Day Two in China

And now I will finally continue with my China trip pictures. These are from our second full day there. We spent the day walking around and checking out the temples that were practically around the corner from Devin's place.

Actually, I'll start out with the night before day two...we went to Tianemen Square which was another awesome, historic experience.

On our way back from the square I got an action shot of Melanie and Devin...

This was in an area of shops around a big lake in Beijing. A local gathering place where there was live music and such. We got bombarded by many Chinese people saying,"Hi, Hello, HELLO, HI THERE, Hi, Hello!!!" to the foreign tourists. We were quite eyecatching, the three white folks and one Chinese man. I tried to get a shot of the Chinese Starbucks but you couldn't make out the sign (the most important part) because it was overexposed.

On to the next day. This is a candid shot caught by Devin that morning as she came outta the public bathroom ('member, there's one on EVERY corner!), completely oblivious 'cause she just woke up.

Hey there! Everything come out alright?

Before we left for the temples I had to take some random pictures...

Ron is the bike fan so there are several pictures of old bikes that I saw all over the place. I even got hit by one! Not too hard though, I was just trying to avoid being hit by a car when a bike came sailing past my arm, cutting a nice little triangle outta my wrist. Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way there. I'd like it to be that way here. It would really help my road rage to be able to just mow down that stupid mutherfucker who decided to just step off the curb without looking... And I wish I would have gotten a picture of the dirty look I got from that particular Chinaman bicyclist. Hmmm, I wish I coulda gotten MANY pictures of all the dirty looks we got. Them people is always mad. Gee, I wunner why??

This is the view down the little hallway to the outside of the Hutong. I was ready to go.

And off we went...Devin closing the doors at the front of the Hutong entrance.

And then we made it outside the Hutong. This is what the "streets" look like. Many people make a living from their home. The front of their Hutong is the shop/bakery/whatever and they live in the back.

Oooooooooh! Another old bike! These were all over the place. The back part was used to carry food, laundry, children, pets, trash...

And I just had to get this lovely picture of the back of a Chinese car. I think they'd curse us if they saw the rediculous, overpriced, gas guzzling fucking SUV MONSTERS we all drive here. I really admire their economy... It's 'cause they have to, I know. They're not free and spoiled like us Americans.

After about 15 minutes of walking, we arrived at the first temple, Confusious Temple. It's mostly courtyard with a few temples spread out on the grounds. Unfortunately, the main temple was under construction and we couldn't go in. But it was still beautiful, not to mention serene... There were these amazing trees all around, covering the courtyard with dappled sunlight...

An altar to Confusious...I didn't realize that I was stepping on some incense offerings as I took this picture. Melanie's like, "Uh, Julie..." Don't worry, I bowed and apologized!

Inside one of the temples... I can't believe the gorgeous artistic detail! That's one of the things I love about Chinese culture, their amazing artwork. Everything is art to them...

Even the trashcans...

Yes, that's a Confusious trashcan. Lovely, ain't it?

On to the Buddhist temple...

Yea dude, I'm a fucking tourist, get the fuck outta my picture!!

There were a lot of temples to Buddha. Who'duh thunk it? Pfft...

Oooh, and they were burning incense and making offerings all over the place!

We had to do it, too. Gotta be respectful to duh Buddha.

Make some wishes!!

More amazing artistic detail. Wow...

Here we have the three of us doing our "handshake"...

Devin started this little ditty when he came to visit us over the summer. Every time we'd do/see/say something cool out came the hands for the handshake. Making it all the way to fucking China to visit our friend makes for a whole lotta handshakes! We had to catch one of them... I know, I know, we're just TOOO CORNY, aren't we?! Hehe!

So we visited two whole temples and all that walking around in awe made us tired and hungry. This is on our way back home to get ready for dinner...

Devin's all..."Hey birdlady! Oooooh, BIRDS! What are they??" Why, they're Myna birds! WOW! COOL! AWESUUMMM!!!!! Yea. These guys are famous for their parrotlike mimicking ablility. I think I posted this pic in one of my other deleted China trip entries. Here it is again. Birdies. Yay.

And then we ended the day with a wonderful Chinese dinner din din. Oh yummy yummy dumplin's!!!!

Okay, that's it for now. Next is an organized entry on our backpacking trip to The Great Wall.

Thar she blows!

This is the best picture I could get for now... As with all of my pictures, it's a little blurry. So LOOK! THERE IT IS! A RING!! ISN'T THAT EXCITING???? Hehe... I love it though, it's just my style. Very simple and elegant. I love the setting, right around the center diamond are three little ones set in the band on each side. Makes it all sparkly n' such. So sparkly n' such that I've almost rearended people while admiring it in the car. You know, 'cause I just GOTTA look at it every ten seconds. Yea. There it is... Woowooweewah. Happy Day!

Announcement

I have kind of a lot to write about, but I wanted to post this announcement first and foremost...

I'M ENGAGED!!!!!! I'M ENGAGED I'M ENGAGED I'M ENGAGED I'M ENGAAAAGED!!!!!!!!!!!

As of yesterday, November 13, 2005 at 4:30 p.m. We were at the beach that we had gone to all summer, the one with the big rock that he and his beloved dog used to hang out at... He had told me on Thursday that he wanted to go on a nice, romantic picnic at the beach for our anniversary on Sunday. Me, being the typical woman, thought that would be the perfect way to spend our anniversary.

