Beth's Contradictory Brain

Good Advice

I did something today at the grocery store I haven't done in a while. I traumatized one of my fellow citizens.

On the cover of the new Oprah magazine, the top right blurb says "Better Sex" and the one right under that says "Mindless Munching".

Naturally, I put the two together and laughed and told Nerdstar - "hey Oprah says better sex through mindless munching, it just might work."

The lady in the next line over almost fell over. HA!

Adjusting

One adjustment we're having to make to living in a colder climate - wearing a lot more clothes around the house. I've spent most of my life hanging out around the house in a t-shirt and undies. Those days are apparently over until, say, June.

New Jersey and gay marriage

This is the best post I've seen on the matter, it's by Dale Carpenter who has done lots of good writing about the subject.

I found this particularly interesting:

Nevertheless, by the end of next April, New Jersey will join four other states – Massachusetts, Vermont, California, and Connecticut – in giving gay couples access to all of the rights of marriage under state law. All by itself this is a significant development. Of the 300 million people who live in the United States, about 54 million (over 1/6 of the nation’s total population) will live in a state where gay couples have access to the same rights and obligations as married straight couples. Of those 54 million, about 40 million will live in a state where this result was achieved entirely legislatively (California and Connecticut). All of that has happened in just the last six years. The experience we gain and the lessons we learn from protecting gay families under the law in those states will be difficult to ignore in the years to come.

I still call it complete bullshit that gay couples would have to up and move their lives to one of a few, very few, states in order to be able to have a legal relationship. Although, Nerdstar would never mind moving back to Jersey.

Brrrr

The snow didn't stay - thankfully - but the forecast doesn't call for temps over 40 for the next week or so.

I don't think the pets are at all happy with the new cold life. If the sun would at least come out it would warm the house some, but not knowing what the bills are going to run heating this place, I'm trying to keep it cheap. Nerdstar's about to start shopping for sweaters for Ramen. Little Man spends all day under the flannel sheets and down comforter.

And for reasons beyond our mere human brains, Ramen almost absolutely refuses to poop in his new back yard. I don't know if it's all the new smells or sounds or what, but he's totally distracted - and is the kind of dog that can't poop if distracted. Maybe it's the cold, but I don't think so, he usually just wants to come back to the house to escape whatever he senses out there.

The cats, on the other hand, really want to go outside, but we're hesitant to let them. They have their claws, and used to go outside in Austin all the time, but we worry anyway.

New Views

Here's the back yard 1 week ago.

Here's the back yard today. Yep, that's snow!

This is the whole set of the views from our front and back porch.

Reconnected

The cable and internet were turned on about 1:00 today, yippee!!

Now, if I can ever find the cable for the digital camera, I'll post some pics...

Things here are good, if really, really cold today. The forcast calls for snow tomorrow.

We've cooked dinner a couple of nights in a row and gotten 85% of our stuff unpacked. (I'd say at least 10% is going to stay packed for a lack of a place to put it.)

The neighborhood has mostly older people in it, but there are four or five kids who we've met and who have played with Ramen dog, so that's cool.

Not much else to report so far. I'll start my job search soon.

Disconnected

Nerdstar has to finally check out of her hotel today. We've kept the room so we could have tv and cable for a few more days. The cable company is scheduled for Monday afternoon - so we're going to be disconnected all weekend. I hope we survive!

Of course, there are movies, and unpacking, and exploring our new little city to keep us occupied.

The weather has been attrocious, I've seen the sun for maybe two hours in the past week. It's raining again today, will rain the weekend, and then snow showers start Monday. Fun!

Thankfully, I was able to take the motorcycle out and fill it up with gas and drive around our neighborhood area for a little while yesterday. And I had one of those perfect motorcycle riding experiences. It was a twisting two lane road with tons of colorful trees and leaves falling through the air. Sigh.

I'll post pics as soon as we've got internet at the house.

