Thinking of Y'all, East Coast Pixies

The winds here in the Mitten State are pretty serious and I know it pales in comparison to what you all are experiencing.  May you have stable power, enough water and food, and candles to weather the storm and any resultant surge.  I'm sending you some extra chocolate cake (I can do gluten-free and vegan, too) because I think that there is very little that can't be improved with a good slice of chocolate cake.

The Pixies are all here to support those with non-weather related whines too. 

Stormzilla Edition

Yikes!  Sending love, umbrellas, sandbags, and emergency supplies to East Coast Pixies who might be affected by Sandy the Superstorm.  Crossing fingers that it turns out to be less than feared -- but Pixie Central recommends preparing anyway.  (Before everybody else shows up to buy the last of the TP, flashlights, food that does not require cooking, gasoline, and jugged water.  Don't forget the duct tape and batteries!  Keep those cell phones charged!)  xoxo

Other parts of the continent have been testing out this "rain" thing.  Esperanza chose to avoid the wet T-shirt contest when rain showed up during a walk.  Debangel recommends industrial-strength workout undergarments for such occasions.  Amy notes that rain means "puddles and damp spots" in her ancient car, which has some of us nodding knowingly.

But the Mop Mop Mopping on Heaven's Floor Award goes to Sue, whose sanctuary has a bit of a leakage problem even though "the roof was patched just a few years ago."  Yes, my friends; she did bucket duty this week.  And no, she did not return to re-position the buckets in the dark of night.  We agree with the basic proposition that to every thing there is a season, and it looks like this (paraphrasing Monty Python) is an ex-roof.  Therefore, the Cluestick Posse will have a few words with those who need to see the light about [or through!] the roof.

Sarah wins the Insomniac Award, joining other distinguished members of the club.  This award includes a dignified toast all around, since she discovered a certain boost in restfulness from a tad of gin.  ;) 

The coveted Elevated Risk of Mullet Award goes to Amy, who complains:  " Omg, my daughter will not stop talking."  And Cheers, too, on the sudden progress of the Tater regarding potty training.

The Rosie the Riveter Memorial "We Can Do It" Award goes to Liz, for local political organizing in a time of need.  As previously mentioned on this program, the Pixie Party strongly supports Liz to clean things up in government.

Amy wins the Grace Under Academic Pressure Award for diligently meeting with her students in a hallway -- because the highly inconvenient conference room was already taken, and she's got students, dammit! -- thus exposing her to hallway conversation even more depressing than anything her students might turn in.  Sigh.

Esperanza wins the Marital Travel Challenge Award, with her astute observation that "There is no activity that makes me like my spouse less than packing for a car trip. Sigh. We will make it."  Hear, hear.

The Let There Be Peace on Earth Award goes to Debangel, who is setting off on a family trip that includes her new hubby, her two kids, and the father of one child -- all to visit the Good Ex's extended family.  Woot!  Kudos to the lawyer who is moving things along with Jerkface Ex (who for some reason, is not invited on the outing).  Once again, Jerkface has earned an all-expense paid Cludsticking, which we anticipate will be supplemented by the Court in due course.

Much love to Amy, on the loss of her grandmother-in-law.  And many hugs about the family dynamics.

May everyone's unbloggables resolve.  May all the colds and other ick go away.  Cupcakes to everyone!

Oh, oh, it's raining again...

We've had a long dry spell, but it poured steadily all night, and rain is supposed to continue for 3 days.  So, end of fire season in my area (we just passed the anniversary of the Oakland hills firestorm, so that's a relief), and the mountains are expecting a bundle of snow.  Yay!

Demonstrating once again my personal talents, I left the sunroof slightly open on my car.  Whoopsie.  (A person gets spoiled when it does not rain for 6 months or so.)

Friday was a wonderful party for a fabulous colleague and mentor, who is retiring.  Don't know how this is possible, but I've known her 23 years.  When things got knotty and we were on big fat deadlines, she would wear red cowboy boots to work and announce, "I'm in a shit-kicking mood today."  Brilliant and kind.  I wish I could be her when I grow up, but will settle for all that she taught and shared with me.  It was also really terrific to see a lot of friends and colleagues from over the years, catch up and trade stories and laugh.

