Funny stuff, and it fits

Steven Wright is a comic genius, in my opinion. Thanks to Stormwind for reminding me that he always makes me laugh when I need to, and for pointing me in this direction.

Here are two that fit right now:

"Right now I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before."

"Four years ago... No, it was yesterday."
Today I... No, that wasn't me.
Sometimes I... No, I don't."

Does anyone else find this funny?

Martha Stewart asked to be put in a prison in Danbury, Conn., near her home, so it would be easier for her 90-year-old mother to visit her. Her second choice was Coleman, Fla. Excuse me, Martha, but what was that you just said about your mother? Anyway, she's being sent to West Virginia. West Virginia! Ha! Don't get me wrong. Personally, I love West Virginia. It's a beautiful state full of friendly people. But Martha Stewart in West Virginia? Again, ha!

So, while she's there, she has to work (for 12 to 40 cents an hour). But I'm sure it'll be ok for her. Among her choices for employment are food service worker, plumber, painter, groundskeeper or warehouse worker.

Anyway, Martha Stewart and Cat Stevens are taken care of now. Osama bin Laden is next, right?

It's Wednesday ...

Wednesday Matinee

The meme is on fire!

1. What's your favorite disaster movie?
The first movie that came to mind was The Poseidon Adventure (awesome flick!), but I can't answer this question without saying Twister. That counts as a disaster movie, doesn't it?

2. What's your favorite John Travolta movie?
Pick just one? Really? Hmm? I can't pick just one. Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Carrie? How can I choose? Primary Colors and Lucky Numbers? Loved 'em. Look Who's Talking? How cute was he in that? And, need I say anything more than "Pulp Fiction?" See? There's no way I could pick my favorite. It depends on what John Travolta mood I'm in.

3. What do you think of celebrity endorsements for political office?
I think it's fine. However, I think anyone who votes for a candidate based solely on a celebrity endorsement is an idiot and doesn't deserve to vote.

Monday Music Madness Mambo
or something like that

Music Mambo - Week 27

5. -- Songs that make you happy :: Layla, All I Wanna Do, Calling All Angels, All Shook Up (Yes, Elvis) and It's Only Rock 'n' Roll. Of course these are just 5 off the top of my head. There are just so many that make me happy.
4. -- Albums you can't live without :: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Drops of Jupiter, Springsteen's Greatest Hits
3. -- Artists that you'd like to recommend :: Counting Crows, Maroon 5, Train
2. -- Songs that you and one of your parents enjoy :: Silver & Gold (from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; my Dad liked Burl Ives); Let Me Call You Sweetheart
1. -- Musical memory you'd like to share....
When I started college I liked Elton John, Billy Joel & Fleetwood Mac. No one else really meant anything to me. A lot of the people in my dorm were into Sprinsteen, though, and when it was announced that he was going to play on campus on Nov. 17, 1978, it was like they'd announced the Pope or the president was coming. It was madness! I didn't get tickets because #1 I wasn't all that into Sprinsteen and #2 I didn't want to have to stand in line overnight to get them. Well, a friend of mine had invited a few friend from home to the concert. At the last minute they couldn't make it and she gave -- gave me & her roommate the tickets ... 15 rows back but in the first row of the bleachers, which were really good seats. To this day, it's the best concert I've ever been to. Three hours of non-stop, well, Springsteen. How else can you describe it? It was great and I've been a big fan ever since.

Monday Madness

Name THREE of your........

1. Pet Peeves: Noisy eaters, drivers who don't use turn signals, tv volume that's too loud
2. Favorite Sounds: little children laughing, rain, Christmas carols
3. Desk Items: Post-It Notes, pens, glass of water
4. Biggest Fears: that something will happen to someone in my family & I won't be able to do anything about it, snakes, being in a car accident (I've been in 2. They're not fun.)
5. Biggest Challenges: getting everything done, getting out of bed in the morning, GSG
6. Newest 'Toys': computer, digital camera, DVD player
7. Most Used Words: totally, y'all, yes. (I wish I could learn to say no)
8. Most Mispelled Words: judgementjudgment, rythym (is that spelled right? I don't know.), occasion. Again, I don't know if that's right.
9. Favorite Disney Characters: Simba, Donald Duck, Ariel
10. Bookmarks on Your Homepage: RAOK, Sandee, NaNoWriMo

I've arrived

I just googled myself, as I do every so often (sounds obscene, doesn't it?) and I came up as a sponsored link! It's actually a link to amazon, but it says "Search for Books by this Author." Cool!

A little early but ...

Sunday Brunch

1) If you had a wedding, what flowers did you have at your wedding? :: white roses
2) What is your favorite flower? :: daisies
3) Do you have flowers as part of your landscaping outside or your interior decor? :: outside I have flowers (perrenials, so I really don't have to do anything with them); inside I don't because I always kill them *sigh*
4) If you went to your high school prom(s), what kind of flower did you wear in your corsage or boutonniere? :: I don't remember
5) Do you like to receive flowers as a gift or do you think it is a waste of money? :: I used to like them, but now I don't as much anymore. If I did get them, I'd prefer wildflowers as opposed to roses. Of course I'd graciously accept the roses ;)

Four for Friday

Q1: When shopping for food or related sundries, how important are brands in your decision-making process? For instance, let's say you're standing in the cereal aisle at your local supermarket, and right there in front of you are two of essentially the same item, but one carries a brand name or label you're familiar with, while the other is labeled with the name of the supermarket? All things being equal except price, which box of cereal do you purchase? ::
In most cases, brand names don't mean anything to me. I do most of my shopping at Wal-Mart and their Equate and Great Value products are just as good as, if not better than, name brand products.

