Another night of strange images floating through my mind as I slept. These weren't brought on by the ingestion of the pink and white Benadryl evil as in this previous post, nor were they quite as plentiful, but they were still oh so odd. Again, I have to write these down so I remember them. I have lost some of it already, but I'll put down what I remember.
The first thing I can remember is being in the house I grew up in and walking into our upstairs bathroom, when all of the sudden I hear a voice right next to my ear, loudly whispering things like, "Get the hell out of here," and other pleasantries like that. I look quickly look around, there's nobody there, but I already knew that because I knew the house was haunted. I just wanted it to stop and I started screaming at the top of my lungs. I'm talking horror movie "oh my god, he's coming at me with an axe" scream. And I kept screaming and screaming until someone came up and literally dragged me out of the room. I'm amazed that I wasn't screaming out loud for my hubby to hear.
Then somehow I ended up going to a party with my family, even though I was still shaken up about the whole voice by my head thing. This party was being thrown by my friend and his wife, but apparently they were either late getting everything ready or all of their guests showed up early, because they were still cleaning the house. They weren't even ready themselves yet - not quite dressed all the way (yet still dressed enough - nothing R-rated here). The oddest part of it all was that my friend was wearing a heart monitor. This wasn't any old heart monitor though - this had big black electrodes on it that were strapped together by thick black elastic bands. To top it off, the lovely big black electrodes weren't just placed on the torso where you would normally find them, they were also stuck on his neck and his face, creating some sort of steampunk or Borg gear. It was lovely!
The party went on, full of people I didn't know, and crap...it's starting to escape me now... Oh, I remember walking in on some chick using the bathroom. Then boom, I think all of the sudden we were in a city, and then the party disappeared. I was alone on a street corner in my dream's version of Chicago, completely lost, waiting for a parade to pass by and desperately trying to get to my family. Annnndddd....UGH! Now the rest of it is gone.
If there was a full moon, I could understand the oddness of them. If I had had a lot to drink or took medicine before bed, I would have understood it, but there was none of that. I think I'm starting to lose my mind...and I'm going to let you read about all the fun things that happen on the way.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
please tell me i'm not the only one
This morning was one of those that starts out where everything is running smoothly, but then as time goes on and I start finding myself staring blankly out the windows, I start running further and further behind and end up leaving for work 10 minutes late. I'm pretty sure I remembered to feed all the animals, including the kid, deodorant is applied, jewelry accessorized, lunch made and in my bag. Yup...everything is ducky!
The day progresses, then I go in to use the restroom around lunchtime and find that I put my underwear on inside-out this morning. I say, "Oh, God," audibly in the bathroom - who knows what people thought was going on in there - and smack myself upside the head. At this point, it's too late to put them on right-side out and I just have to deal with being a moron. (Is there some sort of five-second rule for clean underwear?)
It's a good thing I'm not having an office fling, stripping my clothes off during a break only to have the person laugh at me and my idiotic dressing habits. I can just have my blog readers laugh at me instead.
The day progresses, then I go in to use the restroom around lunchtime and find that I put my underwear on inside-out this morning. I say, "Oh, God," audibly in the bathroom - who knows what people thought was going on in there - and smack myself upside the head. At this point, it's too late to put them on right-side out and I just have to deal with being a moron. (Is there some sort of five-second rule for clean underwear?)
It's a good thing I'm not having an office fling, stripping my clothes off during a break only to have the person laugh at me and my idiotic dressing habits. I can just have my blog readers laugh at me instead.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
rummage sale weekend
Yes, the rummage sale...I've forgotten the joys of sitting outside in the heat for hours upon hours, waiting for someone to come along and buy what you've decided you don't need or want anymore. Okay, yes, that's sarcasm. For weeks before, you open up every closet, every cupboard, every drawer, and dig way to the back, pulling out all of the things that haven't been touched in 5 years but are still there just because "you never know..." After you have selected the items that are no longer worthy of your possession, you dust them off, wash away the grime and make them look presentable again. Hmm...maybe I should keep this one. No, no...we never use it.
