I am pretty sure that I will be the only person interested in what I have to say... I guess I am truly jealous of anyone that has their 15 minutes of fame (read: reality television shows), but I cannot be edited by big corporations to fit their story lines. I would say or sell their products, but maybe I can get a sponsor.
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Family Weekend
Well... this is the weekend. My cousin Matt is getting married this weekend in Louisville. Dan and I will be making the trip on Friday and what's really cool is that my nephew Riley will be our guest. I am looking forward to that. I think that we'll have a fun time in the car. Then of course, we'll have all of the activities of the night before the wedding. We'll get a chance to see a whole slew of relatives. It's going to be a lot of fun and we are looking forward to it. This is going to be a really cool wedding. The trip should be fun!
We'll also get to reveal the way cool project that Dan and I have been working on!
Just thought I would give you an update. No Sea Monkeys, no cleaning and no guitar to date. We're off to Stevens Point this morning for the rest of the weekend. I think the leaves will be turning. Central Wisconsin has nice foliage.
It always seems so easy to have them in order when I talk about them, yet I fail to translate the spoken word to action. This is true in the case of my personal and professional life, and further still, between those two facets. I am trying and it is difficult, however if I organize myself and my time more effectively, one facet does not have to suffer while the other remains mediocre at best. I must do a better job of organizing, prioritizing tasks and using my time effectively.
Have you ever just been unable to sleep all the way through the night? For about a week, it's been really bad. I had gone from waking up at 4:30am to waking up at 3:30 am, then the worst was waking up at 2:00am. Well, I am glad to report that it's not 2:00am, but back to 4:30am. At least then, it is only about 30 minutes that I need to lay there with my eyes wide open in the dark. Believe me, it isn't that I don't want to sleep, but that I wake right up in the middle of the night. This isn't a fun way to go through life. Usually I wake up thinking about the things that I haven't finished or accomplished. It's the darndest thing. How can that stuff just pop right to the surface of your brain and say "Oh Ann! Remember me? You didn't pay attention to me during daylight, so I'm going to make myself your number one priority right now at 4:39am!" Yes, thanks for the reminder.
As a matter of fact, I am. This is not going to be a commentary on Sunday's game versus the Bears. I wanted to share with you, my loyal readers, of my march toward Packers Season tickets... When I asked to be put on the waiting list in the early spring of 2003, I received a letter dated May 22, 2003. In said letter, the Green Bay Packers Ticket Office Supervisor informed me that I was Season Ticket Waiter #59,622. Later that same year, perhaps late summer or early fall, I received a post card updating me on the progress of my march toward being the envy of my friends... Behold! I was Season Ticket Waiter #58,477, not bad right? Just yesterday I received my annual update from the fine folks of the Frozen Tundra that I am Season Ticket Waiter #57,735. At this rate, I will only have to wait 40 more years. Why, oh why didn't I add my name to the list a dozen Super Bowls ago? Because when I was 20, I could not have cared less about tickets to a Packer game. I didn't mind watching it, but felt no urge to attend a game live and in person... and then you know what happened? I won tickets to a pre-season game a few years ago and that's what did it. I have been fortunate enough to attend two regular season games since that time, one courtesy of myself and Dan, the courtesy of our friends Rachael and Dennis. Alas, I will find my own place at Lambeau Field sometime within this century.
Here are things that I have noticed. Yesterday I didn't have any plans to do anything on a Saturday for the first time in probably two months. So, we got an oil change for the Pontiac, went to the store and came home. From that time on, the day consisted of eating, watching football and working on a project that I need to have done before the first weekend of October.
Today, we'll see the man in charge, watch football with friends, eat and hopefully pay a visit to someone who needs it.
Reality is a funny thing isn't it? I am knocked back into reality by things that I see in this world. I don't mean things that are far removed or that happen a world away. Reality is only a few steps away. Sometimes I ask myself how things happen, sometimes I ask why things happen. Really though, that isn't usually isn't the question to be asking. It's in our nature though, we want to know why things and how things happen. What is important is asking what we can do, how we can move forward, how we can make things better, what do we do now?
Sea Monkeys... yes friends, Sea Monkeys. The perfect office pet. That's what I am going to do, get some Sea Monkeys. I haven't had Sea Monkeys in probably 12 years or so, I have given them as birthday and Christmas gifts since then. But I need some of my own. I'll let you know if and when I get some.
I am also going to start playing my guitar more. I need to do that.
I am also going to watch football all day on Saturday and then on Sunday if I can.
I am also going to do some serious cleaning.
I am also going to be sure that we purchase our tickets for the Milwaukee Admirals home opener, when they will raise the Calder Cup Champion banner. There will be no NHL season this year, perhaps the league will just have to fold. I don't like the sound of it either my friend. I hope that doesn't happen, but hockey is not in a good way. This mess certainly won't help it... look at how long it has taken baseball to recover from its work stoppage. If the NHL and the NHLPA gave a good gosh darn about the game, they would get this whole mess worked out.
Yes, I am guilty of neglecting my blog. Long days mean short nights, which means no real quality blogging time. I think that life is slowing down a bit and that means more quality blog entries for you, the reader. My fantasy football teams show similar signs of neglect. I'm beat. I'm going to plan a weekend trip now... I do have the energy for that. Blog ya later, my friend.
Yesterday after the wedding shower, we went for a visit to down town Chicago. We did the Magnificient Mile, although most everything was closed... we got there about an hour too late. Then on down to Navy Pier. There was a really great fireworks show... we got home late, almost 2:00am. It was a good bit of fun. So was the shower.
