It has been a seriously long week, y'all. We had a big client workshop yesterday which we spent the beginning of the week getting ready for (I was working at 10 PM on Sunday). The workshop went well, but it was draining. I skipped book club in favor of going home and taking a 2 hour nap.

Draining as that may have been, it was also satisfying. I finally feel like I'm contributing, rather than just doing whatever I can find to keep me billable. Or being the department firefighter.

So, I am getting a new phone today. I am also planning on changing my calling plan. Should I go ahead and change my phone number as well?

It would give me a local number, but would require me to memorize a new number. Also, maybe I forget to give everyone my new number (excluding the ones I didn't "forget" to.) What then?

See, I am confused. So internet, what would you do? (Mind you, I've had the same number for about 5 years now.)

1. Sold beer at the NASCAR race.
2. Got hit on by two rednecks as I was trying to leave. Who were friends, and apparently taking turns with the hitting on me. Good times.

A Wikihow entry called "How to Make a Cat Bed from an Old Sweater" was linked to on my google home page today. I present to you another way, which can be accomplished in two steps.

1. Take sweater out of closet/drawer/whatever.
2. Throw sweater on floor.

Note: This works even better if you pretend that you might want to wear the sweater again.

I've updated my About page. I will update "100 things" soon.

It's gray and gloomy.

Well I do believe that professionally this was the right move for me, personally I'm not so sure. I miss the people at my old office. They aren't as fun here. I miss my cube with the window. Not only does the guy behind me have a window, he shuts his blinds every day because he doesn't want to look outside. Also, he makes noises all day long. If you've ever met an 8-year-old boy you know what I mean. I can't find my iPod headphones, so I can't drown him out. I just found them. Tomorrow, I'll bring my iPod and I won't have to listen to him.

Also, WTF is up with my co-worker who is currently on a conference call? On speakerphone. In his cube. I don't make you listen to my conference calls, guy.

I hate, hate, hate where I live. I miss my little house. The place is adequate, but it's nothing special. It's an apartment complex, so the population is transient and there is no sense of community. The AC is terrible. I have to run fans upstairs and still I sweat because it's so goddamned humid. It will be really fun when I am running the clothes dryer this summer. That's right, the dryer is upstairs. It's a stackable washer/dryer and holds about 6 things. I'm really pissed that I have to go to the laundromat to wash some blankets and a quilt. I could have washed them in my old washer. The only redeeming quality the place has is that it's close to my sister's. I can get out of the lease early, but it will cost me a month's rent. So, I cannot wait until next April.

Of course, I'd love to be able to buy a house then, but I don't see it happening.

I also have a few people I'd like to call up and tell off.

And I hate all of my work clothes.

The fact that I only got three hours of sleep last night may have exacerbated this.

I did sleep some last night. I've still got a Tylenol PM hangover. (I can't take a prescription pill at 0030, but I can take 1 Tylenol PM). There were thunderstorms, so Jasper was a bit freaked out.

I've got my iPod on; I have not heard my co-workers yet today.

I'm still not thrilled with my place, but I am planning on waiting out the lease.

Headed down to Raleigh this weekend. We had tickets to Avenue Q, which you must go see if the tour is coming anywhere near you. Or you are going to NY. (Well, actually, read the synopsis first. There were a few "Well, I never!" walkouts at intermission.) (And seriously, not appropriate for children.) I laughed the whole time, even when I knew I was going to get elbowed. Like it's my fault the puppet said word-for-word something I said two months ago. Puppets need to get their own lines.

There was also shoe shopping and wine tasting. I met a friend for lunch today then headed back up, making it back before the storms it.

I'm starting the week with a much better outlook.

I've updated my 100 Things About Me list after Bud IMed me all the things in it that are no longer true. Apparently, he must fill the next year's mocking quota before he leaves for Iraq, so he's not got much time left.

As an extra-special bonus, here are 20 more things:

1. Although my new vet told me that it's statistically unlikely, both of my cats have chronic diseases.
   
2. This makes them uninsurable.
   
3. I don't like to wear shorts.
   
4. .I spend the summer in skirts.
   
5. I used to want to have kids.
   
6. Now, I'm not sold on the idea.
   
7. I can't even decide if I want a dog.
   
8. My dream horse is a Percheron/Thoroughbred cross.
   
9. I prefer to live in an area where I can walk to restaurants, shops, and the library.
   
10. Right now, I'm in the suburbs.
    
11. I often get called “Jennifer” at work.
    
12. I am the shortest of four siblings.
    
13. I am addicted to Sudoku.
    
14. And crossword puzzles.
    
15. I like citrus scents.
    
16. I don't generally wear perfume.
    
17. I hate washing my car.
    
18. I also hate when it's dirty.
    
19. I am trying to buy greener.
    
20. I love my DVR. I will not go back to having to watch TV shows when they air.
    

• I was informed yesterday that Target can't "give out" quarters. I just wanted to get a roll. I would have give you $10 for it. (BTW, the cashier (who had had difficulty making change for the person ahead of me) told me that a roll of quarters was $25. Oh, sweetie, no.) I turns out that the bank in Ukrop's is open untl 7, and they were happy to give me a roll of quarters.
• The teller discussed the awfulness of laundromats with me. I was going to go and wash blankets and my mattress pad yesterday, but them I remembered that I had to lock the boys up in the guest room today (pest control. They'd take Orion.) so I wanted to wash the bedspread after that. So, I'll be going this afternoon. I am that lame.
• To get both boys into the guest room easily, chase Jasper up there. Orion will follow all, "What's he doing? I want to do it too! Hey, why are you closing the door?"
• This weekend I am planning on finally checking out the Farmer's Market. I love Farmer's Markets.
• I lost my address book in the move. I've got a new one ready to go, so please send your address. I've even got plans to send Christmas cards this year. E-mail, in case you haven't got it, is watergirl.micheleATgmail.com

Well, the farmer's market was lame. There were three produce vendors. The rest of the vendors? Flea market. I want produce at a farmer's market. If I want flea market stuff, well, I'll go to a flea market.

