What a Weekend!!

A nice Indiana country sunset.

Last week was kind of crazy, but I got to end it with an awesome weekend. I'm going to pretty much tell the story in pictures. Charlie got in touch with me last week and needed some help with Brody. Since I was home, it was SO GREAT to finally be able to hang out with Charlie and the little guy. I drove up to Ft. Wayne on Friday and stayed with Charlie. It was great to get to just hang out with Charlie...haven't been able to spend time like that with each other awhile. I'm probably going to do that more often when I'm home, because I enjoyed myself so much. Then, Brody and I headed to Parker to hang out. As most of you know, I don't really have a house (I live with two married friends that own a house. My bed is in their spare room!!) , so we had to hang out in Parker and I watched Brody and my Dad's house. We did a lot of fun stuff though - check it out!!

Brody learned how to cross his eyes!!


Why is Aunt Linny Max the coolest person ever?! She buys Taco Bell for breakfast! This is Levi and Jake - Charlie's girlfriend's sons. Awesome kids.

ME's Zoo is closing, and my friend Amanda really wanted to go for a last time and sort of say, "Good Bye". Since I had Brody - it seemed like a good time to go!! Amy Bogue and her two sons came along too!! Here's Brody cheesing with a deer!

A nice walk through the zoo. My hair barely survived this fun adventure!

At the zoo - Brody was still heavier than both of Amy Bogue's kids! Brody is six months younger than her oldest, Blake, but is about twice the size!

Talking (blabbering on and on and on) to the llamas, who found Brody verrrrry interesting!

He tried to tell the kangaroo a story, but he wasn't as interested as the llamas!

LOVE IT!!

OH gosh - brain freeze from a Jerry's Juicy Freeze!

Bonfire at Amanda's house!! Since he ate his dinner, I told him he could have as many s'mores as he wanted. He couldn't wait to get over to her house. Turns out - he only had room for one s'more!! HAHAHA. Awesome.

He's fun.

Brody and I looking at the "Brody Star".

Not sure if you can really see - but there are A MILLION mosquito bites on my feet. SO WEIRD. I counted 18 on my right foot today. I'm trying to work from home, but all I have time to do is ITCH, ITCH, ITCH!!

We're certainly going to miss the ME'S Zoo. Amanda has been trying to talk me into buying it for the past few months. Anyone want to be a zookeeper?! Here are some pictures of the animals we'll be missing in Parker City......

I've been anxiously awaiting some life-changing news, and it hasn't come yet. I know from my previous post, some of you were curious about what it is..... Soon we'll know, hopefully. Until next time, friends.

I'm obsessed!!

Oh - how I LOVE the wall behind the front desk at the hotel I'm working at right now. LOVE IT!! I can't get enough of it. I rub my hands on it, drag my rings on it, tap on it with a pen, bounce by it as I walk watching the fun waves to funky things to my eyeballs, etc. Whatever you can think of - I do to it! Within reason (of course!!)

Isn't it cool?! If I had a house, or even an apartment, I would LOVE to have a wall like this....

On another funny note - this is what we do for fun at night. Make Lindy's hair look like a hotel pen Christmas Tree!!

I leave tomorrow (Sunday) for home. I'm scheduled to be home for a week again. Saweet. Hope I get to ride in the airplane with Jared, The Subway Guy, again. He was on the plane with me on my way from Dallas to Orange County last week. I think he has that disease where you have to move all the time...the guy wouldn't stop moving!! We were waiting in line at one point in Dallas and I swear it looked like he was dancing.

Hmmm...wonder if he's single. I could deal with a little weird movement once in awhile - as long as I wouldn't have to work anymore, and I could hang out with Payton Manning. I think Jared may be the man for me. Jared, if you're reading, give me a shout out.

Plus - I caught myself thinking, "This plane won't crash, because Jared is on it." I know - weird. But, I do hope he's on the flight back to Indiana with me on Sunday. I can't tell you how comfortable I would be then! Again....I know - weird.

PS. I danced to Jason Mraz's song, "You and I Both" again this morning while I was getting ready for bed.

Some songs to check out (they aren't included on my playlist yet):

Jason Mraz - Bella Luna

John Legend - Maxine

John Legend - Slow Dance

Robin Thicke - Everything I Can't Have

Eric Hutchinson - Same Mistakes

Josh Groban & Brian McKnight - Bridge Over Troubled Water

I guess I'm not into the chicks this time around........ If you know of a good song I need to hear - please let me know!! I'm all about musical influence!!

