Tuesday picks & pans

okay so it's not exactly Tuesday anymore, but I left home a day later than I planned, so you get your weekly picks and pans a day late too. So, here they are: Tuesday Picks & Pans- special Philly holiday edition :)

PICKS

seeing family-- there's nothing better! and the less I get to go home and the more things change in between trips, the more I miss not only my parents but all the extended family too.

seeing old friends-- a special shout out to Yvonne and Adam, who are part of the few high school friendships that have stood the test of time (all the time in school plus 6 years out!), making them absolutely priceless! Adam is always a blast to talk to and hang out with, and Yvonne has to be the sweetest person on earth and has always been a fantastic friend. Yvonne and I also randomly found out we both bought the same car... great minds think alike! (and love TSX's! hehehe) Hers, though, came with cool keychains and free car washes, and all I got was free manicures on Wednesdays. oh well :)

big cities-- I absolutely LOVE being in big cities! I had SO much fun walking through the Italian market and getting my usual cheesesteak at Pat's (mushroom provy with, baby!) And, although I probably would never want to live IN South Philly, it reminded me how much I love being in and around the city. And Philly especially is just an awesome place to be in general, no matter what you're looking for. There is nothing like getting a cannoli from an Italian bakery that's been open over 100 years and knowing you won't find anything like it anywhere near the country or even the suburbs. I really miss big cities and the uniqueness and all the different worlds of each one I've been able to spend time in.

Bertha the Christmas Tree-- yes, many of you know I name everything... Well, this year's tree was a little short but very round, so I named her Bertha. And if you're wondering where I got it from, I should tell you that when I was home I witnessed my mom talking to a fake feathered rooster, petting it, and calling it "him". yeah... Anyway, Bertha was a great tree; she was fun to decorate and made the holiday season festive in the house. And, she was a great Christmas plaything for the 4 cats in the house...

the great cannoli exchange-- sometimes family really comes through, and sometimes friends know you so well that they stop questioning your craziness :) So, when I was upset that I had gotten the wrong type of cannoli filling and potentially wasted a rare Italian market experience, my brother offered to trade me one of his cheese ones for my vanilla. And when I told Yvonne that we had to be in Oxford Valley at 9:30 that night to trade cannolis, she oddly just laughed and said okay. hehehe. and, just as a note-- the traded cannoli was the best I have ever had in my life!

Philly shopping-- woohoo Macy's!!!! and woohoo no sales tax on clothes in Pennsylvania!!!! the half price calendars (gotta get the daily Dilbert fix) and the H&M access also made it a great after Christmas shopping experience, even though I never quite made it to KoP.

my new iPod-- this was a fantastic Christmas present!!! I am so excited about it, and it's already been a great gym accessory. but, I do not understand what it has against Dashboard Confessional! Everything on my CD's imported fine except for half of my Dashboard album and the ONE Dashboard song on my new Y100 Sonic Sessions CD. WTF?! Anyway, my iPod needs a name since it looks a lot like Pete (the Palm Pilot) but right now is just kinda there and white. Any ideas? hehehehehehe


PANS

AIG-- since I work for the insurance company ranked second nationally in customer satisfaction (reference jdpower.com for the complete list), I have room here to complain. My mom unfortunately got into an accident in her brand new Outback. After not paying attention to the contact info my dad had given them and not even calling for 3 days, AIG finally took a statement. Then they told her it was probably totalled, but they aren't even going to LOOK at it for another week from now to make a decision and settle the claim. WHAT?! there wasn't any injury and the car is a wreck-- this should be the quickest type of claim to handle! and even though they gave my dad a car last time, they told him he has no rental coverage. And even if he did they'd only cover $20 a day for like 5 days, so even if he had it they would stop covering it before they even checked out the loss! isn't that absolutely ridiculous?! THIS is why you should have your insurance with a company that actually CARES about GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!! k moving on...

the Eagles game on Monday-- yes I know they're trying to keep everyone healthy, but playing all second stringers? what a disappointing game to watch. I just hope they regain the intensity for the playoffs...

Roy Williams (the guy who took out T.O.)-- I know it was a legal tackle and all, but did anyone else see it?! how could someone NOT get hurt when they get dragged down like that?! And this isn't the first time Roy Williams has seriously hurt someone with that type of hit. it's not right.

work-- deserves to make every list. work just sucks. even if I like my job sometimes, it's still something I have to do every single freaking day just to afford to live on my own and have a car. booooooo adult responsibility. it's only been 2 and a half years and I'm already over it.

snow and ice-- winter sucks. this is why I moved south, although I think down got hit worse than at home. weird. at least I missed it all down here though...

driving-- six hour trips alone just suck. I used to think road trips were fun, but now I am sooo sick of driving. Plus, driving is expensive! The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel costs $12 each way and gas in Bucks is $.40 more expensive than the same stuff in VA Beach! I am either going to fly everywhere from now on or get a travel buddy...

having to leave-- the more time there is between visiting my parents, the more I realize how old they're getting. And, the more I see them getting older, the more selfish I feel for living 6 hours away and doing my own thing, since no one in my family has ever really lived all that far away. Maybe that's dumb. I don't know. I do know, though, that after an absolutely fantastic week at home, it was very hard to come back, even though I really like Virginia Beach and my life here. Life is weird sometimes.

ok Steph is forcing me to go to the gym tonight and I have a TON of unpacking to do, so I'm off. Or, maybe I'll just play with my new iPod and import music instead of all that... hmmm... :Þ

Merry Christmas!

Hello all! Today my blogging comes to you from good ol' Bucks County, PA, where I am happily holed up until Tuesday or so. It's so nice to come home every now and then...

Anyway, first of all, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! I hope everyone had an absolutely fantastic holiday with plenty of joy and good cheer. I know I did, and it's not really over yet.

Many of you don't know that it is only in recent years that my family has started to value Christmas traditions. In fact, this is only the third year since I was VERY young that we've had a Christmas tree! Now, many of you will say that Christmas silliness doesn't matter and that family and all that is what really matters. And, I mostly agree. But, having family traditions I think gives even more meaning to what you already have, so I am very appreciative for all that we have and do.

In our family, we do just as my grandparemts did and decorate our tree on Christmas Eve. Yes, it's late, but it's fun :) We put on Christmas music (which I learned a few years ago must apparently be things like Handel's Messiah and not include any Elvis) and then we trim the tree and finally add the star, taking a few breaks during to eat the family's famous chocolate mint cookies. We also of course go to church on Christmas Eve, although we decided to skip the usual late service for 7:00 service this year. I only wish when I came home my church stayed the same. It has changed sooo much in the last few years that I barely realize I'm in the same place I grew up.

