November 18th – I was delievering books to all the different branches when the library director pulled me aside and told me that circumstances had changed and that instead of working in Y-town full time, I was being moved to D-town. Which is an hour commute one way from where I just moved to. Needless to say, I was flattered that I am apparently in high demand but kinda pissed that no one thought to tell me this 2 months ago. I either have to factor 2 more hours into my really long days and gas money, or I have to try to get out of my lease and move. Boo…
November 21st - I was signed up to go to the Night of Writing Dangerously – the write-a-thon in San Francisco for NaNoWriMo. It started at 5pm so I left Y-town early in the morning. As soon as I got over the border to Cali, there was a huge baracade and they forced everyone to put on snow chains. The ground was snow free and dry. I was told that I, little lady, wouldn’t make it over the mountains with my little car. Needless to say the most amount of snow we drove though was maybe a half an inch at a time. It was sad how bad Cali drivers were. I was really nervous going to the Write-In. I figured I was either going to be the geekest person there or the most normal. Both could be weird. It was a lot of fun, actually. I sat at a neutral table and we all had a blast talking and writing. There was a cute waiter named Gabriel (who was quickly written into my story!) and a rather disgusting bacon donut that I got dared to eat. Plus there was an open bar and I was the only one at my table carded. The night ended way too soon!
November 23rd – It was announced at work that I was being sent to D-town to work. Chaos ensued. Its nice to know that I am so well loved already.
November 25th – Happy Thanksgiving! This started the very busy weekend for me. I woke up at 2am so I could shower and make a flight in Reno that left at 6am. I flew to Phoenix and then to Palm Springs where my friend Nick picked me up and drove me to my grandparents. Nick was subjected to the whole family… poor guy! At 2pm we went down the mountain to have dinner at my Uncle’s – there were 14 at the table and as it is with my family: we were loud, telling stories and making lots of jokes. After dinner, we drove back up the mountain and mom and I made a plan of attack for Black Friday. I was in bed and asleep by 10pm.
November 26th – Woke up at 3am and Mom and I started our shopping adventure. We hit JC Penny’s, Macy’s, Express, Cinibun, Burlington Coat Factory, World Market and Kohls. It was actually quite dead people wise. The longest line we stood in was at Starbucks. After we went back up the mountains with our goodies, Grandpa took me out shooting with him. We shot a whole bunch of different hand guns and I didn’t do too badly. Afterwards, I showered, had lunch and Mom and Dad drove me to the airport. I flew to Phoenix next to a fat cow who was totally in my seat the entire time. Plus it was a very small plane. When we landed, I saw no point in getting up because there was a long line of people in front of us and I’d rather not stand with my head at angle since I am so small. This just yanked the fat cow to no end. I explained to her that me getting up wasn’t going to make the people move any faster. She responded with “well, it will make me feel better!” I told her too bad. I am a snarly bitch when I’m tired and have to have someone’s sloth fat rolls in my seat. Finally we got off the plane and then I sat and waited for my next flight. A seemingly nice guy came and sat down near me and we chatted. He was a cop from Susanville. He asked for my phone number and said we should chat sometime. The rest of my trip home was uneventful except for the cop who pulled me over a mile from home because I did the widest turn possible. I told him I was tired and he thought I was drunk. I was just tired and he let me go home.
November 27th – I got up early and worked. Boo. But my Spartans pulled off a win against Penn State!
November 28th – I went and got a Christmas Tree for my house. It is rather ghetto looking and has a tendency to lean. And my cat keeps attacking it. Oh well…
November 29th – I went and had a rehearsal with the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra for the first time. They are a cute orchestra and the only other bassoonist is 94. I shit you not. And of course we played Lots and Lots of Christmas Music…
November 30th – With two whole hours to spare, I hit the 50,000 word mark for NaNoWriMo!!! Again, the novel needs a whole lot of editing and additions, but I made it to where I needed to make it in a month! And as I promised last year, next year I shouldn’t procrastinate as much!
December 1st – This was the first time I went to the Carson City Orchestra’s rehearsals. The orchestra is made up of a lot of the same people who pay in the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra so they seemed to recognize me. Lots and lots more Christmas music unfortunately.
December 2nd – So, I got to sleep in since I was delivering books and got to leave from Y-town. I mentioned that I had a date that night to some of my work moms in Y-town and then the rest of the libraries knew fairly quickly. MJ said she expected a full email report afterwards. I finished up work at 7:15pm and then drove myself to Reno to meet up with Michael the cop. We went to Outback Steakhouse (he was worried that I wouldn’t eat meat since I was liberal…) It was an awkward date. Let’s start by saying that he hates libraries. Seriously… he things that we as tax payers shouldn’t be supporting them. He thinks that the government is too big – that it should only be the military and roads. He doesn’t believe in public education. He thinks that parents should be responsible for teaching their own children since public education doesn’t actually work…. He also thinks Sarah Palin is smart. He also didn’t understand why I didn’t want a second date.
