Being Sick Sucks, and other Random Thoughts


So I am sitting on my bed at home, too tired to sleep (?!), a symbolic pillow shoved in my head, with a cup of coffee, a box of tissues, and my beloved MacBook Pro. Nyquil is running through my veins (I wish you could see how many typing errors I’ve had to correct!)

I hate to be sick – not just for the obvious reasons, but because I don’t like to miss work and do nothing. Yet, I am not focused enough right now to finish my last essay – and that sucks. Oh wait, Deana doesn’t like that word……so it bites. And then I wonder, what makes a word “bad”? Like gay….it used to be a word for happiness and now, well, most people think of something else. Or even the word “bad”, which can sometimes mean good. Hell, I think I am on a drug induced ride right now. Oh wait, maybe I should not have said hell…..

And then I wonder, why do I think I know people? I mean, know them enough to think I can describe how they will be if they are promoted or under stress or whatever. Or why am I surprised to realize I have become very close with someone that I never expected too….so much that I can be myself? Well, that probably doesn’t make much sense – blame the Nyquil, but I am sitting here amazed that I am missing some very dear friends right now more than I thought possible. And all because of a freaking cold! Damn.

Then I am wondering, what makes people insecure? Is it because they need more than others? Or is it because they don’t realize how much they are loved, esteemed, valued…..fill in the word. How does one balance between feeling overly confident and insecure? Why do some fall apart when they make a mistake and another shrug with indifference? How does one find the middle ground?

Oh now I KNOW I am sick! LOL

Okay, I was hoping to burn time with this post – which I have, but more deleting my typos than anything else – yet the day is still young! Sigh.

My friends (whom I miss so much) and my enemies (I even miss you!), I must now leave.

What happens in Vegas……Corrected

Okay, so maybe not EVERYTHING stays in Vegas!

We had a pretty good time visiting each other – the reunion of Deana, Rona, Stepha, and I was a success. It was like we were just together days ago! It was a long flight – it seemed – maybe because Rona and I hung out at the airport for about an hour and a half waiting for Deana and Stepha. But when they arrived you should have seen Rona run! I didn’t know she could run! LOL Anyway, we got to the hotel after midnight on Friday – Planet Hollywood, which used to be The Alladin – and our room was very nice. We went out for a bit, then ordered room service and slept (can you say PARTY PEOPLE????).

Saturday we ate, hung out, did some minor gambling, went to the AWESOME exhibit showing the Human Bodies…..we’re talking real bodies with their muscles out, seeing organs, learning about their functions, etc. IT WAS AMAZING! I don’t think I really appreciated how wonderfully God made us up until that point! Seeing a real uterus and realizing how freaking SMALL it is and how big my children were when they were born blew me away! Miraculous thoughts popped up throughout our walk through the exhibit!

We then went to a comedy show with Joe Rogan, who is the host for Fear Factor. He is very short! But he and two other comedians were very funny and my side was hurting pretty badly.

Sunday, there was more eating and then we went to get TATTOOS! We were going to go to Heavenly Tattoos, but our taxi driver suggested Diversity Tattoos which he said was bigger and more people ask to go there. It WAS a very nice place and they had computers all over to select tats. You could even access the internet to find pictures. There was only one tattoo artist when we arrived so we had to wait a while – another came in and that helped.

And, I know you all are wondering, why would I want a tattoo??? Well, I already had two, which I got on my 39th birthday. One is the logo for Not of This World, the Christian clothing line. Don’t have a pic of that, but included the logo here – although my tat is black.

The other tattoo I already have is the signature of my Dad’s initials, which he wrote himself and he also has had that tattoo for my entire life (well, probably even before I was born!). These two are on my left and right back shoulders respectively.

Anyway, I found a Christian tattoo from a Christian tattoo site (http://www.religioustattoos.net/index.php) that I really liked. I took the pic in, they gave me a quote, and then I waited my turn. Here is the finished result – it is not a good quality pic but it gets it across. It is a Jesus Fish with ΙΧΘΥΣ in it surrounded by decorative design.