Yesterday morning I got out of the shower and went to the bedroom to get dressed... On the dresser was a beautiful bouquet of roses and a card. So I thought it would be the perfect time to give him the lovely anniversary card and candy I'd gotten him earlier in the week. And I shouldn't call it candy...no no no... The word "candy" does not do chocolate justice. Especially THIS chocolate. Six different, GIGANTIC pieces of heavenly chocolate bliss. Oh yea, and the old "Love Coupons", 'member those? I know, enough to gag a maggot. Corny as hell, but it's fun. Anyway, I found "Love Cheques" instead. From the "Bank of Eros". Fucking hilarious and corny. I had to get them! He loved them, got a good laugh too!

After the exchange he packed up the picnic lunch he'd gotten on Saturday... Roastbeef sammies on huge onion rolls with potato salad. And apple cider to drink. We got there at about three p.m., laid out our blanket next to the rock and ate a splendid lunch. We were STARVING by the time we got there, which made the sandwiches taste all the better. After about an hour of eating and enjoying the surroundings, we got ready to leave 'cause it IS November and it was starting to get a little chilly. We hiked up the hill to the car and after we'd loaded our stuff, Ron said we should go over to the edge of the cliff and look at the pretty scenery...something we've done almost every time we've gone to that beach 'cause it's just so damn nice and relaxing to look at. No really, I had NO IDEA.

We stood there and had a cigarette, watching the sun start to turn orange, marveling at the full moon that has appeared exactly opposite the setting sun... Next thing ya know he looks at me and says, "Happy Anniversary, I love you so much...and there's something I want to ask you..." *Ding* inside my head, rush of adrenaline to my toes and fingertips, I start to get that dizzy, am I really here?? feeling 'cause we women (at least the little princess that's inside all of us)are all too familiar with those last seven words... He gets down on one knee and says my full name and and and and, "Will you marry me?" My answer? "YES, OH HONEY, YES YES YES! I WILL I WILL!!!" Then, he says, "And of course I have to make it official..." He pulls the little box out of his pocket, opens it up and presents me with a gorgeous ring that he picked out all by himself. It is absolutely perfect, very tasteful, simple and elegant. I'll have to post a picture of it soon 'cause words won't do it justice. Words never do these types of things justice. I hugged him tightly and started crying, repeating the words, "Oh honey, oh HONEY, OH HONEY!!!" Then, as if on cue, five parrots flew over our heads and into the sunset. Stop rolling your eyes!!!! Hehehehe! It was the epitome of a romantic enagement and it was perfect. By ourselves on the edge of a cliff, looking at the ocean and the sunset. It's a very simple formula and this man has got it DOWN! Most importantly, I've never been so sure about anything in my life. It's a very wonderful feeling, to say the least.

I told my parents and Melanie right away. Gonna make the rest of the announcements today...

Dangling birdy barf

I guess I was just a leeeeeeeetle hyped up about Pickles yesterday. I really want to get him all squared away with a birdy buddy. When I get an idea in my head that involves a new pet, I'm ON IT. I had thought of calling the lady at the good parrot store where I got Toby, but she wasn't going to be there until later. I wanted to get a new bird NOW if I could. So I went to the shitty pet store where I usually get Rosie's crickets. I hadn't given her dinner in a little over a week so I needed to go to that pet store anyway and it's right on the way home. The reputable store is far away, of course. So I thought I'd give this shithole a try since they always have plenty of lovebirds. It being so close gave me time to run home and get my birdy so that I could see if he got along with any of their birds.

The store is run by a woman who I like to call "Backwoods Bitch". Two words...NINE CATS. Anyone with nine fucking cats has problems. Anyway, I don't know why I went there expecting any help whatsoever, as this woman has always been kinda rude and her employees don't know their asses from a hole inna ground (I love that statement). I made the mistake of asking one of her employees if I could bring in my bird. I should have gone directly to Backwoods 'cause it would have saved me time and gas. Of course when I arrive at the store with Pickles, the woman I'd asked is gone. Backwoods is busy so one of her teenage employees tried to help me. Tried. I asked him if we could put my bird in a separate, divided cage with each of the four lovebirds that they had in stock. I explained my situation, that I needed a mate for my nuerotic, spoiled bird, that he has to pick it out...blah blah. The kid was stumped. He understood what I wanted, but didn't know how to deliver. He was like, "Uhhh...where should we put them...duhhhh...." I'm like, "Do you have any extra cages in the back?" This is a fucking PET STORE. HELLO! DO YOU HAVE A SPARE FUCKING CAGE????

