Quick Update: 6 Days on the Coast, Fitness Goals, Waiting for Lightning to Strike.

I have 7 saved drafts, but no new blog post to speak of.  I start this one, not knowing if it'll actually turn into a post or not. I always have the best intentions though. :)

I'm leaving tomorrow, to drive down to Port Canaveral to catch the Ante Up Poker Cruise.  I'm taking my Mom as my date. Ordinarily, I would be looking forward to it.. but we're in the middle of tropical storm Isaac, and I think I'm up against 5 days of rain.




Part of walking so much, is you SEE so much more. Here a rainbow, literally pouring into my home up on the hill.


I walked four miles today. At the beginning of the year I blogged about wanting to get in better shape. Aside from Vegas (Or as I like to call it .. "The worst two months of my life").. I've been pretty faithful. My goal was to lose a significant amount of weight slowly so it would stick, add a moderate amount of muscle and increase my overall health. I'm 1/3rd of the way into the weight goal, down three sizes, and I've just upped the ante from casual increase in activity to hardcore exercise. With CatCat staying in Biloxi during the cruise, working out has replaced him as my natural anti-depressant. Right now my body hurts so good. I still have about 35 pounds to go before I'm content, and I want to be able to run a mile without being winded. Run. Not jog, not walk fast. Run.  So far, so good.




This stupid cat makes me happy. Lame, I know. But he's part of my heart.


I've been watching a ridiculous chick-flick mini series on Netflix. I won't name it, because it's embarrassing. My mom is a fan. It's a rom-com type of feel-good crap show I wouldn't normally watch. One thing it has made me realize, sadly, is that my life is utterly void of romance. I go out. I know plenty of men. When I choose to, I have a great sex life. But I have no romance. I look at the men in my life, the ones that interest me.. and the ones actively pursuing me, and not really any of them are categorical knight-in-shining-armor-types. Not that I necessarily need this.. but I think, maybe twice this year have I gotten butterflies. Maybe I'm getting sentimental in my old(er) age, but I kind of want to hear some of that sentimental crap from time to time. I'm going to make more of an effort to go out on dates that don't involve a bar. My expectations are high though. Which is probably why I'm on a 2 year streak of flings-turned-friends. Not that I'm complaining. I heart those 3 or 4 guys who have managed to make it past my self-imposed walls. :)

French Quarter Road Trip with the Boys!

I just spent six day down on the Coast, killin' time between Biloxi and New Orleans. It was fun. There were a few moments that were down right enchanting. I had dinner with three of my favorite friends, Pique, Kreigl and Zackary at the Old Cuevas Bistro. It was one of the best meals I've ever had. I'd anticipated a nice night out, so I spent ages doing the hair and makeup.. picking out the perfect rust-colored sundress.. and after two martinis and one fantastic dinner, I was back in jeans and and a hoodie driving down the coast. I can only do super-girly in short spells. I'm pretty sure the dress is still balled up in my car somewhere.

Yes, it was every bit as good as it looks.

We did a day at the Aquarium in New Orleans, feeding Parakeets in the rain and watching rockstomper (Rockhopper?) penguins kick ass and take names. The night on Bourbon street I realized the difference between my buddies and I.. by 11:30, I was drunk and ready to retire to the condo. They stayed out till nearly dawn. I surprised myself by braving the streets of NOLA on a Friday night alone, during the walk home, as I fended off potentially-homeless conversationalist. I wonder sometimes if my lack of an internal fear gauge is strength or stupidity.

Pique is quite the Parakeet whisperer. Apparently.

We went to Destin to visit my sister.  She's dealing with some health issues and I haven't had the chance to spend time with her since being diagnosed. She looked great, and we had fun.  Kreigl and I flopped around in the ocean a bit, in what will be one of those pictures that stays burned in my brain. Zack, PK and Bex on the shore, with the storm rolling in behind them. It was a perfect, imperfect day. The drive home we listened to music, waxxed philosophy about rat hair and lentil bisque and country music vs hip hop.

I saw The Campaign, and laughed so hard it hurt. Sat on the beach and poured my heart out over a can of beer. Lost a prop bet in a Best Buy. Watched Pirates of the Caribbean and Aqua Teen Hunger Force. (You all know how I love me some Meatwad).

Oh hell yes.

And then it was over, and I came home. Without CatCat, without the three boys. Back to my regularly scheduled life.

But not so much. I've got to make some changes. I want to be closer to my sister, and yet still in the South. Poker is part of my blood.  There is no escaping it. I can't imagine working wholly in another field. So I'm somewhat limited to where I can settle if I'm going to look into "House" jobs. I'm shopping a bit though, and I have irons in the fire. I want a bit more normalcy than I have now. And yet, I still want to travel. I want it all. But that isn't much of a surprise. Of all the people I know, though, I am most likely to have it all. I generally find a way to get what I want.

I'm not sure what the next step for me is. I'm drifting at the moment, and I'm waiting for lightning to strike. When it does, you all will be the first to know. :)

I'll update the details of the cruise, hopefully from the ship. The next couple of weeks are going to be hectic, but I've got some half-written blog posts that I'm looking forward to finishing. A final tribute to Casey Jones, who has been laid to rest.. as well as another installment of "This Dealer Life". 

As always, Thank you for reading.

<3
Bella Donkey

Post Script - I dyed my hair red a couple weeks ago, to get it a few shades closer to it's natural color. I posted a few pics online, and a blog reader, who is pretty handy with photoshop dolled up one of my photos with some sparkly stuff. I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to do with it, but it looks kinda neat.. so I'll repost.  Thanks, Charlie!

My hair.. it's on FIRE. Ahahahahaha.