After a balmy and beautiful Saturday, we woke Sunday to a precipitous drop in temperature. I'd seen the weather reports, but it didn't sound that bad. In the mid-50's is what I'd read. Heck, dress in layers with a long-sleeved shirt and a sweatshirt. No problem.
Thus, the morning of the 2007 Minnesota AIDS Walk began.
Avindair, MonkeyDude, SportyGirl and I set out on our adventure. Being a prepared mom-type person, I carried a backpack filled with: granola bars, non-aspirin pain relievers, a small first aid kit, hand sanitizer (cause I knew we'd be in porta-potty land), one compact umbrella (just in case), and the more important contents of my purse. At the last moment, I added a cute little stuffed frog as our mascot. He'd been a gift from my uncle when I was a little girl. Since I was walking in his memory, I thought it only appropriate I bring Froggy along for the ride!
Not being familiar with Minnehaha Park, it took us a little time to negotiate the area and find parking, but since we were early it was blessedly close.
"It's cold," MonkeyBoy observed.
"Uh-huh. That's your Mom's fault," said Avindair.
Eh, I thought. It's early yet. It'll warm up. Right.
Our first stop was the registration building. After verifying the donation in my name I was handed a yellow ticket to pick up my official t-shirt.
"There's been a delay opening the Boutique," my friendly volunteer indicated, meaning the tent where we were to pick up our goodies. "They struck a water main with a tent spike."
No way. We had to see this.
Next to the "Boutique" was a rather lovely fountain, springing forth from the earth, sending rushing water across the walking path. Remember the Beverly Hillbillies? "And up from the ground came-a bubblin' crude." It was like that... but water.
The Starbucks booth had just opened across the sidewalk with free, bitter, hot goodness in a cup. On a day like yesterday, there couldn't have been a more pleasant sight at 9am! The kids wrinkled their noses.
"I don't like coffee," MonkeyDude said through chattering teeth. "I'll be okay."
SportyGirl agreed with her brother with her best "yuch" face.
"Nope. You're having coffee. Both of you. It'll help warm you up," said Avindair.
"Yeah," I offered. "Besides, you can fill it up with cream and sugar. It'll be good."
The girl behind the counter had been watching our exchange. "We have decaf, too, if you don't want the kids to have caffeine."
"Nah," Avindair countered, "give them the regular stuff. It'll be funnier that way."
We wandered a bit more. Nearly everyone we met was cold, determined... and smiling. People helping each other set up, answer questions, or just joining in a friendly, shivering chat.
As nice as that was, we had cold kids and the walk didn't start for another 2 hours. We hoofed a couple of blocks to a local Senior Citizen breakfast joint for coffee, hot chocolate and toast for a bit. After an hour or so, we decided to head back over.
The weather hadn't warmed up and the wind was still blowing, but the park was getting full of walkers. We were very glad we'd decided not to give up our parking spot to go get chow. To pass the time, we wandered some more, filled out an "In Memory Of" placard for Dale to carry with us, joined an impromptu game of frisbee, petted lots of cute dogs, and listened to the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus and the cast of "Menopause: The Musical".
The only other volunteer to join Team Stone Soup this year, Garret, showed up just in time to get his official walk t-shirt and hook up with us to start a-walkin'. THANK YOU, GARRET!
Without waiting for the opening ceremonies to end, we decided to start out, along with bunches of other folks. The brisk pace we set actually warmed us all up, almost as much as the laughter and great conversation along the way. About one mile into the 6.2 miles, the skies opened up on us. Great big drops of rain soaked us through - but my brave Stone Soupers and the rest of the walkers just kept on moving! Volunteers cheered us on from many points along the path... 7 rest stops offered water, bananas, other snacks and porta-pottys.
We hit the finish line back at Minnehaha Park cold, tired, soaking wet and sore... but strangely happy. I can't speak for everyone else, but I had a great time. The kids had far more endurance and good cheer than I thought them capable of under those conditions. Garret was a good sport and a great friend for joining in on our crazy quest. Avindair, my incredible husband, was his wonderful, supportive self.
THANK YOU, to our fantastic TEAM STONE SOUP walkers.
THANK YOU, to our friends and family who, by supporting us, raised $825! So we didn't hit our goal. That's okay. Every bit... every single cent is appreciated by the Minnesota AIDS Project.
We couldn't have done this without any of you. THANK YOU, all.
... and see you next year!
Monday, May 21, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
UPDATE - Minnesota AIDS Walk
We're almost there! Sunday, May 20 is only 2 days away and Team Stone Soup is only $300 short of our goal! A big thanks goes out to everyone who's been able to support the cause. No contribution is too small - every bit is appreciated.
If you'd still like to help out or, better yet, come along and join us on Sunday, just follow the links below in my last blog entry.
THANKS EVERYONE!
If you'd still like to help out or, better yet, come along and join us on Sunday, just follow the links below in my last blog entry.
THANKS EVERYONE!
Monday, May 07, 2007
Minnesota AIDS Walk - May 20, 2007
This is Dale Christopher, my uncle. The world lost Dale on September 27, 1995, just minutes after finishing his 47th birthday. On May 20, 2007, I walk for him in the hopes that what money we raise will make a difference for those who live with AIDS now, and in the hopes that people in the future will never have to live with it again.
To learn more about the Minnesota AIDS Walk, you can visit their website at mnaidswalk.org. If you'd like to support me, please visit my personal page and click the "Make a Gift" link under my progress chart. If you'd like to join Team Stone Soup, just go to the team page, click on "Join a Team" and type in Stone Soup. We'd love to have you walk with us!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Whew!
What's that sticky stuff?
It had been a long day at work. A weary commute home. I looked down to see big white sticker under my shoe. The wind has a nasty habit of depositing leaves and every piece of blowing trash in a three block radius in front of our door.
I reached down, removed the offending sticker, and opened the door. I knew was waiting for me on the other side.
The 2-Day FedEx envelope sat on the floor of our entryway. It leaned casually against the wall in a black beret, smoking a thin, brown cigarette... mocking me. I think I would have rather encountered an axe murderer on the other side of that door.
I considered it carefully. Would it bite? I picked it up by the edge.
Phew. What stinks in here?
The heavy envelope made an audible thud as it hit the kitchen counter. I considered putting a match to it, but thought better of it. What horrors would it hold? Could my heart stand it?
I took a deep breath (yeesh - what is that smell?) ripped the envelope like a giant band-aid. The quicker, the better.
Our 2007 taxes.
Suddenly, I could breathe again.
Our tax guy is worth every, freaking cent.
Good news: we got a return.
Eh news: we're handing it all over to Uncle Sam to cover the taxes I will eventually have to pay on my extra business income next year.
Bad news: I tracked in dog shit on my shoe.
All we have to do are sign the forms, mail them on time, and pay the tax guy for his expertise.
My taxes in 2004 and 2005 were something that even Freddie Kruger couldn't have devised in his wildest ravings. I won't post the totals, but let's just say that April 2005 left me gasping for air to the tune of tens of thousands. I still blanche at the thought of it.
And the worst part, was that he was wrong.
For 2006, I got the tax guy of my dreams (let me know if you want a recommendation). He fixed the previous guy's mistakes to the tune of so much of a return, that it prepaid my quarterly taxes for almost half of the next year. Yowch.
It's funny. But even though I know what the end number of the tax return reads, I still involuntarily shrink from it. It's like being bitten by a big dog. He may look friendly now, but you never trust him again.
Yeah. Like I ever trusted the IRS before.
Tonight I toast my tax guy and look forward to next year's simpler... much simpler... tax return.
It had been a long day at work. A weary commute home. I looked down to see big white sticker under my shoe. The wind has a nasty habit of depositing leaves and every piece of blowing trash in a three block radius in front of our door.
I reached down, removed the offending sticker, and opened the door. I knew was waiting for me on the other side.
The 2-Day FedEx envelope sat on the floor of our entryway. It leaned casually against the wall in a black beret, smoking a thin, brown cigarette... mocking me. I think I would have rather encountered an axe murderer on the other side of that door.
I considered it carefully. Would it bite? I picked it up by the edge.
Phew. What stinks in here?
The heavy envelope made an audible thud as it hit the kitchen counter. I considered putting a match to it, but thought better of it. What horrors would it hold? Could my heart stand it?
I took a deep breath (yeesh - what is that smell?) ripped the envelope like a giant band-aid. The quicker, the better.
Our 2007 taxes.
Suddenly, I could breathe again.
Our tax guy is worth every, freaking cent.
Good news: we got a return.
Eh news: we're handing it all over to Uncle Sam to cover the taxes I will eventually have to pay on my extra business income next year.
Bad news: I tracked in dog shit on my shoe.
All we have to do are sign the forms, mail them on time, and pay the tax guy for his expertise.
My taxes in 2004 and 2005 were something that even Freddie Kruger couldn't have devised in his wildest ravings. I won't post the totals, but let's just say that April 2005 left me gasping for air to the tune of tens of thousands. I still blanche at the thought of it.
And the worst part, was that he was wrong.
For 2006, I got the tax guy of my dreams (let me know if you want a recommendation). He fixed the previous guy's mistakes to the tune of so much of a return, that it prepaid my quarterly taxes for almost half of the next year. Yowch.
It's funny. But even though I know what the end number of the tax return reads, I still involuntarily shrink from it. It's like being bitten by a big dog. He may look friendly now, but you never trust him again.
Yeah. Like I ever trusted the IRS before.
Tonight I toast my tax guy and look forward to next year's simpler... much simpler... tax return.
Hotsy-Totsy
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Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Firefly, We Hardly Knew Ya...
You are Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command)
You love your significant other and
you are a tough cookie when in a conflict.
Click here to take the "Which Serenity character are you?" quiz...
Monday, March 26, 2007
Well, duh...
Drama, Musician and Gamer run pretty neck and neck and neck.
| What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Drama Nerd You sure do love the spotlight and probably have a very out-going and loud personality. Or not. That's just a stereotype, of course. Participation in the theatre is something to be very proud of. Whether you have a great voice for musicals, or astounding skills for dramas/comedies; keep up the good work. We need more entertainment these days that isn't television and video games (not that these things are bad, necessarily.) | |
| Literature Nerd | |
| Musician | |
| Gamer/Computer Nerd | |
| Social Nerd | |
| Artistic Nerd | |
| Science/Math Nerd | |
| Anime Nerd | |
| What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace | |
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Kate, Kate, Bo-bate! Banana-fanna, Fo-fate!
Anyone who can identify the quote in my blog post title gets brownie points.
I am very happy to be identified as Kate, since I've always LOVED this character and Elizabeth Taylor's performance (as pictured) with Richard Burton.
I'm also very happy that I haven't completely forgotten all of my HTML knowledge and was able to troubleshoot and fix the code. There was a problem with the text not showing up. Oh, yeah. I'm good!
I am very happy to be identified as Kate, since I've always LOVED this character and Elizabeth Taylor's performance (as pictured) with Richard Burton.
I'm also very happy that I haven't completely forgotten all of my HTML knowledge and was able to troubleshoot and fix the code. There was a problem with the text not showing up. Oh, yeah. I'm good!
| Which Shakespearian Leading Lady are You? Katherine: The Taming Of The Shrew You are a woman to be reckoned with. You are not only strong willed but are extremely emotionally involved as well. This combination is volatile and could lead to violence. Nothing standing between you and your wants is acceptable. Therefore, it is important to remember the difference between wants and needs. As Kate inevitably does, channel your energies into a healthy relationship. Play with your partner; you’re the master at it anyway!
|
| Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests. |
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
The Cat's Out of the Bag
I've been waiting to post this for a couple of weeks. It had taken so long to get what I wanted and needed that I was afraid I'd jinx it with a premature announcement. So without further ado...
I got a job. A good one. A real, honest-to-goodness, regular full-time employee type job with decent pay, good commute, great co-workers, casual atmosphere, and nice benefits. A job where people say please and thank you. A job where my boss doesn't track me with a stop watch and asks for my opinion. A company that's been around for 33 years and grown exponentially in the last 10. A company that has employees celebrating 25-year anniversaries.
And I even like the work.
I'm a Technical Writer / Trainer in Product Development for a Twin Cities-based incentives company. In a nut shell, my company helps other companies keep employees feeling happy and appreciated through incentives and loyalty programs.
More later. I'm still writing freelance on the side occasionally and I'm up late tonight to meet a deadline.
'night, all...
I got a job. A good one. A real, honest-to-goodness, regular full-time employee type job with decent pay, good commute, great co-workers, casual atmosphere, and nice benefits. A job where people say please and thank you. A job where my boss doesn't track me with a stop watch and asks for my opinion. A company that's been around for 33 years and grown exponentially in the last 10. A company that has employees celebrating 25-year anniversaries.
And I even like the work.
I'm a Technical Writer / Trainer in Product Development for a Twin Cities-based incentives company. In a nut shell, my company helps other companies keep employees feeling happy and appreciated through incentives and loyalty programs.
More later. I'm still writing freelance on the side occasionally and I'm up late tonight to meet a deadline.
'night, all...
Saturday, March 10, 2007
One Brief, Shining Moment... It Ain't
The most recent revival of Camelot at the Ordway in Saint Paul was the victim of a school yard bully: pushed in the mud, nose bloodied, snicker-snagged on... and had its lunch money taken away.
One look at the the masterminds behind this desecration of classic American musical theater and we can see why. The book for this production has been "reimagined" by Michael Lerner, son of the original lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, for a contemporary audience. Gone are musical numbers "The Jousts", "Fie on Goodness", and "I Loved You Once in Silence". "Guenevere", that tells the tale of Lancelot's escape, Guenevere's trial and sentence, Arthur's heartbreak, and the destruction of the Round Table has been virtually reduced to a chorus of 6 voices and 60 seconds of everyone running about.
