You're Doing It Wrong

I am crabby again today and now I’m wondering if I am just crabbier than the average person or am I just more up front with it like, “Look here, I’m crabby.” Or do I just have an unrealistic expectation of how joyful I am supposed to feel and being disappointed, label it as crabby when instead it might just simply be less than being content.

I’d also like to know why people let their dogs take a big dump in the middle of the street and just leave it there. I’m talking about a friendly and quiet residential neighborhood where lots of people like to walk. It seems like if you’re a dog owner, you’d be acquainted and prepared for your dog’s doodies, so why do you leave them in the street and who do you think is going to pick them up?

I remembered what I was going to say, yesterday, about something that didn’t work — my bangs. If I don’t do something with them the first 5 minutes out of the shower — they develop a mind of their own and no amount of products or cruel, intense hair-blowing will convince them to change their ways. Normally, it’s a big split in the middle and some flippy stuff going on. How come the beauty magazines don’t address this problem?

Today it is insanely sunny and I felt like I should be at home weeding. Except it wasn’t as warm as it looked. Yesterday it was downright cold (by my lizardy standards) and I didn’t wear enough clothes or bring a proper coat so I was cold all day.

Today I brought a big hurkin coat and was stuck carrying it around.

When I logged in I intended to complain about something that wasn’t working but now can’t remember for the life of me what that was.

Right now I am reading this book called The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams. My sister-in-law gave me the entire set for xmas and it consists of 4 brick books — except the last two are actually one volume. When I saw them I said, “What, is Tad Williams an insomniac?” I am about 300 pages in (only about 600 more to go in this volume!) and I like it okay, but it’s hard to read in dribs and drabs. I need to devote an entire, butt-aching afternoon so I can really get into it. Maybe if the weather is crappy this weekend.

I was wrong about the traffic — maybe that’s when we change the other way. My on/off ramps from I5 to the Morrison Bridge were closed today due to bridge construction so I have to remember to take an alternate route — this is particularly important when I go home, otherwise, I’ll be stuck in traffic hell with everyone else and we’ll all be trying to figure out how to get on the freeway.

So I have a question — do we have the past few years of booming economy to thank for every friggin roadway being ripped up and “improved”? I figure, government, once they get the money together they have to push the whole project through a bureaucratic nightmare, so it would make sense that they are just now getting around to all the work. Downtown Portland is currently a haven for orange cones.

Today I talked to my Auntie about my sourdough bread disaster this weekend. The first rising was HUGE – out of control. The second rising, not as impressive and the final proof the loaves didn’t do squat. I don’t get it. My lovely shaped hearth loaves looked like then melted into a flat beetle thing. I baked them anyway and the crust came out crunchier than you might enjoy and it tastes too salty. I am disappointed, but I guess that’s how you learn. Auntie said her sourdough wasn’t perfect either but she said her tasted good.

We just got the new MacAddict so I’m going to play.

Switching to daylight savings always feels strange. It’s already almost 2pm and it’s like I’m worried about being behind. Then at 6pm you look at the clock and it’s light outside and you think, “dang, it’s already 6 o’clock.” It’s just bizarre how your mind gets all psyched out when the time changes. Also, it seems like the day after the time changes the traffic (commute) is always hideous — why would that be?

I keep thinking that somehow I will “get organized” and be able to provide much more entertaining posts on a regular basis. Not sure how exactly I expect to manifest this.

Yesterday I took the day off because Bob is on Spring Break and we looked at computer toys and bought a new tape deck and saw “O Brother Where Art Thou?” which we both enjoyed. It seems like people are either Clooney lovers or Clooney haters and I have always bucked the trend by being completely indifferent. (Never watched ER). But after that movie I think I could be converted to the lovers without much problem. I might rent “Out of Sight” just to make sure.

I seem to remember our neighbor telling us she was getting a dog quite some time ago, like more than a year, but I don’t remember ever seeing one. Now suddenly we have the derranged barker out there all day long — I’ve just noticed in the past week or so. I like dogs but hate barking and if you know me and are going to say “What about Sundance?” I will repeat for the zillionth time, Sundance is NOT MY DOG.

Yesterday I did a major dandelion patrol (except I skipped the front) and today I needed to do a second round (and I did the front.) Yesterday I also got my garden all ready and even threw in a bunch of seeds. I’ve had very bad luck with green beans so I planted about 60 seeds so who wants to bet that I have 10 trillion green beans this year?

Tonight we’re going to Bernabe’s for dinner then to the Kiggins to see: Best in Show.

This morning when I was driving down Kauffman, I was just at this point where there were kids waiting for the school bus on both sides of the street and right then a kitty darts into the roadway and I had to slam on my breaks and take a few deep breaths. How traumatic would that be? Not only to smush a cat but to smush a cat in front of 2 dozen school kids.

Then I went to the Fred Meyer on Fourth Plain and was getting ready to make a left into the parking lot but there was a young blind person on the corner with his white cane and he looked like he might step into the street and then he’d step back and then he’d step towards the curb and then he stepped back. I was wondering what the proper behavior for me was, I mean how long do I need to yield to a person who doesn’t seem to know what he wants to do? I finally took a chance and made my turn and the blind person ended up walking towards the store.

Today I was walking in the park by the river from Riverplace to the Steel Bridge. Right near the Steel bridge the pigeons were totally freaking out and taking off in a big flappy whoosh and then swooping around and around. I don’t hate the pigeons but I don’t like them circling over my head because you never know when one might cut loose. I thought they were acting bizarre until I noticed the hawk swooping around with them too.

I just realized I never wrote anything about San Diego which turned out to be fun. The rooftop jacuzzi house was amazing. I never did figure out the geography of San Diego but I guess we were on the jetty near the roller coaster and the air traffic took off over us. Not blasting over, but close enough.

Thurs night we visited and Friday we went to the mall and then went for our big night out and Alicia kissed one girl and two boys. (It was her birthday.) We went to this place playing 80’s music, with a band. I won’t go into it all now, I had fun but it was a tad crowded for me. Saturday was the laziest day of my life and Sunday we were back on our way home again.

This week has been busy and I’m still feeling a bit worn down. I went to bed insanely early last night and read my book until 9pm and then tossed and turned for 2 hours — why does that happen? I think I’ll go to be early again tonight and I should be able to finish the book which is Turn of the Century by Kurt Anderson. I do not plan to toss and turn again.