Backpacks, blisters, and thinning hair

I start school on Monday and will be 1 day closer to the end. As long as everything goes well and I pass my classes, I will graduate in March with my Associates of Technical Science degree in Accounting. I'm glad it's almost done. It will have only taken me 5 1/2 years to complete a 2 year degree but it's been worth it. (Backpacks!)

My birthday is in just under a month. I'm actually excited to be turning 25. Why? I don't know. *chuckles*

Mr Indy has all ready let me in on what he's getting me and it's caused some chaos here! He decided to get me a 42" plasma flat panel TV. (YAY! *does a happy dance*) The chaos comes from the fact that I have had to rearrange my apartment to be able to fit a new TV stand and the TV in here (well I don't have either of them yet but I rearranged in anticipation). After moving a bunch of furniture, Mr Indy commented how he no longer had anywhere to sit his drink glass when we were sitting on the couch. I solved that problem by buying an end table that will match the TV stand we're going to buy. After 2 hours of fighting to get the stupid end table together, I received a blister in the middle of my palm (on my writing hand, by the way) and tendinitis in my wrist. *sigh* Sometimes being so handy hurts! (Blisters. Get it?)

This afternoon I decided it was time for Midget to get shaved. His mane was out of control! While we were waiting for them to get to him, I decided to pick up a book of hair styles to flip through and choose a new style for later. I've been trying to grow my hair out and thought it'd be nice to get a jump on the style I want when it's long enough. Unfortunately, later was sooner than I thought. *snort* I ended up getting in the chair before Midget. It feels so good to have the split ends gone (no more itchy neck!) and she even thinned out the back of my hair so it wouldn't be so heavy and bulky (bless her!). (Thinning hair. See where I was going with the title?) I'll post photos of our new dos when I get around to taking some decent ones and editing them. *giggle*

I should probably go get our stuff ready for tomorrow. We have to be out the door early for some appointments in Seattle. Midget's been on his diet for nearly a month now so we have to go in for a check up. I hope the doc decides to decrease his meds and the dietitian decides to alter his diet so he can eat baby foods again (through his tube of course). It's going to be our first long trip with Alice (well since we drove her home). I'm excited to see how it all goes. I'm sure she'll be fabulous like she is! I'll try to update tomorrow night if I'm awake enough.

Dogs

I'm on a search.

A search for the perfect companion dog for Midget.

My aunt Carol has me convinced that I need to just buy a pup and raise it with Midget instead of trying to find a trained service dog. (Which I'm having no luck at anyways.)

I did a quick search of dogs that are good with kids, are small (think lap sized), and have little to no grooming requirements except a good brushing from me.

These are the top 4 breeds I think would be great (plus I think they're cute and I could totally live with with the right temperament.... oh I hate dogs, by the way....):

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel


Norfolk Terrier


Norwich Terrier


Papillon


Which do you think is good? Have any personal experience with any of them? Please share so that I can make a very informed decision before I talk to the doctor about it. *grin*

Books = Crack

At least for me they do. Some people in this world use drugs or alcohol, I read.

I love reading! It wouldn't have been apparent when I was a child as I hated it but I've grown to love throwing myself into a different world. It's my escape, my release from reality.

Before Midget started his diet, I made a comment to Mr Indy that I would refrain from stepping foot in Barnes & Noble as I knew I'd spend a few hundred dollars there. But then we got to Seattle and the hotel room wasn't ready. We had nearly an hour to kill so what did we do!? We went to B&N. *sigh* I just couldn't stop myself!!!

I'm sitting here looking at the huge bag of books that I have yet to try and find room on my shelf for. (I have yet to find room because I know there is no room! *chuckle*) I walked out of that store weighed down with over $200 worth of books..... but thanks to sales and bargain prices, I only paid about 1/2 that! (I even got some birthday and Christmas shopping out of the way! WOOT!) I also found out that I can buy The Boxcar Children series there. I can finally fill in my collection that started back in my childhood! *grin*

I am sitting here wanting to read all those books but I am all ready reading 4 other books and a comic series right now. *snort* I just can't help myself! Books are my crack and I can't get enough of them!

Here's what I've read so far this year:

JANUARY
Mirror, Mirror by Gregory Maguire
The Innocent Man by John Grisham

The Innocent Man turned me on to true crime.... I have yet to beat the attraction... as you'll see later on in this list!

FEBRUARY
Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

MARCH
The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho
Freeing Keiko by Kenneth Brower
Freedom: A History of US by Joy Hakim
The Appeal by John Grisham
Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult
The Dreams of Ada by Robert Mayer (another true crime)

April and May were full of textbooks and homework. Very little pleasure reading was achieved! *pout*

JUNE
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull by James Rollins
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger

JULY
Journey Toward Justice by Dennis Fritz (another true crime... written by the other man convicted in John Grisham's The Innocent Man)

AUGUST
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
Keto Kid by Deborah Snyder
Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket
The Green Mile by Stephen King
The Ketogenic Diet by John Freeman
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket
A Deadly Game by Catherine Crier (true crime about Scott Peterson)
Star Wars: Force Unleashed (comic)

SEPTEMBER
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - Vol 1 (comic)

I start back to college in about 3 weeks so I've been trying to read as many books as I can since the next 6 months will mostly be filled with textbooks. (I just keep telling myself, "Only 2 more quarters and you have your AA!" That's all that keeps me going! *chuckle*)

Right now I am reading:

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (finishing the last 3 volumes of the series Mr Indy brought over)
Atkins for Life by Robert Akins
Where The Heart Is by Billie Letts
Such A Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess

And probably the strangest one of all... that I'm sure will get a lot of "WHAT!?!" comments.....

The Good Girl's Guide to Bad Girl Sex by Barbara Keesling

See... while we were in B&N walking through the bargain section... my mom (yes my mom) told me she found a book for me. When I asked her what it was, she told me she would not read the title out loud. (She was on the aisle over from me.) So I wandered over there and I read it out loud. I laughed and said, "Mr Indy would love this!" (Meaning he'd love for me to read it! *chuckle*) I wasn't serious...... at first. But I decided for $7, it might be a funny read if nothing else. It's actually been very insightful so far and I think it's helped me come to terms with my rape.

It's one of those books I still can't believe I've read. Just like the true crime books (except for John Grisham's... he's my favorite author so I'll read anything he's written!) and even the Stephen King. I never thought I'd read a Stephen King novel but after Mr Indy had me watch the movie, I had to read it! I'm impressed with my wide taste in books. I even like reading biographies and history books now! *giggle*

I've always dreamed of having a huge library with floor to ceiling shelves in my house. I guess I'm working on filling in those shelves that aren't even there yet. Course, Mr Indy is doing his fair share too. You should see how warped his bookshelves are from the loads of books on them! *chuckle*

Books are my crack and I refuse to go to rehab!!!