Overindulgence

Woke up. New song playing in the brain. Today’s choice: Dave Matthews Band Too Much.

For me this song is about greed and excess, making everything ours until there’s nothing left for anyone else. But somewhere in there is a self-awareness that it’s happening; the narrator knows he eats, drinks and wants too much.

The lyrics are a bit mysterious and trying to figure out what others think just makes me more curious what the real meaning is behind the song. But, as I’ve said before, I don’t really want to know.

Knowing has the potential to dull the meaning those words have to me on a personal level and I like to feel what a song evokes in me. Not someone else’s interpretation of what the prose means.

The thing is though, it really doesn’t matter what song I hear by this band. It could be the sweetest love song, overtly sexual in nature, about drugs I’ve never done, things I can’t even understand because the lyrics are so shrouded. Doesn’t matter.

Any song I hear reminds me of a time I’ve seen them live. Because, if you’re a Dave fan at all, you know that the live shows can be a life-altering experience if you let them into your soul.

I tried going back in my head to pull out all of the shows I’ve seen and where they were but for some reason the list feels too short.

Must’ve smoked those memories away.

Irony is I probably did so at one of their shows.

The first time I could afford to see the band live, their second album (the one that pretty much put them on the widespread pop music map), Crash, had already been out for a couple years. In fact, Before These Crowded Streets was also already out, released just months before I finally got to see them live.

Both discs I bought on the date they were released, because once I got my ears on Under the Table and Dreaming in the mid-nineties, I knew they’d be a band I followed for life.

So far, not wrong.

I loved the subtle nuances in Dave’s vocals, his ability to scat with a bluegrass accent. Plus, anyone who knows me knows I’m a huge sucker for a male falsetto. I loved that they mixed sassy brass with moody strings and drum beats so syncopated nobody but Carter could play those beats.

The only way I could describe them is to say they made folk/pop/jug band/bluegrass/rock fusion music. Sounds like a mess but what makes their style cool is that, every time I listen I hear, experience, something new.

And now, after 20 years since the release of Crash (almost to the day!) I’m sure it’s no accident I woke up tapping my toes to the first single the band released from that album.

Today, that song makes me think of nothing more than the current state of our country, the current state of the world. These are interesting times my friends. And these times make me wish there was some kind of teleportation device we could jump in to go back and warn ourselves of the impending doom we brought on ourselves by being greedy motherfuckers.

I know it probably sounds dark and morbid but I can’t help it. Three-quarters of the country is brainwashed into believing everything they hear on the news and the other 25% just want a simple life where all of the politicians and droning bobbleheads leave us alone to be the grown-ups we’ve become by thinking for ourselves.

A life where we get to do our jobs, live without fear, listen to some great music and prioritize love over everything else in this fucked up world.

Is that too much to ask?

Or, I guess I should rephrase that – why is that too much to ask?

This blog isn’t usually somewhere I get political or tackle major world issues. In fact, I tend to keep that stuff to the small circle of people that I feel comfortable enough to discuss those issues with without all of us flying off the handle and de-friending each other because our opinions might differ.

So I’m not about to start ranting about conspiracy theories or the like right now. Suffice to say, I love the song because it helps me understand when enough is enough. Like right now. Otherwise I’m just wasting breath, time, and frankly if I’m going to use my breath I’d rather be singing along to Dave.

“I mean, you never know, maybe you’re dreaming.”

• • • • • • • • • • •
In addition to this drivel I also write books, both fiction and non-fiction.
Learn more on my author page.

Dave Matthews Band: There when I need them

There isn’t much I can write about this song or Dave Matthews Band. Well, not a specific personal backstory type of piece anyway. Dave has been part of my musical catalogue for so long now I barely remember a time the songs weren’t playing on a device of mine. Every Dave song seems to have some kind of meaning, deep connection to most of the people in (and out of) my life, work, jobs, houses, everything.

DMB is just part of the soundtrack of my life. And “Lie in Our Graves” is one of those songs that always seems to play at the very moment I need to remind myself of the lyrics. In a nutshell – don’t die without living first, enjoy life and everything it has to offer so your mind, body and soul are satisfied.

