Bam! Jarred awake, Lucy turned to her sister; but Susan snored softly, undisturbed.
Bam! Lucy slid from the bed and scurried through the gloom.
Bam! Flinging wide the wardrobe door, she startled as the bold winds of another world caressed her face.
Category Archives: Blogging challenge
Simply…intoxicating.
When I tell people that I have a blog, they always want to know what I write about.
“What’s your category,” they say. “Humor|entertainment| pets| parenting|relationships|food|health and wellness|travel?”
(Huh? Category? What?)
It’s hard enough posting something/anything with any kind of regularity.
Describing my blog is difficult, perhaps it’s because I’ve never really had a theme beyond its name, Drunk on Life.
In a silly, sappy way that’s totally normal to my nature, that’s how most of me feels – that life itself is intoxicating – a giant glass of champagne, filled with bubbles of happiness,to be tossed back, quaffed, slurped down and savored.
But of course, the reality is that life isn’t always a sparkling nectar.
I’m wildly fortunate in so many ways, and I am truly grateful for all of the blessings in my life. I have a job and my health; a husband, parents and friends who love me; a home, two amazing fur kids, a car that runs, money in the bank.
It doesn’t stop me from bad days and stressful realities the same as anyone: the loss of a friend, feeling exhausted and alone, moments at work when I want to put my hands over my ears and start screaming, painful times when I fight with my husband, my car breaking down in an intersection and thinking I’m going to die, hearing a colleague saying something petty and nasty and unwarranted about me. Maybe it’s as simple as realizing I forgot to pay a bill last month; or it’s just one of those days when I’m a hot, hormonal mess, my jeans won’t zip up, my face breaks out and then my freakin’ dishwasher overflows suds all over my hardwood floors..
or when I try to write something/anything…
and nothing comes out.
Those are the times when instead of crying, I look through the pictures in my phone gallery or Instagram, pull up an old blog post, or scroll through albums on Facebook or real albums on the coffee table and remember wonderful, precious moments with the people I love. Walks on the Beltline with Sue and Laura. Barbeques and Ninja Turtle Burgers. Sunsets on the beach in Rosemary. Thanksgiving and Christmas. St. Patrick’s Day Dinners and Burn’s Suppers and “Screen on the Garage Door” movie nights. Hanging out with our parents. Hanging out with our cousins. Kitty hijinks. Clowning around. Dancing with my husband. Hugs and hand-holdings, a sweet text from a friend, jokes retold a thousand times, grins, giggles, laughing so hard you’re crying. Love.
And knowing that this is what really matters, ultimately, I find myself once again buzzed, wasted, snockered, giddy, tipsy on the life I have and the people in it.
And that’s what I try to share here, with you, the funny, charming, magical and wonderful moments that make it all worthwhile to me.
Cheers, Salud and Slàinte Mhath. Here’s to life.
“Life is a crazy mixture of intoxicating cocktails.”
― Ken Poirot
Nanopoblano: A Month of Spicy Writing with some fabulous Tiny Peppers!
I’m a Pepper, he’s a Pepper,
She’s a Pepper, we’re a Pepper,
Wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper, too?
Yay! It’s November 1st and for me the start of the 30-Day Crazy that is NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) as part of the NanoPoblano (Team Tiny Pepper) bloggers’ group!
I’ve been MIA from writing for the past two months due to a soul-sucking work load that’s left me low on energy and short on words.
To be truthful, I am frightened of committing to NaBloPoMo and Team Pepper.
I’m scared I’ll never be able to write a post Every. Single. Day. for the 30 days of November.
I’m timorous of taking on too much work: I’m panicked that I’ll be too short on time to peruse other Pepper’s posts, I’m petrified I won’t write anything that anyone will find interesting. I’m even apprehensive of being a creative addition to the team.
However…
I’m even more heart-stoppingly terrified to miss out on so much fun!
Three Things Thursday: July 23, 2015
“Picture perfect.”
One of my favorite weekly blog challenges is Nerd In the Brain’s Three Things Thursday, where she shares three things that made her smile: her “exercise in gratitude.”
She urges you to “steal this idea with wild abandon and fill your blog with the happy.”
Looking back through the photo gallery on my phone, I was most struck by the lovely skies I saw over the last few days, so I thought I’d share those with you this week. (added bonus that they were all attached to very happy moments!)
It’s a double rainbow all the way. Whoa. Enjoying nature’s “Art” outside of an Art Opening.
Walking home down the Beltline from a great barre class. O4W Skate Park.
Tonight’s Sunset porn from my front door. Had to stop, drop the groceries and take a picture!
Thank you, as always, Nerd in the Brain, for the inspiration and opportunity to share some happies!
