THANKFUL FRIDAY

Rally

"Rally"

It's Friday!!!! For reelz people. This week kind of reminds me of trying to leave the zoo after spending the day there with a toddler and no stroller. You can either make the child walk or carry the sticky cranky beast out through the sea of cars into the depths of the parking lot. Either way, all you want to do is get to that car. This is the only thing that you are thinking as you are half carrying, half dragging said toddler through the desert of hot pavement. Get to the car. Friday is that car. Everyone around me right now completely agrees with me. This week was hard. 

Yesterday, I went back to the dentist because he wanted to do an overlay of my bicuspids on the right side of my mouth. They let you pick out something to watch on the TV screen hanging on the ceiling and their collection is a mix of concerts and DVDs. One time I chose a Jim Gaffigan stand up DVD. Oh, how we all laughed and laughed. This time I chose an ABBA DVD, to which at one point my dentist said "Wait! I need a minute. I'm being taken over by the music and she's going to end up with Disco teeth." I always opt for the nitrous oxide when I go to the dentist just because it keeps me from wanting to jump out of the chair. Nitrous oxide while watching ABBA is totally trippy awesome. In one of the videos, one of the female singers is dressed in a tunic and leggings with tall boots and I thought "hey! I have that outfit!" I dress like ABBA. As the dentist was drilling bad stuff out of my tooth, he realized that my tooth wasn't that bad. To do an overlay, he'd have to remove a whole lot of good healthy tooth and he said that was unethical. Instead, he's just going to do an inlay. I have a temporary inlay in place now. It feels weird, like I have a piece rough silly putty stuck up inside my tooth. So, I'm super thankful I get to keep most of my tooth and that the inlay is cheaper than an overlay (which I think is really crown, but I don't know). 

Then I went to an AIDS Walk Memorial planning meeting at Bistro 303, which was also hosting a Hillary Clinton rally. We came up with a game plan for the memorial flags and then we listened to some inspiring people talk about why we need to vote and why we should vote for Hillary. It kind of lit that fire I used to have for politics, like the time I helped campaign for John Kerry in the reddest of the red states. Man, was I on fire to change the world back then. Whoo! I was so young and idealistic. Now I'm content with just changing my neighborhood. In the middle of all of this, I received a phone call from the dog chip people telling me that Adam had my dog. Apparently she'd escaped the back yard three times that evening. The last time ended her in doggie jail. She's spending the day in her crate until we can dog proof the fence (again). I am so thankful that Adam got her before a car did and I'm thankful that he did the right thing by calling the number on her tag. Thank you, Adam! (He doesn't even know this blog exists.)

That gets me back to today where, once again I will say that I'm thankful it is Friday. Michael and I are escaping for an impromptu getaway. This is something we have not done in a really long time. With illness and school and crazy scheduling, it has been hard to make some time for just the two of us. I'm thankful for this. Terry is going to keep Josephine for us. I am equal parts nervous and thankful for this. I am not worried about Terry's ability to spoil my dog rotten. I am a little worried about Josephine being a good, polite house guest. Let me just that I am so thankful for Terry. I am thankful for many things when I sit down and really think about it. We think all four chickens are now laying eggs. The number of eggs we collect daily ranges anywhere between two and four. We bought a clear reusable egg holder for the refrigerator and it is such a joy to open the fridge and see all the different egg colors. I am thankful for fresh eggs. I am thankful for sunshine. I am thankful for Michael who ordered a pizza that night this week when I was too tired and annoyed to make dinner. I am thankful for you.

Have a pleasant weekend, but truly enjoy this Thankful Friday. 

THANKFUL FRIDAY

Morning

"Morning"

I've been thinking of charities. 'Tis the season right? December is usually the month where people make their biggest donations. I will admit that I haven't committed to anything yet this month mostly because my own wallet is a bit on the thin side. I still set aside $10 a month for Donors Choose and I push for donations in early Spring for the AIDS Walk. As of tomorrow, it will be forty days until I turn forty. I had an idea of commemorating this with a list of forty charities that I'd like to see people donate to. Then some common sense kicked and I realized that forty charities is a lot of charities. I don't have a very large audience and that would be spreading out money pretty thinly. 

Last week I helped get a Donors Choose project fully funded. When I got the email stating that the project got completely funded, I wanted jump and shout. It had nothing to do with the project itself. I didn't know the teacher. I didn't have a personal connection to any of the students. The joy came from being part of something that succeeded. It's exhilarating really. It is in these moments when I think "YES! We are making a difference! We are awesome! The world doesn't totally suck!" Because you know what? The world doesn't totally suck. The yucky bullshit we see on TV is just a small fraction of humanity. Sure I'd like to do more, give more, but I feel pretty good about giving what I can to causes that are important to me. I am thankful that I can do this. I am thankful for those of you who do the same. So maybe instead of forty different charities, we can see forty new projects funded or forty dollars fins its way onto my AIDS Walk Fundraising page. Do it because the world doesn't totally suck.

I am thankful for the time I spent on my yoga mat this week. I am thankful that I finally got my nanobody staining protocol to work. Yes I know that means nothing to you, but it means good things here. I am thankful for tofu chili dogs. I am thankful advent calendars of tiny chocolates. I am thankful for the mouse Albus brought us. And I am always always always thankful for you.

Here's to a wonderful weekend and a truly Thankful Friday.

P.S. To make a donation to any of those things just click on the first mention of Donors Choose and AIDS Walk. They are linked to places where you can make a donation. Thank you!!!!

AIDS WALK OPEN!

Holy Rollers ready for put put!

"Holy Rollers ready for put put!"

I didn't really do as much video taking as I was hoping to do during this year's AIDS Walk Open. But I'm really happy I caught this truly sincere moment between Brad and one participants. It looks like a total setup, but I assure you it wasn't. We met a lot of new people this year, drank too much gin, and had a really great time. Most importantly, we did it all for charity. If you would like to give to my AIDS Walk fundraising page, you may do so at https://www.aidswalkkansascity.org/elephantsoap