Summer has Sprung! Cat Pants, Yanni, Lifeproof, Drugs

Hey!  Long time no see.

How 'bout this weather? 

This photo was taken 5 days ago, and here is a photo from yesterday.

Amirite?

~~~

Are you ready to play a round of "Cat or Pants"?

I have a cat that is all black.  Smidgen is precious and perfect and angelic preciousness angel, and very cuddly.  

However, sometimes I don't have my glasses on and can't tell one dark shape from another.  Some mornings I will wake up and stumble around for a minute and then go to cuddle the preciousness, and then I, being blind as a bat, end up trying to snuggle pants.  

Or, sometimes when I am not wearing my glasses and trying to throw in a load of laundry before bed, I'll go to grab pants off the floor, and it is cat (surprising the heck out of both of us.)  

I'm going to be honest here... it happens more often than I care to admit that I kick pants out of the way, except it turns out to be cat, or I will go to gently and lovingly pet my pants. 

Okay, so let's play Cat or Pants.

Step 1:  Take out your contacts or glasses, and be blind as a bat

Step 2:  Be very groggy

Sometimes it's tricky.  Right?

Well, I feel better having admitted this.

Yannster

Good news!  There is Yanni activity coming up.  Of course, you already know this, considering that you follow my Yanni Facebook account, and if you don't please look up "Veronica NorthEast" please and thank you.

Yanni has been doing a tour in just a few cities of "Coversations With Yanni" which is basically a Q&A session with audiences, mixed in with him playing his grand piano. 

What questions should I ask Yanni??!?!??!??!!!  

More good news: I had to get a new phone case, which means I had to get a new Popsocket, so... behold my new fantastic custom-made Popsocket!!

I love it not just because I get to stare at Yanni all day every day, but also because it is a conversation starter and I get to spread the Gospel of Yanni.

It's just as good as my other talisman- my giant Celine Dion mug, which I'm quite known for at work.  My colleague said that she loves it, because it is "just so.... unapologetic."  Yeah, that about sums it alllllll up.

While we are talking about cell phone cases, I need to just do a quick advertisement for Lifeproof cases. Girl, do you know about Lifeproof phone cases?  You are probably reasonably responsible with your phones, but, of course, I am extremely clumsy and drop almost everything and stuff.  

So, I got this Lifeproof case when I first got my phone last year, and I tell you what, it is amazing.  They are pricey, I think I paid $80 for mine.  I know.  It’s bad.  But, an insurance claim on a new phone is $100, so….  

So, shortly after I got my Lifeproof case, I’d say like 4 months later, I noticed that the little rubber thing for the phone jack was coming loose.  This was upsetting because once the case is on your phone, your phone is literally Life-proof, but if there is a leak or a crack, it is no longer life-proof.  I called the company about the little rubber phone jack thing coming off, and they immediately sent me a new one.

It is water proof, dust proof, everything proof.  I have been swimming with my phone, a lot, and taken video. Like this gem, taken whilst playing a game we call "Tsunami": 

I recently had another episode with a crack in my phone case (I probably ran it over with my car or something.)  I called LifeProof and asked if possibly my warranty was still good, and they said, “OMG - totally.  Don’t worry about it.”  They sent me a brand new one, and have been amazing with customer support any time I had an issue.

I love them.  So.  Hard.  Like, I really beat the heck out of my cases… so the fact that a case lasts even a month is a big deal.  This sucker lasted almost a year.

They are Colorado based and totally chill.  The girl I just recently spoke with… her name was Harmony.  Yup.  

One last thought that I just need to put out there...  

I want to just ask that everyone keep your eyes open to, or at the very least, say a prayer or keep in  your thoughts your local community's health.  I am lucky enough to be protected (at least, as far as I know) from the horrible cancer of drugs that is just running rampant in our greater DC/Baltimore area.  I am not blind to it, as I have been interacting more and more with people who are directly effected by it.  The more I talk to people at church, the more I am becoming aware of how close it is to all of us, and we don't even realize it.  

I will sometimes be talking to someone who seems just like me, only to then be talking with them about how their daughter/son/sister/brother/etc. is currently an addict and losing their battle. 

This fire department keeps track of overdoses and deaths from heroin in Anne Arundel County alone.
This sign, as of a couple of days ago, reads "82 overdoses, 5 lives lost" year to date.  
It is only the middle of February.

If you are not directly effected, I just ask that you soften your heart when you go out and interact with other humans day to day - as you never know the struggle of your fellow human.  

