More posting later... with pictures...
But in the meantime, I did the Google thing where you type your name and "needs" in (i.e., "Rosemary needs"), here's what I need lately:
- Rosemary needs a family! (thanks, got one, leaving soon to get home to them)
- Rosemary needs to ensure that current court authorizations for children using. psychotropic medication are maintained. (ummm... okay...)
- Rosemary needs to be spayed! (what the hell?)
- Rosemary needs shield from cold. (I do get cold really easily.)
- Rosemary needs full sun to partial shade, and a well drained area. (that helps, sure)
- Rosemary needs at least 6 hours of full sun every day. (definitely)
- Rosemary needs only occasional watering. (hence, the well-drained area)
Monday, July 24, 2006
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Summer in the City...
..sucks. I'm marinating in my own juices at lunchtime, and it ain't pretty. Tasti DLite for two days' running serves as lunch because I'm just too hot and cranky to eat food.
But thankfully so far, my neighborhood has dodged the blackout/brownout bullet that seems to be plaguing some of the other Queens neighborhoods, Stacey's included. I feel like the axe is going to fall. Last night, the a/c wasn't putting much out in the way of cool air. But I shall keep the faith that Con Ed's wrath will pass us over. Should I paint freon on my door as a sign of my penitence?
..sucks. I'm marinating in my own juices at lunchtime, and it ain't pretty. Tasti DLite for two days' running serves as lunch because I'm just too hot and cranky to eat food.
But thankfully so far, my neighborhood has dodged the blackout/brownout bullet that seems to be plaguing some of the other Queens neighborhoods, Stacey's included. I feel like the axe is going to fall. Last night, the a/c wasn't putting much out in the way of cool air. But I shall keep the faith that Con Ed's wrath will pass us over. Should I paint freon on my door as a sign of my penitence?
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Bleah.
It's freakin' hot. I went out to lunch - grabbed a Cookies & Cream Tasti D-Lite, took a little stroll as I ate (it wasn't so freakin' hot while eating Tasti D-Lite), got some iced coffee, and came back to work.
I feel like going wandering more. Or knitting. But I'm at work and don't know how it would go over, me busting out my knitting in my whopping four-person office.
So I'll do what I do best and obsess over my weight. Because I still feel like a cow. I stopped going to Weight Watchers because I was getting depressed - I'd stick to program for the week, work out, feel great about myself, and then weigh in and see nothing - no loss. In fact, sometimes I'd gain. I was getting nothing from the meetings after a point. And I was unbearable to live with after them, so I decided that for now, going to meetings is actually doing more damage that not going. So I am taking a break.
And feeling like some pathetic weight loss dropout.
Why the heck do I make a stupid number so damned powerful? Why do I wrap up my self-worth in a size of jeans? Because I'm female, probably. And because I've never been famous for my fabulous self-esteem.
I feel like crap about myself today. Moreso than normal. I'm tired of looking at myself in store windows, trying to gauge how fat I look today. Or looking at other women in the street and trying to figure out if I'm fat compared to them. I just want to stop and be okay with what I've got. I eat pretty well. I exercise often. That should be good enough, right? But no. And I can't make it right.
I was supposed to have my thyroid tested. I keep forgetting to go to the lab - I know I'm putting it off. Because if I get it tested and there's nothing wrong with my thyroid, that means that I'm a cow because I'm a cow, not because there's something wrong with me. I'm hoping there is actually something wrong with me - nothing life-threatening, just something that can explain why I can't get this weight off. And the prospect that there's nothing wrong with me that can cause this is almost unbearable.
I was going to do it today. Honest. And when I looked in my bag, it was the wrong paperwork. Crap.
It's freakin' hot. I went out to lunch - grabbed a Cookies & Cream Tasti D-Lite, took a little stroll as I ate (it wasn't so freakin' hot while eating Tasti D-Lite), got some iced coffee, and came back to work.
I feel like going wandering more. Or knitting. But I'm at work and don't know how it would go over, me busting out my knitting in my whopping four-person office.
So I'll do what I do best and obsess over my weight. Because I still feel like a cow. I stopped going to Weight Watchers because I was getting depressed - I'd stick to program for the week, work out, feel great about myself, and then weigh in and see nothing - no loss. In fact, sometimes I'd gain. I was getting nothing from the meetings after a point. And I was unbearable to live with after them, so I decided that for now, going to meetings is actually doing more damage that not going. So I am taking a break.
And feeling like some pathetic weight loss dropout.
Why the heck do I make a stupid number so damned powerful? Why do I wrap up my self-worth in a size of jeans? Because I'm female, probably. And because I've never been famous for my fabulous self-esteem.
I feel like crap about myself today. Moreso than normal. I'm tired of looking at myself in store windows, trying to gauge how fat I look today. Or looking at other women in the street and trying to figure out if I'm fat compared to them. I just want to stop and be okay with what I've got. I eat pretty well. I exercise often. That should be good enough, right? But no. And I can't make it right.
I was supposed to have my thyroid tested. I keep forgetting to go to the lab - I know I'm putting it off. Because if I get it tested and there's nothing wrong with my thyroid, that means that I'm a cow because I'm a cow, not because there's something wrong with me. I'm hoping there is actually something wrong with me - nothing life-threatening, just something that can explain why I can't get this weight off. And the prospect that there's nothing wrong with me that can cause this is almost unbearable.
I was going to do it today. Honest. And when I looked in my bag, it was the wrong paperwork. Crap.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Hip Hop Yoda!
This is hilarious. And apparently, somewhere on the Episode III DVD... I've got to find it.
Friday, July 14, 2006
Support ALL Books! My Friday WTF Rant
My friend Greg sent this to me and asked me to shout it from the rooftops - like I need an excuse to get on the soapbox?
My schpiel - pretty much everyone who knows me knows how I feel about the stuff you're going to read below, so I don't need to explain. Don't like gay books? Don't read them. Don't like gay people? It's really none of your business, unless you want people to start being concerned with what goes on in your bedroom.
When you start messing with books, you really piss me off. Think it's just gay books? Oh, keep reading then. Any Harry Potter fan worth their glow-in-the-dark wand will tell you that there have been Harry Potter book burning parties. Remember who else used to burn books? Little guy, dark hair, strange little mustache, yelled a lot? Oh, and killed over 6 million people for being different from what he thought was the 'right' way to be. 'Nuff said.
Outwrite Books, one of the best GLBTQ booksellers in the country, has come under attack in Atlanta by what I can only describe as a gang of Christian hoodlums who have no respect (gasp) for the Constitution.
I am sending books to support the store. I have posted this email on my blog and am sending it to every writer in my address book. I ask that you do the same.
When one voice is silenced, it becomes easier to silence others.
Sadly a group of some 15-20 anti-gay protesters have gathered in front of Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse,Atlanta , Ga.
Owner Philip Rafshoon told the Voice that local police said the protestors have a right to free speech; he is seeking help from the city council. Besides its business impact, Rafshoon said he is concerned about a possibly
"volatile situation."
In its e-mail, Outwrite said, "We are grateful to everyone that flocked to the store during these demonstrations and showed these protestors that their fear tactics will not work in our community."
Peter Glassman of Books of Wonder in NYC was moved to write in: Forthright Support for Outwrite
Peter Glassman, owner of Books of Wonder,New York City
I was deeply disturbed to read about the protests being waged in front of Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse inAtlanta
of business. Reading your article brought back so clearly to me a truly upsetting incident at Books of Wonder nearly 15 years ago when we were still on the corner of7th Avenue 18th Street
A woman walked into the store and called out to us and the other customers how we were evil people for corrupting innocent children with our satanic literature. The books she was referring to as "corrupting" and "satanic" included My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett, A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin, The Borrowers by Mary Norton, Half Magic by Edward Eager, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. At first we all just stood there in silence, totally stunned by this bizarre occurrence. My initial reaction was to assume that
she was being ironic--surely no one in their right mind could object to these wonderful books? Then, realizing that she was serious, I marched over to her and evicted her from the store, stating to her in no uncertain terms
that she was never to come back and that she was the evil one for trying to stop children from experiencing these great books that would open their minds and imaginations to all the incredible possibilities that the universe
had to offer.
I'm happy to say that this was the one and only incident of its kind to ever occur at my store in the 26 years since I opened Books of Wonder. But I am also keenly aware that this sort of thing can happen to any of us at any
time.
That is why I am going to be contacting Philip Rafshoon and offering to send him a donation of books that he can give for free to any customers who come in when there are protesters outside. I want him to know that there are others in the bookselling community who stand behind him. I hope he'll put up a large sign letting people know they can get free books just for coming inside and defying the intimidation efforts of the protestors--regardless of whether they are straight, gay or whatever. Or he can give them to anyone willing to stand outside and counter protest. Or however he thinks best. I just want him to know he is not alone.
If we as a community do not stand up to this sort of harassment--even if it is legal--then none of us are safe. Before long every bookstore will have protesters out front demanding we stop carrying the books they don't agree with. It's one of the worst quandaries that free speech presents--that others can use their right to free speech in an attempt to censor others through intimidation.
I hope everyone in the bookselling community--booksellers, publishers, distributors, authors, and artists--will do what they can to show support against this threat to the right of bookstores to sell whatever they choose
to whomever they choose. If not, we may all wake up one day to find ourselves in a future all too close to the one George Orwell predicted.
Huzzah! I love book people!
Nicki Leone
Southern Independent BooksellersAlliance
nicki@sibaweb.com
www.sibaweb.com
Okay, I'm back and ready to rant. You read it right, folks. THE WIZARD OF OZ. THE HOBBIT AND LORD OF THE RINGS, written by a devout Catholic, J.R. R. Tolkien. You know, The Lord of the Rings? Where the wizard dies in a fiery battle with a demon from a pit, rises from the dead bathed in light and swathed in white? You may have heard that story somewhere else before...
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe? Who is this woman? C.S. Lewis - a contemporary of J.R.R. Tolkien - wrote more on the Christian religion than he did fiction. Did she even bother to read The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe? The lion is killed by the witch, but gets to rise from the dead because he was a pure soul making a sacrifice to save another? Where the humans are knows as Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve?
A Wrinkle in Time? WTF? Again, did she even bother to read these books before making these sweeping judgements? Probably not, I know - I'm being foolish again, expecting people to be educated on their topics before becoming so passionate about them. Or was shshe just freaking out at the prospect of kids reading a book where Hell is a place where they expect you to conform.
For Chrissakes, if you're going to be an idiot, at least educate yourself before opening your mouth. Has anyone actually read the Bible? Where rape, incest and murder are freely written about and praised? Where Lot's daughters decide to get their father drunk and have sex with him so they'll become pregnant and continue the family line? Where Lot tells the drunken mob at Sodom & Gomorrah that they can have his virgin daughters, but heavens to betsy, leave those poor visiting angels alone! King David - dude that hit Goliath with the lucky shot on the slingshot - sleeps with a married woman, gets her pregnant, and decides to avoid the sticky situation that would arise when her husband finds out - by having him murdered. Classy.
My point is not that we should be burning the Bible or banning the Bible. Nor should we be burning or banning Harry Potter (unless Rowling kills Harry off in Book 7 - then I'll light the first match) or Wanna Wrestle or any book. If frickin' Mein Kampf is still allowed to be in print, how dare anyone dispute a gay book?
Well Greg, if you're reading this, you opened up my personal can of worms. Enjoy. ;-)
My friend Greg sent this to me and asked me to shout it from the rooftops - like I need an excuse to get on the soapbox?
My schpiel - pretty much everyone who knows me knows how I feel about the stuff you're going to read below, so I don't need to explain. Don't like gay books? Don't read them. Don't like gay people? It's really none of your business, unless you want people to start being concerned with what goes on in your bedroom.
When you start messing with books, you really piss me off. Think it's just gay books? Oh, keep reading then. Any Harry Potter fan worth their glow-in-the-dark wand will tell you that there have been Harry Potter book burning parties. Remember who else used to burn books? Little guy, dark hair, strange little mustache, yelled a lot? Oh, and killed over 6 million people for being different from what he thought was the 'right' way to be. 'Nuff said.
Outwrite Books, one of the best GLBTQ booksellers in the country, has come under attack in Atlanta by what I can only describe as a gang of Christian hoodlums who have no respect (gasp) for the Constitution.
I am sending books to support the store. I have posted this email on my blog and am sending it to every writer in my address book. I ask that you do the same.
When one voice is silenced, it becomes easier to silence others.
Sadly a group of some 15-20 anti-gay protesters have gathered in front of Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse,
Owner Philip Rafshoon told the Voice that local police said the protestors have a right to free speech; he is seeking help from the city council. Besides its business impact, Rafshoon said he is concerned about a possibly
"volatile situation."
In its e-mail, Outwrite said, "We are grateful to everyone that flocked to the store during these demonstrations and showed these protestors that their fear tactics will not work in our community."
Peter Glassman of Books of Wonder in NYC was moved to write in: Forthright Support for Outwrite
Peter Glassman, owner of Books of Wonder,
I was deeply disturbed to read about the protests being waged in front of Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse in
of business. Reading your article brought back so clearly to me a truly upsetting incident at Books of Wonder nearly 15 years ago when we were still on the corner of
A woman walked into the store and called out to us and the other customers how we were evil people for corrupting innocent children with our satanic literature. The books she was referring to as "corrupting" and "satanic" included My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett, A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin, The Borrowers by Mary Norton, Half Magic by Edward Eager, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. At first we all just stood there in silence, totally stunned by this bizarre occurrence. My initial reaction was to assume that
she was being ironic--surely no one in their right mind could object to these wonderful books? Then, realizing that she was serious, I marched over to her and evicted her from the store, stating to her in no uncertain terms
that she was never to come back and that she was the evil one for trying to stop children from experiencing these great books that would open their minds and imaginations to all the incredible possibilities that the universe
had to offer.
I'm happy to say that this was the one and only incident of its kind to ever occur at my store in the 26 years since I opened Books of Wonder. But I am also keenly aware that this sort of thing can happen to any of us at any
time.