Q2: If you wore eyeglasses, based on what you know today about the procedure, would you choose to have elective laser surgery to correct a common eye disorder such as nearsightedness, farsightedness or an astigmatism (distorted vision)? Do you know anyone who has had this sort of surgery, and if so, what have they said about the experience and/or the results? ::
Yes, I would. Actually, I'm considering it right now. I know a woman who had it and she said the best part is being able to see in the shower when she's shaving her legs.

Q3: What do you do when you're given the wrong amount of change when purchasing something with cash? Does your reaction differ depending on which side of the equation you land, i.e., receiving too much change verses not enough? ::
Usually, I don't pay attention when I'm given change. But, having worked the other side of the cash register, I'd politely tell the cashier about the mistake ... even if I got too much.

Q4: Do you have confidence in the airport screening procedures in place in the United States? ::
Hell no!

Actual Malice

So, you've seen the book cover. Now, do y'all want to know what the book is about? Good. Here's the back cover blurb:

When Gina Hamilton started her dream job as a newspaper reporter, she thought she'd left her old life at Franklynne's Family Restaurant behind her. But when waitresses at the restaurant are being murdered, Gina is assigned to write the articles, forcing her to relive part of her past. While investigating the story, she gets personally involved to the extent that her life as she knows it could change forever. Against the objections of the man in her life, lawyer Joe Manzarelli, Gina devises a plan that she hopes will solve the crime, catch the killer and bring her peace of mind. Little does she know that her plan will put her life in jeopardy. In Actual Malice, Gina takes the reader into every aspect of her existence as she tells the story of how the murders are changing her life.

Feelin' like a million bucks

Two million actually. According to this, I'm worth $2,088,210.00. And I didn't even cheat on any of the answers!

via deb

It's almost Friday, so ...

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest), how attractive do you think you are?
Depends on my mood. It could be anywhere from 2 to 7.

Soup
What local restaurant would you recommend to a visitor to your town or city?
Beefeater's. This is probably more than you wanted to know but, if you go to the site and see the owner (guy in the red shirt) pouring a drink at the bar you'll know where GSG & I sit when we're having drinks. Another piece of trivia: "Cliff Claven" was there when he did a show for The Travel Channel about Zippo.

Salad
What's a lesson you had to learn the hard way?
It seems I learn them all the hard way. Without getting too specific, however, I'll say it's: If it seems too good to be true, it probably isn't true.

Main Course
Name something in your life that you feel you can depend on 100%.
Nothing. The closest thing would be Steve, who I can depend on about 99.9 percent.

Dessert
If you could see the front page of a newspaper from September 24, 2104, what would you imagine the headline might be?
No one except people from my area will get this but ...
Businessman's great-grandson, city battle over sign ordinance

Happy birthday to ...

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN!

It's not Thursday yet but ...

... if she can post it, I can do it.

Theater Thursday.

Do you remember your first time?

1. Do you remember the very first time you watched a movie on the big screen? Describe it. ::
I was 5. It was The Sound of Music, and I went with my Mom, my aunt and my sister. My sister (who was 3) was really sick but we went anyway because my aunt was home on leave from the Navy and wanted us to see it with her. I remember how soft the seats were, how huge the screen was and how much I wished I could sing. They could do it, why couldn't I? Despite my lack of vocal talent, I've loved that movie ever since. (Week 15 was about soundtracks and I said I'd blog more about the ones I had if I could remember. I remember two more! The Sound of Music and The Wizard of Oz.)

2. What was the last movie you saw on the big screen? ::
Collateral.

3. Did you ever like a movie so much that you paid to watch it more than once? If so, what movie?::
I can't even tell ya how many times I've seen A New Hope on the big screen. All right. I wasn't going to admit this but, what the heck? I saw Titanic twice. It was a really bad time in my life (don't ask) and I guess I really needed a sappy, tragic, poorly acted love story.

BONUS) How much does a movie ticket cost in your neck of the woods? ::
$7

A week later ...

I forgot to do the Midweek Music Meme last week and, oddly enough, it was about birthdays right after my own birthday. Anyway, here it is:

What memory do you have that involves a birthday and music, but not the old standard song “Happy Birthday to You”? ::
I share my birthday with one of my best friends from college. On the weekend of our 21st birthday Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes played on campus. (Coulda only been better if it was Springsteen.) When they did Havin' a Party we just knew they were singing it just for us ... at least that's what we told everyone.

It's Hump Day

Wednesday Mind Hump - Week 37

Let's celebrate ICE CREAM CONE DAY!  I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream ... cones that is.  Yay!  This day commemorates the day the ice cream cone was patented.  Can you imagine?  Before 1903 they used paper cones or metal cones.  Thank goodness edible cones were invented because we all know that sucking the last bit of ice cream out of the bottom of the cone before we shove the whole thing in our mouth is confection heaven!

It's time for some pre-humping action so let's warm up!  Everyone needs or wants something.  Tell us, what could you use a double scoop of today?  What would you give your bestfriend a double scoop of?  It doesn't have to be ice cream -- it can be anything: kindness, hugs, time ...

I could use a double scoop of self-confidence 'cuz I never have enough no matter how good I'm feeling. My best friend could definitely use a double scoop of rest & relaxation. Can he have sprinkles, too? The sprinkles would be me. A double of scoop of me would be too much for him to handle, I think.

