My sleep study results are in...

...and I don't have sleep apnea! Woo-hoo! Excited!

However, it was determined that I have "disrupted sleep issues, and I could benefit from medication." I have a couple of friends who are on Ambien, and now they can't sleep without it. Literally. One tried to wean herself off, with her doctor's assistance, and just couldn't do it. She needed the drug in order to fall asleep.

So, I'm making some small changes. No caffeine after lunchtime. Meditating before sleep. Not falling asleep to the news, but with a good book. Nothing to eat after 8 PM. Only thinking positive thoughts as I drift to dreamland. Write down whatever's bothering me on a bad by my nightstand, so I don't process those things and wake up to nightmares.

So I'm relieved to be healthy...and not to have to go for a blasted sleep study again. I've had many bad nights of sleep, but that one was clearly the worst night of sleep I ever had!

My lip zit

It's really embarrassing that I have a zit on my lower lip.

Unfortunately, lip zits are very difficult to get rid of. You can't use standard zit creams, out of fear of ingesting things you really shouldn't. You can't wear concealer because it wears off quickly from sipping your coffee and eating your breakfast.

Tell me, kittens, do any of you have experience in getting rid of lip zits? I need to know how to dry this puppy up. It's ruining my otherwise (now!) clear complexion!

Hungry

Ever have one of those nights where you're just not hungry enough for your usual dinner, and then, a few hours later, you find that you've got a ravenous appetite?

Such is the case with tonight. I really didn't feel like eating a complete dinner, but I needed something to tie me over, so I opened a can of organic sweet corn, heated it up a little, and ate it. I figured it was a vegetable, and it would fill me up.

And now, six hours après le repas, I'm feeling it. I'm starving.

Or am I?

Is it because I'm housesitting and I'm bored and I really want to go home? Is it because of the thunderstorms that moved through the area, and I'm away from my cats right now? Is my hunger more emotional as opposed to physical?

Either way, I'm going to bed. I figure I can have a nice, wholesome breakfast in the morning.

Something with protein.

To keep me from going hungry.

And I thought the A and Piss Off was bad...

Atlanta bloggers, if you can vouch for what I'm about to write, please do so.

As many of you know, I am not a fan of my local grocery store, the A and Piss Off. I used to think it was the worst grocery store in existence...that is, until this afternoon, when I came across an article about a place called the "Murder Kroger" in Atlanta.

I won't describe the details, because you can read about it here and here. Proceed with caution.

Word of the day

The word of the day is business.

I started thinking about the meaning of this word yesterday, on my way to work, when, stuck in construction traffic, I saw a sign that read, "Business entrance." Business. Don't you think it should be pronounced "busy-ness"? Think about it: we use the suffix "-ness" in our language quite a bit, and when we combine it with an adjective, we make it into a noun.

Only, when we change the adjective into said noun, and the adjective ends in a "y", the "y" changes to an "i." For example, "happy" + "ness" = happiness. "Ready" + "ness" = "readiness."

So business, if you break the word down into its components, is "busy" + "ness". A place where people keep busy. Makes total sense, right?

So I decided, to confirm my theory, to look up the word "business" in my good ol' trusty Webster's American College Dictionary:

busi-ness: n. 1. an occupation, profession, or trade. 2. the purchase and sale of goods in an attempt to make a profit. 3. a person, partnership, or corporation engaged in commerce, manufacturing, or a service. 4. volume of trade; patronage or custom. 5. a store, office, factory, etc., where commerce is carried on.

A store, office, factory, etc., where commerce is carried on? That's a place where people keep busy! HA! I have defeated Webster's Dictionary!

Of course, there are many other definitions for this word, but I shall choose to keep my own.

For I just love outsmarting Webster's successors.

Random Saturday stuff

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, and I just enjoyed some morning coffee and a book on the porch, drinking in the sunlight. I plan to go out for a walk in a little bit, so I'll keep this somewhat short.

I recently bought an external hard drive. Sister Kitten suggested I look for one on newegg.com, and I got a 500GB portable one, with a free travel case. My computer is very quickly running out of space, due to all of the photos/iTunes downloads I've got on there, so I need to back up my stuff. Plus all of the "stuff" has been causing it to run tres slowly.

Speaking of my computer, I have a five-year-old E-Machine. Go ahead and laugh, I know. It was dirt cheap when I bought it at Circuit City--again, feel free to laugh.

