Weekend Update (with a touch of love)

Our weekend of love began with a surprise birthday gathering for Trish on Friday. We had about 10 of her good friends over for a potluck and party hats. Rosalind was passed around and there was much laughter and conversation.

It was the first gathering, aside from the post wedding brunch, that we've had in our new house. And we decided 15 people was about the max.

Saturday morning, I met Jamie for brunch, then we did a little shopping up on Capitol Hill for some....personal items. Let's leave it at that.

After brunch, Todd and I were domestic, then it was time to head to Ballard for the Thornton Creek show. Kim-n-Tim joined us because Milo had an overnight, and since it was an early show, Steve, Todd and I invited ourselves back to Kim-n-Tim's for some low key social time. Low key social time turned into Tim playing some albums and us laughing our asses off. It was a great evening.

Sunday morning, I slept in. Until I was awakened by my husband, standing over me with our lap tray. On the tray was coffee and a plate with bacon, eggs and a biscuit. How fantastic is that?

And how sucky am I that I actually believed Todd when he said we didn't need to do anything for each other for Valentine's Day, so I got him nada? Pretty darn sucky. He even made me a card that was so sweet and earnest, it just made my heart melt.

After breakfast, I got cleaned up and dashed off to meet his sister, his niece and stepmother at the ballet. Because I am very cultured like that. We saw "Sleeping Beauty", and thank gawd Todd and I watched the movie a few weeks ago. I had forgotten the ballet has no dialogue. So there's a lot of acting out stuff. And if you don't know the story, it's very confusing. Sara was very helpful - she's a ballet connoisseur. Like when everyone started clapping for no reason toward the end, Sara leaned over and whispered "It's for the orchestra." Thank you, Sara.

The ballet was beautiful, but not something I could take part in very often. I'm a words girl. I need dialogue. I need action! But it was a nice afternoon of bonding with my new family.

Sunday night we watched Across the Universe. I didn't think I was going like it because I'm not a huge Beatles fan (back off!) but it was really good. A little spastic in the beginning, but it got much better.

Monday was a holiday!! We love the Presidents! Well, we love our current one.

Todd and I were up relatively early, so we walked down to the Junction, had some coffee and just toodled around. It was a nice, lazy day. I wasn't stressing because I felt like there was something else I needed to be doing. Except laundry. Which we got done that afternoon.

And we splurged that evening on Indian take out. Yummy poo. Kayleigh, however, had pasta. She's doesn't do Indian. But she liked the tandoori chicken, and the naan. So, baby steps to new food. And the movie of the evening was The Beastmaster. I'm sure it was a hit in it's day, but holy crap, what a bad movie. We just mocked it all the way through. And said "boobies" a lot.

By the time the movie was over, it was time for everyone to retire and get ready for the work week. Except those pesky kids are off all this week for mid-winter break. What the hell is "mid-winter break"? They get winter break and they get spring break. Who came up with "mid-winter break"? No wonder they have to go to school until late June. They're always on holiday!

Okay, yes, maybe I'm a bit jealous.

Because I'm running at break neck speed at work and it's just not letting up. I'm so tired and blah all day, however, we're hoping that changes as my brand new dawn simulator arrived today! It's a big 'un too. I got it all programmed, so we'll see how tomorrow morning goes. It will start lighting up at 6am and by 6:15, it will be at full light. Just like waking up to the sun....right beside your bed. Good stuff.

A side note: I'm sitting on the bed, blogging to you on my BRAND NEW LAPTOP. It's wonderful. I feel very hip. Now I just need to get Quicken loaded, and then I am done with the desktop computer completely!

Look at me! Entering this wondrous age of technology!

Now if I could just figure out how to email on my cell phone....then I'll be golden!

Happy Freakin' Friday

I am having one fantastic Friday. I just can’t tell ya.

The stars are aligning, things are falling into place, life is good. TBFE and I are going out tonight to the Collider show and party it up like a couple of 20 year olds. We may pay for it tomorrow, but so be it.

So, to get my party on, I’m listening to my Bitchin’ playlist. Songs that get my booty shaking and make me feel all superior.

