Excitement

There are several things that are making me happy/excited of late, and I thought I'd share.

1. My team will be moving to a new space at work in a month or so. Yes, this will be the 9th time I've moved in my nearly 11 years with my employer, but the space we're moving to is different from the rest of the floors in my building because it once belonged to a company who was leasing the space and it's, well, cooler than where we are now.
2. The big birthday reveal of telling The Geej about our upcoming trip to California is happening on Friday. I can hardly wait!!
3. I got a bargain on a new digital camera that takes really great photos like this one:

Isn't that pretty? Thank you, Costco!

4. That new HBO show "Boardwalk Empire" looks like it's going to be awesome.

5. I did some research and decided to switch our household over to AT&T U-verse for our cable, landline and internet in order to take advantage of their "bundle" offer. And not only will I be saving us $60/mo., I'm also getting two $200 Visa gift cards for switching and going with a promo deal they were offering. So SUCK IT Time-Warner.

6. We're growing watermelons in our back yard. For REALS!!

7. We've got some cool projects on the horizon at work and some (hopefully) positive changes are at hand for my team. Keep your fingers crossed for us!!

8. These pistachios are seriously some of the best nuts I've ever put in my mouth (insert crude fellatio joke here). You can get 'em at Costco or Whole Foods and I HIGHLY recommend the salt-and-pepper and south of the border flavors. Totally addictive.

9. Baby wombats.

10. And speaking of marsupials, this lady's possum is very well taken care of (and no, that's not a euphemism for her ladyparts).

Summertime Rolls...

How in the hell are we more than 1/2 way through with July, people?! That means that 2010 is 1/2 way over and that I'm (almost) 41 and 1/2. 'Tis crazy indeed.

Had a great time in Florida. Wonderful weather, good friends, and lots of laughs. I even got some color on my so-white-it's-practically-translucent skin. In fact, my right armpit is peeling as we speak--sexxxy. The thing with those long weekend type of vacations is that just when you finally start to get really relaxed, it's time to go home. See this picture?

THAT is relaxed. I was the only one in Lane's fabulous pool, and I felt like I was being gently held up by some invisible hand. Ahhh...

And when I say "fabulous pool", I really mean it. LOOK at this thing!

Not shabby in the least.

My biggest news from my trip is that I got my nose pierced. I'd been thinking about doing it since I was in my 30s, but it never seemed to be the right time. However, July 17th in Ft. Myers seemed like the perfect time, so I went and got it done in between attending an opening at an art gallery and dinner. No big whoop. I didn't even flinch.

I like the way it looks, and so far, so good with the healing.

Unfortunately, I don't have enough time off in my "bank" to do the smart thing and take the day AFTER I get back from a trip off too--you know, to recuperate, do laundry, grocery shop, pay bills, etc. So after arriving in Austin at 7:45pm on Sunday evening--BOOM--I was back at work bright and early Monday morning. No, I wasn't very productive that day.

Now the big focus is The Geej. She has only two more days at her school, which is something I'm having a very hard time fathoming. Then she goes to spend most of next week with Dah. At the end of the week (on 7/30), the little turkey turns SIX, and on that Saturday, The Big Waterslide Birthday Extravaganza at our house. Good LORD, what was I thinking. Next week I will be running around like a crazy person preparing for the party and, at some point, visiting potential after-school care options because first grade starts a month from this Friday. A MONTH FROM THIS FRIDAY!!!!

August is usually my least favorite month of the year, but I'm actually looking forward to it for maybe the first time ever. Why? Well, there's going to be lots of great stuff going on. Going to Stubb's to see Crowded House. (I love Neil Finn with the fiery passion of 10,000 suns, so to say I'm excited is an understatement.) The Geej in two week-long back-to-back theatre/performance camps that each culminate with, well, a performance! The trip with The Geej and Dah to San Diego (which is still a surprise, btw. I can't WAIT to tell her!). Then the beginning of first grade, followed by (most likely) a work trip to NYC. Crazy, no?

