Bi-polar Broadway Selections

So, New York wasn't all doom and gloom. I did have a chance to catch a couple of shows. First, I saw Xanadu. I know, I know... it sounds like a terrible idea but I gotta tell ya it was a blast. You know it's gonna be fun when the poster reads "Xanadu on Broadway... Seriously". Well sign me up! I had never seen Xanadu (the movie) until some time last year when a friend insisted. It's a terrible film but the music is fun enough to keep it going. Of course, now it's so kitsch it's great. Well, maybe not classically great, but definately good time great. Anyway, a co-worker and I had a free night in NY and decided to see a show. My friend wanted to see Mary Poppins but I thought Xanadu sounded silly enough to be fun. Luckily she agreed to give it a shot. It was a hoot! The show is a complete goof on the film. If you haven't seen the movie the non-stop references will fly over your head but if, like me, you've seen the movie lately it's just hysterical. We had a great time.

The following night, after running for my life, we met for dinner and saw Grey Gardens. Do you know about the film? It's a documentary from the 70's that is bizarre and sad and amazing. Honestly, it's like a car accident you can't look away from. I heard about a Broadway show being based on it and really that's all I needed to know. Christine Ebersole won the Tony this year for her remarkable work in Grey Gardens. Sadly, the show closes at the end of this month. It's really a shame because more folks should have the opportunity to see it. Ms. Ebersole is spot-on as both Edith and Little Edie. Her performance blew me away. (Here's a taste. To understand how dead-on Ms. Ebersole is just watch the first 30 seconds of this clip from the film.) I also loved the staging with images form the film drifting by in the background. It's just such a good show. It was the first time I saw a Broadway show and was certain I was witnessing an historic performer in her legendary role. Ms. Ebersole will be remembered for years as being simply divine in this show.


After what seemed like the longest flight EVER I arrived safely home. I was so relieved to be back at home. I had a half day on Friday (yea!) so I saw Hairspray after work. I wasn't feeling well, with a sore throat I seem to have picked up on my trip, but at the last minute decided sitting alone in a dark theater sounded just right. I liked the movie but it's so far removed from the Broadway show. I'm not sure why they decided to change such a wonderful show but... whatever. Among the biggest disappointments are the vocals. When you see something performed live in LA or NYC you can pretty much count on powerhouse talents. Queen Latifah is ok but she's nothing compared to those women I saw live. The part requires a great, big, gospel, belting type of voice and Ms. Latifah just doesn't have it. Oh well, I'm hoping the kids like it. That kid from High School Musical is in it which explains why half the audience was kids. It's a shame most will never see the stage production much less the original movie. John Waters makes a cameo as the flasher Tracy mentions in the opening song. Too bad I was the only one in the theater who recognized him. You just know he LOVED doing that bit.

Since then I've been frantically reading book 5 of Harry Potter. I know. I'm WAY behind but Potter-mania got to me and I'm now trying to catch up. I'm just terrified that some jackhole will blurt out a huge spoiler and ruin the whole thing for me. Shandon cleared the docket so she could dedicate her weekend to read book 7. I can't wait to hear what she thinks of it (without the details, of course).

I'm off to finish HP5. Catch ya later.

Taste of Terror

Lucy: What's that noise?
Christina: What noise? ... Oh, I don't know.
Lucy: Must be the Subway.
Christina: ...
Lucy: ...
Man RUNNING down the street toward us: Look! (Pointing over his shoulder.)
Christina: (looking up from under the hotel awning) ... Run!
Lucy: What? What is it?!
Christina: RUN!!!!!!! (Running away.)


I started to run, and let's be clear, I make it a habit to NEVER run. After a block or so I stopped to turn and look. I don't want to be melodramatic but, God as my witness, it was like every bit of footage you've ever seen of 9/11. I saw huge, brownish, grey plumes of smoke billowing up over buildings and New Yorkers running away from it. I ran a bit more and kept thinking 'I've got to get away from the smoke. I've got to find a door to duck in to.' I kept stopping to look because I couldn't believe what I was seeing. How could this be happening? Isn't Grand Central right over there? What's happened? God damn it!!! Every once in a while heard Christina shouting at me to run. She later told me she was certain a building was going to blow up and she wanted to be as far away from it as possible. I kept watching the smoke and waiting for it to start blowing out towards us but mostly it blew upward. I think that's what kept me from just curling up in a fetal position right there on Park Avenue. It was the one detail that was unfamiliar and that was somewhat comforting.


We now know the smoke was actually debris and steam from a pipe that blew up the street, but at the time it looked like a bomb. It was terrifying. We were about 2 1/2 blocks from the explosion when it blew. I still can't quite get the images of today straight in my head. It was probably the most surreal evening of my life. After about a few minutes we started seeing people with smoke and debris all over their hair, faces and clothes. That didn't exactly help my state of mind. We had been on our way to dinner and show so we headed in that direction since it was away from our hotel and the smoke. The phone lines were all busy (again, not helping my state of mind) so we couldn't phone home to hear what was going on. Christina and I had both left our annoying Blackberry's in our rooms so we couldn't look anything up. We had no idea what had happened. It was amazing how quickly rumors on the streets started. In just about 10 minutes we heard it was a fire in a building and that Grand Central was hit. It took CNN an hour to mention it.



I have an annoying foot problem lately and running in flip flops doesn't exactly help. The friends who took us out tonight were kind enough to offer me a ride back to the hotel while my co-workers decided to walk. Well, all of the streets around my hotels are blocked off. I had to hop out of the car and probably wound up walking more than my friends. It was about 11:00 at night and there I was ducking through alleys looking for open streets. Lexington was completely blocked off even to pedestrians. I thought of calling home but knew my parents would have heart attacks if they knew I was wandering through the streets of NYC alone at that hour. I, on the other hand, figured it was probably one of the safest place on earth considering NYPD and NYFD were swarming the area.

I'm supposed to leave tomorrow evening. I hope the weather holds. I'm ready to go home.

Back in NYC

Greetings!

I had another long travel day today. Not a bad flight though. Managed to get a good deed in too. The woman sitting next to me was on the flight to help her brother get his wife home. She apparently has Alzheimer's and gets restless on flights. Our row was the closest seat she could get to her brother and sister-in-law. I felt terrible for my seatmate but noticed my co-worker was sitting across the aisle from her brother so I told her if things went "haywire" I was sure my friend could trade seats with her. About 45 minutes into the flight it became apparent that they should switch seats. All involved seemed relieved.

