Tuesday Evening

It's a late night. I should be taking a shower, and hitting the sack, but I've actually got something on my mind.

When I first joined the squad, I loved everything about it. I spent as much time as I could at the building, and ran every call I possibly could. I was in the top 3 for calls answered for several years. Everyone kept telling me I would burn out, and I couldn't imagine it.

Then, I started dating a guy on the squad. I'm not going to go into a lot of detail about him and how I feel/felt, because this is absolutely not the place for it. But, he was my best friend, neighbor, night call partner, and we did LOTS together. The squad, clubs, dinner, walks, just hanging out - lots of time. Our crew was the one that only had two people - it was all that we needed. We knew the other one was going to be there, and quickly developed a good rhythm. I actually looked forward to tones going off because I knew that it meant I got to spend time with him. He had a very dry, sarcastic humor that made even intense situations fun. After a while, things changed. To this day, I still don't know what was going on in his head, but it just about broke me when he gave up night calls. He gave up me, and us. And that, that has been more difficult for me to deal with than I think that anyone really understands. It's been almost 2 years since he left, and it still seems like yesterday. I quit doing things that I had loved doing, simply because they reminded me too much of him.

Lately, though, I've been reminded of how much I do love EMS. The people down there, the arguments, and best of all, knowing that I am helping someone when they believe they need it. The past few nights I've spent at the building helping with various parts of the re-model, and it's been . . . restorative. I'm actually starting to feel like the old "Sheri" again - not the ghost of me that's been holding it together every day. Life is good. Life is better than good. I'm grateful for the reminder of it. I'm actually looking forward to various things planned throughout the summer, not just thinking "If I can just get through _____"

It feels good.

Monday Meme

Why not? Let's give it a go:

1.You have ten dollars and need to buy snacks at a gas station, what do you buy?
Diet Cherry Dr Pepper, Beef Jerky, Pretzels. Maybe some kind of gooey candy? Maybe?

2. If you were reincarnated as a sea creature, what would you want to be?
A Dolphin

3. Who is your favorite redhead(s)?
Michelle. And my Mama. :-)

4. What do you order when you are at IHOP?
Uh, pancakes? isn't that the point?

5. Last book you read?
Er, a series Fonda gave me, and I can't think of it right now. They were good though!

6. Describe your mood.
Really good. Looking forward to the summer months

7. Describe the last time you were physically injured?
Um, badly? That would be October a year ago when I rammed the stick into my foot. Yeah, it hurt.

8. Of all your friends, who would you want to be stuck in a well with?
Probably Michelle. She's tall enough we could get out. :-)

9. Rock concert or symphony?
I like both, but would prefer the concert.

10. What is the wallpaper of your cell phone?
Outside, my puppy. Inside, a friend of mine.

11. Favorite soda
Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper. I just got turned onto it, and it's awesome!

12. What type of shirt are you wearing?
Yellow T-shirt

13. If you could only use one form of transportation?
My car

14. Most recent movie you have watched in theaters?
Twilight. Not as good as the book

15. Name an actor/actress/singer you have had the hots for.
I'll jump on the Robert Pattinson bandwagon

16. What is your favorite kind of cake?
Hmm. Right now, it would be Oatmeal

17. What did you have for dinner last night?
Robitussin and Advil

18. Look to your left, what do you see?
My dog's water dish

19. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
Not usually

20. Favorite toy as a child?
My teddy bear, Puffles

21. Do you buy your own groceries?
Only if I want to eat!

22. Do you think people talk about you behind your back?
I know they do. Heard some interesting ones this weekend!

23. Whens the last time you had gummy worms?
Few weeks ago

24. What’s your favorite fruit?
Cantelope

25. Do you have a picture of yourself doing a cartwheel?
Er, no

26. Do you like running long distances?
Not a bit, but love the Elliptical!

27. Have you ever eaten snow?
Of course - I grew up in Utah!

28. What color are your bedsheets?
Right now? blue. I also have tan and grey ones.

29. What's your favorite flower?
Tulips and Daffodils

30. Do you do ballet?
Did it as a kid

31. Do you listen to classical music?
Sometimes

32. What is the first TV theme song that pops in your head?
S&TC!

33. Do you watch SpongeBob?
Nope

34. What temperature is it outside right now?
45

35. Do people consider you smart?
About some things, but really stupid about others!

36. How many piercings do you have?
Just my ears, once.

37. Are you signed on AIM?
Nope

38. Have you ever tried gluing your fingers together?
Hasn't everyone? Used to do it with rubber cement!

39. How do you feel about your family?
I love my family!

40. Do you have an iPod?
Sure do

41. What time do you go to bed?
Whenever I want. It's one of the joys of being an adult.

42. What CD is currently in your CD player?
Nothing. Listening to my Itunes Party Playlist

43. What movie do you know every line to?
Pretty Woman

44. What is your favorite salad dressing?
Green Goddess

45. What did you get for Christmas this year?
Crock pots and sheets!

46. What family member/friend lives the farthest from you?
My aunt and Uncle live in Alaska

47. Do you like hugs?
yes! Very much.

48. Last time you had butterflies in your stomach?
Been a while . . .

49. What is the way people most often mispronounce any part of your name?
They don't misprounouce, they just flat get it wrong. Some crazy mix of Carrie and Sheri

50. Last person you hugged?
Lindsey. She's very huggable.

Ok, if you play . . . let me know so I can come read!

