Drinks, but no fresh popcorn

Brian and I have started seeing movies at a different theater over the last couple weeks. Last week's Battleship, and today's Men in Black 3, were both seen at one of those nifty, fancy theaters where you can order food and booze off a menu. Tables are in either bar or speak-easy form, and the seating is those big, comfortable conference room chairs.
As you know, I'm a big fan of popcorn at a movie. I always get it. It's, like, imperative. Last week's popcorn was okay, if just a touch stale tasting at the bottom of the bowl. This week, in talking with the server at the theater, we come to find out that the popcorn is purchased by the theater already popped and in bulk bags. Well, now we know what was wrong with it. I gave it another shot today, and, well, let's just say that Brian's chili nachos got more love than my popcorn.
And it didn't occur to me until after we had talked with the server that the theater didn't smell like popcorn. And that's when I realized how odd it was that a theater can NOT smell like popcorn. (Though I believe that is wrong on a thousand levels.) But I suppose that's part of the "fancy" in the fancy theater: that it doesn't smell like popcorn. I continue to believe that this is blasphemous.
And almost as bad as me no longer buying popcorn at this theater. I think I'll manage to get by ... with chili nachos.

A status update

So, I've been away for a while. Not really "away" away, but, you know, away from the blog.
Here's the thing: When I'm depressed, I don't like to write about it. I don't want Y'ALL to put me on some kind of virtual watch of some kind, because I've let our little life here get to me. So, instead, I go dark. I've not blogged, rarely posted anything to Facebook, and kept to myself. I'd just rather live a life without reflection rather than reflect on the ick that's rolling through.
Here's the thing (part 2): I hate being lied to. And here, in our little life in Houston, we're being lied to. I haven't told you all this, but they still haven't even started construction work on Brian's new office. We're told that it'll be "next week." We're told that they've got the money. We're told there will be plenty of cash to help us out once our taxes are due next year. We're told that it'll be okay, and not to worry.
Like I said, we're being told all kinds of things. Because they don't have their money yet. They don't have anyone working on the new place. And they will -- probably -- shrug their shoulders and tell us that they actually won't be able to help on April 15, 2013. I believe that we're being told what they think we want to hear. I believe that that has been the case for well over a year. I believe that we moved our entire life to Texas on a random promise because we had too much trust. I believe that right now, the only thing keeping us sane is the fact that we're getting along well.
I've been incredibly optimistic for a long time about our current "situation." I've been as positive as I can be. But when yet another month rolls by with no movement on the office, and only a series of "next week" promises have been given, I get down. I find myself wondering if they think this was as bad an idea as we do, and just no one wants to be the first person to admit it.
So, as the seeds of doubt and the depressive mental rumblings sprouted, and I got sad, I just stepped away from the blog for a while. But tomorrow is June, and I like June, so I'll be snapping out of this now.

Curiosity is good for you

Most people think that living one's life on a digital plane could be a bit of a crutch. I submit to you that it is, instead, liberating.
It's quite obvious to everyone on the blog here and on Facebook, that I love my technology. I post everything, check-in everywhere, and follow up with a blog submission. I am obsessed with checking up on my friends, through Facebook and Twitter, and feel myself a traitor if I don't blog at night. I keep a digital diary, and I'm a zealot about it. I'm relentless. I never tire of it.
But here's where it gets liberating: I am such an open book technologically, that everyone is dependent on it as a means to knowing what I've done that day. So much so that if I don't check-in or post, or blog about an event, it's like it didn't occur. If Kimmie does something, but doesn't make note of it online, did it really happen? This could be a university thesis paper.
"The Transient Properties of a Life Lived Online, and Whether Events Actually Occur When It Isn't."