For me right now the thing that’s unsatisfying is the financial aspect of my job. Which has really been taking a toll on the mind/body/soul if I’m being completely honest. So I finally came to the conclusion that I’m just a person who needs to have an income associated with the work I do all day to feel fulfilled. I don’t want to be a starving artist stereotype anymore. I’m over it. Luckily there’s a way to garner the income I’d like to earn from the work that I love to do.

Over the past week or so I’ve been reviving my desire to be a Freelance Writer, something I’d started researching last fall before I was sidelined. I really love writing in my own voice. And I’ve been writing direct response sales letters since as far back as I can remember. Since way back in my selling Tupperware days. Maybe even earlier than that.

I know everything I need to do to get this going so I can make some money as a Freelance Writer. And the very first thing to do is learn how to become a Freelance Writer.

I know you’re saying – wait, what? If you have to learn how to become a Freelancer how is it you know everything you need to start doing it?

What I mean by I know it all is that I put an outline together for studying every facet of the business in becoming a professional Freelance Writer. And there’s a lot to learn.

I figure once I break it all out into subjects, reading, and practice time it’s going to be like going back to school. So I guess I’m designing my own Freelance Copywriting study program, something I can use to learn the industry from the start. I figure it’ll take about four weeks to get through all the information that I have on my lesson plan.

Books are on order, websites bookmarked, and time during the day earmarked for research and studying (this is a part time thing for me, going back to “school”, I’m still working on my personal projects as well). Just thinking about learning more about this industry has me really excited about the prospect and possibility that lies ahead for selling my words regularly enough to garner a stable income.

So thanks for your reaffirming lyrics today Dave. I’m definitely not going to be lying in my grave wishing I’d gotten out there to start living the life I really want, I’m just going to take life by the balls and live it so that when I do die it’ll be with a big smile on my face for having followed my own path to being “ok, ok, ok”.

May’s Month of Music

Lie In Our Graves – Dave Matthews Band (iTunes first track)

Merry Christmas, Fellow Soul Searchers

I hope that everyone has a wonderful day today regardless of what holidays you may or may not celebrate. To commemorate this day, which is celebrated by so many as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, and a holiday I have grown up celebrating as well, I’d like to share this video and lyrics to Dave Matthews Band’s Christmas Song. I feel this song totally encompasses what the spirit of this season is really about:

♥ ♥ ♥ love, love, love ♥ ♥ ♥



Christmas Song
She was his girl; he was her boyfriend
She’d be his wife; take him as her husband
A surprise on the way, any day, any day
One healthy little giggling dribbling baby boy
The wise men came three made their way
To shower him with love
While he lay in the hay
Shower him with love love love
Love love love
Love love is all around
Not very much of his childhood was known
Kept his mother Mary worried
Always out on his own
He met another Mary for a reasonable fee, less than
Reputable as known to be

His heart was full of love love love
Love love love
Love love is all around
When Jesus Christ was nailed to the his tree
Said "oh, Daddy-o I can see how it all soon will be
I came to she'd a little light on this darkening scene
Instead I fear I spill the blood of my children all around"

The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around
So the story goes, so I'm told
The people he knew were
Less than golden hearted
Gamblers and robbers
Drinkers and jokers, all soul searchers
Like you and me

Rumors insisted he soon would be
For his deviations
Taken into custody by the authorities
Less informed than he
Drinkers and jokers all soul searchers
Searching for love love love
Love love love
Love love is all around

Preparations were made
For his celebration day
He said "eat this bread and think of it as me
Drink this wine and dream it will be
The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around"
The blood of our children all around

Father up above, why in all this anger have you fill
Me up with love
Fill me love love love
Love love love
Love love
And the blood of our children all around

Enjoy your own celebrations today, big or small, by spending time with the ones you love! Merry Christmas!

The End is Rapidly Approaching

It’s been a while, yes that’s true, and I wish there was some excuse other than I have mostly been writing the book like a complete fool junkie for Chick-lit but there isn’t so here I am now. I do have to admit, I miss my blog and miss reading blogs but in February when I have a well crafted publishable novel that I can start shopping (read: lots of down time while I get rejection letters in the mail) it will all have been worth it and I promise to get back with everyone before then.

To keep my mind semi off the book I have been continuing with drum lessons, which have been going really well and my instructor is branching me out of the instruction book and into more real time beat driven stuff that doesn’t involve me reading along with anything and keeping the beat in my head, not on the page. It’s awesome to escape for the hour and just not think while I bang out some real music; albeit very slow music.

