Thursday, January 21, 2010

easy come, easy go

I keep waiting for it to get easier when he leaves. It's been nearly 4 years. There was a time when it was ok, and now it's just hard. Any moment I don't spend with him while he's home, I regret. It's like when people try to catch up on sleep, but you never do.

FRAZZLED

When husband is home, I get insanely unorganized. The house is a wreck, my office is an absolute disaster, and I'm behind on things I need to do. Husband was supposed to go offshore on Wednesday morning, but things have gotten pushed back, which of course is lovely. I adore having him home. Unfortunately, when he's home, all we want to do is hang out with each other, because we know the call could come any moment that he'll have to leave. Who wants to clean or organize paperwork when they could be snuggling on a couch for the last time for 2 weeks? But, this weekend, everything changes. I am going to organize my life. I'm going to take all the loose paperwork and put it where it belongs. I'm going to return emails and finish scanning papers and move my summer clothes back into the closet (it's in the 70's here today). I'm going to call my sister and catch up with her, I'm going to call my best friend and catch up with her. I'm going to finish sewing the purse I started a couple of weeks ago. I'm going to write for pleasure. I'm going to watch the Saints try their damndest to get into Superbowl. I'm going to clean out the tupperware containers I've been meaning to give back to my in laws for a month. I'm going to make some decisions to increase my happiness and decrease my stress level. Very much looking forward to all of it.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Oh the places you'll go...

Patriots Saints Football
(AP Photo/The Clarion-Ledger, Ryan Moore)

As you know, I was born and raised here in Louisiana, so by default, I'm a fan of the New Orleans Saints. Now, I don't have any brothers, and my dad is from Germany, where football is a sport that you actually use your feet, so I don't remember American football being a big tradition on Sunday's in my house (though the World Cup always was), but as I grew up and started dating, I realized that football is really friggin important to American guys. Husband is a major Saints fan, and this season I've actually gotten really into the games. Mostly because I actually understand what 1st and 10 means now. The Saints have had a truly beautiful season, but my favorite part? Number 19, Devery Henderson. Devery and I graduated from the same school, he a year after me. A fairly large school (1200 kids, 9-12), in a not so big town (17,000). I remember him vaguely, I think we may have had a class together, but other than that, we weren't friends or anything. I wasn't really interested in high school football (if you saw our record, you wouldn't blame me), but I have to say, it's FANTASTIC seeing a guy from my home town on our state's football team. And not just ON the team, but one of the shining stars. It's not often that I get the swell of pride in where I live, but when the Saints play, it's one of those times. Good luck next week boys, and no matter what, we are all so proud!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Natural disasters bring out the best and the worst in people

By now, everyone knows about the earthquake in Haiti, and I'm sure most know about Pat Robertson's insane claim that God smites Haiti because 250 years ago they supposedly made a deal with the devil and the devil said, (this is Pat Robertson quoting the devil), "ok, it's a deal." Yikes. Then there is Rush Limbaugh, spouting his not surprising nonsense, saying that we shouldn't donate to the relief effort in Haiti because we already do, through US income tax! But from these people, I expect nothing better. Pat Robertson's main schtick is blaming people for the natural disasters that happen to them, and Rush Limbaugh's is angering people so that they have heart attacks while driving and listening to talk radio. I can admit it, I used to be one of those people, until I realized that sports radio is actually calming.

But what does surprise me? The anger I see from people in the blogging world and on Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace in regards to being "guilted" into donating. I've seen a lot of friends posting status updates, suggesting that someone skip the restaurant lunch or extra coffee or another drink at the bar, and donate the money to Red Cross or another organization. Apparently this is making people feel guilty because they'd rather not do this, or they claim, while typing on their fancy laptops in a warm home and with a full stomach, that they just can't afford to. Am I trying to guilt people? YES. ABSOLUTELY. There are people dying, I don't give a flip about hurting random people's feelings. So sorry that they can't handle someone thinking they are cheap. I realize that it seems people are always asking for donations for different charities. It can be overwhelming, and no one can give to all of them. But to use that as a justification for being annoyed that someone suggest you give something up? That's childish and ridiculous.

Now, as I sit back and wait for the hate that will prove my point, I'm going to make some tea and have a victory sip.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Walking to New Orleans...

neworleans 056

Husband came home Sunday, and Monday we decided to go to New Orleans for a couple of days. It was heavenly. Just getting out of Lafayette, away from the internet and the phone and everything was fantastic. We shopped, had coffee at Cafe Du Monde, ate amazing seafood, ate amazing Indian food, drank heavenly at a hole in the wall Irish bar, and slept in an amazing hotel room in a supposedly haunted hotel. And obviously from the photo above, we went to the Aquarium, one of my favorite places in the world. Well, except for the mommy in the "mommy and me" group who was texting as she breastfed her child. That was just strange.

It's impossible though for me to go to New Orleans and not be reminded of hurricane Katrina. While the French Quarter and uptown, the areas we frequent, were spared for the most part, there are still parts of New Orleans that look like a war zone. Of course, the earthquake in Hatiti now has brought back the same images in my head. Please, text "HAITI" to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti. Put yourself in their shoes, wouldn't you want help?

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

2010, starting it with a blah...

Well the holidays have come and gone, and while they were wonderful, I haven't been able to shake this foul mood I've been in since the new year began. Husband unexpectedly was able to come home on Christmas eve, also his birthday, so of course that was fantastic. We got lots of gifts, ate lots of food, saw lots of family and friends. He left to go back offshore last week on what we thought would just be a week long job. Unfortunately he probably won't be home until next week, so I'm sure that's a big reason as to why I'm so annoyed. But no, there is something else that I can't put my finger on. I'm finding it hard to be happy for anything good happening in anyone's life right now, and that's just so not me. I don't feel like hanging out with my friends, I don't feel like having fun at all. Maybe it's the cold weather. Even the chance of snow on Thursday isn't cheering me up.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

I hate holiday commercials

I have a list I've made on the notepad on my phone of stores I will not shop at because I hate their current holiday/Christmas advertising. No, not because of the wording they use (Christmas vs Holiday). I think the "War on Christmas" is something Headline News makes up every year to fill in boring news days. Last night at a roller derby fundraiser I was telling a friend how I hate the TV ad for a local store called The Orchard, a store that sells Apple products. First of all the name is too clever. That annoys me. And I hate the ad because it looks too professional and just proves that Lafayette is too pretentious. So I'm going on and on about it, and my friend (who works in TV) informs me that he is the one who made it. I felt like a fool! But at least he knows it was good, too good! He's a cool guy who didn't make me feel like a jackass. I'm grateful for that, especially since I was bordering on annoyingly drunk, and that's never fun for anyone.

Another store? The Gap. Every year the Gap has cool ads with celebrities, like last year's Selma Blair/Rainn Wilson spot. It was adorable. This year, the cheerleading esque nonsense? No thank you. Sorry Gap, you and your partner stores will not be seeing any of my money. Also because the stores are too full and all of the clothes are on the floor.

Don't I sound cheery? No, really, I am. As much as I can be. Husband is offshore, and may not be home by Christmas. So I'm putting on the fake smile and trudging through. It could always be worse, right?