I've started a "101 Things About ME" post. Figured after nearly two years it was about time I did one. Silly me. I thought it would be easy. Um, yeah. It's  a breeze.

So I decided to write and post something else.

And here I am... wondering what to bitch about first. Okay, you talked me into it. The wireless router. I've played with it, Bryan has played with it, he's e-mailed support... it keeps knocking us off the inernet. It's pissing me off. We follow the directions to a "T" and it still doesn't want to work.  Yes, I know.... call the support number. But ya see, the thing is, I like to fix these problems myself. I like being able to say "ta da! I did it!" Only, it's not happening.

I can't/won't bitch about the heat. It's too early in the year to do that. But cheese and rice! Ninety-three?!? We don't live in Florida for cryin' out loud! Eight-thirty in the evening and it's cooled down - 81. Still, I managed to get outside and mow the front and back lawns.

If I had more ambition, or if all my ambition wasn't being used already, I'd train the dogs to do their business in one area. Getting to be a real drag having to dodge the 'doo' when I cut the back yard. And yes, I'm not the only one living here, but really....  won't ask Bryan to do that and ... well...  why bother asking the other roommate? Would be like talking to one of my kids. Except that they would actually do it.

I took some pictures of the house. It was too late to get the "before" pictures that showed the entire situation, however the "in progress" pictures should point out how bad some of it was- as long as you keep in mind that by the time those pictures were taken I'd already put a lot of sweat into cleaning. Me and Bryan took the stinky smelly couch and loveseat out of the living room (somebody actually wanted them, go figure) and brought our stuff in. So I was able to get that room as clean as is possible right now. It looks magnitudes better. As long as it's left like it is. Anything else goes into it and it will be too crowded, cramped, and cluttered. Even the ugly fake fireplace doesn't look as bad as it did. I still need to paint the spare bedroom, but I took 7 -50 gallon trash bags of junk out of it, so even with the crappy walls it looks better. Still not ready to tackle the kitchen yet. Yes, I'm putting it off as long as I can because it's a huge project and I've already given it the first round of cleaning.

Worst case scenario, at least I've gotten it cleaned up enough that should it need to go on the market it won't be so bad to clean out. And yes, the stress here is such that that has become an option, although only in the worst case scenario. Second worst, we move out and let his sister try to handle it all. Of course, the  absolute very worst case scenario is that I beg a bus ticket off my best friend and move back to Michigan and stay with her till I can get on my feet. It really is to the point where I have considered it; not because of Bryan, just that .... I lived in a very stressful house for six years and I'm not doing it ever again. I can't. And I won't. 

It won't come to that. Bryan has said he's going to fix it. I believe him. More than that, I believe in him. Not only is he the nicest person anyone could ever meet, he really can make things happen. It's a gift I've come to appreciate on several different levels for several different reasons. It will get better. Somehow.

Anyway... any more to bitch about? *shrug* Could probably think of something, but don't really feel like it at the moment. I'm too tired. Physically, emotionally, I'm starting to wear down.

So...  yeah.

We went to see Billy Joel last night.

I am not particularly fond of concerts. Unless you get primo seats up near the stage it always seems rather like a waste of money. Not to mention the crowds. I am so not into crowds. And the crappy little seats at most sports arenas are so uncomfortable (which is probably why when you're there watching a sport you stand up alot).  Besides all that, I've just never been "into" any performer enough to want to go thru all that to see them. Rather just buy their music and listen to it at my leisure.

Bryan knows all this about me. Still, he wanted me to be part of this experience with him. This was the fifth time he'd seen Billy in concert. He was pumped. I was... not.  However, I love Bryan and if he wants to do something, and include me, I'm going to do my best to not ruin it for him.

See, I know from what he's told me (and if you've read any of his older blog entries, you know too) that The Storm didn't care if he was excited about something. If it was something she found boring or whatever, she made no secret of it. He heard about it and everyone within a city block of her heard about it. There was no way in hell I was going to be anything like that.

Four of us are going together. Me, Bryan, his sister and her friend (who I have come to think of as 'little brother' even though he's younger than my oldest son).  We all pile in Judy's car. Lou drives, me and B are in the backseat.  Whew. Because when we got downtown it was around 6:30-ish, there was the concert going on as well as a Cards game. It was crowded. Lou was buzzing around the cars like a stock car racer. I didn't want to see how close we came to the other cars (okay, one time I saw we air-kissed a car he was going around). Anyhow...

We get to Union Station, where we're meeting Judy and Lou's friend Stitch and his mom. The six of us go into the mall, we lose Judy, but go to a bar for a drink before the show. Eventually she catches up with us.  After a couple drinks we go back out and make our way to Scottrade Center. 

O-K. We're inside. Me and B find the section where we're sitting. We go up. We walk in. OMG! I felt dizzy. We're way up in the nose bleed section. Not the very top, but close.  We find our seats and sit down. The stage is waaayyy down there at the other end. There's the JumboTron, but still...

At around 8:15 Billy takes the stage. He opens with AngryYoung Man. I'm not overly impressed although the lighting is very cool. I think I was so less than impressed not because of Billy but because for the minutes before the concert B has been talking to his sister and pretty much ignoring me, even turning his back to me. And all I kept thinking was: and I'm here because..???  Anyway.... decided to enjoy the show as much as you can enjoy a concert from a mile away.

So....  and here's where it gets good. I HAD A GOOD TIME!!! We're sitting in an arena packed full (some 17 thousand fans) of mostly 40-ish and over people there to watch a 50-ish performer who's been around for decades. No pyrotechnics. No fancy dance moves. No bullshit. Just a really fantastic light show to accompany some really great music.  I'd say at least 9/10's of the crowd was getting totally into the music, dancing in our seats, clapping to the beat, singing with every song. When each song was over I had to do extra "woo"s because Bryan's voice still isn't back and we didn't want him to lose what he has.

Seriously, the next time Billy comes to St Louis I want to go again. Even if we can only get the nose bleed seats again, I want to go. I'll just bring binoculars. I had a really good time. I had fun before the concert, I enjoyed the concert a whole lot more than I imagined I would, and I had fun after the concert. 

All that said.... Bryan has tickets to go see Morrisey. I'm not going. Morrisey is something he shares with his best friend, The Dude, and I suggested a long time ago that if he came to St Louis, the two of them could go out and have a "guys night".  So that's the plan.

Staying on the subject of music. When we got home, I curled up in the chair and watched AI, which I had recorded. It was a good show, excellent cause, but I think it should have been on a separate night from Results Show. Thankfully, they decided against sending anyone home, but they made the contestants sweat it out and poor Jordin... it was mean.