Scenes have been swapped around. Songs moved or removed. Lines added or changed. New one-liners dropped in to lighten the tone of the second act. Old jokes, that may be offensive to our more enlightened modern tastes (read: whiney-ass cry-babies without a sense of humor) have been cut and replaced with awkward, apologetic comments.
Does Michael Lerner actually have a background in daddy's grand profession? Oh, no! This is his FIRST theatrical attempt. Prior to this he was a foreign correspondent for Newsweek magazine. No joke.
Michael's sister, Liza Lerner, is the Producer. And - who'd have guessed it - this is the FIRST show she's ever produced! What's the daughter of an American theater icon been doing for a living? She's the president of her own interior design firm. That explains the just-passable sets and the what-were-they-thinking costume choices.
From the moment the curtain rose, I knew we were in trouble as a young lad in silhouette rushed onto the stage and pulls a sword from a stone. I guess they had to remind us what show we came to see.
Then there's Michael York. Yup. There he is. An accomplished actor whose career spans over 40 years of stage and screen. And he was awful. I mean, really awful. Instead of a powerful but thoughtful and tragic king, we get an amiable, oafish Wart. York takes the man who never intended to be king, and runs with that interp through the entire show. Flat, one-note, and lifelessly mellow, Arthur bumbles bemusedly through most of the darkest moments of the play like a Zoloft-addicted koala bear.
Poor acting choices aside, York's physicality was completely distracting. We've all seen amateur actors who pose or have no clue as to what do with their hands to make their movement look natural. All night, York's elbows seemed to be tied to his waist in some sort of constant rock'em-sock'em-robot pattern of gestures. What's almost worse, is that he was the only actor on stage doing it. If I hadn't known better, I'd have said that this was opening night or his first stage show after years of film, but that's not the case. It was just sadly disappointing.
Rachel York, however, was surprisingly stunning. Her Guenevere had a vitality and intelligence often missing from this ingenue role from the moment she set foot on stage. James Barbour, in the role of Lancelot, lended his sonorous voice and musical theater acting chops to a role too often portrayed as a simple, self-centered, religious fanatic. Add in Time Winter's endearing Pellinore and Eric Anderson's pagan Merlyn, and you have several talented performers hog-tied into a frighteningly-disastrous train wreck aimed right at the terrified and unsuspecting audience.
We won't even get into the silliest dance move for knights a-may-ing -- ever, Lancelot's silver lame' go-go boots, nuance-nullifying amplified sound, the joust cut to a 2/3 version sword fight, a faster tempo for every tune, turning a classic tragedy into an upbeat romp for the the text-messaging generation, or the thoroughly uninspired blocking and stage pictures.
I mean, wow. This was a stinker. Ever seen audience members walk out of the middle of performances at the Ordway?
I did.
Yes. It was that bad.
We listened to one of the Richard Harris versions on CD in the car. Popped in the DVD of the 1967 film version when we got home. Ordered the 1982 Showtime version from Amazon before we went to bed. Had to get the bad taste out of our mouths.
I love Camelot and I have for years. I've read "The Once and Future King" by T.S. White many times and even Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur". I don't want my children's only exposure to this timeless tale to be this butchered travesty. Time to right the wrongs before they end up in therapy.
* out of * * * * *
One look at the the masterminds behind this desecration of classic American musical theater and we can see why. The book for this production has been "reimagined" by Michael Lerner, son of the original lyricist Alan Jay Lerner, for a contemporary audience. Gone are musical numbers "The Jousts", "Fie on Goodness", and "I Loved You Once in Silence". "Guenevere", that tells the tale of Lancelot's escape, Guenevere's trial and sentence, Arthur's heartbreak, and the destruction of the Round Table has been virtually reduced to a chorus of 6 voices and 60 seconds of everyone running about.
Scenes have been swapped around. Songs moved or removed. Lines added or changed. New one-liners dropped in to lighten the tone of the second act. Old jokes, that may be offensive to our more enlightened modern tastes (read: whiney-ass cry-babies without a sense of humor) have been cut and replaced with awkward, apologetic comments.
Does Michael Lerner actually have a background in daddy's grand profession? Oh, no! This is his FIRST theatrical attempt. Prior to this he was a foreign correspondent for Newsweek magazine. No joke.
Michael's sister, Liza Lerner, is the Producer. And - who'd have guessed it - this is the FIRST show she's ever produced! What's the daughter of an American theater icon been doing for a living? She's the president of her own interior design firm. That explains the just-passable sets and the what-were-they-thinking costume choices.
From the moment the curtain rose, I knew we were in trouble as a young lad in silhouette rushed onto the stage and pulls a sword from a stone. I guess they had to remind us what show we came to see.
Then there's Michael York. Yup. There he is. An accomplished actor whose career spans over 40 years of stage and screen. And he was awful. I mean, really awful. Instead of a powerful but thoughtful and tragic king, we get an amiable, oafish Wart. York takes the man who never intended to be king, and runs with that interp through the entire show. Flat, one-note, and lifelessly mellow, Arthur bumbles bemusedly through most of the darkest moments of the play like a Zoloft-addicted koala bear.
Poor acting choices aside, York's physicality was completely distracting. We've all seen amateur actors who pose or have no clue as to what do with their hands to make their movement look natural. All night, York's elbows seemed to be tied to his waist in some sort of constant rock'em-sock'em-robot pattern of gestures. What's almost worse, is that he was the only actor on stage doing it. If I hadn't known better, I'd have said that this was opening night or his first stage show after years of film, but that's not the case. It was just sadly disappointing.
Rachel York, however, was surprisingly stunning. Her Guenevere had a vitality and intelligence often missing from this ingenue role from the moment she set foot on stage. James Barbour, in the role of Lancelot, lended his sonorous voice and musical theater acting chops to a role too often portrayed as a simple, self-centered, religious fanatic. Add in Time Winter's endearing Pellinore and Eric Anderson's pagan Merlyn, and you have several talented performers hog-tied into a frighteningly-disastrous train wreck aimed right at the terrified and unsuspecting audience.
We won't even get into the silliest dance move for knights a-may-ing -- ever, Lancelot's silver lame' go-go boots, nuance-nullifying amplified sound, the joust cut to a 2/3 version sword fight, a faster tempo for every tune, turning a classic tragedy into an upbeat romp for the the text-messaging generation, or the thoroughly uninspired blocking and stage pictures.
I mean, wow. This was a stinker. Ever seen audience members walk out of the middle of performances at the Ordway?
I did.
Yes. It was that bad.
We listened to one of the Richard Harris versions on CD in the car. Popped in the DVD of the 1967 film version when we got home. Ordered the 1982 Showtime version from Amazon before we went to bed. Had to get the bad taste out of our mouths.
I love Camelot and I have for years. I've read "The Once and Future King" by T.S. White many times and even Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur". I don't want my children's only exposure to this timeless tale to be this butchered travesty. Time to right the wrongs before they end up in therapy.
* out of * * * * *
Friday, March 09, 2007
Whiskey or Beer?
You scored as Irish.
Which European nationality should you have been? created with QuizFarm.com |
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Skiing and a Show
Yesterday was a good day.
Made a tremendous dent in the laundry pile and got a respectable amount of sorting and putting away of stuff in the bedrooms.
When the kids came home, we'd planned to hit cheap night at the movies to see "The Astronaut Farmer". Since the next showing was still three hours away, Avindair and I went over to Pioneer Midwest in Osseo to finally get me my very own cross country ski set! I'd been renting for 1-1/2 seasons, and it was time to make the leap. We got in on their fantastic seasonal clearance sale - most items 40% off or more - and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable.
After the purchase, we had just enough time to grab a quick dinner, change into all of the new gear and hit the trails at Elm Creek Park Reserve. What a difference! Let it be known that I am not a talented cross country skier, but I am determined. With the rental skis I essentially trudged all 2.5 k. With the new, light, waxed skis, the trail was half the work with twice the fun. So worth it!
Since I didn't have to take the time for ski rental pick up and drop off, we got home with half an hour to spare before the movie. We had plenty of time to get changed, load the NerdPod into the NerdVan, and make it to the theater.
"The Astronaut Farmer", starring Billy Bob Thornton and Virginia Madsen, is one of those feel-good films you can take everyone to see. Charles Farmer, an aeronautical engineer, Air Force pilot, and space program candidate, is forced to give up his dreams of going into space to due to a tragic family event. He spends the next decade building his own rocket, and enlists the help of his wife and kids to make his dreams come true. A great, warm-hearted family film, "The Astronaut Farmer" is one of determination, inspiration, and love. The science is iffy, but it's the story that will draw you in. Want a movie that you can walk away from with a smile? "The Astronaut Farmer" is the one to see.
Not a bad day. Not a bad day, at all...
Made a tremendous dent in the laundry pile and got a respectable amount of sorting and putting away of stuff in the bedrooms.
When the kids came home, we'd planned to hit cheap night at the movies to see "The Astronaut Farmer". Since the next showing was still three hours away, Avindair and I went over to Pioneer Midwest in Osseo to finally get me my very own cross country ski set! I'd been renting for 1-1/2 seasons, and it was time to make the leap. We got in on their fantastic seasonal clearance sale - most items 40% off or more - and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable.
After the purchase, we had just enough time to grab a quick dinner, change into all of the new gear and hit the trails at Elm Creek Park Reserve. What a difference! Let it be known that I am not a talented cross country skier, but I am determined. With the rental skis I essentially trudged all 2.5 k. With the new, light, waxed skis, the trail was half the work with twice the fun. So worth it!
Since I didn't have to take the time for ski rental pick up and drop off, we got home with half an hour to spare before the movie. We had plenty of time to get changed, load the NerdPod into the NerdVan, and make it to the theater.
"The Astronaut Farmer", starring Billy Bob Thornton and Virginia Madsen, is one of those feel-good films you can take everyone to see. Charles Farmer, an aeronautical engineer, Air Force pilot, and space program candidate, is forced to give up his dreams of going into space to due to a tragic family event. He spends the next decade building his own rocket, and enlists the help of his wife and kids to make his dreams come true. A great, warm-hearted family film, "The Astronaut Farmer" is one of determination, inspiration, and love. The science is iffy, but it's the story that will draw you in. Want a movie that you can walk away from with a smile? "The Astronaut Farmer" is the one to see.
Not a bad day. Not a bad day, at all...
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Anita Blake, Vampire Boinker
Our friend Saveau introduced us to the world of Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter back in 2002. Until then, with the exception of Buffy, most vampire hunters in popular media were old men who carried leather satchels filled with wooden stakes. Laurell K. Hamilton's heroine was a natural-born necromancer with flowing, raven hair, a penchant for penguins, and the kind of acerbic wit that could strip the paint from a Sherman tank.
After only a few pages into "Guilty Pleasures" (1994), I was hooked. Anita Blake was tough, funny, and real. Well, as real as a necromancer / vampire hunter could be.
Book by book, I devoured the prose... but with each one I became a little more disturbed. The books I had admired for their unique take on the genre had turned into not much more than ultra-violent porn with a paper-thin plot. After "Narcissus in Chains" I just couldn't take it any more. Even though I continued to recommend the first few books to friends and co-workers, in 2004 I stopped reading the Anita Blake series altogether.
Until the fall of 2006.
By chance I learned that Laurell K. Hamilton was doing a book signing at The Source, our favorite nerd store in the Twin Cities. I wasn't sure I was that interested in going. Yes, I had loved her early books. Yes, Anita had even been an inspiration for my own character of Cassie Banning in our own low-budget movies with Stone Soup Films. After a little back-and-forth, we decided that Avindair could personally hand over a copy of our latest effort, Pray for Daylight to Laurell K. herself. What the hell.
I brought my very first copy of "Guilty Pleasures" for Laurell to sign. Thought we would be in and out of there. "Hey, Laurell! I liked Anita before she became Anita Blake, Monster Fucker. Thanks for signing the book. Here's out movie. Bye!" Nice and straight forward.
I just didn't expect that she and her husband, Gary, would be so... well.. nice!
So... I bought another book. For the record, I made a mistake. I thought I owned "Cerulean Sins", but hadn't yet read it, so I purchased "Incubus Dreams". As it turned out, I was wrong, but buoyed by listening to Laurell K. speak, I decided to give it a go.
Bad call, Ripley. Bad call.
I really wanted to like this book. I really, really wanted to like it. I liked Laurell K. -- very nice lady, very entertaining to listen to. I liked her husband. He and I chatted about Spiderman and Venom and being geeks.
Sadly, it was not meant to be, Cheri.
It isn't just that Anita's life has become a tangled metaphysical web, though that's ridiculously bad all by itself. The original novels gave us an Anita who was kick-ass and no-nonsense with a dash of humor thrown in. The story was the focus and the romance was secondary to the main plot. "Incubus Dreams", by contrast, was 20 pages of plot, followed by 600 pages of heavy breathing. When I finally made it back to the original plot, I'd forgotten what the freaking story was about. All I knew is that Anita had sex approximately 5000 times in 3 days, had spilled 1/2 of the blood in her veins, and could still walk upright enough to execute a few vampires.
Okay. Maybe she didn't have sex 5000 times, but if I read the word ardeur again I was going to be metaphysically ill. And remember, Anita only had sex with all of these vampires and wereanimals because she had to. If she didn't, the world (or at least St Louis) would be overrun with EVIL.
That's right, folks, Anita was, in fact, boinking to save lives.
