Gotham Girls

Have you met my cousin Matil-bot?

She was recently recognized for her style in Marie Claire magazine.

Matil-bot and her other cousin Ry-bot just started a style blog.  If you're looking for some tips or inspiration, you should check them out.  They are young and hip, and dress more interestingly than you do.  They are Gotham Girls.

Papatron's 90th Birthday

January 1, 2011 was my Papatron's 90th birthday.  He doesn't look a day older than 80, if you ask me.

(Papatron with all his Bot/Tron grandchildren and great-grandchildren, minus 2)

When I think that this man has been around for a decade shy of a century, it amazes me in a way I can't explain.  Ninety years is FOREVER.  1921.  That was so long ago.  Yet, the man uses email and reads blogs.  He is amazing.

 

It causes me to wonder if I can make it another 59 years.  But, only for a second until I realize that I definitely CAN NOT make it another 59 years.  That's ridiculous.

He's been there for me since the beginning.

(Papatron holding Baby Sparklebot, and Grandmabot, 1980) 

(Unknown kid beside Grandmabot needs to pee)

He still loved me even when my mom made me have boy hair.

(Papatron and Sparklebot, Christmas 1988, maybe?)

He's always been there for my important events.

 (High school graduation, 1997)

(Law School graduation, 2009)

 

Thanks for everything, Papatron.  And, I can't wait to celebrate your 100th birthday.

Resolutions

I have always kind of thought that New Year's resolutions were stupid.

Trying to better yourself is fine, and I guess it's important for some people to have some kind of reference for when they need a new beginning.  But, the post-holiday beginning to each new year seems an arbitrary and sort of sad time to be having such resolve.  Plus, no one ever carries their resolutions past the end of January...so why do we even engage in this charade?

This weekend, our family drove to my old hometown in North Carolina to celebrate my Papa's 90th birthday (he was a New Year's baby in 1921).  Coming home from the party, Troubletron and I talked to the kids very briefly about their New Year's resolutions.  I was particularly struck my Littletron's:

"Get some AAA batteries."

Keep aiming high, Littletron.  You are going to go so far.

Troubletron's Reaction to Your Peppermint Responses

"Wow.  Maybe there's something wrong with my tongue."

Thank you all for helping to win this tiny, insignificant marital squabble.  It was definitely a waste of everyone's time and attention.  Just know that I appreciate that!

Peppermint

Since it's the Christmas season (don't argue with me about this--just accept it), I have, of course, switched from my usual lotion scent to a more festive peppermint body lotion.  This morning, as I rubbed the striking holiday scent into my dry elbows and cracked heels, I said to Troubletron, "mmm!  Don't you just love the smell of peppermint!"

And, then, simultaneously, we said:

"Yes, it's such a ________ smell!"

One of us said "warm."  One of us said "cool."

Putting aside that it's kind of impossible for a smell to have an inherent temperature, is Peppermint warm or cool?  We need you to resolve this.

What should I do with my Veteran's day?

Start wrapping the Christmas presents we've been progressively buying all year?

Clean bird cages?

 

Put away Halloween decorations?

Craft?

Watch streamed netflix (or "neckflix" as Littletron says) movies all day?

Go through family photos to find pictures of Papatron to send for the slide show for Papatron's 90th birthday celebration?

Make a pot roast?

Only eat chips and Halloween candy all day?

All?

Halloween

Don't pretend like you don't care about Halloween anymore.

Joan and Roger

I think we nailed it.

Teacher FAIL

We found out this weekend that Littletron made the A/B Honor Roll.  We are so proud.

His teacher feels, however, that he can improve on one thing.

I can think of at one thing SHE needs work on.

Fluidly?

Two Days in a Row

I can feel the love.

I'm not really what you might call (or, more accurately, what I might call) a "tender" person.  But, I must say that knowing that total strangers cared that I was gone . . . well . . . it begins to melt the outer layer of my ice queen heart.  I won't mention that no one who actually knows me in person cares about my blog (except Troubletron . . . he cares because he made certain promises to me in front of a lady-priest in a cheesy neon chapel with a Celine Dion musical backdrop). Or, I guess I just did mention it.  But, I won't let it get me down.

