It's Going To Be A Long Month

It's not even January yet (well, in another 7 hours it will be), and I already feel sorry for Bubba.

He is going to be TOTALLY bored by the time this baby arrives. Why? Because he likes to go out and do things and go for walks and see the City, and my pregnant ass can't really do that anymore, and I've about decided that I WON'T do it anymore. It is just too hard for me to get around with this extra 35 pounds hanging off my front. I'm doing good just to get from my apartment to the subway, then up the stairs and the several blocks from the subway to work. It is still a toss-up as to whether 3 long blocks+2 short blocks with no subway transfers is better than 4 short blocks plus a bunch of stairs to transfer. Right now, I'm going with the extra walking, but we'll see....

And, and! I'm sure Bubba is sick of hearing how my back/feet/legs hurt. There's another month+ of that, too.

So, I sit on my butt on 'my' couch (the love seat) with my feet up reading/cross stitching/writing thank yous/surfing the internet. And Bubba takes care of everything. I can not be more thankful for that, he's the bestest hubby EVER!

My Mind is Blank

Why is it so hard to come up with titles?

This was always my No. 1 problem when writing an essay or something in school. I would get the whole damn thing finished and STILL not have a catchy title. When my English teacher was always telling me that the title should come FIRST! I think it just proves that I really am NOT that creative. I could never be a writer, as I'd have to come up with good titles for my writing. Otherwise no one would read my extremely intelligent drivel. Like they don't right now.

You! Out there right now reading this! What would YOU title this blog entry? What about the one after?

Crowd Control

I am sick of all the damn people that have flooded my town for the holiday week. After yesterday, I am convinced that it is, in fact, the TOURISTS that are the rude people in NYC. Locals are quite nice and accommodating and only get riled up because some damn out-of-towner was acting like an IDIOT!

I worked a half-day yesterday, and took off at lunch to hang out and run around with my parents and sister for the afternoon. They got in on Tuesday and left today, so it was my last chance to spend time with them. I met my parents and Bubba at Rockefeller Center because they wanted to see the Big Tree, and then we were going to do a little shopping, maybe stroll up to Bloomies to look at their after-Christmas-ornament sale. I beat them to the rendevous point, which was the concourse level of 30 Rock, where they have some lunch places and a Starbucks and lots of tables like a mall food-court. It's also the way to get to the skating rink entrance. I figured I'd just plop my large-overly-pregnant self into a chair and wait for them, then we'd be on our way. There were GOBS of people already looking like they needed a nap from their stressed-out demeanors and sour faces....like they'd be doing this for HOURS. I realized that there was no way I'd be able to get a whole table for myself, as there were lots of other table-stalkers, so I started looking for just a CHAIR to sit in, thinking I don't need a table at all, I just want to take a load off and sit my body down for a few minutes. I start heading to a table that looks like they're getting up, when I get elbowed out of the way by a couple who then said 'WE WERE HERE FIRST!' I almost fell down, but managed to say "I just wanted a chair, take the damn table, and I hope you get heartburn for making a great-with-child preggo lady stand up! A pox on you AND your children!" Well, I didn't say that, but I really wanted to. I just shrugged at no one in particular, because no one was paying me ANY mind, and waddled over to the wall. They don't let you sit on the floor in Rockefeller Center, and I know this, but I though 'WTH, I DARE anyone to come and get me up!' So I slid to the floor, got out my cross-word, and proceeded to wait for Bubba and the 'Rents. The 2 security guards glanced over at me a few times and started heading my way, then realized the 'state' I was in and left me alone. Finally they both came over and asked if I'd like to find a seat and I said, in my sweetest voice, 'I'd LOVE to find a seat, but good luck getting anyone to give theirs up for a pregnant lady!' He kind of nodded sympathetically, told me to stay there, and he headed off. Bubba calls about the time the guy shows back up with a chair, and I tell him thanks, but I really was just waiting for someone, and he helped haul me off the floor.

Now, on my normal, everyday commute and trek through this great City, I usually have no problems with this pregnant state that I am in, and it's quite easy to get around (although it can be quite tiring). People on the subway can be kind of oblivious when hooked up to their ipods, but for the most part, when I say excuse me, they all hustle to get out of the way of the Big Giant Belly that is headed their way. And I will usually get a seat on the subway. I've even had offers from people to carry my bags, but I'm not that desperate. Yet. Bottom line, most locals that I see on a daily basis are all sympathetic to a pregnant woman trying to get around, and don't huff and puff that I'm going to slow, or glare at me as I try to move over so they can get by my huge belly. MOST of them give me a glance and a small, knowing smile, and the really brave ones ask when I'm due and wish me luck, etc. It's quite pleasant, really.

So, back to my original point of rudeness. The tourists seem to walk around the city thinking they own the place. That they are entitled to act this way because everyone else seems to. They fail to grasp that those of us who live here manage quite well by SHARING the limited space we do have! For example:

• They bump into you on the sidewalk, when it's clear that I really CAN'T get out of the way without stepping off the curb into on-coming traffic, then they glare at you for the disruption, even though THEY were the ones walking 4-across on a crowded sidewalk!
• They race for the seats on the subway, or if there aren't any, they REFUSE to move into the car and away from the door so others can get in! It's like they think they'll not be able to get OFF this crazy train once they are ON!!!
• They stop on a dime in the middle of a crowded sidwalk, and then get irritated when you run into them.
• And my favorite: they give you the look of death when you ask if they need directions somewhere. How dare I assume they don't know where they're going?! Like I'm going to steer them in the wrong direction just to amuse myself, or this is a diversion and my super-stealthy partner is currently picking their pocket!

Actually, that last one isn't a bad idea.

It's time for the rude tourists to leave and give me a last month to enjoy my city, albeit slower than before, before I become a mother and have a whole separate list of complaints about how people with babies/children are treated.

The First of 'The Lasts'

Wednesday night was my last concert with the Juilliard Choral Union. It was also my last day of choir, as I won't be coming back to rehearsals after the New Year. This was my third year with the chorus, and it really was so much fun and a fantastic experience. I've gotten to sing a huge variety of music, in several famous venues.

It kind of snuck up on me, actually. This is the first thing I've 'stopped' doing since getting pregnant, but I know it's only the beginning. It was rather bittersweet, as I am really getting tired these days and it's just hard to make it through the work day sometimes, let alone sing for 3 hours straight. But I will miss singing on a weekly basis, and miss the friends I've made.

Now I'll have to satisify my need to sing in church, and singing to my little guy! Although I think he prefers Bubba's voice to mine, as he definitely kicks more when Bubba sings to him than when I do!

Weird Guy or Super Spy?

There is an older gentleman that Bubba and I see Sunday morning's when we ride the bus to church. We call him Duane Reade Guy. We don't see him every Sunday, but almost. He gets on the bus the stop after we get on, and then always gets off at 70th Street and Broadway. There is a Duane Reade (that's a local drugstore for you non-New Yorkers) at that corner, and he ALWAYS walks over to 'window shop.' Always. He will persue the window display, which is usually non-existant because they just don't put anything in there but pictures, and that's just the beginning of the confusion. He'll walk the entire length of the store, then look in the windows at the closed Northfork Bank next door. This is his standard routine, never waivering, and he even gets very irate if the bus is late. He never goes in the store, just walks along the store-front from one end to the other, pausing to eye some particular ware. But, again, all of the Duane Reade stores recently took all their merchandise out of the store-front and there's just pictures of things you can buy there. So he can't be window shopping if there's nothing in the windows!

Bubba and I always watch him a bit bemused, and then try to figure out what the hell he's doing on a Sunday morning at 9:15, taking the bus from 103rd Street to 70th Street, just to look in the window of a Duane Reade.

• Is he meeting someone? We never see anyone, but granted, we are on the bus that leaves promptly after he gets off, so we don't get to stick around and see what happens.
• Did he use to live there and just likes that Duane Reade? But he never goes in!
• Is he a child-predator and is waiting for the mommies to walk their kids by en-route to the park?
• Does his estranged son/daughter work there and that's the only way he can get a glimpse of them? By staring in the window, pretending to be window-shopping in a window with nothing in it?
• OR, is it a sign/signal that something has happened or is about to? Like in spy novels where the spy gets 'tips' from just someone showing up at a particular time and place. It always reminds me of The Sting: when the 'mark' walks across the street and down the alley, one of the characters is in an apt. across the street and rings the bell to alert everyone else that the 'mark' is on the way.

I think it's this last one, sheerly because it is the more entertaining idea and can lead our imaginations down so many different roads. Who knows? Maybe Duane Reade Guy is really affecting the stock market by appearing when his 'client' needs to buy/sell a particular stock! We could get him for insider trading! Or, or, or, he's working for the Mob! Or he's letting a kidnapper know that he's still around and working on the ransom money! The scenarios are endless! Fine Sunday morning fun for the remaining 10-15 minutes we spend on the bus before we get off ourselves.

Also just proves that the bus is WAY more fun than a taxi!

My sentiments exactly

Bubba has a new post that I wanted everyone to read. Granted, most of you that read MY blog read his as well, but I just wanted to point you in that general direction.

32 Weeks

That's about how long I've been pregnant (well, offically 32 weeks on Friday....so I'm a few days early). 8 months. 2 to go. That's right, pregnancy is, in fact, 10 months. Do the math, people. 40 weeks at 4 weeks per month equals....that's right, 10 months!