By this time Backwoods saunters over. I explain the situation to her. The whole time I'm talking to her, she's got this expressionless look on her face. I can't explain it...she's always been that way. One of those people with no sense of humor, no personality and NINE CATS. When I'm done she simply states, "Well, I hope you're not planning on getting one of these guys because they're already paired." Uhhh...okay, bitch, that's not what your stupid employee said, but oh well. I didn't tell her this, I just stood there and said..."Oh". I didn't really have a chance to say anything because she started giving me bum advice. She's telling me that I should try getting another kind of bird and putting him in with it 'cause it doesn't HAVE to be another lovebird 'cause she has three different birds in one cage and they all get along fine but she never closes the cage door and she lets them fly around the house and walk on the floor and they're fine with her NINE CATS and the dog and the rats even when she's not home and she's never had a problem 'cause she trusts them and blah blah blah... By this time I'm not listening because she is obviously not going to help me. She's ONE OF THOSE... One of those weird, hoarding pet owners who never knows when to quit and who "doesn't believe" in keeping birds in cages. These "no cages for MY bird" types make me feel guilty sometimes. Then I justify it to myself by thinking that my birds get plenty of attention and out of cage time. It's like crate training a dog, it's good for them to have a safe place to go while you're away or don't feel like dealing with birds flying and shitting all over the house. Anyway, needless to say I left with my 53 cent crickets (it probably irks the hell outta her that I only stop in every once in a while to get three lousy crickets) and nothing else. Yes, thanks a lot for NOTHING, BACKWOODS BITCH!

On my way home I was able to get ahold of the nice, knowlegable lady at the reputable store and she is going to help me find Pickles a suitable cagemate. Now why in the hell didn't I do that in the FIRST place??? I got impatient again. I am letting a bird get to me. I'm losing my mind. It's just...it's just that I want him to be haa-peeee. He will be. I'll get him help now. I've tried all I can by myself. I just can't be what he wants me to be...I can't fit into his cage! Hehe, that's a funny picture... Me all squished in Pickles' cage with him on my shoulder nibbling from a little pile of birdy barf dangling from my earlobe. Mmmm... Not a good way for me to spend the day.

Tye-dee-bowl man

The Ty-de-bowl man lives with me. He's very thorough and dedicated to his job, even if he does leave white hair all over the furniture...

Yu-up, yup...get in there, git it good n' clean, fella!

And you'd better be DAMN sure to get those yellow edges!!

Earnin' his keep, he is.

Dirdy birdy

Well, there's yet another new development on the Pickles front. I've decided that I really need to get him a cagemate. I hadn't written the bird forum I joined when I first got into birds for a long time. So I wrote to the weird parrot people (we're all just NUTS hehe) and got some sound advice. Here is my final response to them in respect to my decision...

**************************************

Thanks very much for all of your helpful responses. I do realize that I might very well lose Pickles affection toward me. I have thought about this a lot, especially since he started plucking his feathers. I have had his undying love and affection for four years now. It's been wonderful. However, the more he pines for me and plucks himself, the less important his affection is to me. His health and well being FAR outweigh having him as a buddy to me. I also realize that getting him a cagemate may not completely alleviate his plucking habit. But the bottom line is that he has to think of another BIRD as his mate and NOT me. It is not healthy for him to be this way. Essentially, a bird should not pluck his feathers. It's just not right and it is making me crazy. I don't care if I'll only be able to watch him in the future, I'll be watching a happy bird not a nuerotic freak.

Since I made the mistake of getting him so bonded to me I know that in the end it will only be him who suffers when I inevitably have less time for him. I know there are going to be plenty of changes in my life. I want to get married and start having a family someday and I know I am not going to have the time for Pickles that I have now. And Pickles will be around for a long time. I plan on eventually putting him in an aviary, if I can, with another pair of lovebirds or even cockatiels. I'd love to have an aviary in my backyard someday.

I know it'll be somewhat of a bumpy road finding him a buddy, but I am up for the challenge. I will be ready for eggs and do what I have seen suggested here. I will practice responsible "birth control" with my pair if they decide to breed. I don't want to be a breeder, there are simply enough pet breeders and we certainly don't need any more.

Thanks ya'll, I will update you on my progress.

***************************************

I didn't WANT another lovebird, but I see now that I have no choice. Having Toby isn't helping, as Pickles is just jealous of him. He needs his own kind in his cage with him. He is driving me INSANE with his attachment to me. I can't climb into his cage and sit with him all day so I'm going to start looking for a little female for him. That will involve taking him to parrot stores and putting him in a divided cage with other lovebirds to see how he reacts toward them. Gotta let him choose his mate. I hope this will make him happy. I just can't be all that he wants me to be.

I'm NOT going to make the same mistake with Toby. I'm not going to spend so much time with him that he bonds to me like velcro. I want him to be independent. I love to watch him play with his toys and talk to him. The way to keep him independent is to only give him about 30 minutes of individual attention each day. Sometimes I'll skip a few days, too. I don't want another overbonded bird. It's a common mistake with first-time parrot owners. Pickles was my first parrot and he was very afraid of me when I brought him home. I wanted a very tame bird so I spent loads of time with him. I didn't think it was too much, but apparently it was. I spoiled him. Now I realize that was selfish of me. So I'm gonna give him a little girl so's he can finally wet his lil' birdy carrot...

And Toby is starting to talk! Well, to ME anyway. I'm the only one who can understand it. It's just little chirps right now, but he's starting to get the syllables down. I've been working on, "Hi, Toby" with him. I say it really slow, H-eye Toe-beeee...three syllables, right? Yesterday I went up to the cage and I heard him sqeak those three syllables in EXACTLY the way I've been saying it to him since I got him. It was so fucking cute I almost shit my pants. Yea. Almost. So I'm gonna keep doing it along with, "Whatcha doin'?" and see if he learns. I'm sure he will. Most likely, no one will be able to understand it but me but it's still so much fun and so adorable.

Alright, it's Monday. Time to work.

