Nonsense Words

Reserve -

2012-01-26T21:09:00.002-06:00

the act of keeping back, withholding, or setting apart.

After leaving work one recent Friday afternoon I picked up a colleague and drove to Dallas. We made fairly decent time, pulling into the Hyatt (Downtown Dallas) a little after 9:00 p.m. It had been a long day and the next day promised to be longer, kicking off with an 8:00 a.m. breakfast, followed by an all-day conference, finished up with the four+ hour drive back to Houston.

Suffice it to say, we were tired and very much looking forward to good night's sleep. I'd called the hotel the night before to confirm our reservation for two double beds, explaining that I was traveling with a colleague, arriving late and really needed two doubles, NOT a single king.

I was assured by the very friendly customer service representative that I didn't need to worry that my reservation was for a double and the room would be ready for us, regardless of how late we arrived. Just to be safe, I checked in online first thing in the morning.

(I'll bet you can see where this is going.)

However, when I checked in we were given a king. At first we protested and were told that room type was a preference and they did not reserve specific room types.

(Yes, we were living a Seinfeld episode)

Apparently, all they could do for us was a roll-away. When pressed the front desk associate explained that all she had available were Kings. So we decided to bite the bullet and take a second room. Wait, no, they had no other rooms available, they were completely sold out. At this point we were incredibly frustrated because she'd just said they had kings. Fine, we'll take the roll-away. (What else could we do.)

As we turned away from the desk, we ran into two fellow Houstonians attending the same conference. While we regaled one of them with our tale of woe the other proceeded to check in and we heard her ask if she could switch her double for a king because her roommate had cancelled. Sure, the very helpful young man responded, no problem. WAIT A MINUTE! I thought there was nothing available but Kings? Sure enough, she was getting a double. The gentleman helping her (actually helping her) quickly assess the rather volatile situation unfolding in front of him and had the rooms switched and new keys in our hands before we really knew what happened.

When confronted by this new set of facts the girl who swore there wasn't a double in the hotel just looked at us and then walked away. Not that I blame her for that, what could she say. She'd just been caught flat out lying to us.

But, I will never set foot in that hotel again. EVER. (Despite the fact that the management offered us a free upgrade for our next stay after we complained. A free night might have bought you another shot, but a free upgrade? Hardly.)

Young Adult

2012-01-03T20:28:00.000-06:00

First movie of 2012 - Young Adult. While it was okay, I wish my first movie of the year was...I don't know better somehow?

It was okay, maybe even good, I just can't get all that excited about it. Charlize Theron was very good as Mavis, the small town girl turned "big city" success. (actually "success" should be in quotes too). There's just not very much to like about Mavis as we watch her return to her home town and reclaim her high school boyfriend and "free him" from his wife and new baby. There were some laughs as Mavis unraveled and went from selfish and sad to amoral, selfish and completely pathetic, but I'm not sure I'd call it a comedy. I will cop to some embarrassingly loud guffaws, but they came at the expense of the Kardashians during one of the previews.

It's worth a rental, but not necessarily a trip to the theater.

.

New Year's Resolutions: The Reckoning

2011-12-30T10:30:00.000-06:00

The 2011 resolutions.

Identify areas of personal focus by January 15; delegate and/or relinquish everything else by February 28.
Create concrete plans with milestones and deadlines for each areas of focus by February 15
Embrace budgeting – Create a workable, comprehensive budget by January 31 with short and long-term goals and stick to it. Track expenses weekly against goals
Lose 13 lbs by February 1 eating healthfully and hitting the gym a minimum of five times per week and maintaining the weight and lifestyle 85% of 2011 (gotta have some wiggle room)

I am going to check back in on these monthly rather thanwaiting to read the list again for the first time in late December. Hopefully,with slightly better results.

Well, hmmm, on the surface, it seems like a bit fat FAIL.

But that wouldn't tell the whole story.

While I can't say I've completely restored balance to my life, I have narrowed my focus a bit and am headed in the right direction.

Concrete plans. Okay, that may be a big fat fail, but I'm okay with it. There's always next year.

Embrace budgeting...well not so much. But, again, things are improving. I did walk away from the makeup counter, without apologies, after discovering that the object of my desire was $200.

Lose 13 lbs. Nope. While, right now, I'm only trying to lose 12 lbs, I'm still far from goal and unable to wear most of what's in my closet. I have gotten back to working out regularly, minus the two weeks while I fought a stupid cold, so at least that's something.

As for checking in, well, I don't have to tell you that didn't happen.

Fourth Time's The Charm

2011-12-28T15:30:00.000-06:00

That's four visits to two different municipal offices in an attempt to transfer the title of my shiny new Rav4 into my name. A couple of points you may want to take note of, just in case your find yourself buying a car outside of a dealership.

You have 20 business days to transfer a title in the state of Texas. (Transfer the title and pay the sales tax.) If you take longer than 20 business days, the state of Texas gets a teeny, tiny bit cranky.
You do not go to the same place to transfer a title that you do to get a copy of a title. Two very different places.
If the car you are purchasing is older than a couple of years, you need proof that it has passed an emissions test within 60 days of the title transfer, at least in Harris county.
You pay sales tax on the value of the car, not the sales price. Not normally an issue and, to be honest, I wasn't terribly shocked by this, but I've never been so grateful to not have had time to go shopping.

My third trip, first to the correct location, was where I discovered the little emissions test gem. My fourth visit went without a hitch and I did manage to get everything taken care of and the penalties for being five months late weren't too steep.

So now, it's all official. Five months from the start of this little adventure, I have a shiny new 2008 Rav4.

DIY Chronicles: The Dishwasher

2011-12-26T09:00:00.000-06:00

I realize a dishwasher isn't a necessity, but they sure are nice; even an old, beat up, noisy dishwasher. So, when I went to start the dishwasher and couldn't get the latch to completely close, I was not happy. (No closed latch = no dish washing.) But, I figured it should be fairly easy to fix. Maybe not right then, at 11:00 p.m., but surely, a little jiggling the next evening and everything would be okay.

Ha! Yeah, right. A little jiggling wasn't terribly effective. But, I knew it was a simple mechanical problem, as opposed to plumbing or electrical, which I will not attempt. So I got my screw driver and took apart the door. (Side note, taking apart the door of an old dishwasher in an unsealed rental house is not for the faint of heart.)

Once I got the latch out, I could see it was a pretty simple problem. Simple enough to diagnose; not so simple to repair. Eventually, with lots of "help" from four nosy dogs. (Petey was outside. The girls, on the other hand, couldn't wait to help.) I figured out the latch and managed to reassemble the door. Except right before I got everything realigned a thin metal bar, approximately 24" long, fell from....somewhere. So, the entire project was abandoned again.

The next night, I gamely made a third attempt, but I could not, for the life of me, figure out where the bar went. After a very frustrating hour I got the door back together, the latch in place and functioning. The dishwasher works beautifully. The metal bar? Well, it's sitting on the cabinet. So far, it doesn't appear to have been critical.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

Wishing you a very merry Christmas and the best New Year!

The Countdown Is On

2011-12-24T10:00:00.000-06:00

Yes, that is the plaintive sound of taps you hear playing in the background. It won't be long now.

Soon, it will be time to say goodbye to my little purple phone. I've been joking for months that one of these days I'm going to flip open my phone and the top half is going to keep on going. Sadly, that isn't so funny anymore as a crack has appeared in the hinge....and its growing.

So, I'm shopping for cases for my not-yet-purchased iPhone4s.

I guess this post should really be called "Stalking My iPhone Part 5".

Shopping Misadventures

2011-12-23T09:31:00.000-06:00

Misadventures is really a misnomer. Other than two run ins with rather nasty women, both vehicle related, I had a pretty good experience on my frantic shopping marathon yesterday. Considering I essentially started my Christmas shopping at 2:00 p.m. yesterday, things went exceptionally well.

I didn't have a long list and I thought I had a pretty simple list. With one exception, this turned out to be the case. But, that was one heck of an exception. I visited no fewer than ten stores and three shopping centers, including the Galleria, in search of this particular item and still ended up empty handed. I was, ultimately, successful, but only after about an hour of quality time with Google.

Yesterday was completely crazy but mission accomplished with no casualties. Don't get me wrong, everywhere was super crowded, but people we nice, sales people were friendly and helpful and even the parking lots weren't horrible.

I also witnessed marketing at its finest on my late night trip to the Galleria. Heading out I came upon hundreds of people lining up in front of the Westin's parking garage. At first I thought this was Occupy the Galleria, but no, it turns out that people started lining up on Tuesday to purchase SHOES?!? Sorry, I don't get it.

As for the vehicle issues. Apparently I am a b*tch because I attempted to explain to a woman, screaming at me to get out of her way, that she was, in fact, attempting to drive the wrong way down a one way (which is why there wasn't room for two cars, duh!). AND I am evil because I pointed out to the neighbor's home health aide that she had parked in my driveway. Actually, she hadn't so much parked in my driveway as parked sideways in both my driveway and my neighbor's driveway. I wasn't really impressed with her "I just had to run back in and get my cell phone" excuse and when I failed to comment on it, I got a nasty "Happy Holidays". To which I responded, very cheerfully, "Merry Christmas." Look lady, I'm tired, I have to pee and you are prohibiting me for parking my car, so now I'm blocking traffic. I don't think pointing out that you're blocking my driveway, in the hopes you'll never do it again, is out of line.

Breaking Dawn

2011-11-25T21:02:00.001-06:00

Or to be more correct, The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part I.

Yes, I have read all the books. Yes, I have seen all of the movies, although this is the first movie I've seen in the theater. While I didn't brave the crowds for opening weekend, I was determined to see it as soon as reasonably possibly. And, it did not disappoint. I thought it was great; thoroughly enjoyed it.

It is a bit of a challenge to turn a book into a movie where a fair amount of the narrative takes place inside the characters' heads, but I think the they did a reasonably good job. On the other hand, I have no idea if you'd enjoy the movie nearly as much if you hadn't read the books.

And the count down to Part II begins...

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:33:00.001-06:00

Today I am thankful for so many things.

For my entire, extended, far-flung family. Even though I don't get to see them nearly as much as I'd like, I'm blessed to have them in my life and very lucky to count among them some of my best friends.

For each of the five dogs currently living in my house. Petey and Kara, the permanent residents, who keep me on my toes and tolerate (Petey) and enjoy (Kara) the stream of visitors we've had over the last year. Momma Dog, (aka Pearl) the funny, feisty little dog who has been with Pup Squad for over a year and is still looking for her forever home. Abbey, who has to be the best dog ever. Sweet, gentle and desperate to please, surely her family is almost here. And, Tessie, the newest addition to our little menagerie and Kara's BFF. (Two peas in a pod, those two.) You definitely keep me on my toes, but I'm never bored and no matter how crazy things get, your affection, your silliness and your genuine joy lift me up.