We have been busy bees at our house, getting things put together and put away (although we are STILL waiting on the damn crib part!), doing Christmas shopping, wrapping gifts, writing thank you notes. Time is flyin' by, I tell ya! It seems like forever until my last day of work on February 2 (provided, of course, that the Tater makes it that long), but at the same time, it is just around the corner! December is flying by, and I'm hoping January does, too. While I've had an easy pregnancy for the most part, I'm about sick of my wardrobe, it's getting harder and harder for me to get up and around, and I'm ready to get on with it already!

The Tater is doing well, he moves more and more everyday. I'm starting to feel body parts and can tell what side he's laying on, etc. He's got a regular sleep/wake pattern, and he responds by poking/kicking/punching the ever-lovin' crap out of me when I put my headphones down to my belly for him to hear some soothing Mozart at work. I guess it's not so soothing. But, I get the same thing with other music, so maybe he's telling me it's too loud? It's fun watching and feeling him move, though. I'm measuring 2 weeks ahead of schedule, so we'll see what's in store for the next 2 months.

It wasn't meant to be....

My poor Longhorns. We played terrible, though. The Aggies totally deserved to win that game. They out-played us. I realize that most of you who read this blog were rooting for the Ags, and I still love you, but yesterday was a tough loss. Always hard when you lose at home to you arch-rival. And then OU won today, so we're not even in the Big 12 championship! WHY did we have to lose 2 weeks ago to K-State? Why? Ugh, two losses in a row to less-than-stellar teams. What does that make us? Yep, less than stellar, too. It wasn't meant to be.

In other news, we put the crib together before the game, only to discover that the hardware for the drop-side of the crib was not installed properly, we have a wrong part. And we can't do anything about it until Monday, when the 'parts guy' is at work at the store we ordered it from. Boo. So, instead of being done, we are half-way done, but with still all the crap out in our room/living room because we were planning on using the crib as 'storage' for a while. ~sigh~ So much for getting everything organized over the long holiday weekend. It wasn't meant to be.

Oh, and can I tell you how annoying it is to be walking around the West Village on Saturday, think what a great idea it would be to walk over to Magnolia Bakery and get the BEST cupcake in the City, only to find the usual line to be AROUND THE CORNER AND MORE THAN 3 BUILDINGS DOWN FROM THE CORNER! Ugh. Stupid tourists. All this preggo lady wanted was a cupcake at that particular time, since she couldn't just go sit here and have a beer with Bubba, and it was ruined. It wasn't meant to be. I had to settle for a black-and-white milkshake at a diner down the street.

Avoiding the plague like....the Plague

Seems everyone around me is getting a cold. Some of you out there in cyberspace, which I clearly can't catch just from reading your blog (at least, I don't think so), but there are more right here in my line of sight. While I am sorry for you sicklings out there, I am hoping to God that I don't catch the bug. Or the flu, or the Plague, or whatever IT is that's going around.

I blame the weather. It has been nice and balmy here in NYC, and I am enjoying the light-jacket-required weather before the rush of the cold arrives. But the cold-ish weather needs to get here soon and kill whatever allergens or bacteria or whatever so that my sinuses can be happy again! And, I'm just HOT most of the time, thanks to my internal heater. But that's another story. Katielady is ready for the Cold Front.

In the meantime, I'm thinking of getting some police tape and putting it up around my cube so that sick people will stay a good 20 feet away from me.

Pregnancy is Gross

It is a wonderful, beautiful, natural, glorious thing, too. But no one can really prepare you for how gross it really is.

I'm speaking right now of the extreme gasiness I tend to have all the time. Bubba will tell you that the flatulence has increased ten-fold, but that's really just at night, so he's the only one that really experiences it. Lucky him. However, the belching is just terrible! I'll be walking along, minding my own business, talking to Bubba if we're together, or just taking in the City and the fall weather, and little burps will just rise up out of nowhere! Again, I usually reserve my burping and farting to the privacy of my own home (again, poor Bubba....he learned that women really, actually do all these things when he married me), but in the 7th month of my pregnancy, it's starting to be out of my control. Especially the burps, they really do come out of NOWHERE! Then I'm embarrassed because I just burped while carrying on a conference call at work with our client! How un-lady-like of me! The shame of it all!

Other things:
- You also start to grunt and groan a lot more when moving out of a sitting/reclining position.
- Thickening membranes mean your sinuses thicken, too. Hard to breathe, lots more mucus, snotty nose, etc. Grossness.
- Sweating.

- That's all I'm going to list right now, this is a PG blog after all and I know most of you really don't want to know this stuff.

Cirque du Soleil

Tater should audition. He's certainly getting a lot of practice the past two days. There is so much movement going on in there that he's either practicing his acrobat routine, or fine-tuning his steps for his Riverdance audition.

Mama is not amused.*

The kicker is (pun intended)....did he see the need for such kicking/punching/poking/turning while he had a ready and willing audience in Texas? NO! We had a little pep talk before-hand, but it clearly didn't do any good. There was a little movement, and everyone got to feel it, but for the most part it's like Tater was having a good long nap. He really responded to the slower-paced Country Life. Now that his Pod (that's me) is back in the City, it's time to blow-and-go again. I just wish he wouldn't wake me up in the middle of the night....

*Well, she is slightly amused, as it is pretty cool and very weird to see my stomach lurch around like that. But it is starting to become uncomfortable, too. And I'm having fun imagining what the hell he's doing in there. Looks like he's having a good time. Or in distress. Can't really tell yet. Does that make me a bad Mama?

Leavin' On A Jet Plane

I'm headed for the great state of Texas this afternoon! Yay! I am very excited, even though I'll be traveling alone, as Bubba is staying here. :( I have my baby shower in Wellington, my small little home-town in the TX Panhandle, on Sunday. I get to see all of my family, and as a bonus, Bubba's Mom and Dad! It's going to be quite a party, lots of ladies coming, and I plan on eating a lot and totally letting people fawn all over me! :) I've got to have a Blizzard while I'm home, and hopefully some chicken fried steak, and maybe a Country Basket (although come to think of it, I could get both of those at the same time!). And Blue Bell ice cream. And, and, and....whatever else I can think of that I can't get up here. You'd be surprised, the list starts to add up.

Bubba is going to be lonely, he misses me when I'm gone. Go over and say howdy.

The Big 3-0

Today is Bubba's 30th Birthday! Go on over and say howdy and give him hell for officially being 'old!'

Happy 30th Bubba!

I love you bunches!

Vote

I'm handing out candy at my friends' apartment on Halloween so they can take their daughter to the party in their building and trick-or-treating.

What should I be? I'm talking low-budget, pregnant-lady-friendly, most likely something I can find in my house and put together the night before.

Ready? Go!

It's That Time of Year Again

World Series, you say? Halloween? Fall Cleaning? Saturday's filled with nothing but football?

Yes to all of the above, but not the purpose of this post.

Today is my bi-annual hair-highlighting appointment! If you haven't noticed, I have super-short hair. I have to get it cut every 5-6 weeks or so. That is expensive enough by itself, so imagine adding a foil-highlight job to that price every time! No sir-ee, Bob, we are not that loaded at my house. In fact, Bubba is rather appalled at the price I pay just for the cut-up job (and frankly, all of you who read this would be appalled, too, but that's one of the problems with living in Manhattan and wanting a decent haircut) let alone the highlights he doesn't think I need. So, I compromise and get the foils every 6 months or so, about the time that all of the blond is cut off of my hair. Because there is a small part of me that really misses when I had naturally blond hair, about 10 years ago. Now, it's light-brown.....dishwater blond at best....and I just can't seem to get used to it!

I figure it this way (just like a female to justify useless spending, even if she IS a cheap engineer-type): I don't buy expensive clothes or shoes or purses, I don't go get my nails done every week, I don't have a gambling habit, I don't get a regular massage (although that would be fab, too!) so this is what I treat myself to. An hour in a salon being pampered. I was doing it long before I met Bubba, so he lets it go.

Besides, I've got to have SOMETHING else for people to comment on besides the Big, Bulging Belly.

God Bless Maternity Pants

While my wardrobe is severly limited these days, due to the large bulge out in front, there are a few perks.

• Elastic waist pants that just pull on without zipping or buttoning or anything. L-O-V-E them.
• Borrowing, and wearing with no shame whatsoever, clothes from people you know and have seen them wear before. You will of course return the clothes when you are done with them, in perfect, pristine condition, and will do the same with clothes you purchased yourself by loaning them to other pregnant friends in the future. It's great!
• Being able to get away with WAY more-casual clothes in my Business Casual office.
• Wearing comfortable shoes. Thank God flats are stylish again these days.
• Plunging necklines that show off your new, fabulous, voloputuous figure.
• Did I mention elastic-waist pants?

Of course, I can barely bend to tie my shoes these days, but that's a minor detail. Who cares?! I can just pull on my dress-pants like they were leggings, and slip on some loafers, and I'm good to go!

Wright is GONE!!!

Congress signed the repeal of the Wright Amendment, and was signed into law by President Bush! It's about time! Yay! Dallas Love is Free!!! I'm ecstatic!!!

Out the Window

I hate our computer. It's broken. Again. I'm sick of it breaking every few months. This time seems to be a System Problem, not a virus. Can get on the internet, but can't access anything that requires a log-in. Like blogger. Can't send emails. Can't defragment. Can't update system because explorer craps out. This is bad. Very bad. I hate my computer.

