Oh my god... the most hilarious thing:

I'm petting 007 he's all relaxed and stretched out.

I have like a really loud fart.... and he bolts halfway across the room like a monster is hot on his heels. I have another one.... and he goes the rest of the way. I have a third one, and he freezes.

Poor bunny.... the smell hasn't even gotten to him yet

007!

So:

The Toastmasters stuff is now resolved. Though I orig. thought the only reason to go to the training I missed was for President's Distinguished Award, which was already fulfilled, the real reason is that I don't get credit for being Sgt. at Arms if I don't.

My side:

--I think the training I missed is BS. I already have a booklet about the job and have learned from the lady who previously did it. The guy who locally taught the training hasn't even served in the position, so what would he know that I couldn't get out of reading whatever he did?

--they train every six months, we only elect new officers every year. You'd think fucking going to the other six months training would count, since it's the same shit, but you have to go twice

--they offered make up training last year. The reason it's not allowed this year is because we have a different Division governor, and he decided this awhile ago. It sounds like he just basically doesn't want to deal with it rather than anything about teaching me responsibility or anything. I mean I know it was irresponsible for me to miss it, but it seems irresponsible to not help me (or anyone like me) just because he doesn't feel like it.

--the thing I've already said about the board members of Toastmasters really thinking Toastmasters is more important than it already is. "Dude, this is a hobby, I'm already doing everything fine without training, there's no money involved, just let me do what I'm doing." "No, our bylaws say you need training!" I think it's a little lame you basically only get one shot. Your punishment for missing that one shot is having to drive five hours to a different one. Your punishment for not going to those is being forced out of office. Dude, I'm sorry that I'm absentminded and don't drive well.

--this is an elected position. 1) I ran unopposed. No one else wants to do this job. So stop telling me about squandering an opportunity someone else wanted. 2) Shouldn't the people who elected me decide whether or not I fucked up bad enough to be replaced, rather than the higher ups?


Their side:

--They told me OVER AND OVER what date/time etc. the local meeting was and I promised up and down I would go.

--They told me up and down (I don't remember this, but it sounds plausible, as I started tuning out stuff about how important this meeting is after they'd told me how important it was over and over) ALL the reasons I should be going to this meeting.

So since I sorta saw their side (and they are my friends and I don't want to be a dick to them) I didn't really make a thing about it. I guess they're going to elect someone for the morning meetings who gets credit, and then have me still do the job at night (I offered, so I could look like the noble one who cares more about this than the credit--plus I get time off the phone to do this).

The other thing they didn't really like is I notified the Prez I hadn't gone, and she said I couldn't get credit. I figured I could get a make up set up, because I know the guy who taught the local class and he loves ribs so I was going to bribe him into doing it for me with food. But first I wanted to make sure it counted, so I asked this guy who knows EVERYTHING about Toastmasters to see if there was some sort of loophole and that I could make the make up count.

Well, the guy who knows everything is the Division Governor, and the rib guy is the Area Governor, and they thought I was being a dick going over the Prez's head. I didn't really think about it as going over heads, I was thinking, "who is the Toastmasters freak who knows about all their stupid bylaws."

So I dunno what the Area governor really thinks about this, because I never contacted him. The Prez was mad at me but cordial about it. The division governor was mad and, I thought, rather snippy to me about it. So this was the verdict. They weren't total dicks though, I did offer to give my Sgt. at Arms pin back (toastmasters gouges individual clubs on the costs for little rewards like that) and they let me keep it.

Oh the last annoying thing is I still have to go to board meetings (which I hated going to in the first place) but now I don't get a vote on stuff. I think they did that to make me feel better about things, but they didn't know I freaking HATE board meetings. I'm thinking of gradually ceasing to attend them. Or suddenly ceasing to attend them.

So I had a weirdly great conversation with someone who works in a different department. I'm going to apply for a job in that dept, and my supervisor has been encouraging me to consult with other people working in the dept. so that I have "done my homework" so to speak in researching the opening. Usually I either go with someone she knows or just randomly look up someone in the dept. that works under the supervisor I am interviewing with. But this time I actually had the option of going with someone I know--the person they chose over me the last time I interviewed.