Sunday . . . finally

You know, I've really got to get better at this whole blogging thing. I was doing so well, and lately, I've just felt really un-inspired. Well, that, and some of the things that have been on my mind aren't really blog-appropriate. The crazy thing is, I wouldn't mind perfect strangers weighing in and giving me their opinions, but I don't know that I want my friends to know how neurotic I really am. Crazy, eh?

This week I have had this awful cold. And when I say awful, I mean horrible. I'm not a sick person. Last year I think I had 4 hours of sick time. I missed 2.5 days this past week alone! Mainly because I lost my voice, and it's really hard to do customer service when you can't talk to anyone. When I ran a squad call, the ER doc told me that rest. Only rest. That's the only thing that would get my voice back. No talking for 3 days. Mike looked at him and said, "Have you MET her before?" It was tough, but I took a day off and it actually helped. I'm still kind of squeaky, but it's a voice.

Now, I also learned an important lesson. The better the medicine tastes, the less it works. Thera-Flu Lemon? Tastes fine. Doesn't work at all. Robitussin D? Tastes awful works great, esp. if you take a double dose. Not that I would do that or anything. And, if you figure out the magic combination, you might even get your head to feel like a Styrofoam block, vs. a cement one. For me, this meant Mucinex D in the AM, cough syrup and 800 mg of Advil every four hours. Yeah, pretty sure I don't have a liver anymore.

One "epiphany" I had while I was laying there at 3am trying to expel my lungs, was that I want to be like my dog. She's totally comfortable, anywhere she happens to be. She doesn't worry about what she looks like, and she just assumes that everyone is going to adore her. Wouldn't it be great if everyone had a positive attitude like that?

Had the pleasure of spending time with some of my race track friends this afternoon. My life would be so empty without them, so since I know at least one of them reads this, I'll say it now. I appreciate having ya'll as friends. I hope you know, and remember that. And now, it's time for more drugs. Happy week, everyone!

Wordful Wednesdays

Yes, Laurie, I have dropped off the face of the earth. I've actually been dying, but it appears that dying isn't on the horizon this morning, so I'll play along with another Wordful Wednesday from Seven Clown Circus.

See, I've been sick since last Thursday. Like, my head is a solid block of concrete, I have a squeeky cartoon voice, and my body is trying to expel my lungs as quickly as possible. Not so much fun. Initially, I thought it was allergies, but it's become apparant, nope, I'm just sick. Several people told me that it's probably the pollen in the air. Pollen? From what?

Oh. That. Yeah, well, that probably isn't helping matters any. This is a shot on the W&L campus near the gym I go to. Isn't it a gorgeous photo? Every so often I manage to impress myself!!!

Come play with us . . .

Song Choices

I have the same songs for my workout, every night. This is mainly because I don't care what the song it, I need a beat to keep me on track. After I do my cardio, I switch it to shuffle and head to strength training.

I found it rather ironic, that while I was killing myself on the incline sit-up machine thing-y, my song switched to "SOS". Yeah. By Abba. Don't blame me. Strange things show up when I surf music after midnight. Just as I got done, "Joy to the World" came on. You know, "Jeremiah was a bullfrog, he was a good friend of mine". That one. And, of course, as I was finishing my inner/outer thigh squeezy things, "Happy Ending" came on. I just had to laugh and call it a night.

Do you have song suggestions for me? I'm looking for 135-145 bpm. Help! I need something new!!!

Friday Fragments

What a crazy week! I've been a little hit or miss on the blogging thing lately, but wanted to make sure I got in for Friday Fragments - those little bits that aren't enough to warrant a post all on their own.

Like I said, it's been one of those weeks. I get home, and barely have time to shower and crawl into bed. The more meetings I have, the more I resent them. I really don't care about the in's and out's. I just want to volunteer, do my thing, and go home. It goes back to picking up the stick though. You can't grab just one end!
***********************
Last night I watched my friends kids. She kept telling me to take advantage of the fact that her new bathroom has the water hooked up. I did, and it was AWESOME. Whirlpool bath tubs are the best, hands down.
***********************
I drove home in the snow last night. What's up with that? Last week I was wearing shorts. Today, I'm digging out my sweaters and boots. Ah, spring. I'd forgotten how fickle you are.
***********************
Have you heard "Home Sweet Home" by Carrie Underwood? I love classic and 80's rock, and her take on it is so refreshing. I've heard that she does a lot of the hair band songs at her concerts.
***********************
This week I also had the pleasure of catching up with an old friend from high school. It's been fun to hear the different things and ways that someone else remembers the same memories that you have. I keep having different people from my past catch up with me from Facebook, and I love it.
***********************
Here's a little pet peeve that I seem to notice more and more lately. The use of "s" to make something plural that should NOT be plural. For example, "I'm going to Wal-marts." You know, I can usually go to just one to get my shopping done. Or, "I need some help with my checkings account." I know it's a simple thing, but it drives me CRAZY. Do you have anything like that?

