Five on Friday #92

EINS

I have a coworker who has essentially started treating me as their glorified secretary for when they don't want to have to participate in meetings.  I'm over it.  It was one thing asking me to play stenographer, but something else entirely when you are too lazy/busy to drag the phone across the table and dial the number yourself... for the meeting you scheduled.

Let's just say it was no heartbreak for me to have to miss my regularly scheduled meetings while I am in DC.  #notsorry

ZWEI

Speaking of being up north.  I'm staying with Teh MD-AR and commuting to DC for the 2 days I have meetings.  That will be spectacular.  But this beauty made up for whatever hair pulling the commute will bring:

I even had to selfie with the tree, on principle.

For 3 years, while I was stationed in MD, I always wanted to stop and take "good" photos of this tree since it is absolutely gorgeous.  Each year I said I'd do it, and then 3 years had passed and I never did it and I was crushed.  To make matters worse, Teh MD-AR has these photos she had taken at The Tree and I'm just so jealous every time she shares them.  Well, dammit, I was on base yesterday as a surprise visit for Teh Soccer Mom and Teh MD-AR and I saw The Tree's sibling when I was making the turn to go to their office.  I then had to detour through a parking lot to go check the status of The Tree.

IN FULL FIRE MODE.  WIIIIIIIINNNNNNNN.  There were some leaves missing from the top, but for the most part, beggars can't be choosers.  Sadly, I didn't have my DSLR with me, but my cell phone isn't horrible quality and it will have to do.

I want this tree in my front yard.

DREI

We hit up the fair on Tuesday night.  It was everything you'd expect.

Each time I go to the fair, I realize that I'm getting older and Old Megan doesn't handle things that Youthful Megan happily enjoyed.  I'm talking about you, spinny, g-force ride that made my neck and back ache and almost made me vomit.  In fact, I think I'm outgrowing the spinny rides, which is super depressing. 

Instead of getting wallet raped, we just bought a $20 wristband so we could ride whatever, whenever.

I did have a blast on the go really high ride... until we got to the end and I couldn't breathe.  This was due to having big boobs and the harness not being a variable distance away from the body.  In fact, I even pulled my boobs up through the middle of the harness to help alleviate the weight on my chest.  When the ride stopped, I was trying to catch my breathe and couldn't.  I was almost to the point of having a panic attack, I was already talking myself down, when the ride guy finally released the harnesses.

We definitely took advantage of bumper cars...

Teh German's determination.

The both got me at the same time.

I needed revenge.

Then we rode the swings.

This was very definitive of mostly NO.

I have no idea why he was looking so depressed.

Mr. Golfer and Roux's Humom

SWWWING!

Dem clouds.

We had to ride the ferris wheel at sunset for the photo opportunity.

A few more rides after the ferris wheel, where I really cemented that "I'm no longer youth" status, we made our way to the bull riding ring.  Teh German had never seen live bull riding, so I was glad for him to experience real "American Cowboys" since that's the stereotype of Americans overseas.

He's so cute when he's eager to see something.

We didn't stay long for the riders.  The opening ceremony took over 20 minutes and we were standing since we had arrived late, aka Megan didn't realize the stands would be full so early.  My bad.  Mr. Golfer and Roux's Humom had left after the first ride.  Teh German and I stayed for a handful more rides, then we deserted our borrowed hay bale (to give us some height to actually see into the rink), and headed towards the fried oreos that I was insistent on.

After acquiring fried oreos, we walked through the photography exhibit, which is always one of my favorite things about the fair.  I like to use it to get ideas for where to shoot what.  After we wandered through the photos, we headed home since it was almost our bedtime.

VIER

From the phone:

Halloween night, a tree (Teh German) hugger (me) set up in the driveway to hand out candy.
We even brought some Hue lights and put them on rave mode as "decorations".
We ended the night with 1 of 2 huge bowls of candy left over.  It went to work with us the following day.

I needed a keychain for Bagheera's key and I have kept this old faithful, despite not needing a keychain for Yurtle's fob.
This makes me feeling like I'm in high school all over again since this keychain replaced one almost exactly like it that I had on my keys when I drove Teh Kaar.

