Vicarious Rocky

I always thought I was a dog person, but I wonder now if I am more inclined to the cat pet lifestyle. Sage is a dog person for sure. Indy is definitely a cat person, however, he does like dogs. Especially little ones that are about cat size. Take Daisy "the office dog" as an example. He talks about her A LOT and every time we're at a pet store, he wants to buy her or the neighborhood outdoor cats something. So this outfit was what we found for Daisy on Saturday at the Pet Store.



She's that cute all the time with or without the accessories.

As part of a much discussed and desired demographic for the Democratic primaries, I thought I'd weigh in on why I'll be voting the way I will when Ohio gets its turn. The fact that the Clintons are "The Clintons" is a problem for me it's true. I don't like the monarchy feel of the whole thing, I don't like the mess they left and who became president in partial backlash thanks to that mess.

But the real reason Hillary is not getting my vote is simply because I feel she is not electable. I am not interested in being part of a losing team again this election year. I didn't vote for Kerry in the primaries either because I didn't think he was electable and I was right about that. Yeesh! A monkey should have been able to beat W at a second term after the state of the war that election year. Anyway.

If you watch the Republican primaries, all they do, all of them, is pit themselves against Hillary. She's a pinata. She's everything the GOP wants in a candidate. Why would we deliver such an easy target to them? Half her experience is as a Presidents wife! Not actually experience, people. Pillow talk is not policy creation. And if it is, then we should all be seriously concerned about Bill's pillow talk, right? The presidency is not a tag team wrestling match.

Think about it. How hard is it going to be to attack Obama. Clinton is already squirming around trying to run a campaign against him. Experience is the one and only thing you can attack this guy on. He's black (don't talk about THAT for Christ sake). He has a Muslim background (who is going to bring that up and not look like an ass)? He is an outsider who wants change (that is un-attackable). He has a decent, consistent Senate track record. He lacks experience. That's IT.

Imagine this: Clinton and Edwards vs. McCain and Huckabee. Obama and Edwards vs. McCain and Huckabee. One of those match-ups is a close race. The other is a loss. Again.

P.S. I don't care about the endorsement of the man who drowned his girlfriend. In case you thought that swayed me.

About two years or so ago, these two dudes I heard nothing but nasty things about purchased my favorite Mexican Restaurant in Akron. Then they proceeded to drive the place into the GROUND! In addition to turning the inside into Chi-Chis from a decor standpoint, they also raised the price of the food (the same food the place always had) through the roof. Example: A $4 side of salsa.

After the bill from that meal, I said, "Kiss My Ass" and never went back. I guess that's how everyone felt about the place. That and the guys were such jerks they kicked a long-standing, beloved diner out of their building because the guy who owned it didn't get along with them and was late on rent. I don't usually enjoy the business downfall of others, but in this case, I am smiling because it would seem karma is at play.

Good luck selling your house boys! :)

I wish I had a bit more time in my life. What would I do with it?

More of this stuff:

• Call and email Holly
• Go out to dinner with my husband
• Blog
• Play outside with my kid (We've only been out there to go to the car)
• Exercise. I hear it's amazing.
• Cook interesting things
• Read Books
• Take care of my nails. They are actually jagged.
• Play the piano and guitar (I suck, but I think it's good for the kid to see me struggle to learn music as I will be forcing him to do this soon)
• Talk to my neighbors
• Organize the bathroom and kitchen cupboards
• Spend my X-mas Gift Cards

What would you do?

Well, I think the Captain of the Basket Ball Team wants to ask me to homecoming. Catch is I heard he's low on cash and plans to take me to McDonalds. So, like any marginally popular girl, I have mixed feelings about the date. Am I wasting my time with a pretty face when I could be investing more energy in a sure thing that's going to take me to a nice little Bistro? It's a gamble. I mean, what if he really likes me and we go out after homecoming and he gets a job after the season's over?

OK, metaphor killed. :)

Holly dreamed that I was dead after not hearing from me for a solid week. Not dead, but buried alive in work. 2 presentations down, shitloads of follow up, now 2 to go. I didn't have to make the presentations for these next two, thank god.

Yeah, yeah, Boo Hoo! Work is work. How is that news?

Better to tell you that the St. Louis City Museum is worth traveling to St. Louis to see. If I lived with a kid in St.Louis, I'd get an apartment next door to this museum and they'd have a safe place to go with their friends for 15 years.


