tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63296912011-04-21T16:05:33.542-04:00Notes on getting through just getting throughBrookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comBlogger441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1106447570405914862005-01-22T21:27:00.000-05:002005-01-22T21:32:50.406-05:00

Little things that have made me happy: 1. Having a good friend say that our house is always welcoming and comfortable. 2. Worshipping at a new church with members of the call committee and having another member insert "God" for "He" without missing a beat. 3. Playing in the snow with the cats. 4. Having a really bad, very lonely day and being able to pick myself back up. Maybe I really

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1100111291870086382004-11-10T13:26:00.000-05:002004-11-10T13:28:11.870-05:00

I haven't been sleeping well. I can fall asleep easily, but I wake up at least twice every single night. I can still function during the day, but I really, really wish I could sleep all night. Our bed just isn't doing it for me, but I haven't had trouble sleeping on the couch. I fall asleep out there, and I sleep well and soundly. I mentioned this to Em, so last week, she made a fire and

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1099586097648883482004-11-04T11:16:00.000-05:002004-11-04T11:34:57.646-05:00

Tuesday morning, Em took me to work at 6:30. I wasn't scheduled until 7, but she needed to drive to the polling place. I had coffee and toast, then started my shift. For lunch, I had chicken salad. This upsets me because I don't eat chicken. At least not intentionaly. The container was labeled tuna. It didn't totally taste like tuna, but you know, I've never bought fancy schmancy tuna

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1099263866501676842004-10-31T17:57:00.000-05:002004-10-31T18:04:26.500-05:00

I temped at the local NPR station during their fund drive and part of the following week. I checked to make sure the data entry people entered the pledges in correctly. It wasn't super exciting, but it wasn't bad and it was work. A list of things I got while temping at Michigan radio: $10 an hour The knowledge that you can get a tuxedo delivered A bunch of cough drops Potato soup and lemon cake

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1097001401784957162004-10-05T14:27:00.000-04:002004-10-05T14:36:41.783-04:00

Em and I were talking the other night and the most country music song title worked it's way in: Your momma don't understand you baby, but I do. Perhaps we shouldn't have watched the Blue Collar Comedy Tour movie. I feel asleep this afternoon while trying to read one of my "stay in science but get out of the lab" books. I woke with a start convinced that the garbage truck was taking away the

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1096755260567086542004-10-02T18:10:00.000-04:002004-10-02T18:14:20.566-04:00

Okay. So I don't do this writing thing well when I think I might have an audience. So I'm going to really abandon my poor blog. But I'm going to use it as a list for the blogs I like to read. So, if you've found it because I've linked to you, I like your blog. But don't expect updates from me. Thanks.

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1095445245251868962004-09-17T14:19:00.000-04:002004-09-17T14:20:45.253-04:00

Today is not going so well. I didn't sleep very well, and since I put myself back on fluoxetine, my dreams were very vivid. Only they weren't good. They weren't nightmares or anything, but they were disturbing enough that I felt emotionally crappy in the morning. And then Em and I were short with each other this morning. And I was so cold. I couldn't get anything done. I put on thick socks

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1095352831958874712004-09-16T13:39:00.000-04:002004-09-16T12:40:31.960-04:00

I'd given up on this blog. So much so, that I never even got around to coming back to tell you (if there are any of "you" left). If anyone wants to un-blogroll me, feel free. However, I think I'm going to try this again, but with a different focus. Or maybe, more of my original focus. I have not, lately, been coping very well with just getting through life, which has led me to not cope very

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1086729635710922912004-06-08T17:07:00.000-04:002004-06-08T17:20:35.710-04:00

1) I have very little to add to the commentary on Reagen's death. However, I will say this: there is no reason that the flag should be at half staff for 30 days. After Sept. 11, the flags were at half staff for a whole lot less time. Just about a week around here, if I'm remembering correctly. And, call me crazy, but that was a whole hell of a lot bigger deal that the death of an

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1086277173360870392004-06-03T11:08:00.000-04:002004-06-03T11:45:26.113-04:00

I had to evict more sparrows from the purple martin house this morning. I'm getting sick of doing that. I wish they would just get the hint already. I'm beginning to give up hope that the martins will move in. Maybe the mortgage rates just aren't low enough, but hey, we've got township taxes, what more can I do? It's good enough for the sparrows, but, then again, they aren't picky. An

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1085024923690058622004-05-19T23:39:00.000-04:002004-05-19T23:48:43.690-04:00

I spend all this time tinkering with my format to make it less template-y, and then they go and add all this new stuff. Today was our day sponsership day. I got to hear my name on the radio a whole bunch. I was all excited because *Todd Mundt* said! my! name! on the radio! But I've got to say that Charity Nebbe did a much better job. Plus, although she's straight, she's a woman, so I have to

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1084059667174871942004-05-08T19:38:00.000-04:002004-05-08T19:45:36.920-04:00

Mom and I went to the farmer's market. I bought her a native plant. I also bought her lunch at the best deli ever. Alas, I had an unavoidable view of the ass-crack of the woman at the next table. I'm sure she didn't realize she was showing so much skin and shadow. I wonder if Miss Manners has an opinion on asking someone to hitch up her jeans so you can nosh in peace.

