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The chilly, cloudy weather this morning seems to support my hole up in the house and play online mentality. (It doesn't take much for me to cave in to the hermitude some Saturdays).

I did manage to upload some Easter pics so at least I got "something" done other than surf and drink coffee. The first pic is of Brandon and me, obviously. The next two are my adorable nieces, Bri and Abi, and then new addition, Averie

I've also been trying to work on getting caught up with everyone and have enjoyed reading everyone's "100 things" meme. Maybe I should do one entitled 100 things I wish I had time for. But, I don't have time for that..LOL.

No, what little free, fun time I have has been totally taken over by Supernatural and it's high time I start gushing (more!). I don't know if I'm just one of these people who just loves to be sucked into fictional things or if the whole avoidance of the Merlin spoilery has inadvertently pushed me toward a new fandom love interest. Because I never realized until now just how much looking at filming pictures and reading the "reports" maintained my interest between seasons (series). I don't think I've abandoned Merlin; it's just been thrown into the back seat of the Impala for the present time.

Speaking of the Impala, I miss it this season. It's totally a character. And with that I am going to segue into my Top 10 Reasons Why Supernatural is Da Bomb, Yo.

1) Sam and Dean, Dean and Sam..however you say it, the brothers Winchester are the heart of this show. I have never really known why I tend to be drawn into Bromance-y relationships even more often than I am romantic ones. When did this bulletproof kink start? The Outsiders, perhaps? (A book I read about a bazillion times and the only book my son has ever read more than once) Speaking of The Outsiders, I read, somewhere, that S.E. Hinton actually writes SPN fanfic. (I think it was a twitter response to someone else.) I don't know how true that is but it would be great fun to happen upon it sometime.

2) Best. Mytharc. Ever! I love a fantastic, interconnected mythology. For every show I have ever loved, I have had to buy in and adore the mytharc. I tend to get into it so much that I begin to resent the stand-a-lone episodes. For this show, it would be the ghost/demon/monster of the week episodes except....

3) Monster of the week episodes do not hit reset button every single time. Even the stand-a-lone's will contain important information about the overall arc and/or will highlight an important character arc/relationship/plot point/you name it. This is a wonderful thing and is done exceptionally well. This has always been hit or miss, and my most frequent beef with teevee, even in shows that I have adored. It's like nothing is ever forgotten here. There is always a possibility that something will be explored in greater detail later. The characters do not reset themselves, either. At the moment, there are tons of things I'd like to see revisited and I think the amulet, and the fallout from Dean's trashing the amulet, given what that meant to the both of them, is at the top of the list.

4) Total balance. This show ALWAYS balances the humor, drama/angst, and the darkness rather well. Most times, it seems rather seamless in that respect.

5) Slacker! Interesting and well developed supporting characters that you love as much as the boys and villains that are NOT moustache twirling, one dimensional caricatures.

6) Homage to fandom! This show actually "gets" fandom and fandom culture. Seriously! Some of my favorite laugh out loud episodes have dealt with this aspect. I was peeing in my pants laughing during the episode where Sam and Dean end up at a Supernatural convention. (It was actually a pretty decent ghost story, too. See number 4)

7) Not taking itself too seriously. Speaking of laughter, this show can laugh at itself, too, and I haven't seen that done with such humor since Stargate SG-1

8) The Impala: A mode of transportation that actually feels like a character. It had its own episode and everything. This has happened for me before. The Stargate. Moya (sortof..Moya actually falls into her own category in that she is actually a sentient being but still)

9) Vidder's delight. The show does it's own version of a music vid before the season finales and at the beginning of the season premieres. That totally rocks!

10) Major eye candy. Superficially speaking, of course.

And, now...my favorite lines from last night's episode:

Sam to Dean talking about his *ahem* liaison with Annie: "It was a while back. We ended up on the same case. She was stressed. And I didn't have a soul."

Bobby to himself "I can kill werewolves, fix a Pinto, and bake cornbread. I will be damned if I can't get zen!"

Current Mood: amused

First of all, I want to wish a fantastic birthday to

ruralstar. I hope your day has been supremely wonderful!

For the rest of the folks on my f-list, I want to wish you a Happy Easter!

I hate it when I go ages without posting because then I feel like I need to talk about everything which seems overwhelming and too much like work and who cares, right? So, I thought I'd break it down into bits.

Work:

Is going swimmingly. I love it more than I thought I would and I haven't killed anyone. (Yeah, my daily prayer for many, many years has been, Please don't let me kill anyone. That hasn't changed and is probably responsible for my work OCD and need to triple check everything).