Today is Derby Day--one of the two or three times a year when I actually give a damn about horse racing. I enjoy watching the Kentucky Derby and admiring the women who wear the big floppy hats and drink their mint juleps. I must admit I've never had a mint julep. I don't know how to make one, other than the fact that I need fresh mint. But y'all know me--I'm a wine lover above anything else alcoholic.

That's about it for now. Like I said, I'm keeping this short because it's such a gorgeous day and I'd hate to waste it in front of the computer screen. Ciao for now!

All hail the wooden spoon

So I turned the PJs inside out last night and slept with a wooden spoon under my pillow...

And I had a two-hour delayed opening at work today.

Wooden spoons: they aren't just for cooking any more.

And now, another check of the weather....

Yesterday, I wrote about how crazy the weathermen here in Connecticut get when there's even the chance of a mild snowstorm coming. Well, kittens, it's started up again--the local newscasts are gonna get started at 4 AM tomorrow. :P

Me? I wouldn't mind a day off. One of my friends on Facebook turns his pajamas inside out and sleeps with a wooden spoon under his pillow. That's supposed to bring a snow day.

I've never tried it before. The last time I did such a thing was when I hung rosary beads outside my dorm room window the day before my college graduation. When you do that, it's supposed to keep the rain away.

It poured like hell on my graduation.

So tonight, I'm going to try this and see what happens. I'll keep you kittens posted.

P.S. If any of you have tried this yourselves, what has been your success rate? I'm curious!

In need of some gift advice

My darling kittens--

This afternoon I received an Evite from a dear friend of mine who is throwing herself a 60th birthday party. After recovering from the shock that I had upon learning her age (I thought she was MUCH younger), I happily accepted her invitation.

And then, panic struck...the same panic that comes whenever one gets invited to a party.

THE GIFT.

I don't even remember what I got Mama Cat when she turned 60. Hell, she's gonna be 65 this year; what am I gonna get her to commemorate her Social Security eligibility, T-bills?

Now, my friend has been a very good friend to me for almost nine years. She's almost like a second mother to me. She trusts me with her pets, even after one accidentally ate a stick of butter. She always gives me little gifts and trinkets as a thank you for housesitting, but she's never given anything tres expensive.

So...I'm stuck. I don't want to spend too much money, but I don't want to come off looking like a cheapskate. She loves to travel, and anything to do with summer and Labrador retrievers. She does have a Pandora bracelet, so maybe I can get her a bead for it...

...but what if someone gifts her with the EXACT SAME BEAD?!?!?

ARRGH!!

Favorite commercials

Even though I have DVR, and am able to fast-forward through most of the ads, there are still some that I'm able to catch through random glimpses of live tv. Here are my two current faves.

First up is one of the latest Fiber One commercials. I don't know why people find it so funny when little kids use big words, but it's cute when they do.



Next up, an AT&T commercial featuring Bill Kurtis. I love how these serious, starched-shorts anchormen types don't always take themselves too seriously. (Note: Ignore the ads for the Brooklyn Fair and the Lake George tourism board).




Hope you've enjoyed this little bit of randomness!

In praise of coffee

Let's talk about coffee and how I am in love with it.

I have not always been a java fan, though. I am, and always will be, a tea person first and foremost. I love tea. So much so that, one Christmas, between my family and friends, I received eleven boxes of tea as gifts. There is nothing more relaxing to me than heating up my kettle, listening for the whistle, and pouring myself a cup of bliss. I sit at my chair, hands curled around the mug of happiness, inhaling the vapor of my Celestial Seasonings and just feeling content--and that's all before the first sip.

I used to drink tea first thing in the morning before I went to work, and would have a mug full of it to drink during my commute. However, as the years have gone by, I have found that this just doesn't cut it for me any more. I needed something stronger. That's when I started buying coffee, and drinking it on a regular basis.

For many years I used Old Bessie, the coffee maker that I had since college. However, Old Bessie wore out, and I had to replace her. That's when Keurig entered my life. For those of you who are fans of the machine (I'm talking to you, Jodi and Missy!), Keurig = LOVE. Now that I've joined Green Mountain Coffee's Cafe Express Program, which automatically ships K-Cups to my door on a monthly basis, I've been able to sample many varieties of java. Here are my favorites:

(First, though, I must say that I'm not being paid to talk about these flavors or Green Mountain Coffee in general.)

Heifer Hope Blend: This is a medium roast coffee. It claims to have a bit of chocolate in it, but I have been unable to taste it. I find it somewhat mild, but it is rawther tasty. As you will soon learn, I really like STRONG coffee. The coffee I like is so strong, I think it's what keeps my hair dark brown.