Now it's time to put a value on the items. How much would you be willing to give these things up for, or conversely how much do you think someone would be willing to shell out for this piece of crap? Keep in mind haggling - it's rare that someone will actually want to pay the full amount. "Fifteen dollars for this pan? I'll give you ten." "How about thirteen?" "Deal." Then there are the collectors items that are worth far more than what you're asking for, but still nobody will want to pay the posted price because the people collecting them want to pay as little as possible when they'd turn around and sell it for the same price that we're asking for or even higher. No matter what number you stick on the item, you're always doubting yourself - it's either too high or too low, never just right. Well, except for that box of items for twenty-five cents.
At this point, you make a choice as to how you're going to display your items. Some people put everything neatly on tables, some people put things on the ground in boxes, others kind of throw things around and leave them where they land. Do you group them by type of item: toys here, electronics there, housewares in the corner, or do you mix them all together so people have to look at everything? In the garage or out in the sun? Oh so many decisions just to get rid of this crap. Wait, no - it's not crap, it's still perfectly good, you just don't want it anymore. You know, maybe it's not such a good idea to get rid of this quite yet...eh, if it doesn't sell, I'll keep it.
The day finally arrives and the swarms of people that you were hoping for never quite materialize. A slow trickle of people come and go. Some drive by...very...sloooooowly, others get out, leave the car running, take a quick look around and get right back in the car. Oh, I'm sorry, is my crap not good enough for you? There are the large families whose children descend on the toys like starving hyenas upon the corpse of a tiny jackrabbit, the people who look at one or two things forever, and the people who go back and forth 3 or 4 times. Finally something sells and you have hope that maybe, just maybe, most of your items will be sold and you'll be left with a mountain of cash. Then you sit alone for another half-hour and conclude that you're not going to sell another item and you'll have to figure out how to haul everything to Goodwill.
For two or three days you endure this roller coaster ride of hope and hopelessness and on that final day, you decide you just want everything to go. You want to buy the glass bowl that someone paid $25 for in the store for a dollar? That's fine, just get it out of my face. When it ends, still quite a bit remains, and this is either taken out to the trash or put in the trunk to go to the resale shop. You count the money that you've made, wondering if it was worth the work and time put into it, but then remember that it's money you wouldn't have had otherwise and figure out how to spend it on other things that you'll end up putting out in a rummage sale another 5 years down the road.
Now it's time to put a value on the items. How much would you be willing to give these things up for, or conversely how much do you think someone would be willing to shell out for this piece of crap? Keep in mind haggling - it's rare that someone will actually want to pay the full amount. "Fifteen dollars for this pan? I'll give you ten." "How about thirteen?" "Deal." Then there are the collectors items that are worth far more than what you're asking for, but still nobody will want to pay the posted price because the people collecting them want to pay as little as possible when they'd turn around and sell it for the same price that we're asking for or even higher. No matter what number you stick on the item, you're always doubting yourself - it's either too high or too low, never just right. Well, except for that box of items for twenty-five cents.
At this point, you make a choice as to how you're going to display your items. Some people put everything neatly on tables, some people put things on the ground in boxes, others kind of throw things around and leave them where they land. Do you group them by type of item: toys here, electronics there, housewares in the corner, or do you mix them all together so people have to look at everything? In the garage or out in the sun? Oh so many decisions just to get rid of this crap. Wait, no - it's not crap, it's still perfectly good, you just don't want it anymore. You know, maybe it's not such a good idea to get rid of this quite yet...eh, if it doesn't sell, I'll keep it.
The day finally arrives and the swarms of people that you were hoping for never quite materialize. A slow trickle of people come and go. Some drive by...very...sloooooowly, others get out, leave the car running, take a quick look around and get right back in the car. Oh, I'm sorry, is my crap not good enough for you? There are the large families whose children descend on the toys like starving hyenas upon the corpse of a tiny jackrabbit, the people who look at one or two things forever, and the people who go back and forth 3 or 4 times. Finally something sells and you have hope that maybe, just maybe, most of your items will be sold and you'll be left with a mountain of cash. Then you sit alone for another half-hour and conclude that you're not going to sell another item and you'll have to figure out how to haul everything to Goodwill.
