Dayquil + Simply Sleep = Me

So whatever this crud is that everyone is passing around has had me feeling like crap for over a week. I have run out of Nyquil. I decided to mix my own tonight. Hope it all works out.

9 Lives

My father died an odd death back in 2001. It was unexpected. He was not married and was not close to anyone. My mother (divorced from him for 20 years), my step mom (divorced from him for 10 years) and I (had not spoken in a few years) all went down to clean out the apartment and take care of things. I am an only child, so the mess was mine. Over the long weekend we drank several pitchers of margaritas and laughed. He left his life insurance to a friend. She was nice enough to give it to me anyways. With that I bought my first home by myself.
My step mom and father had a cat. They got Brandy when I was 8 years old. When they split my father kept the cat. When my father died I took Brandy back to Atlanta with me. I had two other geriatric cats at the time that were confused and scared of the new addition. My uncle (brother of my father and had not spoken to my father in decades) took Brandy. Mom took her up to his house. This year my uncle lost his house. Brandy stayed in his room at my grandmother's house for a few days. My uncle and grandmother delivered Brandy here a week and a half ago. As you can see this cat has been with just about everyone in the family at some point, including my aunt and uncle in Savannah.
She is about 19 years old, so first things first I took her to the vet. She was very skinny and full of hair mats. The vet took one look and knew the problem. I was thinking she would recommend to put her down. Brandy had a hyperthyroid issue, but otherwise is in good health. $265 later it was time to set up for surgery to fix the problem. The surgery went fine and while she was under they shaved her down to get the mats out. I now have 1.5 naked cats. The surgery was over $700. I could not feel good about myself to put a cat down that still has quality of life just because it is cheaper. I am not saying money is no object, but I just could not sleep. I am kind of weird about making that call, when my father died I was the one that made the call to pull the plug since I was the only family member. Rather full circle, huh? So I have a cat that will put on some weight and be a good kitty.

Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner (Not in my House!)

Why is it wrong to not breed? I mean really.....
I don't like kids. It is no secret. I am good for maybe 5 minutes, then I get uncomfortable. Kids literally scare me. I don't know what to do with them or how to talk to them. I could not imagine cleaning up the messes....not the plastic toys, the spit and diapers and the pure nasty that comes out of them. Icky. All of my friends have either had kids or are pregnant. One of my best friends in New York is the only other chic I know that does not have kids. Even the ones that did not care for kids are pregnant. I am the only one.
Suddenly everyone is telling me I need to have children. Why? Isn't it okay and also responsible to know that I don't want kids? I do not have that maternal feeling. It's not something I dream about or desire. Screaming kids make my skin crawl. Having to own mounds of the latest and greatest plastic junk is not something that attracts me. A van....no. I cannot even handle having a back seat. I could not own a car with a back seat. I like it to be nice and clear there is no room for goldfish crackers or Cheerios in my car.
Over opinionated moms at work, on airplanes, in stores, at parties or where ever tell me how wonderful and rewarding being a mother is. They get sad when I tell them that is not a goal for me. They act like I am not fulfilling my duty as a woman. I have even been called selfish. They hate me for being on the cusp of 30 and not getting on my way to pushing a stroller.
So why is it a shame? I know what I want....and what I don't.

Molting

I have had horrible skin since I was too young to know the differance. As a child my mom had to put cream that was more of a paste than a smoothing moisturizer. As I have grown not much has changed. My skin is like the dessert. I have been to so many dematologists I am honestly surprised my health care insurance still entertains me going. I have rosacia as well. I have pale skin. You name it, I have it. I have spent stupid amounts of money on it. I had laser treatment to even out my skin and help diminsh the rosacia. It worked, but it is not permant. I have tried countless prescriptions. Maxed out my flex spending 3 years in a row. I have had laser hair removal on my face for a few hairs with minds of their own. On a freckle/mole thing on my cheek I have a hair that has been stubborn to the laser hair removal and then I have a chin hair. I do not want to be like a granny with the creepy chin hair. So I asked the derm about the chin situation since I have a small scar and a hair and neither will go away with laser treatment. The derm says I need to have it cut out. Derm says there is a cyst under the scar that the hair grows through and is the problem that all other game plans have been a bust. So then I show the derm 2 other scars I have that act the same....yeah they have cysts too. SUCK! I need to get all of the damn things cut out. I think we have already gone over that my one true primal fear in life is needles. I can look a storm in the eye and walk into it. Not needles. I am a sissy.
On a flip side I have gotten one solution on my quest to good skin. I had some sun damage on my face from cruising around in my convertable. They gave me a magic potion that actually worked!
Now I need to find a plastic surgeon for the chin buisness....

