I have a celebrity crush...

Hugh Laurie.

I can't explain why, other than the fact that he's tall, thin, has dark hair and blue eyes...

I've been renting and going through the series House M.D. I saw one episode on the plane back from Germany, and it intrigued me. I'm certainly not attracted to his character on the show. Gregory House is a cut-throat, tactless, God-less man. So we're talking pretty superficial, looks-based stuff.

However...I just read his biography. I am impressed.

P.S. I had NO idea he was British. His "American" accent on House is flawless. Like I said...impressed.

Spoke too soon...

I was just saying last week how it's amazing that I've not really gotten sick once during this pregnancy. I'd had a low-grade fever a couple times, but that's to be expected with all of the body changes. Well, I started feeling it coming on this past weekend, and I woke up today with body aches, a painful cough, stuffiness and a rough throat. I don't have a fever though! That helps a lot. Looks like it's vitamin C and juice like crazy for me now.

And speaking of pregnancy...

Three weeks to go as of today. And that's if I go full term. As long as I make it one more week, I'll be happy. Jim's on one last unavoidable business trip. He gets back Saturday. We got the baby room prepared this past weekend so that I could unpack all of our shower gifts and get it all ready while he's gone. He did most of the work, AND he was sick for most of the time-that's how amazing my husband is. He painted, put the crib/changing table together, and moved the dresser into the room. (Side note about the dresser-it's Jim's dresser from growing up. His son will be using the same dresser he did-isn't that kind of cool? I think so...anyway...)

The only thing I've craved hard-core in the past couple months is milk. LOTS of milk. And now it's chocolate milk. YUM. And fluids. I just can't seem to get enough to drink. I've even hardly been drinking soda, I'm that thirsty all the time. I don't want to make myself thirstier. Jim said that I am with fluids like an SUV is with gas. It's true...

And speaking of fluids...I go to bed every night with stiff, swollen feet. And wake up with stiff, swollen hands. Something odd going on there...

My total weight gained now is 38 pounds. I can't really figure out where it's gone other than my belly. Maybe a bit in my bum and legs. But not much. I hope it goes away quickly after the birth...Both my mom and sister went down a size after their first babies, so maybe I have those genes...I hope.

I'm definitely uncomfortable. Boys are carried high in general, but I'm convinced he's made a home for himself in my ribcage. He's very active, which is both fun AND painful at times. I'm really getting to the point where I'm ready to have him. But not for at least a week...

I'll post pics of the baby room soon...

Ants in my pants...literally

Danielle, I feel your pain.

My house is being invaded by little black devils. Ants. When Jim and I arrived home a week and a half ago from our trip, we discovered our pantry was being ravaged by ants. We thought it was an isolated thing and our fault since we had a bit of open food in there. So I killed and scoured and sprayed and thought I'd taken care of it.

Until a few dozen showed up in the office. And then by the stove. And then IN the muffin pans I used to make breakfast (that's right, kids; I discovered them after I'd baked them to death). And then in the laundry room of all places. Every time, I sprayed and cleaned the buggers up.

And then I saw some more. The last straw was when I was sitting in the hallway and I felt a little sting on my bum. WRONG MOVE BUDDY.

They. Must. All. Die.

I called the exterminator. They said that I most likely have a nest in the wall somewhere, and that they will keep showing up until the nest is destroyed.

Things NOT to tell a pregnant woman who is currently in the nesting phase...

So they're coming out in about a week to poisen them all. And you know what? I don't feel bad about it.

Paranoia

The laptop I use is Jim's old Dell from work. By the time they gave him a new one, this one was so old that they were just going to throw it away. He asked if he could keep it and they said they didn't care since it was junk to them. He gave it to me since it would serve my basic needs. This is the computer I've been using for over a year now.

Recently...well, actually for a while now, it has been having random issues every now and then. The newest thing is it wanting to scan the drive every time I turn it on. Something about "FAT32". I don't understand why (nor do I really care to), but I just have a feeling it's on it's last leg. So today, like a good and paranoid buisness woman, I backed up ALL of my buisness files, all of my photos, and, well heck-even the My Documents folder.

