5.30.2002
hot stuff, coming through! remember that hot-McDonalds-coffee-lawsuit that we've loved to use time and again as an example of today's overly-litigious society? apparently there's more to it than we thought.
[from MeFi via a circuitous route]
[from MeFi via a circuitous route]
5.29.2002
a little local flavor: this police officer takes his name quite seriously, leaving one traffic stop to pursue—and catch—the drunk that clipped him.
not my kind of hot dog: i'm really starting to rethink this whole taking-cleo-to-seattle idea, but then my options are having my parents take care of her or boarding her.
while my folks have generously offered to pick up the little pooch on their way back from visiting family in the midwest, they (1) would have to board her themselves for a weekend (as they already have unchangable plans) and (2) live 12 hours away (i'd have to pick her up).
what to do?
addendum: looks like the few airlines that have direct flights from the DC area to seattle charge the big bucks to carry pets on board. between that and her sensitivity to temperature extremes (not to mention the stress i would suffer from putting her in cargo as well as the imposition on my hosts), methinks cleo will be remaining earth-bound.
while my folks have generously offered to pick up the little pooch on their way back from visiting family in the midwest, they (1) would have to board her themselves for a weekend (as they already have unchangable plans) and (2) live 12 hours away (i'd have to pick her up).
what to do?
addendum: looks like the few airlines that have direct flights from the DC area to seattle charge the big bucks to carry pets on board. between that and her sensitivity to temperature extremes (not to mention the stress i would suffer from putting her in cargo as well as the imposition on my hosts), methinks cleo will be remaining earth-bound.
DREAMLOG: in what could go down as one of my weirdest dreams on record, last night i dreamt that the solitaire in my engagement ring dissolved when i went swimming in the ocean. apparently the new thing was to have the diamond set in broccoli, which washed away when i was in the water.
i know i'm way overdue on cleaning out our refrigerator but that's a bit much.
i know i'm way overdue on cleaning out our refrigerator but that's a bit much.
custom made for you, jb:
Which Cure single are you?
[by way of that other quiz whore.]
Whenever I'm alone with youquiz created by glitterevil
You make me feel like I am young again
Whenever I'm alone with you
You make me feel like I am fun again
However far away
I will always love you
However long I stay
I will always love you
Whatever words I say
I will always love you
I will always love you
Which Cure single are you?
[by way of that other quiz whore.]
5.28.2002
it's so crazy, it just might work: i just cooked up a bit of an idea whilist walking cleo around the 'hood...
being that my husband is going to be gone for six months beginning this summer,
being that my daily commute to work is via the information superhighway,
being that i have scads of friends and family living in my favorite city,
being that there's lots of stuff i'd love to do and see in said city,
being that it's going to get hotter than hades pretty damn quick,
...i think it's time to maximize the potential of my jobby-job. if The Mister has no objections, my boss gives me the green light, and the aforementioned friends and family (you know who you are) roll out the welcome mat for me, i might just be a temporary resident of seattle in a few months.
there are still a number of kinks to work out of the plan and a few key people i need to butter up (or bribe with lots of all-you-can-drink trips to our old stomping grounds), but i think that this could be the beginning of a beautiful work-vacation! weeHA!
oh and ps—no pressure. ;)
being that my husband is going to be gone for six months beginning this summer,
being that my daily commute to work is via the information superhighway,
being that i have scads of friends and family living in my favorite city,
being that there's lots of stuff i'd love to do and see in said city,
being that it's going to get hotter than hades pretty damn quick,
...i think it's time to maximize the potential of my jobby-job. if The Mister has no objections, my boss gives me the green light, and the aforementioned friends and family (you know who you are) roll out the welcome mat for me, i might just be a temporary resident of seattle in a few months.
there are still a number of kinks to work out of the plan and a few key people i need to butter up (or bribe with lots of all-you-can-drink trips to our old stomping grounds), but i think that this could be the beginning of a beautiful work-vacation! weeHA!
oh and ps—no pressure. ;)
curses! looks like the Unlimited Sunshine Tour won't be coming anywhere close to our neck of the woods this summer.
hmm...maybe three years after the ill-fated Soul Coughing/Morphine show i might actually get to see a show on the pier.
hmm...maybe three years after the ill-fated Soul Coughing/Morphine show i might actually get to see a show on the pier.
weekend update: The Mister and i didn't do much in the way of traditional memorial day weekend activities, but we did make it out to the beach for the first time since moving down to the area. we typically try to ward off beach boredom by alternating between reading and playing kadima (aka beach tennis), but we didn't give the latter much of a shot since J.'s been having some trouble with his knee of late. the tentative plan as it stands is for him to have it scoped just prior to his leaving on his big trip later this summer...knee problems suck any way you slice them.
that night we rented the bizarre cinematic creep-fest also known as Donnie Darko. the ending resolved a good portion of the thrilling creepiness, but i was still glad to have someone besides the dog in the house that night to keep me safe and my unconscious relatively nightmare-free. i also spent a good portion of the evening trying to unravel the meaning of the film on the IMDB bulletin boards with little success.
as The Misterhad the dutes on sunday, i engaged in my typical time killing trifecta of cleaning (specifically the tub this go round), shopping, and exercising and then brought my man a delicious dinner of sammies from subway (#1 franchise opportunity in the country, don'tcha know). i wasn't so much in the running best wife of the year award for that, and yet something tells me that he enjoyed his BMT as much as he would have anything "home cooked."
