Break

I know I haven't been around much lately.  That's partly because I've been spending an exorbitant amount of time with Monkey (YAY!!) and partly because I just haven't been feeling much like writing.  I thought maybe I'd be able to finally sit down this weekend and start a long-overdue post about my trip to Italy.  But now I'm not going to be around.  For the first time EVER, CSJ has asked me to join him on a work trip.

Nothing exciting, but still.  I think we're headed to southern Illinois.  We'll be leaving at about 4 am tomorrow morning, and we'll be back late Sunday night.  He'll be working all day, and I'll be stuck in the hotel room.  But, at least I'll get to see him at night, right?  I was hoping for some hot hotel sex snuggle time, but since we'll be up and out by 4am, then he has to drive at least 5 hours, THEN he has to work all day, I have a feeling he'll be passing out the minute his head hits the pillow.

But, it's just nice that he asked me to come with him.  I guess absence really does make the heart grow fonder.  Since I've been home, he's been sent out of town 3 times.  Man, I really hope he gets this new job!!!

Oh, I guess I forgot to update you about that.  Well, it's not so much that I forgot, there's really nothing to tell you yet.  He hasn't heard anything.  However, the man who interviewed him told him he's the ONLY candidate.  You can't ask for better odds than that, right?

Also, his friend who referred him just started working for this company two weeks ago.  He told CSJ that there was about two weeks between when he interviewed and when he was called and offered the job.  So, I've been trying not to dwell on it too much.  I'm going to just keep praying (as I hope you all will) and see what happens.  I will keep you updated.  Thanks to ALL of you who have been pulling for him, and leaving me such sweet, encouraging, thoughtful comments about it all.

Speaking of sweet, encouraging and thoughtful, thank you to all of you who have clicked over to C's page.  I can't tell you how happy I am for her!!  The outpouring of love and support that she's received is going to make such a difference in her life.  She absolutely deserves some GOOD finally!!  (If you don't know what I'm talking about, go down a post.)

Wow, I didn't plan to write more than a sentence or two.  Maybe my writing juices are starting flow finally.  Hopefully there will be free wifi at whatever hotel we're staying in, so that I can pump out a few more posts while I sit all alone in our room.  If there isn't, I'll be back to check in with all of you on Monday.  Have a great weekend!!

More prayers and a little help needed...

....for my sweet friend, C.  I know lots of you who stop by here also stop by her place, since that's how I found lots of YOU.  If you read C's blog regularly, you know all about the Shit Sandwich the universe has served her recently.  If you don't, click over and look around.

At the urging of her friends, C has started a page on gofundme.com, with the hope that her friends, real life and bloggy, will do what they can to help her during this incredibly stressful time in her life.  Click on the link, check out her story, then do what you can.  Even if you can't give monetarily right now (these are such difficult times for so many people) please share her story and page with as many people as you can.  The kindness of strangers never ceases to amaze me, so I know there are lots of people out there who would be happy to bless her with some help.

Believe me, this was NOT easy for C to do, and I, for one, am very proud of her.  In your darkest moments, it's easy to forget just how many people there are who love and care about you, and genuinely want to help you.  Even if you can't help out with funds right now, please stop over at her blog, and leave her some words of encouragement.  Send her a joke or a funny picture (the dirtier, the better!) and give her something to smile about today.   There are no kind gestures that are too small.

Crowdfunding

Any pray-ers out there?

I'll take any I can get.  CSJ has a job interview in about an hour for a new job.  If he gets it, it's likely that the salary will literally be DOUBLE what he's making now.  I just may be able to make this unemployed thing a permanent gig.  I've got my fingers AND toes crossed.  PLEASE send some positive vibes, good thoughts, prayers, whatever you can.

Now, it's not that I'm opposed to working in general, so stop judging!  It's just that it would be nice to have that monkey off my back, and to have the breathing room to actually find a job that doesn't just pay the bills, but actually makes me happy.  I don't think I'm asking for too much, do you?  (and if you do, keep it to yourself!)

Just a little peek...

...into the hell that I dealt with day in and day out.

There was an interesting article in yesterday's Chicago Sun Times about Englewood, which is the neighborhood in which I used to teach.  Click through the gallery, then read the article.  Then, imagine trying to make a difference in the lives of the babies forced to grow up in this mess.

**Um...what the hell, Blogger?!?!?!  WHY do I have the new format all of a sudden!?!?!  HATE IT!

They so crazy!

