No! Shanna! They sent you home!
I love you!
You have such a powerhouse voice, and a powerhouse spirit to match it. You will go far.
God Bless,
A blogger whose blog you've probably never read
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
My thoughts on Grey's
I'm going to tell you all a story.
I called Nick to ask him to give me a topic to blog about. He told me to write about self control. We talked about some other things.
Then he asked me if I watch Grey's Anatomy.
Then we talked about some of the actors on the show.
Then I started to tell him about my thoughts on Grey's Anatomy and the circumstances in which I watch that show.
And he promptly cut me off and told me had to go.
Rude.
So I told him I would blog about it.
So, for all of you reading this, here are my thoughts on Grey's.
While in graduate school, and maybe before that, if I would catch Grey's during the day, I would sometimes stop on it, generally if there was not much else on that caught my interest.
The scenes involving blood--there are many--make me queasy.
The show itself is kind of boring.
I like Katherine Heigl.
The music is what I like the best.
Jesse Williams--whoaaaaa, baby. Smokin'. Gorgeous and a half.
But yeah. The music. I believe I've even put a 3-disc set of the Grey's soundtracks on my Amazon wish list. Great music. Parenthood has great music, too. But I love that show, and actually pay better attention to the plot. And don't get queasy. Except maybe when Jason Ritter is on screen. But that's a good kind of queasy. Like a Jesse Williams queasy. And by queasy in that sense, I mean swoony.
So I guess Nicky Pie gave me a blog topic after all. Thanks, boo.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Pops & Mamacita
In case you weren't aware of how cute my parents are,
do yourself a favor and have a little look-see below.
do yourself a favor and have a little look-see below.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Shear...repetition
Remember when I got a haircut, requesting a trim so that I can grow my hair long, then left the salon with my hair as short as it was after my last haircut three months ago?
Sigh.
Ah, well.
Last haircut...
Today's haircut...
Okay, so maybe it's a little longer. But at this rate it's gonna take me a while to get my hair long enough to donate.
The stylist did a nice job, I don't mean to speak ill. The hair's just a little shorter than I really wanted.
Sigh.
Ah, well.
Last haircut...
Today's haircut...
Okay, so maybe it's a little longer. But at this rate it's gonna take me a while to get my hair long enough to donate.
The stylist did a nice job, I don't mean to speak ill. The hair's just a little shorter than I really wanted.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Bailey learns to play tennis
Tennis--how tough could it be?
Pretty tough.
I had lesson #2 today. That backhand--man. I used to think--during the years that I played against my former teammate, the garage door--that I had a pretty good backhand. I would hear people say things (not to me, but about professional athletes) like, "Nice backhand" and so I thought it was this thing that was really impressive.
And it is. But it's more complicated than simply being able to turn your racquet to the non-dominate side of your body and hit the ball from an opposite angle. So as a kid the fact that I could hit a ball "backwards" against the garage door was, so I thought, a very impressive feat. And maybe it was for an 11 year old. But it wasn't, and isn't, mastered by any means.
Eventually we took a break from the backhand practice today and went back to primarily forehand shots.
The good news is I have a strong forehand (says Coach).
The bad news is I get tired after some time on the court. I am no spring chicken anymore, folks, smacking the ball against the garage door over and over.
The more I tried to improve my form today--making my swing more parallel to the ground, getting the racquet further behind the ball before hitting it--the worse it felt I was becoming. And that very well may have been. Oftentimes when you're mastering something I think you have to get bad--even if your beginner ability is impressive for a beginner--before you can get good. Like muscles tearing down and growing back.
My feet hurt. I expect to be sore tomorrow. And to be maybe better, maybe worse, at my next lesson. But I'll do my best to whack the crap out of that ball. Keeping low to the ground when I need to, firm footing, run to the ball but stop to get in position, eyes on the seams. Bounce, hit.
Pretty tough.
I had lesson #2 today. That backhand--man. I used to think--during the years that I played against my former teammate, the garage door--that I had a pretty good backhand. I would hear people say things (not to me, but about professional athletes) like, "Nice backhand" and so I thought it was this thing that was really impressive.
And it is. But it's more complicated than simply being able to turn your racquet to the non-dominate side of your body and hit the ball from an opposite angle. So as a kid the fact that I could hit a ball "backwards" against the garage door was, so I thought, a very impressive feat. And maybe it was for an 11 year old. But it wasn't, and isn't, mastered by any means.
Eventually we took a break from the backhand practice today and went back to primarily forehand shots.
The good news is I have a strong forehand (says Coach).
The bad news is I get tired after some time on the court. I am no spring chicken anymore, folks, smacking the ball against the garage door over and over.
The more I tried to improve my form today--making my swing more parallel to the ground, getting the racquet further behind the ball before hitting it--the worse it felt I was becoming. And that very well may have been. Oftentimes when you're mastering something I think you have to get bad--even if your beginner ability is impressive for a beginner--before you can get good. Like muscles tearing down and growing back.
