Archive: June 2010

I love you, man!

Okay, you guys. You remember a long time ago when I mentioned that I wrote a warm-fuzzy bomb of epic proportions but saved it to my drafts, and in the cold light of (sober) reality (i.e. the next morning) I decided against posting it? That was back in May of 2009. I post it today because a) it still applies, over a year later; and 2) I thought you’d get a giggle out of it because, well, HOLY HELL, I must have been buzzing fit to beat the band. Still, I mean every word! I just generally choose a more subtle, toned-down way to express my feelings for y’all. Love ya! Mean it!

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This is the blog version of an, “I love you, man!” after two beers and a really big shot of something potent.

I just have to express to you, my lovely readers, how much I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOU GUYS. Your blog entries make me laugh, cry, and think, sometimes all in the same post. You leave me comments that make me crack up, and I know that you really, really get me. I may have only met a handful of you “in real life”, but the friendships I have with you are so very valuable, and so very dear to me, that physicalities mean nothing to me in the face of true, real, kindredship.

Heather – Lovey, you don’t even know the special place you hold in my heart. You are my sister in spirit, and I wish everything good for you because YOU ARE DUE. Your hugs are like gold, and I’m planning on cashing in and stocking up in very short order. I can’t carry you in my pocket like I really want to, but I always carry you in my heart.

Amy – I think if we ever had a face-to-face conversation, we’d end up using this binary short-speak that started each sentence with three random words, and ended with, “Oh my God, me too!” Don’t be surprised if I show up on your doorstep one day, fixin’ to help you break in that outdoor kitchen. I’ll bring the beer. And the tequila.

Kim – If my sense of humor, and sense of reality, had a twin, it would be you. The way you spin words is so damned smart that if I were ever to be compared to you, I would consider that to be a very high compliment, indeed. In fact, I’m going to call you. If I can wheedle your phone number out of you. You’ll have your very own tele-stalker, and you will be flattered. Oh yes, you will.

Crisitunity – Reading your words makes me feel peaceful. I know you, out of everyone else I know, really understands how huge that is. Calm in the center of a stormy life, that’s what you are. You make me want to take better care of myself, and emulate the centered-ness that you have created for yourself.

TB – Dude, you’re wicked cool. That’s a Maine-ism right there, so you understand the honor I’m bestowing upon you. You’re a long, lovely conversation that goes on until 3:00 in the morning. I know you get that. I’ve got a bottle of whisky with your name on it, any time you want to cash in.

Dys – We’re twins, you and me. Friendship never looked me in the face so hard as when you and I started rapping back and forth together. Distance doesn’t matter, day or night, I know you’re someone to count on, and I hope you know you have the same in me.

MTAE/Steve – I can’t think of a better occupation for you than a comedian. You talk about life so well, and we all know that’s where the best material comes from. One of these days I’m going to see you on Comedy Central and think, “Hey, I know that guy!

Amanda – You’ve read me forever, and I’ve read you forever. Since you posted under a “nom-de-net”, do you remember that? “Heather”, wasn’t it? You remind me of home, and you of all people understand how much that means to me. Some day, we’ll have a beer down at the Lower Deck!

Joe – You’re tender, you’re gangsta, you’re vulnerable, and you’re strong, all at the same time. You make me take a closer look, think a little longer, and assess my perceptions. For that, I consider you a blessed friend.

Jayne – Haven’t we met, in real life? It truly feels like we have, though you’re thousands of miles away. One day I’m going to make good on my threat to move in with you. You’re wise, you’re loving, and you have a young and vibrant spirit. I cherish you, I really really do.

Jen – You’re one of my best friends. We’re enough alike, and enough different, to have a truly fulfilling friendship. So no matter what, no matter where, I’ll be your fellow geek in spirit and protect you from the dreaded cubicle disease. It’s the least I can do, you keep me company in my craziness!

Robyn – Good grief, I can’t even count how many years I’ve been reading you. A fellow Exiled Maineiac, I’m drawn to your journal day after day, like cozying up to your kitchen table and chatting over coffee. One of these days we’ll have to coordinate a trip to Maine and meet face-to-face.

Sherry – You’ve been a constant in my life since I started reading on-line journals, YEARS and YEARS and YEARS ago (not to date us, or anything). I’ve so enjoyed reading along as your family grows, and sharing our love of photography. Some day we will meet in Halifax and have a grand laugh at how far we’ve come since HTML and Notepad.