Later in baggage claim I noticed a monk calmly waiting for his bag. Well of course he would be calm but I wondered, what does a monk pack to NYC? More robes, underwear a toothbrush? I mean, there can't be an iPod and a Harry Potter book in there, right? I'm still curious. I know that monks are people too but still I'm so curious. What was in that big duffle bag? Seeing that monk in JFK was just like those movie scenes where one person stands still and everything around them rushes by in fast forward. I swear, it was just like that. It reminded me of a Bill Moyers interview with Pema Chodra. She was talking about flights and how she watches with fascination as people frantically get their stuff organized before settling into their seats. She watches folks pulling magazines, books, mints, iPods, pillows and so on out of bags and into seatback pockets. People just killing themselves to avoid quiet time. Nobody seems able to stand the thought of quiet introspection on a flight. She, naturally, looks at flights as a great opportunity to meditate. It's not a bad idea, but not one I've considered trying. I do slow down now though. If I feel like sleeping I'll give it a go. Mostly I'm just so excited to have uninterrupted reading time. But I always think of Ms. Chodra now. Seeing that monk at baggage claim was like a reminder at the beginning of this trip. I need to remember to not get too stressed and try to get work done while slowing down and enjoying myself.

Christina and I went to Rosa Margarita for dinner. That Pomegranate margarita was great way to slow down and relax. I don't think it's what Pema has in mind when she recommends slowing down but it'll do for now.

Hotel California

I spent the day with Tony today. He's been in Montana and Oregon for vacation so we haven't seen each other in a while. It was a great day. I love that Tony is such a positive person. He immediately noticed that I was "low energy" today. I explained that my computer and iPod had both flipped out late last night. I was up until 3:00 correcting technical difficulties. What a nightmare. I got everything running but I'm still tired from it all.


We had lunch, did some shopping then saw 1408. I'm not sure if you know the premise but, in a nutshell, it's about a man trapped in an evil hotel room. Is he crazy, is it haunted, is he hallucinating? You'll have to see it and decide for yourself but trust me when I say it's a tense ride. Immediately following the movie I visited the ladies room. As usual, I walked in and was faced with crowded restroom with a line. By the time I got to wash my hands the frenzy was over and the restroom was near empty. I headed for the door, shook the handle and realized it was stuck. I shrugged, headed for the other exit and found it too was locked or stuck or whatever. I wasn't amused. I decided to try the first door again and passed the one other woman left in the restroom. I asked "Are we locked in here?" She replied "I hope not!" I said "I just saw that 1408 and this is freaking me out." She just stood there and said "Me too!!" I grabbed the door handle, pulled it down and pushed. Nothing. I pushed the handle up and pushed... nothing. The door wouldn't budge. What the hell?! I knocked on the door but nobody heard me. I then started kicking the door, rather aggressively, hoping somebody would hear us. Finally a startled looking woman tentatively opened the door and peered in. She then let us out. As I rushed past her I told her we'd been locked in. My new friend hurriedly followed me out to the lobby. I found Tony and told him we'd been locked in the restroom. He said "Yeah, I thought I heard pounding." Good grief! I didn't see a lock or key hole in that handle. My question is: Why would a theater restroom have locks on the doors anyway? Seems like a fire hazard or something. I'm still not exactly sure what happened but damn, it sure did rattle me.

Go see 1408 and let me know what you think. Just check all the doors afterwards.

My new favorite show

A friend recently introduced me to a great show on VH1 Classics. I've never been much of a music video channel kinda gal but this show is worth watching, it's called Classic Albums. It features one great album and spends a hour highlighting how it was made by interviewing the performers, sound engineers and producers. It's fascinating. Last night I watched Classic Albums - Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon... twice.


Dark Side of the Moon is one of those albums I've long loved but rarely listen to. I think it's because I can't really listen to just a song, I have to listen to the whole album and who has time to listen to entire records anymore? This episode of Classic Albums featured Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Alan Parsons to name a few. They show old footage of performances then, by contrast, show David Gilmour standing there grey haired, in a perfectly conservative crew neck sweater, playing guitar today. It's so bizarre! He was really quite lovely in the 70's and here he is nearing his 70's and still rocking. With bifocals in hand, nonchalantly pecking seemingly random notes out on an ancient synthesizer, he twists a knob and conjures up the beginning of On the Run. Later, he stands casually strumming a guitar then he opens his mouth and there it is... that great vocal. The man sings Breathe as if it were 1973. David Gilmour now looks like my favorite uncle Richard for God's sake. It sort of blew my mind. Watching Roger Waters play the trippy beginning of Money is also super cool. You even get to hear an early demo recording of the song. I guess I just couldn't get over the fact that these guys are all so normal looking now. And there's not a bong in sight. It just goes to show that no matter cool or rebellious you may be, you still get old. Still, all of their Money sure seems to keep them well preserved.

The very best part of the show is getting the opportunity to hear completely familiar songs dissected. It's amazing. They get the original sound engineer (in this case Alan Parsons) to essentially "play" the mixing board with the master recordings. (I also saw Daniel Lanois "play" the board on the Classic Albums - U2: The Joshua Tree. Loved it!) It's such a good time. They occasionally mention band drama but mostly it's about building music. So great!

I loved seeing photos of those women singers featured on the album. I've always wondered who they were. The band also explains all of those strange ramblings heard throughout the record. You learn what the heck is being said and were it comes from. You also come to realize what a miracle those old albums are. They shouldn't even exist considering the limited technology.

It all got me thinking about my favorite albums. You know, those records that are so great you don't have to skip any tracks? There aren't many but here are my "desert island" picks:

Abbey Road - The Beatles
Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
Hotel California - The Eagles

I hate that they are so predictable but I just love them. I'm also sorry that I can't think of more modern albums for my list but I just can't think of any. I'm sure I have plenty of modern faves but I don't think I cold stomach putting them in the company of these classics.

I'd now like to tag Shandon, Trooperdog and Norman and see what they're favorite albums are. Their lists are bound to be much more interesting than mine.

Seen around the office

Somebody was having a bad day:





It's difficult to read but the bottom image says "Change = Rich" then "Homeless" and "New target demographic". Somebody was feeling a bit cynical about their happy shiny job... hmm? I find bizarre images and messages like this all the time. It's usually one of the artists. They often feel repressed and I think this is their way of branching, well really lashing, out. I try not to judge. We all have those days.

Heard around the office

First I heard this:

"I feel like cookies and cake but I'm having water instead. Life is so unfulfilling."

Then this happened:

Somebody must have been swapping out light tubes at work last night. Unfortunately they didn't finish the job and left parts of the overhead light all over my table. When a co-worker asked about it and I explained I said, typically overreacting "What kind of maniac just stops working and wanders off? Was there a fire drill or something? What the hell?" My co-worker looked at me and deadpanned "I wish you were a comic strip." I wasn't sure how to respond to that. I just hope I'm not a Cathy.

Workin' for the Pod

Over my very nice long weekend I tackled my CD collection. I ran down to Target and picked up a few CD binders. I got home and started the surprisingly trying process of ditching the jewel cases. The weekend was uncharacteristically humid. We typically turn off the air conditioning in the evening so I was sweatin' bullets as I lifted, sorted loaded and de-jewel boxed my CDs. I carried 8 Trader Joe's bags of empty jewel cases out to the recycling bin. Sheesh! It seems I have around 650 CDs. Of course, it helps to have worked for Rolling Stone for most of the 90's but still that's a stupid amount of CDs. It was nice to see some of them again. After years of just skimming through the spines of the CDs it was refreshing to see each and every cover. It was like visiting with old friends.