Speaking of music… Something strange that has happened, and I didn’t at all expect, is that I have not been able to bring myself to listen to my favorite music this month. No Jason, no Melissa, no Foo Fighters and no Dave Matthews Band. Since I tend to sing along with every word most of the time I didn’t want them infiltrating my brain and clouding up my own words for the book. Weird, because I love to listen to music while I write most of the time and especially lyricists like those folks.

Speaking of Dave (and Jason)... Last night the band (including Tim which was so awesome!) was the musical guest on SNL. Lately I make it to the Weekend Update and that’s about it but last night I think there were only one or two skits that didn’t make me laugh out loud. I was impressed by Joseph-Gordon Levitt as a host, I haven’t seen this kid since he was in 3rd Rock From the Sun but he was awesome! Great monologue, no shame, never forgot a line & he stayed in character, no matter what the skit, all night.

The best skit ever came somewhere near the start of the show. Anyone who’s a fan of Dave, Jason, Jack Johnson or Ozzy Osbourne will enjoy this. Even if you’re not and just know the general personalities of any of those musicians you should get a kick out of it.

The Mellow Show with Jack Johnson

Still makes me laugh. Hysterical.

So I’m breathing down the door of 40,000 words and bloody well plan to be at 44-46 by the end of the day today. I plan to hit the 50k mark on the first day we’re allowed to upload the book to claim the certificate, that way the pressure is off and I can just finish the beast knowing, if nothing else, I let myself win this challenge.

In other awesome news…you may have noticed there is a stagnant post at the top of the blog. It is a story on local Nano writers and I was featured in the article. Woo hoo! Matt Reid from the Medford Transcript and Malden Observer contacted me to see if I’d be interested to share some info for the article and it went up this past week on line and into the print copy last Thursday. Not only was it a front page story it was the lead off headline! It is very exciting that locals will get a chance to learn about Nano and I was so happy to be a part of the piece! Thanks Matt!

So that’s about all the news to report in my life.

My character, Sara, on the other hand... Well so far she has had to deal with the break up of one of her friend’s relationships (because she just got signed and is about to go on tour with her band), discuss the possibility that another might be having an affair with a much younger man in London, find out that another friend might be selling his bar and sandwich shop (which is her touchstone location) and she is trying to decide if its appropriate to sleep with a guy on their next date (because she isn’t really sure if its their second or fifth) and that guy is about to reveal the biggest secret that will affect all of them forever.

Whew!

She is on a month long roller coaster here but I’m so glad to be able to be along for the ride. Luckily I have her to live vicariously through; my own life sometimes seems kind of boring in comparison. Of course that isn’t exactly a bad thing.

See you all again in December!

I Feel Broken, Never Mind My Thoughts

It seems unreal to me that it’s been over a week since my last blog because I was doing so good with that whole posting everyday thing and now I feel like my brain turned to mush.

To say I am a little overwhelmed right now with all the stuff going on would definitely be an understatement. It has been quite a week indeed.

Painting is going fantastic out in Fitchburg. To give a little more of an idea of the scope, the house is roughly 3000 square feet total (both apartments, all 3 floors) plus there are closets, hallways and front porches to apply that nice latex coating to as well. Oh yeah, not to mention that there is window, door, baseboard & crown in every room and all the doors and cabinets are getting painted too.

In fact my dad told me to go ahead and paint Matt if he stands still for too long. You get the idea.

So far ceilings are done in all but 1 space where I have to apply Kilz stain block primer because there is a huge watermark that the Benny Fresh Start is not hiding. Walls are primed everywhere and about ¾ of the walls have finish paint on them. Plus I have primer on all the trim where required (about ½ of it realistically).

Matt has helped me on 2 separate weekends for a total of about 25 hours but otherwise this baby is all me. Nightmare visions of my recoculous 14 hour per day job in Maryland in March of 2008 have come back to smack me in the carpel tunnel.

Thankfully I have 4 days off in a row because my wrist feels like someone yanked on my tendon as if it was an elastic band. And then they let it go. Ouchie.

