Category: Day To Day

I went out for a couple drinks last night.  I went to my favorite local watering hole, sat at the bar and began conversation with the man next to me.  Actually, he started talking to me asking me if it was raining outside.  He was a decent looking guy with a ball cap on.  He had a very strong southern accent, which I am not so crazy about, but it was alright.  He told me that he is originally from Alabama.  We talked through two pint size beers.  He told me all about his career as a personal trainer, how he used to be in the Navy, how he went to the police academy, how he is currently in school trying to get a degree in psychology so that he can be a college psychology professor.  Mostly, though, I listened to him talk about his personal trainer business.  Then I told him that it was nice to meet him, shook his hand and went home.  I am not yet ready to fully socialize, but it was nice to get out.  It is always nice to meet a new personality and get a new viewpoint on things.

Well, as always, good things come when I need them most.  I was just put on a project with our design architect.  She is going to work with me for the next few days and then I am going to take over while she is on vacation for two weeks.  This should keep me more than occupied, especially since I already have other projects on my plate.  And I was just wishing for a distraction.

Tomorrow is my birthday. Last night I got my nails done and my hair cut and then I went roller blading. Today, I am going to buy a new outfit and get highlights in my hair. It has been over a year since I have pampered myself at all and I think it is about time. Today is good. I feel confident and in control. I know my birthday will be awesome as always.

Looks like the option to celebrate the 4th of July on my company balcony is unofficially open. Looks like we are going to form our own party. The balcony overlooks Tempe Lake where the fireworks can be seen very well. This way, we can drink and eat and watch fireworks without fighting the crowd and paying outrageous prices.

Julie and Rob came over for drinks and music.

Last night was great!!! For those of you that do not know, lightning storms in the desert are awesome. Last night, the lightning and thunder began and my boys and I sat in the back yard on the bench swing and watched these huge bolts of lightning kiss the earth and spread across the sky. The thunder was rouring and pounding and the wind was blowing and my windbell was dinging and it was just incredible. Then the rain began and my boys and I went out in the front and twirled around in the street and danced a great rain dance as the sky dumped harder and faster and we were completely soaked in a few minutes. It was absolutely fantastic! The monsoon has begun!!! Yippie! My power went out around 8pm and we lit a bunch of candles. There were six houses in a row on my block that were out of power. My neighbors and I hung out in front and drank some beer and the rain came and went here and there. I had trouble sleeping in the dark, hot, humid house and was outside until around 2am just trying to get tired enough to sleep in spite of no fan blowing. It is going to be a long day today. But it was so nice to have the storm.

It is 6am and I could not sleep. I woke up at 3am and noticed it was very bright in my backyard. It is usually so dark back there when all the lights are off, so I got up to see what it was. I walked out my bedroom door into the back yard (I finally have a sliding glass door in my bedroom leading to my yard! yeah!) and when I walked out I noticed that it was the moon. It is not quite full (I think they call it a waxing gibbous), but it was very bright on my back yard. Kind of cool having my own house and noticing all the little things and really starting to get to know my house.

I have been doing an awful lot of thinking lately. I feel pretty centered lately, but not quite content. I have a lot going on with the house and everything. It is a fixer-upper and I am already realizing how much time and money will be involved. And I am excited very much, but it is a bit stressful at times.

I bought a house last week. Finally!!!! It was a foreclosure and a fixer upper. It is a 4 bedroom, 2 bath house with a fireplace and a wet bar in the living room and a fireplace in the master
bedroom and a pool in the back yard and a gazebo with a built in grill and sink and cabinets (an outdoor kitchen) and a huge workshop with
running water and electricity and air conditioning (a great future kids
play house) and it is all sooooooo wonderful and it is mine and I bought
it for $95,000.

There is some work that needs to be done, but it will be soooo fun. Check back soon for a new section of my web site that shows my home-improvement progress with pictures.

I have not written much lately. Not that I have not had a lot to say. It is just that the winds of change have been blowing me in all kinds of crazy directions. Wow! After September 11th, I needed a break from the news and went out to a bar to have a few drinks and see a band play. Of course the news was on at the bar and the bartender could not find a channel without all the wreckage of New York being displayed. Then a man came over and sat by me and introduced himself. He seemed like a very nice guy, but I was not in the mood to be hit on. Of course that did not stop me from being courteous and having a conversation with him. Before I knew it, I was dancing with him and he was actually a very good dancer. He invited me to come to his house and see his band play for band practice. He said they had just formed their band and I should check it out. Now this is not something that I would normally do, but I did. Their band was great, they do covers of Zeppelin (which you all know will get my heart beating) and other stuff like Beatles, and 7 Mary Three. Dave, who I met at the bar is truly amazing on guitar, but what really grabbed me was the singer, Grant. He is amazing.

Since then, Grant and I have been hanging out quite regularly. We seem to be exactly what each of us needs right now and it has been absolutely wonderful. He fits my November 2, 2000 entry very well. It is almost scary.