monday was spent poking around the historic section of portsmouth, watching a bit of the parade and noting the locations of interesting-looking restaurants. after a little playstation over at MMM's, we grilled dogs (of the soy variety as well as lips 'n asses) before watching Memento. all in all, not the most exciting weekend on record, but just what the doctor ordered.
that night we rented the bizarre cinematic creep-fest also known as Donnie Darko. the ending resolved a good portion of the thrilling creepiness, but i was still glad to have someone besides the dog in the house that night to keep me safe and my unconscious relatively nightmare-free. i also spent a good portion of the evening trying to unravel the meaning of the film on the IMDB bulletin boards with little success.
as The Misterhad the dutes on sunday, i engaged in my typical time killing trifecta of cleaning (specifically the tub this go round), shopping, and exercising and then brought my man a delicious dinner of sammies from subway (#1 franchise opportunity in the country, don'tcha know). i wasn't so much in the running best wife of the year award for that, and yet something tells me that he enjoyed his BMT as much as he would have anything "home cooked."
monday was spent poking around the historic section of portsmouth, watching a bit of the parade and noting the locations of interesting-looking restaurants. after a little playstation over at MMM's, we grilled dogs (of the soy variety as well as lips 'n asses) before watching Memento. all in all, not the most exciting weekend on record, but just what the doctor ordered.
5.23.2002
what—no adonis? i took the Greek God Test on behalf of the mister and he scored as follows:
FWIW, he scored zeroes across the board for Hephaestus, Zeus, Dionysus (this is obviously the new, settled-down J. we're talking about), Posiedon (guess he's not a man of the sea afterall) and Hermes.
You scored 70% Apollowhile the mister is neither controlling (that's my job) nor quick tempered (he's one cool cucumber, i tells ya), i buy the majority of the Apollo assessment. the characteristics attributed to Hades and Ares types, on the other hand, are waaaaaay out there...except for the fact that he is a bit of a homebody (Hades) and that he does enjoy a good heated discussion (Ares).
Apollo is the god of prophecy, light and truth, and the son of Zeus. He was a gifted musician, master archer and an accomplished athlete. Apollo's responsibilities included protecting young men (his twin sister, the goddess Artemis, protected young women), promoting agriculture and breeding of cattle, and teaching humans the art of healing and medicine.
Apollo men may have a youthful quality, which can spell trouble. In early legends, Apollo was known as a stern, even cruel, god—full of pride, dangerously competitive, with a quick temper. After being punished by Zeus for his bad behavior, however, he changed. Thus, Apollo men are capable of growth.
As mature adults, they are characterized as self-aware, balanced, rational and eager to live a harmonious, honest life (evolved Apollo men never lie) (that's a home run!). They are noble, reasonable and—usually—quite handsome.
They go for neat, well-kept women (ha!) who fit into their ordered lives. Falling in love scares Apollo men because it can be so chaotic and unexplainable. Yet they do seek love and are displeased when their love is not returned. If you ever break up with an Apollo man, watch out—their revenge can be harsh. In love, they insist on controlling the relationship, and can also be detached and dispassionate.
You scored 20% Hades
Hades was the god of the dead, ruler of the underworld and brother of the gods Zeus and Poseidon. He was also known as the lord of riches, because the underworld was filled with crops and precious metals. Men who are ruled by Hades may be rather grim, but they are not evil. That said, they are often unforgiving, unpitying and rather hard-hearted.
If your man is like Hades, don't be surprised if he is not satisfied with his lot in life, as Hades was displeased when he became ruler of the underworld while his brothers controlled the sky and the sea. Typically antisocial, Hades men are more comfortable at home alone. They are familiar with dark emotions and do not shy away from them.
And while Hades men are not especially sympathetic, they can help others learn from bad experiences. Hades men can bring enlightenment and renewal to your life. Watch out, though, because they are often the trigger of loss and suffering.
You scored 10% Ares
Ares was the son of Zeus and Hera and was disliked by both of his parents. As the god of war, he was considered murderous yet also a coward. He rejoiced in battle, yet he bellowed with pain and ran away when wounded. Not surprisingly, Ares men thrive on conflict. As lovers, they may pick fights, display jealousy and act impulsively.
Ares men are competitive, adventurous and live life to the fullest. Men who embody Ares qualities have a passionate for instinct for life - and love! Their unlimited energy can be used positively or negatively. While their mindless aggression can get them into criminal trouble, their assertiveness, courage and quest for achievement can lead to revolutionary advances in business, sports and elsewhere.
FWIW, he scored zeroes across the board for Hephaestus, Zeus, Dionysus (this is obviously the new, settled-down J. we're talking about), Posiedon (guess he's not a man of the sea afterall) and Hermes.
