Month: July 2011

Parts of my weekend were great, parts were ok and parts drove me crazy, and not in the good way. I had the Irishman pick his girls up from Summer Care Friday so I could run all of my errands and not have to drag them around Saturday. Saturday morning I was able to take them to the pool for a good long time, where they proceeded to wear me out, which is a good thing. They did not see but we interrupted a make out session between a one armed 70 year old man with a 20 something two armed girl. I know all the men are saying good for him, but I am here to tell you he was no Hugh Heffner. They soon left when they realized we were a noisy group, and then another family came with kids the same age as the girls, so a good time was had by all.
Then it was back to the apartment for showers and lunch, and then Jeffrey called and said he was on his way to get Tess and did I want to come over. So of course I said yes, took the girls to play with Tessa and had a great visit with my son. He now has me addicted to a new show, Swamp People, wow, the men who hunt those Gators, just incredible, brave, loyal, and fearless. I just cannot say enough, I was getting nervous for them in some situations.
Sunday the Irishman’s children’s mother wanted them so he took them over to her and he and I had a quiet afternoon. It was nice. Today is back to the grindstone, I look forward to helping people all week.

I hate driving slow and I hate slow drivers, especially at 4:30 in the morning, what were all those people doing on the road this morning? I promise you I have never seen so many people on the road, it begs the question what were they doing there. Were thy just coming home from being out all night? Were they going to work? What? And let me tell you, they all need to learn to drive, how on earth are you going to get on a major freeway and not do at least the speed limit? Ok I admit I am a fast driver, I like driving 80 to 90 MPH, however, the speed limit is 60 or 70 depending on where you are at, and I believe people should at least drive the speed limit. If you are not going to do this, get off the road. You are driving me crazy. That is never a good thing.
I have had a life long love of cars, I believe I can blame this on genetics, my grandfather was a mechanic, my father was a mechanic, I married a mechanic (the first time around) and all of my nephews and cousins were always working on their cars. I love American muscle cars; I want one so bad I can taste it.
There is a specific car I want, I want, desire, must have a 1964 and a half Ford Mustang, I have a specific paint job in mind as well. I want 3 coats of red then 3 coats of candy apple on it, and I don’t want an orange based red, I want a blue based red. I want a deep, deep lipstick red, with the candy apple coating, can you imagine? My head is light just thinking about it. I want camel color leather interior, shifter on the floor not the column, straight 8, the only concession I would want to modern times is the stereo, that is it, I don’t think I could live with AM radio the rest of my days.
I would also love a 1964 Ford Falcon, I love those cars, my grandfather had one and it was fantastic. I am enamored with cars, I always have been, enamored with speed, it is freeing flying down the highway, nothing in front of you, nothing behind you. Just the freedom of the drive, a time where you can put in the greatest driving songs on the planet and just floor it, open up the carburetor and go! Try it today, you will thank me tomorrow.

When I am completely stressed out by situations I can’t control I retreat to a world in which I had no responsibilities, no worries and very few serious thoughts. I retreat to Owasso, Oklahoma, in the summer time I especially become nostalgic for things I miss. So, I am going to tell you all of the things I miss about Owasso.
I miss laying out for 4 hours a day with my best friend Tammi watching our soaps, getting the best tan in the world. I miss spending hours figuring out the perfect makeup, the perfect hair and getting dressed to go to the Skate Ranch. I miss lying in my bed reading Tiger Beat, listening to the Bay City Rollers and singing every song at the top of my lungs. I miss going to the pond and swimming, I miss going to the creek and doing absolutely nothing. I miss staying up all night and reading, then being able to function the next day.
I miss my mom’s cooking, I really miss her hot chocolate, I don’t know how she made it but it was amazing, made with real milk and real cocoa and real sugar. Nothing artificial, just amazing, calorie loaded goodness. I miss homemade ice cream, working in the garden, fried green tomatoes and eating strawberries freshly picked.
I miss spending all day with my best friend, then hours on the phone with her. I miss the Tastee Freeze, across from the old football field. It is no longer there, I don’t know what went up in its place, but they took away an iconic treat for the children of today.
I miss going to church at the First Freewill Baptist Church in Owasso, Oklahoma, I miss going to Six Flags with the youth group every summer. I miss hearing Brother Pirtle preach, and I miss stopping at the store for a Sunday paper and bubble gum (paper for my dad, gum for me).
These are the things that I think about when I am completely stressed out by things I can’t control in this life, I long for a simpler time, a time when I was unencumbered by the everyday life of an adult. I am sure my parents were stressed, however they never showed it. I miss you Owasso, I hope that you are sharing your simple treasures with the children that are growing up there now.

