Blue Roses

Krissy already linked to it, but I wanna, too. LOL The Trib posted the article about ZZD today! My mom is Pam, who was interviewed. Cool, huh?!

I take the train to work every morning and back every afternoon. The conductors don't always come by, so I've had some mornings where I didn't get my ticket punched. Lately, though, they've been catching me after I get off the train. LOL Today the guy kinda waved me over, and I went immedately. As he punched it, he was like, "I know we don't come around all the time and you can get away with it, but I appreciate you coming over like this." It was nice, but also kinda grumpy. But I don't try and get away with anything! If I see them, I get it punched. If I don't, I don't go out of my way to find them. Is that bad?

Tomorrow at work will be interesting. I'm leaving at 10:30 for my flight, Janet is leaving at 10 for hers. Janie is sick. Hilda has other clients at 8 and 9, and is trying to reschedule her 11. That would mean our HS volunteer would be the only one there with 7 kids!! It can't happen. Janie has to come, and Hilda has to reschedule. I feel bad, but there's no way in hell I'm mising my flight. They knew about this day off for me since before I got the job. <.g>

I'm all packed for Maryland. I don't know WHAT I packed, but it's heavy. LOL Well, I know what's in there, I just don't know why it's so heavy. LOL I have books, Rob Lowe on the cover of Archectural Digest (I'd marry that man for his house. Hot damn, it's amazing), headphones and tapes (Jax from 1996 that I brough to Germany <.giggle>, Krissy-tapes, WENN and music), notebooks and pens and Trevor in my carryon, plus clothes, bathing suit, dress, shoes, Hermione pillow and toiletries in my suitcase. You'd think that would be manageably light. LOL

I'm so excited, but also nervous. I get terrified when it comes to planes. I kinda wrote myself into an XF story on a plane next to Mulder, and the plane crashed. I need to rewrite that character and make her NOT ME. But even before I wrote that story I always freaked. I leave a letter for Erin under my bed everytime I get ready to go places. <.giggle> I'm just out of control if the plane crashes, you know? BUt it won't, of course. I'm going to have fun writing, reading, and listening to music (I bought a new book today - Girl with a Pearl Earring. I've been wanting to buy it for months, and now I did!), I'm going to have a blast at Alice's, and then I'll have fun coming back Monday morning. It's going to be a fabulous experience.

But I love you all, okay? LOL

Posted by rina at 09:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have had a killer headache all freaking day. If tonight wasn't my fave WW and Jennie wasn't on to watch with me, I'd be asleep right now. <.sigh> Oh, well.

ZZD went fabulously. It was an amazing success, and I loved every minute. I got to shake hands and chat with the owner of the company!! I also met the possibly only male speech path in the history of the world. <.snicker> His name is Mike. It was hilarious - we were doing a volunteers photo, and it was 14 women and David, the DynaVox rep who helped mom do this. Then someone was like, "What about that other guy? The speech guy!" Jen turned to me, excited. "You mean there's a MAN here?" LOL It's just so rare. <.g> Anyway, NBC didn't come, but we'll be in the Chicago Tribune's metro section tomorrow for anyone who has access to Chicago papers!! My sibs activity went awesome, and every single one of them loved it. We tie-dyed t-shirts, and mine is blue and purple. <.g> It looks cute.

I also got my hair cut! It's about chin length, with lots of layers. I like it. <.g> Turned out really cute.

