i see you windin and grindin up on that pole . . .

Sometimes I wonder if I'm adopted cause I'm just so "out there." And then I remember, my family is freakin crazy and that's exactly where I come from.

Early on in my relationship with Eric I sat him down and told him to run. When he asked what I was talking about I explained that no one in their right mind would choose to be a part of my family and he should run before it was too late. Its already too late for me, but I'm actually thankful for that.

I got an email from my mom today. It was about my dad and his fishing escapades. Lately he has really enjoyed fishing for sharks. On this particular morning, his line got caught in the propeller. Keep in mind he had been fishing for sharks so he already saw one in the water near the boat. A normal person would cut the line and count his losses. But not frugal daddy (guess that's where I get it from). He decided he needed to get in the ocean, unwind the line from the propeller and then get back in the boat . . . all this with a shark in the water. Being the safety freak that he is, he took his waterproof cellphone so he could "call for help" in case the shark got him. Considering he has to have our cell phone numbers taped to the back of his phone so he can call us, I'm not sure it would have done him much good. Regardless, the shark wasn't hungry, he got the line undone and saved his fly which he is extremely proud of but also killed his "waterproof" phone. And some of you question my spring break plans . . . but at least I'm swimming with sharks while in a cage.

On top of this, my mom got a tattoo. Pause: Now for my tattoo story. I'd always wanted one and had been working on the design for years. I didn't feel like I had a legit reason to get one, so I never actually followed through with it. Well, about 3 years ago I lost one of my best friends. And I decided that on her birthday that following year, I would finally get my tattoo and incorporate her memory into it. I designed it myself and got it done on Dec 21, 2007. I have a history of passing out when it comes to needles and I felt a pass out coming on during the tat. I told the guys I was getting ready to pass out and one of them popped a lifesaver in my mouth. I now know why they are called lifesavers. The burst of sugar brought me right back, and for the rest of my tattoo, Eric sat there and fed me lifesavers. What a fabulous discovery. I was absolutely terrified to tell my parents about my tattoo so I kept it a secret for a long time. Their biggest argument was that people at work would judge me if they saw it. So, I played the whole "i'm uncomfortable with my weight" game and bought a tankini. I spent the whole weekend at the beach with the parents and they didn't see the tattoo at all. That Sunday, before heading home, I announced "By the way, I got my tattoo, I've had it the whole time since I've been here and none of you noticed."

My dad's response? "Does it say 'I love my daddy'?"

"Of course!"

"Well, ok then."

Long story short, they saw it, they thought it was actually pretty but still were pissed I got a tattoo. Oh well, thats life. All my mom got was her eye liner tattooed on so its not really a big deal, but I thought I'd leave you in anticipation for a while.

Now, onto the exciting story. I'm a born stripper. Not really, but I have a natural talent for pole dancing. It is an AMAZING upper body workout. We had about 6-7 girls on our pole that were all beginners so we didn't get much time practicing, but my arms are sore from just that short class. And it is fun!! The girls beside us in the intermediate class were doing moves that would make my momma cringe . . . but I'm workin my way there. I understand why its such a popular workout class. Its doing something tabu that no working woman would ever get the chance to learn, and here we are learning how to work a pole. I tried to convince my roommates to invest in one for the house (I told them I'd teach classes to girls they invited over) but they didn't bite. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to stick to my Tuesday classes. I am hooked though, and will go every Tuesday that I can. I'm not sure the mom and pops would appreciate an amatuer pole installation . . . but maybe if I move in with Kat . . .