The last couple weeks have gone by much to quickly, yet they have been fairly good, I say fairly because I am still working night shift so that takes a small piece out of any goodness that exists out there. Last week I went up to Billings MT with the folks to do some finishing up of shopping and to go to a rodeo.
It was just nice to be somewhere with options of things to do again, it had been a while. I really miss the smallest things like coffee shops, or even the little kiosks that are in random parking lots throughout the city. I hate that I have to travel for hours in any direction if I want to be able to grab a cup of coffee after 6 at night, or be able to wake up at 9 with 2 hours before I go to work and know that I didn't miss out on random places still being open.
Along with options, there comes the inevitable sighting of beautiful girls walking around in various stores or wherever you are. That is not a slight at my hometown, as there are attractive women that live here, the only thing is they aren't quite what I am looking for. What I mean by that is the majority of them are settled down already, or have much to much baggage for a small town like this, something that is woefully hard to escape, which is unfortunate because there are a lot of good ones here that buy into the local "hype" and don't see that they can rise above it all. I cannot tell you how many times my eyebrows went up involuntarily when they encountered brunettes here and there, especially when I bought my new phone, man was the saleswoman beautiful, she was smartass as well ripping on her co-workers which just made her that much sexier, to bad she talked about using one of the verizon services to tell her boyfriend the scores off of ESPN. So yeah it was nice to see the eyecandy out there, not that I have ever had the cajones to do something about it, but it's nice to see.
The other thing that I loved about the trip was going to the Barnes and Noble and Borders bookstores, I could live in a bookstore so easily. I love just walking through the literature section and seeing what might pop out at me, and then walking up to the counter with three or four books, knowing that I still have a pile at home to read, but knowing that the pile could use a couple more. Borders was nice as well, they had a three string ensemble playing Christmas tunes in the cafe. The ensemble made me know that I am right to say that the cello is the coolest instrument out there.
I like watching my mom pick out books to give to my cousins kids, I like helping here and there when I see something I would have loved to have when I was a kid. It's fun to watch her try and spread the love of reading throughout our family much like she did with me, I know one day I am giong to melt when I see her with my future children reading to them in whatever capacity it might be, i.e. tucking them in and reading or just filling up a chair with all that small book goodness.
The rodeo was good, it was cold as hell in the arena because they have to keep the chutes to the outside open, and the temp outside was below zero. The rodeo is one that we go to every year, or at least the folks do, I go when I can. It is in memory of a boy who died 14 years ago, and they made a memorial in his name and the proceeds from that foundation go to helping rural families in whatever capacity they might need help in, so its a godo cause.
Work wasn't to bad this week, just cold as hell. Got holiday pay for Christmas Eve and Christmas day and paid time and a half for working the eve, much like I will this week with New Year's eve and day. Got home Christmas morning when I got off at 7 after I picked up the paper, dad was getting back in the house after walking the dogs and got to mixing up the snap doodle coffe cake we have every year on Christmas. I went through my stocking to see what Santa brought, yep I am 29 and Santa still comes, probably always will. Then I divided up the presents up to their recipient so we could dive in, and when we do that it is a rotation that starts with me then mom then finally dad and repeats until everything is open. My folks were really happy with their presents so that made me feel better, mom is easy to shop for so I knew she would be fine with what I got, but dad is trickier, he is the kind of guy that doesn't really vocalize what he wants. I got him an air compressor that came packaged with two kinds of finishing nail guns and a finishing staple gun that he described as "being handy as hell" then also an acessory kit so he can use in connection with his air compressor for various jobs.
I think I was spoiled again this year, been kind of the way things work the older I get since they have less and less bills as they paid off the house and things like that. I got a bunch of books, the big ones being the Large oversized Version 2.0 20 Years of Dilbert, and the Absolute edition of Hush. I think the really cool random thing I got was the set of three plush Doozers from Fraggle Rock, thinking of those still makes me smirk.
All in all a pretty good couple weeks, I have today, the 26th off and my old roommate is in town so I will probably go see what the small town of Glendive has to offer me, and hopefully I won't be hungover for work Saturday at 11, I shouldn't be, but going out drinking with Dave can get a bit crazy from time to time so we shall see.