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1084020954238342762004-05-08T08:55:00.000-04:002004-05-08T09:00:23.000-04:00

Em and I emerged from our sickness enough to have friends over for dinner on Wednesday. Our conversations with them always seem to gravitate to religion, which makes Rob feel awkward, or science, which often means Em is left out. This time we avoided talk of theology for shop talk. Becky was complaining about this long experiment she's been working on. Apparently what she needs done could be

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1083120647685660852004-04-27T22:41:00.000-04:002004-04-27T22:55:02.996-04:00

Starting May 1, I will be permenant at my job. This is good. It's looking like I'm going to stay there a little more than a year and then move on to a little more school or something new. I'm thinking something along the lines of scientific writing and/or editing. The idea of working for a museum is kind of cool too. As I was trying to wake up while failing to turn off my alarm, I had this

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1082481516341579952004-04-20T13:12:00.000-04:002004-04-20T13:22:41.140-04:00

Last night I was unable to post all I wanted because I needed to go home as it was after midnight. Things I would like to add: 1. The cat was covered with cheese because I dropped some grated parmesan (okay, really it was Parmigiano-Reggiano, the fancy stuff) on the living room floor. Muggle apparently rolled in it. 2. In other cat news, Quid thinks he's a raccoon. He upended the waste

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1082432232609400872004-04-19T23:26:00.000-04:002004-04-19T23:41:16.530-04:00

The purple martin hotel is open for business. I bought a purple martin house last year with birthday money from my step-grandparents. There was already a purple martin house up when we moved in, but after a strong wind the roof blew off. Upon closer inspection, it was determined that the house was beyond repair. So, up the new one went in it's place. We never got any martins, probably

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1082200878270952732004-04-17T07:11:00.000-04:002004-04-17T07:25:18.576-04:00

I got an email from one of my sorority sisters yesterday. Apparently the left turn signal on her Honda will only turn off automatically (after a turn, I presume) when the weather is warm enough. We have reached that point. It is therefore officially spring. I had my annual last week. One of my prescriptions was changed because I have been really groggy. Unfortunately the new one makes me

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1081218802520628902004-04-05T22:23:00.000-04:002004-04-05T22:37:07.043-04:00

Last week, my alarm went off, but I couldn't wake up enough to hit snooze. Instead I dreamed about turning it off, then unplugging it, then taking out the battery, yet the noise wouldn't stop. It was the evil clock radio that would play nothing but the pledge drive and couldn't be stopped. This morning I woke up to Bob Edwards (how I'm going to miss him!) saying it was 10 years since Kurt

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1080756084336825192004-03-31T12:52:00.000-05:002004-03-31T13:05:01.903-05:00

Em set up site meter on here for me. Very good. I got my first google search hit. I feel so cool. No really, I feel way cooler than I should for showing up on Google. If you google me (by my actual name), you get a bit of Student Government stuff from my undergrad, some sorority stuff, and some grad school stuff. Nothing cool. Today's malady: obesity. Now, I know Michigan has a whole lot

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1080614380461721202004-03-29T21:29:00.000-05:002004-03-29T21:43:45.250-05:00

I managed to spill bleach water on my pants today even though I was wearing my lab coat. I dosed my thigh in water (minus the bleach) and sopped it up, but to no avail. I watched helplessly as the green turned to beige. These are the same pants I spilled my lunch on last week. They were freshly clean for me this morning. I kind of got in trouble with my boss this morning for not following

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1080259279031321422004-03-25T18:58:00.000-05:002004-03-25T19:04:48.716-05:00

I wrote a post which has disappeared. I am irritated. I do not feel like re-writing it. I feel like going home. But, alas, I am here at work. If Em would only answer the phone, then I could tell her to get me, so I could leave for two hours. But then I need to come back. Phooey. Enough bitching. I'll repost what I said before later.