How do I know she was saving lives? Because we were reminded each and every time with exchanges that usually went something like this:
I think what this book lacked was a really good round of editing. There are many, many... ugh... many passages in "Incubus Dreams" that could have been cut altogether. Characters have conversations in which they go over the same point with only slightly different wording, several times. Anita's exposition needlessly over-explains many scenes, new characters are laboriously introduced but never actually used or developed, other critical characters pop up out of the blue. The Anita Blake series, as a whole, is suffering from its success. It's the best-selling, 800-lb gorilla of the vampire action / romance sub-genre. "Incubus Dreams" is so over-written,I wouldn't be surprised if it only went through spellchecker before it went out to the printer.
Why, oh why, did I finish "Incubus Dreams" if I disliked it so much? Why did I spend precious hours of my life reading this thinly veiled romance novel? To paraphrase Khan, "It tasks me. It tasks me and I shall have it!"
Only pick up "Incubus Dreams" if you're a fan of vampire / wereanimal porn. For those who are still interested I won't ruin the ending for you. Not that you have much to worry about there. Believe me, there's not much of an ending to ruin.
Okay, If you'd like a clue as to how it all resolves, three words should do it:
"Wheel of Time".
Everyone else? Avoid it completely and go back to read the first three or four books of the series.
Incubus Dreams
* out of *****
Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novels:
Guilty Pleasures 1994
Laughing Corpse 1994
Circus of the Damned 1995
The Lunatic Cafe 1995
Bloody Bones 1996
Killing Dance 1997
Burnt Offerings 1998
Blue Moon 1998
Obsidian Butterfly 2000
Narcissus in Chains 2001
Cerulean Sins 2003
Incubus Dreams 2004
Micah 2006
Danse Macabre 2006
The Harlequin 2007
After only a few pages into "Guilty Pleasures" (1994), I was hooked. Anita Blake was tough, funny, and real. Well, as real as a necromancer / vampire hunter could be.
Book by book, I devoured the prose... but with each one I became a little more disturbed. The books I had admired for their unique take on the genre had turned into not much more than ultra-violent porn with a paper-thin plot. After "Narcissus in Chains" I just couldn't take it any more. Even though I continued to recommend the first few books to friends and co-workers, in 2004 I stopped reading the Anita Blake series altogether.
Until the fall of 2006.
By chance I learned that Laurell K. Hamilton was doing a book signing at The Source, our favorite nerd store in the Twin Cities. I wasn't sure I was that interested in going. Yes, I had loved her early books. Yes, Anita had even been an inspiration for my own character of Cassie Banning in our own low-budget movies with Stone Soup Films. After a little back-and-forth, we decided that Avindair could personally hand over a copy of our latest effort, Pray for Daylight to Laurell K. herself. What the hell.
I brought my very first copy of "Guilty Pleasures" for Laurell to sign. Thought we would be in and out of there. "Hey, Laurell! I liked Anita before she became Anita Blake, Monster Fucker. Thanks for signing the book. Here's out movie. Bye!" Nice and straight forward.
I just didn't expect that she and her husband, Gary, would be so... well.. nice!
So... I bought another book. For the record, I made a mistake. I thought I owned "Cerulean Sins", but hadn't yet read it, so I purchased "Incubus Dreams". As it turned out, I was wrong, but buoyed by listening to Laurell K. speak, I decided to give it a go.
Bad call, Ripley. Bad call.
I really wanted to like this book. I really, really wanted to like it. I liked Laurell K. -- very nice lady, very entertaining to listen to. I liked her husband. He and I chatted about Spiderman and Venom and being geeks.
Sadly, it was not meant to be, Cheri.
It isn't just that Anita's life has become a tangled metaphysical web, though that's ridiculously bad all by itself. The original novels gave us an Anita who was kick-ass and no-nonsense with a dash of humor thrown in. The story was the focus and the romance was secondary to the main plot. "Incubus Dreams", by contrast, was 20 pages of plot, followed by 600 pages of heavy breathing. When I finally made it back to the original plot, I'd forgotten what the freaking story was about. All I knew is that Anita had sex approximately 5000 times in 3 days, had spilled 1/2 of the blood in her veins, and could still walk upright enough to execute a few vampires.
Okay. Maybe she didn't have sex 5000 times, but if I read the word ardeur again I was going to be metaphysically ill. And remember, Anita only had sex with all of these vampires and wereanimals because she had to. If she didn't, the world (or at least St Louis) would be overrun with EVIL.
That's right, folks, Anita was, in fact, boinking to save lives.
How do I know she was saving lives? Because we were reminded each and every time with exchanges that usually went something like this:
Jean-Claude
Ma petite, you must feed the ardeur or all is lost.
Anita
No, Jean-Claude. I'm not going to have sex with any of these incredibly hot male-stripper vampires and wereleopards, and werewolves, and werebunnies with ripped muscles, enormous schlongs, and luxuriously long hair that they all grow down to their ankles. It's just wrong!
Jean-Claude
I understand, ma petite, but if you do not, Damien will die. And Nathaniel will die. And Micah will die. And Richard will die. And I will die. And no one will be here to protect people, or the good vampires, or the wereanimals, and... and... there will be chocolate in the peanut butter and peanut butter in the chocolate... and...
Anita
No.
Jean-Claude
Please?
Anita
I said no.
Jean-Claude
Pretty please?
Anita
Oh, okay.
Ma petite, you must feed the ardeur or all is lost.
Anita
No, Jean-Claude. I'm not going to have sex with any of these incredibly hot male-stripper vampires and wereleopards, and werewolves, and werebunnies with ripped muscles, enormous schlongs, and luxuriously long hair that they all grow down to their ankles. It's just wrong!
Jean-Claude
I understand, ma petite, but if you do not, Damien will die. And Nathaniel will die. And Micah will die. And Richard will die. And I will die. And no one will be here to protect people, or the good vampires, or the wereanimals, and... and... there will be chocolate in the peanut butter and peanut butter in the chocolate... and...
Anita
No.
Jean-Claude
Please?
Anita
I said no.
Jean-Claude
Pretty please?
Anita
Oh, okay.
I think what this book lacked was a really good round of editing. There are many, many... ugh... many passages in "Incubus Dreams" that could have been cut altogether. Characters have conversations in which they go over the same point with only slightly different wording, several times. Anita's exposition needlessly over-explains many scenes, new characters are laboriously introduced but never actually used or developed, other critical characters pop up out of the blue. The Anita Blake series, as a whole, is suffering from its success. It's the best-selling, 800-lb gorilla of the vampire action / romance sub-genre. "Incubus Dreams" is so over-written,I wouldn't be surprised if it only went through spellchecker before it went out to the printer.
Why, oh why, did I finish "Incubus Dreams" if I disliked it so much? Why did I spend precious hours of my life reading this thinly veiled romance novel? To paraphrase Khan, "It tasks me. It tasks me and I shall have it!"
Only pick up "Incubus Dreams" if you're a fan of vampire / wereanimal porn. For those who are still interested I won't ruin the ending for you. Not that you have much to worry about there. Believe me, there's not much of an ending to ruin.
Okay, If you'd like a clue as to how it all resolves, three words should do it:
"Wheel of Time".
Everyone else? Avoid it completely and go back to read the first three or four books of the series.
Incubus Dreams
* out of *****
Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novels:
Guilty Pleasures 1994
Laughing Corpse 1994
Circus of the Damned 1995
The Lunatic Cafe 1995
Bloody Bones 1996
Killing Dance 1997
Burnt Offerings 1998
Blue Moon 1998
Obsidian Butterfly 2000
Narcissus in Chains 2001
Cerulean Sins 2003
Incubus Dreams 2004
Micah 2006
Danse Macabre 2006
The Harlequin 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007
WARNING: "GHOST RIDER" SPOILERS AHEAD
"This looks like fun."
I sat back at my desk, browsing the latest movie reviews in the Star Tribune.
"Okay, definitely cheesy fun, but what the hell?"
Today was a good day. Avindair had arrived home before lunch. He'd just finished his final hours at his current, now former, writing gig. I'd been lounging and browsing the Web most of the morning, enjoying a few days off before the start of my new job.
"Wanna see a movie?"
Over the years, Avindair and I have made an occasional habit out of Friday afternoon hooky movies. Spirits were high with our recent good fortune, and we were in the mood for one of those silly, unpretentious rides through the magic of cinema -- and the kids would be at school for at least another four hours. I'd read Colin Covert's review of Ghost Rider: "... a fun little jaunt", "... sly sense of camp". Ghost Rider certainly looked as though it fit the bill.
A few minutes later, there we sat. Tickets, overpriced hot dogs, and sodas that would fill a well in a third world nation in hand. At first, we were the only ones in the theater.
"Wow! Our own private screening of a Nicholas Cage movie!"
Yes. That was sarcasm. It's true, we didn't expect much from seeing the trailers:
1. Flamey motorcycle riding
2. CGI effects
3. Gratuitous Nick Cage eyebrow raising
4. Gratuitous Sam Elliot cowboy squinting
5. Gratuitous Peter Fonda forehead gleaming
We settled in, eager to create our own Joel and the 'bots experience. Unfortunately, a few stragglers eventually filled a total of five more seats. Damn. We'd have to be content with whispered and silent giggles.
Oh, man. Did we underestimate this fetid pile of celluloid.
Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) is a carnival stunt rider who, at a tender age, unintentionally sells his soul to save the life of his dying father. As usual, that bad old Mephistopheles has a few tricks up his sleeve. Johnny wakes the next morning to find Dad in perfect health, happier than he's been in years, and on his way to do his first stunt performance of the day. At this point, Avindair and I simultaneously waved bye-bye to Daddy Blaze. Might as well have painted a target on his forehead and renamed the character "Dead Meat".
Years later, after the tragic demise of Dea... uh... I mean, Daddy Blaze, Johnny is a famous stunt rider (a la Evel Knievel). After much lip-pursing and eyebrow raising, Johnny meets up with his long-lost love, Roxanne, woodenly portrayed by the ballon-breasted Eva Mendes.
Wooden, I guess, except for her breasts... which, I believe, had their own listing in the credits. Every time Eva had a costume change, you'd see more of her heaving bosom and the delicate little cross that said, "I'm a nice girl. Really!" Either Nick Cage or the editors get brownie points for never catching Johnny's eyes trained squarely on her cleavage.
Scene 1 Eva - the plucky former-girlfriend turned TV journalist: Unbelievably tight grey dress
Scene 2 Eva - the ditched, drunken, and disappointed former-girlfriend: Low cut, black spaghetti strap dress, push-up bra
Scene 3 Eva - the concerned, curious former-girlfriend: Unbelievably tight white blouse with load-bearing top button at nipple-height, and artfully displayed peek at bra
Scene 4 Eva - the blandly determined and satanically endangered former-girlfriend: Laughably low-cut blouse and boobs pushed together... just below the afore-mentioned gold cross... cause she's really an innocent, good girl
Back to the plot.
Oh, who's kidding? There WAS no plot. Things just... sorta happened.
Eventually, Mephi gets around to making good (or bad) on Johnny's contract. Johnny is tasked with finding Mephi's juvenile deliquent son, Blackheart, and sending he and his elemental demon gang back to hell. So in truth, Ghost Rider is more like Satan's truant officer than the Devil's bounty hunter.
Through lingering CGI that is far too impressed with itself ("We paid for these effects and we're going to show them, dammit!"), uninspired cinematography, and poorly edited scenes, Johnny eventually finds his mentor, the Caretaker (Sam Elliot). Although Johnny doesn't realize it, the Caretaker is actually the former Rider, who escaped Mephi's grasp 150 years before with a contract for 1000 uncollected souls of unimaginable eeeeevil and lives on the hallowed ground of the cemetery for his protection.
Never mind the little plot gaffe of how Blackheart was able to go into a church, light candles, and threaten a priest, but couldn't step foot in a cemetery to take a piece of paper from an old cowboy.
Things happen. Elemental demon gang gets sent home. Former little wooden girlfriend gets mildly threatened by Satan's petulant goth spawn. The Caretaker has his last pyrotechnic ride. Ghost Rider saves the world and pisses off Mephi. The end.
I knew this would be a cheese-fest walking in the door. I just didn't expect it to be this bad. After all, writer / director / producer Mark Steven Johnson made Daredevil. Not an Academy Award winner, but a fun, superhero flick in the guity-pleasure genre. Then again, he also made Elektra.
Good Points:
- Sam Elliot. True, he's pretty much the same character in everything he does and this was yet another case of cookie-cutter typecasting, I couldn't imagine anyone else in the role. One of the few believable performances.
- Donal Logue. The other believable performance. I was genuinely pissed off when his character died.
- Seed of plot premise. The Ghost Rider comics didn't exactly have an established, cohesive origin story. Kid selling his soul to save dad was believable.
- I liked the plot's use of the "Penance Stare" power, even though the effect itself went on too long.
- Great scene with Johnny in jail. Actually elicited a few enthusiastic YEAH's from Avindair and me.
- Scenes between Nick and Sam were some of the best in the film; even the purely CGI "Riders" sequence near the end.
Bad Points:
- There were only two reasons for Eva Mendez to be in this film, and I think we all know what they were. I haven't seen a performance this bad since Thora Birch as the Empress Savina in "Dungeons and Dragons". PLEASE! Someone tell me this woman will never make another talkie again!
- I'm all for cleavage, but Eva's plunging neckline became ridiculous. I actually laughed out loud.
- Plot holes! Why could Blackheart be in a church but not in the cemetery? Why could the Caretaker only ride one more time and how did he know that? What happened to him at the end of the film? When Daddy Devil has millions of souls at his disposal, what would it matter if his son picked up 1000? That's a threat? What the hell made THESE particular souls so especially eeeeevil?