Of course all this means I have not been keeping up with the awesomeness of the Blogosphere and I truly apologize. Not to say I haven’t read some of everyone’s postings and made comments here and there but the world of written words has not gotten my standard level of attention and I really miss it. I will catch up with all of you eventually.

So on other things…

I started reading a book my Wicked Stepmother lent me a while back. It is called A Marriage Made in Heaven ~or~ Too Tired for an Affair by Erma Bombeck. I might be a little late to the party on this one but I have to say I have never outright laughed out loud so heartily while reading a book ever before. She is so dry and witty and so far I can identify with virtually all of the story she is telling even though she is talking about it happening to her in the 40’s and 50’s. I will finish this book over this coming weekend, no doubt. I have been laughing so hard Matt has said he wants to read it, even though he knows it’s a chic book. But truthfully he should, its freaking great.

Last night we hit the mall so he could get some sneakers since the sole of his current pair is literally falling off. I figured it was a good time to go get my free panty at Victoria’s Secret with the coupon I got in the mail (score) and also to look at bathing suits for our upcoming Vineyard vacation since mine is getting to that place where I’m slightly worried about the same thing happening to the side seam that did to Matt’s shoe. And no one wants to see that.

We end up in JC Penney because I had a small return to make and I grab a whole bunch of clearance items in my size figuring I’ll also try on one size up because I know I’m a teeny little bit bigger than last year.

Yeah. A little bit bigger my literal ass. I went up 3 sizes since last summer. Last summer was the first time since 8th grade that I was in a different size bathing suit. That means in 2 years I went up 4 sizes. Not healthy.

I believe the words ‘holy shit’ came flying out of my mouth with every new piece that so un-gently squeezed me in. Some like to call them curves, I call it back fat and that my friends should never, ever exist on me.

As I sat looking at myself in the mirror I actually started crying that I could have been so evil to my own body to not take care of it for this past year (or 2). Admittedly painting jobs seriously slowed since last year and I started writing a whole lot more (read: sitting on my butt in front of the computer) but freaking seriously what is the issue with just getting up and joining a gym or something?

Well there is no issue anymore. When Matt gets home tonight we both decided it is high time to suck it up and join the gym that is literally 10 blocks from our house. Trying to work out at home is just not cutting it for me because all I do is continue to write instead of getting up and doing it so clearly I need to go somewhere to get healthy. So be it. I have no problem paying to get into shape if it will keep me motivated to do it.

Then we are coming home and eating brown rice and steamed vegetables for dinner. I am tired of feeling like if I went to the beach right now I might have to worry about being harpooned or something, like a poor defenseless white whale.

Of course, I have never seen a beluga whale with cellulite. The blubber is under their skin, lucky bastards.

So I know I won’t be the little hottie I used to be by mid September but I had better be able to at least fit into my bathing suit without back fat. Gee, perhaps this is the reason my old suit doesn’t really fit so well anymore.

As a way to make myself feel at least a little bit better about myself I picked up a tube of Heavenly lotion from Vicky’s while we were at the mall. This used to be my signature scent. I worked there when it was introduced and have never worn anything else since; I just stopped wearing girly smelling things for a long time. It is a soft and light kind of powdery scent, smells great on me and always makes me smile when it hits my nose so since I am heading down the path of being awesome inside and out again this felt like a nice place to start. It is going right into my gym bag so I can be happy after the shower. Yup, that’s right, “cute Jenn” is on her way back because getting rid of the flabbiness is so on.

OK, shake it off…pun intended.

Must do laundry, be right back.

Earlier I was telling someone that I used to be a nanny and then writing this blog about being a painter it occurs to me that I am much like that Sandra Bullock character in Forces of Nature - a little crazy, had about a billion different jobs, no real direction. Everything but the having a kid & cheating on my husband part. Interesting.

So I recently got this PUR Flavor Options pitcher sent to me to review for Green Leaf Reviewer and it is like the coolest thing ever. It has a cartridge you install in the lid so when you tip it to pour you click a button on the handle & it squirts this little flavor shot into the water. Tried lemon & raspberry so far & loving the raspberry. I almost crave it now. Maybe it’s actually just flavored liquid crack. I wonder if they can get away with saying it has no calories or added sugar and then successfully market liquid crack? I’m kind of thinking so.