No reason, just Parthenon

ITEM!: I did get all that laundry done -- tonight -- so some of it did have to go back into the wash. Oh well. At least a majority of it was underwear and t-shirts, and only three things needed to be redone. I can't promise that they'll get hung up immediately, but that's all.
ITEM!: Brian and I went to the movies this morning, and saw Battleship. I don't know if I should be embarrassed or not, but I enjoyed it. Perhaps it was the utter lack of expectations I had for the film, but I found it entertaining.
ITEM!: Sydney, Brian and I watched Jurassic Park III this afternoon. It was better than I remembered, but my goodness, watching a brand-new dinosaur movie with that child is a frustrating experience. She will not stay quiet! She's got to name every dinosaur that shows up on screen; she has to correct any misinformation that the characters have said or done in regards to the dinosaurs; and when there are no dinosaurs on the screen, she's got to talk about them and skip around the room. It was great, of course, exposing her to a new movie, but I think B and I will watch it again on our own after she goes to bed one night this weekend. Then, we can enjoy the movie for the movie's sake, not for just the dinosaurs.
ITEM!: I think tomorrow will be a vacuuming day. I've already had a dusting day this week. Also, perhaps a kitchen floor day. I need a cleaning service. STAT.
ITEM!: I was messing around online and I found a townhouse complex that I think I may have fallen in love with. It's not far from here, and the floor plans look awesome. I'm going to swing by some day soon and check out the rent amounts. I'm sure it'll be over my price range, but I've just got to find out. We're not sure if we really want to stay here for another year after this lease is up, so I'm keeping my options open. ... I haven't moved enough in the last few years, you see. If I don't cram all my shit into boxes often enough, I get the shakes.

Pretty picture, ugly chore!

I think the worst part about laundry is that pile that you had to take out of the dryer to make room for other stuff, but didn't have time to fold and put away, so you put it on a chair for the time being, and then it got all wrinkled and gross. After the dog took a nap on it.
That's what I'm looking at, and is the reason why I'm typing this from a fairly uncomfortable position on the bed, with the computer resting on my lap, instead of in the Cozy Chair.
I suppose I'll have to wash all these clothes again, which is a waste of all the bits needed to wash clothes. I imagine I'll be able to just put some of it away, like the underwear and some t-shirts, but other stuff will, sadly, have to be washed again.
I've got this great sign that hangs in my laundry room. It reads, "I hate laundry." Not that I do, because I don't really, but I do really hate that pile of clothes.
Sitting there.
Judging.

BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS!

Well, I'm excited to note that it is once again "that time of year."
All the good television is on vacation. Break out the books!
Now, having said that, I only have three books on my "To-be read" pile. You'll notice that Fifty Shades of Grey is no longer on the list. Yeah, I decided that I don't want to read it. It's a badly written book, and that offends my head when I try to get through a few pages. I can get my erotica in much better packages (well, that's punny!), so I'll choose to not read the bad in favor of the good. Not that I have any other erotica on the shelves right now, but whatever. What I do have is The Postcard Killers, The Wolf Gift, and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I think I'll start with Postcard Killers, since, well, I've already started it (I'm about 60 pages in). I can see Zombies becoming one of those books I'll avoid until it's the last one on the shelf. I don't know why.
I'm also growing my list of books for Summer Reading List 2012, in addition to the three already mentioned. I need a visit to Barnes & Noble. Also, the money to spend there. It's all good.

A trifecta of bits of movies

I had thought that I would be in bed by now, but my goodness, I am so easily distracted. By a farm, no less. Ridiculous.
I had an odd day of visual entertainment today. I chose to watch the final 35 minutes or so of about four movies that I had never seen. Moby Dick, with William Hurt and Ethan Hawke; The Reef, an Australian horror movie about sharks; The Hours, which I actually have seen but forgot; and one other that, for the life of me, I can't remember.
So, if I've seen the last 35 to 45 minutes of a movie, does it count as "watching a movie"? If I know the resolution, and thereby can figure out what the problem and plot of the movie are, can I say that I've seen it? I would say no, even though technically, it could be yes. An eternal, internal entertainment-junkie, movie-lover conflict.

