Sunshine and Mumbles are going home today, and you’ll get no argument from me. It’s been a challenge… Sunny has taken her game to a whole new level, and we’ve all just about had enough. Even the boys, who generally go with the flow, are about to snap.
Yesterday I got out of bed, after working the night before, and Sunshine was laid-out in her lace sleeping gloves and ceremonial four blankets (or whatever), taking her first nap of the day. At ten o’clock in the morning… So, I had to keep quiet, and not crank my stereo as I normally do. This irritates me, because I do things in a structured way, and my Monday was already getting off on the wrong foot.
But whatever. It’s best when she’s asleep, and not talking. I should learn to count my blessings… I had a cup of coffee with Mumbles, to be sociable, and went to the bunker. She was in the next room snoozing, and I was just sitting there in complete silence. Every computer keystroke sounded like a firecracker going off.
Then she suddenly woke up. “OH!” she yelled, and began thrashing around. Then: “Oh my god… Ohhh!!” She’s always moaning in agony for some reason, and I didn’t bother to check on her. Because those are just the normal sounds of a semi-conscious Sunshine.
A few minutes later Mumbles came into the room, and Sunny started ripping him a new one, about something or other. And she never stopped complaining and belittling and yelling for the rest of the day. The woman was fresh from a nap and seething with anger. She needs a good long stay at the Betty Ford Clinic (BFC!) and/or a state mental hospital.
Eventually I walked through there to get another cup of coffee, and she said (in a sarcastic tone), “My stuff isn’t blocking your closet door anymore, so you don’t have to worry.”
I hadn’t said anything to her, not even “good morning.” But I answered “OK” to this, and kept walking. Sheesh. Full access to a closet door was FAR down my list of irritations.
When I returned she was holding up a large sheet of denim, and said to Mumbles, “I guess I’ll just leave these jeans here. I can’t wear them, and don’t have any room in my suitcase to take them back with me. I wasn’t allowed to try them on. Oh no. When you go shopping with Toney, you’re not allowed to take your time. You’ve got to keep moving. HEAVEN FORBID THAT SOMEONE TAKES THEIR TIME!”
I just walked past her without saying anything, and went back into my office.
When Toney got home from work, Sunny reportedly began bitching and said there wasn’t anything to eat for lunch. Toney had called and told them the fridge was full of sandwich stuff, there were sliced tomatoes and lettuce and onions, and the whole nine yards. She’d even bought a couple of different kinds of fancy-ass breads, and made a pasta salad.
When Toney reminded her of this, Sunny just rolled her eyes and said, “Boy, you really went all-out with that, didn’t you? Lunch meat!”
So, you can see why I’m ready for them to go. The woman has always been difficult, but now she’s also openly hostile. I do a pretty good job of ignoring her little comments, but S&M’s general presence is throwing my life into disarray. And Toney has had it.
It’s the last day, though. And then we’ll be free!
I hope everyone had a great holiday. I worked on New Years Eve until 9 pm, came home and watched four or five episodes of The Office while drinking beer, saw the ball drop, and called it a night. Then I worked a full shift on New Years Day. Oh yeah, I’m nothing if not wild.
But I was glad to see 2010 end. On account of the sucking… It was a bad year, my friends. 2010 can go fuck itself.
The new year is going to be interesting, at the very least. I am planning (among other things) to launch a new site about creativity and writing, begin writing a non-fiction book, and release the novel via my own imprint. That’s right, my own publishing company — legally and formally. I’ll have more details in the near future.
Before I’d even written the first sentence of the novel, I was told by my agent that it would VERY difficult to sell. Not because of the writing or the plotting or the humor… No, because publishers rarely take a chance on a new author who writes comic novels. Even during the best of times. And since the industry is hurting, it would be next to impossible to sell.
So, what did I do? I went ahead and wrote it anyway. And since it’s been completed, two additional agents have read it, and given me the same bad news. Both had good things to say about the book itself, especially one of them, but the current climate in the publishing industry makes it very difficult.
So, I’m doing it myself. I’ll have more information in the near future, mostly at the new site, but it’s going to be done the right way. I’m not just going to slap a cover on a Word document and proclaim it a book. I’ll tell you about it, as it happens.
In the meantime, if any of you work as an editor, or are an English teacher or anything along those lines, I’d love to talk with you about possibly doing a proofread of the manuscript, for grammar and spelling. I’d like to have one or two people, who work with language on a daily basis, give it a quick read. Please drop me an email, if you’re interested in doing something like that. I can pay you in a signed copy of the finished book, and a t-shirt. Let me know.
