apple_pathways | Entries tagged with personal stuff

First, I should announce that there's roughly four hours left to offer a prompt for Spring Into Sherlock over a

sherlockmas. You don't have to plan on taking part in the fest to prompt, and I'd be extra-special-excited to see any of you offer up a suggestion!

Now, down to business: we are throwing a retirement party for my father next weekend. My mother has asked me to handle "the music". She seems to think that people are going to want to dance. I...don't know how I feel about this.

So I turn to you, my dear flist, for help: suggest some music I can play. Keep in mind: the crowd will be composed of an odd mixture of family, my father's co-workers, and friends of my parents, my brother, and myself. (Also keep in mind: though I love them, my friends have No Shame and will not be afraid to Get Freaky in a brightly-lit American Legion Hall filled with pizza, beer, and old people.)

I need songs for: dancing, mingling, and General Party Atmosphere. My mom likes Beyonce; my dad is a fan of The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and Jazz. My brother listens to hardcore rap. I am going to get drunk off my ass and pretend the entire evening isn't happening.

Suggestions?

audiopineapple was talking about the dream she had last night, and it reminded me of my own. (Forgive me for talking about dreams! I do believe this is the first time I've subjected you all to one of them, and at least it's fandom-related and therefore mildly along the lines of some of your interests?)

( I dream in Doctor Who )

I got my nails done today for the wedding and, as is to be expected, the woman who did them was rather surly and put-out about it. This isn't really a problem for me: I figure if I am paying someone to scrape calluses off my feet, file my nails, and otherwise perform personal grooming activities I should damn well be able to do myself, I have no good reason to expect they should be happy about it. (At least I got to read a magazine while she did my feet. It just served to remind me how out of touch I am: it was Entertainment Weekly's "Best Entertainers of 2010" edition, and I didn't know who 4 out of the 10 entertainers even were.)

I'm never comfortable about other people grooming me, so I kept tensing up, prompting the manicurist to swat me with whatever tool she happened to be using at the time and snap, "RELAX!" (I'm not quite sure how that action is meant to relax me, but whatev.) My favorite part is when she tried to upsell me into other services:

"You know, we do waxing: eyebrow, upper lip, bikini area...RELAX! Relax...why you so tense?"

I'm sorry: it's usually under a different set of circumstances that people request to see my bikini area...

I picked up my dress yesterday from having alterations done; I just needed the straps shortened. I don't know if you can have "short shoulders", but I must, because I ALWAYS need the straps shortened on every dress I buy. I bought a new strapless bra, some "supportive undergarments", and stockings, so I think I'm all set. Wedding, here I come!

So, I have come up with my selections for the latest Music Battle challenge from

evilhippo. (We need to come up with a title for this battle...something grandiose and epic!)

For those who are playing along at home, her challenge to me went thusly:

SURPRISE MUSIC BATTLE: COUNTER-CHALLENGE
New Year's resolutions, the musical! At least three songs you yourself would be willing to sing in response to "What is your resolution this year?" ^_^

( Dithering and decision-making contained within: )

2011: Looking Forward
a musical tribute

1. "What Light", by Wilco
These are good words for everyone to remember:

( lyrics: )

2. "A Better Son/Daughter", by Rilo Kiley
Strip away the note of hipster irony from this song, and it's pretty much a rundown of my own personal mantras:

( lyrics: )

3. "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien", by Edith Piaf
I'd like to say I've lived my life so far without regrets, but that just isn't true. For the future, I will not let opportunities slip away; I will not be lazy or complacent; I will make decisions based on what I want, not what I'm afraid will happen. Here's to a year without regrets:

( lyrics: )

( music player behind cut: )

Friday I finished my Christmas shopping: I ended up buying Smart Wool hiking socks and an Adidas ClimaWarm (or something...) winter hat for my brother. For the FSIL, I bought a very cute Reebok jacket on sale:

( Jacket! )

Also purchased: squishy-warm socks to finish off gifts to the besties, wrapping paper, long-sleeved t-shirt for me, and cleaning products for my aunt's church. (They give them out to families starting over in new housing.) Made it out of the stores and back home just in time to avoid low blood sugar crisis.