Feeling better, and it feels so good

It's a bizarre phenomenon I witnessed today. You see, when Mom is feeling better, and has energy, and isn't a cranky bitch because of her cold, everyone is in a better mood! I swear, if you could compare the ambient attitude from yesterday, when I was still sick and tired and cleaning up dog puke, to today, when I was feeling much better, had a not-sick dog, and was able to conjure a smile, you'd be amazed. There was laughter. There was hijinks. There was amusement. There was patience and tolerance, too. It was crazy how the entire house's mood was lifted, just by my not being grumpy from sick.
So, we went to the Katy Mills Mall, which was a good walk in the air conditioning, as well as an excuse to buy a Wetzel's Pretzel (Sydney and Brian prefer salted; I like the cinnamon sugar). The mall includes a nice selection of outlet stores that I'll look forward to shopping in once Brian's office opens, and plenty of fun stuff for the kid, when I have the energy to really do the place right. Also, there's a Rainforest Cafe, which has become one of Sydney's favorite eating spots. We have promised her dinner there on her last day of school.
Besides that little trip, I was able to do some laundry; clean Sydney's room; load, unload and load the dishwasher; coddle Daisy into better health; and watch a few hours of Dawson's Creek on Netflix's Watch Instantly. Feeling better is a good thing.

Gross. Read at your own peril.

I'm as done writing about this as you are reading about this. I think I may be feeling better, but spending the entire day cleaning up Daisy's vomit is not the best way to gauge how one is feeling on the inside. My poor puppy was sick all day, leaving us very special piles and puddles everywhere in the house. The latest explosion was all over Sydney's bed, so, needless to say, Syd's sleeping in my bed, and all her linens, and Bear, are in the washer.
My concern, beyond just the vomit, about Daisy is that she'll get too dehydrated. But she managed to keep some water down tonight. And she's been sleeping next to me for more than an hour, which will do her good.
As much as I've been whining the last several days about being sick, I would still rather it be me as the sick one in the family than anyone else. If someone was gonna be throwing up all day, I would prefer it be me, as I can take care of myself, and then I wouldn't have to worry about anyone else. I don't like not knowing exactly what's going on in Daisy's little body. I want to be able to talk with the pup instead of trying to figure out what the issue is, and have her tell me how she's feeling. And my goodness, to be able to reason with her!
Also, Brian's making me watch mixed marital arts on television right now, and I hate it.

Say it: weird, weird, weird

I had a weird day today. Each aspect of my day may not seem weird, on its own, but taken as a whole, and in retrospect, it's kind of a weird day. I ate oatmeal. I took a three-hour nap. I watched two movies. All while managing to not burn down the house, not get anyone else in my house sick, and not feel any better.
Don't you think it's weird to sleep for an additional three hours and still feel super tired?
Don't you think it's weird to suddenly have to eat oatmeal one morning?
Don't you think it's weird to watch Colombiana and Underworld: Awakening?
Weird.

I'd growl, but I'm too tired

I f*cking hate being sick.
I hate the lack of energy. I hate the snotty nose. I hate the fuzzy head. I hate the dry lips.
I hate that there isn't anything that I can take that'll make this go away.
However, I love DayQuil. I love nighttime cold medicine. I love Neosporin. I love lotion in Puffs. I love naps.
So, let's roll with a countdown. "They" say that a cold will last about 10 days until it's completely gone. I'll agree with this, excepting that one feels quite a bit better after five days. I'm staring down my third day with this particular cold. I knew when I woke up this morning that I was already feeling better.
I didn't get my nap this morning though, so tonight, I'm incredibly tired. I look forward to waking up tomorrow, in order to judge how much better I feel. And then taking Sydney to school, and then coming back home to take a nap. I hate being sick. (I just yawned really big!)
In order to make this post even slightly happy, I shall include a picture of a cupcake. I know that will make me slightly happy.

