Heather, I hope you are not shy about your age because I just thought this cake looked so cute! I just wanted to wish you happy birthday and congratulate you on becoming another year wiser 
Yet no matter how old you are you will always be young at heart. I believe many times we don’t choose our friends, but God chooses them for us. You are one of those friends he brought into my life and I am extremely grateful for you. Happy Birthday! See you tonight!
XM: Ryan Adams – “Carolina Rain”
Mood: Ready for the day
I was supposed to be at Dr. Beal’s office this morning, but they rescheduled the appointment for July 19. I admit I was looking forward to it, but I’m happy about the reschedule because it means I’ll actually be meeting with Dr. Beals. When they scheduled my original appointment they failed to mention that it would be with a nurse practitioner. Apparently Dr. Beals wants to be the one to meet with the new fibromyalgia patients, so they are doing a lot of rescheduling. I am 100% okay with that!
What else is going on? Not much, I guess. I’ve been watching a lot of Last Comic Standing. They play the reruns on Bravo so I get to watch every episode twice. I was watching last night and the show that came on after it was America’s Got Talent. I was reading the opening credits and guess who produced that show? Yup, Simon Cowell. I vaguely remember having a conversation about that on Sunday at Mom’s… I just want it to go on record that I wasn’t making things up. I was right, as always 
XM: Keb’ Mo’ – “Suitcase” (It’s a Keb’ Mo’ marathon on 45)
Mood: Giddy
Thanks to Carey Jarvis for sending the link to the Spiderman 3 trailer. Now I am just counting down the days until May 4th, 2007!
Categories: Spiderman
XM: The Dave Ramsey Show Mood: Hungry Well, I won’t be hungry for long. I spent my lunch hour at the grocery store. See, I bought a refrigerator for the office at the MSU Surplus ($15!) and now we have room to store real food. I bought strawberries, cherries, nectarines, cucumbers, whole wheat bread, Juicy Juice, all natural peanut butter, blackberry 100% fruit spread, a bucket of plain yogurt, granola, postachio nuts, english muffins, string cheese, canned soup, and some frozen dinners (that’s where I completely deviated from the all natural, no preservative health food track). It’s tough to come up with food that is all natural and easy to prepare with just a small counter and a microwave. Regardless, all of it still beats a Filet O’ Fish Meal any day. I’m sure most of you don’t get very excited about a grocery list like that but it’s the kind of food I love. I just don’t eat it often enough because I avoid grocery shopping like it’s the plague. It’s not so bad if I go when it’s not busy and when I have enough time to spare. And if I have a list I’ve been drinking a lot more water lately. I bought a great water bottle a couple of weeks ago for $1 and I’ve been using it regularly. It is contoured to fit my hand perfectly and it has a flip top with a small opening to drink out of. It’s about the size of a 20 oz. pop bottle so it can fit in my purse or the cup holder in my truck. I think it’s important to have a water bottle that fits you. I used to carry a giant Nalgene bottle around, but it was such a nuisance I hardly ever used it. Every time I wanted to take a drink I would have to unscrew the cap, and the opening was so big that sometimes I would tip it too far and spill all over myself (especially in the car). It didn’t fit in my purse and it was too big to hold with one hand. I left it in a hotel in Dearborn by mistake and haven’t missed it since.
XM: John Mayer – “Daughters”
Mood:Gooood
Baking some pies this week. Heather donated rhubarb. Found the cream cheese rhubarb pie recipe. YUM.
I drove home from my board meeting tonight and the fields were filled with fireflies. I had never seen anything like it. The best part is when they hit your windshield and their squished-up butts stay lit for awhile after.
I had a fantastic weekend, by the way. Saturday I went to the Eaton Rapids Dam Festival. Sarah and her family came along as well as Heather and Josiah. They had great exhibits, a nice car show, and some very talented young dancers. There were people dressed in 1860’s costumes with their tents set up with all the period appropriate camping supplies. It was a lot of fun to look at but I think they are all nuts to wear that many layers of clothing in the middle of June. That and they have to make everything from scratch, and they can’t use tin foil to cook. It’s a lot of work, but it’s not like they had anything else to do back then. No tv, no ipods. And did you know that if you have sheep and cows you don’t have to mow your lawn? I can’t credit the festival for that new piece of knowledge; I learned that at Heather’s earlier that day.
