Dear Julia,

I don't have Emanuele's email address or phone number, but tell him I said big time congrats for quitting smoking for 30 days! I can't imagine how hard that must have been, so congratulations!

It really is one day at a time and I've never been able to quit and stay quit. Just remember, if he falls off the wagon, it's a really hard thing and just try to be supportive of him. Remember how hard it was when you gave up sugar and soda and COFFEE?!

I don't know how to say big hugs in Italian, but in internet speak it's: {{{{{{{ }}}}}}}},

hpl

Just for Julia -- some pictures

be vewy quiet -- she's bwogging agwain...

Tomorrow I go back to work after a week's sabbatical. And because that in itself is not a daunting enough task, I decided that tomorrow would be a GREAT day to take the French CLEP that I have deluded myself into thinking that I can rock at.

I am clearly messed in the head.

My guidance counselor suggested that I give it a whirl but the only subject I am eligible in is French, because I don't have any lower language credit in that. That's because I was exempt because of my five freaking years of French in high school. Which would really be pretty useful to have in my background if that weren't 17 years ago.

Oy, I am OLD.

But, really, it's what Stephanie and I have been calling flooring it. Well, normally we say that when our eating is out of control, but in this case I am flooring it to take some control over my life, which frankly feels like it ricocheting out of control lately.

But enough about Thursday night.

We're throwing a cook-out party this Saturday. I'm really freaked out about it. We have had so many unsuccessful parties that I am super-intimidated to throw another one. Mostly because there aren't usually as many people as we expect and then I'm so stressed the whole time that I just either get really wasted or just float around the whole time trying to avoid small talk.

I really hate small talk. It is so not my thing. I really specialize in big talk. I'm 35 and I have a lot going on, I could give a shit what you do for a living or what you think about the weather. But, how you can still be a Republican after the last eight years or how you balance out the Obama v. Clinton struggle for power -- that I find intensely fascinating. And the time that you got lost on your vacation and that actually turned out to be the best part of the vacation. Or how long you've known your best friend and what keeps you together through all the ups and downs of life.

That, however, does not make good party fodder. Enough people ask you enough inane questions and I start to wonder -- is that all there is?

Yeah, I'm long past the old pajamarama days. Those were just fun, drunken good times. Too much drinking and smoking and too many of Scott's shots and just general silliness. I mean, who can't be goofy in their pj's at someone else's house? There would always be some random person left the next day and it would always be someone I would hardly know and end up just laughing over nothing with... Man, don't y'all miss those pajama parties?? Obviously I do.

Anyways, wish me luck getting through my party anxiety. I should have such horrible problems, eh? :0)

Life's all about the distraction anyways....

xoxoxo,
hpl

It has always seemed absurd to suppose that a god would choose for hiscompanions, during all eternity, the dear souls whose highest and onlyambition is to obey. -Robert Green Ingersoll, lawyer and orator (1833-1899)

WHY doesn't Heather blog anymore?

1. No one besides Julia cares. And Rose apparently. I'm not bitter, I'm just saying.

2. I really don't have much to say. Well, much blog-worthy stuff. For a long time, it's been drunk philosophical ranting, and whining or bragging about my weight issues (depending on which way the pendulum was swinging). I mean, if you want to read that stuff, just go to the archives.

3. I don't have children. Mommy blogging seems to be the thing for women my age and I don't have kids.

4. Yet, I don't party all the time. So, no night after night of drunking partying isn't going to be a great story.

5. I watch a lot of tv. Too much tv. No one gives a crap about all the tv I watch, my opinions about the tv I watch or my latest comparisons on how much religious imagery plays throughout Smallville. Even if folks DID care, no one watches the stuff I watch. Every time I try to drum up enthusiasm about my favorite shows -- crickets.

6. And further, I have tried to write reviews about stuff I like to watch and read and my reviewing skills are lacking.

7. I work full time and go to school. When I DO have free time, I usually don't have enough material to muster up something worth reading. So, lack of material is an issue again.

8. Poor memory. I never remember anything for long enough to save up witty stories about it. Which is kind of too bad, because I'm kind of dingy so silly things happen to me all the time. Like the other day, I was somewhere and something happened and then I said the funniest thing... And everyone LAUGHED, but do I remember any of what happened? No. I have killed brain cells I need for functioning.

9. While lack of an audience is a thing, too much audience is another. What if I want to bitch about someone and then it turns they're one of my 3 readers? AWKward!

10. I just kind of don't want to as much as I used to. I really used to love coming to my blog and pouring out my stuff. But there are so many blogs out there and most of them are WAY better than anything I could come up with. So, maybe I'm competitive and because I can't compete I choose not to play?

11. I get easily distracted while I'm on line. I start posting but then I remember I have to pay a bill or look up something I needed to buy or see what Britney's up to or play a game of hearts or see what the Woot! of the day is. It's a problem, but whatever. It is my problem.

I ran out of reasons.

I have always wanted to team blog with someone because I think that would be fun, but Julia won't do it and Rose has 30000 other blogs. Rose, betwee myspace and twitter and facebook and whozit and aol and yahoo and google -- are you EVER out of touch?? ;-)

That's all I'm saying.

hpl

Dear Julia,

How about if you send me even one of the pictures you have promised me from the many joint adventures we have been on in the last 8 years and then maybe you have some license to complain about me leaving you a little bored...?

Bitterly,
me