I don't like not-good movies

Did this movie, Haywire, get any decent reviews?
Because Brian and I are watching it right now, and I'm thinking it's not too good. It's intriguing enough, with Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas and Channing Tatum, in addition to the awesome girl, Gina Carano, but I can't help but wonder what the hell this movie is about. I know that Steven Soderbergh chose this fighting girl to be the muse behind the film as well as star in it, but I am less than impressed by the entirety of the movie. This is not a normal reaction to a Soderbergh movie for me. And I'm confused. It's not over, but I'm about done with it anyway.
Well, it is over now, and we're both, um, disenchanted with it. To say the least. Not good.

Pomp and circumstance all the way

I think perhaps one of the cutest things anyone could ever witness is a kindergarten graduation. Sydney's was tonight, and that child, in her cap and gown, was just beyond anything I've ever seen before in my life. SO CUTE. Also, all the other kids, but mainly mine!
The best part of the ceremony was that as the kids were walking across the stage to get their "diplomas," the teachers would say what they wanted to be when they grew up. My baby, of course, was all, "paleontologist." But so many others had interesting ideas: firefighter, super hero, dentist, meteorologist, baseball player, police officer, "money maker," teacher, princess (my favorite answer of them all) and break dancer (whereupon the child actually broke out a move). They walked their processional to Pomp and Circumstance, and did some singing, too. The whole thing, no kidding, was beyond adorable.
Also, do you remember how I was all worried that Sydney would catch a cold because of all our traveling? Well, not so much for her, but I've caught one. And that is f*cked up. My nose is all stuffed up, and I've been sneezy all afternoon. I can taste it. I can feel it. And it's making me cranky. Airborne and sleep tonight. And a nap tomorrow.

LET THEM MARRY

Okay, let's just go on record here as saying that, no matter what your actual political leanings, you can't possibly dislike Barack Obama for coming out in support of gay marriage. I still find it vexing that so many people and politicians make it their daily work to be bigoted, spiteful and closed-minded towards a segment of the American population. It brings me to the realization, and horror-filled cognizance, that this nation is led by a zealous religious minority, that loves people and thinks they're great, so long as they live their lives as the minority believes. There are more things wrong with this thinking than I could ever put down on the blog here.
I'm so proud of the president for saying the right thing, and for pushing the right agenda in this. I don't agree with some stuff he's done over the last three years and more, but if it came down to voting for a president based on one issue, and this is it, I will totally vote for Obama again.
What's interesting, and clever, about this as a political move, is that everyone who votes against Obama now, is voting against equal, civil rights for all citizens of the country. Every politician who runs against Obama now is pushing bigotry and hatred on their ticket. Every argument becomes a question of how closed-minded and intolerant a person is.
Of course, I'm totally on board with this. I'll vote for Obama anyway, simply because I find the Republican platform repugnant. But that I can vote for him and know that he'll stand for equality in marriage for all people is a huge plus in my book. And maybe now that Obama, a sitting president, has made waves by supporting gay marriage, I actually will live to see same-sex marriages legal throughout the country.

Burger and fries = lunch-time perfection

It was pretty much a perfect Mother's Day. I got to sleep in a little, do some farming with no attitude, drink a fresh tea from Starbucks, eat a hamburger and french fries for lunch, do some laundry, be bitchy with my apartment complex's front office, cuddle with my family, and snack on chocolate-covered raisins, which are the nest kind of fruity snack.
Tomorrow, I have to get up early again, and take my kid to school. I'm not looking forward to spending the day without her, as is the case after we've had several days together. Also, I'll be without my hubby. But I will be spending the day with my dogs, who I missed terribly while we were gone.
And also, now we're here for a while. No more weeks away from Texas. I suppose I'll spend some time in the storage unit this week too, bringing up more things to fill out the kitchen. I'll be nesting a bit more, as I've discovered I'm needing things that I know are just in a box downstairs. 
This blog is disjointed, and I apologize. Again, tired, and distracted by the season finale of The Vampire Diaries.

Wait. No more weeks away?

I'm completely and utterly exhausted, and all I want to do right now is snuggle up with my dogs and go to sleep. So, I will.
Here's to more energy and better blogging tomorrow!