Her and I had actually not known each other that well at the time, haven't talked since, but I felt like she would remember me because we actually had this one sort of defining conversation not too long before she left. I had been to this BS "group interview" for a different position. I was crying on the way out, and this was a year ago when I had everything horrible happening to me. I'm doing my best to get out of the building so I can go and cry in private, but of course--on the way out I see someone else from my department. I try to avoid her, but she stops me and we talk. It actually was a good talk. She had had a family member die recently, and had been trying to get out of the CRC for several years, so she really knew a lot of the stuff I was going through.

So she did remember me, and gave me a lot of good information for the job. But we also just talked a lot about the CRC, and my mom/her family member again, and a lot of just random things. The call actually ended because the phone got cut off--I might've called her back to say goodbye, but I reeeeally had to pee and 007 needed to be fed. It makes me want the job even more, because now I feel like I already would have a friend in the dept. I'm going to. I guess I'll see how that goes though.

In other news: 007 is the cutest thing in the world. Today he was hopping around behind this cardboard box. I couldn't see him, except when he hopped, just his little fat butt would come up. I laughed, and it would startle him and he'd stick his cute little ears and beady little eyes up above the cardboard to see what the noise was. Then he'd go back to hopping. Eventually I wouldn't be able to help myself laughing again, and the cycle was then repeated several times. A-freaking-dorable.

Man, I forgot to mention the best parts about the party!

1) Julie's mom called. She looked at it, and said "its my mom." I thought that she was just going to hit ignore or something (she had on a previous call she got that night) so I yelled (in my best Eugene Mirman imitation) "Tell her to go to hell and hang up on her." So Julie did answer it, and her mom heard me say "hang up on her." Julie managed to pretend it was non-related. I felt bad, but it was hilarious. We were all dying trying not to laugh while Julie was on the call.

2) We were talking about how rabbit poop looks like bee bees (I have no idea how one spells bee bees) so we were talking about marketing it to anyone who wants low impact ammunition, and we were trying to add high highfalutin words to the description like "artisan," "organic," "hand crafted," etc. so I thesaurused "artisan" and for whatever reason, one of the adjectives that came up was proletarian, which we found hilarious. So we started talking about how rabbit poop was going to be the ammunition of the Marxist revolution and how we were going to take down the bourgeoisie wit it. Sort of a "you had to be there" thing but it was pretty hilarious.

3) We decided Laurie and I should be on an infomercial selling the rabbit poop ammunition and all-kosher Bacon Salt. I'd be the really dumb one asking questions, and she'd be the one who demonstrated how the product works.

So I hosted a par-tee. I was sad because it was a going away party for Julie & Lothar, but I was happy because I got to hang out with them, and Laurie, and Frank. I don't know if it was the best party I've ever thrown, but how can I fail with 007 at my side?

People voluntarily watched him about half the time we were there. Julie called it "Rabbit Vision." I'm proud to say that everyone he meets seems charmed by him, and says he has way more personality than most rabbits they've seen.

I'm at the point where I should really rabbit proof all my wires, he really really wants to be on the carpet and is potty trained. But I have some business involving a stool sample, my dad's birthday, the AIC I've neglected so badly, etc. this weekend, so I really don't know if I'll get it all done.

Anyway, the party made me remember all the good parties I hosted back when I was at borders. The other good side effect is it actually makes me clean. My good friends are so understanding that they let me get away with filth when it's one on one so I now need multiple people around to shame myself. But... again with a loose rabbit I feel like I'm going to get more vigilant anyway.

I guess I will see Julie & Lothar once before they leave. They're doing something or other involving a horrible movie this weekend, and while I'll be busy for most of it, I'm at least going to drop in to give them their going away presents which hadn't arrived by the time of my party.

Yaaaay!

I found a good song to be obsessed with after going so long without. I dunno... I felt like I was becoming an old person, not really caring about music after a certain age. My parents and sister did it...

I don't know if it's been the depression or just not bumping into good new music as often as I did back in the day, or even just the total frustration of having gigs and gigs of music that you'd previously ripped or sorted.... and then having your computer burn out with no back up. But it's been hard. I listen to music in the car or when I'm with Josh, but haven't really been able to sink my teeth into anything for awhile, you know?

Anyway, it's from the new(er) Wolf Parade album, called At Mount Zoomer or something like that. The song is Kissing the Beehive. It just fucking rocks.... I don't know why I decided to listen to it today, I'd pretty much decided the new album wasn't that good when I got it, (and it might not be), but the song has me obsessed.

