Monday, Monday, a day a day

Quote for Monday, June 30th - the last day of June...for a while that is!
“I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one” - Mark Twain

If you live on the Eastern Shore of Virginia...

or are planning to be there this weekend, June 27th weekend, please go and check out this event in Belle Haven, Virginia! It is for a VERY VERY good cause and it will be a great fun show.



ESO SAVE OUR SCHOOL


“pay what you can” BENEFIT CONCERT
Bring the Family!
June 28, 2008 6 – 10 pm

MR. ‘B’ & the Boys
BLACK ELVIS
PATSY “CLINE” GOARD
MARGOT’S ANGEL


EASTERN SHORE’S OWN, INC.
http://www.esoartscenter.org/
KING STREET, P.O. BOX 147
BELLE HAVEN, VA. 23306
757-442-3226





pssst....he won't be there...so the coast is clear for you to support the arts and have a good time and he will never know!

Thursday, still love them even though...

Quote for the day Thursday, June 26th

"My man" - Denzel Washington, American Gangster
My Thursday you ask?
Growling stomach
large bags under eyes, almost kissing my cheeks bags
3 hours of sleep under my belt
89 bucks richer in my pocket (pulled a bar shift at the Dead Mule Club)
cramps a creeping...I just know it
Material running through my head for set tonight
Humidity hanging on me like a hyper little kid
Broken toe almost healed
New blister on top of other toe from flip flops
Coffee breath
I am pretty sure a pimple developing...inside my nose - really?
thong on...no time as of late to do laundry
Running on fumes
Knowledge I can do this

And you? Have a day.

oh and this is a cat named Michelle

no title today, only words

Quote of the day for Wednesday, June 25th

“The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done.” - George Carlin

This morning as I got my coffee and bottled water (i buy yet still cannot believe that i pay for water - not angry at the end result that i buy "tap" water in a bottle, more miffed that i did not think of it FIRST...or did something about it first!) I noticed a family eating breakfast in the dining area. I work in a hospital. Before I even saw what they were eating I made an assumption, a judgement I guess you could say, think. From their appearance, stature, I knew they were eating large amounts of eggs, bacon (or some other meat product, maybe multiple other meat products), biscuits, gravy, more than likely drinking a diet soda of some type. As my eyes moved from the family to the food in front of them I was taken aback. it was worse than I suspected. the parents were indeed eating large amounts of the above mentioned items but the kids? one was eating sugar coated, artificial colored gummy worms and the other kid was eating chocolate covered pretzels, both had their hands on a soda product. what the fuck? and we are in a hospital. I know we have a fat problem in this country, we are obese, we don't eat right as a general population, we don't exercise regularly (shit, I walk to the bus every morning, 5 minutes, and that is my exercise - weak!), and all of that crap, but I just could not believe what I saw. I really don't have any commentary on what I saw, but that for I am writing this I suppose is just that, a comment. I am not the best eater that is for sure and to be honest I have been blessed with good metabolism, I am yes what you would call average. I am not my ideal weight yet I am nowhere near overweight, this is true. So I do feel lucky, I guess blessed that I can eat poorly at times and not exercise and still stay relatively thin, well not thin, I am not comfortable saying that word when talking about myself, but I am not fat. That works. I am not fat. I just was so taken aback on what they were eating to start the day off. That the parents were letting it happen. They purchased it for them even. This incidence is not a big deal in the realm of all the world and its problems yes this I know. Yet I cannot help but feel maybe it is indeed a big deal, bigger, more reaching in the result of this small happening in an average day here at the hospital. I paid for my coffee, my bottled water, walked down the stairs to the lobby, sat down, finished my current book, cried at the ending (yes it was good!) and then proceeded off to my office. Another day. Another observation.

well you ain't no Wednesday, thats for sure

Quote for Tuesday, June 24th

"It's absolutely stupid that we live without an ozone layer. We have men, we've got rockets, we've got saran wrap - FIX IT!!!" - Lewis Black

Tuesday is here.
Uncanny how it arrives directly on the heels of Monday
Etching pictures of events to come upon my brain
Securing a weekend now gone
Demanding a decision for the future ahead
Ackwardly prepelling me forward
Yearning for its partner the big W

Tuesday is here. Tuesday will be gone. Tuesday.

I forgot about this one...had to share

thank goodness that video, cd, film, television, box sets, YouTube, Google, Barnes & Noble, VHS, LPs, Larry King, HBO...(ok you get the idea) exist. Because as long as all that crap exists, we have him. I forgot how much i love this routine. I share with you, you share with someone else, and so on and so on....

