Picking a book shouldn’t be this hard

Finally read Redshirts (John Scalzi), and I don’t know what took me so long.  It was hilarious.  I read it in about 18 hours, starting Sunday night – it was helpful to have Monday off work, and also helpful to have it on my Kindle app, so I could read it while charging away on the not-exactly-an-elliptical-machine at the gym for an hour.  I couldn’t put it down (and didn’t have to).  Just as well I wasn’t at work.

Now I face the always difficult task of picking my next book.  Will it be as good?  Should I pick something along the same lines or completely different?  I finished A Discovery of Witches Sunday (which I thoroughly enjoyed).  That’s different (as was going to Redshirts right after it).  Should I start the sequel?  Move on to something else entirely?  I don’t know.

No, I do know.  I have a few books already downloaded to my tablet that I haven’t read it, and I’m going to choose one of them.  Just because.

Now, having made that decision, I’m going to watch some TV.

I would make a really bad criminal

I’m an idiot.  My only consolation is that I’m not alone. Thursday, I had lunch with my friend and coworker, Chastity (previously seen here).  We had a lovely lunch, and the service was really really good.  Our server was great, very attentive, and the manager came by to check on us at least once.  I think they read the same Washington Post article I read this week (about restaurant service).  Anyway, we got back to the office, and as I sat back down at my desk, I was thinking how good the service was, and maybe I should call the restaurant and let them know, and our server certainly deserved a big tip, and huh – I don’t remember leaving a tip.  Surely I left a tip?  Did I pay the bill?  Shit, do I have my credit card?  Scramble for my wallet – no, I do not have my credit card.  Mad dash to Chastity’s desk.  “Chastity, do you have your credit card?”  “Oh my god, no.  Let’s go.”

Yeah, we got the bill, handed over our credit cards, chatted for a few minutes, put on our coats, and headed back to the office.  Idiots.

We sped back to the restaurant (maybe a half-mile away) and headed to the host station.  “Welcome back!”  We hung our heads, paid our bill (I tipped well), and left sheepishly.  It could have been worse – they had our credit cards, so at least they would have gotten paid.  They knew we didn’t dine and dash.  Still, we both felt REALLY stupid.  Feel really stupid.

Boycott

We’re going to boycott Halloween this year.  (This’ll be the first year little kids will come to our door and not get all excited about the “Doggies!”)  Shouldn’t be hard, considering we haven’t decorated or bought any candy.  Rather than sit in a dark house (which would be kinda spooky, actually) and pretend we’re not home, we’re going to the movies so as to actually not be home (leaving a dark house to creep out the neighbors).

I’m in avoidance mode.

 

Everything gets in the way

Things have been busy.  And stressful.  And sometimes, even when I have time to myself in the evenings, I’m so worn out from EVERYTHING THAT’S EVER HAPPENED EVER that I can’t do anything but sit on the couch and watch Scrubs.  Sometimes I can stretch my brain far enough for Mad Men, but that doesn’t happen as often as it should.  So I haven’t been here.  And I’ve been trying not to feel guilty about it.  I feel guilty about other things – no, not guilty (not about everything, but definitely about some things).  Responsible.  And that’s tiring.  Weighs me down.  So I let this go.  Not writing doesn’t hurt anybody.  I let other things go, like book club.  We were reading good books (most of the time), but fitting in the time to go to the meetings turned into another responsibility, another obligation.  I have other obligations, ones that are more important to me, so I let that one go.  I’m tired of ignoring my friends (hi, friends!).  What other things can I let go of?  Selling the house ought to open up some time (no more open houses every single weekend), but then moving will take over with all the packing that entails.  But then we move.  Will free time appear the way we hope it will?  Emily’s wedding will be past us soon – that should free up some weekends.

So am I back?  I’ll try.  But it might be at the expense of other things.  I don’t like having to choose.

Wanna feel better?  Visit the Bloggess’s Pinterest page.  Some highlights:

 

 

 

 

And…you’re welcome.