Positive things... Gotta REMEMBER them!!

Hehehe, I'm back again! It's a slow Friday at the office and I'm a bit bored. So, on a *positive* note, here are some things I am so very greatful to have in my life... I know, ANOTHER exercise. But it's good for me. I am happy. Today. I want to remember how this feels. For when the dreaded words, "I'm depressed" pass through my mind.

Ron just HAS to be first on my list, for obvious reasons. It won't always be peaches, but I needn't worry so much about our future. We have a wonderful foundation. No one is perfect. Challenges will present themselves. That's a relationship. I know I've said these things before and it may sound like I'm second guessing myself, but really I'm just preparing for the future. When I get carried away, scared about the future and start thinking about all of the unhappy marriages and relationships out there, how my last relationship failed, blah blah blah... I can stop myself and be hopeful, because I am up for the challenges that a relationship and marriage brings. I KNOW that much. I am not other people. I am me. Stop comparing!!! Most importantly, Ron is worth it to me.

Lookit my poopie poop poop man. Little kah-hitty-kah-hhaaatt!!! My pets. If I love PETS this much, think of how much love and joy a child will bring into my life. I am overthinking this children and family business. Letting the "What Ifs" overtake me. Don't. We'll cross that bridge when it comes. Just DON'T.

Friendships. I have meaningful friendships that I forget about when I'm feeling "lonely" and down on myself. This is my friend Marguerite from highschool. We see each other but once or twice a year, but she is still one of my best friends. Our relationship is one of those in which time apart doesn't matter. We get together and everything just falls into place, like she never left. One of those... I love her. We are opposites and that is so good for me. She is in France, studying to be an interpreter. I admire her strength so much. We compliment each other well.

And I can't POSSIBLY forget...

The ones who started it all. My wonderful parents. Not perfect, but pretty damn close. I'm lucky to have great, understanding parents who taught me well and who I love dearly.

Oh yea, and my wonderful artistic talent. I may not know what the fuck to do with it, but it's mine and I'm so grateful to have it. I should post some more pictures of my doodles. That's next. In between the China updates. More later.

Old friend, good times

I got together with an old friend the other night (the same old friend who came over about a month ago that I hadn't seen in about five years), who renewed a perspective that I seem to have ditched again...this week, anyway. The old "positive perspective". That shit keeps coming back, in one way or another, to slap me in the face when I sink into the horribly negative, "Fuck the World" frame of mind. She is learning now, what I learned a long time ago. I needed to be reminded. I'm happy to have her in my life again. I really think we can help each other.

How many times have I heard the following phrases?

1. It's all what you make it.
2. It's all about attitude.
3. It only bothers you if you let it.
4. One day at a time. (very important for those of us who are easily overwhelmed, NOT just alcoholics, kay?)
5. What will it matter in 100 years?
6. Don't compare yourself to others. We're all individuals.
7. Know what you want, what you can handle.

...those are just some of the mind exercising phrases that I (and many others) have used over the years. All too common, I know, but all too true just the same. I need to catch myself when I get into these downward spirals that plague me more often than not. The tightness in my upper back, sholder and neck tell me that, most importantly, I need to learn to relax. Life is to enjoy, not to be afraid of.

Fuck, I know I'm gonna read this later and be like, "What a fucking fruity dork I was that day." HA! Oh well, it's just an exercise for muh brain. I've been way too stressed lately and I need to let it go. Let it go...

*wind blowing*
*bells jingling*

First night in China, part twoskie

I guess I should finish our first night in China. There really isn't much left... We just went back to the Hutong and fucked around a bit before we went to bed. Fucking around naturally included pulling out the digi cams and getting to work on further documenting (every last detail) of our trip. We were very excited about this at the beginning of the trip but by the last day we had definately petered out on our camera usage. There comes a time in every trip, I think, when you've simply gotten enough pictures. Between Melanie and I, there were MORE than enough pictures of the trip by the time we finished the Great Wall trip. Anyway, Melanie got a lot of great candid shots.

Like this one of me on the first night, once we got back from our bar outings. Doing what? Taking pictures of course!

The evening went on like so...

That's Devin giving Harry (no, not the dog, but she eventually got some too) a taste of a fruit rollup. He'd never had one 'cause they ain't got those in China. No sireeeee...

I'm observing the tasting... The look of bewilderment on Harry's face during the whole fruit roll up experience was priceless.

What's a livingroom without mannequin parts?

Look! It's Harry and Devin! And all the perty windows! Harry is standing in the doorway to the kitchen. It's small and a bit narrow, but full of lovely windows.

Here's a shot of those SAME windows during the DAY! Woo!

And if you're standing in the kitchen doorway facing outside, turn to your right and you see the lovely bathroom...

And in the bathroom you will find an example of what we had to deal with all week...

There will be NO reading in here. Just drop yer load and get the fuck out. A smelly porcelain hole in the floor. Not rank...just a little smelly-yes-this-is-a-room-with-a-hole-of-water-in-the-floor-that-leads-to-the-depths-of-human-waste-smell. Yea, like I mentioned before, the plumbing SUCKED. We were lucky, however, that Devin even HAD indoor plumbing. The whole structure of the bathroom was a little strange. It had a big water heater mounted on the far wall with the plumbing for the shower hooked up to it. The shower was not a separate stall, rather it was just one of those hand-held showerheads and...the rest of the bathroom. So the whole room got kinda wet and steamy and there was clear tape over the one outlet that was next to the doorway. A few feet back from the shower area was the toilet hole. A few feet from that, against the wall, were the miniature washing machine and pedestal sink...neither of which had hot water. Okay, enough bathroom talk...