I think part of the reason I never got into it is I got it back when I had the fucked up neighbors who would key my car or slash my tires if I played my music above a whisper, and was losing my MP3 player all the time. Back in the day, Rebecca observed (and it's totally true) that Wolf Parade just doesn't sound that good at a reasonable volume, but it's somehow totally perfect when blasted. In the car: this song is magic. It's a crazy dramatic thing--there's something about dramatic music that when it's good, it's GREAT--about 10 min. long. The first bit is slow and good. The next bit, I bet I could get even my friends who don't like WP to like, because it doesn't have the guy's voice, which everyone hates. It's basically just rocking out until the next part, which has the same tune/speed but has singing. Then after that there's a random rock out without words.

I also have to give an honorable mention to The Bens cover of "I Touch Myself." I've never really loved or hated the orig. song, it's just always been there. But two straight dudes singing it to each other (Folds & Lee) with so much gusto is hilarious, plus I can't get enough of Folds' piano action. Kweller says he's not involved in the song because he was "too busy touching himself." Actually, accidently finding that in my pile of stuff (from Josh, I think) got me into "categorize music mode" which I've badly needed to do (still badly need to do, only got a little of the massive job done) which reminded me I had the Wolf Parade.

I ask you: is there anything on earth more delicious than a perfectly ripe peach?

But it was a rhetorical question, because if you say it isn't I will hurt you. Because there's nothing! Nothing!

Well... technically: I think the reason I enjoy a good peach so much is because it's so rare. Peaches at the grocery store suck, I'd rather have canned even. I only find good peaches like once a year, if that, so they're good + they're special so that makes them more good. If I could get them any time I want, I'd probably not care.

ANYWAY, this is obviously the prelude to telling you I got my hands on some good peaches (wink wink). I don't know how, but my dad found a deal on some good Georgia peaches. He emailed me first, saying he wasn't sure if he should get them, because there's like a half-bushel minimum, which is quite a lot of peaches. HA! I could eat a half bushel myself, much less splitting it three ways (him, me, my sister). I mean, it IS a lot of peaches. But like I said--a good peach is like crack to me. Only if I was like a crack addict and crack only existed once a year. So anyway I've only had 1 so far today, but I inhaled like 3 yesterday in one sitting. Yay, peaches!

In other news, I ditched the toastmasters thing, and I feel good about it. I won't feel good about it when I have to talk to them, but seriously, F them if they think I'm going to spend my Saturday driving around 5 hours for no good reason.

And thanks to that, I've gotten a LOT done today. My house needed cleaning very much, and with what I've done so far, I've managed to make it look like a regular person lives here, not some sort of un potty trained Rabbit/hobo combination. I feel good about that. I have some more cleaning left, but I cleaned the floors which had rabbit poop/litter all over them, and other objects that only really produced clutter but made it difficult to get to the rabbit poop/litter. Now all I really have to do is clean up some other clutter on tables etc.

007 is doing great. I thought trying to give him the pain killer medication would be a huge problem like holding him down and forcing it in, but they must've put something tasty in it because I can hold it out and give it to him, no coercion. He is active and eating, which are both good signs. I'm sort of tempted not to go to the vet follow up a week from now, because it's basically $70 more and a trip to Champaign just for them to be like, "yep, you're right, he's doing fine." I mean, I'm going to monitor the incision and his behavior and all, but I feel like I can gauge this particular situation on my own.

So today I saw the saddest thing in the world: a man riding a tandem bike by himself.

Actually, it wasn't sad, it was awesome. I just wanted to give you a chuckle at his expense before I reveal the best part of this story: I saw him with his little daughter on the bike earlier, heading towards the woods. When I saw him the second time, he was going the opposite direction, with just her sad little helmet hanging off the second handlebars.

Yay, murder! Anyway, I was in a park in Champaign killing time while 007 was being neutered at a vet's office down there. Yep, little girls being murdered, cute rabbits' testicles being chopped off, can this post get any more disturbing? Yes, because I'm about to tell you about my poop. I took 4 dumps the 4 hours I was down there. One in a porta potty, one in meijer, and two in walmart. Why a second time at Walmart? Surprisingly, their toilets were the least gross by a good margin. I have to say, however, that during my second shit there, there were some kids shouting about fish or something to their grandma for a whole long time, and I remember thinking, "007 is probably having a better time than I am in Champaign."

