Seriously slackin'

Holy cow - I've got a follower! And it isn't my mom!

OK, admittedly I know my follower. And he is an incredible writer who I love and admire. But what a cool feeling to see that show up! I didn't want to be my own first follower. Would be a little too much like the people who still have "Tom" as their friend on Facebook. Or was that myspace?

Been a long time since I posted. It's been a long week. One of my tasks is tax filings. So this week, in addition to regular workload I had the looming deadline to get quarterly filings, annual filings, W2s and 3s and 1099s and a bunch of other numbers and letters. The bright spot for the week has been the continued functionality of my hot tub. Remarkable how much better that makes my days. The downside this week was slushy snow that kept me away from my beloved hot water on Wednesday. However, despite the lingering ice - I returned to my Nirvana on Thursday night. I could not be deterred!

My mind races when alone in the hot tub. Without a computer, tv, radio, phone, text to distract me...all I can do is think. In that brief span of time I bounce from debating my purpose on Earth; to singing to myself; to editing myself; dreaming; planning; fearing; doubting; praying. It will be nice to have company in the hot tub sometime soon.

69 minutes to Saturday. I'm contemplating staying up so I can drink a Coke. I've resisted all week. Could I pretend to be living in New Brunswick? Then it would just be 8 minutes now. Well, perseverance builds character. And that's a worthy goal.

Still on the road to becoming a better person.

A Taste of Heaven in Hot Tub Hell

It is small, it is old, it has been broken down for over a year...but it is mine and there are no payments due on it. Except for the huge debt I owe to the man who made it work again. If you want to hear the back story of my adventures with the hot tub - read older posts below. Suffice to say - tonight, at the perfect temperature of 103 degrees, I sat in my hot tub. I sat there quietly. No need for bubbles or high speed jets. Just a Pisces in warm water contemplating her place in the universe. And it is a happy place to be.

Now I am off to take a shower (ummm...I hadn't shocked it yet because I didn't want to waste chemicals on water that might be pouring back onto the ground... And I actually thought I was out of chemicals. Sorry Gordon, I assumed you had taken them. But really they were up in the corner.) I can't wait to visit it again! But for tonight - it was just me and the stars and the warm water. I couldn't be happier if I was twins.

Some people can identify problems. Some can identify who or what is to blame. Then there are those rare people who see a problem and just fix it. You know who you are. Thank you.

Coke, Rude Folk and Ashton Kutcher's Butt

Random thoughts from tonight -

Saturday. Coke Day. Well-deserved tonight!

Today was also try to fix the damn hot tub day. I have a hot tub. It is small. It is old. It was a craig's list find. But when it works, I sure do enjoy it. The hot tub has now been broken for over a year. Don't get me wrong. It was full of water and circulating and for a long time I even fed it very expensive chemicals. Heater wasn't working. Actually, first the heater kinda went nuts. Temps were very erratic. Kept having to reset the high-limit switch. So then it stopped working.

No matter how nice jets are...without the hot water...it's just not the same. So my brother was going to fix it...he has the skill set. Not the time though. And I understand! He works a lot. And has a family. And so I tried not to nag him. Enter SuperCG! My best friend - with MAD skill sets. So he fixed the heater, and then the thermostat, and then the pump broke, so he replaced the pump (after doing all the research, too) and then the motor froze up, so he got that freed up. Then a glued joint in the plumbing broke. So then I cried. Just a little. So then he replaced that joint and defrosted the pump. Well then when doing the final tightening on the connections...well then another break in the plumbing. Some sort of union. I won't wander off on a tangent right now about plumbing part names and all the sexual innuendo...but I would like to reserve the right to wander off on that tangent some time.

So after one trip to Lowe's and two trips to spa supply store (hey fella - why don't you just buy one of these new beauties on the showroom floor?) for repair parts...frozen hands and an entire day...it is together. And heating! It's currently up to 59 degrees!! Ahhh....

So then we went to dinner at the new Dahlia. Other than the fact that SOMEBODY needs to actually RUN the front of house...it was a great experience. The kitchen has it together. And I think that the rest will smooth out. We stood and waited for a table for about 10 minutes. Then when a table opened up and we sat down - a patron from the bar informed us that they had been waiting for that table. Really? We took their places at the bar and waited for another one. But really, patrons shouldn't have to be having that discussion. Dude was rude. Let's have the staff control the seating so I don't have to get into ANOTHER bar fight at the Dahlia. (yeah....I have. and yeah...it was at the Dahlia.) (come to think of it - might have been the same guy)

But then to smooth off the rough edges of the day: Coke and popcorn - at the movies. Saw No Strings Attached. Liked it a lot. The only thing better than Ashton Kutcher's butt would have been Mark Wahlberg's chest...but it was a good movie all the same. I'm a sucker for a romantic comedy. I know. Some of you respect me a little less.