Anyway, there's another market I'll try. But not this coming weekend, as I'll have a full house. Including people sleeping in the living room.

I do need to start getting outside more. One idea I have is to see if TRgirl will let me take Monkey for some evening walks. Kickball starts on June 10, so that will help as well.

I also ought to vacuum my car before vegetation starts growing in the dirt on the floor.

Oh, and my very very good, most excellent friend was able to rearrange things so that I am able to go to Bud's departure ceremony. (I did have a prior commitment.) The least exciting part of that is the road trip with the one-year-old.

First of all, Monkey's first birthday party is this weekend. (His actual birthday is Thursday Wednesday (I knew the date, I swear. It's the days of the week that mess me up!), but see the part where he'll be 1. Doesn't care.) Bud and his fiancee will be coming up and staying with me (they are the ones on the living room floor). It's been a while since I've seen Bud, so I was excited. Except that he IMed me this today: "Can wait to see you on Saturday." I can wait to see you too, then.

Those of you who have been long time readers may have picked up on the fact that I like history. I love to tour battlefields. Now, I don't meet a lot of people who also enjoy that sort of thing. Which is why I'm so excited that Robin is coming this weekend. After dragging her to the birthday party I'll have to make it up to her. I am not sure if you are aware of this, but this area saw a lot of activity during the Civil War. (Might have something to do with Richmond being the Capital of the Confederacy.) The biggest problem will be deciding what to do. Richmond National Battlefield Park has 13 sites. OK, two are close right now, but that still gives us a lot to do. And then there's The American Civil War Center, which I've heard good things about. And Pamplin Historical Park. And that's just the tip of it all.

She will clearly have to come back.

Friday night Robin drove up. Bud was supposed to drive down and arrive very late (or early), but as he was still sitting at the train station, 2 hours from his house, at 7 PM, he didn’t really feel up to making the 6 hour drive to my house after that. He came down Saturday morning. We all attended the event of the year, Monkey’s first birthday party.

Robin and I went on a Canal Cruise that night. The whole canal thing was something I didn’t know much about (meaning, the canal system in Richmond. I am familiar with canals in general.) and it turned out to be very interesting.
Saturday we headed out to the Richmond National Battlefield and the American Civil War Center. Lots of reading there. When we went into the museum, the City’s water rescue team was starting a river rescue. When we came out 2 hours later, they were still there. (Everything turned out OK). We hit another Civil War site (Chimborazo Hospital) and then headed to dinner and to see Indiana Jones.

Sunday we went to the botanical gardens, met some friends for lunch, and then checked out more of the City, including the Hollywood Cemetery. We were afraid we’d never get out. Turns out, all kinda looks the same.

So, that was my weekend. How about you?

Y'all do remember that time I was told I had endocarditis, right? On Tuesday I went to the doctor because I'd had swelling in my lymph nodes for a week, and it was starting to get painful. The doctor checked me over for all of 3 minutes and referred me to a specialist.

When I called the specialist? Fertility Clinic. Which, not actually my problem. I have a fairly good idea why I'm not pregnant right now.

I called the Doctor back and learned that she had been trying to send me to an OB/GYN or a breast surgeon. (The swollen lymph nodes are in my underarms.) (It occurs to me that some of y'all may not actually want these details.)The secretary at the office decided to give me the name of an Endocrinologist.

I called TRgirl, who managed to give me the name of an actual OB/GYN. I saw another Doctor in that practice yesterday. He checked me over and asked me about a bug bite that I have on my right boob. (Damn v-neck shirts). Turns out that, although this doesn't explain the swelling from a week ago, I have quite the skin infection around the bite. (Skin infection on my boob. I am the sexy.) I really think the first doctor should have caught it. I mean, it didn't occur to me, but I'm not actually a doctor, and the large, spreading, warm redness didn't raise any red flags. But really, the first doctor probably should have seen it.

Anyway, I am now on antibiotics. Not as massive as cat bite antibiotics, but still. (Oh, and they should take care of whatever other infection was present.)

Ok, it's not as bad as the time that Goose was diagnosed with pneumonia when he really had appendicitis, but still...

I'm thinking about buying a bike. It seems Richmond has quite a few trails, some of them near work. In theory, I could throw the bike and a change of clothes in the car and go from here.

Of course, I had a bike for 3 years. I never rode it because it needed work, and I just never got it fixed. (In fact, before I moved, I gave it to Stew.) But now I want one. So, I'm really thinking I should buy a used one, but for obvious reasons I don't want to get one needing work. I don't want a mountain bike- I'm thinking more road/touring. But, if I want to take it on some of the gravel trails, will that work?

I don't know. It's quite the conundrum.

Oh! And also, I now have a set of golf clubs. So, I need to learn how to golf. I'm thing the first step is lessons a a driving range. Thoughts?