Human Punching Bag

The little Tater (I think we should call him that in honor of Ron White, small-town East Texas dude and king of Blue Collar Comedy, what do you think?) has found the use of his arms and legs. Which means I get a lot of reminders that he is there. Most of the time it is quite cool, especially if he’s rolled over and kicks straight out to the ‘front,’ in which my stomach makes a very strange lurch. Bubba finally felt it the other night, in a particularly aerobic period of activity after dinner. And it really doesn’t hurt, just kind of feels strange. Like my stomach is rolling over or I’m riding a roller-coaster and experiencing some serious G-forces. But there are the times, like yesterday, when it is downright painful. I was having terrible stomach indigestion and gas pains for most of the day, which is unpleasant in and of itself (ah, the joys of pregnancy….at least I’m regular….TMI, I know). He was obviously being awoken more frequently by the rather loud sounds coming from all around him, and he sure let me know about it. I’m considering it his first tantrum. But don’t worry, he was getting an earful from me in retort to the sharp jabs in my abdomen. So, Mama got the last word after all. Hmph.

I already have a very active little one. Maybe he’s got his Daddy’s thing with shaking his leg in his sleep, like he’s chasing rabbits. Because otherwise he sure seems to be awake a lot these days.

Anyway, so Tater? What do y’all think? I think it’s great. “It’s gonna be a good day, Tater.” I’ll explain the whole thing if you insist, but it’s from one of Ron White’s stand-up routines. Too funny.

Season's Greetings

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies."

Can anyone name that movie? Please, for the love of God, SOMEONE has got to know this movie!

Fall is my favorite time of year. The crisp air, the need for a light-jacket in the morning but the warmness of the afternoon, the shortening days, the college football, the impending holiday season (which I think starts in October with Halloween....I mean, we basically start eating candy and goodies of some sort in October and don't stop until our resolutions kick into gear in January), the fresh apples, the pumpkins popping up everywhere, the reds, yellows, oranges, and browns of the trees. I just love it! Makes me want to drink coffee and take long walks in the gloaming after work.

"I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

Belly Pic

For your viewing pleasure, fresh from my prison break!

 

To Sleep, Perchance To Dream

I can not keep my eyes open today. Happened yesterday and the day before, too. I don't know if I'm just not sleeping well at night these days or what, but for a person who has a hard time taking a nap because she just can't wind down that fast, I've set new records for myself for non-sick naps (when I'm sick, I fall asleep the minute I lay down).

Yesterday I fell asleep watching a football game I was actually interested in (Jets/Colts, Payton Manning is incredible), and didn't even realize I was asleep until Bubba whispered he was going to the store. Same thing on Saturday afternoon with college football. Just drifted off while lounging on the couch.

Today I'm having an extremely difficult time keeping my eyes open while working. I just want to close them for a minute, but I know that minute will end up being several, with a small red bump on my forehead to prove that I fell asleep and hit my head on my keyboard.

This is a new thing in the Pregnancy Game....I now need naps in the afternoon. In my first trimester, I needed more sleep at night, about 2-3 hours more per night, but I was ok during the day. Now, I'm awake at night, just needing a little cat nap during the work-day. Which is frowned upon in my office, unfortunately.

Most likely my sleepiness is because I wake up to roll over, due to the fact that I have pillows in key positions to help make me more comfortable and in order to roll over, I have to move the pillows, too. I'm not even getting up to pee (yet), just waking up to re-position myself, which is starting to be an aerobic activity because it's getting harder and harder (you'd be surprised how much you use your ab muscles to perform this activity). No wonder I'm sleepy! My sleep has turned into exercise.

The Last Few Days

Bubba was right, the cable signal was too weak. But the lady came yesterday and fixed us all up. Yay! I really am impressed with Time Warner's service.

Baby B rolled over Thursday night and caused my stomach to physically lurch. I SAW it move, and it was the freakiest and coolest thing ever! Since then, he's just been hangin', not much movement to speak of other than kicking his Mama in the bladder.

We went out for our delayed anniversary/finding out the sex/Bubba done with deadlines dinner. Tried a famous steak house in East Midtown (the second of such dinners we've tried to have here), and decided we really can make a better steak at home. When you're from TX, and used to excellent beef for cheap, you have a hard time finding anything outside of TX that you'll like better. We still enjoyed it and had a good time, but I can get a better steak at Salt Grass for half the cost.

Handy Woman

Guess WHO fixed the cable last night? That's right, your's truly! Bubba was on the phone, and in a stroke of brilliance, I thought "What if I just mess with the cables back there and see what happens?" We have internet, so we know the line into the house is working, and we know that we're getting SOME sort of signal, because we get all the info and the guide from the cable company. So, I move the speaker out of the way and unscrew one of the cables from our 'splitter' (where it splits to the cable modem and the cable TV box), and voila! We have a picture on our tv! I hoot and holler and jump up and down that I fixed it! But, now the internet is not working. :( We ended up stealing someone else's wireless connection last night (which I ALSO figured out, because our modem was not plugged in, but we were still able to check email and be on the internet, and that's when I figured that out, too!), but for the most part, we are going to have to choose between internet and TV until they can come look on Friday. Bubba called The Evil Cable Company back (side bar....don't think they are really so evil, as THEY actually called US last night about 6:45 to see if they could try remotely fixing it again. How awesome is that?) to explain what happened and see if they could reset the cable modem from afar. No such luck. We think it has something to do with our signal strength not being strong enough to operate both TV and Internet at the same time. We'll see when the guy comes on Friday (yep, that's still on). I don't know how that happened, all I know is I fixed it so we could watch the Gilmore Girls season premier last night! AND the Astros! (Who are now only a game and a half back from 1st place in the NL Central....will wonders never cease?)

All is right in the world now. Except for my damn allergies. But that's for another post.

The Dark Ages

Our cable is out. As I mentioned previously, there was an outage in our neighborhood on Sunday, affecting the TV and internet. The got it back up and running yesterday morning, and our internet works, but still no TV. Bubba called the Evil Cable Company last night to try to remedy the situation, and after a 20-minute phone call where the girl on the phone tried, in vain, to remotely re-boot our system and fix it from her end (will wonders never cease?). Needless to say, it didn't work, and they are sending someone out to take a look. ON FRIDAY. As in 4 days from our original call. As in, we have NO TV for 4 days. Are you kidding me? This is the first time-slot that someone can come to our house and see what the Evil Cable Company has done to mess up BOTH our cable boxes? Because I can safely say, we did NOTHING to warrant this. We were sitting there Sunday evening, watching football and 60 Minutes, when BAM! No TV. The only good thing is that we are getting credited on our bill for our non-service.

This is usually not a problem for us, as we don't watch a lot of TV (other than sports, which should give you an indication as to who controls the remote in my house), but it's nice to know it's there. Now I'm going to miss the premier of the new season of Gilmore Girls tonight, we'll miss the last week of the regular baseball season (in my house, this borders on a travesty), and I'll miss Grey's Anatomy on Thursday night (which I've just now gotten into after 2 seasons, so I didn't want to miss it)! Not to mention the fact that my morning 'routine' is all messed up because I have no idea what time it is if Robin Roberts and Diane Sawyer aren't there to keep me in line! I was 10 minutes later this morning because I got all involved in a magazine article and didn't realize what time it was. And, AND!!! How am I supposed to know the weather outside? Again, I needed a jacket this morning, but had no idea until I was actually down on the street, shivering in the morning coolness. Grrr....

At least we have internet. God help us if we didn't. We'd actually be forced to sit and TALK to each other! ~Gasp!~

D-Day!

Pigs is having a baby today! YAY!!! I'm so excited for her, I can hardly stand it!

We had cable problems yesterday, and still have no TV or internet as of this morning. Time Warner told us they were working on it yesterday when Bubba called. Well, when he called, the automatic message said there was a problem in Manhattan, close to our neighborhood, so we're guessing we were affected. You don't realize how much you rely on tv and internet until it's gone. I didn't even know what the weather would be like today before I left! And, sure enough, I could have used a light sweater this morning, which I didn't bring because I didn't know until I got downstairs. Figures.

So now I'm on the internet at work, instead of working. Oh well, what else is new? :)

Drum-roll Please....

It's a BOY!!!

No doubt about it, got a shot of 'the goods' and everything! I am thrilled, Bubba is too, and is already talking about a 'sports theme' for the nursery (that we don't have, btw) and buying a little tiny baseball glove! Isn't that too cute?!

Gender Bias?

We find out the gender today! Today is my Level II Anatomy Ultrasound, in which we get a peak at 'the goods,' among other things. I don't really care what it is, have no preference whatsoever, I just want a healthy baby that is growing properly!

Bubba just wants it to be a baby and not a turtle or puppy or anything.

Rock Out!

We got this rocker today at a 'block sale' in our neighborhood. As there aren't really garages in Manhattan, neighborhoods will close off a street for the day and have a block sale! Cool, huh? We were just strolling through, not really looking for anything particular (except for cheap baby stuff) on our morning walk, and came across this awesome rocker. We inquired as to price, and decided the $35 she was asking for it was more than reasonable. Score! It's comfortable, not too high or too low to sit in, more or less matches the rest of our furniture, and I can buy seat pads for it if I want. And, if we turn out NOT to like it after Baby B arrives, we can give it away with no guilt! I am stoked!

The Choice

Bubba sent me this blog about the passing of Ann Richards, written by a woman who writes for the NY Times, among other things.