But this year's service was unique, because I actually got to see people I haven't seen in years, and that's always fun. I think the weirdest spotting, though, was my high school ex's sister... When I saw her I did a double take! And, it turned out her parents were there, and I really don't think I've seen any of them since high school at least, but they were all still as ridiculously loving and friendly as they were then. Very weird. Josh, meanwhile, was with his brother and their wives' families (they married sisters!) And, both couples are expecting. Life is crazy sometimes. He hadn't really dated anyone either between me and her. Joel is also married now to the girl he dated after me. This is starting to get a little weird. It's been kind of a weird ex week anyway, because after my horrendous date on Saturday, I have started to think back through old relationships-- it's kind of like- with horrible choices like this, why couldn't I make relationships work with people I actually click with?! Now some (like Joel) I have no desire to ever even think about rekindling, but you get what I mean. I guess eventually the right one will come along, right? It's weird, though, because honestly I don't even feel like I'm ready to settle down right now. And, if I date someone, I certainly don't want to make it serious until I know it's something I really want. But, at the same time, I talk to my old friends and hear about their husbands and their kids and all, and sometimes it's hard not to wonder whether I'm inside or outside the norm. I guess I'm just gonna keep going with the flow and see what happens.

In other issues, my aunt told me tonight that I am getting a Southern accent! WHAT?! NO!!!! lol. She couldn't tell me exactly what I said that did it, but still. This may be something I have to work on. I am a PHILLY girl dammit! Not that I don't love VA Beach and all, but I figure at this point in my life I am pretty transient. So, even though I could be living just about anywhere, I will ALWAYS be from Philly, and that's how I plan to keep it :Þ

Anyway, I hope all of you have great Christmas breaks. I would of course love to hear about all the things you guys are doing and what family traditions you guys have and all. We are going to visit my Dad's side of the family tomorrow, including my Aunt who is visiting from California, so that should be a blast. I am also planning on catching up with Adam and hopefully Yvonne while I'm home, which is always one of my favorite things about being here. If you happen to be reading this and are also in the area right now, give me a ring! :) In between the relaxing and the catching up, my brother and I are planning on getting cheesesteaks and visiting the Italian market in South Philly, my dad and I will be gymming, and of COURSE I will be visiting Macy's! If I get in a mood I will probably also be doing some KoPing. woohoo! So, even though I always end up running around on my vacations, I am absolutely loving the break from both the daily grind and work itself. I hope you are also all having the same fun!!!

Well, I am off to break up the latest cat fight (having 4 cats in the same house is probably not the best idea!), so I am off for now. Plus, after that I have lots of iPod importing to do (woohoo!). If I don't blog again, I will see you all Tuesday when I get home :)

g'night, God bless, and Merry Christmas.

Tuesday picks & pans

ok kids, here are your weekly picks and pans. Yup, this is my time of week to let it all out, get on my soapbox, and basically just share my opinions on whatever I feel like opining on. It's kind of liberating! :)

And, just a note, right before I wrote this I realized that just about every blog I do starts with "ok". hmmm. Maybe that's because everything I say in real life also does-- i.e. "okay so like here's the thing!" hehehehe. anyway, back to the blog...

PICKS

hip hop classes-- some of you know I've been taking these at the gym, but I think very few of you understand how much I really like them! Now, I probably look really stupid, but I'm coordinated enough to pick the routines up really quickly, so then I just get to dance the whole time. All in all, it's an hour and a half every week that is definitely well spent!

holiday light shows-- we visited the Oceanfront's light show this past weekend, which was really fun! Now, there is probably nothing cheesier than putting Santa in all sorts of beach scenes (Santa windsurfing?!), but hey it's all in the festive name of Christmas. next stop: the show at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, which I imagine has to be amazing like the gardens themselves.

instant heat-- one of the new things I love about my car (and most of the new cars out there)-- within a minute of being on the road, even when my temp thing is still on cold, my butt and I are very toasty :) It makes me very very happy, especially since most of you know I HATE cold weather!

the Council Rock drum cadence-- I'm going to have to explain this one I know... Well, my brother told me about this site that has the cadence from our marching band years on it. Back in the day, CR's band was a force to be reckoned with, with 250 people and a long tradition of superiority in both marching and music. My brother and I each spent our high school lives in the band, with both of us getting our first European experiences through it as well as good years with great friends (and no I was not your typical band geek!) The cadence we marched to was kind of the epitome of the band-- while most bands were marching to classic rim taps, CR had this cadence as a tradition that had much more-- bells, real rhythm, and even the band yelling. When people heard it, they knew Council Rock was coming, and in the band we knew it was showtime and we automatically raised our heads with pride. And, while there are few things about high school I care about now, the idea that the cadence is no longer played bothered me more than I thought it would. When CR got split into North and South, the cadence faded away at both schools along with all of the traditions of the past-- everything we used to do is now called "old school". I saw a picture of the band (North's) yesterday: the band is half the size, they wear different uniforms, and they even call their flags "colorguard". I know it shouldn't really matter, but since it was such a big part of my high school experience, it just kinda makes me sad. So, here's to the cadence and all it stands for, and here's to remembering the past and celebrating tradition.

boats-- maybe it's the Beach in me that's finally starting to come out, but I've decided I really like being on the water! Even something simple like Friday's Spirit of Norfolk cruise was fun.

Harris Teeter-- by far my fave grocery store, and the only place I can get my fave wine: Fat Bastard Chardonnay. Now, you're probably wondering why a grocery store is on my blog list, but I just appreciate classy places with good service and fresh food. They make me happy :)

The Simpsons-- every now and then I remember how much I like the Simpsons, especially when I catch one of the more clever episodes. Today's interpretation of Homer and of Hamlet had me absolutely in stitches.

Harry Potter-- woohooooo! new book in July!