This week some getting to know you humping with a bit of an insane twist.

01.  A scented candle has been created that represents your daily life -- what smells might that candle emit? :: Happiness (Despite everything, I'm basically a happy person.)
02.  If all of a sudden all money became useless and whatever you had the most of made you wealthy, what are you rich with? :: Fat cells? lol Either that or books. I'd hate to give them up but, ya know, I'd probably just buy more books with them anyway.
03.  You've won a "Everything You Can Grab In Three Minutes" shopping spree at your favorite store.  What store is it and what would be the first thing you'd grab? :: Wal-Mart, because I know where everything is. After grabbing a couple of shopping carts first I'd go straight for the CDs, then DVDs, then books, then, if I had time, clothes. Actually, I could grab a few things from the clothes section on my way to the CDs. (Good thinkin' Anne!)
04.  One million dollars to pose for Playboy or Playgirl ... do you do it?  If yes, what month would you be the perfect centerfold for?  If no, what magazine would you be a good centerfold for? :: Hey, if they wanna pay me a million bucks to put this body in Playboy I'll take it. I'm sure we could come to some kind of pose that would make us all happy ... and wouldn't embarrass me too much (or bring their sales to a screeching halt).
05.  You have an alarm clock that does whatever is necessary to wake you up and get you out of bed -- describe what process the alarm clock would perform :: I like to keep this blog pretty much PG rated, so I think I'll pass on this question. But, man oh man, I wish they made the alarm clock I'm dreaming up right now. ;)

Feelin' pretty good today

Yesterday I bought a new pair of jeans ... a size smaller. Of course that made me feel good, and the feeling overlapped into today. Then, as I was walking downtown for lunch the husband of my former best girlfriend* a friend stopped me and we talked for a few mintues. After I told him I still want to lose an 30 or so pounds he said "Even if you don't lose another ounce, you look great." Why do compliments sound so much better coming from guys? Not that I'm dismissing compliments from women. No way! I'll take 'em from whoever's giving 'em. <3

*This woman and I were really, really close a few years ago, but I blew it during my mid-life crisis/nervous breakdown when I ran away to California. When I first got back to PA there was no contact between us at all. Now we e-mail each other every now and then and have spoken in person once. There's hope. I hope.

Great work if you can get it

I was walking back home after having lunch with a friend and a friend of hers. I saw a fire hydrant being flushed out and noticed two guys sitting in a water authority truck watching the water gush out onto the street. That's it. Watching the water. How can I get a job like that?

Or this could be my problem ...

In lieu of writing words I have written about how I feel, I'm going to post song lyrics again. Is it possible to be accidentally in love? You betcha, baby!


So she said what's the problem baby
What's the problem I don't know
Well maybe I'm in love (love)
Think about it every time
I think about it
Can't stop thinking 'bout it

You were in a little girl in the 70s if ...

I found this at Therapy Failed. I'm not going to post the whole thing. I'll just post the ones that made me smile or laugh ... or cringe the most.


1. You wore a rainbow shirt that was half-sleeves, and the rainbow went up one sleeve, across your chest, and down the other :: and in 1976 I had one with a flag
2. You made baby chocolate cakes in your Easy Bake Oven and washed them down with snow cones from your Snoopy Snow Cone Machine :: Easy Bake Oven was a Christmas present from my Uncle Jim
4. You owned a bicycle with a banana seat and a basket :: it was pink, thank you very much
8. You had rubber boots for rainy/snowy days - remember Moon boots (you then advanced to Duck Shoes in the 80's) :: I still have the duck shoes
9. You had either a "bowl cut" or "pixie," not to mention the Dorothy Hamill because your Mom was sick of braiding your hair. How traumatic when people thought you were a boy :: It was Dorothy Hamill for me and, of course, I had to use Short 'n' Sassy shampoo, too ... just like Dorothy.
11. You wore a poncho, gauchos, and knickers :: poncho, yes
12. You begged Santa for the electronic game, Simon :: I didn't get it, but my cousins did
16. You even had a pair of Doctor Scholl's sandals (the ones with hard sole & the buckle :: Hated 'em, but had to have 'em
24. YOU had Star Wars action figures, too :: You betcha!
25. It was a big event in your household each year when the "Wizard of Oz" would come on TV. Your Mom would break out the popcorn and sleeping bags! :: It's still a big event
26. You even asked your Magic-8 ball the question: "Who will I marry: Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, or Rick Springfield?" :: I want Shaun the most
27. You completely wore out your Grease, Saturday Night Fever, and Fame soundtrack albums :: Didn't have Fame but "yes" to the other two
30. You used to tape record songs off the radio by holding your portable tape player up to the speaker. YES! (And some tv shows, too)
32. You learned everything you needed to know about girl issues from Judy Blume books ("Are you there God, It's me, Margaret") :: Can't forget about "Forever."
33. You thought Olivia Newton John's song "Physical" was about aerobics.
37. You had subscriptions to Dynamite and Tiger Beat :: Tiger Beat and 16.

After that little bit of nostalgia, I must get some sleep. 'Night.

May the meme be with you!

I stole the title from Wednesday Matinee

1. What's your favorite science fiction movie?:: Star Wars!

2. Star Trek vs Star Wars: who wins? :: STAR WARS!

3. Who's your favorite sci-fi actor? :: Ewan McGregor

~Robots Will Rule The Earth Bonus~ Who's your favorite robot (android, cyborg, etc)? :: It's a tie between R2D2 and Robot from Lost in Space (the tv show).