*I am inserting the gist of it here for those that can't access the link above*

Ann Richards, Hillary Clinton – those women of that turbulent, transitional period of the 80’s into the 90’s – had it right. You can’t clean house and make it to “the dome” too. You can’t bake cookies and make it to the Senate. And that’s not just because there isn’t enough time. More profoundly, it’s because it just isn’t human to do all that. With all of our spouting off these days about the glorious variety of women’s Choice, there is one basic choice that we are not humanly able to make: we cannot choose what kind of people we are or what we are driven, drawn, destined to do. The best we can do is be ourselves – and stand up for what it takes to bring our self into being.
I hate to bake cookies. I will never have a neat house. And I am sick and tired of ruining my days – and my family’s for that matter – trying to be someone I am constitutionally incapable of being.
I want to be like Ann Richards, who in the later years of her life freed herself from the need to do things perfectly, relinquished the desire to be all things to all people, and focused, she said in a 2001 interview, on living a life filled with love, fun and work.

Now I don't always agree with the women who write for the Times, but this one really had an affect on me. I have always been of the opinion that women hold all the cards. We can stay home, we can work, we can do a little of both (God bless those women who are able to do that), we can choose NOT to have children, the list goes on and on. (Bubba says men have two choices....work or go to jail, and he's not all wrong.) Anyway, the problem is that The Choice isn't always easy, and you are damn lucky if you are actually in a position to CHOOSE one or the other. A lot of women don't have those choices. The article points out that you should also be true to yourself if you DO have the choice and not kill yourself by trying to be Super Woman. You are who you are, and no amount of Oprah or Martha Stewart day time TV will change that.

Makes me think of Baby Boom. I love that movie. Whenever I see a woman on the street here who is obviously a Career Woman pushing a stroller, I'm reminded of the scene when Diane Keaton is pushing the stroller and trying to keep up with the non-mommy woman who is passing her, dressed to the Nines in heels and a business suit, and she just gives up with complete resignation after less than a block. It is the shifting point in the movie, and one that I think most women can identify with.

I don't know yet which side of the Work/Stay Home line I'm going to fall on. It will likely be a little of both as our family life evolves and kids grow up, etc. At least, that's what I hope and pray. But I thank God I have The Choice in the first place.

And that I can bake a mean batch of cookies one night and talk about highway design the next day.

Super-Human Smeller

There are things about pregnancy that people always tell you, but that you never really appreciate until you are actually going through them. Which leaves you men out altogether, sorry guys.**

For example, your sense of smell is magnified beyond belief. This usually seems to apply to smells you don't care for anyway. Case-in-point, I can smell the cucumber something-or-other that the guy in the cube 2 rows over from me is having for lunch. I don't care for cucumbers. In fact, it's probably safe to say that I avoid them at all costs. It helps that I'm allergic, so I can get away with leaving them on my plate of salad and not having the hostess feel slighted. At any rate, all the books tell you that Smell Sensitivity happens almost immediately. Be it sitting in your office, walking into your own kitchen, or walking down the street, you never know when something offensive is going to float up your nose and cause you to gag. (Luckily, I am not too sensitive with smells in the first place, and never had the experience of smelling something so bad that I threw up. But I'm one of the lucky few.)

It is Murphy's Law that this only occurs on things that you'd rather not be smelling in the first place. Must be your body telling you to avoid that particular object/area/food/person/whatever because it is potentially harmful to you and therefore the fetus you are gestating. But why does it have to be so intense? I have yet to read anything explaining this phenomenon, except that it happens in most women and continues throughout the pregnancy and often times through the first few months of mother-hood. Wonderful. Why can't the smell of fresh-baked cookies be that overwhelming?

Speaking of The Nose, I HAVE found explanations as to why it is constantly stuffy--the pregnancy hormones surging through your body make various membranes in your body swell slightly, including your sinuses among other things. Great. I'm stuck with a stuffy nose and can not safely take any medication for it without consulting my physician, so I just have to suffer through. How in the world do you manage to have a stuffy nose that you can't blow AND still be able to smell BO coming down the hall before you can identify the person? How is this biologically possible?

Add it to my list of things that make you go 'Hmmm....'

**Guys, feel free to skip this post, as it is about pregnancy symptoms and therefore for the ladies. Or read on and enjoy finding out what you are missing and having new sympathy for pregnant women everywhere. And for Bubba, who has to hear about it from me all the time!**

Grey's Anatomy

How come no one told me how good this show is? IT ROCKS!

Progressive Dining

As this pregnancy progresses, it is becoming more and more clear that I am just going to be eating constantly throughout the day. Baby B has gotten much more demanding about being fed, and is growing like a weed. So, being the good gestating woman that I am, I'm more than happy to oblige. However. As the uterus gets bigger, all the internal organs above it get squished upward. Meaning my stomach now competes for space with my lungs (more or less anyway). This means that it really doesn't take much to fill me up, as the whole breathing thing totally takes precedence over digestion and my stomach seems to be smaller.

So, instead of eating regular sized meals at meal-time, with light snacks in between, I have to pretty much eat continously throughout the day. Because the minute I eat too much, Evil Bloat arrives and makes Mama Katie EXTREMELY uncomfortable and irritable and a general pain-in-the-ass to be around. But Baby B isn't going to cut me some slack on the caloric intake required for him/her to grow properly! Ah, the joys of mother-to-be-hood. Now you know why pregnant women are hungry and eating all the time. We really don't need that many more calories per day (they recommend 300-500) than the average Josephine, there's just not enough room in there with a growing baby to digest 'regular' meals properly!

Thus, I'm known around the office now as the girl with food in her mouth.

Birth Control and Blessings

So, time for a more positive post than the last, depressing, self-loathing one. Eddie, bygones.

Yesterday I had a crappy afternoon, so I decided on a little retail therapy. I am not much of a shopper, which gets a gasp from my Mama and little Sis (and Bubba's Mom, who has a black belt in shopping), so this was a new thing, because I don't usually look at shopping as 'therapy.' When I need 'therapy' I usually head for my couch and don't move from there all night (just ask Bubba, he has to do everything these days). I blame the hormones. But, seeing as how I have ZERO to wear these days, thanks to my bulging belly that is definitely broadcasting to the world that I don't just have a beer gut, I need clothes. My closet is empty, and it's not even that big to begin with. So I took my happy self to one of 2 Gap stores in Manhattan that has a maternity section. Unfortunately the store I chose happens to be catty-corner from Macy's, and was a zoo. I forgot that it's back-to-school here on Wednesday, so the place was CRAWLING with kids and their mommies doing their last-minute shopping. Did I mention that the maternity section of this store also shares a dressing room with the kids department? Pigs' Sister commented on her blog about pregnancy symptoms being excellent birth-control. This experience would have been, too, except that everyone using that extremely small dressing room was already knocked-up or had kids, and the BC theory was lost on them.

When I got on the train to go home, laden with my purchases, I was joined one stop later by a woman holding on to the arm of a screaming, writhing toddler who clearly DID NOT want to get on this particular train. He proceeded to throw himself down onto the subway floor (ew, gross!) and kick and scream, making the rest of us who had to SHARE the car with him groan inwardly and wish we'd chosen another car to get into. Mommy did nothing while the child threw the tantrum, not even apologizing to the people her offspring kicked! I hate this kind of parenting, and was sitting there thinking 'My child will never do such things in public because s/he will KNOW better. I'm going to be a better parent than that.' The tantrum continued for 3 more stops, where they (thankfully) got off. Guess he wanted to take a cab. More birth control for Katie Bonk.

The 'Blessings' part of this post is that I felt the baby kick last night for the first time! I was laying there trying to go to sleep and felt what could only be described as a gas bubble that exploded inside. Like an inward fart. Gross, I know, but I don't know how else to describe it. But it was there! Happened several times, and I was so excited that I couldn't fall asleep, and am thus extra sleepy today. I know this will soon turn into me groaning that the kid wakes up when I lie down, but for now, it's just super-cool.

I'm a Bad Person

I did a very bad thing today. I made my friend, who flew all the way here from Cleveland with her 9 month old to visit me, miss her flight home. I mis-read the damn train schedules and instead of getting there with 30 minutes to spare (after getting up at 6am), she is right now at Newark Airport (I HATE THAT PLACE!) with Bubba, missing her 10:10am flight. The next one is at 2:30. Yikes! Of course, the flight before was 2 hours later, and the flight after the 2:30 is 2 hours later, but no, the time between now and the next one is 4 hours. Of course. So, what is usually not a big deal, just a hassle that you have to sit in the airport, is now a huge problem. My friend is by herself. With a child. And needing to use her breast pump before noon. Which she can't do while holding a baby in the baby bjorn. By herself. In an airport with mean people who don't care if you missed your flight and will leak milk all over the place. Also? You can't take a breast pump through security. So she can't check her bag. Meaning she is there, by herself, with a tired baby who can't take a nap because there's so much to look at, so she's cranky. And did I mention the next flight isn't for another FOUR HOURS!?

So. That's the situation, and why my friend will never visit me again. I'm a terrible host, thinking the trains run every 10-20 minutes. HAH! Not on Sunday! Only two every hour, and they are 7 minutes apart, then nothing! Why? Why can't there be one every 30 minutes? Instead of 7 after the hour and 14 after the hour? What kind of sense does this make? Stupid NJ Transit. I hate New Jersey. (Sorry Eddie, but I do.)

I am at home, because it didn't make sense for both of us to take the effing train all the way out to Newark f%$^#& airport at a grand cost of $30 each. And Bubba went instead of me because I'm knocked up and can't help with the luggage. I feel like SUCH a heel. I have the butterflies-in-my-tummy, nervous-feeling thing going on, and just feel terrible. It's half my fault, half the MTA's fault for always having construction on the weekends, making the trains run and half-speed for about a mile and making our subway ride 35 minutes instead of 20-25!!! I just want to scream or cry, and for some reason, I am not doing either. I am typing about it instead. So stressed out, instead of enjoying a relaxing, rainy Sunday. This is why I don't fly out of Newark. Too big of a hassle, too much stress involved.

