hotel dixie

Sun, 24 May 2009 20:14:38 GMT

How can LJ claim my password is too easy to guess when I can't remember it?

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:41:11 GMT

as i too worry about the future of livejournal, i'm going to follow hybridartifacts lead.

if you have a facebook and would like to keep in touch (with or without lj's demise), please feel free to add me. it's listed as amie brien-slack.

i don't want to lose my ljfriends. or my journal, for that matter. i kept saying i was going to print it. i should do that. at some point in time. maybe this weekend. :)

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:03:30 GMT

all things considered, 2008 was a blessed one for us. still, the level of anxiety at our household matches that felt across the country. i am so glad we both have jobs, the kids are healthy, steve and i love each other, etc.

however, having said that....

i have hopes that 2009 will be an even better year, one with less fear and more hope, less angst and more faith. and i hope 2009 is a magical year for each of you.

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:18:09 GMT

i'm now officially off of work until dec.29th. yay!

this is shaping up to be a lovely christmas (i say this recognizing that stating such a thing may well jinx it, but i'll take my chances) so far, almost all of the shopping is done since we had to make substantial cuts--really substantial. we'll decorate this weekend. i know this is way late for some, but i like putting the stuff up closer to christmas so i'm not sick of it by the time christmas rolls around. we were given a huge ham by a friend, so dinner menu is already begun.

the holidays really are my favorite time of year when everything falls into place. when it doesn't? still my favorite time of year. it could be marred by the fact that my father started having his stroke on christmas eve 1999 and by christmas night was unable to communicate with us well ever again. still, he LOVED christmas and would smack me upside my haid for allowing anything to put a cloud on it. i know he and my mother would SO love that we are in my childhood home, raising our kids, and honoring their tradtions while creating our own.

we will go to the early service christmas eve and be home by 6:30 or so. then, we'll begin the tradition of grownups opening presents. in "olden days" (my childhood as well as since we moved here) lots of people dropped by and the kids were allowed to open any gift brought to them by guests. last year very few showed. don't tell anyone, but we loved it. it was low-key and intimate. who knows what this year will bring.

i am reminded again and again this time of year how well blessed we are. we both have jobs, our children are healthy and seem to be doing well, our marriage is really solid, etc. etc. my goal is not to become overwhelmed as is so easy to happen at christmas, not to set unreasonable expectations of myself and to focus on the spiritual aspects--not just religious, but spiritual. i'm not making any sense now and i've talked/written too long!

in case i don't post again before the 25th, may all of you have wonderful holidays and a 2009 filled with magic!

with apologies to those snowed in

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:19:57 GMT

i have well over a foot of water in my basement after 4 inches of rain in 24 hours.

apparently the pump doesn't work. apparently water renders the water heater useless. apparently you can't fix the pump with the power on as the water also covers the furnace and other electrically motivated stuff. apparently it isn't safe (assuming we get the water out) to just strike a match to light the gas-motivated water heater. (my plumber friend dislikes me referring to it as a hot water heater. he says hot water doesn't need to be heated)

apparently i ain't gettin' a shower this morning.

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:21:56 GMT

how sick and wrong is it that i like the "happy cow" commericals?

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:23:41 GMT

this was stolen...i mean borrowed...from my e-therapist. i can never think of anything to post lately, but was inspired that karenleigh posted.

Leave me a comment and I will reply with why I like you. If I don't know you, I'll either make something up or tell you why I like your LiveJournal. If you like, pass the warm-fuzzy forward by posting a message like this one on your LiveJournal.

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:30:09 GMT

we had a really good weekend. went to a surprise sweet sixteen party for one of annie's friends on saturday night. then, we spent yesterday with that nice combination of being productive and relaxing as well. i remain determined to get control of all of the crapola in my house.

i still miss my baby boy. i get to talk to him most days, which certainly helps. and, he's already been home two weekends. but, it's just not the same without him around. it makes my heart ache, literally.

let's see....what else....

although i continue to dislike my current job situation, i am doing much better about keeping it in perspective. for one thing, it is only three days a week. in other words, it's less than half of my time. plus, i need to remember that in this economy, i'm lucky to have a friggin' job! i've applied for five different jobs at the hospital. no word yet. keep your fingers crossed.

i've gotten to talk to karenleigh more lately. this is always a plus. she always makes me feel more like myself than almost anything else.

okay. now the truth. i'm supposed to be working out and this is avoidance behavior. i'll stop now and really go work out. and, i mean really. if karen can treadmill, i can work out!

