Pet portraits

This is Glory in all her...Glory. I drawd a pet portrait. I luvs African Greys. They's so perrrdy.

So far so good...

This entry brought to you by Cuteoverload.com with 'Catsterbation'...

Welp, 2007 is coming to a great close. Yes, it is the last week of the year! I had a wonderful Christmas and am looking forward to a fun New Year's Eve...whatever we end up doing. Apparently, our lil' 'ol pal Devin (dude we visited in China a few years back) is coming in that day. Haven't seen him in almost two years.

Other than the fact I'm working this week, not much is going on. Well, not much of interest/I feel like writing about. Of course I SO WISH I was on VACATION. But it's not to be. I'm hoping to take a week off sometime early in the new year. Maybe Ron can take some time off with me. HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAA!!!! Right. At least I hope he can attach a day or two onto a weekend so we can take our road trip up to San Francisco. I miss it up there and Ron has never been... We must go soon.

Soon, I tell you. SOOOOOOOOOOoooon!

And then we have this, a nice follow up to the link I posted to "Dooce" the other day. This was written by her lovely husband in regard to living with a depressed person.

"Get Help...
To the people out there who denigrate mental health awareness and treatment, I say this: You aren’t helping. You are making it worse. Stop being an arrogant know-it-all. You aren’t right. You are wrong. If someone tells you they need help, your opinion means less than that of professionals. Stop being ignorant. Stop being obstinate. Stop insisting that your loved one, partner, child or co-worker “get over it”. They won’t get over it until you let it go and encourage them to seek help. There are many different approaches and ways to treat mental diseases and conditions. The first step is letting go. You could probably use some time talking it out yourself.

As with anything in relationships, it's an ongoing thing, Ron and I dealing with our respective issues. This blurb here might come in handy some day soon.

That's it for the report on my ever-fascintating life. I probably won't be back 'til the new year, that is, unless something reportable happens.

Later!

A wonderful post about depression and anxiety...

Thank you, Dooce, for yet another beautiful post on this subject. Sure, it would be great to be able to get off the stuff, but it's been working for me so why stop a good thing? I know that I suffer from chronic anxiety and have been for a looooooong time. As far back as I can remember, I've always been a worrier. It's nice to have to edge taken off that worry, to have the gut of despair subside. Tell me I'm a pussy and I should buck up and deal all you want. Fuck you, I am not weak. I KNOW what my problem is and I did something about it!

And it's a 180!

Caused by communication. Yes, Ron and I actually communicated again this weekend. Things aren't as bleak as I made them sound a couple of days ago. Why on earth should they be? Life goes on!

We had a wonderful weekend. Turns out Ron got to spend it with me! He called me Friday afternoon to tell me that they weren't going to start the big project until this morning and that it's 10 hour days (6 a.m. ~ 4:30 p.m.) instead of 12 to 16 hours. So he got to go to BOTH parties with me on Saturday. We had a great time, too. Except I'm such a party pooper and I got so tired at Lisa's birthday party. I still made it 'til 11:30 though! Shit, what a pussy I am now... Anyway, it all turned out fine. He got to be social with me AND we get to spend the next several evenings together! That's what I get for having my little hissy fit, huh. I guess so.

Have I mentioned that I have the sweested mother-in-law EVER? She came to our annual Christmas party on Saturday, also. It was the first one for her as part of the family. Let me start off by saying that she and Ron are very thankful because they never really experienced what it's like to be part of a large, close family. Granted, it does take some getting used to but Ron is doing so well. So MIL pulled me aside and said she had something special for me. She then handed me a locket that was her mothers (the one in Alaska that just passed). It's lovely, gold with preserved forget me nots (the Alaskan state flower) embedded on the front. She told me to open it and inside were tiny pictures from our wedding, one of Ron and I and the other of my parents. I know... AAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWwwwwwwwwwwaaaawwwwwww!!!!! I almost died of feelings. Overwhelming, swirly heart feelings. I had tears in my eyes as I thanked her profusely. The proud look on her face was priceless. It was just...special. OKAY?!

Man, what a turnaround from last week. I'm going to survive after all. And I got all my Christmas shopping done with Melanie yesterday! Now I can't wait 'til Christmas! Amazing, isn't it?

So now it's time to send out the Christmas cards for work. Here's the final product...



