2009/12/31

Why?

DaGoddess @ 10:10

There is no earthly reason for me to have been up twice in the last two hours. I need my sleep. Yet, something keeps waking me. I’m getting cranky.

I suppose I could use this time to write some beautiful, heartfelt New Year’s post. I could. But not so much. My head is too fuzzy and mucousy yet.

I’m going to try to get a little more shut eye if it kills me.

Sappy, awesome post later. Maybe a long later. I don’t know.

2009/12/30

More Cajun Hotness

DaGoddess @ 04:00

Tab Benoit

The Safety Word is Banana

DaGoddess @ 02:14

There’s something highly amusing about Harry Connick Jr and Craig Ferguson doing a kissing scene in which neither is allowed to actually kiss, touch, or do anything more than make a serious kissy face.

And to think I almost missed it.

(Oddly enough, earlier in the evening, the Friends episode with Jill Goodacre — as played by Jill Connick — was on. You know, the one where Chandler’s stuck in an ATM vestibule with her. It was also the one where Ross got freaked out by a cat, Rachel found an Italian guy, and Phoebe wrote a blackout tune.)

Anyhow, I managed to flip channels quickly enough in my decongestant-and-Vicodin stupor and land on utter happiness.

Now I must phlegmily (or is it phlegmilly? phlegmally??) rotate my lungs and sinuses for maximum relief of congestion and pressure. Not to mention spread the mucousy love around.

Yeah, it’s sinus time again. Started in San Diego and carried over to Las Vegas. Did you ever notice that those two cities have the same number of letters in their names, in the same pattern, and that both contain at least one A and one S?

This post brought to you by Equate brand pseudoephedrine 12-hour decongestant. And maybe a little Vicodin and Ambien. They may have something to do with it.

Or not.

Cuz now I’m seeing some other guy attempting to massage Craiggles’ chakras. That has to be brought on by something else entirely. Maybe too much green tea?

2009/12/29

Miss Molly

DaGoddess @ 12:00

This little girl is so tiny, I don’t even think she weighs a full pound yet. I threatened to abscond with her. I was going to stuff her in my cleavage and run off. It could have worked if I hadn’t revealed my dastardly plan.

Molly

Molly

Little Dude in Vegas

DaGoddess @ 04:00

I took no photos while LD was here, except for three. Here’s one.

I don’t know what was wrong with me. I should have been taking photos like crazy. But I didn’t. Go figure.

LD in Las Vegas

2009/12/28

Outtakes From The Sheet Game

DaGoddess @ 19:02

Little Mr. Fuzzy Face just before LD got here.

PJ

PJ again

PJ being as cute as can be

Yes, he’s well aware that he’s handsome.

Home Again

DaGoddess @ 01:11

I’m back home and feeling somewhat relieved.

I had a great time in San Diego, but it was exhausting.

Christmas was nice, save for the moment my sister and mom got into it and my mom left the house in tears. I quietly gathered all the gifts we’d received, said my good-byes, and followed Mom out to her car. I tried to stay out of it as best I could. I should never have suggested we stop talking politics. That would have been far more pleasant than what came after. Lesson learned.

The next day, I dropped Little Dude off at his dad’s. It was difficult. I didn’t want to say goodbye, but it went quickly as I had Mojo waiting for me and LD had to get ready for a party. Went to pick up Mojo and off we went to the mall. I had to return a blouse she’d given me as it was too big. We tried the next size down and it was just about too small. Nothing in between. So, I found a couple other blouses and sweaters and all was good. She had to run off to work (she’s been at this job for about a week and a half now) and I continued with some shopping. Why not? I was already there, right? Plus I had a gift card that could only be used at the malls in SD. Anyhow, when I got done shopping, I sneaked a peek at MJ at work. She’s really enjoying her job, she’s good at it, and they decided to keep her on after the holidays. I’m very proud of her. I even got to take her to the bank to deposit her first paycheck.

And now I’m home. Gotta say, it was kind of nice to watch the plane approach Vegas and feel like the city was welcoming me back. It feels like home, really and truly.

I’ll miss the family, but I’m glad I’m back in my element. Travel is done for a bit. I can get down to business. Watch some PBS. Chill.

