Not because I'm a writer, but because of this new blog post from my friend Kim I am also going to challenge myself to post every day this month. For my own crazy reasons - not unlike my friend - working too much; kids; silly ass crazy family obligations -- this is a BIG challenge for me. Unlike Kim, my girls just out from my chest and do nothing to inspire me - however - the need to vent has occasionally been quite the muse for me; as is my incurable fascination with commenting on all that I observe in this silly corner of the world that I live in.

I have one wonderfully generous and mostly supportive and helpful husband - that drives me quite crazy at times. I work two jobs now; one in the not-for-profit world and one in the traditional for-profit small mom & pop (or in this case brother & brother) business world. I have three children in college, yes all at the same time; each of them with their own special challenges - #1, not doing fabulously, not because she isn't bright, but because she allows emotions to cripple her at times; #2 finishing up at a JC and looking for a 4 year school where he can finish up - and continue to play baseball - he keeps choosing locations far from my doorstep that I've never heard of - I don't like it; #3 is trying to make decisions about a place to live next year, playing rugby and regularly getting quite beat up by it - and I think, not being perfectly candid with me about all the aspects of her life - ugh, I hate that. I have four family members moving away -- breaking my heart in the process, even if I am happy for the opportunity and growth for them. I have five pets - three dogs, a cat, and a frog, who are constantly needing "extra" care -- trips to the veterinarian, special diets, special grooming, etc. -- and bless them, they've recarpeted the house in hair weekly for the last several months and it's just getting worse now that it's warming up. I have six relatives with special challenges right now (more on that later). I'm sure I could keep going with a little thought, but I have somewhere around 7,000 ants currently parading through my kitchen thinking that the cat's very expensive special kidney diet food is their own Del Coronado brunch buffet. I've put down grits, and now it's time to go vacuum the little bastards up.