I think it came about pretty nice, but let me tell you…..IT FREAKING HURT LIKE HELL!!!!! I knew I was in trouble because Stepha went first and her tat was in the middle of her upper back, too, although smaller than mine. The look on her face when he started told me THIS WAS GOING TO HURT! I was called just as Stepha’s was finishing…..here is her tat:

So, I am getting psyched up so that I can bear the pain. I didn’t cry or anything, but the pain shot through me like the feeling when you hit your funny bone! It shot down my whole body to the tips of my toes! Lamaze didn’t help me much with childbirth, but it worked wonders for this tattoo! LOL IT was worth it though because I love it.

The rest of Vegas, well it isn’t that exciting…..although I need to leave SOME of it there just for tradition sake! We had a tough time leaving though – not only emotionally, but physically! The flight that Rona and I took was delayed over 1 1/2 hours because a valve had to be replaced in our engine….supposedly a minor fix, but we had to wait for the engine to cool so that the mechanic could get to it. Deana and Stepha suffered much worse; their flight was scheduled for 6:30 was delayed until 11pm (!!!!) and they didn’t get home until 2:30 in the morning SORRY THIS WOULD BE 4:30 TEXAS TIME!!!!. I feel very badly for them, especially since no one ever said anything but just kept changing the take off time. I think they eventually even changed gates/planes! Poor girl and Stepha was worried about having to go to work today!

So, that is my update. Oh, and I won this week in Fantasy Football, bringing my record above Mark Monsees! (2-2-1 versus 2-3). In fact, looking at the Power Rankings, I am rating 3rd while Mark is in LAST PLACE! If you know Mark, or even if you don’t know him but work at ECCU, feel free to mention this via words or email! I would appreciate it!

Okay my peeps – on a side note – Finished strong at Biola. Last two bible classes ended with A’s!!! I have finished all question assignments for Romans and just have the final essay due, which I plan on finishing today or tomorrow. YES! Thanks for your prayers and support during this crazy time!

Love ya!

Pondering life in Southern Cal

Special shout out to Lori and Liz, who send me emails at work chastising me for not updating the blog! THIS ONE’S FOR YOU LADIES!

Sometimes I analyze things, not so much that I hope to get to the end, but more for the journey of the thought process. For example, I am in Southern California and the bulk of my family is in Texas. While I have homework still to do, I have a pretty depressing life here…..no one really around, I hear about updates with my boys over the phone, etc. Yet, I receive a call from my daughter, who is also in So Cal, and we decide to go out together! CHA-CHING! Some of you know my relationship with my daughter has had it’s tough moments, but this meeting was a special one because it was initiated by Kirstie. And you know what? She had been feeling much of what I’VE been feeling! Her Dad and brothers are in Texas and, well, life here in So Cal pretty much sucks! So we hung out, did homework together, and then went out to dinner…..having a good time the whole time.

Yet the fact still remains…….we are alone out here, and that sucks! I don’t think many realize how hard this is on me…..not to be pitiful, but just the feedback I’ve received from a few peeps. Yet I refuse to let the facts and other circumstances ruin what has been an amazing evening with a wonderful lady who I’ve known for 17 years!

So yea, don’t know how that ties to the way I started this blog (which, I suppose was named “Just Rambling” for a reason….), but that’s all I got!

Tomorrow, it’s off to Vegas and I hope to glean at least a bit of fun out of it! That is, if I am allowed to have fun.

Some Quick Texas Highlights

Not in order:

1. Having first an hour, then 2.5 hour delay in Phoenix
2. Deana’s tricking me at the airport, texting me she was almost there as I ran into her, texting her back, after having just went thru the security spinning thing before baggage claim.

3. Closing out CPK with Deana, Stepha, and Mike.
4. Mike scaring our pants off when we got home.
5. Seeing Zack’s face when he realized I was home – priceless!
6. Shopping for Sophia’s Cappy Birthday toy.
7. Seeing my boys and hearing their shocked comments about my hair.
8. Waking up early Sunday and going on a pontoon and wave runner for the morning – so fun!

9. Seeing Mike and Kenny catch air on the wave runner.
10. Seeing Stepha having her life saved.
11. Riding the wave runner with Josh and Kenny.
12. Watching Deana kick butt on the wave runner.
13. The girls getting ready in Deana’s bathroom.
14. Watching Mike get ready for his date with Hannah.
15. Seeing Petey, one of the guys who likes Stepha, and thinking his hair was very greasy.

16. Laughing so hard in the car as Mike and Stepha pretended to have a lover’s quarrel that I almost peed my pants.
17. Moons in Texas – ‘nuf said.

Okay, better get ready for my flight back to California!