Flint

There's a blog I love to follow, written by a Flint Expat. Today someone posted a picture of my old horse Alazon:

http://feeds2.feedburner.com/FlintExpatriates

Every time I visit this blog, I'm reminded of my childhood, teen years and eventual flight from my home town. Down at the core I'm a rust belt gal with strong union ties and an unabashed liberal lean, tempered with those dang conservative Midwest ethos. Keep your word, do what you say, be a good friend, be honest, work hard and don't whine. 

Sometimes the Northwest clashes with the Midwest. Times like waiting in the shopping line. I'll strike up a conversation, and I won't get the immediate response I'd get at Combers Market. They're nice out here, but people won't tell you how they feel -- they'll guide you through how they came up with an opinion, an opinion that they won't readily share. Where to find the resources for pros and cons, the different sides of a story. I've said it before, this drives me crazy when I just want to know how someone FEELS. I hope I don't lose that characteristic, even if it makes me look silly or a bit like a loose cannon out here. 

Cutting out the coffee

I'm not writing much in here lately, most of my posts are on facebook now. But I still like it here at blogland; it's nice and quiet. 

New topic: There was a recent article on the incidence of dementia in people who drank daily bucket loads of coffee. This study took place over decades, and folks were tracked who drank less than two cups, to folks who drank more than two cups. Those who drank more were less likely to have dementia. 

I figured, hey, if it's good for you, I'll start drinking more coffee. I mean gee, what's wrong with that? Well plenty, apparently. I've been having these mean little heart pangs and my gut is on fire! I'm sharp as a tack though. And quite irritable. Maybe the study found that the people who drank more coffee and didn't have evidence of dementia, just answered more quickly than the ones who drank less and answered slower. Just a guess. I'm just riffing. I made two pots of coffee today. :) And I'm sharp as a flippin' tack! 

E-mail

Image via Wikipedia

I just recieved this e-mail in my inbox. I'm not sure if I should respond to the sender. It seems "friendly" enough. :)
t

Hello!!!!
I the lonely girl. To me of 28 years. 
I have found yours E-MAIL in agency of marriage.
I have addressed in agency of marriage to find the man.
I have paid to agency of marriage 8 $ to make questionnaire.
I have in a stock there data and a photo. To me have shown photos of several men. 
I at once have decided to write to you the letter. Thus I have found you!
But I search only for serious attitudes, please answer me.
Harmony, understanding and belief also very much it is important. If you interesting
corresponder with me also.
Write to me on my personal e-mail: sexsyluvushka@xxxx
I hope you to me, you will answer!
Your friend!!

What pile of hope?

My dad wrote me a card the other day, thinking he would make me feel better about the future. (To understand why he sent me this card, it helps to know that I've always loved horses). Inside the card, he reminded me about a time we had visited the country and he found me standing in a big pile of horse crap while looking around excitedly, shouting: 

"There's got to be a horse around here somewhere!"

Some people have the glass half full, I have the shit pile of hope. 

My husband is cute

Last night we received more snow; five inches of the stuff. It was beautiful.
As I walked upstairs my husband met me in the hallway, munching on something.
"What's in your mouth?"
"Some snow from a tree branch."
He had opened up our bedroom window to snack on a big delicious handful of fresh tree snow. The only thing that would have made it better? Some maple syrup and a wee bit of milk in a bowl. And the prospect of a snow day.
Ahh, snow.
This morning, the kids were bummed that they were denied another snow day. And I was surprised after receiving nearly a week off before the holidays (due to dustings of snow which finally culminated in the Big Snow the meteorologists had threatened would come) that the kids did have school. They were slower than molasses, slower than really thick maple syrup, and sleepier than they had reckoned after developing a new vacation sleep cycle. God bless 'em all, they piled into the car and I drove their lazy butts to school.

The Times, they are a changing.

Today I am dumping things into a box. I will need another box because I didn't hold to my motto at work to keep personal crap limited to the volume of one box.

Today I am officially done with work parties and farewells of the awkward type. Tomorrow I'm moving to that office in my home where I will spend the next week and a half writing my own stuff. Lots of projects need to be completed, less editing, more writing. I will really miss my work desk.

Today I'm looking at the "It's Borat Peep! (heart) Marla" Post-it note with the pic of a pink peeps dressed as Borat. I've collected two newspaper comics umbrellas, a couple of gift cards, a gift box of chocolate, a great discount book with coupons that I'll always forget to use and one VIP SAM admittance.

Today I'm looking at a quote that says, "The biggest sin is sitting on your ass." I also have a picture of a baby monkey on my computer. It was a gift from a junior designer who shared my belief that monkeys are always funny.

Today the senior designer who interviewed me when I first came here stopped by on his way out for the weekend. He was the first guy who interviewed me here, and when i reminded him that, we both choked up. He's had braces on his teeth for a couple years now so I told him I wanted to see his teeth at an unveiling party. I didn't give him my chocolates.

But today I realize I won't be able to share my chocolates with all these goofy and fine people on a whim.

So I'm opening my box of chocolates, and I'm inviting everyone over to snarf now. I'll save one for Mark, wrap it up nicely in cellophane, then put it on his desk. Then I'll take pictures of the rest of us as we eat caramels.