5.22.2002
buffy summers, meet julia child. julia child, buffy summers. thanks to new friends who share the BVS love, tuesday nights have recently been designated as Very Special Buffy Dinners. trading off weeks, we've been cooking up dishes new and old to celebrate the last few episodes of the season.
i had the great pleasure of hosting last night's season finale and cooking Jamacian Jerk Tempeh from an old issue of Vegetarian Times. the April 2001 issue actually had a whole article dedicated to tempeh, which is—of all things—fermented soybean cake (aka tofu).
i know that fermented tofu probably sounds a little...well...off, but i would highly recommend trying a tempeh dish on your next trip to your neighborhood veggie-friendly restaurant or even preparing this one yourself. tempeh is easier to cook with than tofu and has a much more satisfying texture, though as far as i know the nutritional content is the same as tofu. good stuff. :)
Jamacian Jerk Tempeh (serves six)
When preparing chile pepers, such as habanero, wear plastic gloves (or the produce bags, as i did) so the volatile oils will not get on your skin. also be sure not to inhale too much of the pepper's vapors and to clean the cutting board and knife well before proceeding with recipe.
Ingredients:
there are a lot of spices involved and a couple of tricky ingredients to track down (i had to go to two stores before i found the apricot juice) but preparation is amazingly easy—only two steps, really! i served our Jerk Tempeh with white rice and asparagus, although in retrospect plantains would have been yummilicious. motivation for making it again!
buffy-related addendum: all comments will be withheld until the ep is delivered to and viewed by a certain someone...
hostessing-related addendum: i think cleo has made the connection between me cleaning and people coming over.
i had the great pleasure of hosting last night's season finale and cooking Jamacian Jerk Tempeh from an old issue of Vegetarian Times. the April 2001 issue actually had a whole article dedicated to tempeh, which is—of all things—fermented soybean cake (aka tofu).
i know that fermented tofu probably sounds a little...well...off, but i would highly recommend trying a tempeh dish on your next trip to your neighborhood veggie-friendly restaurant or even preparing this one yourself. tempeh is easier to cook with than tofu and has a much more satisfying texture, though as far as i know the nutritional content is the same as tofu. good stuff. :)
When preparing chile pepers, such as habanero, wear plastic gloves (or the produce bags, as i did) so the volatile oils will not get on your skin. also be sure not to inhale too much of the pepper's vapors and to clean the cutting board and knife well before proceeding with recipe.
Ingredients:
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup minced fresh ginger
- ¼ thinly sliced scallions (aka green onions; both white and light green parts)
- ½ small habanero chile, seeded and minced (they're the tiny orange peppers in the "exotic" part of the produce section)
- 1½ tsp. salt
- 1½ tsp. ground allspice
- 1½ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp. freshly (sheah, riiight) ground pepper
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 Tbs. olice oil
- 1 Tbs. fresh (sheah riiight) lemon juice
- ¾ cup apricot juice
- 2 Tbs. pure maple syrup (i actually had some around, believe it or not)
- 2 8oz. pkgs. of tempeh (ours were 10oz. pkgs...whatevah), each cut cross-wise into 10 thin strips (you can find tempeh in the refrigerated/freezer section of your local crunchy-granola whole/health food co-op)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. To prepare marinade: whisk together all ingredients but tempeh in medium bowl. Pour into large, shallow baking dish.
- Add tempeh, turning to coat. Cover and bake 40 minutes (oops—i forgot to cover mine). Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
there are a lot of spices involved and a couple of tricky ingredients to track down (i had to go to two stores before i found the apricot juice) but preparation is amazingly easy—only two steps, really! i served our Jerk Tempeh with white rice and asparagus, although in retrospect plantains would have been yummilicious. motivation for making it again!
buffy-related addendum: all comments will be withheld until the ep is delivered to and viewed by a certain someone...
hostessing-related addendum: i think cleo has made the connection between me cleaning and people coming over.
reasons I’m quitting my dentist:
- he doesn’t greet me when he walks in the room, just starts in with the talking…
- he wears shorts in the workplace. i know my wardrobe isn't the picture of maturity, but he’s a professional and should dress like one.
- i don’t like the way he talks to his hygienists. he kinda had it out with one of them today because they scheduled my appointment too early in the morning. my appointment was at 9am and i wound up waiting around for him for almost an hour. he then proceeded to give me some 10-minute explination/apology for why he was late. i guess he didn't get that he was playing a major part in exacerbating the delay...
- he never gave me a very good reason for replacing my fillings. sure, they were the ugly metal kind, but were they actually doing harm to my teeth?
- he talks too much and in too much clinical detail. just tell me what you’re going to do and get on with it!
- he’s a little less than gentle with mr. thirsty. i think half of the after-procedure soreness is from his jabbing the aspirator around in my mouth.
5.21.2002
5.20.2002
where the slacker sister rubber hits the bad blogger road: i feel awful for never having gotten around to completing the recap of my sister's wedding, but obviously not awful enough for having gotten over my intertia sooner.
i think part of my lack of updates was due to the fact that i wasn't entirely thrilled with how things went on my end on the big day. the second we stepped into the hair salon i shifted into controlling and overbearing older sister/matron of honor mode—giving way too much advice, bossing around everyone within earshot, and generally being a more of a pain than a help.
fortunately, this assessment is terribly slanted as i am as hypercritical of myself as i am of my environment. M. said she truly appreciated my help and guidance that day, and even though i didn't know how to get the grease stain out of the hem of her dress (mom used the old hairspray trick) i did prompt the couple for the kiss where the priest failed to do so, just as he did on our big day.
