Does Purple Go with Black, Pink and Light Blue

This blouse looked good in the dark of my room this morning, but in the cold light of my office, I'm not so sure. What's the point of wearing your best suit that looks great on you if you ruin it by wearing the wrong blouse. Ugh.

Well I am officially a toastmaster (though I don't think you really get to use the title until you actually give a speech--maybe I have to wear my pin upside down or something until then). Last night the subject was science fiction and I thought, there's nothing for me to talk about because I don't really like science fiction. I was pleasantly surprised at how varied the topic became and how many things there really were to discuss. Where will you be on May 17th at 2:30 a.m. when the final episode (actually Episode 3) of Star Wars opens? What's your favorite old science fiction tv show (Third Rock from the Sun). There's a time keeper, a grammarian and evaluators. There are three main speeches, but everyone speaks about a topic during introductions and then again during table topics. The group votes for the best speech, best evaluator, best introduction and best topic leader. And it's held at my favorite Italian restaurant, yum.

Maybe I should try parachuting

I seem to be into risk taking lately. I spoke with one of the college trustees that I know and she said they have candidates from the college foundation, so I will not be sending in my name after all. I can't believe that I almost sent it in without calling her first. So risky and adventurous for the sake of adventure alone.

I always wanted to go parachuting, but when I was young it was too expensive and then I was too unhealthy and now I'm thinking about it again. Maybe I should try riding a bike again first--baby steps.

I picked up a trip tic for my weekend trip to Sacremento and Fresno is on the way. I'm going to Fresno in August for Kiwanis, so I can check out the trip on the way and probably drive to that one too. My court appearance on Thursday got cancelled, so I can't decide whether I should go up early or not. What would Jesus do? (Is that playing ok in this crowd? It just poped into my head divinely and I am taking those risks.)

Yahoo

So was that confusing?

So Dave says last week, you know that they are searching for a new college trustee and I say, not interested and I think to myself, I am so through with politics. I went to a meeting at Jack Scott's office (he's our state senator) for a planning meeting on the women in business luncheon we're co-sponsoring with the legislature representatives and I realized that it was the first thing I've gotten excited about since I lost. Maybe I do still like politics. Then we had the meeting at the YWCA and I learned about all the problems they are having and I'm thinking that the money I was expecting to be paid back April 15th (yes, which has passed already) is probably never going to get paid back and so all those campaign debts that I incurred thinking I could pay back with the money that I loaned the YWCA is out the window and I owe a whole bunch of money on the credit card that I don't have, so I need to get a second job. I went on the internet and looked into teaching a course at the college--there's no openings, but I can leave my resume on file for one year. Then I went to GUSD to be a substitute teacher--again, leave your resume on file for one year, teacher's with credentials get first crack--it could be a while and then I'll have court that day and that will be that. So how can I earn about $350 per month to be able to make payments on this credit card debt..... Look in the paper this morning and the College Trustee position pays $350 per month. Coincidence, I don't think so.

So, you need a letter of intention and a resume. I'm racking my brains, what to write, what to write--oh, how about the trouble that Marisa had getting good classes, oh, how about my own experience in community college, oh, how about the great scholarship candidates I've met through ABWA, oh, how about the lack of vision being shown at the state level when they cut funding to an education program that is the cornerstone of what makes California a great state for innovation and business, oh, how about the lack of vision that doesn't provide enough parking to allow the students to be able to fit a full academic schedule and work schedule in the average day of a student, oh... I guess maybe I'm kind of suited for this thing after all. Cross those fingers and toes again. I won't know until May or June. I might get to attend a candidate's debate, yeah.

Rain in the forecast

Well my diet stalled. I've stayed the same weight for almost a whole month. I had to pin up my new suit yesterday because it's too big and it was dragging on the floor. It is really difficult to get serious about dieting more when my clothes are so damn loose. Dad said, quit dieting, gain some weight (to get me to shut up about it already), but I think that's a little drastic.

I'm cheating a lot this past week, so I'm trying to identify the circumstances in which I feel the overwhelming need to eat junk. Being awake is pretty much the common denominator. I'm working harder at the gym and I'm finally starting to feel it. Maybe that's what it is, I'm not losing weight, because I'm bulking up my muscles, I can't even keep a straight face while typing it. That's so not it. Next week I'm going with some of the gals at work to join weight watchers. I hope it doesn't cost too much, but I think weekly support group might be helpful. We'll see.

I'm going up to the Girl Scout campout on Saturday--I'll going to try not spending the night and see if I can get away with not actually camping, just visiting. And it's supposed to rain, so I'm hoping we are in a cabin and not tents. I never even thought to ask--oh no.