OH! And the HP trailer came out today!!!!! Go see it at The Leaky Caudron or AOL keyword Harry Potter. It's *awesome!!!!!!!!!! Ron and Hermione have a hysterically cute scene, and we actually hear all of the main characters talk - Harry, Ron, Hermione, Percy, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid, etc. It's amazing. I have to go see AI now, because I have to see it clearly. There's only one scene I don't like - on the train to Hogwarts, Ron asks, "Do you really have...the Scar?" completely awestruck. Harry grins as he pushes his hair aside to show him, and Ron's mouth drops open and he says, "Wicked!" Uh, no. <.g> Harry's embarrassed about his scar because he already doesn't like the attention, and Ron is much more shy and reserved about how he feels upon meeting The Harry Potter. I don't like how that played out at all. But everything else I like. I mean, I don't think Emma said the "If you're not careful, you'll all be killed...or worse, expelled!" line just as I imagined it, but I like how she said it, and Ron's answer of "She really needs to sort out her priorities" was a perfect response. So, yes, I'm excited. The kids can act, I think Emma and Rupert have some chemistry (not that I'm pairing off 11 y/os, mind you. I mean they act well together. <.g>), and the script and blocking fits with what I imagine. I approve.

I'm sure you can all rest easy knowing that now.

Posted by rina at 07:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm trying to go to bed by 10 tonight. We'll see if I manage! LOL

Bess, one of the GBabes, called me tonight. She's the one who lives in Chicago - oh, my gosh, she sounds so nice!! Seriously. I'm so very very very excited!!

AOL and the Leaky Cauldron had the second HP trailer up today, but it's gone now. <.sigh> Oh, well. It'll be back tomorrow, and then it'll be previewing with AI and Cats and Dogs. Very exciting!

ZZD is tomorrow, so things are crazy crazy. But everything is all set, so yay! ZZD is a day at the zoo for people who use augmentative communication and their familes, and my mom started it/runs it with a rep from the company that makes the devices and a speech path. This is our second year, and already more are popping up around the country! NYC, Portland, Minnesota, and one other place, I think. NBC news is coming out to interview David and Jill (mom maintains that she will be the one with the back to the camera so that the "DynaVox" on the back of the shirts are shown. LOL).

Jennie, are you reading this?? Okay. Last weeks' West Wing was one of my top five favorites. But tomorrow's IS my favorite! The Stackhouse Fillibuster, 8pm, NBC. Please watch with me! I think I'll leave your phone a message just in case. I'll be the redhead with the newly shorn hair, most likely dressed as Hermione Weasley.

Of course, heaven knows what my hair will look like. I'm going for the Alyson Hannigan cut again, but I lost the damn picture!! I've been searching everywhere - I know I put it in that dreaded "safe place." LOL I guess I'll ask for a layered, chin-length cut that kinda frames my face. Thats the best description I can come up with, which sucks because I'm seeing a new person. I waited too long to make the appt, and Val is all booked up. Hopefully Donna won't butcher my hair. <.g>

Well, 9:51. I shall say goodnight to Kate, pop on over to TP and e-call Jennie, ignore all of the mail I have waiting, and go to sleep. I'm so tired, I may even make G-W an off-topic day tomorrow. <.g>

Posted by rina at 09:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

West Wing is on! It's one of my top five eps, Someone's Going to Emergency, Someone's Going to Jail. I'll be singing that song all week now. LOL Where oh where is my Jennie girl?! You would have loved this episode! CJ and the cartographers for social equality! Toby wants to make out with CJ! Josh touches CJ, Josh notices Sam's new shirt, Donna get a number of scenes with someone not Josh, Josh and Donna take Sam out to get drunk and then put him to bed! It's a fabulous, incredible episode in all ways.

Mom ended up paging me several times at work today. One was at the end of GH - I knew that Amber was leaving GH, but I had no idea Emily was dying! They couldn't freaking wait until AFTER the Nurses' Ball? If we only get one skit this year, I'll be pissed. I love the dances and stuff - the highlight of my viewing year. <.g> But seriously, soaps generally don't kill off teens during the summer. Esp when they only have 5 others, and they're all in their twenties and/or getting married. Doesn't really attract the teen viewers, I don't think.