And yay, tomorrow I get to drive 2 & 1/2 hours to attend this BS toastmasters officer training thing, and then drive 2 & 1/2 hours back. I'm kind of mad.... I thought we needed it for this award that is a big deal or something, but I was reading the fine print on it today and it said only 4 officers need to be trained for the thing, and we've already got that many who went to the one I forgot to go to. I think it's fucked up to have to do it if there's no real reason. I mean, I don't even have to learn anything, all I do is set up the room for every meeting (which the previous person in that position already showed me how) But I've been promising up and down to go for a long time now, I stupidly accidently missed the one that was located in town, and I don't want to be a prick about it. I dunno, given how many digestive problems I had today, the choice might be taken out of my hands anyway.

My brain is completely fucking fried. I don't know if I've been playing too much Sims 3 or what it is but in the last few weeks I've fucked up so many times. Mostly just missing/being late for things. For instance:

--I missed a toastmaster meeting that I had literally been harassed via email about every day for a month, with intermittent reminders before that

--Late for a mentoring meeting

--COMPLETELY forgot about the 'Phew's birthday. It's even the nephew who I have his birthday pretty much memorized. Didn't buy him anything, didn't show up to his party, nothing.

--today I missed the pre-neuter checkup my rabbit needs. So the neutering appt. which was sposed to be tomorrow is now going to be the checkup, and the neutering time is now unknown. Again, this was fairly important, the sooner he gets his nads gone the sooner I can play with him again and not fear being sprayed, and the sooner I can completely potty train him so I don't have poop in my kitchen anymore/I can actually let him out into the rest of my house.

s anyone else sick of Green Day being political? Dude, you used to
make songs about masturbation. You think I'm going to listen to your
opinion on politics? That's like the Bloodhound Gang trying to tell
me how to fix the economy. And hey--you may say, "Amy, you are no
more mature than Green Day, you make masturbation jokes all the time!
Does that mean your opinion doesn't matter?"

Hell no, my opinion doesn't matter. I didn't even vote in the last
election and I'm not even ashamed! You think Obama wasn't going to
win fucking ILLINOIS? Even if he had died or something, he would've
won posthumously. By a LANDSLIDE. My state will never matter, but
doubly so when it's the state a democratic candidate is actually from.

Plus, aside from their lyrics, Green Day's music had just gone
downhill. Green Day is SHITTY EMO nowadays, and no one even
acknowledges it. They went straight from pop punk to emo, only
they're respected because their emo is about politics. You know what,
Billy Joe? You can suck Max Bemis' dick, he doesn't pretend to be what
he isn't and actually makes GOOD emo instead of BAD emo. Hell, you
can even suck the dude from Fall Out Boy's dick, he at least KNOWS
he's a whiney-ass girl.

1) Blogger: get your shit together! You are down 50% of the time I try to post anything lately.

2) Does it make me weird that every time I read about the Nestle cookie dough recall (it is fine but apparently some other cookie dough out there got e coli in it so they are doing a preemptive recall) that I think, "Mmmm... cookie dough. That sounds good. I should go out and get some."

3) 007 has developed the new unpleasant problem of spraying pee, EVERYWHERE. I was hanging out with him on a blanket (he loves blankets more than anything, he poops all over them to mark them so I'm thinking this is another marking issue) and he got it all over me. I seriously had to change my clothes and take a shower. Here would be a great time for a joke about golden showers, but my heart is not in it.

4) Had an awful time sleeping last night. I was up till like 5 am. Which I probably would've written this post then, if FUCKING BLOGGER HADN'T BEEN DOWN.

