I've seen worse, right?

First little thing before I break into an angry rant:

The worst aspect of being deaf is the paranoia at work. I am constantly watching conversations go on in other people's offices where I cannot read lips and cannot hear the conversation. I wonder if they're talking about me. What would they be saying? Are they plotting my resignation? It's really terrible and stresses me out like you wouldn't believe.


Okay.

So this morning isn't shaping up so great. I was exhausted going to bed last night so I was sure to turn my alarm up to "loud." Well, that didn't help, because I overslept. Actually, we all overslept. We were racing to get out the door this morning, and as we were getting situated in the Jeep, I looked at Dave's travel mug and asked, "Where's your lid?"

"It's right there?"
"Where? There's no lid."
"There isn't?"

He tipped the mug to the side and forward and observed that, right as rain, his mug really didn't have a lid on it. This observation was followed by maniacal, hysterical laughs, and he then demanded my house keys so he could go back inside and grab the lid he was so certain that already covered his coffee.

Off we went, and sure enough, at the end of our block we hit the crowded channels of traffic one would normally expect later in the morning. A few choice expletives later and we were back on track. Dave swiftly dropped me at the train station and I got my iPod on, like I always do, and put myself on autopilot. Well, so much for that when I discovered that the escalator to the platform was broken, again. I had to wait and miss my train for the elevator (that's right, only ONE elevator) to come back up. I snatched a tabloid, caught the next train and snaked a seat (usually never happens, so I thought my luck was changing).

Read, read, read... And it's my stop. I exit the train car and hustle across the tracks. Now, the freedom of my morning ends when I have to take my iPod off and actually communicate with my coworkers. If it were up to me, I'd ignore them and listen to music all day if I could. I can't. That sucks. I try to savor those last few moments before I have to sit down and my desk and face the void. I walked very slowly to the building, shuffled through the lobby, and trudged up the stairs while listening to the Garden State soundtrack. Really, it was as close to bliss as I'll probably get today.

Then, I reached the fourth floor, impending doom... I put my satchel at rest on my desktop and began to unpack my lunch when I noticed an oily spot on my calendar. My lunch had leaked through it's protective sheath (plastic grocer's bag)! So I set it down on my desk (!!!) and it leaked onto my iPod headphones and a few papers (!!!). So, I wiped my calendar and desk down with a Kleenex, stuffed my lunch into the refrigerator and went back to my desk to take off my own protective sheath (H&M pea-colored wool coat) when I noticed that one of my earrings was missing! (nuclear breakdown!!!)

Now, I'm really trying to keep from getting too involved with my coworkers. A little while ago I noticed that I was really cluing them in way too much about my personal life. I was talking about me too much and asking too few questins about others; a sure sign of a self-involved bitch. I don't want to be that person, so I figured if I wasn't going to ask questions about others, then I was just going to shut up.

Let's see how long I go before I unload this sorry story of how incredibly crappy my morning has been.

P.S. The earring I lost was a Christmas gift from my brother and his wife!!! :( I suck!

100% Wool

I started knitting a hat on Tuesday from the most gorgeous variegated chunky wool by Crystal Palace Yarns. I'm really self conscious about it, so I won't post pictures until I'm a ways into it. I haven't knitted with wool in a while, staying with novelty yarns that hide mistakes, but now, I'm ready to take the leap.

After this hat, I plan to knit some gauntlet fingerless mittens and then another hat, and then another hat...

I got plenty of yarn for christmas, including a gift card to Joann's, but I have yet to find a good LYS (knitter-speak for Local Yarn Store). If anyone out there knows a particularly good one in the White Rock Lake area, please turn me on to it!

Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics

Just took a gander at my blog stats. Pit-e-full. I wrote 143 blogs in 2005 (June - December) and less than half that in the full duration of 2006 (70). My record for 2007 isn't looking so swell either, with only 3 blogs so far and the month is coming to a close!

So, I think that I should probably get to work a little early to blog in the morning. Mostly just to get my brained warmed up so I can edit a little sharper and make better picks for our pages. You know, writing takes up about 20 percent of your active brain, whereas most tasks usually take less than 5!

This morning on the train I was listening to "If it was you" by Tegan & Sara. The whole album is such a mixed bag. When I'm actively listening to music, be it on the train, bus or while I'm ignoring Dave, I like to put my iPod on shuffle and hit the advance button until something clicks, and there I'll stay until it's time to shuffle and click, shuffle and click. Shuffle. Click.

But I decided to listen to the album most of the way through, resisting the urge to skip to the next track. Best. Decision. Ever. The way the album is laid out, you've got a flowing mixture of up-tempo, acoustic/lyrical, ballad-type songs that all mingle and mix incredibly well. And, if you've ever sampled the Canadian twins that harmonize like sitar and flute, well, you're missing out.

I got off the train today, sipping my coffee and enjoying the brisk, chilly wind against my cheek as the conductor crossed the intersection and waved, and I departed toward my downtown desk with a smile. It's amazing what difference a good soundtrack will have on a usually lackluster commute.

Addendum

I looked at the previous post and there was nary a photo of Fitzy. Pity that!

Didja miss me?

It's been hectic around here, still recovering from Christmas, still longing for my family that I haven't seen since Thanksgiving... It's rough being popular.

Everyone is doing well at the House of England.

The cats, realizing their lifelong dream of real estate ownership, have aquired a condo together:


Dave, realizing that Italy is only a plate of pasta away, has over indugled:


Knowing that it just isn't New Years Day without Hop 'n John and cabbage, have cooked up plenty of good luck and money:



My photogenic sister has visited, knowing full well that I am addicted to black and white film, good vodka and relaxing weekends with my camera:



Mr. Orange, emminent tabby of the block that he is, frequently enjoyed his newly acquired digs with a decent view of the front yard, that is frequently less-than-decent looking:



And I have, and will continue to drink San Francisco beer although I am far from the Bay area, which is quite disconcerting, considering those bastards over there ripped my heart out and buried it there (San Francisco, that is):



OH!!! And Heavens! How could I forget!? We made pizza from scratch!