Today was a good day....I am useful....

My post birthday hangover was in full effect. I was at work for the first time after the big day, the Monday work party and the actual birthday off. It was pretty unfun. To top it off, we are painfully slow. I'm not sure why, but no one needs drugs...who'd a thunk. But my day was like this...wake up, stay in bed too long, rush around find my work keys, get to work...blah blah blah....

I've pretty much assumed the cooking duties at my house. It's just easier that way. So i left work at 330, got home, went to tan(don't judge, i know its bad) and stopped at the store for some last minute items. My boss, whom I love, calls and asks me to bring her a few things too. No worries, all over it. But you know me, I get into the store and start talking and the next thing you know its 45 minutes later...so I finally get into my car start driving away and who do I see, my boss...coming for her stuff...I'm LATE!! We stop in the middle of the road, sorry 'bout that, and talk. Pull into the gas station, we pull in, and we just stop our cars and talk, in the middle of the driving area. After a few other cars give us dirty looks we decide to take off...she to Pizza Hut and me to home for the cooking. As I pull away, she yells to me...I have no money!! She forgot her wallet at home. Not to worry, I will pay for your pizza, you can pay me back. So she follows me to the drive thru, I pay, get out give her the food and she tells me she needs to go to McDonald's for Diet Coke, because you know, the have the best BEST Diet Coke. She needs money for that too....so I give her $2...wait..one for her husband too...another $2...and the kids...3 of them...I give her my money clip....tell her to keep it...pay me later...we laughed and laughed. I wonder what the people driving by Pizza Hut were thinking. That still makes me smile. Talk about being in the right place at the right time.

Happy Birthday....to me....

So today was...is my birthday...and it was a very normal day. I'm one of those guys who say "It's just another day" and it sort of is. Not to devalue or downplay the day, but most of the time, nothing of any great consequence happens. If you asked me what April 19th is to me, first, I'd say its my dear dear friend Allison's birthday. She is a peach and she is the best and I love her. In addition to sharing the same birthday, we share lots of other things. She is truly special. Also, a little known fact is that I got engaged on my birthday. I used to tell the story that I chose my birthday to get engaged because if she said yes, it would be the best gift I could ever get. I still, on occasion, feel that way...heehee...Lastly it's my birthday.

I'm not a big gift guy. I'm at the point in my life where if I want something, i kinda just buy it...after weeks, or months or more of research...I'm like that. So it was a day of no gifts, birthday pizza and Glee watching. Pretty awesome. I sort of realize, in my years on the planet, that everyday is kind of my birthday. I mean, and please don't think me a hippy, I'm lucky enough to be able to get out of bed on my own, go to a job I really REALLY enjoy, work with people who I love, blessed with friends who are really my extended family...I'm grateful every day for what I have and what I have not. I do know that things could be better, or worse, way worse, but what I have is good enough for me. In some ways I have too much. I have lots of good, no great friends, who keep me grounded, they(you) make me what I am. For that, for you, for them, I'm grateful.

I was surprised, heck, shocked, in awe of what I saw when I woke up today. First thing I saw was the Justin Bieber cutout that I got as a gift from the people I work with...It scared the shit out of me. I know many people would love to wake up with JB in their bedroom, but I have to tell you, it is pretty scary. I then noticed the rain. Not too great, but you know, I can deal. Then I checked my phone...56 emails...what?? No way. I clean that up before I go to bed each night...that's when I realized that it was mostly notifications from Facebook and twitter wishing me well...happy birthday wishes...throughout the day I recieved lots and lots of them. Truly blessed....I chatted with a friend who I haven't talked to for 15 or more years, but it was like we've been in touch for ever. It was just a really good, no great day.

I spent much of the day responding to the birthday wishes, I think I got them all. I thought that's the least I could do, since they all took the time to do it for me. Then I spend a glorious 57 minutes on the treadmill, then back to the last of the thank you's. So when I say I didn't get any gifts today, well, that's not entirely true. I didn't unwrap any gifts today, but the gift that I did get, well, it's just too big to put in a box and wrap up...