- Bad, bad writing. Really bad dialogue.
- Poor acting. At least most of the cast had an excuse, but Nick Cage, shame on you. The CGI Ghost Rider had more expression.
My recommendation: Only watch this film to get the bad taste of Cat Woman or The Hulk out of your mouth. Rent the DVD, get boozed up, and put away all solid objects that can be thrown. Your television will thank you.
*****
I give it a 2 out of 5.
I sat back at my desk, browsing the latest movie reviews in the Star Tribune.
"Okay, definitely cheesy fun, but what the hell?"
Today was a good day. Avindair had arrived home before lunch. He'd just finished his final hours at his current, now former, writing gig. I'd been lounging and browsing the Web most of the morning, enjoying a few days off before the start of my new job.
"Wanna see a movie?"
Over the years, Avindair and I have made an occasional habit out of Friday afternoon hooky movies. Spirits were high with our recent good fortune, and we were in the mood for one of those silly, unpretentious rides through the magic of cinema -- and the kids would be at school for at least another four hours. I'd read Colin Covert's review of Ghost Rider: "... a fun little jaunt", "... sly sense of camp". Ghost Rider certainly looked as though it fit the bill.
A few minutes later, there we sat. Tickets, overpriced hot dogs, and sodas that would fill a well in a third world nation in hand. At first, we were the only ones in the theater.
"Wow! Our own private screening of a Nicholas Cage movie!"
Yes. That was sarcasm. It's true, we didn't expect much from seeing the trailers:
1. Flamey motorcycle riding
2. CGI effects
3. Gratuitous Nick Cage eyebrow raising
4. Gratuitous Sam Elliot cowboy squinting
5. Gratuitous Peter Fonda forehead gleaming
We settled in, eager to create our own Joel and the 'bots experience. Unfortunately, a few stragglers eventually filled a total of five more seats. Damn. We'd have to be content with whispered and silent giggles.
Oh, man. Did we underestimate this fetid pile of celluloid.
Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) is a carnival stunt rider who, at a tender age, unintentionally sells his soul to save the life of his dying father. As usual, that bad old Mephistopheles has a few tricks up his sleeve. Johnny wakes the next morning to find Dad in perfect health, happier than he's been in years, and on his way to do his first stunt performance of the day. At this point, Avindair and I simultaneously waved bye-bye to Daddy Blaze. Might as well have painted a target on his forehead and renamed the character "Dead Meat".
Years later, after the tragic demise of Dea... uh... I mean, Daddy Blaze, Johnny is a famous stunt rider (a la Evel Knievel). After much lip-pursing and eyebrow raising, Johnny meets up with his long-lost love, Roxanne, woodenly portrayed by the ballon-breasted Eva Mendes.
Wooden, I guess, except for her breasts... which, I believe, had their own listing in the credits. Every time Eva had a costume change, you'd see more of her heaving bosom and the delicate little cross that said, "I'm a nice girl. Really!" Either Nick Cage or the editors get brownie points for never catching Johnny's eyes trained squarely on her cleavage.
Scene 1 Eva - the plucky former-girlfriend turned TV journalist: Unbelievably tight grey dress
Scene 2 Eva - the ditched, drunken, and disappointed former-girlfriend: Low cut, black spaghetti strap dress, push-up bra
Scene 3 Eva - the concerned, curious former-girlfriend: Unbelievably tight white blouse with load-bearing top button at nipple-height, and artfully displayed peek at bra
Scene 4 Eva - the blandly determined and satanically endangered former-girlfriend: Laughably low-cut blouse and boobs pushed together... just below the afore-mentioned gold cross... cause she's really an innocent, good girl
Back to the plot.
Oh, who's kidding? There WAS no plot. Things just... sorta happened.
Eventually, Mephi gets around to making good (or bad) on Johnny's contract. Johnny is tasked with finding Mephi's juvenile deliquent son, Blackheart, and sending he and his elemental demon gang back to hell. So in truth, Ghost Rider is more like Satan's truant officer than the Devil's bounty hunter.
Through lingering CGI that is far too impressed with itself ("We paid for these effects and we're going to show them, dammit!"), uninspired cinematography, and poorly edited scenes, Johnny eventually finds his mentor, the Caretaker (Sam Elliot). Although Johnny doesn't realize it, the Caretaker is actually the former Rider, who escaped Mephi's grasp 150 years before with a contract for 1000 uncollected souls of unimaginable eeeeevil and lives on the hallowed ground of the cemetery for his protection.
Never mind the little plot gaffe of how Blackheart was able to go into a church, light candles, and threaten a priest, but couldn't step foot in a cemetery to take a piece of paper from an old cowboy.
Things happen. Elemental demon gang gets sent home. Former little wooden girlfriend gets mildly threatened by Satan's petulant goth spawn. The Caretaker has his last pyrotechnic ride. Ghost Rider saves the world and pisses off Mephi. The end.
I knew this would be a cheese-fest walking in the door. I just didn't expect it to be this bad. After all, writer / director / producer Mark Steven Johnson made Daredevil. Not an Academy Award winner, but a fun, superhero flick in the guity-pleasure genre. Then again, he also made Elektra.
Good Points:
- Sam Elliot. True, he's pretty much the same character in everything he does and this was yet another case of cookie-cutter typecasting, I couldn't imagine anyone else in the role. One of the few believable performances.
- Donal Logue. The other believable performance. I was genuinely pissed off when his character died.
- Seed of plot premise. The Ghost Rider comics didn't exactly have an established, cohesive origin story. Kid selling his soul to save dad was believable.
- I liked the plot's use of the "Penance Stare" power, even though the effect itself went on too long.
- Great scene with Johnny in jail. Actually elicited a few enthusiastic YEAH's from Avindair and me.
- Scenes between Nick and Sam were some of the best in the film; even the purely CGI "Riders" sequence near the end.
Bad Points:
- There were only two reasons for Eva Mendez to be in this film, and I think we all know what they were. I haven't seen a performance this bad since Thora Birch as the Empress Savina in "Dungeons and Dragons". PLEASE! Someone tell me this woman will never make another talkie again!
- I'm all for cleavage, but Eva's plunging neckline became ridiculous. I actually laughed out loud.
- Plot holes! Why could Blackheart be in a church but not in the cemetery? Why could the Caretaker only ride one more time and how did he know that? What happened to him at the end of the film? When Daddy Devil has millions of souls at his disposal, what would it matter if his son picked up 1000? That's a threat? What the hell made THESE particular souls so especially eeeeevil?
- Bad, bad writing. Really bad dialogue.
- Poor acting. At least most of the cast had an excuse, but Nick Cage, shame on you. The CGI Ghost Rider had more expression.
My recommendation: Only watch this film to get the bad taste of Cat Woman or The Hulk out of your mouth. Rent the DVD, get boozed up, and put away all solid objects that can be thrown. Your television will thank you.
*****
I give it a 2 out of 5.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Hi, Ho... Hi, Ho
Work sucks.
In the big picture, I really don't have much to complain about. I get to sit at a computer and write all day. It's not cleaning backed-up sewage, welding on top of a skyscraper, or trying to save someone's life. I'm not in danger of physical harm. People's lives don't depend on what I do (at least, to date), but all jobs carry their own unique sets of stressors, both good and bad.
Right now, I can name a hundred things I'd rather be doing than editing copy and creating search engine content - but it pays the bills. First and foremost, I'd like a job with a stability, respect, a living wage, and benefits. Yeah... and while you're at it, I'd like a pony, too.
More on that later.
I do have to report my schadenfreude moment of the week. I found out something about the company-I-oh-so-wanted-to-work-for early last year. The one that gave me a "trial period" working freelance for them, but I eventually ran away screaming. They lost a big... and I mean BIG contract with a major Minneapolis corporation... because of the way they did business. It was a client of their's they'd actually asked me to LIE to to help them save face.
That brought me a moment of pure bliss.
Like I said. More on that later.
In the big picture, I really don't have much to complain about. I get to sit at a computer and write all day. It's not cleaning backed-up sewage, welding on top of a skyscraper, or trying to save someone's life. I'm not in danger of physical harm. People's lives don't depend on what I do (at least, to date), but all jobs carry their own unique sets of stressors, both good and bad.
Right now, I can name a hundred things I'd rather be doing than editing copy and creating search engine content - but it pays the bills. First and foremost, I'd like a job with a stability, respect, a living wage, and benefits. Yeah... and while you're at it, I'd like a pony, too.
More on that later.
I do have to report my schadenfreude moment of the week. I found out something about the company-I-oh-so-wanted-to-work-for early last year. The one that gave me a "trial period" working freelance for them, but I eventually ran away screaming. They lost a big... and I mean BIG contract with a major Minneapolis corporation... because of the way they did business. It was a client of their's they'd actually asked me to LIE to to help them save face.
That brought me a moment of pure bliss.
Like I said. More on that later.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
After all these years...
Huh. My memory for this isn't as bad as I thought it would be after all these years. I guess that all those hours of Sunday School and confirmation classes amounted to some literary knowledge of the Good Book.
You know the Bible 88%!
Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!
Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
20 Questions
Yes, I know. I haven't had an original post in weeks. Recovering from the holidays. Keeping up with clients. Searching for a new gig. Dealing with life. Some good, some bad, some ugly... some really good... but that's life.
So, until I get my ass in gear and write something meaningful - enjoy another meme.
1. Elaborate on your default icon.
To tell the truth, I haven't taken the time to figure out how to post an icon on Blogger. I do have one on Live Journal -- me as Cassie Banning. I only have a Live Journal account to post to friend's blogs!
2. What's your current relationship status?
Very. Happily. Ever after. Married!
3. Ever have a near-death experience?
In what sense? Me, personally near-death? Not that I remember. Damn those black outs.
4. Name an obvious quality you have.
Calm.
5. What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now?
There's actually an entire CD lodged just above my left temple. Man, that stings!
6. Name a celebrity you would marry.
Kate Winslet -- oh, wait -- a guy? Hmmm... it would have to be someone smart and talented... Kenneth Branagh?
7. Who will cut and paste this first?
Of the 3.6 people who read my blog - no clue.
8. Has anyone ever said you look like a celebrity?
Yup. Kelly McGillis.
9. Do you wear a watch?
Rarely.
10. Do you have anything pierced?
Two piercings in each ear.
11. Do you have any tattoos?
Not yet.
12. Do you like pain?
Are you kidding? Four words - labor and delivery... twice. I adore my children and couldn't imagine my life without them. But labor pains are really quite spectacular and enough for a lifetime!
13. Do you like to shop?
Only when it's not necessary. Hate grocery shopping. Hate clothes shopping. Love browsing bookstores, home improvement stores, clearance shelves just about everywhere, and places like Pier 1.
14. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
A bottle of flavored water.
15. What was the last thing you paid for with your credit card?
Food.
16. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?
An annoying sales call from one of our credit cards trying to get us to add a premium "service" for a small additional fee. Yeah, right.
17. What is on your desktop background?
Computer 1: The kids splashing in the sunset surf of the Gulf Coast in Gulfport, MS. Computer 2: Da Vinci drawings
18. What is the background on your cell phone?
Red satin. Sexy!
19. What was the last movie you watched?
Fell asleep to "Episode 3: When Good Anakin's Go Bad". I think I watched it for 5 minutes. But had to stay awake for Palpatine and Anakin's chat during the zero-G ballet. As Avindair says, "Ian McDiarmid is the shit!" (In a good way.)
20. What was the last book you read?
I'm in the middle of at least two right now, "London" by Edward Rutherford and "Incubus Dreams" by Laurell K. Hamilton. The last one I finished? Does "Strangers in Paradise: Vol 2" count?
So, until I get my ass in gear and write something meaningful - enjoy another meme.
1. Elaborate on your default icon.
To tell the truth, I haven't taken the time to figure out how to post an icon on Blogger. I do have one on Live Journal -- me as Cassie Banning. I only have a Live Journal account to post to friend's blogs!
2. What's your current relationship status?
Very. Happily. Ever after. Married!
3. Ever have a near-death experience?
In what sense? Me, personally near-death? Not that I remember. Damn those black outs.
4. Name an obvious quality you have.
Calm.
5. What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now?
There's actually an entire CD lodged just above my left temple. Man, that stings!
6. Name a celebrity you would marry.
Kate Winslet -- oh, wait -- a guy? Hmmm... it would have to be someone smart and talented... Kenneth Branagh?
7. Who will cut and paste this first?
Of the 3.6 people who read my blog - no clue.
8. Has anyone ever said you look like a celebrity?
Yup. Kelly McGillis.
9. Do you wear a watch?
Rarely.
10. Do you have anything pierced?
Two piercings in each ear.
11. Do you have any tattoos?
Not yet.
12. Do you like pain?
Are you kidding? Four words - labor and delivery... twice. I adore my children and couldn't imagine my life without them. But labor pains are really quite spectacular and enough for a lifetime!
13. Do you like to shop?
Only when it's not necessary. Hate grocery shopping. Hate clothes shopping. Love browsing bookstores, home improvement stores, clearance shelves just about everywhere, and places like Pier 1.
14. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
A bottle of flavored water.
15. What was the last thing you paid for with your credit card?
Food.
16. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?
An annoying sales call from one of our credit cards trying to get us to add a premium "service" for a small additional fee. Yeah, right.
17. What is on your desktop background?
Computer 1: The kids splashing in the sunset surf of the Gulf Coast in Gulfport, MS. Computer 2: Da Vinci drawings
18. What is the background on your cell phone?
Red satin. Sexy!
