i went to cooperstown last week.

And I have the pictures to prove it.

invite me.

I need Google Wave. Hook me up, bitches.

Please?

I've been getting so many emails and letters and phone calls from my readers wondering why I haven't posted anything in over a month. The outpouring has warmed my heart so I decided to come back. I wish, faithful readers, that I had an exciting explanation for my absence. Or even better, something mysterious. It would be very cool if I could only tell you part of the story, and leave you waiting anxiously for the rest of the tale. Instead, I will attempt to describe the past month, and really the past few months, in two words. Or a series of two words.

election year
campaign volunteer
so tired
shitty writer
no time
sleep deprived
contractual employee
I'm lazy
I'm busy
nothing new

Oh, and by the way, I know nobody even noticed I've been gone. I lied about the love and support I've received from my readers. My husband hasn't even said anything, although I give him a pass because all he really can talk about lately is law school this and law school that and does this tie go with this suit and woman! Make me a sandwich! But the rest of you, I know you have been caught up in your beautiful lives and haven't thought twice, or once, about me. Even though it pains me to know that you don't miss me and my thoughtful prose, I will not be silenced.

Never again!

I'll be back.

But probably not until after November 3rd.

I hate it/love it that Ahnold has forever changed "I'll be back."

Don't forget to vote on November 3rd!

just some thoughts.

I am shocked by the number of people I know who give enough of a shit about Kanye West and/or Taylor Swift to write about it on their facebook status. I never would have guessed it. My first inclination was to delete everyone who posted something about it but then I realized that I wouldn't have any friends left. Then I wondered if there was something wrong with me for not giving enough of a shit to feel anything, let alone update my facebook status. And then I got all conspiracy theorist and decided that MTV knew he was going to do that and didn't stop him because holy ratings, batman! Genius. And then I decided I had already spent too much time thinking about this and I went to bed.

I am not a particularly religious person. If I cared about sounding cool I would say I am a spiritual person, but I think that might be pushing it. Keeping all that in mind, I do send out prayers once in a while. I'm not sure who/what/where I'm sending them, just somewhere. This morning I sent out two. The first one was for an old friend who was shot this weekend. I think he will be okay but I can't even imagine the physical and emotional pain he had to and will continue to have to endure. The second one was for the 3 little kids who crossed the street in front of me and my green light and almost got flattened by my granny Camry. They were clearly too young to be walking to school by themselves, two little girls in their school uniforms holding the hands of their barely older brother, also in school uniform. I was stopped at the light but when it turned green, I gunned it to beat the car next to me to the next light so I could turn right. I saw the kiddos at the last second and stood on the brakes and they saw me too and stood on the brakes. I almost rolled my window down to yell at them to be careful but I could see they were already terrified. Instead, I sent out a prayer for their safety today and the rest of the days they have to walk to school without adult supervision. Please don't think I'm judging the adults in their lives for not walking them to school. Maybe if they stayed home from work to walk the kids to school, the kids wouldn't have food or clothes or a place to live.

I guess I just like to try to believe we are all, even Kanye West, doing the best we can.

And when that doesn't work, conspiracy theories are always fun(ny).

i know it's been a long time.

I have a new hobby.

This may or may not be based on an actual conversation between a supervisor and a legislative assistant.

two of my favorite things.

I think I found proof that there is some sort of God or something looking out for me.

Behold. Nolan Ryan's Father's Day Special*.


Be careful with those scissors, Jesse!


Can you hear the angels singing??


Not only did we get beef, we got a Nolan Ryan Beef apron and most importantly, a Nolan Ryan autographed baseball.


Jesse's an awesome model.


Almost there...


Holy packaging!


Ooo! A sticker! Hello, Dolly!


2 New York Strip Steaks, 4 Tenderloin Steaks


And dry ice.




Dry ice and water with dish soap...






*Luckily we did not have to show proof of fatherhood to get this amazing deal. Lots of beef, an apron, and an autographed ball for only $99!

millicent.

After a couple weeks of watching teeny tiny things swim around the water, we finally had something big enough to see in a photo! Meet Millicent*! Isn't she gross?


And creepy?


And strange?


And oh my God, absolutely terrifying?


Willie Horton liked her a lot.


She pretty much stayed in that spot for days.


And then we went on vacation and it was hot in the house and when we got home Millicent was alive. But then she died.

R.I.P. Millicent.

* Poor Millicent didn't even have a name until after she kicked it. I kept asking Jesse what her name was and he said she didn't have one. As I was working through the stages of grief after her passing, the name just came to me. It seemed perfect. Oh, Millicent. We hardly knew ya. If you are wondering how we knew she was a girl, Jesse said he read somewhere that most aquasaurs are girls. I looked but didn't see that info. Then again, it's a long entry and I pretty much just looked at the pictures.

one day in june.

A few years ago I bought Jesse aquasaurs for his birthday. I swear I bought them for him when we still lived in Ann Arbor because I think I remember wanting to throw them away instead of moving them to Detroit. He swears he got them when we lived in Detroit. Anyway, the little aquasaurs had been hanging out in their packaging in the basement until one day Jesse decided it was time to set them free.


Hello Kitty had to make sure she got her photo taken with the empty aquasaur house. The little nun in the back was too shy.


First you add water...


Then you make sure the water is warm enough. This water is not warm enough.


We decided to go for a walk through Indian Village while we waited for the water to warm up. They were having their annual home tour so there were lots of people around. We didn't have tickets so we toured the outside of homes.




I really wanted to go in this house.


When we got back home the water was ready and Jesse added the aquasaur eggs.


Then we waited.

tiger stadium. late june...

We went back on Sunday June 28, 2009 after all the legal stuff was done and the demolition had continued.



We could hear those things hanging from the elevator shaft blowing in the wind. It was kind of creepy.






Giant claw...






Can you see the dude in the golf cart?

tiger stadium. early june...

Shortly after the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation voted to tear down the rest of Tiger Stadium, Jesse and I stopped by to check it out and take some photos.

all out of order.

I forgot to post photos of the weekend visit from Joanna and Erica in early May.

We went to the Detroit Downtown Hoedown and watched people.

Hugs are fun.


We went to Belle Isle and looked at dirty trees.

Pretty pond.

Scary vacant buildings.

We did not picnic.


Later that night we gave each other tattoos.

Before...

After...


We went to Flower Day at Eastern Market.


And stopped by the Heidelberg Project.