For all you Dave Matthews Band fans…check out http://www.somuchtosave.org/
Then take the pledge to do whatever you can for the environment (scroll down the page & you’ll see the check boxes). After you commit to doing these awesome things they will give you an entire free cd of live music. Two DMB tracks and a few other cool artists like Switchfoot and Yonder Mountain String Band. Can we say hello rockin?

OK on that happy note its time to finish up laundry and hit the road to grocery shop, pick up some packages at FedEx and hit the mall to try to find something that will go with the top I bought last night that will be unoffensive.

Tomorrow I read all of your blogs & chill for the whole day. I can not wait to catch up ♥

And because I'm too lazy to go hunt down links make sure to check the gals over on the blog roll...Ginger, Bridgete, Bree, KC, and sometimes Kate.

Navigator’s Log, Earth Date 2009.07.24, Friday

At 0730 we officially dragged our under caffeinated asses down to the local Dunkin Donuts to begin a fun filled weekend road trip, something we have not done in far too long. With coffee in hand, BBQ from the night before and the loaf of applesauce bread safely packed in the cooler, and tickets to the concert firmly affixed to my other hand, we were on the road and heading south west for our motel in Pottsville, PA.

Ginger will especially appreciate this; I had been running around making up my own “I can’t wait” song for the three or so days before Friday. I frequently burst out into song or dance, yes it’s true, and I find it perfectly acceptable, everyone should try it. Anyway. We get in the car and hit the road. I pull out my iPod and hit shuffle songs. The first song to play?


Fate, destiny? I don’t know but I will say a whole lot of Dave played on the seven hour ride so I think Oreo just knows.

The road is always a fun place for Matt & I, we love road tripping so much that at one point we even considered becoming a trucker team. No, I am actually not kidding. We are both gypsy souls and love to travel so it sounded great. The part where you sometimes have to shower at strange gas stations was what really stopped us in the end.

We got to the hotel in about eight hours (not bad considering morning rush hour in Boston). My first reaction to the room was “Huh. I think I’ll take pictures of this just in case the cops ever call to collect evidence for the probable homicide which occurred here. Yeah.

But it was a roof, bed and shower not in a rest stop so it would certainly do for two nights. We got ready and headed for Hershey.

It is not exactly a secret that I am a fan of Jason Mraz, I mean, his name is one of the most used labels on this blog, but seeing Dave Matthews Band live is like a spiritual experience. There is something that happens when those guys take the stage that is literally inexplicable. You just have to be there to feel it. And I have never seen him indoors; being in the air under the stars definitely enhances the overall amazing vibe that reverberates through the Universe when he is up there. There were about 30,000 of us who were sharing in the love that night and it was spectacular. This is a shot of the crowd just after Jason finished his set.

Some notable stuff from the show:

☺ We were not front row after all, AA - EE were in front of us and we were actually about a football field’s worth away from the stage in section 25. The place was immense!

☺ Dave emceed his own opening act and came out to introduce Jason. Very cool.

☺ Jason rocked an electric guitar during his “I’m now writing jingles for porn movies” 1970’s-esque instrumental intro. It was groovy.

☺ Billy was there walking through the crowd and I could swear he was with Jon Marro from Blend Apparel. I wanted to chat with Jon because I’ve interviewed this guy for Green Leaf Reviewer but by the time I realized it they were heading into the VIP area and I never would have caught up. (So, Hi Jon if that was you!)

☺ The smell of cow poo hanging in the air was so bad Dave said at one point ‘I thought I smelled chocolate for a second, but no, it was just cow shit’.

☺ Apparently “Satellite” is out of retirement (YA-FREAKING-HOO!), they did many new songs (at least 6 I think), he also pulled out “#41” which they turned into a total jam session and played for, what felt like 41 minutes (one of my top 5 so that rocked), and they closed the show with “All Along the Watchtower” which they do an amazing rendition of (and he turned it into a Hendrix/Dylan slash Zeppelin “Stairway” montage which was freaking amazing). I frequently say there are some bands that should not be touched for covers due to the sacrilege of the situation. I think that rule falls away when one of them covers another and pulls it off like it’s their own.

Luckily all the threatening looking storms passed us by and although we saw a couple very cool lightning strikes early in the night under sprinkly skies, the rain let up and we got to enjoy about a half hour of setting sun, stars and a very cool sliver of the moon.