Utter Disrespect

Bubba and I went to the Yankees/Orioles game last night. We always make it there for the National Anthem (those of you who know Bubba well know that bad things happen if you don't!), and I continue to be amazed at the lack of respect people have for our National Anthem. Sure, they stand and take their hats off, but no one sings (they don't know the words) or puts their hand over their heart, and few people ACTUALLY look at the flag (I know, I've cheated and looked around out of curiousity and using my peripheral vision) throughout the entire song. I know it's challenging to sing (believe me, I'm a singer, I know), but come on, people! Show some respect! Your grandfather (who likely served his country in the armed forces at some point) would yell at you if he saw your behavior! This is nothing new, it happens at every event I've ever been to. But it still chaps my hide.

And then, THEN! The 7th inning stretch rolls around, and the Yankees have a moment of silence for our service men and women, then play God Bless America (thankfully no one sings it anymore). Been doing it since 9/11 (and frankly, I'm sick of it....just one more thing to squeeze in to an already too-long game). And EVERYONE takes their hats off and sings the ENTIRE song! Yes, it's easier to sing AND the words are simpler, AND they put them up on the jumbo-tron, but IT WAS WRITTEN FOR A BROADWAY MUSICAL AND IS NOT OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM!!! On top of all that, you ARE NOT required to remove your hat! Bubba removes his for the moment of silence, then puts it back on for the song (which I've started not singing out of protest). He actually got yelled at last night that it was disrespectful by some jack-ass behind us. He turned around and asked if it was our National Anthem, and the guy said 'everyone else is doing it!' which, frankly, is not the answer to the question. And, it shut him up pretty quick.

I have friends and family that have served or are currently serving in our armed forces, and I think they would agree with me that it is disrespectful to our country and to them to remove your cover (hat) for anything other than the National Anthem or the presentation of the Colors (which is basically what happens when we sing the National Anthem).

On a similar topic, Bubba attended the ground-breaking ceremony for the new Yankee stadium (which he's been working on the design for) yesterday morning. He said NO ONE took their hats off for the presentation of the Colors, by men and women actually in uniform! People sometimes surprise me with their ignorance.

Can you tell this REALLY chaps my hide? I suppose I should be used to it, but people never cease to amaze me. It brings up an interesting question....how many of YOU out there in cyber space actually know the words to the National Anthem and sing them (more or less) when it's played? How many of you know all the words to God Bless America? I hope you surprise me, but I'm not too optimistic.

Cravings

I'm craving Mexican food these days. Enchiladas, burritos, refried beans, salsa, tacos, tamales. You name it, I want it. Sounds yummy to my swelling tummy! The problem is that there is no good place except my own kitchen to find these items (except maybe the quac). The only place even remotely close that I'll actually go in to is Taco Bell, which does satisfy my taco and burrito needs. But for enchiladas, I have to make them at home. Which is not hard, but relatively time consuming, and I don't ever feel much like cooking a whole lot in the summer, as the kitchen is the warmest place in my apt.

So you Texans out there eat some good ol' Mexican food for me sometime this week. And think of my poor child who has to get by with Taco Bell. ~Sigh~

Inhumane?

Bubba and I walked to work yesterday morning behind a Great Dane. He was huge. H-U-G-E. Probably bigger than Bubba if he stood up, which I guess is normal for a Great Dane. But this is not something you normally see on a NYC sidewalk. Tiny dogs you can fit in your purse, a la Paris Hilton? Yes. Dogs that you KNOW weigh more than you? Not so much. Where in the hell do they put this dog? I think it's a crime to have big dogs in small apartments. And that's pretty much all that's left in NYC.

Inhumane, I tell ya.

It's Official!!

For those of you who have been in the dark, I'm pregnant! 14 weeks, to be exact. I figured it was time for me to come out of the closet. I'm sorry if you are just hearing this news now, please forgive me and continue to come visit!

This picture is my 12 week ultrasound. I'll get another on Sept. 19th to find the out the gender. So, for the time being, meet Baby B!

Edited for content....

(I had to edit this previous post because of sensitive info on the picture! Whoops!)

That's One I Haven't Seen Before

On our walk tonight in Riverside Park, I spied a RACCOON in a tree! That's right. A nocturnal animal known for foraging trash (guess that makes Manhattan his Gold Mine). Up in a pretty tall tree that no one I know could have climbed. It was dusk, an appropriate time for raccoon's to be out and about getting their breakfast, but still disconcerting considering we're in the middle of a huge city and it was out in the open. We stopped and stared, then went on about our business, like we normally do when we see anything strange in the city.

I wonder if it goes to visit it's 'Coon cousins in the country and tells them all his city stories?

Sex Ed., or Lack Thereof

Japruf wrote an interesting post yesterday (you might check it out before reading further, so you know what I'm talking about). It touched on a subject near and dear to my heart, the appalling lack of sex education to teens in school. I know this is a touchy subject, and we can go on and on about whether to preach Abstinence or Protection. But I think most of the women who read this blog (and hopefully some of the men, too) will agree that most of what we learn regarding how our bodies work, we most likely didn't learn in Health. How many of us sat in a classroom where the health class was taught by a man, and most often a coach? (I can only speak from the TX school system, so I hope those of you not educated in TX will chime in here.) It's like driver's ed....one of those classes the off-season coach gets to teach. That's not the point of this post, really, except to point out that most men don't really know how the female body actually works, so it's not really their fault that we don't learn it any sooner.

I guess my point is that whether you are on the Abstinence side or the Protection side, we can all agree that having all the information up front about pregnancy and STDs and the consequences of the choices you make is very important. I think it would help drive the point home that if you choose to mess around with sex and not protect yourself, you really are playing with fire. Granted, I think there is an age-appropriate time and place for learning this information, and I don't think my 7th grade health class would have been the best place. But, I think several of you out there would agree with me when I say that if I'd known in high school what I know now about the how wonderful and amazing 'machine' that is the female body works, and how finely tuned it has to be for everything to 'work' properly, I wouldn't have spent so much money on birth control over the past 10 years!

Another thing to point out is the fact that most of this information is a relatively recent discovery. I'd say within the last 100 years or so. Teen pregnancy is a sad but true reality, but the fact of the matter is that women have been having babies in their teens for centuries. 150 years ago, it was not uncommon for a woman to be married and have at least one baby before her 20th birthday. In fact, in certain societies, it was a social stigma to be un-wed after 20....you were deemed an old maid (the shame of it all!). Thank God we have moved past those times. But in light of the fact that kids are 'growing up' faster than ever, and have all of this information to learn and take in, we should keep up with the times and improve our methods and means of education.

Freakin' Weird

For a while now, Bubba and I have been finishing each other's sentences. Or he'll say something that I was JUST thinking and about to say. This is getting weird to me. Almost as if someone is invading my thoughts and I don't have one to myself anymore. Well, not really, but it's strange that we both have the same comment about things like...the girl walking down the street with HUGE tracks of land, or the fact that one of Bubba's Astros just made a big play in the outfield, or that we need milk from the store.

Guess that's what 5 years of marriage will do to you....make nothing you say to your spouse surprising anymore.

A Shift in Style

I walked in my office building today, and was followed by a woman who commented that she loved the dress I'm wearing. It is what you would call a 'shift' dress, not much shape, short, and very comfortable. (Not the most stylish these days, I realize that, but still. I like to wear them in the summer because they are just so damn cool....much more comfortable body-temperature wise than pants, and most men in my office would never comment on the seemingly-casual look because, after all, it is a dress.) Anyway, the amazing thing about the woman commenting about it is because it's most likely more than 5 years old, and I inherited it from my mom when she lost a lot of weight! It's still a little big on me, but in the hot and humid days of July in NYC, I don't really care that much. The woman also asked where I got it, and was shocked when I said "Gap, a few years ago." She said she thought it was a new style from Saks! Made me feel so stylish in my shift-dress.

Everlasting Gobstopper

I watched the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory last night on ABC Family. I had forgotten how much I enjoy that movie, even though I've seen it hundreds of times. My favorite part is when they first go in the 'candy' part of the factory, with the chocolate river, and Mr. Wonka sings 'Come with me, and you'll be in a world of pure imagination,' while sipping tea out of a daffodil then eating the cup when he's done. That song always makes me remember my childhood, and how much fun I had 'Playing Pretend.' I had a very active imagination, and sometimes I wonder what happened to it in adult-hood. Maybe when I have kids of my own I'll find it again.

~Sigh~

I'm at work today, on what SHOULD be a holiday, Monday, July 3rd. Not one of the 'big bosses' is at work today. Probably because they have more vacation than they know what to do with (I like to call these people Workaholics That Make The Rest Of Us Look Bad). It was so depressing to get on the [usually crowded] train today. Why do engineering firms INSIST on making their employees suffer? Not many other professionals are working today, why must we?

Bubba isn't even at work today, his firm gave him the day off because they've all been working so hard. Hmph. Guess we slackers over here at my firm haven't been. I'm sad that I don't get to hang around and do nothing with him today. Instead, I'm suffering here in boredom because I'm kind of at a cross-roads and my project manager isn't here to help enlighten me.

