Well, I never had time to blog this weekend. Now, it's Sunday night, and I'm not leaving Andrew's after all cuz he has a fever of 101, and mine is 99. At first, we thought it was just pollen crap, but now it seems that we have the flu. Poot. I'm boiling chicken to make chicken & rice for us to eat tomorrow. I really don't think that either of us will go to work. Ugh.

My sister & her two kids got back to Chicago yesterday, and my bro took himself and his crew back to SC. Being all together all day Friday was AWESOME, but I think Granddaddy had had enough ~Wednesday and was ready to have his house quiet again. :^)

Oh, I forgot! My parents celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary last Tuesday, and my brother and sis-in-law, their 14th. Amazing. I'm so happy and proud of them. This year, my sis will have been married 9 years. It's nice to know that some marrages stay together these days.

Well, I don't really have anything profound to say. I have a fever, you know.

Wow! I didn't know that it had been so long since I posted. :(

This is a quick note to let it be known that I'm fine. My sister is in town this week so I've been running back and forth between my apt, work, and my parents' house to visit with my sis and her two kids. I only get to see her about 1-2 times a year, and we are really close.

In other news, Andrew & I celebrated our 6th month anniversary of dating last Saturday. He's a good man, I tell you. If my bruised little heart could just believe it! I woke up that morning crying, having had a bad dream that he told me that he'd been cheating on me. I dreamed something similar the next night too. Fun, fun.

Well, that's all I have time for. I'll post more later.

Well, the past few days haven't been good neck days. What's new, right? I saw the chiro doc today, and he said that I pulled a muscle---he called it something that started with a T---and that it's common even among folks who con't have neck troubles on a regular basis. He did his adjustment and remarked that, over all, I'm doing a lot better. Yay. As for the muscle strain, it's a lot better than it was Sunday when I last posted. I thought that I was going to die Sunday. Basically, I sat on the couch with lots of pillows, and Nurse Andrew took care of me. I was actually able to play "Halo" which gave me something to do while I was immobilized.

Note: if you strain a muscle, you're supposed to apply ICE to it for the first 24 hours. I put heat on it which probably made it worse even though the heat felt good at the time.

In other news, I applied for an accounts receivable (a/r) position at the company that I'm temping for. A/R is the flip-side of what I did at Hellhole, Inc. which was accounts payable (a/p). I have no idea how much it pays, but, thanks to a current a/r employee who I worked with at a previous job, I do know that the job isn't super stressful.

Today, I had the nicest time at lunch. I treated myself to a yummy Big Angus sammich at Quizno's, and, then, I browsed around the Dollar Store. Why is the Dollar Store so much fun?? I bought a teapot-shaped, terra cotta thermometer, a dish drainer for the sink, and a lint remover for $3.20. How cool is that?

Meanwhile, I need to get home to my furchild. She's been really clingy lately. I'm so busy this week too. Tonight, I saw my therapist which was nearly a waste of time cuz I'm getting back to my pre-birth control pill, pre-hypothyroid, pre-digestive problem self more every day.

And, that is such a good thing.

Crap!

The past few days my neck has gotten progressively worse. I guess it started Thursday night after belly dancing. The past two nights haven't been good nights of sleep. Then, last night, I had to miss a friend's birthday dinner cuz my neck was *really* being a big jerk. Well, today takes the cake. I can't believe that I'm actually sitting at this computer to write this, but I guess that goes to show how addicted I am to blogging.

Anyway, I woke up this morning feeling really stiff. After Andrew woke up, I rolled over to snuggle up to him, and *something* happened under my left shoulder blade. Really not sure what happened. I just know that I can't move in certain ways, and that it hurts REALLY @#$ing bad at times. I managed to take a really hot shower and I have my microwaveable heating friend (aka Bed Buddy), but I'm still really uncomfortable. Not sure if I'll be able to go to work tomorrow, and that's really bad. I can't even play video games cuz it tenses up so many muscles.

I think the movie that we saw Friday night caused most of this problem. We saw "We Were Soldiers", and it was awesome. I'll write more about the movie later, but, for now, suffice it to say that it contains a battle that lasts about an hour and a half. As my mother said, "You fought the battle with them, huh?" Yep. I did. I was right there in the trenches with Mel Gibson and Sam Elliott with my M-16. I think my shoulders stayed by my ears for the whole battle.

Ouch. Gotta go reheat Bed Buddy. This is *so* not what I wanted to do today.....writhe in pain, that is.

Comments? Write me at snadolicious@yahoo.com....

"Simplicity and clarity should be your theme in dress."

Yeah, right. What kind of a fortune cookie fortune is that? Is that what's wrong with me??? Is that my main problem on this planet....that I'm not a simple and clear dresser?

Whatever. ;P

How about some new colors? I'm trying to keep it easy to read so I couldn't pick the "fat kitty" template. =^..^= The font shows up too small. Also, I just set up a site meter. Yippee. Who'll be the first visitor??

Beware, folks.

In case you didn't know, it *is* possible to put too much oil in your car. I know cuz I did it last night........

The day had already been quite a challenge. I missed the whole day of work cuz I took a muscle relaxer Monday night before bed to relax several muscles so I could sleep. My doc prescribed them last year when my neck troubles surfaced. I hadn't taken a whole pill in quite some time. Oops. I was so groggy yesterday that I wasn't quite myself until about 2:30pm. I really couldn't afford to miss a whole day of work. There is no such thing as sick pay when you're a temp, you know. Ugh. Regardless, Nikki, Nubbie (my new teddy bear that Andrew bought me as a belated Christmas present last Sunday at Build-a-Bear at the mall), and I got a lot of rest.

