The Four Things Meme from Tracy

Four Jobs I've Had

1. Tom Thumb Grocery Checker
2. Lifeguard - Best Job Ever
3. Club Volleyball Coach
4. Current Young Mind Shaper

Four Movies I've Watched Over and Over

1. Rocky IV
2. Borne Identity
3. Anchorman
4. Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Four Places I've Lived

1. El Paso, TX
2. San Fernando Valley, CA
3. Phoenix, AZ
4. Big D, TX

Four TV Shows I Love to Watch

1. Survivor - Still Lovin' it after all these years
2. The Office - The Funniest Show since Seinfeld
3. Miami Ink - Newest Love
4. Dog the Bounty Hunter - Love it

Four Places I've Been On Vacation

1. Alaska
2. San Fransisco
3. San Juan Islands
4. Lake Tahoe

Four of My Favorite Foods

1. Chips and Salsa - Duh!
2. Sushi
3. Enchiladas
4. Most anything Cajun

Four Places I'd Rather be Right Now

1. In a hot tub - my neck is killing me
2. By a campfire with friends
3. Staying in a fancy ski lodge with beautiful snow drifts all around
4. In California getting ready to see my first nephew be born

I'm Getting Ditched

Back in the early 90's when our marriage was 5 years from fruition and we were just "dating", I used to try to break up with Scott. I know that seems heartless and mean, but I figured that relationships don't last, so before I got too involved, I'd just break it off. It didn't work. We are still together. I've never successfully broken up with anyone. I've been married to Scott since '97. Nothing like stability. Scott's taught me to put trust in relationships.

At least I have my marriage...because my friends leave me...

Today I got the news that Christy is bailing. Bailing on us. Bailing on work. Bailing on Dallas.

We met at work 6 years ago. I had no friends. She had no friends. Our boss had it out for us. We both were stuck coaching and miserable. We sat in that teeny-tiny coach's office and bonded over stories of our childhood, food, college, and family. We spent the summer of 2001 deliberately constructing our "faction:" us and a couple of other "young" teachers sticking together to protect each other and provide credibility. There is safety in numbers.

The friendship worked. The faction worked. Now, we both have credibility, seniority, good schedules, and hour and a half lunches. We pretty much call the shots for ourselves at work. Let's face it: We are one degree of separation from running our departments.

THE DREAM IS OVER IN MAY

She's leaving me. I've been broken up with. She's moving for "the good life" in the country. I guess when your husband wants to take a new job in a small town, you follow him. I know she says she'll visit. But, that doesn't soften the blow. I'm being ditched. And, it hurts. My poems are all I have to get me through:

I'm bitter.

I'll get over it,

After some beers,

After some late nights fireside,

But, right now, she's dead to me.

Bunion Updates...They just keep coming...

I had my left bunion-ectomy scheduled for Spring Break. However, after getting the bills from the right foot surgery, I've cancelled the left. The bills are pretty high, and we have to re-meet out deductible and the out-of-pocket costs to get to 100% coverage. Basically, insurance is a pain in the butt, but we already knew that. Looks like the left foot will be funky for another year I think. But, who really cares?

7 Weeks Post-Op

I'm walking just fine now (in a protective boot that is). Yes, it is darker, and I still have some healing spots from the incision. But, overall, it seems pretty good.

Deep Thought

Do you ever use your arm in the shower to direct streams of water at will? Like, if there is a spot of something in the corner, do you ever point at it and make the water run down your arm and hand seemingly shooting water from your fingertips like an aqua man protege?

5 Weeks Since Surgery

As promised, I continue to document the double ostectomy. Today, I got out of the cast and into the walking boot/air cast. I am cleared for walking in it, but it was pretty painful, so I still used a crutch part time. I'll be in the walking boot for 2 weeks. I took this picture tonight for a visual reference (right after I shaved 5 weeks worth of hair growth off of my leg). Why the bandage? The incision is still healing. Hopefully, that will come off next week.

Solicitation

Oh people of Blog Land:
I throw out a request...I am in the market for license plates because of a little project which necessitates such monikers. State varieties that are old, new, but preferably sorts that belong on cars. I am looking for almost all 50 states. So, if you have one laying around in your garage and you would like to send it to me, well, please comment here! I'll pay your shipping at least. Or, just save them for the next time we meet up. Many thanks ahead of time!