For losing my job in 2008. While that was a traumatic start to a winding and not always easy journey, it was worth every step. The life I've remade myself with help from some pretty amazing people is better than anything I could have imagined for myself. I love every crazy minute of it. And for all those people, who played a role in that transformation, large and small, I am so incredibly grateful to you.

For my job, which I LOVE. It was worth the wait and the detours.

For my health. While my body occasionally reminds me that I'm not 25 anymore (yes, that's me collapsed in a heap at BarreFit on Monday nights), I am so blessed to not have any serious medical issues and I know it.

For my friends who each brings something unique and marvelous to my life. I learn so much for each of you and count myself truly blessed to have you in my life.

For the staff at 24 Hour Fitness who came to work on Thanksgiving morning, so I could feel a little less guilty about today's food fest and ultimately inspired this post.

And last, but definitely not least, for the privilege of living in this fantastic, screwed up, messy country where we all have the freedom to express ourselves and fight for what we each believe is right. I'm forever grateful for all of those, past, present and future in our military and all of their sacrifices, big and small, that make it possible for the rest of us to live free and secure.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Warrior Dash III

2011-11-19T21:13:00.001-06:00

Or as I like to call it, the Final Chapter.

Ran another Warrior Dash today (and by ran, I mean walked) in Bastrop. Don't get me wrong, it was a blast! Great team of fellow pilgrims, a turkey and an Indian (Happy Thanksgiving). We definitely had the best costumes at least until the World of WWF showed up. (Thank you Lu and Kim for coming up with them and Brad for being willing to wear the Turkey costume)

This way, by far, the hardest course I've done. It was hillier and included a HUGE (20+ foot) wall that one was expected to pull oneself up with the assistance of a rope and some questionably spaced 2x4s. Walked around it. I did actually try, but that bit of fun was towards the very end and I was tired. It just didn't seem worth the effort and/or the possibility of injury. (My spirit of competitiveness ends completely when faced with the possibility of injury. Probably why I never did that well at team sports.)

I started things off with a bang by falling down in the ~~quicksand~~ mud pit. Then I got stuck. Seriously, good and thoroughly stuck. Unless I was willing to give up my shoes, I could not move. Fortunately, a good Samaritan came along and dug under my feet to break the vacuum and I was off and "running" again.

I had a lot of fun, despite carrying an extra 50 lbs of mud around, a tough course and the blowing dirt thanks to the combination of wind and the effects of the drought. But, along the course, I found myself wanting to skip about half of the obstacles. Ultimately, I skipped two, the aforementioned wall and the horizontal rope web. (Thank you Kim, for suggesting we skip that one.) It's hard to navigate and our unconventional rolling across approach wasn't going to work bogged down by all that mud.

Who knows, maybe I'll change my mind, but I think my time with Warrior Dash has come to an end.

The Shouds

2011-11-10T23:14:00.000-06:00

I recently found myself with an hour between work and my hair appointment.

I could have stayed at work (plenty to do there).
I could have run any of a million errands that needed to be run.
I could have gone shoe shopping. (a legitimate need at the moment. I do actually NEED new work shoes)
I could have done my grocery shopping.
I could have worked on my AMA board reports (due in two days).
I could have done any of a zillion things I'm behind on for Pup Squad.

What did I do?

None of the above. The Path of Tea was right on the way to the salon. So, I stopped in, enjoyed a delicious pot of Silky Oolong and 45 minutes of nothing to do but peruse the latest copy of "O The Magazine".

Screw the "shoulds". Sometimes you just need a little peace & quiet and a nice pot of tea.

Martha Marcy Mae Marlene

2011-11-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

The Synopsis:

"Martha Marcy May Marlene stars Elizabeth Olsen as Martha, a damaged woman haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, who struggles to reassimilate with her family after fleeing a cult."

The movie is billed as a thriller. Hmm, thriller, I don't know. Creepy, definitely, but mostly in a psychological sense. It is very intense. The performances are amazing. Elizabeth Olsen is mind blowing. There isn't a ton of dialogue (or action) so the fact that you are so drawn in so quickly is a testament to her (and the writers/directors, etc).

Would I recommend it? I don't know. If you're open to interesting movies with less-than-conventional narrative, absolutely. If you're looking for someone more tradition and/or mainstream you might be disappointed. I certainly wasn't though.

Stalking my iPhone...4S

2011-11-02T22:27:00.000-05:00

Yeah, kind of loses something, doesn't it.

I doubt I'll hold out until they release the iPhone 5, but I certainly wasn't standing in line the day the 4S was released. (Obviously) I just can't get excited about this anymore.

Sadly, I do not think my old phone is going to make it too much longer. It's ability to hold a charge is iffy and I know one of these days I'm going to flip open the clam shell and the top is going to sail off into space.

So, I guess I'm not really stalking my iPhone anymore. Maybe I'll get excited once I actually get my hands on one. At least until I drop it and the back shatters. I give that less than 24 hours.

No Longer Keeping Up With the Kardashians

2011-10-30T21:45:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I know. Admitting to watching this nonsense in the first place is a bit much.

I'm not sure what it was about this crazy family who mother built an empire on her daughter's sex tape (ewww), but for some reason, I got sucked into the mayhem. It all seemed pretty harmless.

Apparently, my tipping point is fake-baiting Justin Bieber fans through your twitter feed to get them to unknowingly vote for your brother on Dancing With the Stars.

You can get more details on exactly what happened here, from someone who doesn't appear bothered in the least by it.

So, bye-bye Kim K and the rest of 'em (except Khloe & Lamar - I still like them)

Trolls Under The Bridge

2011-10-27T22:21:00.000-05:00

Or rather, in the comments section.

I've learned my lesson. I stay out of the comments sections on news sites. I'm still traumatized by the horrible, hateful, downright evil things posted on the New York Post's site when Brittany Murphy died.

And, I know I'm playing with fire when I venture into the comments on Dooce.com. I have no idea how Heather Armstrong deals with some of the ridiculously petty and sometimes downright nasty things people post. Although, I am still snickering at one of the latest comments I saw. Apparently, someone took the time to add up the cost of all of the running gear Heather posted (that's not pathetic, at all....) and then railed at Heather for posting items well out of reach of the majority of her readers. I'd love to know how she was able to get such detailed demographic information on Heather's audience.

But, I thought I was safe on my friends' blogs. Not anymore. Late one night last week I was reading a friend's blog and came across a nasty comment that finished up with the always original threat of divine retribution. I was so angry I was shaking and promptly typed up a scathing rebuttal....and cut and pasted it onto my desktop. After careful consideration, I opted not to post my comment (or any of the details here). One because, after a little bit of online research, there is a good chance this person is unbalanced and two because I think that sort of mud slinging says more about the person throwing it than the person on the receiving end. (Before you give me too much credit for taking the high road, we're a little scared of this chick.)

I don't even know what to think anymore. I thought I understood all this boorish behavior as a product of the relative anonymity of the Internet. Then I came face-to-face with a real live Troll. Someone, after my confirmation that yes, my dog is part Pit Bull, actually said to me "The only good Pit Bull is the one on the other end of my gun." HUH? Seriously. Did the man coming to the vet to have his 3 lb fluff ball's nails clipped just say he wanted to shoot my dog? This was not some punk kid. This dude was most likely someone's grandpa.

Yep. My dog is the scary monster....

Take Shelter

2011-10-24T20:21:00.001-05:00

I heard about this movie first on npr and if I'd remembered the story line when it was first proposed, I would have declined. Fortunately, I was much more focused on the company and brunch spot. (Brasserie 19 - YUM!).

I'm not sure I can recommend Take Shelter as it is a little strange. It starts slowly (very sloooowly), so slowly, in fact, that I actually found myself wondering why the set decorator has selected that particular brand of disposable razor to sit on the edge of the sink and then why disposable... (seriously, I don't do bored very well). The acting was amazing, though. You really did believe Curtis (the protagonist) was losing his mind.

The real problem is that once you're invested you're really invested. I started rooting for Curtis. I wanted the big storm. So, when the movie ends abruptly just when you think he might be proven correct, it's very disconcerting. Maybe that was the point. It did win a bunch of awards at Cannes, usually a sign that a movie is over my head.

DWTS - Lucky 13

2011-10-08T21:56:00.001-05:00

To think, I almost skipped this season of Dancing with the Stars. What a foolish mistake that would have been. When they announced the cast for season 13 I had pretty much decided to sit this one out. I find Nancy Grace's TV persona so distasteful, I just couldn't see wanting to spend any more time with her than I already have to already (for anyone who has forgotten FoxNews is on the communal TV at work, less than 20 feet from my cubicle). But, then people got so worked up about Chaz Bono that I couldn't quit.

All I have to say now, is boy, I'm glad I decided to watch. I've discovered that while I don't care for Nancy Grace's show on Fox, she is, in fact, an interesting and decent human being. I've also been completely charmed, like so many people, by Chaz Bono. But, the real reason why I am grateful I didn't bail, J.R. Martinez. Wow. Fantastic dancer...amazing human being. I find myself forgetting his injuries while I watch him perform. When I do remember, it's not as much seeing the scars as being humbled by the strength of his spirit and the frequently pettiness in mine.

Stalking My iPhone - Part Four

2011-09-18T08:15:00.000-05:00

And now we appear to have a date.....

That's September 30 - October 15, in case you can't read the fuzzy screen shot out of my email.

Disclaimer: This is NOT formal, official communication from Sprint. Sprint Users is a users group "By the Users, For the Users".

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

2011-08-29T20:35:00.002-05:00

Last week I not only had the opportunity to see Morgan Spurlock's The Greast Movie Ever Sold, I got to see it in a room full of other marketing people. (Big thank you to Clearpoint Creative for hosting the screening.)

I've been looking forward to renting this movie since I first read about it in Fast Company ages ago. But, the opportunity to see it with a large group of marketing professionals was amazing. For anyone unfamiliar with the concept, Morgan Spurlock, of Super Size Me fame, set out to make a movie about product placement in movies and having the entire movie underwritten by product placement. It was a scream.

Apparently, this movie did have a bit of a niche audience, though. I was relating the evening's events to someone at the office and literally watched his eyes glaze over while I bounced around so excited I could barely stand still.

