LeighMo's bit of heaven (or hell)

So, yesterday in the great NW was 106. That's right, triple digits. The locals are all screaming about dying, for they are unaccustomed to the heat. Personally, I am hot, but it is very low humidity (unlike Michigan's 90+ degree July/August, with 90% humidity), so as long as there is a breeze or a fan going to move the air, I can deal. I've been assured this is NOT typical, western Washington weather, but I am starting to wonder if my presence here has upset the weather Gods.

I'm kidding.

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I've been here almost three months, and I still have yet to meet anyone in the flesh I can call friend. I think I am starting to pull into myself again, and I am not liking it much. I'm slowly devolving back into the person I was before the big D, and I vowed I would never get there again.

Oh, but old habits die hard, lest we not stay awares.

So, in order to "pull myself up" by the proverbial flip flop strap (because here in heaven (or hell), we don't do boots when its >65 degrees), I've got a few goals for myself:
1. start volunteering at http://www.thehumanesociety.org/ the Tacoma Humane Society in August. They need all sorts, from care givers to "socializers" (meaning, play with the critters). I think I would like that; I miss my Cricket so much, and every time I see a dog out walking I have to stop and squee over it. I've heard so many owners of little dogs say 'wow, Flippy likes you, she didn't growl at all!' I'm the anklebiter whisperer, I think.

2. Find some likeminded parters in free pool partaking on Tues. nights at a local dive bar. I haven't shot pool since March, and I fear my skillz are going to be lacking. I couldn't care less about drinking, but if I see free pool, I want me some.

3. Talk to the N meister about locating someone to sit here at night once in awhile, so we can get out by ourselves. Not so much babysitting as 'making sure the house doesn't burn down while M. sleeps' sitting. We're cool, he does his things, I do my things, we all three do lots of things, but there hasn't been much his and my things, and I miss hanging out with him. Life has a way of eeking the free time out, and without M's gramma 'round the corner for sleepover Saturdays, we're overdue for "date night" or whatever its called.

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And that is about it. I had an interview yesterday, at a printing shop for a Customer Service Rep/graphic layout person. They are interviewing about fifty people, and taking their sweet ass time with it, so if I get a callback it will be in 2-3 weeks. I got there early (because a lovely lady gave me a ride, so I didn't have to walk 1.5 miles in 100 degree heat), waited patiently while the interviewer was late arriving, and basically came up slightly short in experience, but ahead in train ability. I knew the difference between vector and bitmap art, but I drew a blank at RGB vs. CYM channels (and it occurred to me later that I knew that....gar). I know photoshop, dreamweaver, flash, fireworks, but not InDesign, although they are all the same suite now and shouldn't take me more than a few hours to figure it out. I have no print experience, but plenty of examples demonstrating typography and layout work on the web. So, in theory I can be trained for the print industry, but realistically they may want to go with someone who already knows it. We'll see, I suppose. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and that is your over used cliche of the day, mi amigas.

We live in the ghetto. We joke about it a lot; the buildings are older (70's two story row apartments) and were allowed to fall into disrepair before a new dude bought and took it over, and he is slowly and steadily trying to improve. He cleaned up tons of junk, mows the grass, has put in bids to replace things, and dutifully comes around to take care of little things here and there.

In truth, though, it really isn't that bad. We sit on our deck overlooking a small creek and watch ducks and raccoons play. It is fairly quiet, because the only people who come back here and people who live here and nobody wants to bring company over because the places are so jangy.

The one downside (other than being ghetto) is my downstairs neighbors. The woman can't talk below shrieking; she screams at the boyfriend, the kid, but talks to her 14 year old pit bull like its a baby. Last week they fought from the backyard all the way through their apartment, finally spilling out into the parking lot (which happens to be under our bedroom window). He told me later about the nose she split open punching him, getting locked out of the house, every day there is something to set her off and he just can't figure out how to not set her off anymore (classic case of emotional abuse in addition to the battering.) He can't leave because she works and he watches the kid to save on daycare, and he doesn't go anywhere because she gets mad if he leaves the house. Or has people visit him (I think that is what started the last big fight).

She's up early today; 9 am and she is outside, screaming already. I hope she has to work today; if not, they fists will be flying by noon. It is sad, I hate watching people in these situations, but I know how hard it is to see the reality of something and come to terms with the truth of it.

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My hair needs doing. The bottom half is a washed out black, and the roots are brownish with some light sunbleaching going on at the scalp. Not so attractive, I assure you. I'm conflicted; I like it black and it doesn't look totally fake, but I really want to do something kind of out there, like bright blood red or pink. In order to do that, though, I would have to bleach out the black, thereby frying my hair, and adding dye on top of it, which would render it to putty. I could cut it short, but it grows too fast to maintain it properly. Ach. When I get bored the first thing I change is my hair, and there is plenty of boring around here since I'm getting zero work coming in.

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I have a friend (we'll call Alice). Alice is very hairy. She shaves twice a day. She has to pluck chest hair. And now she thinks she's noticing a stash coming in. She knows she can't shave it, and nair makes her break out in hives and does nothing to take the unwanted hair away. What should she do? Any less abrasive remedies for unwanted hair that I can pass on to Alice?
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I didn't make it home for Liv's birthday, but she had a great day nonetheless. I talked to her on the phone four times, and hopefully she got my card and the pictures I sent her (a few of her and I together). My mom took this one of her over the weekend while Liv stayed with her; this is her birthday present:

I've been working on this for two months now (seriously...two months!), but she's finally up and running.....

http://starbellydesign.blogspot.com

I plan on rambling about all things design-y, tech-y, artsy, and possibly even fartsy. Maybe not so much that, but you get the drift. I've always wanted a respectable blog with a large following of esteemed colleagues.