George Carlin - A place for my stuff
Actually this is just a place for my stuff, ya know? That's all, a little place for my stuff. That's all I want, that's all you need in life, is a little place for your stuff, ya know? I can see it on your table, everybody's got a little place for their stuff. This is my stuff, that's your stuff, that'll be his stuff over there.That's all you need in life, a little place for your stuff. That's all your house is: a place to keep your stuff. If you didn't have so much stuff, you wouldn't need a house. You could just walk around all the time. A house is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it. You can see that when you're taking off in an airplane. You look down, you see everybody's got a little pile of stuff. All the little piles of stuff.
And when you leave your house, you gotta lock it up. Wouldn't want somebody to come by and take some of your stuff. They always take the good stuff. They never bother with that crap you're saving. All they want is the shiny stuff. That's what your house is, a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get...more stuff! Sometimes you gotta move, gotta get a bigger house. Why? No room for your stuff anymore.
Did you ever notice when you go to somebody else's house, you never quite feel a hundred percent at home? You know why? No room for your stuff. Somebody else's stuff is all over the goddamn place! And if you stay overnight, unexpectedly, they give you a little bedroom to sleep in. Bedroom they haven't used in about eleven years. Someone died in it, eleven years ago. And they haven't moved any of his stuff! Right next to the bed there's usually a dresser or a bureau of some kind, and there's NO ROOM for your stuff on it. Somebody else's s--- is on the dresser. Have you noticed that their stuff is s--- and your s--- is stuff? God! And you say, "Get that s--- offa there and let me put my stuff down!"
Sometimes you leave your house to go on vacation. And you gotta take some of your stuff with you. Gotta take about two big suitcases full of stuff, when you go on vacation. You gotta take a smaller version of your house. It's the second version of your stuff. And you're gonna fly all the way to Honolulu. Gonna go across the continent, across half an ocean to Honolulu. You get down to the hotel room in Honolulu and you open up your suitcase and you put away all your stuff. "Here's a place here, put a little bit of stuff there, put some stuff here, put some stuff--you put your stuff there, I'll put some stuff--here's another place for stuff, look at this, I'll put some stuff here..." And even though you're far away from home, you start to get used to it, you start to feel okay, because after all, you do have some of your stuff with you.
That's when your friend calls up from Maui, and says, "Hey, why don'tchya come over to Maui for the weekend and spend a couple of nights over here." Oh, no! Now what do I pack? Right, you've gotta pack an even SMALLER version of your stuff. The third version of your house. Just enough stuff to take to Maui for a coupla days. You get over to Maui--I mean you're really getting extended now, when you think about it. You got stuff ALL the way back on the mainland, you got stuff on another island, you got stuff on this island. I mean, supply lines are getting longer and harder to maintain.
You get over to your friend's house on Maui and he gives you a little place to sleep, a little bed right next to his windowsill or something. You put some of your stuff up there. You put your stuff up there. You got your Visine, you got your nail clippers, and you put everything up. It takes about an hour and a half, but after a while you finally feel okay, say, "All right, I got my nail clippers, I must be okay." That's when your friend says, "Aaaaay, I think tonight we'll go over the other side of the island, visit a pal of mine and maybe stay over." Aww, no. NOW what do you pack? Right--you gotta pack an even SMALLER version of your stuff. The fourth version of your house. Only the stuff you know you're gonna need. Money, keys, comb, wallet, lighter, hanky, pen, smokes, rubber and change. Well, only the stuff you HOPE you're gonna need.
From George Carlin, A Place For My Stuff, Brain droppings, 2000.
SourceEvolutionary psychology Humor Traveling light
2003-11-25 Jef Allbright's blog

one word, two words, a few...

Quote for Monday, June 23rd

"bummer. shitty. unbelievable. stunned. weird." - Michelle, aka Me, reading of this news from Sunday.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/06/23/carlin.obit/index.html

I originally said there would be more later...that was a few hours ago. In those hours no new words, insights or revelations really have popped into my head about George Carlin's death. Nothing radical to say, to write lingering on my lips, at the tip of my chewed cuticle bearing fingers. Only one thought that keeps running over and over in my head, "it just doesn't make sense." Its like he is one of those people out there I thought would never die. I do realize that that thought is not based in reality. Still it is a thought that keeps running through my head. I just think he is that sort of person, could never die...and so that has thrown me for a loop. I am not delusional. Just having a delusional thought. There is a difference between being delusional and having a delusional thought. Take my word for it...that is based in fact. Sort of like the difference between skiing and being a skier...

I've read a few other blogs on George today. For as one can imagine, I expected, the comedy world is all a flurry and 100s, 1000s, millions of people are out there today busy posting on this subject. The ones I read so far, all different in content yet similar - enough - in theme or message; sad.