Friday night: went out to dinner at Vicente's, a Cuban restaurant in Detroit with my family. Had two (very strong, and VERY tasty) margaritas. I'm not a big mixed drink person (I prefer beer and wine), but I love a good margarita.

For tapas, we ordered goat cheese with tomato sauce, empanadas (chicken and beef), and a dish of shrimp, scallops, calamari, chorizo, and mushrooms in a garlic lemon sauce. They were all fantastic! For dinner, I had roasted pork with mojo de ajo sauce. My mother gave me a diamond and tsavorite garnet ring: green and white, my school colors. (Garnet is also my birthstone.)

Saturday I took my bridesmaid dress in to be altered.

( This is my dress: )

The only alterations necessary were to have the straps shortened. Straps on things are always too long for me...I don't know why.

I also bought shoes to wear with the dress. Erin specified we should wear silver shoes (WHY IT'S A FLOOR LENGTH DRESS WHO CARES WHAT COLOR MY SHOES ARE???), and I don't have any (every other color in the world: YES), so I was a bit annoyed to have to buy some. However, I found a really love pair on clearance at Payless, where I also had a 20% off coupon. HUZZAH, $6.40 shoes!

I spent the afternoon tromping through the snow at the park with my brother's dog.

Saturday night: My friend Fai wanted to take me out to celebrate my graduation. I thought it would just be me and her. Apparently, she had been planning a surprise party since the fall. I was duly SUPRISED, though the shock came slowly, as when we entered the restaurant I caught my friend Lauren coming up the stairs. She said she was sorry to ruin the "big surprise", but my response: "I'M NOT!" Seriously, I'm glad it came in small doses, as I genuinely had not expected anything and didn't know how to react. I was suddenly all quiet and shy for the first 15 minutes (around people I've known MOST OF MY LIFE!) until I ordered a nice, strong margarita to overcome the shock!

Then everyone had me crying at the table over the sweet things they wrote in my cards. People should know, if you're going to say nice things about me: expect tears. LOTS of tears! We had a lovely dinner (Cuban again! What are the odds? But no complaints from me: I had a burrito stuffed with shrimp and Mahi Mahi), and then went back to Fai's for a lovely spread including lots of cheese, fruit, chocolate, and wine.

Sunday: Family Christmas party for my mother's family. The family is HUGE, though three cousins and their respective partners hadn't made it this year. On this side of the family, I have 13 first cousins, and many of the older ones are married with children of their own. Plus my uncle's fiancée's three kids. Plus my cousin's girlfriends two daughters (and they have on daughter together). Plus all the cousins' +1s. Etc. Etc.

( Highlights from the party )

And now I should be off to bed: too much food, too much wine, but many, many good times!

It's difficult keeping things under control at work, when I'm not there everyday. Wednesday has become this big black hole of suck that I spend the rest of the week making up for. Phone messages get lost, kids don't get work done, stuff gets misplaced. Bah!

(I am now putting this crazy work rant ( under a cut... )

Ok, now that's done! Time for a meme!

Let's call it: The Countdown Meme! (ooh, catchy!)

Day One: Ten things you want to do with your life.
Day Two: Nine things about yourself.
Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart.
Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot.
Day Five: Six important "life lessons" you hold true.
Day Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no order whatsoever).
Day Seven: Four things you want in a romantic partner.
Day Eight: Three of your favorite possessions.
Day Nine: Two images that describe your life or yourself right now.
Day Ten: One confession.

( Day One: 10 Things You Want To Do With Your Life )

So, flist, how ya been?

Background information: Due to my horrible sinus infection, I haven't been able to smell anything for more than a week. Since sense of taste is largely sense of smell, I can't really taste food at the moment.