Oh well. In a sheer stroke of luck, I returned home from Texas to find out that we are going to have Summer Hours this summer for the first time ever! This is where you work 4 - 10 hour days and get a day off instead of 5 - 8 hour days. I've requested Friday off, so we'll see if I'm one of the lucky ones who doesn't have to take Monday (40% of each department has to be here either Monday or Friday). Either way, YAY FOR ME!!!

The Things That Soothe

I do not have what you'd call a Sweet Tooth. I prefer a nice bowl of salted and lightly buttered popcorn to a big ol' slab of chocolate cake. (This makes ordering dessert with Bubba a challenge, as he has a LARGE sweet tooth.) But there are just some times when nothing but a little chocolate morsel will make you feel better and soothe the things that are irritating you.

RANT

I came out of the store yesterday and nearly ran over a local 'hoodie' from my neighborhood, who was parked right outside the grocery store automatic door with a stroller. I had 3 bags, and refrained from my usual cursing under my breath when I noticed the stroller, and that's when I saw it: the child in the stroller was definitely under a year old, and was WATCHING A PORTABLE DVD PLAYER!!! I couldn't see what was actually on the screen, so I looked up at 'dad' (it's easier to just assume that's what he was) to see if HE was the one watching, but no. He was busy with his PDA/cell-phone/thingamajig and not even paying attention to said child.

Now this was clearly a lower-income 'dad-with-child', not to mention the fact that 'dad' did not look old enough to buy the cigarettes he was smoking. So we'll all use our own imaginations as to where the DVD player came from. But SERIOUSLY!!! Your kid would be well entertained by the dog tied up next to where you are standing! Which comes to my point, if I have one:

If you bought the DVD player, you are clearly stupid. (Yes, there are other indications as to 'dad's stupidity level listed above, but let's focus on the player, people.)
If you stole it, you should have pawned it for the cash so my tax dollars don't have to support your food stamps!!!

Bubba and I have about decided that NYC is only for the rich and the poor....not the middle class. The rich because they can afford it, the poor because they clearly CAN'T and qualify for any number of free services above and beyond the food stamps. Yet the pisser is that they spend any money they DO have on crap like that! Urg. Makes me so mad!!!

Out! Out! Cursed Spot!!!

At the park today during lunch this guy spilled coke on my skirt / feet / shoes. I didn't have anything to wipe it off with, and he didn't offer a napkin (jerk!), so I just shook the coke off of my skirt and rushed back to the office (right across the street) to wash off my sticky feet and shoes. Problem is, I now have brown spots on my cute new green leather sandals! Ack!! I've tried scrubbing with a wet paper towel, but to no avail. I'm super-irritated. Anyone know how to get spots off of leather shoes? I Asked Jeeves, but he didn't give me any definite answers. Poop.

HELP!

My birthday is on Saturday, and I have no idea what to do with my day. Please, someone--anyone!--throw a few ideas out there!

Dinner out? Friday or Saturday night?

Go see a play? Which play?

Picnic in the park?

A night of drinking with friends?

HELP!!!

Children or Adults? It's a toss-up

We were at the Yankees/Red Sox game last night. About the 6th inning, 2.5 hours into the game (yes, that's a slow game, but that's not the subject of this post), I overheard a little girl behind us say to her parents:

"I got to see lots of people kicked out [of the game]! Who cares if they [the Yankees] win!?"

They did win, incidentally. And yes, there were lots of people asked to leave the game because they were acting like children. Which is about par for the course at a Yankees/Red Sox game.

Poopy Doopy

Wes wrote something on the subject of Crappiest Cities, and I started to comment but felt it was better served on my own blog, as it was way too long a response! So you might head over there first and check it out....

To continue Wes' theme, NYC may be the best at picking up dog poop, but horse hockey is another story. We saw 2 Mounties in the West Village yesterday right off of West 4th Street, and one of the animals 'relieved' himself right there on the street! I mean, it was quite a load, to be quite frank. So then the cops just turned their mounts and road off into the sunset! And left this big pile of crap in the middle of the street! WTF? Who's supposed to clean that up? There is not a 'doggie bag' out there big enough! Hee!

CONGRATULATIONS JAPRUF!

Hey, way to go man! Now that you're a high-powered working man, you can take us all out for champagne!!!

Let the celebration begin!

Freak Show

Bubba and I went to see this guy at Lincoln Center last night with a friend in from LA. The things people will do for publicity.

No 'Here Kitty' Needed

On a walk through Riverside Park yesterday, I spotted a girl walking her cat. Her cat. On a leash. One of those 'sling' ones that goes around the front legs so as not to jerk the pet's neck around. It was a beautiful white long-hair cat that looked completely freaked to be out there 'enjoying' the call of nature. Or maybe it was the fact that there were lots of dogs around.

The girl was on the phone, and remained there almost the entire time we sat watching her. There was no 'walking' of the cat. The cat just sat there casting furtive glances around her, ready to dart away at the first sign of threat.

Poor kitty. Dogs enjoy walks. Cats prefer to walk themselves. Or not. But definitely not on a leash. Someone should tell that girl. I'm curious how she got the cat to sit still long enough to put the sling on it anyway.

Curiouser and curiouser.

People Watching

In light of my post this morning (see below), I decided to escape the office to enjoy the nice weather and eat my lunch outside. I am lucky enough to work close by Madison Square Park (MSP), one of the prettiest parks in NYC, where Broadway crosses 5th Avenue. There are little parks within the City every time Broadway crosses one of the Avenues, but this is one of the best. It is usually brimming over with people, as there are lots of office buildings close by. Mine and Bubba's being 2 of them. So, I took my lunch outside and grabbed a spot in the sun to catch a few rays, read my book, and do some people watching (another excellent thing to do as a tourist, I might add). I am an expert people watcher, taught years ago by my Papa, who could sit in the mall waiting for Mama forever, as long as there were interesting people to watch. Which, if you've ever found yourself in the Texas Panhandle, there are.

I digress.

MSP has great people watching, due to the close proximity of office buildings as mentioned above, tourist attractions like the Flatiron Building, a playground for the kids, and the all-important dog-run. This last part makes for entertainment in and of itself, as it's hard to beat watching City dogs do their socializing at the local dog-run. Today was no different, EVERYONE was out enjoying the balmy 70 degree weather. There were lots to choose from, but my favorite characters were the group of guys walking the oval. They came around every 5 minutes or so (that's what happens when you walk in a sort-of circle), and I'd catch snippets of their conversation. One particular loop conversation I just have to share with you:

Cool guy #1: I mean, I'm pretty fast for my size (upon hearing that I look up and discover that yes, he's rather a heavy-set dude), and I can get around those bases pretty fast. But my feet hurt if I have to run hard.
Cool guy #2: Yea, but my effing feet start to hurt, too. I effing ran track and cross country in high school, and that effing s*@$ will eff up your feet, bro.

I mean, you can't beat that.

Touristos

Today, I wish I was a tourist.

As Bubba and I were walking to work this morning, we passed a couple sitting outside at a cafe, enjoying their bagel and iced coffee. This is probably the first morning in Manhattan where it's feasible to actually sit outside at 8 AM and not be too cold. It's beautiful outside, and a crime that I should be stuck inside at my cubicle with no shot of the outdoors unless I stand up. But that's another topic for another post. Anyway, I found myself wishing we were that couple. Sitting there, idly watching the guys across the street pour concrete for the high-rise going up next door, checking out the guide book and deciding what to do, or not do, with our day. When I travel, I really enjoy getting up with the 'locals' and watching everyone else go about their daily business around me (at a decent time of course....I'm on vacation after all!). Most often there is not really time to do this, as there are usually much better things to see than the guy opening up his store next door. But this is what makes travel so great....experiencing someone else's 'normal' life, if only for a short time.

This is one of the things I love about living in New York. On my short walk to work, I fall into the category of 'local' that tourists (who are up early enough) get to see going about their regular, every day lives, mundane as they might be. A few are jealous that they are only visiting and wishing they lived in such a cool city with an urban lifestyle, and a few are probably thinking 'Look at that poor schmuck having to WALK to work!' I pass a few dozen people on my walk from the subway every morning, most of whom are doing the same thing as me....hating that it's a week day and they had to get up and actually go to work this morning, wishing they could just skip and enjoy the beautiful weather outside. But every once in a while I pass someone who isn't going to work, and is just happy hanging out.

One of these days, that's going to be me.

A tourist in my own city.

Good Friday

I'd say 'Happy' Good Friday, but it's not really happy, is it? I mean, Christ died today, and while I am grateful that he did it for me (and rose again on Sunday, I might add), it's still a little weird to say 'Happy Good Friday to ya!'

Regardless, today is a day of reflection for Christians everywhere. Enjoy your Easter weekend, and maybe reflect on the tremendous sacrifice our Lord paid for us (while enjoying your chocolate egg, of course).

Show Time

I have a concert tonight. It's the last one of the season (not counting the extra concert for my director that's not part of the 'Juilliard' program), and I'm SO ready for it to be over! I enjoy singing...it's my gift, it's what I do for fun....but I've had rehearsal EVERY NIGHT THIS WEEK, and have dress rehearsal today from 2-6 before our concert at 8! I think that's a little excessive. But, if you'll check out the repertoire we're performing (and the 4 premiers we're singing along with Carmina Burana), there are going to be lots of famous people there tonight (Oscar and Tony winners among them), and we have to be extra good. I'm actually pretty excited, it's going to be a great show. Not your standard classical concert. This is going to rock!

But I plan on splurging for a massage soon....