Note: I watched the bonus stuff from the special editon. "The Return of Darth Vader" gave me shivers. The fight scene between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin looks awesome. A-w-e-s-o-m-e!

BB5

I really haven't posted that much about Big Brother 5 because I don't want to appear any geekier than I already do. But, because tonight is the finale, I should post my thoughts on it.

OK. Did Drew ever actually promise Diane he'd take her to the final 2, or did she just assume he would? I remember her saying stuff like "Me and you in the final two, baby" and him just saying "Uh huh."

I'm curious to see who Will and Marvin are going to vote for. Will has a little crush on Drew, but Diane was his best friend in the house. Marvin doesn't like either one of them, but he has a thing for Diane.

I really, really, really don't want Cowboy to win. He didn't do anything in the game. Of course, maybe that was his strategy. How he managed to avoid eviction is beyond me. Every week people said they needed to get Cowboy outta there. So, why didn't they? That's what ticks me off about this. Could the jury really be thinking that he managed to escape so he deserves to win? I hope not!

Drew has always been my second favorite, right behind Nakomis, so I hope he wins. I was having doubts about him and Diane but I think he finally saw the light. I hope that gets him enough votes.

All right. Enough of that. I need to go buy the DVD. Which DVD? Oh puh-leeeez! (see previous post)

This is so me!

Only Star Wars fans will get this.

via (heaven help me for actually going there) him

TV Tuesday

Seems kinda funny to be doing a meme after just posting about Sandee, but she'd be the first person to say "life goes on." So, here it is:

Week 24 - Spin off's
A great show never dies, it simply spins off into new shows! LOL This week we'll take a look at the ever famous spin off syndrome!!

1. What's your favorite all time spin off? Which show did it spin off?
Law & Order SVU (from Law & Order). I have high hopes for CSI: New York, though. As for comedies, I'd have to say Frasier, although I didn't really get into the last couple of seasons. Then again, I can't forget Green Acres, spun from Petticoat Junction.

2. What do you consider the worst spin off ever? Why?
Joanie Loves Chachi because it was just so bad. I think the Joanie & Chachi storyline ran its course on Happy Days and they should have just left well enough alone.

3. Is there a show that's ended that you wish they'd done a spin off for? Which one?
Hmm? I can't really think of anything, but does this count? I could go for an ER spinoff starring George Clooney.


~Bonus~ If you could "end" your current life and make a spin off of it what would you call it? What would be the theme (characters new and eliminated, changes you'd make)?
It would be called "Let's Try Again" or "Second Chances" or something like that. I'd still be a writer but I'd actually be making enough money writing books that I wouldn't have to work at a newspaper, hence all the "characters" from there would be eliminated ... except my editor, who would be the brutally honest, sarcastic wise-ass character that everybody loves. I'd move back to California, near Santa Barbara. Steve & GSG would be there, too, and they'd be kinda fighting over me but I wouldn't be able to choose between them.

Oh My God!!!!

I'm almost there! I saved a pair of size 10 Levis from my thin days. Just for the heck of it, I tried them on and ... and ... AND ... I could get them on! I couldn't zip them all the way up, but they're over the thighs and hips, baby! So I tried on some other pants and shorts that I haven't tried on in a while because I thought I wasn't doing very well on the diet/exercise program. They all fit! I am so excited! Almost makes me want to go out and walk again or do a tae-bo workout or something.

Ya know, I didn't think I had a body image problem anymore, but apparently I do. My next door neighbor calls me "Skinny Minnie" and told me there's no way I need to lose another 30 pounds because "You don't want to get too thin." I look at myself in the mirror and I think there's something wrong with it because I can't possibly look that good. My jeans are obviously at least one size too big ... even coming right out of the dryer ... but I've been telling myself they're just stretched out. I guess I need to look at myself for real now and see what I really look like. Could be pretty good ;)

The funny thing about the jeans fitting right out of the dryer and me thinking they're just stretched out is ... When I started gaining weight I'd say "They just came out of the dryer. They must have shrunk." Haven't we all done that, though? Given a choice, I'd rather think they stretched than shrunk. Actually, I'd rather just have a realistic image of myself. Someday I will. I'm sure of it. :)

Hanging by a Moment

This is pretty close to how I feel:

I'm falling even more in love with you
letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

*sigh*

Sunday Brunch on Monday

Erica took over this meme. Cool. I was missing it.

School Supplies!
1) Do you prefer wide rule or college rule notebook paper? ::
College rule. I write a lot when I write on paper & I need all the space I can get.
2) What is your favorite writing instrument? ::
I recently bought a pen with an angel on top & gel stuff on the inside that lights up. It's so cool! I change my mind about my favorite writing instrument, though. Depends on my mood. Last week I bought some "squishy grip" mechanical pencils that I really like.
3) What is the one office or school supply that you can’t live without? ::
Post-it Notes! In fact, one of the characters in my new book (have I mentioned it'll be out in a few weeks?), who is loosely based on me, says she's addicted to Post-it Notes.
4) Staples or paper clips? ::
Paper clips. #1 They're easier. #2They're neater #3I'm accident prone and, well, it's best that I'm not around sharp things any more than necessary. However, I have been known to hurt myself on paper clips that I straighten out.
5) Describe the contents of the top of your desk ::
Home -- CDs (Clapton, Springsteen, Counting Crows, No Doubt, Train, Dashboard Confessional); pictures I'm planning on scanning & posting someday; a little Buddha; glass of water; bottle of lavender nail polish *shrug*; plain black mousepad; headache relief tablets; vitamins & Atkins supplements.
Work -- a pile of old newspapers; a calendar; phone. Um, I haven't been there in a while (I'm part-time) so I really don't remember. I think I'm blocking it out.