Heh.  Hehhheh.  Hhhehehehe.
Of course I had to take a photo of this while we were at the fair.
Even though the smell of grease from this stand made me nauseous.

Sunrise on Thursday morning from CHS to DCA.

Get a greyhound, they say.
Greyhounds are majestic, they say.
They have never met Olive.

FÜNF

10 things that made me happy this week:

1. Easy travels to DC.
2. My east coast tree being in full fire bloom.
3. Going to the fair in CHS for the first time with Teh German.
4. Our first Halloween at Teh Ville handing out candy.
5. Riding Bagheera to work Tuesday and Wednesday, even if it meant no dresses.
6. Being able to put the 10lb pillow in my luggage without worrying about my suitcase being overweight.
7. Time to read/audiobook in the afternoons, while in transit, and while flying.
8. Nips from Olive because she's so excited to see me.
9. Skype
10. Teh MD-AR and I being roomies again (even if it's just temporary) and both of us trying to figure out where Meri and Phil are since they aren't constantly following us around (since they are in SC with Teh German).

Happy Friday, Gentle Readers.

Linking up with these ladies since it's FFFFRRRRRRIIIIIIDDDDAAAAYYYY!!!!!!!!!

http://meetatthebarre.blogspot.ca/ | http://farmerbell.blogspot.com | http://theflynnigans.com/

Humpday Confessions #9

But I'm not ready for the new linkup button.... /sads
Soooo, I'm going to hold out for one more week.


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Confessions:

-When people slow down to pass "authorized use only" roads (where the cops park) then speed back up, I want to rear-end them.  No slowing down.  If you're afraid to speed, then get in the slow lane and get out of my way.  If you want to speed, don't go so fast that you panic that you're going to see a cop who might stop you.  And if you want to speed and don't care, then let's be interstate driving buddies.

-We were talking about blow jobs while driving at work the other day.  I asked how a blow job could be bad and then we went through the technicalities of a bad blow job.  Then we proceeded to make blow job faces.  Does this crap happen in the civilian world?  Because I need it to.

-Food shaming irritates the absolute crap out of me.  Ya'll choose to come to the pizza place and eat the buffet.  Stop raggin' on each other for eating more than a single slice of pizza and defending your eating of a brownie by telling everyone how many calories you burned that morning working out.  I think the irritation comes from the fact that I started to feel guilty about my huge salad (with cottage cheese instead of dressing) and my 2 slices of pizza with ranch and my brownie... and there might have been some PMS involved. 

-I've started training for my 1/2 marathon.  I've been running on base during lunch time.  It sucks because it's sooooo freakin' hot, but as I was crossing the bridge one day it smelled like salt water and beach and I actually enjoyed it for at least a minimal amount of time, before I realized that I had actually gone crazy for enjoying a run, outside, in 80+°F, with all the bugs, with all the allergens, while getting sunburned, with my phone about to die.  Also, I get to see the beautiful Pax River vistas.

Chesapeake Bay

This bridge is deceptively long... and uphill one way.

Hewwo baby osprey.

 

Sailboats and the "Solomon's" Bridge

-I bought a foam roller.  Roller day at yoga in GTMO used to be my most dreaded day.  My IT bands and I aren't friends.  My pieces just don't like being squashed, I think it stems from the big boob problem I have.  Yet, the foam roller and I are becoming friends.  After a 5.3 mile run on Monday, I eliminated ALL soreness by rolling after my run and before bed.  Teh MD Roomies laugh at me when they see me rollin' but it's totally worth it.  Oh and the back pops that I can't normally get that I can get with the roller.  WORTH IT.

(source)

-For Father's Day, I gave Teh Dad the gift of my presence and his very first Cards Against Humanity session.  Despite how awkward it could have been, it was pretty fun.  Except for that one time where Teh Sister got something to the effect of masturbating to "my dad's stupid face." 

