Randomalia

And in no particular order...

SINGLE MOM FREAK OUT
When I was on my week-long road trip last weekend, I had a major meltdown/crisis that still disturbs me.

On our way from Longview to Houston, I adjusted the car's A/C, and suddenly, it quit working. Not noticible at first, but then it was clear that the air it was pumping out was no longer cooled. Luckily for us, it was still morning time, and we were able to crack the windows from some noisy relief. But then I started freaking totally out: If my air conditioner was really broken, then that meant that the remainder of this road trip (incl. 2 days in the Houston area and a lengthy trip from Houston to Austin) with a baby in the car was going to be unbearable. You see, it's full on summer here. Has been for weeks. So there would be no escaping the punishment of the Texas heat. Ugh. And then what about getting it fixed? I'm probably just beyond Warranty Land (my car's 2.5 yrs. old) so the expense would most likely be substantial...and let's not forget I'm on unpaid maternity leave right now...and I've got my car insurance coming up in July...and medical bills and...

Anyway, beyond the expense, what about the ACT of getting the car fixed? Even if I made an appointment at the one and only VW dealership here in town, I'm sure it would involve taking the car and leaviing it at the crack of dawn and (only maybe) getting it back late that afternoon. But I don't have a husband to take me and drop me off. And there's the car seat. I've got to have a car seat in whatever car DOES take me and pick me up. Ugh. Anxiety attack setting in. Hand...me...the...Xanax!

Well, long story short. We stopped to change Miss G's diaper and give her a bottle and..voila...when we started the car again, the A/C was magically working and has been since. Thank you God. But the freak out remains... I hate feeling that alone and helpless. But really, I am. It only takes a situation like that to make it all too real.

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS
Remember Mr. Mumbly? The guy I met at ACLfest who had definite potential? He was hanging in there, being charming. Saying things like, "I hope you know it doesn't bother me to date a single mom." Remember? He bought gifts for the baby off her registry at Target. He brought me things to take with me on my trip to Russia. And then, when we got back, he was anxious to see me and meet her.

Well he came over the week after we got back from our trip, bearing a lovely bottle of wine. We had, what I thought, was a lovely evening. We watched and played with the baby until her bedtime, and then hung out drinking wine and talking after she went to bed. That was a month ago, and I haven't heard from him since. Not an e-mail, not a phone call. Nothin'.

True colors, I suppose.

JANE! GET ME OFF THIS CRAZY THING!!
"Dancing with the Stars?"
"Cut?"
"Kept?"
"Strip Search?"
"Hit Me Baby, One More Time?"
"I Want a Famous Face?"

Does the American public have a limit for the amount of reality t.v. bile they'll accept as programming between Levitra commercials? Apparently not. Good God.
Thankfully there are new seasons of "Six Feet Under" amd "Reno 911" starting up. Otherwise I might be tempted to cancel my $130/mo. cable bill. Did I mention I'm on UNPAID maternity leave?