My feet hurt. I expect to be sore tomorrow. And to be maybe better, maybe worse, at my next lesson. But I'll do my best to whack the crap out of that ball. Keeping low to the ground when I need to, firm footing, run to the ball but stop to get in position, eyes on the seams. Bounce, hit.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Patty Mike
I talked to my brother Patrick tonight and I don't know if he was hopped up on medicine for his sinus infection or if the stress of moving is just getting to him, but he was extra hilarious. And he is quite humorous to begin with. Sometimes when people are stressed, their rants can be grab-the-popcorn level entertaining. And they usually feel better after complaining, so ya know--win win.
In other news, my internship employer offered me a part time job this week...You know, taking the pictures down from the wall in your cubicle is just annoying, so I told them I'd take the position.
:)
Just kidding (to the cubicle comment). Of course I took it! Excited to learn more as a business reporter! I was pretty nervous coming into this gig, but no one knows what (s)he can do until (s)he tries. Read that in a fortune cookie once, I think. No, seriously. Only minus the gender-equality friendly language; I added that. You're welcome.
In other news, my internship employer offered me a part time job this week...You know, taking the pictures down from the wall in your cubicle is just annoying, so I told them I'd take the position.
:)
Just kidding (to the cubicle comment). Of course I took it! Excited to learn more as a business reporter! I was pretty nervous coming into this gig, but no one knows what (s)he can do until (s)he tries. Read that in a fortune cookie once, I think. No, seriously. Only minus the gender-equality friendly language; I added that. You're welcome.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
We interrupt the telling of this story for a giggle
I love it when I'm talking to Nick and we both start laughing long before the story that one of us is telling is over. It happened tonight while we were on the phone. We weren't laughing hysterically, but enough that when I started giggling Nick paused from his telling of the story to chuckle a little himself. That feeling of, "I don't know what the punch line is but I can already tell this story is going to be comical" is a great one.
In this case the story Nick was telling wasn't that funny in itself but he and I both could relate to other experiences like the one he was telling me about, in which he and I would take the situation lightly while those around us might be more uptight. Relatability paired with humor can enhance the type of laughter you have, even if it isn't full out hysteria.
Giggling in general is like being at a childhood sleepover, which probably evokes some subconscious sense in many of us of the hyperactivity surrounding raiding the fridge late at night, getting in your sleeping bag and sliding down the stairs, sneaking out to jump on a trampoline, having a parent tell you to pipe down only to raise the volume of your antics minutes later.
Laughing mid-story is something I'm somewhat famous for. When I was younger and there were enough of us at home to still gather around a table for dinner, I would recount happenings from school and start losing it during my telling of the story. The funnier the story, the harder I would start laughing, and the longer my recovery time would be in order to keep the laughter at bay long enough to return to the telling of the story. And usually if the story was really funny I would lose it, then recover, several times during the telling.
Maybe I should start telling really funny stories, even if they're not all that recent, more often to get that awesome giggly feeling. Giggling is usually contagious, so really, if you think about it, to tell a story that has you spending more time giggling than actually telling the facts is kind of a little gift to those around you. Or a big gift, depending on how much you all need a boost.
In this case the story Nick was telling wasn't that funny in itself but he and I both could relate to other experiences like the one he was telling me about, in which he and I would take the situation lightly while those around us might be more uptight. Relatability paired with humor can enhance the type of laughter you have, even if it isn't full out hysteria.
Giggling in general is like being at a childhood sleepover, which probably evokes some subconscious sense in many of us of the hyperactivity surrounding raiding the fridge late at night, getting in your sleeping bag and sliding down the stairs, sneaking out to jump on a trampoline, having a parent tell you to pipe down only to raise the volume of your antics minutes later.
Laughing mid-story is something I'm somewhat famous for. When I was younger and there were enough of us at home to still gather around a table for dinner, I would recount happenings from school and start losing it during my telling of the story. The funnier the story, the harder I would start laughing, and the longer my recovery time would be in order to keep the laughter at bay long enough to return to the telling of the story. And usually if the story was really funny I would lose it, then recover, several times during the telling.
Maybe I should start telling really funny stories, even if they're not all that recent, more often to get that awesome giggly feeling. Giggling is usually contagious, so really, if you think about it, to tell a story that has you spending more time giggling than actually telling the facts is kind of a little gift to those around you. Or a big gift, depending on how much you all need a boost.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Hangin' out with MK & Ash
Yep. I may have settled in to watch "Billboard Dad" for the rest of the evening.
Hmm, I wonder what would happen if someone made a billboard-sized personal ad for moi...I'd like to think I'm not yet to that stage of desperation.
Hmm, I wonder what would happen if someone made a billboard-sized personal ad for moi...I'd like to think I'm not yet to that stage of desperation.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
A+ for Disneyland
Disneyland, I did not expect to like you that much. Oh I like you all right. Had such a fab time yesterday!
Things that Disneyland has going for it, in no particular order:
1. It's clean. You know how a lot of amusement parks don't smell great? Disneyland, by and large, smelled pretty good. There was not a lot of trash on the ground, and you could actually smell either nothing (i.e., air), fragrant smells (from the plants? Not sure), or food smells (not just pizza smells, but things like garlic).
2. It's pretty. The grounds, all the flora--very nice. It has the fact that it's in Southern California working to its advantage, because plants love it here, and the variety of things you'll find growing is outstanding. I don't know how long I'll be here in SoCal, but one thing I really love for the time being is how many different things you can see growing all over the area, with seemingly little maintenance. The climate does a lot of the natural maintenance.