Well I got asked to be the Division Lt. Gov. for Kiwanis and turned it down. I was asked to re-join the board at YWCA and turned it down. (They are in so much trouble that it was very difficult to say no and I'm trying to think of a way to help without joining the board, but it's tough.) I am the decoration chair for LAAC, but the event is in August and so far, I haven't agreed to anything further (but I am on the nominating committee---eeeek). And I think I need to face facts and not join Toastmasters which would be really fun, but is an awful big time commitment. What I really need to do is get a second job to pay off my campaign debt--that's going to be a challenge.

Life in the fast lane.

P.S. Somethings up with Melody, but she won't tell me what. Send good thoughts--she really needs them.

Let's Talk About the Weather

Yesterday was full on June Gloom (in April, so not too inspiring), but this morning we actually had rain. Rain in April, how amazing is that. In California rain period, pretty amazing. Now we have sun peeking through afternoon clouds (or smog--you never really know here.) It looks hot because of the glare of the sun, but it is actually quite chilly. I had to pull out my winter blankets and contemplated turning on the heat last night. I had the heater in my car turned up full blast--very unusual any time of the year.

I read in a Martha Stewart article all the things that I need to do to accomplish my spring cleaning, but it's hard to get excited about spring in this alternating winter and summer weather. I guess I could close the blinds, but what fun is that. I think I'll just have to skip it this year--there's no rule that spring cleaning has to be an annual event, right.

In other news, the pipe under the sink, under the house has a long crack in it. The termite guy said that there was standing water under our sink and we've been checking for leaks under the sink for months with no success. I called my friend from Kiwanis' plumbing company and the kid that came out said, you know my mom. Well it's a guy in Kiwanis and I knew that I'd have heard if his sons went into the bus', so I pleaded ignorance and he said his mom was Barbara, whom I know from ABWA--small world or what. Well, this kid had actually been my client when he had a legal problem a while back, but I never met him--I just handled the whole thing by phone. Really tiny world. Unfortunately, the space under the house is also pretty tiny and Steve couldn't replace the pipe because he doesn't fit. He's out looking for a smaller plumber today. I kid you not.

On the health front, I switched to a new doctor and a new health plan where I get to choose who I go to. The new doctor is very folksy and nice and although the new health plan costs more, I figure it's a good investment as I start to get up there in years. You know you're getting old when you turn off the radio because it is just too much noise. Even as I turn it off for that very reason I think to myself I can remember when someone older than me made that same statement and I just couldn't understand how anyone would consider great music, noise. Live and learn.

And Then There's ABWA

Tonight is the Fashion Show meeting--I'm co-Chair. The event should come off without a hitch, but I should at least pretend to look like I'm working hard. Karen wants to do a weekender's mini show, even though the fashions are going to be done by Annie's Scandals. At first I was dead set against it, but she won't let it go and I really just don't care. So we're having it. Next when I was away campaigning they decided to do popouri bags as favors. PU. I have vetoed it in no uncertain terms and we're doing candy as we decided before I was gone for a mere month. The ladies act a little put off that I am so adamant about not having popouri, but that's apparently where I draw the line. If I have to be co-chair, then I get to veto the favors. If I'm willing to do the work, then there it is.

LAAC is this weekend. I'm co-chair of the Forum by default with someone I've never even met. I'm also chair of Council Woman of the Year, since I am the current Council Woman of the Year. Since I was not too happy about how it was done for me, I guess this is a good thing to be chair of. The forum is on August 6th which is the only date that Girl Scouts is offering level two camping skills training which all my leaders are clammering to get. Oh well, I can only be in six places at one time.

So I need to make myself a list--I keep volunteering for stuff without remembering all the other stuff I'm doing. Next year is President of Kiwanis, President of ABWA Chapter, Co-Chair 2006 Sponsorship Committee, VP of Programs for PTA, Cookie Chair and Trainer for Girl Scouts (and I want to do something with Studio 2B, but I don't know what yet) and I have to be very careful not to volunteer for any jobs at Division III, YWCA or LAAC next year. I think I'm ok. I just heard that the spring conference for ABWA next year is in Lake Tahoe--never been there. Does anyone want to go? It'll probably be next April.