Here I am....

So,for a while, I've just been lying in the grass in my backyard, trying to soak up the...whatever. I've been thinking I need to be more in touch with nature, I'm not sure why or even what that means, but I still feel that way. I so I will randomly do that,sit outside, in the rain, in the dark, listen to the world. I really don't know what I am listening for, or what I am hearing, but I like it. I resolved to spend more time barefoot...I know, super lame. And yes, I also know that will wreak havoc with my new affinity for pedicures...don't judge(for that I blame Paige). No, I'm not a hippy, at least I don't think so.

Today. In the grass. With a cup of coffee. I can feel nature. A lady bug crawls over my Iphone, unimpressed. I tell him, "it's an iPhone 4 you know" but I'm not sure he even heard me. It worked well as a bridge for him. At that point in time, at that place in the universe, that is where I was supposed to be.

NOT cool....

Yesterday I got a text from a buddy. We live close by and have been friends for a long time, but I don't really see him much. I get it though, he has kids and we both have our own lives...no biggie, and not to mention, I sorta hibernate/keep to myself in the winter. It's not you, it's me...I'm just like that. But anyways, he texts me, wants to know if I'm up for a night of drinking, pizza and video games. Fuck yeah! I'm pumped. So, I spend the day prepping for the night, ie, not eating a lot during the day, saving it up for the pizza. I've been flying solo for a few days, and I have to say, I've been enjoying it a little too much...but this will be a good time...

I text him, ask him what kinda of pizza, do i need more bourbon, stuff like that...he tells me he will have to check with the wife. No worries, I dig. Then I get this text, it simply says "I'm out...is that cool?" Uuuuummmm, well, not really. See, I'm a pretty smart guy, I can read between the lines. Oh, shit, I mean are there really any lines to read between?? Obviously his wife is not a fan. I'm not sure why, but she isn't. I can deal with that, I really can.

A few years ago, this would have bugged me, really bugged me. I would have wanted to know what I did and why she doesn't like me. But now, honestly, it does sting, a little, but I over it. I'm over her. If she can't see the awesomeness that is me, well, then, that's her loss.

I'm not just saying this so everyone who reads this will tell me how awesome I am. Really, I'm not. This is my declaration that it's officially over. I will never be rude or mean to her, I'm just not that guy. If I tell her to her face, then...well, I won't see my friend anymore, and I'm not ready for that. But I do know my value as a person and a friend, and quite frankly, she can't afford me.

Karma is a bitch....

So, I try to do nice stuff for people. I mean if we are out, I'll for sure buy you a drink or 3, let's get a pizza, on me...stuff like that. Since I spend most of my time at work, even on my days off, I'm there, I like to do stuff for the people who put up with me. So, on Tuesday I get off work, and offer to make a Starbucks run. Get the orders and off I go. A quick trip to 'bucks and then I'm back, coffee in hand and everyone is happy. I hang out at work for a few, partly to see what's up and partly to hear how nice I am...yes...it's true. I'm not that shallow, but you know, it's nice to hear...maybe I am that shallow...
Anyway, get back out to the car, buckle up(always) throw it in reverse and away we go. Put the car in drive, step on the gas, and there we DON'T go. Ok...Park-Drive-NOT MOVING. I am finally able to back into a parking space. After about 15 minutes I'm able to coax, read force with prayers and tears, my car to drive. I made a lot of deals with God in that 8 minute drive home. All I really wanted was to GET home. I did.