That is why I am going to be contacting Philip Rafshoon and offering to send him a donation of books that he can give for free to any customers who come in when there are protesters outside. I want him to know that there are others in the bookselling community who stand behind him. I hope he'll put up a large sign letting people know they can get free books just for coming inside and defying the intimidation efforts of the protestors--
If we as a community do not stand up to this sort of harassment--
I hope everyone in the bookselling community--booksell
to whomever they choose. If not, we may all wake up one day to find ourselves in a future all too close to the one George Orwell predicted.
Huzzah! I love book people!
Nicki Leone
Southern Independent Booksellers
nicki@sibaweb.
www.sibaweb.
Okay, I'm back and ready to rant. You read it right, folks. THE WIZARD OF OZ. THE HOBBIT AND LORD OF THE RINGS, written by a devout Catholic, J.R. R. Tolkien. You know, The Lord of the Rings? Where the wizard dies in a fiery battle with a demon from a pit, rises from the dead bathed in light and swathed in white? You may have heard that story somewhere else before...
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe? Who is this woman? C.S. Lewis - a contemporary of J.R.R. Tolkien - wrote more on the Christian religion than he did fiction. Did she even bother to read The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe? The lion is killed by the witch, but gets to rise from the dead because he was a pure soul making a sacrifice to save another? Where the humans are knows as Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve?
A Wrinkle in Time? WTF? Again, did she even bother to read these books before making these sweeping judgements? Probably not, I know - I'm being foolish again, expecting people to be educated on their topics before becoming so passionate about them. Or was shshe just freaking out at the prospect of kids reading a book where Hell is a place where they expect you to conform.
For Chrissakes, if you're going to be an idiot, at least educate yourself before opening your mouth. Has anyone actually read the Bible? Where rape, incest and murder are freely written about and praised? Where Lot's daughters decide to get their father drunk and have sex with him so they'll become pregnant and continue the family line? Where Lot tells the drunken mob at Sodom & Gomorrah that they can have his virgin daughters, but heavens to betsy, leave those poor visiting angels alone! King David - dude that hit Goliath with the lucky shot on the slingshot - sleeps with a married woman, gets her pregnant, and decides to avoid the sticky situation that would arise when her husband finds out - by having him murdered. Classy.
My point is not that we should be burning the Bible or banning the Bible. Nor should we be burning or banning Harry Potter (unless Rowling kills Harry off in Book 7 - then I'll light the first match) or Wanna Wrestle or any book. If frickin' Mein Kampf is still allowed to be in print, how dare anyone dispute a gay book?
Well Greg, if you're reading this, you opened up my personal can of worms. Enjoy. ;-)
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
What Kind of Coffee Am I?
How do they know these things? I am, however, not cheap. Angsty, maybe, but not cheap.
| You are a Black Coffee |
 At your best, you are: low maintenance, friendly, and adaptable At your worst, you are: cheap and angsty You drink coffee when: you can get your hands on it Your caffeine addiction level: high |
How do they know these things? I am, however, not cheap. Angsty, maybe, but not cheap.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Still Working Out...
Props to Lore, who mentioned the virtues of Cathe Friedrich to me a week or two ago. I've since done an upper body workout of hers that rocks - and while I'm in no way ready to take on her step workout, I did DVR her Stretch Max workout this morning.
I've also stuck a toe in the pool and started doing some In Shape with Sharon Mann. Her yoga, weights and balance ball workouts have been really good! There is life beyond Denise Austin! (I'm not dissing Denise, just branching out.)
One would think with all the working out I've been doing that I'd look like Joanie Laurer, aka Chyna. Why I still resemble a 35-year old doughy mom is beyond me. But I'm still journaling and working out, so perhaps the goddess will smile upon me and help with this blasted belly one day.
I'm at work and have absolutely no desire to do a blessed thing.
I think I need to get coffee...
Props to Lore, who mentioned the virtues of Cathe Friedrich to me a week or two ago. I've since done an upper body workout of hers that rocks - and while I'm in no way ready to take on her step workout, I did DVR her Stretch Max workout this morning.
I've also stuck a toe in the pool and started doing some In Shape with Sharon Mann. Her yoga, weights and balance ball workouts have been really good! There is life beyond Denise Austin! (I'm not dissing Denise, just branching out.)
One would think with all the working out I've been doing that I'd look like Joanie Laurer, aka Chyna. Why I still resemble a 35-year old doughy mom is beyond me. But I'm still journaling and working out, so perhaps the goddess will smile upon me and help with this blasted belly one day.
I'm at work and have absolutely no desire to do a blessed thing.
I think I need to get coffee...
Daily Ranting
I'm tired and irritable. And a little embarrassed at my state, which apparently refused to recognize same-sex marriage today. How the heck does New York of all places refuse this?
I normally don't go all crazy on this here on my blog, but I'm just sitting here, astounded. I know the entire state is not metro NY - but you've got to be kidding.
And quite frankly, don't we have far more pressing issues to worry about than whether or not two men or two women are planning to spend the rest of their lives together?
I've said this before - this is not a 'straight' right. It should not be a 'gay' right. The right to marry should be a human right.
Wake me when it's 2008 and we can try this again.
I'm tired and irritable. And a little embarrassed at my state, which apparently refused to recognize same-sex marriage today. How the heck does New York of all places refuse this?
I normally don't go all crazy on this here on my blog, but I'm just sitting here, astounded. I know the entire state is not metro NY - but you've got to be kidding.
And quite frankly, don't we have far more pressing issues to worry about than whether or not two men or two women are planning to spend the rest of their lives together?
I've said this before - this is not a 'straight' right. It should not be a 'gay' right. The right to marry should be a human right.
Wake me when it's 2008 and we can try this again.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
School's Out for Summer...
I think Will may be old enough for me to introduce Alice Cooper's anthem to him at last! School is out as of 11:55 this morning. PS139 was a mass of swarming humanity - it was crazy!
Took Will and George, his buddy, along with George's little sister and Alex, to McDonald's in Forest Hills and then Barnes & Noble. Holy crap, it's hot. I think I sweated off a pound (from my lips to God's ears) just waiting on the 20-minute line at McDonald's. Yes, you read that right. George's mom, Theresa, and I were on line for 20 minutes. Take that fact as a testament to the love I hold for my children. Points be damned, by the time I got to the counter I was famished so I treated myself to a BLT Ranch chicken sandwich and a LARGE iced coffee. (How awesome is it that McDonald's has iced coffee now?)
Will and George chose the same books - maybe a summer reading book club? - Dracula vs. Grampa at the Monster Truck Spectacular and The Day My Butt Went Psycho. I love my son.
I feel the need to pull a descriptive quote from The Day My Butt Went Psycho, which could possibly be my favorite title of all time: "the story of a brave young boy and his crazy runaway butt... It's a story you and your butt will never forget!"
And as for Dracula vs. Grampa: "Grampa and Wiley meet Colonel Dracula, whose primo vampire truck turns out to feed on some pretty sinister "gas".
I think I see a pattern in my son's reading habits.
I think Will may be old enough for me to introduce Alice Cooper's anthem to him at last! School is out as of 11:55 this morning. PS139 was a mass of swarming humanity - it was crazy!
Took Will and George, his buddy, along with George's little sister and Alex, to McDonald's in Forest Hills and then Barnes & Noble. Holy crap, it's hot. I think I sweated off a pound (from my lips to God's ears) just waiting on the 20-minute line at McDonald's. Yes, you read that right. George's mom, Theresa, and I were on line for 20 minutes. Take that fact as a testament to the love I hold for my children. Points be damned, by the time I got to the counter I was famished so I treated myself to a BLT Ranch chicken sandwich and a LARGE iced coffee. (How awesome is it that McDonald's has iced coffee now?)
Will and George chose the same books - maybe a summer reading book club? - Dracula vs. Grampa at the Monster Truck Spectacular and The Day My Butt Went Psycho. I love my son.
I feel the need to pull a descriptive quote from The Day My Butt Went Psycho, which could possibly be my favorite title of all time: "the story of a brave young boy and his crazy runaway butt... It's a story you and your butt will never forget!"
And as for Dracula vs. Grampa: "Grampa and Wiley meet Colonel Dracula, whose primo vampire truck turns out to feed on some pretty sinister "gas".
I think I see a pattern in my son's reading habits.
Friday, June 23, 2006
I Knew It All Along!
You are "Kraft Macaroni and Cheese". You cost a little more,
due to your promotional shapes and packaging, but the kids
won't stand for less. You try and be individual in
spite of this though. You prefer to be called "Cheese and
Macaroni" thank you very much.
You are "Kraft Macaroni and Cheese". You cost a little more,
due to your promotional shapes and packaging, but the kids
won't stand for less. You try and be individual in
spite of this though. You prefer to be called "Cheese and
Macaroni" thank you very much.
Take the What Kind of Macaroni and Cheese Are You? Quiz
Created by LJ User RobProv222
Thursday, June 22, 2006
E-mail newsletters
Why do I automatically sign up for e-mail newsletters that I know I'll never read? It's like I get seized by the moment and say, "Yes! I will want to read about this from 25 different sites at least once a week!" And 110 e-mails in my inbox later, I want to scream. Stop the madness!
Why do I automatically sign up for e-mail newsletters that I know I'll never read? It's like I get seized by the moment and say, "Yes! I will want to read about this from 25 different sites at least once a week!" And 110 e-mails in my inbox later, I want to scream. Stop the madness!
Prevention published an article for me!
This article could have been written just for me... now I just have to convince my boss of the veracity and importance...
This article could have been written just for me... now I just have to convince my boss of the veracity and importance...
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Ta-Da! New Phone!
Stacey's blog post about her new phone prompted me to post a picture of mine. Because in the comments section of the blog, the URL didn't post right.
So here it is - my pretty pink RAZR that Mike is convinced I will break ever since the guy in the cell phone store emphasized how fragile they are. Like I'm throwing it down a flight of stairs.
Just as long as neither Alex nor Will (dear God, especially not Alex) get a hold of it, I'm safe.
This is Why We Love DiscoveryChannel.com
Even the animal world has its fart jokes:
June 20,2006 — Norwegian killer whales slap their tails underwater to disorient and kill herring, which sometimes defend themselves from the assault by disappearing under the cover of their own bubbly flatulence, according to a new study.
The study is one of two papers presented at the recent Acoustical Society of America Meeting in Rhode Island that addressed some of the clever techniques whales employ to catch their dinner.
While whales often are successful, some herring escape. The study's authors perhaps say it best: “Farting may save their lives.”
Hump Day
Wednesday... Hump Day... getting over the hump of the week, it's smooth sailing from here. BLEAH.
No good magazines yet. I finally got my Marie Claire in the mail, at least two weeks after it's been on the newsstand - explain to me how it's more effective to have a subscription?
Worked out this morning. Denise Austin is much happier than anyone before 10 a.m. and two cups of coffee should be. As much as I actually do like the workouts (I watch her shows on Lifetime - yes, you read that right, I watch something on "The Network for Women" - they also show Will & Grace reruns, so stop mocking me) sometimes I feel like I'm watching a 30-minute commercial for her products. She hawks her new line of workout clothing for Sears during the workout - I'm trying to achieve Zen and thin thighs, lady! Her commercials for Oster and her latest food product zip by as I fast-forward (what did I do before DVR?) to continue the workout. Denise, you're killing me.
Gilad just scares the crap outta me. He yells at me! "Thank you for trusting me with your BODY!" Um... go away? Trusting you with my body, that sounds like a lot of commitment. Just show me how to sculpt my abs. Sharon Mann is like watching the Energizer Bunny work out, and Caribbean Workout just irritates me because they're always in such perfect sync. I just want to see someone trip. So while FitTV started out promising, it's really just ended up back to me and Denise.
But if it's yoga we're talking about, Sarah Ivanhoe is the person to watch. I've got both of her yoga workouts from All Star Workouts on DVD and when I have the 45 minutes to spend, I'm there. I also have a DVD of hers that has two workouts that are challenging and relaxing.
Wow, I totally did not intend to post about working out, but there it is. Now I can nap.
Wednesday... Hump Day... getting over the hump of the week, it's smooth sailing from here. BLEAH.
No good magazines yet. I finally got my Marie Claire in the mail, at least two weeks after it's been on the newsstand - explain to me how it's more effective to have a subscription?
Worked out this morning. Denise Austin is much happier than anyone before 10 a.m. and two cups of coffee should be. As much as I actually do like the workouts (I watch her shows on Lifetime - yes, you read that right, I watch something on "The Network for Women" - they also show Will & Grace reruns, so stop mocking me) sometimes I feel like I'm watching a 30-minute commercial for her products. She hawks her new line of workout clothing for Sears during the workout - I'm trying to achieve Zen and thin thighs, lady! Her commercials for Oster and her latest food product zip by as I fast-forward (what did I do before DVR?) to continue the workout. Denise, you're killing me.
Gilad just scares the crap outta me. He yells at me! "Thank you for trusting me with your BODY!" Um... go away? Trusting you with my body, that sounds like a lot of commitment. Just show me how to sculpt my abs. Sharon Mann is like watching the Energizer Bunny work out, and Caribbean Workout just irritates me because they're always in such perfect sync. I just want to see someone trip. So while FitTV started out promising, it's really just ended up back to me and Denise.
But if it's yoga we're talking about, Sarah Ivanhoe is the person to watch. I've got both of her yoga workouts from All Star Workouts on DVD and when I have the 45 minutes to spend, I'm there. I also have a DVD of hers that has two workouts that are challenging and relaxing.
Wow, I totally did not intend to post about working out, but there it is. Now I can nap.
Monday, June 19, 2006
How we suffer for beauty...
Just got back from having my brows and lip done at the threading place nearby. Now don't get me wrong, as grooming goes, in my humble opinion, threading beats out waxing by a mile - the finish is so much cleaner, more defined - but sweet bird of youth, why does it have to sting like that?
