Stiletto Diaries

Is the Pursuit of Happiness Valid or Merely Self-Serving?

A college professor who attended one of my lectures labeled the pursuit of happiness trivial, self-indulgent and self-serving. I don’t know what his experiences may have been but I have noted that when people are happy, they are much more loving, supportive and available to themselves and to those they touch. However, most ‘reasonable’ people might argue that dealing with poverty, sickness, war and nuclear disarmament should certainly take precedence over a person’s concern for individual happiness. The implication is that happiness, as the professor claimed, is not only self-serving but limited in impact and therefore not worthy of elevated status.
And yet, the founding fathers of our own government viewed the subject so significant that they included the ‘pursuit of happiness’ as an inalienable right in the Declaration of Independence. Beyond memorizing that document and those words as students, few of us, if any, studied the subject of happiness as attentively as we did language arts, mathematics, social studies and science. We never learned to acknowledge such a focus as truly valid or valuable. Although schools offer a vast array of subject areas for study (literature, history, psychology, biology, business administration, medical science, ecology, astrophysics, nautical engineering), no primary school, high school or university offers courses in the pursuit of happiness. No wonder we have learned to disregard the subject or ‘put it aside’ for what we conclude to be more immediate and significant concerns.
The irony is that for ourselves individually and for the planet collectively there perhaps is no more pressing issue than personal happiness. To be happy (and all that ‘happy’ implies - comfortable, loving, accepting, nonjudgemental, joyful, at peace with oneself) might in fact be the most pertinent prescription for dealing with what most of us are concerned with on a global, familial, and personal basis.
So often we strive to change the world around us by changing others. We focus on external solutions to problems which can appear so overwhelming and complex that any reasonable hope of success seems remote. ‘What can I do?’ we ask ourselves in despair. ‘I’m just one person.’
Have we overlooked the most obvious and achievable approach to our problems even though at first it might appear simplistic - to be happy and loving?
If just one person changed, becomes happier, touches another with a more loving and peaceful hand, then the world has, indeed, become a more peaceful place. If each of us acknowledged him- or herself as one entity in an interlocking network of interactions (as lover, parent, friend, child, sibling, coworker, citizen), then, like the stones dropped into a pond, our evolution will cause countless ripples. Our capacity to change enables us to make a truly profound difference in the world.

- Happiness Is A Choice by Barry Neil Kaufman

I feel like this blog has been terribly superficial as of late. I mean it’s been a lot of “oh we did this and this, and then this happened” and very little of anything substantial. I wonder a little if that is why the comments have trickled down to nearly nothing. Don’t get me wrong, I am NOT the type to care much about comments. I mean I like getting them as much as the next blogger, but this blog is for me, and that is my primary concern. I only pondered this because to me it would seem that I must not be writing anything particularly moving. Which, as a matter of fact, is fine really, because I haven’t had a lot of inclination to utilize this space as my psychiatry couch.

In reality a lot of strange and wonderful things have been happening to me. Internal things, not affecting the body but the mind. I have been renovating my life.

What does that mean exactly?

I’m not totally sure yet. All I know is that things have been changing for the better. I have discovered things about myself that I did not know and I am happier for it. I feel that right now, I am perhaps more authentically ME than I ever have been before in conscious memory.

I feel so much more comfortable in my own skin than I ever have.

Probably one of my least desirable qualities is that I am despicably lazy and a terrible procrastinator. My life, my home, my mental state, usually feels…cluttered. I put things off, like folding the laundry, calling people on the phone, running errands, answering e-mails, all sorts of things. I have not been that great at time management, but I am getting better.

I have learned recently that living amongst such clutter, both physically and mentally is VERY VERY BAD for me.

It seems obvious to some people, but I had just accepted it as ‘normal’. My mother is the same way, so it’s sort of been the life-long status quo.

I had been miserable with myself for months before this. I spent hours in bed with Jack, sobbing and not knowing why, while he cuddled me and felt helpless. I could not figure out for the life of me what was the matter. All I knew is that I was somehow dissatisfied with my life and it was throwing me totally off balance. I wanted to throw myself on a kitchen knife because I was so frustrated and unhappy. Jack felt that it was somehow his fault, and that has put a serious strain on our relationship.

