baa baa black sheep

1.03.2008

Cadence

Quick note to say caucuses: weird. Also, crowded. Also, spectacularly disorganized. It was a lot of shuffling around, getting sent to wrong places, people yelling in a gymnasium. Then our precinct, all 110 of us, were shoved into a tiny classroom and listened to someone read letters from various party so and so's. Then we split into our candidate's groups, which was chaotic. Imagine a completely full room of sweaty people of a vast array of ages and health (oh, the coughing) and in a vast array of bulky winter dress (I am so glad I left my coat in the car). Imagine too many tables in the room, many of the people unable to hear well or walk well. And then imagine all those people yelling and confused and trying to count each other. And then imagine a lot of those people being jerks to each other because they didn't approve of this candidate or that candidate. Then the groups with not enough people had to choose a different candidate, then after the groups were the appropriate size, representatives were chosen to go to a county thing in March.

Whoo!

It was all very sweaty and confusing, and a man touched me on the back a lot. Which was weird.

So! We caucused, which is one of the main two or three main reasons we were excited to move here (shut up!), and my husband and I are now c-o-u-n-t-y d-e-l-e-g-a-t-e-s for our guy, and it's pretty interesting that we get to do that (I think our group was excited we were y-o-u-n-g).
Also, today I was evaluated at work, and it went well, and I got a bit of a raise.

Also, we took down the tree, and my husband made pre-caucus bacon wrapped steak. This is why my husband is awesome.

And since I probably won't post tomorrow, how about some Friday questions? Eh? What is your New Year's resolution this year? Have you taken down holiday decorations yet? Do you wear contacts or glasses?

My answers! I resolved to do two paintings a month this year (this will involve setting aside a few evenings a week to paint, and I think it will be very very good). I normally don't make resolutions that amount to much, if anything, but this is one I'm excited about. And, as I said, we took down many decorations this evening. All that's left is boxing a couple more odds and ends up and then deciding where to put the boxes (for some reason, I was given a lot, a LOT, of penguin Christmas decor this year). Tonight we decided we had to do something, because after a month of no incidents, Monk knocked the tree over when he saw me pull into the driveway after work.

Broken glass balls in the carpet!

Tree sideways on the floor!

Cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria!

Coltrane, the bitchy cat, really liked the tree that way and did a lot of jumpy-but-pleased investigating.

Also, I do wear contacts and glasses. I got glasses in third grade, and started wearing soft disposable contacts in eighth grade. My contact prescription is now one eye -9.00 and one eye -8.50, which I think is sort of bad. My first pair of glasses ever were blue metal frames, with darker blue splotches. Yes. Yes, they were ridiculous. Currently I have a pair of dark red plastic frames (sort of small, rectangular). I only wear them right before bed and for about two seconds in the morning, normally, because I see much much better with my contacts. Also, I don't feel Alive and Awake until my contacts are in. Once, an eye doctor told me I would go blind one day, and that being an art student wasn't a very smart decision for someone who would go blind.

He really said that.

And then I worried quietly about that for five years, until I got brave enough to ask another doctor, who acted shocked and horrified and assured me that I was not, in fact, going blind.

Okay! Your turn!

Kisses,
black sheeped

20 Comments:

Blogger artemisia said...

The Caucus sounds weird but also awesome. I am sooooo jealous! And you guys get to be delegates?!?!?! That is freakin' awesome.

Okay, my answers:

Resolutions: floss daily, finish The Thesis, and get into shape.

Christmas is still all over the house. I think I'll take it all down this weekend.

I wear both contacts and glasses. I am usually way to lazy to put my contacts in, and only wear them on road trips so I can wear my sunglasses.

Happy Friday to you!

12:16 AM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger heather said...

New Years Resolution: drink more water, walk more.
We are in the midst of taking down our decorations... the tree went out last night and our big Christmas tubs and miscellaneous decorations are all over the house waiting to be put away.
And pretty much ditto what you said about the glasses/contacts... I got glasses in sixth grade and contacts in 10th grade and now people don't even know I wear glasses because I pretty much live in my contacts. Both eyes with a prescription of almost -7.00 and I pretty much too only wear them from the bathroom to the bed and from the bed to the bathroom.

7:31 AM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger Erin said...

I love LOVE your description of the caucus. Sounds like a remarkable cultural experience. Awesome. I'm really excited I "know" someone who was there! Is that sad?

Resolutions: nope.
Christmas: cleaned!
Glasses, but I never wear them except when driving at night. And I think this may actually be causing me to go blind. My vision is getting BAD.

