MerrinDonahue.com

Occasionally, I like to use this space to reveal little known facts about my husband. Today is one of those occasions.
My husband loves Meat Loaf. I’m not just talking about the actual loaf of meat that your mom used to make; I’m referring to the, ahem, entertainer. You know the guy, right? Paradise By The Dash Board Lights? Bat Out Of Hell? Yeah, that’s him. Kevin loves him soooo much, in fact, that he knows the words to every Meat Loaf (and this pains me) rock opera ever written. Bear in mind that I had never even heard of Meat Loaf prior to the release of Leap Of Faith.
I know that this has no relevance to anything whatsoever, but it’s fun every once in a while to tell his little secrets! 😉

Indeed it was. Kevin helped me finish my resume today, and I even managed to send it out to some folks. The coolest part of this whole transition is the opportunity to re-invent myself, at least a little bit. I’m still way less upset than I thought I’d be, but we’ll have to give it time to see if the other shoe drops. I kind of doubt it, though.
Tomorrow will be spent in much the same way as today: pounding the virtual pavement searching for the perfect job. I’m sure there has to be something out there that I would absolutely love, and the thought that it’s waiting for me just around the corner is kind of fun. I got my job with B&N very early in my life, and I got stuck in the rut that most people find themselves in. I was just too scared to move out of my comfort zone until given no choice. All in all, Kevin and I both expect to be happier in the long run, so I have to look at the situation as a blessing.
Thanks to everyone for all the emails over the weekend, and for all the prayers and support. We’re so lucky to have such good friends and allies. In the meantime, I’ll keep you posted. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of good stories to blog about!

I am grossly unfamiliar with the concept of a weekend. The only weekends I have taken in the past 7 years have been those that have fallen as part of my vacations. So here I am with a whole weekend (let’s be frank: a whole lotta free time) on my hands, and I am completely at a loss as to what to do. Kevin has spent the day giving me a tutorial of how the weekend works, but, alas, I still do not fully grasp the concept. Tomorrow is another story, as it will be spent sending out my resume, but all in all, I think I’m in pretty good shape.
I know everybody is anxious to know exactly what happened, but for right now, suffice it to say that sometimes a scapegoat is necessary, and I was more than willing to be the sacrificial lamb. It’s been time for me to move on for a really long time, and this was just the push I needed. People believe what they want to, especially when it’s easier and more convenient. I, however, am made of stronger stuff, and I’m a big believer in doing what’s honest, right, and true.
And who knows? Maybe The Redhead is on to something. I may just write that novel yet.

Kevin and I have been extrememly fortunate in the 9 years we’ve been together. It’s true that we’ve seen our share of hard times, and our current situation is no exception. I would like to take a minute, however, and publicly acknowledge all the blessings which I am lucky enough to have in my life.
First and foremost, I am grateful for my husband, because no matter how lousy things get, he always helps me to look on the bright side, and he is always there for me.
Second, I am grateful for my family and my friends (you know who you are). Even when the Powers-That-Be had me in their sights, I am still amazed and humbled to find help and support from so many. I am especially thankful for my mother, who is always quick to remind me that whenever God closes a door, He opens a window.
Next, I am soooooo grateful for the opportunity to get to know so many wonderful people, and for an experience unlike any other. While I know that the forthcoming news will come as an extreme shock to some, please know that I made the decision that was best for me. Nobody else made this choice for me. I did it all on my own.
Finally, I am more thankful than you could ever know that I am alive, healthy, and believe it or not, happier than I’ve been in a long time. The sun is shining, my dogs are happy, and I have my husband by my side. My friends and family are all well, and I have a roof over my head and food to eat, which is a whole lot more than a lot of people have.
So, thanks. I’m sure the full story will unfold here soon enough, but in the meantime, I felt that it was really important to get that out.

So I think that this flare-up of the Monkey SARS is almost over. While I still cannot breathe, and I’m still prone to coughing fits, I do feel better today. Perhaps this was just the last bastion of the SARS. Maybe SARS was reminding me who’s boss. Whatever it is, at least I can function today; that is, I can function now that I’ve had a three hour nap.
I’m trying to figure out what we’re going to do for Date Night tomorrow. I know that Kevin wants to see this, which is fine with me, but then there’s the question of where to go for dinner. Any suggestions?

Dammit. It’s back, and it’s in full force. This is the absolute worst virus ever. If you get this, then don’t drop your guard for a minute, ‘cuz that’s when it sneaks right back up. And here I was having a pretty darn good week, too. I was feeling productive again, I was getting back into my groove, and then WHAM! Monkey SARS is back with a vengeance. Where’s the decongestant?

We regret to inform you that Kevin will be unable to blog (okay, maybe he’ll blog a little) over the next few days, as he is now engrossed in Harry Potter. Well, he’d better be engrossed in Harry Potter, since I have now finished the book, and nobody else I know is even half-way through. I’m desperate to talk about it with somebody! C’mon, I know that at least some of you have read a book so good that it’s all you can think about for a few days! If you haven’t read these books, under what rock have you been living? Sure, I know one or two people who don’t get it; quite frankly, neither did I, at least until the third one. But now I’m hooked. Watch out, Gandalf. We sold (as a company) an average of 80 copies per second on Friday night/Saturday morning. This should give you some indication of Harry’s popularity.
And by the way: Anything that gets kids reading is an amazing thing, and should not be taken lightly. On the same note: Anything that gets my husband reading must be truly magical….

Where am I? Who am I? Well, chalk it all up to publishing history, but I’ve finally made it through the initial crush of Harry Potter mania. And stop asking: I’m sold out. Someone offered me $500 for my Harry Potter hat. I turned him down—hey, I could always sell it on Ebay. Here it is, 1:00 AM Sunday morning, and I can barely walk. That’s okay….If you need to find me, I’ll be on the couch, finishing the book.

That seems to be my theme as of late. However, I will trudge on, although I will still not be posting a new Reading List for a few more days. Harry Potter, and all that….In the meantime, check out some older stuff. Now go on and enlighten yourselves.
P.S. to Josh & Camille: You’ll be happy to know that I’m spending all my beer money on books this week, so there will be no Coor’s Light in the house.

At last! An exciting news day. Here are the big stories today (and forgive me, but I needed to keep it light):
Harry Potter has vanished into thin air. Really, it’s not that big of a deal, since the release is now 48 hours away, but still, I hope that no one spoils the surprise. Shut up, Kevin.
Also, Kevin will be thrilled that The Sopranos has finally been signed on for Season Six, even if it is only for 10 episodes.
In a completely unrelated subject, I’ve decided that I have to have one of these. Kevin needed walkie-talkies, now I need a portable movie theater. Is that really so much to ask?

Hooray for old friends. I can’t even begin to tell you how very much I needed the email and the phone call I got tonight from a very old friend of mine (that’s her on the far right). I hate to admit it, but we kinda lost touch after Kevin and I got married. So just imagine my surprise when I checked my email tonight, and there she was! I needed that. I can almost feel my world beginning to right itself…. So, thanks, Megan, for being a good friend, and for reminding me that there are some truly kick-ass people out there.

Here is your daily dose of feel-goodness.

Now that she’s back from Germany, everything seems a little bit brighter. Thanks, Mom, for reminding me that God never closes a door without opening a window.

It’s true: Ebay is really a mecca for everything you could ever want. Take this, for example. Now you, too, can be the proud owner of official Mustang Ranch memorabilia, not to mention the Mustang Ranch trademark itself. Who knew?
By the way, my dignity is also for sale. Prices available upon request.

How cool is this?