Recently I have been reading a book entitled “Happiness Is A Choice”. I was skeptical at first, since it seemed to be too simple. Of course the more I read the more difficult it really becomes. To give you a very brief summary, the book basically teaches you to modify your outlook on situations that would normally make you unhappy. I have also been reading “Living The Good Life” which teaches you how to be successful with behavior modification (it is focused on fitness and weight loss, but between the two of them I have discovered an entirely new way to look at my existence). I am very slowly teaching myself that just sliding through my life is not working. I am unhappy because I feel that everything is passing me by. My birthday is coming soon and with the passage of another year I do not feel that I have accomplished anything during that time. If that’s not enough to depress a person, I don’t know what is.

I also finally checked out the FlyLady website, which has been incredibly useful in taking care of my household clutter. If you don’t know what it is, basically they show you, step by step, how to create workable schedules and routines for maintaining your household and your day to day activities. I am getting my home in better order, feeling more accomplished, which in turn is making me happier.

Life just keeps getting better.

Jack has also been trying some simple behavior modification techniques on the advice of a friend. Last night I remarked that I felt he and I had been closer than ever recently, that we have been getting along better (sure we still have our moments, but they are fewer and farther between than before). He finally admitted that he had been trying something new: being less reactive and not getting flustered over things that really, were not a big deal. Basically thinking things through and putting them in perspective before showing any reaction. I was so very proud of him just then It is hard work to change things about yourself, and I think that the noticeable payoff will help him stick with this.

I am coming to realize more and more that the only happiness we can be responsible for is our own. People have a tendency to want to self-sacrifice, and for a lot of us, it makes us miserable. I have been going around sacrificing and suppressing parts of myself that I think people might not like. I was compromising myself to the point that it was becoming unhealthy, and making my utterly depressed in the process. I am starting too appreciate how fantastically unique I am, and embracing the things about me that I have been pushing aside. I am also making efforts to change the things about myself that I do not like. Not for anyone else, but for me, so that I can be more content with myself as a person.

As much as I am loath to admit it, I think that other contributing factor that brought this about is the people that I associate with. Having people tell you that you are amazing, and pointing out qualities that they find wonderful about you, really helps. I would hate for people to think that I look to others for approval or to improve my self-worth, as that is not the case. It’s just easier to convince myself of my really admirable traits when I have other people to agree with me and remind me on days when I feel less than great. It certainly doesn’t prove to me that I am a worthy individual, since I know that on my own, but it does give me a nice cushy support network when I slip into my former way of thinking.

K has also been making some very commendable efforts to be more accepting of poly. I know that he struggles, and that he is afraid. I know that he is still adjusting to the idea of sharing my time or affection with anyone other than Jack. It would be unrealistic to expect him to be fine with it on the grounds that we asked Jack to be fine with it so that we could have a relationship. It has been a struggle for Jack, and it will be a struggle for K. That is to be expected when people shift from a monogamous way of thinking to a polyamorous way of thinking. I am doing what I can to be patient and supportive. I feel that good progress is being made and even though K gets discouraged, I am very proud of him.

I feel optimistic and positive these days. I think I have a new appreciation for my life and for the things that I have, and the people who are around me. I have a lot of great things to look forward to in the near and also far off future. I do not think I will feel that I am wasting my life anymore.

This postcard, courtesy of PostSecret, pretty much sums it all up for me:

On a side note, has anyone else heard those Trojan radio commercials for Hump Day? Hilarious. I tried to find a copy of it online with no luck (I didn’t spend that much time looking though). If anyone knows where to find it let me know and I’ll post it here.

O, the wonderful darling that she is, sent me a fantastic gift on Saturday evening after her date with Jack. She gifted me with a copy of Story Of O by Pauline Reage. I know, I can’t even call myself a proper submissive for not having already read it

Anyway, I devoured the book, reading it from cover to cover in less than 24 hours (harder than it sounds in this household). It was deeply stirring to say the least. In case there was curiosity, I already had some knowledge of the book (if you are part of the BDSM community hearing about it is part of the initiation package). I decided to give O that particular letter because I knew that this book was one of her favorite novels.

