Fruitless

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

So, being of a certain age, my biological clock has been tick tick ticking like one of those big alarm clocks in Wile E. Coyote’s ACME bombs. While having a bunny is plenty enough for me right now, I can’t deny the fact that the chance to have a child may be passing me by. Even if you’re not sure if you want one or if you’re ready, the fact that you might not be able to at some point is a bitter pill to swallow.  Like one of those big fat horse pills that taste like chalk.

I’m surrounded by moms. Most other women my age either have kids or are planning to and of course, the explosion of mommies on the Internet has allowed me to have a successful career.  I love kids (for the most part) and kids love me.  I think being a mom is a wonderful gift and a challenging, rewarding, often thankless job. I had an amazing mom and I would love to pass that on all the things she taught me in 10 short years… maybe. See? I don’t even know.

But being enveloped in moms has turned my sensitivity to motherhood all the way to eleven.  In the last few years, I’ve experienced more pitying looks, more “As a mom…” authority speeches, more “when you have kids you’ll understand” dismissives than ever before.  Realistically, it may not be more, but it just seems like it because I’m more aware of it.  You’d be surprised how openly snide women can be when you least expect it.  Between blogs and real life, I see, hear and sometimes receive more woman-on-woman snatchery than should really be permitted outside of adult entertainment.  Women, let’s face it, can be bitches.  And I’ve begun to feel frustrated, maybe a little jealous, resentful even… until today.

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Categories: thoughts

This is a test!

Saturday, April 4th, 2009

I’m just playing with the WordPress app for the iPhone I got today. Yay!

Already nabbed Tweetie (love it), a bunch of work-related apps and Facebook, etc. Any favorite apps I should try?

Categories: yay!

I Smell a Vacation!

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

I wish I could say I’m taking a vacation, but alas, that probably won’t happen until the Fall or Winter, given my current waiting list. In the meantime, though, I can smell like I’m on vacation.

100% PureA couple weeks ago, Kathy told me about this new product line she loves called 100% Pure.  She got some samples or something to review on Lovely Safemama and gushed about how great it was so I had to order some of my own.  Kathy likes the pink grapefruit scent (which suits her, really — she’s totally a Spring/Summer) but I’m more of a vanilla, musk, spice kind of girl (more of a Fall/Winter).  Yet another in a long line of ying-yang things about us.

I checked out their different products and decided, based on Kathy’s recommendation, to try a scrub and the body cream.  I’m not really one for heavy creams or body butter — it’s a little too much for me, but this came in a pump bottle, so I figured I’d give it a go.  I chose both Tahiti scrub and Tahiti body cream for my scent.

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Categories: yay!

Giggles and the Crazy Barista

Thursday, March 19th, 2009

There’s a barista at the Starbucks I go to that is one of those people that you feel like you know from somewhere, but can’t put your finger on it and they always look at you knowingly, expectantly, like any minute you’ll remember who they are.  But I never do.

She’s… unusual, I guess, is the best way to say it. Very friendly, but definitely an odd duck.  She seems somewhat goofy when I talk to her, like I make her nervous. She seems to try really hard to be funny or clever and she often is a bit ‘familiar’ with me, which is why I always wonder if maybe I know her from somewhere.

For example, the first time I ordered from her went a little something like this…

Her: May I help you?

Me: Yes, I need a quad Venti extra hot soy cinnamon dolce latte, light whip, no foam, please.

Her: Do you need it or do you want it?

Me: *blink blink* I’m sorry, what? Oh… (insert courtesy laugh here) Sorry, I would like…

I laughed it off and dismissed it as an employee building rapport with their customer. Fine, fine. But then she did it two more times when I came in.  I finally started skipping the pretense altogether and just saying the drink order so I don’t have to do that dance again.

She makes me a little nervous, to be honest, because of these weird exchanges, so I just smile and laugh and try to be friendly.  She asked me point blank once, “Why are you laughing?”, while laughing herself then her eyes would look all around like a googly-eyed bobble head with a big grin.  Now she’s taken to calling me “Giggles”. Giggles. And the other baristas have started writing it on my cup.

It’s gotten to the point now that I groan a bit inside when walk in and see her at the register. It makes me feel bad because I’m sure she’s a perfectly nice girl and she’s just trying to be friendly, but it makes me… uncomfortable, I guess.  It doesn’t feel flirtatious, it feels insecure, like maybe she’s shy and overcompensating. You know in movies where the nerd talks to the cool kid and says completely dorky things that sound cool in their head, but come out like they ate paint chips as a kid?  That’s usually me. I was always the nerd (at least in my own head), but this time, it’s like I’m the cheerleader or the football jock or whatever and she’s about to ask me to homecoming.

I hope she doesn’t read this blog, though it’s entirely possible.  I ran into a girl I’d only seen on Flickr at Bath & Body Works once.  And a girl at the grocery store asked me if I was Tenth Muse a few years back. So, its totally possible and I really wouldn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

It’s so odd. I’d be flattered if it didn’t make me feel like she might boil my bunny.

Categories: Characters

Testing! Testing! Windows Live Writer!

Wednesday, March 11th, 2009

I have a client who wants to use Windows Live Writer, so I wanted to give it a go to see if it would deliver. As much as I loathe Internet Explorer, this particular Windows goodie is pretty awesome. As I type this, it looks like I’m writing it on my live blog, not within WordPress, but on my actual blog as if I could actually do that.

With this… I can!  Let’s try uploading a photo:

My Erin Rachel HibiscusHuh. This is interesting.  I’m not sure if these effects I’m seeing in Windows Live Writer will show up and my images don’t seem to be floating properly, but we’ll see what happens when I publish.

Carry on!

Ok, I’ve since published this and I must say… I’m pretty impressed. I checked out the html code within WordPress and it’s not a big hot mess. And I’m editing it right now within WordPress and it’s keeping all the effects and styling. I don’t know if i’d use this all the time ,but for clients who really need this kind of WYSIWYG type interface, this would be a lifesaver. Kudos, Windows Live Writer!

Categories: design