PBS Blend: This is another good coffee. It's a little stronger than the Heifer Hope Blend. Proceeds from the sale of this coffee support PBS, which is one of the reasons why I purchase it. PBS is one of my favorite channels. Yes, I know by saying that I've aged myself about 20 years, but I don't care.

10% Kona Blend: Full-strength Kona coffee is rawther expensive, so I get this stuff. This is probably my favorite coffee ever. It is soooooo smoooooooth going down. And tasty. This is what I mean when I say that coffee helps maintain my hair color.

So right now I'm savoring my Kona coffee and contemplating my next move for the day. I've already used the hour I gained for sleeping purposes, so maybe I'll contemplate my dinner options.

Or maybe I'll make another cup of coffee.

PBS Blend, anyone?

The fly

It happens every afternoon.

I'm sitting quietly at my desk at work, blissfully listening to NPR, being happily productive. I'm really, deeply involved in my tasks. So involved that the smallest interruption completely shatters my concentration.

It's moments like that when he arrives.

He comes like clockwork, every afternoon around 3:30, and starts swarming around my workspace with the loudest buzzing sound you've ever heard. And he doesn't stop for about twenty minutes. I shoo him away, again and again. And then he leaves--for five minutes. Then he returns.

I have attempted to kill this sucker many times, but he just won't die.

And this has been going on for about two years now.

Now kittens, I realize that flies have the life span of a gnat, but seriously, I think this has been the same fly. Either that or the original one passed on his DNA to his offspring. After all, how else would a family of flies behave the same way?

I have told this story to several people, who have all looked at me funny. They're amazed at how much a fly can bother me. But when I'm working, I'm working. I loathe any and all interruptions, including bathroom breaks. I'm pretty focused when I have a task that engulfs me.

And here's the worst part...I really think this fly lives to annoy me. Just me and me alone. How else would he only come to my room, at the same time every day, for two years?!?!

At least he hasn't followed me home.

Yet.

Dear local politicians...

I know that you're nearing the end of your bids to get elected next month, but please, stop cluttering my mailbox with ads. If you can't go green, I will--by putting your ads in the recycle bin. Good luck in November.
Love, Kitten

Cats

Last week, I wrote a post about the peculiar habits of our canine friends. Since we here at The Bookkitten are equal opportunity bloggers, it's only fair that I compose a little something about our feline companions.

When I returned home from housesitting last Saturday night, I was welcomed with open arms--er, paws. I unloaded the car, poured a glass of wine, and settled in to watch some DVR shows. No sooner did I sit on the couch than Maggie jumped into my lap and settled in. A minute later, Gabby settled right next to us. And so the three of us stayed, for a solid hour. I wanted to get up and move around occasionally, but I couldn't; I didn't want to disturb my babies, especially since I hadn't been home in so long.

Say what you will about cats and how they can be stuck-up and blow certain people off, but when they love their human friends, they adore them. My gals have been my little shadows ever since I returned home. Every night, when I go to bed, they plaster themselves against my body and won't leave. It makes it difficult to toss and turn at night, especially if you're a blanket hog, like me, who also likes the sheets so tightly tucked in the bed is practically short-sheeted.

Which leads to my next point...how do cats instinctively know when you're making the bed? Mine don't even have to see me take the sheets out of the linen closet; they just show up whenever I make the bed. One gets on the mattress pad and refuses to leave. Rather than shoo her off, I just make the bed over her. I put the fitted sheet on, then the flat sheet. By the time I tuck the sheets in, the other cat decides to join the fun. When it gets to the point where I spread the blanket over the sheets, they engage in a turf war. By the time I put the duvet cover on, both cats have escaped from the sheets, and now I have to tuck everything back in.

And how do cats instinctively know when you're on vacation? Or when it's the weekend? Or when your alarm goes off? Mine seem to know whenever I set the clocks ahead for Daylight Savings or backwards when it's over. They always wake me up about fifteen minutes before my alarm goes off, just to make sure I don't sleep in. And when it's the weekend, they leave me alone and let me sleep in. Weird.

But when cats are hungry...watch. Out.

Cats will let you know when they want food, and when they want food, they want it yesterday. Mine have chewed holes in the bags of dry food on quite a few occasions whenever I've come home from the grocery store. It's especially dangerous when I eat tuna or salmon; they are in my face, begging, begging, begging, for just a wee little taste of fishy goodness.

However, I have animals who will eat anything. And I do mean, everything.