I would recommend that you skip all the preface and so forth at the beginning of the book itself, because in some ways they give away a good part of the story (the ending included). You will enjoy them much more if you read them AFTER you have read the story itself because you will know what they are talking about.

If blatant acts of physical torture, objectification and prostitution of women is not your cup of tea, spare yourself and don’t read this book. It’s harsh, it’s to the point, and it’s NOT erotica or pornography, or anything remotely sexy. At least not to people who cannot see beyond the surface of the story.

I did not find it particularly arousing the in the conventional way. Not masturbation material really, at least not for myself. However, it certainly did remind me of something about myself that I have been mostly in denial of for quite a while. I do not care to go into details, people who know what I am talking about will understand and that is enough.

I would also not recommend that you utilize this book as a Bible for the purposes of real life BDSM play. Can it be like in the book? Will it give you nightmares if I tell you that it can? That I know for a fact that it can? Be assured that even if this book is not a piece of fiction (which is still being speculated, after all these years) the persons involved were not inexperienced in the acts in which they indulged. Leave that sort of thing to the people who understand the risks involved. Pick up a copy of SM 101 by Jay Wiseman if you would like to understand BDSM in a more…palatable format.

I give this book a five out of five. Really excellent, everything I expected and then some.

This Book Receives:

Overheard in my kitchen recently:

Me: *Whining about something I am sure*

Jack: You can’t always get what you want… *pause*

Me: *sly grin*

Jack: Although, you sure seem to all the time…

Yes, yes I do.

I have been totally spoiled this week thus far.

We had Jack’s birthday, which was a small family thing but I got him an awesome gift. Totally frivolous, something JUST for him that I have absolutely no use for. He was thrilled.

Thursday night I was wined and dined at this fantastic new restaurant off of 17th Ave. It’s called Sterling Bar and Grill, sadly it doesn’t have a website yet. K took me there for a romantic dinner. The atmosphere was wonderful. Dark wood, very elegantly decorated, the service was excellent.

We ordered a very nice Riesling and Parmesan Crusted Scallops for an appetizer. They were AMAZING. For the main course I had an 8oz Top Sirloin with Bacon and Mushroom Risotto and seasonal vegetables, K ordered the Prawn Linguine. My steak was marvelous, done to perfection. The risotto was also very good, although maybe a tad mushy, and there was WAY too much for a serving and I ended up leaving a third of it on my plate, but it was delicious.

We had the deep dish apple pie for dessert which was nothing spectacular, the vanilla bean gelato on the side was very pleasant.

The price was reasonable for the quality of the food. I would dine there again and I highly recommend it.

After dinner we went back to K’s place. I had not been in the best of moods thus far. I just felt off, not particularly affectionate, mostly standoffish. I was trying hard to be cheerful because I knew that K put quite an effort into the plans for the evening.

In his bedroom he lit candles, slowly stripped off my clothes, and then gave me a very relaxing back massage with warm oil. Even though I was not really in the space to totally enjoy it, I really have to commend his efforts.

After that we relaxed and talked and my bad mood started to dissipate a little. There was some kissing and fondling and before long I had relaxed and was totally enjoying myself. A great orgasm never hurts either

We cuddled and then I had to go because it was getting late and K needed to work the next day. He walked me to my car and we said our goodbyes and I headed home. I was truly very romantic and I did end up having an excellent time once I stopped being moody.

This morning I got treated to another very awesome date. I met H at his house at around 10am. First we decided to go to Denny’s for breakfast. I like Denny’s a lot, the food there is always great, although the coffee leaves a little something to be desired. H mentioned needing to go shopping for some clothes so I offered to accompany him to the mall and help him shop I LOVE shopping.

We went to Market Mall and found H some pants and shirts at Old Navy. Then we wandered around, got some stuff in Zellers and took a look at the animals in PetLand.