 

Not quite ready

You know when there are things you want to talk about but you’re just not ready to?  They’re not necessarily bad things, but maybe there’s been too much discussion already, and even though you want to tell someone, you’re also tired of talking and thinking about it?  I feel kind of like that about the house, the (non-existent) job search, and Riley.  There aren’t really any updates about the house and the (non-existent) job search, but I still feel like they’re both talked out.  Still uppermost in my mind, but talked into the ground.  And Riley – maybe tomorrow.  Today, I’m really tired.  Early bedtime tonight.

Cataloging my symptoms, just for you

Why read my book when I could be watching Supernatural?  This is how I know I’m sick.  I’m not knocking Supernatural, but when I can’t summon the willpower to focus on a book when I have a whole day ahead of me, there must be something wrong.  And there is, in the sinus congestion, inflated head, throbbing headache behind one eye kind of way.  I took medicine, of course, so add weird loopy dryness to the list.  I can breathe freely through my nose, but my head is still congested.  And I’m having slight difficulty swallowing.  But I feel fine from the shoulders down.  Except for some mild aching….  This print is really tiny.  I’m going back to the couch and my TV.

Badly needed break

So….we’ve been a bit stressed lately.  After the holiday stuff and the family stuff this weekend, we crashed on our couch and stayed there until Sunday night.  Saturday afternoon and evening, we watched Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.  How have we never seen these movies?  They’re so much fun!  How can I wait until The World’s End is out on DVD?  Brian (who is in town for his semi-annual Coast Guard rotation thing) came over Sunday, and we watched six Doctor Who episodes in a row.  It was fantastic.  For those keeping track, we started with the Christmas episode between seasons 6 and 7 (I cried), and then we watched the first five episodes of Season 7.  Today, I came home sick from work (not feeling all that great this morning), and I’ve been watching Supernatural by myself (four episodes so far).  Maybe not the best use of my time, but hey – don’t judge me.

Outbreak

On my way out of the office, I sneezed as I stepped off the elevator.  My eyes watered, and my nose tickled because I was suppressing a second sneeze, and I could swear people were looking at me like I was Patient Zero.  Dudes, it’s allergy season!  Besides, I didn’t sneeze ON you.  I didn’t even sneeze AT you.  Maybe I should have.  Next time.  Watch out, starers.  I’m coming for you.

Slowly, with lots of wheezing and sniffling.

Like a zombie.

And just as terrifying.

Not again

I think I might be getting sick.  I can’t tell yet if it’s just seasonal allergies, but since John just got over the flu, I’m a little nervous.  My head is a little (not a lot) congested, my throat is sore enough to hurt when I swallow, the lymph nodes right under my jawline are swollen, and I think I had a fever for a little bit during the night – I woke up freezing and shivering and went scrambling for socks and warmer clothes and more blankets.  Everything but the fever could mean allergies – that stuff happens to me every spring.  And fall.  And at random times throughout the rest of the year.  I was planning on running today, but I think I’m not going to.  We have a 5K with Jess in less than a week, but I gave up any hope of a good race a few weeks ago.  Running today wouldn’t help that much, and a day of real rest might.  So I’m going to do nothing.  Almost nothing.  I might go to the library with John.  Maybe.

It’s a mystery

Going to bed early didn’t work.  I had crazy dreams and I woke up too many times.  So what’s different?  I haven’t been overeating, I haven’t been drinking caffeine much (and what I’ve had was all gone no later than mid-morning), I haven’t been exercising at night…  I haven’t done anything out of the ordinary the last couple of days. The only thing I can think is that sleeping sitting up (because I’ve been so congested) is just not working for me anymore.

Boring boring boring boring.

I’m putting off stuff I don’t want to do, but it’s not leading to interesting stuff here…

Boring.

Hmph.  I might be boring right now, but my book isn’t.

Can’t do it

Hey, guys, I tried.  I only have one thing on my mind today, and I will most likely write about it tomorrow.  I stared and stared at this little blank window, but I came up empty.  Also, I’m tired and also also, I’m getting up early tomorrow, so I officially give up.  Good night!

Blah blah, complain complain, shut up already

Riley is going insane, I’m freezing to death, and I think I just heard “Gangnam Style” coming out of John’s office.  The world is ending TONIGHT.  Hug your loved ones and duck and cover.  (Isn’t that what the Mayans said to do?)