At least for a few hours.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas. We’ll compare presents later, m’kay?

2009/12/24

Merry Christmas!

DaGoddess @ 00:01

And Happy Holidays!

Whatever you celebrate, may it be full of love and laughter and warmth.

I’m off to San Diego for a couple days. No computer. Just family.

I tried to make the blog rounds but I’ve fallen short on time and focus. Please know that if I didn’t make it to you, it wasn’t intentional. I’m just lame. Still, I love you all and want the best the holidays have to offer to find you and keep you happy.

Be good and have fun, y’all.

2009/12/23

Watching

DaGoddess @ 15:31

I’ve been watching LD from my perch upstairs. He’s down in the studio, listening to his Cheap Trick CD (yeah, I went old school on his ass for his mini-gift). He’s sitting at the drums, quietly playing along.

Beats us dancing in the kitchen in our socks, which was just weird.

Okay, what’s really weird is the fact that 30 years ago, this was MY favorite album and I was all excited over it. Now it’s his. And he’s all excited about it.

By the way: CHEAP TRICK ROCKS!

Had to do it.

Drumming Up Happiness

DaGoddess @ 12:21

Last night we had three snowflakes on the windshield. At least, I’m pretty sure they were snowflakes. Anyhow, they quickly turned into rain and the hope of snow was gone. I thought it would be pretty awesome to have snow while LD was here.

The wind was wicked as hell for a while. It was bitter cold. Snow seemed imminent.

We were on our way to see Blue Man Group with a quick stop at a house so Buster could check out some drums. A conga and a tumba. Sort of a tobacco burst color (not unlike what’s here on wikipedia, though his are a bit lighter) with gold hardware. Beautiful instruments. Yes, he ended up getting them. People are either selling off instruments so they can afford to buy presents for the family or they’re buying them to give as gifts. Buster, ever the semi-evil genius, has done very well this season.

One of the greatest things about living here is the fact that music is all around me. It’s always just a click of a button away. Or I’m a step away from some sort of instrument. Everything from bagpipes to didgeridoos to, well, even a gong. From the exotic to the most common, recognizable of instruments. The only thing that could make it better is kids. Right now, I have one here. Sigh.

It was weird, but Buster said something last night that I’d been thinking all day long: true happiness always seems to follow on the heels of serenity. (It helps that we have coffee mugs that say “happiness” and “serenity”.) Think about it. You can have fleeting happiness. The sort that drifts in and out of your life and seems so random. Or, you can develop a sense of serenity from which a deeper happiness springs. I’ve been working toward the latter and it really hit home yesterday that this was something that was happening to me. It’s not that I don’t still have rough days. I do. But I’m developing an inner peace I haven’t felt in a very long time. It feels almost foreign when it first sets upon you. Then you discover it’s working its way in, like a good lotion on dry skin. The soul itches less each day. It builds slowly. Warming you from the inside out.

Before you know it, you’re actually kind of joyous when you previously wouldn’t have been. Yes, things can be far from perfect, but you get to a point where you’re not experiencing such extremes in terms of mood or general well-being.

Finding that place in life shouldn’t be so hard, but it often is for us. We humans are complicated beings, aren’t we?

Here, in this home, with a good friend, a funny cat, music, and now my son (for the few days I have him), there is peace in my life. It’s been building. It’ll keep building because I’ve felt it and I crave it. If I can maintain that serenity, I’ll have a solid foundation from which I can build the rest of my life. My business, my family, all of it will come from a place of calm, quiet strength.

It’s a new world and new attitude for this gal.

Even the lack of snowflakes couldn’t put a damper what I’ve been feeling.

2009/12/22

Who Man?

DaGoddess @ 23:45

Blue Man.

We saw the Blue Man Group tonight. Now, I gotta tell you: they’ve always sort of freaked me out. That whole bald, no ears, blue face thing is kinda freaky. But the show was fantastic. So much aural and visual play.

Little Dude loved it! Buster did, too. Three for three is pretty good.