7:57 AM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger Tess said...

WHY would you go blind? WHAT THE HELL?

Resolution: bring my lunch to work 4 days a week

Christmas: down on CHRISTMAS DAY. Pathetic

Both contacts and glasses, but mostly glasses. I can't think of a profession that WOULD be a good choice if you were GOING BLIND. Jesus H.

8:08 AM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger Mommy Daisy said...

The caucus experience sounds interesting. I'm glad you told about it. I haven't yet chosen a candidate...yikes! I need to get to work.

No resolutions for me yet. I may make a few, but I don't tend to do it anyway.

I still have all our Christmas decorations. We left home before Christmas and just got back 2 days ago. I think today is the day, though, to get it al taken down.

No and no. I actually don't wear glasses or contacts. When I was in 3rd grade I wore glasses for reading only. It was a problem that I outgrew though, so I stopped wearing them in 5th grade. My eyesight was improved. I've never needed them since. Woot! I'm sure I will someday, but for now I'm VERY thankful for good eyesight.

8:26 AM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger Jess said...

We watched the caucuses on TV and they looked crazy, with people raising hands and being counted because it was too crowded for them to divide off into distinct groups. And then groups that were just shy of the 15% viability line threatening larger groups that if just a couple people from the big group didn't come join the little group, the whole little group was going to use their viability votes for one of the bigger group's opponents. It's all so fascinating.

Anyway, New Year's resolution has to do with health, as I believe you already know. We took down the Christmas tree, which was our only decoration, last weekend. And no, no glasses or contacts for me, though my dad and sister both have them.

Congratulations on your raise! You deserve it.

8:55 AM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger Flibberty said...

I was wondering if you guys were going to do the caucus thing, and I'm excited to hear that you did and that you are in fact delegates!

Congrats on the raise and the well-deserved praise!

Okay, so I didn't actually make any New Year's resolutions, it's just that my urge to lose weight coincided with the change of year. Really, I could have had a weight related nervous break down a month earlier if I had only tried wedding dresses on at that time. As for the decorations, they will come down this weekend, I hope. And I wear glasses, every day, all day. I never even asked about contacts because I think somewhere someone told me that my astigmatism prevents me from wearing contacts. Perhaps false information, but I rely on my glasses as somewhat of a shield.

9:10 AM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger Pickles and Dimes said...

The whole caucus thing sounds fun. And very confusing. I'd probably get assigned to the wrong party or something.

Resolutions: Eat healthier, get up early to work out at least 3 days a week (if I do, I get a Mac), get some freelance writing jobs, write some more fiction and actually submit it somewhere.

We took down our holiday decorations last weekend, with the exception of our outdoor decorations. The lights are covered in a thick crust of ice and snow so we'll wait until it warms up to take them down.

I wear contacts and glasses. My eyes aren't too bad: -4.00 and -3.75. I wear my contacts almost every day. I wear my glasses only on the weekends or the rare workday (the prescription is old and I get a headache if I read with them for too long). I want to get some new frames that are square, because I think that style looks awesome.

10:39 AM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger CAQuincy said...

Caucus--so cool! I was thinking of you anytime I saw anything about it on the news!

Resolution: every other year (or so), my husband and I go vegetarian for a year. 2008 is a possible veggie year. He told me YESTERDAY (after I meal-planned and bought groceries for another week), that he wants to go ahead with it. I'm still using up all the meat I bought before I do it! Also, not resolutions, but I've been working on my eating habits and trying to build a better daily routine and trying to find my "moment of zen" better when the kids drive me nuts!

Been gradually taking down decorations all week. Am working on the big tree today. But how long until my husband gets it to the curb? We may never know!

I wear glasses--since 10th grade. My sight actually IMPROVED after I stopped wearing them all the time instead of just for the far-sighted things I needed them for--like driving. I don't want contacts 'cause I like the "stylish" aspect of glasses. And since I only like to wear them part of the day--sometimes only minutes or not at all--I think contacts would be annoying and a waste of money!

10:46 AM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger email said...

Resolutions: None I will admit to to anyone other than myself. That way, when I fail spectacularly, no one has to know.

Christmas stuff still in a state of flux, some down, some up. I'm working on it. Slowly.

I have glasses that I sometimes wear while driving or while at the movies. My vision is 20/40, so I'm not required to wear them while driving, but they help on long trips when my eyes get tired. I don't think I could ever wear contacts; I have a "thing" about touching my eye. Can't do it. My eyes water uncontrollably if I happen to see SOMEONE ELSE put in or remove contacts. I have to look away.

