Pay attention! ** A friend of mine at work sent me this and you really must see it. If you value your powers of observation, and a good challenge, look at the following picture. Now, this is important... Turn up your sound so you can hear the hints (they're kind of quiet, sometimes don't work, but try to listen for them). Look very closely at the picture and see if you can tell what's wrong with it. It takes the average person about 1 minute to see it, so get looking. Ready? Go here! (um, pregnant people? heart condition? don't go there... you'll make me feel guilty)
Posted 4:00 PM by Kerry O.

Not altogether perfect ** Today won't be altogether perfect. This I can tell already. Among other things, there's no Friday Five this week. Bummer. Well, maybe I'll just make my own this time. I forgot to do my thankful things this week, so I will make them about that. If anyone else feels like playing along, go right ahead! Just leave me a comment so I know!

1. What do you have that you wish everyone else could have? My friendship with my mother. It is the basis of all the strength I've ever developed, and continues to be a guiding force behind much of what I do.
2. What was the last nice thing a stranger did for you, big or little? The Circle-K guy let me have my banana for free this morning because he forgot to ring it up. He wasn't just being lazy, either, he was trying to be nice.
3. What do you think your partner or closest friend is most thankful for? I think Joe is most thankful for our house. He's been very anxious about things lately, and I can just feel the tension lift when he goes into our house and realizes it is his sanctuary.
4. What are you thankful for that nobody else would guess about you? It sounds silly, but the fact that I've "grown up" enough to get my nails done regularly. I've just never been really girlie. I don't wear much makeup (read: none, usually), and my clothes are generally fairly average. But my nicely manicured nails (currently baby pink) make me feel pretty, and I've gotten them done regularly since about September.
5. What are you doing this weekend? Tonight - Happy Hour! And I'm not going to have a repeat of last week, so I will not be drinking much! Tomorrow I think we're having a BBQ with my brother and his partner, maybe a movie tomorrow night. I don't have a lot of plans, so I hope to get a bunch of housework and laundry done.
Posted 8:31 AM by Kerry O.

Chickenhead ** That's what I am today. I have NO idea how, none, but apparently I printed my blog page. This page you're looking at now. Okay, well that's fine. But I didn't do it on purpose, don't remember doing it and didn't know about it. It printed to my team's printer. Right next to where the co-worker I was bitching about earlier today sits. Someone found it and placed it, nicely, next to the printer. Right there. Face up.

Now, I don't know who found it, and I don't know who saw it before I found it and destroyed it. So, I don't know if the aforementioned co-worker saw it or not. Or if anyone else actually read it or just stuck it there. But I don't want to go and apologize (this co-worker and I actually have had a pretty happy relationship) if she didn't see it. And I don't want to be an ass by not apologizing if she did. I'm probably going to bury my head in the proverbial sand for a while and like a chickenhead pretend it didn't happen. Man, I'm a dolt sometimes.
Posted 3:31 PM by Kerry O.

Amazing ** I was reading this article about Rosie O'Donnell (who I don't really care about) and gay adoptions (which I kind of do). And I was stunned when I did the little CNN insta-poll thingie and saw that 56% of respondents so far say that No, gay couples should not be allowed to adopt children. Now, I'm trying to reserve judgment. I know that each person in this world has their own experiences, biases, hangups, interests, etc. etc. etc. But it seems to me I have overestimated my fellow American. You see, I've always kind of seen this as one of those informed vs. ignorant things. Now - don't berate me - I am admitting I was mistaken here! Just because I cannot understand one someone would make it illegal for a gay couple to adopt a child doesn't mean there aren't many people out there willing to do just that. Just because I happen to have had many healthy, happy, wonderful experiences with gay family members and friends doesn't mean everyone has. So, you tell me, objectively - if you oppose gay adoptions, why? Do you object to gay single parents, or just gay couples? What if there is a custody battle between two biological parents, and one is gay? Would that be reason alone to deny custody? What about gay couples who participate in a surrogate-type program (a la Melissa Etheridge)? Should their children be alllowed to stay with them? Help me understand why gay parenting is wrong, please, because I just don't get it!
Posted 9:38 AM by Kerry O.

Brain points ** By the way, I think I lost about 50 IQ points yesterday; we watched Celebrity Boxing. I'm so ashamed.
Posted 9:14 AM by Kerry O.

Okay, I get it! ** Geeeeeeeeeez! This co-worker of mine is going to have an f-ing hernia because I'm currently getting a 57-page fax. She's telling me over and over, and bitching and moaning and just getting all exasperated. Hey, I'm sorry! I told the guy not to fax me the whole thing, so get off it! "Well, Carrie's been trying to get this fax to come through for 15 minutes!" Yeah, because 15 minutes is the end of the world. Back off. If it pisses you off so much, disconnect the transmission. It's not my fault for chrissakes!!! What a lovely way to start the day. Oh, grand. Here she comes again. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Posted 8:30 AM by Kerry O.

Fatty Pattys and Chunky Monkeys **
I'll tell you this much--if I'm shipwrecked on a desert island with a Guess model, I can live off the fat in my right butt cheek alone for three to four months, but that model will be dead by sun up.
Posted 3:58 PM by Kerry O.

Rat bread ** My neighbors are officially insane.
Posted 10:03 AM by Kerry O.