3. It's not entirely cheesy. It's just not. I thought things would be more gimmicky, things that kids could fall for but that are lost on adults. Now, mind you, I know that Belle is not an actual princess and that Mary Poppins is not an actual nanny with a bottomless handbag, but the off-screen versions of characters and props are very polished. Granted, Walt Disney Co. has the budget to make things polished, but as an industry giant it also has the freedom to arrogantly choose not to make things polished. It's choice to do the former gives me some faith that the company still cares about quality entertainment.
4. The Fastpass system. Using your park ticket, you can go to rides and get a "Fastpass" that tells you when to come back to the ride to jump the line. You can go do other things, including riding rides that aren't as crowded, then come back later and wait 5-10 minutes to get on the ride. Not only genius, but it actually works, and probably makes regular wait times shorter too.
5. The staff is nice. I paid with my check card for most of the day, and several of the people who processed my transactions called me by name upon reading it. I'm sure they're trained that way, but still. The point is that they do it.
During our dinner, a woman named Sheri came over to our table offering buttons for specific celebrations (wedding, anniversary, birthday). I already had my "1st visit" button on, and she made a comment on that. She asked where I was from, Rosie and I told her about ourselves. Rosie realized while talking that we actually had recently celebrated something--our graduation--and Sheri went and got us "Just graduated" buttons. She also wished me luck in my career.
Um, tell me the last time you had such a conversation with a staff member at an amusement park. I'm not saying it hasn't happened. And to be clear, I haven't had terrible experiences at other amusement parks, and I believe they are often staffed with upbeat people. I'm just saying, I think this was a first for me.
6. Space Mountain. It's very important that we discuss Space Mountain. This was arguably the element that won me over at Disneyland. I had been on Space Mountain before at Disney World, and as a result I wasn't too excited to go on Space Mountain at Disneyland. Why? Because it wasn't that great at Disney World. It may have been my debut ride at D. World, actually, and I don't remember it being anything too special. Nick and his dad and myself are all thrill seekers, and it wasn't until we rode Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom later in the day that we felt we had gotten an adequate thrill.
After riding Space Mountain yesterday, I wondered if maybe my memory from the D. World version was warped in some way. But I told Rosie that me and Team Nick would have been more excited about Space Mountain if it were on par with the Disneyland version. Today I was prompted to look up information on it online, where I feel pretty well confirmed in my belief that the two rides are not identical.
Space Mountain at Disneyland is faster and more intense than the D. World version. Also, at D. World, the ride isn't as dark, so you can see more of the track and know where you're going. At Disneyland, it's pretty dark and there are projections of star images all around you, making for a very disorienting environment. Then it whips you around in completely unpredictable directions. The first time we rode it yesterday I instinctively laughed during the ride. That type of adrenaline that just makes you laugh based purely on your physical state without listening to any sort of comedic conversation or watching human antics is a rare and mysterious one that is incredibly satisfying.
We rode it twice. It was very important to me that we ride it twice.
7. Let's be real: Some childhood fantasies are fulfilled at Disneyland, regardless of age. First, I rode Splash Mountain for the first time, after watching DJ Tanner ride it years ago (during my 2008 trip to D. World with Nick and fam, Splash Mountain was closed, much to my disappointment).
Second, sure, it wasn't as "magical" for me to see the princesses dancing in the parade as it might be for a six year old, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't sing along with Belle and Ariel during the evening "Fantasmic" show. I could imagine things being extra impressive to me were I to attend this park at age 10, but nonetheless I was quite impressed with a lot of things. During Fantasmic, the cast of Peter Pan was acting on high ropes atop a large ship that was moving as they were performing. Corners were not cut. It was an impressive show.
8. There is variety in activity. Throughout the day, we rode rides, saw fireworks, listened to a barbershop quartet, watched a Michael Jackson film (raise your hand if you're a Disneyland virgin and were aware of that little element of the park), watched candy being handmade, watched a parade, looked at souvenirs. It wasn't just rides and playing games to win prizes. In fact I don't think there are any carnival games at Disneyland. Not that those are a bad attraction, but I think their absence adds another point of uniqueness to Disneyland. I guess what I'm trying to say in a lot of this analysis is that I expected Disneyland to be more predictable, given Disney's ubiquitous placement in culture worldwide.
9. The rides are more fun than you (or maybe just cynical, grumpy me) might think. It's a Small World, Storybook Land, those are a little more tame. But the Indiana Jones ride kind of throws you around. It's fun. And Space Mountain--holla.
10. It's friendly to those who get tired. All amusement parks have places to sit and eat your hot dogs, of course. But Disneyland has several restaurants, and where Rosie and I had dinner there was a cafeteria-style setup. Yes, this is also a way to get you to spend more money--and cynical me would focus on this--but it's also a nice way to take a legitimate break and feel like you're somewhere other than just an amusement park during your full day.
11. It's family friendly. This might seem like a "duh" comment, but: no, really. I heard very little swearing all day. Think about it. Where can you go anywhere anymore--besides houses of worship, maybe--where you don't hear someone around you cussing? I think it even cleaned up my mouth for the day. I can be a bit of a potty mouth, but was not so much yesterday.
