Memorial Day

The following is made possible by those who defend, who fight, and who sometimes don't come back:

As I type this, I am, quite literally, sitting lake-side with my dog padding around the shallows looking for the fish that always seem to be just out of his reach. This is his favorite game. Yesterday he caught a turtle. (Turtle was fine...just scared.)

S has just gone to refill our coffee cups, the sun is shining, and there are several fishermen out, trawling 'round the lake.

Swans, out floating in the middle of the lake, have their heads submerged, looking for whatever it is that swans eat. Every once in a while, we'll see one of their heads pop up for a few seconds before disappearing again.

The garden gnome, with his solar-powered light-up hat, is standing guard over the pontoon.

Canada geese, a couple of them, just flew in, honking their arrival. A couple of fluffy goslings are paddling past, following their mother. If you're quiet, you can hear her honking and beeping at her babies. I wonder if she's scolding them or encouraging them.

The peace has been shattered. The first water-skier of the day has appeared. In a few moments, the wake will reach us and will gently splash against the shore under the deck we're sitting on.

There's a parade in town at 10 today. Must go get ready so we can leave soon to get a parking spot.

Happy Memorial Day, you lot.

Post 223

Softball tonight, you lot.

We won. 9-4.

I actually scored from first base because the other team kept over-throwing trying to get me out. So I kept running. It was really all very thrilling.

I've heard many "you are excellent at first base" comments from my teammates so I guess I'm doing something right.

Thanks, Lou, for the batting tips. I stepped into the ball more tonight than on previous nights and the results were excellent. While I was still hitting to Short, I was able to place it over their head...to land just outside the infield! :)

Post 222

I've been a bit fuzzy-headed for the past few days.

Totally tuned in to me and what's going on in my life.

I've not been spending quality time with anyone. Not even S.

Who? Appears to be willing to give me time to lick my unemployed wounds and give me the space I need to get a fucking grip.

To all who commented on my last post? I thank you. Your words of support have helped and I appreciate you taking the time to let me know you're out there. To those of you I dumped on in emails (you know who you are)? An extra special thanks for letting me vent and offering further words of encouragement.

As of today, five days post-termination (gah, what a horrible word) (and it was a termination. If they were to call me back from lay-off, I would not go. I really did hate it there.), I'm starting to form a plan. I don't have many details yet, but I have realized that it is important to continue on, to move forward, to not let this beat me.

I take after my dad in that regard. He's an eternal optimist and he has faith that his daughter will rise above and continue onward. And he did not frown, balk, or otherwise discourage when I said that the police academy might be where I end up. He mentioned that he had a ton of fun when he volunteered for the county's Mounted Division (he had a Palomino named Scout) and that I should not discount policing as a career.

Mom, on the other hand, is in full-on freak-out mode and until she calms down about all this, I find I'm tending to tune her out a bit. I hope that's not mean. I'm trying to cope, ya know?

Strife? Not so much, actually.

Tuesday, 5/18:
Was my parent's 42nd wedding anniversary. I stopped at the flower shop where I worked many, many years ago and bought them some flowers. While I was at the flower shop, I told the lady that I had worked in that particular shop during the early 90's and that it was always one of my favorite jobs. She asked me about what I was doing now and when I mentioned that I was employed as an office worker, but not too happy with it, she said, "I'll be thinking about you...hoping that a change comes your way soon. It's so important to love what you do." She's one of those people who always know the exact, right thing to say. It boosted my spirits to have made a brief connection with someone who knew about unhappiness in your job.

Thursday, 5/20:
I got Let Go. Became unemployed.

Friday, 5/21:
The relief I had this morning upon waking up and NOT having to go to work there? Immense. Sure I'm freaking out about how I'll pay my mortgage, how I'll afford COBRA. Where I'll find a career I hopefully love (I do live in Michigan, people. The job market here sucks.). But you know what? The weight is gone. That horrible, awful, crushing weight of unhappiness in my job has vanished. Sure, I'm scared shitless but I'm breathing so much easier today. I don't have to deal with my boss anymore (he was a right git, that one), nor the office politics that I'd been separating myself from for the past few years -- effectively making me an outsider looking in - and let me tell you, my former co-workers? PETTY.