12:25 PM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger Shelly said...

Congrats on your review and raise! That is wonderful!

No new year's resolutions. I'm continuing my goals to eat more healthily and work out more, but I'm cutting myself some slack on that, too.

Christmas decorations are still up. We'll probably take them down this weekend.

I wear both contacts and glasses. Contacts all the time during the week, except at night of course, glasses sometimes on the weekend if I'm being extra lazy.

12:46 PM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger Banana said...

Mean doctor told you you'd go blind? He should be ashamed!

I'm super jealous that you got to be a part of the caucas. I would love to be in there and part of the action like that!

On to the questions:
Resolutions - save more dilegently, stay healthy, move up the ranks.
Decor - I took down the decorations on the 27th. Because I am crazy and OCD and the tree was so dry I thought it might burst into flames.
I wear glasses mostly, but occasionally I wear contacts.

1:05 PM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger el-e-e said...

My New Year's resolution - I still don't know if there's supposed to be an apostrophe in there or not - is to try to make each day better than the last day. I can't stress myself out over more than that. So: If I ate three cookies yesterday, try to eat only 2 today. Or if I spoke harshly yesterday, I'll try not to today. One thing at a time, no failure allowed. I am SO loving this resolution so far.

Wednesday night we took down all the garland and knicky-knacky stuff, and last night we started taking ornaments off the tree. We'll finish that tonight and I'll be SO relieved. The house is in mass chaos and "in-between" stage, which I can't stand. But it's also bare -- I hate that. Might have to get some "January" decor or something. Snowflakes maybe?

I don't wear glasses/contacts but have lazy-eye (amblyopia). Shoulda been a patch kid, but I wasn't.

Happy Friday!

1:17 PM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger Swistle said...

Yay for caucus! And bacon-wrapped steak! And raises!

I have no New Year's resolution! Yet! Maybe I will decide later to do something, and then I will say, "Hey! That will be my New Year's resolution!"

We've taken down the tree and ornaments, but I haven't yet taken down the wrapping paper station. Also, I haven't put away all the clearance Christmas stuff I keep coming home with, including today's purchase of a short (under 3 feet), metallic silver, changing-color-tips Christmas tree. It was 90% off!

I wear glasses. I had the EXACT SAME experience with two eye doctors, one of whom told me I would go blind and the other of whom said, "Whuh?" and was shocked and horrified. Weird!

1:27 PM, January 04, 2008  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

awesome that you caucused!!

um, answers:

resolutions: lose weight- so far, have knocked out the fudge. Health issues seem to be delaying further progress.

decor: we didn't put any up! So none to take down! I know, it's totally lame.

eyes: neither. I have 20/20 vision. You can curse me all you want, go ahead.

1:59 PM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger Sarah said...

Resolution is to not get pregnant this year! I know it sounds a little... Bad, but seriously, I know my baby obsession and am afraid I will soon decide that just one more little baby couldn't hurt anything, even though my head knows it is WAY too soon!
Christmas decorationbs are down, yes. Guess who did all the work?
I wear both, mostly my contacts though. I hate the way glasses feel. I'm so AWARE of them all day long.

3:14 PM, January 04, 2008  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

No resolution for me. Why bother is my motto.

Xmas decorations are GONE and it feels so good!

I wear contacts and glasses, mostly contacts. I started wearing them in high school, then had to stop b/c my allergies were too bad. Years later they came up with daily disposables and my life was saved. I LOVE daily disposables. I don't mind my glasses (clear plastic frames) but I much prefer contacts. Wearing glasses is the eye equivalent of wearing sweatpants for me.

8:31 PM, January 04, 2008  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

caucuses and christmas trees and cabbages and kings! You rock!

i have no resolutions yet. maybe I won't make any. not sure.

i always obsessively take down every scrap of christmas on new years day

neither - but i lost half my vision in my right eye a few years ago...luckily the rest of my vision is 20/15 so I barely notice

happy new year!

9:10 PM, January 04, 2008  
Blogger Beth said...

Dear Caucus Delegate: Please vote for my person because our primary is screwed up. His initials are the same as a type of tampon. That was a nice segue.

1. No resolutions. I never keep them.
2. I have a berry wreath on the front door. It comes down in March.
3. Glasses only.

4:43 AM, January 09, 2008  
Blogger Beth said...

Corection: His initials are a type of tampon if you reverse them. I am such a dork this early. I'm going back to bed.

4:51 AM, January 09, 2008  

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