Archive for June, 2004

Congratulations to Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher, Randy Johnson for pitching his 4,000 strikeout in his career. He is only bested by 3 other pitchers: Nolan Ryan tops the chart with 5,714, followed by Roger Clemens (4,196 and counting) and Steve Carlton (4,136).

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You all are awesome.  I was feeling completely dorky and disappointed yesterday.  I think that I’m feeling like all of the time I spent traveling and living the life of a free single woman may have been wasted and I’m hitting that point where, in my late 30s, I’m realizing that I won’t ever live the “dream” life of everyone else.  Not that I am everyone else…but…there has to be something to getting married and settling down.  Otherwise, why would everyone be doing it?

Really, I just want someone to share things with, to laugh with, and to cuddle up with on those cold winter nights (cuddling on a hot summer day is just STICKY!).  

Oh…aviv2762…I have spent the last 3 years NOT looking for anyone…because I’ve been too busy with the rest of my life.  So, not looking doesn’t work for me, either.

A friend recently told me that she once read that you have to make dating a priority in your life, that you have to treat it like a job…especially as we advance in age.  It used to be easy.  I’d walk out the door and I’d have a date.  These days, there are 25-year-olds around the corner and while they may not have the experience or wisdom that comes with age, they have that aethetic beauty that so many notice off the bat.  So, if I have to work at this, I will make it a priority in my life and work at it.

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snowpeanut, I haven’t heard back from Xanga at all.  I sent 3 e-mails and got no responses.  I’m a bit disappointed in that.  Oh, yeah…the sheep…*laughing*  The sheep always make me think of you, too!

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Thanks again.  There is a reason I come back here time and again.  You all give me hope.  Thank you for that.

I think I’m socially inept.  I have trouble talking to people unless I know them well and I say the most stupid and inane things.

I joined one of those online dating sites.  I figured that it’s hard for me to meet people because I work so much and go to school (and the only people at school are usually either 10-15 years younger than me or my professors…heh).

So, I went out on a date on Saturday.  It was nice.  While I think there was a connection, the person is moving to California at the end of the week so there is no chance for it to go anywhere.  It’s disappointing but it is what it is, I suppose.

I was a dork on the date.  I fluttered.  My hands fluttered.  I’m terribly shy in those kinds of situations and I acted stupid.

I’m embarrassed by that. 

It starts to make me wonder if there is hope.  I wonder if I’ll be able to overcome my social phobias to actually meet a nice guy that is meant for me.

Jeremy came to work at my place of work when he was in his teens.  He wanted to work with security but he became the darling of the workplace.  He was our kid, our youngster.  We all looked out for him.  He was sweet and easy-going and fun to talk to and a joy to tease because he would blush at the drop of a hat.

About 2 years after he joined us, Jeremy decided to join the Army.  Around January of 2003, Jeremy shipped out to begin his training. 

He promised to write and call when he could be we all knew he was embarking on a new adventure and he would forget us.

He wrote to his supervisor, to let us all know how he was doing.  Everytime he has gotten leave, he has come back to see us because we are his family just as much as his parents.

Jeremy came back today to say hello.  It may be the last time we see him for a very long time.

He’s been told that he will be shipping out to Iraq in January (and he doesn’t have any leave before that).

I hope that he doesn’t have to go in January.  I hope that something happens and we no longer have send our fresh-faced boys and girls over to fight this fight.

I hope, more than anything, that Jeremy comes home safe.

I won tickets to see Phantom Planet, Blink182, and No Doubt in concert yesterday.  So, by noon, I was heading home and getting myself ready.

I went down to Phoenix with my brother, sister-in-law, and niece.  It was to be my niece’s first concert (she’s 5) and No Doubt is her favorite group.  We sang songs on the way down.  She also gave me a manicure…a few times over…

My brother called his best friend to meet us there since I had the one extra ticket.

It was hot and we had to stand in line.  We had grass seats (well, I had reserved seats but I wanted to sit with them and they had grass seats).  But we couldn’t bring in any blankets (although we normally can).

We got in towards the end of Phantom Planet’s set.  They were pretty good for an up-and-coming band.  We found a nice place on the grass.  The grass was itchy…but soft.  People sat in front of us and started smoking cloves and cigarettes.  Then another person sat right next to us and started smoking.  I had a sore throat within minutes of being there…

But I wasn’t going to let it get to me.

Blink182 was actually good.  They were a fun and lively band to watch.  Their light show was fantastic.  They didn’t get done until about 9 p.m.  

The set up for No Doubt took 1/2 hour.  Willow was SO excited.  We started challenging one another about which song they would open with…I said “Hey Baby”.  My niece said “Spiderweb”.  My sister-in-law said “Just a Girl.”

I’ve seen No Doubt in concert before.  They are a great live band.  Their songs are even better in person because they make it personal.

The lights go down…and Queen’s “We Will Rock You” starts playing…and Gwen is singing along to it from behind a curtain.  The crowd of about 20,000 goes wild.  It’s madness.  People are jumping and cheering and yelling.

All of a sudden, familiar rifts are being played…and she starts singing “Just a girl.”

We all have hoarse voices today.  We’re a bit sore from dancing so hard.  I’m exhausted because of 2 hours sleep (we got home at 3 and I get up at 5:30…but woke up at 5…for work).

It was definitely worth it, though.  Definitely.

Stranger in a Strange Land
by Robert A. Heinlein
ACE Books
ISBN: 0-441-78838-6

This book was difficult to get into at first.  The reader is given many people to learn about within a few pages.  The background for the Man from Mars is all within the first chapter and it is quite intense.

After I got past the difficulty of the beginning, I settled in.  I’m not a huge Science Fiction book fan.  I love scifi movies but most books leave me wanting.  This one fit into that even though it is more well done than some and not as well done as others.

I never felt like I got to know any of the characters.  The one I felt I understood the most was Jubal but even with him, we never get an understanding of why he wants to be grumpy, why he avoids certain things like the plague, and why he is the way he is.

I liked Michael Valentine Smith as far as human/aliens go.  He seemed likeable.  I liked the characters of Jill and Ben until they became cult devotees.

This book is extremely political, religious, and thought-provoking.  It does make you wonder where our country is headed.  It does make you question the status quo.

It’s an interesting read but probably not at the top of my “must have” list.

Next Review:  I’m going to try to recreate my reviews for Shrek2, What the #$*! Do We Know!?, and Secret History.  I’m reading a new book, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, and will review that as soon as I’m done (this weekend, probably).

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Sorry, notforprophet.  It wasn’t the story you were talking about.  I may have to read that, though!