I know some, like my darling hubby, would say, "Why do you have to DO things like that? Why would you pay to have someone yank the hair out by the root from your face like that?" And time and again, I respond, "Because I choose not to look like a cavewoman." I'm from frickin' French stock, for crying out loud - I know what happens when I let things go.
Pour hot wax on the most tender areas of our bodies? Sure, bring it on! (Just not the face, please - it's a threading-only zone.) Take a razor blade and attack our extremities every three days? Have you seen the weather outside? Of course, it's time for skirts and strappy sandals!
I'm not complaining - but man, it does take some intestinal fortitude to be a gal these days.
Just got back from having my brows and lip done at the threading place nearby. Now don't get me wrong, as grooming goes, in my humble opinion, threading beats out waxing by a mile - the finish is so much cleaner, more defined - but sweet bird of youth, why does it have to sting like that?
I know some, like my darling hubby, would say, "Why do you have to DO things like that? Why would you pay to have someone yank the hair out by the root from your face like that?" And time and again, I respond, "Because I choose not to look like a cavewoman." I'm from frickin' French stock, for crying out loud - I know what happens when I let things go.
Pour hot wax on the most tender areas of our bodies? Sure, bring it on! (Just not the face, please - it's a threading-only zone.) Take a razor blade and attack our extremities every three days? Have you seen the weather outside? Of course, it's time for skirts and strappy sandals!
I'm not complaining - but man, it does take some intestinal fortitude to be a gal these days.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Slapstick is Funny!
So we're watching the commercial for Nacho Libre the other night and during the clip where the bull tosses Jack Black into the air, I let out a giggle. Mike mentions that I love pain and suffering. Hardly.
Slapstick is funny stuff, people. Three Stooges? Grew up on 'em. Dodgeball? Give Rip Torn a wrench and the line, "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!" and I'm off the couch. In real life we'd be horrified, but it's a movie and it's a comedy for a reason - it's so outlandish, it's hilarious.
No, I do not find human suffering funny - well, maybe Mike's once in a while, but he's my husband so it's expected. But on the big and small screens, a banana peel and a running waiter go a looong way.
So we're watching the commercial for Nacho Libre the other night and during the clip where the bull tosses Jack Black into the air, I let out a giggle. Mike mentions that I love pain and suffering. Hardly.
Slapstick is funny stuff, people. Three Stooges? Grew up on 'em. Dodgeball? Give Rip Torn a wrench and the line, "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!" and I'm off the couch. In real life we'd be horrified, but it's a movie and it's a comedy for a reason - it's so outlandish, it's hilarious.
No, I do not find human suffering funny - well, maybe Mike's once in a while, but he's my husband so it's expected. But on the big and small screens, a banana peel and a running waiter go a looong way.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Bleah.
I'm sleepy. And under-caffeinated. I think I need to put up some water for coffee.
Will wants to watch Bruce Almighty, so I have to cue up the DVD. I tried to convince him that Dodgeball was funnier, but he wants to see Jim Carrey walk on water. I told him that Rip Torn throwing wrenches at people is far more amusing, but he's having none of it.
Kids.
I'm sleepy. And under-caffeinated. I think I need to put up some water for coffee.
Will wants to watch Bruce Almighty, so I have to cue up the DVD. I tried to convince him that Dodgeball was funnier, but he wants to see Jim Carrey walk on water. I told him that Rip Torn throwing wrenches at people is far more amusing, but he's having none of it.
Kids.
Monday, June 12, 2006
By the Way...
It's almost 11 a.m., and I have yet to do anything productive. In the workplace, I mean. I've moderated my ClubMom forum, posted to this blog and Domestic Goddesses (mm... tostones...) and checked out who's going to be in Spider-Man 3 so far. Oh, and I've hit the Sisterhood's blogs, checked in with TheSuperficial and GoFugYourself.com.
So I guess I've actually been pretty productive so far. Now I feel better.
It's almost 11 a.m., and I have yet to do anything productive. In the workplace, I mean. I've moderated my ClubMom forum, posted to this blog and Domestic Goddesses (mm... tostones...) and checked out who's going to be in Spider-Man 3 so far. Oh, and I've hit the Sisterhood's blogs, checked in with TheSuperficial and GoFugYourself.com.
So I guess I've actually been pretty productive so far. Now I feel better.
Domestic Goddesses, Assemble!
I realize that the little Domestic Goddesses blog has been neglected. So I started posting some mroe recipes there, and maybe I'll throw in some amusing anecdotes about my daily struggle to keep my apartment clean (despite living with two children, some fish, a cat and a husband). Are my other Domestic Goddesses doing anything interesting that you'd like to share?
We had Will's celebratory weekend this past weekend, taking him to see Cars which was very cute, but at 117 minutes, a bit long for a kids' movie. Alex was very rambunctious. If you go, stick with the movie through the credits. Pixar always throws fun stuff in at the end. Larry the Cable Guy was hilarious as Mater, Owen Wilson was lots of fun as Lightning McQueen, and Paul Newman was sweet and gruff as Doc Hudson. We also had a pizza lunch and he got a video game from us and from my mom, so I think he's pretty happy with life as he knows it. ;-)
Alex is determined to ride out the 'Terrible 2s' to its bitter end, with a lovely screaming fit in Bed Bath & Beyond yesterday. Sigh... serenity now... He did some yoga poses with me yesterday - now, if only the Zen bit would kick in for him!
It's definitely a 3-cup of coffee morning. And I've only had 2. Bleah.
I realize that the little Domestic Goddesses blog has been neglected. So I started posting some mroe recipes there, and maybe I'll throw in some amusing anecdotes about my daily struggle to keep my apartment clean (despite living with two children, some fish, a cat and a husband). Are my other Domestic Goddesses doing anything interesting that you'd like to share?
We had Will's celebratory weekend this past weekend, taking him to see Cars which was very cute, but at 117 minutes, a bit long for a kids' movie. Alex was very rambunctious. If you go, stick with the movie through the credits. Pixar always throws fun stuff in at the end. Larry the Cable Guy was hilarious as Mater, Owen Wilson was lots of fun as Lightning McQueen, and Paul Newman was sweet and gruff as Doc Hudson. We also had a pizza lunch and he got a video game from us and from my mom, so I think he's pretty happy with life as he knows it. ;-)
Alex is determined to ride out the 'Terrible 2s' to its bitter end, with a lovely screaming fit in Bed Bath & Beyond yesterday. Sigh... serenity now... He did some yoga poses with me yesterday - now, if only the Zen bit would kick in for him!
It's definitely a 3-cup of coffee morning. And I've only had 2. Bleah.
Friday, June 09, 2006
By the way, Will ROCKS.
Just wanted to crow about Will, who's been invited into the Kappa program at his school for next year, which is a beginning level gifted class. They have the same curriculum as the rest of the classes but it's accelerated and enriched. He really kicked butt this school year, and this invitation is just the culmination of it. I'm so proud of him that I had to mention it here, because I know he'll also dig seeing his name in print. I'm sure I'll have to have a whole photo session to commemorate this, because he's also a camera hog. Hey, it's his moment in the sun, he's earned it.
And, giving equal time here, Alex has taken it upon himself to count on his own when we read his favorite counting book, Teeth Tales and Tentacles. He can get up to 10 before veering off into his own numerical system ("10, 14, 12, 18, 20! I did it!") so he's quite pleased with himself.
Just wanted to crow about Will, who's been invited into the Kappa program at his school for next year, which is a beginning level gifted class. They have the same curriculum as the rest of the classes but it's accelerated and enriched. He really kicked butt this school year, and this invitation is just the culmination of it. I'm so proud of him that I had to mention it here, because I know he'll also dig seeing his name in print. I'm sure I'll have to have a whole photo session to commemorate this, because he's also a camera hog. Hey, it's his moment in the sun, he's earned it.
And, giving equal time here, Alex has taken it upon himself to count on his own when we read his favorite counting book, Teeth Tales and Tentacles. He can get up to 10 before veering off into his own numerical system ("10, 14, 12, 18, 20! I did it!") so he's quite pleased with himself.
Magazine-less...
So after a rain-soaked run to B&N yesterday, I came back empty-handed. I saw no magazines that demanded I purchase them immediately, no matter how much I wandered through the racks.
Vogue Knitting? Still too intimidating at this fragile juncture of my knitting career. Creative Knitting? Wasn't feeling the pattern love. Knit.1? It's become horribly disappointing after the first two issues. Cutting Edge? Still not sure whether or not to commit to that many craft projects that will fall by the wayside.
Natural Health? I couldn't decide whether or not to buy it. Which probably means I'll get it this weekend. The yoga magazines (except for YogaLife, which I already have) are all too Zen for me at the moment. I can't contort myself that deeply yet, I'm lucky I can get both feet on the ground for a downward facing dog.
Saw a somewhat promising one, SheKnows, that seems like another entry into the health/wellness/fitness foray. I've been hemming and hawing for at least two weeks on this one, maybe I should just buy the damned thing.
I think I suffer from a surfeit of choice. Life was good when there was Prevention for Health and Glamour for everything else, but now there's 80 different magazines on every subject. You know I melt down when faced with big decisions, and at $5-$6 a pop, buying a magazine is becoming a big frickin' decision.
I'm meeting my mother for lunch today. I can't go back in there, or the BN security people will think I'm casing the joint.
Oh, and did 45 minutes of yoga again today. Serenity Now!
So after a rain-soaked run to B&N yesterday, I came back empty-handed. I saw no magazines that demanded I purchase them immediately, no matter how much I wandered through the racks.
Vogue Knitting? Still too intimidating at this fragile juncture of my knitting career. Creative Knitting? Wasn't feeling the pattern love. Knit.1? It's become horribly disappointing after the first two issues. Cutting Edge? Still not sure whether or not to commit to that many craft projects that will fall by the wayside.
Natural Health? I couldn't decide whether or not to buy it. Which probably means I'll get it this weekend. The yoga magazines (except for YogaLife, which I already have) are all too Zen for me at the moment. I can't contort myself that deeply yet, I'm lucky I can get both feet on the ground for a downward facing dog.
Saw a somewhat promising one, SheKnows, that seems like another entry into the health/wellness/fitness foray. I've been hemming and hawing for at least two weeks on this one, maybe I should just buy the damned thing.
I think I suffer from a surfeit of choice. Life was good when there was Prevention for Health and Glamour for everything else, but now there's 80 different magazines on every subject. You know I melt down when faced with big decisions, and at $5-$6 a pop, buying a magazine is becoming a big frickin' decision.
I'm meeting my mother for lunch today. I can't go back in there, or the BN security people will think I'm casing the joint.
Oh, and did 45 minutes of yoga again today. Serenity Now!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
I'm in a Magazine-y Mood.
Ever get like that? When you just want to buy all these magazines, lock yourself in your apartment with the hot (or cold) beverage of your choice and read magazines?
I'm in that mood. I feel like wandering down to B&N and just gorging myself. The problem is, most mags are like $5-$6 a pop. If I spend $50 on magazines, I will smack the crap out of myself.
Maybe one. Or two? I can stop at 3. I'm sure.
Crap. I'm going to spend $50 on magazines.
Ever get like that? When you just want to buy all these magazines, lock yourself in your apartment with the hot (or cold) beverage of your choice and read magazines?
I'm in that mood. I feel like wandering down to B&N and just gorging myself. The problem is, most mags are like $5-$6 a pop. If I spend $50 on magazines, I will smack the crap out of myself.
Maybe one. Or two? I can stop at 3. I'm sure.
Crap. I'm going to spend $50 on magazines.
The Zen of Kicking Ass
Did 45 minutes of yoga with weights this morning. Achieved Zen in the knowledge that after working out for 45 minutes doing yoga poses while holding 5-pound hand weights I am becoming an ass-kicking machine.
I will not be tempted by chocolate. Or junk food. I will stick to the food I brought with me today.
I am a Zen terminator!
Did 45 minutes of yoga with weights this morning. Achieved Zen in the knowledge that after working out for 45 minutes doing yoga poses while holding 5-pound hand weights I am becoming an ass-kicking machine.
I will not be tempted by chocolate. Or junk food. I will stick to the food I brought with me today.
I am a Zen terminator!
Monday, June 05, 2006
Forget Homer...
...my friend Piera's trip home on Friday night made Odysseus' little sojourn back from the Trojan War look like a walk to the grocery store to get a gallon of milk. Witness:
"We witnessed the downpour that took place at 4 p.m. The skies darkened and an eerie silence fell over the city right before the water came crashing down.
So we leave at 5. Instinctively, I knew that the V, E, R, and N were not working. I knew it. However, we walked to the 53rd/Lexington Avenue station. No V or E service. The MTA suggested for all us Queens people to take the 6 train to Times Square and take the 7 train. So I walk with my co-worker to the 6 since she has to take the 6 two stops to get home. IT WAS RIDICULOUS! I'm already a bit claustrophobic and that platform was ridiculous. My co-worker decides that she can walk the 20 blocks home. So we leave and by that time, the rain has subsided and the weather was now a misty rain. We walk and I realize that the Q101 bus is nearby. Salvation! I temporarily erase all memories of me taking that horrible, horrible bus from high school. It never came then. I always had to walk 30 blocks home, everyday, in high school for 4 years. (But damn, did I have some great legs!)
The line wasn't so bad. I was the 10th person in. NO BUS! Three Q101s pass by with a "Not in Service" sign. After waiting for about an hour (now it's 6:30 p.m.), I decide to grab McDonald's and head back to the office (5 blocks away) to wait out the rush. So I head back, go upstairs, eat my Quarter Pounder, and pay some bills online.
At about 7:30, I decide that the best course of action would be for me to walk to Times Square (20 blocks away - about a 15-20 minute walk) and take the 7 train to Woodside and have my father pick me up from there. If the 7 train is not working, then I can just hang out at one of the hotels and hail a cab from there. The 7 train wasn't running (lying MTA bastards!), so I head off to one of the hotels. Seems like everyone else had that idea because there were CROWDS at each and every hotel in Times Square.