Awww. Okay...later!

I told you

Here he is. He looks a little perturbed and I can't say I blame him. You see, no one gives a shit anymore. That makes me sad, too.

Lonely

When people ask me how married life is, I'm tempted to say, "Very lonely". Ron's schedule continues to suck ass. He hasn't worked days since February. I come home to an empty house every night. It's getting really REALLY old. I'm a newlywed for chrissakes! I miss my damn husband! Yes, we have the weekends but...that's not enough. I want to be able to come home and eat dinner with my husband.

To make matters worse, he has been chosen to finish up a project, along with one other guy, for the next 15 days or so. Starting this Saturday, yes, THIS SATURDAY, the Saturday of our big annual family Christmas party, the first one since we've gotten married, he must start working 12 to 16 hour days so that they can finish up this school before the stupid kids come back from the holidays. So, not only can't he come to the party, he's gonna be working working working working for days on end. Isn't it GREAT being low man on the totem pole, honey? Is it MY fault you're starting your third new career? And this fabulous schedule is gonna put him in a WONDERFUL mood, too! I can't WAIT. If I think he's always tired now, just WAIT 'til he has to get up at five! He's gonna have NO time to help me finish shopping, NO time to help around the house and NO TIME for me. Yay! But he'll make lots of money! Lots of money not to go toward savings, no...no no...it's gonna go toward his school loan debt! Woopie! I know that's a good thing, though. He's been doing very well as far as paying off his debts. That's really not his fault. Really...

Yea, I'm being a total, horrible brat right now. It's THE long overdue rant. Typical. And being a tad bit...sarcastic? Maybe? I'm just getting SOOOooo fucking tired of this. I hate talking on the phone and that's all we do. I can't stay awake until he gets home. He's an asshole in the morning, if he's awake, and so am I. Well, I turn into an asshole when he starts picking on shit I do, stupid shit, like not closing the shower door all the way so the cat can't get in. I don't know how many times I have to tell him not to FUCK WITH ME IN THE MORNING. So fucking WHAT if the indoor cat wants to hang out in the fucking bathtub?! If you accidentally turn the water on his ass, he'll learn a lesson, won't he? WHY does that matter?? Better not be too noisy or I'll wake sleeping beauty, who doesn't have to get up for another fucking four hours. And if ANYTHING goes missing, I'd better have my story straight. You know, 'cause it's MY fault. I'm the fogetful dorkus who always loses shit and can't do anything right the first time.

No, I'm not bitter at all! Why do you ask? Alright, I'd better be good. Baby Jesus is coming. Bye bye.

cRoOkEd

Mmmm-hmmm...that first picture down there shows my beautiful, crooked glasses. I really need to stop by the eye place and get the damn things straightened out. It's starting to look like one of my ears is sliding off my face. Kay. That's it for now. Stay tuned for Baby Jesus!

I did it again...

This is my new haircut. No, my NEW new haircut. I did it myself...again. It took me three days, but I got it right! I took my time and made sure that everything was even. I still can't believe how well it turned out.

Ya see, I went for a haircut about a month ago. The lady I go to is good, but unfortunately, not as good as the arrogant asshole I used to go to. He knew curly hair, she does not. Plus, she refuses to 'cut' my hair. She's one of those who is afraid to cut it too short. I went with her style for a few weeks before I decided that I really wanted it short. Like...SHORT short. Especially since I did that chop job last month and ended up with parts that were too short to put in a ponytail anyway. I'd told her that I still wanted to be able to put it up and that's probably what held her back. Then I went to put it up in a ponytail last week 'cause it looked like shit and all these little peices kept falling down on the sides. So I went home and finished the job. Sorta. I did a little on Tuesday, a little more on Wednesday and then finished it Friday night...before a Christmas party no less!

I showed up at Melanies before we went to the party. She was sitting at her computer and the look on her face when she looked up at me was priceless! She was so surprised!

She was all, "OH my God, Julie, your hair looks GREAT!"

And of course I'm all, "Thank you! You're not gonna believe this but I did it myself!"

And she's all, "OH MY GAWD!" and I'm all, "Yea man!" and she's all...

Well, you get the point...

