oh, my achey breakey...

well, everything really.

i don't know why, but the morning after an event, my whole body hurts. it probably results from having all that nervous energy built up and having to be 'on' for a prolonged period of time.

and truth be told, given some uncomfortable side effects to antibiotics, the heartbreak diet, and various other maladies, my body has been through a lot in the last week, so it wasn't exactly in the best shape going in.

but the event, once again, was a sucess. though somewhat of a frustration in that i wasn't given the room for creativity i have had on other events, it still came off extremely well.

one of my favorite things about planning for this group is that they are not only appreciative, but they show me a lot of respect.

my favorite post-event conversation from last night...

vp: tara, i continue to be amazed by what an excellent job you always do.
me: (smiling and nodding)
vp: i mean it. it is always perfect, and i know how many details have to be attended to. it is always a well-oiled machine with you at the helm. it's very impressive.
me: thank you. this group is easy to plan for, and they take good care of me.
vp: that may be true, but that also does not affect talent, and you have real talent.
me: thank you, that's very kind of you to say.
vp: well, it's true. and beyond that, your composure and your class is extremely rare. and it's very apparent.
me: thank you.
vp: everything about you says class, tara.

so all in all, another success. but really i consider making it through 'the month that shall not be named' still standing to be the greatest succes of all.

is it just me?

or has the blog world gone on vacation as of late? everyone has stopped commenting. matt seems to have disappeared since he went to san francisco. tamara doesn't have time to blog while gallavanting the country. kelly doesn't think she has anything interesting to say.

and i have to admit, as of late, i'm feeling a bit of the blog burnout myself. it's not your fault. really. it's not you. it's me.

the truth of the matter is that i have always been someone for whom writing is cathartic. when i am frustrated with someone, i write them letters i never send. when i feel overwhelmed, i make lists i rarely follow. but something about putting a thought or a feeling into text helps me to process it. the blog has been much the same way, but a little while ago, after six years, i decided that it was time to begin keeping a journal again. a true journal, and not one that is published for the masses.

in the last six years i have tried a couple of times. usually in a digital format. this time i decided i was going back to the archaic way of writing, actually putting a pen to paper and letting the ink flow.

i'm afraid you've gotten the short end of that stick. while it has been doing wonders for me, in addition to being a little more time consuming, i also find that perhaps i am becoming less of an open book than i once was. it's not that i love you any less. really. i am just finally, after 29 years and 10 months, making small progress in the area of knowing when to keep my mouth shut. don't freak out, i said small. but it is something. i am learning better when i should listen instead of speak, and when i should journal instead of blog.

but never fear, though i may be becoming a bit less publicly prolific, i will still continue to do my best to entertain you with my antics.

case in point...when i die, can someone please make sure i end up with one of these?

Talking Tombstone, You Know, For Dead Jokesters

You may be dead, but that doesn’t mean the hijinks need to stop. The Talking Tombstone is quite possibly the most distasteful and tacky addition to any dead person’s repertoire, but, oh man, it could be funny.

Cheer up, you silly mourners, and listen to my deceased voice insult your mother from beyond the grave. This tombstone will set you—or your life insurance company—back $5,000. But that isn’t too bad considering you are getting the last word, for all eternity. Oh ho!– Travis Hudson

is this month over yet?

it's no secret to those who know me that june has been a tough month for me. between emergency tooth extractions, $350 car repair bills and a slew of other more personal items, it has been a doozy. but given the fact that on saturday i am heading up to new york for a few days with deb, july is already looking promising. after all, we've got five glorious days of leisure ahead.

on the schedule:

beach
pool
pool again
more beach
more pool
shopping
more pool
beach again

i'm also pretty sure we will eat, and eat well.

so i'm chocking june up as the 'month that shall not be named', and eagerly anticipating july.

the importance of puppy love

sometimes, when you are feeling a bit down, and the only thing that can make it right is out of reach, i think that quite possibly the next best thing is when after eight years of crawling into a closet at the first sound of thunder, your puppy love crawls under the covers and curls up next to you.

i know you don't believe me

but this really was my idea. i just got beaten to the punch.