PS, read the white cards from bottom to top to get their proper order.  (So the top card is first, then the bottom card)

I'm pretty proud of this win.  PS.  I had the least amount of cards at the end.

-Port calls on deployment are my new favorite thing until there's a plane ride to America for a certain someone.

-We have hit less than 100 days till terminal leave.  WOOO!!! 
-We have hit less than 100 days till terminal leave.  Oh shit.

-I'm the worst at budgeting.  I use You Need a Budget, but I'm always adjusting my allotted amounts to make it all balance out to zero, because "every dollar should be allotted somewhere."  Except I think I'm doing it wrong.  Because I spend all the monies then REallot the monies rather than allot the extra into savings or stop spending when I reach my allotted amount.  Apparently I need a separate bank account for each category to be effective at budgeting... or I need someone else to control my dollas.

-I don't care if you drive in the rain with no windshield wipers, maybe you have rain-x or something, but use your damn headlights.  Not because I want to see your headlights, but I NEED to see your tail lights when you decide to slam on the brakes because OMG RAIN!

-I often use gestures and sound effects to convey an idea for words that I can't think of.  And what I mean by this is that I pretended my arms were windshield wipers and made the spray sound of windshield washer to Teh MD Adult Roomie to remind her to get washer fluid when I couldn't remember the term "windshield washer fluid".  Pretty sure we'd win charades every.single.time.  She's also good at deciphering my "mouth is full" talking and my grunts/grumbles when I don't make coherent words.

-The travel bug bit me.  I have people in Grenada, Hong Kong, and New Orleans.  I feel like I'm going stir crazy.  This is despite the fact that I went to NC last weekend.  I want to go overseas.  I want to go somewhere new.  I want Europe or Asia or Australia (the not Perth part).  Anyone wanna be my "rich uncle?"  PPpuuuullllleeeeaaassssseeeee????

(source)

New places, new faces..

Story time!

I was at church on Sunday and I was chatting with someone and he mentioned Sunday school to me.  I didn't actually realize the church I've become part of had an adult Sunday school class, so I was kinda glad he told me.  Not sure if I'll go while Teh Bear is still in FL, because that would cut into our now extremely limited skype time, but it is good to know for the future.  In my defense though, being Catholic for 20+ years, adults don't necessarily go to Sunday school, they stand in the fellowship hall/kitchen and drink coffee.  Or at least that's what I remember them doing while I was in CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (yes, I had to look that up) or Sunday school for my non-Catholics).

Then, without missing a beat, he suggested that I bring a friend.  Then I, without missing a beat, said, "Well, I'm still working on making friends."  Things got kinda awkward then, he was stumbling over an apology, saying he hated how people made statements like that and he'd just made one.  I told him not to worry, it wasn't weird, it's just been hard for me to make friends here.

And it has been.

It's extremely hard to come to a place where everyone knows each other, has been here all their life, has a family, have been stationed here several times, have friends here because they work in the same community, or they like to do S.MD things, like hunt and drink and fish and what I would generally refer to as "redneck activities" (nothin' against "redneck activities" but usually those things come with mosquitoes and we're not friends).  It's hard to break into that community.  It's hard to show people who don't need friends how awesome you are when you feel lonely and singled out because you aren't from here, you don't have a family, a husband, any kids, you've only been stationed overseas (and you know people get tired of hearing about your overseas stories, because it makes you that person), you don't know anyone that you work with or anyone even in the community.

For me, it's very difficult to ask someone, "Can I come?"  I was taught that inviting yourself was rude, so you have to wait on an invitation from someone else.  I've done it, out of sheer desperation to not have to sit at home, but the reality is invitations don't come from people that don't think of you as their friend.

This is also a double sided problem.  Because along with trying to reach out and make friends (and being mostly unsuccessful it seems), it makes me put more pressure on Teh Bear to find a job in S. MD (impossible by the way) so I won't be as lonely.  This stresses him out, I'm sure, and my comments about moving to S.MD are a daily thing (despite how much I hate myself for saying them and being that person).  Reaching out is also very uncomfortable for me.  I have a very nice comfort zone and to divvy from that just makes me twitchy.  But, I also realize that if I don't get out and do things that "make me twitchy," I won't make any new friends.