Jeanette – You’re kind and you’re thoughtful, generous to a fault, and always ready with an encouraging word. That I know all this without even meeting you in person is just a testament to how wonderfully your personality shines through in your writing.

Finally, before I get too maudlin, I’d like to mention all of these other folks whom I read on a regular basis. We don’t really talk with one another, other than the occasional comment, but I appreciate them just the same!

Kitschin Logic
Dysfunction Junction
Anissa
A Pile of Dog Bones
Sundry
Avitable
Bedlam Farm
Blogography
Chronicles of a Country Girl
Coping with Chaos
Dana
Carrie
JenFu
Rob
Mo
Hyperbole and a Half
I Promise Not to Laugh During the Seance
Karen Sugarpants
Less Internet, More Cabernet
Mandajuice
Midnight Cliff
Britt
Native Born
Plain Jane
Rabbitch
Secondhand Karl
Six Year Med
Smitten Kitchen
Snackiepoo
Weetabix
Bound and Gags
John Scalzi
Wil Wheaton
Vix
Jestertunes
Ideas and Tidbits
Sole Prop
The Kim Challenge
This is Reverb
Conniption Knit
Honea Express
Poppy
Dlynz
My Bad Pants

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God bless the internet!

Eight

The quintessential us.

The quintessential us.

Two kids.
Three grandsons.
Four dogs.
Two cats.
Four lizards.
One ferret.
One lovebird.
One snake.
One house remodel.
Seven ceiling fan installations.
Three new toilets.
Four trucks.
Four motorcycles.
Three trips to Maine.
One trip to Hawaii.
A million trips up north.
One three thousand mile road trip.
Seven thousand pictures.
Nine Christmas lobster dinners.
Four jobs.
Two teen drivers.
A million hysterical conversations.
Five speeding tickets.
A hundred games of Rock Band.
Two sabbaticals.
Two bottles of Absinthe.
One new roof.
One attacking bee colony.
One death in the family.
One Marine Boot Camp graduation.
Two high school graduations.
One gallbladder removal.
Four child move-outs.
Four child move-back-ins.
One Broadway musical.
Three Lord of the Rings movies.
Seven Journey concerts.
Four camping trips.
One anthrax scare.
Fifty-seven hangovers (or thereabouts).
Two Yanni concerts.
One (kick ass) Phil Collins concert.
One on-line journal.
Three blogs.
One trip to Canada.
Two sets of braces.
Seven beer festivals.
A million whispered I love you’s.
A million shouted I love you’s.
A handful of big ol’ fights.
More heart-to-heart conversations than can be counted.
Twelve years together.
Eight years married.
A million happy memories.

Happy Anniversary, Bill!

Bounce!

I wasn’t planning on writing an entry today, but I’m so geeked about this that I had to record it. You know, for posterity and stuff. See, the roofer we were going to go with gave us an estimate of $8221. It was pretty much in the middle of the range of quotes that we received. Then I contacted a company we’ve gone with before, and they gave us an estimate of $6775 for the same work, same materials, everything. That’s nearly $1500 cheaper, and even less expensive (by about $50.00) than the original quote they gave us several months ago. That one included the use of less-quality materials (three-tab vs. dimensional shingles, if you’re wondering), but our timing is such that we’re able to take advantage of a seasonal discount that they offer.

Investing in this house, which we don’t plan to retire in, is grating. That we’re able to put a new roof on for less than we feared is a total WIN. Bill’s planning on painting the exterior later this year, then once Amanda moves out we’ll start slowly getting the upstairs in order. By the time we’re finally able to move and sell this place (WHEN, not IF), we’ll have a minimum amount of work that we’ll need to do to make it “sellable”.

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In case you don’t follow my other writing gigs, here are a couple of recent articles I’m especially proud of:

From Beyond Megapixels:
Photography 101 – How to Read a Histogram
Tips for Critiquing Another’s Work
Five Tips for Great City Shots

From UpTake:
Amtrak Downeaster Adventure – Portland, Maine (this is part of a series – I’ll be writing articles on all the Amtrak stops between Porland ME and Boston MA)
Road Trip Photography Tips
Rockland, Maine – A Small Town with Big Flavor

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