To the desert!

I'm creating this post from my phone. Yes, they have an app for that! Pretty awesome! I totally spaced on the blog tonight. I'm bouncing off the walls, getting the family all ready for Arizona tomorrow. We'll be getting up super early, too. I hate that. But really, we're super excited to be going!

Watching "Red" again

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A May ITEM! list

ITEM!: I think the problem is that I'm still getting super tired at night. But not tired enough to go to bed early. I'm in a weird little state of flux right now, with these four days between California and Arizona. It's like my head is refusing to let my body get used to Texas time again, since I'll be heading back to Pacific time on Sunday. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But Sydney is having a hard time, too, and that I don't like. As I told Mom, if Sydney gets through these three weeks without catching a cold due to lack of sleep or doing too much, I'll be surprised. She's good as of now, so I'm still holding out hope.
ITEM!: Also, I'm obsessing over my farm again. I was up way too late last night "rearranging" my farm assets throughout the grounds. WHO DOES THIS? But whatever, I'm embracing it. I think this weekend, I'll be taking only the iPad with us to Arizona so I don't have to carry along my laptop, which will help with keeping up with the farm, and lessening the weight on my back throughout the trip.
ITEM!: I need to find some cheap long-term parking at the airport this morning. And this afternoon, Sydney and I are on task to find a travel bag for her car seat. Airlines don't charge for the car seats to travel, and Thrifty charges $12 a day to rent one. With my big strong man with me on this trip to carry it, just bringing her seat with us is a no-brainer. Done and done. But, I need a bag for it. And I think I'll wrap up the seat in Brian's car, as it's a less-expensive seat and I won't care as much if something happens to it.
ITEM!: I somehow managed to only be up two pounds when I weighed myself on Wednesday morning after my trip. I'm at the same time incredibly pleased that it's not more, and a bit disappointed that it's not the same. But what can I expect, I didn't pig out by any means, but I did ignore the calorie counter for about 10 days. That's not good for anyone. Especially my ass.
ITEM!: I need to pick up some house plant bug spray, too. One of the little guys I picked up at Lowe's had some bugs in it that I discovered Wednesday. And of course, I only had enough spray to administer death liquid to the little fuckers once, when I prefer to spray a couple times. One plant has been outside for a couple days. I need to spray it and get it back inside this morning, else it will be very unhappy. Also, I'll bring my flower box inside this week so it'll stay cool and hydrated, and the watering will last all week.
ITEM!: I'm reading Fifty Shades of Grey. I've got to tell you: this book is written horribly. [Pause while Editor adjusts her pretentious, judgment cap.] You can tell, by the sentence structure, and the dialog (ugh, the dialog), and the movement within the characters, and the thesaurus words, that this woman has had little, if any, real instruction in writing. She's got these crazy words and awful scene movements, that just drive me batty. I'll be honest with you, I actually haven't touched the book since I set it down on my dresser Tuesday night. And for me, with a book that I'm reading, that's weird. I'm debating whether I'll take it to Arizona at all. (I'm leaning towards not.) I'm so glad I didn't buy all three (YES, THREE!!) of the series' books. I doubt I'll finish them. If I do, it'll be because I bought them on my iPad or on a Kindle (that I want really badly, thanks Mikel!), since I'd rather not have more trees killed for this woman's awful prose.
ITEM!: Brian's job changed his days off from Fridays to Thursdays. This bugs me on a purely selfish summer-movie level. We were just getting into the groove of summer movies, with The Avengers coming out today, and I was getting super excited about us being able to see everything on the Friday it came out into theaters. Now, we'll have to wait until the following Thursday to catch them (#firstworldproblems, ha ha!), and that makes me pissy. This week is different since we'll be able to ditch the kid with Brad and Lisa and go see the flick, but once we return to Texas, and the good stuff keeps coming out, I'll get more and more vocally irritated about this.
ITEM!: Is that it? Am I done for this morning? I think so! To the farm!!