Now don't get me wrong, I've met plenty of great people, but honestly, rarely do I "hang out" with them.  We have plenty of things in common when it comes to the activities we do together, work, church, greyhounds..  But, not enough in common to be like, hey, you wanna get together this week and make dinner  together/go out for dinner and watch a movie (on the tv I never turn on)?

I've learned in my almost 4 years in the Navy, that friendships are flexible.  Those are the kinds of friendships I want.  The friendships where if someone goes away, the friendship doesn't go away.  Yes, it may decline because you aren't in each other's lives every day, but you know that when you sit down it's like you've always been there.  The other thing about friendships is that some are temporary.  Sometimes you just need someone to listen to you and when you're no longer part of each other's lives, it's ok.  You want to hear their crazy stories and they want to hear yours... for that time that you're together.  Then it's ok when you're walking away and you know that you had a friend, but now you're moving on.  I found this article (ironically, after I wrote this post) that kinda describes what I'm talking about: 5 Different Kinds of Besties.  The Navy taught me mostly about #3 and #5.

Gentle Readers, being an adult is hard.  It sucks a lot, at least sometimes.  Sadly, the easiest things are the most prominent things in our lives, having a job and paying the bills, things we don't mind talking about to strangers.  But the hardest things are the things we don't go out and tell everyone, we keep our "secrets" to ourselves, hoping we can figure it out sooner rather than later, I need friends.

Maybe I don't have any friends because I love this:

I think I'll go watch that video in it's entirety and laugh a bit.  Who needs friends when you have the internet?

Things you find/realize/learn while moving...

-Q-tips that someone else who already moved left for you.

-extra rolls of toilet paper you had stashed away for "desperate times".

-you do actually have TOO many sea shells (although if someone wanted to send you a Triton shell, you'd accept it with many thanks).

-cough drops.

-more bugs.........

-a very large pot that came with your apartment (and you had to check the rent agreement to see if it was yours or came with the apartment).

-that someone else used all your packing paper and didn't mention they used ALL of it.

-that you kept those small boxes to mail stuff in, but never used them and now they are trash anyways (but good on you for having them if you needed them).

-that your lamp was actually a glorified coat rack because it required being plugged in a transformer to be operational overseas.

-how ever many times you washed the blankets, the dog hair never actually ever goes away, despite not having lived with the dog for 3 years.

-there were dishes you never used.

-a pail makes the best kitchen utensil container... evar.

-more bugs........

-that your shower rod/curtain were in use because the tension shower rods they provided are better used safer sitting on the ground versus their actual use of being suspended between 2 flat surfaces, so you don't get hit in the head... again.

-the toothpaste you've been looking for at the NEX for a few months is actually hidden in your bathroom cabinet, you just weren't looking in the right place this entire time.  Although lucky for you, you're not out of toothpaste just yet.

-You don't accumulate a lot of things until you own furniture, and even then its not that you own more, its just that your stuff is bigger (that's what she said).

-Using an entire (old) Cosmopolitan magazine by ripping it apart page by page and balling up each page is an acceptable substitute for packing paper (in the event that someone else used all yours and didn't mention it to you).

-your hand will start to cramp up after about page 57 of crumpling up a magazine page by page.

-you actually forget all the stuff that you see every day (chairs/tables), yet can't forget the stuff that you never see (uniforms/sheets, with the exception of the toothpaste).

-FB/Gmail/Google Reader/your bank website/information on a new car/the internet are all acceptable alternatives to gathering things to be packed, and are actually preferred activities.

-having company is more motivational than booty shakin music.

-having company means someone is there to witness your freak-outs and watch you stomp from your bathroom to your living room, all while huffing and muttering under your breath, carrying your shower curtain and shower rod looking completely ridiculous.

-walking around your apartment becomes risky business, especially if you get too close to a surface that contains lots of glassware, and you're a klutz.