Okay, that is all I have for now!  Hope you are well and enjoying life. 

Trip Out West

Okay, so I’ve been home from vacation for almost a week and a half and I have not posted a blog.  I’m the worst, I know.

Vacation was a lot of fun and had a lot of ups and downs.  It’s the same trip I took a couple of years ago at Christmas. 

I’ve never liked the desert.  I know that this doesn’t surprise you.  I don’t like it simply because I am a creature of the forest and I die without it.  I can, however, appreciate the desert.  I appreciate the beauty of the colors throughout the day. 

I respect the desert in the way that one respects the ocean; it is unpredictable and wild, and when you are in the desert, you mind your manners and respect what is around you, and understand that you are temporarily there, and you will be moving along, or else you will perish.  You are on borrowed time in the desert, just the same as you are when in the ocean.  Of course, I’m talking about the actual desert; not the cities, or the areas around water, but the actual desert. 

Like the ocean, it’s something to be admired from afar, visited briefly, and left how you found it.  To me, the desert reeks of ancient and unfounded history; the people who inhabit it are like early American pioneers; tough and a bit wily, just like the land.

I’ll preface this next part by saying that I am not the person who is usually trying to make conversation with folks in public. 

On the flight out, when boarding the plane, the guys in front of me were talking about their bows, because they could see them being loaded onto the plane.  So, of course, I had to ask them about it.  They said they were on their way to Utah to hunt for wild cats.  Which is a good thing, because I heard that they are running low on those :: insert heavy sarcasm. ::

All I have to say to that is Ew.

I was knocked out the first few hours of the flight, since it was a 7 AM flight, but I was awake the last hour or so.  When I woke up, we were approaching the desert.  I always have a window seat, so I had been looking out the window for a while, when the very tall Asian man sitting next to me leaned over and said, “What is that??”  I said, “It’s the desert.”  He said, “I don’t understand… why are there no trees or anything?!”  He could not comprehend. 

I got to talking to him for a while, and it turns out that he is on some sort of bucket-list quest (I didn’t press for details.)  He is from China, and he said he was on his way to the desert to ride ATVs through the desert.  He would see out of the window a few scattered trailers, and he asked what they were.  

When I tried to explain that people lived there, he could not wrap his mind around it.  “Why would they live in the middle of nowhere?  There are no trees – no life!”  I told him I didn’t understand it either, but some people just like that sort of thing.  Anyway, it was nice to talk to someone who was experiencing such things for the first time.  I hope he had a good time.

I flew into Vegas, and my darlingest preciousness dearest friend picked me up from the airport.  We then proceeded directly to In-N-Out Burger, as first order of business.

I want to take a minute to just express how very sad I am for you folks whom have never been to an In-N-Out Burger.  Frankly, I don’t know how you get by in life.  It’s a staple in the lives of everyone west of the Rockies.  It’s a block in the path of my life’s journey – a fond memory all through my childhood. 

Anyway, then we went to The Celine Store in Caesar’s Palace, to browse and otherwise pay our respects to The Queen.

Then I got my rental car and was on my way.

I spent a few wonderful days with my sister.  We went fishing and shopping and sheeping.

Feeshing

Sheeping

The lambs were just running back and forth, so cute!!

And, of course, the ol' family videos came out.

Me and my sister at Disney World 1k years ago.

My sister is one of the funniest people I know.  (It’s a family trait.)   For example, we were in the shopping mall in Laughlin, and I innocently proposed the idea of stopping by to visit a store which had several varieties of candy apples on display – caramel apples, snickers covered apples, M&Ms covered apples, rocky road apples – you name it, they had it.  We did our shopping first, and then stopped in the store on our way out.  Listen, we simply could not agree on an apple to split.  I don’t really like nuts in my food, and she only wanted the kinds that had nuts.  So, I kind of mentioned that we don’t really NEED one, we can just leave the store…  So we leave. 

We’re walking through the mall, and all of a sudden, I notice that my sister had been saying stuff under her breath for a while.  I take a listen, and I hear, very quiet, and very slow, “asssssssssssssshhhhooollllllllllee….”  

GASP!  How long had she been saying that?!   I kindly asked her if she was trying to say something.  She exploded, “I was just trying to have some FRUIT!  I was just trying to have some of my daily nutritional value, serving of fruits & veggies, and you ruined EVERYTHING! Assssshooooollllllee…”  

And this continued, the entire way back to the truck.  And then in the truck.  And then she called her wife and told on me.  I didn’t know what to say; I never had a justification.  