Kitchen Anti-Whine:  My beloved fixed the oven!  It was just the mumble-mumble part.  And he got to it promptly, all things considered: a few months of using a toaster oven was all well and good, but a turkey was not going to fit there, or in the crock-pot, either.

Sports report:  I hear the Giants are hoping to win the playoff thingy tonight, but my prediction is a rainout.  The A's (favorites amongst those with sports interests in my family) lost their playoff, so at least we can be sure there won't be another Bay Bridge World Series and Earthquake, like '89. 

Pet news:  Senior cat Persephone has decided that the change in the weather means she MUST sleep on top of me.  Which is kind of sweet, except then the hot flashes demand that she NOT.  She is coping with the disappointment by choosing the spot directly in front of my computer monitor for her daytime "just want to be close to you" spot.  Junior cat Spot has been over-grooming again, so his hindquarters are somewhat bereft of fur; but he is still able to scare Junior dog Cora with the hiss and puffing out what fur he has left. 

What's the news at your place?

Awards of Consequence

Such a week of award-worthy whines, pixies!

Sue gets the Bucket Brigade Award, for catching raindrops in the church. (I have so been there. Blech.)

JenR gets the Too Much, Universe Award, for post-surgery worries about baby boy, a car breakdown, and the fireplacing house that won't sell.

kathy a and debangel get the Take That, Dr. Google Award for some medical things that turned out not to be as big as Dr. Google thought they were. Glad you are ok, you two.

JenR and Sarah get to be friends in real life, which is an award in itself.

The Style Award makes a return this week, to kathy a, for her medical haikus.

The Cluestick Posse is gathering all of its members to descend on debangel's ex. For being horse poop. And I know whereof I speak on horse poop.

And, our very own Liz gets the coveted Elevated Risk of Mullet Award this week, for this heartfelt sentiment: . "Take his ass(ets) to court and make them give you his nut sacks full of retirement funds."

We shall all pretend that we are neighbors, and are partying together at Sarah's neighborhood Halloween party, introverts taking breaks as necessary.