So, off I go. I walk over to 58th and 8th and stop in front of a hotel there. Three cabbies come by (after trying to hail one for an hour) and no one wanted to go into Queens. One guy said, "I do not like Queens." I told him, "I do not like you!" I walk over to 9th Avenue and stop in front of a small hotel there. I see a man getting out of a cab and the hotel attendant assisting him. Of course, I am on that in two seconds. I hesitantly ask, "Queens please?" and he tells me to hop in. HOP IN! The two most magical words in the world for me.
So now, it's about 9 p.m. To get to the 59th Street Bridge lower level via 3rd Avenue is HELL. So he asks if I'm okay if he takes an alternate route. Of course - as long as I'm out of the city, I'm fine. So he calls his other cabbie friend to make sure another route is available. His friend is telling my cabbie that he's crazy to drive into Queens. My cabbie, my hero, tells his friend that I need to get home. Awww... God bless that man.
So by the time he pulls up in front of my house, it's 10:15 p.m. I tip the man well - he deserves it! I thank him a million and one times and get out.
So that was may tale. I hope you enjoyed it."
Piera, you have no idea...
...my friend Piera's trip home on Friday night made Odysseus' little sojourn back from the Trojan War look like a walk to the grocery store to get a gallon of milk. Witness:
"We witnessed the downpour that took place at 4 p.m. The skies darkened and an eerie silence fell over the city right before the water came crashing down.
So we leave at 5. Instinctively, I knew that the V, E, R, and N were not working. I knew it. However, we walked to the 53rd/Lexington Avenue station. No V or E service. The MTA suggested for all us Queens people to take the 6 train to Times Square and take the 7 train. So I walk with my co-worker to the 6 since she has to take the 6 two stops to get home. IT WAS RIDICULOUS! I'm already a bit claustrophobic and that platform was ridiculous. My co-worker decides that she can walk the 20 blocks home. So we leave and by that time, the rain has subsided and the weather was now a misty rain. We walk and I realize that the Q101 bus is nearby. Salvation! I temporarily erase all memories of me taking that horrible, horrible bus from high school. It never came then. I always had to walk 30 blocks home, everyday, in high school for 4 years. (But damn, did I have some great legs!)
The line wasn't so bad. I was the 10th person in. NO BUS! Three Q101s pass by with a "Not in Service" sign. After waiting for about an hour (now it's 6:30 p.m.), I decide to grab McDonald's and head back to the office (5 blocks away) to wait out the rush. So I head back, go upstairs, eat my Quarter Pounder, and pay some bills online.
At about 7:30, I decide that the best course of action would be for me to walk to Times Square (20 blocks away - about a 15-20 minute walk) and take the 7 train to Woodside and have my father pick me up from there. If the 7 train is not working, then I can just hang out at one of the hotels and hail a cab from there. The 7 train wasn't running (lying MTA bastards!), so I head off to one of the hotels. Seems like everyone else had that idea because there were CROWDS at each and every hotel in Times Square.
So, off I go. I walk over to 58th and 8th and stop in front of a hotel there. Three cabbies come by (after trying to hail one for an hour) and no one wanted to go into Queens. One guy said, "I do not like Queens." I told him, "I do not like you!" I walk over to 9th Avenue and stop in front of a small hotel there. I see a man getting out of a cab and the hotel attendant assisting him. Of course, I am on that in two seconds. I hesitantly ask, "Queens please?" and he tells me to hop in. HOP IN! The two most magical words in the world for me.
So now, it's about 9 p.m. To get to the 59th Street Bridge lower level via 3rd Avenue is HELL. So he asks if I'm okay if he takes an alternate route. Of course - as long as I'm out of the city, I'm fine. So he calls his other cabbie friend to make sure another route is available. His friend is telling my cabbie that he's crazy to drive into Queens. My cabbie, my hero, tells his friend that I need to get home. Awww... God bless that man.
So by the time he pulls up in front of my house, it's 10:15 p.m. I tip the man well - he deserves it! I thank him a million and one times and get out.
So that was may tale. I hope you enjoyed it."
Piera, you have no idea...
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Marooned in Jersey!
So apparently, the NYC Transit authority mistook some rain for the next flood and screwed commuters yet again. Methinks another raise hike is imminent and they needed some ammunition.
Anyway, the F train announced at 42nd Street that there was no Queensbound service, and invited us all to try our chances on the number 7 train. Anyone who knows me knows I'd almost rather watch Bush address the nation (I said almost) than ride the 7 train. And considering that every underground line was discharging Queensbound passengers and telling them to take the 7, which is already a clusterf*ck of human proportions at best, I opted to head for my mom's. I left the station, left a profanity-laced voicemail on my mother's cellphone, informing her that I'd be meeting her at home, and headed for Port Authority.
Got to Port Authority at 5:40, got on a bus, the bus took off. (Turns out my mom's E train took almost 40 MINUTES to go three stops, so she was two buses behind me.) I was in Jersey by 6:40. Watching the news that night, seeing what people were continuing to go through in order to get home, I could only sit back and realize that going to Jersey most likely saved someone's life, because I know I would have gone Berserker-Rage Wolverine on someone had I tried.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch (dressing), I have got to get my crap together and start eating right. Working out 3 days a week isn't going to do a blessed thing for my backside if I keep diving into Will's Doritos stash. I just don't know if I want to be aggravated by logging into SelfDietClub.com every day to put all my meals in. As cool as the site is, the logging in thing gets tedious and the inner brat in me doesn't wanna do it. I have to figure this out and be done with it already. Argh.
So apparently, the NYC Transit authority mistook some rain for the next flood and screwed commuters yet again. Methinks another raise hike is imminent and they needed some ammunition.
Anyway, the F train announced at 42nd Street that there was no Queensbound service, and invited us all to try our chances on the number 7 train. Anyone who knows me knows I'd almost rather watch Bush address the nation (I said almost) than ride the 7 train. And considering that every underground line was discharging Queensbound passengers and telling them to take the 7, which is already a clusterf*ck of human proportions at best, I opted to head for my mom's. I left the station, left a profanity-laced voicemail on my mother's cellphone, informing her that I'd be meeting her at home, and headed for Port Authority.
Got to Port Authority at 5:40, got on a bus, the bus took off. (Turns out my mom's E train took almost 40 MINUTES to go three stops, so she was two buses behind me.) I was in Jersey by 6:40. Watching the news that night, seeing what people were continuing to go through in order to get home, I could only sit back and realize that going to Jersey most likely saved someone's life, because I know I would have gone Berserker-Rage Wolverine on someone had I tried.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch (dressing), I have got to get my crap together and start eating right. Working out 3 days a week isn't going to do a blessed thing for my backside if I keep diving into Will's Doritos stash. I just don't know if I want to be aggravated by logging into SelfDietClub.com every day to put all my meals in. As cool as the site is, the logging in thing gets tedious and the inner brat in me doesn't wanna do it. I have to figure this out and be done with it already. Argh.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Oh yeah... I'm still knitting...
I haven't slacked off, I am still a knitting fool. Mike got me a book, One Skein, which features 30 things I can knit, allegedly with one skein of yarn. Since I have many 'one skeins' in my stash, I decided to go for it. I've finished the cable scarf, which looks mighty nifty if I may say so myself. It's a ribbed scarf with a single cable running up the side. Easily knit up on size 9 needles on a regular worsted weight yarn.
Next up, I'm back to an old issue of "Knit It" magazine (Fall 2005, to be exact- and I can't find its site, what the hell?) where there is a very cute baby blanket I'm currently working on for Helene's friend, Helena, who is having a baby girl at some point this year. I'm using a different gauge, but it's going to be a lighter, airier blanket. It's a checkerboard pattern (stockinette/garter) and it's another worsted weight yarn on size 9 needles. I'm using one of those "Pound of Love" monster skeins my mom picked up to crochet a blanket for someone whose child is probably near college age by now (hee hee, Mom). Anyway, it's knitting up nicely so hopefully I'll be posting a photo soon.
I see by the clock on my lower right hand side of the monitor that it's time for me to head out and pick Will up. Ta ta for now, all.
I haven't slacked off, I am still a knitting fool. Mike got me a book, One Skein, which features 30 things I can knit, allegedly with one skein of yarn. Since I have many 'one skeins' in my stash, I decided to go for it. I've finished the cable scarf, which looks mighty nifty if I may say so myself. It's a ribbed scarf with a single cable running up the side. Easily knit up on size 9 needles on a regular worsted weight yarn.
Next up, I'm back to an old issue of "Knit It" magazine (Fall 2005, to be exact- and I can't find its site, what the hell?) where there is a very cute baby blanket I'm currently working on for Helene's friend, Helena, who is having a baby girl at some point this year. I'm using a different gauge, but it's going to be a lighter, airier blanket. It's a checkerboard pattern (stockinette/garter) and it's another worsted weight yarn on size 9 needles. I'm using one of those "Pound of Love" monster skeins my mom picked up to crochet a blanket for someone whose child is probably near college age by now (hee hee, Mom). Anyway, it's knitting up nicely so hopefully I'll be posting a photo soon.
I see by the clock on my lower right hand side of the monitor that it's time for me to head out and pick Will up. Ta ta for now, all.
Amendment To My Former Post
All of that stands, except for anything pertaining to Ash Wednesday. All bets are off for Ash Wednesday. For 12 years, I got herded into Church on Ash Wednesday and inevitably ended up with the priest with the biggest thumb. I hated walking around with that giant blob on my head. I'd try to cover it up with my bangs, and my mom would shove them out of the way. Argh!
The last day I got ashes was Ash Wednesday, 1988. I was a senior in high school. Catch my drift?
All of that stands, except for anything pertaining to Ash Wednesday. All bets are off for Ash Wednesday. For 12 years, I got herded into Church on Ash Wednesday and inevitably ended up with the priest with the biggest thumb. I hated walking around with that giant blob on my head. I'd try to cover it up with my bangs, and my mom would shove them out of the way. Argh!
The last day I got ashes was Ash Wednesday, 1988. I was a senior in high school. Catch my drift?
Catholicism... WOW!
I hope you recognize the Dogma reference and don't think that I've been somehow "saved". ;-)
Anyway, Will had the closing liturgy to his religious ed class (for the school year) last night so we went. He was so cute singing that I had to hug him during one of the songs. I'm not sure how much he appreciated that, what with me spoiling his street cred, but I'm a mom, we do wacky things like that.
It was pretty funny... he kept glancing up at me as I repeated all the responsorial phrases and nudged him when it was time to kneel, sit or stand. Finally, he says, "How do you know all this?" I told him, "I did this for 12 years in Catholic school."
Which got me thinking. Wow, it never really leaves you, does it? In some way, shape or form, no matter how lapsed a Catholic I've become (in some ways), the Mass is there, ingrained in me. Which, to be honest, is kind of comforting. Although for a while now I've said that I'm a Catholic in my own sense of the word, sometimes the old habits of Mass are nice to come back to.
Not my usual post, but just something that I've been thinking about today. That, and how adorable my boys are. But I think about that every day...
I hope you recognize the Dogma reference and don't think that I've been somehow "saved". ;-)
Anyway, Will had the closing liturgy to his religious ed class (for the school year) last night so we went. He was so cute singing that I had to hug him during one of the songs. I'm not sure how much he appreciated that, what with me spoiling his street cred, but I'm a mom, we do wacky things like that.
It was pretty funny... he kept glancing up at me as I repeated all the responsorial phrases and nudged him when it was time to kneel, sit or stand. Finally, he says, "How do you know all this?" I told him, "I did this for 12 years in Catholic school."
Which got me thinking. Wow, it never really leaves you, does it? In some way, shape or form, no matter how lapsed a Catholic I've become (in some ways), the Mass is there, ingrained in me. Which, to be honest, is kind of comforting. Although for a while now I've said that I'm a Catholic in my own sense of the word, sometimes the old habits of Mass are nice to come back to.
Not my usual post, but just something that I've been thinking about today. That, and how adorable my boys are. But I think about that every day...
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Weekend!!
So, Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, the BBQ coals have been doused, and we're all ready to head back to Weight Watchers to do penance. Hope you all had a great weekend. We headed upstate to the Catskills to visit Mike's grandmother, who is doing astonishingly well considering she just had major surgery at 88 years old. As you can see, Will and Alex thoroughly enjoyed their weekend, too.
Saw X-Men 3 at the drive-in. I have issues. No, seriously, aside from the normal ones, I have got HUGE issues with the movie. I won't go into detail here in case anyone who hasn't seen the movie happens upon my rant, but - WTF?!?! There were some great standalone scenes, and Magneto is just such a great character (as is Sir Ian McKellen, who I would see if he were at the opening of an envelope), but there were quite a few things they did with the characters that threw me for a loop. And yes, pissed me off. Grrr.
God, I love being up in the country. It's peaceful, relaxing... and yet, I would give a lung for good Chinese takeout. I'm such a creature of convenience, yet I never realize how much I've become so dependent on it until I'm upstate. But I do wonder if I could toss it all to live up there. Sometimes I think, no way; sometimes I think, yeah, I think I could.
Could I live a 45-minute minimum drive from the nearest Barnes & Noble or Borders?
I'm thinking like this again because 'the house', the house that I've been in love with for over a year, is STILL on the market. The 6-8 bedroom Victorian on 3 acres of land that needs tons of work? That's dropped $20K over the past year? That I can't conceivably think of because the mortgage would equal my rent, and lord knows I can't afford two rents, nor can I afford to move that far upstate where there are no jobs I would be interested in taking? Yeah, that house.
To quote Homer Simpson, "Shut up brain, before I stab you with a Q-Tip."
Pictures to come, Blogger is being very cranky today.
So, Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, the BBQ coals have been doused, and we're all ready to head back to Weight Watchers to do penance. Hope you all had a great weekend. We headed upstate to the Catskills to visit Mike's grandmother, who is doing astonishingly well considering she just had major surgery at 88 years old. As you can see, Will and Alex thoroughly enjoyed their weekend, too.
