Thursday, May 24, 2012

Did you ever just wonder...

Odd things pop into my brain when I am driving to work in the morning.  Today it was the merits ~ or lack thereof ~ of playing hoops for two very successful coaches - one college and one high school.  Would you rather play for Bob Knight or Bob Hurley?  Both are extremely volatile and in my opinion awful men.  They both have turned out great players, both coached their own sons, and have both demoralized numerous young men under their care.  In the end I decided I would choose the lesser of two evils and play for Bob Knight.  Watch the below link and the fun starts at about 1:20 into the video.  What choice would you make?


Bob Hurley Coach of Saint Anthonys Friars

Is this a peculiar thing for a 52 year old woman to think about?

Friday, May 11, 2012

The Book I cannot read...

My sister, Julie, handed me the book across the foot of Dad's hospital bed.  She said I would love it, but it's sad.  The book was "The Art Of Racing In The Rain".  I didn't need sad that day in late September 2009.  My Dad had just had a heart attack and quad bypass surgery.  He wasn't yet on the road to recovery - and had been seeing the little green men riding bicycles around in his room.  That still makes me laugh.  Of course it was the pain and other drugs he was on post surgery - and he missed them when they were gone.




The other reason I could not read the book just then was because my Gracie was in the car dying.  She was only 9 years old and I wasn't ready for her to go.  Cancer was taking her along with a host of other maladies that had crept up on us over the years.  Surgery had removed the huge mass on her ribcage and a few wonderfully good weeks followed.  She was able to attend the 2009 NAWRA National in Roy WA that Saturday which turned out to be her very last good day.  She was in the unbroken spirit class of the fun match.  All decked out in her new pink collar from Debbey Bartos and shining like the diamond I knew her to be.  Overnight she began going downhill - camping in a cramped Honda Element was never her idea of a good time and this was no exception.  I drove her home in the morning and my roommate (Thanks Gail!) would watch her for the next day or so while I stayed at the National.  The pictures taken of her in those last couple of days break my heart because I can see in her eyes - she was ready to go.  A week went by and I spent it visiting my Dad in the Hospital and snuggling with my girl.  We went to see our vet that Friday and she just stood there with her head hanging down.  I absolutely knew I should say the words that would let her go peacefully and yet I couldn't make myself do it.  Both the vet and my friend Gail sat and let me take my time - I decided to take her home with me.  On Monday I knew it was no long fair to keep her here with me so I made the call and started to bawl.  I cried all the way there, I cried while they prepared her and gave her a KitKat bar to hold her attention.  I cried for many hours and days afterward and I know all of you know exactly what I was feeling.  My first dog as an adult, my first whippet, my heart. ♥  I did not keep her ashes because that makes me feel like I wasn't letting her fly away.  In my head she is in a giant pet food store eating as much as she wants forever and she will never ever get sick.


I tried and tried and tried to read that book but could never get past the beginning line where Enzo was lying in his own urine when Denny came home.  Nope...couldn't do it.  Today is May 11th 2012 and still that book sits by my bed.  I try and try...but it is forever tied to my Dad in the hospital and my Gracie's final days.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

And Now For Something Completely Different...

I need an outlet for my wacky and wandering thoughts and decided a new blog would be just the ticket.  What I write may have no relevance to anyone but me...and I am at peace with that thought.

I kinda like the fact that I wore my Mad Cow t-shirt for the overnight sleep study

If you are brave enough to attempt to follow my bouncing brain - don't say I didn't warn you first.
  
Right now I have lots of ideas swirling around my brain and I don't quite know how to put them into action.  I have decided to go back to school and get a certificate - Database Business Intelligence Analyst.  There is real excitement brewing in me and I think I finally know what I want to be when I grow up.  But I often get really pumped about new things and then they slowly fizzle out when some shiny new bauble finds its way into my focus.  Learning really turns me on and makes me happy...but then so do flowers, music, HotRod, puppies, vacations at the beach, new car shopping, bald eagles flying, chocolate, did I mention music and HotRod?  Well...you get the idea.

Photography is also a new hobby and I enjoy it immensely.  I would love to get a new/used DSLR, but right now that is not an option.  I get some pretty cool shots with my iPhone and my Panasonic point & shoot so I will keep learning new things and honing my eye for composition - which is not a strong point right now.

Work is in flux...24 years at the same job and I need something new...thus going back to school.  I will be even more not wealthy for several more years to come, but hopefully by the time I get finished there will be jobs available to me. 
  
This is my tattoo that reminds me to live every day to it's fullest - I'm not very good at that at the moment...
Stay tuned...you never know where my brain will go next...BAZINGA!!