PANS

Cox Cable-- Some of you have heard about my famous moment at work, when I went down the stairs screaming "I HATE COX!" (yes, it would sound bad if you didn't realize I was talking about the cable company...) So what did they do this time? WELL, they've been advertising their new DVR service (like Tivo) for $4.99 a month, which I thought would be really fun to have. But, upon further investigation I found out there is NO WAY to get it without also renting their box for another $9.95 a month! So really it is IMPOSSIBLE to get it for $4.99, yet that's all they advertise! That should somehow be illegal. grrrrrrr.

cell phone #'s being released to telemarketers-- if your cell # isn't registered with Do Not Call, make sure you do it soon!!! It makes me SO mad that this is happening-- now I'm going to have to use my minutes for calls I don't want?! I registered and all, but there are still companies that qualify as being allowed to call you. If that happens, they are going to get a piece of my mind.

taxes-- yes I know they are a part of life and all, but I actually took the time to look at my paycheck last week when we were talking about profit sharing. It is there that I found out that $17,000 of my money has gone to taxes this year! $17,000!!!!!!!!!!! WTF?! And you know what else makes me mad? knowing how at least some of it is being spent, and who may or may not be getting it. That is my really freaking hard earned money. And that's all I have to say about that before I let all of my politics out and piss a bunch of you off.

the decline of grammar-- It is very sad to me that people do not know how to speak correctly. The worst part is, I think in many cases people are never even taught to speak correctly as if it isn't even important! There's a commercial that has the phrase "I can't feel my leg no more" and another one that has the most obviously incorrect subject verb agreement I have ever heard. Now, I know I am not always perfect either (hey you see the hell of the Internet informality that IS my blog), but if I ever have a doubt, that's what my Quick Access from college is for :) I just think the whole idea of losing language is a shame.

rude people-- many of you get road rage, well, I get rude people rage! People that are inconsiderate or just flat out rude really make me MAD-- for instance, the people in the back of the line that go to the newly opened check out that asks for the "next customer" or the people on their cell phones in public places (like RESTAURANTS) that act like you WANT to hear their whole conversations. ooooh. I know I shouldn't stay mad about stuff like this, but it really drives me nuts.

working too much-- I had a dream last week that there were 28 calls on hold, I couldn't figure out what gates people were in, service people I don't even know ransacked my apartment, and there were people on my shift waiting for me crying that I hadn't been there to help them! Yes, this is proof I work way too much.

T.O.-- gone for now but not forgotten! I STILL BELIEVE!!!!!! Todd Pinkston doesn't drop every pass that comes to him, really! :(

ok I am headed home in a few days so I will catch you all in a little while. Have a safe and happy holiday!!!

fun randomness!

ok I know I've already posted today, but this was so fun I just had to add it. So, enjoy! and figure out yours too! hehehehe :)

YOUR PORN STAR NAME: (Name of First Pet + Street You Grew Up On):
-Misty Lehigh

YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME: (Name of Your Favorite Snack Food + Grandfather's First Name):
-Triscuit Vince

YOUR FASHION DESIGNER NAME: (First Word You See on your Left + Favorite Restaurant):
-Alpha Rockafeller

EXOTIC FOREIGNER ALIAS: (Favorite Spice or Herb + Foreign Vacation Spot):
-Basil Venice

SOCIALITE ALIAS: (Silliest Childhood Nickname + Town where you grew up):
-Babes Richboro

"FLY GIRL" ALIAS (a la J. Lo): (First Initial + First Two or Three Letters of your Last Name):
-L.Co.

ICON ALIAS: (Something Sweet Within Sight + Any Liquid in Kitchen):
-Hershey Beaujolais

DETECTIVE ALIAS: (Favorite Baby Animal + Where You Went/Go to High School):
-Kitten Council Rock (okay that's dumb)

BARFLY ALIAS: (Last Snack Food You Ate + Alcoholic Drink):
-Macaroni Cosmo

SOAP OPERA ALIAS: (Middle Name + Street Where You First Lived):
-Ann Harmony

ROCK STAR ALIAS: (Favorite Candy + Last Name Of Favorite Singer):
-Starburst Duritz

YOUR JEDI NAME: (First 2-3 letters of your first name + First 2-3 letters of your last name + First 2-3 letters of your mother's maiden name + First 2-3 letters of your birthplace):
-ElColFitHar

hehehehehehehe :Þ

weekend recap

okay here we go... sorry this is a day late :) This weekend was pretty eventful... It started pretty normally, with a low key night Friday watching TV and seeing the holiday lights at the Oceanfront, and then of course I worked my early shift Saturday. but then came Saturday night...

anyway, I should tell the best story first, since it's the one all of you have been asking about. It's gonna be long to type out, so I'm apologizing in advance for the book. :)

so... let me tell you about my date. ummm yeah. Well, first of all, I was telling my team at work in the morning that I was a little wary anyway, because he seemed to be pretty indecisive. And for those of you who know me, I like guys that will step up and can be in control. And, although Ri warned me not to have any preconceived negativity, it turns out I should have listened to my gut!

I'll start from the beginning: I showed up at the mall (he wouldn't pick a restaurant, so I had to meet him at the mall) in my classy but sexy black pants outfit. I looked hot. Well, then I see him, and what is he wearing? JEANS AND SNEAKERS and a flannelish button down plaid shirt! boys, if you're reading this, DO NOT wear jeans to a first date. please! ok so anyway, that was strike one. Well, then we went to get in his car to go to dinner. He says, "Don't worry, I'm parked right over here" as I look around trying to figure out which car he could be talking about. Well, it turns out his was the boat of a 1985 station wagon. ummm yeah. Strike two, buddy. Ok so I end up picking the restaurant (figuring you can't go wrong at Vivo) and we sit down to eat. I quickly pick Penne alla Vodka, which is one of my favorites. And he orders a salad. YES, I said SALAD. He couldn't even pronounce the name of it (Santorini! not hard!) Oh but we're not done the food stories yet-- THEN the waiter brings the bread. He pours some olive oil onto a plate and adds some fresh parmesan. yumm. So my date looks at me with a weird look on his face and says, "what's that?" WTF?! I say "ummmm olive oil." He still has a weird look on his face. "What's in it?" Figuring he just doesn't eat Italian very often I tell him it's cheese. "Oh." he says. "I thought it was some sort of powdered butter or something." Yes, this was strike three. He's already out and there's STILL MORE. We have nothing to talk about even though we've talked on the phone for hours, so I now realize he can't carry on a conversation, even when I try to start one. He also "likes songs that tell stories" and can't understand why I would like going to restaurants that aren't chains. And when I ask him what he normally does on weekends, he says he stays at home alone and works on his house. Yeah, no.

Anyway, after WAY too long, our waiter finally brings the check, and thank god things are over. We get back in the boat to go back. I asked him what else is in this area (I don't know Chesapeake very well-- I thought he should've sucked it up and come to the Beach for the first date but oh well) and he tells me there's a Barnes & Noble. I love Barnes & Noble and tell him so, and he tells me he spent hours there reading last night! yay maybe we have something in common! But then he tells me what he was reading: a COMIC BOOK! oh well at this point I'm not surprised. So, we get back to my car, and I don't know what to say, so I thank him for dinner and basically say see you later. woohoo homefree! well, almost anyway. As I am getting out of the car, he stops me and says he'll call me when he gets back from the holidays so we can go out again. WHAT?! HELLOOOOOOOOO! he obviously, on top of everything else, cannot take a hint. But, I finally got home and was free despite the complete waste of my time.