and despite the fact that i totally flubbed my toast—and felt just awful about it—the alternate version (more funny than touching) seemed to go over just as well with the couple and the crowd. the important thing is that my sister got married to the love of her life, the weather was perfect (the only good day the whole week!), the reception was a blast, and that they fully enjoyed their honeymoon (in St. Lucia, lucky bastards!).
while my return trip home was a nightmare (tossing the old cookies three times on the way to the airport, getting lost, showing up with minutes to spare, almost leaving my wallet in the car, finding that my connecting flight from DC to home was never confirmed, renting a car for $100+ to make the the three and a half hour drive down, spending at least an hour of that time driving through the fringe of an F5 tornado...), i had a wonderful weekend.
my parents were elated, i bonded with my brother over music (no small feat for a pair whose musical tastes were once as disperate as phish and nine inch nails!), and i got to see my sister marry a fantastically loving, sweet, caring man. such a catch and he can cook, too!
long story short, you can see some wedding pics that were taken by a friend of theirs. funny—they had one professional photographer and two amateurs (todd is semi-pro), where we...well, we don't have to talk about our wedding photography incident. something tells me that their wedding album is going to be pretty kick@$$.
yes, i'm a little jealous, what with our photographer dropping the ball the way he did and all. but jealous in a good way. ;)
i think part of my lack of updates was due to the fact that i wasn't entirely thrilled with how things went on my end on the big day. the second we stepped into the hair salon i shifted into controlling and overbearing older sister/matron of honor mode—giving way too much advice, bossing around everyone within earshot, and generally being a more of a pain than a help.
fortunately, this assessment is terribly slanted as i am as hypercritical of myself as i am of my environment. M. said she truly appreciated my help and guidance that day, and even though i didn't know how to get the grease stain out of the hem of her dress (mom used the old hairspray trick) i did prompt the couple for the kiss where the priest failed to do so, just as he did on our big day.
and despite the fact that i totally flubbed my toast—and felt just awful about it—the alternate version (more funny than touching) seemed to go over just as well with the couple and the crowd. the important thing is that my sister got married to the love of her life, the weather was perfect (the only good day the whole week!), the reception was a blast, and that they fully enjoyed their honeymoon (in St. Lucia, lucky bastards!).
while my return trip home was a nightmare (tossing the old cookies three times on the way to the airport, getting lost, showing up with minutes to spare, almost leaving my wallet in the car, finding that my connecting flight from DC to home was never confirmed, renting a car for $100+ to make the the three and a half hour drive down, spending at least an hour of that time driving through the fringe of an F5 tornado...), i had a wonderful weekend.
my parents were elated, i bonded with my brother over music (no small feat for a pair whose musical tastes were once as disperate as phish and nine inch nails!), and i got to see my sister marry a fantastically loving, sweet, caring man. such a catch and he can cook, too!
long story short, you can see some wedding pics that were taken by a friend of theirs. funny—they had one professional photographer and two amateurs (todd is semi-pro), where we...well, we don't have to talk about our wedding photography incident. something tells me that their wedding album is going to be pretty kick@$$.
yes, i'm a little jealous, what with our photographer dropping the ball the way he did and all. but jealous in a good way. ;)
just one more because i'm a surfing fool:
You Are Athena:
Athena was the virgin goddess of wisdom and so much more. She was totally rockin'! Her only downside was that she was sorta misogynist. But, hey, we all have our faults. She was a very popular goddess and was always there to help out the people she liked. Basically, you're the kind of person that's good to have around.
Which Greek Goddess Are You?
and i didn't even have to retake the quiz to get the result i wanted! the funny thing? i've been accused of being a misogynist before. go figure.
You Are Athena:
Athena was the virgin goddess of wisdom and so much more. She was totally rockin'! Her only downside was that she was sorta misogynist. But, hey, we all have our faults. She was a very popular goddess and was always there to help out the people she liked. Basically, you're the kind of person that's good to have around.
Which Greek Goddess Are You?
and i didn't even have to retake the quiz to get the result i wanted! the funny thing? i've been accused of being a misogynist before. go figure.
silence = blog death: not to make light of ACTUP's slogan, but i think my mom put it best when she said that my blog "has really sucked lately."
three different fronts collided to cause the perfect storm of blog silence—a lack of pressing work deadlines, a lengthy cable internet outage, and The Mister's taking a week of leave. so while i was getting out and doing more fun stuff than usual, there was no way that logging onto the internet via a slooooooooow 56K dial-up could compete with snuggling up with my long-absent husband.
speaking of silence = death, what's up with chrysler's latest drive = love ad campaign? the latter seems way similar to the former and yet makes little sense...but then i'm not exactly chrysler's target demographic.
three different fronts collided to cause the perfect storm of blog silence—a lack of pressing work deadlines, a lengthy cable internet outage, and The Mister's taking a week of leave. so while i was getting out and doing more fun stuff than usual, there was no way that logging onto the internet via a slooooooooow 56K dial-up could compete with snuggling up with my long-absent husband.
speaking of silence = death, what's up with chrysler's latest drive = love ad campaign? the latter seems way similar to the former and yet makes little sense...but then i'm not exactly chrysler's target demographic.
and just for the record, the shirt that Moby wore in the shoplifting skit on SNL this past weekend (along with hostess Winona, natch) read "i heart eminem" not "i hate eminem."
of course The Mister never reads this, so i suppose i'll have to show him the message board when he comes home from his first day at work in a week.
of course The Mister never reads this, so i suppose i'll have to show him the message board when he comes home from his first day at work in a week.
not wood! not wood, ozzy!
