I know the calendar says that summer doesn’t officially begin until Mary’s birthday (roughly). Bah. We all know it begins Memorial Day weekend.

It always seems that once school begins, everyone starts lamenting, “Where did the summer go?” Since I didn’t make any official New Year’s resolutions, I’m making some SUMMER resolutions.

1. Swim AT LEAST once a week. Preferably more.
2. Take a water-based vacation. This will probably involve tubing on the Niobrara River in Nebraska or returning to Colorado for whitewater rafting.
3. Go to Kansas City to shop and visit our lovely relatives.
4. Host a kick-butt summer BBQ. (If you’re available June 17, come to Nebraska!)
5. Do all my boring chores during the week so I can spend my weekends having fun.
6. Go camping.
7. Go to Worlds of Fun or another amusement park.
8. Spend time at the in-laws’ cabin.
9. Spend an afternoon riding horses and swimming at Mahoney State Park.
10. See the WISCONSIN cousins! (I had to save the best for last, you know.)

A note about summer fashion … I spent two hours last night shopping for the perfect summer tank top. The perfect tank is not see-through, does not cling in a way that makes a slight tummy pooch look like a pregnant belly, allows the wearer to wear a bra (or go sans bra without looking tarty), and does not require the wearer to constantly adjust the straps or tug on the neckline. A good tank will not shrink or stretch out after one washing. Kittens, thank me now for doing the research for you—head to The Limited and pick up the Favorite Tank. They’re on sale for $8.50 and are available in many lovely colors; I bought an orchid one and may go back for aquamarine. Old Navy also has nice ribbed tanks (2 for $10!) I also recommend the ProSpirit racerback tank, available at Target. It’s super soft and stretchy. Does anyone have good recommendations for a spaghetti-strap tank?

It seems that our blog site is made-up mostly of rants and personal conflicts that we are having, which is super because we can help each other out. So here is my rant.

I have found out in the past year or so that it is almost impossible to date a guy my age. Why you ask? They seem to all have the mentality that they should be wild-bar-hopping-idiots and the idea of having just ONE girl is one too few. I'm not going to say that in my young age that I don't enjoy checking out and flirting with cute boys, but lets face it, does that get you a date on Saturday night? NO! Instead I've found that on typical "date nights" I'm usually found hanging out with the girls or else my pre-Catholic priest friend that everyone thinks I should date (hmm...didn't I say he was CATHOLIC!) LOL needless to say, I'm not meeting anyone.

However, I got to thinking about that past three guys that I've been casualing dating (I use this term because it's never official it's just that we hang out when there's no one else to hang out with.) Somehow in the process I get my hopes up only to find out that I'm labeled their "back-burner" girl. Excuse me, but I believe that I'm more exciting than a simmering pot of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese dinner. No, I am a boiling pot of potatoes at the front of the stove that you need to worry about starching up your stove. I've been told on occasion that I'm a fun-loving, cool kid, but how does this personality type get dubed as a "back-burner" girl? I guess I'll just have to meet new guys that can appreciate my personality and treat me like potatoes.

Wednesday Wanderings of the Mind:

I can't wait for summer. But if we go tubing, i hope this doesn't happen: http://www.break.com/index/tubingtakeoff23.html

So I have to have a meeting with athletics today. its still somewhat intimidating because its at the stadium, and its with really powerful-like people that make like $500,000 a year. But honestly, these are some of the strangest people -- two of the guys I have been workign with forever, I really like. The others are barely competent at best, and still have these great jobs.

I know, how compenant can a guy be that misspells compatent three differet was in the last two sentences.

If you want a good laugh, throw a cat onto a wet deck and watch him wander around in total confusion.

Papercuts suck.

A quick Monday rant.

I know you may find this hard to believe, but I'm not very outgoing. Sure, I'm social around my family & my close friends because I'm comfortable with you lovely folks. However, I can be pretty darn introverted until I get to know someone well. I like to be social, but I also like being alone. I'm okay with this, so why do other people act like something must be *wrong* with me?

Some people act like being introverted is a huge character flaw, and it ticks me right off. In the last week, I've been described as "unemotional" and "a wallflower." I've been told that others wonder if I'm snobby, or just quiet. Anyone who knows me understands that I'm far from a wallflower, I'm not snotty, and I'm definitely not lacking emotion.

The people with the audacity to describe me in these terms are people I tend to avoid. They're usually the types that are so in love with themselves that they're incapable of understanding that it takes all types of personalities to make the world function. I have a very important message for those folks: I'M NOT QUIET. I JUST DON'T LIKE YOU AND THE BORING CRAP YOU TALK ABOUT.

God bless the extroverts like Julie, Hayley and Andy who can make any introvert come out of her shell.