Luckily, though, when I had called Steph from the bathroom for my mini venting, she told me she and Linda were going out and although I didn't want to at first, she convinced me I needed to come. Well, I'm glad I did! We went dancing at Tiki, where we met some fun new boys. They hung out with us, danced with us, and bought us drinks all night. And after last call, they even got us into an exclusive after hours club, which was awesome since we've always heard about it but never been there. They even paid the expensive cover for us and paid for all of our beer! woohoo! But, they got annoying, and we were just trying to have a good time and certainly never asked for them to pay for all that stuff for us, so we cut ties with them and went home at about 4:30am. What a good time, though. It ended up being another 24 hour day for me, but it was a blast! Now, the hangover the next day wasn't very much fun (I don't think I have ever drank all night like that), but I guess that's the price you pay. And although I don't drink like that very often, every time I do I swear I'm going to give up drinking for good! We'll see how long that lasts :)

Today, though, I FINALLY finished my Christmas shopping! woohooo! My team and I also calculated some possible profit sharing checks we could get, and although it's not until February, I am already pretty damn excited. It's even better to think about after seeing all the money I just spent for Christmas! OH! I also read something the other day that I thought was crazy! Maybe it's just me, though. Tell me your opinion:

There was an article in a magazine I read that was about holiday etiquette and one question specifically dealt with gifts. "Miss Manners" in the course of this answer basically said that giving anyone a list of what you want is rude, since it is saying that you expect a gift and that is inherently rude. Also, it said that if someone gives you something you don't want, they would want you to have what you want, so you shouldn't feel any shame in asking for the receipt to return it if you don't like it. What?! I don't know, maybe I was raised weird, but we always make informal Christmas lists in my family. That doesn't mean we expect anything or everything on it, but it makes everyone's shopping easier if we decide to use it. Maybe it would be nicer to get all thoughtful gifts, but I don't think there's anything rude about making a list! And, I was also raised that if someone takes the time to pick out a gift for you, you shouldn't ask to return it unless it is the wrong size or something, because that's almost saying that you don't appreciate what they got you. I have mixed feelings on this, but I can't forget the one year I exchanged the watch my parents bought me-- under the influence of Joel, whose family returned everything, I brought back the watch my parents bought me (they had given me the receipt to go get links taken out) for a nicer one that I liked a lot better. Well, when I got home and told my parents, the look of upset on my mother's face and her telling me how she had picked out one she thought I'd like and was sorry I hadn't just about killed me. I felt so horrible. Now, I think that people should have things they want... I don't know, maybe's there's a line somewhere or a compromise here. Weigh in and let me know what you think on this stuff.

Anyway, I am off to enjoy the rest of my Monday, which means there's no way in hell I am going to taekwondo. After getting my black belt, the stuff I used to hate about going is magnified, since I already achieved what I worked so hard for. I need a new goal. Anyone have any ideas for a new challenge or something new and fun to do?

ok I'm off. Everyone have a good week and a happy holiday!!!!

on the bandwagon

ok I'm going to be like the 5th person to steal this for my blog... but I agree with everyone else-- it's a different twist on the classic that's kind of fun. screw whether or not it's egomaniacal-- it's my blog! :) and these are always fun to read, so if you don't have a blog, copy it and email it to me!!!!

Anyway, I'll post the weekend recap including date stories either tonight or tomorrow. You're going to want to hear about this one!!! For now, here's my version...

Last Curse Word Uttered: fucking, as in "I couldn't fucking believe it" when telling Steph about my date
Last Compliment: ummm I guess my team complimenting my hair
Last Big Car Ride: to Pittsburgh this summer
Last Kiss: sometime this summer
Last Good Cry: I don't know, but I've been feeling like I need one
Last Movie Seen: "Bridget Jones: the Edge of Reason"
Last Phone Call: Brandon
Last Shoes Worn: old icky black shoes because they're comfier to dance in
Last CD Played: a mix CD with all sorts of fun stuff
Last Disappointment: finding out I may not get an iPod for Christmas

I AM: a brat
I WANT: my profit sharing check
I HAVE: Christmas shopping to do
I WISH: the world were perfect
I MISS: my family & friends
I FEAR: spiders
I SEARCH FOR: new adventures
I WONDER: if soulmates exist
I REGRET: the times I've messed up things with people I care about
I LOVE: reminiscing
I ALWAYS: win
I AM NOT: catty
I DANCE: better after a few drinks :)
I SING: along with everything
I CRY: when everything I've bottled up comes out
I WIN: the lottery (oops, wishful thinking)
I LOSE: all of my pens
I CONFUSE: my team all the time
I SHOULD: eat better

Three things you are often complimented for: hair, work success, knowledge of completely useless trivia
You get embarrassed when: I really fuck up
What upsets you: rude or immature people
You keep a diary: infrequently
You like to cook: mashed potatoes
You have a secret you have not shared with anyone: of course
You bite your fingernails: not really
You believe in love: sometimes
You have a(any) crush(es): yes. crushes are harmless fun
Want to get married: yes. I want the whole deal.
Get along with your parents: usually

SIGN: Taurus
BIRTHDAY: 5-12-80
BORN: Hartford, Connecticut
BEST FRIEND: I hate this question. Steph, and more spread out other places

(FAVORITES )
NUMBER: 20
COLOR: purple
DAY: Saturday
MONTH: May
SONG: way too many to be a complete list: Matchbox 20- Real World, DMB- #41 and Dreaming Tree, Counting Crows- Recovering the Satellites, Indigo Girls- Closer to Fine, Simon & Garfunkel- Sound of Silence...
FOOD: pasta
SEASON: spring
BAND: Counting Crows, Simon & Garfunkel, Matchbox 20, Maroon 5, Five for Fighting, u2...
DRINK: Pepsi
SUBJECT: 20th century history
BOOK: The Great Gatsby, Pride & Prejudice, The Joy Luck Club, Harry Potter...
SHOW: Gilmore Girls

CUDDLE OR MAKE OUT?: make out
CHOCOLATE MILK, OR HOT CHOCOLATE?: hot chocolate
VANILLA OR CHOCOLATE?: vanilla
STRAWBERRY OR GRAPE: strawberry
CRUNCHY OR SMOOTH: smooth
LED ZEPPELIN OR THE WHO: either
HIPPIES OR SKATERS: neither
DROWNING OR FALLING FROM A TALL BUILDING: falling- feel less and probably more fun on the way down
SPEND OR SAVE: spend unfortunately
CAR OR TRUCK: CAR
WALK OR RUN: run as long as my knees hold up
DAY OR NIGHT: daylight, night fun
BLACK OR WHITE: both: the cookie
GAY OR STRAIGHT: for me? straight. my friends? who cares
BUFFY OR ANGEL: ???