I don't deliberately feed her this, but Gabs loves tortellini. She's taken a little nugget out of the bowl before and eats just a little bit of it at a time before deciding she doesn't want any more. She also loves pizza crust. Mags is partial to broccoli florets, and will jump on the counter and steal one whenever I cut up the crown. She also likes to drink the leftover sludge at the bottom of a coffee cup. I stop her immediately when I catch her doing this, since caffeine isn't good for cats.

Which reminds me...I have to make dinner. And ironically enough, tortellini was on sale at Stop and Shop this week.

Excuse me, I have to go feed myself...and the Gabster.

The joys of being a homeowner

Last night I went to sit shiva with the family of my friend who passed away last week. Not only did she work with me, she was my neighbor. So I took the opportunity to swing by the house for a couple of hours, before the services started. I fed the cats, gave them water, and then went on my way.

However, it's gotten tres cold here in the Nutmeg State, and I forgot to turn on the heat before I left. So I made another trip up today for the sole purpose of turning the heat on.

When I went to turn the heat on in the back of the house, where my office is, I was greeted by a not-so-nice surprise: my patio umbrella had blown over and shattered the glass top to my patio table, leaving it in hundreds upon hundreds of itty bitty shards, some scattered on the deck, others hanging by a thread off of the edge of the table.

For the next two and a half hours, I gingerly cleaned the whole mess up. I used my vacuum, a broom, some trash bags, and a couple of grocery bags. I took the table apart and disposed of it in the dumpster. I went downstairs to my neighbor's and cleaned off his patio. I live in a loft, so some of the shards fell in between the boards of my deck and down onto his space.

I still have some glass shards in the cracks that I have to clean up. That will have to wait until I return home Saturday--for good.

I can't wait to go home. I've forgotten what it's like to be there.

Oh, I got plenty o' nuttin'...

Lately I have not been posting as much as I had hoped. I've started several posts, only to stop them midway. I haven't been satisfied with my writing. I have a lot that I could write about, but somehow, the words don't come out of my brain and onto the computer screen in just the right way.

I think I have writer's block.

That's the real reason why you haven't heard from me much lately.

My "me" time lately has consisted of those endlessly addicting games on Facebook (think Farmville and--oh God--Farkle) and catching up on my DVR programs. That is, when I can find the time to sit still for half an hour. Today I caught up on the Sunday morning shows while ironing. Well, two out of the three morning shows; I still have to watch Meet the Press.

Soooo...I can't think of anything worthwhile to write that would be of interest to you, kittens. Things have been going well lately, but it's in the areas that I don't blog about--work, for instance.

This past weekend I got a head start on cleaning my house. I still have a ways to go during the week, though, but that'll get done. That is, if I don't fall asleep first.

So, anyway, as I stay flat as a pancake, if you'd like to give me any suggestions for future posts, I'd appreciate it! Even though I got plenty o' nuttin', nuttin' ain't plenty for me!

My life according to Springsteen

I originally got tagged for this on Facebook, and thought I'd share it with you all. Because lately...I got nuttin'. Life has been pretty boring for moi lately. So here we go:

INSTRUCTIONS: Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to 12 people you like and include me (you don't have to if you don't want to). You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "My Life According to (BAND/ARTIST NAME)"

-Are you a male or female?
Jersey Girl

-Describe yourself
It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City

-How do you feel right now?
Land of Hope and Dreams

-If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
New York City Serenade

-Your favorite form of transportation
Pink Cadillac

-Describe Your Morning Routine
Dead Man Walkin'

-Your best friend is
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

-What's the weather like
Thunder Road

-Pet Peeve?
57 Channels (And Nothin' On)

-If your life was a TV show, what would it be called
Growin' Up

-Your relationship
My Love Will Not Let You Down

-Your Fear
Darkness on the Edge of Town

-What is the best advice you have to give?
Tomorrow Never Knows

-If you could change your name, you would change it to
Bobby Jean

-What do you say when you are frustrated?
Chicken Lips and Lizard Hips

-Thought for the day
How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live

-How you would like to die
When the Lights Go Out

-Your soul's present condition
Don't Look Back

-Your motto
Take 'Em As They Come

Zen and the art of automotive maintenance

This is my car.

It is a 2002 Kia Spectra, and a damn good car it is. I love, love, LOVE my car. It has never let me down. I take excellent care of it. (NOTE: Not my ACTUAL car, but it looks EXACTLY like it, color, model, and all).

It also has over 134,000 miles on it. Yes, I know it's up there in mileage, but it still runs very, very well. I took it to my mechanic for a tune up a few weeks back and he said that it looked really good under the hood.

That having been said, when you have a car with as much mileage as mine, repair bills can be expensive.