Camp was okay. I just don't like the big kids as much. Janie and I agree that it went much better without Kim (who has a masters in seconday ed - we think she only got this job because her mother in law works there. She just doesn't know how to work with or relate to kids), but it was still something of a problem. When it was just us, after Janet and Hilda had to leave, the kids really didn't want to listen at *all. It was quite discouraging, to be honest. I wish we had the little ones 3 times a week. It's just that we're so unorganized, and the parents are paying out the nose for this! $90/week for the older kids, and $60/week for the little ones. It's just not worth that.

Then after work we had a meeting for Zippity Zoo Day volunteers. One of these days when I can stay awake, I'll have to share details about what that is. It's really, really awesome. Short version is that it's a day at the zoo for AAC users and their families, that my mom runs with two other people, co-sponsored by DynaVox Systems, which makes the DynaVox, DynaMyte, and DynaMo devices. It was fun, actually; we met at Pizza Hut and munched a lot. <.g>

Time to watch GH, I guess! : )

Posted by rina at 09:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Will I ever feel not sleepy again?! Egads. Anyway, I love my little kidlets. What darling little sweeties. <.g> There's nothing like a three year old's arms wound around your neck to make you feel special!

Again I had planned on sharing actual details about camp today, 'cause I like to be able to come back and look at what I write, but I'm too tired! So I'll just share my smile story from this morning.

I take the train to work every morning. It's a 4 minute ride, and although I have a 10 ride ticket, the conductor rarely comes by to click them off until after my stop. So basically I get a lot of free rides. <.g> This, naturally, terrifies me into thinking I'll be caught some day. LOL So I get off the train this morning at my stop, and as you can see from my blog, I was nervous and unhappy. I was walking towards/just passing a conductor on the sidewalk and he said, "Stop!" Not only did I stop, so did my heart. LOL I cocked my head to wrinkled my forehead at him, confused and anxious. He grinned and said, "Say hello!" I couldn't help it - I smiled right back and chirped at him, "Hi!" This made both of us laugh, and I went on down the sidewalk. I swear I didn't stop smiling until after I was starting to get things ready in the classroom. <.g> He made my morning a happy one, and I think that helped a lot today.

Camp went a lot better - the kids are much more up my alley, to be honest. I'm used to working with 3-6 year olds, after all. I really enjoyed it. The afternoon was totally hectic, though! My job is supposed to be organizing and purging old files, right? And Cindi, the business manager/computer person, is leaving her job and only works a few hours a day. Enter me. Janet knows me from Josh's team for a few years, and knew I'm also a computer gal. So everyone comes to be with questions, favors, things to make, things to edit, things to print, etc! And I don't mind, but those little things add up!! Plus Janet said they're doing this new organizational thing at the clinic, and everyone decided I'm the person to do it, basically. Again, I don't mind, but yeesh. There's this special project, everyone's little things, and I input all of the billing, on top of what my job was supposed to be! They sure keep me hopping. LOL As much as it exhausts me (I'm doing Zippity Zoo Day on top of everything else!), I kinda like being needed.

Time to watch GH so I can be ready for the Nurses Ball tomorrow. : ) I can't wait to buy my shirt! The design is awesome this year.

Posted by rina at 08:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Welcome home, Krissy! : )

I'm so freaking terrified about camp today. I don't wanna mess up, I don't want to be in charge of anything, I don't want to do the closing. It went kinda bad yesterday, and I don't want it to be bad today. <.sigh>

Posted by rina at 06:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, I survived my first day of camp. Barely. Janie, who does the opening, was over an hour late. The whole thing was rather an uncoordinated mess, to be honest. Even my closing (the only really planned thing) wasn't all that great, despite what Kim said. Ugh. The kids are sweethearts, though. I just adore them. I wanted to actually go into detail about the day, but I'm just too tired. I wish this wasn't an every day thing. I just don't really feel comfortable, to be honest.