I had the pleasant surprise of running into Sharon at the festival. She had her scrapbooking booth set up all nice and fancy and she proudly displayed pictures of her brand-new granddaughter (who is absolutely adorable). Later on I was perusing the booth across from hers and I spotted these snazzy pillows with crocheted covers. I was looking at them closely, studying the stitching, and I looked over at Sharon and she knew exactly what I was thinking: “I could totally make that!” We crafters think alike. When we see crafty items for sale at stores or fairs we don’t buy them because we are sure we could just make them ourselves. The problem with me is I never do. I forget all about it and it never happens. Though this pillow cover looked pretty simple so I may actually give it a shot.
Saturday night we went to a cook-out. Played a bit of bocci ball and dined on authentic tacos and s’mores. It was a lot of fun. I still have the bug bites to prove it.
Sunday we went to Mom and Dave’s new house to paint a few rooms. It ended up to be a lot less work than I thought it would. I think we all had a good time working together and it turned out great. I can’t wait to see it when all the furniture is moved in.
I had a great nap on the way back home that night, until I woke up choking on my own saliva. Went down the wrong tube. I hate it when that happens.
That was the weekend, and here we are back at Monday – the day the fireflies took over.
Did I mention that my 10th year high school reunion is coming up? Yeah, I have to lose 30 pounds by July 29. Okay, that may be a bit extreme. We’ll shoot for 25!
It’s past my bedtime, folks. Good night, John Boy.
1) I was born in Ohio but grew up in Michigan.
2) I was not the cutest baby.
3) I went on a trip to Israel with my family when I was 16.
4) One of my favorite things about the trip was the food.
5) That and a walk through Old Jerusalem with my dad.
6) I am 5’1” tall.
7) I love bags and purses. 
I can count in German.
9) I kick butt in Dr. Mario.
10) I have been married for 7 years.
11) I love my husband.
12) He calls me The Bag Lady because I usually carry two or three bags around with me wherever I go. (I like to feel prepared.)
13) If you include the in-laws and steps, I have more parents than siblings.
14) I love Italian food.
15) I don’t drink much pop.
16) I dread small talk.
17) I am a slow reader.
18) When I was in college I used to go to local concerts alone and just close my eyes and let the music sink in.
19) I miss that.
20) I can’t stand flour, powdered sugar, chalk dust, or sand.
21) Naturally, I’m not a huge fan of the beach.
22) Or powdered donuts.
23) I was really happy when they came out with dry erase boards.
24) I loved school.
25) Especially the math classes.
26) I could eat pizza all day, every day.
27) When I was in 5th grade I wrote, directed, and starred in a play about Harriet Tubman.
28) That same year I was also Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.
29) I have no interest in acting now.
30) I like dumb jokes and puns.
31) I was in a folk dancing group when I was in middle school.
32) The smell of magnolias reminds me of my Grandma Selleck.
33) She passed away in 1995 but she is still my hero.
34) It makes me sad that I’m starting to forget her.
35) I have no patience for sewing.
36) But I can crochet for hours.
37) I played the clarinet in high school.
38) Cedar Point is one of my most favorite places in the world.
39) In 6th grade my friends locked me in my locker at school. They had trouble unlocking it and we almost missed the bus.
40) During the summer after 6th grade I taught myself how to type using my mom’s college typing book and typewriter.
41) I used to collect stamps.
42) I sold candles to help pay for my wedding.
43) I hated it.
44) Selling the candles, not the wedding.
45) I loved my wedding.
46) I watch too much television.
47) I am a huge R.E.M. fan
48) I am terrified of raccoons.
49) I think socks and bras are a nuisance.
50) A favorite childhood memory: singing with my mom in the car.
51) When I eat toast or muffins with butter on them, I eat them in such a way so that the last bite has the highest ratio of butter to bread.
52) I’m generally five or ten minutes late for everything.
53) I once showed up for a wedding one month early.
54) I am constantly behind on folding laundry.
55) I am not a very motivated housekeeper.
56) I’m okay with that.
57) I bake the best cookies ever.
58) But I hate to cook.
59) I am an introvert.
60) Fruit-at-the-bottom yogurt grosses me out.
61) For my senior year spring break I took a road trip with my stuffed bear, Leroy. I drove around Michigan visiting family and friends all week.