Is it weird that I found a typo in the onslaught of text they flash at the beginning of the show? Yeah. I totally found one in the nano second it was on the screen. “It’s” instead of “its”. Yep. That’s so me. I wonder who I’d contact about that…

LD got a drum lesson today. He’d been given the okay to try the drums any time, which he did. Then Buster got home from an appointment and I had to get ready for our evening, so I told LD to ask B for some pointers. And there you have it. The boys at play.

Gotta say, this has been a nice week thus far.

Tomorrow is our mini-Christmas. Nothing big, just a nice little day of sharing and hanging out.

2009/12/21

Fire Sticks

DaGoddess @ 02:13

I got to the airport and was in the process of checking in to get my pass to meet Little Dude at the gate when I got a call. “Mom, where are you?” The plane got in early. As in thirty minutes early. Yikes! I was stuck in line and ended up working out something with the very nice Southwest employee who was watching over my boy. I went racing to the baggage area, hoping I’d make it in time. There was plenty.

When I finally did see LD, I couldn’t help myself. I ran to him, threw my arms around, kissed him about a hundred times, cried, and then finally, after he said he couldn’t breathe (really, that’s what he said) I hugged him again and let him go. He’s grown at least another inch or two. And his feet! Good God, that boy has some boats on him. Size 10 already. Sheesh!

We got out to the car, got his bag into the trunk, and headed for home. We stopped at Fatburger and headed home with the food. Buster got home not long after, but by then LD had already wolfed down his. It was a big burger, too. I guess the boy was hungry.

LD and Buster hit it off right away. They started off sharing fries and before too long, they were talking music and playing with sticks in a fire Buster made in the back yard. Boys and fire. At some point, I stopped saying anything because they were having way too much fun without my input. The highlight was them letting their sticks catch on fire and just watch them burn for a bit. What’s a girl to do?

The cat took to LD right away, too.

I think it’s going to be a very good week.

2009/12/20

Five Hours

DaGoddess @ 16:32

Only five more hours and LD will be here.

His room is ready. The cat has left a pile of fur for him on the bed (I got cute pics of PJ playing the sheet game that I’ll have to post). I’m wrapping last minute presents.

Uh…umm…I think I’m officially excited!

The Convenient Wife

DaGoddess @ 03:52

Do you ever have a situation in which someone mistakes you for someone else, assumes you’re married/attached to someone, or perhaps they’re convinced you know more than you do and therefore consider you a resident expert on something?

Since moving, despite offering clarifications to people (“we’re just friends”, “we’re roommates”), Buster and I have often been coupled up by others. Last night was the best one yet. “Your wife wanted to send something to me…can you pass this email along?” Times like these, it’s convenient to let people think what they will. For one thing, if you correct them, they feel awkward and very aware of the mistake and I’ve actually seen people avoid others after such a misunderstanding. For another thing, sometimes that assumed partnership works to your advantage and it’s just better to let them keep believing. I’m all about having the advantage whenever possible, you know? One minute I’m the photographer, the next I’m the blues lady, and other times — the situations are always interesting and limitless. It cracks me up when it happens.

At the moment, I’m a wife of convenience. I will likely never marry again, but for a mistake, I get to be a wife briefly.

Now if only I could figure out how to be a millionaire, too. I’d totally embrace that. Wouldn’t that be cool?

2009/12/18

Hot Cajun Pt. 2

DaGoddess @ 08:27

Because I can. And then I must sleep. This post has already kept me up longer than it should. Like an HOUR longer. Silly me can’t code.

Oh, and by the way, note to self and other interested parties: using a new computer means none of your old files are on hand. No rhino watermark, no awesome fonts, and arrrrrrrrghh! And the current java doesn’t work with WP. I can’t seem to find the older version to download yet. Sigh. All my favorite settings with PSP X2 have to be re-entered. Just sayin’ cuz I can’t seem to stop.

Only edits were cropped to size and the addition of LRP. Otherwise, SOOC.

src=”http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2674/4194576061_5d18edd64f_o.jpg” alt=”Tab Benoit” />

In the last photo: Tab, Buster, Doug Gay (Tab’s drummer), and I want to say his name is Mike…but that last guy, I’m not 100% on at the moment.

This was a hassle getting the photos posted. Enjoy because I may kick the computer to do what I want it to do and it’s not doing it.