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:21:30 GMT

just as a show of support for my beloved karenleigh, i'd like to also say:

Dear Cowardly Anonymous PictureTrail Comment Leaver,

Fuck you

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:22:48 GMT

friday five:

1) am i always such a drag to be around? i feel like i whine, whine, whine.....about the current job status, about jp leaving, my parents, my chronic pain, fear of falling, etc. steve says i'm not always that way and that i have a right to bitch. i dunno.

2) the separating with the college boy was harder than the separation has been. it's been hard, but not nearly as gut-wrenching as the time leading up to it and the drive home.

3) my brother-in-law, not necessarily on my list o' favorites, "dropped off" a 1999 bmw in wonderful shape that he's giving us. he's getting a new car and "it's not worth the hassle" to trade in the bmw. this could help to get him onto the list o' favorites. however, there's a part of me (ain't there always) that a) feels like this week's charity case and 2) wonders who the hell can afford to give away a bmw!!

4) so...if you're torn between telling the truth and possibly hurting someone's feelings, what do you do? i generally vote for honesty, but i hate hate hate thinking i've hurt someone i love.

5) i'm such a sap. ted kennedy had me teary-eyed and i'm not even a big fan. i think it was maybe a nostalgia thang. i remember the conventions in the sixties. (that's about all i remember of the sixties, but, i digress........)

6) (yes, i know i said five) there is the possibiblity of the perfect job in the not-so-distant future. keep your fingers crossed.

7) (okay, fine....make it "friday seven") i wish i didn't put stuff off. there are people on lj that i would love to sit down and write snail mail to...or send a card....imona do that. i am. i promise. as soon as i get my act together.

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:44:47 GMT

i thought this was an interesting meme.

My uncle once: got arrested on his wedding night. It only got worse from there.

Never in my life: have I understood bigotry.

When I was five: my soul was so pure, I was so happy. (this was a stolen answer, but an accurate one.)

High School was: a nightmare filled with racial riots and National Guardsmen. Not exactly conducive to learning.

I will never forget: standing on my daddy's feet and "dancing."

Once I met: Laura Bush, but I think there's a better answer I can't think of. (For the record and as a democrat, she was exceedingly gracious and lovely)

There's this girl I know: that I used to feel close to but feel like I've lost.

Once, at a bar: oh, I got a million of these....:) uhm, I won a barroom bet by "snatching" 25 quarters off of my elbow. If you don't know what that means, I'm at a loss how to explain it.

By noon: I'm usually ready for a nap.

Last night: I fell asleep while trying to stay awake for the DNC.

If only I had: a clue

Next time I go to church: I'll experience once again the distance between who I am and who I want to be. (another stolen answer. can i help it if he has such good answers????)

What worries me most: that something horrible will happen to my kids

When I turn my head to the right: I can't type on my keyboard.

You know I'm lying when: i say, "that's okay, it doesn't matter." when my feelings have been hurt.

What I miss about the 80s is: I don't miss the 80's.

If I were a character in Shakespeare: Kate

By this time next year: I'll still be sitting here reading LJ, probably

A better name for me would be: Your Royal Majesty (see, dennis, i don't steal everything verbatim....some stuff i sorta paraphrased)

I have a hard time understanding: see question #2

If I ever go back to school: i'll finish my degree....finally (only 18 hours left!)

You'll know I like you if: i spend time with you

If I ever won an award the first person that I would thank is: my parents

Take my advice: Listen to your inner stuff when it tells you, "this is a bad idea."

My ideal breakfast is: An egg-in-a-hole and/or a croissant with butter.

A song I love but do not have: A Christmas Carol we sang every year at my junior high school, but have never heard since.

If you visit my hometown: come see me

Why won't people simply: quit thriving on melodrama and look at real stuff

If you ever spend the night at my house you probably won't get any sleep because: we live next to a major road. If you aren't used to traffic, it can be annoying.

I'd stop my wedding for: I truly couldn't think of an answer.......

The world could do without: all the negativity

I'd rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: have 4 more years of george bush

My favorite blonde is: my gorgeous daughter, for not-famous. otherwise......Gracie Allen

Paper Clips are: one of those inanimate objects that has sex and multiplies in the night (like coat hangers)

If I do anything well, it's: worry

I can't help but stand up for: those in my path who can't stand up for themselves.

I cry over: almost anything

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:04:12 GMT

well, he's now firmly planted in his tiny dorm room at the university. to my surprise, his sister is having a really hard time with it. i had thought i'd be the one sobbing (okay i was "one" but not "THE one") at the departure.

he's happy. that much, at least, helps. it does my heart good.

five minutes into the car ride home i got a text message. "mom, i love you so much. thanks for everything you and dad have done for me." that helped too. it also did my heart good.

it did, however, send me into another round of weeping. it's going to get better, right?

