Awkward couple and my new obsession

Okay, so my friend sent me a link to Root Photography blog the other day becuase their most recent entry (Meg & Rob: Engagement) features an exceptionally awkward couple. And becuase we have a very special place in our hearts for awkward couples, she thought I would enjoy. After getting a giggle out out of the initial post I was supposed to look at I started browsing through their other posts... and then through their website... and by now I am pretty much in love with Nathan and Jensey and the amazing, beautiful work they do! Check out their galleries... they are pretty cool. Now all I have to do if figure out if they would come to Kansas should I ever be in need of their services. ;)

I'm Not Snoopy

The other day while hanging out with my best girlfriends, we were discussing our significant others when one of the girls admitted to be a 'snooper'. "I totally go through all his stuff when he's not around. I go through his phone and email too. He knows he can't hide anything from me, I will totally find it." The others jumped right in and claimed that they too regularly search their husbands/boyfriends' phone/email/belongings and that they know theirs are regularly searched as well. I hadn't joined the conversation. Crickets were chirping as the conversation turned to me, and I had nothing to add. "I don't snoop." What? Everyone snoops... how do you know you can trust them...?
Here are two things I learned about snooping from past relationships: 1) Snooping only uncovers things I would rather be blissfully unaware of and 2) I don't want people to snoop through my business, so I should probably extend them the same courtesy.
Upon further self-examination on point #2 above, I decided it's not the snooping itself that I mind, because I really have nothing to hide. I would be pretty upset to learn someone thought they had a reason to snoop through my business. It's the dishonest/lack of trust thing about it all that bothers me. I would not want to insert that into an otherwise healthy relationship by snooping... so I decided I just wouldn't ever again.
So there you go-- that's why I'm not Snoopy.

Valerie gets really annoyed when...

...her phone randomly shuts itself off.
...people at work ask her to start projects at 4:28.
...she discovers winston has eaten another shoe.
...it's so humid even HER hair can look curly.
...she doesn't even get a five minute conversation with her boyfriend all day.
...her friends don't respect her limited monthly number of text messages.
...her roommate's boyfriend is over every time she comes home.
...she gets paper cuts from filing at work.
...she loses her keys/phone/shoes when she is already late.
...she expresses her desire for a more fulfilling occupation, and someone gives her the 'just be glad you have a job in this economy...' speech.
...her toes are not pretty (too long between pedicures).
...people use the phrase "It is what it is."

Music teacher

Annie called me a music teacher tonight. And it made me really happy. I miss music. I miss singing a lot. My mom laughed at me when I proclaimed my favorite song from the show was "Hymn for a Sunday Evening" She said, "The only reason you like it is because it has the most harmony of any song in the show." SO? I miss harmony... nice, thick, choral harmonies... or, even better... choral polyphony! A once a year sing through of the Messiah cannot fill that void. I miss serious music. And I miss being around serious music people... I am rapidly losing skills that I have no need for in my current occupation: I couldn't play the piano to save my life anymore-- probably couldn't make it through warm-ups, I remember little more about proper voice leading than no paralell 5ths, and my vocal technique these days is in the toilet. I want to sing for real again.
I am supposed to remember al this stuff. I was supposed to put that degree to use. I was supposed to be a music teacher. I was supposed to marry a man with a beautiful tenor voice so we could sing together and have little singing babies and it would be perfect and wonderful and musical... whatever happened to that plan?
Why do I work for a plumber and only sing along with the radio in the car?

Brush off

My boyfriend is out of town for the weekend, so my weekend it pretty much wide open. And... becuase I've got some stuff going on sunday evening I will not be participating in the regular weekly family date night. So when my mom stopped by work earlier today to chat, I thought to myself... hey, I would like to spend some time with my family on saturday. My mother confirmed they had no plans on saturday, so I said-- Hey, would you and Dad be interested in doing something Saturday. You could see my mom thinking... she had just admitted they had no plans, but she obviously wasn't thrilled with the idea of hanging out with me becuase she cooly responded, "Why don't you use your free saturday to catch up on some sleep?" "Um, okay, Mom, but I'm not going to be in bed ALL DAY." "Yes, well, it wouldn't be bad for you..." And then she bolted for the door and quickly waved on her way out.
So there you go. I got the brush off from my mom. Awesome.
Wanna be my friend?