Now the fun part, trying to figure out then fix the problem, myself. I do a couple google searches, and come up with a plan. A bad plan, but a plan none the less. Go to the autoparts store, get my stuff and have at it. I also called my buddy Mike, he is smart about cars. Turns out I'm a quart low on transmission fluid, add a quart,of some stop leak stuff and take it for a spin, and still not moving. We come to the conclusion that I should probably drive it this way until I can't anymore. While I'm admittedly not a huge fan of this, I'm even less of a fan of a new transmission or a new car. I let it sit for a little and try it again. I'm hoping by some miracle that the fluids would soak into "where ever" and then "whatever" will happen and my car will work again. I give it a shot, and nothing. I start thinking, I could just drive everywhere backwards, right?? That's allowed, isn't it??

As I lie in bed, I start to think, what did I do to deserve this. You see, I'm Catholic and this is how we do. As I go over the list in my head I'm surprised my car doesn't burst into flames every time I get in it. I suppose I'm lucky it's just a bad transmission, and that I can afford to fix it, well, not really but my AMEX can afford it.

I wake up late this AM, and I'm told that I deserve it, thank you very much. Finally get ready and go get coffee, in my broken car. As I back out, I'm thinking, I hope I can get to Starbucks, and home too. Reverse out of the drive, throw it in drive and IT GOES!! WHAT. THE. FUCK. Ummmm...just a fluke I'm sure. So I stop and reverse and drive and go and stop on a hill and park and drive and go and reverse and stop and get out and run around the car and jump for joy and slip and fall(my shoe fell off) and drive and AWAY I GO!! I'm not sure how or why, but my car is no longer broken...

All day I've been floating. This doesn't happen to me, ever. I don't have this kind of luck. I don't know how long it will work, or even why it works, and I'm not sure I really want to know.

They say karma is a bitch, I'm not so sure about that, but if it's true, smack my ass and call me Alexis Carrington

Good riddance February, you're kind of an ass...

This winter has been kicking my ass lately. I really do like the winter, but lately its been brutal. You know its pretty bad when the best part of my day is going to work. Today is the last day of February, the last day of "meteorological winter", whatever that means. I just know I want for this winter to be over. I want all the things that spring and summer bring. Flowers, sunshine, my garden, driving with the windows opened(and the radio up, duh), and even cutting the grass, or I guess watching my neighbor cut my grass(thanks Mike!) I have lots of things I'm looking forward to...A wedding, Cubs games, concerts with great friends, meeting new friends...all that stuff...get here summer....

So with this, I bid you adieu February, I hardly knew ya. I mean you're only 28 days long, which, by the way, is another reason you're a jerk. Maybe next time we will get along better, become fast friends, have a good time. Or maybe not. No offense Feb, but really, get the fuck out of here.

In the bleak midwinter....

I love winter. I love snow. When the forecast for "#SnowlyCow 2011" was for 18-24 inches of snow...that's like 2 feet. I was elated. Things went as planned, we got the snow, we got the blowing. We had drifts up to 3 feet tall, maybe even taller. I went out and shoveled and "snow blowed" multiple times. I was in my glory. My beard froze. I pushed people out of the snow, and helped people shovel. GOOD TIMES. I couldn't leave my 'hood for a day or 2 and I was okay with that. I would sit on my deck and just look at the moonlit blue tinted snow, pure, untouched and I was in awe. The quiet was deafening.

I would take the back roads to work. So much snow had fallen that the roads at places were only one lane wide. The snow was piled higher than my car...and I loved it. The cold air helped awaken me to all that was around me.

But then it got brutally cold. Below zero. Both of my cars needed to be repaired. My bed seemed really big and really cold. Getting up in the morning was a struggle. Is a struggle. Seasonal affective disorder anyone?? I don't know if that's it, but maybe. As I drove around I noticed the snow, the snow that I loved was starting to over take me. I was mad at the snow. I lost shingles in the storm. The snow was getting dirty. The new clean slate of snow that started out to look like the frosting on a cake was turning into a dirty, slushy mess. I didn't like to leave the house.

The 50 degree weather the past 2 days has given me hope. The start of spring training has given me hope. Time with E has given me hope. Spring, hurry up, I miss you.