I need your condolences during this difficult time.

It happened. I had been anticipating it for a while now, but hoping with all my might that it could just hang on. After all, it had defied the odds, lasting far beyond my own estimates. I guess I thought it would be with me, until at least I was finished with my class. But it didn't.



My turquoise disposable mechanical pencil died today.



Everything was going fine, or so I thought. We were working together, as a team, plugging through our Stat class today. We were on fire, flying through (and erasing) our Stat questions. A piece broke off of its tip. I wiped sweat from my brow, took a sip of my iced tea, and that's when...that's when...



it happened.



In my typical familiar motion, I reached up with my right thumb to lovingly click the eraser to bring more pencil lead out. In the stillness of the room, everyone could hear the tap as the 1/2 inch of remaining lead fell out of the pencil and onto the desk.



I was numb. Shock took over. I reached into my bag for my orange mechanical pencil, and finished my work with that, but it wasn't the same. It felt different in my hands. It has no eraser. It just isn't as special. I had to finish the class with my dead pencil next to my notebook, looking just as sad as sad can be.



Please bear with me as I mourn my loss. Today, I don't know how I will get on without my pencil, but maybe the light of tomorrow will bring new hope. In the meantime, in lieu of flowers, I am requesting that folks simply send Starbucks gift cards in memory of my turquoise pencil.



Thank you so much. You are all such good friends.

Stumped for holiday gifts?

Umm, wow. Well, hmm...I'm just hoping when I told Sean to get creative this year for Christmas, it doesn't come to this.

Many thanks to Kylee once again for providing me with Deb-style entertainment. Your parents would be so proud! Let's forward it to them.

When you don't have anything nice to say...

...just share a picture of your mocha latte that you consumed during Stat class this week.

Damn. I'm in a crappy mood. But those lattes are amazing!

Friends and family

It has been a weird day, to say the least. My mind is a virtual roller coaster of emotions and thoughts. I'm working on little sleep, a mild hangover from my first single malt scotch drinking experience last night, and dealing with much life activity. Not a super great combo. The main thing on my mind today is relationships. Yesterday's post got me thinking about relationships, specifically, my relationships with others.



Warning: this may be a rambling post. Just thought that should be said.


Look what I got from a new blog friend of mine!
http://lookitsmegryansmom.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much! I won this simply for being a new reader of megryansmom. I really am amazed at how the blog world can bring people together. It is so much fun, and I really am enjoying *virtually* meeting people. I feel like I have known many of you for a long time. Blogging has been a great experience for me. I really appreciate all of you!

**Update** I also have discovered I have a reader from Turkey! Don't know who you are, but welcome!

Now, as the saying goes..."should old acquaintence be forgot...", I would like to say that some of my original Debland readers are not commenting anymore! These are folks I know in real life, and I have missed seeing their shiny happy comments. One of my readers, who at this point WILL REMAIN NAMELESS, said she doesn't know any of my commenters anymore, and feels weird about commenting! What? No way. I cannot accept this. I just want this to be one big happy commenting family, ok? A functional family. I've already done the dysfunctional family thing (growing up in my weird home), and as fun as that was, I'm not looking to repeat that anytime soon. So, you know who you are...come back and join in! Debland is a place where we can actually employ the bullshit we were taught in preschool and kindergarten. Bullshit, you ask? Yes, remember how we were told that "we all can play together, we are all friends, we can all get along..." This will actually work here. It doesn't work anywhere in the real world.

Now, please do not mistake this for an invitation for bullshit comments. Yes, Chris (my little bro), this means you!

Speaking of Chris, you've got to get to know him better. He is so freakin' funny, and likeable despite his, how should I put this, his Chris-ness. Chris - make yourself known here! I think I'll have Chris guest post one day soon. He is a rare find. Not like a diamond or anything, but more like a weird growth or something. He's not malignant but is fascinating, disturbing, and despite your best effort, you can't stop looking at him, or wanting to know more. Trust me, you'll see.

My sister Lisa is a hoot too. I would love to get her to guest post. I'll get on that right away. Lisa loves beating Chris, so perhaps I shall make it a contest to see who offers to guest post first.

Seriously, my siblings really are my friends. I can't imagine my life without them, and I will blatantly assume without asking them that they feel the same way about me. Right guys? Right? Hey, guys????

Then you have friends who are like family. There are a few amazing people in my life that I am so fortunate to have. You all know who you are, so there is no need to name names. Thanks for being there. Honestly, I don't know how these people put up with me. But they do, and I am so grateful for them. They even like me when I have green booger filled bloodshot eyes and stained clothes. They like me even when I spit food out when laughing excessively while drinking cocktails with them. I don't recall any of them smacking me with a purse. That, is true friendship.

So, even in my head filled with all kinds of craziness and random thoughts, I hope that all of you know how much I appreciate you for the part that you play in my life.

Now, where did I put that scotch??