Take A Deep Breath

I work for a studio, technically as a contract employee. This means that my taxes are not taken out for me, so, when tax season comes along I've gotta do it myself. Hasn't been an issue, as I barely made squat- until last year. Last year, much to my delight I had a veritable student boom and made more last year than I had in previous years working for the studio.

Now while all of this is just grand, the having to do my taxes because I'm in a new tax bracket ain't so grand. In fact it's mind numbing. I'm one of those people who WANT to understand what the hell I'm doing! And when I look at deductions, brackets, tax credit, rules and regulations and I feel my soul weeping as my brain starts to short circuit.

Add that with trying to figure out what federal student loan consolidation program I should sign up for and I feel a nervous breakdown slowly edging its way in. I am trying to tell myself, 'Just breathe, one day and one thing at a time... you can do it...'

After I say that the booze begins to really, REALLY look yummy. That's normal... right?

A Game

Can you figure out what's going on in these pictures?
Obviously these would be cat feet, easy. But where these feet are, is where the fun's at.

Figure it out yet?

One last chance....

Stumped or got it?

Okay here's the answer: Mina was up in the chimney today. How she was able to thrust herself through a narrow angled hole and land on that narrow strip where she could sit I have no clue. I'm just going to file this one away under crazy cat manuvers, take another sip of wine, and have a good giggle.

Not Very Original Today

Yup, it's snowing and then some today.

It maybe inconvient, but, good grief is it beautiful out there.

Sometimes I Wonder....

Snippet from tonight's phone conversation with my older brother:

Me: "I'm saving up money, budgeting, so I can make it over to my friends in Paris."

Bro: "Yeah I'm saving some money too... I'm thinking about buying another gun."

Whhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaa????????

There are moments when I wonder, in all seriousness, if my brother and I are from the same gene pool. And if we are, which is likely, which hellish redneck end did he pop out of?

Why I Want One

Keenai, Jon's sister's Rhodesian Ridgeback. She's being camera shy.... or she doesn't like the camera. Not quite sure which.

Ridgebacks are insanely smart, athletic, protective (but not in blindly agressive way), and most importantly very loving and lovable. You need a big couch or space reserved nearby wherever you will park your hiney because they will be there. Oh did I mention that loyalty is a marked trait?How about they are so friggin' cute and fantastic? There's that too. They are gentle giants with amazing temperments. I told Jon as soon as he has his own place he needs to get one. The other dogs will be rescues btw, I just haven't told Jon about those yet. ;-)

Something I've Been Working On

I am doing it. After staring at a mostly filled out form to get a copy of my birth certificate, I kicked myself into gear, applied, and about three weeks later got my birth certificate from theOklahoma Dept. of Vital Records. From there I have started to fill out my application for a new US Passport (my old one long expired as I got it when I was 15).

Why? It's true that in this moment I have no specific travel plans- yet. However, I am going to go to Paris, France in the foreseeable future. I have friends there who I haven't seen in far too long and a visit with them is, to put it mildly, rather overdue. Right now, I'm beginning to rearrange my budget to begin saving for this trip. How I'm going to pull this off with the student loan consolidation looming over me and the fact that I don't make a whole lotta money I'm not entirely sure.

At the same time, this is a trip I must take. When I get something whether it be a task, a goal, idea, etc under my skin and I can't shake or rationalize the feeling of 'must do it' away- I have to do it. This feeling is what got me to go to Japan as an exchange student, guided me to go to TU, gave me the insane idea doing two majors, and many other decisions that, yes have been difficult at time, I do not regret doing for one second. In fact, these decisions I believe have provided me with invaluable life lessons and I think I've become a better person for it. Well.... at least I hope!

No doubt, a trip abroad is a 'must do'. I hope to be in France within this year, but, if it takes longer it takes longer. Currently, I'm scouring cheap airfare sites, saving, and plotting. There are questions I have and while there's no way to know if this trip will provide answers, like I said, I just know I need to go and do it. At the very least, I will be in with friends, eating good food, exploring, taking pics and getting away from the norm. After all, who doesn't need that?

Regularly Scheduled Blogging to Recommence Soon

Quick entry before I must take care of some to-do's. I've been watching Jon's sister's since Friday of last week. Let me tell ya, I've been enjoying the break a lot even if I haven't been doing anything really 'exciting'. All I have been up to is the occasional cleaning and errand running, television watching (they have a big one!), playing with pets, taking advantage of the piano here, and writing some letters to my French amies. The family will return tonight, so I'm off to do a final sweep through, launder the sheets I've been sleeping on, and finally repack my things.


See ya on the flip side!

Ummmmm.....

It's right before 4pm and everything I intended to do today has been done. So..... what do I do now?

One Year Old

Today Mina is a year old. Well maybe. At least, roughly a year- still not sure on the exact day, but, it was in March, and it's the middle of March so I think I'm safe. I should've known I was in trouble. A lot of it. The cuteness was far too strong.

