When sinuses and allergies attack

My eyes are itchy. My fingers are twitching to rub them. Must. Keep. Fingers. Typing. My throat is scratchy and sore from whatever is draining down the back of my throat. (Nasty, I know.) My head hurts. You would think that an $11 bottle of eye drops, Zrytec, and nose spray that I would be in tip-top shape. Nope. Stupid indecisive weather. And just when I'm about to take time off. Figures.

Today I ran across the street after work to Macy's. I was in desperate need of my most valiant commodity: Clinique's City Block. If you don't like to wear foundation, it's perfect. It's only lightly tinted, goes on like a lotion, and it's loaded with SPF. Must protect the youth. And no break outs. On a whim, I picked up some Redness Solution Daily Protector. We'll see if it works. I'm not counting on it, but every once and a while my whims prove to be a worthy buy.

A flight from work

Last night after work, Amanda and I met up with our former coworker, Andrea, at JP Wine Bar. I really needed to go out after weeks of working to the bone. After reading about JP in Urban Times, I thought it might be a great place to go downtown.

I liked the atmosphere. The crowd was older, the music was soft, if you could hear it over the rather loud din of voices. I chose the Northern Lights wine flight ($10.50). The cool thing about the flight is you can sample flavors in a group and find a wine you really like. Northern Lights was right-on. Light and not too sweet. I little pricey considering that the flight constituted a full glass of wine. For fuel, I ate the Parmesan Gnocchi small plate. Small plate it was, but with a $13 price tag of what would be a big plate of food somewhere else. It was good, but I'd rather spend my money on actual dinner. In all: A good place to go with group for a glass of wine after having a fulfilling meal elsewhere.

A booger goes down easy

Not from recent personal experience (I'm sure as a kid I ate a booger or two), but listening to my sister tell me that for the first time my dear, sweet, apple of my eye of a nephew just picked and ate his booger is both hysterical and quite disgusting. I'm trying not let it mar that apple-of-my-eye depiction of him. I guess you can say he's turning into a little boy, and seeing him on Skype makes me see just how old and grown up he is. And how much of a booger picker he is, which I think just makes him even cuter and funnier.

Another booger in my life right now is work, but it's one hell of a booger. We're still one man down. Actually, we're doing really well, but I'm just an old workaholic that can't seem to say "no." Jonathan says that I'm not allowed to bring my MacDaddy on vacation. We'll see about that. How else will I tell you of my adventure in the great backwoods of Missouri?

Life is just too short

I got a call Friday from my sister Melissa that their dog—my dear friend and the greatest dog in the world—was put to rest. Keesha, I'll miss you dearly. No other dog compares to you. Although, you weren't a part of my daily life, you were part of my family. Peace to the friends and family you leave behind, may the hole in their hearts be filled with great memories of your life and the joy you brought them.

I've discovered Skype

It'll bring a whole new meaning and level of communicating with my technical goddess sister. Now, no longer is audio anytime, anywhere enough from our cellphones, we need video, brought to you by Apple iSight. Just another reason I love Macs. I'm a Mac.

Tonight we talked for an hour, showing each other our recent buys and makes. Oh, she introduced me to Yael Naim. She sounds like Feist, so it's another one to add to the playlist.

I think Skype will be my newest addiction. Thanks sis. I'm hooked.

I leave you with this latest music find.

Ready for a vacation

In about two and half weeks, I'll be departing for the dirt roads of southern Missouri. That may not sound as pleasant as it sounds to me right now. Just the word vacation is foreign to me because I'm working so much. Urban Times production is in full swing, and as the sole editor, I'm very tired of reading. And work work, well, that's hellaciously busy as usual. They have me interviewing, transcribing, and writing until my body just wants to lie down for awhile. Missouri. It beckons me.

My sister is bringing the apple of my eye of a nephew and we're going to have some fun...and sleep! Oh, yes, sleep. But the first stop will be to visit my aunt (a.k.a my other mother), because she has yet to see the cuter than bunny nephew of mine. Then maybe a somber stop over to Mom's grave. And then, just to sleep, visit, maybe dive into some recipes I've been wanting to try, get some fresh air and sun (I haven't seen the sun in months because I'm always holed up with my MacDaddy), and eat the grand-daddy of all subs: Cornerstone. Yum yum as my nephew would say. I know it's just a sandwich, but it's also artistry.

I'm thinking this is going to be a good vacation, but somebody better keep my laptop away from me.

Wishy washy

Cars are nothing but trouble. Might need to capitalize the 'T' on that. Trouble. Yesterday, Jonathan called me saying his check-engine light came on.

His car is 11 years old, so it shouldn't be a surprise, but really? You have to start breaking down right now? When we're back on the We're-going-to-buy-a-house-this-summer kick, something we have been saying on and off for at least a year. We take the car in Monday, so fingers crossed that it's nothing major to deplete our savings. Where's public transportation when you need it?

If we have to pay a lot, we once again will be sitting tight to buy a house, which to us means putting the rest of our lives on hold: the real cooking I want to do (I've dreamed of making croissants), the card-making, the decorating, the having kids, the possible gardening, the having friends and family over that won't come visit me because my apartment is too small (or so Melissa says), the everything!

Oh, and did I mention that I'm not getting a raise?!