I later told my sister's wife, “We Miglins are very funny people!”  She said, without skipping a beat and without looking up, “That’s because you are all crazy people, and you can’t help yourselves.”   Touché.

So, the apple situation came up again about every 15-20 minutes for the rest of my trip.  I can still hear it at night whilst I slumber… “Assssssshoooolllllllle.”

Anyway, then I decided to bring the snow as I departed, and I brought the snow all the way to California. 

My sister said I am a snow fairy, and when I got back to the office, my colleagues were relentless in the Ice Queen jokes.  I can’t even deny it anymore. 

I got to L.A. to my other sister’s house, and we went out for New Year’s Eve to The Ivy in L.A..  

It was a very lovely meal, and I had never been there, so it was very nice.  Also it was fun to see all the cars worth twice as much $$ as my house costs roll up to the restaurant.  

I love that scene.  Given some sleep and night cream, and proper makeup and hair, I could really work that scene.

We went to the Rose Parade the next morning, and even though it was chilly, it was really so much fun. 

Then I hopped in the car and went to visit my niece in Long Beach overnight, followed by a very lovely brunch.  Afterwards, I went back to L.A. to meet my mother and stepdad at the Warner Brother’s studios, and did a tour, which included the Friends Central Perk set and a Harry Potter exhibit.

 So, that was my trip out West.  I don’t know what other vacations I will be planning this year.  What kind of journeys will you be making this year?
 

Mt. Vernon

Mt. Vernon

Saturday, I went to (one of my) boyfriends’ house and had a party on his lawn.  

George and Martha Washington hosted an awesome holiday party.  There were horses, and hot apple cider, and fireworks choreographed to Celine Dion, and it was basically Heaven.  It was not freezing, which was great, since we sat on the lawn to watch the fireworks because we didn’t have time to run back and get chairs from my car.  It was a mild night, beautiful weather, and the fireworks were reflected over the glassy Potomac River.  

Paired with good company and good health, one simply could not ask for anything more.

I’ve never been to Mt. Vernon when it’s been warm out.  I don’t know why, but I always end up going when it is freezing out and there is nothing green or floral to see.

Last year, I went to Mt. Vernon for the day and spent a great deal of time walking around the property with Kate.  

Fast history – George wanted to be buried here:

which was an old family crypt in a lovely nook of the property, but they moved his tomb (after realizing the crypt was just in bad condition, and then someone tried- and failed - to steal his body, so it was time to go) to a new mausoleum which is further away and gigantic, and now Martha was buried near him (along with the other family members.)  

The old crypt still stands, but is in disrepair.  It still is one of my favorite spots on the property because it is so lovely.

When I went with Kake a couple years ago, there was hardly anyone there because it was freezing and windy.  

This is one of our favorite photos of us.  

I hug the trees (I know, it's embarrassing) when I go to Mt. Vernon, especially this one, which George himself planted.

We got to the mausoleum, which is always guarded.  We were not being disruptive, just casually chatting about things we were seeing, but this lady was being such a jerk and was giving us the side-eye and shushing us.   It was outrageous. There was no one else there.  

I mean, I get it; it’s a place of sanctity and silence.  If there were other people around, I would get that it’s really a place for just walking up, paying respects, and walking away.  But, as there was no one there, we were just casually talking about the trees around and the architecture and whatever else, but this lady was being such a b.  So, I went up and hung out with George for a minute, just to hang out with his presence and say hi, and then I turned on my heel to leave, and looked down, and there was a $20 at my feet. 

It’s as if George himself said, “Hey gurl.  Sorry about my betches, you know how they can be; they’re just looking out for me.  How much was your ticket?  $18?  Here’s a $20.  Sorry, boo.”

Someone remind me to go back to Mt. Vernon in the Spring.  Actually, let's go together.  

(Are you still wondering why someone would try to steal G.W.'s body?  Me, too.  I mean, what... why?... what would one even do... Maybe we don't want to know.)

Side note, I just Google image searched George Washington, and this site came up, which YOU HAVE TO GO SEE.  Maybe I am the only one who finds it as funny as I do, but I am sitting here dying at my computer from choking back the fits of laughter.  I can only look at one at a time and then I have to look away, because they are so funny.

Well, I hope you have a great Christmas.  I'll be traveling for a while, so I will post again upon my return, boasting of several adventures, I'm sure.

Merry Christmas!!