A new look

I got a perm tooday. Talk about going back in time! I think I was in high school, maybe a freshman in college, the last time those rods & chemicals touched my hair. I'm not really sure what made me do it. Change is good & my stylist says it'll relax at least 30%. It's not THAT curly, but it's a big difference from the stringy straight hair I've been living with the past few years. I can't wash it for 3 days. Gross! I can wet it, but with a spary bottle. Not supposed to douse it in the shower... WHAT?! When I go one day without washing my hair, it looks like I've combed it with a porkchop. Greeeezy! And the smell... man, everyone's going to know what I did. That & the fact that my hair is frizzy.

post-script: This was taken in San Diego on our vacation about 2 weeks after the big event. See! It's not THAT frizzy!

Bedtime

I often can't get to sleep before 1am. Even tho I'm really tired, it's like my body just won't do it. Christian is convinced it has something to do with the fact that my parents never let me stay up late... like I'm rebelling or something. I've always been a night-owl. It's midnight now & I'm very sleepy, but I know as soon as I lay down, my brain will start to swirl & I'll start thinking of all kids of stuff. Stuff I haven't thought of in years along with recent stuff:

• seeing my 5th grade teacher at Fishdance when I was in my mid-20s w/his boyfriend. I KNEW he was gay!
• dancing at a different club each night of the week & still being able to go to work & function the next day (again, back in my mid-20s)
• the day we put my dog, Muffin, to sleep
• tailgating at CSU games on warm fall days & then going to C&B Potts afterwards for chicken wings, quesadillas & fishbowl margaritas. Then later in the evening, we'd go to Gators to dance
• ex-boyfriends
• all my old apartments in Denver & the corresponding roommates
• the Cruise Room
• work
• my marriage
• vacations
• going to the Paramount on 16th St. Mall for happy hour because it was the only place with outdoor seating & then getting really hammered
• the night of debauchery
• the time I let this girl use me as her "model" to get her beauty license. She butchered my hair & I cried as she did it. Somehow she still managed to walk away w/a license. I got paid $100 & used it to go to a good salon & have them fix it
• the time Chrissy & I knocked on the inside window at a Starbucks as the Mayor & Governor walked by & waved (they waved back... lame!)
• the Almost Paradise prom at Sherman Tower
• walks around Wash Park
• spending hours at Twist & Shout listening to music & then not buying anything
• forking Morris, Darren, Jerry, Roger & whoever else we thought deserved it

All kinds of random shit goes thru my head. I notice that a lot of it is stuff that happened in Denver. I don't have those kinds of memories here. My life has been kind of boring since moving here. Probably because I don't have any real close friends. I know people, but I don't hang out with any of them. Most are work people. I've lost touch with the Nokia folks, since most have moved away or are raising families. Never really bonded w/anyone at TCS. And at my current place, I'm still testing the waters. I could see us hanging out w/my old boss & his wife. They're about 10 yrs older, but love going out. I think they'd be fun. I don't know if Christian would think so, but it might be worth a try. Other than that, there's no one. I think I need to join a club to meet people w/similar interests. Photography. TV. Movies. Cats. Something to introduce me to more people. I've been here almost 6 years & I don't have a single best/great friend. Lots of acquaintences, but nobody I could call on to talk or bond with. That makes me sad.

It's nearing 1am & my eyes are starting to get heavy. I hope I'm already relaxed enough to just go right to sleep. Oscar will jump up on the bed & try to find a comfy spot on the bed. Christian will toss & turn to get comfy & kick the covers off his right leg. Gracie will wander aimlessly around the house. And then we'll all fall asleep.

Movies

I really enjoy going to the movies. It's my escape from reality. I love big, blow 'em up movies, comedies & suspense. Not a big fan of the horror/gory movies, but once in a blue moon my man will talk me into watching one with him. I usually regret it when it's over & time to go to bed.

We just saw MI: 3 tonight. Not too bad. I'm not a Tom Cruise fan, but there was enough action in this movie to entertain me, make my palms sweaty & make me jump a few times. Now I'm home watching King Kong. I LOVED seeing the movie in the theater. The CGI effects were amazing on the gorilla. The movie itself was a bit too long, but it was still great. And yes, I cried... a lot. That's how realistic they made Kong look.

I also enjoy the popcorn w/that fake butter they put on it.

Nerves

People want me take pictures for them & that's so cool. They're co-workers. That makes me nervous. Giving them the bill, not meeting their expectations, not doing a good job since I don't really know how to take posed pictures. I've been asked to document event set-ups for work. Again, hoping they don't have real high expectations because I've never done that before. But it'll probably be better than what they had, which was nothing.

I worry too much.

Kitty Cat Birthdays

Today is Gracie & Oscar's 4th birthday. I can't imagine my life without them.

Miss Gracie curls up on the computer desk every night with me while I work. Sometimes she lays on the desk & goes to sleep. Sometimes she lays in my lap & kneads the air, my face or my body. I cradle her like a human baby & adore her like one too. She's amazing to watch when she's drifting off to the place cats drift off to when they nap. She purrs & drools, a lot. Right now she's sitting up on the desk, dozing. I'm waiting for her to fall over as she falls asleep. But she won't. She'll catch herself right before it happens. She's very entertaining to watch.

Then there's my big man, Oscar. He's a lot more skittish than Miss Gracie & not as cuddly, during the day, that is. At night, it's a totally different story. The minute I get into bed, he hops up on the bed from out of nowhere, makes his way up to my armpit, falls on his side w/a big "thwump" & begins his nightly ritual of kneading my arm & chest & purring himself to sleep. Eventually, he moves to the foot of the bed & will usually stay there until I get up. He sleeps like a brick! I sometimes kick him in the middle of the night & he still doesn't budge.

I can't shower with the bathroom door closed anymore. They don't like being locked out. By the end of my shower, they're both sitting in the bathroom on the toilet seat waiting for me to come out. They start meowing as soon as I turn the water off. Gracie usually will try opening the shower door to get in. It's hilarious to go thru this routine every morning.

When I leave for work in the morning, Gracie bids me farewell by sitting in the dining room window to watch me as I pull out of the garage. I wave goodbye (I know, I know) & I actually believe she knows what that means. Oscar usually retreats to his spot under the bed where he probably stays for a good portion of the day. I don't know. I wish I had a critter cam.

When I come home in the evening, Gracie is right there sitting in the bedroom window, waiting for me. I sometimes wonder if she can sense when that happens. I'm sure she sometimes sits in the window to enjoy the view, but I've heard of instances where animals KNOW when they're owners are on their way home & start behaving differently. I'd be curious to find out exactly when she sits in the window. Again, that critter cam would come in handy right about now. They both then greet me at the door when I walk in. Gracie jumps up on the counter so that she can be somewhat eye-level with me for scritches. Oscar usually falls over w/a "thwump" so that I can give his big belly a big rub.

These lil guys are what make coming home so exciting sometimes & I never tire of it. The unconditional love, security, joy & peace animals provide is what I love about them. You're their world. What a great feeling that is... to know that you mean that much to something in this life.

Happy Birthday kids & thank you for all the joy you've given me these past 4 years.