Anyway, after finally getting myself together yesterday, I headed to Andrew's ~6:30pm. Lately, my car just hadn't been sounding right so I added some oil. Well, 2 quarts actually. It fit! How was I supposed to know that just because you can fit oil in a car doesn't mean it needs it?? I did it back in January too when my partner-in-crime and I left the mountains after attending a lovely wedding of two dear friends.

This time, a few blocks from my house, the car began to cough and sputter when I gave it gas. Spark plugs? Air in the tank? What the--? I called Andrew, and we discussed that possibilities. It seemed to be getting better as I went along so I decided to chance getting on 40. Dumb idea. My poor car wouldn't stay at a constant speed. As soon as I merged onto 40, I noticed a big, white cloud flowing behind me. I was burning oil so I pulled to the shoulder.

To my surprise, immediately, a transportation dept emergency vehicle pulled up behind me, flashing his lights. I WAS SAVED! :o) I told him the problem and confessed that I'd just put oil in. He checked the dipstick (what a novel idea!), and
I had WAY too much oil. Oops. He told me where a Jiffy Lube was, and that they'd probably stilll be open. I asked his name, and he gave me his card........Darrell "Heavy" Harris. He was as he sounds...........a LARGE man. He was an angel in my book.

At Jiffy Lube, they let 2 quarts surplus oil outta my car. I felt so dumb, but I swore that I'd pass my knowledge on.

CHECK THOSE DIPSTICKS, PEOPLE!

I woke up this morning and heard on NPR that today is the 6 month anniversary of 9/11. They were interviewing, what I heard later, was a Howard University professor of English who's wife Odessa was killed at the Pentagon. It was their 25th wedding anniversary, and she was only planning to be at the office a few hours. She never came home.

All of the sudden in the few moments that I was conscious, I was sad and didn't want to go to work. I don't really have a job, you know. It will end April 12. However, I mustn't let the panic set in. I have a month so I have time.....if I don't waste it. Andrew said a few sweet words that melted my "morning depression" away. He reminded me that I like the people that I work with, and the work isn't stressful, etc. How he did this, I have no idea cuz he was barely awake at 6:40am. That time isn't on his clock. :^) I grabbed my self by the seat of the pants and pulled myself outta bed.

On the way to work, I heard the rest of NPR's interview with Mr. Howard University Professor. I know that I'm hormonal right now due to my moontime, but I almost had to pull over when he explained that Odessa's robe that she discarded on the bedroom chair before dressing on 9/11 still lays where she put it. He hasn't been able to move *anything* of hers yet.

Sitting here now, I remember that feeling when Tim died (my 16 yo crush when I was 15). I kept every tissue that I wept on, the change that he gave me when I gave him a case quarter once, the Hot Tamalie candies that he gave me, the newspaper clippings of the single car accident that took his life, etc. as if keeping all those things would bring him back. I still have it all in a bag in M&D's attic. This April 27th, he will have been gone 19 years.

19 years. I can still hear his laugh........

Andrew & I went to check out the new mall today.

Wow!

Wow!

Wow!

Truthfully, I'm most excited about the layout. It's amazing.

The part known as Main St is outside, and it feels/looks like you're waliking down....well, a Main Street in Somewhereville. Nifty, colorful statues of people are scattered about, and there are several beautiful fountains. One of the funniest things that I saw today was a stone-faced policeman standing next to 3 knee-high duck statues with raincoats on. I wanted a camera so bad right then.

Inside the mall, there is a great variety of stores, but, again, it's the layout and design that facinated me. The mall is roughly X-shaped, but the legs aren't symetrical like malls that I'm used to. And, the store fronts are each unique, and they have chimneys!! Again, a nice Main Street feel.

For me, the whole experience was *made* by the entertainment in the middle of the mall at the junction of the legs of the X. As we came in the doors of the mall, there was an African-American dance group performing. I was mesmerized and fascinated watching the dancing and hearing the rhythmic drums. (The similariites to belly dancing was astounding.) There were 4 women dancers & 1 man dancer plus two drummers and 1 man who seemed to be the emcee, if you will. The costumes were typical, colorful African attire. After dancing a few numbers, the emcee invited folks outta the audience to join them on stage. He did a great job of picking a variety of folks (old white man, short Asian lady, black child, etc.). The audience folks stood behind the dancers and were to mimic their movements. It was the most beautiful thing that I've seen in a long time. I cried. I truly had tears in my eyes standing their watching those folks shake their stuff.

Unfortunately, Andrew & I were STARVING so we couldn't stand there forever so we moved on.......

Later, while passing by again, a group of tap dancers were tapping their thang when I spotted the emcee standing at the back of the audience. I told Andrew to hang on and approached him. When he turned, I told him how much I had enjoyed his troupe's dancing and that it had made me cry cuz it was the most beautiful thing to see folks of all colors and sizes dancing together with such joy. He hugged me! Then, I asked about his group, and he said they were from Durham and were known as The African-American Dance Essemble. I stammered, searching for the name of the Durham group that I'd been wanting to see for years. I looked right in the emcee's eyes and said that I thought the man's name was Chuck who also had an African-American dance group. His reply was simple.

"That's me," he said.

Andrew approached, and Chuck hugged him too. As we said our goodbyes, I noticed that Chuck now had tears in his eyes too.

I later explained to Andrew that the reason that the dancing made me cry was because all those people dancing together was how I wished that the world would be. Why can't we just get along? It's beautiful.

Comments? Write me at snadolicious@yahoo.com....

From one of those pass-around emails that I won't fill my friends' inboxes with, but I'll post it here. It really spoke to me about focusing on what's important. Now, if I could just do that:


SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?

When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?

You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,"hi"

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away.

Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

A dear friend decided that I needed a patron saint to help me since I'm so afflicted. :O) Hee. This is who she found for me. I am definitely a "possessed person".

More later.......