19. What was the last movie you watched?
Fell asleep to "Episode 3: When Good Anakin's Go Bad". I think I watched it for 5 minutes. But had to stay awake for Palpatine and Anakin's chat during the zero-G ballet. As Avindair says, "Ian McDiarmid is the shit!" (In a good way.)
20. What was the last book you read?
I'm in the middle of at least two right now, "London" by Edward Rutherford and "Incubus Dreams" by Laurell K. Hamilton. The last one I finished? Does "Strangers in Paradise: Vol 2" count?
Thursday, January 04, 2007
My dad would be proud...
I promise. This is the last quiz today. Just having trouble jump-starting my brain.
That being said, my dad, born and bred in Mississippi, would be proud of his northern-raised little girl!
That being said, my dad, born and bred in Mississippi, would be proud of his northern-raised little girl!
You are a 100% True Southerner
True southern through and through. Glad to have you. You are a card carrying southerner and can boast of your heritage.
Are You a Real Southerner
Take More Quizzes
I said "Geek Goddess", not "Greek God"!
MagicMarmot, you are a bad, bad influence. I see this stuff on your blog and can't resist. I think you really are Baltar!
This is me!
This is me!
| What Battlestar Gallactica Character Are You? | |
  Apollo You're really a versatile person. Capable of leading, obeying, fighting, protecting and if the situation calls, running really damn fast. Nevertheless, you get the job done, whatever it is. You are strong when you need to be, and when others need you to be, so it always looks like your bringing your game face. | |
| Take The Quiz Now! | Quizzes by myYearbook.com |
Sunday, December 31, 2006
I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way.
Your results:
You are Mystique
Click here to take the "Which Super Villain are you?" quiz...
You are Mystique
| Sometimes motherly, sometimes a beautiful companion, but most of the time a deceiving vixen. |
Click here to take the "Which Super Villain are you?" quiz...
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Merry Solstice!
May the hope, joy, and blessings of this season be yours!
GeekGoddess
To learn more about the solstice, visit Candle Grove or do your own Google search!
GeekGoddess
To learn more about the solstice, visit Candle Grove or do your own Google search!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
MCI - Make Customers Irate
I got two automated phone calls yesterday. "Courtesy" calls from MCI notifying me that my credit card on record is about to expire. It gives me an 800 number or a website to make the fix.
Huh? We don't have MCI service. What the hell?
So I call the 800 number. Typical electronic voice nightmare run-around.
After several minutes, I craftily convince the system to give me a real live person. Or at least a reasonable facsimile. A nearly unintelligible customer service rep of unknown origin answers.
REP: How can I help you?
ME: I've been getting an automated phone call from MCI telling me that my credit card on record is going to expire. But your system must have something wrong. I don't have an account with MCI.
REP: Oh. What is your account number?
ME: I don't HAVE an account with MCI, but I'm getting this automated call. Your records must be in error. Here's the phone number your system is calling, xxx-xxx-xxxx.
REP: Okay. May I have permission to access your account?
ME: That's just it. I DON'T HAVE an account with MCI.
REP: Okay. What is your account number?
ME: (completed exasperated) I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN ACCOUNT NUMBER. I DON'T HAVE AN ACCOUNT NUMBER. I DON'T HAVE AN ACCOUNT WITH MCI!!!
REP: Oh. Okay. (pause - sound of clicking) Your credit card on record is expiring.
ME: (speaking slowly... using small words) How... can... that... be? I don't have service through MCI.
REP: That's because your account was closed in 2002.
ME: (realizing that we briefly had long distance through MCI -- FOUR years ago) But you still had my credit card on record?
REP: Yes. And it's about to expire.
ME: (silence)
REP: But we haven't charged anything to it since 2002.
ME: Gee. That's good. I would have been upset if you'd charged me for a closed account.
REP: Would you like me to remove it from our records and note that the account is closed?
ME: I guess since it's been four years, that would be a good idea. Yeah.
REP: (10 seconds of clicking later) Okay. The records have been changed. Is there anything else I can do for you today?
ME: No. No. You've done quite enough. Thanks.
So... how do I go about billing MCI for MY TIME?
Grump.
Huh? We don't have MCI service. What the hell?
So I call the 800 number. Typical electronic voice nightmare run-around.
After several minutes, I craftily convince the system to give me a real live person. Or at least a reasonable facsimile. A nearly unintelligible customer service rep of unknown origin answers.
REP: How can I help you?
ME: I've been getting an automated phone call from MCI telling me that my credit card on record is going to expire. But your system must have something wrong. I don't have an account with MCI.
REP: Oh. What is your account number?
ME: I don't HAVE an account with MCI, but I'm getting this automated call. Your records must be in error. Here's the phone number your system is calling, xxx-xxx-xxxx.
REP: Okay. May I have permission to access your account?
ME: That's just it. I DON'T HAVE an account with MCI.
REP: Okay. What is your account number?
ME: (completed exasperated) I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN ACCOUNT NUMBER. I DON'T HAVE AN ACCOUNT NUMBER. I DON'T HAVE AN ACCOUNT WITH MCI!!!
REP: Oh. Okay. (pause - sound of clicking) Your credit card on record is expiring.
ME: (speaking slowly... using small words) How... can... that... be? I don't have service through MCI.
REP: That's because your account was closed in 2002.
ME: (realizing that we briefly had long distance through MCI -- FOUR years ago) But you still had my credit card on record?
REP: Yes. And it's about to expire.
ME: (silence)
REP: But we haven't charged anything to it since 2002.
ME: Gee. That's good. I would have been upset if you'd charged me for a closed account.
REP: Would you like me to remove it from our records and note that the account is closed?
ME: I guess since it's been four years, that would be a good idea. Yeah.
REP: (10 seconds of clicking later) Okay. The records have been changed. Is there anything else I can do for you today?
ME: No. No. You've done quite enough. Thanks.
So... how do I go about billing MCI for MY TIME?
Grump.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
See? I have PROOF!
As a writer by trade, it's not always easy to prove one's skills. So here it is. Undeniable proof.
According to a Blogthings quiz, I know lots of big words.
According to a Blogthings quiz, I know lots of big words.
| Your Vocabulary Score: A |
 |
Friday, December 01, 2006
Thinking ahead...
Okay, folks. I know this is nothing more than blog-fluff, but I haven't had the mental capacity to do much more than this for the past several weeks. That being said, I'm finally on the upswing of the moody scale and this helped put me on the path to a little holiday cheer today. Enjoy!
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
A hot chocolate substitute... hot Ovaltine. Just as tasty and more vitamins.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?
Sants doesn't wrap presents. His elves do.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White. I love the simplicity of it.
4. Do you hang a mistletoe?
I don't think I ever have.
5. When do you put your decorations up?
When I have the time. Ideally, right after Thanksgiving, but I'm behind schedule right now.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
Family and friends. The food could be frozen pizza for all I care.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Any Christmas that my Uncle Dale came to visit. That was a present in itself.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't recall exactly. Although I do vaguely remember asking my Mom about it and her answering that people that are generous and giving are the real Santas.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
When I was a kid, after I knew there was no Santa, we opened all our gifts on Christmas Eve. Now, everyone gets to open one on Christmas Eve before bed. The rest get opened in the morning. A mix of Avindair's family traditions and mine.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
That's an odd question. I use wild weasels to string the lights, squirrels to hand the ornaments, a trained monkey to plug everything in, and then a big Rottweiler to chase them all out of the house when we're done.
11. Snow - love it or hate?
As much of a pain in the ass it can be, I love it. If I have to be cold, I want pretty snow to look at and play in.
12. Can you ice skate?
I owned skates ONE winter as a kid, skating at an outdoor rink in North Dakota. I was terrible at it. Now I wish I'd done it more and learned. I think I just hated falling down on the bumpy ice.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I had to revise this answer. My first favorite was a thin gold necklace and bracelet from Avindair. He'd really taken to heart the one thing I asked for. It was thoughtful, simple and beautiful. The second was last Christmas from my mom, dad and grandma. Mom took me out to pick out a ring with matching earrings. Something that they knew I would like, and would be able to keep, use and value for the rest of my days. That was my one gift from them and I absolutely loved it.
It makes me sound like a jewelry fiend... but I'm not!
14. What's the most exciting thing about the Holidays for you?
Seeing the anticipation in my children's eyes.
15. What is your favorite holiday Dessert?
Pumpkin pie... all winter long.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
It used to be writing a thank you note to the kids from Santa along with the half-eaten milk and cookies... as well as some nibbled-on carrots the reindeer left behind. Now I think it's just the whole family gathering in our jammies and fluffy robes for popcorn and a movie in front of the fireplace.
17. What tops your tree?
There's an ornament around here somewhere...
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Receiving is nice, but I love giving.
19. What is your favorite Christmas song?
"White Christmas". I'm a sucker for Irving Berlin.
20. Candy canes?
Eh. I'm not a big fan, but the kids love them. And they look nice on the tree and on garlands.
There you have it folks. The Geek Goddess' Christmas Top 20.
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
A hot chocolate substitute... hot Ovaltine. Just as tasty and more vitamins.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?
Sants doesn't wrap presents. His elves do.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White. I love the simplicity of it.
4. Do you hang a mistletoe?
I don't think I ever have.
5. When do you put your decorations up?
When I have the time. Ideally, right after Thanksgiving, but I'm behind schedule right now.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
Family and friends. The food could be frozen pizza for all I care.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Any Christmas that my Uncle Dale came to visit. That was a present in itself.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't recall exactly. Although I do vaguely remember asking my Mom about it and her answering that people that are generous and giving are the real Santas.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
When I was a kid, after I knew there was no Santa, we opened all our gifts on Christmas Eve. Now, everyone gets to open one on Christmas Eve before bed. The rest get opened in the morning. A mix of Avindair's family traditions and mine.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
That's an odd question. I use wild weasels to string the lights, squirrels to hand the ornaments, a trained monkey to plug everything in, and then a big Rottweiler to chase them all out of the house when we're done.
11. Snow - love it or hate?
As much of a pain in the ass it can be, I love it. If I have to be cold, I want pretty snow to look at and play in.
12. Can you ice skate?
I owned skates ONE winter as a kid, skating at an outdoor rink in North Dakota. I was terrible at it. Now I wish I'd done it more and learned. I think I just hated falling down on the bumpy ice.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I had to revise this answer. My first favorite was a thin gold necklace and bracelet from Avindair. He'd really taken to heart the one thing I asked for. It was thoughtful, simple and beautiful. The second was last Christmas from my mom, dad and grandma. Mom took me out to pick out a ring with matching earrings. Something that they knew I would like, and would be able to keep, use and value for the rest of my days. That was my one gift from them and I absolutely loved it.
It makes me sound like a jewelry fiend... but I'm not!
14. What's the most exciting thing about the Holidays for you?
Seeing the anticipation in my children's eyes.
15. What is your favorite holiday Dessert?
Pumpkin pie... all winter long.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
It used to be writing a thank you note to the kids from Santa along with the half-eaten milk and cookies... as well as some nibbled-on carrots the reindeer left behind. Now I think it's just the whole family gathering in our jammies and fluffy robes for popcorn and a movie in front of the fireplace.
17. What tops your tree?
There's an ornament around here somewhere...
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Receiving is nice, but I love giving.
19. What is your favorite Christmas song?
"White Christmas". I'm a sucker for Irving Berlin.
20. Candy canes?
Eh. I'm not a big fan, but the kids love them. And they look nice on the tree and on garlands.
There you have it folks. The Geek Goddess' Christmas Top 20.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
They're Only Words
Cool! According to this, no one would know where I'm from... until I got tired and unwittingly uttered an, "Oofta!"
| What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio. | |
| North Central | |
| The West | |
| The Inland North | |
| Boston | |
| The South | |
| Philadelphia | |
| The Northeast | |
| What American accent do you have? | |
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
People Should Know Better
I was forwarded an email today that I had to share. It was a vitriolic attack on Target Corporation as having an anti-veteran policy... oh, and that they were owned by a French company. *GASP* Of course, it was one of those things that had been forwarded a million times. It pulls on the heart-strings of people who want to stand by our military veterans, but who don't take the time to question the content. They read it. Get incensed by the content. And forward it to 20,000 friends.
And the beat goes on.
Here's the email. The words and punctuation are the same. I removed all of the colors, giant fonts and spacing to make it fit.
Wasn't it last Christmas that Target refused to let the Salvation Army ring their bells in front of their stores? Dick Forrey of the Vietnam Veterans Association wrote. "Recently we asked the local TARGET store to be a proud sponsor of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall during our spring recognition event. We received the following reply from the local TARGET management: "Veterans do not meet our area of giving. We only donate to the arts, social action groups, gay & lesbian causes, and education." So I'm thinking, if the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and veterans in general, do not meet their donation criteria, then something is really wrong at this TARGET store. We were not asking for thousands of dollars, not even hundreds, just a small sponsorship for a memorial remembrance. As a follow-up, I E-mailed the TARGET U.S. Corporate Headquarters and their response was the same. That's their national policy. Then I looked into the company further. They will not allow the Marines to collect for 'Toys for Tots' at any of their stores. And during the recent Iraq deployment, they would not allow families of employees who were called up for active duty to continue their insurance coverage while they were on military service. Then as I dig further, TARGET is a French-owned corporation. Now, I'm thinking again. If TARGET cannot support American Veterans, then why should my family and I support their stores by spending our hard earned American dollars! And,have their profits sent to France. Without the American Vets, where would France be today? "They, most likely would be speaking German and trading in Deutsch Marks" Sincerely, Dick Forrey, Veterans Helping Veterans. Please send this on to everyone you know to let Target know we don't need them either.