December 3rd – I worked in D-town all day and just as I was closing up the library, I get a call from my new army unit telling me that I should bring concert blacks since there are issues in supply and I might not be able to get blues to wear. I said NO. Seriously, I wasn’t going to drive an hour home and then drive FIVE hours over the mountains. If they wanted me to wear blacks, they should have given me more than 12 hours notice. It took 3 months, but this new unit finally pissed me off something fierce. That and I have a moral outrage against wearing civilian clothes while performing with the Army. I’ve been a soldier for nearly EIGHT years… I wear a uniform damnit! Needless to say, I was still sort of pissy when I made it to Dublin and showed up at the hotel so Czimback and Williams took me out for a much needed beer at the bar within walking distance.
December 4th – woke up kind of late and showed up for formation one minute before it started. So technically not late but I made myself do pushups in the gravel anyway since I would have made one of my soldiers do them if they pulled that. The morning started a bit Charlie foxtrot but eventually things fell into line. All of us without Blues (since there were supply issues) basically just pilfered supply with the help of chief and Garrido. If I was in charge of supply, I would have had a shit fit. The rest of the day consisted of lots of rehearsal. I felt like I was back home with the 338th rehearsal band. Lots of the band was falling asleep. Me? I almost tore a muscle in my abs from laughing so much. The two Jeremy’s and I spent the entire time making fun of everything and anything. Seriously, you shouldn’t have that much fun in concert band. Lunch was also a blast because I went with a group to a fast food Italian place and on the drive back I introduced the group to what a skullet was. (Side note… there is a woman in my library system to totally rocks a mullet! Femullet!!! I will be sneaky and take pictures!) After lots of rehearsing, we loaded up the equipment. I got to back up a truck (which is probably 10 feet longer than my book mobile so that was fun!) and we quickly got everything put in. We went back to the hotel and then Garrido and his wife Ruby took a group of us out for Philippine food. I think it’s my new favorite food! Seriously!! Try it! Then we walked to the bar and drank a bit. I taught one of the guys the coaster game and then there was dancing. And then there was a really awkward guy who came up and asked us how to fist pump. Much hilarity.
December 5th – Woke up too early and drove to Camp Parks. We moved out to San Ramon with all the gear to set up for the concert and do sound checks. I helped set up the recruiting booth. We ended up daisy chaining some electrical outlets together and I am actually really surprised we didn’t burn the place down. We had lunch brought in and my borrowed blues made it difficult to breathe. The concert went pretty well. There were some tuning issues and some of the pieces were just plain weird and not what I would consider army appropriate (I know… let your imagination run wild at the thought that I would consider something inappropriate!) What is really cool is that my friend Chris and his girlfriend Elizabeth came to hear me play J Hugs ensued. Afterwards, the army let me go and I drove my self back home over the mountains. Luckily I left when I did because it started snowing and when I was high on top of the mountains it was total white out. I couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of me. I probably should have stopped and put on chains. Or just stopped, but I figured I am a Michigan driver… I could make it. There was a really scary moment when a van right in front of me slid, half turned in the road and plowed into a little prius. I would have stopped to see if they were ok but my brakes locked up so I just slid right on by. I white knuckled it the rest of the way home.
December 6th – I woke up around 7 and finally pulled myself out of bed around 9. It was a lazy day filled with baking and trying to get a Christmas tree to stay upward. I think it is a ghetto tree because it likes to lean. That and Jake keeps attacking it and hiding underneath it. I do believe my cat is going crazy…
December 7th – I worked my first 10 hour shift in D-town. Plus 2 hour commute. Ugh. Work is fun though and the kids are very good at shutting up and moving out when I give them THE LOOK.
December 8th – Today, that numbers thing was all over facebook. One of my friends was totally all over it. Not wanting to be totally annoying, I asked him offline what we would say about me if I gave him a number. This is what he said:
I think you're magnificent. You're beautiful. You have an aura of confidence that is very sexy. You're a great soldier, a dedicated worker, incredibly intelligent and talented. I'm completely envious of your musical abilities. I love reading your journal and I wish you'd write more. I think you are a fabulous woman who is probably the best kept secret in Nevada
It kinda made my day :-)
December 9th- work, work, work, work, work. And I read a Child Called It. If you haven’t read it, read it. With a box of tissues. And no swords nearby to stab horrible people who do that to children.
December 10th- work, work, work, work, work. I read Such a Pretty Girl. Also a fabulous, agonizing book. How can someone do that to their children? Seriously! I need to start reading fluff happy books for the rest of the year.
December 11th - today, I am working. Then I am driving down to Minden to play a concert with the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra at 7pm. Slow day.