I recently got a little bonus and have been planning to save most but wanted to splurge on something I wouldn't ordinarily buy for myself. After my CD exercise it became apparent that my sweet Mini iPod just couldn't hold my music anymore. My parents gave me the Mini as a Christmas gift the year they were released. It was the most surprised I'd been with a gift since childhood. I was stunned and so excited. I've loved my Mini dearly but it was time to invest in the big guns. I went to Best Buy and picked up the 80G. She's a beauty. I'm now obsessed with keeping her pristine so I'm looking into sleeves and skins. I still can't decide what will work best to keep her clean for travel. (How weird are these?!)

I called my nephew and told him it was his lucky day. He's getting my Mini. I told him to get his dad working on a Playlist for him pronto. He was thrilled.

I spent a lot of time yesterday uploading my CDs to the Pod. I tell ya it could quickly become a full time job if I let it, but I will say the resulting shuffle is quite lovely. I fell asleep and woke to it.

Rest assured, the rest of my money is going straight to the condo fund.

Devil Music

When my brother and I went our separate ways in collage we broke up one of the best CD collections EVER. He would buy some Led Zepplen while I'd buy the rest. He was going through a pretty hard core punk phase while Springsteen, U2, REM and the Replacements were my faves. It was a perfectly wonderful and eclectic collection of music. We were also on call to settle lots of music related bets while living in the dorms. One moron actually thought Candle in the Wind was some new hit by Elton John (and this was the late eighties, people). I was called in to back up a friend who insisted it was an old song. I confirmed that it was in fact an old tune and could even tell them which side of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road it originally appeared. I may not be an authority on music anymore but I still seem to know more than the average Joe (or is that Joette?).

Lately I've been in a 60's/70's kick but when I went digging for some Creedence, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac and even the Beatles, they were all missing. My brother admitted having them all but they were in storage from their recent home improvement project. OH NO! He promised to spring them out of storage today. I happened to be in his neighborhood all day visiting a friend. On my way home, I called bro and asked if he had pulled the CDs out of storage. He hadn't, but he offered dinner and said he'd pick them up. I didn't want to pressure him and told him any time in the next week or so would be fine but he seemed to want to go. Cool! Left over BBQ from the 4th AND my CDs? Sign me up. He showed up with 6 flat bins of CDs. (Yes, Shandon, we're still talking jewel cases and it's got to change.). Anyway, we spent about an hour going through the CDs. I found everything I'd been looking for. Yea! Well, Fleetwood Mac Rumours is still MIA but I'll live. (Except, hold the phones, it's not available on iTunes! What's the deal? Love it or hate it, that album takes you back and I just gotta find it.)

Here is a typical exchange from the CD search:

Lucy: Do you have Pat Benetar?
Bro: (Incredulously) Do you think I'd defile my iPod with Pat Benetar?
Lucy: You're the one who spent all last weekend quoting Hell is For Children.
Bro: Oh yeah. Well, no, I don't have any Benetar.

He loves to quote something until I get it. It can drive me crazy because he refuses to reveal the source, no matter how much I ask, until I correctly call it. He just keeps repeating and repeating. Last weekend it was Hell is for Children. We were cracking up at how brutal the lyrics are. Oh how I loved that album in the 8th grade.

On the bright side I did score this little number. iPod upload here I come! I also found some Flying Burrito Brothers, Love and a few other jems. Bro was pushing jazz but it's jut not my scene today, baby.

I was listening to the killer boxed set and just when Wanda Jackson was really swingin' I heard some very strange panting and footsteps outside my bedroom window. There was some whispered chatter and more running around. Who ever it was was obviously too clueless to shut the hell up so it had to be kids. Rather than feeling scared I was completely annoyed. I rushed to the front door, swung it open and saw two teenaged boys crouched behind our oak tree. There was a car doing a u-turn and peeling out on the street. I stood there and shouted "Can I help you?!" (with no intention of offering assistance). One young man hurriedly replied "Oh, sorry!" and they both ran away. Now, looking back, I could have been walking into a drive-by shooting but it would have been the first in our neighborhood. Still, as I shut the door I said "Well, it's official. I'm an old lady." I remember marveling at how my parents could tell off teens back in the day. Now I understand that adults don't just see teenagers we actually see the word "Jackass!" or "Idiot!" before our eyes when we see youngsters. Maybe it was Wanda Jackson, she always riles me up and can bring the Annie Oakley outta any red-blooded woman, but good grief. What the heck were those fools doing out there anyway? I'll never know. I'd seen a huge raccoon waddle by my car as I parked earlier. What I wouldn't give to have seen that thing brush against those two kids tonight. What a hoot that would have been! All's quiet on the Western front now... sort of like The Shining night. Teenagers in the front yard after 10:00pm? No problem. Jack Nicholson losin' it in an empty hotel? Oh, the chills just keep coming.

Happy (HOT) Fourth of July!

I went to my brother's house for the Fourth of July Parade/Party this morning. (Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures.) It's become quite the event. We showed up at 9:00 and there were several tent tops shading tables. There were some incredibly yummy breakfast casseroles, donuts, fruit and bagels. There was also the biggest bouncy house I've ever seen. It had a basketball hoop and a slide inside. Unbelievable! My brother and sis0in-law's 4th of July party has grown to a 150+ person affair with approximately 80 kids in attendance. Yikes! These people HAVE GOT to stop procreating. I don't know the names of most of the kids except for those belonging the the people closest to me. Now there are Little League families thrown in the mix and, frankly, I can't keep track. I give up.

My nephew was in the parade this year for playing on the Championship Little League team. Folks in the parade traditionally throw candy out to the crowds. My brother recently commented "Why do they always throw candy? Why can't someone throw something useful? Something like... Top Ramon!" Well, you guessed it, Little Man threw Top Ramon out to team admirers. You should have seen the looks on some people's faces. It was priceless.

Oh, and as for the hat debut, it went very well. My brother wore it proudly all morning. He even wore a matching Pabst t-shirt. He was fully committed to the theme. The kids were wearing their hats around as well. My brother was telling everyone I had made the hats and that "she can make more!" Perfect strangers were walking up to me saying "That hat is amazing!" while others teased "I had no idea you had such hidden talents." Of course, most were younger than me and had never laid eyes on the beer can hats from the 70's. I think some of them thought I'd invented the damn things. Great. Now I'm known as the beer can hat lady. Oh well. Here are shots of the hats I crafted for the kids:




















Soon enough, it was getting exceedingly hot (and I wasn't even wearing a hat) and Mom's knee was acting up so we left a little after noon. I came home with an incredibly annoying case of sun rash. I've suffered with this problem for ages but somehow I'm always surprised when it strikes. I'm sitting here typing with arms a-flame. The itch is terrible. I stayed in the shade for the parade and there was even a nice breeze but that wasn't enough. It's so depressing. Mom says that from the time I was a toddler she could just set me out on the lawn and watch me turn a beautiful brown. It stayed that way until about high school when we all started understanding sun damage. Around that time I started avoiding the rays but developed an allergy to the sun. Heat is also a problem. I tend to get headaches the beginning of each Summer from the heat. I remember how easy it was as a kid. I would get up in the morning, brush my teeth and hair and be ready for the Summer day. I showered at night and life was easy. As for skin care, I don't recall ever putting on sunscreen except for camping and beach trips. I hate to think I can't tolerate an afternoon in a lawn chair. What's a girl to do? I wonder what the 4th of July parade folks would think if I showed up in a burkha? Hmmm...?