For two or three days you endure this roller coaster ride of hope and hopelessness and on that final day, you decide you just want everything to go. You want to buy the glass bowl that someone paid $25 for in the store for a dollar? That's fine, just get it out of my face. When it ends, still quite a bit remains, and this is either taken out to the trash or put in the trunk to go to the resale shop. You count the money that you've made, wondering if it was worth the work and time put into it, but then remember that it's money you wouldn't have had otherwise and figure out how to spend it on other things that you'll end up putting out in a rummage sale another 5 years down the road.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
it would be great if i was a wrestler
I was soooo happy to reach that 20-pound weight loss mark. That was over a month ago. I haven't dropped a pound since then - haven't gained any either. I'm still eating right, still going on my walk/jog thingies almost every day and I'm getting nowhere.
Sure, it would be fine if I was trying to maintain this weight for some reason, but I've hit a wall, stalled out, have ceased to shed poundage and it's frustrating! Do I have to do something drastic to get it going again? Will I naturally restart at some point when my body just decides that losing 15 more pounds would be good for it. Do I need to try to woo my metabolism with promises of antioxidants and green tea? Come on, body - work with me here!
Sure, it would be fine if I was trying to maintain this weight for some reason, but I've hit a wall, stalled out, have ceased to shed poundage and it's frustrating! Do I have to do something drastic to get it going again? Will I naturally restart at some point when my body just decides that losing 15 more pounds would be good for it. Do I need to try to woo my metabolism with promises of antioxidants and green tea? Come on, body - work with me here!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
july's educational post
This month, I'm going to educate you about the personality traits of those born under the sign of Aquarius. Being a water-bearer myself, I find that people sometimes have a hard time understanding me, but I'm hoping to help those of you who deal with me and my kind on a regular basis.
Aquarius will express their energies and drives in a calm, detached and civilized manner. This sign is inclined to emotional distancing, and it may be hard for vulnerable feelings to be demonstrated or even acknowledged. Softer planets, such as Venus and the Moon, may express their needs in an impersonal way which is strikingly devoid of sentimentality. It is often those closest to the Aquarian individual who experience the sign's detachment, while more distant acquaintances and colleagues receive the full force of the Waterbearer's kindness, equanimity and concern. Aquarius is capable of immense loyalty and dedication, both to loved ones and to those larger causes so dear to the Aquarian heart. Yet those in whom the sign is emphasized may find their commitment underestimated, because they do not readily give voice to what they feel, only to what they think and believe. Complex and often misunderstood, Aquarius may rebel against traditional values - not from personal grievance but because a greater truth claims allegiance. Although often perceived as intensely individual, individualism for its own sake does not appeal to Aquarius' sober rationality. The Strongly Aquarian nature may find it hard to fight for personal concerns and needs. Yet faced with a collective in need of help or encouragement, this sign can draw on enormous resources of tenacity, courage and genuine altruism.
Aquarians basically possess strong and attractive personalities. They fall into two principle types: one shy, sensitive, gentle and patient; the other exuberant, lively and exhibitionist, sometimes hiding the considerable depths of their character under a cloak of frivolity. Both types are strong willed and forceful in their different ways and have strong convictions, though as they seek truth above all things, they are usually honest enough to change their opinions, however firmly held, if evidence comes to light which persuades them that they have been mistaken. They have a breadth of vision that brings diverse factors into a whole, and can see both sides of an argument without shilly-shallying as to which side to take. Consequently they are unprejudiced and tolerant of other points of view. This is because they can see the validity of the argument, even if they do not accept it themselves. They obey the Quaker exhortation to "Be open to truth, from whatever source it comes," and are prepared to learn from everyone.
Both types are humane, frank, serious minded, genial, refined, sometimes ethereal, and idealistic, though this last quality is tempered with a sensible practicality. They are quick, active and persevering without being self-assertive, and express themselves with reason, moderation and sometimes, a dry humor. They are nearly always intelligent, concise, clear and logical. Many are strongly imaginative and psychically intuitive. When some cause or work of this nature inspires them, they are capable of such devotion to it that they may drive themselves to the point of exhaustion and even risk injuring their health.