-while pitching that fit about the shower rods, you actually took down the shower rod that was still hanging up properly, and since you weren't able to get it to hang correctly in the bathroom you wanted it in, you threw it in the other shower (this is only confusing because I have 2 tubs and 2 shower stalls), but in the morning when you actually need to take a shower, there will be no shower curtain AND the shower rods/curtains are laying in the shower stall you could have used.

-you own a lint roller.

-you own a few too many ethernet cables.. but at least you have one of almost every length.

-the "maids" never dusted certain areas ("maids" because Teh Bear argues that they are actually arab men that I let break into my apartment every week to piss me off because they don't actually clean, they just smell up the apartment (with their body odor) and swipe the toilets clean).

-you have large plastic containers with nothing in them.. and you're not sure what was in them to begin with, but you know you should find something to put in them.

-it is completely acceptable to leave found rolls of toilet paper in weird places (like on your living room shelves).

-you're not sure why you bought that can of pork n beans, because you didn't eat them then, and now you have to force yourself to eat them, because you're running out of food, and you can't pack the food with the rest of your stuff.

-you own (several) unopened bottles of liquor (like you were planning for an apocalypse or something).

-trying on clothes and they actually fit, when they didn't fit a year ago, is the best feeling ever.. it also means you have several more things to add to your suitcase.

-carpet cleaner that you never bought.

-you probably shouldn't have kept all those plastic bags.

-the idea of living out of your suitcase for 2 months is acceptable and its almost a challenge to see how little you can get by with.

-the temptation to play Mario Kart on the GameCube is higher when its time for the console to be packed away, despite not having hooked up the GameCube in the past year.

-you will actually discover even more stuff that you own while unpacking.  At which point you will "put it away in a place you won't forget" then promptly forget where it is/of it's existence.

-you can't fall asleep because you keep thinking about random things that need to be put in other places so you don't forget where they are/so they get packed in the right shipment




All my stuff was around 1500 pounds.  I feel like that is an accomplishment! :)



The movers are here!!!

So I started putting my comments on FB and realized that I was quickly passing up an opportunity for a blog.  Silly Teh Megan!


Movers are here.. I promise to keep all my witty comments contained within this status update.  You're welcome! :)

So far no body odor...  talk about an exciting unexpected surprise!!

super clever idea when moving:  take a box.  tape the bottom closed.  open the other side so the flaps are sticking straight up  tape those around up around the very top.  now put the open end on the floor and use as table!

The sound of packing tape never sounded so good!

The sound of packing tape is VERY loud over the phone... Shoulda Been a Cowgirl didn't like it as much as I do.. hehehe.

I can only see 2 of the guys from my "desk".  I hope the other guys aren't wrapping things crappy.  I think they are working on the storage room though, and there isn't much that needs to be packed in there.  I think they wrapped the recliner though.

I seriously want to give each one of these guys a hug and say, "Thank you for not smelling bad!"

Man, I forgot to look at the time when the guys arrived.  I don't think they are going to beat the GTMO moving crew.  I do have a lot more stuff.  I think I'd rather these guys take their time anyway.....

I can walk past my bar safely again!!!!  :)

Do you get a packout when you leave the military to a destination of your choice?

Hahah.. the mover just packed up the little boxes I was going to use to ship stuff.  The hahah part was mainly because he wrapped them in packing paper.

Hrm.. totally forgot to get my crocs out of my shoe bin.  Oh well.  New ones when I get to America it is! :)

I'm a little sad they aren't labeling the boxes.  The man in GTMO made sure to document every item that went into each box.. and since each box was numbered I knew what was in each box.

Super excited to have packing paper again.

These guys are hardcore.  One of them is wrapping my games up individually.

I really need a life and should stop writing down my every thought.  *glass clinks in kitchen*  on second thought.. maybe I should just keep watching the movers.  

Yaay!  There go the candles getting wrapped.  No issue at all.  Fantastic.

Correction:  the guys have markers and are writing on the boxes.

I think they also understand a least a moderate amount of my Southern Drawl.  This is good.

