I heart my iPod (or "Who needs cable?")

So in the craziness of everything (and because money is tight), I have put off and put off getting any sort of cable TV service. I know, I KNOW, I have small children...and this whole nation has this TV obsession, I know. I have never been a TV watcher. Really. I know you don't believe me, but you can ask my friend BSB - who has a blogger site, too, by the way (http://oursideofthemountain.blogspot.com/) - when I was in law school, I used to go over to her house on Thursday nights to watch Survivor. GASP! I didn't own a TV. (Or wait, maybe I did have a TV, but I didn't have any cable, maybe?) MMc - did we have cable?

In any event, I know you're all wondering why there is this picture of Taylor Swift here on my blog. Well, back to the point (and yes, I do have one...) - because we have no TV, we have been listening to A LOT more music around my house. Cole has Old Crowe Medicine Show in his CD player and listens to it all night. I have two iPod portable speaker sets (one with attached alarm clock...very useful) - and if you've never browsed the music/CD section at Sam's Club (or BJ's or Costco or your local warehouse club), I highly suggest it. There's this one song I kept hearing on xM Channel 11 (Nashville) that I really liked by Taylor Swift - so for the low low price of $11, I got a whole album - and my new favorite song from her album is "Teardrops on My Guitar" (Oh, and in case I haven't mentioned, I plan to learn to play the guitar...I actually have a client who owns a pawn shop and can get me one cheap (imagine that - ironic, no?)...Anyway, here are the lyrics for that song, which I can't EVER get out of my head these days.
"Teardrops On My Guitar"
drew looks at me, i fake a smile so He won't see
that i want and i'm nEeding
everything that We should be
i'll bet she's beautiful, that gIrl he taLks about
and she's got everything that I have to Live without

drew talks to me, i laugh cause it's just so funny
that i can't eveN see anyone when he's with mE
he says he's so in loVe, he's finally got it right,
i wonder if he knows he's all i think about at night

[Chorus:]
he's the reason for the tEardrops on my guitar
the only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing staR
he's the song in the car i keep singing,
don't Know why i do

drew walks by me, can he tell that i can't breathe?
and there he goes, so perfectly,
the kiNd of flawless i wish i could be
she'd better hold him tight, give him all her lOve
look in those beautiful eyes and know she's lucky cause

[Repeat Chorus]

so i drive home alone, as i turn out the light
i'll put his picture down and maybe
get some sleep tonight

he's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar
the only one who's got enough of me to break my heart
he's the song in the car i keep singing, don't knoW why I do
he's the time taken up, but there's never enough
and he's all that i need to fall into..

drew looks at me...i fake a smile so he won't see...
...

And get this - Girl is only SIXTEEN. Madness. Yeah, a lot of her songs are clearly totally "high school love" sad sobs and good memories, etc. - but girl can SING - and she doesn't give off that vibe of trying to seem older or wiser than she really is. She is singing about her young heart - SO refreshing... I love her. Anyway - more music ramblings to come. I got stuck on this country kick...it's in my blood, apparently.

Hobos, Holidays and Haphazardry

So, my job title is "Assistant Public Defender" - sounds righteous, right? "Let justice be done" and all that...in actuality, the majority of my "clients" (not all, of course, but most of 'em) have major life issues. This is probably obvious, given the fact that you have to fall below the poverty standard (which I think currently means you bring in less than $12k/year) to qualify for the public defenders' services...

To the point...we have a criminal trial calendar coming up. This means I have to organize all these files (and there are a lot of 'em) and figure out who is going to enter a guilty plea, who wants a jury trial, and IF they want a jury trial, I have to figure out who to subpoena and what evidence I need to blow holes in the State's case. The evidentiary/witness issues are the least of my worries. My biggest issue is actually finding my clients...they have a tendency (IF they can make bail) to fall off the face of the earth. I LOVE when my clients are in jail. They'll do ANYTHING, they'll meet with you anytime (they have to - you tell the Sheriffs' deputies and they bring 'em on up.) Anyway - that's the HOBO portion of this entry - I have two clients who, when they were booked into jail, listed their "permanent residence address" as under a bridge. (One of them actually specified WHICH river/street bridge he called "home" - which was nice, because we have 3 rivers in Rome, and that makes for a lot of bridges.)

So this is a Holiday week. WOO HOO. I have only one plan - Weinerfest '08 with hot-dogs, italian sausage, bratwurst and anything else you can shove in a bun or a hoagie - catered by my best friend's daddy. Yum-O. I want more concrete plans for the rest of the weekend...we shall see.

Ah, so - haphazardry...sigh...my life is madness. I have two little rugrats, two hairy big dogs, a house full of laundry, three toilets to clean, and a very satisfying - but already hectic! - job...oh, and I haven't been to the grocery store in, oh, 3 weeks or more...and the one time I went (3 weeks ago, remember) I bought only the following things - a bottle of chardonnay, sippy cups, pop-tarts, string cheese, a bottle of merlot, coffee, coffee filters, size 4T Diego underroos, and a bottle of shiraz. Do you see a recurring theme here?

So - C & C are fabulously hilarious, as usual. Carson actually asked me the other morning.... "Mommy, why isn't everyone pretty?" Of course, in my typical "love others" Mommy voice I told her "Carsie, everyone IS pretty. God doesn't make things that aren't pretty, honey. Sometimes people look different, but they are beautiful in their own way." (Good answer, right?) - and....wait for it...her response, "Yeah, but not everyone is as pretty as ME, though." silly kid. Cole got a new "big boy" cowboy bed. I'll try to get around to posting pictures later this week. It's tough because I don't have internet at home...yet. And the county gov.-issued computer is slow and hard to load pictures onto (it's a laptop...)...anyway, he loves his new "cowboy" bed. It was Uncle Brady's when he was a little boy...sweet. AND...here's the BIG NEWS of the day/week/month/year - I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!!! My sweetest dearest sister is knocked up! WOO HOO! I can't wait...

Random Musings of a Mommy

So, I reset my blog. This is my new start. Life is strange. I am in a new strange place in my life, and the strangest part is that I expected it to FEEL much much much stranger than it does. In fact, it feels LESS strange than what I thought was my "normal" life.

Enough of the ethereal rambling. I got to come home. I have my children, a fabulous perfect new job, and a lot of life hanging out there to live. I'm excited. Sad to be done with the part I ended, but glad about the parts yet to come.

So, Independence Day is coming up. How fitting...My children will not be here with me that weekend, but I'm sure I'll find something to occupy my time...even if it's mopping the floors. I may even pull out my much-neglected sewing machine! For you Jaywalker Designs fans...more stuff is coming. My hopeful release date of some one-of-a-kind fall things is set for mid-August. That's only 6 weeks away, though! Please keep checking the Etsy site (www.jaywalkerdesigns.etsy.com) for updates there, too.

What else to tell? I really really really want to go to the beach. I may even go alone...Hmmmmm...me, a beach chair, miles of sand & surf, a few Coronas, a lime and a good trashy novel...oh, and sunscreen and a hat, of course ;) - sounds divine.