Get This Party Started by Pink
Ah, my Friday night song. The work week is over, let’s get this party started. I’m cool, all my friends wanna party with me. Yeah….you know it…..

Walk Away by Kelly Clarkson
Whatchoo want, baby? Make up your mind. Grow a pair. Don’t wanna be with me? Well, then just walk away.

Single Ladies by Beyonce
You had your chance, mister. Suck it up.
"If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it."

Check On It by Beyonce
Yeah, you know you want me.

You Know That I’m No Good by Amy Winehouse
I’m horrible. I’m wretched. I suck. But you love me. It’s your own fault, sugar.

Irreplaceable by Beyonce
This one actually slows me down. But it makes feel pretty.

The Tiger and the Lamb by Bob Schneider
If you really pay attention to the lyrics, it’s nasty. I like it. But I can’t find it anywhere on the interwebs. Sorry.

New Warrior by Bob Schneider
He’s wrappin’, he’s partyin’, he’s the new warrior. Yo!

Should’ve Said No by Taylor Swift
My token twangy song. First, apparently there is no official video for this song. And apparently, it is a huge karaoke hit. Every video you find on YouTube has lyrics. Complete weirdness.

I’ve never had a man cheat on me. Let me rephrase that - I’ve never confronted a man who has cheated on me. Because I’ve never found out that a man cheated on me. But I’ve known women who have had their husbands cheat on them, and they should have kicked their ass to the curb. But they didn’t. So I belt this out for them.

The only drawback to rockin’ out with my earbuds is that, if I’m chewing gum, my earbuds work their way out. So I have constantly adjust them. And I like chewin’ my gum when I’m rockin’ out. Makes me feel tough and cocky. I like to chew gum when I’m driving, too. Probably best to be tough and cocky when I’m driving.

But I digress.

Happy Freakin' Friday!

Lazy Sunday

This is what happens on days when we have nothing on the calendar.

And this is how far I can take it now because I have a LABEL MAKER.

I didn't do all of the files. Had to bring myself to a stop. Got things to do.

The kids each have an overnight, so TBFE and I are going to see Lisa Hannigan at the Triple Door, after a long, leisurely dinner at Wild Ginger. Yum.

All Kinds of Randomness

My doctor called in a prescription for cough syrup with codeine yesterday, and boy howdy, did I sleep well last night! I wish I'd ask for that sooner. With the exception of the very high range of my voice (which, honestly, who really wants to hear that? The lower range is much sexier) I have my voice back and am singing my fool head off in my office today.

Song of the day: Communication by The Cardigans
"And I hold the record for being patient...." Ha! Damn straight, baby.

Also, making a frequent appearance: I'm Yours by Jason Mraz.
"So, I won't hesitate no more, it cannot wait, I'm yours...." Oh, Rae-rae, just give in and do it!

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I have gone through boxes and boxes of apple cinnamon instant oatmeal and cannot find one that is as good as McCann's. Apparently, the big BM (Ballard Market) stopped carrying this particular flavor of McCann's and now my world is completely shattered. One brand tastes like cardboard, one brand has so much cinnamon it's almost syrupy, one brand had no apple-like flavor whatsoever. I'm avoiding buying the Quaker's brand, but I'm running out of options. I may have to just suck it up and go for the unacceptable amount of sugar. Poo.

Should you see this brand (green box) while grocery shopping, please email me. I'm willing to bribe someone to mail me this stuff. Like the Coco Wheats.

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It's actually supposed to hit 80 degrees today. And from the looks of it, I think it may happen. This weekend is supposed to be in the 90s. Seattlites are going to freak out. If you want to see half naked people, this is the weekend for it. People start wearing shorts when it hits 55 degrees. Can you imagine what they wear (or don't wear) when it's 90? Good times.....

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In a mere seven days, I will be in West Virginia. Well, actually, at this time next week, I'll be landing in Pittsburgh and then driving two and a half hours to Nestorville.

