Why Can't You Be Blue Over Me?

Yep, well, tomorrow I start a new temp job. I will be working for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana. Data entry. I am in good spirits about this and seeing it as a clean slate and a new opportunity. This *could* (I'm hoping) become something more in time. A higher rate of pay would, of course, be nice... but if all they want me to do, literally, is enter data... then what they are paying for this job is completely fair... and if all I am required to do, literally, is enter data... then I might like that a lot.

Blue Cross is a good company to work for, so I've been told. I want so badly to get in a job and STAY there. Fingers crossed!! I have prayed that God will help me do a great job there. I want to put my best effort out there. I feel a need to prove myself... to whom, not sure... maybe prove TO myself... that I can be committed to a job, stay there for a long time, and excel. I have not been at one job for more than a year since I worked for Capital Title of Texas around 2003 or so.

Time to start trying to go to sleep. Here's to a new beginning and a good outlook!

God is good to me.
Currently watching:
Friends - The Complete Fourth Season
Release date: 2003-07-15



Read more: http://www.myspace.com/etheridge26/blog?page=5#ixzz0ve16DYIM

The South Park Diet

There are few things in life sweeter than having a cat asleep on your shoulder. I am lying on the sofa watching Aisha Tyler on Comedy Central and Vladimir is snoozing on me with his face right next to mine. My sweet kitty… he got the snip-snip the other day. What was his little apricot is now a set of small, conjoined almonds… each bearing an identical, pink incision mark. He’s recovering well. His disposition is noticeably less aggressive. He’s still playful, but much sweeter. I think all males should have this procedure done. The world would be such a nice, nice place. *grin*

Life brings all kinds of surprises… some good, some that suck… but, at the end of the day, what irons it all out and makes it okay is having someone to love- sincerely, completely and unconditionally- and knowing you are loved in the same way. Carrie is that for me. I love her truly and am grateful for the sense of completeness I feel, having her in my life. For better or for worse, in sickness and in health, through great times and “ehh…” times, my love for her does not waiver. I am grateful for the miracle of love she has brought into my life.

Three Cats in the Camaro and a Silver Spoon

Well, I am finally HOME!
It is nice.

We drove for a total of over 24 hours... with stops for food and naps and bathroom breaks... and pet care. I drove the Camaro, following Carrie in the truck. I had Vladimir, Taz and Little D. Carrie had Rocco and Luna. I had asked her if Luna could ride in the truck so she would have more room than the backseat of the car. Luna was a very good passenger and I told her how proud of her I was once we got home.

I love Pittsburgh. However, it is indeed to be back... in my own home, our own bed, AND I got to see Kevin and the nephews this evening, plus my awesome grandmother... they ROCK. That was awesome. I love my family and those are some of my favorites in the flock.

Good night

Life in Six-Burgh

Yep, that's what they're saying around here since the Steelers won the Superbowl. "SIX-BURGH"... because the Steelers are the first team ever to win the Superbowl six times. Pretty cool! I swear to you, the folks up here are actually a good bit more devoted than LSU Tiger fans! And I thought that was impossible, heh! Live and learn...



Here is Luna, the day of the Superbowl, graced in her new favorite piece of sportswear... the TERRIBLE TOWEL!!!!!!!







(she's so patient with me, heh...)







Bobby, of course, thinks Luna is so cool and awesome, so of course... hehe...







We're having lots of good times with the pets. They are so sweet. I'm really glad Carrie brought me and all the kiddos up here with her.



Here's Taz, being his sweet, loving self...







This is funny... Vladimir has declared a "favorite spot" (he has several; this is one...) in the upstairs kitchen window. How cute is this...







Here's me, looking lovingly at Rocco... who is looking curiously at Vladimir... who is looking at Carrie like he knows who she is and what she's "up to," heh...







Vladimir likes to look out the door window downstairs. I thought this was cool... check out the reflection of his eyes in the glass... kinda eerie! haha







Yeah once, Vladimir excaped out of that door and disappeared into the night before I could apprehend him. I was scared for him and glad when he decided to show up again; it was in the single digits that night and the little guy just isn't that insulated... crazy kid.



