Growly things

Dear Internets,

Sorry for the crap post. I am sleep-deprived and irritable, and wearing the clothes from the back of the closet since I haven't had easy access to laundry for the past couple of weeks. I'm trying hard not to be super whiny/grumpy/homicidal about (STILL) not having my washer/dryer, since I realize it's hardly the end of the world and there ARE laundromats in Austin*. But it's hard to be upbeat when I feel so rumpled.

You know how there are reasons you don't wear certain articles of clothing as often as others? For example, maybe you have one pair of work pants that looks great with one of your tops, but when paired with anything else makes your hips look like you could give birth to an 11-pound baby without even noticing? And you should probably get rid of the pants, because when you run out of laundry you tend to pair them with a perpetually wrinkly tee shirt and a cardigan and pretend that's OK because the cardigan is black (and therefore professional-looking) and your boss works from home on Mondays and won't see you anyway?

Yeah.

I feel like the anti-Holly Golightly. I want my washer. Or my mom.

If you run into the Universe, you might mention that I'd like some donuts.

Love,
Jane

*Seriously, Sears Home Delivery is like a bad boyfriend. If they would just ADMIT that they aren't going to be able to deliver my washer/dryer for the next decade, I could move on with my life, get a roll of quarters, and go to the damn laundromat. Yet they insist upon giving me a false sense of hope. Sigh.

28 before 28

Dear Internets,

Among the things I've been procrastinating about (blog award love-sharing, etc.) is writing a list of what I'd like to accomplish in my 29th year. I finally wrote down my "29 before 29" post (just two months late!) only to promptly lose it. (It's what I get, really, for always writing on scraps of paper.)

In searching for the list, however, I found an old "28 before 28" list that I made before I started this blog. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had done rather well without actively trying:

1. Finish the Danskin Austin triathlon (done, crazy boss and all.)
   
2. Do a half marathon (dropped out of the training. Oh well.)
3. Take a vacation involving sand (not unless you count the zoo. I was going to do a triathlon vacation in Galveston, but that was before Ike.)
4. Start a blog
   
5. Learn to knit
6. Run a 10K without stopping to walk (Done, and while I had the stomach flu to boot.)
7. Get a promotion (farewell, crazy boss!)
8. Paint my living room (I think I've come to terms with my need to hire someone to do this.)
9. Pay off all credit cards (I even paid off one of my student loans.)
10. Donate to Goodwill at least 4 times (2 times. I did donate various things several times throughout the year, but not to Goodwill.)
11. ACL Fest (woot!)
12. Take a self-development class to see what it's like (I'm counting the weird motivational seminar I attended on my birthday. There were pyrotechnics. It totally counts.)
13. Get more organized (I'm definitely better, lost blog posts not withstanding.)
14. See the Old 97's (3 times! Almost 4! Am possibly obsessed...)
15. Read 28 books (Only if you count cheezy "how to get more organized" books. But whatever. I read real books too, so I'm counting them.)
16. See 28 movies (I'm counting the times I got sucked into Lifetime Original Movies.)
17. Find 28 interesting blogs to read (Oh lordy. And then some. My Google Reader needs an intervention.)
18. Learn 28 new vocabulary words (probably, if you count work-related vocabulary.)
19. Learn a new programming language (high five for nerdiness! I actually learned two.)
20. Practice public speaking at least 5 times (if you count my second job, which involves speaking to teenagers, I did this many more than 5 times. If not, I did this twice.)
21. Take a helicopter ride (we were supposed to do this for Achilles' birthday, but he decided he'd rather go to Fiesta Texas. My back/neck would probably have preferred the helicopter ride.)
22. Go to the dentist (yes, I know, I'm a horrible person who deserves to lose all my teeth. I know.)
23. Vote for Obama (2 times!)
24. Caucus for Obama (It was kind of miserable, but I'm glad I did it.)
25. Make an animated short (I didn't even get close.)
    
26. Skip something on the list (7. I'm an overachiever.)
27. Redecorate bathroom (thank you Ikea. I love you too.)
28. Host a game night (We did this several times.)

There's the list. I wish I'd made more goals about doing well in trivia competitions or making Halloween cupcakes, but I think I did OK anyway. Soon(-ish) I'll find my 29 before 29 post and pass along my blog award.

I hope you're having a wonderful Thursday, Internets!

Love,
Jane

My morning smile

Dear Internets,

This story made my morning (it's an old story apparently, but I missed it the first time):



Love,
Jane

P.S. For those of you who can't watch YouTube, here's a link to the Wikipedia article.
P.P.S. Wikipedia? I really must be living under a rock.

Alphabetizing my bit sweets

Dear Kitchen Floors,

If you could magically stop being ugly vinyl, that would be awesome.

Love,
Jane

***

Dear People Who Were Supposed to Deliver my New Washer and Dryer Yesterday,

It would have helped if you'd given me more than 12 hours notice that my order had been delayed for a week and a half. I might not have spent my weekend running all over town trying to sell my dryer to a lady from Craigslist who didn't have a phone and left me (literally) 13 messages from 11 different numbers.

And I probably wouldn't have spent yesterday evening at the laundry mat, because I'd still have my old washer and dryer.

Sincerely,
Jane

***

Dear Jane,

Thanks for spending several hours yesterday reorganizing me. Perhaps you were redirecting your anger at the washer/dryer delivery people into more positive channels? At any rate, thanks! The Home Depot and Container store thank you as well. As does the local economy.

Love,
Your Kitchen

***

Dear Peanut M&M's,

I know that we've been over this before, but sometimes, you complete me. You really do.

Love,
Jane