5) Work's been as good as work can be lately. I got my mid-cycle review, and I am an AWESOME employee. I know some people dread that sort of thing, but I love it because it's basically all compliments. I only really have one thing I need to work harder at, and I sort of knew about it already. The rest was everything awesome I do every day. It's nice to be reminded of that. My friend Todd from work and I have also had an inordinate amount of fun the last couple of days. He logged off to do something, and was sort of teasing like, "Amy? Are you going to tell on me? I need to be supervised." And I knew it was something valid to log off for and our supervisor wouldn't be mad or anything. But instead I was like, "Todd, I can't spend all my time policing you, I'm ACTUALLY working." Then we got into this thing about how my full time job should be watching him to make sure he does his job properly. I said I'd listen to all his calls and be all Simon Cowell on him (Yes, I despise American Idol as much as the next person but I'm not too proud to reference it). So for the last couple of days, we have kept saying things back and forth like, "Worst call ever," "Your typing makes me want to vomit," etc. to him in a horrible British accent. Also, I noticed my British accent is more on the Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins side of the horrible British accent spectrum than the Simon side of the horrible British accent spectrum, so I started adding references to Mary Poppins as well.

Another thing we were discussing is the fact we have to read out the agent's name when we answer the phone, but the agents get to choose how it's entered, and they sometimes put it in there a dumb way. In particular, a bunch of agents just put in their last name, so we say, "Thank you for calling _______'s after hours service, this is Amy speaking, in order to better assist you, may I have your name please?" and I feel really dumb just saying the last name, like the agent and I are in gym class together or something. Then we were joking around how we should say our last name too instead of our first name, I.E. "Thank you for calling Fitzpatrick's after hours service, this is Cox, what up?" So we've been taking great glee in calling each other by our last names as well as other staff members.

Hadn't talked to Nicole in like forever, she was nice enough to say hi to me on facebook:

Nicole HELLO
Amy Heeey
Nicole how is boomtown
Amy it's okay how's Spring?
Nicole im doing great. kinda sad for a minute over a stupid breakup. i am
giving myself till saturday then i am giving it up completly. but i
will see him saturday as his band is playing at my fav bar... and i go
there for the prom every year and i will be in a cute dress so... his
loss if he decides to act a fool
Amy awww he is a fool though you are the shit, man!
Nicole ugh i broke up with him then... i regreted it
then he was all "im not going to get hurt again" and i was all
"whatever dude.. i like you" and he and i probably should just stay
away from one another
Amy haha ah
Nicole all the sudden when i got single 3 of my besties got boys. i was like
WTF i need you girls
Amy aww well if you ever need me I'm always single
Nicole haha thanks
Amy we can go to vegas, buy a male hooker, and then not have the nerve to
do anything with him
Nicole at this rate i might have the nerve
Amy haha well I can come along just so you have an excuse to put a sock on the
door knob to warn someone that you're getting some
Nicole thanks amy thanks a lot
Amy you're welcome
Nicole you know since the Damn Noodles came here.. i have gone two times! only two it is across from my work!
Amy WHAT?? I'm disappointed in you
Nicole this damn diet has ruined my love
Nicole i gotta go read my cat power book and go to sleeeep
maybe i will make my stupid ex go to noodles with me once he realizes
he does love me speak of the devil he is online
Amy THE DEVIL IS ONLINE AND HE'S USING FACEBOOK

Awww.... best book ever! I hope they don't ruin it.

Well, another thing I had to do was talk to HR about FMLA (it's this law that says, among other things, if you have a chronic medical condition you may be able to get your absences sort of "not count" as far as promotions and stuff are concerned). I did that and was sort of irritated at the lady I talked to. The law states you have to see your doctor twice a year, and I typically see mine once. Yeah, I don't have as bad of colitis as some people have. But, unlike most people, it won't go into motherfucking remission. But I understand, the law's the law and I'm not going to argue with someone who has no control over it.

But why I got irritated at her was the way she put it, which was basically comparing it to someone who doesn't have to see a doctor twice a year because they only have a debilitating migraine once a year. Look, I have a debilitating migraine in my pants once a month on average, and have a slightly lower level of nuisance concerning that nearly every day. But since I tried every fucking medication available in college, many with horrible side effects, and found something that keeps me able to cope with it most of the time, I don't really go to see my doctor all the time just to say, "Hey, I'm doing about the same." She also said Crohn's was covered a lot of times, but not really colitis or IBS. That pissed me off because Colitis may be more unusual than Crohn's, but they're a lot alike, way more similar to each other than Colitis is to IBS. In fact, I've never known anyone to land in the hospital because of straight up IBS with no other complications, but there are tons of people (I admit, this doesn't include me) who've had colitis that had to. And a lot of people I know who have IBS can avoid problems if they just avoid certain foods. Not so with me. Yes, there are foods more likely to trigger problems than others, cheese and coffee come to mind there, but I can have a fucking saltine cracker or potato with nothing on it and feel miserable the whole day almost as easily. So if she had just said, "I'm sorry it's the law" or something I would not mind but I was kind of annoyed that she tried to explain the law to me in a manner that I felt belittled my problem.

