A Day With Nothing To Do

Today is Saturday, December 30, 2006. The year 2007 is upon us, and I have yet to reflect very deeply on the year I have survived. It's two o'clock in the afternoon and I have accomplished little today. I woke up at 8:30. Actually, I got up at 8:30; I woke up two more times before that. This morning at 5:45, the home phone was ringing. That has never happened since I have lived here. The home phone generally only rings on Saturday mornings when Roommate's grandmother calls. Everyone else just calls us on our cells. It turns out that the early morning call was from Roommate's husband calling from overseas to wish her a happy anniversary. In a few years from now, that phone call will sound romantic when they're telling the story about him serving our country in wartime and her at home, keeping things going and just surviving. Right now, it doesn't really seem that way. The one thing that I have learned from living here is that this war is not being fought only in the desert; it's being fought on the homefront as well. Not a day goes by that I don't think about the war, and say a prayer for my friend, her husband, and his comrades, and their families.
Since I have been up, I have had two cups of coffee, some cigarettes, and half of a bottle of water. I have watched two movies, "Little Miss Sunshine" and "the Devil Wears Prada." I am currently watching Jay Leno on Tivo... Matthew McConaughey. Yum. I have spoken a few words to Roommate, and had a brief conversation with my sister. I think I was snappy with her. Ooops. I feel bad about that, but here's my defense: I have no plans for today. That in itself is a small miracle. Every now and again, I am able to reserve a Saturday when I "plan" to have no plans. I love those days, though they are few and far between. There were two things that were supposed to be happening this weekend. A friend was supposed to come in from out-of-town. I haven't heard from her in two weeks, and I'm not sure exactly why. The point is, if she did blow into town, she's not staying with me. Then, two weekends ago Roommate and I took a short road trip to Pigeon Forge to do some Christmas shopping. While we were gone, she asked if I would like to go to Nashville after Christmas with her and her kids. We would be staying with some of her family and going to see the ice exhibit at the OpryLand Hotel. (I think that's where that exhibit is.) Obviously, we're not there. I think her sister-n-law had to work. I know her son had to work last night, and her daughter has been at a friend's for three days. So, here I am on a Saturday with nothing to do. I have enjoyed the "plan-to-have-no-plans" day, so when Sister called to ask if I wanted to meet her for lunch, I had no interest. It was nothing personal towards her; just me being lazy. I did uncommittingly surrender to the possibility of dinner tonight.
In other news of today... I found an old friend from college on Myspace today. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to add him or not. I am officially half-way finished with the cross stitch that I'm working on for my sister-n-law. That's quite an accomplishment. When it's finished, it will be a a gift for her brother.
I am looking forward to the New Year. I will be spending it with my cousin and her family. That's what we do every year. We basically, sit around and talk, play cards, and watch the ball drop. Unless some small miracle happens in the next 24 hours, it appears that I will be ringing in the new year alone - again. I always have that one minute of despair every year when the clock strikes 12. I haven't had a "New Year's Kiss" since 2002, and that doesn't count because I didn't like the guy, and I was slightly intoxicated.
Here's my year in review: The biggest highlight of January was a most awful stomach virus. February, I met a new guy. He's Latino, and is the friend of some friends. That didn't pan out so well, and immediately I started dating a new guy. Well, he wasn't really "new" - I have known him since I was a teenager, but we started dating. And I started loosing weight. Little did I know... March was good. A rodeo with my new cowboy to celebrate his birthday, and learned to ride a horse, kind of. Lost more weight, met his parents. Life was good. April, boyfriend started acting weird. He was pushing me away. I layed it off to how unhappy he was at his job, and some of his financial stresses. In retrospect, he was, for whatever reason, finished with our relationship and too cowardly to tell me. He also made up a huge lie that he told me and his boss. I still don't know why he lied or what was really going on during that "one week." May. I was ready to break up with Boyfriend, but changed my mind. As it turned out, D-day was interrupted when Cowboy's horse had a baby. That was the sweetest moment we ever shared. That was short-lived and our problems continued. June. I was increasingly annoyed by Boyfriend. Cousin and I were getting ready for VBS at church. A girl at work showed up in my office one day telling me that she had reason to believe Boyfriend was seeing another woman. I finally broke up with him, one week before my birthday. I turned 26. Now, July. There was the Independence Day celebration with my family, which is always fun. I had to get my jacket back from the Ex, and we began desperately trying to maintain some sort of a friendship. My feelings were mixed up. A friend from college came to visit before she left for California. She was about to drive cross-country. Through a turn of events, Cousin and I made plans to join her. The last day of July, we left home for California. August began on the road in the midst of serious drama. We had to leave the truck in Oklahoma and drive the rest of the way crammed in a small car, that kept breaking down in the middle of the desert. We made it to Vegas. We ran around town for a few hours looking at everything we weren't getting to do, and then Cousin and I hopped a plane back home. Awesome! The last Monday in August, I discovered something missing from my office. Through a chain of events, I suspected a certain someone had taken it. The next day, my "supervisor" fired her for various other reasons. The day after that, my great-grandmother passed away. Enter September. We buried my grandmother. That was not as sad as you might think. She was old and sick, and was ready to go. She is in a better place, and it's a comfort to know that she's better off now. Then my brother and sister-n-law decided to move. Through a chain of events, that meant that I had to move as well. Also, that month, my dear friend was having to leave his family to serve in the war. That was one of the saddest moments I have ever endured. The day he left, his wife came back to where I work. She crumbled in my arms. I felt so hopeless. Two days later, her aunt died. It was horrible. After the funeral, we were talking and that was the first chance I had had to tell her that I was having to move and had no idea where I was going to go. She offered to let me move in with her and her kids until her husband came home. It sounded like it came from left-field, but it was a great idea. October. I moved in with my friend. I like to think that over the past two and a half months I have helped her as much as she has helped me. Also, I began seeing my new Latino friend at lunch one day a week. All of a sudden, he began flirting with me. I'm still not sure what all of his attention means, but it's been fun trying to figure it out. November. At work we were getting prepared for the Christmas program. In the personal life, Cousin's grandfather-n-law passed away. I attended the funeral with Ex. We spent the entire day together. That one day was enough to keep my head swirling ever since. Nothing spectacular happened, it just dug up old feelings and old wounds. On the calendar, Thanksgiving was approaching. Roommate and her kids spent the day with us. It was great. I realized that I had lost 45 pounds. My grandfather praised me for it. That doesn't happen very often. December. The program came and went. It was the most stressful, most awesome accomplishment I have made at my job in four years I think. I had run into Ex just before the program and invited him to the big event. He said he couldn't make it b/c he would be at a horse sale in Texas. Roommate suggested to him that he buy me a gray horse to make up for missing the program. Apparently, he didn't take her very seriously because I have seen no such horse since then. Roommate and I went to The Smokey's to do some Christmas shopping. That was fun. When I came home, I had an email from my new Latino friend with his phone number on it. I called him and we talked for a few minutes. Still, I don't know how to interpret his attention. Then it was time to celebrate Christmas. It was a good Christmas. Latino called to wish me a Merry Christmas. I missed the call, but did send him an email this morning.
Now, as I sit here, I am contemplating what 2007 may bring. I will turn 27 this year. If I could have things the way I want them, I would: begin college for the 2nd time, and work towards finishing my degree. I would find "the one" and make plans for our future, and find a place to live. Also, I would love it if Roommate's husband could come home. The rest is just details.