I'm thinking about signing up for Hogwarts Online. It looks well-organized, and the classes look cool. Do I want to be a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff? I like the Ravenclaw Head of House, professor Willow Laffengraff, and I think I want to take her class on handwriting analysis. But characteristic-wise, I'd most likely end up with Hufflepuffs. Ravenclaws are wise of mind, with a ready mind "where those of wit and learning will always find their kind," while Hufflepuffs are "just and loyal, patient, and unafraid of toil." I've got the just, loyal, and patient more than I do the wise and ready mind. <.g> I'm not even going for Gryffindor, 'cause I'm sure that most people are aiming for that house, and not everyone can be accepted. I think I'd like to be a Ravenclaw, though, even if that probably wouldn't be my "true house."

Yes, I'm spending this much time analyzing for a virtual wizarding school. Hush!

Posted by rina at 09:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Carrie has a baby!!!! Congratulations! I can't wait to see a picture of little Sam. How totally cool for Eric that he was born on Father's Day. : )

Posted by rina at 07:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LOLOL!!! I had forgotten - today is my wedding day. <.g> Last semester, in about November, I decided to do a psych profile in WENN chat, to test the evolutionary psych theory. Only one guy, Kevin, got almost everything right (according to that theory), as did I. So this other guy said we had to start procreating to save the world. So Kevin and I planned our wedding for today, on the WI/IL border, with a 40s theme. <.giggle> So, thanks to those who reminded me, and congrats to me and Kevin. <.snicker>

Posted by rina at 07:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm so sleepy! Man, I'm exhausted. Which is good, I guess, since I have to go to bed early to get up for summer camp tomorrow. I'm so totally terrified. I'm in charge of the closing bit, for 30 minutes, at the end of every day. I have my schedule all figured out:

1. Dance to Tropical Fish song from Rock 'n Learn. (The guys who did Multiplication Rock.)

2. Sing to a summer version of "If You're Happy and You Know It" that I made up - ...swim in the water, ...put on your sunscreen, ...shout/sign "summer!"

3. Learn to sign theme related words. (Summer - bend your R pointer finger into an "x" and wipe it across your forehead; Fun - Both hands, point your index and middle fingers. Hold out L hand, put the R hand at your forehead and bring it down to hit the left hand. No, they do not make sense to me either. There's no X in Summer and no H in fun. LOL)

4. Read a story - Magic School Bus visits the ocean floor.

5. Go around the group and ask what they remember about the day.

6. Sing a goodbye song (that I'm shamelessly stealing from a preschool seen on Teletubbies.)

See, since closing follows playtime, I start them out with gross motor activities (dancing), then move down to sitting while still doing gross and fine motor, then fine motor/communication, then calmly listening, open communication, and a final, always done song. Does that sound okay? Or totally stupid? <.sigh> That's what we're doing the entire week, since routine is SO important. Then next week we'll do a different song, different signs, different refrains, and a new story, but with the exact same format. I'm so nervous. I don't want to be in charge! I wanna stay in my nice little office (it's yellow and purple! I love it) and do filing. I like doing my own thing. Why on earth did I decide I liked working with children? I mean, I totally do and I love it, but damn, I get so worked up and nervous beforehand!!! GAH!

I ended up coming home early from work on Friday. I told Janet that I had a dr. appointment, but I really just wanted to be home to play wth mom and Josh. I didn't really, though. Janet dropped me off at home at noon, and I worked on the T-shirt designs until almost 3. I was so bummed, because I totally missed GH! What's the point of being home with mom if I can't watch our soap together? But I finished the design - it wasn't want either of us had in mind, but the color she wanted just plain wouldn't work on white. On black, most likely. But not white.