RIP Buffy

2011-08-27T18:41:00.005-05:00

All Buffy wanted was a family of her own. Unfortunately, while she was waiting, she got into something nasty, possibly rat poison. She fought a good fight, but we lost her late this afternoon. She will be missed.

Stalking My iPhone - Part Three

2011-08-23T21:32:00.005-05:00

Yes, those are angels you hear singing the Hallelujah chorus. (What, that's only in my head?)

The universe was listening....

That is the Wall Street Journal tweeting about Sprint getting the iPhone5.

It's no secret that part of my dithering over the iPhone vs. Android question is my long-term relationship with Sprint. I hear lots of people complaining about AT&T and Verizon. I have never had trouble with Sprint's coverage. Well, except for that dead spot in my former office in the Galleria, but I did sit right behind a huge column.

As much as I really wanted an iPhone, I LOVE Sprint. Aside from the time they called me once a week trying to give me a new phone, but I wasn't eligible for the phone I wanted. But, that's another story.

Now, there's no problem. My long wait was worth it. I get the best of both worlds - the phone I want and I get to keep my carrier.

Don't believe me, check this out.

Where My Head Spins Around

2011-08-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

While I am not a subscriber, I am a big fan of The Economist. I'd subscribe, but even when I was spending a fair amount of time on planes, I still couldn't keep up. I do follow them on Twitter, so I catch some info. I'm still mulling over the article comparing the response of the governments of Iceland and Greece to the economic crisis and the very different results. (hint, maybe the Euro wasn't the greatest idea ever)

Anyway, imagine my distress when I caught The Economist, that bastion of erudite examination of global politics and policy, quoting Britney Spears....

Yeah, I may be traumatized for life.

The Help

2011-08-14T21:06:00.002-05:00

Loved the book. I listened to it and it was amazing.

The movie was very good and Bryce Dallas Howard was fantastic as Hilly Hollbrook. She played that awful woman brilliantly.

As for the inevitable book vs the movie discussion, they did a brilliant job of adapting a rather complicated book. They only made one change that I found jarring but it was a doozy. I guess I understand. They accomplished their goal in 30 seconds and following the book more faithfully would have taken a lot longer. Plus, the change didn't affect any major plot points. Still it really threw me.

Overall, the movie was wonderful. It was well worth the afternoon's adventure which started with a sold out show and ended up at a movie theater with a bar....and seat-side service. Not sure I'm all that crazy about seeing a movie amidst all that commotion, but I'm glad we held out for The Help and didn't just settle for whatever wasn't sold out.

But, the book was better.

The Countdown Begins

2011-08-07T22:35:00.004-05:00

That's September 7, in case you have any questions.

30 days and counting....iPhone here I come. Can Words With Friends be far behind

The Nature of Forgiveness

2011-07-29T21:58:00.002-05:00

I’ve been wrestling with a philosophical question recently. Can forgiveness be granted if it has not been requested? Can you truly forgive someone who hasn’t expressed remorse?

I’ve had some interesting conversations on the subject. People’s reactions to the question vary. Everything from hell no, you don’t owe somebody anything who doesn’t apologize to absolutely, that is the purest kind of forgiveness.

In the abstract, I agree with the later. In the specific, I’m struggling.

Let me back up a bit. I suspected someone I considered a friend, someone who put themselves forward as a friend, screwed me. Apparently, this person despised me. And, I don’t know why. I do know that I never did anything on purpose against this person; quite the opposite, in fact. I put a lot of time and energy into supporting this person and running interference on their behalf. It’s all very confusing.

But, despite being a friend to my face, this individual, deliberately, with malice, set out to screw me and then they did. Not some Mickey Mouse junior high nonsense either; serious, grown up damage done. Then, a few months ago, my suspicions were irrefutably confirmed. As a side note, the difference between suspicion and knowledge is white hot rage.

Most of that has burned off, but I am left with the actual betrayal. The whole situation is mind boggling to me. I just do not understand plotting against someone. (Did I get off the bus in Pine Valley?) There’s also the puzzling fact that I don’t know why I deserved such treatment. (On a philosophical note, I do not believe, no matter what you think someone may have done to you, that anyone deserves to be the target of malicious actions.)

I guess, in the long run, all of the specifics, the whys and whens, don’t matter. And, when it comes right down to it, this person doesn’t matter either. All that matters is that at some point I need to genuinely forgive them.

And, I’m trying, but not there yet…not even close

Where's Ashton?

2011-07-25T21:16:00.003-05:00

It's a key in lock, big deal, right?

Not exactly. It's a key STUCK in a lock.

Let's back to the (sort of) beginning.

I locked myself out of the house at 5:30 a.m. Friday morning. (Big THANK YOU to Trix for bringing my spare key over). So, Sunday I set out to Home Depot to buy an idiot-proof door knob. Sadly, they do not carry idiot-proof door knobs at Home Depot. But, I decided to get a few more extra keys...one for the gym bag, one for a neighbor, etc, while I did a wider search for an idiot-proof door knob. Easy-breezy, right? (ha!) Not so fast; when I tested the key, it got stuck in the lock. STUCK.

So, after work today I took the key, in the door knob, back to Home Depot where the very nice man gave me a new door knob keyed to my existing house key and three new keys. So, I go home to install the new door knob. One (minor) problem. I couldn't open the door without the old door knob, which the nice man kept to return in the place of the new door knob they gave me. So, I had to go back to Home Depot to get my old door knob.

The nice man wasn't so nice at this point. First he looked at me like I was an idiot when I told him I couldn't get the door open without the old door knob and said "you have to change the switch plate." Um, dude, I can't change the switch plate if I CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR." (Side note, I managed to not loose my cool at all, even offered to bring the old door knob back this weekend.) He was very concerned that he wouldn't have anything to return to his vendor in place of the door knob he gave me. After I offered to bring it back, he just threw up his hands and walked away telling me to keep it. I'm impressed with myself for not loosing my cool since I think he may have forgotten that Home Depot CAUSED my problem.

Then when I get home to try to install the door knob, I discover that my foster, Buffy, has decided to redecorate the spare room with what was my Gone With The Wind Poster, glass and all. So, rearrange dogs, clean up glass, install new door knob...the fun never ends.

So, I ask again, WHERE IS ASHTON (Kutcher)? Surely, I'm being punk'd.

Four Legged Alarm Clocks

2011-07-24T10:07:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately, I have yet to teach the dogs the difference between Sunday and say, Tuesday. So, sometime between 5:00 - 5:30 a.m., they're ready to get up. Despite all my efforts, bribes and various configurations, Kara and Buffy (current foster) outside, Petey inside, Petey outside, Kara and Buffy in the bedroom, everybody back in their respective beds, etc., the best I get is some fitful dozing, until I give up and just get up. Which means, I'm usually up and around no later than 6:30 a.m. (regardless of what time I go to bed.) It's rather aggravating and don't think I haven't thought about a Benadryl cocktail for the household, (thought about it...haven't done it.) but short of some Bose headphones, I'm out of luck....and sleepy.

On the upside, this beautiful Sunday morning, by 9:30 a.m. I had hit the car wash, gone to Home Depot, gassed up the car, gone to the gym and run into Whole Foods for a few things. Woo hoo! Now, if I just had time to take a nap.

Bill Cunningham New York

2011-07-22T22:33:00.002-05:00

How did I not know about Bill Cunningham? Where have I been???

I went to the Houston Museum of Fine Arts to See Bill Cunningham New York, an amazing and thoroughly fun documentary about New York photographer Bill Cunningham. A little about Bill Cunningham swiped directly from the film's official website.

The “Bill” in question is 80+ New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham. For decades, this Schwinn-riding cultural anthropologist has been obsessively and inventively chronicling fashion trends and high society charity soirees for the Times Style section in his columns “On the Street” and “Evening Hours.”

For more information about the film, visit the file's website.

What struck me the most was his incredibly beautiful spirit, his joy in his work and his genuine love of people.

Check out the movie. You'll be glad you did.

RUDE. RUDE. RUDE.

2011-07-15T23:36:00.005-05:00

While I (almost) never actually talk to telemarketers, I'll usually talk to pollsters or people doing market surveys. But, I had an experience last night that may result in me never answering my land line at all. (It's not like anyone I actually WANT to talk to even has the number.)

Someone called for my opinion about Harris County politics and I asked how long the survey would take. A reasonable question, I think. Typically, they'll say 5 minutes or no more than 15, usually inaccurate. But hey, how many people would actually agree if they were honest and said 30 minutes?

This time the guy said (I kid you not) "Well, it depends on how you answer, but you're the one holding the phone and you can hang up whenever you want." Huh? I let that slide partly because I couldn't believe he actually said that and partly because I couldn't believe he didn't realize how rude that sounded. (Boy was I wrong.)

I just sort of laughed and said, "well, you've caught me having just poured milk on my cereal.(actually true)." At which point, he interrupted me to say (I couldn't make this stuff up!)

"The last time I ate cereal it only took one hand."

I actually pulled the phone away from my ear and looked at it. (I'm not sure what I was looking for) Here is some guy who called my unlisted phone number after 9:00 p.m.to basically ask me to do him a favor, so he can get paid and he's being a complete and utter a$$.

So, I did something I almost never do. I hung up on him. Not another word, not so much as a good bye. Just click.

In the the split second before I hung up, one clever comeback ran through my head:

"Well, while I'm sure this isn't a problem for you, but I wouldn't want to be rude and crunch in your ear."

Right on the heels of that thought, though, was the realization it would probably have gone right over his head. So, CLICK.

I'm sure he complains constantly to anyone who will listen to him about all the awful people who hang up on him.

Found Time

2011-07-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I found some time. (Does it get anything better than that?) An evening meeting was cancelled leaving me with approximately an hour and a half of time I didn't have to spend in a meeting. Subtract the twenty or so minutes I spent emailing the information I planned to distribute at the meeting and I still had over an hour "free".

So, what did I do? Take a bubble bath, read a magazine, watch TV, mindlessly surf the web? Nope. I made coleslaw. Why? I didn't plan to use my magic free time to make coleslaw, but I had the stuff and I wanted some coleslaw for dinner tonight (Buffalo Chicken Sliders...yum!) So, I made coleslaw.

The real question is, if I had known that was the only extra time I would have, would I have still made coleslaw?

Yeah, probably not.

Bye Bye, Little Blue Car

2011-07-10T20:15:00.004-05:00

It's the end of an era....

I got my second Integra in October of 1999 and that little blue car and I have been through a lot together. Y2K, 9/11, the move to Houston, the 22 hour drive to flee Rita, the townhouse, the lay-off, the "unplanned sabbatical", the list goes on. It also hauled more dogs and puppies around in the last couple of years, than I can count. I'm really going to miss it.