After departing from the mall H directed me to this parking area in a park. We walked down to the edge of the Bow River and waded, watching people float past in all manner if boats and kayak. We decided that we would see about renting a raft so that we could go boating sometime in the near future with maybe some other people. I think that will be a lot of fun. H told me about sediment layers left by the glacial lake that used to be on top of the area that is now Calgary. I like learning new things like that

On the way back to the car H asked me if I like ice cream (some people are lactose intolerant you know) and I said that I love ice cream. So he took me to this little ice cream place that I have never seen before. They have loads of flavors. I had a single scoop of turtle ice cream, YUMMY! It was so hot out today the ice cream was melting almost faster than I could eat it.

H took me on a little tour of where he grew up and then we debated cruising some garage sales but the closest ones were confusing to find, and the one we drove past looked pretty picked-over so we decided to save that for another day perhaps, when we had more time. I drove him home, there was a very good kiss with tongue, and then I had to race home so that J wouldn’t be late for his date with O.

Tomorrow evening I might have a date with O, I am hoping. She might not have time but I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Such a lucky girl I am

We decided to get rid of the first three rules from the last set we agreed upon. Here is the revised list. You can check out the former list here.

1. We must always be totally honest with potential partners about my/our marital status.

2. Only give out personal cell phone number for contact information.

3. A maximum of three solo ‘dates’ are allowed. After that, partners must be introduced to the spouse.

4. Each of us has total veto power over the other.

5. No hooking up in our hometown (don’t want to get the neighbor’s talking).

6. Never bring home a partner while the kids are at the house, *even if they are sleeping*.

7. No threesomes+ unless the spouse is present.

8. For safety, I will always make a call to my husband at an agreed-upon time during my ‘date’ (just to assure him that I am ok). In hindsight I think it would be wise for him to also place a safecall to me during his dates. Men can be victimized too.

9. No hooking up with anyone from work.

10. Condoms will be used *every time* (oral sex being the exception).

11. We must always *call* the spouse before We engage in sexual activities with anyone.

12. In the event that a date is brought to our home, there will be no sex with him/her in our bed. There is a guest room for those purposes. Exceptions can be made if both of us are present and it is a threesome/group sex situation.

13. No hooking up with ex-lovers (they are ex’s for a reason remember).

14. No unnecessary text messaging during ‘dates’.

15. Special days and holidays will be spent with spouse. Examples: Valentine’s Day, New Year’s, Thanksgivings, Birthdays, Etc.

*I had to yank the comic that was here for Jack’s B-Day post. It was messing with my sidebar. You can still check it out here.

Traditional
Cancer Traits

Emotional and loving
Intuitive and imaginative
Shrewd and cautious
Protective and sympathetic

On The Dark Side….

Changeable and moody
Overemotional and touchy
Clinging and unable to let go

The Cancerian character is the least clear-cut of all those associated with the signs of the zodiac. It can range from the timid, dull, shy and withdrawn to the most brilliant, and famous Cancerians are to be found through the whole range of human activity. It is a fundamentally conservative and home-loving nature, appreciating the nest like quality of a secure base to which the male can retire when he needs a respite from the stresses of life, and in which the Cancerian woman can exercise her strong maternal instincts. The latter tends to like and to have a large family. `Nest like’ is an appropriate adjective for the Cancerian home, for its inhabitants tend to favor the dark, mysterious but comfortable type of house which has something of the air of a den about it, a place which belongs to the family rather than existing as a showcase to impress visitors.
That is not to say that the Cancerian is unsociable, just that for them there is a time to socialize and a time to be solitary, and this is part of the apparent contradiction in their nature. Outwardly they can appear formidable - thick-skinned, unemotional, uncompromising, obstinately tenacious, purposeful, energetic, shrewd, intuitive and wise, sometimes with a philosophical profundity of thought verging on inspiration. Their intimates, however, may see a very different character, one with a sympathetic and kindly sensitivity to other people, especially those they love. They are able to identify with the situations of others because of the keenness of their imaginations. They are often over-imaginative and prone to fantasy, sometimes trying to shape their lives to fit some romantic ideal. They are appreciative of art and literature, and especially of drama, where the spectacle and ebb and flow of action and feeling particularly excite them. They may themselves possess considerable literary, artistic or oratorical talent. Their sharp ears and talent for mimicry can sometimes give them success on the stage, though their tendency to be emotional may make them overact. Interestingly - because they give the impression of being down-to-earth - they are often fascinated by the occult and are more open to psychic influence than the average. If they can reconcile the personal conflict of their urge to be outgoing with the reserve that causes them to withdraw into themselves, then at best they can inspire a generation, especially the youthful part of it, by their idealism. A job in which they can express this, and in which they can do well, would be as a leader in a youth organization.