Small world **
"'96 Geo? Kerry?"
"Yes, that's me."
"Okay, ma'am, we changed the oil in your... hey, did you go to school around here?"
[thinking: Oh crap, please don't hit on me, I'm in a hurry] "Um, yeah, actually."
"Yeah, you went to elementary school in Glendale, right?"
[thinking: Wait a minute, this guy looks kind of familiar, if you take off about 20 years...] "Yeah, Kachina Elementary, actually."
"Yeah, me too - you were in Ms. Fincher's kindergarten class! And you were in girl scouts!"
"Um, yeah. Wow. You remember that?"
"Yeah, you look the same!"
[thinking: Great. Excuse me while I go shoot myself] "Thanks, you too. Now, about my car?"
Posted 9:09 AM by Kerry O.

Silly Girl ** One quick trip to Walgreens, a little peeing-on-stick action, and I'm firmly convinced that I am not pregnant. I spent a lot of time on the internet yesterday, determining which test to buy. I bought a Clear Blue Easy and there was no doubt in this world that it was negative. The others must have been poor quality (note to others: Walgreens' generic ept test), and I really did just get drunk on Friday. It's all good. I'm going to make an appointment to see my OB/GYN next week about my girlie issues and hope for some answers. I'd rather know if I have a problem now, not later. Thanks again for your support. I'm sorry I keep getting everyone's hopes up (including my own!). Actually, I am not upset this time (I was a little last time), because I never really thought it was positive. Anyway, back to work, and later back to practicing. :-) That's still the fun part anyway!
Posted 8:59 AM by Kerry O.

Activism ** Like History? Think our education system is woefully lax in teaching our children history? Think something ought to be done about it? Want to support a program that encourages kids to learn about history in a productive and competitive way? Click here and support programs like National History Day. Thanks.
Posted 11:27 AM by Kerry O.

Pretty flowers ** Last night, Joe and I trekked to Home Depot and bought $100 in flowers, plus/including a medium-sized queen palm. I'll take pictures in the daylight today, but it was pretty fun spending about 2 hours gardening last night. It's supposed to be 85 degrees today, so I'm officially allowing myself to think "Spring!" We have petunias, pansies, African daisies, and lots more! I just hope they survive. We'll plant the queen palm tonight and the front of our house will look very different. It's so much nicer, finally!
Posted 9:39 AM by Kerry O.

Things that make you go hmmmm ** You know, it's things like this that make me wonder: "I know that negative results are not always right but positive ones almost always are right. You can't pick up HCG hormones in a non-pregnant person."

It wasn't exactly positive though. Grrrr. I broke down and called the doctor. I can come in for a test anytime without an appointment between 8 and 4. I'll probably take a long lunch tomorrow and do it. It's a LONG drive, but I suppose I'd better know. If I'm not, then at least I can make an appointment to figure out why I haven't had a cycle in over 10 weeks.
Posted 9:18 AM by Kerry O.

Turning **
'Tis a gift to be simple,
'Tis a gift to be free,
'Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we see ourselves in a way that's right,
We will live in a valley of love and delight!

When true simplicity is gained,
To live and to love we will not be ashamed,
To turn and to turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning
We turn 'round right
Posted 8:36 AM by Kerry O.

Designated Driver ** Friday evening was the first time I've had to ask someone to drive me home after a tad too much to drink. I really didn't have much, but it hit me hard this time! Usually if I know I'm going to consume alcohol, I arrange for a ride beforehand. Otherwise, I know better and keep it reasonable. Whew, it sneaked up on me and I had to ask. Fortunately, my friend Melissa was more than willing to oblige and I saved the cab fare. And what's more? It was wonderfully easy, and I woke up the next morning feeling completely fine (no hangover, thank you - I said I didn't really have much!) and guilt-free for having been safe. My mom and I went shopping Saturday morning, and she happily brought me to pick up my car at work. Thank God for good friends and family. Anyone who ever worries about their reputation or inconvenience or cost in a situation like that should be flogged.

Anyway, Saturday was lovely, shopping with mom and Risk with Tom and Talmar. Sunday was Joe's aunt's church (she's a Presbyterian minister), and lunch and a stroll with Joe's grandmother. It was very nice. Of course, we never got around to taking down all of our grapefruit, but we cleaned the ground of all fallen fruit and trimmed the lower-most branches off. That ought to be a good start. We also painted the trunks white (the prior owner hadn't bothered in years!), and made plans to finish our satellite brick patio in the back and HUGE flipping flower bed in front. Yay! More fun for next weekend.
Posted 3:12 PM by Kerry O.

9 / 11 ** Before I read anyone else's opinions on this, I'd like to share my own. I thought it was tastefully done, and masterfully edited. Yes, there was some profanity (oh, my!) but there's more than that on cable anymore. Yes, it would likely have been very very uncomfortable for people who lost someone that day in New York. But I don't think I would have watched it if I had lost someone there. And it really did provide us an insight into just part of the horror that was 9/11 in a way no other video ever has. Joe's complaint was that it only focused on the one firehouse and their stories, but that's exactly what I liked about it. It wasn't supposed to tell the whole story, just one group's story. And the shots those brothers captured were phenomenal! Ooops - off to a meeting. More later!
Posted 8:54 AM by Kerry O.