Mom and I watched Primary Colors last night, with John Travolta and Emma Thompson. It was awesome!! Billy Bob Thornton was also in it; now I understand why Angelina married him. LOL He is very yummy, IMO. I'd love to read the book now, though. Mom had tried to make me read it when it came out, but I was 12! I had no interest whatsoever. Now I do. I even bought All Too Human by George Stephanopoulos yesterday. It's wonderful! I love his style, and I'm learning some, too. Like he went over this statement that he had written and explained why he used certain words, and it was very cool. I'd love to be able to write with a purpose like that. Dad was all sarcastic, asking if I bought it because I thought he was cute (he's on the cover). I mean, yeah, he is, and I am shallow, but not always. I bought the book because it looked interesting to me. I had heard people talking about it on a WW list, and so I decided to keep my eye out for it. I walked to the bookstore yesterday to buy dad's father's day present, and decided to look for it. I also bought Alison Weir's bio of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Yes, I have unusal reading habits. LOL But I adore Eleanor - I first learned about her reading EL Konigsburg's A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver, which my cousin Rachel lent me. Rachel is actually descended from Eleanor through her mom's side. How awesome is that??

I've probably blathered on enough now. Mom just came in to tell me that Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation is on shortly, and that's one of my absolute favorite movies. I adore Jimmy Stewart, and it's just hysterical. If you're reading this between 7 and 9 CST, turn on AMC and watch it! I promise you'll laugh. : )

Posted by rina at 07:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

FUCK! I left the disk in the drive at work - I was in such a rush to give Cindi back her computer. Damn, damn, damn!! I am so mad at myself. And even if i HAD the damn disk, I couldn't work on it because of the storm coming right now. God knows what I'm going to do now. My first week and I totally fucked up.

Posted by rina at 08:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We're having a heat wave, a tropical, tropical heat wave.

Gotta love Marilyn Monroe! Anyway, we are. It's hideous. Temps in the high 90s. At least the air at work is back on - it was out yesterday afternoon. Yesterday, I spent the entire day inputting billing things, which is now part of my job, and today I did random stuff. I get my own access and log in name now! I have to finish up the summer camp t-shirt design tonight - I've been doing it every night this week, and she always wants something different!!! It's driving me batty, I swear. I'm just gonna throw together many options and tell her to pick one. <.g> Work really isn't that bad, though, I guess. I love having an office. : ) Everything in the clinic is yellow with periwinkle accents (that I'm desperately trying to match from home for the blasted t-shirts), and it's pretty soothing. I bring in CDs to play on Cindi's player, and everyone is happy. I'm even starting to like Cindi a little - she loves Return to Me, and told me I came up with a really good idea yesterday. So, yay! I just don't think I'll be doing this next summer.

Guess I'll go watch Charade on AMC and work in PSP. I have things to say, I just don't feel like saying them. I'm too tired to do much. My dailies should really be called weeklies, they way I go. Only one I read regularly is Kristine, because I'm so used to it. And it's up in my AOL bar. <.g> I really have to unpack this weekend - Josh's cast came off, and he might be able to move back into his room next weekend, which is when my grandfather then might be coming up. But 15 days until I go to Alice's!!!! That's what is getting me through this crap.

Posted by rina at 08:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Death to staples. Sorry, Kristine, but my clippy staple remover thingie has replaced you as my best friend. Egads, TI uses way too many staples. Staples are the work of the devil, I swear.

Work was okay today. Went fast, I guess, even if I was there for 11 freaking hours. Heaven knows how many of those I get paid for. Tomorrow, I get to input computer stuff, though, which should make for a nice change of pace. No staples. <.g>

I'm SOOOOOO tired. Last night I had INAAC and didn't get back until 10. Didn't get to bed until 11:30. HUGE storm rumbled through and kept me awake until nearly 1. Josh wakes me up at 5 when he decides to play with his talking Rolie Polie Olie doll. (I was downstairs on the pullout bed because my room was an oven.) Then I was at work from 9-8, because of a meet the parents function for camp. There are some cute kidlets, plus I actually got to talk to the other staffers. They agreed with the suggestions I was able to make, which is good. Also, I no longer have to do snack; I am the closing gal. I get to find a good-bye song. : ) Janet was amazingly cooperative and nice about me missing June 27 to work at Ziipity Zoo Day and then half of June 29 to fly to Chesapeake. And she didn't blink an eye when I asked if I could start working at 9:10 instead of 9, so I could take the 8:59 train instead of the 8:12, and she has no problem with me leaving at 4:25 so I can make the 4:31. She even told me that if I ever needed/wanted, she could easily swing by and pick me up in the mornings, since she goes straight down Ogden to get there, and also that I was doing a really good job so far. So I'm feeling kinda good about this place, for now. <.g>