I will also need to have a cover created, but we’ll burn that bridge when we get to it. I’m hoping to have the book available at Amazon, the Kindle store, NookBooks, Apple’s iBooks, etc. in April. So, stay tuned.
I’m sorry this site sat dormant for so many days. I was getting sick of seeing that sandwich-eater, and I’m sure some of you were, as well. But the “guests” just left! Oh yeah. Now we can get this party started.
As for a Question, I’d like get your letter grade for the year 2010. I’m going with a D, only because nobody died and nobody got seriously ill, or anything like that. It felt like an F, but it could’ve been much worse. I know this… so I’m going with a D.
What about you? Please tell us about it in the comments.
And I’ll see you guys again tomorrow.
Have a great day!
I give 2010 a solid C-. Lost some good friends, found some new ones. Lots of drama, got laid off, spent a week plus in the hospital with pancreatic issues, spent way too much time on truck problems, went back to college, and bought a house I never should have. 2011 is shaping up to look about the same, with a slight improvement in that I might actually be able to make some money this year.
Can I give it lower than an F? 2010 sucked ass. Lost my opportunity to work at the Sheriff’s Dept. in the jail. Lost two part time jobs, including one where the owner took a two week vacation and never came back. Went into debt consolidation program that seems to take forever to complete. Smokes went up, gas went up, wages stayed the same, since no one is giving raises or bonuses. Summer was 1000 degrees here (rashes on my eashes) Never found my niche. Colts barely made playoffs. Magic bounced from playoffs. Power surges blew up my oven, conputer, printer, a TV, a Wii, a clock radio, a stereo and the top of my brain. IT Nazis keep me from logging in at work. 2011 has to be better. Seeing Cake next weekend and Linkin Park the weekend after that. Good start to the year anyways.
Angry, here’s to hoping that you have a fantastic time at your concerts & from here on out you & your family will start having better days! 2010 sounded awful for you, so I hope 2011 looks only up for you!
I hope this year goes better for you! Can’t you file a claim with the Electric Co. over the power surge? I work for a Power Company and they do pay out on claims when it was the company’s fault!
My year was an A – I’m still here, I have my family, my health and some money in the bank. You people need to look at the bright side of things, Those of you that lost friends and family (or jobs) yeah then it wasn’t such a good year. But the crabbing about “little” things and giving it an F? I don’t get it. NOT that I’m raggin’ on you guys. It was a question and we are all entitled to our own opinions. I’m just saying – it could be so much worse. Hopefully THIS year will be an “A” for all of you!
But for some of us who have the “little” things to crab about generally grade it so low because of the dire financial situation. It’s hard to look at the bright side when you don’t have “some money in the bank”. Sure it could be worse, but for those of us complaining about our “little” things know that mountains of “little” things feel like a whole lotta bad things. My grade stands.
Amen, Melissa.
Found lump in left breast, had surgery. Grandmother died. Cat died. Lost job. And, didn’t have “some $ in the bank”. A solid F year, for Fuck you, 2010.
On the upside, I DID manage to dump my loser, bipolar, Narcissistic Personality Disordered, anxiety -ridden, paranoid, swallowing-issues, manic, cheating, pedophile boyfriend! Hmm. Maybe the year could be given an A+ actually!
Oh yeah! That was another reason why my year was shit! I too found a lump in my left breast (are we twins?!) & had surgery! I’ve had this same surgery three other times so I wasn’t too worried but the week of pain sure wasn’t fun.
Glad to hear you dumped your larger lump in the form of a boyfriend! That’s a bonus grade up, but for the rest of the year a solid D- should still stand!
Here’s to your health & new adventures in 2011, Steph!
Thank you, Melissa!
Yeah, the pain from surgery sucked big time. And, before anyone asks, I knew my boyfriend had MANY issues, but I left out con-artist as well as abusive. So, once he had my brain all messed up after presenting himself as the “perfect” man, it was hard to get out. Kept making me think everything was MY fault and that *I* had to fix it/him/us. I only found out about the cheating/pedophile thing in the end. THAT was the dealbreaker, FINALLY! Thank God I got away alive. The guy is now on the run, since everyone here thinks he is probably a serial killer, too! LMAO Ech, his past will catch up to him eventually. Washington state, you now have him among your citizens…beware!
Stephanie and Melissa- I pray for your continued good health and my congratulations for being survivors. My sister is a survivor too and she tried to tell me how scared she was (and is even though she’s had a clean bill of health for a few years now).