*******
Now all of this crap didn't exactly ring true. So I took 3 minutes, checked into it and found this:
http://sites.target.com/site/en/corporate/page.jsp?contentId=PRD03-001461
It's a page on Target's corporate site that addresses exactly what they do for veterans. And they do a lot. It also mentions this vitriolic email campaign in particular.
Of course, I copied everyone in the email that had been sent to me with the proof that it was false. It also happened to list the name of the person who had forwarded it to my sender. She's an executive assistant to a Chief Marketing Officer for a MAJOR U.S. CORPORATION.
It never ceases to amaze me that people, even those that should be smart and educated, will continue to propigate lies without question because it pushes their emotional buttons.
Wow.
And the beat goes on.
Here's the email. The words and punctuation are the same. I removed all of the colors, giant fonts and spacing to make it fit.
Wasn't it last Christmas that Target refused to let the Salvation Army ring their bells in front of their stores? Dick Forrey of the Vietnam Veterans Association wrote. "Recently we asked the local TARGET store to be a proud sponsor of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall during our spring recognition event. We received the following reply from the local TARGET management: "Veterans do not meet our area of giving. We only donate to the arts, social action groups, gay & lesbian causes, and education." So I'm thinking, if the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and veterans in general, do not meet their donation criteria, then something is really wrong at this TARGET store. We were not asking for thousands of dollars, not even hundreds, just a small sponsorship for a memorial remembrance. As a follow-up, I E-mailed the TARGET U.S. Corporate Headquarters and their response was the same. That's their national policy. Then I looked into the company further. They will not allow the Marines to collect for 'Toys for Tots' at any of their stores. And during the recent Iraq deployment, they would not allow families of employees who were called up for active duty to continue their insurance coverage while they were on military service. Then as I dig further, TARGET is a French-owned corporation. Now, I'm thinking again. If TARGET cannot support American Veterans, then why should my family and I support their stores by spending our hard earned American dollars! And,have their profits sent to France. Without the American Vets, where would France be today? "They, most likely would be speaking German and trading in Deutsch Marks" Sincerely, Dick Forrey, Veterans Helping Veterans. Please send this on to everyone you know to let Target know we don't need them either.
*******
Now all of this crap didn't exactly ring true. So I took 3 minutes, checked into it and found this:
http://sites.target.com/site/en/corporate/page.jsp?contentId=PRD03-001461
It's a page on Target's corporate site that addresses exactly what they do for veterans. And they do a lot. It also mentions this vitriolic email campaign in particular.
Of course, I copied everyone in the email that had been sent to me with the proof that it was false. It also happened to list the name of the person who had forwarded it to my sender. She's an executive assistant to a Chief Marketing Officer for a MAJOR U.S. CORPORATION.
It never ceases to amaze me that people, even those that should be smart and educated, will continue to propigate lies without question because it pushes their emotional buttons.
Wow.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Campaign for Real Beauty
It's no wonder that women and girls have unrealistic ideals of beauty. It's nice to see that somewhere out there, someone wants to do something about it.
Check out this website, http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/
Check out this website, http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/
It's All About ME!
More silliness to start my day. Why do I seem to always get these from MagicMarmot? I don't tag people (I was never good at that game anyway - couldn't run fast enough), so just feel free to cut, paste and tell all.
6 odd or weird habits/things/facts about yourself:
1.) I have hitchhikers thumb.
2.) My first major in college was Vocal Performance.
3.) As a kid, I liked mustard and mayo sandwiches.
4.) I also used to mispronouce TR as F when I was very young.
5.) I lived above a laundromat until I was 20.
6.) I didn't learn how to ride a bike until I was 10.
1. Are your parents married or divorced?
Married
2. Are you a vegetarian?
Hell, no. I like veggies, but meat=good.
3. Do you believe in heaven?
Not in the clouds and angels way. I think there's something we can't possibly comprehend.
4. Have you ever come close to dying?
Not that I know of.
5. What jewelry do you wear 24/7?
My wedding ring and anniversary band.
6. Favorite time of day?
Early morning or late night.
7. Do you wear make up?
Yes, I do.
8. Ever have plastic surgery?
Nope
9. Do you color your hair?
All the time -- it's overdue now.
10. What do you wear to bed?
Mostly t-shirts and jammie pants.
11. Have you ever done anything illegal?
And been caught?
12. Can you roll your tongue?
Yup.
13. Do you tweeze your eyebrows?
Yup.
14. What kind of sneakers?
New Balance
15. Do you believe in abortion?
Yes, I do.
16. What is your hair colour?
Naturally? Kind of a dull, mousey brown now.
17. Future child's name?
Got all I want, thanks!
18. Do you snore?
Sometimes
19. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
First choice - London. But it's only a starting point.
20. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
Nah, I have a nice warm husband and a poodle.
21. If you won the lottery what would you do first?
Call a financial advisor / accountant.
22. Gold or silver?
Mostly silver.
23. Hamburger or hot dog?
Burger.
24. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?
A pizza with everything on it. It sounds silly, but my first thought was, "What one food can contain all four food groups?"
25. City, beach or country?
I love the beach, but the country would win out.
26. What was the last thing you touched?
The keyboard.
27. Where did you last eat?
At my computer desk.
28. When's the last time you cried?
Last week.
29. Do you read blogs?
Me? Nope. Never. (ha!)
30. Would you ever go out dressed as the opposite sex?
As a woman, it's not really a big deal. I steal my husband's sweaters all the time!
31. Ever been involved with the Police?
Nope. Sting asked me out a few times, but I just wasn't interested.
32. What's your favourite shampoo, conditioner and soap?
Shampoo / Conditioner - it depends on what I need - anything from the cheapest Suave to Paul Mitchell. Soap - whatever moisturizers, smells good and happens to be on sale.
33. Do you talk in your sleep?
Avindair tells me I do... when I'm under stress, especially.
34. Ocean or pool?
Ocean.
35. Window seat or aisle?
Window
36. Ever met anyone famous?
Yup.
37. Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
TWIRL
38. Ricki Lake or Oprah Winfrey?
Neither.
39. Basketball or football?
Football, if we're talking "soccer". Never could get into American football.
40. How long do your showers last?
As long as I have hot water, if I can get away with it.
41. Automatic or drive a stick?
Automatic!
43. Are you self-conscious?
Not terribly, no.
44. Have you ever drank so much you threw up?
Urp. Yes.
45. Have you ever given money to a tramp?
Tramp as in hobo or a woman in mini skirt with blue eyeshadow? No to both.
46. Have you ever been in love?
Yes. Most definitely.
47. Where do you wish you were?
On a retreat.
48. Are you wearing socks?
Yes. Cold toes.
49. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
Yes. Once. And it was an exciting, hair-raising ride.
50. Can you tango?
Never tried, but I'd love to learn.
51. Last gift you received?
Avindair brought me roses on a bad day.
52. Last sport you played?
Oh, hell. Does a game of pool count?
53. Things you spend a lot of money on?
Books.
54. Where do you live?
A northern suburb of Minneapolis.
55. Where were you born?
Grand Forks, ND.
56. Last wedding attended?
It was a cousin.
57. Favorite fast food restaurant?
Wendy's for the Fresco sandwiches.
58. Most hated food?
Lutefisk.
59. What's your least favorite chore?
Laundry.
60. Can you sing?
Yup.
61. Last person you IMed?
Mom and Dad.
62. Last place you went on holiday?
North Dakota.
63. Favorite regular drink?
Tea with cream and sugar.
64. Current crush?
How about "always crush"? My husband. :-)
6 odd or weird habits/things/facts about yourself:
1.) I have hitchhikers thumb.
2.) My first major in college was Vocal Performance.
3.) As a kid, I liked mustard and mayo sandwiches.
4.) I also used to mispronouce TR as F when I was very young.
5.) I lived above a laundromat until I was 20.
6.) I didn't learn how to ride a bike until I was 10.
1. Are your parents married or divorced?
Married
2. Are you a vegetarian?
Hell, no. I like veggies, but meat=good.
3. Do you believe in heaven?
Not in the clouds and angels way. I think there's something we can't possibly comprehend.
4. Have you ever come close to dying?
Not that I know of.
5. What jewelry do you wear 24/7?
My wedding ring and anniversary band.
6. Favorite time of day?
Early morning or late night.
7. Do you wear make up?
Yes, I do.
8. Ever have plastic surgery?
Nope
9. Do you color your hair?
All the time -- it's overdue now.
10. What do you wear to bed?
Mostly t-shirts and jammie pants.
11. Have you ever done anything illegal?
And been caught?
12. Can you roll your tongue?
Yup.
13. Do you tweeze your eyebrows?
Yup.
14. What kind of sneakers?
New Balance
15. Do you believe in abortion?
Yes, I do.
16. What is your hair colour?
Naturally? Kind of a dull, mousey brown now.
17. Future child's name?
Got all I want, thanks!
18. Do you snore?
Sometimes
19. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
First choice - London. But it's only a starting point.
20. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
Nah, I have a nice warm husband and a poodle.
21. If you won the lottery what would you do first?
Call a financial advisor / accountant.
22. Gold or silver?
Mostly silver.
23. Hamburger or hot dog?
Burger.
24. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?
A pizza with everything on it. It sounds silly, but my first thought was, "What one food can contain all four food groups?"
25. City, beach or country?
I love the beach, but the country would win out.
26. What was the last thing you touched?
The keyboard.
27. Where did you last eat?
At my computer desk.
28. When's the last time you cried?
Last week.
29. Do you read blogs?
Me? Nope. Never. (ha!)
30. Would you ever go out dressed as the opposite sex?
As a woman, it's not really a big deal. I steal my husband's sweaters all the time!
31. Ever been involved with the Police?
Nope. Sting asked me out a few times, but I just wasn't interested.
32. What's your favourite shampoo, conditioner and soap?
Shampoo / Conditioner - it depends on what I need - anything from the cheapest Suave to Paul Mitchell. Soap - whatever moisturizers, smells good and happens to be on sale.
33. Do you talk in your sleep?
Avindair tells me I do... when I'm under stress, especially.
34. Ocean or pool?
Ocean.
35. Window seat or aisle?
Window
36. Ever met anyone famous?
Yup.
37. Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
TWIRL
38. Ricki Lake or Oprah Winfrey?
Neither.
39. Basketball or football?
Football, if we're talking "soccer". Never could get into American football.
40. How long do your showers last?
As long as I have hot water, if I can get away with it.
41. Automatic or drive a stick?
Automatic!
43. Are you self-conscious?
Not terribly, no.
44. Have you ever drank so much you threw up?
Urp. Yes.
45. Have you ever given money to a tramp?
Tramp as in hobo or a woman in mini skirt with blue eyeshadow? No to both.
46. Have you ever been in love?
Yes. Most definitely.
47. Where do you wish you were?
On a retreat.
48. Are you wearing socks?
Yes. Cold toes.
49. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
Yes. Once. And it was an exciting, hair-raising ride.
50. Can you tango?
Never tried, but I'd love to learn.
51. Last gift you received?
Avindair brought me roses on a bad day.
52. Last sport you played?
Oh, hell. Does a game of pool count?
53. Things you spend a lot of money on?
Books.
54. Where do you live?
A northern suburb of Minneapolis.
55. Where were you born?
Grand Forks, ND.
56. Last wedding attended?
It was a cousin.
57. Favorite fast food restaurant?
Wendy's for the Fresco sandwiches.
58. Most hated food?
Lutefisk.
59. What's your least favorite chore?
Laundry.
60. Can you sing?
Yup.
61. Last person you IMed?
Mom and Dad.
62. Last place you went on holiday?
North Dakota.
63. Favorite regular drink?
Tea with cream and sugar.
64. Current crush?
How about "always crush"? My husband. :-)
Monday, October 16, 2006
Happy Birthday, Avindair!
My wonderful husband, Avindair, just celebrated his 40th birthday on Saturday. The theme and guest list were a surprise, so I didn't want to spoil it here ahead of time. Yesterday was for recovery!
Since we are, indeed, the Nerdy Bunch, I threw a Star Trek-themed costume party. There was Star Trek trivia and the original series running on the TV. Our son, MonkeyDude, helped me with the cleaning, shopping and decorations - he even thought up writing NCC-1966 in painter's tape across the garage door. Our dear friend, MagicMarmot, came up with a very cool prop (you can see it on his blog) and extra rope lights for effect.
Our daughter took her dad out for the day to lunch and a movie so that we could prepare. When they arrived home, Avindair was outfitted with a gold captain's shirt and a phaser!
All in all, a great evening filled with great friends. Even the experimental recipes for Romulan Ale, Tranya and Aldebaran Whiskey went over well!
Special thanks to MagicMarmot and Artemis for helping with decorations!
Double special thanks to the kids for helping with cleaning and preparation and decorating AND for finding sleep-overs on Saturday night!
And THANK YOU to all our friends who joined us. It was a great 40th birthday party - we wouldn't have had that much fun without each and every one of you!
Since we are, indeed, the Nerdy Bunch, I threw a Star Trek-themed costume party. There was Star Trek trivia and the original series running on the TV. Our son, MonkeyDude, helped me with the cleaning, shopping and decorations - he even thought up writing NCC-1966 in painter's tape across the garage door. Our dear friend, MagicMarmot, came up with a very cool prop (you can see it on his blog) and extra rope lights for effect.
Our daughter took her dad out for the day to lunch and a movie so that we could prepare. When they arrived home, Avindair was outfitted with a gold captain's shirt and a phaser!