Also saw the Body Worlds exhibit at the St. Louis Science Center. Missed it when it came to Cleveland, so I was pleased to get this second chance. Made me want to go exercise. Made me also think we were able to evolve so rapidly because we must not taste good. Stringy.

Here is Holly in Google Video. :)

I'm on my way to St. Louis tomorrow, for two separate large-ass presentations (one ALL day, one half a day). And I've been busting some ass to get it all done. Today I wrapped it all up and was ready to put a bow on it when Mystery Client X, who is so smoking HOT, calls and wants to get together on Tuesday after reviewing a revised big juicy proposal this Friday. Which would be so no sweat if I was not out of town and in meetings all this week. YEESH. The Power of the SageRock SEM Hall of Justice SuperFriends will hopefully save this date on Tuesday.

Yep. It’s that absurd. And, even more absurd, I am relieved he’s “IN.” They got me to buy into this whole East-Coast-esk elementary ed. nonsense. Indy (as his name will appear on his cubby hole and other personal belongings) will be attending the Old Trail Preschool in the Fall. He passed his interview and Susan said he “Did Great!”

What qualifies as doing great at a preschool interview, you ask?

Well, for starters, he didn’t act anxious at all as they whisked him off for his little group evaluation with the other kids. We were told they were being assessed for their ability to separate, verbal skills (as in, one word answers or their whole life story), interactive play skills with other kids, sharing and negotiation skills (Can I play too?), and counting.

When asked if he was apprehensive, she told us he did ask her if she would play with him directly as opposed to engaging the other kids. But she said he did fine when she left him to be with others. She also said he seemed tired and laid down at one point. We all (Sage, Clayde, and me) laughed about that as we agreed he is not exhausted but that this seems to be his coping mechanism in new settings. He spends a good 10 minutes solid of Story Time & Music Class on the floor.

They explained that the evaluation was not a make or break deal for the admission. Just a benchmark of development so that when he goes in September, they can see how he’s developed in the meantime and what he might need to focus on in class or with a specialist.

Indy’s Report: He met “Jack” and a “little girl.” He liked the toys. He likes school.

Good Enough!

I walked in the door today, after a hard days work, and my son comes RUNNING up to me with wide, happy eyes and says, "Holly! Where's Holly?!"

Rocky: Holly went home this morning sweety.
Indy: Is Holly coming?
Rocky: No, she's far away in New York.
Indy: Maybe Holly will be back in a minute.
Rocky: (insert pathetic heartbroken face on mother here) Maybe sweetheart. You never know.

What else could I do? Get out an Atlas and show him where Syracuse is located?

Hope is an ember that I'd rather see flicker and grow cold naturally. What's the point of pouring a cup of cold water on it and watching it sputter and smoke?

My son and I will greatly miss Holly. What a nice breath of fresh air she was at our house. As it turns out, she is Indy's first love. I couldn't have arranged it better myself. My kid loves my best friend. Genius!

What does 3-yr-old love look like, you wonder? Just as you might expect. Lots of snuggling with stuffed animals, lots of following her around everywhere, lots of inquiry about what she's doing and if she'd like to play, and plenty of ordering his mother out of the scene.

Most notably, Holly dances to a song and I get up to dance too. Indy is on the couch watching the ladies dance. Indy tells his mother to go into the kitchen and out of sight. It's better to just watch Holly dance without the mother -- who (for some reason he probably couldn't quite figure) was ruining the moment.

:)

Whoo Hoo! Pictures to come, surely. Lots of good chatting already, and I am reminded of what an amazing comfort an old friend can bring. You read all the time about how people with social lives fair better with longevity and whatnot. It's no wonder. What a joy to be cared about and listened to and to have someone to laugh with.

Before I had a kid, I had an interesting, dynamic life with goals and dreams and skads of independence. And I SWORE that if I decided to have a kid, the little bugger was NOT going to take over my life and make me a weepy puddle of co-dependent indecisiveness. HAH!

I just didn't have the energy to fight biology like that. I wanted to give him all my attention, I wanted to put my life on hold to hang out with him and play "Rat talks to Police Car" and now he goes to school in September, and I'm bumming out.

Right now, we spend Tues and Thursday together + the weekends. Now he'll be in school 4 hours in the morning and then will come home and nap, so essentially I won't see him until 3:00 on Tuesday and Thursday. This is giving me the weepy puddle feeling.

Yes, he needs it. Yes, he'll love it. Yes, I will adapt. But it sucks. And now I have to shelve the rubber rat and rediscover my priorities. It just doesn't sound as fun, quite honestly.