☺ We heard Don McLean’s “American Pie” on the radio on the way out of the parking lot. I know that sounds kind of odd but how often do you hear the entire song on the radio? Plus, Matt & I are two of the only people I know who can sing every single word to that song, not just the chorus. And we did. It took us about an hour to get out of the lot and another hour to get back but DMB played for about three so how could we ever complain?

Day one, done and perfect.

Tomorrow’s Road Trip Earth Log will include details on all things Saturday -- the underground burning city of Centralia and a little on the wind farm we happen-stanced upon (over at Green Leaf I’ll be posting an extensive article on the Locust Ridge Wind Farm project [read: I am so writing off the mileage from this trip] if you’re interested come on over and check it out.)

Makes Me Wanna, Makes Me Wanna

The oil change is complete, cabin filter and all other filters in perfect shape. Tires and all subsequent fluids under the hood have been filled. I am about to go make a big honkin loaf of applesauce bread for breakfast tomorrow. Tickets are in my purse and laundry is in the dryer. My camera, video camera and hotel reservation are safely tucked in a bag pocket.

I wanted to start packing clothes three days ago. And I would have if it wasn’t for having to do laundry today. Well that and Matt talking me out of it by chuckling and shaking his head at me. What? I asked. What is wrong with that?

We are off to Pennsylvania, more specifically the cocoa flavored part of the state, for the pinnacle of all experiences. Well at least for me. At least in the past sixteen or so years since purchasing Remember Two Things and immediately realizing there would be a musical revolution of love through the revival of brass instruments in lyrically pertinent pop. Then less than a decade later, a similar wave of auditory joy washed over my little ears when I heard the laid back and chill folk/bluegrass/pop/rap stylings on Waiting for My Rocket to Come. Now seven years later some amazing force of awesomeness has brought these two acts together.

Jason Mraz is opening for Dave Matthews Band in the land of chocolate Friday July 24, 2009 and we are road trippin’ all the way to the front row, stage left, out in the open air, under the stars.

I. Can’t. Wait.

I do not think I could conceive of two more suited bands to share a stage and audience. Seriously, my life will be complete at the end of this weekend.

And that is just Friday.

On Saturday we are planning to take a detour through Centralia, PA which we have both wanted to see for a very long time. The coal in the mines under the town caught fire some thirty years ago and it has been burning ever since. Based on scientific hoopla it is slated to burn for another 100 or more years. There is no way to put the fire out from the surface and the entire town has been abandoned due to the toxic levels of carbon monoxide released from the fire.

I am looking forward to putting my hand on the surface of the road to see why they don’t let cars park there, allegedly it is over 100 degrees and tires would melt if left too long. Freaky.

Too bad there is that certain health risk or this would be like the perfect place for me to live. I would get to watch the pretty snowfall in winter but see it melt before it ever hits the ground. Nice. It will be interesting to see what a modern ghost town looks like. The last resident of the town was just forced to evacuate due to the rising inhalation concerns.

Who knows what we might see on Sunday. Man I love road trip!

It has been ages since we have gone on one. In fact it is likely the last minute, random trip to Quebec for two hours was the last one. That was in February. Totally unacceptable!

I can’t even form an appropriate run on sentence, my excitement level is just too high.

Something tells me we might hear both of these songs tomorrow night.





They’re gonna need a spatula to scrape up my heart when it explodes with joy all over that stadium. Have a great weekend everyone!

Well Look at That, BTP on Thursday This Week

It just occurred to me this morning that we will be in Pennsylvania seeing Dave Matthews Band in fifteen days. Can not wait! It has been a couple years since seeing them on Randall’s island and admittedly it will be odd without LeRoi but I have a feeling this is going to be one of the best tours they have ever done because a big component of it is about honoring the man himself. So excited to be able to be a part of it.

Twitter is still holding my interest somewhat but I fear this might be one of those things I drop eventually just because of the strange time commitment involved. Time will tell on that one though I guess. For now I’m still there but posting / reading only about twice a day.

Hello sunshine, thanks for joining us again. We have certainly missed you’re cheerful disposition these past five days.

