Miraculous pet moment Just a few minutes ago, Cugel, our stinky Basset Hound, was lying on his back on the kitchen floor next to me, and Madouc, our dilute calico, approached him and rubbed her face up against his. The first miraculous thing is Madouc approaching the dog. The second miraculous thing is that Madouc is not normally terribly affectionate - she's feisty, and her cuddling usually turns to biting within a minute or two. The third miraculous thing is that Cugel did not immediately react with his typical doggy enthusiasm, which scares the kitties, but just lay back and enjoyed the kitty massage.

It only lasted for about 15 seconds, then he just couldn't take it anymore and had to get up and chase her around the living room. But 3 miracles in less than 30 seconds? That's a pretty good day.  ¶ 7:55 PM 1 comments

  She's alive and well Sio has arrived safely (although belatedly - her flight was delayed by over 2 hours) in London. She is at my friend's house, with a cup of tea, enjoying the rain*.

*I've been to England twice, and both times I did not witness much of the wet weather England is famous for. The first time, I was there 10 days and it rained once for about an hour in the afternoon. The second time, we were there a week, and although it did get gray one day, we mostly had sunny days with temps in the upper 60's (fahrenheit). This was in February. I think the people of England should sponsor me for an annual trip because I seem to bring nice weather with me.

On the other hand, and Tree can vouch for this - DO NOT take me camping. There will be rain and thunder and lightning and flooding of tents, and quite possibly, a disgusting bathroom at the campground. Camping + Maurinsky = a miserable vacation.  ¶ 9:32 AM 1 comments

  Fitness Quest 2005 I am once again trying to lose weight and get fit. I joined Weight Watchers, which has been going really well, I've lost 21 lbs since the beginning of April, and I plan to stick with it, even though this week I will likely gain because I ate half a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream on Saturday. Light ice cream, but still.

The fitness part is always harder for me. My crappy hip means I can't run or jog, and even walking is painful. But there is always swimming. So I'm working on increasing my fitness through swimming. I will be adding weight training when I find my weights*.

I swim laps at Globe Hollow, and I've worked my way up to 4 laps, which is 400 meters (50 meters each way) or 8 full pool lengths (the average pool is 25 meters). Yes, I'm out of shape, but I'm improving already. When I feel comfortable doing the 4 laps, I'll try for 6, and so on.

Wish me luck!

*I live in complete chaos.  ¶ 12:34 PM 1 comments

  maurinsky visits a male sanctuary Yesterday, on my way to the mall (where I was going simply to escape the heat; I would have gone to Borders but they've seen me so much recently that they are starting to pour my iced tea before I get to the counter), I ventured into a fortress of male solitude: the comic book store.

I wanted to visit the comic book store because I am a big dork - after a lifetime of not wanting to be a member of any sort of clique or weirdly obsessive group*, I have become weirdly obsessive about anything and everything Joss Whedon related. And just last week, the comic book Serenity was released. If you aren't a big dork like me, Serenity is a comic based on the killed-before-its-time TV series Firefly. Although the show was canceled after the bastards at Fox only aired 11 of the episodes (and out of order), it's going to be a big damn movie come September. The comic will span the time between the last episode of Firefly and the movie. I must have this comic, and I must have three copies of each one, since they will be releasing versions with different covers.

So I stepped into the comic book store, which has a sign on the door reminding those who enter that it ain't no reading library, and if you want to find out what happens inside the book, spend the $2 or $3 bucks to do so.

I don't think about myself very often, but when I am out of my element, I become freakishly self-conscious. As I stepped through the door, I was suddenly and painfully *aware* - although I am cool and hip and all that on the inside, my exterior looks suspiciously like an overweight hausfrau who watches One Life to Live and clucks her tongue about the music kids are listening to today. Plus, I have a uterus and breasts, which made me really stand out in the comic book store - I was outnumbered 3 to 1 by XY's. I felt like I was in a zoo exhibit as all three of the youngish men in the store looked at me - not lasciviously, because I'm not what you would call "hot", but as a curiosity - why was Mom in the comic book store? To my great relief, no one offered to help, which would have made me feel even more self-conscious. I looked at the "new this week" section of the store and found the Dark Horse comic section, and there was a big empty space where, alphabetically, I should have found Serenity**.

Then I was forced to approach the counter and ask, which I kind of had to psyche myself into doing (one of the most male things I do is refuse to ask for directions, and I'm the same about asking for help).

Sadly, they sold out the comic about an hour before I got there. Happily, they will be getting more next week.

Maybe I'll just order it online to save myself the frustration.

*Yes, yes, I was a "Durannie", but that was in middle school...and part of high school, and teenagers are allowed to be weirdly obsessive.

**I'm such a dork that I made myself giggle by writing "should have found Serenity".  ¶ 7:35 PM 0 comments

  live from Corfu Our first-born called us tonight from the hotel in Corfu. She said it's beautiful, but she sounded more exhausted then I've ever heard her sound. We ended the call quickly lest she end up spending all her money on the first day there.

Here's where she's staying while she's in Corfu.  ¶ 9:03 PM 0 comments

  The human body is 70% water Except for mine, which has decreased to about 20% after spending 5 sweltering hours in our non-air conditioned car as we drove through the 10,000% humidified air of New York. Right now, I'm sitting in my non-air conditioned house, smelling a skunk right outside my kitchen window. Sometimes I hate summer.

-maurinsky  ¶ 7:02 PM 0 comments