Vignettes of Peevery and Joy

I miss my blog. I don't know why I just can't find time to get to it. Okay, well maybe I do know why. Last week, I was frantically finishing up summer school, then frantically writing a conference paper, then frantically heading to Denver to attend the conference, then heading home, and now frantic again--we are leaving tomorrow for Hawaii, and NOTHING is done! No packing, none of the other tasks I need to accomplish. Should i be blogging? No. But, I've been away a long time, and will likely be away a while longer after this.

I have so much I could write about. So this will be a series of mini-moments:

* I survived my first (36-hour) absence from the bug! I admit to sniveling my pathetic way through the airport after saying goodbye, but once on my way I managed to enjoy my inordinate freedom quite extensively despite only having to pump like EVERY TWO HOURS, because for some unexplainable reason being away made my production factory kick into overdrive.

* Or perhaps it was the alcohol? I may have committed a petite conference no-no by getting quite buzzed (off of two glasses of wine!) after a very, very impolite and unprofessional person was rude after my presentation. Very occasionally people can be snide and nasty at conferences, but I was not expecting it at this time. People reassured me that my presentation was fine (retrospectively, it could have been better I know) and that she was in the wrong, but it still cast a pall on my experience, compelling me to drown my sorrows in house red, seek reassurance from everyone in our crew that I had done okay, and then proceed to babble shamelessly at strangers in the buffet line. It probably would have been in my best interests to be a tad more disciplined, yes. At least, when we continued to imbibe well into the night, we did it down on 16th street rather than at the conference hotel where the staid, responsible compositionists would not be mentally filing my name and face in the "Do Not Hire" file.

* At least the eatin' was good. I am telling you: Grand Hyatt, downtown Denver. Best conference food I have EVER had, hands down.

* And I got some really great ideas from some of the presentations I observed. Yippee! It's good to get pumped up with motivation and ideas for new projects!

* Speaking of pumping--That airline security guards should be total wankers and fixate on the most inappropriate and non-terrorist objects must be written in the job application. When I went to Seattle in May, I got crap for having a spoon in my purse (maybe I could cut out someone's heart with it?) and this time, I got it for...wait for it...you guessed it...MY BREAST PUMP. A snippet of the exchange:

Him (stopping the conveyor belt to peer at his little x-rays): You have a bottle in your bag.
Me: An EMPTY bottle.
Him: You have a small, plastic, bottle in your bag.
Me: Yes. There is nothing in it. There isn't even a lid on it.
Him: It's an empty plastic bottle? (in a tone implying suspicion of WMD)
Me: It's. My. PUMP. Because I'm. BREASTFEEDING.
Him: I'm going to need to take a look.
Me: Go ahead. Take it out. Fondle it. Embarrass yourself. Let me know when you're done.

Granted, breast pumping isn't exactly a thrill. But I am pretty sure that it would not be an effective terrorist threat. ("Everyone stay in your seats why we fly this plane into the National Bowling Stadium! Fuck with us and you WILL get pumped!")

* And while I'm talking about terror, I'm a little concerned Mario and I might be in for it with a little bully. Yesterday some good friends were in town when I got home last night, including a couple who had a baby about 12 weeks after we did, cute little Landyn with the most kissable, pinchable cheeks. And what did Scarlett do when we plopped them down together? Immediately, and multiple times, grab Landyn's plug out of her mouth and stick it in her own, leaving her to cry sadly. Sigh...we are really in for it!

Wish us luck in Hawaii. After twelve hundred tasks and errands today, we have to drive to the Bay Area tomorrow to catch our flight. Um, yeah...wish us LOTS of luck!