In their personal relationships they are mentally a mixture of toughness and softness, often emotional and romantic to the point of sentimentality in their fantasies; but in real life and in marriage, their loving is not so sentimental but tenaciously loyal. Even if they have affairs (and they may do so, for the male in particular is open to sensual stimulation), their first loyalty remains to spouse and family, of whom they regard themselves as the protector. Both the
Cancerian man and woman love unreservedly, giving much and asking little in return - in fact, one of the most important lessons they have to learn is how to receive gracefully. They are too easily influenced by those they love and admire, and swayed by the emotion of the moment. They are also loyal friends, the negative side of their faithfulness being clannishness, the narrow patriotism of “my country right or wrong”; and closing ranks in suspicion and coldness toward outsiders.

Cancerians have a retentive memory, particularly for emotionally laden events which they can recall in detail for years afterwards. They are strongly governed by childhood memories and since they live intensely in the past in memory and in the future in imagination, a chance meeting with someone for whom they had an unrequited love, even if they thought they had conquered the feeling, will easily rouse the emotion all over again.

The Cancerian has many potential faults. They can be untidy, sulky, devious, moody, inclined to self-pity because of an inferiority complex, brood on insults (very often imagined), yet are easily flattered. They can be tactless and difficult yet, because they are normally ambitious, they will curry favor by floating with majority opinions, outlooks and fashions of the day. As a result they often change their opinions and loyalties and, indeed, their occupations, and lack stability. They are easily corrupted and, because they are convincing romanticizers, can make successful confidence tricksters. Their romanticism in another sense make them ardent supporters of causes, for example a football team with whose heroes they can identify in a world of fantasy.

Their abilities fit the Cancerian for a wide range of occupations. As they are interested in what people are thinking and able to judge what they can safely be told, they can be good journalists, writers or politicians, though in this last capacity they are more likely to remain in the background rather than attain prominent positions of power. They may, indeed, change their party affiliations. They can serve in other departments of public affairs, especially those which involve looking after others, for example in any kind of service from welfare and nursing to catering - their own love of comfort and good living makes the Cancerian an excellent chef or housekeeper. They sometimes have a penchant for trade or business and are often successful as a captain of industry. This is because they are excellent organizers with a good sense of value and economy which they may combine with a flair for inventiveness and originality. The romantic side of their natures make them enjoy grubbing about in places where exciting discoveries may be made (old stamp collections in attics, etc.), and if they can do this professionally as a secondhand dealer or specialist in antiques, they will be happy. More common occupations which suit some subjects of Cancer are real estate broker, gardener and sailor.

Physically they are average to below average in height, with a fleshy body and short legs in comparison with the rest of them. Their hair is usually brown, their faces round, their complexions pale, their foreheads prominent, their eyes small and blue or gray in color, their noses short, perhaps upturned, and their mouths full. They sometimes walk clumsily.

Possible Health Concerns…

Cancer governs the chest, breasts, elbows, stomach and digestion, womb and female reproductive organs. Cancer, which can affect any part of the body, is sometimes said to have taken its name from this sign, which can therefore afflict its subjects with imperfections anywhere. This is incorrect, however, the derivation of cancer being the Latin cancer meaning gangrene as well as crab. Nevertheless, Cancerians are said to be liable to breast cancer and to suffer from pleurisy, dropsy, piles and varicose veins. The excitability mentioned above can lead to weak digestion, gastritis and other stomach ills, and there is a tendency to coughs and weakness of vision.

PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE FOR YOU, AND THEIR SOLUTIONS

As with all sun signs, we all have unique traits to our personalities. When these traits are suppressed, or unrealized, problems will arise. However, with astrology we can examine the problem and assess the proper solution based on the sun sign characteristics. As a Cancerian you may see things below that really strike home. Try the solution, you most likely will be amazed at the results. If you find yourself on the receiving end of the negatives below, it is because you are failing to express the positive.