Which Osbourne Are You?
ps—our internet connection is back up so i promise to get back on that posting horse soonest...just as soon as i tackle a deadline or two.
Which Osbourne Are You?
ps—our internet connection is back up so i promise to get back on that posting horse soonest...just as soon as i tackle a deadline or two.
5.16.2002
5.14.2002
5.13.2002
obviously cookie monster wasn't an option:
addemum: and i obviously failed to remember that i had posted this very quiz only a few short weeks ago. mondays.
 | You are Rowlf! |
addemum: and i obviously failed to remember that i had posted this very quiz only a few short weeks ago. mondays.
5.11.2002
now this is my kind of quiz:
Which Pixies song are you?
grabbed during a brief stop at bonnie's blog at grrl.com
You're smart, shy, and often nonsensical. You have dreams of being famous, and you're quirky enough that you just might pull them off. Some would call you a genius, others would call you insane, but in reality you're pretty well-adjusted. Take a vacation once in a while- it'll help take your mind off of your troubles. |
Which Pixies song are you?
grabbed during a brief stop at bonnie's blog at grrl.com
5.10.2002
so you're basically saying i'm a big by-the-roles bore?
Yup, that's right. You're Scott Summers aka Cyclops: Fearless leader of the X-Men. You are responsible, wise beyond your years, mature and probably the greatest stick in the mud in the history of mankind. And sure, your peers probably talk about you behind your back, but when it comes right down to it, they know they can turn on you in a crisis.
well, it could have been worse—they could have called me perky.
What X-Men Character are You?
Yup, that's right. You're Scott Summers aka Cyclops: Fearless leader of the X-Men. You are responsible, wise beyond your years, mature and probably the greatest stick in the mud in the history of mankind. And sure, your peers probably talk about you behind your back, but when it comes right down to it, they know they can turn on you in a crisis.
well, it could have been worse—they could have called me perky.
What X-Men Character are You?
overheard II
from very young looking man to [what appeared to be] his tearful four or five year old daughter as they walked into a local cellular outfit:
from very young looking man to [what appeared to be] his tearful four or five year old daughter as they walked into a local cellular outfit:
stop that. crying is for babies.i'd like to give him a swift kick in the yarbles and then ask him who crying is for. i know eugenics is evil and wrong, but there are just some people who don't deserve to be parents. namely, those who are incapable of being one.
overheard I
from patron of Ye Olde National Coffee Shoppe Chain to one of the baristas who, by the sounds of it, was working his last day on the job:
i recognize that the following comment will pretty much negate my previous superficiality rant, but i can only stand PDA when the couple D-ing the A are relatively attractive. if i wanted to see the unwashed masses making out, i'd spend more time in the beer gardens of Busch Gardens.
from patron of Ye Olde National Coffee Shoppe Chain to one of the baristas who, by the sounds of it, was working his last day on the job:
so yeah, man, we should definitely get together soon, maybe go grab coffee tomorrow night or something...the fact that said patron—who was sweaty and unshaven and kissing his hippie girlfriend way too much for my PDA comfort level—shook the barista's hand on his way out the door using that three-part 1970s Welcome Back Kotter handshake without any apparent humor or sarcasm was just icing on the cake.
i recognize that the following comment will pretty much negate my previous superficiality rant, but i can only stand PDA when the couple D-ing the A are relatively attractive. if i wanted to see the unwashed masses making out, i'd spend more time in the beer gardens of Busch Gardens.
taking the "target" out of targeted marketing: i opened our mailbox today to find yet another crappy advertising circular. while this doesn't seem like news, it was masquerading as a very thin glossy publication entitled Plastic Surgery Magazine. sheah right.
ok, so i admit that i'm a bit of a walking contradiction when it comes to this subject. see, i fully believe in a person's changing their body the natural way while accepting the effects of aging as gracefully as possible and yet i have gone under the knife myself. not to put too fine a point on it, my procedure was more about restoring my ability to live life (go running, buy bikinis, you get the idea) like a normal person.
the thing that bugs me so much about receiving this glorified advertisement (which wasn't shilling for surgery so much as it was trying to sell some new diet drug) is that one of the magazines to which i subscribe would sell my mailing information to a company like this especially since i subscribe to Self and Shape, not Cosmo or other such superficial dreck.
if these magazines—which fill their pages with talk of eating a balanced diet, the importance of fitting exercise into a hectic lifestyle, etc.—are so indiscriminate with regards to the companies to whom they sell their mailing lists, then i would probably be better served to pick up an occasional magazine at the news stand as opposed to letting my information to the highest bidder. bleh.
and sorry about the lull, i'm staring down a monster of a deadline.
ok, so i admit that i'm a bit of a walking contradiction when it comes to this subject. see, i fully believe in a person's changing their body the natural way while accepting the effects of aging as gracefully as possible and yet i have gone under the knife myself. not to put too fine a point on it, my procedure was more about restoring my ability to live life (go running, buy bikinis, you get the idea) like a normal person.
the thing that bugs me so much about receiving this glorified advertisement (which wasn't shilling for surgery so much as it was trying to sell some new diet drug) is that one of the magazines to which i subscribe would sell my mailing information to a company like this especially since i subscribe to Self and Shape, not Cosmo or other such superficial dreck.
if these magazines—which fill their pages with talk of eating a balanced diet, the importance of fitting exercise into a hectic lifestyle, etc.—are so indiscriminate with regards to the companies to whom they sell their mailing lists, then i would probably be better served to pick up an occasional magazine at the news stand as opposed to letting my information to the highest bidder. bleh.
and sorry about the lull, i'm staring down a monster of a deadline.