I ran into someone over lunch and we chatted on it for a few minutes. I told him my thought and how I was feeling. That I am in shock and just felt he was one person I thought would never die. I added that I knew that to be a silly emotion, delusional. See it is not so much that I feel sad it is that I feel weird and disoriented. And don't know why or actually if that is how I feel...as my friend walked away to go eat his lunch he did say something to me that makes sense and I feel does sum it up, explains a little bit how I do feel.

He said, "Oh no I do understand what you mean, get what you are saying. It's like the world feels like less of a place I want to be in now that he is dead."

Yep. That sounds just about Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, Cocksucker, Motherfucker, and Tits right!

see, http://www.erenkrantz.com/Humor/SevenDirtyWords.shtml, for George's original comedy routine on the Seven Dirty Words

I love Thursdays

actual yummy peanuts you can purchase at the DMC

Quote of the day for Thursday, June 19th

"Baby, even the losers get lucky sometimes." - Mr. Tom Petty

Nothing really to report today. My boss is out of the office and I am actually working...well not right now but outside of now I am, I am, I mean it. It is Thursday. I love Thursdays. More so than Wednesdays. Such potential and possibility does Thursday possess. What am I yoda now? Sometimes when I wake up in the morning and first look in the mirror I see yoda. But then after a hot shower, lots of age defying (yes, I am taking a stand on something!) lotion and some valuable Almay cover up, I look like me, only older. Better looking, I think, honestly, but older none the less. An older more mature better looking me. I ain't complaining...about this.

Worked my first shift last night at The Dead Mule Club - see this link for history, story of the dead mule http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E4D71F3AF930A25755C0A96E958260

very interesting and routed in where I now live and work!

and this first shift, this first time was fun, profitable and simply good.

Not sure about the rest of you but not three things I have been known to say after a first experience doing "something". Not many virgin experiences left.

As my best guy friend from college use to say, "I am a virgin every time my friend"

Pleads a true case for it really is how one CHOOSEs to see life, situations and their sexual history.

I am back there again this eve just to help out for a few hours. Mr. Ben Jones is there signing his new book. Mr. Ben is best known for his Cooter character (that was the character's name, ahem) on the Dukes of Hazzard televison show that ran from 1979 to 1985 - possibly one of my favorite shows in a whirlwind time period of good television shows!

His book is called, Redneck Boy in the Promised Land Confessions of "Crazy Cooter"

Check him out at http://www.cootersplace.com/- He has lived quite a life to date and is a still rockin on. He went to school here in Chapel Hill and hung out at an historic yet no longer there drug store called Jeffs for many of his wild years. I remember my pops telling tons of stories of Cooter, Aka Ben Jones, for he truly was, at that time, Cooter! They were good pals back in the day. Cooter says when he was a drinking, he has since become sober, he estimates he consummed around 48,000 beers...and other substances....I am sure my pop shared in a few of those beers...Anyway...if you live here come by the DMC and say, "hey", grab a drink and pick some pig. Like I said, Thursdays is just brimming with possibilies and I am filled with potential!

I don't care who you is, this is funny!

Quote of the day for Wednesday, June 18th



DS Andy Wainwright: You do know there are more guns in the country than there are in the city.


DS Andy Cartwright: Everyone and their mums is packin' round here!


Nicholas Angel: Like who?


DS Andy Wainwright: Farmers.


Nicholas Angel: Who else?


DS Andy Cartwright: Farmers' mums.



I laughed out loud for an extended period of time at this one. Watched this movie last night with my roomies. It is a good one. Highly recommend it!

art is fun

love it! It is Tuesday. Don't ask me nuthin! This is my new best friend. He is also my new spanish friend. My new work friend. Just an all around friend friend. He is creative and goofy. I am so lucky to have found him here. He loves his computer camera and now I have just learned he also is quite crafty with paint-by-number paint application. (I just made that up but in this day and age I am sure that is what it is, called at least!) Tuesdays for some reason are difficult for me. Much, way worse than Mondays. I actually like Mondays. So he sent me this picture and it not only made me laugh but it shot be right forward to Wednesday already. All is well and lovely.
p.s. i like is art work so much as you can see with the pic of me up top...from harbor party on the eastern shore a few weeks ago...my pulling beer gig.

A Day

Pierre says, "The first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue.” Well actually Dorothy Parker said it yet it sounds cuter from Pierre. It is that sort of day - this is the quote for the day by the by. till tomorrow keep on keepin on!

and this too....

Dr. Raymond Stantz: Everything was fine with our system until the power grid was shut off by dickless here.

Walter Peck: They caused an explosion!

Mayor: Is this true?

