Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Hello, Burlingame, and Goodbye

The first conference of the year comes to a close tomorrow. It's been pleasant for me, and a little odd too. Usually, I have a purpose at our events, but no longer. So I just kinda schmoozed around and actually was able to spend time listening to the presentations. But I still had other usual conference experiences--like not leaving the hotel for two days and sleepless nights. On the bright side, since I don't have formal duties, I've been able to keep up with my regular work pretty well, which is a bit of a relief, not to fall behind while conferencing.

I do need a new suitcase. My practically new one is too large and I strain my back a little every time it goes into and out of the car. Not a good way to start a long event. Oh well.

I thought I might actually have something to blog about tonight, but I guess I don't. So I'll close with a cell phone report: I used it, and so far haven't embarrassed myself too much.

So looking forward to home and husband and furry creatures tomorrow night! Particularly after reading my horoscope just now. So for closing PS, Rob sez: " By my reckoning, your tribe is in a phase when you're capable of peak performances in both the erotic arts and oceanic emotions; you're primed for transcendent acts of sensual pleasure and rich amusements in warm, watery depths."

Yeah, baby.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Spirit


Spirit
Originally uploaded by suzipaw.
This photo wouldn't upload for some reason when I was blogging a few days ago, but here she is--my little niece-y, out front with her spirit fingers on!

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Catching Up


glass, sky
Originally uploaded by suzipaw.
It was a lovely weekend this last one. But first, the lovely one before that.

My older nephew took up wrestling this year, to help him play football in the fall, though he's doing quite well without the extra athletic exertion. However, I do admire a fourteen year old male who takes up wrestling, a sport with moves that make me blush, despite the obvious athleticism needed. So I was looking forward to seeing him at a meet last weekend, when my dad would also be out from the East coast. But alas, my nephew had sore shoulders (my brother, his father, explained that a popular move is to pull on one's opponent's shoulders until they *have* to move), so we didn't get to see any live matches, though my brother played several recorded meets for us.

We did, however, attend one of my niece's last cheerleading sessions, at a basketball game. She's cheered all four years of high school, and was head cheerleader this year. It's been wonderful to see her progress throughout the years. She's always been a very confident young lady, but she seemed more comfortable than ever out on the court, and I was so proud to see her out front and leading her team. I can't believe she's off to college in the fall. Usually she's very busy when I visit, but this time she was able to spend some time with us. She had breakfast with my dad, brother, and I in the morning…it felt so comforting to be out with my family, three generations sitting down for a meal together. She says she's nervous about going off to college in the fall, but she doesn't seem frightened at all. And she'll be attending a college just a little more than an hour away from home, which probably helps a bit too.

My brother's been transferring some old videotapes to DVDs, so he treated us to not only to a show of my nephew wrestling, but also to a trip down memory lane. There was his pre-wedding tape from 1986 where our grandmother smiled radiantly into the camera, my ex mugged a bit too (what was I thinking?), I sported bad fashions, short hair with a long tail, and everyone looked positively wrinkle free. Ah, those were the days. My brother kept slyly referring to a tape called "Winning" which didn't ring a bell until he popped it into the player, and there it was--one of my mime performances from college. Oh, could it be more painful? And it was so boring! He made me a copy, and maybe I'll post it on YouTube. That is one advantage to being older--I just don't give as much of a damn as I used to.

Later, Dad and I drove down to my other brother's place to visit with him and his family. Another lovely visit punctuated by good food and family talk and time with the other nephew. Any the news that they're pregnant! We're very happy for them. Better start working on a knitted baby project…

It was so wonderful being immersed in family rather than work, even if just for a few days.

*****

(Insert stressful work week and dealing with sick elderly cat here.)

*****

This past holiday weekend, M and I packed up Rex and Pookie (recovering from pancreatitis, so we had to bring her along in order to administer meds), a cooler full of meat and booze, and several good intentions into the Monster Mobile and drove up to my mom's. My younger brother came over too.

The trip was marred only by the Pook, who was not only car sick (taking its toll on both ends, if you get my drift) on the way up, but on the way home as well, her revenge for us squirting antibiotics into her tuna hole twice a day for the past week, no doubt. But other than that…We slept. We cooked and we ate. We drank. We walked on the beach. Twice. We played 31 and tried to watch "The Departed." Sat by the fire and drank coffee in the mornings. I did not open my laptop, not once. It was hard to leave.

It was so wonderful being immersed in family rather than work, even if just for a few days.

*****

And now I'm back at work and it's late, and I don't foresee a three day weekend in the near future, though I do have to plan a trip up to Grandma's before too long. That would be a welcome thing to look forward to.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Pointy Pals with Billy Collins


Pointy Pals with Billy Collins
Originally uploaded by suzipaw.
We had a writers group night out yesterday, vanning up to our local cultural center to hear Billy Collins read to a nearly-sold out house, which was wonderful to see. He's so charming, so funny, so gracious, a splendid voice for poetry. And look, he's touching Julia in the photo! She's so lucky. She'll probably never wash that shoulder again.

More later about my family exploits this past weekend, and plans for this weekend.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Kinda Nice Over Here on the Dark Side

So I acquired one this weekend--a cell phone. My boss wanted me to have one, so now I do. I'm trying to gaze at it with affection and let go my prejudice. It is quite cute. I can use it to order pizza. I just made a cozy for it out of some felted scraps I had in my knitting basket--my thinking is that it will be grateful to me for the handsome extra protection I've now afforded it. I hope so.

However, I am committed to the Cell Phone Good Citizen Pledge. Let's say it together, shall we?

I promise not to blab and drive simultaneously

I promise not to interrupt our conversation to peer into it when someone calls, much less answer its siren song only to say, "I'm kinda busy right now--can I call you back in five?"

I promise not to use it in completely inappropriate places: movie theaters, restaurants, the gym, etc.

I promise to turn off the ringer in meetings and other gatherings, so as not disturb those around me

Wish me luck. I'm hoping this ends the era of my bad cell phone mojo.

*****

It was a lovely weekend. We had a double date night on Friday--a friend took us out to a nice Italian place for dinner--as a wedding present! That was so sweet, even though of course we're not even newlyweds anymore. I was so exhausted from work that week that I wasn't much of a conversation companion, but I enjoyed the company and the simple act of trying a new restaurant.

On Saturday I met the Pointy Pals for writing time and I worked on my lace making article. It's almost done. Really. M and I watched The High and the Mighty, which M speculates was the inspiration for Airplane--gotta rent the latter now for comparison. I picked up tickets for a writers group field trip to see Billy Collins later this month.

On Sunday, after an aborted attempt to study/work in the morning, we repaired to a local dive-ish bar to watch the Superbowl. A decent game, a fine performance from Prince, excellent people watching--it was very Cheers-y in that everyone seemed to know one another, and M was offered a job by the drunken, nicotine-breathed attorney sitting next to us. Not sure if his wink was a tic, but it was certainly an experience that made me pine for dive bars.