Michael Meets Heights: A Real-Deal Phobia

Posted on August 18, 2015 by DMW

I have this thing about heights in that I am terrified of them. Many people have told me they have issues with heights too – that they’re afraid of them, including my husband, Roy. But he’s not, and I find that they’re not, so here is a list of questions to help determine if you are actually afraid of heights or if you just aren’t that much of a fan.

  1. Does being high make you hold onto to dear life to something solid: the floor, a wall, a pole, etc. Are you unable to move?
  2. When you are high do you have to resist the urge to run away, even when you are in something that is moving and know full well that running would result in you surely falling and surely dying? Yet despite this knowledge it takes all of your will power not to, because that “Fight or Flight” response is loud and screaming, “RUN, BITCH RUN!”
  3. Do you feel sick, woozy, wobbly or nearly pass out after or during exposure to heights?
  4. Do you scream, cry or otherwise experience a meltdown when confronted with heights?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, congratulations you are probably afraid of heights. If you’re like me, you answered yes to ALL of these questions.

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A Hot Springs Getaway!

Posted on August 11, 2015 by DMW

Two weeks ago, I surprised (and kidnapped!) my husband with a romantic getaway to Glenwood Springs in Colorado. It was long overdue and something we really needed. We’re complete opposites in everything, which can make a marriage more work than other ones (or so we’re told) but honestly we’re good. It’s everything else: life drama, family drama on either side, work crap, schedules, money, house stuff or something else that pops up just because our lives aren’t colorful enough that can wear us down. It’s hard to escape in each other when real life constantly surrounds us, loudly banging, never letting us forget that it’s there. So we like to take a few days every now and then where we can shut the rest of the world out. It’s just me and him and us, and nothing else exists and nothing else matters.

Glenwood Springs did not disappoint and it was just what we needed. We stayed at the Glenwood Hot Springs Lodge because it included unlimited free access to the hot springs pool. I don’t know if it makes sense next time, knowing how much we actually used the pool, but it was perfect for our first trip and made it so we could just go to the pool for thirty minutes after a long hike without wondering if it was worth the admission. The hotel was beautiful and while I requested a room with a view of the pool, we happened to get the room with the best view, top floor and where the balcony stuck out the farthest. I was really happy about this.

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Hot Springs Pool

The first day we mostly explored. We didn’t go to the pool, but looked around the different shops downtown, had a nice meal (lunch and dinner) and got some chocolate truffles because I have a serious chocolate problem that I don’t view as a problem. We were in our hotel room the most that day and it was just us, in our own cocoon. It was perfect.

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When Your Cat Eats A Big Fat Ribbon

Posted on August 10, 2015 by DMW

I love our cat Moxy, even though I am not a cat person (Becoming A Cat Person (Or Trying My Best to Be)) I am an animal person, and she is a member of this family. I mean, we’re way more alike than me and our dog Angel – even though Angel is my favorite. (Hey, I rescued Angel from the streets and bottle fed her – I was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes when she was just a few days old – she’ll always be my favorite.) But I digress. Our cat is a little special. And by a little, I mean she is very flipping special.

She walks on the upstairs railing like it is a balance beam when there is hardly room for a single paw and often falls as a result (sixteen feet onto a hardwood floor). She sticks her front paws into certain outlets (yes, she actually sticks her paws into outlets, which is very different than just chewing on cords) and she eats everything she thinks she can get away with including large plastic balls. She’s affectionate and loving and vocal and like all cats she likes to test limits, but even the greatest cat lovers (that I am friends with) admit, she’s missing something upstairs.

One thing she has never ingested however is string, ribbon, or anything that could be considered similar to this. We often play tug of war or “Catch the ribbon” and it’s a lot of fun that never goes to a not-so-great place. Well Moxy has decided those innocent days are over.

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Post-Vacationitis: Trying To Get Back To Normal

Posted on August 5, 2015 by DMW

Why is it that whenever you get back from a trip, you find yourself in a limbo state, not quite here and not quite gone? And even if you were caught up before, you feel like you’re playing catch-up. And it can be any time you overnight somewhere. Maybe it’s a week or maybe it’s just a weekend trip… it never matters how long I’m gone, whenever I get back there is always this transition back to normal.

Two weeks ago I surprised my husband (Roy) with a romantic getaway. We were only gone for five days, but I think this extended limbo I still find myself in is because of the before and after. Right before the surprise trip, we had friends from Chicago stay with us for a few days. We got back right before midnight the day before my birthday (so twelve minutes after being home – surprise, I’m 31!) which we still haven’t celebrated because we’ve been busy. The day after my birthday Roy’s aunt and uncle were in town for a few days and that involved dinners out, day trips to the mountains and more. So catching up was out.

But they left two days ago and I’m still not back with it. We did dog sit for a few days starting last week and had the dogs over here until yesterday, but it’s not like their presence prevented me from doing things. I mean our cat hated it, but they keep our dog busy and they all wear each other out so it’s perfect.

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Oops… I Kidnapped My Husband Again!

Posted on August 4, 2015 by DMW

Last September, I plotted and played the part of the ultimate sneak by planning a romantic getaway for my husband, Roy, and me, to Estes Park, without getting caught. I got my husband out of the house and packed his stuff, and then I loaded the car after sending him down the street… I did the courtesy of outlining just how to plan such a trip and abduct your spouse in seven easy steps. 😉 Of course this time it was just going to be more complicated because I couldn’t use any of the same excuses I did last year so getting him out of the house was ten times trickier. Not to mention last year he had accepted a job offer, but the trip occurred before his actual start date. So figuring out his work schedule was just one more thing, but I was determined. If there is one thing I love it is masterminding an epic surprise. I had every intention of outdoing myself after last year…

The planning began in May, but I didn’t reach out to Roy’s work until a week before our anniversary (early June), because I was still planning all the things to do, places to see, places to stay, etc. Roy and I respect each other’s privacy and trust one another, so we’re never on each other’s phones. When one of us is, it can be suspect just because we never are… so I had to steal that thing so he wouldn’t know something was up. I sent him outside for something and grabbed his phone, went to his contacts and found the contact info I needed (his coworker who is like the office manager, she is the scheduling goddess). But the punk came back inside so I had to run into another room, close out of the contact info, open the app the phone was already in; I walked into our family room, his phone at my side and threw it where he usually sits when he wasn’t paying attention. So far, so good.

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