Good work, Disneyland! Thanks for a great Saturday! And thanks to Rosie, my fab tour guide! Today I am recovering quietly--with sore muscles that evoke "worth it" memories--by drinking coffee and being economical with movement about the house. It's also after 3 p.m. and I am still in my p.j.'s.
Things that Disneyland has going for it, in no particular order:
1. It's clean. You know how a lot of amusement parks don't smell great? Disneyland, by and large, smelled pretty good. There was not a lot of trash on the ground, and you could actually smell either nothing (i.e., air), fragrant smells (from the plants? Not sure), or food smells (not just pizza smells, but things like garlic).
2. It's pretty. The grounds, all the flora--very nice. It has the fact that it's in Southern California working to its advantage, because plants love it here, and the variety of things you'll find growing is outstanding. I don't know how long I'll be here in SoCal, but one thing I really love for the time being is how many different things you can see growing all over the area, with seemingly little maintenance. The climate does a lot of the natural maintenance.
3. It's not entirely cheesy. It's just not. I thought things would be more gimmicky, things that kids could fall for but that are lost on adults. Now, mind you, I know that Belle is not an actual princess and that Mary Poppins is not an actual nanny with a bottomless handbag, but the off-screen versions of characters and props are very polished. Granted, Walt Disney Co. has the budget to make things polished, but as an industry giant it also has the freedom to arrogantly choose not to make things polished. It's choice to do the former gives me some faith that the company still cares about quality entertainment.
4. The Fastpass system. Using your park ticket, you can go to rides and get a "Fastpass" that tells you when to come back to the ride to jump the line. You can go do other things, including riding rides that aren't as crowded, then come back later and wait 5-10 minutes to get on the ride. Not only genius, but it actually works, and probably makes regular wait times shorter too.
5. The staff is nice. I paid with my check card for most of the day, and several of the people who processed my transactions called me by name upon reading it. I'm sure they're trained that way, but still. The point is that they do it.
During our dinner, a woman named Sheri came over to our table offering buttons for specific celebrations (wedding, anniversary, birthday). I already had my "1st visit" button on, and she made a comment on that. She asked where I was from, Rosie and I told her about ourselves. Rosie realized while talking that we actually had recently celebrated something--our graduation--and Sheri went and got us "Just graduated" buttons. She also wished me luck in my career.
Um, tell me the last time you had such a conversation with a staff member at an amusement park. I'm not saying it hasn't happened. And to be clear, I haven't had terrible experiences at other amusement parks, and I believe they are often staffed with upbeat people. I'm just saying, I think this was a first for me.
6. Space Mountain. It's very important that we discuss Space Mountain. This was arguably the element that won me over at Disneyland. I had been on Space Mountain before at Disney World, and as a result I wasn't too excited to go on Space Mountain at Disneyland. Why? Because it wasn't that great at Disney World. It may have been my debut ride at D. World, actually, and I don't remember it being anything too special. Nick and his dad and myself are all thrill seekers, and it wasn't until we rode Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom later in the day that we felt we had gotten an adequate thrill.
After riding Space Mountain yesterday, I wondered if maybe my memory from the D. World version was warped in some way. But I told Rosie that me and Team Nick would have been more excited about Space Mountain if it were on par with the Disneyland version. Today I was prompted to look up information on it online, where I feel pretty well confirmed in my belief that the two rides are not identical.
Space Mountain at Disneyland is faster and more intense than the D. World version. Also, at D. World, the ride isn't as dark, so you can see more of the track and know where you're going. At Disneyland, it's pretty dark and there are projections of star images all around you, making for a very disorienting environment. Then it whips you around in completely unpredictable directions. The first time we rode it yesterday I instinctively laughed during the ride. That type of adrenaline that just makes you laugh based purely on your physical state without listening to any sort of comedic conversation or watching human antics is a rare and mysterious one that is incredibly satisfying.
We rode it twice. It was very important to me that we ride it twice.
7. Let's be real: Some childhood fantasies are fulfilled at Disneyland, regardless of age. First, I rode Splash Mountain for the first time, after watching DJ Tanner ride it years ago (during my 2008 trip to D. World with Nick and fam, Splash Mountain was closed, much to my disappointment).
Second, sure, it wasn't as "magical" for me to see the princesses dancing in the parade as it might be for a six year old, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't sing along with Belle and Ariel during the evening "Fantasmic" show. I could imagine things being extra impressive to me were I to attend this park at age 10, but nonetheless I was quite impressed with a lot of things. During Fantasmic, the cast of Peter Pan was acting on high ropes atop a large ship that was moving as they were performing. Corners were not cut. It was an impressive show.
8. There is variety in activity. Throughout the day, we rode rides, saw fireworks, listened to a barbershop quartet, watched a Michael Jackson film (raise your hand if you're a Disneyland virgin and were aware of that little element of the park), watched candy being handmade, watched a parade, looked at souvenirs. It wasn't just rides and playing games to win prizes. In fact I don't think there are any carnival games at Disneyland. Not that those are a bad attraction, but I think their absence adds another point of uniqueness to Disneyland. I guess what I'm trying to say in a lot of this analysis is that I expected Disneyland to be more predictable, given Disney's ubiquitous placement in culture worldwide.