PROBLEM: You can be oversensitive and something of a clinging vine which may cause you to harbor imaginary hurts and slights, this can make for highly unsettling conditions with your spouse.
SOLUTION: Be sure that the love you are expressing is not simply your need to hang own to someone for moral support, and if necessary, you should seek professional help in order to overcome this negative, clinging aspect of your personality.

PROBLEM: One of your biggest personality flaws, next to neediness, is the habit of being so self absorbed that you sometimes fail to notice what others are doing and accomplishing in their lives, you feel shut out and jealous if a family member has more success than you do.
SOLUTION: You should make a special effort to change this in yourself by forcing yourself to rejoice over their good fortune and when you do this you find that it will eventually become a habit and you as well as they will be happier for the change.

PROBLEM: Your inability to take orders without getting angry or upset may be another one of your problems and this one could be very serious as it affects your chances of earning a good living for yourself and/or your family, since you are quite apt to walk away from any job where you feel ‘picked on’.
SOLUTION: Try keeping an ear out and find out how the ones who have been on the job for any length of time gets along with the boss and coworkers. If you follow his lead or simply decide that you will simply keep quiet and follow orders you will soon see how well you can be really liked by all concerned.

PROBLEM: You also have a problem with putting things off until the last minute which upsets your family and friends. This also has a tendency to make an unpleasant matter even more unpleasant when you procrastinate.
SOLUTION: Make taking care of the business at hand your prime objective from now on for, when you do not have all those worries in the back of your mind you will find it more pleasant to be around people, and you will also find that life goes smoothly for you from then on.

Happy 31st Birthday Jack!

I hope everyone will join me in wishing my wonderful husband a very Happy Birthday!!!

Love you to pieces baby, I hope you have a great Birthday

All My Love,
SG

My blogging mojo has been off all weekend. So here’s a brief re-cap of events since my last post.

Taking the kids to Stampede on Friday was a TOTAL disaster! I dunno if everyone was just tired and therefore bitchy, but by the time Jack and I were going to take the kids home I said fuck the concert and didn’t even bother going to it. I wasn’t in the mood after being ill tempered and dealing with Jack and the kids for several hours.

Saturday morning Jack suggested that perhaps I should go to Stampede with just K for a few hours, so that I could do some of the things we hadn’t had time or patience for the day before. Also, he wanted to go with O to it that evening or the next. I decided to accept his offer and got ahold of K to see id he wanted to go with me.

So we spent the afternoon at the Stampede. I called him a chicken until he came on the one ride I wanted to go on (it was AWESOME!) and then we went on a ride that he wanted to go on (also good).

We had a really great time, and Jack has been slowly easing up on the sexual restrictions so we even got to get naked later and fool around. Good times were had by all! K even won me this soft and cuddly stuffed animal on the midway, which the kids have taken quite a liking to.

Last night Jack took O to the Stampede for a while. Apparently they had a great time.

This week is looking busy already. Tomorrow evening I am hoping to have a date with O and then H and I have plans on Thursday night. I also want to see V sometime soon, maybe on the weekend.

Anyway, I need to head to work. Have a great Monday ya’ll.

*This title, although it has absolutely nothing to do with the nature of this post, was supplied by DF. It’s a bit of an inside joke

The lawn is complete. And Oh My Gawd is it gorgeous! Lush green grass, flower beds bordered with charcoal-colored stone walls. Trees and shrubs and rose bushes! It’s fantastic. I couldn’t be happier.

Plus I got a fantastic tan!

And burned off five pounds of fat I am sure.

Jack and I are just so happy to have our own yard. We lived in a condo for three years and now we have this house of our own and it was so much fun to do all the landscaping together. Jack and I have never really done any intense project together. Usually V is my partner in crime when it comes to all of my projects. She helped me paint nearly the entire interior of our house, not to mention painting the condo when we moved out. She is my go-to girl for all things home improvement. Usually because someone needs to watch the kids, and that someone is usually Jack (by his preference, he is not a fan of painting). It was really awesome to do the yard together, just the two of us. Plus we got in little scraps of alone time at the end of the days, because the kids were at my mum’s place.