5.09.2002
5.08.2002
force equals mass times accelleration: something i failed to mention earlier is the fact that there seems to be a direct correlation between the amount of work i have and the amount of blogging i do. no work means slagging motivation all around and more turns at doin' the collapse.
tell me again why they make the big bucks? so i've been in a holding pattern for the last week or so, waiting on three differents sets of data (relating to cable tv, pay-per-view, and broadcast networks, in case you care) in order to write up three chapters for this big databook we're putting out for work. my boss' boss wants all the chapters in by friday so he can go over them all before leaving on his vacation a week from friday.
i'm starting to get pretty gaddang antsy and preemptively cranky since you just know that my due date won't flex with the unavailability of the aforementioned data. the people responsible for getting those numbers to me are at least two rungs above me on the corporate ladder—deadlines do not apply to them. as for the rest of us, we just have to roll with it.
my boss suggested that i just write up the data for 2000 (and the corresponding market projections through 2010) and then just go back later when we have the numbers for last year. while i did replicate those three chapters from last year's book, i am more than a little aggrivated by this pseudo-stop-gap measure as trends changed drastically between 2000 and 2001, affecting more than just the numbers in the book but the corresponding copy as well.
get on the stick, people!
i'm starting to get pretty gaddang antsy and preemptively cranky since you just know that my due date won't flex with the unavailability of the aforementioned data. the people responsible for getting those numbers to me are at least two rungs above me on the corporate ladder—deadlines do not apply to them. as for the rest of us, we just have to roll with it.
my boss suggested that i just write up the data for 2000 (and the corresponding market projections through 2010) and then just go back later when we have the numbers for last year. while i did replicate those three chapters from last year's book, i am more than a little aggrivated by this pseudo-stop-gap measure as trends changed drastically between 2000 and 2001, affecting more than just the numbers in the book but the corresponding copy as well.
get on the stick, people!
5.06.2002
christmas in may! i was less than thrilled with Cleo's waking me up at her usual 8ish yesterday morning and had every intention of returning to bed after taking her out to do her business...until i checked my e-mail, that is.
lo and behold, i'd gotten an e-mail from the Mister saying that his ship was pulling in a day earlier than scheduled and that he would be available for pick-up that afternoon! better than drinking a cup of hot coffee in a bracingly-cold shower, that e-mail jolted me right awake, sore muscles and general fatigue be damned!
i spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon doing laundry, sweeping floors, cleaning dishes, and generally putting the house in order. i even vacummed both cars and made sure that the gas tank on his car was topped off and that the tires were properly inflated. after all that i found time to make him a fresh batch of salsa (aren't i just the best wife ever?)!
after a few postponements (yes, it's a word), i picked my darling man up from the piers, took him home, and reacquainted him with our abode. it's so good to have him home! of course he has the duty today, but i'm planning on bringing him dinner and clean clothes later on tonight, more proof of my being the BWE. ;)
lo and behold, i'd gotten an e-mail from the Mister saying that his ship was pulling in a day earlier than scheduled and that he would be available for pick-up that afternoon! better than drinking a cup of hot coffee in a bracingly-cold shower, that e-mail jolted me right awake, sore muscles and general fatigue be damned!
i spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon doing laundry, sweeping floors, cleaning dishes, and generally putting the house in order. i even vacummed both cars and made sure that the gas tank on his car was topped off and that the tires were properly inflated. after all that i found time to make him a fresh batch of salsa (aren't i just the best wife ever?)!
after a few postponements (yes, it's a word), i picked my darling man up from the piers, took him home, and reacquainted him with our abode. it's so good to have him home! of course he has the duty today, but i'm planning on bringing him dinner and clean clothes later on tonight, more proof of my being the BWE. ;)
in the event that my right arm is deemed unsatisfactory payment, give me nine months and i can scare up a first born for ya.
the Unlimited Sunshine Tour, featuring the Flaming Lips, de la Soul, Cake and Modest Mouse.
in case there was any doubt regarding the existence of God. oh my.
the Unlimited Sunshine Tour, featuring the Flaming Lips, de la Soul, Cake and Modest Mouse.
in case there was any doubt regarding the existence of God. oh my.
shoot me now part deux:
I'm the pink Doc Marten, sassy and always in touch with my feminine side.Which Doc Marten are you? (by *coffeebean*)
in touch with my feminine side?! my feminine side and i haven't been on speaking terms since the sixth grade. damn you, anon. damn you and your classic docs all to hell.
shoot me now:
You are Classical!
