dianaschnuth

This is not just a typical Mom Visit I’m preparing for. If it were, I’d just have to figure out what we were doing this weekend besides taking pictures at the Zoo. As it is, we’re road tripping to the Dayton area to visit Grandpa and Grandma Cook in Centerville on Saturday, and Amy in Union on Sunday. The trip was Mom’s idea, even the Amy part, which I think is really cool. Yeah.

Anyway, since we’re visiting the grandparents, I’m sure that the majority of the conversation on Saturday will revolve around genealogy—so I have to get my genealogy hard-copy in order. Now, I would much rather have a laptop or something with my genealogy files on it so I could just show them how I’ve compiled all the census records and death certificates and such into each family’s story, almost… but alas, Grandpa appears to be technophobic and refuses to learn how to use a computer. So, the genealogy research is reduced to the facts and documents I’ve unearthed online and via mail order. Grandpa always reveals some random stories and family info that Mom and I hadn’t known before, though, so I’m sure it’ll be fun, anyway. I’m also planning to bring the digital camera and attempt to photograph some of Grandpa’s family photos, and maybe some headstones if we go cemetery-hopping. We’ll see how that works out.

OK, gotta reorganize all the censuses and shit strewn around the basement, and then go to bed.

Cary Elwes

Cary Elwes in the late 80’s & early 90’s

My God, what happened to Cary Elwes? What a difference 15 years makes…

I miss the fluffy floppy “skater do” that the “cute” boys used to have. ::dreamy sigh:: 🙂

I was sitting downstairs, checking my e-mail and reading my daily blogroll, when I heard the unmistakable sound of something falling onto the floor. Since it’s just me and the cat, it could only have been a.) the cat being a dumbass, or b.) gravity taking hold of some random poorly-placed object. Mentally voting for option a.), I jogged up the stairs to see what the cat did.

Remember that begonia the cat whiffed the top off of a couple weeks back? Yeah. Well, I found the rest of it on the floor of the Media Room / Library, along with a good quarter-pound of freshly-watered Miracle-Gro.

At least she didn’t break the pot.

The good news is that I got to see that the remains of the begonia does in fact have living roots. Hopefully they’ll stay that way in their newly-repotted-after-being-unpotted state. And in further good news, the top of the begonia (living in a vase in the kitchen window) is beginning to sprout feathery little roots.

The best part of all? Storming around the house like a raving lunatic, chasing the cat with a spray bottle.

Ehh. Part of me wants to do nothing but websurf, and part of me is totally bored with it and wants to leave the computer and do something else. Part of me is perfectly content to listen to the Twilight Singers album I just downloaded. (Amazon recommended the album, but I’m sure they intended me to actually purchase it.)

Part of me wants to be creative. To write, maybe. Part of me wants to read, but isn’t interested in either of the books I’m currently reading. (LOTR won’t fit in the purse, so I’m reading a McCaffrey book at work and leaving the Tolkien for just before bed.) Part of me is tempted to go pick up the guitar, but knows that I’d be frustrated after only ten minutes of playing the few chords I know, mainly because my fingertips would feel like hamburger already.

So, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll turn off the music and play some Civ III. I really don’t feel like watching TV or going to bed yet.

::sigh::

After reading sheryls‘ journal, where she points to this article about weight-loss that you really should read, I decided that I needed to start back up on a regular regimen of physical activity. (So, what else is new?) I ended up doing my Yoga for Dummies Workout DVD… and man, that feels good. My arms and legs are kind of wobbly—a little tired from holding up my still-oversized frame in unusual positions—but it’s that good kind of stretchy I-just-worked-out feeling.

Speaking of feeling good about things: holy crap, can you believe the weather?! Sure, it’s overcast, kinda, but I don’t think it got about 70° today. Feels like October in August—not that I’m complaining. Awesome, awesome weather. I went out to get some Arby’s for lunch today and didn’t want to go back inside.

My brain wandered onto this thought today at work: Am I narcissistic? I don’t think so, but I have a strange predilection for poring over photographs and reflections of myself. Sometimes I think I look pretty good, and other times my gorge rises at how large my double-chin once was or how big my thighs still are. It all depends on my mood, I think. Either way, I don’t think I’m obsessed with my looks—not by a long shot. I just find it weird that my own reflection can keep me captivated like a first-grader for minutes at a time.

Now I’m off to rate more stuff on Amazon, so that it’ll give me better stupid ads and recommendations. 🙂