Dan and I looking forward to Matt and Cheryl's wedding, we've had a few that we've missed over the past year. That doesn't make me feel very good. We've had to miss them because of me. So, we are really going to enjoy ourselves and have a great time in October.
Today is the first full Sunday of football, but I will have to find myself elsewhere. Much to do in a short amount of time. Hey, I work best under
I haven't been sleeping very well lately... I have been going to bed late and having to get up early. It's usually about 1:00am when I do fall asleep, then for whatever reason, I am waking at 4:00am. That's troubling because I need to be up and at 'em by 5:00am. Woe is me, I know. There are worse things in the world. Right now though, it is highly beneficial for me to be sleeping all that I can.
Today is the day of the wedding shower. We will be traveling by car to Arlington Heights to meet up with a number of our relatives. It will be a fun day and a great chance to catch up with folks who we don't see nearly enough.
Another college football Saturday. I've got three teams that I root for... Wisconsin, Louisville and Notre Dame. Next week, I hope to be planted right square in front of the television on my couch, under a blanket, eating pizza and chicken wings and watching the drama unfold, from 11:00am until 11:00pm. Then, I'd like to do it all over again on Sunday.
Saw my friend Laura today while she was getting lunch... the good news that I saw her... the bad news is that we once again adjourned our conversation without a firm commitment to a social engagement.
Laura and I have known each other for a number of years. Longevity in friendships is very important to me. I wear it like a badge of honor. I take a great deal of pride in having friendships that have lasted 10, 15 and 25 years... yes, I am old enough to have a friendship of 25 years... that's what I am cognizant of... What about ages 3-6... does that count? Longevity also offers me a sense of security and self worth. If someone wants to keep me around for that length of time, it tells me that I am important to them and that I bring some sort of value to their lives. It says a great deal about people who are willing to make that kind of investment and committment. It is apparent (sometimes painfully) that those are friends who offer true caring and love. I treasure my long friendships and look forward to growing those that are still in their early stages... only four or five years old.
Time is truly our most precious commodity. It is the one thing that you cannot make more of. You can make more money... you can make more cookies... you can make more room... but you cannot get back time that you have lost.
This is both beneficial and disheartening at the same time. The good news is that what is in the past is past, and yet that's what time becomes... the past. At some point the future becomes the present and the present becomes the past. Put that in your pipe, my friend. It's what you make of it... you can be in control of some things... some things are just a leap of faith... not luck, but faith.
That's my way of saying "messed up," when nothing seems to be going right. It's a rough go of it, my friend. I feel to be about two days behind with all that I need to be getting done.
In other news, I'll be attending a wedding shower this weekend... looking forward to that. It's been awhile since I've been to one of those... and I guess even haven't been to a baby shower for quite some time too. Party food!
Anyone think there will be an NHL season this year? Pre-season should be starting soon... I'm crushed... thank goodness we have the AHL.
Well, as many folks across the US, I was able to enjoy a long holiday weekend. It's a good thing, it was needed. Dan and I were able to spend two days with our very good friends and their cherubic little daughter. I think we visited every "Bay" in Wisconsin from the stateline to the peninsula... Williams Bay, Whitefish Bay, Green Bay, Sister Bay... we were there. Truly the best part was seeing our friends and getting to know the cherub. It is difficult to be so far away from them. It makes saying "good bye" hard.
Back here at home, we have our work cut out for us with regard to a special event that is coming up. Lots to take care of. It'll be great, but it will be a bit of a marathon and some learning too. I've been watching American Choppers and World Biker Buildoff, and it is inspiring. Seeing people create something from nothing... raw materials. It's great.
Sorry that the blog has gone without being updated... but rest and relaxation were better served.
Why is it that during the week... or even on the weekends for that matter... when I need to get up on time (5:30 or so), I could sleep until 10:00, but on the weekends... this first sleep-in weekend in probably six weeks... I am up at 5:15? This does not bode well for me, my friend. I am off to Green Bay to catch a glimpse of a quickly passing childhood. You know that I believe that children draw their energy from adults... at least from me... the more tired I get, the more energy they get.
I got something cool in the mail yesterday... unfortunately, I cannot share it with you until the end of September. It will be worth the wait. It is something that I need to pass on to a relative... so it needs to be seen by the receiver first, otherwise it'll ruin it.
I'm glad that I missed PACKER football last night... YIKES! Only hope for this weekend is BUCKY. A game against Central Florida today. I will more than likely not be able to see the U of L and UK game, that's disappointing. That's a huge ritual for me, those of you in the know understand why. However, I am probably going to be in another place of importance for our family... again, those of you in the know will understand where.
I know I promised that the blog would be better on September 1st. Here it is September 4th and I am finally making another entry. Please, cut me some slack.
Before we begin today's entry, I want to send a message to my concerned readers. Please be advised that the recent lack of creative or interesting entries was only temporary. You shan't be seeing another string of sub-par entries as you have had to endure over the past few days. Thanks to all who have written to express their concern.
Now, on with the show...
There is no other pain like tired and sore feet. I can take a sore thumb, sore throat, sore neck? Well, maybe a sore neck really stinks, but sore feet are just no fun. They are really no fun when you have a 40 minute drive home after a 12 hour work day. Not cool, Grandma. I know that there are worse things in the world, but these are my sore feet that I am talking about. If you want to complain about your aching feet, you are certainly welcome start your own blog. Call it "ohmyachingfeet.blogspot.com" if you want.
Dan and I are heading out to see Robert Randolph on Friday night at the Summer Fest Encore show in Milwaukee. Should be a good time. Look for me, I'll be the dork wearing the geeky shorts and nerdy t-shirt. If you spot me, say "Hello my friend!"