I guess I was just bored with long hair altogether. And I look so cute with it all short and framing my face! I can't wait to surprise everyone with my adorableness (yes, that's a word) at the family Christmas party this coming Saturday. Woowee!

Okay, I've got lots to do again. Later!

Web comics

That first one says it all... These are some of my favorites from Natalie Dee. She is hilarious. I love to see her site doing so well, her sense of humor is beautiful. Go check it out, it's listed over there in the sites I visit on the upper right---->

It's been awhile since I checked out her drawing archives. Glad I did this morning, I needed that...

Harpy Hawlidars

Whuh...whut...whut day is it? DECEMBER 3RD???? HOLY SHIT! I've been in a coma for almost two weeks! I gotta get my shopping done! I gotta bake and buy hams and shit! OH MY GAWD!!!



Hehehehe... Me? Stressed about the holidays? Not this year! Really, I'm not. I'm so relaxed I can't believe it. This year I'm going to have FUN! It's our first Christmas as a married couple, among all the other things I have to be thankful for.



I haven't been in a coma, but I have been quite busy. Both at work and at home. I don't feel like writing about what I've been busy doing because it's nothing spectacular. I've been driving, jogging, relaxing, cleaning, drawing and getting up to do it all over again and again and again. Yay. My life is infinitely fascinating, I know.



And speaking of drawing, I was gonna post the latest finished, inked drawing...







This, and one other of my finished drawings have now been sent to the wonderful lady who is going to bring them to life with color. I'm so excited to see my drawings after they've been colored by her. She is as talented with color as I am with lines.



Hmmm...what else is happenin'...



Oh yea, Ron and I went to a really bad metal show the Friday after Thanksgiving. It was at this show, amongst the usual riff-raff dressed in black with various piercings, that we decided we'd had enough of this shit. Well, Ron anyway, since he's the one who's been going to these types of shows, and many others, since before I got my period.



This particular band, called 'Down', started out as a side project of Pantera singer Phil Anselmo. Let me start off by saying I'm not a huge fan of metal. Sure, there's plenty of metal I really love and/or appreciate, but the lot of it is like a drill to my skull. So I guess this little baby of Phil's is growing. The guitarist Pepper Keenan, from another successful metal band called Corrosion of Conformity, (another of Ron's faves) is also in the band...so it's no wonder they've taken off some. I figure the fan base combines followers from the other successful bands, plus a bunch of retarded young folk who have no idea that it's all been done before. Their particular brand of trash is called 'Southern Metal'. 'Kay, whatever you say, man. Sounds like shit to me. And I thought Mike Patton was a little on the arrogant side. At least he has the right to be. Mr. Phil had quite the ego that night. I just got this feeling...like I wanted to shoot him down. Okay dude, you survived drug abuse and the bad breakup of your previous band. Wooptie-do. Get over yourself.



So first we had to wait in line for an hour with the lame fans. During that hour, I decided that I really hate lip piercings. Not just the ones around the actual lip, but the ones that are like, in the middle of the chin? OUCH. Makes you look like the hooked fish that got away. Ugh. I'm getting old. Anyway, once we finally got in we headed to the balacony, so as not to get mixed up with all the sweaty psychos when the show started. Ah, we escaped the sweaty psychos, but not the stupid ones. We sat behind a group of four made...two of the most antsy couples I've ever encountered. The fuckers couldn't stay in their seats, or row for that matter, for longer than ten minutes before one, two or three of them got up and left. Back and forth, back and forth. One of the guys, who looked to be about 40, was so very obnoxious... He had to scream, "I said GOD-DAYAM!" after every song. It took forever for the show to start. Instead of a another band opening for them, they showed us a projected film documentry. Of them. And their roots. For an hour. Yea, we got to watch several burnt performances from the 70's on film including, but not limited to, Kiss (oh dear God), Lynard Skynard and Free. These performances were interspersed with clips of the band (Down) travelling in their van, playing riffs and fucking off. Oh, to be a performer.

Anyway, we left when we realized the ear-splitting sound was not going to get any better. And of course "Oh GOD-DAYAM" boy didn't help either. So we're going to stop with the metal shows for a while...actually, shows altogether. I wouldn't mind going to a few smaller venues, but nevermind the bigger shows...unless it's Mike Patton.

Well, that entry got long. I'm gonna go now. Time to get some artichokes for din din. Later!