Happy Birthday!!!

My husband, Dave, has a big birthday today! He's 40!!!

His boss was nice enough to let him out of work early today so he can drive down and have dinner with me. I'm so glad I get to see him on his actual birthday.

Honey, I love you! I hope your birthday is exactly what you want it to be. I cannot wait until I see you tonight.

Love,
Me

A Lesson in Making Grocery Lists UPDATED

Last night's rundown:

Go to Giant Eagle to order birthday cake for Saturday, pick up cake for Thursday, get supplies for potluck at work. Get soaked in pouring rain walking from car to door and back again because umbrella is missing.

Drive home.

Realize I forgot ice cream for Thursday's cake. Stop at Kroger. Get soaked again walking from car to store and back.

Drive home.

Realize I forgot key ingredient for potluck recipe. Drive back to Kroger. Get soaked walking to door. Get heckled by Kroger greeter who comments that I was just there.

Stop, give fish-eye to greeter, thank him for pointing that out. Get ingredient, walk back to car in rain. Get in car, shut door, rain stops. Notice umbrella is under a bag in the backseat.

I am awesome, am I not?

UPDATED: And speaking of my awesomeness, how about the fact that the title should have read A Lesson in Grammar, since I had such an obvious error. It has been corrected, and thank you to that one person who pointed it out. For those of you that noticed and just laughed, I can appreciate that too!

Just For This Moment

Last night, after work, as I was heading to the driving range to hit a few balls, I passed the funniest sign I've seen in a while.

Okay, I understand that a lot of you may need a moment to digest that last statement and stifle the laughter. Yes, it is true I have very little athletic ability. I'm happy if I can stay upright walking down the hall. So the thought of me swinging a blunt instrument to create a flying projectile that could end up God knows where might be a little overwhelming. Chuckle away, but I'm only giving you ten more seconds. Okay, STOP!

Okay, the sign! It was attached to a construction zone on Sunbury Road and said "No Electrocution Zone." I thought I read it wrong, so I did the Scooby-Doo "WHAT?!?" head-shake. But I read it correctly the first time.

So it begs the question, exactly where is the "Electrocution Zone?" Is it negotiated into the workers' contracts that certain areas be deemed as electrocution-free zones. What happens if you get electrocuted in a "No Electrocution Zone?" Are you ticketed? Some kind of citation.

But I do get the meaning. The point is that if you put the message up where people will read it, it makes them be more careful. A self-fulfilling prophecy. If you say it, over and over, it will happen. It's a good lesson. Learn to live in the moment. Conscious of what is happening.

And take it a step further. I've been inspired by some other bloggers recently who are finding the good things that happen every day. Seizing on moments of joy and laughter, love, even absurdity. The things that happen on your daily journey that make you stop, or provoke a response. So, I am going to remember the great moments throughout my day, and replay them at night when the day is through.

I had some great moments yesterday. A phone conversation with Dave that made us both laugh when I told him I didn't want to hit golf balls from the grass because I didn't want my brand-new super cute golf shoes to get dirty. A moment at work when I smiled after helping someone who just needed help, and I had the privilege of being that person. Reliving memories with an old and dear friend. Awesome onion straws at dinner. Asparagus that was cooked perfectly. Going to bed smiling, and waking up with the smile still there.

And now sharing these things with you.

Why Yes, I Am A Sexy Scientist, Thank You Very Much

I was recently compared to the lead character on the TV show, Bones. At first, I wasn't sure what to think about that, because if you've seen the show, she's kind of quirky. Not that quirky is a bad thing! But after further reflection, I've decided to take it as a compliment. First of all, she's incredibly smart. She's also strikingly beautiful. And sexy in a scientific way. Not that I, for an instant, consider myself either of those things. But I don't mind at all being compared to someone like her, even if she's a fictional character. In fact, it really made my day.

And we all have quirks. Little things we do or say. Rituals that get us through the day. For instance, when I think of the word laundry in my head, I think of it in a British accent. I have no idea why. Somebody, at some point, must have said it to me that way and it lodged in my mind. Dave has a friend from Australia and I love the way he says my husband's name. When I write Dave's full name on something, I think of the way Sean pronounces it. That's a little quirky.

I was writing Dave's name on a form this week, and when the woman who took it glanced down, she asked me if I knew my husband had two first names.

Ummm, yes? Funny enough, we had to disclose our last names to each other when we applied for the marriage license. I'm thinking we need to give our kids last names as firsts to counteract.

Ooops, left turn there.

I'm sure there are more quirks that I have. I'm not going to put too much thought into it, though. I'm just going to assume the person meant the comparison positively, and I'll embrace it.

What kind of quirks do you have?