Actually, just my vacation is over, but I always feel like I’ve woken up from some wonderful dream when I come back to “real life” and I have to BE PLACES and DO THINGS that are not exactly of MY CHOOSING.

I’ll do a real vacation summary in the next day or so – but first, I must say that, definitively, I cannot write fiction on a computer. I must hand write it. This theory was proven as FACT on this vacation.

I see transcribing in my future.

Also, I only gained about one pound while on vacation which is just a testament to my self-control, the QUALITY of food in the Pacific Northwest, and the walkable nature of Seattle. That I indulged in delicious cake and breakfast pastries cannot be denied, but I only ate Chinese food once, and I think the Taco Bell that worked it’s way through my system in record time negated itself.

I don’t know what got me on this train of thought, but it might have been watching the end of ‘Little Darlings’ this morning followed by ‘Amelie.’ As I was hanging up some laundry, I thought of all the male characters in movies that I found attractive, and how none of them were the typical ones; I didn’t like Blaine or Ducky (I liked Stef), I liked Bender (Breakfast Club), I didn’t like Mouth or Mikey or Brand (I liked Data), but the truth is that I never was attracted to those kinds of guys in Real Life. Only one type attracted me, ever.

My male ideal is Jack Butler, the dad from ‘Mr. Mom’, played by Michael Keaton. Not Michael Keaton himself – but the character he played. This is very important to specify because… I basically ended up marrying him.

Here are the qualities in no particular order:
- Silly
- Family-focused
- Does housework
- Smart
- DIY capable
- Likes soap operas under certain circumstances
- Loves his job
- Plays card games
- Tries to relate to people outside of his socio-economic sphere
- Eats junk food
- Can make costumes
- Loves me the most

I got Perfect Tommy. Hooray!

This blog is all medical updates and no pizazz! Apparently, my x-rays weren’t alarming (I’m showing some “spine-straitening due to muscle spasm” – sounds peachy!) but the persistence of my symptoms and the addition of hip pain made my doctor refer for more x-rays and physical therapy. And more pills, which are the only things keeping me from House-like levels of snark and misery-making.

In dental news, I’m getting orthodontia to get rid of the gap in-between my top front teeth. In addition to vanity, I’m mostly doing it because I’m tired of getting my lips stuck in my teeth and getting cut. I’m also going to end up getting at least one tooth bonded or veneered so that my teeth don’t move ever again. When I went for my evaluation, one of the assistants commented on the size of my lower retaining wire: “I’ve never seen one of those in real life before!” Apparently, the wires they use now are about 1/3 of the gauge of my wire. Yes, I’m old now.

Because of my stupid neck injury, I haven’t been able to exercise at all. So, my weight isn’t going down. But it does appear to have stabilized? Probably due to the glucophage/metformin. I don’t even know anymore. I’m just focusing on fiber to get my cholesterol lower, and I’m going to worry about the rest later.

In other news, my skin is breaking out like crazy. I am focusing on remaining indoors and becoming a desert vampire because I think part of it is that my skin gets really oily if I’m in the sun too much. Also, sun hats and sunscreen in everything. My skin definitely doesn’t look 32 years old, and my fear of skin cancer, being an indoor kid in high school, and living in Seattle for most of my 20s certainly helped. So, I’m getting a consultation with aesthetician to avoid it getting worse and reverse whatever sun damage I might have.

Family-wise, it’s been awesome lately. My mom, sister, and niece came to visit last weekend, and it was just fantastic. I love them all so much and my niece is such a wonderful, easy, happy baby and has a huge personality already. Plus, my mother-in-law (who I get along with like nobody’s business) is coming this weekend, and my brother is coming to visit in May. Even Tom, who can be stressed out by having company, has been enjoying the shit out of it – it’s a good distraction from all the DIY around the house.

Speaking of which, I need to pick out some more tile, move some furniture, paint some walls, and go through some boxes. Once we’re done with everything, it will be time to move and find a new adventure.

It’s amazing how positive muscle relaxers can make a person.

I don’t what possessed me the morning of May 18th, but I went online and started looking at dogs available for adoption from the Palm Springs Animal Shelter. And I looked at the pictures and there was one that just looked… good. So I called Tom and asked him if I should go look and, after a little hemming and hawing, he said sure.

So I went, and the one I liked was gone. But there was another puppy that looked okay. A boy dog, and I thought, “Well, I’m not feeling some kind of magic, but he seems okay and he needs a home.” And so I started the paperwork.

But then the people that had taken the puppy that I had seen online BROUGHT HER BACK (also, her male litter mate). Our eyes met… and I told the shelter people that I wanted to take a (closer) look at that puppy.

There was just something about her, her vibe, that made me think, “This is a good dog. This is my dog.”

So I ditched the male dog I had been working on getting and got this girl dog instead.

And I am so glad I did.

In the three months that we have had her, Arrow has just been fantastic. She is the perfect dog for us. She is incredibly social and loves to play, everywhere we go people coo over her like she’s a baby, she travels really well, but most importantly, Tom adores her (and spoils her) – we are a pack and I am the alpha and we made it through teething without losing any shoes.

And you know what? I haven’t had an allergic reaction AT ALL.

For a Flickr set of pictures, click here.

So all that quiet reflection and whatnot that I so desired after my vacation has been no where to be found.

It’s my own fault, I got sort of depressed about everything when I got home and I’ve just sat on my ass staring at the wall since I got back.

But I’m trying, but I’m always trying and it gets old. I’m so bored with myself that the thought of interacting with other people makes me want to jump in front of a bus.

And this weekend we’re heading to Sedona/Jerome/Clarkdale for Tom’s birthday, so hopefully I will snap out of it and actually have some fun…