For most of my adult life I’ve started my mornings off with a cup of coffee, or as my friend John puts it,  “the nectar of the Gods, the I’m so hung over thank all that is holy, the one last legal drugs left that doesn’t hold a mandatory 25 year sentence.”

It’s become a part of my routine.

It jump starts my day.

So believe me when I say, it pains me GREATLY to part with it!

As I’ve mentioned, I have stared a nutrition plan to help with my Endometriosis. Honestly I feel healthier in all aspects except my pain level, which is currently through the roof. I flat out don’t get it. Frankly, it has been incredibly frustrating to say the least.

There are two items on the “to avoid” list that up until Sunday (night) I have not been willing to part with: coffee and alcohol. I’ve been cutting back, but I haven’t completely nixed them from my diet. But after spending way too much time popping Ibuprofen every 4-6 hours and running up the electrical bill from my heating pad (which is on most of the time I am home); I’ve decided it’s time to cut my coffee addiction cord…*sigh*… and remove the majority of alcoholic beverages from my life as well.

My hope is this is not forever. My hope is this is a temporary freeze… just until I can get my pain level back under control again.

People I am GIVING UP COFFEE.

I can’t believe I’ve been reduced to this. Anyone want my ovaries? I’ve about had it with them.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Bag full of complaints, Healthy shmelthy

You know those products where you do some sort of “eye exercises” or Voo Doo trances everyday and you end up being able to read faster or control peoples minds?

Do you think they work?

This semester I am taking pretty much all communication classes and surprise, surprise, they all come with giant text books. Well, not giant as in ED’s Organic Chemistry book, but still 400-500 pages each.

And of course, each teacher wants you to read one or two chapters per week. Each chapter is roughly 30 pages long, which equates to exactly way to much freaking reading.

Don’t get me wrong, I find a lot of the content interesting (Yay! I’m actually on the right education path!), it’s just that it takes so GD long to get through it all.

Lord help me. I’m only one week into this semester…

I’ve gotta figure out a way to be more efficient. Your ideas may be are welcome. My sleep depends on it.  And frankly, that’s just not something I want to part with.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Back to School, Bag full of complaints

My days are spent not talking.

Let’s examine this a little bit, shall we? I work full time. At work I sit alone in my office and write things for clients like news letters, press releases and marketing plans, I research the latest marketing trends, responding to emails and attend meetings. I then go to school where I listen to teachers lecture and take notes. In the evenings I am reading my text books, studying and doing homework.

Oh the exciting life I lead. It’s an rare night in deed if I can find the time to work out or watch TV.

I spend so much time reading and listening that when I finally do get placed in a situation where I have to use my audible communication skills my words fail me. They just flat out disappear. I have no backspace, cut and paste or delete keys to rely on and I can’t just “Google” what I am looking for. I find myself simply listening to whatever conversation I am in and not really speaking up too much because when I try to contribute or tell a story I simply can not get through it without help. “You know that one thing with the four wheels and you drive it? Yeah, a car! So I was in the car and I was listening to, oh crap, what’s the name of that one band that sings that one song? Remember? We saw them in concert that one time?”

You get the picture. And heaven forbid you ask me my opinion! Because that answer will leave you so lost you will think you have just been talking to mentally challenged person. I swear, it’s still me! I am just out of practice at… talking?

Maybe I just need to get more sleep or take some ginkgo biloba or whatever vitamin makes your brain work more better. I’ve seriously  got to do something though because all this learnin’  and edumacation is making me unsmart.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Back to School, Bag full of complaints, Random

Just in a fight with all things technology related.

It started last week when my Yahoo email account was hacked and sent out links to a Viagra to everyone in my contacts list. Sorry if you were one of them. I promise I am not that concerned about your erection or lack there of.

Then on Friday night Karina the Russian and I went to a concert. We only wanted to see the opening band (Staind) so we left when they were done to get a cold beverage that didn’t cost $9. Well, like the smart person I am, I decide NOT to bring my purse and just put my iPhone in my back pocket. Somewhere between visiting three restrooms at the concert venue and one at the bar, my phone disappeared. We back tracked and retraced all of our steps including turning the car inside out, and being escorted by security through the concert venue after everyone had left  (which was actually kind of embarrassing because we had to take them to the back stage restrooms we snuck into). All to no avail. My freaking phone is gone!

I spent the weekend moving (more on that soon!) and came across my old Black Jack phone, so at least I have that. Although the internet is not working on it so I need to take it to At&t and ask them WTF? It sucks, I miss my iPhone! I feel so disconnected with the world!

Needless to say, due to my crazy weekend, I didn’t so much as glance at my homework. When I rolled into my new pad last night at 8:30 pm, cat in hand (I had just picked her up from my parents), my intention was to bust out some serious study time. Only problem, I don’t have access to the secured wireless account set up at my place. It’s a Mac Airport, I have a PC.

Just one more chance for technology to shove it’s fat middle finger right in my face.