This week has not been kind to me. It's been fraught with headaches & colitis issues galore. Headaches are the weather (it seems like they never go away), don't know what the colitis probs are. Plus it seems like there's more blood in my stool than usual (yes, I am just as disturbed as you are that that sentence correctly implies I have a "usual" amount of blood coming out of my anus) which worries me. If I can't get the blood to stop by Sun, I've decided I'm going to get my poop doctor to see me. Which, I am not looking forward to, because he'll probably want to do a colonoscopy. Which, unlike most people, I'm not that worried about having stuff put up my butt. They do it while I'm unconscious. It's the laxatives & endless water poos leading up to the event. So hopefully: I can get the blood issue resolved on my own.

This week's been busy for work-related development, which makes me fairly happy in general. In toastmasters, I'm one project away from my Competent Leader award. That last project is mentoring, which I had to do speeches to be eligible for. I did 2 speeches this week, so I should be eligible for that now. That also puts me only 5 speeches away from my Competent Communicator award. I was also elected to be an officer, which I just have to do for 6th months and I automatically get my Advanced Leader Bronze award. All this stuff looks really good for getting promoted.

Then, I've met with my mentor in Subrogation the first time this week. I really want to go into subrogation, so she's giving me information on what I have to do to make that happen, and could probably help me network or get some job shadowing in.

Then, I had 2 promotion interviews yesterday. To be honest: not sure how hot I did on either. But there's always a chance. The first was for sub, which as I said I really want to do. The second was for ACC which I don't want to do that badly, but IS a promotion and would be easier to be promoted from than my current position. I actually did worse on that interview, but there's like 6 positions available, so who knows.

What I really need to work on is my AIC (designation that makes you look good for claims, which both sub and the ACC job would be). You have to take 4 tests, one each quarter. I passed my first test but sat the last two quarters out because I was so busy with various other things (not to mention my laziness). It's a pain in the ass, because you do it all on your own time, but I want to look like I can be self motivated and follow things through. So hopefully in the next few days I'll start that up again for this quarter and kick the second test's motherfucking ass!

I wish I could talk to my supervisor a little more about some of this stuff (the interviews especially, she is a help with) but she's actually out sick right now. She needs her gallbladder out. I told her I had mine out and said how much I felt better afterwards. But I didn't tell her the whole process was the worst week of my life at the time (it might still be the worst, I have difficulties deciding if those actual physical problems I had then or the emotional problems I had last year were worse). I don't feel like this is a lie of omission though, because I had a lot of complications I already know she doesn't or likely won't have (the orig. misdiagnosis, difficult veins for them to find for IV's and blood tests, the vicodin allergies) which are what made the whole thing so miserable.

Gah, had to stay home today because of the poops. Which doesn't make me happy, it seems a few of the promotions I've gotten really close to lately have hit a wall when they check on my attendance. I have to look into getting them covered by that one law about chronic diseases. Can't do it with the old ones because you only have a certain time frame, but I should start doing it now. There's a lot of stupid paperwork though and I'm not 100% sure it's covered, as one part of it stipulates you have to go to the doctor for your disease at least twice a year, and I usually only go once unless there's a new development.

To be honest, I wish I could just have pictures of my poop on file with my absences, I think anyone would understand that. Granted, I have some gnarly looking poos even when I'm mostly fine, but today it came out this olive-colored water. You can't really argue that someone doesn't need to stay home when they've had that come out their butt. Thankfully, this particular episode doesn't hurt that much, it's just mainly constantly having go to very urgently. It was happening yesterday and the day before, too, so hopefully it blows over soon.

Oh another thing, is usually even when I'm feeling bad, my stomach doesn't make that many noises, but today and yesterday it's been going nuts. It's loud enough to startle my rabbit away.

Yesterday I got to see my grandpa and his woman. The only bad part is they were only passing through town for a few hours so I didn't get to see them very long. But it was good. I also hung out with my sister's family after that. The 'Phew was in a good mood, so we had fun. 'Phew two, as always, was in a bad mood.