'Til next week, pixies.


~~~~~~~~~~~
ETA:  Hosts are not allowed to prize themselves, so I'm using my superpowers to recognize the Amazing Esperanza, who signed off thusly, winning our hearts: 
"Stinky and Sweaty Esperanza and the Baboos who Played with Horse Poop." 
~~ k.a.

Whining of the Trivial Variety

Things I am spending too much time pondering:

* The state of my hair: its rapidly-increasing gray population (thanks, genes and too much stress) and its boring haircut. A new style? But what?

* Whether to go to a semi-important meeting. Would have to take the Baboos.

* The rapidly-increasing toy population in our household. (thanks, surgery-having Baboo and birthday-having Baboo)

* What to eat at my next meal.

* whether "niggle" is a word. I used it in a sermon, but as I said it, it sounded like I made it up.

What are your whines this week, pixies? Trivial or consequential, we take them all.

The Votes Are In!

The Pixie Nation has spoken, and it's a landslide!  LIZ for president!  Or at the very least, a cabinet position with robust cluestick authority.  That ought to solve some problems in D.C.

These suggestions thanks to Debangel, who wins the coveted Elevated Risk of Mullet Award for: We should at the very least have Liz in the Cabinet. I've met her, she's tiny- she'll fit ;-)

Neighbor Lady wins the respected Addition to the Lexicon Award for suggesting "drear" as a noun, with full endorsement of the Lexicon Caucus.

The Wonders of Geography Award goes to Miranda, who lives north of a piece of Canada and therefore feels free to adopt Canadian Thanksgiving, arriving as it does at a more sensible time for a harvest festivity.   Sue, representing Canada, welcomes her. 

Old Skool Awards go to Sarah, who keeps breaking glassware; Miranda, whose noble health objectives are being undermined by numerous parties;  and to Neighbor Lady, who has a code ib da nobe.  Classic whines! 

Amy wins the Excellence in Shopping Award, for steering Sarah in the direction of sturdy and environmentally friendly glassware.  (We are tempted to set her loose on the holiday gift list, should we ever get around to making one.)

Nominated by Sue, our Liz wins the Epic Whine of the Universe Award because her stoooopid job made her miss a rally with Michelle.   Runner-up is Elizabeth, who had to miss a Nats playoff game because, you guessed it, she had to work. 

Debangel, our newlywed, wins the Romantic Getaway Award!

The Swift Recovery Award goes to Esperanza's Sweet Baboo, who got right back in the swing of things after losing the giant cast and getting a more petite one.  Yay!

The Virtue is Its Own Punishment Award is won by Elizabeth, whose fitness run was rudely interrupted when she fell in a ditch and wrecked her knee. 

JenR wins The Curse of the Early Riser Award, reminding us all that when the waterpark does not open until 10 a.m., there are many hours of "Mom, I'm bored" in the hotel room. 
  
As always, this community pitched in generously with thoughts on various problems.  The Cluestick Posse is hereby dispatched to deliver messages to misbehaving ex-husbands and other deserving parties.  Here's hoping some things calm down.  :)

See you next week, when Esperanza will be the master of ceremonies!

Pre-Holiday Holidays

Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian Pixies!  And Happy Columbus Day, or alternatively Indigenous People's Day, to those on the U.S. side of the border.  Tomorrow is Lief Erickson Day, which my friend's dad insists we really ought to celebrate since he arrived several hundred years before Columbus. 

None of these are holidays in my state, so I had to go to the dentist and get my teeth cleaned gums poked.  No lectures about gum disease, this time!  Liz will be proud; during the traditional chatty time with my dentist, conversation drifted a certain way, and I talked him up about a ballot initiative.  Think I got a voter!

So anyway, holidays.  We have already gone through several jumbo bags of Halloween candy at my house.  It is possible that any trick-or-treaters who show up (there are usually 0-3) will be stuck with the candy my daughter does not like (which is otherwise popular candy).  Win-win! 

Meanwhile -- some local stores setting up their giganto Christmas aisles of decorative stuff in September.  Are we supposed to pick up a string of lights every week, when we check off the staples, so that all our homes make Vegas look sedate by the actual holiday?  Bah, humbug.

Thanksgiving is shaping up, once again, to be a favorite because it is all about food and family.

It's not a holiday, but the national election is in 4 weeks, and I am intensely interested in the outcomes (national, state, local, + ballot measures).  But I want it over with already.  This is a real pushme-pullyou situation:  the endless campaign news is exhausting, but I can't stay away from it.  And I want everybody to vote!  But make your vote informed!  

What's going on with you?

Awards! Zen Through ClueSticks

This will be brief since I have a kitty in need of love and we all know that kitties rule the roost.

It seems like all of will feel calmer with some proper rain attire (Liz), some peace and quiet (esperanza, Sarah in the very near future, Sue), a little less alone time (debangel), and Cluestick Posse to intervene in our professional lives and to encourage a higher caliber of discourse and evidence of greater compassion among a certain subset of political candidates.   

Wished we all lived closer because debangel has great blankets to snuggle under while we all sip tip and Tater's special chock-watt cupcakes wiff sprinkles.

Hope everyone has a great week!  Happy long weekend to those of you who follow the federal holiday schedule (like me!). 

Sanity SWOT* Analysis - WW Style

Strength: I have the wisdom to know that lashing out during high pressure times is neither helpful nor productive.  Come on, let's look at your project file.  What can we do here?  (ie This was supposed to be done a month ago, you miserable abuser of oxygen, and I hate that I had to hear about the impending disaster from the old bad axe who keeps the rumor mill afloat.  I will deny your request for Christmas Eve off MWAH HAHAHAHA)

Weakness: That is still my first inclination.   (Serenity now?)

Opportunity: Countless opportunities to practice good leadership/parenting/data-entry/coaching skills.

Threat:  So little time. 

I would like to head up a project where I can harness the power of the collective Cluesticking Posse to address: lying campaign ads, politicians in general for allowing sequestration to most likely occur, children who eschew teethbrushing, showering, firm bed times and homework, coaches who 3/4 through a a season decide that the team must sell crap or pay a buyout to avoid selling crap (I didn't sign an agreement to pay it so I WON'T!!!), terrible exes, voice mail, and the evil/clueless/sub-optimally medicated for severely personality disordered individuals that inhabit the professional world.

How are all of you?

*For those of you in neither the corporate world nor the quasi-corporate wanna-be world, SWOT is a kind of risk assessment tool that is basically useless, in my opinion, but kind of funny when used to diagram whines.

ETA: While less intense in its fury, I hope you don't mind seeing it a second time.  Ahem.  Bring on fall!!!