Who am I kidding? I want the freaks and weirdos to show themselves, or at least share some of their secrets with me.

So, follow it, read it, heck, you might even pick up on how to format your own blog (it is a pain, believe me.)

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In other non-exciting news, I had to drink instant coffee all day. I found if I ran the water through an empty coffee pot first, with the powdered psuedo coffee in the bottom of the cup, it didn't taste completely like ass. I'm going to Safeway momentarily to get our usual store brand "columbian roast". Its only five bucks for a huge can, and the way we drink it (we both like our coffee thick. Not strong, thick.) it doesn't taste too bad. I'm all about splurging for an $8 bag of Italian Roast Ala Starbucks, but we are in a recession.

I also donned a tube top today. AND went outside. I have an issue with the maker of this top. It fits. Its comfy. Its reversible, so one side is solid green and the other is a white and green flower print. Very summery. It does a nice job of making it look like I have a figure. My issue is this...it is a size small. And yet it was cut for someone with up to a C/D cup size. Do the makers of clothing not realize that most women's bodies are in proportion to its various parts? It just annoys me...its like clothes in my size are literally made for sticks who got Dolly Parton implants. I bought the tube top during my summer of debauchery, when I began dressing like a ho (thats a joke. I'm not a ho. I used to be rather prudish in terms of clothes, is all.)

Happy weekend to everyone, I hear me, he, and she are going to load up the jeep and do us some camping in the temperate rainforest :0)

I am happy to report that I am armed with an 88 day supply of chill pills. I've found a sliding scale if you are uninsured clinic as well (right here in Lakewood! its open during normal hours, five days a week!) so I'm going to make an appointment to cover the future stability of mental health, as well as check up on some things I've let slide since my last postpartum checkup 6.5 years ago. I know...bad me.

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I did some research on my camera (Kodak easyshare V1003) and I am pretty disgusted with the Kodak company. My mom paid a lot of money for that camera, and from what I read, LOTS of people have the 'turn the camera on and find out the lcd screen doesn't work' issue. Those fortunate enough to have a full warranty that hasn't expired are told that the ONLY way a screen can break is from the user. One guy had fixed his screen three times and it continues to just die at random.

I baby my camera. I have a neat-o carrying case, and when I don't use it, that is where it lives. I was going to buy a replacement screen (24.95 on ebay, free shipping!!), and keep my fingers crossed; I'm thinking now that I'd like to get a Canon or Nikon. Something that is built more for performance than for disposability and trendy colors. The pics I have taken over the last 3 months have been done with a camera that isn't working properly, over which I have no control with settings, and no fancy lenses or filters. I want to get my hands on a GOOD set up, and see what I can do with that.

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Speaking of picsies, I added some to the photostream. Forgive me, Sheila dahling, but none of my fireworks shots turned out :0( I did catch some wicked sunset colors over the sound, though; hope that will suffice!!

First things first. The hooptie died. That 1986 chevy celebrity, for which $500 was paid, ran out of gas last night and despite some $20 worth added (generously donated by some righteous peeps in Tacoma), could not find its get up and go.

I have no wheels at my disposal; luckily, it is sunny here most days (for now, at least) and the bus terminal is about half a mile away. I am not fully trapped, as long as the sunshiny holds out.

In other earth shatteringly boring news, I have a wayward ingrown toe nail that just won't give up. All spring, I was filing, buffing, pumicing, and lotioning so I would have uber cute, presentable toes; I go to do my first flip flop polish job, and thar she blows. A week later, she's still causing agony and, I fear, turning infected.

Oh, the things we do for beauty.

Moving on to the heartbreaking, I don't think I am going to be able to procure the necessary fundage to fly to MI to partake in my daughter's 7th birthday. Unless I get a mad number of jobs in the next few weeks, it simply isn't going to happen. She is a strong child, able to feel the upset and move past it rather quickly, but what has been getting her through the missing me is the possibility that I would come see her on her birthday.

She told me the other day when she sees airplanes, she cries a little because she knows I am not on it. Her teddy bear (one that the ex gave me when we were in high school) is now called 'mommy' so she can snuggle with it every night.

I asked her Dad if she could come live with me; he said no, he doesn't want them separated. My kids have all become very close over the last couple of years, and I can see that point of view; however, I think a lot of it is selfishness on his part, but I suppose one could say I was selfish for coming out here to begin with. The boys I think are handling me being away okay; a lot better than they handled not being with their Dad more, that is for sure. But Liv....I hear it in her voice, even though she's trying to cover it up. She misses me, and even though she has two brothers, two almost step sisters, one almost step brother, and her, she still wants to see me.

It breaks my heart, and there is no way I am moving back to Michigan. Selfish or not, there really is no point in both parents being unemployed with nothing for which to hope or work on the horizon. I am happy here, I love the area and the opportunities here; in some ways I feel more at home than I ever have before.

As for the fourth, I'm hoping to have a kickin weekend, full of relaxing, enjoyment of those in my midst, and seeing some killer fireworks over Commencement Bay (part of Puget Sound.) Hope you all have a safe and happy Weekend!