The Little Red-Haired Girl

Thursday is a long day. It is almost always a long day. Work (which, of course, I love...but still...there is effort involved....) and then the Thursday after-school program JIFF (which, of course, I love...but there can be a LOT of effort there!) and then choir practice for an hour and a half (which....you know...). Tonight there was the addition of handbell choir practice. I love it - but somebody is mistaken when they assume I can read music :)

So - Thursday nights - I need a reward. Almost every week, it ends at the local ChickFilA. Which I love, no effort involved. The crew at this CFA (Candler's Mountain Road) is perfection. I know mistakes must sometimes happen - but they've never happened to me. I mean NEVER! And the the staff is friendly and efficient. Tonight I was served by the team of Ramona (love that name) who took my order. And then at the window by two great young ladies - one of whom I must call "the little red-haired girl" (Charlie Brown reference). She has made the effort to learn and remember MY name - why on Earth can't I remember hers?? She asked me one evening if I was listening to Harry Potter (which I was) and since the latest movie came out - she has asked if I've seen the movie yet. Which (strangely) - I haven't! I don't know why - but the opportunity didn't arise. I'm hoping that she doesn't get into trouble for taking extra time when I come through!

I think that the franchise operator would understand. She and many other members of that crew have built a relationship with me. I actually drive MILES out of my way to go there on Thursday nights. But it is always such a great experience! Anyway - if anybody knows the little red-haired girl - tell her I said thanks! It's what gets me through a long Thursday.

Embrace the moments.

Catching Up...

I had the best intentions when I started this blog - I was going to write every single day like my friend Chuck Taylor (his blog - The Smoking Nun - is my absolute favorite!). But life gets in the way sometimes.

Since Friday when I wrote at length about bad restaurants and good...well...we enjoyed the Stoney Badger Tavern so much - we went back Friday night!! Took my sissy for one of her rare nights on the town. Nephew Jack was at a party and so his mom cut loose and joined Carl and I for an evening out. The hardest thing about an evening with Denise? Deciding what to do!! We considered about 6 different movies but couldn't come to an agreement on which movie, what time or which theater. So we decided on drinks and light fare at the Badger. The food was still great. I even tried an onion ring! They are not nearly as scary as I thought. Who would have thought it? What will I try next - snake handling?

On Saturday the Fearsome Foursome of Carl, Carl, Denise and Chris worked at the church. And I'm not kidding when I say that it was a great day! Yep, pulling communication cables through dusty ceilings, testing and organizing sound gear, cleaning the molding around the sanctuary, redistributing the hymnals and pew Bibles. It was really a lot of fun! I absolutely love to watch people with skills like electrical, plumbing and carpentry work - it is like watching an artist create. Watching the process of making the connections on the communication cables was like poetry in motion. And it is astounding to watch these 8 or 10 tiny little wires be arranged into the right order...and when I asked how he knew what order they were supposed to be in...he rattled off something like "oh it's just white/brown, brown, orange, white/orange...the basic 69874.4B configuration" (um...that's not real, folks...don't try to do it that way) Ummmm...sure. Reminded me of Marisa Tomei's character in My Cousin Vinny, "that would be 4 degrees from top dead center." By the end of our work, things were labeled and put away, and we have lightning fast communication to the web from our sound desk. That will make it much easier for our webmaster to be able to upload the services to the website!

Then to home for some lovely meatballs and Coke!! Saturdays are great! And I even remained social and played a rousing game of Uno with Karen, Denise and Charlie (who cheated...but still lost?).

It was a great weekend - especially since I have been trying hard to choose to embrace moments. Obviously the Coke and meatballs were one of the moments I embraced - but a few others: Denise's laughter, Carl's raised eyebrow, Dad's chuckle when we realized that during the cable pulling we were both answering Carl's request for someone to pull cable in the fellowship hall...apparently at the exact same moments with the exact same answers!, Jack's relief when I determined that the sound problem he encountered Sunday morning was an equipment, not an operator error, Megan's smile when she read her birthday card.