Saw X-Men 3 at the drive-in. I have issues. No, seriously, aside from the normal ones, I have got HUGE issues with the movie. I won't go into detail here in case anyone who hasn't seen the movie happens upon my rant, but - WTF?!?! There were some great standalone scenes, and Magneto is just such a great character (as is Sir Ian McKellen, who I would see if he were at the opening of an envelope), but there were quite a few things they did with the characters that threw me for a loop. And yes, pissed me off. Grrr.
God, I love being up in the country. It's peaceful, relaxing... and yet, I would give a lung for good Chinese takeout. I'm such a creature of convenience, yet I never realize how much I've become so dependent on it until I'm upstate. But I do wonder if I could toss it all to live up there. Sometimes I think, no way; sometimes I think, yeah, I think I could.
Could I live a 45-minute minimum drive from the nearest Barnes & Noble or Borders?
I'm thinking like this again because 'the house', the house that I've been in love with for over a year, is STILL on the market. The 6-8 bedroom Victorian on 3 acres of land that needs tons of work? That's dropped $20K over the past year? That I can't conceivably think of because the mortgage would equal my rent, and lord knows I can't afford two rents, nor can I afford to move that far upstate where there are no jobs I would be interested in taking? Yeah, that house.
To quote Homer Simpson, "Shut up brain, before I stab you with a Q-Tip."
Pictures to come, Blogger is being very cranky today.
Friday, May 26, 2006
LOST
So I finally watched the season finale last night and gotta admit, yes - I was angry again. Not at the show, but at the fact that I now have to wait until the FALL to find out what the heck is happening to Sawyer, Jack and Kate! Someone needs to firebomb Michael's boat, btw. Asshat.
Now excuse me, I have to go wander around the Hanso Foundation boards for another hour to see what new information I can geek out on...
So I finally watched the season finale last night and gotta admit, yes - I was angry again. Not at the show, but at the fact that I now have to wait until the FALL to find out what the heck is happening to Sawyer, Jack and Kate! Someone needs to firebomb Michael's boat, btw. Asshat.
Now excuse me, I have to go wander around the Hanso Foundation boards for another hour to see what new information I can geek out on...
Thursday, May 25, 2006
The DaVinci Ho
No, it's not the porn version of the Dan Brown book, but a self-description because of my love of all things DaVinci Code lately. At BEA, DaVinci was on everyone's brains, lips, and book tables - a combination of the overwhelming success and controversy the book's received, the trial that's just been completed, and the movie's opening on BEA weekend. Every publisher in the world is trying to cash in on DaVinci (and I'm no exception - I am a shameless marketer, after all. I've got Cosimo's Secret Societies books front and center on our website) and I was there to check it out.
Fodor's was giving away their Guide to the DaVinci Code: On the Trail of the Bestselling Novel, and of course they were, being owned by Random, the publisher of The DaVinci Code. The book is a tour guide to the novel, allowing you to follow the paths the characters took in the book, providing photography and info on the artwork and locations Brown mentions, and all that fun stuff. Right into my overstuffed tote bag, that baby went, along with two other tour guides on Ireland and Costa Rica, both of which I'm hoping to get back to. I may actually give the Costa Rica one to Karen if she ends up booking her honeymoon there like she's been saying she wants to. I'll hyperlink the tour titles once I remember whose they are...
Frommer's was giving away their Washington DC guides, so I picked one up, on the outside chance I'd be awake enough to enjoy some nightlife after BEA and before my 5 a.m. journey began the next morning. I ended up looking up a restaurant for Michelle actually, so it wasn't in vain.
Anyway, I also ended up snagging myself a hilarious DaVinci parody, The DaVinci Mole, by a pseudonymous author, Dr. Ian Browne. Apparently, this is a pseudonym for a well-known figure who must remain anonymous for "reasons of security." There's actually a contest if you can figure out who it is - you'll know the minute you read the description, and the introduction by "Dr. Browne" is pretty hilarious. I read it on the plane back from DC and thought it was very funny and well done.
So while I wouldn't spend any more money on DaVinci or his code, yeah - I'm a DaVinci Ho. What can I say, I like books that make me think.
More BEA later.
No, it's not the porn version of the Dan Brown book, but a self-description because of my love of all things DaVinci Code lately. At BEA, DaVinci was on everyone's brains, lips, and book tables - a combination of the overwhelming success and controversy the book's received, the trial that's just been completed, and the movie's opening on BEA weekend. Every publisher in the world is trying to cash in on DaVinci (and I'm no exception - I am a shameless marketer, after all. I've got Cosimo's Secret Societies books front and center on our website) and I was there to check it out.
Fodor's was giving away their Guide to the DaVinci Code: On the Trail of the Bestselling Novel, and of course they were, being owned by Random, the publisher of The DaVinci Code. The book is a tour guide to the novel, allowing you to follow the paths the characters took in the book, providing photography and info on the artwork and locations Brown mentions, and all that fun stuff. Right into my overstuffed tote bag, that baby went, along with two other tour guides on Ireland and Costa Rica, both of which I'm hoping to get back to. I may actually give the Costa Rica one to Karen if she ends up booking her honeymoon there like she's been saying she wants to. I'll hyperlink the tour titles once I remember whose they are...
Frommer's was giving away their Washington DC guides, so I picked one up, on the outside chance I'd be awake enough to enjoy some nightlife after BEA and before my 5 a.m. journey began the next morning. I ended up looking up a restaurant for Michelle actually, so it wasn't in vain.
Anyway, I also ended up snagging myself a hilarious DaVinci parody, The DaVinci Mole, by a pseudonymous author, Dr. Ian Browne. Apparently, this is a pseudonym for a well-known figure who must remain anonymous for "reasons of security." There's actually a contest if you can figure out who it is - you'll know the minute you read the description, and the introduction by "Dr. Browne" is pretty hilarious. I read it on the plane back from DC and thought it was very funny and well done.
So while I wouldn't spend any more money on DaVinci or his code, yeah - I'm a DaVinci Ho. What can I say, I like books that make me think.
More BEA later.
Whatta Day!
I know I promised to blog more about the BEA booty I scored, but Will's birthday was yesterday, so I have to, of course, stop everything in recognition and tribute to that.
Yesterday was one of those days, kind of like the day Ray Liotta's character in GoodFellas finally gets brought down. You know how he's narrating about all the crazy errands he has to run that day? That was my day.
I get up, work out, get Will up and moving. We're walking to school, talking about his birthday party he's going to have in class at 1:45 and he asks me if I've got the goody bags done. Being the slick mother I am, I smoothly reassure him that yes, of course, the goody bags are all ready to go.
There are no goody bags. Oh, crap. I'll have 28 first graders after me with pitchforks.
Drop Will off at school, run to Dunkin' Donuts to get a box of munchkins for Will's party. He doesn't eat cake, but loves himself some munchkins. And it's easier to clean up, too, so the teacher should love me. Right? Right. I have to get the munchkins early, because if I go there around lunchtime, there will be none. And then I'll have 28 first graders after with me with pitchforks. Or one very pissed-off first grader because I'd have to buy a birthday cake and he's just not having that.
Go home, attempt to work for a few hours.
At noon, I run to the party store in Forest Hills to pick up Hulk party gear - cups, napkins, plates, and yes, GOODY BAGS. I find a "pinata party bag" - two pounds of assorted candy and toys to stuff into a pinata and figure, perfect. Two pounds should take care of 28 kids, right? (Wrong.) Pay for everything, run down to the train station where I stuff goody bags as I await my train. Anyone who is not a parent is staring at me like I'm clearly insane. Which I am - I'm a parent.
I get off at the stop by Will's school only to realize that two pounds of candy and toys are not enough for 28 first graders. I run upstairs into Rite Aid, buy three small bags of candy and two bottles of apple juice. Run into the school office and ask the staff to allow me to stuff goody bags. I sit there on a bench outside the principal's office, sorting goody bags.
Twenty dollars doesn't buy a lot in the way of candy anymore.
Drop the stuff off upstairs, I think the teacher thought I was just dropping stuff off because she thanked me and I kind of got the feeling I was supposed to leave. So I was a little bemused, but split. And yes, I did have to explain why I wasn't there to Will, who was not very happy. But everyone had goody bags, there were enough munchkins and juice to go around, so at least my reputation as Mom Extraordinaire is secure.
Had about an hour to kill, so went to Dunkin' Donuts again for a nice, large iced coffee. Wandered into Old Navy, but didn't see much. Headed back to pick Will up from school, and rushed him off to the train station to get him to religion class. Getting there early, he asked for Tasty D-Lite. Ate his usual 5 bites before pronouncing himself full, so I pretended to eat it and offer him bites all the way to school. He finished it.
Will's under the impression that I am keeping a big birthday surprise for him. I told Mike not to hand him three video games in a Best Buy bag on the way to his party, dammit. I drop him off at religion, run upstairs to the library to register him for next year (two sacraments, cha-ching), run down to treat myself to a brow threading, and run to get Will a surprise. First it's back to the party store to get him a Spongebob lollipop I saw earlier, then to Barnes & Noble because the comic book store had squat I'd buy for him. Yes, my son needs more books like I do, but cut me a break here. Got him two X-Men tie-in books and a Pirates of the Caribbean one, then rushed back to get him from school.
Got him home, helped him with homework, and got the laundry together. Mike picked us up a little after six, and then we were off to pick up Alex and catch a showing of Over the Hedge in College Point.
Got home after 9. And no, I haven't watched Lost yet - I am not visiting anyone's blog until I do, either. I'll watch it tonight, because last night, a visit from Sawyer himself probably couldn't have kept my eyes open long enough.
I am mother. I am frickin' exhausted. But my baby boy is 7 years old (when did that happen?) and happy, and that's all that matters to me.
I know I promised to blog more about the BEA booty I scored, but Will's birthday was yesterday, so I have to, of course, stop everything in recognition and tribute to that.
Yesterday was one of those days, kind of like the day Ray Liotta's character in GoodFellas finally gets brought down. You know how he's narrating about all the crazy errands he has to run that day? That was my day.
I get up, work out, get Will up and moving. We're walking to school, talking about his birthday party he's going to have in class at 1:45 and he asks me if I've got the goody bags done. Being the slick mother I am, I smoothly reassure him that yes, of course, the goody bags are all ready to go.
There are no goody bags. Oh, crap. I'll have 28 first graders after me with pitchforks.
Drop Will off at school, run to Dunkin' Donuts to get a box of munchkins for Will's party. He doesn't eat cake, but loves himself some munchkins. And it's easier to clean up, too, so the teacher should love me. Right? Right. I have to get the munchkins early, because if I go there around lunchtime, there will be none. And then I'll have 28 first graders after with me with pitchforks. Or one very pissed-off first grader because I'd have to buy a birthday cake and he's just not having that.
Go home, attempt to work for a few hours.
At noon, I run to the party store in Forest Hills to pick up Hulk party gear - cups, napkins, plates, and yes, GOODY BAGS. I find a "pinata party bag" - two pounds of assorted candy and toys to stuff into a pinata and figure, perfect. Two pounds should take care of 28 kids, right? (Wrong.) Pay for everything, run down to the train station where I stuff goody bags as I await my train. Anyone who is not a parent is staring at me like I'm clearly insane. Which I am - I'm a parent.
I get off at the stop by Will's school only to realize that two pounds of candy and toys are not enough for 28 first graders. I run upstairs into Rite Aid, buy three small bags of candy and two bottles of apple juice. Run into the school office and ask the staff to allow me to stuff goody bags. I sit there on a bench outside the principal's office, sorting goody bags.
Twenty dollars doesn't buy a lot in the way of candy anymore.
Drop the stuff off upstairs, I think the teacher thought I was just dropping stuff off because she thanked me and I kind of got the feeling I was supposed to leave. So I was a little bemused, but split. And yes, I did have to explain why I wasn't there to Will, who was not very happy. But everyone had goody bags, there were enough munchkins and juice to go around, so at least my reputation as Mom Extraordinaire is secure.
Had about an hour to kill, so went to Dunkin' Donuts again for a nice, large iced coffee. Wandered into Old Navy, but didn't see much. Headed back to pick Will up from school, and rushed him off to the train station to get him to religion class. Getting there early, he asked for Tasty D-Lite. Ate his usual 5 bites before pronouncing himself full, so I pretended to eat it and offer him bites all the way to school. He finished it.
Will's under the impression that I am keeping a big birthday surprise for him. I told Mike not to hand him three video games in a Best Buy bag on the way to his party, dammit. I drop him off at religion, run upstairs to the library to register him for next year (two sacraments, cha-ching), run down to treat myself to a brow threading, and run to get Will a surprise. First it's back to the party store to get him a Spongebob lollipop I saw earlier, then to Barnes & Noble because the comic book store had squat I'd buy for him. Yes, my son needs more books like I do, but cut me a break here. Got him two X-Men tie-in books and a Pirates of the Caribbean one, then rushed back to get him from school.
Got him home, helped him with homework, and got the laundry together. Mike picked us up a little after six, and then we were off to pick up Alex and catch a showing of Over the Hedge in College Point.
Got home after 9. And no, I haven't watched Lost yet - I am not visiting anyone's blog until I do, either. I'll watch it tonight, because last night, a visit from Sawyer himself probably couldn't have kept my eyes open long enough.
I am mother. I am frickin' exhausted. But my baby boy is 7 years old (when did that happen?) and happy, and that's all that matters to me.
Monday, May 22, 2006
BEA Continued... Oh, the Books I Will Read (One of these Days...)
So, people continue to accuse me of having a bit of an obsession with books. I say, what? Madness.
What books did I get at BEA? Please, not enough, in my personal opinion. Especially after looking through last week's issue of Publisher's Weekly and seeing how many things I missed. (Maybe I should take a page from Linda and rename this blog Book Whore.) I need to work out harder so I can carry more next year. A couple of days of tenderness and severe bruising? But I get free books for my pains? Bring it, baby.