Back to Girl Scouts

Today is Girl Scout day. It's the service unit meeting tonight, so I'll see all the leaders. It's time to pull together all the things that I'm doing for Girl Scouts. I'm doing a camping skills training on the 23rd which I hate, but someone's got to do it. I'm doing a Brownie training on May 7th and I can't remember what craft I wanted to have as a back up--it's so tedious going from having to do this stuff every week to only once a year. There's PA training for the sixth grade juniors--Jane still has a bunch of girls that need that training, but we never have a day we can all make, so I'll have to figure that day out. There's the banking that needs to be changed since I'm no longer the service unit manager, I shouldn't still be on the account, but I have all the records and the signature card and the refund check from the city, etc., etc. Then there's swaps. I offered to do a training for swaps because I remember being completely clueless about it when I became a leader. The problem is that I'm not the most creative swap person around, I'm just the only one willing to devote a Saturday to sharing what I do know. We'll need to pick a Saturday that people can make. Then there's the camping trip in September. I am not going. Here I'll say it louder I AM NOT GOING. I hope they heard me, because I am not going. We have a council training conference on the 31st of May and I really want to get out in front of Studio 2B for older girls. Maybe something with the YWCA, which reminds me, I'm on the nominating committee for the YWCA and I should be getting my list together.

No cigar

Ardy won, not me. I didn't even come in second, but rather a respectable third. I'd like to throw everything away and get some serious spring cleaning done, but Ardy will be onto the next political stepping stone pretty soon so it still feels like limbo.

I'm getting more active in PTA and I'm going to a conference later this month. I didn't want to make the plane reservations just in case I got elected and I couldn't go, so now the air fare is outrageous. I'm going to drive to Sacramento. I've never been to Sacramento, so it should be fun. There's also girl scout camping this month--I was pretty good about not volunteering to go camping, but they roped me into coming up for one day to do a training. So it's a pretty busy time all by itself around here. Who needs more adventure than that.

Oh yes, and we're having a baby in the house unless Marisa gets her wish and moves out. I guess God thinks that I like adventure or something. A little too me, me, me? Oh well.

It's in the can

Well, I've done everything I know how to do and now all that's left is the actual voting. I have nothing to do. It is very strange. Well, actually, I have girl scout cookie forms to fill out for the final paperwork and there's a pta board meeting tonight and I need to go grocery shopping and my office is a disaster area, but I have no campaigning left to do.

Wednesday is planning day. I can't make any plans until Wednesday and they are all purculating about in my head ready to boil over, but they can't come out until Wednesday. I'm staying up all night after the election to see the results, so that I can get those plans out of my head as early on Wednesday as possible. If I'm elected I start the new job the following Tuesday--aaaah. If not, I don't want to think about if not.

There are some very strange yellow stains all around the house. Josh says it's water damage. Why doesn't it dry out and stop turning yellow then? My house is not very happy about being on the back burner of my list of things to do and will have to be on the top on Wednesday.

Berna came on Saturday to clean--I love it when Berna comes to clean. Our house is very clean just now. The stove is all sparkly and you can see the actual carpet. I don't quite want to invite anyone over though. So I'll be watching the local channel with the results of the election with no party or fanfare. Maybe I'll save up some calories and have some popcorn.

Adrienne got tickets for Fever Pitch with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon last night--I thought it was so cute--of course I loved it. Adam, not so much. He wants to go see "Amitiville Horror" on purpose.

Well even though I have nothing to do, I really should go eat my dinner and get to that pta board meeting. Maybe there will be someone there who almost forgot to vote that I can remind.

The final push

Just when all I want to do is crawl into bed and not get out until next Wednesday, it's time to make the final push to get elected. I have a 1,000 balloons and a helium tank, so it's time to get balloons out to the masses. I have 3,000 door hangers, so it's time to throw the list out and just get them on every door I can. I thought that my house full of teenagers would come in handy for these jobs, but not so much. Adam has a couple of friends who will help for a few hours on Saturday, so hopefully... And we have the montrose festival on Sunday, so we should be able to get lots of stuff out then. No one has yet volunteered to make calls on Monday to remind people on their answering machines to get out and vote on Tuesday, but there's still time. My ad in the Newspress came out today and it looks great. It should look great, it cost a fortune. My political consultant wanted to run negative stuff on three of the candidates to clear the field so to speak, but I refused. He hasn't called since. It is so strange not having any idea if I'm winning. The Armenian candidates have a lot more money (an obscenely lot more) and they are on the Armenian tv channels non-stop. We're going to have a pretty big turn out with so many candidates pushing, so my hope is that the Armenian candidates split their vote by enough and that the two other guys who are taking service club votes from me don't get as much. If wishing could make it so.

Mom, if I win, I will not be able to go to Florida--no vacation for six months. My life is kind of piled up on hold for the election, so I don't think I can plan any vacation for a while.

Seven months ago I set a goal to be at my target healthy weight by April (when I had tentatively planned to go to Hawaii for the ABWA convention). I haven't met my goal, but I'm pretty darn close, so that's something to celebrate.

Me, me, me, me, me for five more days and then I will go into intensive humility training. Yeah, right.

Thanks for putting up with me.