Damn you!

I may be certifiably insane.

As mentioned, in the last couple of posts, I’ve been wanting to watch The Shining. It’s been a while. Well, after a Diet Coke soaked dinner I was amped and apparently unable to make rational decisions. So, when 10:30 rolled around and I was wide eyed and ready to stay up all night, what did I decide to watch? You guessed it. I started watching The Shining, at 10:30 pm last night. Me and a thousand crickets and that moon. The rest of the world was completely quiet and still. It was perfectly creepy. I sat in my comfy chair working on Little Man’s hat and watched the (IMHO) scariest movie EVER. Could I be a bigger moron?! As expected, it scared the crap out of me. I was up until 2:00 am. When I finally tried to get some sleep I saw those terrible twins every time I closed my weary eyes. “Come and play with us Lucy, forever and ever and ever…” Aghhhhhhhhhhh!

The only "good" to come of the experience was that I realized I can finally put my finger on why exactly I hate Stanley Kubrick. Well, I don’t really hate him... I resent him. If his film are any indication, he was a deeply disturbed man. Or maybe he was simply in posession of a deeply disturbed mind. With the exception of Dr. Strangelove (begrudgingly one of my favorites) all of his films have an isolated, desperate tone that really upsets me. Come to think of it, even Dr. Strangelove is full of themes of desparation and an ever present there's-nothing-we-can-do-about-it-now mentality. Lolita too is desparate, lonely and sad. That poor Shelley Winters. (Although, to be fair, I always think 'that poor Shelley Winters').

So, after some careful consideration I decided Mr. Kubrick is in fact a Death Eater. He makes me feel as if nothing happy will ever happen again, that the world is a terrible and lonely place and there is nowhere to turn for comfort and that there's nothing any of us can do about it. Isn’t that the very definition of a Death Eater? Don’t get me wrong, having a Death Eater POV is probably very helpful when crafting the scariest movie ever. It was my own fault for watching a the damn thing alone at night. Now I know better. I shouldn’t have put myself in the position of watching it at midnight.

Thank God tomorrow is a fun day of bright colors and BBQs and family. I may not have survived my Death Eater attack otherwise. Damn you Mr. Kubrick, DAMN YOU (said with dramatic Charlton-Heston-falling-to-his-knees flair)!

Update

You'll all be happy to know I still heart my Tivo. It recorded the pilot of Men in Trees (a critical episode I missed and have wanted to see for ages) without me even knowing it would be airing. I'm so happy! Men in Trees has remained in my Season Pass queue all this time and, I guess, nothing was playing against it in it's time slot so I found it thoughtfully placed on my "To Do List" this afternoon.

The day started well. After sleeping in 'til about 8:00 I turned on the tv to slowly wake up. (It's a bad habit I've developed on the weekends lately.) Anyway, I found The Last Waltz, long a favorite of mine, and enjoyed until I realized I had to get ready for a hair appointment. I didn't get to finish watching it, and was a little bummed out about it, but what can you do? WELL! If you have Tivo you just search The Last Waltz and record the next showing which happens to be at 4:45 am tomorrow morning. How great is that?! And while we're at it, I've been wanting to see The Shining since my last post. Will that be airing any time soon, you ask? WELL, as a matter of fact The Shining will be showing tomorrow at 3:30 pm. Can you blame a girl for loving her Tivo so much? (BTW, if you don't remember much about The Shining, check this out.)

Of course there are other things going on in my life. For those interested, I've started my niece's can hat. I'll post pix when I've the hats are finished.

I saw Ratatouille last night and really liked it. Some may say I'm biased but that's some damn great animation and story is a good time too. Good stuff.

I'm looking forward to having a 5 1/2 day weekend beginning Tuesday afternoon. Yippee!! I have to get through a rather nightmarish financial meeting first but once that's over I'm home free.

My brother and family are having their annual 4th of July open house/parade/BBQ event. I usually bring something. I'm thinking of giving these a try. I'll let you know how that goes... if it in fact goes.

So there's a quick update. The gaudy Squirt hat calls...

Oh! But before I go, is anyone else out there a tad concerned about the remedial terrorists (and all we thought Richard Reed was a fool) running rampant this weekend and the fact that William and Harry have a little party planned for tomorrow? Don't get me wrong, I trust Scotland Yard to catch the punks who packed their cars with explosives (they're so good at rounding up the assholes in the neighborhood). I wouldn't say this concern is keeping me up at night but it makes me sad just thinking about the logistical nightmare that must be going down at Wembley Stadium right about now. It makes me a little nervous.

Ok everyone, go to your happy place now. I know I will.

Is that so wrong?

A couple of co-workers have been passing a rather creepy doll back and forth for at least a year now. Today a friend discovered it in her chair just as the UPS guy arrived. She promptly packed it up in a box and had the UPS guys "deliver" it across the hall to the original sender. The thought of this woman signing for a box and opening it to find that damn doll made us all giggle.

I told my friend she should next drop it off on the other woman' door step (she lives close to the office) or better yet, find out where she stays on her next vacation and send it to the hotel. My friend loved the idea but decided I was crazy.

When it comes to tormenting people I've learned from the best. My dad is the oldest of ten and can really "throw down" when it comes to teasing and torturing. My brother and I have been annoying each other our entire lives. My new favorite torture technique is to use his children against him. You know, I give them a message and off they go. It's especially great because I have no intention of having children myself so there's no real payback potential to deal with.

Just the other day I shared this conversation with my nephew:

Lucy: You wanna know how to completely freak your dad out?
Little Man: How? *grin*
Lucy: Next time daddy is waking up, stand on his side of the bed with your index finger up, wiggle it and repeat "Redrum. Redrum. REDRUM!!!!!"
Little Man: ...
Lucy: ... and do it with a straight face.
Little Man...
Lucy: Trust me, he'll FREAK!
Little Man: Ummm, what?
Lucy: I'll explain it later.



By the way, you have NO IDEA how difficult it was for me to put this image on my blog. This image strikes terror in my heart more than any other in cinema. I'm serious. These damn twins have scared me for years. Please don't tell my brother.

However, I gotta say that seeing them here helps a bit. I guess it's this image flashed quickly on a screen that freaks me out. I wonder what these girls are up to these days?

I've found my calling

... and, unfortunately, it's making silly crochet beer can hats.

Yup, turns out I'm good at a completely worthless craft.