Tapas Anyone?

I love food. I am a food junkie. I like to learn about it, make it, eat it and watch endless Food Network. I excited when new mom and pop places open up. I am not into chain restaurants, but I go when the company is right or it is PF Changs.
Friday all I wanted to do was go out. I had worked myself to death and it was time for a nice cold beverage. We had noticed this new place called The Cave when we were going to The Beverage Resort and decided we would check it out. We checked them out on Friday. The waiter Mike came over and was great. Went over every single thing on the menu and was able to tell you about everything. I ordered a pomegranate martini and the fab hub ordered an extra dirty martini. He brought our drinks back and took our orders. That was the last time we saw Mike until we were finished with our food. The only thing they had for me was a salad. Why there is not a cheese/olive/nut tray is beyond me. After giving my martini a taste I thought it was made with cranberry. He never brought my water. I tried to drink it. I wanted more vodka taste and less syrup-y sweet. I assumed they would make it with real pomegranate juice and not pomegranate inspired flavored alcohol. I really like my pomegranate martinis and the pomegranate champagne punch we served this year was so freaking good....I wanted to be in that happy pomegranate place. Eventually it got sent back and I got a cup of vodka with olive juice. Mike was still no place to be found so I just put the credit card on the table so eventually he would come back and we could leave. He come back and takes my card and ran it twice....I was really peved at this point. $70 for 2 tiny salads, a meat stuffed pepper and a few martinis. Yeah, we won't be going back. And to be charged $140....sheesh. I am done with them.
Long story short: If you want tapas in Atlanta or if you want a great place to hang out with friends please do not miss Loca Luna. It is one of my all time favorites. Killer food, great prices and endless drinks. The music is great too! I mean look at this menu. You could eat there everyday for a week and eat something yummy and different and not be broke.

The BEST shoe website!

Wow is all I can say. I L-O-V-E great big heart this website. The browsing is super, the lay out is the best, and the prices are amazing and second to none.
Right now overnight shipping is free and they are giving a $5 discount.
I am a deal hound and I can find better prices anywhere and if you can they will beat it by 10%! The selection is incredible. I love that you can select all your favorite brands in the size you like and and they all show up in the same mix so you do not have to do 10 searches to look at your 10 favorite brands.
Go here, now!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!! Hello 2008
Originally uploaded by ganners.

This has been an incredible year for me. Where I am not is not where I could have ever guessed this time last year. So many great things have happened and few that I have learned from. I hope 2008 is the best yet for us all.
Not sure where we will celebrate this year....but I know I will be drink ing champagne. A toast for all of you! Cheers and all the best!!

Not as bad

I thought it was going to be awful this past week. It was just me on Monday and my fearless leader was back on Wednesday. Seeing as how we use firms for all of our work we must pay them. I understand this. You get a legal bill, make sure you are not being utterly gouged and you pay it. Simple enough. When I tell you my bill basket is empty I mean you can see through the bin and see my desk. As in nothing in it. As in keeping up my daily work. Other people however don't mind leaving bills unpaid. When I tell you we went through over 2 feet of bills I am not kidding. It was over $200k in bills we paid. It needed to be done before the end of the year for the firms and for us. The upside is that my pending did not grow. The even better part is I have a 4 day weekend to blow off some steam and drink some champagne for New Year's Eve.

'Tis the Season

While in downtown running around doing some shopping I went by the Tower Liquor store. Not what I would usually expect to see out front.....it was a Shriner collecting money outside the liquor store. Yay! Get your liquor and throw your change in the pot for an unfortunate child.