Money is always a tough subject and although we never had any when I was growing up I have enough now to last the rest of my life as long as I die in a few months. Terri’s intention’s I believe are noble – I think she’s trying to say a positive attitude is a gift you give yourself – perhaps her wording was a slight bit off out of frustration, I don’t know. It’s certainly now harsher than what Dr Phil would say 🙂
At one point in my life I was hitting what I believed to be rock bottom job and marriage wise. I went to church for the first time in about 10+ years only because I didn’t know what else to do. It so happened to be the first night for a brand new priest to the area. After mass I sat there with tears in my eyes and a head full of swirling thoughts. The priest sat beside me and asked if he could help. I asked him, is it wrong to pray for help, to despair, to feel so sorry for myself when there are so many other more important things in the world and so many more important issues that people have to deal with. He replied “Not at all – it’s important because it’s important to you”. I’ve stopped going to church again but what he said that day did help me both with perspective and with dealing with my own issues.
All three of you sound very strong and either have your shit together or have taken steps to make it so. Big brotherly hugs if ya want them but good work none the less.
Thus endith the unrequested sermon. 🙂
I like what the priest said…very eye-opening.
And, yeah, I have my shit together, now. I was lost for awhile there, but…never again!
Good stuff Stephanie. Good stuff.
Cheers
Ray
Thank you, Ray! It was a long, hard road, but I have learned a very valuable lesson. And now, I am happier than I have ever been in my life!
That is what I was trying to say. I know that “little” things are a pain in the ass, but the bigger picture, it could be so much worse. I lost my parents over 15 years ago, I miss them everyday, but I have learned that to enjoy life you have to love it. I’m sorry that it came out wrong. I just think looking at the positive makes it easier to be happy. Damn, harsher than Dr. Phil? SOO sorry about that, I didn’t mean to be.
Sorry Terri, typo… should have been “no harsher than Dr Phil”, i.e. he’s way more blunt.
Damn possessed fingers always typing what they want!!!
My sympathies to all you Surf Reporters who lost loved ones this past year.
2011 was shit. F, without a doubt. My great grandfather once told me, “All of the odd numbered years are fucking shit. The even numbered years are good.” It stuck with me. So now I always look foward to the even numbered years. It’s not the best way to live, to tell you the truth, because you set yourself up for having a shitty time for half your life. But who am I to change it?
The first semester was kinda tough but the assingments were kinda strange so I graded on a curve there. The second semester took off pretty good and then stumbled a bit at the end of the third quarter. The fourth quarter regained it’s legs and turned in some nicely produced results that earned it some extra credit. I was headed to give it a C, but the pick up in attitude and improvement there at the end…I’m giving it a B-.
hot fuzz…sure sorry to hear of your loss. And I’ll echo madz1962…
-d
Thanks brother. I thought of you losing your dad last year too. I’ll say a prayer for all of us.
Really, this is a D-..no offense to moneybags above, but the little things make it suck. Hubby make 1/2 of what he made the year before, his job yanked insurance and vacation time(fuckers). No one died, and we are not vomiting any longer…gotta love Xmas Vacation!! Things are not cool, and since we live in the area with the highest unemployment in the state…it is looking to be another humdinger of a year.
Bonus: In December our youngest was diagnosed with autism, so it does feel like someone has died here. 🙁
AWG: I too have no NICHE.
Casey…
Hope you can get hooked up with an autism support group. You might be surprised how much others traveling the same road can help. Hope the other stuff also goes better in 2011.
jtb
thanks!! We are learning new stuff every day here!!!
Sorry you had such a bad year! I have an autistic neice and she is such a joy! I don’t know how it would be to raise an autistic child, but I love children and I wish I still had children to take care of. God Bless you and your family! (if you beleive) Things WILL get better!
Casey, I know what a struggle it is to bring up kids that are NOT autistic as you do. I’m not sure I can imagine the challenges you face now with your youngest. I wish you strength and patience. God bless…
I would give 2010 a C+. It wasn’t that horrible, but not that great either. My son (2 years old) broke his leg in July, so the latter part of our summer was spent inside. My husband was gone a lot for work, and I continued to be unemployed.
On the plus side, my husband finished his degree…finally. My mom finished chemo and got the “all clear”. We adjusted to being a 1 income family and are doing okay with it.
2009 was the worst year to date for my husband and I. I’m really surprised we came out of it still married. Hopefully 2011 continues the improvements started in 2010.
I’ll give it a C. I lost two girlfriends, eh. My grandma died but they didn’t cut her leg off so that’s a plus. And on the last day of the year I made an offer on a house ($95K on a $110K listing) and Saturday they accepted.
The reds made the playoffs.
So, I can’t really bitch.
Oh, spending 5 days in the joint didn’t help, but I’m stickin’ with C.
Nah, C+.
2010 was a big fat fucking F………………
I’ll not expound on the details as it’s difficult to type while curled up in the fetal postition in the corner of the man cave…….