Hooray for internet access in Spain (but not the funky keyboard)!!!! I don´t usually have much time to check email and such, but we´re in San Sebastian right now, which is a very chill place. There´s lots of serfing and sailing, and if I´m feeling crazy I just may shell out the dough for lessons. It´ll be a good break to rejuvenate ourselves before Barcelona. Madrid was awesome, and in confidence, some of you will hear of ¨that one wild night¨. Mary, you are on the top of that list. Right after you pick me up on June 7, we should have a big dinner and chat of my adventures (and yours... haha for studying!). As for the rest of you, I´ll post somewhere online the highlights of my pictures. I´ve taken nearly 100 already, and the trip is only a fifth done. There´s some fun artsy ones in there, so that´s why there´s so many. AND there´s just a lot of gorgeousness here. I miss modern architecture, but this really is beautiful.

Wednesday musings. How about that.

Well, the weekend has been survived. I think that is the busiest one we will have this summer.

I have a box of Cheerios under my desk that I use as mid-day snack food. Everybody here thinks that is strange. Wonder why.

Well, got my first A+ of my academic career. Since I am so old and all, the +/- system wasn't around when I was in high school or college at UNL. But thanks to one of Ashley's friends, it is now in place at UNL. And it pisses me off. I am penalized for every "minus" I get, including an A-. Yet, if I totally master something and score the rare A+, I don't get any extra bonus. Seems out of balance to me that if you are goign to reward me for every other plus like a B+ or C+, I want the extra love for an A+. I know -- shut the hell up -- you got an A+. And I probably never will again unless NU starts teaching the "Spirituality of Star Wars" or some other geeky class. I just want the system to be fair.

Then there is my other professor. He uhhh -- left the country for the summer and forgot to turn in grades before he left. What the hell? Yes, this is the same bastard-coated bastard that made me thake a test the night of the prayer service and all.

that's all for today. More work to be done.

Too tired to Muse.

Need sleepy. And some buffalo wings.

Today I got 9 graduation cards in the mail. All week they have been steadily flowing in. This is all fine and dandy, but it makes me begin to wonder, "Is anyone going to be at my flippin' party?" Not to sound winy, but it totally sucks.

One more post before Jules leaves us for awhile. My random thoughts on a Friday:
Did anyone besides Hayley watch The Office last night? My celebrity crush on Jim intensified by about 1000x during the last two scenes. Talk about a hot geek ... rawr!

My bod got a bit squishy over the winter, so I've been on a fitness kick lately. On Tuesday I did kickboxing, and yesterday I worked my butt & gut. I'm also in Week 3 of training for a 5k. By the end of the summer my name will be Ms. Ashley Kickass. I hope.

Graduation season makes me really nostalgic, so I looked through my high school photo albums earlier this week. Guess what I found? A picture of Paul wearing my prom dress. It appears that he used Cole's Nerf basketballs for breasts. I wanted to scan and post it, but I decided not to do so without Paulie's permission.

I can't wait for summer. I want to swim, hang out at the in-laws' cabin, and eat barbecue. My father-in-law even fixed his pontoon boat, so maybe I'll become a fisherwoman.

God bless good husbands. Not only did Andy hang a bamboo blind this week, he endured two hours of dress shopping with me on Sunday. Although he was bored, he still offered opinions. He complimented me at the appropriate times. He even helped me pick out a necklace. Honey, I know that's not your thing, but I had a super-fun time with you. Pic of my new dress


Hayley's new apartment is very cute. It also has a pool, so guess who will be having visitors at her bachelorette pad this summer?

I can't believe my baby sister is graduating on Sunday.

That's all.

I'm done! Not graduated yet, but I'll never have to go to another high school class in my life. How exciting, yet scary, is that? I just have to go back for a walk through tomorrow and the real deal on Sunday. I can't believe it. Oh yes, and crazy root beer party tonight at Smith Creek. Yay!

Not a whole lot to really muse about today.

Ever get an infected hair? I have one on the back of my head. Ouch.

This weekend will be a test in endurance. Thursday night bachelor party, followed by our highest profile event of the year for work on Friday, followed by golf of friday afternoon, followed by a wedding saturday, followed by lindzo's graduation on sunday.

Lindzo, my apologies if I drool when I nod off, but I will be there with bells on.

Off to do more spray painting and hang soem new blinds.

Ok peoples! I'm leaving for Europe on Saturday, so if you're going to post anything exciting, kindly do it by Friday night. =) But now I have four finals to prepare for before Thursday morning, so AHHHH gotta go!

Just for Andy

http://youtube.com/watch?v=YxuswKLggnw&search=soccer%20practice

fark. I have to make a career-altering decision, and I have to do it in the next 24 hours. And I really don't know which way the head and heart are leaning.