Let’s discuss Real Housewives of New Jersey, more specifically Joey Gorga, I love this man. He is filling a void that was left when Joey Tribianni left the airwaves. This is a man that you just want to look in his eyes and say the words you’re so pretty to. He is so good looking it makes your teeth hurt, he is so oblivious to everything that goes on around him it gets you misty eyed thinking he could have been on the cast of friends. He could literally be a brother to Joey Tribianni, the resemblances are not just physical, it is in the way he dresses, the way he talks, the way he moves. I seriously think he should sue Friends for stealing his persona!
What can I say about this man, he is so very loyal to his wife, it is so obvious when he looks at her he loves her beyond anything. He has the most beautiful children I have ever seen; in fact all of the children on this show are unbelievably beautiful. Are they all like that in Jersey? Joey Gorga shirtless? I do believe in those scenes the heavens open up and the angels sing.
Let’s talk about his unbridled happiness when he gets to dress in women’s clothing, first it was Halloween, he looked so at home in his Snooki costume, then the very special Blossom issue, I mean Christmas episode. Someone dares Joey to put on Jacqueline’s sequined jumpsuit, he just looks so happy at the thought! Of course he jumps at it, and rushes off to put Jacqueline’s clothes on. He walks in the room just glowing; he looked like he had found his calling. I hope they show more of Joey Gorga, he rocks that show this season.

I have so many thoughts in my head that absolutely can never come out that it is killing me. Heaven help everyone if I ever get Alzheimer’s and forget I am not supposed to tell things. I need a day to me, where I am totally alone and I can geek out or lifetime tv it up, with no interruptions, no condescending remarks on my viewing habits or eating habits. I plan for my popcorn treats thank you very much. I need no comments. I need no comments on my diet coke habit, which I try to keep to 3 a week, not too bad if you ask me. I don’t foresee such a day in the near future. I may go completely insane soon, and not in the good way that I already am.
If the heat gets much more unbearable I am moving to Alaska, or Wyoming, one of the two, oh in Wyoming I can ride horses! I choose Wyoming.
So on Weight Watchers I find myself eating less and less, the point value for the day is 29; I like to keep it to 20 if I can. It would be great if I could get it under 20 points a day! Can you imagine the weight I could lose? Oh the thought! I am heady with the images of a skinny me.
I have lost whatever little cooking skills I ever possessed; I cannot remember how to make potato salad, how sad is that. I know I have a theory and it is that I am pretty I don’t have to cook. I stand by that theory; Elizabeth does not cook either, so there. We are both non-cookers cause we are pretty.
If you are pretty and you cook, please no hate messages, this is all very tongue in cheek, I have never enjoyed cooking and I am sure I would not have enjoyed it even if I were unattractive. The concept of it relaxes one is just lost on me, I have never enjoyed spending all of my time in the kitchen over a hot stove, mixing, measuring, stirring, I think I just got a little queasy from the thought. I shall leave the real cooking to the professionals. Although I will say I make killer dressing, I love my dressing, before you all jump on that, it is my moms recipe. Passed down to me and I do it well. That’s about it.
So, happy birthday Alex, my youngest who is 20 today, I hope your day is everything you want it to be.