It's been about four months since I last consistently blogged.  A lot has happened in that time.  Such as:

We moved in with a crazy person.  We call this our "homeless" period.  We were nearing the end of our last lease, and I didn't have a job, so we didn't feel like we could commit to a new lease.  We turned to Craigslist and to our friends.  One thing led to another.  We found ourselves occupying one bedroom in a giant house owned by a CRAZY person who was always sweating, had grunting sounds coming from his room at all hours (though was ALWAYS alone), always wore the same clothes, had rooms speckled with baby stuff (including a stroller, crib, high chair, etc) but no children around, and a bowl of Christmas ornaments in his 80's themed dining room.

I got a temporary job with some promise.  The temporary gig was only supposed to last three months, but I just finished my fourth month, and there is no definite end in sight.  I don't want to jinx it.  But, it's been a steady paycheck and some good experience for the last few months.

We moved into another apartment.  We couldn't stand homelessness/crazy town.  And, since I had a temporary job with promise, we decided to take our chances on another lease.  Unfortunately, two moves in the course of a month may have alienated all our friends.

Troubletron got a promotion.  He's so awesome.

Teenbot became a cheerleader.  Which, let's be honest, is PURE trouble.  No good can come from a fourteen year old with a family history of teen pregnancy walking around school in a cheer uniform with a bunch of eighteen year old boys.  Sigh.

My student loans went into repayment.  Since I got a "job," I guess my loan lenders think I should have to pay them a portion of my wages.  So . . . I might have been better off unemployed.  Hence . . .

Troubletron and I got second, night-time/weekend jobs at a local retail establishment.  The manager thinks it's awesome that he gets to "manage" a lawyer.  So, that's awesome.

Littletron picked up a nasty habit.

(Calm down.  It's a falsie)

Do you feel updated?

Lisa, you inspired me

I got out of work a smidge early today so that I could vote.  Now I find myself home alone wondering what productive enterprise should fill my time . . . coupon clipping?  dishes?  stinky garbage taking out?

While deciding, I got a blog comment from Lisa, begging me not to let my blog die.  I don't know Lisa, and I don't know why she cares whether or not my blog suffers a slow, painful peril.

But, thank you for caring, Lisa.

I'm going to try not to let it die, but I can't say it will thrive.  But, I do miss sharing the moments of my life with you.

Hope you all are well.

You asked for it

I've gotten a few emails from concerned (former) readers, so I guess I should give you another update on what's going on in my life.

It wasn't fair of me to leave you with no information about my whereabouts other than my homelessness.  But, well, when you're homeless (or, as in our former situation, renting a single room on a weekly basis in the home of a man who is DEFINITELY a serial killer), updating your blog is low on your list of priorities.

You'll be glad to know that Troubletron and I are now back in an apartment of our own.  Sure, we have roaches.  Yes, getting mugged is daily a potential reality.  But, we have a place to call a home in which we have three locks between us and the serial killers.

I tend to be a little dramatic.

But, we're ok.  I'm away from a computer with open internet access for 10 hours a day, so I've let the blog slip.  I'll try to be better.

Thanks for caring (I'm talking to you three people--you know who you are).

Where have I been?

Homeless.  Still homeless.  We hope to be un-homeless in a week or so.  Keep your fingers crossed.

Life on the streets is hard.

Last Day of Packing

It's the last day of packing before our move tomorrow.  My sore back and I are left to do this last day of labor alone together.  (Can something be "alone together?")

What I wouldn't give to have a job right now.  This post isn't about that, though, so don't tune out.

Our box count is already around 45 . . . and I'd say I have at least 25% of the house remaining to be packed.  The question I keep coming back to is "How did I get so much crap?"

But, I already know the answer.  I'm a crap collector.  I love crap.  LOVE it.  And, so does Troubletron.  This year of living the frugal lifestyle has been a serious impediment to our acquiring of more crap, and it's hurt us both to change our spending ways.  But, that makes this moving process even more insulting.  I haven't bought new crap in months--or over a year--and we had a yard sale a month ago and got rid of A TON of our crap--yet there is still so much crap to pack.

Crap.

Get in the mood for Independence Day

I've been thinking about how much airtime (eyetime?) holidays like Christmas and Halloween got here on this blog, and how it might make you think that I don't really care much about the holidays I haven't featured (Easter, Thanksgiving, etc.).  If you did think that, you are right.  Those holidays have nothing in it for me.  I just make it through them, counting down the months until we get another "good" holiday.

Sigh.

