Jerk.

Lately... maybe the past six months or so, I've been a bear. Well, really a jerk. Not all the time. Not even most of the time. I just have these spurts of assholeness. I don't go to extremes where I shoot puppies, pop little kids balloons, or beat people. It really bothers me since I have no idea where it comes from, and I know it bugs the crap out of people in my life. Why does this little negativity come out and snap? I am a really positive fun person (not cheerleader happy, more yell captain happy) most of the time.

Where does this short, negative, nasty, cold, jerk come from?
- Maybe it's my job that I'm tired of. 8+ hours per day of negativity can wear people down.
- Maybe it's the news I read and watch... this negative world and our crappy president are getting to me.
- Maybe it's in the genes.
- Maybe I should not do things when I don't feel like doing them... that seems to spark crappiness.
- Maybe it's just my sarcasm going way too far.
- Maybe it's all the blogs I read since we all seem to bitch about this and that.
- Maybe it's the metal music I overhear all day from the metal promotions company that shares office space with my company.

I don't want to be a jerk. Not even a jerk 1% of the time. I know LP doesn't want to be married to a jerk. I know my cats don't want to be around a jerk... although they've been really nice to me lately. It's fun to post about mean-spirited rants but I have no desire to be a mean person. Mean people don't have friends. They probably don't get any nooky either.

Not really sure what to do. If I was a jerk 25%+ of the time I'd seek some professional help, but I know that it's not me... just part of me that needs to be squashed. I don't want it to grow.

Maybe I just need to look at this photo of the more often... find my quiet place.

Sorry Cherry & LP for being a jerk last night.

My Little Black Book... Update.

I know you are all dying to find out the results of my month long drink count... and if you have no clue what I am talking about you can always read this post.

This was a pain in the ass and I recommend it to anyone. Really. It is hard to keep track of what you drink... but worth the end result (if you are curious about what you consume). I found myself getting out of bed a couple times just to get my bag and pull out my little black book to write down the glass of water I had before bed. And since some people seemed to think it was important include Juices and Coffee... I did. See, I listen to my loyal readers.

Alcohol: 2.0 per day
Pop: 1.2 per day
Water: 5.9 per day
Coffee: 1.3 per day
Juice: 0.8 per day

The number are 99% accurate (maybe 95%)... or something like that. I spaced a couple times and had to guestimate what I did they day before. But for the most part I did a good job of keeping track. I did not go a single day without water consumption. I did how ever go a few days without pop, juice, and coffee. Also, I went thirteen days without alcohol.

So what did I learn? I learned that I drink more water than I thought (good), and I was actually suprised that I don't drink more alcohol than I do. I was worried it was going to be like 6.5 per day or something crazy like that. I still need to work getting that closer to 1.0 per day... that's my next goal. And to make those units more in wine and less in beer.

While I Was Out... The Photos.

Since I just borrowed photos for my post on my time off... I am posting some photos I actually took (or that LP took). I've actually never done a photo post before... and I'm not sure I'll do one again. But enjoy, or don't, this one time.
Side note: On our drive home we did see the General Lee on Hwy 57 heading the opposite direction. We did not get a photo of that... big bummer.

Our game of Life.

The Aussie and the Cherry and the Life. Cherry does not like losing at Life.

K.i.D. and the 9er. I'm working on winning... K.i.D. is working on drinking.

Wedding at the University of Illinois.

Hey! Hay! Mississippi hay!

A big dog on the farm...

...and a little dog on the farm.

AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis... a beautiful ballpark, even if it is AAA baseball.

The left-over BBQ at Interstate. It seems the best BBQ is in the not-so-nice neighborhoods.

This is Beale Street... it is usually packed with people - but not during a random week night.

Me in front of Stax... I look frumpy. It was bright out and I did not have my shades. If you ever go to Memphis make sure you stop at Stax... it's an amazing place.

Our car (Jermaine) passed the 10,000 mile mark on our trip... right before we crossed over the Mississippi River for the final time. Jermaine turns two this month.

Done With Prada.

Finally. I finished The Devil Wears Prada... the book I've been reading for over a year. Yep. It was not the book's fault for me taking so long, I was just slacking. I thought the book was a good fun read and would recommend it. BUT I will also say that the movie version was better. The adapted screenplay took the feeling of the book and improved it.

Moving on to something new...

While I Was Out...

It is June, and as I promised... I'm back. I had a fantastic break (actually today is my last day of traveling) and I am ready to get writing once again... just hope my brain is ready too. I think it is. So, what you all missed while I was on break:

1. I had a great time out celebrating K.i.D.'s new job / staying in Chicago. Played the board game Life at this little corner bar in Wrigleyville which no one won (thanks to the alcohol consumed)... or maybe everyone won. Cherry soooo did not win. It was a good time out with friends that included Cherry, the Aussie, Dr. Ken, Classy, Not Carrie, and of course K.i.D.

2. I finally got to meet I'm Not Carrie Bradshaw... and her really nice friend from Portland whose name I forgot. Sorry. Not Carrie was a hoot (and so was her friend). Yea! Hope you both had a good time in Chicago.

3. Realized that the thought of a bunch of bloggers meeting up sounds like the ultimate dork convention... but in reality through blogging I've met some really great people. And yes, there are tweakers out there in this internet world... but I just delete there comments. :)

4. LP and I drove 1,500 miles. Went through the lovely states of Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Crossed the mighty Mississippi River four times. Gas prices seem to blow ass in every state. Good mix tapes (CD-Rs) are always a plus.

5. Visited Champaign-Urbana, IL for the first time. Saw the University of Illinois... and went to a wedding there. The ceremony was in Philo, IL which has a population of about 200. I believe the entire town was at the wedding. Every street in Philo is named after a President.

6. Went to breakfast in the little downtown Urbana with two of our friends from NYC that have just finished up their PhD's and are moving back to NYC this summer. Sniff Sniff. It was good to see them. Had some tasty biscuits and gravy.

7. Went to Calhoun City, MS. This was my first time ever in the state of Mississippi... which I was looking forward to, except for all of the magnolia trees (I'm allergic to them). Calhoun City is anything but a city... see Philo, IL. Saw our friend TW's first baby. Her husband took me on a tour of his farms (cotton, corn, soy bean) and saw a cotton gin for the first time (lots of first on this trip). Plus I learned how to blow up a beaver dam. Yep... with dynamite. I'd like to go back to Mississippi and visit Oxford since I have heard good things about it.

8. Made stops in Memphis at Stax and Sun which are two of my favorite places... I seem to go to Stax each time I'm there. Ate BBQ at Interstate, Corky's, and Tops. The BBQ spaghetti at Interstate is unreal.

9. Went to my first Memphis Redbirds game (AAA for the St. Louis Cardinals) at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis. This is hands down the nicest AAA ballpark... it's better than some major league parks (see the Minnesota Twins). The Redbirds lost, but I was more upset that I did not try the BBQ nachos they sell. Must go back.

10. Spent good time with our friend Fo who we have not seen since her dad passed away. Found out that her family just got finished building a new cabin (more like a massive lodge) in Heber Springs, AR (yep... that's Arkansas) right by the Greers Ferry Lake. I know one blogger who should know where that is. I cannot wait to go.

11. Saw no movies. Still did not finish my book. Slept a lot. Went swimming.

12. Found our favorite Portland beer (Bridgeport) at a grocery store in Memphis and filled up the SUV with it... just like Smokey & the Bandit!

13. Made a few obtainable goals for the summer... which includes no more rests for the 5 of 9er.

I am going to try and post some of my photos of the time off in my next entry... hopefully. Glad to be back... and hope to spend some of this weekend catching up on your writings.