9. The rides are more fun than you (or maybe just cynical, grumpy me) might think. It's a Small World, Storybook Land, those are a little more tame. But the Indiana Jones ride kind of throws you around. It's fun. And Space Mountain--holla.
10. It's friendly to those who get tired. All amusement parks have places to sit and eat your hot dogs, of course. But Disneyland has several restaurants, and where Rosie and I had dinner there was a cafeteria-style setup. Yes, this is also a way to get you to spend more money--and cynical me would focus on this--but it's also a nice way to take a legitimate break and feel like you're somewhere other than just an amusement park during your full day.
11. It's family friendly. This might seem like a "duh" comment, but: no, really. I heard very little swearing all day. Think about it. Where can you go anywhere anymore--besides houses of worship, maybe--where you don't hear someone around you cussing? I think it even cleaned up my mouth for the day. I can be a bit of a potty mouth, but was not so much yesterday.
Good work, Disneyland! Thanks for a great Saturday! And thanks to Rosie, my fab tour guide! Today I am recovering quietly--with sore muscles that evoke "worth it" memories--by drinking coffee and being economical with movement about the house. It's also after 3 p.m. and I am still in my p.j.'s.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Disney bound!
Soon I will be the only member of my immediate family (per a rough survey completed by my father and I via telephone; survey results do not include my sisters-in-law, as we did not consult said participants for data) to visit both Disneyland and Disney World. Holla!
Headed to the park with my girl Rosie in the a.m.! Excited for a day of playful fun, complete with breaks to sit and take a breather to satisfy the old person I am becoming. Slowly aging and young at heart--that's me!
Also. Question: Why is Disneyland one word and Disney World two?
Who's got the answer? I want it.
Headed to the park with my girl Rosie in the a.m.! Excited for a day of playful fun, complete with breaks to sit and take a breather to satisfy the old person I am becoming. Slowly aging and young at heart--that's me!
Also. Question: Why is Disneyland one word and Disney World two?
Who's got the answer? I want it.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Sit back, let me find some things for you to read
Just a couple of things I've been reading lately...
This article was super interesting, with its thoughts on social psychology and the Internet. I was in a total zone while reading it:
BuzzFeed, the Ad Model for the Facebook Era?
And this one was so funny. To be clear, I don't think that getting angry to the point of hitting things or people is funny. What was hilarious to me from this article was the comedic timing of the writing and some of the quotes. The quotes! Read it and you'll see what I mean:
Failing to Hit Jackpot, and Hitting Machine Instead
This article was super interesting, with its thoughts on social psychology and the Internet. I was in a total zone while reading it:
BuzzFeed, the Ad Model for the Facebook Era?
And this one was so funny. To be clear, I don't think that getting angry to the point of hitting things or people is funny. What was hilarious to me from this article was the comedic timing of the writing and some of the quotes. The quotes! Read it and you'll see what I mean:
Failing to Hit Jackpot, and Hitting Machine Instead
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Lots of musing about a typically teenage game
Party people, listen up.
I have never played spin the bottle.
And I want to play it. I think I might put this on my bucket list. Should this be an event at my next birthday party?
Is that appropriate? Childish?
They have those "proms" for adults (one of which I attended this spring with my fellow grad students), isn't that kind of the same thing--giving people a chance to do something over again from adolescence? I never played spin the bottle as a teen--let's cut to the chase here and mention that I wasn't kissing anyone, period, in my teen years--so now I want to play!
Is this totally weird that I'm discussing this here?
Is it weird that I've talked about this subject on the radio?: (Skip to the 6 minute mark)
One more question: which of you gentlemen will be showing up at my birthday party? ;)
I have never played spin the bottle.
And I want to play it. I think I might put this on my bucket list. Should this be an event at my next birthday party?
Is that appropriate? Childish?
They have those "proms" for adults (one of which I attended this spring with my fellow grad students), isn't that kind of the same thing--giving people a chance to do something over again from adolescence? I never played spin the bottle as a teen--let's cut to the chase here and mention that I wasn't kissing anyone, period, in my teen years--so now I want to play!
Is this totally weird that I'm discussing this here?
Is it weird that I've talked about this subject on the radio?: (Skip to the 6 minute mark)
One more question: which of you gentlemen will be showing up at my birthday party? ;)
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Polka faux pas (?)
Scale of 1 to 10, how bad would it be if I layered my:
white shirt with black polka dots
on top of
my red tank top with black polka dots
on top of
my black dress with white polka dots?
If you'd like to vote that this is a good idea, you can vote on the negative scale (-1 through -10), as I've already designated positive 1 through 10 for bad idea scoring.
Sometimes I can be the most confusing person. Who uses negative numbers as a scale to indicate that something is deemed positive? Bailey Kathleen, that's who. Glad to see all those research courses are being put to good use.
If I were with Nick right now, I'd make this outfit a reality and have him take a picture of it, to make the voting easier. However, for now you're all going to have to live in the 80s with me (i.e., without digital cameras*) and use your imagination.
Anywho, I'll let you get to voting.
I'd also like to point out that if a celebrity wore this outfit she would probably be applauded for her innovative fashion sense.