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:27:05 GMT

in june of 2005 i posted about my son going to music camp. my mantra was "i've done a good job."

tomrrow, we take him to the university of georgia (about three hours away) to begin college. i thought separating for five weeks when he went to music camp was hard!!!

this is ripping my heart out and i'm not even allowed the luxury of openly grieving. it's about him and the life he is beginning, which is as it should be. i am NOT going to spoil this or put a dark cloud over it for him.

but, it is breaking my heart in ways i never knew it could break. i am so so sad.

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:34:46 GMT

1. sending this boy away to college is going to cost me a fortune. why can't higher education be more affordable?

2. i have a temp job. workers' comp has assigned me to a clerical position (at my full rate of pay) for an undetermined amount of time. i don't mind working. i don't mind working a clerical position. i just wanted to spend the rest of my "last summer" with my son.

3. i got to talk to MY karenleigh today. that's always such a day-improver.

4. she made me post this. it's all her fault.

5. szandara makes me want a new kitchen in spite of the hassles. alas, unless she's willing to pay for it, i'll be keeping this one. maybe after the kids are out of college.

6. let's all hope annie wants to go to college. she now has a desire to be a physical therapist. this is a really good thing.

7. this is the same child who told us she didn't need to go to high school because, "i don't need to know the square root of a circle." we didn't have the heart to break it to her....

8. karen has to post now, it's the agreement.

9. i really enjoy the journals of the few lj friends i have. they're all quite different but i "get" something from each and everyone. i'd like to see a leeann post.

10. i'm pleased i came up with nine things to say.

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:48:07 GMT

i think i'm all offended. karenleigh did a wonderful post about the bracelet i gave her. however, noticably (noticeably?) absent was any mention, let alone picture, of the "lovely" postcard i sent her. i figured it would deserve it's own post. hhhmmmmm...........

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:45:28 GMT

guess whose fifteen year old daughter snuck out of the house with two boys at 3 a.m. last night??

dear lord, give me strength. (i'd pray for patience, but job prayed for patience and we all know how THAT went!)

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:01:29 GMT

meme from pecosbill

Go to http://quotationspage.com/random.php3 and read until you find five quotes that speak your truth.

I'm going to a special place when I die, but I want to make sure my life is special while I'm here
Payne Stewart

A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking. Jerry Seinfeld

You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm.
Colette

Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.
Bertrand Russell

I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it.
Mae West

my vacation......again......

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:36:07 GMT

i received an email from an lj friend asking why i hadn't posted about my trip. thing is.....i did. i made a post about a week ago but locked it as private. then, a few days later i unlocked it. apparently that left it several days back. if you see what i mean. so, back by (one-person's) popular demand:

i haven't posted about the vacation because i don't know where to begin or how to tell it all. it was so incredible. but, generally, i don't think people want long drawn-out descriptions of other people's vacation. this is the thumbnail version:

we spent two days in manhattan: we saw phantom of the opera, went to the museum of natural history, saw where john lennon was shot, saw kristi yamaguchi with her mirrored ball the day after she won it and the naked cowboy. oh....and we went to the algonquin hotel and scattered the remainder of my mother's ashes, my father's ashes and the ashes they gave me and said were my mother's (but weren't) in the lobby. don't ask. you could be called to testify. (apparently it isn't considered appropriate to sprinkle unknown powders around the lobby of hotels in large metropolitan places. who'd have thought?)

we spent four days in paris: we had an incredibly lovely apartment next to the sacre coeur (which we could see from our bed), saw pretty much everything you'd expect--the louvre, eiffel tower, notre dame, jim morrison's grave, the musee d'orsay, napolean's tomb, etc. and, we ate a lot of good food and drank a lot of good wine. and i bought pornographic postcards for karenleigh.

we spent four days further south in france in a tiny, tiny village with friends: we ate. then we ate some more. then we drank and drank more. we also saw albi (birthplace of toulouse lautrec), cordes (a cool medieval village), and rocamandour (also a cool medieval village built into the side of a cliff) then we ate and drank some more.

the trip truly could not have been more wonderful. we all got along great (except when annie stopped dead in the center of the airport's security checkpoint--one shoe on and one off--to send a text message!)

the pictures are on my facebook, if you'd like to see them.