Independence Day is sort of like that.  I mean, I like gathering for a BBQ with people.  I don't mind watching fireworks, if I don't have to leave the comfort of my own back yard (or balcony, as the case may be).

I wonder though, if I'm going about this whole "holiday" thing wrong.  Maybe I should be trying harder to find joy in each holiday, even if it historically bored me.

Here's my try for Independence Day.  Maybe it'll get you psyched too?

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Troubletron liked this one because it featured Thomas Jefferson.  He's a Virginian who isn't buying into this whole John-Adams-Renaissance we've been seeing lately.

Ray of Sunlight

Troubletron and I are moving this coming weekend.  Don't ask me where.  Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you (because some of you are crazy).

But, wherever we go, it will be a temporary situation--and all the "temporary situations" we have available to us at this point are not exactly "bird friendly" (translation: they contain cats).  So, we will be taking our birds down to stay with my grandpa (aka "Papatron") in North Carolina until we can find a new bird-friendly home or until he can't stand the constant squawking anymore . . . whichever comes first.

We've been stressing out about the timeline of the move, and about where to live, and when I will find a job, and, well, the list goes on.  We were beginning to think nothing would ever go our way.

And then, I saw this on facebook:

CHEERWINE KREME FILLED KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS hit grocery stores on July 1 in the Carolina's (we're really sorry folks outside of the Carolina's but Cheerwine and Krispy Kreme go way back in these parts). JULY ONLY... LIMITED EDITION Cheerwine Doughnut... Snacktacular!

If you know what Cheerwine is, you are so jealous right now.

Krispy Kreme, we have a date in Kannapolis, NC this weekend.   And, maybe in Chapel Hill too.

Afternoon Storm

At around 2:30 p.m. today, after a morning of 99 degree weather, I noticed it was looking a bit dark and dreary outside.  I walked out onto the balcony and saw storm clouds moving at a noticeably speedy pace.  I grabbed the camera.   Watch the clouds.

All photos were taken in a 3 minute span of time.

They moved so quickly out of the shot--and over me--it was amazing.

(other side of building)

I stood in awe, having never seen clouds move so fast before in my life, when the loudest crack of thunder I've ever heard stomped through the air and nearly knocked me down.

The wind began to blow, and all of a sudden chairs began sliding 20 feet across concrete and into the pool.

And, then the rain dropped.

And, I began getting wet, so I went back inside.  The lights flickered and the birds flapped in their traditional panic.  Ten minutes later, the sun was back out and the ominous clouds are nowhere to be seen.

Why I May Never Get A Job

Last week I got this email from a potential employer at the Department of Education:

Thank you for applying in response to Job Announcement No. (omitted) for the General Attorney position with the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General.   We received over 2,000 applications for this position and the selection process was very competitive.  We selected two candidates who have significant education law experience, as that experience was the most important factor we sought in a candidate.  We considered experience in education law the most important factor because of the volume and complexity of education laws and regulations.  We wish you success in your future endeavors.

Why can't I get a job?

Because there are over 2,000 people applying for every good job.   I applied for that job three months ago, BEFORE the new class of law school graduates finished their coursework.  This situation is only getting worse.

Help For A Good Cause

I don't do this very often, so please consider this one request!

This cutie, to the left, is Brynn.

Brynn has Retts Syndrome, a disorder caused by a mutation on the X chromosome, that affects only girls.  Seemingly normal babies begin exhibiting symptoms around 6-18 months old. After a normal development, they begin to see regression in speech, motor coordination and many other areas. It is a very hard, taxing disease for both child and parents.

Pepsi is doing a something called the Pepsi Refresh Project and we can help Retts research get a boost of $250,000 from Pepsi if it receives enough votes. It actually has a good chance of getting the money if we all pitch in. Retts is actually a disease that is getting closer to being solved.

All you have to do is CLICK HERE! Every day, click on this link and vote. You have to sign in with an email address, but I don't think that's too much to ask.  You can also link to it on Facebook and vote straight from Facebook if you'd prefer.

Thanks for your help.

It's never too early . . .

. . . to start bringing your work to the bar.

Today on Family Blog:

Barfoline

Troubletron has a new love . . .

Troubletron may divorce me to marry my spinach burgers.  Either way, he still needs ME to get what he wants.

He would do well to remember that he didn't even know what spinach tasted like until he met me!

And, not just spinach . . . roasted red peppers, ciabatta bread, and feta too.

More of Littletron's

ridiculousness on the

family blog!