Health:

Is going fantastic. I'm getting older, which means that conversations will now begin to incorporate health cares and concerns. I have been awesome about regular exercise and trying to eat healthy. I participated in a community health fair which was so much fun. After we had drawn lipid panels on scads of folks (who all hit the line really early because, you know, fasting) we were able to go to the different booths ourselves. My lipid panel was pretty great, I learned that I am not getting hard of hearing after all, and I now have positive proof that I do, indeed, have large bones. My T-score was 1.5! (Acceptable is negative 1 and above. Awesome!

Actual weight loss, however, is as difficult and slow as ever.

Brandon and the ADD experiment is underway as well. He texted me from work telling me that he could already tell a difference. We'll see. But, yowza, that stuff is expensive, even with a co-pay.

Not so good on the exasperating teenager front is Brandon having a little episode of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. (Boys are pretty much idiots). There will be consequences. However, there is good news in that I have confirmation that he tells me the truth about things.

Travel:

Whoop! 82 days till vacation and my trip to Halifax/PEI! (I can always count on

scarym1 to keep a countdown for me!)

Teevee:

Okay, it is easy to avoid spoilers when you happen upon a new obsession. Why did it take me so long to watch Supernatural!?! It basically has ALL, and I do mean all, of my bulletproof kinks!! I've already begun to ponder DVD purchase. This week, I took note of some laugh out loud lines, most of which came from Castiel and his delivery of said lines:

"A cupid's gone rogue."

"I think we can rule out Moses as a suspect."

"My people skills are rusty! Pardon me, but I've spent the last year as a multi-dimensional wavelength of celestial intent."

And this one from Bobby:

"They're not like the Loch Ness monster, Dean. Dragons aren't real."

Current Mood: chipper

School starts tomorrow! Ack!! Brandon will be a junior! Ack!! Isn't that just crazy???

He's whining about going to school tomorrow. LOL.

I'm whining about having to leave earlier since I go through three different school zones and that's even before I leave the county. Tomorrow will be the trial run to see how many I can avoid by leaving early

I'm kinda glad he's going back because I might see him more. Teenage boy plus girlfriend plus job plus car = a mom who has to schedule an appointment. I told him I feel like his landlord except I'm not getting a nice, fat rent check every month.

I still LOVE my job! The added bonus is that I feel as though I am really helping people even more so than usual because, let's face it, it sure does suck to be uninsured and I feel really bad for these people. It's practicing medicine with one hand tied behind your back.

It's strange. Kindred spirits are hard to come by in "real life". It hardly ever happens. At the moment, three of my fellow NP's are watching and loving Merlin. Go Figure?

I think it's gonna take longer to get used to how short the weekends are, now. I may whinge indefinitely.

But, hey, my exercise regimen has improved since I usually walk for 30 minutes during lunch. I walk outside and, because it's been pretty hot for quite a while, I have had people stop in the middle of a really busy street to ask me if I need a ride. Maybe they are just super nice. Maybe they think Fat girl's gonna fall out. IDK.

Today I really started looking forward to D*C and fun times with friends. Hooray!! But I am lamenting my overall lack of comfortable fannish T-shirts. I say comfortable because I'm not really a fan of the typical T-shirt that almost feels like a turtleneck and long sleeves and that I hardly ever want to wear no matter how much I am fangirling it. Still wish I had something Merlin related.......

I bought a new camera! For years, I've been considering purchasing an SLR but they are sooooo expensive. And cumbersome. And heavy. And there's the general inability to record video. Well, thanks to

archaeologist_d ,and all her beautiful travel photos (and I'm not just talking about the wonderful boyz pics from filming), I was a total copycat and bought a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35. It's so light!!! I suspect it weighs about half what my old Canon S3 IS weighs. And certainly less than an SLR would have. That means a lot when you are shlepping all over downtown Atlanta! I am hoping it will be the best compromise of portability and function.

I finally installed MAGIX. And that is about as far as I got. It might be as far as I ever get. The interface is very pretty. Your source material is automatically in the library and easy to find, also very pretty. Having to ask the program to scene detect (clip) and then watch it take an age to do so, not so much. Then you end up with a bazillion "takes" (clips). (Well, not a bazillion, really....my coworker says that I am the absolute Queen of hyperbole...but 400 plus!) Maybe that is actually related to my source material and how I acquired it, as opposed to ripping the episodes from DVD myself. Which also takes an age. On second thought........

Current Mood: busy

Since I am running out of bookshelf space, I decided to buy only eBooks, when available, from here on out. Of course, I HAD to make an exception for my friend

soniag 's first novel, THE REVENANT. It will be out in less than two weeks and I am so excited for her! I cannot wait to read it!!!!! Check it out!

