Too many choices

We just spent way too long in front of our respective computers trying to put together registries for an upcoming baby shower. Doing this kind of research leaves me irritable and overwhelmed. Since I cannot have a drink, I am going to bed.

This is not the kind of post that should keep me in the running for NaBloPoMo, but I'm counting it.

No way

No blogging inspiration here tonight. Today was a long day that started out with a bang with a dental cleaning at which I was informed I have TWO new cavities. I am starting to wonder if I'm getting taken for a ride. I know that sounds paranoid, but seriously, this is ridiculous.

Until a few years ago, I'd had one or two cavities in my life. Now I've had five this year? Despite following all the rules about brushing and flossing, using a prescription enamel-building mouthwash and brushing my teeth soon after eating or drinking anything acidic? And by the way, fillings are not cheap -- I could buy 7 For All Mankind maternity jeans for me AND all my pregnant friends with the money I've spent fixing cavities this year.

The rest of the day was really busy with work but I came home a little early so Matt and I could both run on the treadmill before Bible study, which was at our house tonight. And after that I had a couple of stories to edit, which I just finished.

I hear there's nothing but warm weather in the forecast, and the time changes this weekend, and these two facts make me very happy. I'm ready to use the porch again, to run outside after work in a T-shirt and shorts, to wear sleeveless shirts and flip-flops, to eat lunch outside, to not be pasty white, and to sneak off to the beach on a weekend whim. In fact, maybe that would be a good plan for this weekend ... yes?

March 3

March 3 is an important day in my life. Let me count the ways (in no particular order):

- It's the anniversary of Mom's successful liver transplant. Two years ago today, as I was getting my nails done with Carrie, her sisters, her mom and her other bridesmaids in preparation for Carrie and Jacob's wedding that evening, my mom called to announce that she and Dad had just gotten "the call" and were on their way to Chapel Hill. We decided (with her encouragement) not to go to the hospital until after the wedding since she'd be in surgery during it anyway.

It was a couple of months before we knew for sure that the transplant was a success, but today's the day we celebrate her new healthy liver and vibrant life. (This picture is from last year's liver celebration.)

- As I just said, it's the anniversary of Carrie and Jacob's gorgeous wedding and the day I gained the world's best sister-in-law.
- It's the anniversary of the day Matt asked me to be his girlfriend. Thirteen years ago today, the story of us began.

- It's Amanda and Stephen's half-wedding-anniversary. That is, the half-anniversary of their wedding, not the anniversary of their half-wedding. Three and a half years ago today, they got married in a beautiful, simple ceremony. Amanda, the anti-Bridezilla, surprised ME with a birthday cake at her own wedding reception.
- It's my half-birthday. Six more months till I'm 30. But I'm still the youngest of all our college friends, and no one can take that away from me!

Sleepy Jenn

Let's start at the very beginning: Amanda, Mom, Granny, Joy, Gail and Renee are my heroes tonight. That's all I have to say about that.

It snowed enough to cover the yard but not the roads and we had to go to work on time today. Although a snow day is always welcome I wasn't that disappointed since we'd been out of the office since last Tuesday and I had some catching up to do.

I was going to write about Lent today but instead I'm going to write about a couple of funny dream situations I've had recently. Because I know how much fun it is to hear about someone else's dreams.

Funny dream story No. 1: Last night I was dreaming that I was at a high school basketball game and the guy sitting beside me was being so annoying, trying to flirt by making fun of me, which is the main way most high school guys know how to act, which is why I've never been too fond of them. I got more and more irritated until finally I turned to the guy and said to him "Will you LEAVE me ALONE!" and then I punched him twice, which is odd since I've never punched anyone. Well, once, but that's another story.

Anyway, the funny part is that during that dream I really did hit Matt, hard, while asleep. I hit his shoulder but another few inches and it would have been his face and he probably would have reacted out of instinct ... it would have been fun to explain all the bruises. Instead we both woke up and I apologized and he was kind of flabbergasted but then we just fell back asleep.

Funny dream story No. 2: For a few days last week I had the nagging feeling that there was something I'd done that I could check off my 101-things list, but I could not think of what it was. I remembered thinking "Oh good, I can check this off my list" and I felt like it was something spontaneous, not planned, but that was all I could remember. And the times that it crossed my mind I was always driving or in bed or somewhere else besides in front of a computer where I could just read the list and be reminded.

Finally I realized: I'd dreamed of going to an amusement park, which is No. 36 on my list.

That reminds me. Have I ever written about the time in college when I dreamed a final exam was going to be held in a different classroom than where we regularly met? I woke up the morning of the exam (it must have been an 8 a.m. one, because there was no spare time to just get there early and check things out) "remembering" the professor reminding us not to show up at the usual spot, but I couldn't find any record of the new exam location in my notes.

It was a lecture course in which I didn't know anyone well, and I had to call one of the few people I at least knew how to get in touch with and basically say "Am I crazy?" and she basically said, "Uh, yes." That was embarrassing.

On that note, I'm off to bed.

Rabbit

While it's still March 1, I'm throwing my hat in the ring for another round of March NaBloPoMo. Last year I started out strong, only to blow it on March 28 (I had a couple of good excuses). The November before that I completed it. And I've loved Amanda's daily postings for the past month.

This month's theme is "Giving (Up)," but according to the rules you don't have to stick to the theme, you just have to post daily. So I'm not going to promise it's always worth reading, but I'll do my best to write something every day this month.

Matt and I got back from our trip Saturday night. It was a good time; we hit about 50 towns in the four days we were gone. As we drove to church and lunch and the grocery store today I realized I was obsessively noticing dollar stores and auto-parts stores that I've driven by a billion times and never paid attention to. Matt said it will last a few days and then I'll be as oblivious as before.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love 1-800-Free411? You should stop right now and save that number in your phone. That's my free advice for the day. Real 411 is definitely not free and those charges add up fast. With Free 411 you have to listen to a short ad, but there are no hidden charges and it works perfectly.

For the first two nights of last week's trip, after we were done for the day, Matt drove toward the nearest "big" town while I used the GPS to find hotels there and Free 411'd them to compare prices. It worked but it took awhile. On the third night I finally realized that the GPS provides phone numbers for hotels. I'm not sure how I missed that in the first place, but once I noticed it, the whole process was a lot faster.

One of the highlights of the trip was visiting a small town with a mini-zoo featuring the typicals -- goats, roosters -- and buffalo! Or buffaloes? We were shocked! They seemed entirely out of place! I did not think buffalo(es) roamed around northeastern North Carolina, but there you go. Those might have been the first buffalo(es) I'd ever seen, but Matt had seen some in Yellowstone -- whole herds blocking the road. I took some pictures but the camera's in the car and I'm not going to get it because it's snowing right now, hooray!

This will be our third round of legitimate snow this year, which almost makes up for the fact that for the past three winters we have gotten no snow to speak of. It was 70 degrees Friday and is supposed to be that warm again by Wednesday, but in between, somehow, we might get 2-6 inches. I don't understand it, but I like it.

Tomorrow I'll post about Lent this year -- in keeping with the NaBloPoMo theme, and because I've been meaning to since Wednesday.