Yes, the summertime is rolling on by, and I'm trying my best to roll with it. 

My least favorite airport in the world.

It's named after George Bush, Sr.

And it's filled with Fox-sponsored retail outlets, including the Fox Sky Box sports bar and this place, where you can pick up the latest books by Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly.

Ugh.

Also, I sat behind this amazing Old Lady Texas Hair on the Austin-to-Houston leg of my journey. Fascinating.

Oh Hai!

You don't want to hear how busy I've been and about how work has been kicking my butt. You want Karla May updates, and that's what I intend to provide, randomalia style.

So without further ado...

It's been a long time since I've been addicted to a reality show, but I am SO in to "So You Think You Can Dance". Yes, I know it's the 7th season, so I'm a wee bit late to the party, but I am completely sucked in. And what's even sicker is that The Geej is right there with me--watching "The Dancing Show", voting for our favorites, and getting sad when people get eliminated. And now that Alex is out of there, it's really anyone's game.

Another thing I got totally sucked in to? The World Cup. This is totally BH's fault. He plays soccer twice a week, and I often join in when he's watching games on the Fox Soccer channel (yes, Fox has a channel totally devoted to soccer). We've even gone to a couple of Austin Aztex games, which are a fun way to spend a family evening. Anyway, he's never "for" any of the teams in the games he watches. He just wants for there to be good play. And this is the difference between the soccer fan and those who find soccer boring andd pointless. So I've gotten into the whole "watching for the sport of it" with him over the past couple of years while he has taught me about the rules, fouls, etc. So OMG, was I ever ready for the World Cup when it began. And between fifa.com and the fact that my place of employment was showing games on the big screen TVs in a conference room during the entire tournament, I was pretty much hooked. Four years from now, I plan to be even MORE hooked.

Tomorrow I leave for The Most Funnest Weekend Ever, Round Two. This time, there's a new character in the cast (a gal I've never met named Michelle), so even more wackiness should ensue althought I cannot promise there will be aggressive flauting. But I will be praying for it. Believe me. And y'all, this break could NOT come at a better time. Yes, I'm swamped at work (which sucks b/c I know I'm going to walk right back into a veritable shit storm when I get back to work on Monday), but mentally, I needed out of there. Like now. I plan on doing nothing that requires any brainpower whatsoever this entire weekend.

I've got New House Fever. However, we are a) not ready to put our house on the market, b) it's a crappy time to put a house like ours (3/2 starter home) on the market b/c there's too much inventory and c) we need to get going in the new school year to truly understand what our budget's going to be, so, long story short--no new house for Karla May any time soon. But OMG I'm DYING to get into a new space that's more suited to what we need. This November will mark my 5 yr. anniversary of being at this address, and I am just ready for a change and for a place that BH and I decide upon TOGETHER. But I'm going to have to wait, and anyone who knows me knows that patience is not a virtue of mine.

I signed up for a writing workshop this fall with the insanely talented Ms. Spike Gillespie. I cannot wait.

Also? I really really really want to take an improv class. I recently went and watched my hyper-talented friend Irene in an improv performance and left invigorated and inspired. The questions are: When will I be able to work this into my insane schedule?; and, Am I brave enough? I really don't have the answers to either of those right now.

They're changing my thyroid hormone replacement meds prescription again. When my bloodwork came back this week, it showed that I still wasn't within what's considered "normal" ranges, although I was much closer than I'd been the last time I'd had my TSH levels checked. So, they're upping my dosage and--fingers crossed--this will be the golden ticket. I've felt about 80% normalish, but I've still been a bit hypothyroid symptomatic (dry/itchy/ashy skin; hair falling out; bouts of intense fatigue; uncontrollable moodswings; insomnia; inability to concentrate, etc.). In other words, I'm still an utter joy to be around at all times.

I know there's more,  but that's all I can do for now. It's 1:00am, and I've got to get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to pack because, as with every trip, I've waited until the last minute to even think about what I'm going to take with me. Oh, and I need to go start some laundry...so there's that.

Another post soon, I promise.