(IN THE LAST 24 HOURS, HAVE YOU.... )
CRIED?: yes. stupid.
HELPED SOMEONE: yes
BOUGHT SOMETHING: had a lot of things bought for me...
GONE TO THE MOVIES?: no
GONE OUT FOR DINNER?: yes
SAID "I LOVE YOU"?: no
WRITTEN A REAL LETTER?: no
TALKED TO AN EX?: no thank god
MISSED AN EX?: yes unfortunately
HAD A SERIOUS TALK?: yes
MISSED SOMEONE?: yes
HUGGED SOMEONE?: yes
KISSED SOMEONE?: no
FOUGHT WITH A FRIEND?: no

First crush: Eric Washer in CT
First boyfriend/girlfriend you cried over: Josh
First fight: my brother I'm sure
First best friend: Robyn Adams
First concert: Petra & Newsboys! lol. or if that doesn't count, I think it was DMB.
First time you drank: college. i was late. unfortunately i seem to have been making up for it ever since.

Learn Something New! :)

okay today was a decent day. First of all, Steph and I finally convinced my boss to send us to a bike show TOGETHER! and where do we get to go? SAN ANTONIO!!!!!!!!! woohoooo!!!! So when it's still cold here in March, we'll be taking a nice 5 day expense-paid vacation to sunny Texas. I am BEYOND thrilled! I also found out today that there's a possibility that I may actually get my dream shift! No definites whatsoever, but every time new supes are hired, people usually move around, so we'll see.

And, although the above events were quite fantastic, they were not the most fun part of my day. So what was? Well, let me tell you a story:
At the transition huddle I just happened to be involved in this morning, Tish kind of guilted me into going to the Books Are Fun fair downstairs, so I went and shopped. When I was done looking, I was about to check out, when a very small purple cover caught my eye: The Hiphoptionary. I thought it would be fun, especially to coincide with my late and great hip hop class talents :Þ, so I picked it up and turned to a page. And on that page, as I announced to Steph, Bill, and Teresa, I learned that "off the wanger" was a way to say "good"! Who knew?! Well, when I made this announcement, I noticed a few heads other than the cycle peoples' also turned. And when I made my next comment, "I'm going to tell one of my people, 'That call was off the wanger!'" (total cheesy company humor), a bunch of people at the book fair started laughing! So, I decided at that moment that the comedic value of this book would far outweigh the $9 purchase price. And I was right! My team was cracking up all day with their new vocabulary (or maybe just at me because I was enjoying it way too much...), and I can't imagine how slow the day would've been without it.

So, since we were so amused, I am passing along some of my new wisdom to all of you. Enjoy the words, the definitions, and my ideas for their conversational applications, or what I like to call "Hiphoplish". hehehehe this is fun! :)

"are you ready to throw down?"= call to party
Lisa's example use: Are you ready to throw down and go shopping?

"backyard boogy"= bad
Lisa's example use: Yo you are not some backyard boogy ass.

"baller blocker"= someone who stands in the way of success
Lisa's example use: You (name withheld) are a catty, jealous baller blocker! :Þ

"cock diesel"= big and muscular
Lisa's example use: I want a man that's cock diesel!!!

"89th key"= the voice
Lisa's example use: You are all very far away so instead of using my 89th key, I blog!

"jump-street"= the start
Lisa's example use: At the jump-street of this post I was excited, but now I'm tired of typing!

"kick it to you"= pass along
Lisa's example use: Don't worry if you didn't get my recent home phone # change; I'll kick it to you.

"pop that pussy"= dance hard and sexy
Lisa's example use: Give me some alcohol and a club on a Saturday night and I'll pop that pussy.

"running crew"= hanging buddies
Lisa's example use: Hey ya'll! Wanna be my running crew?

Hehehehehe. Ok so these probably weren't the intended uses, but hey I'm cracking myself up here! :) Hope you at least gained a new phrase or two to use at work (or in school) tomorrow! I'll be back Sunday for the weekend recap, because Friday nights are always early nights (damn 6am Saturdays), and Saturday night I have a date! wish me luck! lol ok gnight all!

Tuesday picks & pans

yes it's that time again! Here are your Tuesday picks and pans. And, since I have basically completely wasted all of my days off this week, this week's "picks" list includes some of my new favorite internet sites for your surfing pleasure :) So without further ado...

PICKS

getting packages in the mail-- nope, still hasn't lost its appeal after college. random packages are always more fun, but even getting stuff you ordered is a good time!

AHL hockey-- Not even including Saturday's fun, I can't think of a single game I've been to that hasn't been a blast. Plus, it's cheap! For under $20 you can get what I like to call the "perfect game package": a great seat and a jumbo beer :)

Ford's decision to discontinue the Excursion-- 10 miles per gallon?! thank god people wised up and stopped buying these! ridiculous!!!

old comfy clothes-- I just wore my college softball sweatshirt today for the first time probably since I graduated. And even though it's lost most of its softness, just the worn-in comfort and the memories that go with it make it priceless.

cute pets-- my cat, Truman, loves to carry around his fuzzballs in his mouth in between his bouts of chasing them around the apartment. well, every now and then he doesn't think, and he goes to get a drink of water and drops the ball in his water bowl in the process. Then of course the water is ruined, so I have to take the time to clean it out and get new water for him. But, I think it's so cute that every time I see the fuzzball in his water bowl and the blank look on his face, I can't help but smile. :)

make W dance-- you can even add lights and music! hehehe. who knew he could move?! Although, if you've ever seen old pictures of him you might agree he was HOT when he was young...

try your hand at business-- I am completely addicted to this site!!! it gives you a month to try to earn a profit selling lemonade at a lemonade stand, keeping in mind each day's weather and the cost of resources. My best profit so far is only about $100-- see how well you do!

top secret recipes-- ever wondered how some of your favorite restaurant dishes are made? Check here to try them yourself.

time capsule-- enter a date and click the quick search option. it gives you prices of stuff, headlines, popular songs... all sorts of fun about the day you were born!

HTML code for newbies-- this is a great site to learn how to do stuff. and it's written for kids so it's easy to follow

the excuse list-- could come in very handy! hehehe

the Twinkie Project-- I laughed out loud! Go here if you've ever wondered such things as how twinkies react to radioactivity...