It all started about a year ago when, out of the blue, my brother asked if I knew how to make a beer can hat. Sadly, I had no idea. Later, I gave it more thought and figured if I could help my little brother look like a jackass, far be it from me to deny him his dream. I then promptly forgot all about it.

In case you're not familiar with these ridiculous hats, they were big during the bi-centennial year celebration of our country's birth. Budweiser beer can hats in red, white and blue were everywhere that fine year. (I know there were at least a few dads on our cul-de-sac who wore them. They bring to mind drunken goof balls so I must have some hilarious Fourth of July memory I've yet to unearth that will explain it all.) Then, mercifully, all of those awful hats vanished.

My bro has wanted a beer can hat ever since a friend gave them as groomsmen gifts at his wedding. Can you imagine the meltdowns if a woman ever tried that stunt with her bridesmaids?

Well, fast forward to my recent success making granny squares and conquering other basic crochet stitches. I started feelin' pretty cocky. I decided to give the hat a try. I called my bro to discuss the "style" of the hat. He really wanted it to be a Pabst Blue Ribbon hat and instructed me to "make it as ugly as you can". Now there's a fun challenge. He supplied the Pabst cans and I selected the ugliest most bozo saturated color of red I could get my hands on. Turns out these things aren't so hard to make. With a little help from Stitchymcyarnpants I was on my way.

Behold my masterpiece:


My poor camera could barely handle that tone of red. God help us.

I delivered the magic hat to my brother this weekend and I don't know when he's ever been happier with a gift. He LOVED it. Mission accomplished. Now, the kids want one. My nephew wants an A&W Rootbeer hat (that can double as a Cleveland Browns hat with a brown and orange theme) and Little Miss has ordered a Squirt hat in bright green and pink piping. My sister in law wisely declined my offer to make her a hat. However, this morning she called to tell me I'd better work out a pricing structure because "others are going to want them". What?! LOL! She wasn't kidding. Apparently my brother showed off his hat to some friends and it was a big hit.

My brother will debut the magic hat at the Fourth of July block party. I'll be sure to update ya'll on how it goes. In the mean time, here is shot of my bro wearing the jackass hat in all it's glory.


(In case you're wondering about the goofy expression on his face. Well, let's just say the man never takes a serious photo. The one time I thought I'd managed a good picture of him, upon closer inspection, I discovered he had been flipping me off and therefore nullified the nice pic I thought I'd captured. Even here, as I warned "You're SO going up on my blog with that dumb look on your face.", he wasn't phased. The man wanted a beer can hat. I think it's safe to say he really doesn't care what others think.)

This one's for the ladies (sorry guys)

Today I met a new favorite person. She is about 75 and her name is Bonnie. She works at Creative Woman (aka The Wizard of Bras) and has been fitting ladies into the right bras for 32 years and I love her.

The Wizard of Bras is an institution in our neck of the woods. As a child you first notice it because it's got an absolutely enormous bra in the window. Naturally, you giggle at it but most importantly you never forget it. They say most women wander about this world wearing the wrong bra and I, for one, was one of them. I've been meaning to visit TWOB for ages but somehow never made it a priority. Boy was that a mistake. I plan to go back often.

First you walk in and fill out your name and info in a slip of pink paper then wait while you're treated to the songs of Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Next, a Fitter calls out your name and off you go to the fitting room. Your fitter asks what it is you're looking for then takes some measurements and is off to collect some bras (or whatever you're needing). As mentioned, my Fitter's name was Bonnie. Bonnie is a no nonsense woman and really that's all you can be in her line of work. Bonnie taught me all sorts of things such as "You should always put your bra on around your waist then pull it up." Who knew? According to Bonnie, ladies should always bend at the waist and "pull everything you can into that cup." (I know! I'm still sort of laughing at that one.) Bonnie set me up with incredibly comfortable under garments just as I'd asked. At one point Bonnie wandered off, came back and said "Now, don't throw up when you see this one. Just try it on. It's for when nobody is looking. You'll love it." Bonnie was right. From now on I promise to pretty much do whatever Bonnie says. As I left, Bonnie's last words to me were "Remember, a good bra can change our life!" She's right.

I know men don't want to hear it but Victoria's Secret is for wimps with no breasts. The crap they sell is strictly decorative. I swear, it's the cosmetic surgery industry that fronts places like Victoria's Secret. They want us to think we should defy gravity with those weak-ass bras. When we fail, they sit back and wait for us to rush in for boob jobs. Now I know better. Who needs silicone when we've got Bonnie?

Ladies feel free to get a couple of cute bras for fun, but I'm tellin' ya, go visit Bonnie and invest in some ol', practical, foundation under garments. You'll be so glad you did.

My new favorite thing

I've been meaning to do something like this for ages.

It just plain makes me laugh.

I know it was you. You broke my heart.

So, I watched the AFI Top 100 Films last night and, naturally, was annoyed by the ranking of many. I realize that no such list could come close to satisfying me, or anyone else, but here are some of my biggest issues with the list:

• ET is NOT a better film than To Kill a Mockingbird
• Where the hell is The Women?
• All the President's Men deserves a much higher ranking than #77
• Sunset Boulevard could surely replace Schindler's List as #8
• Some Like it Hot sits at #22 but I'd place Dr. Strangelove at least at that ranking. Instead the Doc site at #39
• Nashville? Really? Are we really that enamoured wtih over-miking a cast?

On the other hand I'm completely cool with the top three:

#1 Citizen Cane
#2 The Godfather
#3 Casablanca


Their combined influence alone earns them top spots.


My personal pick for #1 most hated film on the list? That's easy, I HATED A Clockwork Orange. Blechhh! Kubrick was a mental case and this film was a cry for help. I saw it once and will never watch it again. Not as long as there are films like Singin' In the Rain and Moonstruck out there. The Shining offered a brief glimpse of his "genius" but otherwise, I don't get his rep.


But I digress...


I could go on and on and on about this rather insignificant topic but I won't. Instead, I'll list a few of my faves that rank simply because I will sit and watch them EVERY time they are on tv. These are the films that I will actually squeal at when I see them listed on the Tivo guide. I just just love them!

• The Godfather
• Sunset Boulevard
• All the President's Men
• Jaws
• Moonstruck (not on top 100)

These films are also important because my family tends to quote many of them. In fact, my brother can go through an entire meal reciting lines from The Godfather only. It annoys many but I never get tired of him repeating "we're talking about a crooked cop..." with a mock Michael Corleone busted jaw speech impediment. It gets me every time. For a while, in my family, the worst thing you could be called was Fredo. We still say in disgust "What a Fredo!" whenever someone is particularly clueless (President Bush, for instance, is the perfect example of a Fredo.)

So that's a sample of my little list, what films will you watch at every opportunity?

How do you sort 'em?

Today is pretty quiet at work. Everyone is off at a trade show that I decided to skip. My cubicle neighborhood is a ghost town but a few of us remain. Because it's so quiet, my neighbor introduced me to this retro offering and we spent some time giggling about the silly songs from our past. My neighbor also just received her brand new iPod in the mail. I told her she'd spend the next month uploading music like a freak. We then launched in to a "I have so many CDs conversation". It went something like this:

Neighbor: Seriously, my CD cabinet is taller than me.

