Bookmarks

I saw a picture in a bead magazine of a project I thought I could actually accomplish, and I got motivated. I made bookmarks, with beads at the ends that hang out of the book. The magazine called them "Book Thongs", but that doesn't sound too comfortable for the book.

Including another bead magazine and some cute beads and a ball of hemp ($8.99!) and a few small presents, I managed to spend $69 at Michaels. I was a little depressed by that, I think. Freaking bead magazines cost nearly as much as a book! Then I came home and started using up beads like crazy. I made about 6 of these bookmarks them in one evening.

I think they came out really nicely, but I think I'll miss some of my favorite beads. I was glad to be able to use the beads I made in pottery class too. They were being wasted.

So that's a good thing about bookmarks. They make good Christmas presents.

The strange thing is that very night, ALL the bookmarks on my browser mysteriously dissapeared. WTF? The boy says he didn't do it, so I guess that can only mean one of two things: Another Freaking Computer Virus, or a lying boy.

But a coincidence, eh? Bookmark bugaboo.

Don't be lying

Bitchin' and crying
Suck it up as a loss

"Number One", Nelly

Big Trouble

Think twice
That's my only advice...
Crazy, Gnarles Barkley

I've been upset with my horoscope lately (Pisces). For two months now it's been claiming that a relationship of mine can blow sky high over something little. Part of me has been on guard for that, the other hopes it's not true. And I've had to be strong and have difficult conversations with various people for various reasons, but so far nothing bad had happened.

Then Saturday, after a fast and furious week where I barely managed to get myself and my kids to the right place at the right time while working and taking a new class, I did IT. The Something Stupid that made a certain situation blow up in my face. Not that I knew it right away, but I had a bad feeling about it the rest of the weekend.

Sunday night I was watching "Elizabeth I" on HBO, and that night I had terrible dreams about a government that would brutally kill people without any reason. I had to wake up and make myself have another dream. I woke up with a headache.

Then my boss called me to tell me all about the situation that had gone awry. Not only had I managed to make someone "livid" with me, but she then tried to get me in as much trouble as possible. Overreact much? Lucky for me my Boss is very understanding (so far). He even offered to do the work for me, so I could still get paid. I've really come to believe he may be the nicest boss I've ever had.

Also, he's my Guru of emotional management. He's always encouraged me to let things go and not take things personally, and I think it's finally working. Or maybe I've just been in the business long enough to just know that's how it is. I cried, I answered her email and apologized, and then I let it go. I told my husband, "Luckily I've got lots of other problems to concentrate on."

And so I concentrated on those other things, and hopefully made some headway on other fronts. It's strange, but for someone that doesn't have many sales, I've got lots of things I need to follow up on and take care of. It makes me feel like I'm working, and even if I'm not making much money at the moment, someday it will come around.

One of those things I'm working on is taking a course in Income Tax. It's strange to me that as complicated and exact as everything seems to be, the teacher will turn around and say it's OK to make mistakes, nobody's perfect. It seems like, since you're filing it with the Federal government, you could get in major trouble if you do something wrong. Instead, they make it seem like you'd have to do something major to get into trouble. Unlike Real Estate, where many little things can get you into Big Trouble.

Vacation rundown

We took three weeks off and drove to Colorado by way of Las Vegas. We took the dog with us, so we couldn't stay in the Flamingo, which bummed K out (or he just likes to complain about the dog.) But we stayed across from the Hard Rock, right after it was in an episode of Entourage, so that was fun.

We saw lots of family and old friends, and mostly had a great time. We also spent time trying to rent out our new duplex, but didn't have much luck with that. My friend (the realtor) was in the hospital the entire time, so I'm still worried about him.

On the way back we stopped in Salt Lake City, which we'd never been to before. Home of my beloved "Dooce." First we drove through Wyoming, which was nearly excruiatingly boring. Utah was much prettier, although I was surprised to find SLC is not that big. It seems about the size of Colorado Springs. I like all the old buildings that have been renovated, I liked the looks of the college, and it seems to have lots of cute neighborhoods.

On the down side, it seems that industry has precidence over tourism. Nearly everywhere we went, it seemed we could see a big factory or refinery or mining operation. A huge mining operation in the mountains(Bingham Canyon Mine) is a blight on what otherwise would be beautiful scenery. The Great Salt Lake was not so great. It was the trip's biggest disapointment - even the marina seemed dead and full of flies. I bet if we had gone to another part of the lake it must surely look better (if not smell better!)

On the last day, we hiked to Tipanagos Caves, which are 1.5 miles UP the mountain. I really enjoyed the caves, although I nearly died getting there. It was really embarrasing being passed by little kids who just strolled up the hill with their parents (who are evidently much younger than me!) K tried to make me feel better by claiming there were people we passed who never made it up there, but I'm not sure that's true.

It made clear to me how out of shape I am, and how fat I'm getting. As much as I've tried to change my eating habits and get some exercise, clearly it isn't enough. I guess my only option at this point is to start seriously exercising and training for... something.

Being around family had its usual pitfalls of people doing things I don't understand and I'm not allowed to ask about. But I've decided that instead of dwelling on those confusing and difficult events, instead I'll try to dwell on the NICE things people have done for me:

-Nice Things-
Mom made a special meal because I requested it. She bought the kids some great school clothes and probably spent way too much money.

My sister highlighted my hair.

My mother-in-law sent us money to help with the trip. She also had Pepsi on hand for me to drink, because she knows I like it.

Another sister offered to help me with the duplex. Another sister offered to let us have the keys to her house so we could watch Entourage when she WASN'T EVEN THERE! This was before we realized my parents do indeed still get HBO.

My husband made me coffee this morning, and is trying to recharge my car battery, which I accidently drained before our trip.
--------------------------------------------------------

Ready to exhale

I guess the other day was a lucky day - later, my pain-in-the-ass client called me to tell me to cancel the rental deal I'd been trying to put together for him. After taking a full week last week to get the other agent the paperwork we'd promised, they felt that not getting the signatures right away was a sign of something bad. I'm not sure what - they didn't seem to trust anyone anymore. Not the other agent, not the owners, not even me. This after negotiating the rent DOWN $300 a month from the last year, when all market indications are that the agent could easily have asked for MORE next year.

They felt that not getting a fully executed contract back to them by Thursday was a dealbreaker. I did not realize that this was so, and was trying to help them manage their many fears and not squelch the deal with this generous other agent, because they were starting to seem like pain-in-the-ass tenants. They even consulted a lawyer to make sure they could get out of the deal on Thursday. I wonder how much they had to pay that lawyer, and what it's going to take to get paid myself.

So anyway,I'm glad to have them out of my life now. There's no way I would want to help them again. So I'm lucky to have gotten out of it. I was beginning to be afraid that they were going to get me into some kind of trouble.

I haven't figured out a good spot for a garden in my new yard, but I missed having a garden of some sort. So I planted a few big pots with some basics (salsa, anyone?), and I'm Miracle-growing and hoping for the best.

My lucky day!

Hit from across the pool, thank you. My first hole in one! Must be my lucky day. I'm off to play the lottery!

Canadian bacon=ham

We went out for breakfast yesterday, after church.

G wanted to try something new, I guess, because he ordered Eggs Benadict. When it came, he was saying "Where's the bacon? I'm supposed to get bacon."

I pointed under his egg and told him that the stuff that looked like ham was Canadian bacon. He was amazed. "Canadian Bacon is ham?" he asked. I told him it was a little different, but basically yes.

A while later, when we wre all done eating, he exclaimed as if it were a new realization, "Canadian Bacon is just ham!"

He's been telling all his friends.