*Were there digital cameras in the 80s? On professional photo/film sets?
white shirt with black polka dots
on top of
my red tank top with black polka dots
on top of
my black dress with white polka dots?
If you'd like to vote that this is a good idea, you can vote on the negative scale (-1 through -10), as I've already designated positive 1 through 10 for bad idea scoring.
Sometimes I can be the most confusing person. Who uses negative numbers as a scale to indicate that something is deemed positive? Bailey Kathleen, that's who. Glad to see all those research courses are being put to good use.
If I were with Nick right now, I'd make this outfit a reality and have him take a picture of it, to make the voting easier. However, for now you're all going to have to live in the 80s with me (i.e., without digital cameras*) and use your imagination.
Anywho, I'll let you get to voting.
I'd also like to point out that if a celebrity wore this outfit she would probably be applauded for her innovative fashion sense.
*Were there digital cameras in the 80s? On professional photo/film sets?
Monday, July 16, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Banging my head against the wall
Literally (well, I guess it wasn't a wall, if we want to get technical).
And unintentionally.
Being the genius that I am, today as I was doing laundry, I turned my head away from the washer back toward my laundry basket, and WHACK!
I smacked my head against a hard wood cabinet. Hard.
It was loud enough that my friend in the kitchen said, "What was that?!" and later her husband, who had been on the other side of the house, told me he had heard the impact.
We are all pretty sure it's not a concussion nor needing doctor attention, but I am sporting a nice goose egg. If it's still there tomorrow I'm going to let people at work guess what happened. Not sure if you can see it super well in the pic below, but I've photographed it so you can feel extra bad for me.
I took some ibuprofen and iced my head. First with a bag of beans, then with an actual ice pack that is usually reserved for my migraines or plantar fasciitis. Yeah, I've got medical issues. Luckily they can mostly be treated with OTC anti-inflammatory drugs and ice. Count your blessings, yo.
Prior to the impact, to which it will hereafter be referred, I had plans to go for a run (after putting clothes in the washer...) and then go meet with friends for some beers. Needless to say neither of those activities will be happening today. I am soldiering through with the laundry, however, moving a little more slowly this time...
Seriously, when you get these needless injuries, don't you feel like an idiot? Share your how-did-that-happen? injuries in a comment below--it'll be fun! Then send a friend over to the site to share his or hers!
Was that shameless plug shameless enough? When you hit your head, you probably gain a little tolerance for shamelessness.
I'm planning to rearrange plans for the evening with some salty chips, some Coke Zero (also known as Cozo, which I nicknamed it last summer), maybe some ice cream. Snuggle in with my latest read. If you want to feel sorry for me and tell me how much you like me, I will accept phone calls. And emails and flowers and chocolates. But no texts.
That's how I know my consciousness wasn't altered during the impact, because I'm well aware that my communication preferences still lie within the twentieth century. As they should be for this girl, who is newly adorned with a stylish (final color to be determined) goose egg.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Take a deep breath. Regroup.
(Also press play on this video. That will help with the regrouping)
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh:
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh:
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Grating
I might lose some fans in saying this, but the sounds of the following instruments irritate me, pretty greatly:
Ukelele
Steel drum
Harmonica
There. It's out there. Go ahead and be annoyed with the information. I don't have to like those instruments, yo.
If this posts proves popular, perhaps I'll tell you some other things I don't like--such as certain films that are quite popular among the general public...
And if this post proves quite unpopular, maybe I'll pacify y'all with an up to date post on all the junk in my car.
Smooches,
B
Ukelele
Steel drum
Harmonica
There. It's out there. Go ahead and be annoyed with the information. I don't have to like those instruments, yo.
If this posts proves popular, perhaps I'll tell you some other things I don't like--such as certain films that are quite popular among the general public...
And if this post proves quite unpopular, maybe I'll pacify y'all with an up to date post on all the junk in my car.
Smooches,
B
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Lazy bean
I should really pick up my clothes in my bedroom.
Ah well, that's what (next) weekend is for.
:)
Ah well, that's what (next) weekend is for.
:)
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
I need to up these stats
I bought two kinds of candy and a soda this afternoon. I mocked my choices and made a quip to the cashier about my "nice healthy snack."
He told me that I still look good, despite my snack choices.
I would assume this was me being hit on, but it's been a while, so I'm hesitant to really call it that as I'm not sure I would recognize being hit on if it happened. Meanwhile, I'll take it. Kind of like that time a barista told me I looked like Celine Dion.*
*That blog post was almost three years ago to the day. Yep, that sounds about right for my rate of being hit on. Just kidding. Kind of.
He told me that I still look good, despite my snack choices.
I would assume this was me being hit on, but it's been a while, so I'm hesitant to really call it that as I'm not sure I would recognize being hit on if it happened. Meanwhile, I'll take it. Kind of like that time a barista told me I looked like Celine Dion.*
*That blog post was almost three years ago to the day. Yep, that sounds about right for my rate of being hit on. Just kidding. Kind of.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Evening thrills
The journalistic researching doesn't stop at the office, y'all. At home weighing my options for various checking accounts.
Hold on to your seats, friends. This is pretty exciting.
Ope, Bank of America's website is struggling to load the page that can show me further details about accounts. Probably getting taken off the list as a result. Oh snap. Time is money, Bank of America. You should know that; c'mon, you're a bank.