62) Leroy is a stuffed black bear a friend gave me after my Grandma Selleck died.
63) It was my senior year of high school when she died, and I lost several other grandparents that year as well.
64) My senior year was a rough one.
65) Did I mention I like pizza?
66) I have two cats.
67) I love kids.
68) My favorite color is red.
69) My kitchen is decorated with my Coca-Cola collection.
70) I can’t remember why I started collecting Coca-Cola stuff.
71) I don’t even drink the stuff very often.
72) I just like the colors.
73) I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia when I was 21.
74) I was in a car accident when I was 19. I was stopped in a left turn lane and an oncoming car hit me head-on going about 45 mph. The driver had fallen asleep.
75) The fibro symptoms started shortly after that.
76) Some days it really kicks my butt.
77) Other days I do the butt-kicking.
78) I started working when I was 15.
79) I have worked at lots of jobs.
80) Job #1: office clerk at State Farm Insurance.
81) Job #2: cook at Pizza Hut.
82) Job #3: cashier at Rite-Aid.
83) Job #4: housekeeper
84) Job #5: cashier at Rite-Aid (again).
85) Job #6: cook at Pizza Hut (again).
86) Job #7: courier for a medical lab.
87) Job #8: office clerk at a car dealership.
88) Job #9: accountant for an insurance agent.
89) Job #10: accountant for a software developer.
90) Job #11: accountant for a forklift company.
91) Job #12: accountant for a non-profit organization.
92) Job #13: accountant for an equipment company.
93) Job #14: accountant for a construction company.
94) A friend got me job #7.
95) Job #7 is where I met my husband.
96) I married him while I was working at job #8.
97) I started going back to college for accounting while at job #8 and didn’t finish until I was at job #11.
98) In school I always loved math but it never occurred to me to become an accountant.
99) When I first went to college I wanted to become a special education teacher.
100) But then I dropped out and moved to Lansing.
101) Having met my husband and all my friends here, it turns out that was the best thing I ever did.
Categories: personal
XM: Elvis Costello – “The Angels Want To Wear My Red Shoes”
Mood: Melancholy
I think this introvert needs to spend some time alone. Perhaps without television.
Have you ever seen a skein of yarn gone bad – what used to be an orderly roll of beautiful fabric has become just a tangled, bunched-up mess? It can be fixed, but it will take some patience and time to untangle and rewind. My heart and mind feel like that. Just a tangled mess of something that used to make sense, and could make sense again if I just take the time to sort it all out.
Chey and I spent some time at Joann Fabrics last night. I bought new yarn. I have a couple of projects in mind. I think I’ll go find a park to sit at and get started. Crocheting is surprisingly therapeutic.
I’m okay, really. This too shall pass. I think I just overdo it sometimes (fairly often, actually). Physical exhaustion sets in which leads to mental exhaustion which leads to this whole melancholy thing which just plain sucks.
Oh, please, I hope no one is reading my blog because it’s just been plain depressing lately. Sorry, folks.
I just love concerts and festivals and I especially love it when they’re FREE! There are so many things to do in Lansing this summer. I’m going to list what I can and if anyone is interested in joining me for any of these, let me know! Remember, all events listed are FREE!
Festivals:
Lansing Old Town JazzFest – August 4 & 5
Great Lakes Folk Festival – August 11-13
Caribbean Festival – August 26
Old Town BluesFest – September 15 & 16
Apple Butter Festival – October 21 & 22
Recurring Concerts:
4th Annual Summer Music Series – Several Tuesdays June 20 through August 8
MSU Carillon Concerts – Wednesdays June 28 through July 19
Neighborhood Concerts in the Park – Every Wednesday until August 16
Thursdays on the Grand – Concerts every Thursday until August 24
Pickin’ In The Park – Music every Thursday until October 12
Fountain Square Concert Series – Every Friday until August 25
Live! At Ann Street Plaza Concert Series – Every Saturday until August 26
Recurring Theater:
Sunsets with Shakespeare – Various dates between June 22 and July 4
LCC Summer Stage Under the Stars – Various dates between June 28 and July 27
Summer Circle Theatre – Thursdays to Sundays throughout the summer
Other Recurring Events:
East Lansing Moonlight Film Festival – Thursdays until August 24
If you think of any more to add, let me know!
Also, for a full listing of events in the area, check out the Arts Council of Greater Lansing