Aside from John, Paul, George & Ben by the awesome Lane Smith, there were books a-plenty to be had. I've got most of them at home right now, but let's see how what I can remember.
I got to meet chick-lit writers Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs and get a signed copy of See Jane Write: A Girl's Guide to Writing Chick Lit to feed my inner Helen Fielding. Quirk Books, the publisher, has such a fun title list and their booth reflected that fun. I'm such a sucker for fun books, which is why I love Workman, Chronicle and MQ and haunted their booths at BEA.
Speaking of MQ, I got a copy of Fearless Gourmet from their booth which looks like an Anthony Bourdain meets Zagats type of book. I also picked up a copy of The United States of Arugula: How America Became a Gourmet Nation from the Broadway/Random booth, further illustrating how obsessed my Food Network viewing has become. (Ham on the Street cookbook - anyone hear me out there?!)
That's about all for now - I should start working on following up some of the contacts I made... more to come later, when I have the rest of the books around me. Children's books and more to come!
So, people continue to accuse me of having a bit of an obsession with books. I say, what? Madness.
What books did I get at BEA? Please, not enough, in my personal opinion. Especially after looking through last week's issue of Publisher's Weekly and seeing how many things I missed. (Maybe I should take a page from Linda and rename this blog Book Whore.) I need to work out harder so I can carry more next year. A couple of days of tenderness and severe bruising? But I get free books for my pains? Bring it, baby.
Aside from John, Paul, George & Ben by the awesome Lane Smith, there were books a-plenty to be had. I've got most of them at home right now, but let's see how what I can remember.
I got to meet chick-lit writers Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs and get a signed copy of See Jane Write: A Girl's Guide to Writing Chick Lit to feed my inner Helen Fielding. Quirk Books, the publisher, has such a fun title list and their booth reflected that fun. I'm such a sucker for fun books, which is why I love Workman, Chronicle and MQ and haunted their booths at BEA.
Speaking of MQ, I got a copy of Fearless Gourmet from their booth which looks like an Anthony Bourdain meets Zagats type of book. I also picked up a copy of The United States of Arugula: How America Became a Gourmet Nation from the Broadway/Random booth, further illustrating how obsessed my Food Network viewing has become. (Ham on the Street cookbook - anyone hear me out there?!)
That's about all for now - I should start working on following up some of the contacts I made... more to come later, when I have the rest of the books around me. Children's books and more to come!
Ah, BookExpo...
BookExpo rocks. It's a huge industry conference with tons of freebies - and this year, I actually got work done, too. Met lots of interesting folks and talked Cosimo up like crazy, so let's hope something comes from it. Got to see a Google BookSearch demo, which is intriguing. Got Lane Smith's autograph on his new book, John, Paul, George and Ben, for Will and was pleased to discover that he's a really nice guy - when I mentioned that Will's birthday was coming up and that he was a huge fan, he drew George Washington holding a birthday cake and wrote, "Happy Birthday, William!" on the book. All in all, a great time. And I'm still suffering zombie-like tendencies from the weekend.
It started at 5 a.m. on Friday morning, when I dragged myself into the shower. Got to LGA for 5:45, was on a plane by 7 a.m., in D.C. by 8:15. Got to the hotel by 9, only to be told by the hotel staff that my boss had not in fact dropped my BEA pass off at the front desk. After an hour of borderline hysterical phone calls, my boss finally got in touch with me, swearing up and down he left the pass at the hotel the night before. After a terse discussion with the incredibly unhelpful staff at the Doubletree, they managed to 'find' the envelope - clearly marked with my name and Michelle's name, whose room I was sharing. It was in clear sight the entire time, so I have no idea how they managed to tell me it wasn't there. No apologies offered, I grabbed my badge and took off to the convention center.
Made the 10 a.m. blogging seminar, which had an interesting enough panel but the Q&A was kind of rudimentary. I ducked out and went on my search for books.
Met Michelle for lunch, only to be told that the cafeteria had run out of food. Go ahead, read that line again, I'll wait. Yes, they ran out of food. We ended up eating at the hotel l0unge later on.
Hit the bed by 9 but didn't sleep well - I think I was just really distrustful that the alarm and/or the wakeup call would work because if I missed my plane, Will would never speak to me again. Got up at 5 a.m. again, down in the cab by 5:45, ate a very tasty bagel from the Chesapeake Bay Bagel kiosk by my gate (their coffee was awful, though - basically water with a coffee-flavored accent), was back in the air by 7:35. At LaGuardia picking up my bags by 8:45, and at Will's birthday party at the Nathan's on Old Country Road in Westbury by 10:30, drinking another coffee (love that New York water).
I am woman. I am tired.
More to come!
BookExpo rocks. It's a huge industry conference with tons of freebies - and this year, I actually got work done, too. Met lots of interesting folks and talked Cosimo up like crazy, so let's hope something comes from it. Got to see a Google BookSearch demo, which is intriguing. Got Lane Smith's autograph on his new book, John, Paul, George and Ben, for Will and was pleased to discover that he's a really nice guy - when I mentioned that Will's birthday was coming up and that he was a huge fan, he drew George Washington holding a birthday cake and wrote, "Happy Birthday, William!" on the book. All in all, a great time. And I'm still suffering zombie-like tendencies from the weekend.
It started at 5 a.m. on Friday morning, when I dragged myself into the shower. Got to LGA for 5:45, was on a plane by 7 a.m., in D.C. by 8:15. Got to the hotel by 9, only to be told by the hotel staff that my boss had not in fact dropped my BEA pass off at the front desk. After an hour of borderline hysterical phone calls, my boss finally got in touch with me, swearing up and down he left the pass at the hotel the night before. After a terse discussion with the incredibly unhelpful staff at the Doubletree, they managed to 'find' the envelope - clearly marked with my name and Michelle's name, whose room I was sharing. It was in clear sight the entire time, so I have no idea how they managed to tell me it wasn't there. No apologies offered, I grabbed my badge and took off to the convention center.
Made the 10 a.m. blogging seminar, which had an interesting enough panel but the Q&A was kind of rudimentary. I ducked out and went on my search for books.
Met Michelle for lunch, only to be told that the cafeteria had run out of food. Go ahead, read that line again, I'll wait. Yes, they ran out of food. We ended up eating at the hotel l0unge later on.
Hit the bed by 9 but didn't sleep well - I think I was just really distrustful that the alarm and/or the wakeup call would work because if I missed my plane, Will would never speak to me again. Got up at 5 a.m. again, down in the cab by 5:45, ate a very tasty bagel from the Chesapeake Bay Bagel kiosk by my gate (their coffee was awful, though - basically water with a coffee-flavored accent), was back in the air by 7:35. At LaGuardia picking up my bags by 8:45, and at Will's birthday party at the Nathan's on Old Country Road in Westbury by 10:30, drinking another coffee (love that New York water).
I am woman. I am tired.
More to come!
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Picture Assault, Continued
Would you buy a bridge from these women?Finally, a picture of Helene and I, since I finally got the pictures off my camera. This time, it wasn't me just deciding to let them languish on the camera but me taking two weeks to remember that my MP3 was plugged into the port I normally keep my digital camera in that made the pictures not load on my computer. I never said I was technologically advanced.
Leaving soon to spend Mother's Day Eve in Jersey, so I'll cut this one short. Happy Mother's Day to all my mommy friends!
Friday, May 12, 2006
Thursday, May 11, 2006
It's a Lost Kinda Day
"I think Lost, more than anything else on TV to date, provides a forum for philosophical and critical discussion," says Amy Bauer, an assistant professor of music at the University of California-Irvine who moderates a peer-reviewed online journal, The Society for the Study of Lost (www.loststudies.com).
Lost
Another Hanso commercial last night... have to hit the URL later, www.sublymonal.com
Spoilers ahead - if you haven't see the episode, don't read any further!
(scroll down)
So, Lost left me intrigued and enraged as usual last night. Anyone have any thoughts? I can't believe they killed Libby off! We didn't get the rest of her story! AUGH!
Digging the new Pearl hatch and video. I felt so bad for Locke; he just felt like he was duped yet again in life. But then again, if I were Locke, I'd just be excited that I still have a working pair of legs.
Not enough Sawyer, but what there was, was good quality. ;-)
Why is the earth salted into the form of a question mark??
So many questions... and so few new episodes left for this season. I know I'm going to be at Best Buy (okay, Mike's going to be at Best Buy) the day Season 2 comes out, lock ourselves in, and watch the entire season.
Another Hanso commercial last night... have to hit the URL later, www.sublymonal.com
Spoilers ahead - if you haven't see the episode, don't read any further!
(scroll down)
So, Lost left me intrigued and enraged as usual last night. Anyone have any thoughts? I can't believe they killed Libby off! We didn't get the rest of her story! AUGH!
Digging the new Pearl hatch and video. I felt so bad for Locke; he just felt like he was duped yet again in life. But then again, if I were Locke, I'd just be excited that I still have a working pair of legs.
Not enough Sawyer, but what there was, was good quality. ;-)
Why is the earth salted into the form of a question mark??
So many questions... and so few new episodes left for this season. I know I'm going to be at Best Buy (okay, Mike's going to be at Best Buy) the day Season 2 comes out, lock ourselves in, and watch the entire season.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Gets weirder...
Called the Hanso hotline again, tried to get Alvar Hanso. Music, Geronimo Jackson, and then a recording asking what I've done with Hanso. Huh? Then I was kicked back to the main menu. I'm trying the other prompts now. One guy is "out of the office for the next three weeks"; another is out for 2, but asked if I was interested Korean offshore project. The third guy, the Chief Legal Officer, grabs the phone away from his secretary as she's leaving his voice mail message - what exec does this?
Then one guy's voicemail starts to access the messages. One of which is a woman saying, "Sri Lanka... just isn't right." Hmmm... anyone charting where this plane could have gone down?
I'm really devoting too much energy to this, aren't I?
Called the Hanso hotline again, tried to get Alvar Hanso. Music, Geronimo Jackson, and then a recording asking what I've done with Hanso. Huh? Then I was kicked back to the main menu. I'm trying the other prompts now. One guy is "out of the office for the next three weeks"; another is out for 2, but asked if I was interested Korean offshore project. The third guy, the Chief Legal Officer, grabs the phone away from his secretary as she's leaving his voice mail message - what exec does this?
Then one guy's voicemail starts to access the messages. One of which is a woman saying, "Sri Lanka... just isn't right." Hmmm... anyone charting where this plane could have gone down?
I'm really devoting too much energy to this, aren't I?
Monday, May 08, 2006
Friday, May 05, 2006
Sleepy Friday
It's finally a true Spring-verging-on-Summer kind of day, and I just want to curl up and take a nap.
Only two weeks 'til Book Expo, and I've got to draw up my wandering plan. I've got to do some work, so I've got to find a way to fit that in amidst the freebie-ing.
Today is definitely one of those days where I would have been better off at home, in bed. Sleeping.
It's finally a true Spring-verging-on-Summer kind of day, and I just want to curl up and take a nap.
Only two weeks 'til Book Expo, and I've got to draw up my wandering plan. I've got to do some work, so I've got to find a way to fit that in amidst the freebie-ing.
Today is definitely one of those days where I would have been better off at home, in bed. Sleeping.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Swedish Invasion
So today is Helene's last day, which is bumming me out. But I did get to spend some time with her, which was so great. Last night, we hit Pancho Villa (my favorite Mexican restaurant) and then wandered off to the Virgin Megastore for a while. Apparently, they now sell used t-shirts from the 80s for really crazy-assed prices. A used Duran Duran shirt (albeit, the famous 1982 black and white clothing shoot which made me lose my heart to John Taylor) for $125? Are you insane?
Don't even get me started on the $100 Stryper t-shirt. Seriously.
Random tangent: I think I need to scan my Duran Duran pictures. I've got a box of them.
So I have to say farewell (for now) to Helene. Having her in town for a little while has been so great. Now I get to plan a trip to Stockholm.
Pictures from our trip to DSW to come...
So today is Helene's last day, which is bumming me out. But I did get to spend some time with her, which was so great. Last night, we hit Pancho Villa (my favorite Mexican restaurant) and then wandered off to the Virgin Megastore for a while. Apparently, they now sell used t-shirts from the 80s for really crazy-assed prices. A used Duran Duran shirt (albeit, the famous 1982 black and white clothing shoot which made me lose my heart to John Taylor) for $125? Are you insane?
Don't even get me started on the $100 Stryper t-shirt. Seriously.
Random tangent: I think I need to scan my Duran Duran pictures. I've got a box of them.
So I have to say farewell (for now) to Helene. Having her in town for a little while has been so great. Now I get to plan a trip to Stockholm.
Pictures from our trip to DSW to come...
Pictures!
Stacey gave out the wedding photos the other night. I have to say it, albeit grudgingly, that the running down the hill in slow motion shot came out great. You can even see me screaming that my heels are sinking. The true amusement of this shot comes from Adam, who's managed to get that Mentos commercial look on his face frozen in time for all eternity.
I don't know if you can see the picture so clearly, since this is but a small shot cribbed from Stacey's Snapfish folder, but use your imagination. You'll feel warm and fuzzy for it.
Now I have to shop for more frames. Because I love frames. And Mike will sigh and shake his head and say, "At least it's not another book..." But he'll be wrong, because I'll get a book, too. There's always another book, my friend. Muah hah hah hah hah...
Stacey gave out the wedding photos the other night. I have to say it, albeit grudgingly, that the running down the hill in slow motion shot came out great. You can even see me screaming that my heels are sinking. The true amusement of this shot comes from Adam, who's managed to get that Mentos commercial look on his face frozen in time for all eternity.I don't know if you can see the picture so clearly, since this is but a small shot cribbed from Stacey's Snapfish folder, but use your imagination. You'll feel warm and fuzzy for it.
