ombrastarr's Xanga

quick update

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:00:53 GMT

hey y'all - dropping in quickly to say hi. obviously i'm not keeping up with anyone but i'll be back in a week. so far, this has been the best vacation I have ever had, and its only day 6! so far: mt. st. helen, astoria and good food, cannon beach, devil's punchbowl, devil's spit, world's smallest river & port, sea lion cave, and this morning was dune buggies on the biggest sand dunes i've ever seen. now we're headed down to the redwood forest and tommorrow back up to crater lake. i've been trying to update flickr as much as possible with the little camera pics.

hope y'all are doing well! smooches to ya!

makin' plans

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:41:35 GMT

So, we are getting ready for being on the road for about 2 weeks.
In case you'd like to stalk us, here is where we will be:

Wednesday after work, we will drive up to Atlanta, GA.
Thursday, we will enjoy the aquarium. Then we will drive on to Huntsville, AL.
Friday, we'll hang out with family.
Saturday, we fly to Portland, OR.
Sunday or Monday, we'll head to Mt. St. Helen's.
From there, we'll head to the coast, and drive down, stopping along the way really wherever we like (suggestions?).
I'm hoping to make it to the Redwood Forest before we...
head over to Crater Lake!
And then back up to Portland to fly back to Huntsville on the 29th.
Then a few days with family,
and then back home!

trying to figure out how to pack all four of us so that we will then fit into a convertible is the goal of the next few days.
that should be fun. but we can do it!
I bought a new Lowepro bag for my camera gear that is also big enough for maps, water, sunglasses, etc., so I'm ready to go!

I'm in a much better mood today, thank you. I guess I just needed some down time with my boys.
And I am stealing as much alone time as I can before we leave, because I know how cranky I get when I don't have time to myself.

If I get my MacBook before I leave, then I will take it with me and blog along the way.
If not, I will probably leave the computer at home, which I should really do anyway.
If I bring it, I'll want to work. Flergh.
But if I do bring the Mac, expect lots of stupid video like the one below, because I'll do it!

Hope y'all are are doing well, staying cool, and enjoying your summer. Maybe I'll see some of you on the road?

flerghy

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:15:07 GMT

well then. so much for summer blogging. I'm tired.

we were out of town for a week. we went to NC to see my family while the boys were in Jamaica for a wedding with their mom.
everyone had a great time in their respective places.
we hiked a lot and generally enjoyed cool weather, sunny skies, good food, and excellent company.
the boys enjoyed clear waters, underwater life, fruity drinks, and I hope excellent company as well.
then we were all back together this week, and we're all busy.
I had meetings from 9 - 4 every day this week except for today.
R has been incredibly busy, even though he technically isn't on contract right now.
G is in a week long band intensive learning, among other things, steel drums. which is awesome.
N got his learner's permit, so now he can drive with us.

and I'm fucking exhausted. and I miss everybody. and it's July. summer is almost over.

we have a vacation planned for the last 2 weeks of July, and while I will enjoy it once we get there, I'm so stressed out about how much I have left to do before school starts again.
I hate that feeling more than almost anything else.
and I really want to go back up to the mountains.

I'm usually in better spirits this time of year, and I don't like how grumpy I've been lately.
No one else, does, I'm sure.
So I need to figure this out...

and I need to figure it out sooner rather than later, I suspect.

home again. for a minute.

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:02:21 GMT

Road Trip from ombrastarr on Vimeo. I'll update later. and I will also catch up on you guys later. right now I need a nap.

and I know I am ridiculous. hopefully that is ok.

my flickr is updated. and I still need a nap.

FUTAB from ombrastarr on Vimeo.

on the road again

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:18:06 GMT

R & I are in the car heading for north carolina. which unfortunately means that we will spend much of the day driving through georgia. and at the moment it is sucking. traffic + raining + no coffee = grumpy R.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:28:34 GMT

Broom Game from ombrastarr on Vimeo.

really.

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:14:21 GMT

I think most of us are a little desperate.

Don't you think?

I am.

questions...

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:51:16 GMT

an informal poll:

a 10 day vacation with two boys, 12 & 15...

Grand Canyon and surrounding area (flying into Vegas and driving over)

or:

Portland OR and surrounding area (flying into Portland and driving to a few places)

what do you think?

odd questions...

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:50:53 GMT

What do you know about synesthesia?

and what do you think about it?

when my husband and I really talked about it, it was fascinating, our responses to questions like "what color is 8?" and so forth.

anyone?

halp!

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:13:00 GMT

it's official.
I need a vacation.
not an adventure.
not a plan.
a break.

I guess its because normally,
I'd be at the beach this week
with nothing to do but swim and read.
hang out with the boys.
and swim and read.
since R doesn't have his summer free lance gig anymore,
we also lost a free week at the beach.
and I am missing it right now.
like crazy.
I got spoiled.

if I don't get some down time this summer,
august is going to be a hot bitch.

anybody have any suggestions?
that don't involve spending thousands of dollars on gas?
and involve swimming and reading?

oh, and at work we've decided to make a mockumentary a la The Office.
I made the first video, which you can see on my Vimeo if you'd like.
I'm hoping we actually follow through with this, because it should be really funny.
Or not.

Oh, and if you have big boobs like I do, don't wear orange. Just sayin'.