Take this year, for instance. Back in March, I had to have the rear struts replaced. The weakness from the struts was causing the left rear tire to cup, and I had to get a new tire. That was a $450 bill.

Then at the end of last month I went in for an oil change and came out with a new alternator belt and a transmission flush--all on top of the new oil. That was a $350 bill.

Then three weeks ago I went in because my car was having trouble starting first thing in the morning. That, and the alternator belt kept squeaking. They readjusted the belt and then saw that my spark plugs were on the fritz. They replaced the spark plugs and did a fuel injection clean-out. That was a $225 bill. (Fortunately, the alternator belt was still under warranty, so that was free).

Two weeks ago, I went in because the belt was still squealing. They gave me a new one, tightened it up, and there's no more noise. Fortunately, it was under warranty, so it didn't cost me anything to fix.

And just today, I went to the dealer because, five weeks after the belt replacement, there was still chirping and the occasional screech. I called this morning, and he told me to bring it in today.

It was my first time at this particular dealership. I usually go to the one right by where I work, but it was more convenient for me to go to the one closer to my home for this appointment. He told me he'd check the belt, examine the alternator, and, because it was my first appointment there, give me a free 27-point safety inspection.

I arrived at 12:45. At 2:00, inspection completed, I was informed that the car was in great shape. The belts were tightened, and they found that a bolt was bent, which was what was likely causing the tweeting and squeaking.

However...

My front brakes were on the fritz. They said I only had about ten percent of them left. I gave them the OK to fix them. They added that I needed new wipers. I told them to put them on as well.

Soooo...$340 later, I have new brakes, new wipers, and a new customer loyalty card. I earn $1 for every $20 I spend. I can use the money towards future repairs.

AND...I also got a coupon for a FREE car wash. :)

So, brakes and belts tightened, and wallet MUCH lighter, I took my car to the spa for a nice, soapy bath. So now it looks good and feels good.

Yes, the car is costing me beaucoup bucks lately, and the money I've spent on repair would have contributed nicely to a down payment, but I'd rather make the necessary repairs into my investment than deal with a car payment right now. Besides, I have no choice. Car loans are hard for a lot of people to obtain now.

I will admit that I am attached to my wheels. Kia and I have never been on major road trips, but she has served me well over the years and has been a good little car. I can't ask for more than that.

Where in the USA is Kitten Sandiego?

visited 19 states (38%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or Best time to visit Villefranche-sur-Mer

I found this originally over at Vickie's. Then I found it on Vino Bodega. Thought I'd give it a shot.

In the interest of full disclosure, kittens, I counted airport layovers as visits for the following states:

• Illinois (Chicago O'Hare)
• Georgia (whatever the airport is in Atlanta)
• California (got on a cruise ship in LA, also was at LAX)
• North Carolina (really long layover in Charleston due to storms)

I have spent quality time in the other states, though.

"Are you OK?"

We've all been asked this question at one point or another. But how do we respond?

I usually get asked this question when I'm depressed or stressed. This week, as you know, has been particularly stressful for me. So I got asked this question at least two or three times a day.

"Are you OK?"

How I respond:

"I'm fine."

How I want to respond:

"Am I OK? Am I OK? If I were, would you ask? I mean, I've got a to-do list with a hundred things on it and as I go through the course of my day I get asked to do fifty more things. I'm losing sleep and I may be getting sick. So you ask if I'm OK? Am I OK? What the hell do you think?

It's worse when you're at the grocery store and you get asked this question by the checkout lady. I was at Stop and Shop once, pulling my items out of my cart and slamming them onto the conveyor belt. I was in a furious mood because my car broke down and I had to drive a rental and I had no money for the repair.

The checkout lady looked puzzled.

"Having a bad day?" she asked.

"Yeah, my car broke down and I don't know how I'm gonna pay to fix it."

She smiled. "Oh, I know the feeling, girl. Let me help you with your groceries."

So the checkout lady bagged my groceries and--get this--took them out to my rental for me. She made me feel so much better.

But the point is, she didn't ask, "Are you OK?" She was more specific in her query. And I was able to give her detail because she didn't act overly concerned or nosy, like many people who ask this question.

I know I'm guilty of asking this question. I'm going to try and be more conscientious of doing this, because I have a feeling that a lot of people feel the same way I do.

Not to mention, OK is a weird term. Where did it come from? How did it come to mean "all right?"

Not to mention, "all right" means different things to different people.

So am I OK right now?

Yeah, now I am. It's Saturday, after all. :)