PANS

moving down-- this was somehow the underlying theme of the weekend, whether it was jerk hockey man ("naaaaah I don't think so, move down- you're in our seats") or late church lady & her family ("but we have four people!") My opinion on this matter: if you want good seats, get there on time. Or at least be gracious about making people move! disclaimer: hockey man was right, we had moved into his seats for more space after the game had started, and actually he turned out to be fun, so he is forgiven :)

internet shopping-- sometimes this is a pick, but after having to order presents for my team from two different places because of problems and then STILL not having all of them yet, this week it is definitely a pan. tip: order from big well-known places!

Golden Globe nominations-- why 4 of the 5 Desperate Housewives stars?! Poor Eva Longoria.

The NHL-- enough of this lock out business. this is getting silly.

steroids-- there is a rumor that there won't be any penalty for the known steroid users that have come forward in baseball. So you're telling me that I should just accept that Barry Bonds can keep 7 MVP's, his place among baseball's best on the all time homerun list, AND his numerous other awards even though he CHEATED?! how is this possible when other athletes (i.e. Paul Hamm) who did nothing wrong are asked to give up GOLD MEDALS for mistakes they didn't even make? This is BS.

discontinued products-- I just got addicted to Bath & Body Works White Tea and Ginger, but they've already stopped making it! This may go on a new ebay search like my Revlon Outrageous... really, though, there's nothing worse than loving a product that leaves production. how frustrating.

lack of quality stores in VA Beach-- ok so I know I've whined a lot about the lack of Macy's, but there's another one that needs to go on this list: We need a Container Store!!!!! And not just because it's the best store ever other than Macy's (:Þ), but also because it was named the 3rd best place to work in the country. I think I'll write a letter :) Other great stores missing from this area: Ikea, H&M, Chipotle, and Einstein Bagels

carb counting-- Okay when A.J. Gator's (a sports bar) features a low-carb menu and Wal-Mart is stocking low carb peaches (huh?!), there is definitely something wrong! AHHHHH I can't wait for this craze to be over!!!

Patrick Combs' website-- If you've never heard of him (I certainly hadn't), he's a guy that cashed a $95,000 advertisement check just for fun. Well, it got CASHED and he wrote the story of his adventure on a website! I was riveted, reading through it even though it's LONG, only to discover that there's no link to the final chapter. The last page is a link to buy his DVD. It says there's a link at the bottom to the end, but I couldn't find it. That really pissed me off.

ok back to your normally scheduled programming :) and as always, feel free to comment if you agree or disagree with any of my choices. later all!

weekend recap

Once again, here's your Sunday weekend recap... and today's edition is brought to you by the number "26" and the letter "S". (it's Steph's birthday! wish her a happy one! :Þ)

well, as some of you know, this was probably the worst week of work ever in my life. But, some good came out of it: I learned what I need to care about and what I don't, and I also figured out who I can trust (females are somehow low on the list) and who I can't. All in all, it was completely exhausting!!! SO, I pretty much needed a completely mindless weekend to recover from it. And that's exactly what I had.

For those of you out there who have ever been to a hockey game, you know that games are fun anyway. But what do you get when you combine scrappy minor league hockey players, 500 fans for the OTHER team, and coahes who hate each other? THE BEST HOCKEY GAME EVER!!!! Now, the Virginian-Pilot does not quite agree, but what do they know?! Anyway, the two teams has played the night before, so I guess there was already some built up hostility, because they were fighting within the first 2 minutes! But the highlight of the night was the 10 minute brawl right after the first period, started by the coaches, that included everyone on the ice (yes, refs too) and was the best goalie-on-goalie action I've ever seen. hehehe. now apparently some people thought the madness that ensued was inappropriate, but what else do you go to hockey games for?! And, after drinking the world's biggest beers ever (oops), we definitely thought it was well worth the price of admission.

Well, the rest of the weekend wasn't quite as exciting. Steph and I by accident ended up in a redneck bar with a bunch of drunks singing country karaoke. Luckily, though, we kick ass at NTN trivia (the "Bobsey Twins" return!), so the night wasn't a complete waste! Otherwise, we continued the church search and new brunch tradition today but so far haven't found anything perfect.

I would like to thank ABC for airing a new and very fun episode of Desperate Housewives tonight! A great twist at the end too... The Eagles, however, at press time are only winning 10-7 over the SAD PATHETIC Redskins! Let's pick it up, boys! I think this is a good example of lack of motivation, considering they're the only legitimate Super Bowl contender in the conference right now. oh well, we'll see how it goes. Let's make it 12-1, baby!!!!

I also would like to send a special thanks to my father for sending me some more RAM so my computer can actually run at its intended speed. But, I CANNOT BELIEVE that my parents have spoiled our Christmas gift for the third year in a row!!!! You'd think by now they'd understand the concept of NOT buying themselves things right before Christmas! AHHHH!

Oh, and for those of you in suspense, my fun young engineer did call, although I couldn't talk at the time :) But there's some potential fun for tomorrow anyway...

One last note-- I have been very lazy with Christmas cards (in other words, I haven't even started them!), so if you don't get one from me, it's not because I don't love you! :) There's something very un-magical about the holidays this year, although I haven't quite put my finger on what yet.

So, to continue my weekend of laziness, I am off. I hope all of you had great weekends and great upcoming weeks! Good night.

the jungle

ok I don't have too much energy, so I'm not going to write too much tonight. And anything I DID have left has been zapped by hour long work arguments and a glass of Williamsburg Wine. But, I do have some comments right now on men, so I am going to post them and post them honestly (probably way more honestly than I normally do-- blame it on the wine even though it was only one glass!) If you happen to be male, please comment, because I would like your perspective! I know most of you that read everyday and that my loyal readers are female (the Internet is a wonderful thing), but hey we'll see.

ok, so, I am a 24 year old who is currently single. And, although I'm not going crazy, I am looking. I mean, we can all say it's fun to be single, and while it sometimes is, especially because I am such an independent person, it is also fun to be with someone. I mean c'mon-- besides the obvious (SEX!), it's just nice to have someone around, whether it's companionship, something to do, or whatever. Well, I got out of a relationship early this year, and even though it wasn't anything really serious, I thought it was time to take a break and have some fun. So, I went out. a lot. This summer, in fact, was one of the best ever. And among all the new places and people, I met a lot of new guys. Now maybe they were better than I give them credit for, I don't know. The problem, though, is that either one of us wasn't sober when we met, or I knew that it wasn't the kind of guy I would ever have a relationship with, so it was pretty much just a good time.

