If

If I had the opportunity to do it all over again, I would.
My friends and I have debated about this - given the chance, would you go back to high school? While many of my pals have said 'No way,' I would do it in a heartbeat. I'd certainly change some things about my high school years, but thinking about those days make me wish that life was as easy again. Worries mostly revolved around what to wear to school, who is fighting with whom, what to do on the weekends mixed with anxiety about tests and research papers. I was a decent student who enjoyed the principle of learning something new everyday. It all seemed to come so naturally.
That's not always the case with my brother, Seth, who graduates May 27 from Plano High School. His ceremony is on my birthday, which is pretty cool, but I don't understand why a school would plan graduation on Memorial Day weekend. Don't they know I'm supposed to be up north camping at Silver Lake?
Seth's a good kid. He's served as a captain of the football team (which went to the state finals, by the way) and he works his butt off. He makes decent grades, although I think he could try harder sometimes. But that's only because I want the best for him.
We don't come from a well-to-do family. In fact, graduating from high school is a milestone not everyone in our family has celebrated. And the next step in furthering his education, college, is an opportunity few in our family were afforded. Except me.
I remember being in college and going to vist my mom and brothers a few times. I recall a time when I showed up with a backpack full of homework. My brothers were amazed by the books and the notes filling the pages of my folders. They were awed by the amount of homework that's involved in college. I hoped it wouldn't deter them too much.
We didn't grow up in the same household. My brothers don't attend the same high school I graduated from 11 years ago. I could tell them how to prepare for a biology test with Mr. Ruble and tips on acing mastery tests with Mrs. Kane, but it wouldn't do them any good (plus, both those teachers have since retired).
But what I can do is to serve as a positive role model in their lives. I can tell them how to choose Community College courses smartly, how to transfer those credits over to a four-year university and how important it is that they get their degrees. There's a million excuses they could use to hold themselves back. But our lives have constantly revolved around excuses and I WILL NOT let them take the easy way out.

Where did you go?

I've got a list of blogs I frequent, many of which I just happened upon one day of boredom. I've learned a lot of about a group of people that I know only because of what they have revealed about themselves in their blogs.
I know Heather at dooce.com has one of the cutest daughters in the world, great photography skills and that we share a problem with constipation (sorry, TMI).
I know that Magazine Man seems to be a great husband, a wonderful father and is adored by hundreds of readers. He is an incredible story teller whom I admire greatly.
I know my friends away from town, both the Weiss and Gardner families, are settling well into thier new digs in new towns. I miss them all and wish we could see each other more. Thankfully we have this thing called blogging to keep us connected.
I also know that one of the blogs I enjoy reading, is from Sex, Sports and The Single Guy. I scrolled down my list of bookmarked blogs only to find that his no longer exists. I'm curious if The Teacher (the girlfriend) found out about his blog. I want to know what happened?
How nosy is that?

Sick day

I saw the doctor today. Kind of a weird week, I've had. I nearly passed out last week after working 13 straight hours. Came home, talked to Scott, tried to get a drink of water and about fainted.
Then I felt like crap for 2 days - bad headache, weak, dizzy, extremely tired.
So Scott urged me to see the doctor, and unlike when I suggest he go, I went.
I have strep throat.
How weird is that? I made the appointment last Thursday and in the meanwhile developed a sore throat, but nothing too intolerable. The Dr. looked in my right ear and throat and quickly made the diagnosis. He also thinks the spell and strep are related.
So I tried to work after the appointment but got sent home. This stuff is spreading quickly, I guess, and many of my coworkers expressed the desire for me to leave.
Apple juice and antibiotics. I'm trying to write my stories for work from home.
Now, we just need a new laptop so I can blog, I mean work, from the couch.

The City by the lake

Yep, it's another Chicago post. Scott and I hooked up with Lockridge while he was in Chitown for business. Great weather, great food, great (too many) cocktails.
Swinger's got a crazy, hectic schedule so when the chance comes to hang out with him, we take it. He's a good friend.

My kind of town

At the end of March, I got the chance to spend a weekend in Chicago with the girls. We're all married and a few of the girls have chitlins. We were getting away for a couple days of fine dining, drinking, dancing and shopping. We had a blast and I'm so fortunate to spend good times with good people. I think we all bonded quite a bit during our weekend away (not like that, pervs).



It's something I hope we continue to do as a yearly tradition. And I hope more girls can come along. No matter what's going on in our lives, we need to make time for this. Yeah, that's the good stuff.

Nooker booder butts

I know it's been awhile, but not saying anything doesn't seem right either. These pictures were taken just after we found out that Nanook had lymphoma. We tried to cuddle, play ball, give him lots of treats and spoil the crap out of him because we knew his days were numbered.
I remember when I met Scott and he had this great dog. Hairy, but cute and fun. And he (Nanook not Scott) seemed to know all the commands - sit, shake, gentle. He was Scott's buddy and at times I felt like Nanook didn't like me. He'd even get jealous when Scott and I cuddled and kissed.
But we grew to love each other.
And it was the hardest thing we've ever done, saying goodbye to him. On March 20, 2006, we had to put Nanook to sleep. He had such a long, loving, fun life. He was the king around here - he knew it, we knew it. But the king has left the building.
We miss him dearly.

Seriously?

Seriously!
I've changed the heading up there on the masthead, finally. And for a few reasons.
One is to reflect that this is and should be a place for Scott & I to update what's going on in our lives. Although I realize it's primarily going to be up to me to do the updating.

Also, kudos to anyone who knows what or who said the quote above. HINT: It's an ode to one of my favorite TV shows.
It also completely summarizes the way I have felt about life for a few years. I can remember graduating from college, and being sad because I knew my future would not involve working for my entire life. Nothing but working 40 hours a week until retirement to look forward to. Congratulations, here's your degree. Have fun going to work everyday.

Nothing drives this home more than the fact that my two teenage brothers remind me what it was like to be a carefree high school kid living off the parents. Granted, I've been working since I was 15 when I started a part-time gig as a hostess at Chi-Chi's. And, like me, they do a pretty good job at holding their own. But I know that feeling of anticipation. That eagerness to be an adult. I couldn't wait to grow up and not be under the thumb of my parents.

Now I realize how nice it would be to go back. I know I can't make it stop, but at least I can tell my brothers to slow down.

Watch out Windy City!

You can take the girl out of the city, but not the city out of the girl.
There is this feeling I get every time I see the Chicago skyline. It's my favorite city (not that I've been to hundreds of metropolitan areas long enough to know if they are worthy of such admiration), and I seriously feel so at home when I get there.
Having grown up on the outskirts of "The City," as we would call it, I have been to Chicago hundreds of times. Memories include hitting museums with my dad, New Year's Eve parties with Scott and friends, my bachelorette party, Christmas shopping and hitting the town with Mike & Molly, and many more.
More memories are to be made this weekend as myself and five other married girlfriends are heading to Chi-town for what should be a wild and crazy time.
I'm calling it the first annual Desperate Housewives weekend.
Oh, yeah. There will be more.