Both types need to retire from the world at times and to become temporary loners. They appreciate opportunities for meditation or, if they are religious, of retreats. Even in company they are fiercely independent, refusing to follow the crowd. They dislike interference by others, however helpfully intended, and will accept it only on their own terms. Normally they have good taste in drama, music and art, and are also gifted in the arts, especially drama.
In spite of the often intensely magnetic, forthcoming and open personality of the more extrovert kind of Aquarian, and of their desire to help humanity, neither type makes friends easily. They sometimes appear to condescend to others and take too little trouble to cultivate the acquaintance of people who do not particularly appeal to them.
They do not give themselves easily - perhaps their judgment of human nature is too good for that - and are sometimes accounted cold. But once they decide that someone is worthy of their friendship or love, they can exert an almost hypnotic and irresistible mental attraction on them and will themselves become tenacious friends or lovers, ready to sacrifice everything for their partners and be faithful to them for life. However, they are sometimes disappointed emotionally because their own high personal ideals cause them to demand more of others than is reasonable. And if they are deceived their anger is terrible. If disillusioned, they do not forgive.
Aquarians have a feeling of unity with nature and a desire for knowledge and truth that makes them admirable scientists, especially astronomers and natural historians. They may excel in photography, radiography, electronics - anything connected with the electrical and radio industries - aviation and everything technical. On the arts and humanities side their progressive tendencies can be expressed in writing, especially poetry, and broadcasting, or as welfare workers and teachers. Some have gifts as entertainers and make good character actors (having an ability to mimic) and musicians. The more psychic among them possess healing gifts, especially in curing the mentally sick.
Aquarius Likes : fame and recognition, personal privacy, rainbows, dreams, magic, change for its own sake, eccentricity, surprises, and living within their means despite the many temptations which constantly surround them every waking moment.
Aquarius Dislikes : emotion and intimacy, people who show off, being taken for granted, being pinned down, violence and fighting, and senseless or purposeless extravagance of any sort.
*Sources - various web pages and books. There are too many to name, but I doubt you really care. ;)
Aquarius will express their energies and drives in a calm, detached and civilized manner. This sign is inclined to emotional distancing, and it may be hard for vulnerable feelings to be demonstrated or even acknowledged. Softer planets, such as Venus and the Moon, may express their needs in an impersonal way which is strikingly devoid of sentimentality. It is often those closest to the Aquarian individual who experience the sign's detachment, while more distant acquaintances and colleagues receive the full force of the Waterbearer's kindness, equanimity and concern. Aquarius is capable of immense loyalty and dedication, both to loved ones and to those larger causes so dear to the Aquarian heart. Yet those in whom the sign is emphasized may find their commitment underestimated, because they do not readily give voice to what they feel, only to what they think and believe. Complex and often misunderstood, Aquarius may rebel against traditional values - not from personal grievance but because a greater truth claims allegiance. Although often perceived as intensely individual, individualism for its own sake does not appeal to Aquarius' sober rationality. The Strongly Aquarian nature may find it hard to fight for personal concerns and needs. Yet faced with a collective in need of help or encouragement, this sign can draw on enormous resources of tenacity, courage and genuine altruism.
Aquarians basically possess strong and attractive personalities. They fall into two principle types: one shy, sensitive, gentle and patient; the other exuberant, lively and exhibitionist, sometimes hiding the considerable depths of their character under a cloak of frivolity. Both types are strong willed and forceful in their different ways and have strong convictions, though as they seek truth above all things, they are usually honest enough to change their opinions, however firmly held, if evidence comes to light which persuades them that they have been mistaken. They have a breadth of vision that brings diverse factors into a whole, and can see both sides of an argument without shilly-shallying as to which side to take. Consequently they are unprejudiced and tolerant of other points of view. This is because they can see the validity of the argument, even if they do not accept it themselves. They obey the Quaker exhortation to "Be open to truth, from whatever source it comes," and are prepared to learn from everyone.
Both types are humane, frank, serious minded, genial, refined, sometimes ethereal, and idealistic, though this last quality is tempered with a sensible practicality. They are quick, active and persevering without being self-assertive, and express themselves with reason, moderation and sometimes, a dry humor. They are nearly always intelligent, concise, clear and logical. Many are strongly imaginative and psychically intuitive. When some cause or work of this nature inspires them, they are capable of such devotion to it that they may drive themselves to the point of exhaustion and even risk injuring their health.