Dr. Peter Venkman: Yes, it's true your Honor. This man has no dick.

time is mine

Quote for Monday, June 16th

"Ah man, I should have thrown the chicken bone on the boat!" - My brother, in the back seat, hungover, eating Bojangles chicken wings, me driving us to the eastern shore of Virginia for our cousin's wedding.

It doesn't make sense and that is why I like it. We said this over and over throughout the 23 hours, 32 minutes (ah yes!) that we were on the shore this weekend. We just made the 24 hour turn around time for the toll on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel - hey that is 7 bucks or more apropos; almost two gallons of gasoline! I am glad we went. It was a very nice, breezy, fun wedding. The band was good but stopped playing too early, as at most weddings. No sooner than you have consumed just enough booze to feel limber and talented to get out on the dance floor to boogie it up you hear, "OK folks we have to get out of here so here is one more song to get down to" "Boo"
Booing, which just so you know for the future is not attractive to the band and in no way then causes them to continue to play. In fact it seemed to speed up the packing up and getting the hell out of dodge process.
It was great to see the family, friends have not seen in a while. The bride Laura was beautiful - it was on the beach and very pretty. My favorite part? When the priest performing the ceremony said, "these two people have no idea what they are doing, getting into" Love it. It was a statement about all getting married and not totally specific to them. That no one knows what marriage really is, what it is truly like, until one is in it...and then it is too late As most events, relationships that one can and does enter into. He went on to say that for if we did know no one would do it! Sort of like eating Sushi, graduation from college and actually wanting to work, and body piercing.
I am tired today and I am sure it is because of lack of sleep, the drinking and the toll of driving on the bod...what I also am is happy that we went. It was worth it. I read today and I was reminded of something I have known and believe in for some time now; that every day, every minute of our lives we have a chance, an opportunity to listen, to see and decide how we will interpret an interaction, a situation, an occurrence. That it is up to us how we will take it in, feel about it and let it affect our lives. My bro and I decided around 1am on Friday night, I mean Saturday morning, to go to the wedding on Saturday. To leave Chapel Hill in the morning, drive the 4 and a half hours to the shore to attend the wedding that same day. To then have to come back the next day. Sure I am tired and I did not get the stuff done at my house I had planned to accomplish over that 24 hours. But in return I got to see my cousin come down the isle looking amazing, hang out with some good friends (hey Lara, Erika, Mom, Pop, Cousin Petey....) and laugh uncontrollably with my brother for 23 hours, and 32 plus minutes. I chose to say it was a good decision, a wonderful time and be grateful that I have such a family and area to call my own, to go to for just under 24 hours. Plus I love coffee and any excuse to drink as much of it as I can works for me. Peace.

It is Friday, June 13th, Friday THE 13th...

This was my last show, last night at First Wednesday Show at the Chesapeake in Cape Charles, Virginia. Love that show, the people, the artists. Good times indeed.

Quote of the day for Friday, June 13th

“Oh yes! Oh hell yeah!” – Me, after the nurse, on the 8th time, and her big ass ear sucking instrument got all the wax out of my left ear! I did not even realize how much I was NOT hearing for the last 4 days. Sure it cost a crap load of ones but hey it is my health, my ear. And yes I do have two of em but there is a reason for that and I like em both in tact, working together as a team. Good to have ya back leftie, very good.

And check it out....the Google ad is now for ear wax candles...triple drat! If only I had known last night I would have gotten a to go bag.

So, it is June 13th…Friday the 13th…which means?

Tomorrow is Saturday the 14th. That is it. And then of course you know what that means? The next day is Sunday the 15th. There is a pattern here of some sort. I will figure it out soon.
So as I was lounging in the lounge of the main part of the hospital (where I work) it hit me how much I really like my “day” job. So much that I am starting to think of it as not a day job and maybe, ssshhhhh, a career? I actually pictured me being here for an extended period of time. A retirement package? Say what? I say yes! Have a nice paying job and write, and perform some funny stuff? Could it be? I can see, imagine that just maybe….again, ssshhhh don’t tell no one. I realized some of the perks of working for UNC, for the state, for a University hospital and here there be:
If I get sick, collapse, fall down, feel peevish at work I can just walk down the hall a few feet and there be a whole bevy of nurses and docs to take care of me…and get this, I would only pay 20% of it!
In the summer time every Wednesday there is a farmer’s market in the lobby. I mean come on!
Hot young, and some sexy older ones, doctors to look at. Sure most of them are married but all I need or can handle right now is to look anyway. I am sure there is a new class of students just on the horizon…some that dig older gals.
My co-workers are fun and treat me well. Odd I know.
After a certain amount of time, of service, you get a cute little pin you can wear on your lapel. I don’t really have many if actually any pieces of clothing with lapels but just knowing that if I did I could. And who doesn’t like free stuff?

