Rough day. Won’t elaborate. Mostly, I’m havin’ date night with a couple of my boys — GrayBoy and Luke. We grabbed a few movies and pizza… it’s turning out to be a nice night. Watching Dogtown and the Z Boys next… always makes me smile.
More later, maybe.
It’s 5:37 in the morning and it’s been raining since 2. There’s nothing I love more than a bit of late night heat lightning that gradually accelerates into full on thunder and rain. It’s so peaceful… the perfect beginning to the end of summer.
Whilst laid up post-op, I’ve been steadily working my way through the On Demand offerings on Comcast. Tonight’s discovery was Showtime’s Nurse Jackie. Wow, wow, wow. Edie Falco is electric. The entire cast is genius, the format is perfect, the writing is brilliant… holy moly. I know I’m late on this one, but this is definitely my new favorite medical drama. Plus that goooooodlookin’ young man from Twilight, the dad one, is a doofus semi-likeable doctor man. Yes, please.
Enjoying my third cup of coffee since 4:30. My nights and days are ruined, thanks to pain relievers. I’m in the process of phasing those out completely, though, so I’ll hopefully be back on a somewhat normal sleep schedule after this weekend. Feet are healing really well, got the initial dressings taken off and saw what they looked like — I’m so excited and amazed at what surgeons are capable of. Wow. They’re actually feet-shaped. They were hella swollen and slightly bruised, but within a few more weeks I should be able to debut my new feet to the Memphis-area, hooray.
Okay, back to Nurse Jackie. (I’m on my 8th episode.)
Be good, smile pretty.
Two groups you need to check out — Department of Eagles and Animal Collective. Just sayin’. You owe yourself.
Snow day today. I’m sipping coffee and debating as to whether or not I should go back to bed. I’m thinkin’ it’s bed time again.
xxAimeeCait
…in 2009,
1. I am genuinely going to live. Every day, every adventure, every relationship. I’ll live like I mean it.
2. I will take a multivitamin everyday, because I can’t afford to be deficient in so many things at my age.
3. I want to properly entrust my relationship with Joe to God. Yeah, great big seriously obvious one, but hey. Wildly important.
4. I’ll commit to some sort of low impact (hello, cruddy joints at 20, life is awesome) daily exercise routine. Maybe I could be one of those super hip kids that sprawl out on yoga mats in their super cool organic cotton active wear. Ohhhh to be hip and fit.
5. I’ll finally read/finish reading all those books I’ve been meaning to start/finish. That Klosterman one, the David Sedaris one, the Augusten Burroughs one, and that new one by Rob Bell. Oh, and On The Road, otherwise Jordan might cry.
6. I’ll do my best to kick my vices. Most of them, anyway. I mean, Diet Coke has been my comfort and constant companion since like, Day One. They put that stuff in my bottles. I’m like a Diet Coke crack baby. I was born a lost cause. But yeah. Everything else, I’ll work on eliminating from my life. See if I can get my body as healthy as possible.
7. I’ll go outside more often. I spend too much of my life indoors, in my car, in bed. No more of that, time to experience God’s creation.
8. I’ll worry less about my weight and more about my health. Obviously easier said than done, cue all the appropriate emotional hangups.
9. I’ll travel everywhere I can manage. I want to see the world like I’ve been seeing it for the past year, but this time the States. Really appreciate the country I live in.
10. I’ll ask more questions. People are fascinating. I want to know every life story ever.
11. I’ll start school and beat the everlivin’ tar out of it. I want so badly to succeed in school, to show that I’m not a complete failure academically. I’ve gotten myself into a good college, I’ve qualified for beaucoup scholarship money, all I have to do now is get in a classroom and work my tail off.
I think that’s all I have for now. Maybe more later.
xxAimeeCait
I’m going to write as much as I can before I drift off to sleep. That’s all I can promise you.
After taking an inventory of my life, a critical look at where I am and where I’m headed, I can honestly say that I am happier than I have ever been. In my twenty years of life, I’ve never felt this comfortable in my own skin. Never before have I felt this kind of peace. Naturally, I’m not 100% worry-free — I’m still Aimee Cait — but now I know what to do with my worry.
I’m in the process of applying to the University of Memphis. It’s another of the first few things I’ve done all by myself. Naturally I go to mum & dad for opinions & help with decision making, but as far as physically filling out forms & digging up my ancient ACT information goes, that’s all me.
Joe has quickly become my closest friend. I could sit here and type for the next three days on all the things I love about him, but I’ll spare you. I mean, one day, you’ll have to hear it. Sorry, but it’s true. For now, I’ll just keep it short and sweet. Joe draws out the absolute best I have to give of myself. More importantly, he makes me laugh. And I love to laugh.
Now I have restless legs & heavy eyes, so I’ll call it quits for now. New music to share & new stories to tell — next time.
Be kind.
xxAimeeCait
So, it’s a Saturday in Memphis, and Nadalee’s here.
Whatever shall we do?
For you, dear friends, I have two words:
Elvis.
Impersonators.
Pictures later.
xxAimeeCait
1. The alternator in the 4Runner finally givin’ out… and Ryan needs to be at school in 15 minutes.
(I’m fairly certain this is how I predicted it would happen.)
I’ll be the first to admit that that’s actually pretty funny. It was just wildly inconvenient and made for a sticky situation early on the morning of the Younger Three’s first day back at school. Poor Baby Ryan. We have the greatest neighbors in the history of the planet, really. Charlie & Kelley – y’all are lifesavers.