After that I went grocery shopping. The thing is, I really need food, but whenever I go to the grocery store lately nothing really sounds good. So I spent like an hour or more, and sixty bucks on junk (various sugary drinks) and treats for 007. I got like one actual food item, bread.

Also, I meant to blog about this earlier, but RJ was in town and we hung out a little while. I find it gratifying that even after all this time, he keeps in touch, though so many other people don't. I have to admit--I'm also kind of jealous of him. He's not getting rich or anything, but he's actually making a living in Chicago doing what I love, videography. Whenever I talk to him, he always tries to convince me to move to Chicago too, but I don't think I'd be successful as he is. For one, he has access to all sorts of expensive video equipment I don't (I think through his dad but I could be wrong) so he can do a lot of free lance work. For two, he doesn't NEED to have health insurance like I do, so can do a lot of free lance work. For three, he didn't move up there when the economy was in the toilet like it is now. For four, he's not a total wuss like I am.

Anyway, we did have fun. I met a couple more of his friends, including a lady who wears a cape when she rides her bike and made an awesome dramatic soundtrack for the conversation we had where he was trying to persuade me to go to Chi town. I also got along quite well with his other friend, who works in the used bookstore downtown. Oh, I'm sorry uptown. Which, by the way, is a pain in my ass. It was almost impossible to get to the coffee house (where we ate lunch) because of all the construction. I did, however, get to re-enact "crane wars" from UCB in my mind.

Crazy dream:

The main thing that tied it all together was bees. My dad decided to buy a bee hive and raise bees. He didn't really care about gathering honey or wax or anything, he was doing it to help save the bees that are dying out. I thought he was full of it, because I've heard even the people who own bees have been having them die out. He apparently got the idea from this neighbor of his who took like 8 hours to explain to me why there is a difference between owning bees for profit and owning bees to help them but the conservative media just wouldn't tell anyone. Plus, he had a fake leg that was way skinnier than his real leg that he took off mid-conversation.

So we went to the grocery store to buy bees. At this grocery store, not only do they sell bees, but they sell "bumpy water bunnies," which were rabbits that were water dwelling, kind of like otters or seals. And yes, they were bumpy. They were cute in a kind of bulldog way, so ugly they were cute.

Then, later in the dream it was Father's day. And for some reason my dad got me a gift. Which was...... bee cookies. Apparently, bee cookies are things humans make so that they can put them in the yard and watch bees come to eat them. I thought it would be like flowers you could plant for bees, but nope, they were cookies. Though they were more like wafers. The package again had an angry reference to the conservatives, who placed restrictions on the sort of packaging bee cookies can be sold in. Anyway I was mad and started eating the bee cookies myself. They weren't that great but kind of vaguely sweet and bland otherwise.

The only other thing about this dream, not really part of the main bee narrative, was that my dad's basement was crazy. Like there was a room entirely dedicated to the movie 300 (done by another neighbor), Friday the 13th (done by a guy who worked at Borders with me) and another one I had done but I don't remember what the movie was. Also, he had a bajillion animals in the basement. Rabbits (I guess I have them on the brain), dogs, etc. But then also weird things like giant rabbits, giant ferrets, messed up looking dogs. I dunno, not as awesome as bee cookies.

I've been BUSY. I of course had the wedding last weekend. It was (mostly) good times. And the day after was the wedding brunch. Then this week I've hung out with my dad, then hung out with Juthar, then helped my dad with a garage sale, then hung out with Josh. Plus, of course, having another mouth to feed and another butt to clean up after.

Anyway, speaking of 007, he and I have been a lot happier together since the last update. I realized he only bites me if I'm holding him or keeping him from going somewhere he wants. The latter, is of course, not completely unavoidable as he's not getting onto the carpet till he's potty trained. But it's somewhat avoidable, and I don't hold him anymore unless I need to carry him somewhere. So not much biting. And he's started liking me more and hanging around to be petted now that he knows I won't grab him unless necessary.

He's gotten the seal of approval from all who've met him, i.e. my dad, Julie, Lothar, and Josh. Juthar in particular loves him, because they love this "trick" I can make him do, which is to basically make him lick things by petting him in a certain way. I'm not sure why he does it, it's not a rabbit trait mentioned in any of the stuff I've read, but it is funny.