In spite of the often intensely magnetic, forthcoming and open personality of the more extrovert kind of Aquarian, and of their desire to help humanity, neither type makes friends easily. They sometimes appear to condescend to others and take too little trouble to cultivate the acquaintance of people who do not particularly appeal to them.
They do not give themselves easily - perhaps their judgment of human nature is too good for that - and are sometimes accounted cold. But once they decide that someone is worthy of their friendship or love, they can exert an almost hypnotic and irresistible mental attraction on them and will themselves become tenacious friends or lovers, ready to sacrifice everything for their partners and be faithful to them for life. However, they are sometimes disappointed emotionally because their own high personal ideals cause them to demand more of others than is reasonable. And if they are deceived their anger is terrible. If disillusioned, they do not forgive.
Aquarians have a feeling of unity with nature and a desire for knowledge and truth that makes them admirable scientists, especially astronomers and natural historians. They may excel in photography, radiography, electronics - anything connected with the electrical and radio industries - aviation and everything technical. On the arts and humanities side their progressive tendencies can be expressed in writing, especially poetry, and broadcasting, or as welfare workers and teachers. Some have gifts as entertainers and make good character actors (having an ability to mimic) and musicians. The more psychic among them possess healing gifts, especially in curing the mentally sick.
Among the faults to which they are liable are fanatical eccentricity, wayward egotism, excessive detachment and an inclination to retreat from life and society, and a tendency to be extremely dogmatic in their opinions. Aquarians can be a threat to all they survey or a great boon for humanity in general. Circumstances - for example, continuous opposition to a cause they hold dear - may cause the atrophy of the openness of mind that is one of the Aquarian's most attractive traits. They may express a lack of integrity in broken promises, secretiveness or cunning. Simmering anger and resentment, rudeness or, worse, a tense, threatening silence which may suddenly burst out in eruptions of extreme temper, these are all part of the negative side of the Aquarian. This can also reveal itself in a sustained hatred for enemies that is capable of enlarging itself into a misanthropy toward the whole of mankind.
Aquarius Likes : fame and recognition, personal privacy, rainbows, dreams, magic, change for its own sake, eccentricity, surprises, and living within their means despite the many temptations which constantly surround them every waking moment.
Aquarius Dislikes : emotion and intimacy, people who show off, being taken for granted, being pinned down, violence and fighting, and senseless or purposeless extravagance of any sort.
*Sources - various web pages and books. There are too many to name, but I doubt you really care. ;)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
vampires have i loved
Before you start rolling your eyes at me, let me start off with this...I have no desire to read or see any of the Twilight series. The thought of it makes me ill. A sparkly brooding pseudo-vampire in a love triangle with a human teenage girl and a werewolf and having babies? I'll pass, thanks. I like the kind of vampire that embraces what it is, plays with it's food, and enjoys pleasures of the flesh. Now, do you care to read on?
I'm not exactly when my love of vampires started. I don't remember watching Bela Lugosi as a child, and if I had I'm pretty dang sure the puffy middle-aged Hungarian wouldn't have turned me on to them. The first thing that I can think of is when they ran the new version of Dark Shadows in the 90s with Ben Cross as Barnabas Collins. Was I the only person who watched it? I don't even remember the storyline other than they kept going back and forth in time and I got really confused. The series didn't last very long - one, maybe two seasons at the most. Apparently I wasn't the only one who was confused.
After that, I don't remember watching any other vampire movies or shows for a couple of years, but I think the thing that really got me hooked was having to do a theme paper my junior year of high school on any piece of literature we wanted. I was never one for the Brontes or Dickens, and I loved pushing boundaries, so I decided to go for Dracula by Bram Stoker. The theme that I chose? "Sexual Symbolism in Bram Stoker's Dracula." Oh, this was a fun paper to do research on. While it wasn't the easiest book to read, the story being told in diary entries and news stories, the books I read to back up my theme were great. I got to read all about how the biting was a metaphor for oral sex, how they swooned like they were in the throngs of orgasm...and all on school time. Oh, this was great! That is, until our teacher decided to make it not only a paper, but an oral (pardon the pun) report as well. I think I should leave that as a blog post for another time...Anyway, all that research really got me hooked. Gee - I wonder why.