Off to tan & sleep for a bit.
xxAimeeCait
Juuuust when I’m finally getting comfortable with this whole ’summer’ thing, school has up and decided to start again. Buzzkill.
Story of my life, man.
So in preparation for this first day of school, I did what I do best (apart from looking excellent in a V-neck tshirt, which is arguably my greatest & most valuable skill): I threw together a relatively clever (at times bordering on cringy) CD for the ‘back to school’ process. Naturally, I’ll have to share it with you.
I Can Tell That We Are Gonna Be Friends – The White Stripes
Back In Black – AC/DC
What I Could Stand For – Mates of State
Drinking Song – Loudon Wainwright III
Machine Gun – Meriwether
Tie Me Up! Untie Me! – mewithoutYou
Lollipop - Mika
This Year – The Mountain Goats
Typical - Mutemath
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
Wonderwall - Oasis
Timebomb - Old 97s
Blitzkrieg Bop - The Ramones
Cheer Up - Reel Big Fish
Like A Prayer - Rufio
The Joker - Steve Miller Band
Meet Virginia - Train
Undone (the Sweater Song) – Weezer
Lullaby - Loudon Wainwright III
Rough Draft - Yellowcard
Baba O’Reilly - The Who
Brief explanation to accompany certain songs later on.
At the moment, I’m in dire need of some sleep.
Also – I played ultimate frisbee tonight with the GBC college ministry. I actually played a game involving the outdoors: grass, tennis shoes, sweat — the works.
Why can’t someone bribe me with a chocolate shake? Seriously. I really feel as though I’ve earned one, y’know? Gee whiz.
Right. I’m falling asleep to Baba O’Reilly. Here’s where I call it a night.
If you’re headed back to school tomorrow – best of luck.
xxAimeeCait
No witty name so far. Just ‘Tuesday‘.
Love Will Tear Us Apart – Jose Gonzalez
All Is Full Of Love – Death Cab for Cutie
Fool In The Rain – Led Zeppelin
One Heavy February – Architecture in Helsinki
Bartender – Regina Spektor
Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want – The Smiths
Wild Horses – The Rolling Stones
Amsterdam – Peter Bjorn & John
I Know – The Beta Band
Pink Moon - Nick Drake
Blister In The Sun – The Violent Femmes
Naive – The Kooks
Piece Of My Heart - Big Brother & The Holding Company, featuring Janis Joplin
Hospital Beds – The Cold War Kids
Doesn’t have to make sense. Simply needs to make the day bearable. Something I can dance to, or not dance to. Something I can ignore if I want. But mostly, something good.
My to do list is pretty straightforward today.
Smile
Watch Patrick Fugit films
Make lovely things in my kitchen for tonight’s festivities (wahey Bible study)
Bible study
Laugh
Provide hellaciously cynical social commentary to no one in particular
Roll my eyes
Watch another Patrick Fugit film or something by Wes Anderson
Sleep
Score. Dad is retrieving pita bread & tahini from the International Section of K. Roger. I love my pantry, but not when it has seemingly swallowed the requisite ingredients for whichever culinary adventure I’m embarking on. Rubbish. It’s frustrating – in the UK, hummus was so readily available, along with pita (pronounced ‘PIT-uh’ rather than ‘PEET-uh’, by the way), I got accustomed to having it all the time. (My waistline was evidence of that habit.) But in this little corner of Tennessee… jeepers. Where are my Greeks & Lebanese? This is one of the kajillion things that have me pinin’ for Baton Rouge on a daily basis. I’m far too close to Arkansas for my own comfort. (Sorry, Hope. I know you understand.) I miss culture.
It’s been a good few days, I’ll say that.
Well, minus a stray snafu (God, how are you using this one for your glory?)… but yeah, apart from that chestnut, it’s been nice.
Baby Ryan makes 16 tomorrow. Holy moly. It feels like last week we were standing in a hospital room, inspecting this tiny little person with hair the color of brown sugar. I turn to my father, who introduces us to our new baby sister, Ryan Nicole. I furrow my little brow, perplexed, unsure of how to respond. My previous experience with meeting new siblings is limited to LindseyBelle, which I don’t remember, having only been 1 year old at the time of her blessed arrival. My father continues to make precious memories as he coos lovingly to his brood – now there are four of us. I look up quizzically, and as my blue eyes settled on her hazel ones, I asked my father: “We’re taking it home… with us?” In my mind, this whole thing had been great and all, but it’s well past my bed time and I want my parents back. In the end, despite my avid protest, Ryan came home with us, and that was that. Child number 4. Eventually, middle child – part deux. A beautiful, intelligent, bossy little girl with more stubbornness in her oddly-shaped thumbs than in the whole of my being. She gets prettier everyday – she has the kind of eyelashes people pay thousands just to have glued on to their lids. Her trademark, though, is her perfect set of outrageously cute dimples. No human being has the right to be this good looking. Somehow, Ryan gets away with it. Goodness. Happy birthday, little sister.
xxAimeeCait
It is 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside.
I feel ill. That was wayyy too much sweat wayyy too early in the day. We’ll see how I feel as the day goes on. I oughta be fine — I’m a pretty resilient kid.
Have a date with mom at the Y in a minute.
Notes on last night’s Bible study later.
Last thing — Dog and I saw an honest-to-God dead armadillo on our walk. This might have something to do with how grody I feel. Just… ew.
xxAimeeCait