Intelligant, romantic, and civil, you are Classical music. Commonly associated with class and style, your main themes are romance, passion, and drama. Many see you as a well balanced person with few, if any, major faults. You work, you pay your taxes, you live the American dream. You are what most people would call normal. Whether it's a casual dinner at home or a formal mixer, you have an undeniable charm about you. Though some people would say that very charm is pretension personified.
Take the what music genre are you quiz by PsychosisX!
the fact that the word "intelligent" is misspelled above invalidates the whole quiz. and yeah, you know who this is from.
You are Classical!
Intelligant, romantic, and civil, you are Classical music. Commonly associated with class and style, your main themes are romance, passion, and drama. Many see you as a well balanced person with few, if any, major faults. You work, you pay your taxes, you live the American dream. You are what most people would call normal. Whether it's a casual dinner at home or a formal mixer, you have an undeniable charm about you. Though some people would say that very charm is pretension personified.
Take the what music genre are you quiz by PsychosisX!
the fact that the word "intelligent" is misspelled above invalidates the whole quiz. and yeah, you know who this is from.
let's get caught up, shall we? so, the 10K on saturday was fantastic! the sky was overcast, it couldn't have been more than 60° and the breeze was just enough to cool but not so much that i had to fight it the whole way.
i ran with E. for the majority of the run, only leaving her side in the last mile or so. it wasn't on purpose, really—that particular part of the course was really narrow and i was trying to make room for a guy in a wheelchair to get by when she got behind me. i didn't mean to pull away from her the way i did, it was more about getting away from the annoying middle aged women who were yammering on and on about nothing interesting.
once i realized that i'd gone ahead, i let my second wind do its work and really pounded out that last mile. i did make the rookie mistake of starting my kick waaaaaay too early, but the woman standing at the last turn before the end was shouting about the bananas, water, and ice cold beer that was waiting for us at the finish and i didn't realize my last big push wouldn't carry me a whole half mile, so i slowed down a bit and restarted the effort with the last 0.2 to go.
the whole "race" (a term to be used lightly) took me less than my official time of 1:04:30 due to our starting pretty far off of the starting line (there were a helluva lot of people running that day). the actual starting line wasn't well marked, so i didn't know the right spot at which to start my watch. long story short, i think i managed to maintain a 10-minute mile pace for the whole 6.2! if you can't tell, i'm very pleased with my results. the only thing better than beer at the finish line would have been The Mister...
after taking a quick trip to the mall, i spent the rest of my day loafing around the house, doing a little cleaning here and there. good thing the weather never got any better or i'd have felt like i really had to be productive.
i ran with E. for the majority of the run, only leaving her side in the last mile or so. it wasn't on purpose, really—that particular part of the course was really narrow and i was trying to make room for a guy in a wheelchair to get by when she got behind me. i didn't mean to pull away from her the way i did, it was more about getting away from the annoying middle aged women who were yammering on and on about nothing interesting.
once i realized that i'd gone ahead, i let my second wind do its work and really pounded out that last mile. i did make the rookie mistake of starting my kick waaaaaay too early, but the woman standing at the last turn before the end was shouting about the bananas, water, and ice cold beer that was waiting for us at the finish and i didn't realize my last big push wouldn't carry me a whole half mile, so i slowed down a bit and restarted the effort with the last 0.2 to go.
the whole "race" (a term to be used lightly) took me less than my official time of 1:04:30 due to our starting pretty far off of the starting line (there were a helluva lot of people running that day). the actual starting line wasn't well marked, so i didn't know the right spot at which to start my watch. long story short, i think i managed to maintain a 10-minute mile pace for the whole 6.2! if you can't tell, i'm very pleased with my results. the only thing better than beer at the finish line would have been The Mister...
after taking a quick trip to the mall, i spent the rest of my day loafing around the house, doing a little cleaning here and there. good thing the weather never got any better or i'd have felt like i really had to be productive.
5.05.2002
5.03.2002
who's your ideal LOTR date?
Aw, you go for the tall, dark and handsome type. How trite. True, Aragorn's as much a man as any of the Fellowship, but the whole "I'm not good enough to be king" thing really gets in the way of bedroom fun. Whining can be a real turn-off, you know.
Aw, you go for the tall, dark and handsome type. How trite. True, Aragorn's as much a man as any of the Fellowship, but the whole "I'm not good enough to be king" thing really gets in the way of bedroom fun. Whining can be a real turn-off, you know.
are you as sick of these things as i am?
we matrons aren't expected to wear thongs: in all seriousness, this story about a vice principal that lifted girls' skirts to make sure they weren't wearing a thong is way disturbing.
adding social insult to psychological injury, these "inspections" were done in front of other students. i hope they throw the book at this woman, and i hope they get one of those "overweight matrons" to do it.
i mean sure, i don't think that thong underwear is appropriate for young girls, but the regulation of underwear should be left to the parents. don't even get me started on that rant. and i just want to add that fruit of the loom would be well advised to make underoos for adults. victoria's secret, eat your heart out!
[via fresh-hell]
adding social insult to psychological injury, these "inspections" were done in front of other students. i hope they throw the book at this woman, and i hope they get one of those "overweight matrons" to do it.
i mean sure, i don't think that thong underwear is appropriate for young girls, but the regulation of underwear should be left to the parents. don't even get me started on that rant. and i just want to add that fruit of the loom would be well advised to make underoos for adults. victoria's secret, eat your heart out!