Oh - I totally have to share next time I have time. Josh's 5th grade class did a yearbook, as they are leaving Laidlaw and moving on to the big bad junior high school. They did these fill out answer sheets, and I so have to share some!!! Like, one girl wants to be either a doctor or a hair dresser. LOL What stunned me was their favorite movies and TV shows. Bring It On, She's All That, Cast Away, lots of Adam Sandler, Saturday Night Live, Friends. 10 year olds! For the love of God, what are their parents thinking? I know, I shouldn't talk. I was 9 and watching Twin Peaks. A lot of it went over my head, and it's possible that it goes right over these kids' too. But what's the fun of watching Friends or SNL if you don't get so much of it? And if they DO get it, well, God help us all. Besides, it's quite distressing to realize that I have the tastes of a ten year old. Many of them also put down HP books. <.g> There's the one boy who's my sweetie, though. If he could be on a desert island with anyone, he'd pick Gary Cooper. He's a classic movie trivia buff who loves HP. Why couldn't he be ten years older? I'd settle for 8 or 9, even. <.g>

Damn, this was going to be such a short entry on the evilness of staples. But now I have to say this one more thing. <.g> Josh, of course, hasn't been in school since September. (We pulled him out and started homeschooling on Sept. 25 because he was being abused by his aide, the damned bitch, may she rot in hell.) He's stayed in touch with several classmates, however, and nearly the entire fifth grade class (three classrooms) signed his yearbook with these incredible messages. Anyway, Josh wasn't in school when they filled out the survey things, so his friend Charlie volunteered to do it. This is one amazing kid. It's so fun watching them together, because Josh is tiny (part of RTS is short stature. He's on the very low end of typical.) and Charlie is taller than me (I'm 5'4). He's been taller than me for about a year or two now. <.g> Anyway, he's a total sweetheart who loves to come over and play with Josh. He'll watch Barney, he'll play basketball and trains with Josh, they'll just hang out on the couch and play Nintendo. It's just beautiful. Anyway. LOL So he filled it in for Josh, and I could not believe how well he knows Josh. Only change I would have made was his memory of Laidlaw - Charlie said their fifth grade teacher, and I would say Ruth and Lisa from kdg. But since Charlie didn't know Josh until third grade, this would be the second choice. So it made me totally smile and be happy to see what a cool friend my baby brother has. : )

Posted by rina at 10:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, I survived my first day of work. It wasn't bad, I suppose. I did have to go into the loft at the start of the day, and let's just say that my life is a few years shorter now! I had to climb up this rickety pull down wooden ladder. I finally made it up there, only to realize when I put my hand on the ground to steady myself, my pinky was hanging off the edge, that's how close the ladder was to the edge. I almost burst into tears on the spot. I then edged myself over to the files, where Janet (my boss) was. There was only about a foot and a half across of floor space up there. I clutched the heating pipe and prayed I wouldn't fall through either the trap door down or down the edge into the hallway. I was terrified. I'm getting shaky just thinking about it!! So Janet brought me down tons of files. What I do is go through all of them, and purge out almost everything. Then I shred. I purged all morning, and decided to shred in the afternoon. Bad decision! That's going so much slower, I'm not even half done shredding what I purged.

