Be it ever so humble... I just wish I had something to write about this weekend

 

As I write this around 6:10 am, it's icy black outside, and snowing.

It's supposed to end later this morning.  I couldn't care less.  (I don't have to be out there in it for once!)  I'll be back in a moment, I'm going to make a cup of coffee & some toast.

This has been a pretty rough week, to say the least.  I've been dealing with a gum infection (which wasn't causing me to shriek, but still!); plus, every 5 weeks I have to pull a week-long 'service call' shift at work.  What that means is, you're responsible for every call (email) that comes into your department.  (There are dozens, & if you don't know what to do, you'd better FIND someone that can.  Fast.)  On top of all that, you have to document & report everything. 

And this is on top of your REGULAR work.  So come Friday night, I was dead on my feet--but I made it!

It's the weekend!  Now what?

1. Get some sleep.  It's my day off, why the hell did I get up at 5:30am?  I should go back to bed!

2. Holy cow, I didn't plan the weekend dinner menu!  I only cook once a week, so I usually have this planned 3-4 days in advance.  Hmm...I'm thinking 'summertime family get together' comfort food.  And maybe I'll try making a grilled chicken pizza from scratch on Sunday too!

3. I NEED TO COME UP WITH AN IDEA FOR A NEW BLOG BUT I'M BRAIN-DEAD.   That does it...I really am going back to bed.

 

But I know what I'm making for dinner; ham, baked beans & au gratin potatoes!  And instead of the tv blaring in the background, I've got Franks' CD on the stereo.   Nice n’ easy!

Speaking of the tube, I wonder if there's anything good on TV tonight?  I usually have the entertainment for Saturday night planned too.  AW C'MON!  ABC is re-airing 'Forrest Gump' for the 5,311th time & my faithful standby (Turner Classic Movies) is showing 'Poltergeist'.  What the--!?  Ah well, I wanted to come up with something new to write about in this week's blog anyway.  Hmm... I wonder what my online pals are up to?

Dinnertime, and the livin' is easy...

Y'know, I NEVER eat at my dining table.  (I should call it my glasstop coat rack because in the winter I use the tabletop & chairs to store my coats, gloves, scarves...you get the idea.)  But dammit I took the time to make a sit-down meal--and I'm going to sit down for it!   FYI, everything came out pretty dandy.  Betty Crocker, you make a fine potato.

 

 

Billie Holiday sets the mood... my stereo is gettin' a real workout today 

I was kind of lamenting the fact that I had no ice cream in the house, as that would've been a nice finish to this summertime feast.   Then I remembered the Girl Scout cookies I brought home Friday.  Woo-hoo!  Dammit, still clueless about this week's blog though. 

Sunday afternoon, 3:00pm - Still nothing to write home about

 

Here's my attempt to make a homemade chicken pizza--which ended up a recipe for disaster.  (The crust is granite!)  All I can say is, thank God I have leftover ham.

 

Now this is interesting--I was checking my work email, and it seems that my sister Donda was a nervous wreck yesterday; apparently, my niece Drew attended her first sleepover (at a new friends house) last night.   Drew is 14.

 

Drew, today—growing up fast 

This got me to thinking about going to sleepovers when I was a kid, & then it hit me--I was doing 'em when I was 8 years old!  (I can still vividly remember my 'first best friend' Randy Matheson smearing eggwhites over my eyelids as his idea of a joke while I was asleep; I woke up unable to open my eyes.  A real winner.)  But the thing is, by the time I was Drew's age, I'd been spending the night for 5-6 years with a slew of friends.  I was a regular sleepover whore.   Are kids that different now? 

Good grief!  It's almost 10:30pm & I still have to iron a shirt for work tomorrow--where'd the time go?  And I never came up with a blog-topic either...ah well, there's always next week, I suppose.  Goodnight!                                             

 

I’ve seen the future, and everything’s so fast!

 

It's enough to make you want to scream.  After discovering I was the last person on this planet that was still using dial-up, I finally took the plunge & signed up for high-speed internet. 

I wasn't expecting any surprises; I've been using dial-up since 1998, but we have faster access in the office.  (Besides, I signed up for 'medium DSL', which I presumed would still be a lot slower than at work, but maybe a little better than what I have at home; hey, it's still the same phone line, right?)

Um...wrong!

I couldn't be more amazed.  I go online, visit my blog here, it pops up instantly, no waiting.  I visit YouTube; will I only have to wait 10 minutes instead of a half-hour to see a 3 minute video?  No wait at all--it's instant.   I visit my sisters online photo albums, then I attempt to download a 3MB Windows software file.  (On dial-up it would've taken a couple hours, now it transfers in...20 seconds?) 

I’m dizzy at the speed of it all, I call Verizon:  "Hey, I only signed up for medium-speed connection here!"  They check my line.  It's correct.  "Mr. Morris, welcome to DSL."

 

The evolution of man?  No, ApacheDug--that’s me, right there in the middle!  Well, I was the middle brother anyway—at least I’m walking upright, right?

However, that was all Friday evening.  I happily go to bed around midnight, anticipating a big Saturday breakfast, playing on the internet all day & having sloppy joes for supper--only to wake up the next morning sick as a dog.   (I think it's the flu, I can barely lift my head.)  It's enough to make you want to scream.  

Part Two: Looking back (& ahead)

Having nothing better to do today (other than sit here on the couch wrapped up in my blankie with a box of Kleenex and feel sorry for myself), I've been checking out the various photos & posts on the teepee.  Frankly I'm a little surprised.  There really is an emphasis on the past here,  moreso than the present (let alone the future). 

And I don't feel guilty about it!  When I first set up the teepee, the idea was to 'catalog' my family's history, along with my own personal background… I just wanted to leave a tiny thumbprint out there.    

 

 

I could take it even further and write a book about my family, oh the stories I could tell!  And really, who doesn't want to read all about the Morris Family?

Well, much like the DSL I just got, I have to start approaching the present...not only on here, but in my physical life too.  

I've GOT to get in gear about:

• Adopting a healthier lifestyle & dropping 20 lbs.
• Getting this place fixed up--I have the money, I know what I want to do; I just need to actually do it.
• Stop finding excuses to stay at home so much, and get out more.  (My car & license are both 4 years old; I've only driven 13,000 miles.)
• Decide if I'm going to pursue dating anytime soon, or be content remaining single.

"And if you look over here, you'll see where I talk about all the girls I dated in high school...see, it’s not so bad living in the past now, is it!”