I started trying to read every book I could find. Ever heard of "Carmilla" by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu? It was actually written before Dracula, and it's not too shabby. I tried to get through Interview With the Vampire, but I just couldn't get past the character of Louis and how he was so glum all the time. Get over it already! The book was put on my shelf to collect dust.
Not long after that, Francis Ford Coppola's version of Dracula hit theaters. The acting was terrible except for brilliant performances from Gary Oldman and Tom Waits. (Whoever they had as a dialect coach should have been fired after the first take.) The cinematography was absolutely beautiful and the story closer to that of the book, except they threw in some smarmy love story between Mina and Drac. Since I was in high school, and in love with my future hubby, I did fall for it- "I have crossed oceans of time to find you." Yeah, it worked for me...then throw in all that sexual symbolism again and I was a happy camper. I wanted the young version of Dracula to find me *please note, the young version as in the picture to the right - not the creepy old kimono-wearing, long fingernailed, wall crawling version.
Jump ahead a few years, and Interview With the Vampire comes out as a movie starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt(?). Okay, I still want to slap Louis upside the head. Claudia is a little brat and I can't stand her either. I wasn't fond of Tom Cruise, but at least Lestat was fun. Armand, on the other hand, was simply yummy. Antonio Banderas as a vampire? Yes, please! Okay, so he was a little pasty and had a thing for Brad Pitt, but he had no problem killing someone for "art" in front of a whole theater full of people. Now that's embracing who you are. Seeing the movie interested me enough to try the book again. I pushed through my disgust in poor, dreary Louis and made it through. I'm thankful I did because the following books were much better (well, other than the whole Lestat as a rock star thing, but I'm not going to get into that). I was finally into a series of books that were not only filled with naughty vampires, but also great periods in history and an appreciation for art. Oh, how I loved those books. Unfortunately, Anne Rice's husband died and she became a born-again Christian who started writing about Jesus. Would one more book have sent her to hell after all the books she had written before? Ah well, a woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do - can't really fault her for it.
Once the series ended, I went through a drought. There wasn't much in the way of vampires out there in the media. I don't count Blade...ick. Queen of the Damned? It brought back the whole Lestat as a rock star thing and I just didn't like it. I re-read the classics that got me started, had my fill of watching my movies on DVD, but nothing new. Then HBO came out with True Blood. Honestly, it didn't interest me until a couple of my friends told me I had to watch it. Anna Paquin turned me off and I wasn't sure about the whole redneck aspect of it, so I was slow in getting to it, but once I did...I was hooked. I still am. The two main characters, Sookie and Bill, I could really do without - it's the other characters that keep me going. Eric, Pam, Maryann, Alcide, just to mention a few. It's a show that is naughty and knows it, keeps to the traditional vampire lore (sleeping in dirt, no walking around in the daytime, no sparkling for god's sake), and lets vampires be vampires. Like I said, I steer away from the romantic stories that are out there - especially now that this wave of vampire stories has hit bookstores, movies and tv. Now every teenage girl and bored housewife wants a vampire to sweep her off of her feet. I grew out of that once I graduated high school. I have no desire to be swept anywhere...just taken. (I like 'em badass) I've been this way for years and will most likely stay this way long after this trend is over. Just don't hate me for loving vampire stories - I do have taste.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
renaissance men
One of the things that people (especially men) tend to notice at the Faire (notice that "e" again) is the amount of cleavage. Some men that I know call it "Boobfest". Bodices push the bosoms high up into the air creating a high shelf on which a lady could easily rest her ale. The blouses sometimes barely cover the areola, but because it's still covered, it's still approved for family viewing. Women of all ages, shapes, sizes and tastes attend the RenFaire in costume which provides many an, "I really didn't want to see that," moment. I really don't feel the need to stare at the cleavage because I have my own (see previous post)...mine just isn't hiked up to my chin.