But, that all got old. For one, I am sick of drinking. Now I should say before anyone new gets the wrong idea about me-- I am definitely not some big drunk or party girl. I just like to go out every now and then and have fun with my friends. But, I am out of college now. I am just pretty much over drinking to drink or whatever. I would much rather just sit around with friends and do something fun and have some wine along with it. But I digress. Aaaaanyway, I also have never been or will ever be a one night stand kind of girl. SO, since we've ruled out alcohol and bar boys (since they are mostly one night stand kind of guys-- I can't tell you how many guys have invited me home and I don't think that's a compliment!), it gets a little frustrating to try and meet people. Plus, We are DEFINITELY ruling out work for professional reasons. And, although I'm involved in a lot of outside activities, there has yet to even be a single guy my age to consider! So, it's hard to meet decent men.

Well, I did finally manage to meet someone, and he seems great, right? Young engineer, responsible, funny, some common interests... well we had our first real conversation tonight beyond the compulsory stuff. So we talk for almost an hour about all sorts of stuff, and then we hang up and go our separate ways. Well, with most of you if I hung up the phone I'd probably say "love ya hon" or "see you tomorrow" or something like that. But what do you say to someone you don't know? "ummmm nice talking to you" (?!) Well, even if you get through the call ending and you figure it out, then you wonder if he'll call again. It's almost like the will he or won't he kiss me on the first date, only we haven't even gotten there yet! Was there any chemistry? Should I really be expecting chemistry on a phone call?! Now, all girls overanalyze. Guys probably get off the phones and think, "ok, time to go eat." Girls think about everything and wonder what could've gone differently. or what this means, even though it really means nothing at all-- it was one phone call.

Now, I should say before I go any further and before I get comments, yes I have heard all about the book He's Just Not That Into You. But let me also tell you, and no offense to those of you that agree with Oprah and think it's the best thing since sliced bread, that I am kind of sick of it. I think there are definitely good things to come out of it; I think a woman should always be self-confident and not rely on men for her happiness, and being able to recognize the signs that something is over or not worth it is always valuable. and I think I could've used some lessons at various points in my life I'm sure. However, like any craze (hello can you say Atkins), I have also already seen it be taken waaaaay too far. And I very quickly get sick of crazes. sorry.

So after getting off the phone with my new engineer friend, I did have a lot of thoughts running through my head (and none of them were about my next meal!). I wondered first and foremost if he'd call, but I also started analyzing the things I knew about the two of us, and of course me specifically. For instance, could I deal with the fact that he got rejected from my alma mater? Could he deal with the fact that I am successful in the corporate world and have my own career and then some? Could I deal with his not having the same suburbian background as me? Could he deal with my having a nicer car than him? :Þ Maybe these are stupid questions, especially since I barely know this guy and am certainly not already considering some serious future with him! But, I think for a girl it's natural (girls, feel free to pipe in!)

So, there are many possibilities in this situation; maybe he calls, maybe he doesn't. maybe it turns into something, maybe it doesn't. But, say we go out. And then not only do I have to worry again if he'll call (or I'll call or whatever depending on how old fashioned you are), but then I also have to wonder, if we start dating, what we're moving towards. Then-- is he my boyfriend? are we exclusive? what is he even looking for? and what do I even want out of this? And from there we go into, are we moving too fast? am I in love? where are we going? is it too soon to even wonder about the future? and so on and so on... my point here is, the dating world is just one constant question!!!! I have come to the conclusion that it is just one big game, and I'm not sure how to win! And I always win! I can't break my streak! :Þ Is anyone else as frustrated as I am? Or, am I just being crazier than I need to? I mean, my job essentially is dealing with people everyday. And I think I am at least somewhat good at what I do. And ironically, I have recently noticed that I get along much better with my male peers than my female ones. hmmm. Okay again, sorry-- back to the point.

Again, please don't get the wrong impression-- I am not sitting around being obsessed with this, but I think all of you single girls out there my age will agree- the dating world is a jungle! So my question to all of you is: is it eat or be eaten? or is it only the strong survive? or is it some other random cliche I can't think of that may apply here? :)

basically, what can us 20-somethings do to get out alive?

oh, and I lied. I had more to say than I thought :) sorry this got so ridiculously long!!!!
and congrats if you actually made it this far!

Tuesday picks & pans

ok it's your Tuesday picks and pans... enjoy! :)

PICKS

Village Inn-- a welcome substitute for Mom's Restuarant by my apartment (their pancakes taste like cleaner!) and IHOP for breakfast. Village Inn has been great every time I've gone. I just should've listened to my old 2am people earlier...

Saturday shoes- what are Saturday shoes? my team's word for slippers! Now that my whole team works early Saturday mornings, it's hard to survive without being comfy. Plus, what's more fun than wearing slippers around work?! Now, it may be a little bit too lax, but c'mon it's 6am on Saturday for goodness sake! :)

going to church- did you EVER think this would be on my list?! well, when you've spent your whole life in a church (well, other than my first 7 years and then the year as a Jehovah's Witness after that anyway. funny story. I'll tell it sometime!), I think it just becomes something that gets built into your personality. Now, I have NO plans to go super-Christian-- there's just something that makes you feel good about going and knowing that there is some good in the world.

Wal-Mart- again, something many of you thought would never show up on my list-- it's just nice to go to one place, get EVERYTHING you need, and know you're paying a good price. more, however, is coming later...

Burt's Bees- I LOVE Burt's Bees products! Well, there are some things I don't like (and I know some of you have strong negative opinions), but I am hooked! I am especially partial the Milk & Honey Body Lotion, and to my new obsession, the Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme. Both smell awesome (not fruity! I HATE smelling fruity!), and also leave your skin oh so soft. And, Burt's Bees is now readily accessible thanks to B&BW.

Tutti Dolci lip gloss- another new addiction-- i don't think I'd ever pay the $10 full price for it, but it smells and tastes SOOOOO good. I just wish I didn't have to go into the sickeningly strong smelling store to get it (I SWEAR it's worse than it ever was!)

HBO on Demand- once again coming through in the clutch, HBO on Demand is now going through S&tC season by season. I am revisiting season 1 and loving it!

The Smoking Gun- TSG is a HILARIOUS website that uncovers all sorts of crazy dirt on just about every famous person and current event. I have always been a fan especially of their riders collection (for all the big music acts), but this is my new favorite: a list of personalized license plates that Washington banned :)

PANS

award shows with political agendas- I thought VH1's Big in 2004 would be fun to watch-- maybe a break from the typical awards show. I guess I should have known everyone else would accept their award for 30 seconds but Michael Moore would get like 10 minutes. oh well.

Christmas spending- ahhhh I hate Christmas spending! It is so stressful!!!! But at least gift giving itself is always a pick...

