Snooziness

Cool weather and a little bit of moisture were welcomed in the West of Texas.

And fall inspires quite a bit around this house.

I cleaned out my purse stash.  Found crazy treasure in that hoard, by the way.

Cleaned out my shoe stash.  Away!  Begone!

And somehow, the dogs like sleeping in the cooler weather.  So...

There was a lot of this going on this weekend.

If that looks weird, I'm in a chair with an ottoman.  Zanna is buried halfway under my blanket.  And Zack is snoring on the floor...bone in easy grabbing sight.

Great weekend.

Waxing Poetic

Meet Leslie.

Leslie is my favorite wax aesthetician at European Wax.  In this picture, she is partially through my wax job.

And this photo, below? 

Well, this is what Leslie looks like when, mid-wax job,  the power goes out for the entire building.  Thank God she refuses to wax by Braille.

I have nothing else to say.

Proof It's A WorkDay Morning Around Here

If you were Sherlock Holmes...

And if you were familiar with the life patterns of this house...

By looking at this picture, you would know these things to be true and self-evident:

1.  It's early morning.
2.  The dogs have eaten breakfast.
3.  They're both under the covers for their wee nap before Mom heads to work.  (Zack, close to me, and Zanna, away from me.)  At least one paw must be outside the covers. (Sounds like some hormonal women I know.)  And believe me, they are SNORING.
4.   Mom's already caught up on emails AND blogging AND Facebook for the morning.

5.  Next, I will shower, blow dry my hair, get dressed.
6.  Last act before I head out the door will be for me to brush my teeth, at which point, without even being told, both dogs will stretch their way out from under the covers.
7.  Zanna will immediately head out to the outside kennel and wait at the gate for me to let her in.
8.  Zack will make it as far as the back door, will sit down, and have to be called to "Kennel, Zack!" at which point he will slowly lumber to the kennel gate and enter.  At. His. Own. Pace.

Now, that, people, is ritual.

Fetch! Fetch! It's Magic!!

I thought I’d share this picture with you.

You’re going to have to use your imagination, because I don’t think I can recreate the scenario.

Remember, yesterday, I told you Zack the Wonderdog was walking wounded?  Had multiple stitches from a hunting accident?

Well, he’s a stitch licker.  So, the veterinarian put one of those collars on him, to keep him from licking his wounds.

It’s flexible, and ties on.  I let him sleep without it last night, and put it back on him this morning before I put both dogs in the outside kennel.

(Here’s a picture of it.  Now mind you, Zack is super drunk in this picture, on whatever cocktail they gave him pre-surgery.)

I came home to let them out of the kennel at lunch.

I walk to the kennel gate, and Zanna and Zack meet me at the door.  Everybody looks great, so I’m smiling.

And then, I realize...Zanna has Zack’s wound collar in her mouth.  Totally intact, and still tied.

And 100% off Zack’s neck.

She's strutting her stuff like she has the world's biggest pheasant in her mouth.

What the ???

Not only that, but... 

How the ???

See?  I told you.  It’s never boring around here.

Catching Up A Bit...

You know, I started out this year with a bang.

Writing every day.

Or almost.

And somehow, I’ve gone almost a month without posting.

So, I’m going to change that.

I’m going to try to go back to every day posting.  Journaling.  It might get a little wordy.
You ready for that?

Thanks for hanging in there, during my ups and downs, and being faithful to read.

I’ll do a quickie catch up.

In the past week...

I have...

1. Worked. New job. Busy busy busy.
2. Attended an industry conference in San Antonio. Then drove back home in such intense rain, my phone alerted three times with flash flood warnings.  That was a first!
3. Tried to attend a wedding in the Hill Country, but ThatManILove’s work got in the way.
4. So, I attended my niece’s baby shower.
5. And fell in love with the baby’s name:  Jamesley.  Isn’t that a cool name for a little girlie girl?
6. ThatManILove and I went to the movie “The Family”.  And laughed so hard.  Don't believe the bad reviews. It was good.
7. And I heard the F word a million times.  Not good when you’re trying hard to give up cursing in all forms.  But funny, the way they used it in the movie, to convey a ton of different emotions.  I totally got it.  But I’m trying to totally lose it...the inspiration, AND the cursing.
8. I cleaned out my closet.  One of them, anyway.  And three boxes are headed to friends houses, via fedex ground.  Because that’s how we rock.
9. And....oh yeah....we spent most of Sunday night at the Emergency Vet Clinic, getting Zack The Wonderdog’s side sewn back up.  He got a little excited during hunting practice yesterday and tried to go through a barbed-wire fence.  He’s doing well, though.

All is good.  It’s a new week.  And it promises, already, to be a wild one.

I’ll keep you informed.  I should have plenty of fodder.

Because, you know, it’s never boring around here.

You Can't Spell Spoiled Without Oil...or...You Really Can't Live Well Without Us (a repost)

You know, the energy industry is either boom or bust, feast or famine. I’ve been doing what I do for 25+ years, and I don’t think we’ve had a time when we could just “cruise.” To top it off, media hates the oil and gas industry. All they can talk about is the price of a gallon of gas...something that is regulated by many different things. Sometimes, it’s wearing to be in a field that is always in the negative limelight.

I go places (outside the oilfield), and people ask what I do. When I tell them, they frown. And then, tell me, “You are EVIL.” Seriously?

I’m always nice, but inside, I want to scream, “Do you know you really can’t live well without us?” So, I decided I’d show you a little bit about my industry. It is, after all, an industry that I dearly love. And who knows, maybe you'll see it a little differently after today.