Being in my mid-thirties and feeling a tad more randy than in previous years there (which is apparently completely natural in my "older" age according to this article), I happened to take notice of some of the men. Finding an attractive man there is sometimes a daunting task as a good portion of the men are either goth, gay, old, 7-feet-tall, dressed up a little too "fancy" for me, or suburban tourists. I wasn't trying to seek out the attractive men, they just happened to show up from time to time - like diamonds in the rough. As the family and I were walking through the park, I was accosted by a shirtless barbarian. He walked up to me and hit me with his big foam sword. After shaking off the fact that a half-clothed stranger hit me with a phallic instrument causing a very mild amount of pain, I noticed that this guy was actually kind of cute. He went on talking to my son about how they have these barbarian tournaments at certain times with swords just like the foam one he was carrying...blah, blah, blah. I nodded, "Yeah that sounds great!" not actually listening to much of what he was saying. I was just hoping he'd hit me with his sword again - that was kinda fun. He let me hold it though...his sword, that is. I told him we'd definitely be there for the afternoon tournament. I'd be happy to let my son get pummelled by some foam-wielding uber-geek in order to drool a little bit more. He gave me a smile, walked off, and my husband proceeded to tell me how brave the guy must be to walk around shirtless like that with man-boobs. Ah, silly jealous husband. Wait...man-boobs? I was so busy looking at his face and thinking about what fun we could have with those swords that I didn't even take the time to check out the rest of him. We did make it to the tournament...too late to enter, but we were still able to take a look at what was there. My son took plenty of time picking out exactly which one he wanted, so I had time to check out what..er..who I wanted to. I had to sadly agree with the hubby about his chest area, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I had pictured it. I tried getting a picture of him, but didn't want it to be obvious, so unfortunately the only one I got doesn't even show his good-looking face...just the chest. Ah, well.
The day wore on, full of sweat, whining, pouting, occasional laughter and little food. Eventually, we made our way down to the jousting tournament. It was, of course, packed. The seats were full, people were standing everywhere...which is what we ended up doing as well. The nice thing about standing is that you're able to be closer to the knights, the sights, the sounds, and unfortunately the smells. Anyhoo, going to see the knights tends to bring out the ladies' inner romantic, daydreaming schoolgirls and they swoon over the men in armor. Fortunately, this year there were a couple of attractive men on horseback. To top off the fun in fantasy - they were the bad guys. Now would they be considered as cute if they were in modern clothing or even regular costume as opposed to shiny metal suits carrying swords? I'm guessing no, but the wenches won't care.
Alas, those were the only attractive men I saw there. Perhaps I was blinded by the sun reflecting off of all of the pale white suburbanite and goth skin and I missed some along the way. Like I said, I wasn't really looking for anything, it's just that once I saw one attractive guy, it made me hungry for more. Of course, my own husband was there and attractive as always, but remember - I go there to escape. Now maybe if we end up going in costume next year, he'll be part of the escape as well.Tuesday, July 13, 2010
a change would do me good
I know in previous posts, I've mentioned the fact that there have been too many changes around me. Well, that's somewhat true. The unfortunate part about all of the change is that none of the changes were really happening to me directly. I need something new and fun and exciting. A new job, a cheap vacation, hell - I'd even settle for a new pair of shoes at this point. Gimme something good!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
dirty pillows
I have breasts.
Doesn't really surprise you, does it? I'm a woman of childbearing age, I have some meat on my bones, therefore...I have breasts. Fortunately for me, they're also on the larger average size. I enjoy them being this size. Not too small, not too large. They look good under clothing, give me a nice figure, and don't quite strain the buttons on my blouses. For the most part...I'm pretty dang happy with them.
I also have a longish neck and broadish shoulders, so clothing with a lower neckline looks quite becoming on me, if I do say so myself. So what do decent-sized breasts and low-cut shirts equal? Cleavage, of course!
I need to ask some of my male friends exactly what they find so appealing about seeing, but not really seeing someone's breasts. What part of the cleavage is it that they are attracted to - the tops of the breasts, or the space between them? They're just fat and mammary glands - what's so sexy about that? Why is it so hard to look away from the cleavage? Is it like women and sparkly jewelry? "Must. look. at. boobs." I do know some men - usually the married ones - who have trained themselves to keep their eyeballs focused on anything but the breasts. Sometimes it's kind of obvious and I chuckle silently to myself, but I applaud them for their efforts.
