Top 10 Pet Peeves

Over the weekend it appears that a good number of my pet peeves surfaced.  Most of them on Saturday as that’s when I ran most of my errands.  Usually these things happen gradually over the course of the week making it easier for me handle and digest, but for some reason it all culminated into two days.

I really need this warning.

1. Tardiness – I am perpetually on time.  I hate being late and if I’m running even 5 minutes late I call and let someone know.  I value my time and others as well and I find it rather difficult and irritating when people don’t value other people’s time
2. Rudeness — Not really going to go into this one because there are so many things that fall into this category
3. People that don’t say “Excuse Me” – I was in Whole Foods on Saturday and was leaning over to pick up some yogurt and this woman reaches in front and clear across me to get some Activia.  She doesn’t say excuse me or pardon me.  Nothin.  So, I in all my irritated state say, “Excuse me, sorry am I in your way?” And she looks at me, turns red as a beet and only then says, “Excuse me.” WTF.
4. Sunday drivers Monday thru Saturday — Enough said on this one.

5 Question Friday (5QF) 5.17.13

So here are this weeks to Five Question Friday (5QF).

1. Do you have a doppelgänger?

I don’t know if you can call her a doppelgänger.  In college I supposedly had a twin.  Ironically we both played sports, she basketball and I ran track.  Once we were in gym, kind of, at the same time.  She was in basketball practice and I was changing into my workout clothes and by the time I got upstairs everybody was like, “Here’s Erica. Where’s Melanie?” Oddly enough in 4 years I never met her.

2. Do you keep your car cleaned up?

I wish I could say yes, but sadly it’s not.  It’s not dirty with food and stuff like that.  But if I ever get stranded on a cold snowy winter’s night I’m covered.  Literally.  Down blanket, sleeping bag, hat, coat, a blanket I picked up from the cleaners, but haven’t taken it inside, changes of clothes, shoes to include flip-flops.

3. What is a current fashion that drives you crazy.

Oh boy, there are so many.  I see too many women over the age of 21 wearing skirts that are too small, too tight, too short to be worn in public.  The spike platform shoes women are wearing today it drives me crazy.  And then they pair their supper tight, supper short skirt with the spike platforms.  I also don’t like manpri’s.  I understand them for bike couriers, but when I see a man wearing capris with toggles it drives me bonkers.

4. How often do you go grocery shopping?

Whenever I run out of food.  Since it’s just me I probably go full fledge grocery shopping every couple of weeks.

5. What has been the best surprise of your life?

I have had lots of surprises in my life.  One of the biggest was when I was 18 I wanted my parents to buy me a car.  And I was told no and lo and behold on my 18th birthday I got a car.  A blue Dodge Colt that came with conditions.  I was going away to college and I could have my car on campus but in order to keep the car I had to keep my grades up.

Tonight is the Night

The curtains were drawn, which is not unusual, as they have been drawn for the last two years.  Ever since Jared died.

Karen flopped down in the recliner she used when rocking him to sleep, as if the pockets of her oversized terry cloth bathrobe were weighted down with rocks.

She poured herself a glass of wine and brought Tchaikovsky up in iTunes on her laptop.  Karen sank into the recliner, sipped her wine and closed her eyes.

“Tonight,” she whispered.

She picked up Jared’s baby book and blanket that lay on the table beside her. “Yes. Tonight,” she hissed.

“No hesitation,” she thought. “Clean. Straight through,” she said as she reached for the knife under the mattress. She briefly remembered how her husband, Michael, taught her how to defend herself using the same knife she planned to use to take her life.

She reclined, finished the wine and let Tchaikovsky sink into her soul. She opened Jared’s baby book to his first picture — her holding him and Michael cutting the cord. She held his baby blanket up to her nose and inhaled deeply. The scent of Jared had left the blanket long ago, but for her it was still there.

Karen folded the blanket again and placed it back on the table. Closed the baby book and put it next to the blanket. She picked up the knife, rolled up her bathrobe sleeve, and held the knife tightly in her left hand. “Clean and straight through. Tonight is the night.”  She draws an imaginary line from the base of her right thumb on her wrist up to the middle of her forearm.

She hesitates. “No hesitation,” she says to herself. She bears the knife down and winces in pain. Karen smiles in relief.  She knows this time she’s successful. She hit the artery. “Won’t be long now, Jared.”

She sits back in the recliner holding the knife in her left hand. She closes her eyes and lets the blood flow freely and quickly from her wrist as she continues to listen to Tchaikovsky play in the background.

Karen smiles as she remembers each milestone in Jared’s short life. The day he was born. His first step. His first tooth. His first word, which was not mommy or daddy. It was “No.” A very loud and vehement “no.”  His first haircut. His first Christmas. His first birthday. His death.

Tchaikovsky is fading in the background and she could feel herself getting weaker. She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt heavy. She could feel the warmth of the blood sliding down her wrist and her hand and her fingertips. “Not long now.”  She opened her eyes, but could only see darkness. “Yes. Not long now.”

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For the Scriptic prompt exchange this week, kgwaite gave me this prompt: Have someone select one object at random from each of the rooms in your house. Now, write a story using each of those objects..

I gave Talia this prompt: In 100 words or less, describe (in as much detail as possible) the worst vacation you or your character has ever had.

Monday Motivation — Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful

By nature, people are petty and jealous. They envy what they lack and because they don’t know how to acquire something, they try to destroy anyone who has it. Beauty is one of those things they hate most in others.

~~ Sherrilyn Kenyon, Acheron

The Return

This is the first day back to some semblance of normalcy for me since my emergency surgery that was supposed to keep me out of work and off my feet for about a week (a week and a half tops), but as we know nothing in life is guaranteed.

I felt great and was ready to get back to the A to Z Challenge, school work, and even work, which was my plan; but unfortunately my body had other plans for me. A few days after I was discharged complications set in and back to the doctor and hospital I went.  A fever, 101, low enough; but never looks good after you’ve had any type of medical procedure and a bit or rather a lot of vomiting and some other stuff I dare not mention here.

By the time I got to the doctors office my fever had climbed to 102.4 and the decision was made shortly there after for me to head to the hospital for some tests.  Go straight to the hospital do not pass go

Sorry I’ve been MIA

Sorry I’ve been MIA the past week and a half.  I had to have emergency surgery and really didn’t feel like writing.  Sleeping yes, but not writing.

I’m much better and I’m going to finish the A to Z Challenge and catch up with the previous posts, I missed.  I’ve really enjoyed reading A to Z Challenge posts while recovering.

It will take me a while to get caught up on everyone’s comments.

Check back later on today for today’s A to Z Challenge post, which is the letter ‘O’ and the prompt song is “On Time God” by Hezekiah Walker.  How befitting.