Leaving it for the last time this weekend was a little weird, but I know someone else is going to have a lot of fun with that little car. And I LOVE my new car. I have a 2008 Rav4. VERY Pup Squad friendly, not to mention, while I miss the pick up and handling of my little sports (okay, sporty) car, I'm don't miss that stick shift when there's an accident on I-45!

Stalking My iPhone

2011-07-06T21:22:00.003-05:00

Yep, it's finally time to join the party. I am going to get an iPhone. But, I am waiting for the iPhone 5. (The fragile nature of the iPhone 4 coupled with my innate clumsiness would not be a good combination.)

So, now I wait...and stalk my new phone. For instance, the Wall Street Journal tweeted this today:

@wsj: Apple has ordered key components of a next-generation iPhone to be launched in the third quarter. Details: http://on.wsj.com/qG2QoR

Followed the link..damn straight.

They're ordering parts, people. It's coming. Woo hoo!!

The next question is, of course, are the rumours of a Sprint version, true? (Fingers crossed!)

Alignment

2011-07-05T20:40:00.001-05:00

Achieving success is pretty simple. Align your actions with your goals and viola - success.

So, why is it so hard? Why is it that despite my top two goals right being losing weight and sticking to a budget does one little thing keep tripping me up...EVERYDAY!

So, what is my scary, all-powerful nemesis?

Yep, the infamous Starbucks latte. $3.25 each. One a day, six days a week...that's $78 a month.

130 empty calories a day. (Hey, at least it's nonfat milk)

Foiled by the Starbucks a three minute walk from my cube.

Not tomorrow!! Tomorrow, I will be stronger than the latte!

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-07-04T20:38:00.003-05:00

Not half bad for my little point-and-shoot.

The Hangover Part II

2011-05-29T13:53:00.003-05:00

Bangkok. A monkey. A genius 16 year-old-soon-to-be-brother-in-law. Not sure there's really too much else to say...at least without giving anything away.

The movie is hilarious, hysterical and deeply disturbing on so many levels. It is a rollicking good time, laugh-out-loud funny and cringe including (more than once). It also may be the dirtiest movie I've seen since I made the mistake of renting The Tailor of Panama, which I did NOT enjoy. ICK.

If you enjoyed the first Hangover, you'll love this one. If you're easily (or even medium-easily) offended, you probably want to skip it.

The only fly-in-ointment was the four year old in the row behind us (not his fault). Karma is a b*tch, though. When you take your very young child to a wildly inappropriate movie you deserve when they ask "what's that monkey doing?" Wish I could be a fly on wall when he keeps asking about that scene, or the one in the strip club or if he repeats any one of the many, many colorful words that appear frequently throughout the movie.

Trying My Patience

2011-05-22T13:43:00.004-05:00

I think the universe is testing me (and I think I'm failing).

For the past several months I think the universe has been having some fun at my expense. The phrase "nothing is simple" doesn't even come close to capturing the fun I've been having.

Case in point - the backup drive.

When I bought my new computer I also bought a back up drive. Backing up my files seemed like a good idea and it also was the easiest way to get all my information from the old computer to the new computer. Good plan, yes? Well, at least until the puppy chewed through the power cord. (My Bad)

Should have been easy enough to replace, but it didn't turn out that way. Three visits to two different Radio Shacks, one Target and several other stores and no luck. I tried online, nada. I was beginning to think I'd have to buy a whole new drive when someone told me to go to Fry's because they carry everything electronic. They were right and my drive was fully functional again. Total time lost - ONE MONTH.

This week has been extra fun. Wednesday I noticed that my hot water wasn't quite so hot. After enjoying a tepid shower Thursday morning (like my showers are enough fun already?) I checked the heater and the pilot was out. Okay, easy enough. After calls to Dad and the gas company I abandoned the idea of trying to light it myself, so I called my landlord. Well, or more specifically, I left a voicemail for the property manager. When I still hadn't heard back to him Friday afternoon, I called a plumber.

Then things got really fun. The plumber came out (Juan from Nick's Plumbing - they rock) and after he recovered from the sight of my dinosaur he attempted to light it. No luck. After looking around for a few minutes he pronounced it dead. The thermostat is gone, the coupling is broken and they don't make parts for this model. No big deal, except that despite several phone calls and an email to the property manager I still have had no response from the landlord. Paying someone to light the pilot is one thing, paying to have the hot water heater replaced is something else entirely.

So, I wrote two letters (one for each address I have) and set out Saturday morning to send them, certified, return receipt. First post office was closed on Saturday, with no automatic postal station. Second post office, also closed. Sunday morning I went to a post office across town. Good news, automatic postal station functioning; bad news, NO SUPPLIES. Part of me was ready to throw a major fit at this point. But, I sucked it up, went to Target, bought supplies and went back to the post office. Two letters en route to the landlord. Now, we wait.

Day Four of Dead Water Heater....and counting.

We could also talk about the unintended tour of southeast Houston yesterday, the ongoing computer problems I'm having and the wrapping paper fiasco, but I think I've made my point.

Again?!? Really?

2011-05-10T22:43:00.007-05:00

It's happened AGAIN. What is the deal people? Why do I keep running into talented, but flaky hairdressers???

I called to make an appointment for a long overdue haircut only to discover my hairdresser doesn't work at the salon anymore. Of course, they claim not to know where she went. (Whatever!) But, the fact remains, she has my contact info, so she could have let me know where she went and I, more than likely, would have followed her. (It's not automatic, the fairy god colorist works at Salon A, and I'm not giving her up. Hell, she couldn't get rid of me if tried. I'd hire a private detective and turn up on her doorstep. But, that's a colorist. )

Anywhoo, I digress. I've got an appointment with a new chick next Saturday. Since it was the colorist who brought me to this salon, getting a great haircut was icing on the cake, I'm hoping lightening strikes twice.

The 24-Hour Newscycle & The Death of Journalism

2011-05-04T20:24:00.002-05:00

A bit of an overstatement, maybe, but as I was watching FoxNews (I know, believe me, it was NOT my idea, the TV in the break area is set to FoxNews) I witnessed yet another pathetic example of continuous coverage letting people talk even when they have nothing intelligent to say.

Two women, supposed professionals, were criticizing the SEAL team that took out bin Laden for not taking his wife into custody. I don't know whether they should have taken her or not, but listening to these women state with absolute certainty that they should have and refute the explanation for why they hadn't almost made my head explode.

Their brilliance:

1) "She's not very big, she couldn't weigh more than 100 lbs."

Really? Maybe they have a picture they're not showing, but the one on the screen shows a woman from the neck up, veiled with a black bar across her eyes. You can only see about one inch of forehead and maybe two inches of nose and chin. There is no way to know how much she weighs and since she isn't exactly rockin' stellar cheekbones, anything goes.

2) "There's always room for one more when I'm driving the kids around."

Drive your kids around in a helicopter much? I'll concede when driving in a car, it is possible to cram a lot of people in a small space. (Personal best, 8 people + driver in a taxi ({sedan}) I'm not an aviation expert and I've never flown a helicopter (or flown in one, for that matter), but I have a sneaking suspicion that the total amount of weight in the helicopter might factor in to the pilot's ability to get said 'copter off the ground successfully, but what do I know?

Please, for the love of ...... If you don't have something intelligent to say go back to yammering about celebrities. I don't really care if you make sense or not when you're doing your daily Lindsay Lohan update.

Country Strong

2011-04-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

I don't usually review movies I see at home, but I'm going to make an exception.

WARNING - SPOILER ALERT

I recognize the irony inherent in this review. Usually, I complain about predictable, happily-every-after stories. You will not find happily ever after in Country Strong and I'm going to complain anyway.

From the previews, I was expecting a somewhat typical story of redemption, but this movie is much darker than the trailers lead you to believe. You know going in that Kelly Canter is in rehab after some sort of public failing. What you don't know is it was falling off the edge of the stage during one of her shows with a BAC of 1.9 while five month pregnant that landed Kelly in rehab.
Whap, out of no where you're smacked in the face with a dead baby. Whoa, not expecting that. And they've made it a little harder to sympathize with Kelly, especially since you never get any insight into Kelly's demons.

As the movie progresses the rest of it pretty much follows the previews. Kelly is having an affair with a young singer/aide at the rehab center, Beau, she gets pulled out of rehab too soon by her manager/husband, James, and semi-upstaged, personally and professionally by a pretty young, up-and-comer, Chiles. None of the stories ever gets full developed although they do make some attempts to explore Kelly's marriage, her relationship with Beau and Beau's relationship with Chiles. Overall, though, the movie feels like a mildly entertaining missed opportunity.

First show, she gets drunk after someone sends her a doll made up to look like a dead baby (creepy, sad and disturbing). She manages to go on and then fall apart on stage. Second show she gets so drunk before she can't even go on at all. Third show, the return to Dallas, the site of her fall, she goes on sober and kicks ass. Kelly's comeback is a triumph, celebration all the way around, or so you think. But wait, as Kelly goes into her dressing room she locks the door behind her, giving just an inkling that all is not as it appears. While everyone else is celebrating Kelly overdoses on pills and alcohol and commits suicide. WHAT??? Back up hoss...

Yep, cut to scene of Tim McGraw who plays Kelly's husband, collapsed on the floor of the hospital hallway and then you see a funeral procession.

I think I understand now why the movie never really took off. You can't promote a movie as a tale of redemption and knock people sideways. First, you have the heroine you want people to root for do something as heinous as drinking herself stupid while pregnant. Then, out of no where, again without really understanding the causes, have her kill herself the night she actually gets it right.

Right before the end, I made a comment that I was enjoying the movie more than I expected to, which I retracted ten minutes later during the shot of Kelly's funeral.

I do like to be surprised by creative twists in movies. I don't enjoy getting blindsided.

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

The best kind of Easter Eggs - Chocolate!

Jumping In

2011-04-23T14:04:00.006-05:00

One problem with being absent for so long is the big question of how to return. I've been ready to start posting again for a couple of weeks, but the more time passed the more I put pressure on myself to come up with a spectaular post for the return.

Enough already, I've decided to just jump right in and get started.

I'm back. I've missed you...assuming anyone is still out there since it's been so long since I last posted.

And, I'd like to introduce the newest member of my household.....

We call this phenomenon a foster-fail.