I received the phone call this morning that all the paperwork is in order and I am set to start my new job on 6/13. I will be glad to get started!

However, today reminded me that I am going to miss my summer sun fun. I headed to Paris Landing and the water was PERFECT. Usually, it is almost too cold this early in the summer but these ongoing 90 plus degree temps have remedied that.

I don't care that it is already hot. It felt good! Have I mentioned that I love summer?

On that note, I know that I cannot go without my summer swim time indefinitely so I have already started pricing condos (with pool!) in the town where I will be working. It's a little premature, of course, but what the heck.

The cicadas are still driving me bonkers! To top it off, one got into my car while I was cleaning it out the other day and I had to hear the thing in the garage for a day or so before it finally died. Even when I walk with my iPhone, I can still hear that loud, all pervasive hum behind the music.

*Beware squeamish reader* While I was walking the other day, I came across a particularly gruesome squirrel roadkill. It was a definite Eeeew moment for me. Then, I started wondering how I can manage a fairly effective amount of clinical detachment when I encounter A DOA patient who is missing the back part of his skull and has bits of brain on his clothing but then get all squicked when faced with roadkill squirrel blood and brains. Makes no sense. Maybe it has something to do with the environment of the encounter. /gruesome

Unlike those lucky folks who can listen to books or chat, I *have* to have music to work out to. So, I am always on the lookout for new tunes to get me moving. Here's my cool old, but new to me, go to workout song.

Tonight, I am going to try Zumba for the first time! I hope I can keep up.

Good grief, my son has already managed his first speeding ticket. How long did that take? 2 weeks? Even though he is being appropriately punished (has to take care of the whole deal himself, has to take the required class, and can only drive back and forth to work till Monday), I'm not too mad about it because he was going 40mph in a 30mph and was caught less than 20 feet from the increased speed limit sign. (Apparently, he has forgotten about our entire town being one giant speed trap). It is partially my fault as I always start speeding up or slowing down when I see a sign, not when I get to or pass the sign. I have warned him that, like my brother when he was that age, they are gonna be watching out for his car. (Yeah, such is life in a small town)

Ahhhhhh. More lovely filming photos from Raglan Castle by

archaeologist_d Thank you so much for that much needed fix! They are a bit spoilery, but since when has that ever stopped me? I CANNOT WAIT till series 4

Current Mood: bouncy

This has been a week of dreaded milestones. (For me anyway) Brandon got his driver's license AND a car because, apparently, it is cheaper to purchase a car outright and insure it with liability and comprehensive than it is to add him as an occasional driver on my vehicle with full coverage. My Mom gave him the money and we got a really good deal. (Otherwise he would have been SOL and so would I because once he has his license, he has to be covered in some way) Sure, the gas mileage will rock but it is so small. (Too small when only a tank will do in my mind.)

He will still have to learn to drive it. It's a manual and, even though I learned on one, I haven't driven one in over 25 years. I seem to remember that I wasn't very good at it. LOL. Thankfully, my brother will teach him and I may have re-learn how myself.

Still, it is likely that my days of sleeping peacefully are over. Perhaps I will need to be medicated. Buspar might do the trick.

Heaven help me!!

Current Mood: nervous

Well, today I let Brandon do the driving on the way to his work. It was his first time out on a main highway and encountering stoplights and such. Thankfully, I did not panic and neither did he, even if the imaginary brake got some good use and I had a death grip on the door handle. He actually did really well. Still, I fear that anxiety is going to be my friend from here on out, whether I am in the car and, worse, someday when I am not.

Current Mood: anxious

( Waffles, anyone? )
( Go, Brandon!! )
( SGU )

( Merlin )
( Sanctuary )

( Sherlock )

Current Mood: busy

I had to pick up my son from the local pizza place after school today. There was quite a bit of traffic and as I was waiting to pull out, I said,

"Oh my gosh! Where are all of these people coming from?"

Without missing a beat, Brandon says "Well, when a man and woman are 'together', they like to express their love with physical contact."

I swear he is going to make me run off the road one day!

Current Mood: amused

I have pulled about a bazillion articles from CINAHL and now comes the fun part. Reading them all while working on my topical outline. Ugh.
I think I am going to head to the library after clinical tomorrow to work on that. Goodness knows I will get distracted by online goodies or the total dump that is my house if I try to manage it at home. Hopefully, I can finish the thing on Saturday so I am not doing the last minute thing on Sunday. The outline is due Monday but that is a work day, so.....