If you've been coming here for any length of time, you know that I LOVE my morning news show. A while back, they put together this promo, which of course I thought was a joke. I thought they were just playing it during their show, for laughs. Well, imagine my surprise when I saw it played again the next day. I realized it was an actual commercial, and laughed twice as hard! They are NUTS!



Now, if this gave you a laugh, and put you in a good mood (and how could it not?!) spread some of that cheer by going down to the post below and making a contribution. :)

Funding Needed...

Before I left for Italy, Stud was asked to join his former high school drama director on an amazing new project. His former director, Rocco, hired him to be the graphic art and costume designer for a show that he is trying to get produced. It's an all-male burlesque version of Dante's Inferno. The "costumes" that Stud will be designing are actually body paint costumes. Umm...yeah... Thankfully, I'm pretty sure I've raised the LEAST homophobic child on the planet. :)

Now, naturally, Rocco needs to raise some major funds to get this project produced. You may recall that my cousin, who happens to be gay, threw a huge bash right before I left for Italy. Stud thought it would be the perfect opportunity to pitch the show to my cousin, his boyfriend, and some of their friends. I was really kind of impressed with the initiative he took, I must say.

Rocco has put up a proposal on a site called indiegogo*, in order to raise the needed funds. Here's their page, including an intro video. (Click on the picture) If you're interesting in helping out the cause, you can make a contribution right on this page.

(*Some of you may remember that years ago, I posted several grant proposal on a site called Donor's Choose, which is specific to teachers. Indiegogo is a similar site, but I believe you can post proposals for just about anything.)

I hope they are able to raise the money they need to get this show produced. I'm really excited for Rocco. And, I'm excited for Stud in that this will be his first paid gig in this arena.

Feel free to share the link to the indiegogo page with ANYONE you think may be interested!

Just because it makes me laugh, I'm reposting a picture of Stud and Rocco from one of their summer drama club show nights. They could be brothers! Rocco also has an Italian mother and a Mexican father. He's actually young enough to be our son. (And, NO, that's NOT the same as saying I'm old enough to be his mother!)

Mmm hmm...

I wonder how long this is gonna last. Yesterday, I was up at 4 am, today is was 2-something. I finally had to get out of bed about 2:40 am because I couldn't lie there anymore. Plus, Buster was pacing around, and I figured he wanted to go out.

I ended up cleaning the bathroom from about 3:30 til 5. Yeah...I've seen truck stop bathrooms that were less disgusting. But, I knew that was going to be waiting for me when I left two men home alone for two weeks.

I have to say, though, that CSJ had a few sweet surprises for me when I got home. He did a big clean in the kitchen, including washing the floor and wiping down ALL the cabinets. Sweet!! I also came home to find my bed all made up, which was really nice. And, there was not one single item in the laundry. Very sweet, indeed.

Speaking of sweet, the first time I checked my computer, the temperature widget said 44. Yep, that's NOT a typo. Forty-four glorious degrees!! I went outside with Buster for a while, in my nightshirt, and just enjoyed the hell out of it! Even now, it only says about 62. I hope this lasts for a while.

Now, on to the cuteness. (What!?! I haven't bored you with Monkey stuff in over two weeks!) My brother tried to send this to me in Italy, but I didn't get it until yesterday. I very nearly peed my pants watching this.

God, I love this baby!!! I'm actually going to be having breakfast with her this morning. Woo hoo!! Thanks to my Caesar's Revenge (thanks, Jack! I loved that!) I didn't get to see her yesterday. I can't wait to go her up. I'm going to (finally!) be downloading pictures and videos later today, so I'll be back with that later.

Just a little longer...

...til I flaunt the details of my vacation. I've decided to first catch up on what I missed the past two weeks in my Bloggy Buddies lives. I woke up at the buttcrack of dawn (about 4am), and I'm not really feeling so hot. At the risk of over-sharing, I think my bowels have decides they need to immediately evacuate the two weeks of decadent food I've been shoveling in my gullet! So, I'm going to curl up and read for a while, and hopefully I'll be back to share some trip stuff later.

By the way, Mother Nature decided to welcome me back with open arms. It's currently about 55 here right now. Woo hoo! I LOVE it!

I'm back, bitches!

I just got home from my daddy's, after a LONG day of travel. I have literally 595 emails in my inbox to sort through, so I'll be back tomorrow, when I'm not so completely exhausted. It's so nice to be home!