Not yet ... Please!

I forgot I was going to post about this 'til I stopped by ann marie's. We have a frost warning for tonight. It's way too early for that. It's not even offically autumn yet for goodness sake! I love fall in the Northeast and everything that goes with it, but sometimes I really miss California ... like when it's September and we have frost. *sigh*

Speaking of California ... I answered a question from Steve and used the word "totally" in my response. He wrote back and said something like "Totally? How long were you in California?" I told him I still sometimes say "y'all," too. I guess it's to be expected. I was farther south there than he is now.

Music Mambo Week 26

Once again the time has come to Mambo! Autumn is just around the corner, so it's time to think of some autumn roadtripping music and new releases. There's so much music coming out in the next few months that everyone should have something new to mambo to.

So without further ado or adieux or a-do or whatever, let's just get to the Mambo. Whatdayathink?

1. What music makes you think of autumn? (Songs, genres etc...)::
Really there's only one song I can think of off hand -- Maggie May (It's late September and I really should be back at school) -- There could be more, but I just can't think of them right now.

2. What new releases are you looking forward to this fall/winter? ::
Sorry to say I really don't know what's coming out.

3. If you're making a road trip over a weekend, what music do you take with you if any?::
Train, Maroon 5, Springsteen, Elton John, Sheryl Crow ... Actually, last time I went on a road trip I just grabbed a whole pile of CDs just in case my mood changed.


4. Does your musical mood shift in autumn? (Meaning do you listen to different types of music from season to season?)::
The only season when I listen to different music is Christmas ... and I start pretty much right after Thanksgiving dinner & go to the day after New Year's. "Now That's What I Call Christmas" is the best Christmas CD ever!

5. If you could see one band in the fall concert season, who would it be and why? (The band has to be currently touring)::
TRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! Just because I love Train & they're going to be not too far from here.

Bonus:
Make a perfect driving mix. Pick 15 songs that you love to hear while driving ::
In no particular order --

1.Layla - Derek & the Dominoes
2.Hands Down - Dashboard Confessional
3.Paradise by the Dashboard Light - Meatloaf
4.Bat Out of Hell - Meatloaf
5.Saturday Night's All Right for Fighting - Elton John
6.Crocodile Rock - Elton John
7.I Love Rock 'n' Roll - Joan Jett
8.Drops of Jupiter - Train
9.Harder to Breathe - Maroon 5
10. Accidentally in Love - Counting Crows
11.Born to Run - Springsteen
12.Hey Baby - No Doubt
13.Back in Black - AC/DC
14.You Can't Always Get What You Want - Rolling Stones
15.All I Wanna Do - Sheryl Crow

I'm debating ...

... on whether I should watch the Bills game. I used to be a good fan. Never missed a game. Now? Well, I'm frustrated. How could they have possibly lost last week? At home? In the opening game? In the last seconds of the game? *sigh*

... whether I should take a nap or a walk

... whether I want to change my about me page. I have to change my age (44); add my favorite BB5 houseguest (Nakomis); favorite book (used to be "Gone With the Wind; now it's "To Kill a Mockingbird." Must be the lawyer thing.); favorite author (Carl Hiassen); and favorite tv show (CSI). I should also change my 100 Things About Me. 10 & 12 don't apply anymore. In 8 should change "was" to "am." Number 44 can now be changed to two novels. Well, one of these days -- if I ever stop being lazy -- I'll do it. OK. I'm not lazy. I just have too much to do and can't decide what to do first. So I blog & boggle. Makes sense, right?

... I really want to blog about all the crap that's on my mind right now. I should but I'm kind of chicken. I've already pretty much blogged about anything & everything. Pretty much. But there's one thing I need to say & I just can't seem to say it.

... whether I should write like a real person and stop using "&" instead of "and." It's weird, though, because sometimes I use it & (and) sometimes I don't.

... whether I should suck it up and make an appointment with the gynecologist tomorrow.

... whether I should stop boring you with this rambling.

/end ramble ... for now.

Perfect timing

There couldn't have been a better time for me to find Minnie Pauz. Here are some of my favorites:

*I've actually seen myself accidentally in a store mirror-wall that I hadn't known about......recognized the JACKET--or sweater, whatever....and THEN realized that the face/hair/body looked vaguely familiar, too.....oh, well!

*I was standing out in the cold rain the other day and the thought went through my head...where's a hot flash when you really need one?

*I bought a bottle of herbal memory tablets to assist my not-as-good-as-it-used-to-be memory - that was a couple of years ago. I keep forgetting to take them.

via stormwind

I know I just said good-night but ...

I hate this!
Note to any male readers (or female readers who don't like to read about bodily functions): This post is about perimenopause so you might want to skip it unless you'd like some insight into how your wives/girlfriends could possibly be feeling.