INT. DINING ROOM - LUNCHTIME

Amy has just returned home from class and is looking for something to eat.

MOM
Why don't you eat the pumpkin soup I brought home from Aunt Marge's?

AMY
You know, I still can't smell or taste anything...it would be wasted on me. Why don't you eat it?

MOM
Oh...but I already told Marge that you enjoyed it.

AMY
??? Why did you tell her I'd enjoyed it when I haven't had a chance to eat it yet?

MOM
Well, everyone was talking about it on Facebook and saying how good it was, and I had to say something...

AMY
... ????

WHAT HAS FACEBOOK DONE TO MY MOTHER?

I am still sick. The cough is a bit better, but still there, and I have a head full of snot and a low-grade fever. I went to the doctor today, though, and I now have anti-biotics and an inhaler. Whee!

Other than coughing and blowing my nose, I will be spending the weekend finishing my research paper on the internet's influence on human sexuality. It's a review of literature, which means I find articles to support my hypothesis and then summarize, analyze, and critique them. Good times.

The professor for the class--doesn't seem to be completely with it, though. The specifications for the paper call for 8-10 articles and a total of 8-10 pages. Now, that isn't a maximum, but still: I have written up two articles so far for a total of 6 PAGES! IN 10 PT. FONT. And I haven't even written an introduction or conclusion for the paper, either.

I honestly can't see how I could whittle it down and still include all of the information she wants. I have no problems with turning in a 20+ page paper; I JUST DON'T WANT TO WRITE IT! I WANT TO LAY ON THE COUCH AND WATCH MY NEW SERIES 5 DOCTOR WHO DVDS! (I also want to whine and stomp my feet like a little child. Pardon me.)

Ugh...I am going to have to find a way to cover these articles in under two pages, or I may not survive the weekend.

Highlights from my trip to Indianapolis to attend my future sister-in-law's wedding shower:

( Here! )

How was everyone else's weekend?

So,

originalfic_las, a Last Author Standing competition for writers of original fiction, has started. The prompt for the first challenge is "change". I was hoping for something a little more detailed, but I can work with this. I'm getting a few ideas rattling around my brain, I'm just waiting for them the gel into something writable.

ETA: I meant to mention that if you wanted to sign up for this challenge, you still have until Wednesday to do so!

I just want to make it through the first few rounds, get some idea of where I stand and what I'm up against, and then who knows? I'll blunt my ambitions until I have a better feel for the competition.

I know a couple folks from my flist (like lovely

ladylovelace) are signed up for the competition--holla back if you're one of them so we can commisserate and cheer each other on!

I'm also in the midst of writing something for

she_is_to_me's latest challenge. It's an AU challenge, and I'm REALLY excited about my idea, but I still don't know exactly where I'm going with the story. I also have to write my entry for the dark!fic challenge at

thegameison_sh. It's amazing how these commitments tend to snowball, isn't it?

And now, in honor of National Coming Out Day (October 11 in the US, 12 October in the UK), here is my coming out story:

( Re-posted in a cleaned-up version from my old Livejournal )

Profile

apple_pathways

My Photostream on Flickr

Moonlines and apple-pathways

Page Summary

Your mission, should you choose to accept it...
Snapshots from my life
Let me go on, like a blister in the sun
Graduation Celebrations (and weekend in general)
I think my icon says it all.
Scene From My Life: Mother
"Bah!" I say; "bah!"
Oh, brother...
Coming Out and Writing

January 2022

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
						1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30	31

Syndicate

Style Credit

Style: Plain for Tabula Rasa

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags

Moon-lines and Apple-pathways

(a little of this, a little of that)

Entries tagged with personal stuff

Your mission, should you choose to accept it...

Snapshots from my life

Let me go on, like a blister in the sun

Graduation Celebrations (and weekend in general)

I think my icon says it all.

Scene From My Life: Mother

"Bah!" I say; "bah!"

Oh, brother...

Coming Out and Writing