I’m hoping that my not-technology-retarded brother in law will be able to make the Mac and PC play nice together, because I haven’t so much as a clue to how to make them work. However, I’m keeping my stress level relatively low, ignoring the fact that I have an online assignment due by midnight tonight and spending my lunch break writing this instead of studying. It’s OK though, everything is going to work out. If I tell myself that long enough, it has to come true.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Bag full of complaints, Moving Blows

The only thing worse than spending the weekend studying is spending the weekend sick in bed.

Friday night I yacked my guts out in ED’s toilet and shivering in bed next to him. I even got a little throw up on his t-shirt.

Yeah, I’m such a sexy girlfriend.

Saturday ED took care of me in between my naps and complaints about how freezing cold it was and how my throat was swelling at a rapid rate.

By the time I woke up on Sunday my throat was swollen to double the size and I could no longer swallow my own spit, yet alone any other fluids,  so I decided it was time to get some medical help.

I knew I had Strep throat before I walked through the Instacare doors. I’ve had it every year since I was a little girl so I recognize it instantly. Unfortunately knowing I have it will not get me the antibiotics needed to take it away and since I bought jewelery in Mexico instead of  antibiotics, I had to suffer a 45 minute wait to get them.

So here I sit, miserable and achy. One day in to my 4 pills a day for 10 days regime. ED is home studying and my parents have left for Lake Powell (I will be joining them at the end of the week – more on that soon) so I have no one to bitch to except my cat and she sympathy is not exactly her strong point.

Ahh well. On the bright side I have a free pass to eat lots of ice cream and watch bad TV.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Bag full of complaints

Why seven? Because my brain is filled with packing styrofoam and seven is all I can think of. Hell, I just had to spell check “styrofoam” because I spelled it “styrophome”. I’m THAT out of it right now!

1. Gathering Moving supplies. I have made two trips to the liquor store to get boxes. Unfortunately each time I go I feel bad just asking for boxes without purchasing anything, so I buy a bottle… or two. It’s like when you are on a road trip and need to use a gas station restroom; if you don’t buy a candy bar or an energy drink you are kind of an ass.

2. Newspaper turns my hands black. I’m a little more like my three year old niece than I like to admit. I don’t like it when my hands are dirty. Wrapping breakable items in newspaper gives me black hands and it never fails that I touch my face and walk around looking like I clean chimneys for a living.

3. Running into ex-boyfriend memorabilia. You know how after a break-up you take the heartfelt gift the bastard gave you and hide it in a closet or a drawer? You’re not quite ready to just throw it in the trash because, well, it was heartfelt and/or expensive. Then you go to pack and you open up that closet or drawer and it is sitting there like, “hi, I’m here to remind you of the painful past” and you want to grab it and toss it in the nearest dumpster because now you ARE ready, but you can’t because your new boyfriend is standing 10 feet away. Awkward.

4. Begging strong men to help me move. OK, so I didn’t really have to beg. Luckily I have men in my life who are pretty much obligated to help me move. But still I feel bad and I am sure there are a million and one other things they would rather be doing.

5. Having to confront “get to it eventually” piles. I can’t imagine there are people out there who don’t have these. If there are, I don’t know them. The “eventually” part gets put into “now” when packing because, at least for me, I can’t don’t want to pack a box of random crap that I am going to have to sort out a month later when I finally get around to unpacking.

6. Putting the rest of my life on hold. When you have a deadline of having to be out of your place in 3 days you have to say “no” to everything else, that sucks balls. Oh, you are in town visiting and will be leaving tomorrow and won’t be back until Christmas? Sorry, I’m not sure where I packed my purse or my keys and I am pretty sure I can hear my cat trying to get out of the box ED must have “accidentally” packed her in, so I guess I’ll see you in four months.

7. Unpacking. Do I really need to say more? It’s like after you do laundry and you finally have clean clothes to wear. You spend all this time washing and drying them but you still need to fold them and put them away. IT’S NEVER ENDING!

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Bag full of complaints, Moving Blows

What do you say when things are actually going OK in your life?

A few nights ago I spent an evening with two of my closest friends who are both going through a rough spot with their significant others. I listened to their stories, gave them hugs when they cried, used tough love where necessary and told them they are strong, beautiful, amazing women who can do anything they want! They are in control of their destiny and don’t let anyone tell them differently! GOT IT SISTER???

Sadly, I couldn’t join in with my own stories and upset feelings. I say sadly because everyone likes a good Bitch Fest. Here I am with the perfect opportunity to talk about all of the stupid little things that ED does that have been driving me crazy! A perfect time to vent my pent up frustrations!

But alas, I had none to share. Not right now. Not about ED anyway. Things are going ridiculously good between us and we all know the last thing a woman wants to hear when she is upset with her current relationship is how happy someone else is. Even if they love you and are happy for you, they are just not in a state to hear about it. In fact there is an unspoken rule when you attend a Bitch Fest: Save your mushy, lovey, “Oh my god he is so sweet because…” stories for another day or find yourself uninvited!