Update: 2 MORE Weeks In The Cast

Unemcumbered. A Mantra?

Reflecting back, I've always had this preference about riding in cars: I can't stand anything at my feet. It is REALLY important to me during road trips. I must have a totally blank floorboard. I don't like CD's and maps at my feet. I don't want to be kicking around some snacks. Floorboards are no place for pillows or purses. Everything needs to be packed in the trunk, cargo area, or if it needs to be accessed then under the seat is acceptable. I'm pretty emphatic about this car commandment still today. Obviously, no one is trying to force crap in the floorboard on me. It doesn't come up much.

I'm only writing about it here because recently while walking to my car after work, and Lisa asked me why I wasn't wearing a coat. I responded that it wasn't that cold (only 30ish), I didn't have far to walk to/from my car, and well, I don't like having extra "stuff" to deal with.

I don't like to carry a purse much, but I love backpacks. I don't like to wear jackets except for a special occasion. I can't stand high heels and fluff. I always travel light. If possible, I like to carry on my luggage (always stored above head of course!) when flying.

Over this past week, I've thought about these little nuances in my personality and tried to sort out what they pointed to. My conclusion: I'm always ready to make a move. And, to make a move I can't be wearing a big coat, high heels, and a purse over my shoulder. I surely can't be waiting for my luggage to come off the rounder at the airport. And, I definitely can't be slipping on CD cases and hamburger wrappers under my feet if I need to jump out of a car.

I'm Not As Loyal As The Husband

Yes, my husband is as loyal as they come. He will stand by his favorite actor, musician, singer, and athletes. Even if they do something that will sour most everyone. Scott will go down fighting for them to the death. Well, NOT ME! Point in case...Rosie "Ro" O'Donnell. You know, back in '92 when I first saw Rosie as the host of VH1's Stand Up Spotlight, I thought she was funny and a cool chick. Then, she was in that great movie, A League of Their Own and I thought, that Rosie is a big confident girl that makes me laugh. I was a fan. Next, Rosie hit the big time with her talk show in 1996. I watched her show and thought she was such a real person since she was always giving stuff away to her audience, and she just seemed so normal. Not to mention, she was pretty darn sarcastic which is always good for laughs.
But, in 2002 she just quit the show. She started getting sort of weird. She cut her hair all nutty. However, I still tried to hang in there as a fan of hers. She's gay...I'm mean, duh...like we didn't know this?? So what? I was supportive and may have bought her magazine once. I sort of chalked her erratic behavior up to the craziness that stars get when they have been famous too long. You know? Like Michael Jackson and Elvis? They get all rich and famous and like lose touch with reality. Well, I sort of thought that was happening to Rosie.

Well, not so fast because she's been out of the spotlight for a few years now. She's had time to reflect on her life and enjoy her many adopted kids and her wife. Then, last year she gets a spot on The View. Well, I was pretty interested in seeing her on the view. I mean after all, I was a Rosie fan from way back. The View was always OK to me. It made for a good commercial-filler in between The Price Is Right segments. But, once I heard Rosie was on, I set the TIVO to catch a couple of episodes. Fast forward...I'm no longer a Rosie fan. I'm not that loyal to my "favs." The few times I've seen Rosie on The View, I was just turned off by her aggressive behavior and cynical opinions. She seemed so bitter and domineering. On Tuesday, the other ladies barely could get a word in about their weekend before Rosie loudly proclaimed herself a fat lesbian, mocking Trump. Then, she said it was a hard weekend and that she drank a lot of beer. I mean, there's nothing wrong with drinking beer (duh), but I hardly see "The View" as a program that is watched by beer drinkers. I mean, what was her purpose? The other chicks on the view just gave her courtesy smiles and blank stares while she answered all of her own "moderator" questions. It got annoying. I'm like, this is The "View", not Rosie's Rants about being gay, being against the war, and hating men. Why doesn't she just chill on the hatred? It is a total turn off. Be a happy lesbian like, Ellen . I just want to say that she needs to quit using the name "Ro" because that is obviously, my name. And, she needs to quit drinking haterade. She may have good points, but she's so bitter it is hard to listen to them.