All in all, a great evening filled with great friends. Even the experimental recipes for Romulan Ale, Tranya and Aldebaran Whiskey went over well!
Special thanks to MagicMarmot and Artemis for helping with decorations!
Double special thanks to the kids for helping with cleaning and preparation and decorating AND for finding sleep-overs on Saturday night!
And THANK YOU to all our friends who joined us. It was a great 40th birthday party - we wouldn't have had that much fun without each and every one of you!
Friday, October 13, 2006
So THAT'S Where I Put My Desk!
It's no secret that I've been a stress-puppy lately. And, without the prospect of a 3-week retreat in the country, I figured I'd have to perform my own psychotherapy on the run.
I started yesterday by cleaning my desk... and it's helping.
First, I took one of those cardboard filing boxes. The kind you get from Office Depot. I filled it with all the stuff littering my desk: things to be filed, pictures, paid bills, check stubs, the general paper pile-up that I mentally label "stuff I need to take care of some day". At the same time, I filled a garbage bag with the junk that gets mixed in with the "gotta keep" stuff.
And you know what I discovered? The top of my desk! But more than that, the little bits and pieces I keep on my desk as reminders of what's important and why I sit there day after day doing my job.
Everything on my desk means something to me. I couldn't stand the thought of having a perfectly functional desktop space.
1. Pictures of the kids, my parents, grandparents, Avindair - Family is important to me. My family is my center.
2. A clay Star Wars Emperor Palpatine head - Alex made this in school. I keep my pens in it!
3. A 3-inch tall straw maid - A gift from a cast-member in a show I did - years ago. A reminder that am creative.
4. A stuffed toy frog - A gift from my (now deceased) Uncle Dale when I was a kid. It reminds me of his wonderful, positive personality, how much he believed in me, and frogs are a symbol of good in many cultures: luck, abundance, life and rebirth.
5. A purple, hand-made, mirrored box holding a Sakajawea dollar, a green stone, and two rings - The color of the box is a reminder of independence and free spirit. One ring, my Brownie ring from grade school, is a link to the past. The other, a gift from my daughter. The coin, is something quirky - not popular, but still valuable. The stone was something I chose to bring home as a momento from traveling; it's smooth, vaguely heart-shaped, and a beautiful shade of my favorite color.
6. Five little action figures - A chick in black holding a cup of coffee, Wonder Woman, a barbarian woman, another female fighter with a sword, and Wolverine... 'cause he's hot.
7. A 4-inch glass heart - A gift from my mom. That says it all.
8. A seashell - From a family trip to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Lots of symbolism in this one - family, nature, freedom and order -- and it's green, too.
9. A little toy lion - For courage and strength.
10. A small, silver, hand-made, heart-shaped box - From one of my best friends as she traveled the world to Oman in the military.
11. A tall, colorful witch - Light-hearted reminder that being mindful and spiritual is to make one happy and not somber.
If you could look around my office, you'd see books of every description stuffing three big bookshelves (and I need more bookshelves), more family pictures, comic book art, games, computer stuff, music, action figures, kid's art, starship models. One look at my surroundings and I'm reminded of why I do what I do -- and what my priorities should be.
It's easy to get off track - to stop seeing what's right in front of me. I realize now that my desk is like my "Work Altar", giving me encourage and perspective to do what I need to do. What I started yesterday isn't a cure... not by a long shot... but it's a start!
I started yesterday by cleaning my desk... and it's helping.
First, I took one of those cardboard filing boxes. The kind you get from Office Depot. I filled it with all the stuff littering my desk: things to be filed, pictures, paid bills, check stubs, the general paper pile-up that I mentally label "stuff I need to take care of some day". At the same time, I filled a garbage bag with the junk that gets mixed in with the "gotta keep" stuff.
And you know what I discovered? The top of my desk! But more than that, the little bits and pieces I keep on my desk as reminders of what's important and why I sit there day after day doing my job.
Everything on my desk means something to me. I couldn't stand the thought of having a perfectly functional desktop space.
1. Pictures of the kids, my parents, grandparents, Avindair - Family is important to me. My family is my center.
2. A clay Star Wars Emperor Palpatine head - Alex made this in school. I keep my pens in it!
3. A 3-inch tall straw maid - A gift from a cast-member in a show I did - years ago. A reminder that am creative.
4. A stuffed toy frog - A gift from my (now deceased) Uncle Dale when I was a kid. It reminds me of his wonderful, positive personality, how much he believed in me, and frogs are a symbol of good in many cultures: luck, abundance, life and rebirth.
5. A purple, hand-made, mirrored box holding a Sakajawea dollar, a green stone, and two rings - The color of the box is a reminder of independence and free spirit. One ring, my Brownie ring from grade school, is a link to the past. The other, a gift from my daughter. The coin, is something quirky - not popular, but still valuable. The stone was something I chose to bring home as a momento from traveling; it's smooth, vaguely heart-shaped, and a beautiful shade of my favorite color.
6. Five little action figures - A chick in black holding a cup of coffee, Wonder Woman, a barbarian woman, another female fighter with a sword, and Wolverine... 'cause he's hot.
7. A 4-inch glass heart - A gift from my mom. That says it all.
8. A seashell - From a family trip to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Lots of symbolism in this one - family, nature, freedom and order -- and it's green, too.
9. A little toy lion - For courage and strength.
10. A small, silver, hand-made, heart-shaped box - From one of my best friends as she traveled the world to Oman in the military.
11. A tall, colorful witch - Light-hearted reminder that being mindful and spiritual is to make one happy and not somber.
If you could look around my office, you'd see books of every description stuffing three big bookshelves (and I need more bookshelves), more family pictures, comic book art, games, computer stuff, music, action figures, kid's art, starship models. One look at my surroundings and I'm reminded of why I do what I do -- and what my priorities should be.
It's easy to get off track - to stop seeing what's right in front of me. I realize now that my desk is like my "Work Altar", giving me encourage and perspective to do what I need to do. What I started yesterday isn't a cure... not by a long shot... but it's a start!
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Weary
The number one word to describe me right now. Just plain weary.
It's the everyday things that are getting to me. The routine, the mess, the deadlines, the to-do list. The kinds of things that every person on this planet has to do every day - but eventually your soul has just had enough and you need a break.
I don't see that break coming any time soon.
Like a lot of people, I wake to the alarm, hit the snooze a few times, shuffle out of bed, fail to eat a good breakfast, and head off to work.
I try to ignore the everyday-life flotsam covering my desk, our kitchen counter... the floor boards of my car. I don't have the time or the initiative to deal with it. I'm on the treadmill with my shoe laces untied. Eventually, I'm going to trip.
Didn't take a real vacation this year because of repeated work woes. Haven't even been successful in planning a weekend getaway and I don't see that happening any time soon. Mostly because I just don't have the energy to deal with the headache it takes to plan and execute a vacation.
I am weary.
I wish I could be one of those sparkling people that gets up at the break of dawn with a spring in their step and a smile on their face. The kind of person that has a place for everything... and everything in it's place... and because of that doesn't worry like the rest of us.
Sometimes I wish I could be the kind of person who didn't give a rat's ass about anything. But that's just not within me.
Or maybe be the kind of person whose life is so simple, so uncomplicated, that issue never comes up.
Truth is, the same things that bring complexity and headaches also bring facination and laughter and challenge and love -- and those are things that I wouldn't... couldn't do without. What I could probably use is two full weeks off. The first week to play catch up and do all the things I'd like to get done - because I couldn't enjoy week two looking at the to-do's around me. The last week to just enjoy a week of nothing but getting up, taking a walk, reading, cooking a good meal, ignoring work and emails and phones, puttering around the yard, being with my family, not running to catch up with my life.
Hell, everyone has trouble just dealing with life from time to time. That's where I am today, but at least I have some of it behind me. I did manage to get up, get ready, write a whiny blog post and get my kids off to school. Now for the rest of the day.
It's the everyday things that are getting to me. The routine, the mess, the deadlines, the to-do list. The kinds of things that every person on this planet has to do every day - but eventually your soul has just had enough and you need a break.
I don't see that break coming any time soon.
Like a lot of people, I wake to the alarm, hit the snooze a few times, shuffle out of bed, fail to eat a good breakfast, and head off to work.
I try to ignore the everyday-life flotsam covering my desk, our kitchen counter... the floor boards of my car. I don't have the time or the initiative to deal with it. I'm on the treadmill with my shoe laces untied. Eventually, I'm going to trip.
Didn't take a real vacation this year because of repeated work woes. Haven't even been successful in planning a weekend getaway and I don't see that happening any time soon. Mostly because I just don't have the energy to deal with the headache it takes to plan and execute a vacation.
I am weary.
I wish I could be one of those sparkling people that gets up at the break of dawn with a spring in their step and a smile on their face. The kind of person that has a place for everything... and everything in it's place... and because of that doesn't worry like the rest of us.
Sometimes I wish I could be the kind of person who didn't give a rat's ass about anything. But that's just not within me.
Or maybe be the kind of person whose life is so simple, so uncomplicated, that issue never comes up.
Truth is, the same things that bring complexity and headaches also bring facination and laughter and challenge and love -- and those are things that I wouldn't... couldn't do without. What I could probably use is two full weeks off. The first week to play catch up and do all the things I'd like to get done - because I couldn't enjoy week two looking at the to-do's around me. The last week to just enjoy a week of nothing but getting up, taking a walk, reading, cooking a good meal, ignoring work and emails and phones, puttering around the yard, being with my family, not running to catch up with my life.
Hell, everyone has trouble just dealing with life from time to time. That's where I am today, but at least I have some of it behind me. I did manage to get up, get ready, write a whiny blog post and get my kids off to school. Now for the rest of the day.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Marmot Memeage
I stole this from my pal, MagicMarmot. The questions, I mean. The answers are mine, I'm afraid.
1. You and Jesus go out to dinner - who pays? I'll pay. He did die for my sins and all. It's the least I could do.
2. You suddenly have to flee the country and adopt an alias. What is it? Oooo... I wanna adopt a Vulcan. They're smart! Oh... wait... an ALIAS.
3. Pick one state in the U.S. to get rid of permanently? Can we keep the land an just get rid of the residents?
4. You wake up as the opposite gender what's the one thing you wanna try? Running without having to wear an athletic bra!
5. Luke Skywalker or Han Solo? Han, baby. Definitely, Han.
6. Toy you always wanted but never got as a child? A train set. I actually got one, but we had to return it when it didn't work. Psyche!
7. Top three celebrities you wanna do.
1. Antonio Banderas
2. Jason Issacs
3. Hugh Jackman
8. What's an automatic deal breaker in a potential significant other? Cruelty
9. What is the last movie you saw that actually scared you? I honestly don't remember.
10. Stupidest thing you've ever said out loud? I'm sure there have been plenty - I just don't recall.
11. You're sentenced to death and it's the morning of your execution, what do you want to eat? A giant bowl of Tiramisu. Screw the calories!
12. What's something that most people do that you've never done? Drink at high school parties.
13. Before you die you want to go to...? Rome
14. Something you'd really like to do but probably won't ever be able to do? Travel the world.
15. A wild animal you'd like to have as a pet? A wolf. Scare the crap out of the neighborhood.
16. A drug you'll never try? Anything that's illegal. It's just not my bag, baby.
17. If you were an animal what would you be? A lioness.
18. If you had to marry someone you knew at the age of 12 who would it be? Ick - it wouldn't be Jerry Lee Lewis, THAT'S for certain.
19. What's something most people don't know about you? I'm really a time traveler lost in your dimension.
20. First celebrity crush? Probably Davy Jones from the Monkees.
21. What's a weapon to suit your personality, habits and abilities? A .44 caliber handgun.
23. Favorite breakfast bread style (pancakes, waffles, toast etc...)? Grandma Minnie's homemade biscuits.
24. Favorite parody movie? Galaxy Quest
25. Worst way to die? Drowning
26. Grossest injury you've ever seen? Tony and I went through the '88 Flugtag Airshow disaster. Let's leave it at that.
27. The worst injury you've ever had? Sword wound. No kidding.
28. Favorite thing about thanksgiving? Family time.
29. Sport you hate the most? Big game hunting. Does that count?
30. What city in the U.S. do you want to visit? Boston
31. What's something you think would be sweet to know everything about? History
32. Favorite Actor/Actress? Can't choose - I'm a movie fiend!
33. What's one phrase you absolutely detest? "It's just business."
34. What makes an awesome party? Awesome friends.
35. What's your material obsession? Books
36. What's something most would consider an insult but you like it said about you? GEEK!
37. Favorite kind of dog? Canine
38. Favorite carnival food (everyone has one)? Caramel apple
39. Morning or night person? Morning person on vacation. Night person on weekends.
40. Worst drunken/drugged up habit? When being drunken or drugged up becomes a habit for me, I'll let you know.
41. Weirdest ebay purchase? William Shatner's old toupee. Nah. I seldom purchase anything from eBay. Last thing was a set of movie lights.
42. Favorite food to eat when you're wasted? Probably pizza.
43. Its Saturday at 3am where are you? Sleeping soundly.
44. Who's your favorite friend to go out with? My hubby.
45.Worst job you've ever had? Secretary for the kind of lawyer they created lawyer jokes for.
46. What's something your friends make fun of you for? My friends don't make fun of me. They understand the consequences.
47. Favorite cereal? Rice crispies.
48. Book you could read repeatedly? You're asking a former ENGLISH MAJOR this question? Les Miserables, Wuthering Heights, The Alchemist, there are more...
