It has been a pretty big week around here. The big big news is that my mother, after being divorced for 15 years is getting married tomorrow to a great guy. I'm so happy for her. I'm still wrapping my head around the idea of mom in a new house with a new name and adding to the family, but I am very happy for my mom and her soon to be husband. :)

The other not-so-big but exciting (for me) news...I finally got rid of the Money Pit and bought a new car. Brand spanking new Beetle Convertible...yes, another VW, but if anything goes wrong with this one, it is not my problem...it'll go right back to the dealer.

oh...what else...nothing. I think, despite my best mental efforts, I'm going to happy hour. I need to save $...am buying a few cases of champagne tomorrow (no, I'm not that much of a lush [stop it, I can hear you laughing in disagreement], it's for my mom's wedding).

Hope you are all doing well! Cheerio, fine folk!

Ah Grant Lee Phillips, your voice is a comforting one...

It's been ages since I've posted, and it would really take too long to mention everything that has been going on...so weee, an abridged list:

• Festivals! I believe I posted after Lollapalooza, if not, oops...that was a lot of fun, as was ACL Festival. Great music, fantastic friends, amazing cities.


• 30! I am.


• My apartment is almost looking like I want. I have the guest room to turn into an office, as it is currently one massive recycling bin.


• My mom is getting married!!! He's a cool guy. I'm happy for them.


• I am officially no longer married...my maiden name has also been restored. Despite being almost 10 months since the "split", it was the hardest thing I have ever done.


• I am teaching dance at the studio where I take classes. Youngest group I have ever taught, 3-5!. A definite challenge, but I'm excited about it.


• My car still sucks. I hope to be driving something else within a month.


• Julian is fantastic. I love when he is here. The sweetest cat ever.


• I finally finished The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I'm about halfway through The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. FUNNNEEEE.


• I lost my teddy bear. I am hesitant to write about as I'm not exaggerating when I say that I am pretty devastated by this. I've had this bear forever...hopefully wherever he is, he's cared for. :(


• I overheard a REALLY FREAKING AMAZING piece of information...that I'm not going to share, but I know a few of you will be insanely happy if it comes to fruition.


• Love? I still believe in it and hope it comes my way someday.


• I have the best friends anyone could ask for. I've been really selfish with my time and haven't done the best job keeping in touch, and I still get the sweetest check up messages. I really do appreciate and love it...even though I may not do a good job of showing it.

A'ight, enough of that. Take care.

This was a really terrific weekend. Celebrated being 30 at my favorite bar with some of my favorite people…spent an afternoon with my mom…celebrated two friends’ birthdays on Saturday—but took it very easy and just had an enjoyable time. Finally hung some of the pictures I’ve had sitting around. Bought a new kitchen rug at West Elm. My apartment is starting to look like a home…after 7 months.

Speaking of home, I have Julian this month…he is so sweet! Dave Milwaukee popped by yesterday and got a picture of us:


Weee!

Hooray, at the end of the day I get to turn the page on my LOM calendar…this may not seem like a huge deal, but I’ve had a very angry looking Sam Tyler glaring at me all month. I can’t take it, Sammy! In fact, I think I’ll turn the page a day early. Haha, July is awesome. It’s Sam and Gene standing by a car with the following dialogue:

Sam Tyler: “I think she’s telling the truth.”

Gene Hunt: “I think she’s as fake as a tranny’s fanny.”

God I love that show. I realize I’m a massive geek…and am learning to accept this. Heee.

Alright, today is virtual Thursday. Somewhere around 3pm tomorrow, I hope to be on the road on my merry way to Grayton. I have a cd of a Doctor Who radio show thanks to a new friend and will have a rockin’ playlist which should make for a decent drive.

Yesterday we had a family birthday party for my niece. She turns 4 tomorrow. I cannot believe it has been 4 years since I made a super excited post about being an aunt and followed it up with pictures from the hospital.
http://jamesela.livejournal.com/30813.html
http://jamesela.livejournal.com/31122.html

Alright, insane-amaza-crazy stressful stuff for work, so I'm going to log off this crazy thing.

haha, yeah...I know I probably need a concert intervention...but it's the BOSS! I cannot deny myself the opportunity to see him live. I just can't. Life is too short.