In the afternoon, there was this little girl in the waiting room. Her little brother was being evaluated, and her mom and the brother's therapist just left her there! This poor child. What a cutie pie - her name was Amber. She kept bouncing and asking where her mom was, her brother, etc. Finally, I kinda adopted her. LOL She came behind the desk with me, and I filed while she drew in her diary and made patterns with crayons I found for her. <.g> Oh my God, she was such a darling. She kept cracking me up. So I spent my break time drawing with her and reading her stories. <.giggle>

I'm super tired now. I wanted to mention that the stupid train got me there an hour early this morning and I walked all through La Grange and got Starbucks' raspberry mocha chip frappacino, I do NOT like Cindy the receptionist person I was supposed to work with, and I went to the INAAC meeting tonight with mom and got placed onto the web committee and I have to quick learn how to create forms and radio buttons for the INAAC website! ACK! Tutorial time, I guess. Oh, and it was almost 90 today. After all these WEEKS of 50 degree temps, it's hot out when I have to leave the house. Grrrr.

Bedtime for Rinas.

Posted by rina at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I meant to do this a few days ago, but then I didn't feel like blogging. <.g> So, after several days, it's time to find out which is false. Believe it or not, it's #8 - I do not like going to the library and checking out books. I have absolutely nothing against the library. But I have this thing about returning things I borrow - I don't. <.g> I like to own things in case I ever want to read or see it again. Which means my friends have learned that if they lend me things, they either shouldn't expect it back, or should be ready to come over and grab it for themselves. LOL

So, yes, that does mean my mother thinks I'm a pregnant lesbian. I am neither, despite my big crush on Gilly. <.g> Every time I skip my period (currently more than two weeks late), she gets this idea I'm pregnant, and the lesbian thing comes from my lack of boyfriend, and the fact that I like Willow/Tara. Oh, and I watched Xena last weekend. <.g> I first started talking to Krissy when she volunteered to send me a Jax/Sonny story she found, and then she continued to send me stories from the Jax NC-17 list that I was too young for. LOL The bossiness and movie business went hand-in-hand; I wrote adventure stories about my swingset and forced Jon, Dave, Erin and Gabija to act them out. You know, having to cross the jungle-swingset from one side to another because the grass was quicksand, and things like that. <.g> Bossiness gave way to shyness and quiet control freakiness when we moved to WS in 1991 and I didn't know anyone, but really, I was quite the Hermione Granger. I think I'd like to be again.

Oh, and the batting story - I played baseball in 3rd and 4th grade, and then softball through 8th. It was the summer between 6th and 7th, I think. Went up to bat, strike one. Strike two. Next one came, I smashed it out of there and ran. When I arrived safe on second, the adrenaline wore off and I realized I was in a great deal of pain. <.g> Called over the 3rd base coach, went to the hospital. They lasered a little hole in my nail (middle finger on my right hand) and blood fountained up. Splitnered the finger and nail, which fell off a few months later. That's how I can tell which finger now - the nail is a different shape! So is the pad of my finger as a result.

So, that's me. Thanks for playing! <.g>

Posted by rina at 02:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

J updated...a lot!! I'm so happy, I could cry - I've gotten her hooked on Josh and Donna, and she hasn't even seen them yet! LOLOL We will definitely be watching as much as possible together this summer. <.g> I love your new colors, J, and I'm so glad you're mom is doing well. The afghan is absolutely gorgeous, too...

Posted by rina at 04:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

J is hooked on GH! Yes, honey, I am very proud. ::wipes tear::

Posted by rina at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Nick Brendon is so cute. LOL Kinda cool that In Style is doing a photo shoot at his wedding - I think I'd like to see it, since he obviously is okay with that. <.g> I wish I had FX - Buffy reruns starts Sept. 24.

Posted by rina at 09:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh, congratulations, Bonnie!! I'm sure you and Claire are going to be very happy. : )

Meanwhile, since when is Anne of Green Gables a six book series? Going through Anne of Ingleside is NOT a full set, PBS lady. I know Rainbow Valley and Rilla of Ingleside are more about the children, but they're still a part of the Anne series.

So there.

Posted by rina at 09:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hey, wow, Sherry Stringfield is coming back to ER! I loved Susan, but it sucks because Mark is married to Lizzie now.