Riley has been one uncontrollable bundle of annoying energy today.  If he could focus that energy on keeping me warm, I could handle it, but instead he’s been bouncing off the walls while I sit at my computer and shiver.  The thermostat says it’s 67 degrees in here.  I don’t see how it could be. I’m so COLD.

[Pause while I wrap myself in a blanket.  It’s times like these when I wish I had a snuggie.  Kind of.]

Just got distracted by Bookshelf Pr0n and Better Book Titles.  And my fingers are too cold for typing.  So…sure, I’ll publish this disjointed and not very entertaining blog post.  Don’t judge me!

Get off my lawn!

I think I’m getting old.  My back hurts (lower back – it’s felt achy and a little twinge-y since my last Muscle Blast class two Mondays ago).  My left arm was tingling off and on for almost a week (it’s stopped now) because I think I pinched a nerve doing a handstand in yoga class (a week ago Wednesday).  I make grunting noises when I lunge to get over the dog gate at the bottom of the stairs, and worst of all, I was SO over Halloween after about the tenth group of kids.  I lose patience for that quicker every year.  All we were doing was handing out candy to the kids who came by.  I can’t imagine how the parents of 8 or 9-year-olds must feel, trailing their kids down block after block.  I mean, when they’re 3 or 4 or 5, they’re totally adorable, they need your help, and they get tired fast (very important, that).  Beyond that age, can they even get tired out?  It’s exhausting just thinking about it.

I missed the very beginning of the evening because I had to take Roxy to the vet.  Once again, her paw was bothering her and she licked it so much she made it worse.  Yay for obsessive dogs.

Here’s my sweetpea last night at the vet:

And here she is today, completely miserable in her Cone of Shame. The sock just wasn’t working this time.

Giving up for the night

Why do I always think this will work?  When I don’t have any great (or middling or even bad) ideas for the blog, I think I’ll be inspired by something on the internet.  An hour later, I’ve got nothing.  But at least I lost that hour.  A precious hour when I could have been reading.

Sorry, guys.  This is pathetic.

 

I’m sorry

Kind of?  I mean, I’m definitely sorry, but not so much that I’m posting more than this tonight.  Because I’m tired.  And it’s late, or getting there.

Is it better to have a post that doesn’t say anything (and shouldn’t really count) or just to not update the blog until I have something to say?  I have stuff, actually, but not the time to devote to it.  Let’s try again tomorrow.

If you can’t say something interesting, you should just shut up. Too bad I can’t take my own advice.

I have nothing to say tonight.  Is that okay?  When this happens, I should probably stay off the blog, but I don’t have that kind of control.

Instead of babbling, I’ll leave you with a couple of videos.  The first is about little green army men with British accents.  I can’t embed it (well, I probably could but it would take too much effort right now), so you’ll just have to trust me and click on the link. It’s funny.

The second video is the first episode of Written By a Kid, a web series created by the Geek and Sundry people.  These guys find a little kid and ask him/her to tell them a story.  Then they animate it and show it over the voice of the kid telling the story.  Super cute.

Now I can’t decide if I want to watch more Geek and Sundry videos or read my book. What is wrong with me?

Why yes, I would like some cheese

No memory problems today.  That I’m aware of.  Just a growing sense of annoyance that I have to work.  Don’t throw things – I know I’m whining.  Today wasn’t even a bad day.  My meetings went fine, I got some stuff done, and I did it all from the dining room table.  I spent the first part of the morning in my workout clothes (with my post-workout sweaty smell), and then I showered and spent the rest of the day in my clean yoga clothes (because it’s Wednesday).  Why bother putting regular clothes on when the next time I leave the house it’ll be to go to the gym for yoga?

Can I be a little bit annoyed at how dark it is at 8pm already?  When did that happen?  Now I need to get a headlight or something for my bike.  I was invisible on my way home from yoga a few minutes ago.  Heh.  Yoga makes me invisible.  Cool.  Until I get hit by a car.  Not cool.