The hot flashes are tolerable now. Actually, I rarely have them anymore. I know they'll be coming on strong again soon, though. The way my luck is there's no way they could be over already. Weight gain? No problem there anymore. Headaches? Tolerable. Trouble sleeping? I just take naps. Mood swings? Not so bad anymore, either (to the relief of my friends & family, I'm sure). So what's the problem? The irregularity of my freakin' periods! They used to come & go like clockwork. Every 29 days. Lasted for 5 days. Now I can't count on anything. For example: I started Sunday. Ended Tuesday. Started again Thursday. Nothing Friday or Saturday. Now, at 1-f'ing-35 a.m. on Sunday, I started again, cramps and all. It sucks I'm tellin' ya. It really sucks! It's so frustrating. I wish Mother Nature would just decide she's done with me and end this! It's not as if I'm planning on having kids or anything. So, what's the point? Being at this stage of life is kind of strange because I need something to help me with the perimenopause (which is why everything is so tolerable now. Remifemin. I highly recommend it.) and I still need birth control. Weird, huh?

Okay. Should I try sleeping again, or should I go california bogglin? *flipping a coin* (not literally) Boggle wins.

Bad idea

Question: Why did I take the "headache relief" tablets -- containing caffeine -- right before I went to bed?
Answer: Sometimes I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
However, at least I was smart enough to buy the Wal-Mart brand for 94 cents vs. the name brand for $4.97.

I don't understand ...

... why people would cheat while playing Boggle. What's the point? All you're doing is proving you can cheat. I do kind of laugh, though, when a couple of known cheaters are playing and one cheats better than the other.

Another thing I don't understand is how I could have developed a crush on a guy just by watching him play Boggle. How 13 is that?

By the way, "Thirteen?" Awesome movie! Disturbing but awesome. I wonder if I'd feel differently about it if I had a teen-age daughter.

Several years ago my Eric Clapton greatest hits CD vanished. Disappeared. Don't have any clue what happened to it. So today I finally gave up on ever finding it again and bought a new one. (It'll probably turn up tomorrow.) On the way home I rolled down the windows and blasted "Layla" and it felt good. However, as I was coming out of the parking lot some kid asked if I wanted my car washed. Hey kid: If a nearing-middle-age woman is playing "Layla" on her car stereo so loud that the people inside the store can probably hear it, do not -- do not -- disturb her. She's probably having a religious experience of some kind.

Okay. I just watched "Unfaithful" again today. Personally, I think Diane Lane should have won the Oscar for that one scene, if nothing else. You know the one I mean. When she's coming home after sex with the guy? Could she have been any better?

I watched part of the Miss America pageant scholarship competition. Is it just me or does anyone else find it rather sad that Clay Aiken was the biggest star on the show? Nothing against Clay Aiken but, c'mon.

How many times have I seen the Stars Wars trilogy? I don't know. Why am I so excited about the special edition DVD coming out on Tuesday? I don't know, but I am. Could it possibly be that I'm a geek. Possibly? Who am I trying to kid? Anyway, when the first Star Wars came out I already had a long-time crush on Mark Hamill. Then I was introduced to Harrison Ford. I watched "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" tonight. Love that movie! It's my favorite Indiana Jones movie so far. I wonder if there ever will be a 4th one. According to IMDB "Due to scheduling and script conflicts, the project is currently in limbo." Oh well. Ford just might be too old to do Indy justice anyway. We'll see, I guess. Maybe.

I think I've rambled enough to let the effects of the caffeine wear off. Nighty night.

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Pointless:: in vain
   
2. Sadistic:: evil
   
3. Bunny:: Playboy
   
4. Betrayal:: broken promise
   
5. Oliver:: Twist
   
6. Star Wars:: special edition DVD on Tuesday! YAY!!
   
7. Let it ride:: Ride, ride, ride. Let it ride. The song. Who sings that?
   
8. Ray of light:: sun
   
9. Tight:: rope
   
10. Gadget:: thing-a-ma-jig
    

Can't sleep

I've had this song stuck in my head for about 12 hours now: I Hate Myself For Loving You. Yeah. You.

Just when I was gonna ...

... post about how I miss Steve so much I can hardly stand it, I get an e-mail from him. Very surprising considering he's usually in bed by this time. But it sure made me happy! Until then I was just wasting time california bogglin' and listening to the rain. We're going to have flooding, I can tell. I went out & took some pictures about 5 hours ago and some places were already kind of flooded. It hasn't stopped raining since then.

Anyway, it's weird that I miss him so much sometimes. I mean, we just talked yesterday. Maybe it's just the weather that's making me sad. I like rain. It usually relaxes & inspires me. But all day for two days is a bit much. I need sun, too, ya know.

But I should be happy. My book is in the final stages before publication. I should be getting the cover art in a few weeks. Then it's off to the printer. Yay!

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
How are you today?
I'm fine, thank you. I'm always fine (or more than fine) on days Steve calls :)

Soup
Name 3 television shows you watch on a regular basis.
CSI (the original), Law & Order SVU & That 70s Show

Salad
What's the scariest weather situation you've experienced?
That's a tie. The Flood of '99 and the tornado, which I believe was in '99 as well. It was an F4. Another reporter & I were standing outside the building looking right up into the eye. A museum was destroyed & a few houses were damaged pretty badly. The flood was more devastating, however. I don't know what percentage of the city was damaged, but it was huge. Even my house had thousands of dollars worth of damage. Luckily, FEMA paid for repairs.

Main Course
If you could wake up tomorrow morning in another country, where would you want to be?
Wow. That's a tough one because there are 3 or 4 countries I've never been to but want to visit, but I'll say Ireland.

