EFFIN' SQUIRRELS

This morning, I was awoken when my cat decided to use my stomach and sternum as a jumping off point to my bedroom window. Needless to say, I was not amused.

After thrashing about quite unhappily in an attempt to go back to bed, I heard a noise when I settled down. It sounded like a bird quacking and making glutteral noises.

More than intrigued, I sat up to find my cat sitting perched on the windowsill, looking intently at something outside my bedroom window.

My bedroom window is also attached to a door that leads out to a small fire escape. I walked slowly over to the door and pulled back the curtain.

A squirrel was sitting on the railing of the fire escape, staring straight back at my cat, and making weird noises. I thought perhaps this squirrel was rabid. I found out it was, well... squirrely.

After basically yelling at my cat, he started to chew on the fire escape. Suddenly, he started walking closer to the window towards the cat, getting louder as he did. I tried to find my camera, but failed. I was more than amused.

When he got to the screen of the window, my cat reached right out and swatted him on the head through the screen. The squirrel ran away.

My cat then jumped off the windowsill and walked towards the kitchen as if to say, "Well, that's off the to do list... next."

I went back to bed.

WHOA BOY

I know it's been a while, but I've been rather busy and slightly, um, distracted.

For starters, work has been a little nuts as of late - been doing nothing but travelling for the past couple of months - haven't spent a lot of time home at all. So let's do a quick rundown of things I've been up to - and other sundry items.

1. My cat hates me. Since I'm never home anymore and he's a cuddle whore, I'm now a wayward mother. Neat.

2. Went to Schwartz's wedding in Breckenridge, CO. Not only was I unaware of altitude sickness (I'm now quite fully aware), but I got to drive through South Park. Yes, South Park. As Swiz had stated in the original "Anti-Happy" missive from good 'ol Washington College, one of the things that made her sad was that "we are not cardboard cutouts, therefore we can never go to South Park" - I'm happy to state that this has now been proven untrue. One can actually go there. Interestingly enough, I happened to go horseback riding on this amazing ranch with old friends from high school and my horse's name was Kenny. Only me, friends. Only me.

3. Schwartz's wedding was absolutely beautiful - on the side of a mountain with the Rockies in the background. It was amazing to reconnect with old friends and especially be there for Petee's special day with his new wife, Jaren. I was reminded of the good that can happen in life, which was a welcome reminder after the rollercoaster of the past few months.

4. Speaking of high school, I went to Mr. Hebert and Mr. Teufel's retirement concert at FM this past weekend. It was amazing. It was an honor to play with them and some old friends again. It was excellent catching up with old folks and good to know that we still know how to have a good time together. And for those who were there and might actually read this, I promise I do at times revert to a high schooler when around you and am actually quite professional in my "adult life." Okay, maybe I kid around a lot and still act like a kid, but hey, it was a lot of fun. It was a great experience and so nice to be able to honor both Hebert and Teufel since they both played a large part in my life and in my musical one. One more farewell symphony and I'll lose it, though.

5. I'm in DC right now for an AFSCME conference and while we're having a great time, I can't help but feel exhausted. Getting up at 5am for the AFSCME Presidential Forum hosted by Chris Matthews will only aid in the exhausted feeling, but at least I'm having a blast with all the folks here. I might be tired, but I'm definitely getting the psyched bug again for the work I do. Whoot.

6. I still can't understand why people don't know how to park their cars in Albany. Some guy with a Kansas license plate insists on parking crooked every day in our office parking lot. I don't know if it's because he can swing the door wider if he parks like an asshole, but it makes me have to rethink my parking every time I am forced to park next to him. I want to kick his bumper off. One of the good things about travelling so much is that I don't have to worry about parking next to him. And he doesn't have to fear a broken windshield. I'm serious. If you can't park, you can't have a car. Those are the rules.

7. I think that I can make up rules and that people have to follow them. I get sad when I realize this is not really the case.

8. Paris Hilton is back in jail and everything is right again. I could go on forever, but honestly, now that she's back in, I'm hoping we'll have a Paris-free-daily update for the next 45 or whatever days. But I know this is wishful thinking. Even in jail, the bitch still gets front page. You can't buy that publicity. Take note, Lindsay Lohan. Tick tock.

9. It's hot as balls on the East Coast. Anyone who doesn't believe in global warming should be forced to sit outside without shade at noon anywhere up the Eastern Seaboard. Melt in the sun while just sitting down. I feel like I've rubbed Hot Pockets all over my face after walking two blocks. Nasty.

10. Someone please explain why people in Albany can't drive in the rain. Hi, you're in the snow belt. You can drive in snow but not in rain?

11. Oh, wait. They can't drive in the snow either. This Syracusan is annoyed.

12. Parents need to learn how to discipline their kids in public - sans physical discipline. But for godsake, if you're on a tiny plane and your 4 year old is not only screaming but kicking the back of my seat, do something. Give your kids some manners or I will. Actually, better yet - I'll punch you in the neck. I'm busy enough. I don't need to do your job, too.

Phew. That's pretty much my life right now. I'm dictated by my schedule and I can't wait for that to stop so that I can get back to doing some really important and essential things. Like sleep. Clean my house. Do my laundry. And, yes, take some time for me. If you've been reading along so far, oh good reader, you'll know I went through a rough patch a few months ago. I'm happy to report that there has been progress on that level - I'm still learning and I recognize I have some way to go still. But this hectic work schedule has not aided me in getting to where I'd like to be, but I also know it's part of life for such things to happen and that it takes some time. I'm not kidding myself. But I'm trying to be patient and deal with things one day at a time - and we all know it varies, emotions bounce around. But at the end of the day, all I can do is work on me. So I'm simply doing what I have to do, dealing with everything, and trying to have fun where I can. That's life.

In the meantime, here's a song that I've found myself listening to quite a bit. Until the next transmission - hopefully when I have some down time - take care of yourself. And others.

When I think of all the time I’ve spent
Wasted feelings I’ve tried to forget
When I take a step back, I realize
That I’ve been blind

I close my eyes but I can’t fall asleep
And the air in here is hard to breathe
I’m still bound by all the rules I made
And stay the same now but it’s all changed

And I
I might be alone
But I’m strong enough to say
That I need
A little more than faith
to hold on

It’s been two long years since I’ve been here
Stuck in the middle with the same old fears
I tell myself what I already know
But I can’t let it go

And now I might be in too deep
And I don’t know where I want to be
Lately I have found
That I can see more clearly when you’re not around

And I
I might be alone
But I’m strong enough to say
That I need
A little more than faith
To hold on

When I think of all the time I’ve spent
Wasted feelings I try to forget
When I take a step back
I realize

That I
I might be alone
But I’m strong enough to say
That I need A little more than faith
A little more than faith
To hold on

-"More Than Faith"
The Bureau