Reporter loses job for blogging

Stories like this are good reminders for me. One, what I write can get me in trouble no matter how well I think I've separated this blog from my real existence. Two, not everyone gets humor. Or thinks I'm funny (no matter how crazy that sounds.) Three, writing is a release. Having an audience allows for feedback, and we live in a world where no one ever wants anyone to step out of the "politically correct zone" Employers and vigilantes suck.

In other news, the real estate book (2nd edition) which I was supposed to have totally completed by the middle of July has at least finally gone to the printer. Still have proofs, but I'm a hellofa lot closer than I was a week ago.

Next: the real estate exam. Then school starts. ug.

All the shit I have stopped doing

I need to change some things. I am basically cranky as all get out these days. I am trying to take a little time to focus internally and figure out what I need to be changing to "get happy" as it were.

1. I finally ran yesterday for the first time in FOREVER. Now, if I can just keep it going. I know I will feel better.

2. I am getting my derrierre back in church... if you've been following this blog for any length of time you should be thinking, gee this sounds familiar. I am a better person when I am going to church. I just am. So why I let myself slack off and stop going is beyond me. I'm better during the school year about saying my morning prayers before I get in the day, but I am going to work on getting back in that groove too.

3. I need to be writing regularly (see now it looks SUPER familiar because it is all the same things that make me happy and a better person that I stop doing because...well, I have no idea.) Once we get the journalism website up and running again, I'd really like to write regularly about teaching there. Really stretch my writing skills.

4. Probably need to work on my diet. However many years it has been since the gall bladder came out, I am still plagued with issues. It still isn't totally clear to me what exactly sets my stomach off, but I do know healthy eating can only help... sigh. I'm not giving up drinking though. Forget that.

5. I have got to get back on schedule working on the house. I haven't done anything in months, and I can feel it slipping away. I learned how to tile last weekend when my BIL Jim came to town. He is awesome. I am ready to tile, but I have to pull up all the laminate, and then get the pantry put in... so it's the usual time and money. ug.

I'm sure there is more I can kvetch about, but I'm going to stop here. Maybe I can write something profound and soul searching soon. or not. It's really a crap shoot.

I used to be so good at this

I think of things to blog about all of the time. But do I blog? No. I do not. AND since I use this as my journal it means I now have huge gaps in my "memories." tragic really. Now, I have to write brief notes so I have a small chance of remembering things.

Did I write about the trip to Europe? No. And there was a lot to write about. The guy leading the trip was a bit of a wack, and I knew before the trip that I was worried. The kids were GREAT as always, but he just made me tired. I'm glad I went, but I'm glad it is over. At the end of the trip he said I had too many opinions, I talked too much and I cussed. hahaha. As if anyone who has spent 30 minutes with me in the last 20 years couldn't tell you that.

Side note- I took a ton of photos of people practically having sex in public. It was almost a theme of the trip. Total weirdness. We also went to the beach in Rome. Very lovely. I had a lot of fun having not done that before.

Another side note - I would check in with the dog sitter. Totally had to beg her for photos. Seriously, it got to the point I was requesting proof of life because I thought one of them might be dead... sigh.

Palm Springs. I can safely say that Texas is not hotter than hell. Turns out Palm Springs in July is. I went with my friends Scott and Lisa. I had a totally fantastic time. Probably one of the very best vacations I've ever had. Despite the fact after laying in the sun for ten minutes at ten am on the first day the little piece of metal on my swimming suit had literally burned my flesh requiring a wardrobe change!!

Teaching Jostens yearbook camp for three days was the usual BS. The big excitement was that for once when people got pissy with each other I was not at the center of it!! HA I enjoy it, but there are a lot of women that are a little too crazed about yearbooks etc. I just can't get that torqued up over it all.

The Gracie and Dixie continue fighting like mad things. I haven't figured out what I am going to do about that.

I am working desperately to fininsh the damn real estate book and then hand it off to the committee with a thank you and goodby. I am  totally and completely ready to be done with it.