That’s how it goes. I don’t make the rules, I just live by them

I leave tomorrow for Mexico to spend just under a week on vacation with ED. My only hope is that he does a few asshole things while we are gone because I DO NOT want to get uninvited to the Bitch Fests because once you’ve been ousted from one you will find it very hard to ever get another invite.

Apparently word travels with these things.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Bag full of complaints, Dating debating

I’ve lived at my current apartment for just under 2 years, which is a record for me. I normally move every 6 months to a year. My lease is up the end of August and I must give 60 days notice if I want to move, which means I have just under a week to figure out if I want to stay put or move out.

For the most part, I have really enjoyed my little place. That is, until the past 2 months when the new upstairs neighbors from hell moved in! Now, I’ve lived in apartments for the greater part of my adult life so I am accepting of a lot of things, but these neighbors are ridiculous! The are night owls who like to start pacing above my bed at exactly the time I am trying to go to sleep. I know you are going to think I am just being dramatic, but I swear they wear lead boots too. They also play a game every night where they open and shut every drawer and cupboard in their place then go out on the balcony 3 or 4 times slamming the door on their way. I’m sure it’s a lot of fun for them but all I hear is stomp-creek, slam, slide, creek, creek, stomp, stomp and occasionally the err err, err err of their bed while they are doing the nasty.

The worst part is, there is absolutely nothing I can do about it… except move.

But I don’t want to move! What with all the packing and lifting of heavy furniture. Ugh! I’ve moved 5 times in the last 4 years and none of the times has been what I consider fun.

So what’s a girl to do?

I spoke with the leasing office and they said I could upgrade to a newly remodeled top level apartment for basically the same price as I am paying now (guess the economy has been hard on them too).

But moving… again? Blah!

So now it’s crunch time. Deal with annoying neighbors for another year or move. Somehow I don’t feel like there is a right answer here.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

PS – anyone have a truck?

Apartment Life, Bag full of complaints

Yesterday was much like any other day. I got off work and headed to school. I pulled into a parking spot near the back of the lot, parked and began my ritual of putting on a fresh coat of lipstick and powdering my nose. I was lost in my own thoughts while looking at my reflection when I was rudely jolted into consciousness by another car pulling in and hitting the front of my car! I snapped the visor mirror shut and stared at the driver who was now backing up a few inches so that she was no longer on top of my car. The driver did not meet my jaw dropped, appalled gaze. No courtesy wave. No mouthing of “oops” or “sorry”. No getting out to make sure my bumper was still attached. No, this reckless SUV driving student did nothing. I kept on staring at her, in shock of this woman’s ignorance and lack of common courtesy manners. Surely at any minute she was going to get out of her car and apologize. I had no idea what I should do. Do I walk over, pound on her door and demand an apology? Do I try to out wait her (at this point she is busy continuing to act like she is oblivious to me and collecting her things) and confront her then?

In the end I did nothing. I’m not a confrontational person and I was on my way to take a math test so, I did nothing. Seriously, what does one do in this situation? No damage was done to either of our cars. Really it was only a parking nudge, but it’s the principle of this person having the audacity to completely ignore the fact that she hit me. It irks me! It also irks me that I don’t know if I should have responded or not.

What would you have done?

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Back to School, Bag full of complaints

Over the weekend I disobeyed the doctors orders and it felt great! That is, until Monday morning.

Friday I went to the X96 Big Ass Show with Karina the Russian. I was a lot more behaved than I was last year when I was running around getting my picture taken with every rock star I laid eyes on. But, when you have VIP tickets which give you access to free beer…. it would have been a shame to let it go to waste.

A few of the bands I really enjoyed watching were The Airborne Toxic Event (seriously in love with these guys! If you don’t know who they are watch THIS), Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and of course Offspring. Offspring was the headlining band and they tore it up! It was so funny to watch Karina looking at everyone else sing along to the songs. “You don’t know this one?” I would scream over the crowd. Then she would look at me with her of course I don’t know this one I’m from Russia bitch look. I would of course laugh and she would tell me how she was going to take me to Russia and laugh at me when I didn’t know the bands who were playing.

The next morning Karina and I went to brunch. I had coffee and the most amazing crab Benedict served over cornbread with an avocado relish. I’m drooling thinking about it again. I kept marveling as we sat outside on the patio at how I really felt OK. All of the symptoms from last week seemed to have magically disappeared. How amazingly wonderful for me!

Saturday night I went to 2 barbecues where the food, margaritas and wine flowed freely. I felt great and had a wonderful time. Then Sunday came along. Damn you Sunday. Such a fun wrecker. I studied for over 12 hours trying to make up for all of my play time then I had a stress induced anxiety attack.

So now here I am, back where I started. Taking several over the counter meds and eating bland foods. Apparently when they talk about school being a sacrifice they are not kidding. My body is telling me I can no longer play like I used to plus handle the stress of work, school and finances. I think it sucks. I think I SHOULD be able to handle it all. But sadly, superwoman left the building a long time ago.

Blogfully yours,

Summer

Back to School, Bag full of complaints, Concert whore, K to the R stories, Out and About