Three of Kara's siblings landed at my house for what was supposed to be a very brief stay. She arrived two days later and was supposed to be picked up by a foster the next day. That didn't happen and I realized I had four nameless puppies who needed to go to the adoption center the next day. Since two of the puppies, one male, one female,were complete loud-mouth divas and one puppy was over twice the size of the others and completely laid back, the "Idol Puppies" were born: Paula, Simon, Randy and Kara. Having only had Kara one day I didn't know her well, but she seemed kind of cool. Paula and Randy were adopted Saturday, Kara was adopted Sunday and Simon hung out a bit longer, but then found his forever home. Then three weeks later, Kara was returned. Her new family loved her, but their Boston Terrier did not. At all.

Super cute and with an awesome personality, no one expected her to last the weekend, but then she did and ended up hanging out with me and Petey for another three weeks. Then she was adopted again by a great family, but she was returned again the next day. I don't think they really understood the reality of living with a three month old puppy.

So, Kara is going to stay put. I had a hard enough time giving her up the second time, I'm not going to do that again. Plus, Petey was very mopey and quite unhappy with me while she was gone. But, she deserves a real name, not a tacked on, glad they added that fourth judge, after-thought name.
Big thanks to Sonya Sellers photography for the great pic and all the amazing work done on behalf of Pup Squad.

Spam Sushi

2011-02-23T21:24:00.000-06:00

Yep, you read that correctly. Spam sushi. The Spam, was, in fact, cooked. But it was dressed up like sushi and sitting on rice.

I went to a Hawaiian restaurant this weekend (Did you know that Hawaiians eat more Spam than anyone else in the world? Yeah, me neither.) and this was on the menu as Spam musubi. Have to confess - I actually like Spam and the musubi was yummy.

The King's Speech

2011-02-21T20:43:00.002-06:00

Will The King's Speech win Best Picture? I don't know. I've only seen three of the ten Best Picture films, so I don't exactly have all the info. I can say it is an amazing film and I hope it does. I was drawn in from the opening scenes and instantly empathized with Bertie. It was painfully uncomfortable to watch him struggle to speak publicly.

Colin Firth completely disappeared into the role and Helena Bonham Carter was pitch perfect as the loving and supportive (future) Queen (Mother). In retrospect, I find her performance even more amazing as I remember that she shot The King's Speech on the weekends while she was filming the last Harry Potter film during the week.

This is one of the few movies I've seen in a long time that I would gladly go see again. It wasn't easy to watch, but it was beautiful and moving and wonderful.

Shoe Silliness

2011-02-12T23:42:00.002-06:00

$90 for Gardening Boots??? Do they weed the garden for you?

Treasures In The Attic

2011-01-23T21:53:00.003-06:00

This crazy rental house has an attic, but I've only been in it once, when the agent and I did the final walk through and I barely stuck my head up there. It was CRAZY hot that week and the brilliant agent who showed the house last turned on the heat rather than the air making it over 90 degrees in the house. The attic was really miserable.

But, being heartily sick and tired of crap everywhere I decided to start using the space up there to get some of the crap out of the way. The attic isn't completely floored and the landlord added HVAC (thank goodness) reducing the usable storage pace. So, I went up to see exactly what I had to work with up there. Imagine my surprise when I flipped on the light and saw this:

Yes, those are legs. More specifically, the bottom half of a mannequin. I think the real miracle here is that I didn't fall off the ladder.

I am creeped out that these legs have been hanging out above my bedroom and really baffled as to what on earth they are doing there.

Why exactly would someone have mannequin legs in their attic, or do we really want to know?

Petey's New Friend

2011-01-16T13:04:00.002-06:00

We have a new resident in the backyard, a black squirrel. I've never seen a black squirrel and the first time Petey treed him, I thought it was a cat. I was relieved when I realized it was a squirrel, poor little guy was pretty high.

Seriously?

2011-01-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

There are some things that I don't think you should have to tell grown people. For instance, that it is not appropriate to wring out your bathing suit as you walk across the locker room floor, leaving a river of water in your wake.

Are these people raised by wolves?

What The Hell, Mother Nature?

2011-01-12T20:58:00.002-06:00

I live in the south on purpose. I put up with heat, humidity, fire ants, mosquitos and hurricanes. The trade off is supposed to be that I don't have to freeze my a$$ off ... EVER.

I do not appreciate this.

In Search of Balance

2011-01-07T18:42:00.000-06:00

Balance as in moderation, equilibrium, HARMONY. {A harmonious life, I like the sound of that.}

In a lot of ways 2010 was a great year, but my life was frequently a bit…..lopsided. While there’s nothing wrong with throwing yourself whole-heartedly into something you love, doing it to the point that you neglect other areas completely isn’t a recipe for long-term success. My lopsided life has manifested in many ways, not the least of which is my house. So, in a quest for balance I am going to try to reevaluate how I spend my time and make sure to make time for things like, say, UNPACKING.

So, while 2010 was the year of Doing Things Differently, 2011 is all about Balance.

Oh Me of Little Faith

2011-01-05T21:54:00.000-06:00

In an attempt to cook more and eat more healthfully I pulled a recipe from the latest issue of SELF, but when it came time to actually make dinner I took a good look at the it and was not excited...at all:

Cook 4 oz of flank steak in 1 tsp of olive oil, transfer to plate, saute 2 cups of red cabbage, 1/2 cup of sliced carrots in 1 tsp of olive oil until tender, transfer veggies to plate, drizzle with 1 tsp of sesame oil and 1 tbsp of low-sodium soy sauce.

I was not terribly enthusiastic, where was the flavor? the seasoning? Shouldn't I be marinating the steak? But, it was late and I was hungry, so I just went with it. {Full disclosures, I did toss the veggies with a little rice vinegar between pan and plate.} It was delicious. Color me shocked. And stuffed.

Black Swan

2011-01-03T21:15:00.000-06:00

Black Swan has been reviewed so well and so thoroughly by so many, that I'm going to keep this short. The movie is amazing, simply amazing. It is one of those films that stays with you long after the credits stop rolling. Actually, we all stayed in our seats well in to the credits, a little overwhelmed by the experience, at least I was. There was a lot to discuss, mostly centered on what really happened and what didn't. Still trying to work that one out, actually. I wonder if the director will help me out?

Simply, it's one of the best films I've seen in quite a while - go see it.

Resolutions - 2011

2011-01-01T18:44:00.000-06:00

I broke my no-resolutions streak in 2010 but as evidenced by the year-in-review, I didn’t exactly hit it out of the park. In a knee-jerk response to the realization that I’d forgotten or ignored most of my 2010 resolutions, I started an insane list of resolutions for 2011 that included a lot of “doing X every day” and “do Y” once a week, etc.. After realizing that even if I no longer had to work for a living, I still wouldn’t have enough time to keep to that schedule, I scraped the list.

Then, inspired by Michael Hyatt’s “How to Make New Year’s Resolutions Stick”, I started over. I’ve reviewed the original list, identified the big stuff and made what Michael calls “SMART” resolutions for 2011 and I’m going public, also one of his recommendations.

SMART:

Specific—your goals just identify exactly what you want to accomplish in as much specificity as you can muster.

Measurable—as the old adage says, “you can’t manage what you can’t measure.”

Actionable—every resolution should start with a verb (e.g., “quit,” “run,” “finish,” “eliminate,” etc.)

Realistic—you have to be careful here. A good resolution should stretch you, but you have to add a dose of common sense.

Time-bound—every resolution needs a date associated with it. When do you plan to deliver on that resolution.

So without further ado, the 2011 resolutions.

Identify areas of personal focus by January 15; delegate and/or relinquish everything else by February 28.
Create concrete plans with milestones and deadlines for each areas of focus by February 15
Embrace budgeting – Create a workable, comprehensive budget by January 31 with short and long-term goals and stick to it. Track expenses weekly against goals
Lose 13 lbs by February 1 eating healthfully and hitting the gym a minimum of five times per week and maintaining the weight and lifestyle 85% of 2011 (gotta have some wiggle room)

I am going to check back in on these monthly rather than waiting to read the list again for the first time in late December. Hopefully, with slightly better results.

Happy New Year

2010-12-31T00:00:00.000-06:00

May 2011 be everything you wish for and more!

I did take this picture myself. New Year's Eve 2009 or was it New Year's Eve 2008....

2010 - Resolution Reckoning

2010-12-30T13:16:00.003-06:00

Hmmmm, maybe I should have reviewed my 2010 resolutions before today.

The results are definitely a mixed bag.

Do Things Differently – while I can’t boast a 100% success rate, I have found myself deliberately changing course often enough that I’m going to call this one a victory.
Be Healthier – FAIL. Majorly. Weight up, fast food appearing regularly and I can count the number of real meals that I’ve actually cooked in the new place on one hand.
Fight the old Procrastination Monster (found a great book on this subject, but that's a post of all its own) – that’s a straight cut and paste from the 2010 Resolutions post. Wish I could remember what book I’m referring to there….. Calling this a work in progress.
Do One Thing At A Time – FAIL. I think this one is the most important, since multi-tasking is not only not productive but it tends to frustrate me.

Wow. When I first read through this I found it very depressing. But, as I thought about it longer, I realized just focusing on this list gives a false impression of 2010. I did manage to accomplish a few things, like sell a house in a crappy market and find a new place to live in my first choice location on a (very) limited budget with Petey in tow (and without losing {all of} my mind). Even better, my brother and I are still speaking. There is also a distinct possibility that I accomplished another major goal for 2010. More on that once it’s official.

Overall 2010 was an okay year and I'm really looking forward to 2011.

Tiny Triumphs

2010-12-26T10:00:00.000-06:00

My theme for 2010 was "Doing Things Differently" and I've had modest success over the year. I have fallen into old patterns more than I’d like to admin but I did smash an old, extremely self-destructive, pattern to bits last week.

I had an quasi-professional holiday party right after work and ran my hose pretty extensively during the day making a stop for a new pair a necessity. Fortunately, there was a lingerie shop right across the street, so easy, breezy, right? Ha! Yes, I did know that this was a high end shop, but I still wasn’t expecting the $58 price tag staring back at me from the back of one pair of black pantyhose.

Now, the old me would have done one of two things, made up an excuse or just put them on a credit card because I wouldn’t want anyone to think I couldn’t afford whatever overpriced item was in question. (even if that, in fact, was the truth). However, without blinking an eye, I handed the package back to the nice sales girl and when she looked at me questioningly I replied without a hint of embarrassment that I did not need $58 pantyhose, thank you very much and blew out of there without a backward glance. It felt pretty good, actually. There’s nothing to say I won’t regress, but I’m feeling pretty good at the moment.

The real kicker came a little later when I ran the new hose I picked up at Ann Taylor while I was putting them on – boy am I glad I hadn’t paid $58 for those things. So, my bare legs and unspanxed thighs (I have no problem going bare-legged, but if I don’t have hose on, trust me, I’m wearing spanx under that skirt) went to the party and I doubt anyone noticed (but me).