It was another busy weekend, and it was my Tessa’s birthday. She is an amazing little girl, full of laughter, life and love. I love my son and grand daughter, however, a birthday party in July, in Texas, should be held indoors! It was hotter than hot here yesterday; we did not stay the whole two hours as it was too hot. My son said he and Tess left about 15 minutes after we did, she was too hot and tired to enjoy it anymore. But happy happy 4th birthday to my beautiful Tessa. After the party Elizabeth and I took the Irishman’s daughters to Taco Bueno, of course, as we are Bueno Heads. Love that place!! Cannot get enough of it!
Saturday was not an easy day, it was a good day, but not easy, our ladies that lunch went to Sandi’s mother’s home for our monthly gathering. We had great food and amazing fellowship, Al opened her home and her hearts to us and shared some things of Sandi’s with us. I love this group of women, all so amazing in their accomplishments and truly wonderful hearts. We have decided to move our luncheons to Saturday instead of Sunday due to being more convenient for everyone. It is more difficult for some to come on Sundays than Saturdays. I am available either day, I feel as if my soul is renewed after meeting with everyone. Next month will be a potluck; we are supposed to bring our favorite dish we make. Make? Do they not know my forte lies in buying, not making? What to do, what to do.
I am still tired today, I did not sleep well last night, I don’t know if it was the heat or the stress I am under, I am betting the stress. I don’t want to talk about what has me stressed as it is so incredibly painful, that to put it into words would be too much for me at this point.
Weight loss is going well; I can now feel my ribs, so excited! Cannot wait for bones to stick out where people can actually see them that is my goal. I want to be so thing that people remark on how thin I am, not just as a way of placating me, but in a way that they are truly shocked at how thin I am. I think this is my way of controlling my life, as there are so many things I have no control over. My food intake is something I can regulate.
I hope everyone has a great week!

I think we all know by now I am a pretty cynical person when it comes to love and happily ever after; however, here is something not a lot of people know, I am completely crazy about sappy love songs. I know all the words, I sing them completely heartfelt and with great emotion. But I don’t believe them, I don’t believe that one person is going to be there for me the rest of my life, I don’t believe that one person will love me and want to take care of me and will be faithful. I have had too much happen to me in my life to buy into that. There are reasons Disney movies stop at the wedding, that no one knows what happens after Cinderella moves into the castle. Was she expected to cook and clean? Was prince charming actually charming? Was he faithful? Did he treat her with respect? We don’t know, we will never know.
I wish there were a handbook on relationships; I don’t know anything about them, except what I witnessed between my parents. Ok, one happily ever after story that was brought to fruition, dang it two, my grandparents. Those are the only two that I am positive the man did not cheat on the woman; the only ones where I saw true equality. I know how it is supposed to work, relationships, but I don’t know how to put it into practical use.
I recently read somewhere that a woman wanted to have a relationship like Julia Roberts and Richard Gere in Pretty Woman. These two broken people find each other and seemingly rescue each other, did anyone miss the fact she was a hooker? And what happens after he gets her out of her tenement apartment with his white limo? See it is the ever after that we are left in the dark about.
Is that a good thing? Would we continue to try if we did know what happens? Did Julia’s character feel trapped by Richard’s character’s neediness? Because he was needy and emotionally stunted, it begs the question is Romeo and Juliet the perfect love story? We know what happened to them at the end. There was not happily ever after because these two people did themselves in. I think people forget that as well when they say that is a romantic tale. Romeo and Juliet was written as a cautionary tale, what happens when you defy your parents. But somehow it got all turned around, there is nothing romantic about taking ones own life.
Am I jaded? Perhaps. Am I a realist? I like to think so. Am I broken? Possibly. Only a really good therapist can answer these questions, and trust me I have been to one. He actually said I was the most mentally healthy person he had ever met, because I know what my issues are, I meet them head on and toss out the ones that harm me and embrace the ones that make me unique.
I don’t know what my future holds for me, I know there is no happily ever after, I do know relationships are hard work, take two people committed to making it work, and there are periods of great sacrifice and periods of great, over the top happiness.

I work in technical support and I have never considered myself a technical person, to be honest I don’t know how I got here. Well, strike that, I do know how I got here, by being bored. Once I learn how to do a job I become bored with it and have the need to move on to something more challenging. When I started with the major communications corporation I work for I was a clerk. You might be wondering what that entails, well in this world it could be one of many things. But in my case I was what the rest of the world would call a personal assistant for a 2nd level manager. I have to say I loved that job, I loved who I worked for and the people I worked with were for the most part greatness.
The best piece of advice I received from my then boss was to take every opportunity for training that the company offered. He said that there wasn’t a lot for clerks so whatever I could find he would sign off on. I took all three classes for Microsoft Excel, Word and Power Point; there were other classes as well. After becoming bored with that job, (how much filing can one do really?), I went on to become a service rep working in the claims department. Another job I absolutely loved, I had a manager that was a real person and who gave you the tools in which to perform your job well and then left you alone. There was no micromanaging or berating, just simple old fashioned leadership.
Well then the company bought another company and my job went to them, and yes after all of these years I am still bitter about it. My training lay fallow, working in a part of the company that was dying, it was brutal, then I was able to leave that part and work on orders. That job was also interesting and kept me engaged, until I learned it. Then the question became where I go from here, there wasn’t a lot left, I would have loved to go back to clerical work, I found I really loved that, however, it paid less and there were few jobs out there.
The only place to go was technical, without me even really realizing it, I had become technical, I passed the test, which greatly surprised me, and started my life as a technical support agent. Life is interesting in this world, I find I can let my inner geek out more and more and no one blinks an eye. I can also be as girly as I want, wear my fabulous shoes and outfits all the while talking about the latest geektastic movie or new Science Fiction show on television. It is a crazy world in which I find myself.

