All of you were right

And I just felt I should tell you so. Thank you all for your support over the last two months!



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Currently feeling: relieved

Wild animals

On the way to drop off Luke at daycare the other day, I saw something standing in the road. It looked kind-of like a large dog from a distance, but not really. Then it turned sideways, and I realized it was a deer! Now, I realize this does not sound like a big deal, but I live in the city! No forest anywhere near. There is, however, a "nature preserve" just up the road that I have never been to, always derriding it in my mind, thinking "yeah, right, how much nature can possibly be in there in the middle of the city?!" Guess they have deer! It was just so bizarre. In the 10+ years that I have lived in Atlanta, I have never ever seen a deer, unless I went significantly outside the perimeter. Squirrels and chipmunks, sure. Lots of birds. A raccoon or possom here and there, even the occasional rabbit. But never a deer. Sorry, it still just blows my mind!
Currently feeling: totally amazed

Pay It Forward

I have been reading about the Pay It Forward movement on various blogs, but every time I found one, they were full! Finally, Melanie had an open spot, so I signed up with her.

The first five people who leave a comment on my blog, with their e-mail address, will receive a hand-crafted gift from me in the next 12 months, probably either a cross-stitched bookmark or a temari, your choice. (If you do not wish to leave your email address in the comments, please email me at erinmarie AT rocketmail DOT com, but please be sure that you also leave a comment!) In return for signing up to receive a gift from me, your obligation is to make the same offer on your blog. If you don't have a blog, then you can still participate but you'll have to find a way to make the same offer to your friends :)

Currently feeling: giving

Alphabet Soup

Here's the game. Comment to this message and I will assign you a letter of the alphabet. (Since Blogger does not provide me with your email address, please check back at the bottom of this post for your letter assignment.) Then go to your journal and post a list of 10 words that begin with this letter and what they mean to you.

I received the letter T from Ann. Unfortunately for you, I do not have her t-t-talent for brevity, but that's not why you read my blog, right? LOL I actually came up with 17 T-words without t-t-trying very hard and had to whittle it down. Here they are:

1. Tech, as in the Georgia Institute of Technology, more commonly referred to as Georgia Tech. I'm a second-generation graduate, married to a fellow graduate. I've visited the campus since I was a child. "I'm a ramblin' wreck from Georgia Tech and a helluvan engineer...." And if the fact that I willingly sing that *entire* song with gusto, while changing only one single word (daddy to mommy), doesn't tell you something about how proud I am to be an alum, then you clearly know nothing about me.

2. Trek, as in Star Trek. Seems as though this one would be obvious from #1 up there, but I had to list it. It is one of my favorite franchises ever, and while I am a TNG fan more than the rest, I still watched and (generally) enjoyed them all. I think it is part of the reason that I have a healthy love for sci-fi, exploration, discovery, technology, engineering, and diversity as an adult.

3. Treble, as in music. Actually, I'm more of a bass fan myself, but this will work! LOL Music has always been a huge part of my life, though it has been missing recently. My life and my memories have soundtracks. I am a child of the 80s; what better soundtrack is there? I was in choir, handbells, and band during my entire childhood. A capella musing makes my heart flutter. Josh Groban's voice can move me to tears. John Williams is one of the most brilliant composers ever to walk the planet. Music rocks!

4. Thankful, for most everything in my life. I really do have so very much to be thankful for in this world, and I try to remember that specifically each day. I have an awesome family, from my parents to my sibling to my husband to my son, right on back up the family tree and out among the branches. They are an amazing group of folks, and it is my honor and privilege to be amongst them. I have friends who truly care about me, from all over the world and right across town, and I know I can call on them at any moment for anything. I have a job I enjoy that is bringing in some much needed extra money that we hope to put to very good use on things like braces and college and retirement. I am in generally good health, in spite of my weight, and I generally wake up quite content each day, if still a little sleepy (I am not a morning person, LOL).

5. Table, a place to gather, eat, and enjoy the company of others. Some of my fondest memories of my family and friends, particularly my grandmother who recently passed away, took place at a table of some sort. Great holiday meals, long long talks, fun and games. Dominoes, Scrabble, Uno, Canasta, Texas Hold 'Em, Double Solitaire. Lots of great discussions, and tons of laughter. Just a great place to spend time....

