1. Today is the birthday of my college roommate from my freshman year. She died over ten years ago of cystic fibrosis. In her too-short life, she lost her twin sister to the same disease as well as underwent a double lung transplant that prolonged her life by several years. She was both an incredibly loving and giving person, though sometimes difficult to live with (but, I doubt she found me very easy to live with either, for what it’s worth). She quoted movie lines like no one I had ever met before and had a love for ABBA that… never did ever make sense to me. And when she got upset – boy, paybacks! One morning, after a disagreement the night before, she awoke me and my other roommate to Billy Joel’s “Don’t Ask Me Why” — at a blaring volume. And now when I hear it, I think of her and smile (No, I wasn’t smiling that morning. I think pillows were thrown). Cystic fibrosis can be an ugly disease and though she lived far longer than was ever expected, she died too young. Thoughts of you today, K.
2. PROJECT RUNWAY premieres tonight. Ahem.
3. Pumpkin got a Barnes & Noble gift card for her birthday. This morning, after dropping The Princess off at gymnastics practice, I took Pumpkin to B&N. I was wanting to take her without her sis because I didn’t want to buy books – just wanted to let Pumpkin use her card – and not have hurt feelings because one child was bent out of shape because the other was getting something. Well, Pumpkin would have used her whole GC on her sister if I’d have let her. I didn’t. I let her choose a book for The Princess, but steered her towards spending the rest on herself. I felt conflicted about that – like I shouldn’t be dissuading her from being generous to others – but I’m glad that her heart is in that place.
4. My nails are getting long. That’s how I know it’s REALLY, REALLY time for me to pick up my guitar again.
5. I hate earbuds. I’ve broken more earbuds than I have even tried to count. Anyone able to recommend some decent headphones with good sound quality that will take me longer than five minutes to break.
6. Every time I go to Starbucks the barista asks, “Soy, right?” Um no. But I think she accidentally made my cappuccino with soy the other day. And it was good. Can that be right?
7. Just over a month until school starts. That’s kind of exciting, right? In Michigan, there’s a law that school can’t start until after Labor Day (to keep tourism going for an extra few weeks). It’s a stupid law, but so be it. I’m looking forward to school supply shopping. Wonder if I can sneak some Sharpies in the cart…just for me.
8. An agreement that was supposed to help me and the mom of one of my daughter’s gymnastics teammates – to share carpooling duties has turned into one of those things that reminds me why I never have made friends with someone for the sole fact that we have kids that are friends. Ugh. The past four times I have tried to pick her daughter up – she either hasn’t been there, or has said, “Nope, my kid isn’t going.” Now, why you would spend that much for gymnastics and NEVER send your kid to practice is beyond me – but I finally gave up on being nice. Probably a week or two later than I should have. Didn’t attempt to pick up her daughter today. I feel like a jerk, but odds are, they weren’t home anyway.
9. I finished the novel The Kitchen Daughter last night. I absolutely recommend it. So so good.
10. I asked this on Twitter last night – but in case you didn’t answer: What is your favorite part of a s’more?
Where You’ll Find Me