Then there's this- I mean my GAWD! Can we say LoLz cat material or what?

Yup... I was suckered in from day one. From the git-go this one pound, three ounce, four-legged fuzzball had my heart. And I dare say my 'no pets' boyfriend Jon as well. Getting her was one of the best decisions I've made.

Happy Birthday Mina! Even if your not quite the small fuzzball you were, you still have my heart.

And I am pretty okay with that.

Schizo

A few days ago the sun was out, the temperature in the upper seventies, and so nice my roomie and I couldn't help but go outside and spruce up the front flower bed (as it had been severely neglected). Yes, spring had arrived and we weren't the only ones outside soaking up the sun and taking advantage of the season change.

Jump ahead to this morning. This was going on....

Frozen tundra it is not, but, compared to a few days ago it might as well be. The temperature hasn't gone above forty degrees while the clouds produced snow and sleet for part of the day. Mind you, I AM a snow person- after living up north most of my childhood I have fond memories of winter weather; snowmen, snow angels, and snowdrifts so deep you could barely walk in them. I love the snow and all the wonderful activities that goes with it, especially, curling up on the sofa with hot cocoa. Ahhhhhh....

But for the love of God ... I want spring back!

Taking Time

The days sometimes run together; each daily activity feeling more mundane. When the weekend came around, last week, I felt that my life was boring. Then Sunday Tia spotted this little plant on the south side of the house. Isn't it beautiful? It reminded of what Thoreau preached- taking time out to appreciate nature and the now is truely living and experiencing your life. Maybe there's not a whole lotta of interesting things going on day to day, but, each day is wonderful and brings with it beautiful moments such as getting out of my head, stop whining about being bored, and taking the time to look at and capture this lovely flower. Sounds simple, maybe cliche, but, it works for me. :-)

A Look Back to Help Me Move Forward

With above average warm temperatures spring is on its way in. I don't know what it is about the warmer weather provoking past experiences to surface. I guess with my desire to travel, especially back to Paris and France in particular, memories have flooded back of my past experiences abroad.
The second time I flew to France, I went by myself. First solo trip overseas in fact. (The first time I traveled with another girl my age) While my final destination was not Paris, my plane landed there. After I got through customs, my host father picked me up, picked his daughter up (she had stayed with my family and we were flying back at the same time, just different airlines), and whisk us off to the train station. My host sister, C, and I then took a TGV train down to La Rochelle to join the rest of her family at their country chateau.
When I was picked up at Charles DeGaulle (airport) we had to go to another airport. While we were winding through the crazy streets of Paris, the sunroof was opened and I had a fantastic view of Paris streets and buildings above and around me. Although it was the second time I had been to Paris I was still awestruck with what was all around me. Despite the jet lag, wretched traffic, and a near major car accident, I was still giddy and dumbstruck all at the same time. Looking up on buildings older than most at home, I felt like a child discovering something new for the first time. Thinking back on that now, I can still feel the raw emotions I experienced in that car nearly 10 years ago.
Isn't that what provokes us to travel? The intense waves of emotions at seeing something so remarkably different, while at the same time finding what binds us together as the human race on this planet? While I understand that my past experiences were unique to that very time, and that they will not be repeated again, I still want to go and experience it (Paris) and other places again. See places with older, and hopefully wiser eyes; and take in all the emotions and thoughts that go along with being away from home. I do believe that these kinds of experiences really help one grow and appreciate wherever their home is and the rest of the world. I know that I cannot speak enough of what traveling has done for my development as a person. Despite both negative and positive occurrences away from home, I want more of it- to help me gain more perspective and to store away precious memories.

Man I need to get myself on a jet plane soon!

Rediculous

I understand if you've had your fill of pet related posts, if you can't take it anymore, just pass the entry by. Seriously, don't look!

I think these two pictures say all I could say.

This Stuff Rocks

Sunday, Jon and I made a pitstop at Whole Foods. Jon being the consumate, curious, consumer that he is, saw something and bought it on the spot. It's called 'Pet Grass'. It's grown locally and boasts that it is pesticide free (thus better for your pet's tummy) and it will ultimately attract your pets; meaning all other plants will look like tastless gruel and be left alone.

I'm not going to lie, I was a bit skeptical. However, the result speaks for itself:

Both Mina and Oscar won't leave the stuff alone. They LOVE it and feast upon it quite a bit. In fact, yesterday Oscar (the dog for those not in the know) wouldn't touch his food. He just ate and ate the grass! I have had to watch closely to make sure he doesn't gorge on grass and gets balanced nutrition.

Feasting away....

Post-feast... Mina and Oscar have begun the practice of the post-feast nap. Never too far from the precious grass though.

Quick note: So far, Mina has stopped chewing on the peace lily in the other room. I'm very interested in how long that'll last.