After lots of talking, picture taking and generally winding down, we finally got to go to BED. OH GLORIOUS BED!

AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaooooooohhhhhhhheeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

Devin had just gotten that couch at IKEA (yes, there's an IKEA in CHINA!) and daaay-am if that thing wasn't comfy! It was nice and huge and came apart in three sections so we were able to move it around and make a wonderful cozy bed. It didn't take us long to fall asleep. We'd been up for about 28 hours at this point.

And last...

The next morning, er, afternoon. We spent most of our first full day in bed. Poor Melanie got sick. I mean pukey sick, poor thing. I guess it was a combo of pure exhaustion and drinking a lot.

Okay, that's it for now.

Oh yea, and I replaced the bar wall drawing with a bigger one, so if you go back to the "First night in China" it should be much better. I'm getting the hang of this. Sorta.

First night in China

As I promised last night, I'm going to start with the China pictures. I'll just post a few and explain them as I go along.

So here goes...

This was taken by a kind patron at the 'Bus Bar' in Beijing. This was our first night there. Our flight took off at 1:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon and we arrived in Beijing at 12:30 a.m., Sunday morning. The first flight was 14 grueling hours...then we landed in Shanghai and had two hours to kill before our flight to Beijing. We were exhausted and once we got all our boarding pass and passport bullshit taken care of, we zonked out in our little plastic airport chairs. Good thing I woke up to go potty, or we'd have missed our flight! Yes, then we had another two hour flight to Beijing in a smaller, much older, much stinkier plane. It didn't matter though, we fell asleep again anyway. We got to the airport and Devin and Harry picked us up (in a cab) and took us to the 'Bus Bar'. Good thing we had gotten a fifth wind by then...

'Member this little ditty? I posted this before. Once I saw all the scribbles on the wall, I just HAD to get me a marker and add my famous 'Juliedogpoocone' art to the wall. In case I haven't said this before, not only am I weird...I'm kinda sick. And gross.

I drew this a long time ago...

Yea, sick sense of humor here, I know. So Melanie wanted me to draw this on the wall 'cause everyone loves it so.

Here's the finished product. I did the whole dog this time, modeled it after Devin's dog Subway (pronounced Soo-bway to make it more uh, Chinese, I guess) who I'd just met when we stopped by Devin's place to drop off our crap. Subway is the doggie who was on her period all week. FUUUun. She's a cute little hyper black dog, looks just like a small hyena. I came to find that she looks like a lot of other dogs that I saw that week. The Chinese like fairly small dogs with curly tails 'cause they make great pets and great meals. Yes, they eat dogs. But not that often anymore. Gross. Yea.

We couldn't just go to ONE bar on our first night. We hadn't even been awake for 24 hours yet! So we took a picture right outside of the Bus Bar and headed to the next bar... We're only half drunk here. I don't remember the name of the next bar we went to, but it was pretty close by. I think we walked about five blocks to a little area of bars. I saw my first REAL panhandlers outside of this bar! A family in rags literally rattling their pans of change in our faces. Not a good idea to give panhandlers in foreign countries money. It's commmon sense. Just look the other way, kinda like we do here! 'Cept it's hard to do that when their child runs over and grabs your leg! It wasn't MY leg, thank God, it was Harry's...he was the only Chinese guy in our group. Harry handled it well, I think...nice at first and then a stern yell and the kid let go. Interesting.

"Waid duh minnit...I kin doooit!" Once we were in this second, much darker bar, I HAD to get a picture!

"Redd-die?"

"AWWWWW!!!!"

The nameless bar was cool, too. Lots of wood everywhere. And WESTERNized dance music! Lotta foreigners dancing around in there. Melanie and I went to the restroom, by this time we were starting to get used to the idea of squatting over a porcelain hole in the floor since we pretty much started drinking the minute we got to Beijing. We weren't, however, used to random water spigots sticking out of the wall. Melanie walked past it and her purse got stuck and pulled it on. She let out a startled, "EEeep! What the hell??!", and stood there for a moment watching her right pant leg get soaked. I just stood there and laughed hysterically. She couldn't figure out what the fuck was going on at first because a. It didn't look like the usual American water spigot we were used to and b. She thought it just came on by itself when she walked past it! By the time she figured it out her leg and shoe were soaked. And DAMN me for not getting a picture. It was funny.

Okay, that's it for now. I'm going to post this and see how it looks and then finish the rest of the evening later. I might add it to this, I might not. But I have some things to do and I'm spending too much time on this right now!

Later!

Some random pixies

I took a few pictures tonight. They're kinda blurry, but OH well. I'll get the hang of my camera some day. I'm still stoked about even knowing how to post digital pictures onna internet. A year ago, I had NO idea I'd be doing such a thing!!!! M'kay, but I still gotta learn how to get 'em a little less fuzzy. Anyhow....This is inspired by my recent changes to the arrangement of my livingroom furniture. It started with wanting to move the bird cages...I didn't like the way I'd situated them. Pickles was on one side of the room, next to the couch and Toby was all the way on the other side of the room, next to the bedroom door. His cage has been there a few weeks, I was just trying it out. Doesn't work. Ron and I always trip on it coming out of the bedroom door. I also wanted the birds to be able to see and hear each other better. They've already started mimicking each other, it's so cute! Nice for them to be able to entertain themselves with each other's presence while we're gone for the day.