Come play with us . . .

Yoga, anyone?

I'm putting off my workout this morning until I'm a little more awake. Of course, if I really was trying to do that, I would be back in bed until about 10, but since the boss won't go for that, I'll blog til I wake up.

A person from my past life found me on Facebook a few days ago, and as a result, I've remembered some really interesting times. I mentioned it to a girl at work, and of course she was all, "Do you have a picture?" Do I have a picture? I have LOTS of pictures, but am I necessarily going to share them? Ok, so not all of them, but I did find this one and I instantly remembered this day.

This girl worked with me at Hardee's. Her name is Sherry, so we were Sher I and Sher Y. I was dating this cute navy boy, and when he came home, he brought a friend and wanted to know if I had a friend for him to go out with. I asked this girl, and she turned out to be one of my best friends for quite a while. I hate that time and distance has caused us to lose touch. She has such an awesome, quirky sense of humor, and there are many times I find myself missing her.

Look - that black dress was mine, and the blue one, hers. We used to love switching up, sharing each others things. That red car? That was TJ's, and he attempted to teach her how to drive a stick in it. I succeeded in teaching her that! I think I was a little less pressure and a little more patient. The dog tags I'm wearing? Those were my guy's. Wow, but I was pale - that was in the days of scary self tanner! But wowza - I was skinny! Oh, good times. Eventually me and the boy parted ways, and like I said, she and I grew apart. Still, last night's trip through the photo albums brought back many memories like these. So, Stacey, thank you . . . .

Friday Fragments

On Saturday. Better late then never, right? Friday Fragments are for those of us with posts too short to hold their own . . .
**********************
That's right. I'm confused. I finally got over the one dream that I kept having (THANK YOU!), but now I'm on to another one. I'm sure it has more to do with the various books I've been reading than my subconsious, but Mrs. 4444 told me to post them and see if ya'll have thoughts. The most recent dream varies slightly, but always around the basic idea that there is a room in my house that I either forget about or can't find. The houses are always very detailed, and I always live alone in them. It's just . . . weird.
**********************
Another thing I'm confused about is the weather. I mean, on Monday we went into work late because of snow, and today, I was sweating to death at the track.
**********************
I was also really looking forward to getting back to racing, but then today, after being up there for about 45 minutes, I was so over it. Can I not make up my mind?
**********************
I love Facebook more and more every day, at the same time that I hate it. I don't know that I like being so easily found, but at the same time, I love catching up with various people from my past lives. Interesting, that it's been high school/NC people, and none from school in Idaho?? I'm ok with that, just . . . interesting.
**********************
Had a squad call the other night at 2:30. For once, it was an actual emergency, and not the "I stubbed my toe, take me to the ER", which makes me feel better about going, but daaaannng. I'm getting old! Wears on a girl!
**********************
Is it possible to have your life too full? Lately, I've had a lot of people tell me I need to slow down, take a breath, not do so much. But, what else would I be doing? I think the things that I am doing really are deserving of my time and energy. Still, I can't help but wonder if maybe I'm missing out on something??
**********************
That being said, my puppy is snoring at my feet, and I can hear my bed calling. I'm going to go follow her good example . . .
**********************
Come play . . . late is ok, too!

Wordful Wednesdays

Good morning! It's time for another round of Wordful Wednesday's - those of us with photos who want to talk about them.

So, how do you know that Spring is lurking just around the corner? Is it the weather? Last Thursday it was 60. Amazing, warm, teasing weather. I cleaned out the old leaves from my flower beds and planted a few more bulbs. After I had my side yard cleaned up, we found these poking through. I love that first glimpse of green!

But then, you go from 60 to 15, and wake up to find this instead.

The first real snowfall of the year. On the 1st of March. Go figure, and stuff, right?





Still, I think this is the real way I can tell that Spring is just around the corner. I start to have visitors in the bathtub!!!What about you? What are some of the signs that tell you Spring is about to be sprung?

Come play with us . . .

Dear Cat Ladies,

I'd like to thank you for providing Britney with her nightly snack. At first it was easy for me to keep her away from the plates of fragrant wet cat food placed in the woods, but tonight, you made it a game - piles of dry food scattered in small piles along the road. Now, as I try to walk and enjoy the peace and beauty of the evening, everything just smells like a well-used litter box. I realize that you're trying to take care of the poor kitties, but are you aware you are also attracting cute raccoons, possums, and skunks? Oh yeah - they love cat food. It wasn't enough that y'all felt the need to trespass in my back yard (at previous residence) to try to take care of the kitties, now you're dumping food just at random? I tried to go over to my other spot to let her run and play, but lo and behold - food left out there, as well!!! At least the little fur balls provide great entertainment - Britney loves to have something to chase, and this way, you're helping to provide great playmates for her. Thanks. Thanks a lot.

PS - I'm not a cat hater. I actually like them. For the record, is all I'm sayin'. But if you're going to take the time to feed them, please also take the time to get them fixed and vaccinated!!! Rabies is not a friend of any animal.