So the cats have been getting lots of rest on this vacation away from their day-to-day... not that they don't rest just as much at home... haha...



Here's Taz...







And Vladimir, in the downstairs kitchen...







And Little D, in the upstairs kitchen!







West Deer Township has definitely grown on me.







Believe it or not, the snow has finally decided to begin MELTING! The meteorologists up here call it the "January Thaw"... just happened a little late this year. I suppose it will be kind of soggy around here for awhile... in the afternoons, at least. The temperatures will still (for the next few nights) get down below freezing after dark. Which means thick, slick ice in the mornings! WEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!







Here's the yard... where, last week, my foot would go down through snow 4-6 inches when I walked there... hey look, GRASS! heh...







We should be heading back to Baton Rouge this week... tomorrow or the next day, depending on how much we can get done in the meantime. I have enjoyed my time here, but I am ready to get back down south.



(and see my nephews!!!)



LATER!!!!!!!!!!

In My Fuzzy Orange Slippers

In my fuzzy, orange slippers I sit here once again, on this loveseat with Luna lounging to my right. She looks tired and a bit homesick. I promised her we would go home soon and I would take her to see Ma-Ma. My grandmother loves Luna. When we go over there, I usually unlock the door and let Luna walk in first. She's my creative little intro, heh. Sweet puppy dog.

TODAY I went sledding in the snow for the first time in my life! It was silly fun. Carrie and I on two little plastic sleds... mine had a steering lever on each side. The slope wasn't that steep and the first time down was a little slow. Once we'd gotten the snow smoothed down a little, we were going GOOD! I told Carrie I love her and thought she was so cool because we can have little kid fun together and it's cool. Carrie rocks.

Remember this kid? The little brother on The Christmas story?



Yeah well that's how it felt in the layers and layers topped with a puffy ski jacket that I put on today! Carrie too... it was funny.



And so we went sledding. Here is Carrie:



...and here is me, heh!!



We had lots of fun and laughed almost the whole time. Carrie looked so cute. *grin*



And aw, gosh, we are so darn, freakin' cute together... hehe...



Anyway, we had a great time on the pool road behind the volunteer fire department building out here near Monroeville in Pittsburgh.

Here are some pictures of the footprints we see in the snow in the mornings in West Deer. I just got a couple of decent shots today; the variety is different every morning. This looks like some kind of cat or something, and a big deer or moose or... antelope... heh...





There is a really cool area out toward West Deer, near Blawnox, called Fox Chapel. It's a little nicer area with some cool shopping centers and stuff. Carrie and I found a Petco so we could get bird food.
While we were there, we visited the birds they have for sale and totally fell in love with a handful of conures. We've even been back to visit them when we were in the area. Our favorite two are named Mickey and Minnie and they are so friendly and sweet. If we had the $600 apiece to buy them both, we'd do it in a heartbeat.

This is what those two look like:





This little guy is named Joe Too. He's cute but pretty shy; wouldn't let me pet on him or anything and would back away as soon as I moved close to his cage. But her was a sweet little soul. Look at this cute little guy:



This was a sweet little bird. Don't remember this one's name, and it had a particularly sharp beak. Sweet though.



This other bird was my favorite besides Mickey and Minnie. This is a great picture, too. If you look, you can see white wrapped around some of the short feathers around his head. These are new feathers growing out that have not yet unfurled and are covered with wax. I really like the detail you can see in this shot.



And that is my lately. Tomorrow (well it's late now; probably now I should say, "today"...) is the superbowl, and the city of Pittsburgh is literally bug-eyed with excitement over their Steelers. Honestly - a lot of the stores I've been in have signs up saying they are closing early on Sunday for the game! Crazy. I'm looking forward to this too; I have a good feeling about the Steelers.

Sleepy... Carrie is asleep with a bunny on her shoulder. Carrie and Bugs. Too cute.