Well, at least I'm gonna try.

Rx for Screw-Up Fairy Visits

1) Martinis with girlfriends. Straight up, gin, with three olives. Notice the plural; it's important.
2) Drunken shrimp and mashed potatoes (the best comfort food ever -- the potatoes, I mean).
3) A pint of Chocolate Therapy, hand-packed, courtesy of Ben & Jerry's.
3) 30 or so minutes in the hot tub.
4) 30 or so minutes cussing at TimeWarner trying to figure out why your cable doesn't work. (Someday, you may find here a diatribe about the city's curse/blessing of choosing one cable provider for everyone. Sorry little SOBs. Guess you can figure how that post is going to read, huh?)
5) Some duck time - or the much better alternative, if you're so lucky.

(That might work this time. And it might not. I've already got 1, 2, and 4, done. We'll see if 3 and 5 finish the problem.)


*&^% !$@, screw-up fairy. Go away. I don't want you near me anymore, at all, ever.

Done, Done, Done

I feel like I actually accomplished something today. Here's why:
- Taxes: Done. My returns may be back before I go to Belize. :)
- First tourney email: Done, albeit later than I'd wanted to send it.
- Bathroom faucet: Done - enough - for now. The water runs again, but I've got to figure out the handle placement, yet.
- That Garrison Keillor book that just never ended: Done. For more, click on the Goodreads widget on the left.
- Rx for antimalarials, so I won't get malaria in Belize: Done.
- The 400 mile overdue oil change: Done.

Aujourd'hui: c'est tout. Et c'est assez.

Taking applications . . .

Yes, I'm officially taking applications for anyone who wants to completely pamper me for not a damn thing in return, because it appears the only day that I will leave work before 7 p.m. this week is tomorrow - and it's because I'm going to get my hair done. And I'll probably go in sometime this weekend because I'm leaving before 7 p.m. tomorrow. (Just can't afford the no-show fee at the salon without the actual do, you see.) *Sigh.*

On the list:
- Chocolate covered strawberries (Godiva, preferably)
- A pedicure and a manicure at Deja Vu and then a visit to the fine people at Kneaded Energy (and since this is a real wish list, in a limo, so I can nap on the way home, instead of pay attention).
- Dinner and wine; in, not out. I've got no energy for out right now. And, no, I'm not the one cooking. I'll be the one sitting on the couch, sipping wine, snacking on bruschetta, watching some chick flick.
- Stargazer lilies.
- A cleaning service, to vacuum the house and mop the kitchen.
- A Friendly Center gift certificate, so I can spend the money I want to spend (but am not) on shiny stuff later.

C'est tout. Applications are due in 5 minutes.

Collge Basketball Fan Rules

1) The ACC is, without question, the best basketball conference there is.

2) Although the Big Ten is decent, the quantity of high quality basketball teams over time pales in comparison to the number of high quality basketball teams in the ACC. And the Big Ten has been playing basketball for 99 years. The ACC's been playing basketball since 1953. Simply put, our basketball programs are better and have done more in less time.

3) Ergo, all members of the human race can root for any ACC basketball team they select, as well as their own non-ACC basketball team. (This is only allowable to keep the television audiences interested through the entirety of the March Madness. Not having this rule would severely limit the size of television audiences when March came around, as many non-ACC teams are ousted from tourney play - if they're even included - in the first round.)

4) Furthermore, if the chosen ACC basketball team is anyone other than Duke, when Duke plays any other team in existence, the individual may root for the opposing team under the "ABD rule: Anybody But Duke." This rule extends outside of the ACC after the playoffs begin, unless Duke is in the final game with any other non-ACC opponent. At that point, the individual (painful though it may be), may root for Duke. (Although Duke is the black sheep of the family, they are still family. Ugh.)

(I discovered this sitting in my email drafts folder. It was part of an unfinished response I'd been writing at some point about claiming Chapel Hill as the Southern Part of Heaven, which I'd been told I couldn't do, since I don't pull for UNC Football. It's appropriate now, so I thought I'd share it. I'm almost positive that I'll add to this list, so feel free to let me know what you think is missing.)

My "well"

Today, my dear friend, Jess, sends me this blog post: 'Filling The Well'. It's good enough that it made (makes?) me cry.