Hold on to your seats, friends. This is pretty exciting.
Ope, Bank of America's website is struggling to load the page that can show me further details about accounts. Probably getting taken off the list as a result. Oh snap. Time is money, Bank of America. You should know that; c'mon, you're a bank.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Tennis and Tweedle Dee
This weekend is one for the history books.
Or, for my journal. Which is a book, that keeps records of history. So ya know.
Yesterday I had a tennis lesson (I have wanted to play tennis for years), followed by beer and snacks by the pool, followed by dinner out with a delicious tuna melt and another beer. All in the company of a fabulous couple who I am getting to know. So laidback and delightful. Really, really enjoy their company.
Today after church (where I sat with another dear couple) I went to my friend Sue's house where we sat out back with her mother and ate grilled cheese sandwiches with avocado and tomato. On the sandwiches, not on the side. Sue doesn't mess around.
Joining Sue and myself and Sue's mom were Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. Cats? Nope. Yorkies? Nope.
Tortoises.
Yessssss. They are so precious. They just lumber around like, well, slow pets. And it's still so interesting and surprising to me that they respond to your voice. They slowly turn their heads toward you as if to say, "Yes?" Sue would put her finger by their eyes and move it in the direction she wanted them to go. And they would follow. They would eat grass and hay and they almost looked excited as they came upon it. "Ooh! Hay!"
They were quite excited about my shoes, which are some pretty out of control purple sandals, as well as my red-painted toenails, which they apparently thought were strawberries or cherries.
I was there long enough that I ended up staying for dinner, complete with ice cream.
Great weekend. I am blessed. Great friends, who take care of me, and a God who puts them in my life.
Or, for my journal. Which is a book, that keeps records of history. So ya know.
Yesterday I had a tennis lesson (I have wanted to play tennis for years), followed by beer and snacks by the pool, followed by dinner out with a delicious tuna melt and another beer. All in the company of a fabulous couple who I am getting to know. So laidback and delightful. Really, really enjoy their company.
Today after church (where I sat with another dear couple) I went to my friend Sue's house where we sat out back with her mother and ate grilled cheese sandwiches with avocado and tomato. On the sandwiches, not on the side. Sue doesn't mess around.
Joining Sue and myself and Sue's mom were Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. Cats? Nope. Yorkies? Nope.
Tortoises.
Yessssss. They are so precious. They just lumber around like, well, slow pets. And it's still so interesting and surprising to me that they respond to your voice. They slowly turn their heads toward you as if to say, "Yes?" Sue would put her finger by their eyes and move it in the direction she wanted them to go. And they would follow. They would eat grass and hay and they almost looked excited as they came upon it. "Ooh! Hay!"
They were quite excited about my shoes, which are some pretty out of control purple sandals, as well as my red-painted toenails, which they apparently thought were strawberries or cherries.
I was there long enough that I ended up staying for dinner, complete with ice cream.
Great weekend. I am blessed. Great friends, who take care of me, and a God who puts them in my life.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Friday, July 6, 2012
Yay for a happy Saturday to come
Me so excited to hang out with wonderful people and have a tennis lesson tomorrow.
:) :) :)
Me new shoes:
:) :) :)
Me new shoes:
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Cuddle monsters in the streets
Sometimes when a man is in a zip-up hoodie, I just want to hug him.
I won't name him here, but I saw someone today wearing a zip-up hoodie and I suddenly wanted to hug him. Or cuddle. Potato, potahto.
This is not the first time I have been caught suddenly by such an urge when sighting a man in a zip-up hoodie.
And yes, it makes a difference if it's a zip-up hoodie. No zipper, no urge*. I can't explain physics, I'm just reporting the facts. Like a good journalist does. Over and out.
*Generally speaking. A great personality and/or darling looks can override the zipper clause.
I won't name him here, but I saw someone today wearing a zip-up hoodie and I suddenly wanted to hug him. Or cuddle. Potato, potahto.
This is not the first time I have been caught suddenly by such an urge when sighting a man in a zip-up hoodie.
And yes, it makes a difference if it's a zip-up hoodie. No zipper, no urge*. I can't explain physics, I'm just reporting the facts. Like a good journalist does. Over and out.
*Generally speaking. A great personality and/or darling looks can override the zipper clause.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Precious man
All Creatures Great and Small by James HerriotMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Mr. Herriot is a delight. He's so articulate, and humble to just the right amount so that you're not annoyed by him. I laughed out loud more than once while reading. I immediately recognized his talents as a writer but thought I wouldn't want to read beyond the first book of the series because the books are pretty lengthy. After finishing this book, however, I think I will, in time, read the remaining four.
I would have been honored to accompany Dr. Herriot to a farm in the middle of a wintry night, soap my hands in a bucket of steaming water*, and assist him in treating an animal in need.
*an image forever in my mind thanks to this gift of a book
View all my reviews
Monday, July 2, 2012
I'm okay. God's got my back. He's got yours, too. FYI.
Hmm.
So being lonely and feeling lost is just a part of life, then. Bummer.
I say this like I haven't already known that for a while now.
