Images of summer

Hey people. The tribe doesn't actually roll in until Fri now. They're bunking at my parents house until then so I don't have little kids hanging off me quite yet. I decided this momentary oasis of serenity is a good time to share some of my summery photos with you and give you all the SueNews that's fit to print, and probably a lot that isn't too.

This moss covered bridge goes over a tiny stream at my place. I know. It's magic here.

Things around here are pretty normal- for us. Last night I was whining about Dan taking a hundred years to get ready to watch a movie with me. "Don't you know you're supposed to be over here paying attention to me? Let the leg rubbing commence NOW." Him, yelling from the kitchen-- "Cut it out out there. NO CRYING. I'LL tell YOU when it's movie time." Then we got into one of our who is the bigger boss of who deals where I then told him he was no longer allowed in the living room, or to look at me until I gave him permission and tried to predict his actions and order him to perform said actions just as he was doing them making me look like the total puppet master. Yes, it was hilarious.

He is of course practically beside himself, as I'm sure are all of you, anticipating the arrival of my ruffle shorts. I keep pointing out how much better every outfit will be once I have them. They're "in the mail" I'm told.

I'm feeling another bout of ballistic boredom coming on, where the need to hype the fun becomes more urgent. (Last night I redid my blue hair streaks after my run. For those of you thinking mid-life-crisis-- I've actually been weird a really long time now.)

A while ago when I had that Floatilla party I was trying to talk Dan into helping invent the world's biggest slip 'n' slide with me but he wasn't into it. Then that commercial for Smirnoff Ice came on showing people doing exactly what I wanted-- making a giant slip 'n' slide on a golf course at night. I was all, "SEE?!" And he was all, "Yeah-- see?! they're all, like, 20 years old. Our friends are all around 50. No one would slide on it with you." Typical. (pouts)

This feeling is coming at a good time for once, what with my life soon to be chock full of kiddies. I'm thinking playtime could get pretty intense, and possibly weaponized with supersoakers etc. Also, I have not given up on the super fun slidey ideas. Next winter I'd like to create a luge down the side of my driveway. I could go get my mail with my saucer sled every day.

I had a super freaky dream the night before last. There were these creatures that were sort of a cross between a squid and a catfish, and they were kind of see through and gelatinous (gross). I was all creeped out by them, but then was somehow assigned to walk them through some transformations-- one creature in particular. First it turned into a human child, then from a human into a cat. I was teaching it how to bear weight on it's limbs and get it used to gravity etc. Then I felt all custodial and maybe not exactly affectionate towards it, but good about it. Then I began to worry about the rest of the squid creatures but was told they'd already been transformed and were now cats.

This is probably a further sign my brain is super screwed-up.

All I did all weekend was work on my new sculpture. Today I HAVE to work on this one commission because I told the guy I'd have it done by tomorrow and he's a nice guy and I don't want to be unreliable. But I totally just want to work on the new lady.

Creatively things have really swung 180 for me. I used to listen to nothing but books on tape when I worked, then it was ipod central, lately it's been The Current (the cool hip public radio station that plays tons of indie music) all the way. Also, not very long ago I was so obsessed with my writing that I'd almost rather hang out in pretend land than the real world. I could hardly think of anything else and felt my whole life would be one huge zero if I didn't get published.

Lately I've had to be in welding mode and stuff with me and Dan hasn't been conducive to me writing all night into the wee hours ignoring him, so it's been a while since I really worked on that stuff. The other day I actually couldn't remember how my last novel ended. That kind of blew my mind. I had to really think about it. I guess this is good-- getting some distance. I know it'll be there when I go that direction again. I'm not quitting, but I have to make some $ now and so far no one's paying me to write unpublished novels.

And lastly-- just a friendly reminder-- you, me, and everyone we know is going to die, so, heads up on that. :D Not to be grim, but there seems to be rather a lot of this going on lately, and it IS inevitable. It's a really good idea to not waste your time on stupid crap like bitching about things that don't matter and you can't change, and to keep putting off stuff you want to do "someday." It's also a good idea to imagine every conversation you have with people important to you could be your last. You never know. Leave stuff in such a way you'd be okay with that.

This has reminded me my plan to die in my 120's, just after Dan (or whoever Mr.Sue is at that time should Dan be no longer around) (who has become a chocolate chef and massage therapist btw) has prepared me some amazing desert and given me a lengthy rub down and done all kinds of naughty stuff with me on a giant bed of flower petals, and we've begun writing overly personal stuff all over me with a sharpie marker and laughing super hard------ might not pan out. We don't usually get to plan it out, so just keep it in mind and live in such a way you won't be all pissed if it happens next week suddenly, or if someone is taken away suddenly too.

Keep those weird wed and fav music fri submissions rolling in folks. Got some good ones lately. Time to go weld. It's super nice out today. I'm thinking a lunchtime road ride might be in order.