Later gators.

Singing and Dancing....

Here's another picture of me and one of my buddies in Dallas. I like this one!

You know what?! I've discovered that I am SO HAPPY when I'm singing and dancing!! Believe it or not, I'm not generally in a space where I'm comfortable singing and dancing. WELL - let me clarify. When I'm around my peers, or clients (which is usually the case) and a good song comes on, I'm definitely comfortable enough to "fake sing" and bop a little jiggy. However - if I'm alone (usually in my car or when I'm home alone...in my hotel room, that is), then I sing and dance as if I'm really spectacular at it and I have a paying audience.


Here's a perfect example. I'm working overnights here in Newport Beach, CA. I'm actually at a large chain hotel - so I'm a little out of my element, and I have to really think a lot more than normal about my words and actions (most of you know, I certainly lack one of those internal filters that keeps you from saying something stupid at the wrong time). I have had to wake up in the middle of the day, the past two days for phone/conference calls. This puts a bit of a damper on the sleep schedule. Today I finally got to sleep in. That resulted in me falling asleep at about 8 am this morning, and then waking up at about 3pm (not enough sleep for me AT ALL). So - I didn't even get out of bed until I got an invitation to dinner at 8pm. I had a GREAT dinner (the food at chain hotels ROCKS), and was therefore VERY happy once I got back to my room. I immediately turned on my iTunes and started belting out "You and I Both" by Jason Mraz (It's a song over on the right, if you want to hear it, just click on the next button until you see it and can click on it). WHO DOES THAT?! Is this normal?


I'm serious - I want to know.


The real kicker is that I really think I'm awesome!! Don't tell anybody. What's even more embarrassing is that every once in awhile I'll stop in front of this big mirror in my hotel room and sing to myself!! HAHAHA.


Shew! That just makes me SO happy!!


Once the song was over and I was finished parading around my room like a little school girl, I laid across my huge bed and flipped through the channels. "Definitely, Maybe" was on HBO. OMG. LOVE that movie. BUT - this time I actually shed a tear at the end. What the HELL is going on with me?! HAHAHA. WHO DOES THAT?! Is this normal?


I'm serious - I want to know.


I've got a lot on my mind this week - and it will continue into next week. I'm thinking about really significant, life-changing things.... If this weren't a blog, and you were in front of me, I would SO tell you what I'm talking about. If things actually work out the way I hope they do - I should have some really interesting news in about two weeks. Cross your fingers for me, please. I'll really owe you one. A visit to an exotic land, perhaps!




Last thing - promise. I found three new gray hairs this morning. I think I've decided to name them Betty, Sue and Eugene.

Is it worth being bored on a Friday night?

So - this week I've been working from home. Actually, I haven't been assigned anything, so I'm not sure that it counts as "working". But - I get to sit around and watch my email all day, in case something comes in. Oh, it's great. (Not really....I just end up laying in bed all day with my phone alarm going off every 30 minutes. Which basically means I take like 15, 30 minute naps.)

ANYWAY.

I have seen SO MANY friends this week...... One in Dallas on the way home, the next day I got to see about 10 friends at a house party, two days later I drove to Parker City to get a massage (my back hurt...he fixed my back, but I have five bruises. Ugh.) and then drove to Farmland to hang out with another friend of mine, and last night I drove to Muncie to have dinner with another one of my favorite people in the world!! OMG.

So - was all that driving and conversation worth being bored on a Friday night?! You bet your booty it was. The sad part is that there are about four other people I would still like to see while I'm home, but I'm so friggin' tired!! HAHAHAHA....maybe tomorrow.

I was in DFW, knowing that I was going to a house party the next day, with people that probably made a dish for the thing. I grabbed these (see below) in the Airport. HAHAHA.... everyone had one, I think!

"Texas Armadillo Droppings...Delicious Dark Pralines...

From an old ranch recipe - Nutty But Nice."

A winning belly rub...

Wow. That's just about all that comes to mind. Wow.

I've found that I really like to play Texas Hold Em on the table in a casino. It's nice. It's just you, the dealer and the cards. AND - sometimes there just happens to be a table of men to play with!! Tonight - I decided I'd gamble a little on the table before retiring for the night. It's a Friday night in a casino anyway - but it happens to be the grand opening of this new casino, so it was a little more crazy than normal. Plus - I guess it is 4th of July weekend. The tables were packed, so I jumped into the last spot. The dealer was a woman, and I just happened to be winning a little. Of course, all the men that were playing at the table kept complaining that it must be a "woman thing". Whatever. As most of you know, I have something smart or funny to say about just about everything. The men slowly decided they may like me a little more than when I first sat down, and they started to warm up a little.