Soooo... Here are the pics!

But first, my new haircut...

In' it CUTE? I love it shorter again. It had gotten down to my shoulders and I was tired of it again. Change is good.

YEEeeaaa... Change is GOOOoood.

This is how my livingroom used to look...last Friday when my brother Steve and his friend Chris came over. Chris had picked Steve up from the airport. They stopped by for a little Hey-loh. I was thereby relieved of my little black kitty sitting. And there's Ron in his usual spot.

The NEW and IMPROVED living room situation!!! I love it. Mainly because it is a much needed change for me. Yes, change is gooooot. I like where I decided to put the cages. It works well. Not to mention the chair and the couch right next to each other with a little coffee table and lamp in between. How quaint! Mmmm-hmmm. The Stan man likes it. Doncha STtaaaannn??!! Yeaayuh.

And my big brudder Steve. I was always closer to him than to my oldest brother, Eric. Must be 'cause we're both weirdos. We speak the same language. 'Course I love my brother Eric but...but he's just so NORMAL. Hehe...the family man. Can't relate to him much at this time in my life.

The bird cage set up is so much better this way.

Aaaand the other side of the livingroom. Those are Ron's beloved bikes. He was a BMX boy years ago...still is. He loves to get out and ride when he can. He ADORES the bikes. These are his two favorites that he rides pretty regularly, so they're not in storage with the others. He's also got a beautiful old beach cruiser in my back patio room. It rides like a dreeeeeamm....

I also had a rare opportunity in which my camera accompanied me in the car. So I took advantage of it when I got stuck in traffic. Perfect way to pass the time while sitting behind breaklights.

Why not take a picture of the Original Bob's Bigboy. THE Bob's bigboy. It's cool, they have carshows there a lot.

Close to Bob's is a hole in the wall that my parents went every Saturday for their weekly breakfast outing. I used to love the Saturday mornings while they were at breakfast. I'd watch cartoons and play and just be the weirdo I could be in front of them...lest they start to worry...

I was on my way to visit my friend, Rosemary last week. I had to bring my camera with me and show her the pictures off of it because I STILL have been too lazy to put my China pictures on Photopaper. Not to worry, Melanie is beating me to it and she is going to do me the favor and get me some copies. Thanks, darling...

Okay, I think that's it for this entry for now. I loaded some more China pics so I'll post a few tomorrow. No. Really!!! I will!!!

Apologies

I've been reading some blogs today in between my tasks. I discovered a new one today, Randomandodd. I came across an entry of hers that really made me think...in terms of my ex...

It's about time that I start to let go of the anger and the 'feeling of being wronged' that I've been holding on to for the past year. Well, I HAVE started to let it go, as I've mentioned in other posts...it's just not gone yet. I'm still healing. This is normal. Hell, it's all I knew for so long. Anyway, here are some things that I feel I should apologize to HIM for. As, nothing is EVER one sided. I have to start forgiving and forgetting so that I can move on. Here are the ones that really touched me. Thanks, Random.

1. "I'm sorry I called when I shouldn't have. It's better to leave well enough alone."

I would have had none of the awful hell I went through the very last time we got back together and tried again...during the time he was dealing with the fact he'd knocked up some chick he didn't love. I wouldn't have turned into a horrible, jealous monster. I should never have called him that drunken night in January. It was so selfish of me.

2. "Sorry for not being 'the one' and wasting your time."

Three years of happiness, thinking we'd get married... Then three years of breaking up with him and getting back together with him, making him think I wanted to work things out and eventually get married. Another selfish act. Which leads to...

3. "I'm sorry I pushed you away because I didn't know how to just tell you that I wasn't happy with you anymore." ...and get it the FUCK overwith!!!

Yup, today is another day of thinking too much. I'm analyzing again. Thinking about getting married leads to thinking about relationship patterns and a huge, sordid list of "what ifs". All I can do is learn from my mistakes, just like every other human being.

That's it for now.

Ba-a-ck to lyfe, ba-a-ck to re-al-ity

It's slow today at work and I'm dying for the weekend to arrive. This week has been boring. I miss Ron, I've barely seen him all week because by the time I get home from work he's at work. Then I have to spend the night at my brother's for the cat. Although last night was fun, I met him for his 'lunch' hour for dinner after I got off of work. His work is not too far from mine so we met halfway for din din.

I'm feeling down again this week. Not really DOWN, just...bleh. Bored. Not sure what to do with myself. It'll pass as it always does. All I feel like doing is lying around watching t.v. or sleeping. And I wouldn't mind doing those things with Ron. Yea, I'm a dork. I miss him. We've only been together a year though. Once we're married (I do believe we will be getting married perty damn soon...as we're both ready) I'll cherish alone time. Speaking of that...that's actually another thing I have to look forward to. Getting married! I'm excited. Really I am. I'm just...eh...this week. But I should put that one (getting married) on my list of why I should be happy. The list I MUST run through my head when I feel this way. Even though it doesn't help with the blob in my stomach.

