UNO-tastic Canada Day

Today was a weird day. Because of my slight mental breakdown in the early AM, I decided that I was not going to spend time with anyone. I had big plans involving SNL and Arrested Development.

My mom always has different ideas for holiday's. It doesn't matter how insignificant the holiday may be. She woke me up with a 'special Canada Day breakfast' that was just a strawberry smoothie in a plastic cup with maple leaves on it. It was pretty good.

I still had no plans to spend anytime with my family though. My mom kept asking what was wrong and if I was okay, which I responded with nothing and I'm fine like always. She was obviously hurt and I was just a stupid teenager with teenage problems.

I watched an episode of SNL and an episode of Arrested Development. In a spontaneous move, I then just put on my bathing suit (a.k.a skimpy bikini) and just jumped in the pool. Just like that. I just did it. It was cold. It was awesome.

It woke me up. My mother was happy. She didn't want me to go back in the house. So I actually didn't. We played this weird triangle game with golf tee's. I was not good at it. Even after many rounds, I didn't come back into this house to sit at this computer.

We played UNO. All of us. My bother, dad, mom, and I. It was weird... We usually don't even talk to each other. As little as possible, but today is a holiday after all.

I watched my family get progressively more drunk as I drank Snapple and Dr. Pepper. We played game after game. We also kept score. Somehow I lost.

UNO is a great way to bring a family together apparently. My brother loosened up after a couple beers and was actually fun. My dad would swear at his card and my mom would yell at him to watch his language even though I am the youngest, at 16. I've heard and say worse mother. And I'm, of course, always my hilarious self.

This was also all outside. I was outside for a good part of the day. What has become of me? Spending time with the fam-jam... while outside? It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

I came back inside around 5:30 and spent the next three hours doing this:

I think they came out okay. They look pretty cool and will impress people, yet they are simple. That's all that matters.

The Littlest of Nin's

My Nannie is awesome. She is 79 but doesn't look a day over 60. She is on a  fixed income but spends like nobodies business. She is a maneater but only uses her powers for good. She is a honey badger. Honey badger don't care. Honey badger doesn't give a shit.

Candid shot I took at Easter
From left to right: Joe, Lil' Nin, Uncle Mark

My Nannie picked me up today for some company while she went grocery shopping. We were pleasantly walking through the isles when we walked pasted some old man. My Nannie of course knew him, she knows everyone. They talked and talked about their friend that's in the hospital. When we went our separate ways my Nannie whispered to me, "I almost married that guy." She has numerous stories like this.

Lil' Nin has been married three times and proposed to at least 5 times (that's the number I now know anyways). The first time was when she was 16. She only said yes because she liked his car. The proposal didn't last long. The next time was to my mom, aunt and uncle's father. Whom she happily married. He sadly passed away when my mom was little though. Next she married a douche, who she divorced, but is the father of my other aunt. I'm guessing the proposal of the grocery store guy came somewhere around here. She was also married to a very nice Italian man. He was the only Grandpa I knew from that side of the family. He sadly passed away too. And then there's Joe. I guess you could call him my Nannie's boyfriend. She doesn't want to get married again though, so she won't.

When we were pulling into the grocery store, my Nannie said something like this, "Yeah lady, pass in front of me if you want to get run down." She's hilarious with her uncanny swearing and road rage.

Lil' Nin and I have fun. She buys me things and I say, "No Nannie, you don't have to get that!" and I spend time with her and let her tell me all her crazy stories about the olden days.

Yes, Lil' Nin and I have fun.

I fold paper

A snip-it of my wall

Everyday I gently rip off a page of my day by day 30 Rock calendar.
Everyday I take the time to craft a paper crane.
I find it fulfilling and beautiful.

They say if you fold a thousand you will receive a wish. So, let's see, I currently have 62 hanging on my walls, plus 5 randomly on my desk... 67. Then there's the random ones I've folded and given to other people/left them around places...

I hope some spiritual dude comes up to me when I've reached a thousand and is all, "What do you wish for bro!?"
I would promptly respond, "A million more wishes!" Then wink into the camera.