So here's to moving on. Moving up. Picking up steam and plowing ahead. And seriously thanking the Flower Lady for sending thoughts of change my way.

Softball and Rusty Skillz

Two months ago, I called the local Rec center and put my name on their "looking for a team" softball recruiting list. A week or so later, I got chosen (based solely on a phone call but I'm not complaining!).

I was up front with Coach. Said I hadn't played in years (but didn't specify that it was well over 25 years ago that I played softball with any sort of regularity - we're talking middle school summer leagues, folks) but that I'd love to play if they could deal with my Rusty Skillz.

First practice, Coach was considering me for right field. For grins, he put me at first to see what I could do there. I can catch and have pretty good hand-eye coordination, and I'm not intimidated by my shortstop or my third-baseman (Cuz those boys can bring the heat [as S would say]). The position stuck - I play first and I love it.

We had our first league game last night. We lost 12-6. I wasn't expecting to beat this team...we scrimmaged with them several times and they are good (so good, in fact, that I think they should move up to one of the more competitive leagues). We, on the other hand, have a sloppy outfield defense - two outfielders who can't catch and when we're facing power hitters, that sucks. But our infield defense is pretty good so that's a point in our favor. We've got a couple of excellent hitters but I'm not one of them...yet. I hit it straight to the short stop every time.

My Rusty Skillz are getting polished up, and man, I had FUN last night.

Confessional

I'm failing in/falling short of/losing sight of/ignoring/blowing off my goal to read 40 books this year.

I'm just not that into it. I can't be arsed to bother.

Especially not after I caught the Torchwood bug.

Instead, I'm spending a hell of a lot of time here.

(Yes, I have discovered Fan Fiction.)

Right now I'm so absorbed in the stories of other Torchwood fans that my reading goal is the last thing on my mind.

In my defense, I am reading a TON of longer fics on that site. I'm sure I've read at least three full-length novels worth of FanFic. (One story alone is well over 75 chapters long...and I'm on my second reading of it as it was that yummy.) (Shut up. I told you. I. Am. Obsessed.)

Also? I've ordered three of the Torchwood books and one of the radio plays from Amazon.

Can anyone say FanGirl?

GAH!

Here's another clip for those of you interested:

Against the laws of the universe...I am dating a wonderful man.

Two Sundays ago (April 25), S called me on my mobile and said, "you need to be at home and ready to go at 4:45 tomorrow. Don't wear jeans."

Me: Um... where are we going?
S: It's a surprise.
Me: ???
S: Seriously. I'm not telling you where we're going.
Me: OK*

Monday evening rolls around. I head home after work, change out of my jeans, and am ready at 4:45, per instructions.

S picks me up and we head to G's house to pick her and A up. I confess to them that I have no clue what's happening. They think this is the greatest thing ever and torment me mercilessly**.

So we hop in the car and head out. I picked up that we were going to Royal Oak and thought we were going to see a concert. (Royal Oak has an awesome venue for intimate concerts.)

Anyway. We get to Royal Oak and S tries to find us a parking spot. Since none of them know exactly where the Royal Oak Music Theater is, we were randomly driving 'round when S makes a turn, and VOILA, there it is:

You can't really tell, but the guy with the white socks? Directly under the marquee? He was wearing a kilt.

CRAIG FERGUSON.

S had conspired with G to get CRAIG FERGUSON tickets.

Thereby proving - once again - that I. Am. Dating. A. Wonderful. Man.

Enjoy some Craig:



(I looked for video of his stand-up and while there are a few out there, the camera-phone quality isn't that great.)




*Really. That's what I said. The anticipation of the surprise was DELICIOUS.
**This was my first clue that this was going to be a GREAT evening. G and A wouldn't do anything unless is was top-notch cool.