Have Job, Will Travel

Today begins a month of extraordinary travel for my job.  Really, once I put it out there, most people, including me, would say, "Oh, that's not so bad."  Then I put it in the context of "I love the organized schedule of my usual life and so does my daughter", and it makes me a little stressed. Thank goodness I will have time to throw in some personal fun (although I should probably take it easier on that since I recently had the good luck to strand myself an hour away from home with a dead battery just because I wanted to be a badass on the banked track too).

Today, I leave for California at 6:45 p.m. CDT.  Tomorrow, I work for at least twelve and a half hours, which includes a presentation on a subject that gives me indigestion and an evening meeting with Asia Pac that makes my eyes feel very droopy.  I return home at 10:00 p.m. CDT on Thursday.  Friday, we camp; Saturday, we jump out of a plane; and Sunday, we return home for Zeigfest!  Woohoo!

Halloween plans are shaping up nicely, including a Ghostland Observatory show that I have been looking forward to since July.  A long-lost friend from Austin will be joining me and my sister, but no word on whether I can get everyone to dress up yet.  The Friday after Halloween, I'm finally going to a University of Houston football game, almost twenty years after I received my bachelor's degree.  Good times!

The next trip to California will be November 7-9.  This one is extra special because the family will also be dealing with the opening weekend of deer season and the only flight I could take back gets me home at 12:30 a.m. CST on November 10.  Why is this the only flight?  I have to give the October 20th presentation on a subject that gives me indigestion to a Houston audience at noon CST on November 10th, after giving a presentation on my wonderful Community of Practice at 2:00 p.m. PST on November 9th.  Loving my job right about now!  May try to throw in a visit to the Renfest the weekend of the 13th, or The Kitten will hate me forever.

Don't worry; I'm not finished yet.  I'm getting the 36 hours of professional development I need to complete my annual goals at a conference in Washington, DC, November 16-18.  At least I get to see The Yankee on that trip and hopefully come home in one piece.  Last time we partied in DC, I danced on a bar.  Shocking, I know.  I think I lost those pictures when my computer died this summer; well, it was either those or the videos from Key West.  It's a good thing the proof of either is hard to find.

And that, my friends, is my upcoming month of extraordinary travel for my job.  When I get home on November 19th or 20th (haven't decided yet), I'll have already started on ten extraordinary days of no work at all.  Could be worse, y'all, could be worse.

It's That Time of the Month Again

Tomorrow, I'm making the four hour trek to put my health and sanity on the line once again. This time I'm reeeaaaally looking forward to it...I've had a hell of a week.

























Fate put a motivator right smack dab in the middle of it. Instead of the annual Corral Club Halloween Party, this year my rodeo committee is throwing a luau. If you reeeaaaally know me, then you will put two and two together before I can explain and figure out this means I'm getting serious about getting fit because on October 1 I will be wearing a coconut bra in public. Oh yes, I'm serious. ...DUH DUH DUHN...

Day of the Dead Can't Come Soon Enough

October has been a CRAZY BUSY month for me.

I began the month by skating in my last derby bout. In the first of three bouts in two days, I was tripped and took it directly on my right knee (the one that already had problems). At least I pushed their jammer all the way to the middle of the infield with three of their blockers on me right before this happened. You can watch the whole bout if you want. Such a shame opponents must resort to cheating to stop me. Still, I can't believe I could get a pad over my knee to skate the other two bouts. Isn't it symbolic, don't you think?



A week or so later, I saw a legend from the front row, thanks to a derby girl who I'm proud to call a friend also. You couldn't ask for a better front (or back, or only two) of your pack. We've been through it all!



Then, I went to the Corral Club Halloween Party, two days before the derby awards party, and wore the same thing to each. Hmm, maybe that's why I went to both alone...it couldn't be because I'm a nasty dancer...no way. (Image is blurred to protect the innocent, or because I had to steal it from Facebook on my BlackBerry...whatever you prefer.)



Last weekend, I acted like a giddy schoolgirl on the front row of another concert, this time with my sister who took some great pictures. I think I'm going to have to fight her for his sweat towel that I practically jumped up on the stage to steal. You can't ignore me, Rick!



And all these things don't even begin to list all the fun I had in October! Tonight, The Kitten will get to show off her costume to the grandparents she invited over for Halloween almost two months ago. Tomorrow, I can start a much more relaxed month. Unless somebody wants to go to the Ren Faire with me?

KISS My @$$

It's that time of year again. I obsess about it every October, the ONLY time of year I worry about what I'm going to wear. If it wasn't so much fun to dress up for Halloween, I would stay far away it, but we all know Fun at My Own Expense is the goal in Catazonia. Still, it makes me sweat...

This year is even more difficult because I'm now a captain on my rodeo committee. I feel like I must step up for the karaoke band competition at our annual party. Oh, I know that is so hard for me to do [end sarcasm]. However, I hate feeling roped into a costume. Especially when this is the costume...

Man, I love Flickr! I can haz Catman?

Happy Day of the Dead!

We didn't have very many trick-or-treaters last night. Wonder why?

In honor of El Dia de los Muertos, let's go make sugar skulls!

BEWARE!

Catazon may be down for the count, but The Kitten is following in her footsteps.



MEOW!

The Weekend

How did the Sexy Paramedic turn out? Other than a noticable limp, I think it was comparable to the model.

Oh, Julia...strategically-placed socks helped the look. LOL

Ziegfest was a mud fest, but we had fun until it got dark and you couldn't see where to step in the mud. Very unsafe for the very unsteady.

Ready to do it all again!

Getting in the Spirit

Jenny over at Mama Drama has been doing a very good job of getting me in the Halloween spirit. Today she reminded me that I have the wonderful experience of seeing this holiday through the eyes of a child (even three years later I still forget that it's not all about me anymore). The Kitten already decided that, in fact, she does want to be a kitten this year, and I already have everything she needs except for the black tights. Last year, The Kitten made up her own mind on a costume as well, and my mom and I got a good start on letting her know how cool it is to be really dorky. Kermit the Frog here...

The Cast is OFF!

I'm learning how to walk again. It's very frustrating when your brain knows what to do, but you put your foot down and it doesn't do what you're telling it to do. The doctor trusted me to do this without therapy and without a walking boot. I didn't want to be stuck in something like that for four more weeks, so that was great news, even though the next few days are going to be tough without it. I would like to get rid of the crutches by Monday, but realistically, I'll be happy with next Friday, just in time for the girls' weekend of debauchery. This ankle


is going to look so good with this costume.

Still worrying about a Halloween costume...

but I think I'm close to making up my mind. Way back when, I thought the Naughty Librarian would be cute

but then if I wanted to be cute, maybe I should do the cat thing

since I might have to abandon that whole persona in the near future.
Then I saw this
and I thought it would be nice to give a shout-out to some special people who carried my lame ass off the court, field, floor, etc., more than once and most especially the last time.

Naughty Librarian

No, I'm not talking about me, but the costume I'm considering for Halloween.



Thanks to Poison Ivory (a teammate) for the suggestion! And, why am I already considering Halloween costumes? Well, I thought you'd never ask.

I just found out that Corral Club is having a Halloween party instead of a Christmas party. Isn't that the best idea to come out of the rodeo ever? There is no way in hell I'm missing this one!