3 posts in a week? Think I just broke my 5 year record.

After two weeks in ketosis, I had a cheat day last Sunday afternoon to reboot the keto. My sisters came over for sushi and wine. It was lovely. I really need to get together with them more often. I totally dug the Sex in the City round table discussion.

I haven't looked at a carb sideways since. My meals consist of something like an epic omelette for breakfast, a bad ass salad for lunch, grilled chicken with veggies for dinner, and a few low carb snacks during the day. I'm drinking nothing but water, using my total gym, and I've started violently swinging dumbbells around like I know what I'm doing. I'm down over 15 lbs in about 3 weeks (I'm 5'1. That's a LOT) and I just bought some new lingerie. Woo Woo.

So after nearly a year of pushing her to even apply, my brilliant teenage Morgan (I have a teenager????) recently got accepted into the literary arts program for a fantastic arts and technology magnet school. She will be in the first class to attend the brand spanking new 70 million dollar building which opens next school year. I suspect she's going to have an absolutely amazing high school experience. I'm so proud of her, and I'm incredibly excited about being involved in this school for the next 4 (possibly 8) years.

My baby Sierra just got her little heart broken by a boy for the first time. Tonight we drown her sorrows in minecraft and chocolate chip cookies. I think she'll make it.

Mike's job is going incredibly well. Finances are great but he's so stressed out and he's gone all the time. It's difficult. We haven't even had time to discuss wedding plans yet. At this point we're not sure if we're going to go all out on a big wedding next year or perhaps elope sometime soon. I vote the ice hotel in Sweden.

I've been filled with a sudden desire to get into kick ass physical shape. I'm so hardcore right now. I'm a naughty redhead again and I dropped 13lbs in the last 2 weeks. Keto is my friend and I'm about to start lifting. I demand to see my girly six pack again. My end goal is to fit back into my prom dress. Let's do this shit.

My last post was in November. Hmm. Let's see. I went on a trip to Vegas in December. In January I sprained my ankle and it never fully healed. A few months later Mike got an opportunity of a lifetime job as a robotics programmer and, over the course of a week, dropped out of college, moved all his shit into my place, and left for Michigan. He came back for a visit with hearts in his eyes and diamonds in his pockets, then left again. I said yes. He'll be gone for most of the next year or two. We still haven't figured out how this will work. Feesh got married this summer. My sister is getting married next month. I lost 15 lbs. I'm currently in the process of selling a shitload of antique guns even though I hate guns. I dunno how that happened. Earthquake from the 19th floor last month was exciting. I honestly thought I was about to plummet to my death and my only thought was "well this is going to suck." Fortunately, I lived long enough for the hurricane to flood my apartment a few days later and destroy my floors. Sierra just turned 9. She's hilarious, awesome, and really making up for what a shitty baby she was. Morgan is almost 13 and has a terrible case of the angsty teens. She's really making up for what an awesome baby she was. Any day now, I highly expect her to walk in smelling like weed and telling me to fuck off when I say "how was your day?" I love her.

Life is pretty good.

The 0:35 mark.... I can't stop laughing.

So I finally took a look at my pictures from the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear last Saturday. What a day!

( too many pics )

I've been to quite a few large events, but I've never seen anything like this and doubt I ever will again. The atmosphere was fantastic. Everyone was so funny and friendly. It was like a few hundred thousand inside jokes. Here is an unbelievable satellite image of the chaos. We set a new Metro record.

In an attempt to beat the mad rush home, we decided to duck out early before the Rally even ended. It was a good decision. But while waiting for the train in the main station, I was about 12 inches from the edge of the platform and every time someone sneezed I was sure I was going onto the tracks. Fear successfully restored.

When I was 19, I went back to my high school to pick something up. I had Morgan with me. She was about 6 months old. As I was walking down the hallway, my favorite teacher passed me, chuckled, and said, "Hey J.P.! Do you have life right now or does it have you?" I didn't answer. I just smirked and rolled my eyes.

I've never forgotten those words. In fact, I've probably reposted this story half a dozen times in the near decade I've kept an on again off again journal. Today is one of those days where the words flashed through my mind again.

Everything is so chaotic lately and I've been overwhelmed and off balance for quite a while now. Sometimes I feel like I'm playing tug-o-war for control of my life. I'm not sure who is on the other end. Perhaps it's life itself. That bastard is pretty strong.

Maybe if I just let go of the rope he'll fall and bust his ass. That would be awesome.

Wow, it's been 6 weeks since I updated?

DragonCon flew by way too fast. I planned on making a huge post so I could remember it all but as usual I ljfail. My energy wasn't back to 100% and I really overdid it with the not sleeping and not taking my iron supplements thing so I had a few rough patches but overall it was fantastic. I can't wait til next year! Already planning it. I saw so many familiar faces I've dearly missed, and I loved getting to spend some time once again with lucifera_shadow and mrs__smith. Them bitches is crazy.



Back to school has kept me busy and my place was attacked by a plague of cooties that had Morgan out of school for a week but things are getting back to normal again, or as close to normal as they ever get.

Halloween is coming up. Sierra is going to be Lady Gaga in the bubble dress. LOL. I just ordered all the clear plastic balls to make the costume. It should be hysterical. I'm going to be a chick version of Chucky. Might even dye my hair back to red like I've been threatening for months. That seemed to work out well for me. I'd like to try to once again be referred to as an exotic red head in a court of law.