Way past the basics of energy for your house, and gas for your vehicle (car enamel, dashboards, antifreeze, safety glass for that front window, additives, oil, tires and fan belts, etc.), there are some of the menial things essential to living well that you utilize every day... and they all are derived in some form or fashion from the oil and gas industry.

Got an iPhone? Smart phone? The casing is plastic. Earphones? Plastic.  Plastic is made from...wait for it...petroleum.

What about that laptop or desktop? iPad? Tablet? Sweet. Oilfield, baby.

Cameras for those great picture moments? For sure, oil.

Play a guitar? What makes up your strings? Oil. Oh, yeah, baby, sing it. Right through those speakers. That, by the way, are also made from a petroleum product.

Wear makeup? Most makeup has a petroleum base.

Perfume? Eyeglasses? Even your soft contact lenses? Oil, baby.  That's right.

Seal it with a kiss...because your favorite lipstick probably is made from petroleum.

Need cold cream to take that lipstick off? Thank the oilfield.

How about nail polish? Oil. Don’t like the color, need nail polish remover? Oil.

Does your kiddo draw with crayons? Yup. Oilfield.

Play with Legos? Oilfield. Model cars, trains, planes? Oil and gas, baby.

Baby dolls, trucks, trikes and bikes? Oil.

Huggies? Luvs? Passies? Made from oil...to help you take care of that precious baby. And when you put him or her in that life-saving carseat? Rest assured, it’s made from Oil.

Are all your clothes white? Or that unbleached fabric? Because if they have any color to them at all, the dye has some petroleum product in it. Speaking of clothes, the detergent you wash them with - is a petroleum product.

Go fishing? Fishing rods, line, nets, boots, lures, life jackets, oars. Cooler. Water skis. Wakeboards. Tow rope. Fishing BOAT, for God’s sake. All petroleum based.

Shower curtain? Shampoo? Hand Lotion? Oil and gas. Again.

How about that  coffeemaker? Those cool little appliances that help you make it through the day, from drying your hair to making a grilled cheese? And - throwback of throwbacks -  do you play those old LPs or CD’s throughout the day? All petroleum based.

.

Scotch Tape? Electrical tape? Duct tape? Glue? Paint brushes? Paint rollers?  Bicycle/motorcycle helmets? Trash bags? All that, and more are made from oil.

Do you use a toilet seat? Yeah. Seriously. You’re sitting on oil, baby.  How about those credit/debit cards? P.l.a.s.t.i.c. - made from o.i.l.

Are you a golfer? You couldn’t be without those little white balls! Petroleum. Shooter? Parts of your gun are made from oil. Tennis player? Rugby? Any sport known to man? I bet the oil and gas industry has some part in it.

Wax your floor? Yup. Is it linoleum? Yup again. Use a mop? Burn a candle? Oil.

How about when you write a check? Use a ballpoint pen? Oil.

What if you fall and get a booboo? Need a bandage? Oh, yeah, honey, it’ll get better with oil. Are you diabetic and need insulin injections? The syringes...are made from oil.

Take antihistamines? Aspirin? Cortisone? Wear dentures? Use a toothbrush, comb, brush, hair curlers? Glycerin, insect repellant? Gotcha. All made from Oil.

Anyone been in the hospital lately? The shunt they put in your arm to start an IV---oilfield. The Christmas tree contraption they add to that so you can get 4 different meds by 4 different delivery systems – made from oil, and the technology came from the oilpatch.

And what about the very process of running a camera into an artery? That process originated in the oilfield, as well, if I’m not mistaken. These and numerous other medical advances were fueled by the injection of oilfield workers into another field, bringing their knowledge and can-do with them.

I could go on and on, forever. But I’ll leave you with this: When your future’s so bright you gotta wear shades, remember this -  you wouldn’t be sporting that badass bling without the oil and gas industry. So next time you see your favorite oilfield worker, don’t trash them. Give them a hug.

And maybe even a pair of those bling bling shades. *

*reposted from 10/2011.

Real Vs Fake...Lessons In Profile Pix

I get LinkedIn requests daily.

I know almost none of them.  They're just people wanting to piggyback a connection into my connections.  Which, I guess, is the entire premise of LinkedIn.

I got this request the other day.  I have edited out the name, company, and background to protect the innocent.

But seriously...would you EVER put a profile picture like this on YOUR profile?

Much less accept a request to be a connection?

Shoot me. 

This picture is very scary.  I would have felt better if he'd faked it.  Or put a picture of his dog or something.

Red Pill.

Shoes Shoes Shoes Shoes

I don't care what the feed on the side of my Facebook says...

I do NOT have a shoe addiction.

Not even a comfortable shoe addiction.

Now boots?  Mebbe so.  

Mebbe sooooo.

Weird Breakfast...or, Asparagus Is My New Best Friend

My favorite breakfast -  in.the.world.

Seriously.

Give me steamed asparagus for breakfast and I am happy, happy, happy.

I know. 

I’m weird.

We love the frozen whole spears.

And a 10 oz package yields 9.7 grams of protein.  Not a bad way to start the day.

Like I said, I’m weird.

It could be worse.  Heck, It Has Been Worse.

But I'm pretty healed up now, and for the most part, eating better for me.

Canine Temper Tantrum

What happens when ThatManILove grills a steak and we put the Wonderdogs in the bedroom for 15 minutes.

Totally unacceptable.

Grrrrrr.

This pillow was HUGE.

Heavy on the huge.