I’m not sure just how it happened but sometime in the last year I have become a stay at home mom without any kids. Suddenly I’m like a little chef and I even sometimes do Matt’s laundry. WTF? It isn’t entirely a bad thing (especially on nights like last night where I conceptualize the most amazing garlic butter and white wine breaded scallops, coconut rice and maple glazed carrots) but it is just such a far departure from the person I have always thought of myself as being it will take some getting used to that’s all. Understand, he doesn’t force me to do any of this stuff, I take it on myself, and cheerfully at that, so I think that is why I am mystified.

In Arlington we had attempted to grow herbs and flowers on our balcony but it only got a little bit of sun everyday. Here we have this awesome shelf built right onto the railing just outside our back door so a couple days after we moved in we planted basil and repotted a flower that was still living (despite being in the house with me) since my mom’s party back in April. I am happy to report the flower is doing well and the basil is beginning to sprout already. I am totally looking forward to using it in homemade sauce later this summer and into the fall.

When we went to the liquor store down the street on July 3rd to pick up beer for the cookout on the 4th, I laughed hysterically when I read the sign over the building.

OK Cable Guy…you can show up any old time now. Matter of fact you only have an hour and a half to do so and I would love if you actually made it on time. (Edit since first writing this -- dudes have come and gone, network is set up and cable too woo hoo! I like being legal but Matt is going to have to reprogram the clicker I think, nothing is turning on & off like it used to. We have so many components it is not a shock, but that is just not my area).

In order to work off some of this spread which magically showed up after eating, well, too much spread, Matt and I started an early morning workout routine. Early as in 6:00 AM. Yeah, that lasted exactly one day. I am just not a morning person. So now we are walking in the evenings instead. He gets home a little before 7:00, we eat and digest then about 8:00 we head out to pound the pavement. We have gone every day this week so far and I really have been enjoying it so much more than trying to drag my tired, albeit jiggly, ass out of bed at that ungodly hour. I never understood why gyms aren’t open at 1:00AM.

Do you ever get the sense like you were born to do something; that your whole life is an effort to work up to fulfilling one specific goal or purpose? I wonder this kind of stuff all the time but in turn it scares the hell out of me to consider that once that life purpose is achieved, what is left to live for? Does a new goal or purpose just magically appear to pursue or are we just supposed to ride the wave of the one true thing as long as possible and then live happily ever (though possibly bored) knowing we achieved our allotted success in life?

I have a couple paint jobs coming up this summer, in fact one starts tomorrow, and I am really excited to be doing this again. Not only is it going to be another great way to stay in shape both physically and financially but it will be nice to get back out in the world of contractors again. Sometimes it gets awful lonely working as a writer, enjoying nothing but my creativity for conceptualizing adjectives. So it will be nice to be able to do something less brain and more brawn for a couple weeks, where I can also have an actual conversation with another person every once in a while too.

Can someone please explain to me why banks charge money for dipping below a minimum daily balance? Um, hello, if you charge a fee isn’t the account going to continue to remain below that minimum? Perhaps that is the point, bleed the customer dry so you can pay your enormous debt back to the government right? I guess it is really us paying back the debts then huh? Not to mention how can you do this to a person who not only holds five separate accounts with your institution but someone who is a small business owner and has had an account with your establishment since 2000? Not like they charged my personal account of course, they hit me in the business account. So I called to inquire why I was charged the fee in the first place, due to the fact that I had received a letter indicating fees were waved for June and I was charged the fee on June 3. Apparently from what the Customer Hindrance Representative told me, the billing cycle for June ends on June 3. Say what? Oh and gee isn’t it a bummer that now you have been charged the “maintenance” fee for July as well since today is the 9th; looks like you never put any more money in there. Well thanks for letting me know that my business sucks this year. Apparently yours is thriving now on my loss right? I can only imagine how many other people are going through this exact same thing with TD Banknorth. Sucks for them, my money will be coming right the hell out of their institution by tomorrow morning and going into a local bank instead. All over $30. You know that is a gallon of paint I just lost. Totally not cool.

OK and shake it off…

I posted a vid over at GLR today showcasing Kermit the Frog singing Its Not Easy Bein’ Green and in my travels to locate it, this one popped up too. Freaking hilarious.



Visit all of the BTP Crew:
Ginger
Bridgete
Bree
Kate
KC

You? If you’re doing BTP Thursday (or any day) link back to here and let me know so I can give you the appropriate holla!