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1080257646084121592004-03-25T17:40:00.000-05:002004-03-25T18:37:35.310-05:00

Yesterday while eating lunch, I managed to spill brown, sticky, vinegary juice in my lap. It looked like an explosion. I slunk into the bathroom and mopped myself up as best I could. This involved a trip to the stall to sponge off my thighs since my pants were thin. So, instead of looking like I had explosive shit, I just looked like I peed myself. An improvement to be sure. Thank God for

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1080005139017550212004-03-22T20:02:00.000-05:002004-03-22T20:29:04.340-05:00

I said that (the thing about cells and timetables) to Frog in an email, and she said I should include it as a tagline in my blog. But I'm not so sure that it accurately describes my life always. Just sometimes. Lately it has, and everything has to be done right now. We helped BIL and SIL move this weekend, and then we were watching the baby, so not much relaxing was had. And now it's Monday.

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1079657402844873722004-03-18T19:49:00.000-05:002004-03-18T19:53:22.326-05:00

Woohoo! I have comments! I think. Talk to me and let me know.

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1079656575136055632004-03-18T19:21:00.000-05:002004-03-18T19:39:34.793-05:00

Okay, by popular request (or not, since I don't have comments) I have decided to add a) recounting of the maladies I see on my walk through the hospital. I should say that I don't actually walk by any patient rooms or offices, I just walk to my building on the main thoroughfare, and not everyday, just when the weather is bad or I have an immunotherapy injection (aka allergy shot). To recap this

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1079155330724076862004-03-13T00:11:00.000-05:002004-03-13T00:25:22.640-05:00

No, I haven't fallen into a bottomless pit. This working thing is just brutal. Plus the computer has been buried under a mountain of bills and unopened mail, and I just haven't had the energy to clean it off. Tonight, though, I grabbed the bull by the horns and transfered the pile to the table. So I'm back. I've been encountering people in the most unexpected places. I casual friend from

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1077891103302065572004-02-27T09:03:00.000-05:002004-02-27T09:14:35.250-05:00

I woke up this morning from a very realistic dream. I was at someone's wedding (don't quite remember whose), and I was 7 months pregnant. It felt so real that I was sort of surprised to wake up un-pregnant. So many people have had such eloquent things to say about the whole same-sex marriage debate. Me, not so much. However, I must have been internalizing a lot of it because I keep dreaming

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1077753518613520542004-02-25T18:47:00.000-05:002004-02-25T19:01:28.546-05:00

I so should have seen this coming. I am, in fact, sick. Feverish, chilled, achey, sore, tired, weak. I thought it was stress or maybe depression. I always get sort of weepy before I get sick. I'm sure my lack of shedule (eating or sleeping) plus the stress had an impact. I went to my allergy shot this morning, and after explaining my month-long absence, the nurse looked at me, very

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1077668576172944972004-02-24T19:11:00.000-05:002004-02-24T19:25:44.436-05:00

So today I had grief induced depression and subsequent lack of motivation on top of a migraine. So I didn't go into my exhausting new job, even though I had an experiment set up. But, cut me some slack, it would have been at least a 10-hour day. I find this behavior understanding, yet disturbing. I've decided not to worry about it, as long as it doesn't happen again. Once I could handle the

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1077249199711236662004-02-19T22:42:00.000-05:002004-02-19T22:56:00.903-05:00

I really never knew what grief was before. I thought I understood it. I thought that I would somehow be immune from it. Or, rather, I never thought it would hurt this badly. It really is impossible to describe this kind of pain. It just feels so raw. Like I have to look at it sideways because it is just too much to look at headon. This is going to be something I carry around with me

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1077152520962311542004-02-18T19:49:00.000-05:002004-02-18T20:04:41.310-05:00

I arrived back home today to find the cat-sitter trying to leave yet trapped in a snowbank. Okay, she wasn't sprawled on her back stuck in the snow. Her car's rear wheels were firmly planted in the snowbank. Thank goodness for AAA. The cats do not seem as happy to see me as I think they should be. Of course I've spent the past 4 hours chasing them off countertops and away from plants, so

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1076935274568753762004-02-16T07:31:00.000-05:002004-02-16T07:43:51.090-05:00

Where have I been, you ask? I've been in Kalamazoo. Again. I started my new job. Or rather, I went in for one day. Then I came back. Suzanne died on Friday morning. We were all with her, and it was peaceful. I am grateful for that, but it pales in comparison to the grief I feel at her loss. It seems so trite to say it, but I really can't believe she's gone. I understand that she's not

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1076377227832865112004-02-09T20:36:00.000-05:002004-02-09T20:42:55.263-05:00

I'm sure you all know by know that my mother-in-law is dying. Really, truly, almost-there dying. I came home because I got a job. Yea me for that, but I can't seem to get excited about it right now. Thanks for all of your support. And thanks to Mimi Smartypants for actually making me laugh. That helped. Thanks to T. the cat-sitter. She is so great. She took me out to dinner last night

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1075815962426274362004-02-03T08:44:00.000-05:002004-02-03T08:48:20.826-05:00

A couple of other notes about Chicago: We stayed at the Days Inn-Lincoln Park. It was a nice old hotel (and cheap!) except for two things. 1) The floor plan was labyrinthian (as in labyrinth-like). And 2) Using the hair dryer made the lights dim. Why was I, the queen of wash (occasionally) and go, using a blow dryer, you ask? Because I forgot to pack us clean underpants. So, I washed

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1075778554693068602004-02-02T22:21:00.000-05:002004-02-02T22:24:52.810-05:00

College roommate: pregnant. Sister-in-law: pregnant (again). Who's next?