Lucy: Yeah, mine are in drawers and closets all over the place.

Neighbor: (sweeping her hands up and down) I have girls on one side and guys on the other.

Lucy: ...? What ever happened to genre and alphabetical order?

Neighbor: It's my own system. I know where everything is. (More sweeping of hands) I have girls and guys then my jazz and rap, which I don't really listen to, and soundtracks and pop and rock. Oh, and then there's my new age-y stuff for meditation.

Lucy: ...

Neighbor: Then the newer CDs are up top then they get moved down as they get older.

Lucy: ...

Neighbor: Oh, and then I have the white people at the very bottom. NOW who's at the back of the bus?

Lucy: Bwaaaghahahah! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!

I swear I'm still laughing.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong but I have my CDs organized by genre (Pop/Rock, Jazz, Classical, Soundtracks and compilations. Within each they are sorted in alphabetical order. Call me crazy but that's how I do it. It's a pain to put stacks of CDs aways but at least I can find them when I want them.

My brother and I share many musical tastes so he often "borrows" my CDs. After a while we couldn't tell which were his and which were mine. I started using a gold paint pen to paint a tiny gold dot on the spines of my CDs. It took 3 minutes to do and now he can't figure out how I can quickly scan his CDs and pull mine out of the crowd. (hehe)

Just this weekend I uploaded a bunch of CDs to my iPod. I removed the showtunes because, as it turns out, I don't like them out of context and popping up in a shuffle. I prefer my showtunes in the car and in order of appearance. I then was horrified to find I didn't have any Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Ray Charles, Louis Prima or Frank Sinatra on my iPod. I saw La Vie En Rose so I had to add some Edith Piaf as well. My new shuffles are super cool but now I have to put the CDs away. I'm dreading that task.

RIP Rat Bastard

Well, it's the end of a mini-era. The skunk who has woken me with his stench several nights and made falling asleep so dang difficult seems to have finally bit the dust.

For months now that tremendous stinker has sprayed near our house. For about a one month stretch he sprayed every night. He seems to really like the bird seed my dad leaves out. The seed also attracts squirrels, a small fox and our skunk buddy. The birds seem to enjoy the seed as well.

How do I know he's gone? His screams woke me out of a dead sleep the other night and it didn't sound like things were going his way. As it turns out he woke up the whole neighborhood. We think a coyote got him. He sprayed like crazy while screeching and then we all heard his pathetic little cries fade into the night. (Oh, I can hear the "awwww"s now. Spare me.) It seems the coyote carried him off somewhere. I give him credit though, he definitely went out with a roar and not a whimper. He manged to spray the windows and screens of my parents bedroom. I swear I've never smelled anything like it. It's been several days and we can still smell him. We burned every candle in the house and rinsed the side of the house along with the screens and windows and still that smell lingers.


Don't be sad and don't be fooled by the cute Pepe Le Pu reputation. Skunks are horrible little animals. They dig up gardens and stink up yards all the while. Are we invading in their space? Absolutely, but that's what happens when your at the top of the food chain. If you have to live with them you quickly learn to hate them. Besides, he had the nerve to spray my brother's dog. A sweetheart of a dog who now refuses to go in our backyard. Poor baby. I can't say that I blame him. He probably smells the bear and fox, and God knows what, and figures he's no dummy.

I can't say that I'll miss the skunk, he really made me mad on several occasions. How many nights am I supposed to lie awake because some disgusting little creature got spooked and decided to indiscriminately spray his butt off? I'd say I'm relieved he's gone but I'm sure another skunk will find his way to dad's bird seed any day now.

RIP little annoyance. I'm sorry, but you got what you deserved.

Break the Bank

I had to take my car in for servicing. My appointment wasn't until today but I didn't want to have to get up early to drop my car off so I took it in yesterday. I knew it needed basic service and that the gas gauge has been acting up but that was about it.

Jeff, the owner of the auto shop called at 7:00 this morning. I was awake. I knew who it was before I answered. Jeff was calling with bad news and I knew it. Sure enough, he called to tell me I needed a new timing belt. My first thought was "Crap... what is that.. maybe $500?'. I asked how much, Jeff told me about $575 because it's not just a timing belt, it's a series of belts. He went on to explain a bunch of things about the timing belt situation and that some oil cap or seal thingy had been falling off Hondas and he wanted to play it safe and replace mine. Apparently, the thing falls off and people lose all of their oil then burn up their engines. This is exactly what happened to my last Honda but nobody knew it was an issue at the time. He said he could save me the extra $50 bucks by waiting but suggested replacing it. I told him to go for it. Grand total for timing belt(s), service and oil cap thingy? $738.82. Ouch!

Before leaving to pick up my car, I closed my bedroom window and a Yankee Candle fell to the floor. It didn't seem to do any damage until the top popped off and hit my piggy bank. Yes, I own a piggy bank. I drop all of my silver change in there. I've had it so long I can tell you how much money in in there by feeling how heavy it's gotten.
This little piggy is holding about $150 in change. It was as though the universe was saying "Don't be blue about the car bill. Remember you've got some cash just lying here on your floor." It was encouraging but... *sigh*

But here's the deal: I've been going to Jeff for about 20 years. $738.72 is pretty steep but I trust Jeff completely. He always explains everything to me and has been fixing Hondas for so long he knows what will wear out when. He keeps up on all the recalls and bulletins and can tell me what needs to be repaired a year in advance. He tells me so I can budget for it. I'd pretty much do whatever he told me to do with my car. When the oil vanished from my last Honda and I had it towed to Jeff, he took a look before giving me the bad news. I was sitting in the waiting area flipping through a magazine when Jeff came out from behind the counter and sat down next to me (not a good sign). He proceeded to tell me that I'd completely blown my engine. He said he could get my car running again and that it would probably even be ok for a year or so but that after that first year it would likely become a money pit. He then rested his hand on mine, looked me in the eyes and said "Go pick out a new Honda this weekend, trade this one in and run like hell." I did. I bought a new Honda that weekend. Looking back, I can't think of any other person on earth I'd listen to like Jeff. Even if my Dad had given me that car buying advice, I doubt I would have followed it that weekend. I swear, if Jeff told me a platinum tiara would make my car drive better I'd run right out and get one. Having a trustworthy mechanic is about as valuable as any other professional you'll ever rely on. Seriously, a good mechanic and a good oncologist are about equal in my book.

I really want my next car to be a Prius. The problem is that Jeff's shop services Hondas and Acuras only. I recently got a notice in the mail announcing that Jeff's shop will now be servicing Toyotas. What a relief! I need to make this Honda last at least another 3 years . I'm so happy I'll be able to get that state-of-the-art Prius without having to break up with Jeff. A break up would be tragic at this point. I try not to think about when Jeff decides to retire. He opened the shop with his partner Ken 20 years ago but Ken moved back to Alabama with his family several years ago. That was upsetting enough. Ken's wife ran the front office. She'd always offer to let me pay for my car repairs later. I was going through college then my first apartment and she had a mom quality to her. She'd always say "Ya know, if you can't afford this right now you can pay me later. I know you're good for it. Besides, I know your mom!" Who does that?! I never took her up on the offer but I loved her for being so kind.

