Cravings

They (whomever "they" may be) seem to be able to come up with all kinds of solutions to hunger, but why not "cure" my cravings? This is where I really have a problem. Or boredom. I know a lot of people tend to eat out of boredom, and I confess that I seem to have that problem myself.
If I am out and about and BUSY, I don't even think about food. But plop me down in my house with nothing to do and I immediately start thinking about food. The funny thing is that I tend to think of how NOTHING sounds appealing. Stranger still, it then becomes a quest to find something "good" that will satisfy this driving need that I have. Usually this starts at the refrigerator. Then it moves on to the pantry. Possibly then to the freezer. If my fave ice cream is in there the search may be over. I try NOT to keep ice cream for this reason. It goes very quickly. Goes.....straight to my butt, that is. So no ice cream... open the fridge (something may have materialized since I last looked). And back to the pantry. This cycle could go for a while.
Tonight I opened a jar of manzanilla olives thinking the salty tang might cure the desire. Nope.
I merely determined that the pimentos were too soft. I thought this strange, as I usually prefer my veggies on the softer side. Which made me think of the crisp asparagus I recently enjoyed at my brother-in-law's restaurant. I then thought of the zucchini in the fridge and decided not to cook it, but to slice it and bag it in individual baggies with some onions for an easy veggie for meals. After slicing the onions I washed my hands but decided they were still onion-y and wanted to try a trick I had read about. So I opened the bag of lemons we recently purchased and discovered that 3 of them were already moldy. GROSS!!! And so not fair! I just bought the frickin' things. So I dumped the gross ones, got out the Veggie Wash and cleaned and dried the others. Then I sliced one in half and rubbed it on my palms to get the onion smell off. It worked! Yippee! Then, since I was preparing things ahead of time for future meals, I decided to boil some eggs. The eggs are boiling and I made a cup of tea. The good news is I stopped looking for something to eat (even though I wasn't hungry to begin with). ADHD is so much fun.

THE Dream

Let me preface this by stating that I am NOT a morning person. In fact, you can rarely find me up and at 'em before noon. Yet here I sit, the clock showing 7:03am, unable to sleep. Normally this would indicate that I have not been able to sleep (suffering a debilitating bout of insomnia), but that is not the case.
I had a dream. Nothing new, I often dream. I have great dreams, fascinating dreams, which make perfect sense when I am having them, but later, upon relating them to others (usually the Darling Boyfriend), they seem to be completely illogical. Indeed, my dreams are often so good that if I chance to be awakened mid-dream, I strive to go back to sleep and "finish" the dream. Which is silly, because you never "finish" a dream. There is never a "THE END" sign flashed at the completion of the dream. Typically the dream just continues on and on, morphing from one nonsensical entertainment to another. (Some people claim that your dreams are telling you things. Many books have been written on the issue. Apparently, my dreams are only telling me I am nuts.)
But this morning was different. I had THE dream. THE dream that should be A MOVIE. So, at the early hour of 6-something-ish, I strove to follow a piece of advice I recently gave a dear friend. Get it onto the voice recorder, QUICKLY.
DB was getting ready for work (probably what woke me), but I sleepily asked him to bring me the recorder, which I stated was next to my computer. He looked, said there was no recorder. I murmured, "That's OK," and debated drifting back to sleep, hoping to catch the (mythical) end of the dream. DB went out to start his car and I struggled with wakefulness, REALLY wanting to get this dream recorded. I drug (dragged?) myself out of bed, stumbled to the computer and found the recorder, right where I said it was. Stumbling back to bed, I pushed a button for testing purposes. The battery indicator flashed on "Empty" and promptly died. Crap. DB walked back in and I said,"Honey would you please get me 2 AAA batteries from the bathroom closet?"
The reply came back, "Sure." I heard some movement in the bathroom and then, "I don't see any batteries." To which I asked, "Are you looking in the closet on the left or the right? They are in the closet with the towels". As they are in a container labeled "BATTERIES", he promptly came in bearing the requested batteries. "Thanks, babe". "No problem". He then sat down at the computer (which is in the bedroom) to check his email. "I can't do this if you're listening," I wailed. He chuckled and said, "No problem, I am on my way out". To which I replied, "Maybe I should just tell you my dream and have the recorder on". Being the intelligent man that he is (and having previously been subjected to my "dream ramblings"), he quickly kissed me goodbye.
So I began recording The Dream. Trying to maintain the sleepiness and yet capturing as much detail as possible proved to be a difficult, nay, impossible feat. So here I am, rambling on to you my faithful readers (ok, reader).
So, I am going to attempt to write THE BOOK. I have started books before, but never finished one. Envisioning Paul Walker as the lead in the movie version of THE BOOK will hopefully be incentive to complete THE BOOK so that it can be adapted to THE MOVIE.
The only question is: Do I start now? Or was that a yawn I just stifled...bed...calling...must write...must...sleep.