{Seriously, $58 for a pair of pantyhose???}

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T00:00:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas from Nonsense Words

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas. I cannot take credit for either the snow sculpture or the photo. The photo is from photographer Walter Crain via Getty Images, but I hope you enjoy therm.

MIA

2010-12-21T10:00:00.001-06:00

I've been neglecting my blog, lately, but I have a really good reason...or rather two really good reasons...

These two little guys came home with me three weeks ago. They were living under a house with both mom and dad (a rarity in the world of strays). They were in pretty good shape, all things considered. They're about eight weeks old now and are doing really well now that we've gotten rid of the fleas, the worms and the ringworm. They're keeping me pretty busy, though, which is why I've been neglectful.

They are currently available for adoption through www.pupsquad.org.

White Elephant Gift Exchange Gone Wrong

2010-12-19T13:00:00.002-06:00

Whether you call it a White Elephant or Dirty Santa Gift Exchange the game is popular at holiday parties and usually a lot of fun. Some embrace the tradition of the old fashioned "white elephant" gift (e.g. crap) others involve real presents, usually with a price limit specified. Either way, typically, it's a lot of fun.

Granted whatever the type of present involved there's a bit of self-imposed pressure to bring a good gift. Everyone wants the gift they brought to be stolen at least once and it's a lot of fun to bring the gift that everyone wants. It's less fun to have brought the gift that clearly no one wants, but usually everyone has a lot of fun or at least has the good manners to pretend they did.

Until last night. There's always someone in the group who takes it a little too seriously, feels the need to correct the host as they explain the rules, makes sure everyone knows as soon as each gift is "locked" or gets huffy when a gift they really wanted is stolen from them. But last night set a new standard for bad behavior. One couple at the party didn't understand that this was a real gift exchange not a gag gift exchange. So, the items they brought didn't quite fit in with the rest of the stuff. Okay, so a couple of people are going end up with less than fantastic presents. Not exactly a tragedy. The hostess actually opened one of these presents, played it off beautifully, gave the giver in question an appropriate of grief, the giver apologized and explained they had not understood the intent of this particular exchange. No harm, no foul, right?

Not to fast. There was one couple at the party who had been vocal from the beginning, jumping in during the explanation of the rules, keeping track for everyone what was "frozen", etc. Well, the woman proceeded to harangue the person who brought the gag gifts, pointing out the gifts didn't fit in to the price parameters and that information as on the invitation, etc. She would not let it go. It was ridiculous. I have never seen a grown up behave so badly over something so completely silly. Yes, her husband did not get an awesome present, but she walked away with a very nice bottle of vodka. And again, the purpose of these things is to have fun, right? It's not really about the gift itself, usually something given by a stranger or casual acquaintance, so in the best of circumstances it's a crap shoot.

On the upside, I guarantee what people are talking about after the party are not the two gifts that weren't fantastic, they're talking about that woman's awful behavior.

Swamp Forest - Update

2010-12-03T22:03:00.004-06:00

Since I moved into this house at the end of July you might think I have tamed the swamp forest by now. Sadly, that is not the case. However, in the last two weeks I have made significant progress.

I have sorted and moved my files to storage and consolidated enough to empty a good-sized portable file drawer. While I was sorting through my random "stuff" I discovered a few treasures. I unearthed a little girl's sweater and when I was checking the size to see if one of my friends could use it I saw one of my grandmother's personalized labels. I'd found a sweater my grandmother knitted for me. That find is en route to my aunt in Kansas City. She gets to decide which one of her granddaughters it will fit. I also found a Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet concert t-shirt. The real kicker is I did not make it to that tour. Somehow ended up with my college roommate's concert t-shirt. Jon, circa 1987, is winging his way back to Los Angeles. Finally, I was able to find a new home for a medium-sized tub full of books. I only have five more tubs to unload.

Current count - 3 empty bins.

Sorry, no picture this time. Big mess...

Burlesque

2010-11-26T19:24:00.002-06:00

The music is fantastic and the visuals are amazing. (There is lots of lots of eye candy in this movie, Cam Gigandet, Eric Dane...oh yeah and there are some girls, too.) Seriously, the acting, singing and dancing are fabulous. I was really impressed by Christina Aguilera. Except when she was singing, I saw Ali, not Christina. The only thing that is missing is an actual story. Oh, there's a plot, but it's pretty weak and totally predictable.

Despite the less than compelling storyline, the movie is a lot of fun and eminently entertaining. The use of music to carry the plot forward is interesting and felt fresh. The movie may not make my top ten list, but it's worth watching and I think seeing it in a theater does add to the experience.

Thanksgiving Turkey......Cake?

2010-11-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

A cake that looks like a turkey (see the cakes in the background) is one thing. But a cake shaped and decorated like a roast turkey? I'm all about dessert and have pretty much never met a cake I didn't like, but I just can't get excited about this.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Warrior Dash!!

2010-11-22T12:00:00.001-06:00

We did it!!!

Before - that's me on the right in the Warrior hat.

And after.... that mud pit was something else.

With an amazing time of one hour and 49 seconds, I crossed the finish line carrying at least an extra ten pounds of mud.

It was a blast and not nearly as scary as I thought it was going to be, except maybe for the fire. We had so much fun, we all signed up for another one in March. Next time, everyone's in tutus. Kudos to Christine and Amanda for their handmade tutus and Carlos for our team flag.

Big thanks to Lu for the awesome pictures.

Canine Good Citizen

2010-11-21T14:39:00.000-06:00

Yep. Petey earned his Canine Good Citizen certificate. Thanks to Courtney and Holly from Pup Scouts and the good people at Treat 'Em Right Rescue, after two rounds of basic obedience (Behave-A-Bulls), he passed the test. No one was more surprised that I was and we never could have done it without all of Courtney's help and patience. (And the patience of all of our classmates.) We still have a lot of work to do, but a year ago it took two hands, a prong collar and all my strength to walk Petey down the street when another dog was around, now, we've ditched the prong collar and can even walk a few feet at a time on a loose leash in a heel.

I just need to mail in his paperwork to the American Kennel Club and he'll be official.

Countdown to Warrior Dash - 2 Days

2010-11-18T19:51:00.002-06:00

Well, it's almost time. I can't believe I've gotten myself into this. I'm not sure which I'm more worried about, injuring myself or making a fool of myself. Hopefully, somehow, I'll manage to do neither.

I was going to pull a costume together, but that never happened. I did pick up some running pants and real socks to protect me from the mud. I've also done a little bit of training in the way of actual running. I have a sneaking suspicion that's not going to help.

Fortunately, I'm going with a fun bunch of warrior. I'm sure this is going to be a lot of fun.

Wackiness At The Gym

2010-11-01T12:00:00.000-05:00

When I walked into the locker room one day last week there was a woman on her cellphone at the makeup mirror. I didn't really think anything of it at the time, but she was still on the phone after my workout AND shower. (I'm a little jealous of her phone's battery life.)

The marathon nature of the call isn't the issue. The real fun was watching her make eyes at herself in the make up mirror the whole time. It was hilarious. In the midst of a busy locker room with women coming and going and two of us putting on make up right next to her, she continued to make eyes at herself in the mirror, striking poses like she was a part of a high-fashion photo shoot, all the while keeping up a steady stream of conversation. It was quite impressive.

I'm really sorry I have no idea what was being said, but I didn't understand a word. (If I had to guess I'd say Tagalog, but I couldn't swear to it.)

My Nemesis

2010-10-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

I have a confession to make. I have a serious thing for grocery store brownie bites loaded with grocery story frosting. YUM. I could (and have) made myself sick eating these things. I seriously cannot get enough of them. So, in the midst of yet another serious attempt to eat well and reclaim the contents of my closet, what appears in the kitchen at the office today? Yep, you guessed it..... a whole plate of Halloween brownie bites. So far, I resisted, but they'll still be there tomorrow....

Passive-Aggressive Punctuation

2010-10-27T09:00:00.002-05:00

What's with all the crazy punctuating these days? It's one thing to go a little overboard with your question marks and/or exclamation points when telling a story or relating an anecdote, it's quite another to starting flinging them around AT people.

When are you going to ________?????????

Why did you ______?????????

You need to ______!!!!!!!!

Or my very favorite, throwing in the fake "we" as in We need to _______!!!!!!!!! when the author has no intention of actually helping.

I'm sensing a little hostility.

Why not just be direct - "Hey stupid, when are you doing to get your sh#t together?

or

Why are you you such a screw up?

or

Get off you a$$ and do what I want you to do right now!!!

Of course, what would be even better if people could be nice AND direct.

Hey, do you think you could ______?

I was wondering if we'd ever tried ______?

You get the idea.

The bottom line is I am over the runaway punctuation and the next time someone starts throwing exclamation points at me I'm going to throw them back.

Incongruent

2010-10-25T22:00:00.002-05:00

This is my dog, Petey.

(Thanks to Courtney from Pup Scouts and the good people at Treat 'Em Right Rescue, we don't need to use the scary prong collar anymore.)

This is my favorite house from Barkitecture Houston:

Beautiful isn't it? But, I did not think my big, black, MALE Pit mix would really look at home in this pretty pink confection. Although, he sure would have enjoyed redecorating the yard with all the flowers.

Petey is a Pup Squad pup and we would both like to thank the Houston Pavilions, the teams who worked so hard to build the amazing houses, all the volunteers and everyone who came out to Barkitecture and supported Pup Squad.

High Tech Gym

2010-10-24T18:00:00.006-05:00

My gym has gone high tech.

Now instead of plastic membership cards we have a fingerprint scanner. You register a phone number that gets tied to your fingerprint and you're good to go. I'm sure it will save them tons of money somehow and it is really cool. (For the record, I have no problem with the whole fingerprint thing.) What I can't get over is, regardless of long-term cost savings, how expensive the initial system is juxtaposed with the fact that it usually takes me at least three tries to find a fully-functioning treadmill.

I'm just sayin'..............

Swamp Forest - Update

2010-10-20T21:11:00.000-05:00

I made a startling discovery last week. Previously, I'd thought of the swamp forest as storage stuff that needed to be sorted, given away, thrown away or maybe even possibly sold with a tiny pile left for storage. Turns out, the truth is that I haven't finished unpacking. Yes, there is some of the former, but the reality is I have failed to unpack from a move that took place at the end of July. That's just sad.

I discovered this as I was packing to go out of town and went searching for all my travel stuff only to fail to locate any of it. My plane bag with earphones and ear plugs and sodouku book - MIA, my nifty travel first aide kit - who knows. Fortunately, I did have my suitcase.