I'm raising a 15lb terrorist

It's embarrassing. Either of the other dogs could sit on her, but we are all terrorized but the little rat. She looks pretty cute, doesn't she? She is snuggly, she is quite sweet when she wants to be.... she is also an utter hellion when she is full out barking without giving any indication of what it is she wants. 

Side note, I will say I think Dixie starts growling/barking at Gracie as much as Gracie tries to start stuff with Dixie. Of course Dixie is trying to warn Gracie away. Gracie sees it as a line in the sand she clearly needs to cross to show she is not scared. 

I have been diligently putting them both in their kennels when they start yelling at each other. It's quite tiresome.  They spend a lot of time in their kennels... 

End of Day 7

First and foremost, I am TIRED people. We have hauled our asses through Italy...and tomorrow at the ass crack of dawn we will be getting up to head to the airport and Paris. But we won't be staying in Paris, oh no. We will be getting on a bus and riding for God knows how long out to the beaches of Dday. As I told the girls, these are not your laying on towels staring at others kind of beaches...these are the sharp jagged how did anyone survive Dday beaches.

I'm sad to be leaving Venice, because I quite love Venice...but I have to admit, I'm starting to think about Mexican food a lot and I really MISS MY DOGS. I kept asking the dog sitter to send photos... I don't know if she thought I was kidding or what... Not kidding. FINALLY she sent me my proof of life photos...

I realize it is hard to tell in these photos...but they miss me terribly. Clearly, broken up over my absence! 

We started realizing we were getting bit by mosquitos or something in Florence...it has continued in Venice. Most unpleasant.

When I get home I have lots of photos I'll be posting with stories..if I can remember them.

I'm having a terrible time tryinig to blog. I can't get pictures to upload for diddly, my eyes are burning all of the time and I am feeling very old...5 days of being coherent left...then on a plane.

Tues: 7:20pm

Holy crap am I tired. We traveled Sunday to Monday ... arriving in Rome after noon. The kids were troopers. I took a poll, and only one said she slept at all. The rest of us appeared to be awake for most of the first flight for sure.

I saw Argo, "Aw go fuck yourself" inappropriate but funny.

Bruce Willis hard day to die? very funny... I love a good bang bang shoot em up...

Silver lining playbook...really enjoyed it.

At any rate, we walked, and walked and walked yesterday. By Amsterdam we had a nose bleed, a barfer and a lot of exhastion... by Rome we were just moving... we saw the Coliseum and went to dinner. No one face planted in their pizza. We put that in the win column.

Today we went to the Vatican... loved it as always, but there was no time for the Vatican store which upset me. I like to get a cross each year... call it hedging my bets...

had lunch then I took a group shopping.. .yes, I got a couple of things. Couldn't help myself.

Now sitting at a cafe with Christal...sooooo glad she is the 3rd chaperone... and drining a Vodka Limone Scheppes...LOVE IT.

Dinner not tell after 8pm I may die.

Leaving in a couple of hours

School was out last Friday, but I've been working with next year's editors all week. I think they are pretty well on top of things, so that is good. I've been on the interview committee for the new video tech teacher which has been an interesting endeavor. One of the interviews was honestly one of the longest 45 minute periods of my life. Torture.

I've been sick for over two weeks. I finally caved and went to primacare Thursday evening. Verdict: Bronchitis. Atleast I have some good meds now.

I didn't start laundry until Friday night, and I hadn't packed diddly up to that point either. I spent all of yesterday packing and cleaning. I hardly slept last night and woke at about 5am. I continued cleaning this morning. I think I can say, this house is the cleanest it has ever been. I'm very impressed with myself. Of course if the dog watcher shows up more than 30 minutes after I leave there is NO TELLING how horrify it might be. Damn dogs.

I'll be blogging the trip inappropriately here (haha) and for the parents at perkinshphs.wordpress.com...