Archive for December, 2008

Are They Banging At Me?

{ December 31, 2008 @ 3:33 pm } · { Life, The New }
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Some of you are well versed in community living. Whether it be an apartment, duplex, or town-home, you just get it. It has been a while since I have experienced the attached housing situation. From time to time, while listening to music, I will here the random bang bang of… well something. My head cocks like a curious dog, and I wonder if the pounding is directed towards me and my sweet little unit. If it is, is it the Coldplay you don’t like (yes Ari, shut up. I like Coldplay.) or is it just that you are mad because it is so loud that the acoustics distort the sweet chords?

Or, are they just hammering in the support for a special new print? Could it be a Picasso or perhaps the elusive and unique framed poster of tigers? I am so curious about my neighbors. To the point that I want to make the rounds with warm from the oven Pillsbury cookies. Whenever I see a neighbor I make it a point to introduce myself and give the briefest of histories. Usually I receive a funny look and a comment like, “Boy it’s cold out here!” Am I really that intolerable? (Probably not, it’s just them… and I will keep telling myself that.)

My question is this: Can I be a bad neighbor from the side? Is there that much you can hear from a wall? Now don’t get kinky on me; the headboard WILL be kept in check. Aside from that, can you really bug your neighbor? Any words of wisdom oh Apartment Dwellers?

Goodbye 2008

{ December 31, 2008 @ 10:05 am } · { Life, The New }
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Goodbye 2008. You have been quite the year. Filled with laughter and tears, frustration and triumph. You have left your mark on us all in some way or another. For some they are scars, for others beauty marks. No matter what 2008, you have changed us.

I won’t forget your challenges, but will relish in your gifts. New starts, deepened relationships with friends, and self discovery. I won’t forget laughter on summer nights, a marathon run, or the first day of kindergarten for a certain little boy. I will forever remember tears shed over heartache, loss, and uncertainty; and the calm that comes from recovering from the hard times.

2008, you are a friend that although I will miss, I will also be happy to let remain in my past. You are leaving me with doors wide open, a heart full of happiness, and unwavering confidence in myself.

Thank you for all you have been. I can only hope that 2009 will grow me as much as you did.

Blogger? I Don’t Even Know Her!

{ December 19, 2008 @ 2:39 pm } · { Blogging }
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Beth’s got a blog!! Check her out: http://www.codependentcritique.blogspot.com/
(Thanks Bradley for the know-er joke!)

Christmas Wish

{ December 18, 2008 @ 2:28 pm } · { Holidays, Life }
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It’s times like these that remind me of one of the major personal benefits in having a blog. I get to rant. It is currently 3:31pm and those of you who are keeping abreast of my home ownership status, know that right now I should be numbing my fingers with all the paperwork signing. Instead I am sitting at the computer, working towards a healthy case of carpal tunnel and the purchase of a new keyboard for Mom and Dad.

At 3:30 yesterday afternoon I received a frantic call from my mortgage broker telling me that we may not be able to close as scheduled. I mildly (who am I kidding, you all know me) COMPLETELY panicked and began shooting off emails and phone calls to try and resolve the problem. As the afternoon wore on, it looked more promising that closing would occur on time.

Today, I left work at noon, 90% sure that I was a few hours away from home ownership. At about 12:40pm, 20 minutes before I was scheduled to attend the fabulous Gingerbread Party at Redden’s school, I received a phone call from the mortgage broker saying we wouldn’t be able to close today. More hoops to jump through.

So now it is set for tomorrow at 5pm. Pray, light incense or 14 candles, do a closing dance; however you get the cosmic job done, please do it for me. I just need this closure. I am tired of living out of over stuffed drawers and suitcases. I am tired of not having junk food in my cabinets (sorry and props to you Mom and Dad). I am tired of living in transition. I don’t know how people do this for months upon months. Two has been plenty.

There is a pretty little Christmas tree sitting in the living room, waiting on some decorations (probably lots of bows… joking!) and a little boy’s presents to shade. It sits in a room that is part of a house that is my Christmas wish. I hope it comes true.

The Petting Zoo

{ December 16, 2008 @ 9:21 am } · { Holidays, Life, Travel }
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So you tell me, which is more wild: a tent full of tame farm animals or a van packed like a sardine tin with 5 kids who are wired up on pizza and Christmas spirit? Below are exhibits A-Z. I have my own opinion, but I’ll let you be the judge.

New

{ December 11, 2008 @ 9:03 am } · { Holidays, Life, Work }
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It’s that time of year again. The time of year when we say, “It’s that time of year again” and talk about the changes we are going to implement in our lives to make the upcoming year different. Usually we change for a week or a month then slide back into our old patterns. I am certainly guilty of it. So this year, right now, I am humbled by the changes that are occurring in my life that will truly make next year different.

You all know about my townhouse. Not our townhouse, my townhouse. It sounds so foreign to me. I have owned homes, but never on my own. It is thrilling and daunting at the same time. Talking with the inspector, I realized that no longer do I get to let someone else take care of the problems, I will have to do it myself. I can’t imagine the frustration and satisfaction this home is going to bring me, knowing that all of it – the good and the bad – will be completely mine.