There is more…or there will be more. For now that works for me. Potential is a good word, maybe even the best word. It has been a long time since I have felt so solid, even happy in a job, a geographical location and a mental state. Who knows what is to come? Today, for this time, I plan to linger here and let it all take place. And you know what that means don’t ya? Absolutely nothing. I like that. I like that a whole lot.

and the problem is?

perusing the CNN.com as i finish my brownie from lunch (it was employee appreciation day in my office - yummy chicken salad, tuna salad, pasta salad, fruit salad...hey wait a minute!) and came across this diddy. Not P, but H...I really don't see the big deal! It is "news" (loosely used kids I know) like this that gives me HOPE. Peace.

http://www.ogpaper.com/news/news-02094.html

untitled

Quote for Thursday, June 12th

“I don't have a bank account, because I don't know my mother's maiden name” - Paula Poundstone

Here is a thought I had today; what if someone wrote all of these things, tasks, activities, habits, etc down as if they were doing them but actually were not. Only doing them in writing? Just a thought...not related to me at all and that I am struggling with my plan...nope not at all related...oh look is that a shiny object? oohhhh....

P.s. Ear still clogged. Home remedy sorta working...drat. Health insurance does not kick in for another month. Don't get me wrong, very grateful it is a comin...can the hear hold out till then? wait, what did I say? I suppose that is my answer. drat, drat and double drat.

Quote for Wednesday, June 11th

"If you pursue celebrity you will lose your soul. If you pursue creativity you will find your soul." -
Some well known actor that I cannot recall his name in a movie I randomly saw last night called, "Undiscovered", off of the hulu site. My new fave place. You can watch TV shows, movies...download em to your laptop. excellent! Even though Ashley Simpson was in this movie it was pretty decent. She wasn't the lead so her on screen time was limited...she is a good little lip sync er, I will give her that. Not that she needs anyone, especially me, to give her anything.

And I realized something this morning as I was at work getting my morning coffee...there is this great small coffee shop inside the hospital that I love to go to. Run by artists, people in bands, have tattoos, funky black clothes...my people...or at least the kind of people I like. They probably don't think of me as their people. But what they don't know won't hurt em. I am harmless. Most of the time.
Anyway, so it hit me as I was pouring my java flavor of the day. I don't recall it right now, not sure if I even knew it to begin with, I just order it and drink it. I am edgy like that. Oh is that an envelope? Cuse me while I go push it!

A phrase popped into my brain as I sipped the lovely hot delicious coffee; It is really, truly the little things in life. What prompted this phrase to appear in my tiny compact brain? I noticed that often I do not take a plastic coffee lid. I go without. And that has got to account for something, to help in some way, yes? Yes! So I started thinking about other little things I do that make a difference in the day of the life of the earth and the people here that inhabit it. I sat down, drank some more coffee and jotted them down. And now here they are for your approval, disapproval, or whatever oval you so desire.

Top five little things that Michelle Maclay does to help the environment, her friend da earf:


1. I don't blow dry my hair - I let it air dry, often, at least 4 days out of the 7 we are given

2. I add my half and half for my coffee FIRST, pour it in first and then add the coffee. Therefore, no need to stir with a plastic or wooden stirrer thing. This is good for my health as well; one less task, activity, to do with my wrist - hee -

3. 3. As noted before, when I get coffee I don’t use a plastic top…I go topless. Of course as a side note I always get a to go cup even if I’m not going. It keeps the coffee hotter. I suppose that cancels out the not using the top part? But really people I mean don’t you think you should have gotten to me earlier in the process of the cup making? The cup is there, already made. Me not using it is not going to help. Plus, I just left the house with wet hair. I have already sacrificed. Brave people need their caffeine.

4. I ride the bus to and from work each day. Saves gas, saves me money. Therefore, I have more money to spend on beer. That makes me happy and I am giving income to a local establishment. Giving back to my community.

5. I originally thought I would come up with 5 things I do to help out but then realized that 5 would take up more space on the paper then 4. So if I only write 4 then I am saving space on the paper, which means less paper used, so then less trees killed. Ah ha!

And you? What will you do today that will help the earf? Us here on it?

oh it is fine. afterall I've got two of em!

Quote for Tuesday, June 10th

“Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please? Please?” – Little Sam, my friend’s son, asking to go to the store to get a new video game, in the pool on Sunday.