Only 4 bottles of liquor could get packed.  Well alright then.  Full bottles of: Sailor Jerry, Absolute, and Malibu.  The other stuff I think I can definitely sell considering they are also mostly full to never been opened.  Anyone interested in an unopened bottle of Jack Daniels?  A mostly full bottle of Bombay gin?  A half full bottle of Skyy vodka?  A quarter bottle of Absolute Citron?  a whole bunch of liquors (creme de menthe, creme de cacao, amaretto, peppermint schnapps (good for brownies))?  I'm looking for donations on opened bottles and close to full price on unopened bottles.

The movers have all gathered in the hallway where I can't see them.. or in the storage room.  I'm slightly concerned.  I will resist the urge to go "check on things"..  These guys are professionals.. Right?

Is the point of hitting the sides of the box and the top to make things settle?  I could only wish that was how hard my boxes were going to get hit and be thrown around...

The kitchen is packed!

Apparently they are going to take a break and come back in an hour?  They've only been here for an hour!  Hrm.  That's annoying.  So much for doing anything today..

It's so quiet in my apartment with no one else here!

YAY they are back!  Almost to the minute an hour.  Impressive!  Commence noise!

Hrm.. one of them just did the head bob.  I was so impressed until that point.  He wasn't talking to me, that was the only saving grace.

Teh Lumberjack entertained me while the movers were doing their thing.  It was a fun chat!

So many cleared surfaces!!!! this is progress!!!

Yay for doing this all at once instead of breaking it up into 2 packouts.  That means that everything will get there by November!!!  Which means less time living out of a suitcase!

They have this roll of bubble wrap that is slightly shorter than me.  I want to steal it and run around with it over my head yelling, "I'm am the victor!!!!"  (not like the name, like the adjective).

We were worried, but it appears the table WILL fit in the box.  Magical.

I'm totally taking a photo of me with the bubble wrap.  Its ok that they think I'm crazy.  Seriously.

Good-bye diploma frame.  Good-bye Teh Sister+Teh Megan photo collage!  I'll see you soon!

Did he just put my hookah case in with my very important frames?  And he only wrapped those very important frames in a single layer of bubble wrap?  /cue nerves.

As more and more full boxes appear and less and less stuff can be seen, I'm starting to feel protective of my belongings.. Although it really could have been the way he didn't appreciate my diploma frame.

It really is convenient that hotels offer hair dryers.. That way mine can be packed out!  :)  And its also super awesome that my hair straightener is for wet hair.  Just sayin.

Yep, I'm ready for these guys to be done.  They started a little before noon and it's now almost 3.  They also took an hour break.  I will keep myself distracted by thinking about how much like Christmas it will be to unpack all these mystery boxes!

Time to start praying that nothing gets broken/damaged during shipment.

Prayer call.  They aren't stopping.  Good call.

How can they not be done yet?!  I don't have THAT much stuff!  I think I pack stuff faster.  This is what I get for owning more stuff than would fit in my car.

Should we place bets on if they will clean up the mess or not?

I've never seen furniture in boxes before now.

These guys stand up all day long.  I remember when I worked at HellValue and stood up all day long.  The best part of my day was getting to my car and sitting down.  Sometimes I'd just sit there for a few minute before driving off.

Mannnn.. They taped the bubble wrap closed before I could wrap myself in it!

Hrm.. someone just picked up the floor.  Totally impressed.

Everything is packed.  So many boxes!

The funnest part of moving is sneaking around with the bubble wrap while the movers are carrying things out... hehehehehehehhe

Yay 2 blogs from moving day!  Photos AND this "status update" one.  Winning!

after 4pm.  Really, they can finish this job anytime now.

I don't understand how taking out each load of stuff is taking longer and longer.  I thought we took the big stuff out first?

Waiiiiiiitttt... It doesn't all fit.  Fantastic!

Papers signed!

Last mover is doing the last of the clean up work and taking out the empty boxes.

Empty apartment... /exhale.

The END!!!!!!!

Uh oh.. it won't all fit!  Please also note how awesome my building looks in the reflection on the car windshield.. :)