Three Things Sunday: July 19, 2015
I’m sure by now, there is little surprise that I have once again missed the mark to contribute to this week’s “Three Things Thursday: An Exercise in Gratitude,” the lovely Nerd In The Brain’s weekly challenge.
At least, in a timely, Thursday-ish fashion.
However, one of the things I most happy about is:
I have been lost without lil’ MacCie.
I have my computer back! Yippee!!!
I was completely happy to let my husband use my laptop for an editing project the past three weeks (especially since it was a gift from him to begin with) but if you saw my few miserable attempts to blog via iphone, you will understand my overwhelming joy to get the little fella back.
Otherwise, it’s been a loooooonnnnggg week. I’m really missing my friend and colleague (who received a well-deserved transfer and promotion), all made tougher by the fact I’m alone in the office now, doing a job best meant for 3 people, so I’m stressy and scrambling most of the time.
I have to keep smackin’ myself upside the head to remember that my life overflows with good things and I should stop the kvetching and focus on all the incredible positives instead of the minute amount of negative.
For instance, here is a spectacular sunset, viewed from my terrace on Monday:
Who wouldn’t feel saturated with color and sky after seeing that? It leaves little room for the petty crap.
Tuesday, my dear friend Heidi strolled over on the Beltline and drug me out of my “poor little me” funk and down to my favorite bar, the Highlander, for dinner and some beverages. Saw some other friends, vented, listened, smiled, giggled, laughed out loud: got myself back.
The walk back, on such a sultry summer night, was filled with lovely twinkly lights from the city spread out before us.
Ponce de Leon Avenue – Bank of America Building in the background and Ponce City Market to the left.
Lights of North Avenue, looking towards Midtown.
The walk and talk did a lot to put me in a better frame of mind.
So, I would love to share another view from my terrace – looking down instead of out.
Gerbera Daisies
Petunias and Snaps!
Despite the recent oppressive heat, my flowers are exploding into gorgeousness, reminding me that there are things to be grateful for all around me.
I simply need to open my eyes to find some happy.
Thank you as always, Nerd in the Brain, for the weekly reminder!
Three Things Thursday: July 9, 2015
My contribution to to the lovely Nerd in the Brain’s weekly show-n-tell of happiness all come from our wonderful first day at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in North Carolina.
It’s both one thing and many things, so I’ll try to narrow it down to three themes – I may cheat and show you more than one picture for each category, if you don’t mind.
Music – lots of gorgeous fiddle and mandolin, spiced with flutes, drums and fabulous harmonies:
Sheepdog Trials (my weakness, I could watch them all day):
The Torchlight Ceremony recognizing all 120 Scottish Clans and Societies in attendance:
And I will bonus you some gratuitous “Men in Kilts.”
Thank you as always, Nerd in the Brain, for letting me share my happies!
Three Things Thursday: July 2, 2014
I’m temporarily computer-free so I’m having to post this through my Iphone (cue violins playing “Poor, poor pitiful me). It is truly a “hair ball of bitchiness” trying to write a blog this way. (Warning: there could be cursing and hurled shoes. Note that people could still be wearing the shoes when they are hurled.)
Please also take into consideration that all typographical errors are thus deliberate and spring from my deep frustration of having to peck at this miniscule elven keyboard while Siri-the-Conquerer and her band of merry minions wreak internal chaos on all my attempts at alignment, spacing and media.
Grumpies aside, I do want to share my “happies” through the lovely Nerd in the Brain’s Three Things Thursday, which I’m sorry to have missed participating in for the last month.
So on to the good stuff!
As you may have surmised from the earlier photo of men in skirts, we had an awesome time at the Blairsville Scottish games a couple of weeks ago.
My “Sport” kilt. They don’t really make official kilts for girls.
The annual event is set in a lovely park in North Georgia.
There was Highland Dancing and lots of bag piping.
We hung out with some cool Scots and some stunningly beautiful birds of prey.
I ate stuff on sticks and binge-watched sheep dog trials.
I was replete with happiness.
The next week, we had a chance to take part in the Atlanta Moon Ride, which is a phenomenal fundraiser supporting Bert’s Big Adventure, a NFP providing Disney vacations for terminal and chronically ill children.
It’s basically a booze-fueled midnight bike ramble through 6.5 miles of intown Atlanta neighborhoods for about 5000 vodka-stuffed but eager-to-cycle-for-a-good-cause participants.
They “encourage” costumes. Ha. We don’t need no stinkin’ encouragement.
The Kitty Kat Krewe: Bitch Kitty, Here Kitty Kitty, and Helloooo Kitty
We had all kinds of mad fun cycling wildly through dark and slumbering neighborhoods, illuminated by thousands of glow sticks and twinkling tutus, screaming “Kitty Kat Krew: Sound off!”