Phone games

One of the joys of cell phones are all the cool games you can download. Having tried several, my new favorite is the crossword puzzle application. I like that I actually use my brain. This is new and different for me as conversing with the cats doesn't require a lot of brain power. A padded room maybe, but not much brain power.
A few days ago I noticed that I was having difficulty scrolling down on my phone. Uh-oh. My phone and I are INSEPARABLE! (Ask anyone who knows me.) And it isn't just the phone that I rely on. It also has web browsing, which I use a lot. I am able to check scores and schedules on wap.nfl.com if I am not in front of the TV on Sundays. I have to admit though that I mostly use it to prove that I am right. For instance, we were at a friend's house one night playing a game (I don't remember the name of the game but it was something like Taboo, where you have to guess what item your teammate is describing). The answer was "cake makeup". Well, according to the game card. The real answer is "pancake makeup". I know this. I also have a problem with being wrong. I can't handle it. Especially when I am NOT wrong. Especially when this answer cost us the game. AND it was guys against girls, so you know they hooted and hollered and rubbed our noses in it. Let's just say I was not happy. So on the way home, I whip out my trusty phone with its wonderful web browser and Google "cake makeup". Funny thing happens... it pulls up pancake makeup. Huh. Imagine that. All the entries are listed as, "blah blah pancake makeup", or "blah blah blah pan-cake makeup". I promptly screech,"SEE! I TOLD YOU IT WAS PANCAKE MAKEUP!" as I shove the phone under DB's nose. He refuses to look ("I'm trying to drive here!"). I won't let it die. I KNEW I was right and we lost the GAME because the GAME was wrong, NOT ME. Yes, I know, I have issues.
My point is, my phone is very important to me. And now the scrolling wheel is not working. No more crossword puzzles. No more Google-ing to prove I'm right. Yeah sure...I can still use it to call people, or take calls from people, but I can't scroll down to get my text messages. I have 3 currently staring at me, mocking me, knowing I am dying inside because I can't see what they say. AAARRRGGGHH!!
I ordered my new G1 phone on Sunday night. I paid for upgraded shipping. It arrived today and is charging. (Yes honey, I know work is slow and things are a little tight right now, but I needed it.) And if you are eligible for an upgrade, and have had your eye on this phone for a while, and even discussed getting it but were going to wait until spring, isn't it Fate trying to tell you to go ahead and get it? Besides, it was only $30 more than replacing it with the same model I currently have. (Well, if you are going to spend $150, you may as well go ahead and spend $30 more to get what you really want.) He really does get me. :)

