WanderingAmylessly 2.0

Where is the moment we needed the most You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost They tell me your blue skies fade to grey They tell me your passion's gone away And I don't need no carryin' on You stand in the line just to hit a new low You're faking a smile with the coffee to go You tell me your life's been way off line You're falling to pieces everytime And I don't need no carryin' on Cause you had a bad day You're taking one down You sing a sad song just to turn it around You say you don't know You tell me don't lie You work at a smile and you go for a ride You had a bad day The camera don't lie You're coming back down and you really don't mind You had a bad day You had a bad day Well you need a blue sky holiday The point is they laugh at what you say And I don't need no carryin' on You had a bad day You're taking one down You sing a sad song just to ...

I haven't been on Blogger in a while. I popped in this morning, and the whole look has changed! I'll have to think of something fabulous to write. Until then, I'll post a photo of the flowers some kind soul sent me this a.m. I honestly don't know who they're from, but whoever you are: thank you. I needed it.

Listening to Pandora this afternoon, I was reminded once again what an amazing treasure Sara Bareilles is as a singer/songwriter. If you get a chance, check her out. This is one example: Between The Lines Time to tell me the truth To burden your mouth for what you say No pieces of paper in the way Cause I can't continue pretending to choose These opposite sides on which we fall The loving you laters if at all No right minds could wrong be this many times My memory is cruel I'm queen of attention to details Defending intentions if he fails Until now, he told me her name It sounded familiar in a way I could have sworn I'd heard him say it ten thousand times If only I had been listening I thought I thought I was ready to bleed That we'd move from the shadows on the wall And stand in the center of it all Too late two choices to stay or to leave Mine was so easy to uncover He'd already left with the other So I've learned to listen through silence I tell myself all th...

This morning, I received an e-mail from an administrative assistant for our department. She wanted to alert us that cards would be going around the building next week for people to sign regarding Joe Smith (not his real name, for purposes of anonymity and my job security). She said she knew that several people wanted to get cards for him, and so this would be a consolidation of efforts. This e-mail went out to, seriously, hundreds of people. Yet no one replied all to ask the question I certainly was asking: Who is Joe Smith? And why are we giving him cards? Generally, we give cards to people when they are sick, when someone they love has died, when they have a major surgery, when they have a baby, or when they are leaving the company. Usually, when I'm in on an e-mail like that, I have some sort of inkling of who the person in question is and why we're fussing. On this, I was clueless. Apparently so were many of my coworkers. Several of us turned to each other and said, "J...

Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion. --Simon Sinek

For the first time since I started working at my job in 2008, I received something in interoffice mail today. A runner hand-delivered the bright blue envelope around 11:30. I thought, "Surely you must be mistaken. Who would be sending me anything?" But there it was. Anticipation built as I unwound the string enclosure and opened the flap to find a smaller envelope inside. In bold cursive: Thank You. Complete with a smiley face. It was a $10 gift card to a chain restaurant. You're thinking, 10 bucks to a chain restaurant...big deal. It made my week. Turns out it was a thank you from my manager, a small token of gratitude for my hard work and dedication on a project. I went above and beyond, and she acknowledged it. That gesture goes far beyond the wings and soda the card probably won't even cover. (I have since found out that a content specialist on my team actually suggested the award for "diligence and outstanding copyedit skills"...which makes me even more...

We're wrapping up Henry's first short-course swim season. He didn't qualify for state, so he has limited practices this week and next, then a few weeks off before long-course begins. He had a terrific season. He grew as a swimmer, and his very last meet -- he came in 6th place in the 100 free! He even won his heat! I think we're all tired of the constant demands of swimming -- practice, meets, volunteering, special events, and so on. Tonight, it's taking every ounce of responsible Mom in me to get him there. I'd rather curl up on the couch. He'd rather watch tv or play computer or do just about anything but swim. However, the guilt's got me. So we're on our way to Mercer Aquatic Center. He'll swim laps. I'll run the treadmill. And we'll stop for dinnertime treats on our way home. My sore throat says "soup." Henry yelled, "Chocolate!" He's in luck though. Girl Scout Cookies just came in. So there's always the ba...

What I Am -- Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians Closer to Fine -- Indigo Girls Nightswimming -- R.E.M. If No One Ever Marries Me -- Natalie Merchant Don't Talk -- 10k Maniacs The Story -- Brandi Carlile The Lucky One -- Alison Krauss & Union Station Turning Tables -- Adele One of Those Days -- Joshua Radin The Frug -- Rilo Kiley Back 2 Good -- Matchbox 20 Because of You -- Kelly Clarkson

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'" -- C.S. Lewis

As I was driving to work this morning, I grabbed the first CD on the top of the stack, stuck it in, and got a good chuckle. I had opted for a CD instead of the radio, which was filled with sappy love songs and lame DJs doing their "what's the worst Valentine's Day gift you ever got" schtick. This was the song that blared from my stereo. I thought it was sort of perfect for the wrong-side-of-the-bed mood I woke up in. I apologize in advance for the naughty words and the irreverent take on the day. It's just one of those days... "Break Stuff" by Limp Biskit It's just one of those days When you don't wanna wake up Everything is f***ed Everybody sux You don't really know why But you want to justify Rippin' someone's head off No human contact And if you interact Your life is on contract Your best bet is to stay away motherf***er It's just one of those days!! It's all about the he says she says bullsh** I think you better quit Letti...

Listening to bad morning-drive radio this morning, I caught a bit of a story about "What was the worst Valentine's Day gift you ever received?" Completely contrived and extremely overdone, every year, since, oh, the beginning of time. But a couple of the callers made me chuckle. Such as: -- The woman whose boyfried gave her an electric toothbrush. It was a really expensive toothbrush, the man exclaimed. It was a toothbrush, the woman reiterated. Either you think I have bad breath or oral hygiene habits. Or you're just romantically clueless. And imagine how many beautiful roses (or lilies or orchids) that money would have bought... -- Actually, there were many "My boyfriend got me a _____________" ... fill in the blank with the name of an appliance. Toaster. Treadmill. Bathroom scale. Can opener. -- The woman whose boyfriend gave her an Alice Walker book. She loved Alice Walker. Favorite author. But the book was about...female genital mutilation. -- Groceries...

Green glow in blackness 10:30 Eyes shut tight become a canvas for conversation, repeated rearranged reinvented 11:45 Images of next day, next week, next month Flutter like flip-book pages. End. Begin again. 12:18 Toss. Turn. Fists grip tangled cotton sheets. Push a wandering mind Deeper into the pillows 12:57 What could I be doing. If I weren't here. 1:06 Staring into the dark. Green glow silently screaming.

Life is short. Break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile. -- Mark Twain

Are things destined? Or do they just happen randomly? "Well, look who I ran into," crowed Coincidence. "Please," flirted Fate, "this was meant to be."

Hey, haters. Guess what? Love wins. The Court of Appeals has just ruled that Prop 8, California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, is UNCONSTITUTIONAL! That means the U.S. Supreme Court could decide in the next year or so whether gays and lesbians nationwide have the right to marry. In the meantime, Iowa's ahead of the curve . And we have the perfect spot for a ceremony: UUSIC !

I'm surprised my iPod doesn't get stuck playing only this song after I replay it again and again. Kate Voegele -- Forever and Almost Always

We have a sitter!!!! Let the ticket buying commence. I won't believe it until my butt's in the seat at the theater and the lights go down. But I'm cautiously optimistic that I'll be out and about the evening of Feb. 16. I can't guarantee I'll be wide awake at work the next day.

Alan Jackson's not much my music scene. But I love this song. And it's Jimmy Buffett!!