On Oct 30th, I'm going to the Rally to Restore Sanity / March to Keep Fear Alive in D.C. I'm SO EFFIN EXCITED about it!!! I watch Stewart and Colbert almost every night and I literally squee'd when I heard the announcement. As of today on the FB event page there are 179 thousand attending and 98 thousand maybe's. And my favorite online community (the one that keeps me from having time for LJ anymore) is having their first meetup there after the rally. There really are no words to describe my excitement over this. My frustration over the bullshit media scare tactics has been growing for quite some time and I've been fed up with the WingNuts for more years than I can recall. I'm opting for a slogan shirt instead of a sign but I haven't found "the one" yet. CAN'T WAIT!!! This is going to be epic. EPIC!

I can't believe kids go back to school in a couple weeks! The summer has really flown by! And I have to say, it was a great one. Morgan has spent quite a bit of time over her dad's. She says she enjoys the little sister free zone, so it's mostly been just me and Sierra. We've kept busy at the pool, with playdates, and/or poking our noses into local events. We've had quite a few laughs, and the trip to SC was way more fun than I'd expected. When Sierra isn't here, I've been having friends over for more epic nights on the balcony with some festive adult beverages. Several good friends have also had birthdays this summer. The one a week and a half ago resulted in the drunkest I've ever been in my life. It was spectacular. I can't tell you how quickly I rushed to untag myself in those facebook pics.

I even enjoyed school shopping this year. I hit up all the clearance racks and 50% off sales at the mall yesterday. Sierra is going into 3rd grade and can finally fit in clothes from Justice (previously Limited Too). Dressing her like a little punk princess makes me squee. Morgan is going into 7th grade and has begged me not to buy any more cutesy clothes with monkeys on them. She's officially in Junior sizes now so though it pained me, I went and got her a few things from Aeropostale like she requested because unfortunately she is one of those girls. She's going to be embarrassed to be seen in public with me and Sierra any day now but I love her anyway. She's almost as tall as me and we wear the same size shoes. Effin weird.

Perhaps it's my iron levels finally getting back to normal, or maybe I'm just sick and tired of being sick and tired, but I'm in such a great mood all the time lately and my energy level is, comparatively, through the roof. I've been working on taking off the chubbly wubbly. I'm down 10 lbs but refuse to admit how much more I have to lose. Being exhausted the past year was a terrible decision.

Booked my flight for DragonCon last week. It's been 5 years since I've gone. I'm so excited!

The trip so far has been fantastic. Visited the family, walked the river, ate fried ice cream, saw the Wizard of Oz, met a munchkin, ran around the theater, had a few drinks, did a bunch of party store shopping, made a HUGE dent in all the old toys and baby junk, and took a new shower head for a test drive. Giggity. This morning Tim took Sierra on a day trip to go meet a few out of town relatives so I have some much needed quiet time. I can't stop snapping pics this week. I put up a ton on bookface and my gallery last night, but here be a few.

( click fo pics )

I'm back down south visiting for a couple weeks. It's strange being back in this town. It's only been a few years, but it feels like it was a lifetime ago. I pass places I used to frequent and they only seem vaguely familiar, like something I once saw in a dream. Being back in this house is particularly surreal. Some things are covered in dust but exactly where I left them.

I plan to see some friends while I'm here and do a bit of that drinking thing, but mostly this visit was for Sierra to see Tim and for me to donate/trash/sell all their old kid stuff and pick up a few personal things I forgot. I'm attempting to get the latter done as quickly as possible to move onto the lols, but this trip down memory lane is overwhelming and a bit sad at times. In my old closet I found an ex-boyfriend box. I couldn't help but read through some of the old notes and love poems while the whatifs danced around inside my head. Oh how I long to be once again full of innocence, youth, hormones, and passion. I also found my prom dress and some costumes from my theater days. The girls old rooms haven't changed. Morgan's still has a blue ceiling with glow-in-the-dark stars on it, little fairy wall decals, and a shelf of random scattered kid toys she's long outgrown. In another room, a door mirror leaning against a wall still has tiny fingerprints on it. As soon as I saw it, I remembered knocking it off the door when I slammed it during a meltdown after Jaime died. In the laundry room, there's a giant pile of baby toys, clothes, and furniture which was moved out of a spare bedroom at some point. I've started whittling away at that tonight. I didn't get very far. Memories keep popping out from every corner and fucking with me, so I just keep leaving to go outside and grab a smoke while I ponder.

BTW, southern flying cockroaches still creep me the fuck out.

On a less melancholy note, I also found some special things I'd long forgotten, including a locket from my high school sweetheart, a bunch of pictures, some VHS tapes of old parties and family movies, a raggedy babydoll I've had since I was an infant, and a mysterious roll of undeveloped film. haha film? Do I... get it developed? Think I just might. I hope it's nothing that gets me arrested.

We've had a packed couple of days. Just got here yesterday, but I feel like I've been here a week already. Tomorrow should be packed as well assuming I can actually wake up on time. Not sure why I'm still awake. I guess I'm just waiting for all the whatifs to crawl out of my ears for tonight.