I Don't Know How

So, we are finally moved. We started moving the 12th of December. From building 1 to building 2. You wouldn't think that would be too difficult. Especially since our new apartment is semi-basement. Meaning, the windows are a few inches above the ground. This was great for moving things in. We cleared the way and opened the window. Yes, it looked to the outside world that we were running a drive-thru (walk-thru?) for heaven only knows what (coffee? crack?), but definitely preferable to navigating different sets of stairs and the lovely Iowa winter weather.
As I am not allowed to lift over 10 pounds, I offered to man the window. This meant that the darling boyfriend (DB) carried things over from our old apartment and passed them through the window to me. I then ran to whichever room the items the box contained belonged to, and quickly emptied it in time to be at the window for the next load. ("Do you think we need more boxes?" "Nah, these will be plenty. We will just keep emptying them and reusing them.")
Needless to say, some of these boxes weighed over 10 pounds. What's a girl to do? Sit on her ass while everyone else moves (mostly) HER stuff? Yeah right! (Did I mention that I am a slight control freak?)
Taking a step back, the move-in date had been moved forward and backward several times, which resulted in us not being able to lock in anyone to assist us. Luckily for me, an old friend recently popped back up in my life, and having recently been dumped, had plenty of time on her hands to help. Yippee!
So Day One of moving was tackled with much gusto and enthusiasm. Having such a small apartment, we didn't think it would take long to move. Ha! Apparently all those organizational books I read really did sink in. I was amazed at how much stuff (crap) I was able to fit into that tiny little apartment!
Day Two rolls around, and DB has arranged for his father to come help move the "big stuff". Not much stuff, but I definitely couldn't move it. So they move the mattress, the box springs, the sofa and my archaic 30" bedroom tv. (Seriously, the thing weighs 125 pounds!) They also bring over a large piece of furniture that I found at a flea market and have refinished and named "my sideboard". I put a LOT of work into this piece, stripping, sanding, picking out just the right colors of paint, base coating and painting with a strie technique and finishing with 2 coats of varnish. It is beautiful! It is also.....scratched. Ugh. But I suck it up (I am thankful for the help...I am thankful for the help...). Of course ALL THIS moving has been very strenuous. We must take a break! And we resume moving.... tomorrow. Awesome. What can I say? Do I crack my whip? Do I shove Darling Boyfriend out the door to move more stuff while I sit on my derrierre? Cuz THAT would go over well.
So over the course of the next several days some more stuff makes it over. Thanks to much whining and prodding from me. And a lot of it remains. So I attempt guilt. "Ok", I announce,"We need to get the rest of our stuff moved, so I guess I will head over there." I pull out the bottle of heavy-duty painkillers I am on daily, sigh dramatically and pop 2 into my mouth. I head out the door with a determined step. I get to the old apartment and look around. Holy crap there is a lot of cat hair that was hiding beneath all our stuff! Otherwise, things don't look so bad. I walk through each room to see what needs to be done. A little here, a little there. So I start putting things in two piles. One for trash, and one for things that go to the new place. I then take the broom and sweep up all the dust and cat hair and dump it into a trash bag. I look around and think, "That wasn't so bad!" Only took two hours. and luckily for me, it eventually led to a trip to the ER on New Year's Eve eve for a shot in the butt and two new meds to add to my daily regimen. Yay me.
The next night when DB comes home, I state, "I packed up everything that is left in the old place. On one side of the room is trash that needs to go out. On the other side is what needs to be brought over here. This is non-negotiable. We have been moving for 3 weeks and I am ready to be done." "Ok." (Was it SERIOUSLY that easy?!?)
My phone rings the next day. It is the landlord calling to say that they really need my old apartment so they can get it ready to lease. "No problem, I finished removing everything yesterday and it is ready to go. I need to patch the wall where my shelves were, but everything else is done."
"Don't worry about patching the walls, the paint person can do that."
"Oh ok. It's just that the holes are kind of large and I didn't want to leave them like that."
"Seriously, don't worry about it."
"Ok then, I guess we are done."
The next day, the phone rings. It's the landlord again. "I stopped by your old place today and, um... it really needs to be cleaned. There is food in the refrigerator and it just really needs to be cleaned."
"Oh, ok. I guess I forgot about cleaning the fridge. I will get that done asap."
So I start loading up cleaning supplies and tell DB that we are going to clean the apartment. He looks slightly surprised. I explain the phone call. He helps me carry things over and we get started. I should say, I get started. He stands there and shuffles his feet and says, "Where do you want me to start?"
"Wherever you want to."
More foot shuffling.
"Do you want me to start in the bedroom?"
"Sure honey, that sounds great."
"What do you want me to use?"
"Whatever you want."
"This blue and white thing?"
"Sure, that takes marks off walls. Let me show you how it works." I take the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and run it under the tap to wet it. I then ring it out and start to wipe a wall, saying "Just pay attention because the white part wears away as you use it."
"Ok."
I hear a little bit of scrubbing in the bedroom- maybe 45 seconds worth- then, "Should I use some kind of spray on the walls? This isn't really working."
"Sure, use whatever you want."
"Well which one should I use?"
"Whichever one you prefer." (I have already worked up a sweat with the cleaning of the fridge and other kitchen appliances.)
"I don't know which one is better."
At this point I stop scrubbing and look at him. Is he trying to piss me off? Does he think he is going to get out of this? What is his agenda? Time for a little tough love.
"Honey. There is a ton of stuff to be done. Just pick whatever you want to do and do it. Use whatever you want. I don't care, I just want to get done," I say as I head to the bathroom to start in there. "Here," I say, "take this bottle of cleaner and walk through the apartment. Everywhere you see a dirty spot, spray it. When you are done, go back and wipe it down."
For a few minutes I hear him wandering and spraying. Sounds good. Then he appears in the bathroom.
"Ok, I sprayed everything. Now what?"
"Now you go wipe down all those areas."
"With what?"
"With whatever you want. Go grab a scrubber."
"What's a scrubber?"
O. M. F. G. Did he REALLY just ask me that? "A scrubber," I say in a slightly elevated voice, "a thing you scrub with!"
"Well how am I supposed to know? You mean this blue thing?"
"NO, that is a wall cleaner. A scrubber is either the orange scrubby thing with a handle or the scrub brush!"
"Don't yell at me! If you came to my work and I told you to get a blahblahblah and you came back with a blahblah I wouldn't yell at you. I wouldn't expect you to know these things. You want me to clean and I don't know how!"

Seriously? Don't know how?

It isn't rocket science people. And that lame assed excuse doesn't fly. Next week we start our new lessons! Bathrooms 101.

Too tired to blog...

Now that I have FINALLY gotten this whole thing set up, I am too tired to blog. I am going to TRY to blog a couple times per week (at least) and see if I can stick to it!