Something you may or may not know about is the newest development in my life. Today I accepted an offer for a new job. This position is right up my alley. It will afford me the opportunity to travel, a dream of mine, and it will allow me to use my talents to benefit a project that is in need of them. I am incredibly excited about this opportunity and eager to get started. I will officially start the job on January 6th.

And finally, the biggest change. Neil and my divorce will be eligible to be decreed on December 31. The status that has defined us for the last 5 years will be no longer. We have never been single adults. We did the majority of our maturing into adulthood as parents and a married couple. I believe that we both have some maturing to do as single people. I have no idea what I am going to learn about myself in this process. I learned so much about myself in that marriage, it is hard to fathom what more I will learn. I am ready for it.

Neil and I have settled into a place that will surely lead to friendship once the dust has settled on this divorce. He is an incredible father and a great man. I appreciate the things we did and learned together. I am glad that he is not bitter over me ending it. He may never understand why, but he does understand that it was what I needed to do for me.

So with my current situation saturated in literalism, I am ready to enter the new year. I hope it is a year that I learn things about myself I never knew. I hope it is the year I learn to feel happiness rather than seek it. I hope that this year I touch peoples lives for the better. And finally, I hope that the new year inspires you to pursue the change you seek in your own life.

Happy (Early) New Year.

That Ain’t Right – Office Edition

{ December 9, 2008 @ 3:00 pm } · { That Ain't Right, Work }
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This afternoon Celeste and I decided that we needed a small timeout for art therapy. She deemed 3:30pm that time and seeing as she is working on a Masters degree in school psychology, I didn’t question her. For today’s art therapy session, Celeste and I decided to showcase our all important CCRP certification certificates. We are SO proud of them. However, we couldn’t help but notice how boring they are, so we decided to spice them up a bit. To really appreciate our masterpieces, you must pay careful attention to the details.

Celeste decided to add a fabulous teal border to her certificate. And see how the backward UK Wildcat so very nicely compliments the lion heading for an afternoon flower bush snack?

I decided to stay simple, omitting a border. If you look closely, you will notice that my lion is suffering gender identity issues; but that is okay, we love him just the same. Also, notice that my middle initial is no longer “G”. It is now “Wildcat”. That is right folks, Kathleen Wildcat Bugg, CCRP at your service. Grrr baby, grrr.

That Ain’t Right – Baltimore Ravens Edition

{ December 9, 2008 @ 12:49 pm } · { That Ain't Right }
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This is my favorite NFL team and even I can’t get on board with this purse…

It has 5300 crystals and costs three grand.

Thank you for knowing my love of Baltimore Kevin; and thank you for sending me this beauty of a TAR.

Pimping the Christmas Tree

{ December 9, 2008 @ 12:10 pm } · { Funny Redden Moments, Holidays }
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Sunday the troops were rallied (aka Dad, Redden and I) and the pimping of the Christmas tree commenced. We knocked it out in no time flat. Redden was in charge of the sentimental ornaments, I was in charge of the balls, Mom was in charge of rearranging, and Dad was in charge of bringing the ornaments down from the attic, then sitting in his chair and watching us. It was a roaring success which can be seen in the cocky posturing presented by Redden in the last picture.

Man, Oh Man!

{ December 8, 2008 @ 2:44 pm } · { Life, That Ain't Right, Work }
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As usual, I flew into the public women’s restroom at MCC like a whirlwind to change out of my running clothes. I like to get in and out as quickly as possible because by that time, I am cold and hungry. I generally change in the handicap stall as it affords me the most room to fling my limbs about while wrestling with spandex and elastic.

I flung open the door to the bathroom and saw both stall doors open. Nobody in the bathroom, a simple observation. I quickly realized that my observation was wrong as I took the six pounding steps to the over sized stall. My eyes bulged and my jaw drop as a realized that there was a man – standing as men do, to use the toilet. I did a quick about face and pursed my lips as I began to make a beeline for the door to an area where it is appropriate for men and women to mingle together freely. He quickly came out of the stall and said, “No! No! You are in the right bathroom. They just had the men’s locked up.” I couldn’t respond with anything but a deep crimson blush as he hurried out of the bathroom.

Haven’t we all been tempted to use the other gender’s bathroom? Admittedly, this faux pas probably happens to women more than men, due to the anomaly known as the ever-present-line-for-the-women’s-restroom. But that is usually shrugged off with wink and a sweet giggle, for no woman that I know would ever dare cross the threshold to a men’s bathroom that has more than one stall. General rule of thumb, if you can’t lock yourself in alone, you wait in the godforsaken women’s restroom line no matter how much it hurts.

That is what gets me about this situation. Had he closed the stall door, I am sure I probably would have never known that it was a man. And even if I had had my suspicions, I would not have dared to check it out.

Suffice to say that I am slightly more than mildly creeped out. Insert shudder here —> _________

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