Soooooooooooo......I'm so going.

It's been a pretty decent weekend so far. I took my mom out last night, we had a blast. Happy hour at the roof, Frist Friday, tapas and martinis at Mirror and we rounded out the night at H. Cue's. She's a lot of fun, and it was really good to just hang out with her and really talk. That woman is so incredibly smart and intuitive. It's almost scary.

So yeah, so far a weekend of family, old friends, new friends and a splash of vodka. I'm off to get ready for the 80's party to end all 80's parties. And I've got new leg warmers to break in, yeehaw!

happy weekending y'all,

jamie

p.s. I've said it already, but for the love of God go check out Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. Your welcome in advance ;)

Edit: durrrr...I know well english...toooooo hard, not to hard. Boo.

Take two...my first entry was eaten by a monster, also known as a system error.

This is the short version...

My pictures finally uploaded on Flickr. You know, after 3 days...craziness. Anyway, there are some of my niece, Kaylin, as well as moe./Knoxville, Adam's show at the 5 Spot and a random snowy day. Fun stuff.

I plan on doing as little as possible this weekend. I need some rest and rejuvenation. I'll have Julian over the weekend, that makes me happy. Wee!

found this video on youtube...my mom is the woman on the park bench/bed/fight...I was in high school when this video was filmed (actually I might of been already in college...). anyway...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IihZikHHUM

I just can't get over how beautiful she is in this. She still is really gorgeous.

motivation?  what is that??

gah.  good weekend...yes sirs, good weekend. 

• got fancied up on friday, went to highballs and hydrangeas with some very lovely ladies, joined the husband and some friends at sportsmans and ended the evening at my favorite bar with one of my favorite peeps.
• successful shopping (for new business garb) spree on saturday.  was a bit late to an art show, but still got to see the talented ladies and got to spend the evening with my lovely sister from another mother.  <3
• laid back sunday...church.  brunch with my favorite family.  Superbad (which was super funny).  two for one with friends.  fantastic italian dinner.  four flavors! of cheesecake. 

so here we are, monday.  2nd interview tomorrow....eeeeep! 

Hallo friends, I'm in Baltimore for a few days...but I promise when I return I'll tell you all about how much ass the Sexecutioners kicked in Evansville...and all about this beautiful city and maybe even a couple of words on cute puppies, sweet kitties and best friends.

cheers loves,
j.

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Nothing bad going on, quite the contrary, work is kicking my @ss, but in the best possible way… Had a great weekend (am now on the very poor side [though it was well worth it], so please don’t ask me to do anything that costs…anything). This weekend we celebrated a friend’s graduation from law school, I got to go on a boat (thank you ihateuryan !) and I had a family/extended family (Dave’s bandmates) picnic of sorts...and I have to brag about the kick@ss strawberry shortcake I made…
Sorry about the crappy picture…the digital camera apparently took a vacation and I am relying on the craptastic cellphone camera…

Mom brought Kaylin over Monday and she was wearing a dress that I wore when I was her age. It’s a little sailor-type dress. I can’t believe how tall she is getting!

I have rehearsals every night this week (for Saturday’s performance). I messed up so bad last night that I was on the verge of tears. It’s just ridiculous to make mistakes or forget things this far into the game. I know it will all come together, it’s still frustrating. I’m ordering the DVD, but I am afraid that when I watch it I’ll look completely ridiculous.

I have insane mosquito bites that I think are now infected because I scratched them too much. So now they just look gross. Yay! Seriously, I put Neosporin on them this morning, but that really doesn’t help w/ the itching part. Yipes!

Funny, you would think I would have something of more substance to say after this little lj vacation, but I don’t. Maybe I do and I haven’t found the right words…heh, story of my life.