With graduation just around the corner, many of us seniors have started handing out our invites to classmates and underclassmen. This handing out just started today, but already I've gotten two invites that say "Your invited!" on the top. Anyone see anything wrong with this? Apparently after thirteen years of education, high school seniors still don't know the difference between your and you're. I find it quite hilarious, and I'm bound to see more of these spelling mistakes. However, I do kind of pitty (now did I spell that right, it doesn't look right) the people who have done this because it's going to make them look really stupid to their peers (if they even notice) but most of all, their teachers. How embarrassing!

I'd also like your input. I'm making Chip a CD for part of his graduation present. If you know of any totally awesome graduation CD appropriate songs, let me know. Did that make any sense? I hope it did.

Oscar is doing much better, which I am very glad to see. I was very concerned last Friday when I found him coughing up blood. No more blood and barely a cough. Good Oscar!

I'd just like everyone to know AP exams SUCK! I took my AP Calculus exam this morning and was pretty much beat after the first twenty minutes. Good thing it won't hurt my grade and I don't really have to have it next year. Otherwise, I might be freaking out about now.

Did anyone else hear the thunderstorm last night? It was AWESOME!

Late Monday musings due to havign to mow. Where to begin.

• Ok, a professor can not return calls or e-mails, barely speak English, make me take a test the night of a memorial service, leave town for two weeks during the semester and not tell any of us, etc – but when that bastard makes us buy $170 in textbooks that are impossible to find, and un-returnable to the bookstore and carry a $0 value, that makes me want to declare a Jihad on him.

• So, if you are the friend that is always calling around to get people together, does that make you the loser of the group? I was just thinking – if we didn’t call around to our friends all the time, we would be sitting at home all the time. Or are we just the best friends to everybody in charge of making plans?

• Looks like the bull market for the next few months is going to be in health care and the Asian-pacific rim. I’d suggest playing UNH, ANWPX and any ETF that looks at Asia or emerging markets

• There’s nothing sexier in April than getting your deck stain and sealant down and watching the water bead off of it.

• Just for Paul: http://www.break.com/index/bush9.html

• So I had an uber-productive week at work. You’ve GOT to love that. Unfortunately, the best time came at 3 p.m. on Friday, when I was thinking of leaving early.

• So Ash hung some paint chips on my bathroom wall as we are thinking of touching up some painting this weekend as it is rainy and cold outside. The funny thing is, they are all shades of brownish-green and she put them straight in front of the toilet and I couldn’t help but laugh. When I’ve had bad food or am sick, am I supposed to use the shade to tell her how I feel when I use the facilities. “Honey, I think I am feeling better. I’ve gone from evergreen to spring grass, but my pee is still ‘vineyard’”

• I am a big fan of the throwback screen in college football.

• Ok, quick advice to all you heart-breakers out there. And to nobody in particular. If you are going to break up with someone, there is never a good time. It is published and proven that legally, there are only a handful of days/times where you cannot break up with someone. Their birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s day, near a family death, or around the finale of American Idol. Well, all except for the last one. There is never ever a “good time” to do it – so once you’ve committed, dig your heels in and don’t be talked out of it. If I had been, I'd likely be married to the side of beef that the lesbian I dated for a week has become -- I didn' tknwo she was a lesbian at the time.

• Why do cats hate aluminum foil so much?

• I am quite proud. Most of my landscaping stone work has not shifted or moved the three years. Yay me. I rule.

• So I ran into the infamous lesbian ex-girlfriend at a baseball game. She most definitely saw me and realized that I spotted her. Wow, the last six years have not been kind to her. Gained weight, a bad haircut – actually, it looks like she got hit with everything that Britney Spears has had trouble with, except for the baby thing. Like total white trash. Does that make me a bad person for getting a little smile about that? I mean, her parents tried to “fix her” by making her marry a neighbor boy and go to church, and she lives in a pretty seedy part of town now. It probably makes me a bad person, but I took a little bit of joy in that -- perhaps not because of her misfortune, but because I got ou tof that quickly while I could.

• Interesting tangent from that story. The lesbian’s dad goes to the church we got married in and played Judas in the passion play this year. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

• Chris Farley was a comedy genius

• Oakland is looking pretty good so far this year. Took a few from the Yankees, but the starting pitching could be better.

• Two more buddies get married this summer. Sorry Hayley, the options I know about are dropping like flies. Hope your date with Brad went well. We want blog details.

More later. Time to go to work.

Why doesn't this dear blog seem to be posting everything?

WHERE ARE THE MONDAY MUSINGS? You promised, mister.

WHERE ARE THE MONDAY MUSINGS?

You promised, honey.