• Photography,  travel

    Photos of photos

    These photographs of photographs Lee took might not look like much to you but for me they are pretty exciting! These are the first of my photographs to be hanging outside of our home or a family member’s home! I’ve had some travel photos published in the past but this is the first time to have my photos permanently displayed in more of a public place. These are two of four photos selected to hang at one of the Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas’ residential facilities. The photos are hung in the clubhouse and office areas. * disclaimer: Lee works for the Mental Health Association. I sleep with…

  • Lee,  Weird shit that happens

    E.T. in lingerie, or: things that cannot be unseen

    This might be the first post on my 16-day-old blog that truly fits the Next Door To Normal title. This is some weirdness right here. We have the interior and exterior of our house sprayed for bugs every few months year-round because I will freak the hell out and cause bodily harm to myself and others at the sight of an insect. So the bug guy came this week and I cringed when I opened the door to invite him in. I cringed because I’m SURE he remembers what he saw in my bedroom about six years ago. Six years ago, Lee was having trouble thinking of a Christmas/Hanukkah present…

  • Lee,  travel

    Every day of marriage is another day closer to death

    I’ve been trying to decide on the appropriate post for wedding anniversary No. 14. I thought about telling you the story about how Lee proposed {it involves Burger King}. I thought about sharing my sermon on why people should marry for money … but I’m not in the mood today to point out the obvious :D I thought about just posting a few photos from the wedding. When I went looking for the scrapbook of photos, I didn’t find it. What I did find was a printout of an email I sent to friends right after we returned from our honeymoon. I don’t remember writing the email but I’m glad…

  • Friends,  Lee,  Sports

    The way the cookie crumbles: an anniversary present from Lee

    Lee surprised me this afternoon with an anniversary present a day early — a dozen custom-designed cookies celebrating my big win in my fantasy football league this year! Those who know us know that it’s uber-romantic for his gift to be sports-related. That is how we roll. And I take great pleasure knowing that he went against every fiber of his being to order black and gold, Mizzou-ish cookies. Just gonna say now that I don’t plan on ever ordering Kansas Jayhawk cookies for him. Our friend Stephanie Johnson runs Sweets By Steph here in Wichita and she made the cookies. She bakes a yummy cookie and her design skills…

  • Family

    How me & my brother made it in the show at Teddy’s House of Comedy

    So sometimes I’m going to need to get all deep on this blog. This is one of those times. But it’s a funny story while being tragic. Tomorrow is my wedding anniversary. Lee and I got married Jan. 15, 1999. January 15 is also the day my oldest brother killed himself, in 2003. Of course something like that never leaves your heart or your mind and it took a few years for me to be able to celebrate my anniversary on that day. One thing that helped was planning trips to coincide with our anniversary. Therapy helped, too. And time. Time helped dull the pain, the anger and the sadness…