I tried to watch Porco Rosso Sunday night…but just got tired and went to bed halfway through (actually, I fell asleep on the couch). Maybe I was just buzzed enough to not have the attention span for a movie, but it didn’t capture me the way Miyazaki’s other films have. I’m going to have to give it another chance.

I have a ton of things to do, and they aren’t going to get done by my rambling.

Peace,
j.

Whew, so I am here...writing from the Hotel Burham in downtown Chicago.   This place is absolutely beautiful.  I got in from my training today and there was a chocolate on my pillow...and the radio was turned on to some jazz.  Cheesy, but really sweet.

Things are good.  I had dinner and ice-cream with Kelli tonight.  :)  Hopefully I'll see Robin in the next few days.  I'm not as overwhelmed as I thought I would be...so that's good.

Stuff on the family front is...interesting, I really don't feel like going into details, but yeah, everything is going through this weekend.  I won't be there, but I am feeling a bit better about it now. 

Alright, I'm going to relax and go to sleep.

G'night all xoxo

Another weekend over...somewhere between Friday and today my to-do list has gone missing. Eeep.

• Friday night I made fried chicken. I made two kinds: hot chicken (though it wasn't as hot as I would have liked) and buttermilk chicken. I must brag a bit and say I am pretty darn proud of my chicken. Even during my 2.5 years of pescetarianism I fried chicken for Dave. Anyway, a lovely dinner with friends and Halloween 2 followed by a party made Friday night much fun.
• Saturday was spent in Spring Hill at the corn maze, a sketchy "home cookin'" restaurant that made me wonder if the local prison served up better eats (though the fried pies were terrific...what is it about fried food??) and one hell of a housewarming shindig.
• Sunday started off right with an invite to partake in free beer...from which I experienced slightly buzzed (but not drunk) grocery shopping and ended with a bonfire at Robin's.

So here we are. One of my main plans this week was to go to a benefit for the democratic senatorial candidate...well, it is no longer on the Mercy Lounge's website. Odd. I try to stay out of politics for the most part, but this is one very important election. I hate hate hate all the mudslinging though. It is really disturbing. I want to hear ideas, not opponent bashing. Oh well.

Tonight I am going to meet my mom's new gentleman friend. I like this guy already. He sent her a dozen white roses and one red rose to her work. I just think that is sweet. And he seems to like taking care of her. He cooks her dinner and takes her out. Such a huge difference from her last few.

Oh, AND, our Christmas plans have changed. My family is having "Christmas Eve" on Dec. 22. This means I can fly up to VA and spend the entire holiday w/ Dave's fam. Everything is working out. Wee.

AND just for the record. I really hate how when you change to the "Rich Text" mode it assumes that you want only one space after a period.  There should be two spaces!!  See:

A.  This is just to show how silly it is to only have one space after a period. See, silly.
B.  This is just to show how silly it is to only have one space after a period.  See, this breaks up the paragraph neatly.

Edit/Update:
Hmmm....so there is no water in our building and no idea of when there will be water in our building.  Bye bye noodle bowl.  :( 

I woke up at 5:30 a.m. feeling, GASP, refreshed. I stayed at momma's house. She says the secret is lavender linen spray, I'm sold! I'm also sold on Crabtree & Evelyn's Wisteria scent, lawdy it's nice.

Managed to make it to crazylife77's to get them to the airport, popped by the house to see my Jules and pick up a cup of coffee and made it here almost in time. :)

Also, as if it wasn't sweet enough waking up at my mom's, she made these precious turkey and muenster sandwiches with this mayo/mustard concotion on wheatberry...with the crusts cut off. I swear that woman is awesome.

The Coal Men have gotten two good local reviews...well, one stellar review and one where it honestly sounded like the reviewer was searching for something negative to say, but came up pretty empty handed. It was almost a painful read. The show tonight will hopefully be good...got a critics pick, so surely there will be some folk present.

This good mood is probably sickening to anyone nearby, but I swear, I haven't felt this refreshed in a really long time...I haven't actually felt "upbeat" since...well, I can't tell you when. I even cleaned my desk, which needed it desperately.