6. Together, with those I love. The only measure on the Myers-Briggs Personality Test that is hugely tipped in one direction or the other for me is the first one, Introvert/Extrovert. And I'm an E all the way! That's not to say that I don't want to be alone every now and then, but I enjoy being with people, especially family and friends. There's no place I'd rather be than together with my loved ones.

7. Travel to see new people and places. Okay, so I don't like the actual journey part so much (how can sitting on a plane or in a car possibly be so tiring?!), but I adore the destinations. It's something I wish we could do more of, but limited vacation time and a child really puts a dent in both our time and finances for gallivanting across the globe. I've been to three countries (USA, Germany, and Canada) but hope to do several more, and I have visited 21 states plus Washington, DC, with several others on the agenda in the moderately near future. And there are still so many other places to go!

8. Thespian, as in movies! Well, I know *many* people who would argue that today's actors and actresses are not thespians in the least, but it was the only word I could come up with to figure out how to wrangle movies in here! LOL I love watching them, I can't get enough of them. I had no idea how difficult it would be to go from seeing an average of one a week to one every 6-8 weeks. I feel like I've amputated a part of myself. Watching them at home just isn't the same! (Hmm, maybe I should have made "theater" one of my words.) The fun, the thrills, the action, the drama, the emotion, the effects, the explosions, the music, the stories. What's not to love?

9. Technology, that keeps me sane. It helps me keep in touch, it helps me do my job, it helps me meet new people, it helps me be creative, it helps me stay informed. It touches almost every part of my life, and I find it fascinating. I distinctly recall saying one day to my husband, "what, does *every* company have a website they have to flash during their commercials now?" For some reason, it irked me. I also have an equally distinct memory, just a few brief years later, of being rather annoyed and saying to my husband, "what kind of company doesn't show a website address during commercials?" My, how times have changed.

10. Two, as in the age of Luke! Some days, I simply cannot believe it has been two years. Other days, it has been the *longest* two years of my entire life! LOL Two years since he came into our lives, two years since I said the words "my son" for the first time (and it still feels strange to say it sometimes), two years since we wondered if his eyes would stay blue (yep), two years of watching him grow and change and become his own little person, with more laughter and tears along the way than I ever would have dreamed possible. Here's to many more!

Assignments:
* Shalini: M
* Kelli: B
* Kirsten: E

Lightbulb conspiracy

Apparently, the lightbulbs at our house had a meeting recently and declared last week to be "Lightbulb Burnout Week." We seemed to have one failing right after the other. Three in the computer room (out of 5; one of those candelabra looking things), two in the living room, one in our bathroom, and one in the hall. So, what did I do last weekend? I made a note of all the bulbs that were out (all different kinds and wattages, of course) and bought replacements. Came home, spent over an hour installing them (opening packages, moving the stepstool, etc), and once again, we have light!

And what happened in our bedroom just now? One of the bulbs blew! Is that one of the kinds I bought? No, of course not. Did I remember to check current inventory to make sure we had replacements for all house bulb types before I went on my shopping spree? NO! So now, we have a light out in our bedroom, and no replacement bulb. Guess I'll pick some up this weekend.
Currently feeling: not so bright (pun intended)

Will someone please tell me...

... what exactly I did to anger whatever higher power it is that you believe in? Admittedly, nothing truly serious or life-affecting has happened, even when there was potential (like the wreck last weekend), and I really am grateful, but I am tired of all of the small to medium things that keep going wrong. Every 1-2 days it is something else to be fixed or handled or that gets messed up, and I am TIRED of it!!

Currently feeling: aaarrrggghhh!!!

10,000 Hits!

Woo-hoo! I am very excited to announce that I have finally recorded 10,000 hits on my blog. Actually, it is more than that (close to 17,000, IIRC), but it is 10,000 since I switched to StatCounter. The hit was registered Oct 31 at 11:49PM (no idea if that is local time or GMT, but I would imagine local) by someone from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I have a pretty good hunch who that is, actually! I hope she enjoyed her visit. I realize that may not seem like a lot of hits to some of my readers, but I've been watching the number steadily climb the last few days, and I think it's pretty cool (like watching a car flip 100,000 miles on the odometer, which mine should be doing not too long from now).

And no, I haven't forgotten the CSNF recap. I was just a little busier this weekend than I expected. Soon, I hope.

Currently feeling: popular and loved