This is not supposed to sound like I'm always sad and lonely. Just kind of an on and off emotion of my life right now. I actually had a pretty great day at work today. Sometimes after all the work and busyness stops you start to feel the other stuff.
This delicious song takes the edge off. I was with my dear friend Shelly this winter at her place for dinner and I turned on this song and we just laid/sat there and listened to it. So soothing. If I recall correctly it was after a rather rough night for me, not sleeping part of the night. Being awake and alone when the rest of the world is sleeping can sometimes be the worst. But God took me through that night and the next day and then took me to Shelly's, where she fed me and we listened to Bon Iver.
And watched The O.C., I think.
:)
I just got up (just now, not in the winter when I was with Shell) and closed my blinds. It's dark outside and light inside and I caught my reflection. Do you ever check yourself out in a reflection and then realize people might be able to see you on the other side of the glass?
So back to what I was talking about. God brought me through that rough night and other rough days and He brought me to Cali and here I am after a good day at work, don't know what I'll be doing in a month, no cat. Roof over my head, food in my belly, grateful for friends even if they're not right here with me at this exact moment.
This weekend some plans fell through with a friend and I started to race ahead in my head, thinking, "What am I going to do next weekend? When will I get to hang out with a friend next? Will I make friends here?" and as I put clothes in the washer or took them out I told myself to slow down. Don't race ahead. God will give you friends. You will make it through. Psalm 68:6: God sets the lonely in families.
And I finished my laundry--I love doing laundry--and watched the Kardashians and Nick called and we talked and I laughed heartily. He told me about the outfit he saw a woman wearing and we talked about the appropriateness of wearing tight clothing at work. For the record: not appropriate.
I slept hard and long that night--might have woken up once or twice but when I was asleep it was pretty good sleep.
Last night I woke up around 4 a.m. and read from my book, All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot, to fall back asleep. After about 2 pages I was ready to sleep again. Things could be worse than reading about animals in Scotland in the 50s when you're up in the middle of the night.
So many times when I was living in the 'burbs with my 'rents (and abbreviating words to imitate street talk) I would freak out about being alone, not knowing what to do with that next hour of my life, or day, or weekend. Then I would go to the grocery store and see someone I hadn't seen in years, or months. And I would remember, His eye is on the sparrow.
Yesterday at church (this church I go to is awesome, by the by) our pastor read to us from Psalm 84. I'm in love:
"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion." --Psalm 84: 5-7
So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm not exactly comfortable. But I'm okay. And actually after writing this I'm feeling a little better. More vibrant, like the pink is back in my cheeks.
I forget that this writing thing is restorative for me.
So being lonely and feeling lost is just a part of life, then. Bummer.
I say this like I haven't already known that for a while now.
This is not supposed to sound like I'm always sad and lonely. Just kind of an on and off emotion of my life right now. I actually had a pretty great day at work today. Sometimes after all the work and busyness stops you start to feel the other stuff.
This delicious song takes the edge off. I was with my dear friend Shelly this winter at her place for dinner and I turned on this song and we just laid/sat there and listened to it. So soothing. If I recall correctly it was after a rather rough night for me, not sleeping part of the night. Being awake and alone when the rest of the world is sleeping can sometimes be the worst. But God took me through that night and the next day and then took me to Shelly's, where she fed me and we listened to Bon Iver.
And watched The O.C., I think.
:)
I just got up (just now, not in the winter when I was with Shell) and closed my blinds. It's dark outside and light inside and I caught my reflection. Do you ever check yourself out in a reflection and then realize people might be able to see you on the other side of the glass?
So back to what I was talking about. God brought me through that rough night and other rough days and He brought me to Cali and here I am after a good day at work, don't know what I'll be doing in a month, no cat. Roof over my head, food in my belly, grateful for friends even if they're not right here with me at this exact moment.
This weekend some plans fell through with a friend and I started to race ahead in my head, thinking, "What am I going to do next weekend? When will I get to hang out with a friend next? Will I make friends here?" and as I put clothes in the washer or took them out I told myself to slow down. Don't race ahead. God will give you friends. You will make it through. Psalm 68:6: God sets the lonely in families.
And I finished my laundry--I love doing laundry--and watched the Kardashians and Nick called and we talked and I laughed heartily. He told me about the outfit he saw a woman wearing and we talked about the appropriateness of wearing tight clothing at work. For the record: not appropriate.
I slept hard and long that night--might have woken up once or twice but when I was asleep it was pretty good sleep.
Last night I woke up around 4 a.m. and read from my book, All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot, to fall back asleep. After about 2 pages I was ready to sleep again. Things could be worse than reading about animals in Scotland in the 50s when you're up in the middle of the night.
So many times when I was living in the 'burbs with my 'rents (and abbreviating words to imitate street talk) I would freak out about being alone, not knowing what to do with that next hour of my life, or day, or weekend. Then I would go to the grocery store and see someone I hadn't seen in years, or months. And I would remember, His eye is on the sparrow.
Yesterday at church (this church I go to is awesome, by the by) our pastor read to us from Psalm 84. I'm in love:
"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion." --Psalm 84: 5-7
So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm not exactly comfortable. But I'm okay. And actually after writing this I'm feeling a little better. More vibrant, like the pink is back in my cheeks.
I forget that this writing thing is restorative for me.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
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