49. What's the meanest thing you've ever done? Be impatient with my kids.
50. What was your best Halloween costume ever? Elvira-like vampire.
1. You and Jesus go out to dinner - who pays? I'll pay. He did die for my sins and all. It's the least I could do.
2. You suddenly have to flee the country and adopt an alias. What is it? Oooo... I wanna adopt a Vulcan. They're smart! Oh... wait... an ALIAS.
3. Pick one state in the U.S. to get rid of permanently? Can we keep the land an just get rid of the residents?
4. You wake up as the opposite gender what's the one thing you wanna try? Running without having to wear an athletic bra!
5. Luke Skywalker or Han Solo? Han, baby. Definitely, Han.
6. Toy you always wanted but never got as a child? A train set. I actually got one, but we had to return it when it didn't work. Psyche!
7. Top three celebrities you wanna do.
1. Antonio Banderas
2. Jason Issacs
3. Hugh Jackman
8. What's an automatic deal breaker in a potential significant other? Cruelty
9. What is the last movie you saw that actually scared you? I honestly don't remember.
10. Stupidest thing you've ever said out loud? I'm sure there have been plenty - I just don't recall.
11. You're sentenced to death and it's the morning of your execution, what do you want to eat? A giant bowl of Tiramisu. Screw the calories!
12. What's something that most people do that you've never done? Drink at high school parties.
13. Before you die you want to go to...? Rome
14. Something you'd really like to do but probably won't ever be able to do? Travel the world.
15. A wild animal you'd like to have as a pet? A wolf. Scare the crap out of the neighborhood.
16. A drug you'll never try? Anything that's illegal. It's just not my bag, baby.
17. If you were an animal what would you be? A lioness.
18. If you had to marry someone you knew at the age of 12 who would it be? Ick - it wouldn't be Jerry Lee Lewis, THAT'S for certain.
19. What's something most people don't know about you? I'm really a time traveler lost in your dimension.
20. First celebrity crush? Probably Davy Jones from the Monkees.
21. What's a weapon to suit your personality, habits and abilities? A .44 caliber handgun.
23. Favorite breakfast bread style (pancakes, waffles, toast etc...)? Grandma Minnie's homemade biscuits.
24. Favorite parody movie? Galaxy Quest
25. Worst way to die? Drowning
26. Grossest injury you've ever seen? Tony and I went through the '88 Flugtag Airshow disaster. Let's leave it at that.
27. The worst injury you've ever had? Sword wound. No kidding.
28. Favorite thing about thanksgiving? Family time.
29. Sport you hate the most? Big game hunting. Does that count?
30. What city in the U.S. do you want to visit? Boston
31. What's something you think would be sweet to know everything about? History
32. Favorite Actor/Actress? Can't choose - I'm a movie fiend!
33. What's one phrase you absolutely detest? "It's just business."
34. What makes an awesome party? Awesome friends.
35. What's your material obsession? Books
36. What's something most would consider an insult but you like it said about you? GEEK!
37. Favorite kind of dog? Canine
38. Favorite carnival food (everyone has one)? Caramel apple
39. Morning or night person? Morning person on vacation. Night person on weekends.
40. Worst drunken/drugged up habit? When being drunken or drugged up becomes a habit for me, I'll let you know.
41. Weirdest ebay purchase? William Shatner's old toupee. Nah. I seldom purchase anything from eBay. Last thing was a set of movie lights.
42. Favorite food to eat when you're wasted? Probably pizza.
43. Its Saturday at 3am where are you? Sleeping soundly.
44. Who's your favorite friend to go out with? My hubby.
45.Worst job you've ever had? Secretary for the kind of lawyer they created lawyer jokes for.
46. What's something your friends make fun of you for? My friends don't make fun of me. They understand the consequences.
47. Favorite cereal? Rice crispies.
48. Book you could read repeatedly? You're asking a former ENGLISH MAJOR this question? Les Miserables, Wuthering Heights, The Alchemist, there are more...
49. What's the meanest thing you've ever done? Be impatient with my kids.
50. What was your best Halloween costume ever? Elvira-like vampire.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Rhino A$$
That's what I had for lunch today.
No, really.
It was cleverly marketed as "Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad" at The Fancy Grocery Store (tm). You know the one. The grocery store with carpet on the floors, mahogany-stained shelves, and approximately 20,000 kinds of smelly cheese.
In a rush this morning, I decided to pick up lunch there on my way in to the office. There's always something tasty at the deli counter and I was in a hurry. The first thing I spotted was a giant dish of "Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad" covered in crisp Sugar Snap Peas and sweet Mandarin Orange slices. It lacked the "swimming in mayo" look of their other salads and, being on special today, appealed to my cheap-skate sensibilities.
Boy, was I wrong. The only way I can truthfully describe the taste that assaulted my tongue was... rhino ass.
"Perhaps," I foolishly thought, "it's the coffee I just drank or it needs to be mixed up or... or... "
So I took a few more bites. Now it became clear that it was rhino ass with a side of sodium the size of the Great Salt Lake.
Granted, I've never actually indulged in the culinary adventure of rhino ass -- expensive, pretentious rhino ass. But if I ever were to, I would imagine that it would taste exactly like "Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad" from The Fancy Grocery Store(tm).
All in all, I should have had the Clam Juice. Uck.
No, really.
It was cleverly marketed as "Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad" at The Fancy Grocery Store (tm). You know the one. The grocery store with carpet on the floors, mahogany-stained shelves, and approximately 20,000 kinds of smelly cheese.
In a rush this morning, I decided to pick up lunch there on my way in to the office. There's always something tasty at the deli counter and I was in a hurry. The first thing I spotted was a giant dish of "Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad" covered in crisp Sugar Snap Peas and sweet Mandarin Orange slices. It lacked the "swimming in mayo" look of their other salads and, being on special today, appealed to my cheap-skate sensibilities.
Boy, was I wrong. The only way I can truthfully describe the taste that assaulted my tongue was... rhino ass.
"Perhaps," I foolishly thought, "it's the coffee I just drank or it needs to be mixed up or... or... "
So I took a few more bites. Now it became clear that it was rhino ass with a side of sodium the size of the Great Salt Lake.
Granted, I've never actually indulged in the culinary adventure of rhino ass -- expensive, pretentious rhino ass. But if I ever were to, I would imagine that it would taste exactly like "Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad" from The Fancy Grocery Store(tm).
All in all, I should have had the Clam Juice. Uck.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Ha! No Wonder!
Being a natural born Nodak (North Dakotan), I thought my Minnesota percentage would be higher by default. This actually explains why I get along with so FEW Minnesotans!
You are 25% Minnesotan
You're not an urban Minnesotan, that's for sure, but you should visit sometime! It's a nice place with nice people!
How Minnesotan are you?
Make Your Own Quiz
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Schadenfreude
Back in March and April of this year, I had interviewed for a lead position at the local offices of a worldwide firm. I wanted this job so bad, I could taste it... until I got to know them. Eventually, after jumping through multiple hoops, I refused to continue being the poodle with the sequined collar and pulled myself out of the running.
They still haven't filled the position. Or they have, lost the hiree, and had to readvertise again... and again... and again. *grin* Over six months-time, I've seen the same job readvertised four times. Most recently, just a few days ago. There are only two reasons I can imagine that they are still looking to fill this position. First, they play the same ridiculous run-around games with other applicants. Two, their bad reputation precedes them.
I wonder how many times they advertised before I applied back in February?
Oh... and my car is already done! Just a totally dead battery. Entire electrical system checked out A-OK.
They still haven't filled the position. Or they have, lost the hiree, and had to readvertise again... and again... and again. *grin* Over six months-time, I've seen the same job readvertised four times. Most recently, just a few days ago. There are only two reasons I can imagine that they are still looking to fill this position. First, they play the same ridiculous run-around games with other applicants. Two, their bad reputation precedes them.
I wonder how many times they advertised before I applied back in February?
Oh... and my car is already done! Just a totally dead battery. Entire electrical system checked out A-OK.
The Universe Steps In
It's been one helluva busy year. Yesterday alone I was scheduled for 12 out of 24 hours. Today, at least 5 of my workday hours were spoken for running back and forth across the cities for meetings.
Then the Universe stepped in...
... in the form of my car breaking down.
And I'm not upset in the least. Why?
1. I now have a perfectly good and valid excuse for not hauling my cookies all over town.
2. I can get a lot more necessary work done right here at my desk.
3. I've never had to make payments on this car. It was a greatly appreciated gift out of life insurance payouts from my uncle's will many years ago. I don't bitch about the occasional repair.
4. Within an hour I was able to call my regular garage, get someone to tow it there, and I'll probably get it back before the end of the day.
5. Frankly, I needed the - albeit relative - break. If this was the only way I could get it - so be it.
When I set about owning my own business and making the conscious decision to grow it, I knew there would be days, weeks, even months like these. As a small business owner, being overly busy are the problems you HOPE to have. Not having enough business is what nightmares are made out of.
I was forced to cancel two meetings - my clients were understanding. They trust that the deadlines will still be met.
So, thank you, Universe, for giving me the break I wouldn't give myself!
Then the Universe stepped in...
... in the form of my car breaking down.
And I'm not upset in the least. Why?
1. I now have a perfectly good and valid excuse for not hauling my cookies all over town.
2. I can get a lot more necessary work done right here at my desk.
3. I've never had to make payments on this car. It was a greatly appreciated gift out of life insurance payouts from my uncle's will many years ago. I don't bitch about the occasional repair.
4. Within an hour I was able to call my regular garage, get someone to tow it there, and I'll probably get it back before the end of the day.
5. Frankly, I needed the - albeit relative - break. If this was the only way I could get it - so be it.
When I set about owning my own business and making the conscious decision to grow it, I knew there would be days, weeks, even months like these. As a small business owner, being overly busy are the problems you HOPE to have. Not having enough business is what nightmares are made out of.
I was forced to cancel two meetings - my clients were understanding. They trust that the deadlines will still be met.
So, thank you, Universe, for giving me the break I wouldn't give myself!
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Tootin' My Own Horn
Now that I have your attention -- no, that was not a euphemism.
As well as being a professional writer and PROLIFIC blogger (Hey, YOU! Yes, YOU! Stop laughing!), I also make movies. Well, let's say I *help* make movies.
Damn. I'm no good at tootin' my own horn. Let me try again.
I'm part of Stone Soup Films, an independent film group in the Twin Cities. We've just finished our first feature-length film, "Pray for Daylight". If you like vampires, chicks with guns, chicks with swords, chicks fighting, great original music AND a good story made by budget filmmakers with a lot of heart, see this film. We're working on distribution channels right now and hope to have it available for purchase soon.
Check out our 60-second trailer on Google Video!
While you're there, why not watch some of our earlier films that helped us gain wisdom in the ways of video production?
Steve the Vampire - Our first short and the first appearance of Cassie Banning, Vampire Hunter!
The Thing That Happened - Hate art house films? So do we! Scary clowns, insane carnival music and a poor French translation included!
Pray for Daylight: Hunter - More adventures of Cassie Banning. A great primer for the Pray for Daylight feature film.
Stone Soup Films isn't out to make a statement or change the world, we just want to be able to entertain our audience. So, if you want to forget the world for a few minutes, get a bowl of popcorn, sit back, and enjoy!
As well as being a professional writer and PROLIFIC blogger (Hey, YOU! Yes, YOU! Stop laughing!), I also make movies. Well, let's say I *help* make movies.
Damn. I'm no good at tootin' my own horn. Let me try again.
I'm part of Stone Soup Films, an independent film group in the Twin Cities. We've just finished our first feature-length film, "Pray for Daylight". If you like vampires, chicks with guns, chicks with swords, chicks fighting, great original music AND a good story made by budget filmmakers with a lot of heart, see this film. We're working on distribution channels right now and hope to have it available for purchase soon.
Check out our 60-second trailer on Google Video!
While you're there, why not watch some of our earlier films that helped us gain wisdom in the ways of video production?
Steve the Vampire - Our first short and the first appearance of Cassie Banning, Vampire Hunter!
The Thing That Happened - Hate art house films? So do we! Scary clowns, insane carnival music and a poor French translation included!
Pray for Daylight: Hunter - More adventures of Cassie Banning. A great primer for the Pray for Daylight feature film.
Stone Soup Films isn't out to make a statement or change the world, we just want to be able to entertain our audience. So, if you want to forget the world for a few minutes, get a bowl of popcorn, sit back, and enjoy!
Long time, no see...
I just realized that I completely skipped the month of July in Blogworld.
Recipe for Lack-O-Blog Stew
1 Fantastic 3-Day Weekend at CONvergence
1 4-Day Business Trip of Mixed Reactions
8 Evenings of daughter's soccer games and practices
2 Extra Business Contracts
2 Kids Who Would Like to See their Mom - Sometime
1 Booze-Filled Actor Commentary Recording
10 lbs. of Compressed Work Deadlines
Dash of Salt
Add Stress to Taste
Let simmer for 31 days .
There was SO MUCH to write about. Seriously. CONvergence and the business trip left me with tons of blog fodder. I'll try to be good. I'll try to write.
Really.
Recipe for Lack-O-Blog Stew
1 Fantastic 3-Day Weekend at CONvergence
1 4-Day Business Trip of Mixed Reactions
8 Evenings of daughter's soccer games and practices
2 Extra Business Contracts
2 Kids Who Would Like to See their Mom - Sometime
1 Booze-Filled Actor Commentary Recording
10 lbs. of Compressed Work Deadlines
Dash of Salt
Add Stress to Taste
Let simmer for 31 days .
There was SO MUCH to write about. Seriously. CONvergence and the business trip left me with tons of blog fodder. I'll try to be good. I'll try to write.
Really.
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