And so, tonight I'm filling my well (Please, get your mind out of the gutter for just half a second. I know, I know, the gutter is a great place to be, but my well will not be filled with anything other than a bit o' duck time, in that sense.)

So, here's my plan for my perfect evening:
- Cajun pizza from CPK (find it at the Teeter)
- Most of the bottle of 2006 Les Jamelles Pinot Noir (from Whole Foods)
- Blogging - with the requisite "cat-in-the-lap"
- Journaling in the brand new journal I picked up earlier this week at Border's
- Gloating over the fact that I'm still winning the NCAA March Madness office pool - and hoping that doesn't change drastically after the first (or second or third or fourth - or even the final) round ends. I could use the money, you see. And yeah, I might watch some basketball. Or I might not. It doesn't really matter.
- Prepping my desk for the frenzy of buying Buffet tickets in the morning
- Hitting the hot tub and watching the moon, but bemoaning the lack of stars because of the overwhelming amount of moonlight.
- Reading The Little Prince as I fall asleep

Pink Snow?

No, not exactly, but pink it is. And it's the kind of pink that will bring me some green. My house (well, my attic) now is full of insulation, to where you can consider it R-49 and then some (because of the really, really thin and poorly distributed cellulose insulation underneath it).

It didn't take too, too long - we had most of it finished in about four hours - and dad so graciously agreed to finish the rest of it after that. So it's done.

In my quest to make my house more energy efficient, my next step will be to install a flue in the chimney, to insulate under the floors, to insulate the walls, insulate the hot water pipes and replace the rest of the windows that haven't been replaced yet (7 down, 12 left). The easiest stuff is slowly coming off of the list. The rest of the list may wait until I've got the HELOC for it, though!

Happiness is . . .

Really cheap, real-life garden porn. Yes, now I've got quite a few still healthy and

viable pansies to plant tomorrow.

The decorated giant chocolate chip Valentine's cookies that Mom & I made yesterday evening. Yes, it's silly. Yes, they're decorated badly (hey, we'd had more than a few glasses of wine by that point). Yes, the email she sent earlier in the week about planning an evening to make the cookies made me cry, because we haven't done this since I was, oh, maybe 6 years old and I LOVED IT. It was the one thing about Valentine's that made me question my intense hate for the "holiday."

Don't get me wrong. Valentine's can be beyond fabulous, I'm sure. But it's never been beyond fabulous for me. (Let me caveat that by saying that I had a wonderful Girls Night Out this past Valentine's and it takes the cake, so far, no contest.)

My hate for Valentine's probably has something to do with realizing I was one of, oh, maybe two kids in class of 25, that only got two or three stupid valentines from the other kids in the class. And this happened year after year. And it was worse when teachers made it mandatory that you bring valentines for EVERYONE and announced it to the class, because that's oh-so-good for your self-esteem: getting a bag of valentines from people who didn't want to give them to you in the first place.

And I'll spare you my thoughts about middle school and high school. Just take the above feeling and apply to adolescence. Yeah.

7 Things

SarahSouth, a local blogger who writes wonderful things about her new nephew, life in med school, wine and finding new ways to intimidate Martha Stewart with her own wonderful crafty ideas, tagged me recently. (For those of you who don't know what a tag is, look . . . um, nevermind. I can't find a good site that describes a tag - yet. It's evidently a abbreviation of "memetag" which has come from memetic studies. ) You can read Sarah's tag post here.

So, here are my 7 quirky/odd/completely-me things:
1) When I'm writing or working on the novels, I have to have a cup of decaf Twinings Earl Grey with honey and lemon juice added. The thoughts don't flow correctly otherwise.
2) I like routine, more than I'll admit sometimes. (See evidence in #1.)
3) When I was younger, I'd people-watch. Except I'd call it, "Watching the chaos." Because it always seemed much like chaos to me at the time.
4) When I finished grad school, my mind was so used to being alert and active until all hours of the night that it took me at least six months to get back to a decent sleeping schedule. I read and blogged a lot during those days.
5) I swim when I really need to think about something.
6) I crave sunshine.
7) I can smell snow in the air before it falls (which is kinda unusual for a southern gal).