I seem to have a bit of writer's block lately. So how about some random recent mundane happenings in my life?
As I write during my afternoon break at work, it's starting to thunder out. We had our first decent thunderstorm of the year last night, and it's looking like we might get an encore performance tonight. Both the dogs handled it with flying colors last night. I knew it wouldn't bother Brooskey - nothing scares him - but I was worried about Vixen. Chiqui used to disappear under the bed at the first distant rumbles. But Vixen, cowardly as she is, seemed only mildly curious about the thunder. Actually it seemed all that static electricity must have charged her up. Shortly after the storm, she started running sprints up and down the hallway and around the loveseat where I was camped out watching TV. It cracked me up because that's exactly what Chiqui used to do when she got hyper in her younger years. I hadn't even realized that she hadn't done that for quite a while before she died.
And speaking of Vixen, I'm almost afraid to say it for fear that I'll jinx it, but it looks like we might finally be making some progress with her potty training. She's taking care of business almost every time we take her outside, and when she does have an accident inside it's usually because we waited too long to take her out. She hasn't yet figured out how to ask to go out. When we had Brooskey in puppy school they talked about teaching them to ring a potty bell hanging from the door. We never needed it with him since he would just jump up and try to open the door himself, but maybe we'll give it a try with Vixen.
It figures this would turn into a dog update. I guess when they're what dominates my life... 
I have less than two weeks left of work before my "birthday vacation". Thank God. I've avoided saying too much about this because I don't know if anyone from work is reading, but I'm reaching a point where I don't really care. I have been trying to get a review/evaluation since January. Since the economy is sucking so bad right now and he doesn't think he can afford to give me a raise, my boss is ignoring me. While I don't agree with him making that assumption without even knowing what I'm going to ask for, whatever. I'm fine with not getting a raise if he really doesn't think he can afford it. I just would like to be acknowledged and told as much. I'd be happy with a few more vacation days, and just the opportunity to discuss with him other issues I am having that are making me a not-so-happy employee right now. But the boss has a way of making people just a little bit afraid of him, so I have been unable to articulate any of this to him, short of repeatedly requesting that review.
One nice thing about one's birthday being a federal holiday is that it only costs four vacation days to take the week off (unless it falls on a Saturday, of course... then I get screwed). I don't know what I'm going to do that week, yet. We can't afford to go anywhere, and with gas getting more and more expensive, even day trips are sounding like too much expense. There's a slight possibility I might get to see Rosy briefly, but I'm not sure if it will be that week or not, if it even happens at all. Even the thought of trying to put together a party makes my wallet cringe. Man, I wish I had some rich friends or relatives... 