[via fresh-hell]
5.02.2002
i've always wanted to try platinum:You are the Marilyn Monroe Barbie! You have a natural charisma and love attention. You want to entertain the world and people are drawn to your personality. On the other hand, you could also move to Los Angeles to become an aspiring actress/singer and eventually die hungry and alone, thinking that no one will ever see your talent. Ahh, well. You win some, you lose some.
funny Barbie story—i so wanted Barbies when i was little but my parents absolutely refused to buy one for my sister or me. my grandmother actually had the audacity to buy my sis Eskimo Barbie—my folks responded by hiding the barbie under their bed until she forgot about it. it was only later that i realized how cool my dad was when i learned that he had put his foot down on the matter, believing that Barbies objectified women and would give us girls a distorted view of our bodies.
but if i had to be a 40-22-36 freakshow, marilyn isn't a bad way to go.
[pete and repeat went up the hill, pete fell down and who's left?]
where was i? oh yeah...
Friday: Friday was get busy child time. after having baked M's birthday cake (yellow) the night before, i got right to work mixing up the frosting (chocolate) and slapping it on the cake. i've never really frosted a cake before, but i think i did a pretty decent job.
the house was pretty frenzied getting ready for the BBQ to take place that afternoon. M&A were hoping for fun times in the outdoors with volleyball and possibly petonk (aka bocce), but the weather was less than cooperative. dad still did a splendid job at the grill while M&A hobnobbed with their friends. meanwhile, we of the supporting cast were busy with last minute stuff, with my main job being the assembly of the fortune bouquet.
i was so happy to see M. with the same look of contented happiness that i had on the Friday before my wedding, knowing that everything had been taken care of and the stuff that hadn't gotten done either (1) would get finished by someone else or (b) just not get done and that that was ok.
less than a half hour after the guests cleared out, we put on our fancy duds and headed out to the church for the rehearsal. considering the fact that the same priest who performed my wedding would be doing my sister's, i made sure that he went over in detail the stuff that he forgot to mention at our rehearsal. fortunately, he didn't subject all of us to the whole mass in its entirety, skipping over various parts, and he was a lot more cool with M&A not actually saying their vows. i'll be damned if he made my sister cry as he did me.
the rehearsal dinner itself was lovely, despite the setting sun angling in just so to hit some of us square in the eye. i think everyone's meals were fantastic except for us veggies, but better the majority be happy than a handful of herbivores. my uncle and i gave off-the-cuff toasts, and despite the fact that the other friends didn't pick up the ball and run with it, i think M&A were touched by our efforts.
after dinner, the lot of us met up at the same bar J. and i had our friends meet after our rehearsal. two dozen or so of their friends made it out and i think that M&A felt good being able to catch up with folks twice before all the craziness of the big day. the sis and i were pretty spent from the last few days and headed home around the pumpkin-turning hour.
(to be continued, again...)
Friday: Friday was get busy child time. after having baked M's birthday cake (yellow) the night before, i got right to work mixing up the frosting (chocolate) and slapping it on the cake. i've never really frosted a cake before, but i think i did a pretty decent job.
the house was pretty frenzied getting ready for the BBQ to take place that afternoon. M&A were hoping for fun times in the outdoors with volleyball and possibly petonk (aka bocce), but the weather was less than cooperative. dad still did a splendid job at the grill while M&A hobnobbed with their friends. meanwhile, we of the supporting cast were busy with last minute stuff, with my main job being the assembly of the fortune bouquet.
i was so happy to see M. with the same look of contented happiness that i had on the Friday before my wedding, knowing that everything had been taken care of and the stuff that hadn't gotten done either (1) would get finished by someone else or (b) just not get done and that that was ok.
less than a half hour after the guests cleared out, we put on our fancy duds and headed out to the church for the rehearsal. considering the fact that the same priest who performed my wedding would be doing my sister's, i made sure that he went over in detail the stuff that he forgot to mention at our rehearsal. fortunately, he didn't subject all of us to the whole mass in its entirety, skipping over various parts, and he was a lot more cool with M&A not actually saying their vows. i'll be damned if he made my sister cry as he did me.
the rehearsal dinner itself was lovely, despite the setting sun angling in just so to hit some of us square in the eye. i think everyone's meals were fantastic except for us veggies, but better the majority be happy than a handful of herbivores. my uncle and i gave off-the-cuff toasts, and despite the fact that the other friends didn't pick up the ball and run with it, i think M&A were touched by our efforts.
after dinner, the lot of us met up at the same bar J. and i had our friends meet after our rehearsal. two dozen or so of their friends made it out and i think that M&A felt good being able to catch up with folks twice before all the craziness of the big day. the sis and i were pretty spent from the last few days and headed home around the pumpkin-turning hour.
(to be continued, again...)
5.01.2002
and for my next trick, spoonbending: have you ever dreamt about an old friend, only to have them call out of the blue a few days later? now if only Sting would give me a ring...
sadie the married lady is just kidding, folks. the mister and i don't have any of those fantasy celebrity-sex arrangements, mostly because it's creepy but partly because i'm one of the few women in the world he can stand... with the exception of Heather Graham and Gwen Stefani, that is. go figure—he lusts after blondes but then ups and marries a brunette. ;)
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