So … yeah. We all knew this was gonna happen. Am I winning at life if I have TWO Ninja Slushi Machines?

Well. Yesterday sucked. Through sheer stupidity, I dropped and damaged my beloved zombie bowl. Franke gave me this bowl (and a matching plate) back in 2007 for my birthday. I feel so dumb for ruining this thing that’s so precious to me (especially since Franke isn’t here anymore). And, yeah. I got online to see if I could find another one but had no luck. I didn’t think the artist that did this would still be selling them 19 years later, and I was correct. So, I will glue the bowl back together. Then it will get packed away so that I don’t fuck it up any further.

I know I am probably being a drama queen …  but, dammit, I can’t do things right this year. I get a few days of feeling okay about things and then days and days of feeling like shit about everything. And doing stupid stuff like this does not help at all.

Last night Michelle and I went back for another go at a new (to us) place to karaoke in town. Our (once) beloved karaoke spot has just become too unmanageable. The last time we went it took nearly three hours for us to sing one song each and our duet. Meanwhile, one guy got up and sang three songs in pretty quick succession. What the hell?! It’s not the first time we have sat around for ages just waiting. Plus, we have heard rumblings that you now have to tip your DJ for the night well to be able to sing more than one song in a timely manner. No thank you. Karaoke at a bar should not be a pay-to-play situation.

We do dig the new place … but it is a bit more rough and tumble than we are used to. Last night as we were leaving, a fight started up, but we didn’t hang around to see what the hubbub was about. All I could think about was getting shot or knifed. You just don’t know what people will do these days. AND … some guy (drunk) was there with two gals (also drunk), and he was talking loudly about how he loved to fuck them, and he kept calling them his “whores.” “When do my whores get to sing?!” It was a bit off-putting. BUT … the DJ lets you sing two songs on your turn, which is nice. We got four songs each and our duet done in the same time we would have sung one song each and our duet at the other place. So, I think we may have a new home.

New karaoke spot … who dis?

Finally slipping into the weekend here. Thank Jebus! Another mind-numbing work week is in the books. I am ready to be off this “feast or famine” nonsense that has been going on. Busy one day. Thumb twiddling the next. Ugh. Anyhoo. Bring on the weekend!

I feel like I have been absolutely scatterbrained this past week. So, here are some bullet-point-style updates!

– I think I am over doing graphic design for a living. It’s just not fun anymore. Clients make it a TOTAL CHORE … and then they take FOREVER to pay you.
– I miss E-Bear.
– I also miss JoJo’s Beloved.
– I now own TWO Ninja Slushi machines. How did that happen?!
– I have lost all steam on my summer crossstitch project. Hopefully it won’t become another 24-year endeavor.
– I have a doctor visit tomorrow about a pesky recurring issue. Hopefully it’s not cancer, some horrifying STI, or something that requires surgery.
– The Asheville FM Record Fair is in a week and a half. Just what I need … more records!
– Speaking of records, I really need to stay off Discogs.
– Finally seeing Spiderman: Brand New Day tonight.
– I need to be lazy in the hammock more often.
– And … I need a nap.

(No links ’cause I’m lazy.)

Has it been hot enough for ya? Sheesh.

And what does one do when a dangerous heat dome blankets your state? One goes to ride roller coasters in a city where it’s even hotter. Carowinds was fun despite the insanely hot temps and two cases of heat exhaustion. I really can’t overstate just how hot it was. I hadn’t been coaster riding since ’98 (or ’99). I was expecting to be all nervous and chicken out … but I didn’t! Fury 325 (pictured below) and Copperhead Strike were well worth the price of admission. We didn’t get to ride all the rides we wanted to because the heat beat us out of the park earlier than planned. Just means we need to go back in the fall when the temps are cooler and Scarowinds is in full effect!

After some downtime we went to dinner at Twin Peaks. Yes. THAT Twin Peaks. It was either that or Cracker Barrel. The food was actually pretty good! And I dug the PNW lodge vibes. Though I suspect our server’s name wasn’t really “Bambi.”

We made it back to the mountains in time for some July 4 festivities on Saturday. It was a fun (albeit still stupidly hot) time chatting with the homos and having tasty food.

The cookout view wasn’t too bad. I want to steal this house!

It’s been years since I have hosted a big, drunken bash on the 4th here. I miss those day. But, that group I used to hang with slowly splintered over the years until there were maybe 10 people that would show up. And even then, they would dine and dash instead of hanging out and having fun. A good example of just how fickle and unreliable my “friends” ended up being.

Now, it’s Hump Day, and Finley has the right idea. Hide out under a blanket and avoid the world.