Life Updates of a Larger Magnitude

first, it's very strange that i'm writing this. only women feel the need to talk to our bodies and reassure them that even though we are harsh critics, we are also deeply loving. and i like the idea of writing to you, if only just this once. remember in college when we swam every day? i remember one morning at 0 dark early PT thinking "this is awesome. i feel so alive and agile and young and great!" when i would dive off that starting block, every muscle taught and thrumming, i would feel Powerful, Explosive, Alive. i wish i remembered to take stock of myself more often. well, it's probably been about 6 years, and i'm taking stock again. you just did the most amazing thing ever - stretched to ridiculous lengths, gave me a taste for what it's like to have huge boobs, and grew a baby. not just any baby, but a perfectly healthy, adorable baby. crazy. now that i'm back to normal, i can't believe that THAT belly was on THIS body. (or those ...

there are 2 things i want to blog about. we'll start with the fretful one and end with the happy one. first, lay offs. no, i have not been laid off. but yesterday we interviewed a guy who had been (in November). one morning he comes in, they call him to HR and say "we're closing the Chicago office. pack up your stuff and go. you'll be paid for the next 2 weeks, but don't come back in." it was a wednesday (i asked). then this morning on NPR i hear a woman talking about how she got laid off. same thing - no warning - just an email from HR saying that their division was being closed. pack up and get out. now she has to sell her house before it goes into foreclosure. and this makes me paranoid. that one day i can walk into my office to get a call/email from HR saying "see ya!" i don't believe that my job is really in danger. matt's job may be though. he works for a government contracting company that does defense R&D. while ...

I didn't vote for Obama. My stance on fundamental issues - smaller government, abortion, health care, etc... and his limited experience with foreign policy, led me to vote for McCain. But even though "my" candidate lost, I wasn't crushed. I think that either one of them would have done the best possible job they could, and it would be ok. After the election I started wondering about this new president-elect. Where did he come from? Where does his money come from? Can a black president really speak to issues that concern me, or will he be caught up trying to appease the minorities that the majority gets the shaft? What about a president that is a "Democrat"? (sometimes said like a dirty word, unfortunately. Of course, I've heard "Republican" spit out in the same contemptous tone, so I'd say that we all suck when it comes to loving our neighbor.) I started looking for a way to get to know him that wasn't purely political propogan...

So, at the end of this month I am going on a fabulous 3 day cruise with Elaine, Monica, Julie, Becky Brown, and Jen. However, given the financial hemorrhaging that always occurs during December, I'm trying to get creative about financing the funness. As a result I've started snipping coupons, selling things on Craigslist, and reclaiming forgotten money. So far, I'm up to $455. Which beats my goal of $400! But all the bonus money I get to gamble with... mwahahahahahhaa! $135 savings bond $50 sold old snowboard $30 cruise refunded "fuel surcharge" $150 blue cross fitness refund for 2008 $90 blue cross refund for pre-natal class Ok, coupons are really out. I'm not going to start counting the extra $1 or $2... And I just extended the last minute invite to Birgit to come cruise with us, but I may as well put it out there for my other 2 loyal fans. :P Like I said to her... "I'm going on a cruise with 5 other girls at the end of this month - Jan 30th ...