We Were Bad Today

So, Bubba and I skipped a church function we had RSVP'd to today. We were not leading or doing anything of any importance, so it wasn't that big of a deal, except that we'd already said we'd be there. And, that japruf was expecting us there. We let him down, and now I feel like he won't like me anymore. And that makes me sad. But it was nice to have a day off. I have choir for the next 5 days in a row. That's right. FIVE. And I had a concert last night. Not looking forward to more rehearsals and another show on Thursday. Ugh. So that's why I skipped. That, and Bubba and I were not speaking to each other on the way there and just decided it wasn't worth it. Sorry japruf.

VICTORY!!!

I'm happy to report a minor victory for The Little People. The insurance lady called me back this morning (I KNOW! Prompt service that is greatly appreciated from the Big Bad Insurance people!), and everything is taken care of! She called the provider, and they were the ones that made the error, so I will be issued a new EOB and will owe nothing! Hurray!

Thank goodness, because I was really not looking forward to parting with my $265, OR looking for a new girly doctor. Take my word for it guys, it's not the easiest thing to do to find someone you like. Or, I should say, don't mind having ~down there~ poking and prodding.

So, all's well that ends well! Thanks for your comments and support.

Wes, I would be all for government sponsored/provided health care if I didn't ever have to 'file' anything with anyone! Where all you had to do was show up for your appointment, and maybe pay a co-pay or something. I don't mind a flat rate at the beginning of the appointment. It's the paper work and huge bills you get slapped with after the fact that are enough to make you a crazy person!

The Biggest Scam Going

Health Insurance (which is an oxy-moron, if you ask me.)

So, I've been having insurance issues for several months now. I changed jobs back in October, and thus changed insurance providers (of course). Once I received my new insurance cards, I called my girly-doctor to make sure that they took my new insurance and to schedule my annual exam. They assured me that yes, indeed, they took my insurance, and I made an appointment for 6 weeks away (the earliest she could see me--after all, her priority appts. go to the preggos, which is fine with me). The was late Nov., the week after Thanksgiving. I go, everything's cool, I pay my co-pay, and even have some lab work done. I get the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for what I think is my exam, but what turns out to be my lab work. No biggie, it does not surprise me that the hospital my Dr. is affiliated with is slower than the private lab they send everything to.

So then I get an EOB in January from my OLD insurance, stating that they did not pay the $265 because I was no longer covered by them. Duh! Still haven't gotten an EOB from my new insurance for my exam, and then I get a bill from my Dr. in the amount of $265. I realize what has happened....my Dr.'s office (and the extremely competent people that work there....note the sarcasm) filed the claim with the wrong insurance, even though I gave them my new card and information, and they even have it on file! I call the dr.'s office to clear it up, and the lady said they would promptly file with my correct insurance, so don't pay the bill you just got. Great, I wasn't planning on it anyway!

Fast forward to last week, when I finally receive the EOB from my NEW insurance (confusing, isn't it?), stating that my dr. is out-of-network and they won't cover my $265 bill, but that it will apply to my deductible. MWHA? This can not be the case! I have a strict In-Network-Only policy (luckily I don't really have an special doctor's I have to go to and I'm not really that picky), so if, when I called my dr. back in the fall, I was told that she was not in-network, I would have simply changed doctors. So I call the insurance company today, and sure enough it was listed as out-of-network. I assured the woman with the insurance company that my doctor was in-network, I even looked up her status today on the provider's website. She was very polite, said she would place an inquiry with the plan provider and call me back this afternoon with more information. (I still don't understand how you can have a plan administrator, who I called today, that is different from the plan provider, the people who actually pay your doctor when a claim is filed. It's all very strange to me, and seems like an absolute waste of time, paper, trees, people, and money. But anyway....) I appreciate her responsiveness, but still. I am going to be really pissed if my dr.'s 'network status' changed and the website just isn't updated. Because then I have to pay $265 for an exam that is completely routine and falls under the category of 'Annual Physical,' which my insurance clearly covers under their policy statement. Provided I'm In-Network. URG!!!!!

Health Insurance is a SCAM!!! Dealing with it is enough to drive you to the mental institution! Which, of course, isn't covered under your plan.

Overheard on the Subway

Teen Girl 1: Whatever, I was, like, 4 when you were born, and you were, like, 2. I've done WAY more than you.
Teen Girl 2: No, you were, like, 2 when I was born. That's not that much different.

HUH? What kind of crazy math do they teach in school now?

Smokey Haven

We're off to the Smokey Mountains tomorrow! I need a vacation!

See you when we get back!!

Bored

I'm bored. Bored with work, mainly. I like my new job, but it's boring. It's hard to make it to lunch some days, let alone 5 o'clock. I need something new to keep me entertained. There are SO many other things I can think of to do besides working. Especially now that it's starting to look more like spring. I love spring. We are having a taste of it right now. I actually went out this morning on an errand WITHOUT MY COAT! Crazy, I know. Makes me want to garden or something. But, rest assured, we'll get another cold snap in the next month or so and I'll be cursing Mother Nature.

Newbies

Hey y'all! Got some new blogs for ya to check out!. Go on over and say howdy!

Bubba's Mom and Bubba's Sis are two special ladies who raised my husband into the man he is today!

Confession

I love to watch 'This Old House.'

I am not a homeowner, but I LOVE old houses, so I still think it's cool that people go through the hassle and expense of renovating old homes. Old houses have character and stories to tell, and I just love old details. In my opinion, they really don't make 'em like they used to. My friend Gina is living the dream in Ohio, although some of her stories (like the absolutely tiny bathrooms) are a little scary. But the thought of taking a monument to the past and either restoring it to it's original condition, or having a vision of how to make a great old house even better, just really appeals to me. Must be the do-it-yourself person inside of me.

Of course, I don't actually have the funds to have such a house, but it's a dream of mine. Maybe some day.

Mother Nature Has A Wicked Sense of Humor

Today is March 2nd.

It's SNOWING in NYC.

Meanwhile, Texas is experiencing very abnormal temperatures (for this time of year) in the upper 70s and 80s, and in some cases 90s, depending on where you are in the great state.

Good times.

Water, Water, Everywhere

I find it continuously humerous that people from all over my office walk all the way down the hall to get water from the water fountain, which has very little water pressure and is most of the time not cold, instead of just going into the bathroom or kitchen and filling their cup/mug/water bottle from the tap. The water pressure is better, it's much colder, and it takes about half the time. And, you can fill your cup/bottle all the way to the top, instead of having it half-full because you had to tip it way over just to get the very-low-pressure stream of water to actually go into the container. "But," you say, "it's filtered. I'd want filtered water, too." I GUARANTEE you that the water fountain water is not filtered any more than the water in the bathroom or kitchen. It's the same set of pipes leading from the same connection in the building, which is the same water you get in your apartment if you happen to live in Manhattan. I could understand if it was water from one of those huge jug things, that actually IS filtered (and, has a different taste) but no, it's the regulation water fountain the building is required to install. And, it's NYC water, the best water I have ever tasted. I'm a conniseur of water, I know my water.

The humerous part comes in because these people are civil engineers, and should know something about how the building works, where the water comes from, etc. Basically, they should know better. But either they choose to ignore this information, or use the trek to the water fountain as additional exercise. I just think it makes them look stupid.

HAPPY FAT TUESDAY!

'Tis the Mardi Gras Season. One last hurrah before the quiet and reflection of the Lenten Season, which begins the day after, Ash Wednesday. Fat Tuesday is not the only day of Mardi Gras, as many people believe. (Mardi Gras literally means 'Fat Tuesday.') It's the final day of the celebration, which usually starts the week before with parades and balls and King Cakes. People see it as a big party, which it is, but it's existence really stems from The Church. The season on Lent in the church calendar is the 40 days leading up to Easter and the crucifixion of Christ. Christians are supposed to spend this time reflecting and fasting, thus the tradition of 'giving something up for Lent.' I sure we all have either done this ourselves or know someone who has. Joel gave up Dr. Pepper one year for Lent. Those of you who know him know the gravity of that sacrifice. I have a college friend who gave up whiskey for Lent our Senior year, so on Good Friday we went out and got drunk on Johnny Walker to celebrate Lent being over. Not exactly the point of the sacrifice, is it? And, you can be sure that he celebrated Mardi Gras the same way....drinking all the whiskey he could get his hands on before not being able to have any for 40 days.

I didn't start this post with the intent of chastising you all for partying it up on Fat Tuesday and using it as an excuse to get drunk on a school night. I just wanted to bring up the background of it and maybe get a few of you thinking. Regardless of how you feel about The Church and it's traditions, I challenge you all to spend the month of March reflecting on your own life and the direction it is heading. I know I will be.

But be sure to live it up today! :)

Difficult Co-worker

I left my old job because of several reasons, one of which was not getting along with the people I worked with on a daily basis. Which was a new thing for me, as I tend to get along with everyone and go out of my way to be nice to people. My new job is 180 degrees different from that, everyone in my department is great. I get along with the other women, which is a pleasant change, and people are just generally more laid back and not as click-ish and snobby as my last job.

However.