Anyway, it occurs to me now that with the exception of my family & friends, my relationship with Jeff is one of that oldest and most trusted in my life. Well, I've been going to my hair stylist since I was 13 but that's another story for another day.

Don't make me

I have apparently earned a reputation.

The other day I heard a co-worker gasp, laugh, then say "Ooooh! Mina just went all Lucy on their ass!" What?! Well, now that phrase is sweeping the office.

We've been trapped in hours upon hours of conference calls all about budgets and numbers and other mind-numbing details of our business. I arranged for an Assistant to order lunch for us (since there was no lunch break scheduled) and later learned that she taped up a sign that read "Please note: This food was ordered for Lucy's meeting. DO NOT TOUCH or she might go all Lucy on your ass."

When I picked up my lunch I somehow missed the sign. I didn't even know about it until the HR person I recently punk'd came over laughing. She said "I love your sign!" She thought I wrote it. (Mortified!!!) Later, several people played narc and reported seeing non-Lucy- meeting co-workers eating my food. I couldn't figure out what the trouble was. Apparently they wanted to see me "go all Lucy" on somebody else's ass.

The funny thing is I'm really a push over in most aspects of my life. I just get annoyed when people "do it wrong" as my mom would say. I don't really care who eats our lunch as long as my meeting buddies have had a chance to eat theirs first. I'm just obsessed with fairness and basic consideration of others.

I also expect people to do what I've asked when I've given plenty of warning. If there's one thing I've learned in my current job, it's that most adults, when given the chance, will act like 3rd graders. I can ask, and ask, and ask for something and a person will nod and swear up and down to get it to me, but until I refuse them what they need, it just doesn't happen. I'm serious! For instance, tonight I spent about 3 hours at home reviewing product for work. One individual keeps giving me only partial views of the stuff I'm supposed to review. Stuff I'm asked to give "rush" preference to incedentally. I keep asking for a full view and they keep swearing they'll do it but continue to give me only partial views and info. Mistakes have slipped through as a result. Well, tonight I sent every "Rush" back and told them I would continue to return all submissions unreviewed until they could give me what I need. Watch how fast they change their process. Unbelievable! I hate to be the bee-otch but sheesh! How many times do I have to ask for something (something they did correctly for years by the way) before it gets done?

Only when I sense someone is sneaking around or deliberately undermining what is right will I "go all Lucy" on one's ass.

It can be exhausting and completely disappointing but people don't mess with me much anymore. Well, at least not at work. I often think how hard my family and friends would laugh if they could see me at work. I think most of us could say the same. I'm sure I'd crack up if I saw my bro at work. God knows I laugh when he's parenting!

Punk'd

Last week our HR rep invited a few of us to a meeting. HR is working on a new process and she wanted to run a questionnaire by us to see what we thought. It was a good meeting and I was happy to have participated. I've been lucky enough to not really need HR while at my current job and I don't have much interaction with them except a wave or a "hello" in the hall. I thought our rep had done a good job in the meeting and I wanted to thank her. We have lots of free samples of stuff where I work but HR doesn't necessarily have access to any of it. I figured I'd pull some things together for her as my way of saying thank you.

But then I got to thinking: I wonder how often people walk into her office, shut the door and freak out on her?

I don't know how I did it with a straight face but I tapped on her window and asked "Do you have a minute?" She waved me in then I dramatically turned and shut her door. I turned to sit down, paused and said "Aw, I'm just messing with ya..."

She clutched her chest and said "Bitch, if you ever do that to me again...!" I about died laughing. We laughed for about 5 minutes straight. I explained that I just wanted to thank her and figured nobody ever shuts her door and has anything nice to say so I thought I'd try it out. I then said "I'm not you're problem child am I?" She said "NO! I actually talk about you being an exemplary client 'cause you're normal."

I know it's one of those you-had-to-be-there moments but I just had to share. I'm still laughing about it. I realize it's probably not a good idea to Punk your HR rep, but what the hell? They need a good laugh every once in a while.

They say the neon lights are bright...

Yesterday, after seeing Crazy Love, I passed this movie poster:



WELL!? Just look at it... obviously, I had to see this movie and obviously I'd have to be quick 'cause God knows it wouldn't be playing very long.

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned my love of theater, and specifically musical theater, but it's a long standing love affair. There is a moment in the best of shows when there is a single soul on stage singing their guts out. I mean literally giving it their all and it brings me to my knees every time. I literally cried when I saw Gimme, Gimme performed. A woman stood on stage under a spotlight and made me weep with her voice. Unbelievable. Stupendous talent makes me cry and it's always a thrill.

Despite this strange reaction, I've wanted to see a show on Broadway for as long as I can remember. I finally got the opportunity in the summer of 2004. It was my first trip to New York and I was absolutely going to see a show... no doubt about it. My friend had done some online research and learned when exactly one should get in line at TKTS and get decent seats to a show. I don't remember the details but I do remember being about third in line that August morning. Our choices were limited to shows that had been running for a while. That's how TKTS generally works. We decided my first Broadway show should be a quintessential Broadway Musical. That narrowed it down to Little Shop of Horrors, 42nd Street or Fiddler on the Roof. Well, naturally Little Shop didn't qualify but the other two could definitely fit the bill. We decided we would go to which ever show had the best seats available. We sat about 10th row center for Fiddler. It was fantastic. I was literally misty throughout the show because I kept thinking 'OH MY GOD! I'm sitting in an old Broadway theater seeing a show. OH MY GOD!' And Fiddler truly is a great show. When I got home, and friends asked what I'd seen they seemed somewhat disappointed in my choice. I, on the other hand, never had a doubt. I'm sure 42nd Street would have been magical, but being in New York city and experiencing a beautiful classic tale of soon-to-be immigrants through music brought me a joy I'll never forget. To this day Fiddler holds a very special place in my heart and I'm glad I chose it as my first.

Show Business: The Road to Broadway is also special to me because it covers the shows that were on Broadway when I first visited. If you dislike musical theater you will hate this movie. But, if you love it, as I do, you will undoubtedly enjoy it. The movie follows four Broadway musical productions: Wicked, Avenue Q, Caroline or Change and Taboo from inception to some triumphant Tony award acceptance speeches. It features interviews with the Performers, Writers, Producers, Directors and theater Critics. It's funny to watch the critics nitpick when you know how the season all shakes out. I loved the backstage rehearsal footage and watching the composing process. I love to see things from a new perspective and this film definitely does that.

I've always known of the extraordinary money and effort that goes into creating a show, but sheesh! For instance, when Wicked premiered, it was the most expensive show to hit Broadway with a price tag of $14 million. Obviously, the risk was very high to the investors. For Wicked to simply break even they had to produce four months of sold out shows. Theater, unlike films, can't make money off multiple screenings a day in theaters across the country for a week. In theater, you park it at a the theater and can only earn money from 8 shows a week. The most surprising thing to me was how small Broadway theaters are. It's a wonder they make any money at all.

