TheMommyBlog

Friday, August 13, 2010 Family, QOTD

Mom, you smell like a baby dolphin before it’s been penetrated by the salt in the sea water and smells like crap.
—Name Withheld

Tuesday, August 10, 2010 Me, Me, Me, Family, QOTD

So I was doing a shoot today, for a photographer’s promo video. I was wearing a business suit and everything, so it was already a bit of a stretch. And then. And then.

Me: “Should I wear any jewelry? I have some earrings and…”

Him: “No jewelry. Just a wedding ring.”

Me: [Blank stare.] “A wedding ring.”

Him: “Yeah, Just a wedding ring. That’s all.”

Me: [Tapping my foot. Eyes narrowing.] “Uh huh.”

And the bitch of it was, I HAD ONE ON ME! Auuuuugh!

You see, I was in a jeweler’s the other day, and this little old lady was there with a Tupperware container full of old jewelry, selling her gold. Gold prices are in the stratosphere, people, it’s not a bad idea. So I decided to go through my stuff and sort out all the heavy pieces I never wear, any broken chains or earrings missing a match, anything that would be substantial enough to have value just for the gold in it. I have an actual gold nugget, a pendant I got thirty years ago at a panning-for-gold joint, but never wore it because the chain broke. Plus, it was a nugget. Of gold.

Back to the shoot. I sighed and pulled out a small satchel and undid the drawstring. Out poured the nugget, some braided chains from when they were in fashion, a bracelet, and, of course, a wedding ring. God, I hated having one on me on the one occasion in my LIFE that someone would ask for it.

They all made fun of it, of course, which was a relief because they could easily have made fun of me instead. But it’s a really ugly ring, one the insurance company supplied to replace my great-grandmother’s fiftieth anniversary diamond band, one that was so NOT elegant, so NOT anything near as special, as beautiful as Grandma’s ring. It’s clunky, but it has the requisite five small diamonds in a wide gold band. It’s a mongrel. Even my mom, who is as sentimental as I am, said, “Get rid of it, and take whatever they’ll give you for it. I don’t know why you didn’t sell that thing years ago.”

Clearly, she is loathe to give it one-millionth the regard her Grandmother’s ring commanded.

Anyway, I shoved it onto my finger, twisted it around so only the plain gold shank was visible, and took my place in front of the camera.

Did I have a wedding ring on me? Christ in a sidecar with a bagel in one hand and a crossword in the other.

Friday, August 06, 2010 Me, Me, Me, Bad Mood Dude, Family

Two simultaneous ongoing events.

First and most manageable: the house I’m renting from a friend is old with a bit of deferred maintenance. For the last couple of months, a contractor was tearing down and rebuilding only the garage. Now they realize that the whole house is held together by termites and they’ll need to remove both inside and outside walls. And have to do it soon, before the rain starts. So, I’m looking for a new place.

Second, and this is touchy, and all y’all who don’t want me talking about this can just button up while I explain myself because it is KILLING MY LIVELIHOOD.

Guy and I have a wonderful partnership since we get along like crazy, both earn and take care of our kids, and are sane. But the gag rule surrounding nasty court stuff with his ex, and other things involving his kids and other stuff happening on my side of the equation… there is literally nothing left I can write about. My ex is especially off limits now since he has a rep to defend in the social media space where he’s trying to build a career.  So basically I’m very happy with Guy, have built something that works and pays the bills, but the last year of turmoil and juicy stuff I can never mention is tanking my business.

For sprinkles, this public persona has basically ruined me for the mainstream workforce. Would you hire someone with my visibility to be an office manager? Or would you wonder how much the “other” career was going to get in the way?

So there you have it. I haven’t spilled any secrets or embarrassed anyone, but I am again heading for unemployment and looking for a place to live at the same time. Renters LOVE hearing that you work for yourself and that your income varies wildly, but always turns out well in the end. There is no box to check for that.

So, if you hear of a large house in Scotts Valley for rent, like at least four bedrooms and lots of common space, or of an enterprise that could do with a bit of my talent, THROW ME A BONE HERE.

As you were.

Wednesday, August 04, 2010 Bad Mood Dude

No, of course not, the Earth is round, silly. Sheesh.

Truth is, there are a lot of things in flux at the moment, and of all the players involved, 90% of them are off-limits. I can’t talk about them here for privacy issues. Which sort of runs counter to what I’ve always done. I’m kind to those I do mention, but folks are touchy and I’m being careful.

Which sort of kills my livelihood, because I don’t write fiction. Need to learn, though, because y’all wouldn’t BELIEVE the shit raining down around here. Let’s just say I’m practically jobless, almost homeless, and gagged. You can imagine that I’m all kinds of cranky these days, and having to rethink my career. Do I say to hell with it, write about everything and deal with lawsuits later? Or do I find a new career and live with my parents?

(Kidding, Mom, don’t change the locks.)

For sprinkles on top, school starts soon! Whee! It’s always an adventure, trying to guess whether it will take five minutes as usual to make the school run, or if it will entail a thirty-mile haul over the mountain. There really is no inbetween.

Bear with me, I haven’t given up, I miss you terribly, and am trying to make the best of the situation.

Tuesday, August 03, 2010 Family

This morning featured hot coffee,  still-warm bacon, uninterrupted breakfast with said hot items. And I actually got some work done.

Two of three children are away at sleepovers.