Now I have to shop for more frames. Because I love frames. And Mike will sigh and shake his head and say, "At least it's not another book..." But he'll be wrong, because I'll get a book, too. There's always another book, my friend. Muah hah hah hah hah...
Dominic Monaghan Lets One Slip?
From FemaleFirst.co.uk:
What the hell is J.J. Abrams doing to me?
From FemaleFirst.co.uk:
Meanwhile, Dominic - who is romancing 'Lost' co-star Evangeline Lilly - also revealed he's bracing himself to be killed off in the show.
He said in a British magazine interview: "Yeah, I think my character could die. It's the nature of the show, isn't it? But I think you have to try to be philosophical about the whole thing.
Hmmmm... WTF? They went from having Charlie be a great character, someone who's worked through all the issues he's worked through, then turned him into a jerk and now possibly kill him off????What the hell is J.J. Abrams doing to me?
Friday, April 28, 2006
But this is $2.22...
So I go to Dunkin Donuts this morning for my coffee, having taken the E train which lets me off on 8th Avenue. The line is huge, but I decide that I can use the valuable time to clean out my wallet. Finally, I get to the counter, present my $1 coupon (thanks, Mom!) and ask for a large French Vanilla with milk and a Splenda. You with me so far?
She rings me up - $2.22. And stares at me. "$2.22, please."
I look at her and figure I'll start out polite. "Oh, I gave you a $1 coupon."
She stares blankly at me, so I gesture to the coupon, clearly marked $1 off, with the cute little Dunkin' Donuts logo and a coffee cup diecut on the coupon. She stares at it, looks at me, and says - wait for it - "But this is $2.22."
DID SHE THINK I WAS GIVING HER A PRESENT?
"Yes," I say, using my Mommy voice on her, "But if you take $1 off of that, wouldn't it be $1.22?"
She stares at me.
I give her $5.25 (to further rock her world), and somehow, she manages to give me $4.03 change. I leave, shaking my head and wondering about the hiring practices at Dunkin' Donuts.
So I go to Dunkin Donuts this morning for my coffee, having taken the E train which lets me off on 8th Avenue. The line is huge, but I decide that I can use the valuable time to clean out my wallet. Finally, I get to the counter, present my $1 coupon (thanks, Mom!) and ask for a large French Vanilla with milk and a Splenda. You with me so far?
She rings me up - $2.22. And stares at me. "$2.22, please."
I look at her and figure I'll start out polite. "Oh, I gave you a $1 coupon."
She stares blankly at me, so I gesture to the coupon, clearly marked $1 off, with the cute little Dunkin' Donuts logo and a coffee cup diecut on the coupon. She stares at it, looks at me, and says - wait for it - "But this is $2.22."
DID SHE THINK I WAS GIVING HER A PRESENT?
"Yes," I say, using my Mommy voice on her, "But if you take $1 off of that, wouldn't it be $1.22?"
She stares at me.
I give her $5.25 (to further rock her world), and somehow, she manages to give me $4.03 change. I leave, shaking my head and wondering about the hiring practices at Dunkin' Donuts.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Stockholm meets New York!
My friend Helene is coming in; she should be arriving in a few hours, actually. I haven't seen her since my wedding day, which is completely nuts. It's going to be a blast having her here all week. I'm going to see what her schedule looks like (she's got sightseeing to do, and brought her friend with her, who I think is on her maiden voyage to The Big Apple, let alone the fact that my family will most likely swarm her like a bunch of excited bees) on the weekend, and hopefully get everyone to meet her on Saturday evening.
Now I just have to get back to Stockholm, which is one my favorite places in the world (at least, the world I've seen so far). Gamla Stan is the greatest place to visit if you're a medieval history buff, and it's been far too long since I've dragged Gab down the narrow streets in search of a nice, hot cup of hot chocolate and a drafty castle basement. And don't get me started on the chocolate.
Friday, April 21, 2006
"It's like Elton John went deaf."
-- so sayeth my friend David, after seeing Lestat on Broadway (music is by Elton John and Bernie Taupin).
-- so sayeth my friend David, after seeing Lestat on Broadway (music is by Elton John and Bernie Taupin).
Thursday, April 20, 2006
What's Cooking?
Actually, we are - Nancy and I have decided that our next Girls' Outing should be a class at ICE. And should involve desserts. We've got Pies, Cupcake Workshops, BISCOTTI UNLIMITED, Comfort Desserts, Tarts - who's with us? C'mon, you know you want to go. And you know you want to make Biscotti. I mean, you know you want to have a fun day out with the girls and make something fun and tasty. (Like biscotti...)
Let's narrow a day down and do this!! Except for the Low-Fat Baking. If I'm baking, I'm in for full-fat butter, whole milk and pure sugar. Otherwise really, where's the joy?
Actually, we are - Nancy and I have decided that our next Girls' Outing should be a class at ICE. And should involve desserts. We've got Pies, Cupcake Workshops, BISCOTTI UNLIMITED, Comfort Desserts, Tarts - who's with us? C'mon, you know you want to go. And you know you want to make Biscotti. I mean, you know you want to have a fun day out with the girls and make something fun and tasty. (Like biscotti...)
Let's narrow a day down and do this!! Except for the Low-Fat Baking. If I'm baking, I'm in for full-fat butter, whole milk and pure sugar. Otherwise really, where's the joy?
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Requisite Television Post
Who watched 24 last night? I need to get some polling software going on this blog, but in the meantime, just post a comment if you want.
Who's next?
- Sec'y of Defense James Heller
- President Logan
- Wayne Palmer
- The First Lady (Martha Logan)
- Audrey Raines
No new Lost this week - are they trying to kill us?
Is Widmore Labs:
- a division of the Dharma Corporation
- the manufacturer of Hurley's meds when he was in the asylum
- a and b
- neither a nor b
Should I:
- stop goofing off and get back to work
- have another cup of coffee
- take a nap under my bench
- all of the above
Who watched 24 last night? I need to get some polling software going on this blog, but in the meantime, just post a comment if you want.
Who's next?
- Sec'y of Defense James Heller
- President Logan
- Wayne Palmer
- The First Lady (Martha Logan)
- Audrey Raines
No new Lost this week - are they trying to kill us?
Is Widmore Labs:
- a division of the Dharma Corporation
- the manufacturer of Hurley's meds when he was in the asylum
- a and b
- neither a nor b
Should I:
- stop goofing off and get back to work
- have another cup of coffee
- take a nap under my bench
- all of the above
Tiresome Tuesdays
I'm tired and cranky. But I did manage to fit in a workout this morning; 20 minutes of aerobics and 20 of weight training. I am fitting into those Bermuda shorts this summer! (Technically, I fit them now but they're snug, I want those suckers baggy).
All the coffee in the world isn't making a dent today. Bleah.
I am excited, though, because I made my very first appointment for BookExpo. Whoo hoo! For anyone who doesn't know what BookExpo is, it's basically the promised land. Okay, it's the biggest book convention in the U.S. each year. But everyone is there. The freebies are free-flowing. There are books and publishers as far as the eye can see. I love books. ::drool:: So I'm going, representing Cosimo, and meeting so far with our print-on-demand supplier. So it's exciting.
Little things happen and make me feel good. Today, it was a conference call with the print on demand supplier, talking books and industry talk and having the nicest feeling that I know what I'm doing again.
So why am I cranky? Nature's reasons. ;-)
Still moderating my lonely Rego Park message board on ClubMom. You can hear the crickets. I'm going to try and appeal to some parents in the next issue of the Parents Voice, the PS139 parents newsletter. I finally get an actual message board to moderate and no one posts!
Still struggling through the accursed Winkie, which has to be one of the most mind-numbing books I've read to date. I have to get through the last of it this weekend so I can write the reader report and get it out the door. I have to finish Queen of this Realm, I've been reading it for months! There are books piling up!
I'm tired and cranky. But I did manage to fit in a workout this morning; 20 minutes of aerobics and 20 of weight training. I am fitting into those Bermuda shorts this summer! (Technically, I fit them now but they're snug, I want those suckers baggy).
All the coffee in the world isn't making a dent today. Bleah.
I am excited, though, because I made my very first appointment for BookExpo. Whoo hoo! For anyone who doesn't know what BookExpo is, it's basically the promised land. Okay, it's the biggest book convention in the U.S. each year. But everyone is there. The freebies are free-flowing. There are books and publishers as far as the eye can see. I love books. ::drool:: So I'm going, representing Cosimo, and meeting so far with our print-on-demand supplier. So it's exciting.
Little things happen and make me feel good. Today, it was a conference call with the print on demand supplier, talking books and industry talk and having the nicest feeling that I know what I'm doing again.
So why am I cranky? Nature's reasons. ;-)
Still moderating my lonely Rego Park message board on ClubMom. You can hear the crickets. I'm going to try and appeal to some parents in the next issue of the Parents Voice, the PS139 parents newsletter. I finally get an actual message board to moderate and no one posts!
Still struggling through the accursed Winkie, which has to be one of the most mind-numbing books I've read to date. I have to get through the last of it this weekend so I can write the reader report and get it out the door. I have to finish Queen of this Realm, I've been reading it for months! There are books piling up!
Monday, April 17, 2006
Severe Case of the Mondays...
I am completely blah today. Cannot get myself in action. Of course, having a bagel for lunch probably doesn't help. I think I have some salad sitting in the fridge, if I can just drag myself the four steps over to it and prepare it.
So sleepy. And cranky. Mondays and PMS - never a good combo.
I am completely blah today. Cannot get myself in action. Of course, having a bagel for lunch probably doesn't help. I think I have some salad sitting in the fridge, if I can just drag myself the four steps over to it and prepare it.
So sleepy. And cranky. Mondays and PMS - never a good combo.
Post-Easter
So life post-Easter has finally started settling in. There are Lindt truffles in my home, so I need the patience and willpower of a monk right now. I got up and did back to back Denise Austin workouts this morning, so hopefully that will keep my brain on the right track and out of the bag of Lindt...
So life post-Easter has finally started settling in. There are Lindt truffles in my home, so I need the patience and willpower of a monk right now. I got up and did back to back Denise Austin workouts this morning, so hopefully that will keep my brain on the right track and out of the bag of Lindt...
Friday, April 14, 2006
I'm an ESFP... Dominant Extraverted Sensing
I took a Myers-Briggs Personality test after seeing Lauren's post and here's what I've got.
I took a Myers-Briggs Personality test after seeing Lauren's post and here's what I've got.
Extraverted sensing types are pragmatic and realistic with a zest for living life to the fullest by way of multiplying experiences. Always on the alert for what needs immediate attention or what might provide a bit of action, excitement or entertainment, they engage quickly with their environment. They seek and enjoy freedom, are good-natured, direct, and tolerant and are often the ones who provide levity.
They have a way with dealing with people on a very equal platform and are not easily star struck. Rank, celebrity and status mean little when they are face to face with another individual.
On the job, they appreciate having the right tools and are quite ingenious at finding ways to fix and repair things with dexterity. They love variety and are curious and adventurous, enjoying the unexpected. Their brand of extraversion is one of deeds rather than words. As long as things are moving along, they are happy. They like to keep things simple and immediate, going with the flow. They are helpful in very concrete ways, providing the correct tools or specific service the person requires. They often have an uncanny ability to respond appropriately in cases of emergencies, often having excellent reflexes. They act without thinking. They also tend to have natural mediating skills.
They are attuned to the environment and the myriad colours, textures, sounds, beauty and the sensuousness of it all. They are quite graceful and agile while moving through their environment. They love having fun and if things are too quiet they may provide the entertainment or distraction. They learn by imitation and are keen observers. They teach through example. Their attention will always go towards whatever provides the keenest impression on their senses.Thursday, April 13, 2006
Karma is a Boomerang
I am going to start off every day with a yoga practice because I witnessed firsthand the healing power of karmic payback.
I did a nice yoga practice this morning, lots of stretching and twisting for my poor back which has been killing me lately. Felt really good afterwards, got on the train and headed to work. At Roosevelt Avenue, this guy gets on cursing at this woman for whatever reason (she didn't beat him to a seat; the train was empty this morning). He sits down, glowering and muttering to himself. When we sat at a train station for a couple of minutes a stop or two later, he gets up and starts pacing and swearing again. I'm thinking, great; the pacers are usually the ones that are armed. He sticks his head out of the train and starts screaming to close the doors, he hasn't got all day, and I'm waiting for this guy to go postal as I sit there, knitting, trying to ignore him.
We get to Queens Plaza and the train sits again. There's an express across the track also sitting. The guy storms out of the V train (the train I'm on) and gets on the express train - just in time for the V to close doors and take off first.
Karma is a boomerang, my friends. And I'm going to salute it with a nice big sun salutation every morning.
I am going to start off every day with a yoga practice because I witnessed firsthand the healing power of karmic payback.
I did a nice yoga practice this morning, lots of stretching and twisting for my poor back which has been killing me lately. Felt really good afterwards, got on the train and headed to work. At Roosevelt Avenue, this guy gets on cursing at this woman for whatever reason (she didn't beat him to a seat; the train was empty this morning). He sits down, glowering and muttering to himself. When we sat at a train station for a couple of minutes a stop or two later, he gets up and starts pacing and swearing again. I'm thinking, great; the pacers are usually the ones that are armed. He sticks his head out of the train and starts screaming to close the doors, he hasn't got all day, and I'm waiting for this guy to go postal as I sit there, knitting, trying to ignore him.
We get to Queens Plaza and the train sits again. There's an express across the track also sitting. The guy storms out of the V train (the train I'm on) and gets on the express train - just in time for the V to close doors and take off first.
Karma is a boomerang, my friends. And I'm going to salute it with a nice big sun salutation every morning.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Because '70s TV for Kids ROCKED...
with much appreciation and props to The ElectraWoman and Dynagirl Webopedia...
with much appreciation and props to The ElectraWoman and Dynagirl Webopedia...I think I need to do a series on 70s Saturday morning programming for kids... remember when the networks had programming on Saturday for kids, and it was a treat to watch cartoons???