Tomorrow is our big reward for all the hard work. Jack, the kids, K, and myself are going to the Calgary Stampede together for the afternoon. Our kids have never been to it, and Jack and I haven’t gone in about four or five years, so we are looking forward to it. Then in the evening Jack is taking the kids home and K and I (along with V and a couple of other people) are going to the Our Lady Peace concert!

I am hoping that I can get together with H at some point soon, and I was supposed to be going on a date with O yesterday but had to cancel due to the landscaping. So I need to make that up to her as soon as possible. On one hand my desire for lots of wonderful people in my life is coming true, on the other trying to fit them all into the schedule is becoming complicated. Ah well, you all know how bored I would be if my life ever became simple and easy

Now I need to go wrangle the rugrats, since we are taking them to watch the fireworks tonight.

YeeHaw!

If you are wondering about the lack of bloggy goodness around here this week it’s because Jack and I are laying sod in our yard. By ourselves.

My HNT post this week might be of my shiny new sunburn. Or maybe the blisters I have from moving around gargantuan amounts of dirt.

Pretty hawt stuff I must say.

This blog will be fun and exciting again soon, I hope, LOL.

Until then I have to hurry and post this before the slave driver…err..Jack catches me in here hiding…

I miss you all!

Just getting a quick post up before we leave for the weekend. Headed up to Edmonton to visit a relative who is visiting from BC. Good times.

Last night on a whim, K invited me to go to The Philosopher Kings concert at The Stampede.

Since K has never been to Stampede, and it’s been a good five years since I’ve gone either, I said of course! Jack didn’t have any objections either, so I got ready and headed into the city to pick up K.

We parked at a lot somewhere and took transit to the Stampede grounds (there was no way I was going to try and find parking there). I haven’t ridden the C-Train in ages, so that was a sort of fun and novel part of the evening as well.

We paid our admission and started wandering in the general direction of the stage. I was bouncy and silly, I felt like a little kid, it was fantastic. K just shook his head and laughed at me. He grabbed a slice of pizza since he hadn’t had supper, and I yammered on about the Stampede and this and that and the other thing.

[Click on any of the pics to see more photos of Stampede]

After we found the stage we got popcorn and those mini donuts (I know, my diet is suffering, but it was a special occasion) and found a suitable patch of grass on which to stand. We people watched and chatted. The popcorn tasted awful by the way, but the donuts were worth the extra calories

Then the band came on!

My camera was being a bitch so I only got one good picture

We held hands and cuddled and watched the show. It was terrific! They played my favorite song of theirs (You Don’t Love Me Like You Used To Do) and K’s favorite song of theirs (Hurts To Love You). Very cool!

The only low point was that a very good friend of Jack and I, who is also NOT poly-friendly, was also at the Stampede that evening. We didn’t see him at all, but just knowing he was there and might see us put a bit of a damper on things.

After the concert we headed back down the midway. We also got some of those caramel candy apples (I know! But the apple was healthy, right?) and K had to stop and check out the Playstation Trailer (nothing exciting happening there). There were fireworks going so we stopped to watch those for a while.

K wanted to play one of the games on the midway (it involved guns, what more can you want?):

He didn’t win that time, but he is determined to get me a stuffed animal before the Stampede is over.

We checked out some of the rides but we’re going to save that for another day. I am hoping that Jack, K, and I will all have a chance to go to Stampede one of the days it’s on. I really, really, really wanna go to the Our Lady Peace concert there on the 14th. Jack gets motion sickness, and since I LOVE going on the rides, K has kindly agreed to go on them with me so I don’t have to sit alone on them, thus looking like I have no friends

I grabbed a coffee on the way out and we took transit back to where we parked. Then we ended up in the back of my van (since the seats are out) for some quick fun before I had to drive him home. That was soooooo naughty. The parking lot was mostly empty, but you could still here the odd group of people walk by. We did not have sex, but there was plenty of groping and kissing and fondling.

It was getting pretty late so I thanked him for inviting me out and dropped him off at his house before heading home. It was such a great night, I had so much fun. I am looking forward to going to Stampede again this year, hopefully to take in the OLP concert

Big And Rich - Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy (Click on the link to download this song for free)