Wal-Mart- yes today Wal-Mart is both. because while it's convenient, it's hell unless you go late at night! you can't get anywhere! plus, it's always an entirely different world when you go in, no matter which one you go to. plus, it just feels icky to go to the big corporate giant when you know they're taking over the little mom and pop places with the higher prices but the better personal service... but I guess if you believe in capitalist America, you don't care. oh well.

bad business- okay on the way to Wal-Mart last night I noticed a brand new gas station charging $2.09 for premium gas (hey, I have to use premium so that's what I look at). But, I drove 500 feet down the road and saw two more gas stations that were more in line with gas around here, charging $1.89. now, this to me just seems STUPID! First of all, you're not competitive with what's around you, so no one will buy from you. AND, even if you HAVE to charge that much to recoup your startup fees, at least undercut your base price for a little bit to get some loyal customers! Otherwise no one will EVER come! sorry for the little business digression, that just pissed me off

the carb craze (yes again)-- I am really freaking sick of the Arby's commericals that keep calling carbs "carbies". It is ridiculously annoying!!!! Plus, I totally by accident bought some low carb Lean Pockets the other day (I guess I was supposed to realize "ultra" meant low carb?), and the bread stuff is TERRIBLE! I was willing to give them a shot. Never again. It's not worth it people! You'll probably gain it all back anyway! Okay sorry that was mean. Moving on...

taking out the trash-- no explanation, it just sucks! :)

reruns-- I know it's Christmas and all, but please don't replay the whole season of Gilmore Girls before there's a new one! so sad :(

"hazard lights"-- they are not called "hazard lights!" they are called "four ways!" now, I was shot down today by Al, but that does not mean Steph is right! It only means she's more popular! hehehe

ok back to your (well, my) regular scheduled S&tC marathon :) bye all!

weekend recap

Yes, kiddies, here is your weekend recap. This weekend was fun, but wasn't anything hugely (is that a word?) exciting, so you get a little bit of recap and a little bit of my random thoughts. Enjoy.

Okay, well first of all, I should tell you this was a weekend of firsts (or at least firsts in awhile). I went to my FIRST ever comedy club on Friday, which was so much fun!!! If you can find a place around you that offers free tickets and lots of laughs, I vote you give it a try. This was also the FIRST Saturday I've worked in a loooong time. I had forgotten how early the 5am alarm comes! It probably doesn't help to stay out until 2am the night before, but that's a whole different story... And lastly, this was the FIRST Sunday in about a year and a half that I went to church in Virginia Beach. It was kind of odd too, because when Steph brought up the idea, it was something I had been thinking of anyway. Plus, it would be nice to meet some new people, as long as they're Christians as in us rather than in, say, the Grover sense. We shall see. Either way, my Mom would be proud. Anyway, the rest of the weekend was spent working, shopping, brunching, gymming, and otherwise vegging. Sunday night, though, was a little lacking due to the absence of Desperate Housewives this week. booooooo(l) :)

Okay now a few other issues, in the form of a couple of rants. FIRST of all, did anyone watch Ken Jennings lose on Jeopardy this week? Well, I saw it, and I was absolutely appalled that the question he lost on was so ridiculously easy! I mean really. And then I wondered-- WHY has no one else made the connection between Ken Jennings and the 1950's Twenty One scandal???? Has anyone else seen Quiz Show? Now, I know a few people have made the connection, but it is all just a little too coincidental to only bring up only a few nods on Google and no major articles. This link was the only focused one I found! Not that I have any real data to back any of this up, but I think it's worth looking into. I mean c'mon-- the perfectly loveable contestant that just keeps winning and winning, leading to better and better ratings for Jeopardy and a national phenomenon, who finally overstays his welcome and loses on an EASY question? Anyway, for now I will shut up about this, but I may be back. :)

Okay next rant: WHY can't there be EAGLES games on in VA BEACH???? Now I know they are not exactly the local team, but there is actually a large following here. And plus, football is such a popular sport this time of year, why not televise an extra game or two? I am really annoyed that for two weeks I have not been able to watch a game. But, I'm more annoyed at the replacements: last week's Minnesota vs. Jacksonville (who the F cares?!) and this week's only game in the 4:00 slot: Washington vs. New York (YAWN!) Yes, I know Washington is for some reason considered the hometown team, but still! grrrrrr. Luckily, Philly easily won 47-17, so I guess I am okay with missing this one. Probably wasn't that great a game anyway.

In other news, work is both good and bad right now. One one hand, I have an absolutely fantastic and ridiculously loyal team, but does that become a bad thing when they start telling other supes how things are done with us and why they should be done that way? I am a little worried about this one. They are all absolutely fantastic, but I am somehow worried that I have created some monsters... We'll see. In other news, I may finally have some good schedule news! I won't share yet though, because nothing is anywhere near set in stone, so for now it's just a lot of wishing and hoping.

Anyway, as a last note, since tonight's word of the post is "FIRST," I was trying to find my favorite ever Far Side comic to share with all of you on the subject. But, then I remembered Gary Larson getting pissed and going after everyone that had his comics posted online, so I couldn't find it. oh well. so, I guess I'll just end here. hehehe. gnight all!

new name! :)

Okay, so you've probably noticed the new name... I think I'm gonna change it every so often anyway, so even this one is temporary, but I thought this quote from Henry J. Byron was just fun and off the wall enough to be totally me :)

Since I was totally having blog title writer's block, I searched high and low for something to use-- everything from Dilbertisms to philosophy (which in some strange way aren't all that much different), and I had a blast doing it! So, along with the name change, I figured I'd post some other random fun I came across. Most of it is tongue-in-cheek so I hope you get a kick out of it like I did. Enjoy!

Lady Astor: "Mr. Churchill, you're drunk!" Winston Churchill: "Yes, and you, Madam, are ugly. But tomorrow, I shall be sober."

Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know when you'll find a nut.

Logic merely enables one to be wrong with authority. --Doctor Who

Bacteria: The only culture some people have.

Christian: One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book that is admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbour.

Deja moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before!

Dieting is wishful shrinking.

Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream. --George W. Bush

I am not part of the problem. I am a Republican. --Dan Quayle

Never judge a book by its movie. --J.W. Eagan

Reality is nothing but a collective hunch. --Lily Tomlin

Seen on the back of a biker's vest: If you can read this, my wife fell off.

Unless you are the lead sled dog, the view never changes.

You can't have everything. Where would you put it? --Steven Wright

Love is like Pi: natural, irrational, and very important. --Lisa Hoffman

Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can. -- Danny Kaye