Here

Yesterday I was up at 1:30 a.m. trying to get the cats in their huge cage before they could hide under the bed. I finally got back to sleep about 4 and the alarm went off at 6:30 to get ready for the movers, who were fantastic and showed up at 7:30. Of course, the rain started about 1 a.m. and ended, oh, today.

I finally got on the road about 12:30 yesterday. I had to cancel the water service and turn in the cable box and turn in the apt. keys before I could leave town.

At about 6:30 last night I finally had to give up driving in the rain with all the big rigs and their splatter. I was exhausted.

I did at least get to watch Heroes in the hotel before trying to fall asleep!

I was going to get up and hit the road early this morning, but I had to wait for the rain to finally, finally stop. Ugh.

So after driving another 9 or so hours today through some of the really beautiful parts of this country - I'm finally in our new town. I saw the little house we're renting. It's cute, but little. Not sure where we'll put everything. It'll be lots of fun looking for a house to buy in Jan/Feb when there are ? feet of snow on the ground.

Well, my brain and body are fried. More to follow soon...

Movin Right Along - Muppets

I'm posting these on Sunday instead of Monday because I'll be loading the cats in the car and hitting the road in the a.m.

"Movin' Right Along" video

Movin' right along in search of good times and good news,
With good friends, you can't lose,
This could become a habit.
Opportunity knocked once, let's reach out and grab it,
Together we'll nab it.
We'll hitch-hike, bus, or yellow cab it.

Movin' right along, foot-loose and fancy free.
Gettin' there is half the fun; come share it with me.
Movin' right along (doog-a-doon, doog-a-doon)
We'll learn to share the load.
We don't need a map to keep this show on the road.

Movin' right along we found a life on the highway,
And your way is my way, so trust my navigation.
California here we come, that pie-in-the-sky land.
Palm trees and warm sand, though sadly we just left Rhode Island.

Movin' right along, hey, L.A., where've you gone?
Send someone to fetch us, we're in Saskatchewan.
Movin' right along (doog-a-doon, doog-a-doon)
You take it, you know best.
Hey, I've never seen the sun come up in the West.

Movin' right along, we're truly birds of a feather,
We're in this together, and you know where you're goin'.
Movie stars with flashy cars and life with the top down.
We're stormin' the big town.
Yeah! Storm is right, should it be snowin'?

Movin' right along, do I see signs of men?
Yeah, "welcome" on the same post that says "come back again."
Movin' right along, foot-loose and fancy free.
You're ready for the big time, is it ready for me?

Movin' right along
Movin' right along
(repeat to fade)

Rainy Sunday Afternoon Fun

This is some funny stuff!

Catherine Tate - Are You Gay, Sir?

Catherine Tate- What Are You Wearing?

There are tons more... check em out.

Found Via Alice In Texas

Movin Right Along

I've got the Muppet Movie song in my head.

Apparently, everything has fallen into place. Nerdstar found a decent little house to rent and has scheduled the movers for bright and early Monday morning!

Today was my last day at work. I'm not at all sad to be leaving Kansas City, but I am sad to be leaving my job. It's the best job I've had in many years. It was weird driving home thinking that was the last time I'll see that place.

I've gotten, I'd say, 90% of our stuff packed, but man, this last 10% is the hard part. And I think I'm going to run out of boxes. (Yes, I saved almost all of the boxes from the last move.)

Monday morning is going to be hectic. I've got to get up early and get the two cats into their huge cage before the movers get here and/or they decide it's time to hide under the bed. Then, after the movers pack everything in their truck, I've got to do all the little stuff, like turn in the apt. keys, cancel the PO box and forward the mail, cancel the cable, electic, water, and gas. Fortunately, half of that can be done by phone.

Then it's the two day drive to my new, unseen, home.

Nerdstar's in charge of getting everything up and running at the new place, but I'll be in charge of what goes where and unpacking.

I'm not sure how long before we'll get internet set up at the new place, but we'll post what we can when we can.