Dani is trying to help me with my stories now. She's being more encouraging that helpful, but I'll take what I can get. <.g>

Posted by rina at 09:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hey, David's on Rosie today! Found that out quite by accident. <.g> Oooh, and Dad bought me "Bring it On" last night - it was on sale at Blockbuster. I can't wait to watch it! But not tonight - Anne of Green Gables is on my PBS station. I love those movies.

On Sunday, we went to go see Shrek for mom's birthday. It was okay - my parents liked it a lot more than I did. The humor was more up my dad's alley than mine, but some scenes were just hysterical (like the very last one!). I think Mike Myers could have stayed in his accent much better, too. But the animation was so breathtaking - there was always stuff to look at. I think I would see it again.

Posted by rina at 03:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Following in the grand tradition of Amy and Kristine, among others, we're gonna play a little game. <.g> Of these ten statements, one is not like the others. Meaning nine are true and one is false. Can you guess which one? Leave your guess under "Words from you." : )

1. My first concert was the Backstreet Boys.
2. My mother thinks I'm a pregnant lesbian.
3. In my greatest inning, I hit a double off of my middle finger.
4. I got hooked on slash and NC-17 stories because of Kristine.
5. I spent my childhood writing and directing adventure movies starring my best friends.
6. I've been hugged by Wally Kurth (Ned Ashton on GH).
7. I have a crush on Gillian Anderson.
8. I love to go to the library to check out books.
9. I was a bossy, take-charge type of child.
10. I learned cursive writing in first grade, and spent recesses teaching it to classmates.

Posted by rina at 08:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I do not want to be awake. I do not want to be awake, Sam I am. Not in the morning and certainly not before eight.

So it doesn't rhyme. Or make sense, really. TOUGH. I'm exhausted. I want to be asleep. I don't even have to be awake! Today is Josh's IEP meeting, at 8. Mom and Dad were going to go, obviously. So I woke up at 6 freaking 40 in the morning to get ready to babysit. I get out of the shower at 7:20, and they're all, "Oh, hey, guess you didn't have to be up anyway." Josh is feeling off, so dad stayed home. I guess it's fun to watch both ERs (and the end of Lois and Clark) but it would be SO much more fun to sleep!

Posted by rina at 07:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, trying a new comments system. It's about all I can do on a free server with no PHP. <.g>

Posted by rina at 12:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dad rented Billy Elliot for us to watch tonight - it was wonderful! I loved it. I also liked seeing Julie Walters in such a large role - she's playing Mrs. Weasley in the HP movies, and I had never seen her work. Now I wish Mrs. Weasley had a bigger part! LOL Mom and I kept going, "Wow, Mrs. Weasley can dance!" and things like that. <.g>

Now it's ten to midnight, meaning ten minutes until mom's birthday. Guess who gets to stay up and wrap all the gifts??

Posted by rina at 11:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A CJ/Sam story!!!!!! They're so rare, I get so happy to find one. <.g> This is a sad one, though. But very real, too.

Posted by rina at 11:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Happy birthday, Marilyn Monroe! I've been watching her movies on AMC all day, and she was such a brilliant actress. They showed a documentary of her final days, and reconstructed 37 minutes of the film she was working on when she died. It was amazing. I know it was later made into a movie starring Doris Day called Move Over, Darling that I've seen a few times, but damn, Marilyn was so far superior to Doris in all ways. It made me sadder that she died so young.

I'm 64% obsessed with Harry Potter: Very obsessed. You may be suffering from withdrawl symptoms while waiting for the fifth book to come out. Hee hee.

I'm also watching Matchbox Twenty on VH1's Storytellers. I love Rob Thomas. <.g> He was talking about how a fan had come up and asked him if he had broken up with his girlfriend based on the song "If You're Gone," and Rob was like, "No. The song is IF you're gone. If. Pay attention!" LOL It was cute when he said it. The final song is 3am, and it was just him and the piano. Both he and members of the audience were in tears. And me. It was just beautiful.

Posted by rina at 10:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)