The man to my left, just so happened to be an older gentlemen named Bob. I LOVED BOB!! He was one of those older guys with the weird marks on his arms, and shook a little. He told me stories about his blackberry patch and how he went ass over appetite yesterday while picking some for dinner. Poor fella. Bob had some good luck at the table, and my pile was slowly dwindling. I thought Bob and I had reached a nice, comfortable, friendship level. So - I decided I'd ask him for a belly rub, maybe for some good luck. He agreed! So - I went for it. I gently rubbed his little belly for some good luck. I'm not going to lie - Bob got a little excited!! HAHAHAHA - he couldn't utter a word for easily 30 seconds and wasn't quite sure what to do with himself! All the other men at the table thought that was great! Of course, I was wearing a suit, and I had to pee - so their interest with me grew with every conversation Bob and I shared together...especially after the belly rub! Next thing I know - one of the men at the other end of the table took his hat off to show off his shiny, bald head and asked, "What about rubbing this for some good luck?!" Two hands later, Bob had lost the money it took him 30 minutes to win and I had doubled up.

And then it happened.... Bob, asked ME for a belly rub!! Before I knew it, he had his old, wrinkly hands all over my stomach and had everyone at the table laughing, the dealer cringing (she knew him personally...I think he was a grandpa of a friend of hers), and I was as red as a beat. I told Bob affectionately, "Bob - for the first time in my life - I'm at a complete loss of words!!" Two hands later, I had lost the money it took me a belly rub to win, and Bob had doubled up!

This is all I have left from that memorable game with Bob.

I've had some real fun here in Oklahoma - but I'm ready to be home again. I'll head home on Sunday, which could be really complicated. My flight leaves Dallas at around 4pm, but it's about a three hour drive on a normal Sunday afternoon/evening. With it being the weekend of the 4th - I'm just going to hope I make it to Dallas in time for my flight!! I think I'll leave the casino at about 10am. After all - if I get to the airport and have to wait, it will provide us with "Sitting in the Aiport, Volume 3". Until then...

Classic Indiana barn.... This is a picture of a barn of my friend Amanda's property in Farmland, Indiana (yes, it's actually called Farmland, Indiana). Notice the basketball goal above the door. Absolutely classic. This is one of my favorite places in the world!

Bib Overalls, Gambling, Smoke and Crack Heads

Hi ya'll!! I can't tell you how much I'm LOVING Oklahoma!! I lost count at 25 men in bib overalls today. I love bib overalls...I really do. When I mention them, or count them, people around me seem to think I'm making fun. The locals here all laughed and said, "do you not normally see people wearing bib overalls?!" They thought it was hilarious! I thought it was great - why can't they come back into style in the majority of the United States?! I think I'm going to go buy me a pair.

I'm working at a casino, just about two miles north of Texas. The old casino was shut down on Friday night, and they moved everything into a very large, very shiny new building. But - it didn't reopen until Monday and Tuesday (only for a few hours), and then permanently today starting from 10am. I couldn't believe the overwhelming response to the old casino being closed down. People were outraged!! Apparently, there is nothing to do within about two hours in each direction from here (except for a Dude Ranch about 20 minutes away. I just found out what a Dude Ranch is!). So - today, starting at 10 am, people were flowing in by the masses. The great part is that the new casino has a hotel attached to it (hence, the reason for my visit) and the front desk folks know EVERYBODY, because it's such a small town. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!! I feel so at home here! Me and one of the local ladies think that I need to find me a true Oklahoma boy and settle down here. I could totally go for that.

This is hanging in one of the casino's restaurants. I thought this was pretty cool. It's a little sculpture of the United States made with that specific state's license plates. Neato.

Tonight, after my shift ended at midnight, I decided I'd gamble a little. WELL, it's 4:50am at the moment and I just got back up to my room. I kept winning and winning and then losing and losing, then winning and winning again. Until, I found myself surrounded by all of those "crack heads" (according to the locals working here) and cigarette smoke. IT WAS GREAT! I actually kicked some butt today, and ended up even when I left after playing for almost 5 hours. Who knew that would happen?!


I promised pictures of my friend that I met in Dallas on Monday. I love this little dude - and I can't wait to see him again!!

New Music...