Once in Nestorville, my sister will greet me with a glass of wine, I will kick of my shoes and feel my cares just slip away. I may take a quick dip in the creek before supper and then I plan to be a bonafide country gal for a whole week. And I get to see my mommy and daddy!

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I'm ready for this day to be over. I ate lunch at 11:30am. That was stupid. Just makes the afternoon crawl. Ack.

Well, if we want to think about this in a positive light, early lunch means I get to eat again before I leave. Round two!

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I'm wearing my white frilly skirt today. I feel pretty.

Funny story though. I wore this white frilly skirt to the :20 Festival a few weeks ago. And for some reason that is still not clear to me, I thought black panties wouldn't show through.

Guess what?

Black panties showed through. And I didn't know this until the end of the night when Todd and I were headed back to the car and I popped into the bathroom. Doug and Ann (along with everyone else who walked behind me that night) must think I'm one of those crazy chicks who likes her underthings to show. Which I am. Maybe just not when I first meet people.

My panties are white today, in case you were wondering.
I have to be a bit more reserved at work.

This Just In! I Have A Character Flaw

Shocking. I know.

I met with someone today about playing music [cue "Back in the saddle again...."] and here's where my character flaw came to light.

But first....

I haven't played much at all since The Break Up. I haven't written any new songs, I haven't sang in front of people. Actually, I couldn't play "Dream Song Thingbob" (forgive the title) without crying for months. I'm over that now, but I'm still not doing anything productive. If artists derive their art from pain, I should have a double length cd written by now, right?

Nope. Nuthin'.

So, I impulsively answered a couple of craigslist ads looking for singers. And I didn't tell anyone about it because I wanted the option of backing out without looking like a weenie. After some emails and myspace sharing, I met Tbone (not his real name and not Burnett) in person and played him some of my originals. He liked them. Which made me feel like I haven't lost it completely.

Enter character flaw.

I tend to hijack the conversation. I'm asked a yes or no question ("Do you like the band so-n-so?") and six minutes later I'm talking about what I had for dinner last night and that my favorite color is red. And the person says, "Uh, where was I going with that?"

Crap.

I chalk it up to nervous energy. I talk too much when I'm nervous. Did I ever tell you that my kindergarten and elementary school teachers used to write that I talked too much on my report cards? Quite the motor mouth, I was.

I also deduce that I babble because it's my way of being interested in the conversation. I'm not one to ask a lot of questions because it annoys me to have conversations with people who just pummel you with questions and never throw their two cents in and you feel like you're on a stage being interviewed under a heat lamp. So I don't ask questions because I don't want to pummel people but I'm still pummeling these poor people because I'm rambling about a Kia commercial and how depressing folk singers really INSPIRE ME when I simply should have said, "Yes. I like them."

They say acknowledging the problem is the first step to solving it.

Problem = Acknowledged.

Tbone, I promise keep the babbling to a minimum and let you finish a thought next time. Honest.

Music Makes It All Better

John Mayer is currently the soundtrack of my life. I downloaded all seven albums that iTunes had, which makes for 42 songs. And it's like some of the songs were written just for me, just for this period of time in my life.

Comfortable - "Our love was comfortable, so broken in....."

I couldn't listen to this song without crying for three months. I don't think Steve has even heard it, but it was just perfect. After the bottom of the barrel night at Lock & Keel, I can now listen to this song without crying. That's sayin' something.

Something's Missing - "I'm not alone, I wish I was, cause then I'd know, I'm down because..."

Life is great, but still......something's missing.....

In Repair - "I'm in repair, I'm not together, but I'm getting there..."

No comment necessary.

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room - "Don't you think we oughta know by now, Don't you think we should have learned somehow?"

Clinging to love when you're just going down in flames....ack.

Daughters - "Fathers be good to your daughters, daughters will love like you do"

Makes me want babies. Dunno know why.

Good Love is on the Way - "I been lonely but I know I'll be okay, Good love is on the way"

Hope. Possibility. Optimism. Yes, life has been suckin' but good love is on the way.

Out of My Mind - "I'm putting you baby, I'm putting you right out of my mind"

Very bluesy. Bellyrubbin' music. A song written for a break up. Grrr.