I hope all your holidays were great, and the New Year brings happiness, success, and riches galore.
It was just nice to be somewhere with options of things to do again, it had been a while. I really miss the smallest things like coffee shops, or even the little kiosks that are in random parking lots throughout the city. I hate that I have to travel for hours in any direction if I want to be able to grab a cup of coffee after 6 at night, or be able to wake up at 9 with 2 hours before I go to work and know that I didn't miss out on random places still being open.
Along with options, there comes the inevitable sighting of beautiful girls walking around in various stores or wherever you are. That is not a slight at my hometown, as there are attractive women that live here, the only thing is they aren't quite what I am looking for. What I mean by that is the majority of them are settled down already, or have much to much baggage for a small town like this, something that is woefully hard to escape, which is unfortunate because there are a lot of good ones here that buy into the local "hype" and don't see that they can rise above it all. I cannot tell you how many times my eyebrows went up involuntarily when they encountered brunettes here and there, especially when I bought my new phone, man was the saleswoman beautiful, she was smartass as well ripping on her co-workers which just made her that much sexier, to bad she talked about using one of the verizon services to tell her boyfriend the scores off of ESPN. So yeah it was nice to see the eyecandy out there, not that I have ever had the cajones to do something about it, but it's nice to see.
The other thing that I loved about the trip was going to the Barnes and Noble and Borders bookstores, I could live in a bookstore so easily. I love just walking through the literature section and seeing what might pop out at me, and then walking up to the counter with three or four books, knowing that I still have a pile at home to read, but knowing that the pile could use a couple more. Borders was nice as well, they had a three string ensemble playing Christmas tunes in the cafe. The ensemble made me know that I am right to say that the cello is the coolest instrument out there.
I like watching my mom pick out books to give to my cousins kids, I like helping here and there when I see something I would have loved to have when I was a kid. It's fun to watch her try and spread the love of reading throughout our family much like she did with me, I know one day I am giong to melt when I see her with my future children reading to them in whatever capacity it might be, i.e. tucking them in and reading or just filling up a chair with all that small book goodness.
The rodeo was good, it was cold as hell in the arena because they have to keep the chutes to the outside open, and the temp outside was below zero. The rodeo is one that we go to every year, or at least the folks do, I go when I can. It is in memory of a boy who died 14 years ago, and they made a memorial in his name and the proceeds from that foundation go to helping rural families in whatever capacity they might need help in, so its a godo cause.
Work wasn't to bad this week, just cold as hell. Got holiday pay for Christmas Eve and Christmas day and paid time and a half for working the eve, much like I will this week with New Year's eve and day. Got home Christmas morning when I got off at 7 after I picked up the paper, dad was getting back in the house after walking the dogs and got to mixing up the snap doodle coffe cake we have every year on Christmas. I went through my stocking to see what Santa brought, yep I am 29 and Santa still comes, probably always will. Then I divided up the presents up to their recipient so we could dive in, and when we do that it is a rotation that starts with me then mom then finally dad and repeats until everything is open. My folks were really happy with their presents so that made me feel better, mom is easy to shop for so I knew she would be fine with what I got, but dad is trickier, he is the kind of guy that doesn't really vocalize what he wants. I got him an air compressor that came packaged with two kinds of finishing nail guns and a finishing staple gun that he described as "being handy as hell" then also an acessory kit so he can use in connection with his air compressor for various jobs.
I think I was spoiled again this year, been kind of the way things work the older I get since they have less and less bills as they paid off the house and things like that. I got a bunch of books, the big ones being the Large oversized Version 2.0 20 Years of Dilbert, and the Absolute edition of Hush. I think the really cool random thing I got was the set of three plush Doozers from Fraggle Rock, thinking of those still makes me smirk.
All in all a pretty good couple weeks, I have today, the 26th off and my old roommate is in town so I will probably go see what the small town of Glendive has to offer me, and hopefully I won't be hungover for work Saturday at 11, I shouldn't be, but going out drinking with Dave can get a bit crazy from time to time so we shall see.
I hope all your holidays were great, and the New Year brings happiness, success, and riches galore.
VIEW 5 of 5 COMMENTS
now i think it is acceptable to stay up all night and sleep all day.