Dessert
What do you usually wear to sleep?
An oversized T-shirt

3X Thursday

3x Thursday: 09/16/y2k+4: Crush

1.Do you remember your first crush? Who was it on? Did anything ever come of it? ::
Yes, I do. His name is Jeff. He was my first real kiss, but nothing else came of it. In fact, not long after the kiss he started dating a friend of mine.

2. What do you do when you like someone (or have a crush on them)? Do you say something, or do you just keep your mouth shut? ::
I flirt a little and let him take it from there if he wants to.

3. Do you have a crush on anybody now? If so, do they know about it? ::
Yes. Actually, I have crushes on two people. One knows about and he's known since it started ... 30 years ago. We joke about it sometimes and it's all good. I know nothing's going to happen that hasn't happened already and that's fine with me. We're such good friends now that anything else might mess it all up. The other guy? Well, I don't know if he knows. He's an idiot if he doesn't. I wrote 2 books about a newspaper reporter & a lawyer who are romantically involved. If that didn't give him a clue, I don't know what will. But my friends say he's not good enough for me anyway.

Bonus Question for Comments: What's your favorite sappy song? ::
Elton John's "Your Song" or "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"

The Thursday Threesome

Onesome: Girl- Girls' (or boys') Night Out- Do you ever just feel the need to drop everything and go hang out with your pals? What do you all do when you go out? Something "wild" like partying at the bar, or something as "mild" as just hanging out at a coffee shop and discussing the latest books you've read? Or do you head over to a pal's house to watch the big game? ::
I often feel I need a night out with the girls. I don't get them very often, though. Mostly we do lunch ... long lunch. And, although it may seem boring we talk about writing. Somtimes we talk about guys though. (As an aside, all my friends think I should give up on GSG because he's not good enough for me. So why don't I listen to them?!?!?)

Twosome: Scout- Were you ever a scout as a kid? Which branch? Did you join willingly or was it something you did because everyone else was or your parents thought it would be "good for you?" ::
I was a Brownie, then a Girl Scout. I did it because everyone else did, or rather, everyone's parents made them. It was fun for a while, though. Went on a cool camping trip once. But my Mom was a Cub Scout leader & I always thought the Cub Scout stuff was way more fun than Girl Scouts.

Threesome: Cookies - What's your favorite kind of cookie? What's the strangest cookie you've ever had or heard of but been too afraid to try? And do you buy Girl Scout cookies? Which ones? ::
I love anything with chocolate chips or macadamia nuts, preferrably together. There are a lot of strange cookies out there these days but, unfortunately, I can't think of any right now. I haven't bought Girl Scout cookies in years but, when I did, I always got the peanut butter ones (can't remember the name) and Thin Mints, then whatever else tripped my trigger at the moment.

Crisis Over

He remembered and apologized. I forgave him because it was a good apology. :)

Wednesday Matinee

Meme 3000

1. What's your favorite movie featuring a sport?
I have a few: Jerry Maguire, Caddyshack, Hoosiers & Happy Gilmore

2. What movie are you looking forward to seeing this fall?
That one with Angelina Jolie & Jude Law.

3. Should actors do their own stunts?
If they want to, sure.

~Change Your Ring Tone Bonus~ Do you confront noisy people at the movies?
No, but I have gone to the manager about noisy people. I'm too afraid to confront people myself. I'm not fond of soda on my clothes & popcorn in my hair.

Should I be ...

... pissed or upset? Actually, I'm on the verge of tears but I'm too angry to cry. My best friend forgot my birthday. His last e-mail ended with "Anything new?" Uh, yeah. My age.

Bunches o' Memes

Monday Madness

1. You are given 1 million dollors. You must give it all away before the donor gives you $1 million. Who would you give it to? :: The Red Cross, The American Cancer Society, an Alzheimer's research place, my mom, the local soup kitchen, the Salvation Army
2. If you had $1 million what would you do with it FIRST? :: walk down Main Street and hand out $20 bills to every person I saw
3. Do you participate in lotteries? :: sometimes ... if the jackpot is really big
4. Name 3 of your best physical features :: eyes, smile and um, my nose, I guess
5. ..... 3 of your biggest virtues :: kind, sweet, caring
6. ......3 of you biggest vices :: smoking, gossiping, too judgemental
7. ...... 3 of your favorite pleasures in life :: Adam, Alexandyr, Aaryn (my nephews)
8 If you were a member of the opposite sex, what would you choose to do for your occupation? :: same thing I'm doing now ... writer
9. If you were to come back after death as another animal, what animal would you choose to be? :: dog
10. What kind of 'baby' are you... water, clouds, beach, garden? :: water

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Self-esteem:: low (me)
   
2. Migraine:: HELL! (Thank God I haven't had one in a while)
   
3. Phoebe:: Ross
   
4. Nervous:: energy
   
5. Punctual:: on time
   
6. Liver damage:: drinking too much
   
7. Legal disclaimer:: page 2 of my book
   
8. Reverend:: Mother (We are doing "Nunsense")
   
9. Supple:: soft
   
10. Binder:: notebook
    

The First Four
What are the first four things you think of when I say

Birthday
1.It's today!
2.Cards
3.Getting older
4.gifts/flowers (like I'll get any lol)

P.S. Thanks to everyone in RAOK who signed my guestbook. That was a nice surprise!