Still not fully unpacked after almost three months - now that's just pathetic.

I will be completely unpacked by Thanksgiving. This is just silly.

Countdown to Warrior Dash - 33 Days

2010-10-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

HOLY CRAP!

They've changed venues on me.

Before it was piles of hay, now it's a huge stack of giant hay bales and they added things like climbing over junked cars and running through a "stream".

What the heck have I gotten myself into???

To find out - check this out - Warrior Dash Central Texas and be very, very afraid (for me).

Why I Love.....New York

2010-10-13T20:22:00.003-05:00

Because within one block of my hotel I was able to get a manicure, a massage, buy earplugs (to block out the giant jackhammer outside), workout, get coffee, snag some TastiDLite and buy pantyhose.

Wish me luck with the earplugs. I can still hear the jackhammer loud and clear from the 16th floor.

Fire Ants & Rag Weed

2010-10-06T22:07:00.003-05:00

Dear Universe,

Why?

What is the point, other than torture?

I would feel so much better if I knew that either of those things served some greater purpose other than making me itch and making it impossible to breathe.

Excuse me, I have to go now. I need to break in to my third box of kleenex in a week and reapply cortaid to my big toe. But if you could spare a minute to answer, I'd appreciate it.

That is all,

KB

Countdown to Warrior Dash - 46 Days

2010-10-03T21:10:00.002-05:00

They're so pretty!!

I finally did it. I bought my very first pair of real running shoes. I've bought fairly decent cross trainers and one good pair of walking shoes before, but no actual "running" shoes. I went down to Luke's Locker, waited my turn and ran up and down their track (feeling like an idiot) and bought my fancy new shoes. (It turns out, despite all the pages I've ripped out of magazines, running shoes are a lot less expensive than I thought they were.- A very good thing. )

I'm not making any promises, but I'm going to at least make an attempt at running. The short term goal is to be able to run enough to be able to run with Petey. If this goes well, maybe....and I'm making no promises here...a sprint triathalon.

High Hopes

2010-09-30T21:55:00.004-05:00

Such promise.....

I know "long" is a subjective term, but I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the "Long Lasting Flavor" to last longer than the time it takes to get out of the Target parking lot.

To be fair, it was very tasty for almost a whole minute.

September with SELF - Update

2010-09-29T20:52:00.002-05:00

And the end...sort of.

While I'm not -8lbs (more like +3 ARG!) this will be the last September with SELF weekly update. Partly because it's about not to be September anymore and partly because this is a tiny bit embarrassing. Apparently, not embarrassing me enough to get me to the gym every day or keep me out of the Haagen Daz, but still...

While the results were not what I was hoping for, they are what I earned. On the upside, though, I think I'm on the cusp of my morning visits to the gym becoming a habit again (I made it this morning and I felt like crap - thanks a lot ragweed!) and I'm handling the work outs (when I make them) better.

So, I'm going to keep up with the workout program and attempt to reacquaint myself with healthier eating. Hopefully, October with SELF's September program will be more effective. I'll check back in at the end of the month.

The Box Forest - Phase II

2010-09-26T20:00:00.000-05:00

It’s not really accurate to call this a box forest; that implies some sort order. It’s more like a swam o’crap. (without the water…or the mud…or the gators).

Eventually, this room will become an office / whatever room and will also house Petey’s crate. Don’t worry, I’m not banishing Petey to the spare room, just his crate. I’m going to put a nice dog bed in the living room where his crate is now. I’ll take a picture, mostly so there will be proof the bed was actually nice. I’m sure it will not stay that way for long. Petey has an interesting habit of wrapping his bones in whatever fabric is handy and then chewing on them. (??)

Anyway, I do have a plan and will have it fully executed by Thanksgiving. (I’ve got a lot of crap to go through).

First step – organize all the Pup Squad event supplies I’ve been storing and get them OUT.

I’m goin’ in……………..

Fairy Lawn Mother

2010-09-24T21:57:00.005-05:00

It's no secret I've been a bit challenged by my new yard. I did, however, have a plan. A shiny new lawn mower and an appointment with a lawn service to give the yard a good once over before I attempt it myself.

But, then I came home tonight to this:

At some point today my fairy lawn mother showed up and mowed the lawn, and mowed the ditch where the grass was over two feet long (is it still grass when it's that long or has it become hay?) and trimmed around the house, the fence and the three crepe myrtles. They also uncovered quite a bit of sidewalk. I wish I had taken a picture of the disaster to show how much they did.

I was pretty confused until I realized my neighbor's lawn was also newly manicured, although his always looks good. Here's the really cool part. Over the last two weeks a group of people has been working on my neighbor's house. (He's been in a wheelchair for over 20 years and recently had his second leg amputation earlier this year.) They scraped the peeling paint, replaced all the deteriorating wood, completely rebuilt the wheelchair ramp AND painted the whole house. They were back tonight finishing up and after all that, they decided to ask the lawn service who looks after his yard to mow mine for "inconveniencing me" by using some of my driveway. Seriously? They donated their time to do a ton of work and then took care of my lawn.

Sometimes people don't suck.

SELF in September - Update

2010-09-22T22:08:00.003-05:00

Not really rockin' the program.

Only managed 3 of the 5 Cardio workouts and 0 of the (2) strength workouts.

And while I did sort of okay at the very beginning of week three, the weekend was full of pie, pizza, french fries and bacon. 'Nuff said.

Oh - end results +1 lb.

On the (slight) upside, I am handling the cardio workouts a little bit better than I did in the beginning.

I will rock the last week!

The Town

2010-09-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

The Town is a rarity - a movie that lives up to the hype. It is a wild ride and more than once I felt a little weird rooting so hard for the bad guy. Ben Affleck is great and even better, I didn't spend most of the movie thinking "hey, that's Ben Affleck". Maybe the cast of creepy bad guys surrounding Doug (Ben) that make it easier to root for him.

Not giving any more away - go see the movie. It's work the (gulp) $10.

Insert The Sound of Angels Singing

2010-09-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

A magic man visited my office and left me a present - a cute little box with treasures inside:

Three marketing / business books and one novel to add to the six linear feet of books I haven't read, yet. But, I needed them all. The top book is my TedEx book club book. The second book has been the subject of a lot of chatter at AMA (American Marketing Association) lately. The third book was recommended by the speaker at the last AMA luncheon. If I read it maybe I'll understand what the hell he was talking about because it all sounded really cool. And, finally, there's the last book, Unmarketing, written by Scott Stratten, one of the super-smart marketing people I follow online.

The Box Forest - Update

2010-09-17T23:02:00.006-05:00

The Box Forest - Before

The Box Forest - Today

Definitely still a work in progress, but MUCH better. I've managed to get the bedroom, kitchen, living room and dining room set up and everything else crammed into the spare room. And, it's only taken me six weeks. (Woo hoo!) I am going to have to get a storage unit, but I'm forcing myself to go through everything and get rid of a lot of stuff, first. Hopefully, I'll have a functioning office and get Petey's crate out of the living room by Thanksgiving.

September with SELF Update

2010-09-15T21:56:00.005-05:00

Halfway through September and I should be four pounds down. Hmm, not so much, actually, half a pound up.

Last week -

Workout Goals - 5 cardio sessions; 2 strength sessions

Actual - 3 cardio sessions; 1 (incomplete) strength sessions

I wish I could claim some reason for not meeting the workout goals. Unfortunately, it just boils down to a dysfunctional relationship with my alarm clock's snooze button. On the upside, I am managing to keep up with cardio program a little better and I got through two rounds of each strength session group. Next week - going for three of each.

As for the food plan. I can say I did better, but I cannot say I did well. And here in lies the reason why the weight is sticking around. I do claim extenuating circumstances. Twice in the last couple of weeks, my office has been invaded....

Yes, those are authentic French-style eclairs from The French Gourmet Bakery and they are amazing. I am helpless to resist.

(Disclosure - I stole that image from their website. I did take some great pictures of the actual invaders, but the cord to my camera is MIA in the box forest....)

"I'm a Straight Shooter"

2010-09-14T21:57:00.003-05:00

I’ve been hearing that or some variation of that, a lot lately. It seems to translate to “I can say anything I want without regards to other people’s feelings with impunity because I’m just being 'honest'."

Sorry, I’m not buying it.

I’ve mentioned here before that I’ve pretty much stopped reading comments on public (media, entertainment, etc) or high profile (ala Dooce.com) blogs because people can be so mean. I remain traumatized by some of the hateful messages left on the New York Post’s article about Brittany Murphy’s death and I don’t know how Heather Armstrong screws up to courage to open the comments section on her blog. But, I digress.

Over the last several weeks, I and people around me have been subjected to “straight shooters” and it’s no fun at all. Flinging words like bad, unprofessional, convoluted, misleading, ugly and corrupt around is not productive. When it is in response to request for feedback it’s at best thoughtless and at worst, mean.

If someone asks for your opinion and you have concerns or think you can help, taking a minute to frame your comments in a way that doesn’t attack or belittle isn’t too much to ask. And, if your opinion has not been solicited, unless whatever it is directly affects you or falls within your area of responsibility SHUT UP.

Sidebar - (The corruption allegation was the most ridiculous. After failing to get their way on a particular issue this person charged corruption, an allegation so far out in left field I’m considering buying that “straight shooter” a dictionary for Christmas, since clearly, they do not know the definition of corruption.)

If your intentions are good, being blunt to the point of rudeness isn’t helpful and your message is going to be lost. Trust me. After being told something I was doing was “bad” I didn’t hear anything said for the next two minutes of the conversation. Perhaps there was good information in there, but I’ll never know. Of course, it didn’t help, that I had not asked for this person’s opinion, but was answering a question only to be interrupted and told what I was doing was “bad” and that I was doing it “all wrong”. I did not respond well. Ironically, it turned out that this person did not know nearly as much as they thought they did and were proven to be completely wrong on several technical points, but I’m not gloating…..

If you pride yourself on being a straight shooter and think I am being “too sensitive” may I respectfully request that you consider, for a moment, that straight shooting is still shooting and being on the receiving end of your bullets stings.
-

Things I Learned Today

2010-09-10T20:55:00.003-05:00

Even industrial strength "Backwoods Off" does not deter fire ants. AT ALL.

My weed eater has an edging setting. (Wish I'd realized that at the beginning of the evening's festivities!)

My sidewalk is twice as wide as it originally appeared.

The City of Houston-approved lawn bags SUCK! (Okay, I already knew that, but still....)