Picking up from yesterday - 70s kids' shows were so cool. I was all about the Shazam/Isis Power Hour (you know you watched it, I wasn't the only kid out there wearing my construction paper Isis headband), The Banana Splits (Liz Phair did a fantastic cover of the Tra la la song on the CD, Saturday Morning - does anyone know where I can find it? My copy was borrowed and alas, never returned), The New Zoo Revue (which is still on Public Access, I believe - I showed Mike about 10 minutes of one once before he threatened to have me committed) , and of course, the almighty kinds of kids' programming, The Krofft Brothers.
Sid and Marty should have a monument erected to them somewhere because they gave us a pantheon of children's programming - Dr. Shrinker (Billy Barty!), H.R. Pufnstuf, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, everyone's favorite acid trip, The Bugaloos (they're in the air and everywhere...), the almighty Land of the Lost, and my personal source of female empowerment (along with Isis), Electra Woman & Dynagirl. They were my Saturday morning!
Then there was PBS, the reason I was okay with staying home sick from school. Electric Company, Zoom, which has actually relaunched for kids today, (do I need to mention Sesame Street, or is it a given?), 3-2-1 Contact, and Reading Rainbow (which is still going, much due to to the efforts of host LeVar Burton) kept my brain functioning while I lay like a dying cow on my couch.
The 70s were a great time to be a kid. I'm sure our kids will look back and say the same thing, but somehow, I can't find Bugs Bunny on TV anymore. There are some fun and good TV shows on for kids now - I happen to like a lot of the Teen Nick shows on Nickelodeon like Drake & Josh and Ned's School Survival Guide - but nothing for me takes the place of the 70s stuff. I guess that's what nostalgia is all about, isn't it? At least my boys both love Scooby Doo as much as I do, and seem to think Scrappy was pretty useless, too.
But man... with all the shows we used to watch coming out on video, my DVD collection will rival my kids.
Picking up from yesterday - 70s kids' shows were so cool. I was all about the Shazam/Isis Power Hour (you know you watched it, I wasn't the only kid out there wearing my construction paper Isis headband), The Banana Splits (Liz Phair did a fantastic cover of the Tra la la song on the CD, Saturday Morning - does anyone know where I can find it? My copy was borrowed and alas, never returned), The New Zoo Revue (which is still on Public Access, I believe - I showed Mike about 10 minutes of one once before he threatened to have me committed) , and of course, the almighty kinds of kids' programming, The Krofft Brothers.
Sid and Marty should have a monument erected to them somewhere because they gave us a pantheon of children's programming - Dr. Shrinker (Billy Barty!), H.R. Pufnstuf, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, everyone's favorite acid trip, The Bugaloos (they're in the air and everywhere...), the almighty Land of the Lost, and my personal source of female empowerment (along with Isis), Electra Woman & Dynagirl. They were my Saturday morning!
Then there was PBS, the reason I was okay with staying home sick from school. Electric Company, Zoom, which has actually relaunched for kids today, (do I need to mention Sesame Street, or is it a given?), 3-2-1 Contact, and Reading Rainbow (which is still going, much due to to the efforts of host LeVar Burton) kept my brain functioning while I lay like a dying cow on my couch.
The 70s were a great time to be a kid. I'm sure our kids will look back and say the same thing, but somehow, I can't find Bugs Bunny on TV anymore. There are some fun and good TV shows on for kids now - I happen to like a lot of the Teen Nick shows on Nickelodeon like Drake & Josh and Ned's School Survival Guide - but nothing for me takes the place of the 70s stuff. I guess that's what nostalgia is all about, isn't it? At least my boys both love Scooby Doo as much as I do, and seem to think Scrappy was pretty useless, too.
But man... with all the shows we used to watch coming out on video, my DVD collection will rival my kids.
For a Lighter Post...
"Marshall, Will and Holly, on a routine expedition..."
"Marshall, Will and Holly, on a routine expedition..."Go on - I DARE you to tell me you don't know the song. Or that I didn't just make you break out into song. You know you want to. You know that Land of the Lost was THE thing when we were kids. Say what you want about Sid & Marty Krofft, but they were awesome. Mike swears that The Bugaloos were created when they were on acid, and while I tend to agree, it doesn't matter. Because they were in the air and everywhere, flying high, flying free... wait, I'm getting ahead of myself again.
So I walk into Best Buy last week and see my beloved Land of the Lost on DVD - SEASON THREE. Why was I not informed when Seasons 1 and 2 were released??? Who was asleep at the wheel? Oh... wait... it must have been me.
Anyway - SO going on my wishlist. My birthday is only 8 months away, after all.
Sleestacks!!
So I walk into Best Buy last week and see my beloved Land of the Lost on DVD - SEASON THREE. Why was I not informed when Seasons 1 and 2 were released??? Who was asleep at the wheel? Oh... wait... it must have been me.
Anyway - SO going on my wishlist. My birthday is only 8 months away, after all.
Sleestacks!!
I Have Questions Today...
With the Moussaoui trial front and center everywhere you look, I've got lots of questions. But I don't think there are any answers:
- I know you're a lawyer and sworn to defend, but how do you try to convince a jury that this guy deserves to live? How can you be a defense lawyer to a terrorist who smiles during the distribution of pictures of charred bodies and body parts from that day? Who shouts "Burn all Pentagon next time!" and "God curse you all, God bless Osama!" repeatedly throughout his trial? How can you look at yourself in the mirror? Or maybe they don't.
- Do we give this guy the death penalty and let him think he's going off to his 72 black-eyed virgins, or do we decide to let him live and lock him up for the rest of his life? One way, he's a martyr; the next, the taxpayers get to support him. (Unless someone finds a way to sneak him into general population by 'accident' - in which case, he's worm food.)
- Does anyone else read these articles - especially about the playing of the Flight 93 recorder at the trial - and feel their chest tighten up, like you're in the plane with them? Because I can't get the fear these people must have felt (or a fraction, because I can't even imagine to be honest) out of my system; it just takes over.
I just have this horrible feeling that this won't be over. Not the trial, the horror. It's going to dull for some, I'm sure, but I think it'll always be with us.
Are there any answers? Or is this just one of those things that has no answer, it's just there and what makes you crazy after a while is the realization that none of it makes any sense and none of it has any answer. It's completely without reason or logic and that's what causes the chaos in my brain, because I need for things to be tied up to go on. Mike always tells me that if I just started accepting that sometimes, things don't have closure or don't make sense, I'd be a lot calmer. White it's nice in theory, in practice I just can't wrap my brain around it.
With the Moussaoui trial front and center everywhere you look, I've got lots of questions. But I don't think there are any answers:
- I know you're a lawyer and sworn to defend, but how do you try to convince a jury that this guy deserves to live? How can you be a defense lawyer to a terrorist who smiles during the distribution of pictures of charred bodies and body parts from that day? Who shouts "Burn all Pentagon next time!" and "God curse you all, God bless Osama!" repeatedly throughout his trial? How can you look at yourself in the mirror? Or maybe they don't.
- Do we give this guy the death penalty and let him think he's going off to his 72 black-eyed virgins, or do we decide to let him live and lock him up for the rest of his life? One way, he's a martyr; the next, the taxpayers get to support him. (Unless someone finds a way to sneak him into general population by 'accident' - in which case, he's worm food.)
- Does anyone else read these articles - especially about the playing of the Flight 93 recorder at the trial - and feel their chest tighten up, like you're in the plane with them? Because I can't get the fear these people must have felt (or a fraction, because I can't even imagine to be honest) out of my system; it just takes over.
I just have this horrible feeling that this won't be over. Not the trial, the horror. It's going to dull for some, I'm sure, but I think it'll always be with us.
Are there any answers? Or is this just one of those things that has no answer, it's just there and what makes you crazy after a while is the realization that none of it makes any sense and none of it has any answer. It's completely without reason or logic and that's what causes the chaos in my brain, because I need for things to be tied up to go on. Mike always tells me that if I just started accepting that sometimes, things don't have closure or don't make sense, I'd be a lot calmer. White it's nice in theory, in practice I just can't wrap my brain around it.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
I don't even watch this show...
Your TV Mom is Lorelai Gilmore
Which TV Mom Are You?
Brought to you by Tickle
I don't watch Gilmore Girls, but somehow I've ended up being Lorelai.
Can you tell it's an exciting day at work for me? ;-)
Your TV Mom is Lorelai Gilmore
Which TV Mom Are You?
Brought to you by Tickle
I don't watch Gilmore Girls, but somehow I've ended up being Lorelai.
Can you tell it's an exciting day at work for me? ;-)
What Happened to Kyan??
You need a date with Jai
Which Queer Eye Is Right for You?
Brought to you by Tickle
Why do I get stuck with Jai?
You need a date with Jai
Which Queer Eye Is Right for You?
Brought to you by Tickle
Why do I get stuck with Jai?
Monday, April 10, 2006
Ouch
Sidelined with a pulled calf muscle this morning. I'll try to stop sitting on my leg and see if it feels better in time for a yoga session when I get home from school tonight.
MIL was there as per usual this morning, for which I'm grateful, don't get me wrong. But she just sits there like a bump on a log while watching me run around like a lunatic trying to get my son moving, myself showered and dressed, and the two of us fed. Then, as I'm doing my best impression of a psychotic woman getting my son out the door, asks me, "Did you bring your lunch, Roe?" Instead of any of the first three responses that popped into my head, I evenly responded, "I didn't have time." And left.
Augh.
Sidelined with a pulled calf muscle this morning. I'll try to stop sitting on my leg and see if it feels better in time for a yoga session when I get home from school tonight.
MIL was there as per usual this morning, for which I'm grateful, don't get me wrong. But she just sits there like a bump on a log while watching me run around like a lunatic trying to get my son moving, myself showered and dressed, and the two of us fed. Then, as I'm doing my best impression of a psychotic woman getting my son out the door, asks me, "Did you bring your lunch, Roe?" Instead of any of the first three responses that popped into my head, I evenly responded, "I didn't have time." And left.
Augh.
FINISHED!!!
It's 12:29 a.m., I have to get up in 6 hours, but I'm done. Done, done, done. Now I just hope my teachers like what I've written.
I've eaten more comfort food this weekend than I have in eons, and only worked out once or twice. I've fallen off my Self Challenge wagon and I have to get back on.
I read an interesting article in the latest issue of Prevention - which I'll review here shortly - by Geneen Roth, who writes on emotional issues with food. She says that before we eat when we aren't hungry, we should ask what we are looking for and whether or not food will fill it. So this time, even though I was snacking on stuff that probably wasn't the best for me, or POINTS-wise even if it was healthy enough, I was at least cognizant that yes, I was eating this because I wanted someone to write my final project for me. I wanted to pull a good grade out of this class and I wanted to just relax. While I'm not sure Planter's 100-calorie cookie packs and Hello Kitty Fruit Snacks were able to provide that, at least I knew what I wanted from them. And I guess that's the difference between when I'd mindlessly eat before and now.
Tomorrow, it's back to business. I'm not going to stress myself out about catching up to the Self Challenge; I blew off a week and a half, and it's done. But nothing's stopping me from getting right back on the wagon. (Which is another big difference, because before I would have told myself that I blew it, completely disregarding the fact that I went for 6 1/2 weeks on this program and lost three pounds before my slump.)
I may not want to work out when I get up at 6:30 tomorrow, but I've got to start getting used to it. Because I'm tired of my best clothes being packed away for three years. Time to shake out the cute Ann Taylor sundresses I enjoyed the summer of 2002 in!
It's been a long weekend. A nice one, but a long one. And if I'm going to be worth a farthing in six hours, I'd better head to bed now. Thanks for sticking around.
It's 12:29 a.m., I have to get up in 6 hours, but I'm done. Done, done, done. Now I just hope my teachers like what I've written.
I've eaten more comfort food this weekend than I have in eons, and only worked out once or twice. I've fallen off my Self Challenge wagon and I have to get back on.
I read an interesting article in the latest issue of Prevention - which I'll review here shortly - by Geneen Roth, who writes on emotional issues with food. She says that before we eat when we aren't hungry, we should ask what we are looking for and whether or not food will fill it. So this time, even though I was snacking on stuff that probably wasn't the best for me, or POINTS-wise even if it was healthy enough, I was at least cognizant that yes, I was eating this because I wanted someone to write my final project for me. I wanted to pull a good grade out of this class and I wanted to just relax. While I'm not sure Planter's 100-calorie cookie packs and Hello Kitty Fruit Snacks were able to provide that, at least I knew what I wanted from them. And I guess that's the difference between when I'd mindlessly eat before and now.
Tomorrow, it's back to business. I'm not going to stress myself out about catching up to the Self Challenge; I blew off a week and a half, and it's done. But nothing's stopping me from getting right back on the wagon. (Which is another big difference, because before I would have told myself that I blew it, completely disregarding the fact that I went for 6 1/2 weeks on this program and lost three pounds before my slump.)
I may not want to work out when I get up at 6:30 tomorrow, but I've got to start getting used to it. Because I'm tired of my best clothes being packed away for three years. Time to shake out the cute Ann Taylor sundresses I enjoyed the summer of 2002 in!
It's been a long weekend. A nice one, but a long one. And if I'm going to be worth a farthing in six hours, I'd better head to bed now. Thanks for sticking around.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
More Things I Have Done to Stall My Final Assignment
- Watched Thursday's episode of Will & Grace on DVR
- Watched the "Where There's Smoke, There's Fish" episode of Good Eats (technically, this is research; Alton's book is one of the books in my assignment)
- Made granola
- Almost finished knitting my niece's bunny buddy for her Easter basket
- Created this blog entry
- Watched Thursday's episode of Will & Grace on DVR
- Watched the "Where There's Smoke, There's Fish" episode of Good Eats (technically, this is research; Alton's book is one of the books in my assignment)
- Made granola
- Almost finished knitting my niece's bunny buddy for her Easter basket
- Created this blog entry
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