I am not offended when a man looks at my chest. In fact, I usually find it amusing. (I say "usually" because if it is one of my bosses or some dirty, toothless, drooling man, I get quite creeped out.) If they want to get their jollies by looking at something that's just there naturally, go right ahead - as long as they make some effort to look me in the eye a couple of times and aren't staring at them like zombies (again, the creepy factor). I don't find it degrading or feel as though I'm being objectified. Like I said - I think it's some sort of natural thing. To try to stop that would be like trying to stop mosquitos from being attracted to bug zappers.
As long as everyone plays nice, I can keep wearing the shirts I feel comfortable wearing and we can keep this cycle going. Yes, that's right - I'm only here to help!
Doesn't really surprise you, does it? I'm a woman of childbearing age, I have some meat on my bones, therefore...I have breasts. Fortunately for me, they're also on the larger average size. I enjoy them being this size. Not too small, not too large. They look good under clothing, give me a nice figure, and don't quite strain the buttons on my blouses. For the most part...I'm pretty dang happy with them.
I also have a longish neck and broadish shoulders, so clothing with a lower neckline looks quite becoming on me, if I do say so myself. So what do decent-sized breasts and low-cut shirts equal? Cleavage, of course!
I need to ask some of my male friends exactly what they find so appealing about seeing, but not really seeing someone's breasts. What part of the cleavage is it that they are attracted to - the tops of the breasts, or the space between them? They're just fat and mammary glands - what's so sexy about that? Why is it so hard to look away from the cleavage? Is it like women and sparkly jewelry? "Must. look. at. boobs." I do know some men - usually the married ones - who have trained themselves to keep their eyeballs focused on anything but the breasts. Sometimes it's kind of obvious and I chuckle silently to myself, but I applaud them for their efforts.
I am not offended when a man looks at my chest. In fact, I usually find it amusing. (I say "usually" because if it is one of my bosses or some dirty, toothless, drooling man, I get quite creeped out.) If they want to get their jollies by looking at something that's just there naturally, go right ahead - as long as they make some effort to look me in the eye a couple of times and aren't staring at them like zombies (again, the creepy factor). I don't find it degrading or feel as though I'm being objectified. Like I said - I think it's some sort of natural thing. To try to stop that would be like trying to stop mosquitos from being attracted to bug zappers.
As long as everyone plays nice, I can keep wearing the shirts I feel comfortable wearing and we can keep this cycle going. Yes, that's right - I'm only here to help!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
it's the little things
Inspired by my friend's Minus 10 in 2010 blog, I thought I'd post some pictures of the little things that I try to enjoy when I can.
The wildflowers that grow alongside the roads where I take my (almost) daily walks. They really are beautiful and the bees just love them.
Cool clouds. Sometimes I just stop and look up and gaze in awe at these things. Luckily we get a great view of them where I live - edge of town, no big trees.
Sunsets. Who doesn't like a good sunset?
Here's one...the fact that the moon is actually in space and we can see it and can actually get there if we want to. Sometimes that just blows my mind! (Let's not even get into how bad my brain hurts when I watch Stephen Hawking...)
Then, of course there is time spent with family and friends, laughter, good food, a good book, time spent daydreaming (which I'm really good at), and on and on. When one has no money, they amuse themselves with things that are completely free but somehow much more fulfilling. Don't you agree?
The wildflowers that grow alongside the roads where I take my (almost) daily walks. They really are beautiful and the bees just love them.
Cool clouds. Sometimes I just stop and look up and gaze in awe at these things. Luckily we get a great view of them where I live - edge of town, no big trees.
Sunsets. Who doesn't like a good sunset?
Here's one...the fact that the moon is actually in space and we can see it and can actually get there if we want to. Sometimes that just blows my mind! (Let's not even get into how bad my brain hurts when I watch Stephen Hawking...)
Then, of course there is time spent with family and friends, laughter, good food, a good book, time spent daydreaming (which I'm really good at), and on and on. When one has no money, they amuse themselves with things that are completely free but somehow much more fulfilling. Don't you agree?
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