I'm Gonna Find Another You - "I'm gonna do some things, you wouldn't let me do, I'm gonna find another you"

Not that I didn't do things because I couldn't. It's just a nice yeah-I-can-do-whatever-the-hell-I-want-baby kind of line.

I have a whole playlist on my iPod that is Inspirational Break Up Music. I listen to it when I need to be reminded that this is all a good thing. Perks me up.

Weekend Update

I really don't have anything interesting to report today. But I know how some of you just live for this blog, so here's an update, nonetheless.

I went to the ThorNton Creek show Friday night. Steve is out of town and didn't play with them, so I decided I'd stayed away long enough. It was a good show, and it was nice to see all the Millers again. Not sure if they were exactly "happy" to see me, but everyone was polite to everyone so it seemed okay. The only moment of "oh-crap-I-shouldn't-have-come-here" was when they played Morpheus and MJ said "This is for Raechelle....." and I cried. It's a pretty song. And it brought back a lot of good memories.

Saturday, I shopped all day. New underwear, a curtain rod extender, a pretty red scarf, clothes hangers, colored key covers. Fun stuff. I also got a new cell phone. Which was a colossal pain in the ass. It should have only taken 15 minutes or so, but I was at Car Toys for an hour because the Boy was either stoned or very infatuated with me. He was bumbling around like one of the Three Stooges. He'd print out something write on it, realize he'd written in the wrong area, laugh about it, then have to print it all over again. He felt the need to explain the absolute simplest things to me ("Here's how you turn it on, and here's how you dial a number....") and my lack of interest in him didn't seem to be a deterrent at all. I tell ya, it's hell being so cute.

When I finally left there, my mood was quite sour. And now I'm not sure I even like this new phone. I'll have to buy a new headset because my headset isn't compatible and I hate every ring tone on it so I need to figure out how to download those. The phone was free, but it's going to cost me $100 just to get it how I like it.

That evening, I ventured over the The Eastside for a birthday dinner for a co-worker. Home and in bed by midnight.

Sunday, I hung out at Shaun's and did some laundry while I watched the Seahawks FINALLY PLAY SOME FOOTBALL!! It's about damn time! Even Shaun, the ultimate football curmudgeon, watched most of the game with me. I didn't dare shoot my mouth off last week about the Rams not having won a game yet and we should be able to beat them. No sir. That bit me in the ass with the Saints. But poor Bulger couldn't do squat. He was out for the last two games because he was injured, but it looked like maybe he still wasn't ready to play yesterday. I read that he felt he needed to get in there and help his team, but he didn't seem to really help that much.

And after I left Shaun's I went by a *different* Car Toys to see about exchanging my phone. And the guy had absolutely no interest in my whatsoever. I ended up not exchanging my phone, because it seems that my headset is obsolete now and I won't be able to find a compatible phone at all. And the guy told me about a little hard drive that goes into my phone so I can download ringtones on it ("they're only, like, $10.....") and the little converter where the little harddrive goes in one end and the other end plugs into the USB port on the computer ("and these are only, like, $20.....") so it may not be that expensive after all. Now I just need to find a headset. Because the majority of the conversations I have with my parents are when I'm driving great distances in a lot of traffic. I need my headset.

All and all, in and out in 10 minutes.

And I'm in a damn good mood today. I'm choosing not to analyze why. I woke up happy, which is rare, and so far no one has pissed me off today. Could this be a new way of life for Raechelle? Let's not get ahead of ourselves......We'll just have to see how long this lasts.

The Pogues

So, I'm going to see the Pogues tonight with the Sheans.
This is the lead singer, Shane McGowan:

Needless to say, we're going to an irish pub first to get liquored up real good. Apparently that's what you do for a Pogues show.

Wish me luck......

*My* Space

I have taken over mine and Steve's myspace page, with his permission.
It is now just my space. Not our space.

New link, should you need to replace bookmarks:
www.myspace.com/raechellemarsh

Hopefully, I can sweet talk some friends into helping me record some of my originals and get them posted. I'll let you know when, and if, that happens.