I'm Baaaaaaaack

Be afraid, be very afraid. Joan is back in the house, yo!

It's been a while. So many topics I never got a chance to post about... Hope I get to them someday - they were pretty cool. Even if they were only in my head. Guess you'll just have to trust me. For now, I'll just have to catch up a bit on the biggies:

There were three main things keeping me from blogging in recent weeks - my karate test, my dad's surgery, and my mom's upcoming birthday bash. My karate test went swimmingly, and I'm now an advanced green belt. Woo! There's a really cool picture of me beating the snot out of a heavy bag. (What the picture doesn't show is that I was so exhausted right then that I couldn't focus on anything but trying not to fall down. If you haven't seen the pic, ask me for it.) At any rate, the test went fine, I passed, and even the minor little asthma attack I had during sparring didn't detract from it. Yay for me! Nine months or so to Brown belt...

As for Dad's surgery, it was elective and it went great. Dad's a trouper. He's the Bionic Man now - this is his second replaced body part! (This one was his ankle). He's being a great patient, too, and got an A+ from his doctor at the last checkup. Keep it up, Dad! Can't wait to go walking with you again!

The one event that is still to come is Mom's birthday. Her official birthday is on the 30th, but because Thanksgiving was so close by, we're throwing her a huge bash on Friday. Let's just say there was a certain amount of planning that went into it, and your dear friend Joan happened to find herself in the middle of it. Entirely accidentally. (OK I volunteered for a couple things... but not the main cat-herding-type event. Which I can't talk about yet because Mom reads this.) So a couple of days early, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! You are a very well-loved, appreciated, wonderful Mom. I hope we can make that clear to you on Friday. :) Actually, I hope you know that already... but if you ever had a doubt, then I hope those doubts are obliterated off the face of the planet on Friday.

Way to go, Tallulah, for the invite to the theater company! We love you! Can't wait to go see you rock in some more weird plays that only have shows at midnight! :D (Seriously hon, good job - and I'd come see you play a tree in a show about forests if that's what you get to do. You know that! But I'm proud and happy for you -- and don't forget that framed autograph! "I knew Tallulah before she was famous!")

What else... Go Wolves? Still no Chelios, but whatever. We have a bunch of other NHLers, and as H.V. can attest, they're just fine. (HV thinks most of them are pretty damn fine, thank you very much. Even if they are 12.) I'm really getting into the games. I've started trying to watch the away games on TV when I can, and I can't wait for the next home game to come along. The drive's kind of a pain and the fans, well, the fans usually suck (reference the chick behind me 2 games ago who kept screaming "He's a Big Green BOOGER!" in my ear, for some poor Houston Aero named "Boogaert" or something), but the games are great, and our seats totally rock. And we have the best usher in the arena! (Yay Paul! I think that's your name?)

My brother Bullet has been in my thoughts lately. Send him good vibes, he needs them. Can't wait to see you on Friday, dude. But apparently he just closed the biggest deal of his life at work, which is awesome! (Must've been one hell of a deal... you've already closed some doozies!) Anyway, I'm thinking about you, and I love you and I'll be at the airport with bells on. (Not literally.)

Okay my brain function's going downhill here so I'm going to wrap it up. I hope to be able to post regularly again. Oh and HV, as for your topic suggestion about why people put empty stuff back in the fridge... I'll get to that. ;)

Love you all,
J