Today, after clinical, I had to pick Brandon up at the high school. He was chatty rather than sullen and as we were driving through the neighborhood, he started talking about some of the larger houses in our neighborhood. (He thinks BIg House = Rich People). I said that there were some really nice houses but that, really, our house was nice enough and just the right size for just the two of us. I told him that probably wouldn't be the case if I had a husband and/or more than one kid but then with more than one income, a bigger house would be more affordable. (I am always trying to impart some concept of money to this completely clueless kid!)

Then he says, in all seriousness, that if I did remarry he wouldn't want that person to actually live with us.

I. FELL. OUT.

I'm surprised I didn't run off the road.

Laughing hysterically, I asked him where he thought the person should live? And then I told him that, if this was his preferred arrangement, we still wouldn't need a larger house. Isn't it a scary thought that he will technically be an adult in a few years? Oh, dear.

But we always have the BEST car conversations.

Current Mood: amused

I made it home from Dragon*Con about 8pm last night. I had a blast and went off the beaten track this year. For one, I completely resisted any and all temptation to obtain guest pics or autographs! (Gasp) I also attended more fan run panels than I did guest centered ones. Plus, there was dancing! I hope to post a few photographs but there won't be many because my memory card went belly up. It was a 4GB card but it crapped out after very few photos. I never considered that possibility so I didn't bring another with me.

It was great to hang out with old friends and meet new ones (waves excitedly to Merlin peeps!) and I'd like to post a report but, alas, I have to run errands, obtain groceries, and do a bit of school shopping for Brandon because he didn't have to go to school today and once I really get into the hectic clinical/work/school schedule later this week, I won't really have another chance for a looooong while. Can you see him wearing shorts well into December? (Plus, he's blown out his flip flops. It may be time for new shoes, no?).

Current Mood: busy

I came home from work last night to find the dishes had been loaded, the kitchen clean, and the floor vacuumed. Since I was in no small amount of shock, I asked Brandon if he had done it. Duh. (No, the cleaning fairies had come while I was working).

That was completely deserving of a hug and a peck on the cheek. Then, he said that he had missed me.

*blink*

At this point, I am waiting for either one of two things. Either he was in super trouble at school or he wanted something. When he didn't ask for anything, I decided to question him further without letting him in on my suspicions because you don't want to ruin a wonderful moment looking for ulterior motives. I asked, "How was school?" because I always ask this. He replied, "Good" GOOD! School is never something he would refer to as "good". So, no trouble, maybe, hopefully.

Finally, I couldn't help it and said, "So, who are you and what have you done with my son?"

Current Mood: awake

It seems that I am getting that oh so familiar inkling to go back to school. I have tried to squash the idea but it keeps rearing it's ugly head most likely due to my snoozer of a job. I am really more the hands on type but can I really see myself running up and down the hallways for twelve hour shifts when I am 60??? Gah! Advancing your education wouldn't be so bad if it didn't cost a fortune! I am debt free in regards to student loans and I would prefer to keep it that way. Initially, the program would be online but, from the looks of it, that costs even more. I guess they figure that people who choose online courses are people who are working (have to work!) and they can pay the extra cost. I have in interest in the FNP program but the Nursing Education one might be an option as well. I also have to wonder whether I have the self discipline to adhere to an online course. Why does everything have to be so hard???

In a completely unrelated note (sortof) my son had me ROFL the other day. We were walking and a neighborhood dog was tagging along. Well, said dog is a he and every 2 seconds the dog was "marking his territory." My son says, "that dog has a bladder control problem." Totally had me in stitches....You can sure tell he is the son of a nurse!

As for the reading progress, it seems that I have stalled. After finishing the first two books of the His Dark Materials series, the story has begun to be a wee bit of a downer. Perhaps it is because I think I know where it is going even though I am probably way off base. I am also having a bit of "vidder's block" as I have had no new ideas in what seems forever. Bummer. My progress through Highlander and Babylon 5 has stalled as well. Disinterest and discontent seems to be the mood flavors of the moment.

Current Mood: apathetic

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Glenda Atkins

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Page Summary

Saturday Morning
Crazy busy or just plain crazy?
Drive by Bullets.
Enough with the bullets, already!
Let the sleepless nights commence.
Driving lessons.
A Smattering.
Oh Brandon! You make me laugh!
Kids say the darndest things. Even teenage ones.
Back to Reality
Things that make you go, "Hummmm"
The Summer of my Discontent

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Page generated Jun. 17th, 2025 07:36 am

We shall not cease from exploration.

Entries tagged with brandon

Saturday Morning

Crazy busy or just plain crazy?

Drive by Bullets.

Enough with the bullets, already!

Let the sleepless nights commence.

Driving lessons.

A Smattering.

Oh Brandon! You make me laugh!

Kids say the darndest things. Even teenage ones.

Back to Reality

Things that make you go, "Hummmm"

The Summer of my Discontent