September With SELF

2010-09-08T20:42:00.002-05:00

Well, one week in and I’m still standing, mostly. After commiserating with a woman at the makeup mirror at the gym who also just started the program, I do feel better about my struggle to keep up with the workouts. I am not alone!

Here’s the basic rundown:

Program: 5 Cardio Workouts

Actual Cardio Workouts – 3

Program: 2 Strength Training Sessions

Actual Strength Training Sessions – 1 (well, most of one)

Meal Plan – Unless I’ve overlooked the hot dogs and Haagen-Dazs portion of the meal plan, I pretty much whiffed that part of the program. Although, I did pretty well yesterday.

Results – Could barely move for two days after one (incomplete) strength training session and I gained ½ a pound.

Soldiering on….

Salt

2010-09-06T21:30:00.000-05:00

I like action movies. Usually watching Angelina Jolie kick a$$ makes me want to go straight to the gym. Tonight, not so much. I was pretty much bored by Salt and was enterally grateful that it looks like they're setting a sequel. If they'd been launching a final act of the movie I probably would have lost it.

Maybe it was all the camera jiggling. I guess it was supposed to make us feel like part of the action but all it made me feel was nauseated. I have to give them credit, they did keep me guessing on many, if not all, points. And, I did not see the big twist. But for some reason, I just couldn't get into it. Oh well, looks like they'll be a sequel and I'm sure I'll go.

Going The Distance

2010-09-05T12:27:00.003-05:00

Pleasantly surprised. That is the best way I can describe my reaction to the new Drew Barrymore movie, Going The Distance. I like her, it looked cute and (the biggest plus in its favor for last night's movie selection) it did not look like it was going to require much thought; the perfect combination for my current state-of-mind.

It was cute and easy to watch with more emotional depth than I expected. I laughed a lot, did not have to concentrate and, best of all, it wasn't entirely predictable. Christina Applegate manages to play Corrine, the requisite uptight, controlling-wife sister, with enough finesse to avoid making her completely unlikeable. But the character feels a bit stale after appearing in every romcom I've seen lately. (Hey, Hollywood, could we see a happy marriage hovering in the background every once in a while?) The rest of the supporting characters are quirky enough to be unique, so points for originality there. I'd love to expand on the lack of plot predictability, but I won't because it is, at the very least, worth adding to your Netflix queue.

81 Days - Countdown to Warrior Dash

2010-09-01T20:47:00.002-05:00

I started a new workout program today and I’d like to say the motivation was to train for Warrior Dash, but the truth is, it wasn't. Reality is a combination of boredom and the desire to lose weight.

When I picked up my September issue of SELF on Monday and saw "YOUR WEIGHT MINUS 8!" I was hooked. It had to be a sign from the universe that I even saw the September issue before say, January. So, I had to sign myself up and follow the program for the whole month of September.

First, I am bored silly with my current work out program. Second, if – strike that – WHEN I lose the eight pounds it will be the same as going on a shopping spree without spending a penny. Woo Hoo. Getting dressed will more what do I want to wear and less what can I possibly squeeze myself into. So, off I go.

I’m happy to report that the first day has gone well. I managed one of the elliptical workout or at least most of it. I did manage to keep up with the resistance increases. The instructions include “keep your pace to 160 (strides per minute) on the tough intervals to maximize the fat burn.” Ha! I only managed to hit 160 during level 2, forget level 16. After the resistance hit double digits I could barely break 100. As for setting the cross ramp to incline at 10, I am happy to report I couldn’t find an option to increase the incline on the machine I picked. So, that doesn’t count, right?

I also managed to avoid french fries at lunch and the chocolate cake in the break room. Overall, I'm counting Day 1 as a victory.

Can't Move....

2010-08-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

I guess you really never know how out of shape you are until after you start working out again.

After about six months of slipshod gym attendance, I finally turned in one week of solid workouts. Not terribly ambitious workouts, not super hardcore workouts, just your (or my) basic, solid workout. And now, I can barely move. I am so sore. I am more sore than when I first moved into this little house and was moving boxes and furniture constantly. I am more sore than when I made my first (and only-so far) attempt to mow the backyard. It's quite pathetic, actually. What is more scary is that I signed up for a Warrior Dash coming up in November. (I have no idea what I was thinking with that one and I have no one to blame but myself, because I was the instigator.) Well, let the training begin....

Eat, Pray, Love - The Movie

2010-08-22T18:49:00.003-05:00

The movie was good, but it didn't pack the emotional punch the book did, at least for me. Although, the opening sequence includes a voice over by Julia Roberts so (very) similar to the cadence and tone of Liz Gilbert on the audio book it was unnerving.

I knew changes were going to be necessary to transition the book into a movie and most of it didn't bother me. However, the numerous and significant changes they made to Liz and Felipe's relationship were jarring. I'm puzzled why they changed so much about their relationship (and they changed a lot from the mundane to the major). I also can't help but wonder how much of the additional material on Liz's relationship with her (first) husband and their subsequent divorce is fact and how much is fiction. She basically leaves all the details of the issues with her husband except for his refusal to grant her a divorce for almost a year out of the book. I admire her taking the high road and I know it's none of my business, but I'm still curious.

The movie was a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon with friends. The book was amazing.

Movin' & Bruisin'

2010-08-18T07:19:00.004-05:00

Yes, I am blatantly ripping off borrowing Trix’s Toobin’ & Boozin’ moniker…

I am (still) living in a box forest

and it’s getting old. It turns out that moving from a place with a garage and lots of storage into a place without a garage and only very (very) limited storage AND deciding to cancel your storage unit simultaneously may not have been the greatest idea. This reality and opting not to clear my schedule to focus on the task at hand has extended the unpacking period to the point of lunacy. Slowly, but surely, I am making progress.

Unfortunately, in addition to not being able to find ANYTHING I am also covered in scratches and bruises from running into various pieces of furniture, stacks of boxes and miscellaneous crap. (Why did I decide I HAD to keep the wooden sled we brought back from East Berlin in 1986???) I’d take pictures, but it’s not pretty. To be fair, most of the scratches and all of the mosquito bites stem from my ongoing battle with lawn care. Still, I probably shouldn’t wear anything but long skirts or pants to work for a while.

How Green Am I?

2010-08-11T22:33:00.007-05:00

Sadly, not as green as I thought I was.

First, there is my abominable bottled water habit. It's never been great, but after moving in to a house without an ice maker (a tragedy, I know) it's gotten really bad.

That's about one week's worth.

In my defense, it's not that I can't function without an ice maker, it's that I didn't have any ice cube trays and it took me a week and trips to three different Targets to find trays and an ice bin. I'm happy to report, that now, properly equipped, my bottled water consumption is back to normal. (Which still isn't great, I know. However, further reduction will require a reusable bottle that fits in the tiny little cup holders in my car.) {Also, I not only recycle the bottles, but I let Petey play with them first, so they're multi-functional.}

My real disappointment is that I'm afraid I'm about to abandoned my spinney mower.

I am so proud of my spinney mower (even if it doesn't have the fancy grass catcher). Unfortunately, not only is my new yard a zillion times bigger than my old yard, it's also uneven and includes grass that WILL NOT BE MOWED. Seriously, it's like running in to a brick wall every time I hit a patch of it. I think it may be time to do some serious polluting and buy a gas powered mower. Sorry Al.

Moving Fun - Part 1

2010-08-03T22:39:00.004-05:00

As if attempting to shove everything you own in to boxes isn't enough fun, I decided to go the U-Haul route. And, since I have a lot of stuff I had to get the Jumbo Truck.

That's a lot of truck.

I didn't completely lose my mind; I did hire movers. But I used a great team that requires renting (and driving) the truck. My brother drove the truck the last time, so this was my first attempt. Overall, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I have to give U-Haul credit for making the truck so easy to drive.

I also have to say THANK YOU to all the drivers who helped me out on moving day. With a few minor exceptions, everybody was patient and extra nice. Specially, a shout out to the gray Chevy truck who not only let me get in front of them, but slowed everybody down enough so I could actually change lanes. And, thank you to the dude in the white pick up truck who just laughed and waved after being stuck behind me creeping up the exit ramp.

Now, for the two exceptions - to the (stupid) Mini Cooper driver who cut me off and then turned right on a dime in front of me - are you kidding me??? What part of the giant U-Haul painted on the side of the 26' long truck doesn't clue you in to the fact that there is an AMATEUR driving this monstrosity??

And, to the dude speeding down I-10 driving the empty flatbed truck whose trailer repeatedly drifted into my life. Dude, you should have known better!

Anyway, alls well that ends well. Not only did I survive the day (and so did the truck) the rain held off until after everything was off loaded.

New House

2010-08-01T16:11:00.003-05:00

There is quite a lot to discuss from the last week of moving in, but that will have to wait while I fight through the box forest. In the meantime, I submit, for your entertainment, the only thing that's every stood a chance in a tug-of-war contest with Petey.

Moving....On

2010-07-25T21:28:00.003-05:00

With a tenative closing date this week and a new lease signed, it's really happening. All my stuff is packed up and the movers will be here at 8:00 a.m. The only fly in the ointment is that I have to drive the U-Haul. The 26' long U-Haul. Holy Crap. Watch out Houston...here I come.

Pins and Needles

2010-07-20T23:19:00.004-05:00

Good news - I found a place. Woo Hoo. (Pictures coming soon). I rented a small (very small) house in Houston's Heights neighborhood. I'm really excited about living in The Heights. I'm less excited about the complete lack of closet space and the 1930s era bathroom (okay, the components are new, but the size is definitely retro).

Bad news...still waiting on a closing date. Yikes! I've already signed a lease, so to say I'm stressing is a bit of an understatement.

Oh, and it's on a tiny little street and I rented a gigantic U-Haul. Losing sleep over that one, too.

The adventures never end....

Advanced Knitting Techniques

2010-07-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

My third practice piece is full of advanced knitting techniques; increasing, decreasing, lace effects and the cast off technique is so advanced I don't even know what it's called. But, I'm pretty sure it only counts as advanced if you actually meant to do these things. In my case, it's more a case of what the heck I have done??? Oh well....more practice.

The Hunt

2010-07-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Now that the house is officially on the market, the real fun starts – finding a place to live.

This should be easy.

I'm a bit budget constrained at the moment.

I want a house, not an apartment.

I want to live “in town”

Oh and did I mention I have a 50lb pit mix.

Yep, Easy Breezy.

And if all that wasn't hard enough I'm dealing with people who don't return phone calls, landlords who want a complete copy of my credit report before they'll even tell me where their rental property is and agents who forget they've scheduled an appointment.

I'm having so much fun I just can't stand it.