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1075777805170145602004-02-02T21:58:00.000-05:002004-02-02T22:12:23.450-05:00

I'm thinking of renaming this blog "Life gets in the way." I seem to be saying that a lot lately. Every time I make plans, it seems I am destined to be thwarted. We went to Chicago this weekend. I love that city. We ate tons of wonderful food, went to a great church, and saw my best friend who is back from Germany. I wish I could report some of the hilarious conversations we had, but I’m

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1075327133901849102004-01-28T16:49:00.000-05:002004-01-28T17:01:04.340-05:00

Seriously, Em is the best woman in the whole world. I've been feeling oddly cold and sleepy for two days, and she has been giving me blankets and making me soup and tea. I'm starting to feel better, but I'd like the tea and soup to keep coming, please. We have tons of snow on the ground. I made a snow angel, but she's gotten all soft around the edges from the more recent snowfall. She looks

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1075086335018452402004-01-25T22:03:00.000-05:002004-01-25T22:07:42.403-05:00

Today was the kind of Saturday that all Saturdays should be. I slept in (been awhile since I got up after the sun), listened to NPR (TAL was a rerun, but a good show nonetheless), had sex, took a nap, ordered in pizza, drank wine, played Scrabble, and had more sex. It just doesn’t get better than that. Of course the house didn’t get cleaned, and we have people coming over tomorrow, but with

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1074703543860830522004-01-21T11:45:00.000-05:002004-01-21T16:19:40.966-05:00

I got a new pair of jeans yesterday. I’d been holding out for almost a year, but last week my only pair of jeans ripped. So, since I couldn’t imagine facing life without blue jeans, to the mall we went. Being in the mall and trying on cute jeans made me think I was in college again. So much so that I bought a sexy pair of pants. I was planning on getting just a boring everyday pair, but what

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1074555956038455902004-01-19T18:44:00.000-05:002004-01-19T18:47:54.606-05:00

I was going to write about marital love and the wonderful yummy sex I have (and want to have) with my wife. Someday I’ll have an entry about the wonderful love and connection I feel to Em, about how much more intense this seems because we’re married. I really do think it’s an important and dynamic part of our life together, not to get all right-wing, conservative Christian on you. ‘Course we’

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1074227765207638152004-01-15T23:27:00.000-05:002004-01-15T23:41:16.903-05:00

Okay, so my great aunt is dying. She'd been sick with pneumonia around Christmas, but she was doing much better. In fact, she still is. It's just that she has this mass on her pancreas which is shutting down her liver. There is nothing they can do. Even if she were young and otherwise healthy, nothing could be done. So. I'm going down with my mom to see her Saturday. I should have called

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1074202052230106332004-01-15T16:27:00.000-05:002004-01-15T16:29:25.373-05:00

My interview is tomorrow morning, so I had to wash my fancy French bra. Not that I expect the state of my breasts to influence the outcome, but I figured it would look more professional if I didn’t have black and/or lace showing through my shirt. Since I was already downstairs with wet soapy hands, I decided to do all of the hand wash. That included two tank tops we got after Em’s parents got

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1074189853028079242004-01-15T12:50:00.000-05:002004-01-15T13:10:20.360-05:00

I was gone for a couple of hours this morning watching M, and we had four (4!) messages on the machine when I got back. Of course, I'm not sure when people called, since the power went out a couple of days ago and I don't know how to fix the time/date stamp, but I'm sure the light wasn't blinking when we left. The first was from M's mom asking if I'd left yet. Okay, I know I was late, but in my

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329691.post-1074100213941024462004-01-14T11:57:00.000-05:002004-01-14T12:22:24.903-05:00

I'm starting this blog as a way to try to articulate how I feel about what's happening in my life. Obviously. Mostly, though, I'm hoping that writing some of this down will help me deal with all the rotten things going on right now. Instead of just my life, it will be material. Right? Besides, if I put an ironic twist on things maybe they'll be funny instead of depressing. And I somehow

Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07107548765140726154noreply@blogger.com