Since I got back from my trip is when this feeling started again. Vacation's over. Back to life, baaaack to real-it-eee. I've had a horrid time getting out of bed in the morning. I'm not feeling very motivated at work because of the slow down. Actually, I'm just plain not feeling motivated at all. I hate it when I feel this way, like every day is just a chore. That's an awful way to live life. I know.

Well I'm looking forward to tonight at least. I'm meeting my friend for dinner at the Shabu Shabu place. I see her about once every three or four months. An old friend from one of my temp jobs, Rosemary. I think I may have mentioned her before. She's very open minded and is great to talk to. She always has wonderful advice, too. Not that I really need any right now. But I'm sure she'll help me get out of this mood some. Being social helps. And tomorrow is Friday. But I still hafta get outta cozy bed in the morning. Fuck.

Okay, there are a few things that I can work on. I should do them. The end of the day is coming soon. I can't wait.

Some highlights

Here are some highlights from the China trip written in an email to my friend last week. I haven't been in the mood to write about the trip much in here 'cause I'm a little tired of talking about it at the moment. I've been a broken record for a week...

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HAHA! No! But I DID pick up the "Chinaman's Squat" while I was there! When I got home I seriously hugged my toilet! I'm sure with all of your camping, you've had to take a squattin' shit... It's NOT easy man! Indoor plumbing is a wonderful thing. Especially a full sized toilet with a 'trap'...you know the curvy pipe in the back? That totally keeps the shit smell out...I never knew it worked so well.

The trip though, was wonderful from beginning to end. We got tons of pictures and even some videos! Melanie got these cool disposable digital video cameras. It was so much fun to 'document' our trip and all of the pics and videos turned out great! We lived among the people in our friend Devins hutong (a small grouping of small apartments with a little courtyard), walked up and down those dusty streets and used the public bathroom at the end of the street a lot. Ya couldn't shit in Devins toilet hole 'cause the plumbing couldn't take it. Most of the people didn't have indoor plumbing in their hutongs so there are public bathrooms everywhere. Some of the stories I have... Like the brawl our friends got into with the owners of a Peking duck restaurant. The customer isn't always right in China, nor are they immune to insults! Picture Melanie and I standing outside while Devin and his friend Harry (our wonderful, native host, I don't know what we would have done in terms of the language barrier if it weren't for him) are yelling back and forth at the owner and his wife! We had walked out (or tried to) because, instead of replacing our cold duck as Harry requested when we finally got the rest of the meal, the owner just took it away and insulted him! Devin was trying to get Harry to just give them the money and leave it alone, but he kept fighting. A hostess even came up and slapped him!! Then there was the full body message we got from Chinese prostitutes... Um, that one was my fault. We had been walking around and around looking for a good deal and this last place looked nice to me. I was tired of walking around looking and wanted to get the damn message already! I'm like, "SIGH, can't we just stay HERE??" I didn't find out until afterwards that they were actually prostitutes! Then of course there was the whole partying (with hash and beer) on the Great Wall experience. We hiked that mother fucker, slept in a tower, watched the sunrise and then hiked back. I'll send you some pics of the wall...yes, those curves go UP and DOOOooowwwnnn... and it's a million years old so the shit's falling apart. Crazy fucking hike! Oh yea, and to top it all off...their little girl doggie, Subway, was in heat the whole week!

Everyone was right, too... It seemd like forever until the trip. When it was finally time to go and all through the trip (which flew) everything was so surreal. Now I'm back and it's all over and I'm like..."What? It's over already?" Bleh. I'm still tired from the trip. It was 19 hours with a layover in Shanghai on the way there and 15 hours with a layover in Shanghai on the way back. Fuuuuck. I've never experienced a plane ride that horribly long before...

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So there. Some highlights. Woopie. It's time to go home now. I'm hungry.

FAH-LAASSHH

It's a rainy Tuesday. The first major storm of the season. What a storm it's been! Last week must have been summer's last sputter 'cause it was pretty damn hot during the day. On Saturday was an abrupt change in the weather. Lots of wind and much much cooler. Finally, some fall weather. I am very ready for it. Sunday brought clouds and by the evening, thunderstorms. OH how I LOVE thunderstorms!! Yes, I've mentioned this before. All of Sunday night and into Monday afternoon we had some knarly thunderstorms! THUNDERSTORMS! YAAAAYYY FOR THUNDERSTORMS!!! FLASH! FLASH! BOOM BOOM BASH!!! Uh huh. Yeaup. Them there thunderstorms is fun.

And that's all for the excitement. Life goes on. Not much happening this week. I'm pet sitting again. This time for my brother. He adopted a little black boy kitty from his old apartment. He's a really friendly, sweet boy with lots of personality. So the bro is gone until Friday and asked that I look after little Frankie man. It would be very easy except for one thing, Frankie is an outdoor kitty. My brother works nights so the kitty is out all afternoon and evening and doesn't usually return until about 10 or 11 at night. Then he sleeps inside, of course. So I have to spend the nights there. Ugh... It's fine, I just like to stay home once I get home. Ron doesn't get home from work until late so I'm not gonna see him all week. Oh well... At least it's just one cat and not a dog that'll shit all over the carpet.