The pond scum that occupies the cube next to me is getting to me. We started out on the wrong foot because the week I started, my headphones came unplugged from my computer and, unbeknownst to myself, I was blaring Lyle Lovett across the entire office. He came to my cube, said my music was too loud and that he could hear it over his headphones, and would I turn it down. I apologized profusely, said I had no idea, and it would never happen again, etc. Nothing from him. He didn't even crack a smile and accept my apology. Since then, we have coolly avoided each other. The sight of him makes me cringe. Partly because of the white socks with black pants and black shoes he wears EVERY DAY, but mainly because he is just an unpleasant person. Very holier-than-though. Luckily, he is not in my department. He somehow managed to be transplanted to the middle of the Civil Department when there were more people in this office in his department. Now he's the only one, he probably ran them all off. I was warned about him by others in my department, and he's only managed to prove them right. Anyway, I digress. I had a little smile to myself on Wednesday when one of the drafters in my department came over to yell at him for deleting her drawing from the plotter multiple times. His reason....he had a submittal. OK, we all have submittals, it's an engineering office, that's what we do. But office protocol says you email everyone saying you'll be tying up the plotter for X amount of time. Nothing from him, of course. The rest of us might as well not be here. She got both his and our department managers involved, and he really got it! He left for vacation yesterday, so said drafter and I were discussing her little bout with him and what a pain in the ass he is. THEN she told me that she caught him LAUGHING at me the day my Grandadder died and I could not keep from crying. LAUGHING at my tears and mourning! Can you believe that? He has moved up to my No. 1 Asshole position. He can't actually be human, I don't know anyone that is that callous. I'm so livid I don't know what to do. So, I'm venting by blogging. And, when he gets back next week, I may just play my music without headphones.

Registry Rant

Why do people feel weird about registries? I'm from a part of the world where you register for everything, including the kitchen sink, so I just don't understand this mentality. It's like people don't want you to feel like you have to buy things for them. Um, you put me on a list for a party FOR YOU, so I HAVE to show up with a gift. I don't understand soon-to-be-married couples who don't register for much. I mean, the people you invite are going to buy you something. They are obligated. So give them a hint so you save on trips to return things you didn't want! I understand if people don't really need anything, just register for a few things or for cash or something. But baby stuff, that's a different story. There is all this 'stuff' you need that you DON'T already have when you have a baby. The problem is, the market is flush with so many different things, it's hard to pick which one. And, how are those of us without children supposed to know about bottles and nipples and baby clippers and Boppies and things like that? I am lucky to have several friends with new babies, so I've just asked them, but seriously. Just register for stuff. It's a win-win situation....you get stuff you picked out that you don't have to waste time trying to return after-the-fact, and I don't have to spend all this time trying to figure out what to buy you. I just look up the list, make my decision, and it conveniently gets checked off as 'bought' so you don't get duplicates. Easy.

Phlegm

I have turned into one of those chronic throat-clearers. It drives me crazy when other people do it, so you can imagine how thrilled I am that I'm the one that's doing it! My allergies have turned into a bad congestion phlegm problem. It's gotten so bad that I am having trouble speaking. And that's why I keep clearing my throat. Those of you who know me know I am a big talker, so the fact that it hurts to speak is not very fun. At least I have tomorrow off to recuperate.

I Almost Forgot

We missed the massive snow storm (Bubba was very disappointed, as was I), but my friend Kerrin's husband took this picture in Riverside Park, at the Soliders and Sailors Monument. It's right at 91st St. and you are looking up Riverside Drive. NYC is beautiful during and immediately following a big snow storm, but once they start clearing the roads it turns into an ugly mess.

Friday Thoughts

We're back, arrived Wednesday night. The service for my Grandadder was very nice, more of a memorial to a very full and active life. The church was packed, and I told Bubba that now he knows where I get my penchant for knowing so many people and calling them 'friend.' I got it from him.

While in the lovely Panhandle my lovely allergies flared up, thanks mainly to the freaky weather (which is normal and what I grew up with, but not what I'm used to now) and the wind blowing about 40 mph for 2 days. Kicks up the pollen and grasses and things and my body doesn't like it. That's why I will never live in that part of the world again. Anywho, I'm trying to get myself back to normal healthwise. The weather here is crazy, too, it's about to get freakin' cold.

And, I came back to a mess at work. My project manager is a nice man, but he can't manage for shit. It's frustrating. At least my deadline got pushed back to next Friday, so I don't have to work ALL weekend, just tomorrow. Lovely. I want to tell him 'your poor planning is not my emergency.' But it doesn't work that way

Ah well, better get to it. Thank y'all for the kind words and condolences. It's great to have friends!

There Are No Words

My grandfather died today.

I got out of my trial early, so I went back to work this afternoon, as I have a lot to do. My dad called about noon (11 am his time) to tell me that Grandadder had a heart attack this morning and was being taken to Amarillo. He was stable, and my dad sounded fine, he was on his way to the hospital. He called me back around 2:30 to tell me Grandadder didn't make it. My Grandadder, my favorite grandparent, is gone. And I didn't get to say good-bye. That's what makes it so hard for me. I mean, he's 91, he lived a good, very fulfilling life. He died quickly, he wasn't sick or in pain, so that's a blessing. But I didn't get to tell him how much he meant to me. He raised me. He was a civil engineer, too. He loved to hear me sing. He loved to watch me play basketball in high school. He taught me how to fish when I was little, and he made the best homemade vanilla ice cream I have ever had. I had the rare opportunity (these days) to have a grandparent that lived down the road and I got to see him all the time. I cherish those days, and am so glad I got the opportunity to know a wonderful man.

So here's to O.V. Johnson, man among men. He put himself through college, served his country in WWII in the South Pacific, raised 4 boys, worked as a civil engineer for 30+ years, started his own business, saw grandchildren and great-grandchildren born, and spent the last few months bowling every day and bragging about it. He was an incredible man.

I will miss him.

Jury Duty

Well, I had my very first jury summons yesterday. I made it down to Chinatown to the State Supreme Court (no not the one from Law and Order) and was even a little early so I stopped in Starbucks for a coffee. It was in a Chinese pagoda type thing. Just the first experience of the day. I was going to the criminal court, so it was bound to be a day full of surprises.

We all got into the room and got settled about 9, and the clerk-guy in charge of all of the prospective jurors started giving instructions for about an hour. He was hilarious! Cracking jokes and being a smart-ass, it was a welcome reprieve from reading my book and waiting. It's a lot of waiting. I got called to the first jury selection of the day at about 10:45, so I headed downstairs to a very ugly courtroom with 60 or so of my peers also wishing they were somewhere else. I was in that freezing room ALL DAY! They got through one round of selection and only kept 4 people, so we were told to be back after lunch (which was an hour and a half so I got some shopping in!) and we'd start the whole process over again. We had two more rounds, and I was the LAST person called to the jury box. And I was a replacement for a girl who had an issue with the case because a family member had been convicted of a similar charge. Sucks! And, of course, I was selected. But her's was nothing, you should HEAR some of the personal information people volunteer about themselves. And how stupid people really are! But, I digress. I go today to sit on a jury for the first time in my life, and it happens to be in Manhattan! I'm actually a little excited, it's a cool experience. And, I don't have to be there until 10 AM! Luckily it should be a short case and I won't be gone that long. Because my boss is freaking out. We had a deadline on Feb. 20th, and his poor managing has pushed us WAY back with all of the things we have to do before then. So, me missing multiple days of work is not ok in his eyes. I actually have to work this weekend to get some things done. Irritating. Your pool planning is NOT my emergency!

So, that's my story. I can't talk about the case right now, but I'll post again after the whole ordeal is over. In other news, it's going to snow this weekend! Yay!

Disappointment

I am rather sad that I have been posting so regularly of late, and no on has commented! I don't crave your attention, but someone, ANYONE, just let me know you're out there! Does no one read my blog anymore? I feel totally alone out here in cyberspace. :(

Irony Personified

Does anyone else find it terribly ironic that the Muslim community is totally reinforcing the caricature of Mohammed with a bomb in his turban with all of the riots and peaceful 'protests' that have ended up being violent? Yeah, it's rather childish and shocking, but it's a cartoon. I mean, if Christians got all up in arms about the 'art' over the years depicting Jesus, the Bible, God, and any of the other figures in the Bible in a demeaning way, we'd have been panned for it! Mohammed was a peaceful prophet, and yet the people that follow him have managed to earn the reputation for themselves as violent. And the leaders of the Muslim faith never manage to denounce the actions of the few that grab headlines and influence the populous opinion. Why is that? Do they WANT to be depicted that way? Do they feel like any exposure for their religion is good? (I'd beg to differ on that one, think back to Waco and the Branch Dividians.) Is it more like the press isn't interested in what they have to say and only focus on the extremists? It may be a combination of all.

Regardless, all political cartoons usually poke fun at some sort of underlying truth, whether you agree with it or not. In my mind, the events of the past few days in retaliation of one person's opinion just help reinforce the fact that lately terrorism and the Muslim faith go hand in hand.

Aren't Germanic Languages Funny?

Check this out, from our friends at Grope for Luna. I think it's hilarious, and wonder why their tourism isn't just booming!

All In A Day's Commute

These are a few excerpts from my new favorite blog, Overheard in NY. And these people want to make $60K a year and not pay for medical insurance, AND still have a full pension! Crazy, yes, but you gotta admit it keeps you laughing.

Conductor: "Attention ladies and gentlemem on the platform. Yes, this is a C train. If you are waiting on the F train you have gots to get on this train, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Just get on this train and we'll discuss it as we roll."

-So, would you get on the train or wait for the next one? I might just throw caution to the wind and let the C take me wherever it will. But only if we discuss it while we roll, I hate sitting in the station waiting for the doors to close!

Conductor: "Local, local, local. This is the local R train. It looks like the R, smells like the R, and runs like the R."

-Yeah, that's why I don't like the R. It Rarely comes and it Reeks.