The Weekly Bit

The Bit for the Week of Sept 12 is About Work.
1. What is your dream job? :: writer
2. What are the best and worst jobs you've ever had? :: the worst was a dishwasher in a restaurant; the best is right now: writer
3. How do you feel about dating someone from work? Have you ever? :: It's not a good idea. I speak from experience
4. What job would you never want to do? :: anything to do with food service (been there, done that, hated it)

an extra bit of word association...
I say, you think...

blue: sky
sun: summer
reach: for the stars
witch: craft
love: hate
give: take
man: woman
music: radio
open: close
computer: geek
juice: orange

Monday Music Mambo

It's time to Mambo again!! Yay! The Moodylady has been thinking long and hard about the mambo this week. So hard, in fact that her brain nearly exploded. So this mambo has to be a bit easy, cos Moodylady has a headache now.

So to get warmed up...a little "I Say...You Think..." (Music style of course)

Heart: Anne & Nancy Wilson
Sting: Police
Safe: -ty Dance (Weird song)
Man: Piano Man (I love Billy Joel)
Fly: Pretty Fly for a White Guy
Real: Livin in the real world
Hard: rock
English: it's not music, but the only thing I can think of is muffin *shrug*


Now that we've warmed up it's time for the Mambo!

"The Last...."


Song you heard :: The theme from "Cheers" (I have the tv on)

CD you bought :: Counting Crows Films About Ghosts

Video you watched :: Something by Maroon 5, I'm sure

Concert you attended :: It was at the Erie County Fair but, for the life of me, I can't remember the name of the band. They were good, though.

Song that made you get up and dance :: Boogie Fever (in my nightgown, in the living room)

Song that really moved you emotionally :: As Time Goes By (I watched Casablanca earlier today)

Song that made you feel good :: Elton John's Your Song

Lyric you found profound :: My hopes are so high your kiss might kill me

Back from hiatus

You'd think I'd have something to say after 10 days, wouldn't you? Well, I actually do but I don't know where to start, so I'll start with this ...

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
What movie soundtracks do you own?
City of Angels, Animal House, Grease, Saturday Night Fever. There could be more but I can't think of any at the moment.

Soup
How much cash do you usually carry with you?
Depends on how close it is to payday. It could be anywhere between $200 and loose change that I don't really count as long as I have enough for a couple of cans of soda at work.

Salad
Are you more comfortable around men or women? Why?
Men. I didn't really know why exactly until I started thinking of an answer for this question. I think it's because, for the most part, men don't care about delving really deep into my feelings. I'm really not into talking about my feelings. (That's what this blog is for.) Even those who do want to talk about feelings, for the most part, do it gradually, one or two questions at a time, and don't feel they have to get to the bottom of an issue in one sitting. I'm just not into all that emotional stuff. I'm much more comfortable writing about emotions than talking about them. Anyway, my best friend is a guy and one of the two other closest friends is a guy. Between the two guys, they know every single one of my secrets.

Main Course
What is the most mischievous thing you remember doing as a child?
I stole a package of Oreo cookies (6 cookies) from a store. I got caught when I got home & was marched back to the store to return them & apologize. I can't think of anything else. I was a boring, good little girl for the most part.

Dessert
Who is the funniest member of your family?




My three-and-a-half year old nephew.

Most of what he does & says is "you had to be there" type stuff. But here's something that I hope translates well. To get him back in the house on nice, sunny days my sister would say "C'mere, I want to show you something." Well, he caught onto that and now when his little brother won't do what he wants he says "Show you something" and his brother comes running. I should really blog about all the funny stuff he does and says as soon as my sister tells me about it so I don't forget.

Cheddar X

1. What's the cleverest word play you've read or made up?
Several years ago I had to write a news story about equipment at the sewage treatment plant that came very close to malfunctioning. My lede (newspaper-ese for "lead paragraph") was "The you-know-what almost hit the fan."

An honorable mention goes to a person I had to take to the ER one night. He has asthma & could barely breathe. At one point, he even thought his extremeties were turning blue due to lack of oxygen. When I told him they weren't, he said. "Must just be a pigment of my imagination."

2. What's the most outrageous cover story you've ever tried to make up?
I drove my parents' car into a ditch not long after I got my driver's license. I said a few deer ran in front of me & there was no way I could avoid them and ... oh, on and on and on (with tears, of course).

3. Did it work?
Yes. And unless my mother (or someone she knows) finds her way to this blog she'll never know I was adjusting the radio. No deer in sight.

4. Favorite line from a song? (Eighteen double oh and a table dance).
Did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there? (And, yes, I did.)

5. What has been your favorite Olympic moment?
Misty May & Kerri Walsh winning the gold

6. What sport shouldn't be in the Olympics?
ryhthymic (I can never freakin' spell that word) gymnastics or, for God's sake, men's synchronized swimming

7. What sport should be in the Olympics?
Are there any that aren't?

8. What's wrong with the Olympics?
Inconsistent judging

Wednesday Matinee

1. What are your thoughts about Hollywood making money on the life of Jesus?
Actually, I think it's OK. Whether the film makers are doing it for the right reasons or not, the message is going to get out (if it's done well) and that's the important thing. It's my belief that even people who aren't Christian should be able to appreicate the kind of life Jesus lead and, maybe, be inspired by it. I feel the same way about Gandhi. And for that matter, Buddha.

2. What's your favorite movie set in "historical" times (medieval, greek, roman, victorian, etc)?
It's a toss up between Shakespeare in Love and Ever After.

3. What's your favorite movie based on a true story?
Without a doubt, no question, not even a second thought ... All the President's Men. (Newspaper reporter, ya know?)