The kid’s got staying power. No game was gotten but the effort was commendable.
We did some swimming in the apartment pool. It was hot outside. The water was pretty warm, yet cooler and just plain better than not being in the pool. We stayed in the pool till we were thoroughly pruned from head to toe. When I got out I had some water in my ear, left ear to be precise. I did the usual acts, tricks to get rid of the ailment. Jumping on one foot, head a tilt, shaking of the head - this cannot be good for many reasons the most critical being you, I rather, looked silly…nothing new so no worries. Thought problem solved. I felt the rush of warm liquid push out of my ear, escape, run down my neck; all good. Alas though not to be true. Took a shower and when the Q-tip ritual was over my ear was back to being clogged. Ah crap! Two days later still clogged. Wax build up I now suspect. It does not hurt much only feels clogged. It is an odd feeling to say the least. I feel as if my life volume dial has been turned down to three and I am unable to reach the dial to turn back up to 11. “But why don’t you just make 10 the highest?” [Pause, perplexed look], “but these go to 11!” I give ya a dollar if you can guess that movie. It is not hard. I took a trip to the drug store in search of a remedy. I found some ear wax remover…an entire system actually. Consisting of the ear wax remover solution (hee) and a cleaner outer thingy that is blue. I am not sure what to do with that piece yet…I think it is to wash my ear out with warm water if the four days of drops don’t work. I started treatment last night. Quite simple really. Place a few drops in ear, tilt head, let drip in, commence feeling of iciness, and stand still for 3 minutes. Lift head and hopefully dissolving of wax process begins. All through the night as I was in and out of sleepy town I did feel some opening. Today still clogged but I feel it dissolving. At least that is what it feels like and so I have decided that is what indeed is happening. It is to take fours days. So I will keep a positive attitude. Nothing is torn, punctured, and only clogged. And really is it not a great opportunity to pay more attention to my other senses? My other abilities that allow me to function properly in the world? It seems to be working as already today, this morning; I am very aware that I am more hungry than usual. Ah crap!

oh and the best thing happened to me this weekend!

i had the best weekend. i relaxed...did laundry, sipped on yummy cheap red wine from Whole Foods, and watched television Friday eve. Got up early Saturday and went to the Farmer's Market in Carrboro, petted some newly born chicks, had delicious middle eastern food for lunch, found some good deals on clothes at two consignment shops with my god mother (which i love...having a god mother AND a god father, for reals!), lounged on the couch in air conditioning, trained as a bartender at this cool little pub called The Dead Mule Saturday night, got up early Sunday drove around, drank coffee, got a good deal on shorts at The Gap, wrote on my blog, paid bills (had the money in the bank to do it, nice, very nice), did some swimming in a pool, drank some cold cold brews, cooked out, got my fix of law and order CI (THE best one - a new new episode on USA where Goren is undercover...man he is sexy no matter what, crazy or sane!), and hung with my bud from high school and his son and then got some nice sleep and here I am Monday morning. And the best thing that happened to me throughout all of that lovely stuff? Every time i tuned in to the television all four of these movies were playing...four of my favs! It was outstanding!!! Completed an already brilliant weekend. Hot temperature wise and hot fun wise. me so lucky.

Quote for Monday, June 9th

"Chaos in the midst of chaos isn't funny, but chaos in the midst of order is.” - Steve Martin

I had a deadline at the end of last week that I could have totally gotten done before if I had not goofed off earlier in the week. At first when I realized this (at 6:30pm still at work – I usually leave at 4:30pm) I was upset, a little bit mad at myself. Then after a few more minutes of obsessing on it I realized it was all ok. The time I had spent goofing off earlier in the week had totally been worth it. It made sense that I was now in this current position and it was not such a bad place to be really. Most people get out of work regurarly around the time I was leaving this one day, the first in my new job. I realized and comprehended that it all evened out. There was a balance. What was the big deal about having to stay a few extra hours today? I had no plans for the eve, still light out since summer and I get paid for the time. Ah ha! I felt very balanced and happy. It is the simple things in life after all…one just has to listen out for them, be open to seeing them.

obsession...another...

Quote for Sunday, June 8th

Me: "So what kind of patients are on this floor?"
Co-worker: "Sick ones."