Good and Bad

Well, Nerdstar is having 0 luck finding a place to rent to live in so far. All hope isn't dead yet, but will be soon. Then I guess we might have to move to plan B - buying. Which is kinda scary when you've never done it before.

One bright spot is that so far the people have been really, really nice to her! And the little town has a Wal-Mart, PetCo, Circuit City and even a little movie theater - none of which I was sure it would have. Woohoo.

I think the cats are really happy to have the dog gone. On the other hand, the poor dog is almost despondent now that Nerdstar has kidnapped him and taken him away from me :-)

I've got two more days of work - which is mostly good. The stress of "being homeless" and work has gotten to me.

Time After Time

In honor of the concert friday night...

Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick,
And think of you
Caught up in circles confusion -
Is nothing new
Flashback - warm nights -
Almost left behind
Suitcases of memories,
Time after -

Sometimes you picture me -
I'm walking too far ahead
You're calling to me, I can't hear
What you've said -
Then you say - go slow -
I fall behind -
The second hand unwinds

Chorus:
If you're lost you can look - and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you - I'll be waiting
Time after time

After my picture fades and darkness has
Turned to gray
Watching through windows - you're wondering
If I'm OK
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time -

Chorus:
If you're lost...

You said go slow -
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds -

Chorus:
If you're lost...
...Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time

Life is a highway

Up until this morning moving hasn't really seemed very real. Oh sure, we've got a spare bedroom full of big boxes, but those can be ignored.

But this morning, I sent Nerdstar and Ramen off into the great unknown. Unknown because we really don't have any idea what the place is like, or where we'll be living exactly, or much else for that matter.

The good part is she has great driving weather today and tomorrow, and it's going to be a beautiful drive this time of year!

I've got another week of work, that I'm probably not going to be in the mood for, but I guess it'll be a good distraction. There are still things to be packed, but it's mostly books, cds and dvds. I'm leaving the fun stuff like dishes and breakables for the movers. I think Nerdstar would let the movers pack everything if it were up to her. But I like knowning what's in each box so when I unpack I'll know where to find things.

It feels weird, but not a bad weird, to see where life takes us. It's certainly never predictable.

Cyndi Lauper

That's who we went to see in concert tonight. And I have to say it was one of the best concerts EVER. I'm not sure the power of her voice is ever captured on her records - but I'm also not all that familiar with her records, other than the obvious stuff. She had an amazing band with her.

For the encore, I'm pretty sure she threw out the set list and ended up doing some really amazing music with her band, and then had the opening band come on and get their instruments and they all just jammed.

There's nothing better than hearing great musicians play live.

Update: Cyndi blogs about the KC show here.

?

So what is it this tv season? There seem to be several shows about bigger themes. Obviously there's Jericho and Heroes, then there's The Nine and Six Degrees, maybe even The 4400 could be included. Shows about life after big events, shows about how we're all interconnected.

Are these the after effects of 9/11 finally showing up in our common entertainment? Or are there always shows like this and I'm just imagining it?

Have No Fear

If, by chance, my site isn't available tomorrow, it's simply because, for the fourth year in a row, Hosting Matters has f'ed up my domain renewal, in spite of sending me an email saying it's paid.

In other words, yep, I think this will be year five of blogging... What other blogger of such a length of time can boast fewer than 50 hits a day?? (No, not those kind of hits.)

Progress

We had a good weekend. The place looks like a tornado hit it, but I think we're slowly making progress with packing. Nerdstar has four huge boxes of clothes and shoes. (Well, ok, maybe 1/4 of the clothes are mine, too - you know how lesbians share clothes.)

She's making a little progress on things today. The moving company is going to come Wed. and do their estimate thingy, and they said the week we're looking at should be fine.

So far not much luck on finding an apartment that's available and/or takes pets. Not sure how that's going to work out.

I'm starting to wish I could get out of my last two weeks of work, but I just don't think I can.