When roadie meets selfie. This is Not Art. This is also Not Safe.
::Sigh:: It was made of awesome.
My third happy thing is that I didn’t chuck my phone through the window during this hour-long post of torture.
No more blogging on the phone! Ever!
I should have a computer this weekend and hope to catch up reading all y’all’s posts and perhaps write something myself in a less agonizing fashion.
Hope you have a wonderful celebration for the 4th of July!
BTW, I hear IPhones make a great incendiary base to light your fireworks displays.
Three Things Thursday: June 4, 2015
This week for Nerd in the Brain’s Three Things Thursday blogging challenge:
Three things that made me smile this week (two without accompanying photos) and some random photos (related to Thing 3.)
Thing 1. My wonderful co-worker, “C,” found out today she got the transfer/promotion she’s been working towards. I can’t imagine work and life without her, but I’m so proud of her and thrilled for her new opportunity.
Thing 2. I am so excited that we’re going to the Blairsville (Georgia) Scottish Festival and Highland Games next weekend. They had me at “Border Collie Demonstrations,” which are so amazing to watch. Plus, kilts, bagpipes, parades, highland dancing and maybe a wee bit o’ haggis on a stick.
Thing 3. We got new phones for work, and for some happily bizarre reason, they got us all iPhone 6’s. I am totally psyched to have use of a better camera than my elderly Galaxy III. To celebrate, I downloaded a new app, Pixlr-o-matic, and I’m having a ton of fun playing with all of the cool filters .
Thank you, as always, Nerd in the Brain, for the weekly reminder to be thankful!
#TRT: Rub a Dub Dub
I thought I would join the lovely folks over at Katzenworld this morning for “Tummy Rub Tuesdays.” Who doesn’t (BTW, that’s you, Internet) love a good cat picture?
My oldest furkid, Keegan is notorious for the drop and roll.
I am Beauty. Come rub my Tummy.
Then the Siren’s call…
Rub me. Now. I will make all of your dreams come true.
This is actually a lie. At this point, anyone gullible enough to fall for the bait, typically gets their hand savaged.
Oh, but he’s a pro.
This is our friends’ kitty, Gracie, a Rag Doll with a large amount of tummy real estate.
Brush. Please . Never. Stop.
And just to keep things fair, here’s a cute shot of our little foster, Spot, enjoying a snuggle with my husband.
A little “Squeee!!!” to start your day! Nothin’ wrong with that! Happy #TRT!
Three Things Thursday: May 28, 2015
Sliding right under the “Thursday” finish line with Nerd In the Brain’s weekly challenge to “show and tell” three things that brought you happiness during the week.
I had an absolutely delightful Memorial Day holiday – one of the best I can ever remember.
My parents came over from Birmingham on Friday afternoon and we went to dinner at our favorite restaurant, Bone Garden; home of Matt-the-Fabulous-Bartender, delicious regional Mexican cuisine and super cool and slightly wacky “Dia de Los Muertos” decor.
Saturday we invited friends Mike, Derenda, Susan, Dana, Tara and Derrik (and his sweet puppy, Skyy) over for BBQ and movies on the front porch. We had a wonderful meal and a great time relaxing and hanging out with everyone.
Jeeves bearing drinks: our specialty cocktail, the “Dahlia” made with a fresh blackberry and mint puree, vodka and gingerbeer.
Mom stopping by the bar for a refreshing beverage!
Daddy and David relaxing on the porch
Me and Dana!
Sunday we were invited to a giant 3-house street party and BBQ over in Buckhead, hosted by our good friends, Randall and Anne (who throw legendary parties).
Gorgeous day for a party!
Everybody brought a dish and a beverage contribution, so there was an abundant supply of really spectacular food, as well as brats and sausages from the grill, courtesy of Randall and his TEAM ‘Q.
Me and my Daddy at the Street Party
And for me, the cherry on top: I knew a guy in the band and got asked to come up and sing back up vocals. It was awesome. I want to quit my job now, run away from home and join the band. 🙂
Singing with the Band! Mostly covers: Springsteen, Buffet, Zack Brown, Eagles, etc.
Monday, we wrapped up the holiday with Brunch at Parish, in Inman Park, and a quick saunter down the Beltline, which my parents had never seen.
Parish Restaurant
My folks checking out the Beltline for the first time
Graffiti art on one of the tunnels
More art
and as a very special treat, some actual artists!
Mini concert from two very gifted musicians hanging out on the Beltline
So, a very happy weekend with lots of wonderful family and friend moments. Thank you, lovely Nerd in the Brain, for letting me share my “happies!”
Drunk on Life 