Now if my laptop chooses to go, I can bid it farewell a little more easily.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

http://info.org.il/irrelevant/may02-smilepop-soapbox4.swf

And the thing is, I STILL get these stupid forwards from people. People I actually consider intelligent.

Germany is...not Holland

Well, I've been in Germany for almost 24 hours now, and the city we are staying in is not nearly as accomidating when it comes to speaking English. I've had to use a bit of German just out of desperation. Maybe that's a good thing. At any rate it's hard for me, as a stubborn American, to get used to the idea that not everyone can understand my language. I think this is good for me.

Actually, just being in Europe has given me quite a view of how self-absorbed Americans really are. I've been watching CNN a lot (one of the only English channels here), and when they say they are reviewing "world news" it really is WORLD news. Not just mostly American news with a few other things thrown in. I really love the diversity.

Holland is so full of tourists and other cultures, that English does kind of serve as a universal language, which was really convienient. But here in Dassau, if you don't know at least a little German, you're stuck. Actually, as I am writing this, I am trying to figure out how we're going to get clean towels in our room, seeing as how the housekeeper just walked in, saw me, apologized, and left. I instinctually said, "no, come on in!", and then realized pretty quickly that she had no idea what I'd just said. DANG it.

And speaking of quandries, I've found that (at least in Germany and Holland), hotels are not nearly as generous with their internet access. When I was in Holland, our hotel had two computers in the lobby available for use. That's how I was able to blog last time. But if we wanted access in our room, we had to pay $9.30 in Euro for 90 minutes. That's about $18.00 US for an hour and a half. WOW. I'm a little luckier here. It's only $13 Euro for 24 hours. That I could justify. Of course, my main reason for purchasing the use of the internet is so that I can log into our system at the store and work. I have SO much to do. I don't have much of a choice.

I'm paying to work. While on vacation. I must be crazy.

I'm in Holland, yo.

The trip so far has been WONderful. Jim and I arrived at around 8:30am Sunday morning (that's 2:30am Lafayette time). We spent the whole day walking and driving around. He's been here twice before, so he was able to get us around with no problems. He's amazing when it comes to traveling. Once he's been a place just one time, he can find his way around again.

So as of just yesterday, Jim and I saw the following things in Amsterdam (where we spent the majority of the day):

-The Anne Frank House-it's now a museum. This was a powerful, tear-jerking experience.
-The "Old Church". It's right in the middle of the Red Light District. And still an active church!
-An old castle (I can't remember the name). It was gorgeous.
-The Sex Museum. Yes, I went to the sex museum. I had to. I was in AMSTERDAM. It was hilarious.
-And of course...the Red Light District. We walked around shortly after dark, so it wasn't as active as it could have been, but it was already totally hoppin. Here is my observation: it's not as racy as some people believe. Yes, there are prostitutes all over, but they're not by any means "on the corners". They are more like living advertisments. They stand in their doors and windows (which have red-lights over them, henceforth the name), and the men simply choose whether or not to buy some time with them. And everything is negotiable. I saw two men negotiating at two different times. I also saw three men leaving rooms at different points. If their curtain is pulled in their window or door, they are working. If not, they stand there in skimpy little pretty things advertising. And believe me, it's not like a Victoria's Secret catalog. Most of the women I saw were pretty. Only a couple were "hot". And there were several...bigger girls. I guess there's something for everyone. That's probably the idea. There were also several different races. Like I said...

Another misconception about this district is the concentration of women. This area is actually several blocks in size and contains a lot of actual buisneses other than the women. Yes, some are geared toward sex (toy shops and sex shows), but there are actually totally normal busineses within the area. The women are spread out over the area (and more concentrated in the alleys) There's even a whole block or two that is a local China Town.

You have to take into consideration that, within this culture, this is normal and has been for several hundred years. The only people walking through with any sort of fascination were tourists. One has to walk through the area to get to pretty much any area in Amsterdam, and not a lot of people drive, so it's a part of daily life here.

It made me a bit sad to think of any woman making sex her career, although I did not see a single woman who looked like they didn't like what they were doing. I guess that act just means so much to me...

Well, I'd better get going. I must eat something. The little one is kicking me. Either he's hungry or just...well...bored.

I'll update again soon!!