Monthly Archives: April 2008

friday love list: counting my blessings because whiny, insufferable women only find true love in romantic comedies, not real life — MEG RYAN I’M LOOKING AT YOU. except for this one girl I know. she was much nicer once she had a boyfriend. not naming names or anything, just saying.

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12

I’m on the mend.

Really, truly.

Which is SO AWESOME I CAN’T EVEN STAND IT.

Sure, the cough and the Kathleen Turner-esque tone of voice remain (oh, who am I kidding? I still sound like a squirrel who swallowed a cactus), but the color is back in my face and I can honestly say I don’t wake up in the morning wishing someone would bundle me in a blanket, deposit me gently on the couch (SOFA), and bring me clear fluids.

Then again…

NEVER MIND! IT’S TIME FOR A LOVE LIST!

Today’s love list is going to be dedicated to counting the blessings in my life, since I have spent the last two months typing out some variation on MEH or FEH BLEH or MENEH here at my wee blog. It’s time to move on and push forward and look around and twinkle at things as best I can.

As always feel free to share your own love list in my comments or at your blog. Actually, you can do whatever you want at your blog because it’s YOUR FREAKIN’ BLOG.

THINGS I LOVE AND AM BLESSED BY

My parents, who show up randomly after I’m done work to take me places I need/want to go
New leaves on the trees
Words
Music that makes me feel more alive
New friends that make me laugh
Old friends that make me laugh
Sunshine!
Faith
Getting well
Being able to smell things again
Antibiotics
American boys
Learning to stop running myself down
A place to share what I feel about things, and what’s going on in my life
Clean water, which becomes REALLY special sometimes
Days where my pants don’t get soaked on the way to work
My roommate, Catherine, who shows me unconditional love and likes to clean as much as I do
Access to good, healthy, fresh food, even when it costs approximately $1K per heirloom tomato (GO WHOLE FOODS GO)
Color and light
Accountability
Wisdom
Wit
Grace
Patience
Forgiveness
Being challenged to write better
Other peoples’ babies and children growing up in amazing and beautiful ways
Enough money to give to others when they need it… not something that was always possible
Living in a home that is safe, warm and comfortable — deck door open, fireplace on! Woohoo!
Knowing what you want
Knowing what you need
Knowing the difference between want and need
Watching my friends parent with such dedication
Big amazing possibilities that make you eeeeeeeeeee with joy
Love

Also, a dear friend of mine and their family are facing a really tough, scary situation right now, and could use a little help. If you have the perpetual couple bucks rattling around in your PayPal account, I’d love to share some support with them. If not, no worries, of course — I certainly don’t have a right to ask, and I can’t provide you with any more details than that.

I’m helping as best I can, too. And I’ve definitely appreciated your support here for the single moms’ camp, for breast cancer research, for other friends’ blog projects/charities they love, and for other friends in need. I love the idea of a few people giving a little to make a big difference.

Just click here.

Thanks.

dear sleep,

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4

I love you.

I should say that right off the bat, lest you take the rest of what I might say here personally.

I honestly do.

When you and I come together and it’s right and good and awesome, I find it nearly impossible to let you go.

Unfortunately, we don’t do that very often.

And when I say not very often, I mean hardly ever.

And when I say hardly ever, I mean rarely.

And when I say rarely, I mean… I’m tired.

I can lie in bed for hours yawning, but you sit just out of reach like an angry cat left alone with a dish of kibble all day.

I can refrain from looking at my laptop and throw my alarm clock into the deep blue sea, but you shrug and stare into space and make noncommital conversation about indie bands.

I can slow my thoughts down and breathe in time and say goodnight to my toes one by one, but I know full well that you won’t snuggle in for the spoon anytime soon.

You will do what you will do.

And until you do it with me, I’ll walk around like an affable zombie, making endearing spelling mistakes and tripping over air.

So what do I want?

What I want from you is a commitment. The assurance that you will come and stay. The knowledge that when I need you, you will be there.

But you are the ultimate casual dater, keeping your options and my eyes open until it seems like the dark blue sky of dawn might come and make me cry.

Don’t make me cry.

Don’t let me be lonely tonight.

Don’t let me be.

I miss you.

Just saying.

Love,

Meg

no, no rampant debauchery, unless you call squishing a mini cheesecake between your thighs rampant debauchery. and come to think of it, maybe i do, too? but i’m not telling that story. it’s too late for my father, though… he’s already sighing.

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7

I know, I know… I didn’t post on my birthday.

And it’s not like anyone was waiting with TRULY bated breath, but I do feel badly that I’ve:

a) concerned people who EXPECT ME TO KEEP MY PROMISES, DAMMIT
b) missed commemorating a major moment in my life in a timely fashion
c) left anyone with the impression that I went on some supernova bender
d) caused my Dad to hit refresh endlessly for two days without any payoff

I DID turn 34 successfully. Seriously. It happened. Go me!

And no, no true wildness, though we did cheer for a truckful of firemen and I did have to fend off a drunken man who was far too interested in my… well… parts.

It was a chill day overall, complete with the gift of a dozen roses from someone entirely amazing, a Hydradermie Facial from my lovely friend Catherine, and a great dinner out with Cat and Ash. I really wanted to keep everything small this year, and Cat gave me my wish, although she did ask up to the afternoon before if I was regretting that we weren’t doing a party.

Nope.

(The facial was amazing, by the way… they used buzzing machines and rollerballs and 6,237 different lotions and a gauzy masque and 18 towels and odd-smelling moisturizers and potentially a palm sander.

Seriously, though — one of the machines I HAD TO HOLD A GROUNDING ROD TO AVOID ELECTROCUTION. A GROUNDING ROD.

I don’t even know what that is, but I held it, lest my face get shocked off.)

Today I got to see my parents, who gifted me with candy from my favourite candy store in Cannon Beach, OR, SIX BUNCHES OF TULIPS, some other fun treats that made us all laugh, and a HANDBAG (white, good hardware, lots of pockets.

Because they understand me. And that I have things I need to carry about, none of which is a small dog or a Glock.

I should also note that, the day before, I got flowers and cake and happy cards from my lovely coworkers, and the unintentional gift of an hour-early departure due to bitumen fumes overtaking my floor.

Awesome!

Now it’s time to head to bed before another work week. I think I have to go to the doctor for yet another inflamed/injured/angry/unresolvedly bitter body part, and I am also getting my eyebrows ripped off.

Partly. By an expert.

Look for my more thoughtful take on 34 tomorrow, when I’ve given said parts a chance to rest up, and my brain can focus on meaningful ideas.

Oh, who am I kidding?