Embrace the moments.

The Sip

So...continuing to work on kicking my Coke habit. And I've been really good (even if a certain person has a hard time believing that)! We've been super-busy at work and there have been the usual stressors: weather, mechanical issues and the delightful folks that seem to believe we are sitting around with our quarter-million dollar trucks just hoping that they will call so that I can send someone to immediately shred their 2 boxes. Sort of a demented version of the classic show Taxi. Of course, that would make me Louie. I don't think I look too much like Danny DeVito...but, as usual, I digress.

On Tuesday - after one of these typical days - Carl came out from the warehouse with a frosty can of Coke. And I asked for a sip. And it was granted! And it was delightful. I don't think that was cheating too much. After all - I DID fully embrace and enjoy the moment. And that may be what it is all about.

Speaking of enjoying and embracing an experience - had dinner at a new restaurant in town last night. I just wanted to have dinner before choir practice and since (as usual) my dining companion refused to choose a place, I tossed out 3 choices: sushi at Kings Island, the stupor buffet at Hibachi whatever, or...and in searching my mind for a third choice...I happened upon the thought of this new place. It took FOREVER to open (remodel of a failed restaurant) and I wasn't really convinced that it would be anything special. So far that location has been Cedar Street (good), Boodles (good for awhile then eh...), JT McWaynes (good for a couple weeks then bleh...), Claytons (rebirth of a burned down restaurant - good but kept being mysteriously closed) and then was a combo of Jazz Street Grill (a great restaurant that had to move to escape the encroachment of Walmart) and Mudpuppys (sports bar - never was a fan). I still mourn the loss of Jazz Street and the chef/owner Walter. But that seemed to fail on some sort of management thing.

So - went in not knowing what to expect. And it was AWESOME! Great service, Great menu, Spot-on execution. I will admit that I am hyper-critical of restaurants. I think it is because I know what it takes to make one stand out - and some of the things are simple. And I am not afraid of giving honest feedback to the restaurant management. Real constructive criticism - with suggestions. Not just answering the "how are enjoying your meal tonight?" with "it's fine" - and then telling everyone I know that it sucked. And I'll give them more than one try - everybody can have an off night/day. The thing that drives me completely bonkers is when there is a great menu: the food sounds great, the combinations are creative, the descriptions draw you in. And then they can't execute. There was a restaurant that closed not too long ago - their specialty was unique and creative breakfast/grill items. Open 24 hours a day 6 days a week. They failed me over and over. I loved the concept, loved the menu. Every once in awhile there would be a spark of potential - only to be snuffed out by failure. Out of juice, warm beer, coffee maker broken (seriously? Go get a Mr. Coffee from CVS until the main one is repaired - this is a breakfast place!!!), never did they have their "signature dish" when I wanted to order it, and they never, never, never got a biscuit on the plate that was good.

I don't forsee that being a problem for the Stoney Badger Tavern. Super-knowledgeable staff helped us pick a beer from the list of about 30 draft choices. Then we had the most incredible appetizer - Badger Balls - luscious cheese balls with a marinara that was more of a tomato chutney. Followed that with a Crab cake on buttery croissant and a side of handmade potato chips. And the remoulade that came with...holy cow. Equally good on the crabcake, chips and my pinky finger. Carl had an upscale version of a cheesesteak sandwich and waffle fries that were so perfect...incredible texture and perfectly seasoned. And then...peanut butter pie. O. M. G. Carl literally (and I do mean literally) licked the plate.

I was late to choir.

I didn't care.

Cranky Folks Testing Me!

So - we got some winter weather in the great Commonwealth of Virginia. And it seems to have iced over the hearts of some people. I'm not sure how the drivers can remain patient and kind when folks yell at them for (among other things today): parking near their car (but within the lines and in the proper lot), coming a day early (because there was ice in another part of the state) and for not having time/space for an extra 1500 pounds of paper.

The phones were no happier at the office.

But for every cranky pants...there was either a positive call (at least someone who understands why ice might disturb routes) or at least an amusing tale for the office. Is there a full moon that nobody told me about?

Usually this would drive me to the warehouse fridge for a Coke (and a smile!) - but today I just had a few orange Skittles and tried to remember that we are not delivering transplant hearts. And now cozy in my house - with soup on the stove and love in my heart - it fades in importance.

I will try hard to remember that tomorrow when the wackos come out again. And to recall that Coke Day is coming!