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:33:40 GMT

i haven't posted about the vacation because i don't know where to begin or how to tell it all. it was so incredible. but, generally, i don't think people want long drawn-out descriptions of other people's vacation. this is the thumbnail version:

we spent two days in manhattan: we saw phantom of the opera, went to the museum of natural history, saw where john lennon was shot, saw kristi yamaguchi with her mirrored ball the day after she won it and the naked cowboy. oh....and we went to the algonquin hotel and scattered the remainder of my mother's ashes, my father's ashes and the ashes they gave me and said were my mother's (but weren't) in the lobby. don't ask. you could be called to testify. (apparently it isn't considered appropriate to sprinkle unknown powders around the lobby of hotels in large metropolitan places. who'd have thought?)

we spent four days in paris: we had an incredibly lovely apartment next to the sacre coeur (which we could see from our bed), saw pretty much everything you'd expect--the louvre, eiffel tower, notre dame, jim morrison's grave, the musee d'orsay, napolean's tomb, etc. and, we ate a lot of good food and drank a lot of good wine. and i bought pornographic postcards for karenleigh.

we spent four days further south in france in a tiny, tiny village with friends: we ate. then we ate some more. then we drank and drank more. we also saw albi (birthplace of toulouse lautrec), cordes (a cool medieval village), and rocamandour (also a cool medieval village built into the side of a cliff) then we ate and drank some more.

the trip truly could not have been more wonderful. we all got along great (except when annie stopped dead in the center of the airport's security checkpoint--one shoe on and one off--to send a text message!)

the pictures are on my facebook, if you'd like to see them.

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:28:24 GMT

i thought i'd have a spot of coffee because i don't have tea.

my coffee pot apparently either 1) doesn't like me and/or b) is clogged. i have a counter covered in grounds and mess. it's amazing how far so little water goes.

*sigh*

Wed, 14 May 2008 22:42:12 GMT

i leave tuesday for two days in nyc followed by 10 days in france. wtf was i thinking??

i'm a wreck. i have SO much to do. and, between now and then my baby graduates from high school.

whose idea was all of this? oh......wait.......

Sun, 11 May 2008 19:09:10 GMT

next to me, karenleigh has the most gorgeous of children. i wonder if she has any recent pictures of either of them that she could post. i'll bet she does.

ups and downs

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:12:23 GMT

my beloved nephew (you may have heard of him....the sun rises and sets for him) was here for a whole week and it was such a luxury!! we had a grat time but i'm so touristed-out!! we did everything but "see rock city." (do you yankees know that reference????)

saturday, we had to put down our beloved lab of 13 or 14 years depending on whether you ask steve or my son. either way, it sucked big time...the kids crying, me crying, even their dad crying. but, it truly was the right thing to do. she was not in pain but had a nerve condition that was causing progressive paralysis. she'd lost all movement in her back half. solo was a GREAT dog and we're really going to miss her. one of the hardest parts is seeing how depressed our brittany spaniel simone is without her buddy.

BIG NEWS:

yesterday, john peyton came home from youth group and announced that next week is seniors' sunday. since i schedule the acolytes, i knew this already. the BIG NEWS is that he's been asked to preach at both services!!!!! i am so proud of him as there are three other seniors but they picked my baby!!! stay tuned.

hope y'all have a good week.

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:20:09 GMT

the path reports were negative!! yay!!!!

one of my dearest friends in the world and one lj friend have had to experience the "anniversary" of a parent's death. this was given to me yesterday and i really liked it. it also reminded me of hybridartifcat's comments re my uncle's death which really comforted me.

this brought me comfort and i hope it brings them some, as well. (that includes you hybridartifacts!)

though we need to weep your loss,
you dwell in the safe place in our hearts,
where no storm or night or pain can reach you.

your love was like the dawn
brightening over our lives
awakening beneath the dark
a further adventure of colour.

the sound of your voice
found for us
a new music
that brightened everything.

whatever you enfolded in your gaze
quickened in the joy of its being;
you placed smiles like flowers
on the altar ofthe heart.
your mind always sparkled
with wonder at things,

though your days here were brief
your spirit was live, awake, complete.

we look towards each other no longer
from the old distance of our names;
now you dwell inside the rhythm of breath
as close to us as we are to ourselves

though we cannot see you with outward eyes,
we know our soul's gaze is upon your face,
smiling back at us from within everything
to which we bring our best refinement.

let us not look for you only in memory
where we would grow lonely without you.
you would want us to find you in presence,
beside us when beauty brightens,
when kindness glows,
and music echoes eternal tones.

when orchids brighten the earth,
darkest winter has turned to spring'
may this dark grief flower with hope
in every heart that loves you.

may you continue to inspire us:

to enter each day with a generous heart.
to serve the call of courage and love
until we see your beautiful face again
in that land where there is no more separation,
where all tears will be wiped from our mind
and we will never lose you again.

--john o-donohue

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:20:42 GMT

am leaving to have my surgery. everybody, please do whatever it is you do--pray, cross your fingers, send good vibes, etc. it is appreciated.