Derby Days and Talladega Nights

I'm baaaaack!! It's been quite a few days since I've visited blog world to make my daily rounds, and obviously haven't posted anything in a while. Unfortunately, I fear my creative juices have been drained dry by the confines of a conference room where I spent the better part of the last 2-days. It hardly lived up to the hype I invented in my dream ... (remember, I camped in my office parking lot for a week in my parents' 1971 station wagon surrounded by a fortress of suitcases?) The dream was better than the retreat, but all in all it's been a pretty darn good week.

Here's what's been going on in the last omost-a-week since I've posted:

I got rid of my cleaning lady, so I've been cleaning quite a bit. Let me say, I found enough pine needles and branches under my coffee table to make a whole new Christmas tree. I also found dust bunnies under my dining room table so large I though I'd have to call the SPCA to get rid of them! This just reaffirms my decision to cut the cord.

No luck on any of my Superbowl block pools. Knowing that I'm a very unlucky gambler, I wasn't expecting anything so I wasn't disappointed. On a positive note, Schue and I wan second place in our Fantasy Football league, and we just got our little winfall. YAY!!! (As a side note, I have probably won less than 3 things in my entire life. In fact, the only other win that comes to mind is the fire extinguisher I won at the Great Frederick Fair when I was 8 years old. whoopdeefriggindoo!)

Davey Dogs and I booked a trip to Punta Cana in March. Yahooey! I can't wait to spend a whole week doing nothing but relaxing ... no decisions to make other than what color umbrella I want in my drink!

For the first time in my life, I actually watched an entire candidate debate. I've never been terribly interested in politics, but when I look at my W-2 and see how much money I pay in taxes, I get pissed off and think "dammit, I want to have a say in how they spend my money." Plus, I work in the healthcare industry (and am a consumer as well, with aging parents) so I feel pretty heavily vested in what decisions are made about the future of our country's healthcare system. One thing I'll say without getting too political -- it really stuns me that healthcare and the economy are approached as 2 different topics in the campaigns. Medicaid and Medicare spending account for as much as 50% of state and over 1/3 of federal budgets. I'm not sure how the topics can ever be divorced -- are these people sniffing glue, or do they just think everyone else is? Anyhoo, I still have some investigation to do because I really don't know much about John McCain ... so we'll see. I'm still amongst the undecided.

My friend DeDe in Kentucky called me a few days ago, ecstatic about a trip she's planning to her version of Mecca. She and my friend Pam are huge NASCAR fans and travel all over the place for these races. They love NASCAR and Dale Junior like I love throwing parties and my old Carmen Miranda costume. This year they are finally going to live a dream ... they're driving an RV from Louisville to Talladega (Alabama) for the Holy Mother of all NASCAR races ....... and they invited me to go with them!!!! I jumped so high at the invitation, I may have put a dent in my kitchen ceiling!! Mind you, I've never watched more than 5 minutes of anything NASCAR, but I do know that this means I have a lot of shopping to do. Am certain I'll need a jumpsuit with patches on it. Something like this ...

After we get back from Talladega, I'll spend a few days working in Louisville until the weekend comes. The .... I'll shed my jumpsuit in favor of a beautiful sundress. Yes, I'll be headed to the Kentucky Derby! Finally ... after 7 years of working with our Kentucky office ... I'm going to go to the Derby!!! I can't wait to sip mint juleps while wearing my gigantic Chanel(lish) sunglasses in what will be the most beautiful hat I'll ever wear. Ahhh .. I can't wait!!! I'm envisioning a very wide brim adorned with only the finest of geegaw on top. Oh, and did I say mint juleps too?

And my goodness, I almost forgot a fourth vacation booked this week .... Schue, Los, Davey Dogs, myself and a few others will be venturing back to the Outer Banks again this summer. We'll be returning to a groovy little house we rented a few years ago. Let's just hope it isn't 115 degrees everyday this time!!

And tonight I got my haircut. My friend Linda's daughter, Lori, does an awesome job! I can't wait to sport my new do in front of the world starting tomorrow. It's tres fabu!!! Thanks Lori!!

And, I think that's it. It's been quite a whirlwind of activity between cleaning, booking vacations, jumping up and down with excitement, being at a work retreat, and getting fancy hair. I hope this week has been as kind to everyone else too!

In fact, I delcare this "Spread your good news week." So c'mon folks ... spread it, I say!!!