Hmmm...what else... I did the shitload of laundry I had over the weekend. Felt soooooo wonderful to get it all done. The only shitty thing I have left to do is grocery shopping. I'm a little tiffed at Ron 'cause he said he'd do it last week during the day while I was at work. He put it off until the weekend and we were both gonna go, but that didn't happen. So he said he'd go yesterday...nope...he overslept...so he said he'd go last night after class...nope, too tired...so he said he'd go today...nope, overslept... ARRGUGHG! Yea, it's a little irritating when someone says they'll do something and they don't. It's no big deal, I know, I'm just a little pissy 'cause the kitchen is like Mother Hubbard's and now EYE have to go or it looks like it'll never get done. No prob. I'll do it tomorrow. Really. With all the other things Ron does. He IS very thoughtful. He's just a typical human male. I can't blame him for that. But I can still get irritated with him.

Oh yea, and it was my mom's birthday on Sunday. The family (mom, dad, other brother and sister-in-law, brother's MIL, neice, nephew, Ron and I) all met at an Outb@ck. That place is delicious. Yum yum YUMMY! And my mom LOVED the little tea set I got her from China. But when we were done eating and opening gifts, the ladies just kept gabbing and gabbing. I'm not really that close to my sis-in-law or her mom...or my oldest brother, for that matter...so I started getting bored. I mean, I love them all, it's just that we don't have much in common at all. We're opposites. I'm much closer to the brother I'm cat sitting for. He's a weirdo, like me. Anyway, I got so bored I started doing something I always used to do at restaurants when I was little and my parents kept talking and talking...I started making 'experiments' out of my water. Adding leftovers, salt, pepper, lemon, sugar, etc. to my glass of water and stirring it around. Fascinating. Yes, I'm still 10 in my mind. But I've established that already. Ron got a kick out of it. He was the only one.

Okay, I was just taking a little break from work. Time to get back to it. Gotta get the shipments out. I'm going to leave on time today for the first time since I got back from China. Everything else can wait until tomorrow.

Boring Entry over and out.

*KKSSHHHTT*

Toby and Pickles

Finally, a picture of Toby... MY Toby. Even though he looks like all the other parrotlets I've posted, he's MINE. Yea.

In't he cute?! Little tiny guy...My adorable little guy. He's warming up to me quite well. My favorite thing about him so far is his curiosity and playfulness. The minute I put a new toy in his cage, he's gotta check it out and play with it. I love it!

In Pickles news, I have started making some changes in the way I treat him. I am always complaining about how he regurgitates, humps (both mating behaviors) and plucks. He gets obsessed with mating and is always humping or regurgitating on his favorite toys. Well, before I left for China I took the hump/regurge toys out of his cage. This was to make cleanings easier on Ron, so he didn't have to clean up the piles of barf left by mister horny as he makes love to his twirly rope. The twirly rope is Pickles' favorite thing. It's what he's sitting on right here...

He just LOVES to puke on that thing. I finally took it out of his cage, along with another fuzzy toy he likes to hump. He preferres soft/fuzzy toys for his pleasuring.

I was gone for a week, too. Ya see, I made a mistake with Pickles...he is so bonded to me that he thinks of me as his mate. The past two springtime/mating seasons have been hell with him. He gets so obsessed, almost everytime I come over to play with him he starts doing the mating dance and humping his favorite toys. Stupid me has just let him do it, thinking it would take his mind off of plucking. It hasn't. Ever. So I've decided to try something new. Since I've gotten home, Pickles has made friends with Ron. Ron worked with him while I was gone. Before I left, Pickles would bite him when he stuck his fingers through the bars. When I got home, Ron showed me how Pickles not only doesn't bite through the bars, he lets him PET him too! Then he showed me a 'surprise'. He picked up one of Stan's old squeeky toys and started squeeking it at Pickles. Pickles started MIMICKING IT!!! It was so awesome!!!! Seeing those things made me realize A. Ron is an animal lover just like me and has the patience needed to get to know a parrot (priceless to me) and B. This is JUST what I needed to start changing Pickles undesired behavior.

I've decided to take away all but one of his hump toys. He had five! I've also decided to ignore his mating behavior when he does it towards me. Now when he makes the regurge motion and I just put him down. If he does it on the one hump toy I left for him (only to play with when he's out on the playstand on top of his cage) I walk away. I AM his object of sexual desire and this is WRONG. For more reasons than one, I know. I try to take his mind off sex by redirecting him, too. I've started 'communicating' with him with the squeaky toys as well as encouraging him to play with other toys. I ring bells, show him different ways to play with the toys... Parrots are so much smarter than people give them credit for. I've read so many books and articles about them and I can't believe I didn't try this sooner. And all the books say that you shouldn't develope a sexual relationship with your parrot. It's a lot easier to do so than one would think. Just petting them on the back gets them stimulated when they're sexually mature!!

Now I have the tools though...a parrot's favorite thing, once they're bonded and used to you, is attention from you. Their next favorite thing is vocal stimulation or any kind of interesting noise...bells, beeps, squeeks, speech... So if Pickles starts either sexual stuff or plucking, I know to redirect his behavior or just ignore it. That's how parrots learn. Positive reinforcement...works so well for them, and all pets! Isn't that wonderful??!

Hey, this shit gets me excited. It's a hobby and I love it. I love my birds...all my pets. It's my duty to make their lives as comfortable as possible.

So that's it for now. And no, I'm NOT going to get a life!