Tonight is one of my favorite Sunday nights of the year because tonight CBS airs The Tony Awards. I've loved the Tonys for so long because they feature a song from each nominated musical. (You can see a lot of them on Youtube if you're so inclined.) It's a great chance to taste a slice of Broadway. I just wish more people could go to theater nowadays. Live shows are such a thrill but they are pricey and happen to tour through big cities and not everyone can afford to get to shows.

You know how we all have that "I won the lottery" fantasy? Mine would be to spend the rest of my life making multiple trips to New York to see every show I could manage. *sigh* Oh, to dream...

A Hot Mess

I saw the most bizarre spectacle today. I saw Crazy Love with a friend. After the movie, my friend walked away saying "I think through it all he really loved her." I walked away saying "I think through it all he was really obsessed with her." I believe Burton Pugach was obsessed with possessing a woman and did everything he could to make it happen. In the end he got what he wanted. As for the woman in question, she wanted a little security and to end the loneliness in her life.

The whole tale is completely BIZARRE. This is a very disturbing film but one you can't stop watching. It truly is like a car wreck you can't look away from.

Check this one out if you dare. It's a freak show you won't soon forget.

This one's for Shandon

I promised Shandon I'd show her the beginning of my ripple blanket. Why I'm starting a blanket at the beginning of the summer is beyond me but I really want this one. As if the inevitable heat exhaustion weren't bothersome enough, I've now realized that I'm decreasing one stitch on each row (I have no idea how or why this is happening). Either I have to attempt to add those decreased stitches back in (if that's even possible) OR I have to begin again. *gulp*.

Well, anyway, here's what I've got so far (including a shot of the dreadful foul up). Ignore the strange colors, they will all make perfect sense when I'm done:

How do we love thee?

Yesterday was yet another annoying day until things perked up during lunch. One friend looked up at the bar tv, gasped and said "OH! George Clooney is on The Tonight Show tonight!!" (insert collective sigh here) Another friend said "We should go!" (Did I mention we were dining in Burbank and this idea might actually be do-able?) We quickly paid the bill and took off for the car. We figured our next step should be to drive by NBC to check out the line. Two friends decided they could leave work and two of us decided we needed to get back. (Bummer) The doer of the group gushed "We could TOTALLY work from the line. If someone would pick up our laptops we could do it!" The two of us who decided to go back agreed the other two had a boss who really wouldn't mind if they took off to see George. I mean really, who could blame them? We made a couple of phone calls on the way to NBC and learned The Tonight Show tapes at 4:00. When we arrived, we saw a very long line but our friend volunteered to jump out and see if anyone had an extra ticket. (What were the odds?) We couldn't turn around on th street so we pulled into a side street and spotted a "Guest Relations" sign. We pulled in and watched as our enthusiastic friend ran towards the box office. One minute later she came back to the car wearing a very sad expression. The box office guy told her we were WAY too late and to give it up. She climbed back in the car and we drove by the lucky ticket holders. Another friend leaned out the window and shouted "ANY EXTRA TICKETS?!" Not one person turned to even look at us. Apparently nothing phases a Jay Leno crowd.

We've made a pact: The next time George releases a film we're TOTALLY taking time off to get tickets to The Tonight Show. We can't wait!

TIP: Although George was on The Tonight Show to promote Ocean's Thirteen the more interesting topic of conversation was this Vanity Fair issue. Looks like one we should check out...but beware of the George Bush cover. *shudder*

One of those days

I should have known it would be a nightmare of a day from the beginning. I woke up at 6:00 am but didn't have to get up for another hour. Naturally I fell asleep right before 7:00 and struggled to get up.

Once at work I decided to stop by the commissary for some egg whites. I've grown accustomed to egg whites. They're, apparently, better for me than whole eggs and they keep me full for a nice long time. Sometimes I get them scrambled with dry wheat toast but today I wanted an egg white burrito. I ordered it with scrambled egg whites and cheese on a whole wheat tortilla with salsa on the side with the exact instructions of "take it easy on the cheese". Why am I telling you all this? Because of what happened next. Now, I don't like to use the term "skinny bitch" because it's mean and catty and... whatever. Well, what happened next involved the very definition of a skinny bitch. I had ordered and paid for my breakfast burrito and was waiting for it when she walked up. The cook was just finishing it when she looked down and said "Is that egg whites?" The cook confirmed that it was in fact egg whites. She then scoffed and said "Egg whites? With cheese?!" as if it were the most ridiculous thing she'd ever considered. Now I must explain that I was the only person standing there. The order was clearly for me. I was standing 8 feet from her. What the hell?! Apparently a teaspoon of cheddar is off the skinny bitch diet. I'm just sorry I didn't order it with chocolate sauce.

The day went on to be much more unreasonable and lets just say if skinny bitch had pulled that attitude with me at the end of this day... skinny bitch would have gone down.

Just right

As I get older, my idea of the perfect weekend has changed. My ideal weekend now, almost always, means one with no plans. This was one of those weekends. There was no hair appointment, no baseball game, no dinner plans, not even a family BBQ. While I enjoy all of these things, and in no way consider them work, I relish the thought of doing nothing. I love to kick off a weekend knowing I don't have to be anywhere at any given time for two whole days. I've gotten better at saying no to some plans. Even things I know I'll enjoy, I sometimes say no to because I know I really need a healthy dose of down time. This weekend was one of those great no-watch-necessary weekends.

Yesterday I went to the post office (to send more Bookmooch books), visited my new favorite yarn store, saw a matinee of Knocked Up (I liked it) then shopped at a local community product store (since I missed the Farmer's Market). I then spent the evening working on my ripple blanket and reading. *sigh* So great.

Today I needed one more yarn color for my blanket so Mom and I went to Michael's to pick up something that might resemble the "wheat" color I needed. We then grabbed some lunch and watched Gosford Park (one of our faves). I ran down to Baja Fresh to pick up dinner for us, then watched The Tudors and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I completed 6 rows on my blanket , while watching movies, but had rip out 3 tp redo them because I'd missed ONE STITCH on the third stripe. Dang it! I swear, I'll have to stitch 5 blankets just to get one good one.

It may not sound like great shakes to most folks but to me it was a great weekend! I'm relaxed and trying to figure out when I can schedule some vacation time to do more of the same very soon.

OH, but when I do feel like making plans... I'm SO going here. Did you hear about it? I can't wait to hear more.

Love it!

Here's another reason I love Bookmooch so much. I just sent a book to a fellow moocher who has the following in her inventory:

Duke of Scandal
The O'Reilly Factor
Surrender to a Scoundrel
One Night Scandal
God has a Dream (by Desmond Tutu)
Tempting Torment
My Fair Viking
Tall Dark and Cajun
Gandhi

Ya just gotta love that kind of variety!