Zoe’s Journal

Well, there I was, typing out a nice long blog post, when all of a sudden, KABOOM! The power went out. My heart nearly stopped. What? The day was nice and sunny! Did someone cut the power cords? What’s going on?

I stood and went to the French doors in the kitchen. The sky was flickering! Light-black-light-black. I thought I had left the back lights on, and they were flickering. But no – I looked closer. It was freaking lightning. And it’s STILL going on now, five minutes later – not even waiting ½ a second before another flash comes. Looking out the window, I see the neighbors across the street have their lights on – why is it that only WE lose power during storms? And where the hell did THIS storm come from? Anyway, literal sheets of water are being flung across the road and smashing into the neighbor’s door. Ope – I just heard my first thunder. And it’s still going on. Still. …. Still…. Still…. WOW. This has got to be the longest thunder I’ve ever heard. And it’s getting louder! And still going on! I wish I had a tape recorder. But the trouble with those is that no one listens to tapes nowadays. GEEZ… the thunder just hasn’t stopped at all – no break whatsoever. And the WIND! Still lightning…still thundering – not a single cessation since I first started writing. And it’s getting way louder. Scary. I hear things crashing outside the house. Sounds like … Hail? Oh boy. Runs to check. Yep. It’s hail. I took a couple of videos – I’ll see how they turned out and maybe post those – you’d like that, huh? Lol.

I swear, this thunder has not missed a beat. It is on a freaking continuum!

Sleepwise, that is.

The last couple of nights just wore me out completely! It started on the wine train in Napa Valley, when I had three cups of coffee. Yeah, I couldn’t sleep that night. And then I flew back home the next day, slept on the airplane, nearly drooling all over an angsty 14-year old boy, (shortest flight ever, I tell you), and couldn’t sleep that night! I was a wreck.

But last night I slept like a baby, and I think my brain is back in working order.

I’m typing this all out now, because I’m not sure if my hands are going to work tomorrow. See, yesterday and today, I had my fighting classes - yesterday we did a lot of wrist things (getting out of holds, etc…) (and I have an ugly bruise on my right wrist now), and today I did a ton of punching! Fun, but my gloves kind of either don’t fit well or just aren’t broken in yet. Or maybe it was just all of the punching. At any rate, my hands hurt. And they’re chafed too, from the gloves, between my pinkies and my ring finger. Ouch. Guess I should learn how to punch like a man.

Things have been very stressful lately. Bad things seem to be happening to a lot of people I know - not terrible, horrible things, but bad situations and such. And it’s all stressing me out and making me sad. I know, I know. “Think about how THEY feel!” And I do. But still.

Work has been really busy - so much to do, with so many people asking for more. School is OK - this week isn’t bad, just outlining, researching, and scheduling interviews. My website project is finally at a point where I can relax and only update frequently. I like it

Thank goodness for Labor Day weekend! Only one more workday… and then I can *SIGH*

The LotR and I are on a quick trip to Napa Valley, California. Well, quick for me, anyway. He is going to be here all week for his dad’s course, and I am leaving here on Tuesday. The LotR’s mother has been visiting us in Phoenix, and on Saturday, we all flew out here to meet up with the patriarch.

Napa Valley is the home of California wine, but so far I haven’t seen much. The drive out to the valley was two hours from the airport in San Francisco (now THAT is a place I’d love to explore), and I mostly slept. I do remember nodding awake at some point in the taxi and seeing hills of perfectly straight lines of grape vines. Our hotel is about 5 minutes from town - there is a target and Trader Joe’s within walking distance, but not much else.

This morning, I went out to the pool - the water is freaking cold, so I just sunned and burnt the lower half of my left arm while I was reading. Then I came inside, did some internets, played a game, and started reading another book - this one for week.

Tomorrow promises to be a littler more interesting - in the evening we’re going on the popular ‘wine train’, where you get a train car, they serve you a fancy dinner with wine, and chug-chug through many vineyards.

And then I leave the next day and go back to the daily grind of work/gym/work/sleep, etc…

The LotR will be back home on Friday, so I’ll have all sorts of time for innocent mischief

This afternoon, after I finished a grueling workout, the trainer at the gym was telling me all about good protein-rich snacks for the middle of the afternoon before hitting the gym. He said that one of his favorites was sweet potatoes! ‘Raw?’ I asked doubtfully.

“No! Here, I’ll show you!” (he’s super enthusiastic about everything)

So, he went into the back room. I followed. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out the longest, thickest, hairiest, most mean-looking sweet potato I’ve ever seen. He held it by its shaft, talking about the nutrition in the skin, and all I could think is “That looks like the biggest, ugliest dong I’ve ever seen.”

Then, he said, “put it in a plastic bag…” (he pulled one out and popped it over the top of the potato-thing) “… and cook it!”

I nearly died from holding my laughter and managed a tight nod. “In the microwave?” I asked.

“Yep, and then you can just peel off the skin and eat it!”

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Unrelated Side Note: earlier this week I was referred to (by a high school senior), as a ‘nice lady’. Way to make me feel old, young’un.

You betcha. I’m feeling good tonight!

Tired, but good.

I posted a bit of content on the Whimsy Rag site, started an adwords campaign to advertise the site, and also caught up a bit on my homework, did my martial arts class (actually, it’s time for practice kicks now, not blogging), etc…

Now I just need to finish one more day of work, take a mid-term, finish a lesson, pack a bag, and fly off to sunny California!

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Was just interrupted by the LotR who sent me some more cool news for the Whimsy Rag - pertaining to my most favorite MMORPG.

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Time to go make a nice drink and practice some hapkido kicks!