Woaow! I feel good!

I'm really feeling good right now! Maybe because I haven't actually done what I really want to do yet today, but because I'm done doing all the stuff that I have to do today. My slate is cleared! I just finished my last deadline for the week/month... technically, I could keep going, but I don't have to! Sweet relief!

One of the really great things about having a job in California and living in Texas is that I could be reading a book instead of working and they'd never know it! That sounds really bad, but it's actually a win-win situation because they don't stress about whether or not I'll make the deadline (haven't missed one yet) and I don't feel anybody breathing down my neck. It's a zen thing. I try not to work on Saturdays, but I like having the choice in case I've taken too many liberties with my weekdays. But just in case my obscure blog makes it back to the ladies at work... I really was sick this weekend.

Really. I was. I went to bed early on Friday, stayed in bed most of Saturday, and spent a little time in the living room with the family on Sunday, but mostly kept to the bed. And when I was awake I printed and read all 249 pages of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. (Thanks to Josh's mom for sending me the link to download the book in pdf format. If I could have sat at the computer and read it, I would have, but see, I was sick.) That was a good read. Not sure if I liked how it ended, but I'm looking forward to watching the movie to see how that ends. I'm told that it's different.

I'm still trying to find the words to describe the feeling I get when I'm reading perfectly polite Jane Austen-ish English when the guy is in the room and the girl is, too, and they don't know that they like each other yet, but they're making observations and discovering it. (This usually takes five to ten pages.) What is that feeling in your heart when it just kind of builds and builds, but it's stronger than butterflies and higher, not in your tummy. It's that feeling in high school that makes you want to call your BFF and retell the story of the hottie that deigned to speak to you at school that day. Sometimes the feeling makes you cry. It's like you have to in order to get some release. I know Josh could probably explain this musically. Anyway, I cried a few times while reading the book, but it wasn't at the end.

This feeling could also be attributed to the time when you started dating and falling in love with your husband. It's the feeling that gets you when you have no expectations, the phone rings, you answer it and it's him. It takes you by surprise. It's new and once it happens, you can't replicate it or make it happen again. Not really. I guess that's why falling in love for the first time is so memorable.

Hmmmm... this is not what I intended to blog about. So excuse the lack of transitional sentence, but let's change the subject. By the way, I had such a hard time with transitional sentences in 11th grade and didn't actually get it until my first year at a community college, so that's why you've probably heard me apologize for my not using them in the past. It's a way for me to brag because I'm letting you know that I know what they are, but choosing not to use them right now. :)

How many of you use gmail? Like you actually have a gmail account and go online and get your mail from there? Do you ever use the built-in chat? If you type a semi colon and parenthesis like I just did up there it will slowly turn and become a happy face. Totally cool. Use gmail! Go get an account and then send me an email and then we can chat. It'll be fun!

OK, back to something else that I'm feeling good about today... blog comments.

Juli - can I just say that I have a lot of respect for the way you spell your name? It's elegant and not silly like if it had an e on there. No offense to the Julies out there, but Juli is unique. It's especially cool as a shortened version of your real name. Girl, you can snoop on my blog anytime. Shoot, you can subscribe and send me comments any day and on any subject. I officially welcome you to my blog. Besides, I have snooped on your blog before, too, so we're even. And I totally dig that you and your husband are into Halloween. It's probably my favorite holiday because of the candy. I probably shouldn't--at least until I hear back about my glucose test-- but I'm eating Brach's Milk Maid Carmel Candy Corn right now, and these things are so good! I'm making the kids trade stuff from their Trunk or Treat stashes in order to have any.

So anyway, if anyone out there reading feels like leaving a comment, please do. Although I do understand the weird spying thing if you choose not to. I also understand the not wanting to crash the family party of comments by relatives. That's the main reason why I wouldn't want to comment. I didn't comment on Susie's blog for a long time because she has like a million comments already from her gajillions of siblings. She had to force me to leave comments on her blog and now I'm friends with her sibs that I've never met in person. It's fun to get to know people by what they write... misspellings and all!

But I have met you in person, Juli! You're my surrogate BFF. I love your family. You guys all dig each other. I love that Kristen loves her sisters and now has sisters-in-law to love, too. Your mom is dang cool. We went to her house once to swim in the pool and after we were done swimming, the sun was going down and she busted out the graham crackers, marshmallows and giant Hershey bar to roast in the pit. That was a neat experience. So simple, and FUN!

So welcome. And let me just steal a line from the Olive Garden... When you're here, you're family!