I am obsessed with thrift stores and refinement shops. Apparently I enjoy other people’s stuff. It is cheaper than me buying the stuff the first go round (not crap by the way, stuff). And since I now live in a very affluent area the stuff is great! It has allowed me to institute a new rule of shopping, purchasing for me. I am not allowed to buy any pair of shoes that cost more than 5 bucks. I have bought 3 pair so far all either at 5 or under 5 bucks. Well OK, you got me. Last weekend I bought a pair for $5.50! They were marked $11 and so of course after seeing that I placed them back on the shelf. Nope those are not the shoes for me. Alas, as I was walking around the store I overheard two lovely ladies chatting about the sale taking place that day in the store. Ears a perked and blood a flowing I casually sauntered up to the counter to inquire. “Buy one pair of shoes and get a second pair free”, uttered the young perky gal behind the check out counter. Well, well how grand is that? I whispered to myself. I tried to make another pair work but to no avail, no free shoes. And even though they were free I did not just take a pair – I purchased my one pair at $5.50. Why keep a pair of shoes from another person? To take something just to take it? I also found a cute summer dress for 3 bucks. To which I have already worn twice!

ssshhh....i missed yesterday. a quote for yesterday? well I cannot really go back in time, but if I could here is the quote I would use;

Quote for Saturday, June 7th

"I think about having kids. I ask myself often do I want kids? I mean sure. I like owning stuff as much as the next guy, ah gal." - Michelle Maclay, shopping, dodging renegade strollers.

planned thoughts

Quote for Friday, June 6th, 2008

"Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy." - Steven Wright

So today I thought again about my plan, my schedule that I have set up for myself. What I thought a lot about was that I am not following it. This is hard. I have realized, or it has truly hit home, that just saying you are going to change is not enough. That is only the beginning. Yes creating the plan and documenting is good, necessary even. Yet how does one then go about actually doing it. Getting it done. Making it a part of you. One step at a time. Do one thing on the plan. No matter how small. Therefore today I got up a little bit earlier than usual (about 10 minutes) and simply got out of bed, went to the kitchen, got a glass of water, and sat on the couch. That is it. Then after about 7 or 8 minutes I got up, proceeded to the bathroom and to the rest of my usual morning ritual. It was great. I felt different. I am trying to develop a pattern of getting up earlier so I can either run a few miles or write a few pages, a blog entry before the day gets started. Especially now that we are entering into the “fuckin hot” season of North Carolina. Best to get all outdoor, indoor, around the door, any, activity done before 9am. Remember just a step at this point is what is important and I need to focus on. The process and not so much the actual activity or task that eventually I desire to accomplish and shall do so in the future. And the next step? Well to get up even earlier of course! Extend it to 15, then 20. For 20 is the number I am shooting for to get in a run, a write, a blog entry. They say it takes 21 times of doing a new behavior before it becomes a habit, develops into a habit. Ah, excellent. Only 20 more times…of 10 minutes earlier. Then 21 times of 15, 21 times of 20 minutes earlier. At that rate I will be actually running and or writing by say end of August, the start of fall? Brilliant. Simply smashing to have a goal and fall seems just right.

perky married people

psst...this is Pierre. He is not a dancer, but he plays one on TV.

Quote for Thursday, June 5th:

"When a dude in a pick up truck drives by you at the bus stop and honks his horn, smiles and waves at you does that mean he wants to date you or is he only acting out a scene from a movie he just saw?" - Michelle Maclay

good morning kids. hope all is well in your little worlds. i am back in the office world...in a hospital office world technically. I like my new job. I like the people I work with yet I have noticed that the married kids in my office, and I have to say in any office I have ever resided in, have some perks that us single kids do not have access to. This does not make me bitter. I just want the same rights. Example? If one is married and has kids one can say to their manager, boss man or lady (all equal employers I have worked for), "ah yes I have to leave at 4pm today to pick up my kids at daycare and they look down on me, frown you might say if I am late and they have to wait." Now you would never hear a single person say to their boss man, lady, "so yeah ah I have to leave at 4pm today to go meet my bartender at my local pub to get smashed and he looks down on me, frown you might say if I am late and he has to wait."
I am sure there are some perks available only, morally and legally, to single kids that are not to the married ones. Like being able to attend formal functions or any event and take a different date each time, sleep with them and then not have to go visit in-laws for Thanksgiving...and others that are not coming to mind. As Chris Rock says, “You are either married and bored or single and lonely.” It is good to be one and or the other for different reasons. The good news and why I am truly in the cat bird seat? I am single now, at times a tad lonely but mostly simply alone, but someday I shall be married and bored. Wait a minute that is good news? Ok so then the goal is to not be lonely when single and not be bored once married? I can do that. Oh look there is my manager, my boss lady, “Hey yeah I need to head out early today…

da plan

George is back in my town baby! nice to have you back mister. now what are you doing this weekend?

Ok, so I have already strayed from my executive decision…argh! I missed one day. Here goes. I will get it. Damn it.