I have a lot of thoughts in my head; they reverberate and then land in the center of my cortex, never to fall out, never to fade. It is a crowded place in there, I never lose information once I have retained it, I know without a doubt I could go back to being a typographer and pick up right where I left off. I still remember it all. I remember things from when I was two years old; however I have a hard time remembering my name some days. Maybe because I wanted to change it when I was younger, Angie, how boring I used to think. I wanted something sophisticated, daring, foreign, different, so I decided I should become Angelique, not a far stretch I admit. It didn’t last long; my parents looked at me like I was from a different planet. Maybe I am, sometimes I say with great disdain “humans” and I mean it.
Maybe I was born on the wrong planet, maybe I was dropped off here by my real parents, like the original Escape to Witch Mountain, there is not a girl my age that did not want to be Kim Richards. I loved that movie, any movie that had to do with aliens or witchcraft; I think it was my escapism. I grew up living in a fantasy world, in movies, books and comics. Now those are called graphic novels, probably because the ones who read those are still my age and well, that sounds better than we still read comic books.
Do you remember that movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? Sometimes I wish that were me, that I could erase thoughts and memories from my mind. I do have a few specific ones in mind, if you could erase some memories what would they be?

So I found one of my teenage idols on twitter, Scott Baio, he along with Leif Garrett and The Bay City Rollers adorned my teenage bedroom walls. What I have found since following him on twitter is that he is really funny. Caustic, sarcastic, wicked sense of humor, and loyal, loyal to his family, he immediately shoots down overly flirty fans. Letting them know in no uncertain terms his wife is his world. I admire him for this.
I had the opportunity to actually meet Scott Baio in the ‘90’s and even thought I made a complete fool of myself he was kind and gracious. Let me tell you a little of what happened, I will never tell the complete story because, well I was a donkey.
It was on the set of Diagnosis Murder, my ex-mother-in-law’s boyfriend was the head of security on the set. When he told me what show he was working on I about fainted. Literally. He was so funny, Chris managed to get me an autographed photo of Scott and then when I came out to visit Chris made arrangements for me to visit the set and meet Scott Baio.
It was a magical day, lunch on the set with the extras, OMG, now let me tell you that was spectacular. You might scoff, but these are people you see in everything, sitting there I was like wow I have seen you and you and you in multiple shows. They asked me how long I had been an extra because they had not seen me before. I explain why I am there; I have to tell you not one of them had one bad thing to say about Scott. All of them said how nice he was and how they always enjoyed working with him. Then they all started telling me what to say, what not to say, and I became extraordinarily nervous.
First I met Dick Van Dyke, wonderful man, very nice, then, then it happened, Scott Baio walked out of his trailer and every word the extras had said to be began bouncing around my brain. Chris called Scott over and introduced me, he was very nice, shook my hand, said I understand you are from Texas, to get the conversation going, as I was just standing there staring at the person who had graced my bedroom walls so many years before.
I managed to find my voice eventually, and that was not a good thing, I did manage to embarrass myself, and Scott Baio still nice, kind and gracious. So when I see people saying unkind things about him or his family I do get a little miffed. I think back to when he could have been so snarky and sarcastic with one fan who at that point could only see him with teenage eyes.
To this day I will watch anything he is in, so happy he has said he will never do reality TV, as in Dancing with the Stars, you all know how I feel about that show. I refuse to watch it, however if Scott Baio were on it I would be forced to. So thank you Scott for not doing that!