I updated the playlist on the right of the screen....for your listening pleasure. I do realize that I have a lot of different readers, so I apologize if some of the tracks don't tickle your fancy. You can manage the playlist, if you'd like - just click on the right arrow and the next song will play. You can also double click on a song if you would like to hear it.

I am certainly up for taking requests. If you'd like me to add a song to my playlist, just let me know.

Happy reading and listening!!
Lindy

June in Indiana

Did anybody know that it's really freaking HOT during the month of June in Indiana?! What the hell am I doing home?! HAHAHA.... This is when I should be visiting Northern Canada - not in the dead of Winter!! For those of you who don't know - it was about 96 degrees and HUMID last night at like 8pm. UGH.

I absolutely LOVE this picture of Tonja.... She is Katie's sister-in-law, and just an awesome lady.

I realized last night, that I didn't blog about part of the giant bag story!! Okay - so Ellen, the lady in the pictures (below) in the red and black shirt is one of my favorite people. She is Katie's Step Mother-in-Law, but we both kind of think of her as our hero...mentor...yoda.

During the "Giant Bag Gift Giving Segment" of Katie's baby shower - Ellen was ON THE FLOOR, she was laughing SO HARD!!

Here's Ellen asking, "Hey!! Can I carry this on the plane?!"

OH MAN!! That was so much fun! I love hanging out with those ladies!

Moving on.... SO - I've been home all week, working from about 9-5 (with a few naps everyday in between). But - that's kind of fun because not only do I get to sleep in my own bed (which is the only possession I have with me, other than the clothing on my back and in my suitcase), but I get to hang out with my roommates and my friends around town. One of my roommies, Allen, and I went golfing a few nights ago. I AM HORRIBLE, we know this. BUT - he was patient enough to deal with my sucky-ness and actually taught me a few things. I think I sort of got better throughout the evening, but that could've just been my imagination. We went in the evening and basically played until it got dark. It was nice. PLUS - Allen found six golf balls on the course, so he got something out of it!!

Allen also plays a lot of Tiger Woods Golf on the Nintendo Wii. Here's his impression of his player! This WAS a really good shot, so it was well warranted!

A milestone, a baby shower and a vacation...

Okay - so the milestone was kind of exciting, but will probably not be that exciting to my audience. I did a project entirely by myself...I was the only one there. Additionally, without saying too much, it was kind of a hard one!! And - I sort of kicked butt at it!! YAY!! That's enough - the last thing I'm going to do on this blog is talk about work and people at work...I know how the world works!!

In more exciting news - one of my very favorite-est people in the world is going to have a baby any day now (actually, she's due over a month from now....but she's gonna pop soon!). Her baby shower was last weekend and it was GREAT!! Here are some pictures....

Along with my gift - I gave Katie the post card from Virginia. She gets a postcard from every place I visit. She's kind of special!!


A very pregnant Katie showing us all how to do yoga!!

Okay - this was hilarious!! So - Tonja (Katie's sister-in-law) - got Katie this HUGE bag. It was a great gift, it was just a little funny when the box it came in was small, the packaging was small and it just kept GROWING!!

This is Tonja inside the bag. I'm SO glad she did that - it took me an hour to talk her into it. What a sport!!

On top of that - the day after the baby shower, I went on vacation. Yes, our family went on our very first family vacation. WELL - this wasn't the very first, but it's probably the first that everyone else will recognize. When I was like 7 or 8, our family went to Disney Orlando. I managed to make that trip HELL for everyone....no kidding. It was bad. I'll never live that down. All I wanted to do was ride the people-mover and swim in the pool. If I didn't "get" to do those things, I would just pitch a fit and cry the entire time. It was awful. My mother swore that we would never take another family vacation, and we didn't while she was around.

SO - my stepmother planned a family vacation in Virginia Beach this year. Interesting, but fun! I don't think I managed to ruin this trip for anyone.....

We had TONS of fun - both Brody (Charlie's 4 year old son) and Emily (Mitch's 7 month old daughter) were there, along with Charlie's girlfriend's boys (Jake, 10 and Levi, 14). Jake turned 10 while we were there, and I think he had a pretty good birthday!! We had so much fun playing in the ocean, the pool, go-karting, and playing Mario Kart constantly!! Here are some pictures....

This video cracks me up every time.... Actually - they both do. Both above and below. Brody is SO funny without meaning to be. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we laugh at him a lot!

I would have crapped my pants. Levi and Jake are SO brave!!!