Quote for Wednesday, June 4th
“I’m single because I was born that way.” – Mae West

I love it. I am actually really liking being single right now.
I have a plan and I am sticking to it. Here is the brilliance; since not focusing on it ah hello getting asked out.
Now mind you I am not going out on these dates. Not part of the plan right now. I know it sounds dumb but hey I’ve never really had a plan before and I am starting to think perhaps that is the problem. Well not a problem just some things have not turned out the way I expected, desired or rather the way I planned them to come out. Could be cause I didn’t really have a plan. I mean even skinny white pretty girls have plans (not a reference to me at all. Sure I am pretty and white but since I moved here a few new pounds have arrived and taken up residence on my bod…not fat just perhaps a tad bit more of me to ask out)…the SWG plan you ask? To throw up. At least they got that, they know what they need to do each day. My plan now that I am further down south is to truly get this damn debt paid down, organized and to focus on my humor writing. The memoir that is drifting, floating weightless deep down inside of me. I did a 10 minute set the other night at a bar. A nice bar, very nice yet still not a comedy showcase location. A “professional” comedy show so they say… truly still an open mic. Which is fine. Some of my best shows have been at an open mic, ahem, but let’s call it what it is shall we? The kids are doing a great job and I am sure they will get there. Hey creating a good, high quality, funny (ah yes this takes work) long standing comedy show requires time, focus and quite honestly pain. Which is great, works out cause pain and struggle be quite hilarious...if delivered correctly of course.
So, while I was on stage at this show teetering dangerously close to bombing…tends to happen when one does not have any material and says, “ah sure I can just wing it”, gulp, hiccup, ah sure babe! It hit me. Not a tomato or a mean comment. The crowd actually enjoyed my struggle on stage and we had a good time together…I pulled it out you could say – finally I can say that phrase, pulled it out, and it is a good thing and not a line item on a police report. Ok, so there I was and a revelation hit me; the performing is the journey and the writing, the written product is the destination. What the hell is this gal speaking of now? Well the last few years have been about me working on, struggling with who I am as a performer, a comedian, an artist, etc. I love to perform live and be in the moment with the audience and quite frankly I am damn good at it. I am also not too shabby at the writing part. Yet for some reason the two together combined into a category called “stand-up comedian” just have not worked for me, clicked into place within my skeleton. I am starting to get it. Write this memoir, this story of you and your life, adventure in humor and perform it live, share it with others in a live, open, in the moment arena. Perform as you write yet view as fun, a tool to tweak and hone the writing. I love it. I sensed I was on the right track when I moved here and now it is confirmed. In this area at least. Men, owning property, investing in the future, health insurance and a work out regime, all the other "normal" crap? Still checking the signs, reading the map…get to that later people, truly later and really I will...or I won't. And I can honestly say looking back on all the experiences in stand up comedy in my past were all worth it. All of it. It got me here and that is brilliant all in itself. I also had that realization that all those years, shows and interactions with audiences and other comedians was so great, so wonderful and not a waste of time at all! - Whew I am spent for today. Plus my boss just got here and I have go do some executive assistanty stuff. Have a day.

Executive decision

ok so my blogging lately is the pits. not the actual content but the actual process of WRITING on the damn blog! Which I guess if you think about it is also the content since you need the first part to then have the second part. a chicken and egg sort of dealo.

in the past i would do a quote a day either by someone famous or me. I liked the idea of doing a quote a day for many reasons. One by the off chance that I through the course of any given day thought of some insightful, witty or enlightening idea or phrase that I could then have a place to document it, share it. Another reason being that it encouraged me to write each day. It was working for a while but as of late, the last month, it has done the opposite. Taunted me and brought slamming to the surface that fact that I am not writing...as much as I should, could and need to be. Could be my recent move and getting settled has caused me to not write as much. Or that discovering and trying out new bars is taking way more of my free time than I originally planned. Who knows and really who the hell cares? The one time where the journey is NOT the important part and the destination is what it be all about! So here I am in the "not writing on my blog" land.

Therefore, I've decided that instead of having a specific area for a quote a day that now I will do a quote a day in my actual blog entry. That way I have to write everyday. I have to because for some reason I have to post a quote a day. Which actually now that I am here and thinking about my blog, that statement is not true. Since there have been many missed days of quotes. Ok, again, stop focusing on the journey, and get back to the destination.

Also, I am sure that my audience's ("hey, Lara, Chip, Deb S., Robin") lives have been empty these last weeks without my enteries!

So, my quote for today? thanks for asking...

"If you feel as if you are going through hell, keep going, you are on the right track." - Michelle Maclay.

And my entry for today? Ah hello, look up, return to top of page.

Peace and all that crap...till tomorrow.

P.s. a pic of me at my new job. Don't be jealous of my amazing desk...I know I am not!

P.s.s I love my new job...no really, I'm not being funny...or at least I'm not TRYING to be.