Camera Phone Pics

Steve giving me the eye at Johnny D's.

Cuz it's funny that's why he's laughing...cuz it's funny

I've been saving this gem for awhile. I'm thinking about getting something similar painted on the Mini - only I want a He-Man (Masters of the Universe) looking dude on the unicorn. Suhweet!

Kisses from Jeff

I've got a plaaa-ant and you can't have it...

WWYD

I was downstairs doing laundry in the apartment's common laundry area last night. The bottom floor has the laundry room, several ground floor apt's and a few entrances for those that park their cars in the back or those that just like the back door.

So anyway, I'm folding my clothes (read: throwing them back in the hamper) and I have my back towards the hall so I can't see anybody. I hear someone come in and as they get closer to passing the laundry room I hear a *poot*.

I didn't think much of it until it's followed by a guy's voice saying "I farted". I was thinking yep you did fart - I heard it. Then I realize the dude is by himself. I don't look up or at him because that would be embarrassing as I'm sure as soon as he said "I farted" is when he passed the laundry room and realized he wasn't alone in the hallway and he also realized that not only did I hear him fart but I heard him tell himself that he farted.

:-)

Guest Map

Be sure to take a peek at my GuestMap thingy and put a pin in to mark your longitude and latitude baby!

And another thing...

I don't care if Tyra Banks did get "fat"! That too was a complete waste of brain cells and air time. She completely went nuts with the whole thing with her "Kiss my Fat Ass" comment too. Good lord - give me a break! Over and over again I had to see the preview for that show and her half crying half screaming "Kiss my Fat Ass". If Tyra Banks is fat then please get me a ticket for the fat bus she's riding!

Maybe I watch too much TV or maybe people on TV are just sooooooo outta control that's it not my fault if it upsets me.

FYI so bored with American Idol I can't even comment. Maybe it'll get better when they get rid of some more people.

AND - Will somebody PLEASE BURY Anna Nicole Smith!! Give her some peace already!

Seriously

I heard on the news about the sorority in Indiana who terminated (not in the lethal sense) 23 of its members because they were "insufficiently committed to the organization".

The terminated members are saying they were let go because they weren't pretty or thin enough - or as they said "didn't fit the mold". I believe I actually heard them say on the news that they all got together in a room and looked around and realized - Hey we are all fat and ugly!
One member who left the sorority in protest said, "I think it's kind of disturbing that a sorority, which is an institution there to promote womanhood, would do something like this to their initiated members."

Um - it is disturbing but not surprising. Does she seriously think that sororities aren't about image - at least a little bit (or a lot depending on your view/experience)? That's like being surprised that an "ugly" girl isn't crowned Miss America.

I was in a sorority in college (I was one of the 'fat' girls so lord knows how I got in). I've been through Rush on both sides and it can be nasty and it does have a lot to with how someone looks and their "reputation". It is about fitting the mold.

The justification is that you don't want to bring someone into the house that's not going to fit in and who will then feel like an outsider. (Oh and then you have to terminate them later and it becomes national news because somebody got their feelings hurt and they want everyone in America to know they were kicked out of the club for being fat and ugly.) Awesome. Anyway...

I know how that sounds - the fitting in so they don't feel like an outsider later. But it's hard to tell from a few quick meetings what someone is really like personality wise - so the easy thing to go on is the outward appearance and what the sorority girl who went to Jr. high with the rushee's sister's friend says. Usually this all takes place before someone is initiated though.

I had a few things going for me during rush besides dumb luck:

• I bought a bunch of new clothes for my Rush experience - thanks Gap!
  
• I wasn't from there so no one knew me from high school and I wasn't a "Murray or Marshall County girl" that dated the president's brother or slept with the football team (at least they didn't know about it - ha ha)
  
• I'd lost a bunch of weight the summer before I went to college so I wasn't fat fat
• They needed members ;)

And finally to illustrate the point that you can't really know someone after just a few minutes of mindless chit-chat: one comment said about me after I visited the house of the sorority I eventually joined was that I was quiet. Yeah right - I'm quiet, and skinny, and rich, and I totally fit the mold :)

I'm not sure if I have a point to all of this or if it even flows coherently - bottom line - sorry you got kicked out but really is it necessary to take up news time talking about it? I'd much rather hear about George W and the stellar job he's doing! Could someone please kick his ass out?

I am

In the vein of narcissism from the post of the other day...

I am:

1. A hypochondriac
2. A worrier
3. An optimist
4. A complainer/whiner
5. A dork
6. A baseball fan
7. Addicted to Dunkin Donuts coffee (thanks Brian for reminding me)
8. In love with Miami Ink - the Brazilian he/she body builder that wanted the devilish tat that looked like him/her - fascinating - I was glued to my TV
9. In heaven when brownies with white icing are in the house - although they never seem to stay for very long
10. Happiest when I'm with my Bugg, my friends, my family (in no particular order)
11. A riot
12. A big fan of the Captain
13. Superstitious
14. Pro-choice
15. ADD - "Look there's a chicken"!
16. Narcoleptic...zzz...zzz...zzz
17. 34
18. Not fond of the way one of my nostrils appears to migrating south as I age
19. Without regrets
20. Done

Your turn...what are you??

Booty Vortex

Had a great weekend with Bugg and the girls! Friday night we went to the North End and had dinner at Monica's - it was amazing! Had Mike's Pastry and chocolate martini's for dessert. (Please note the picture of the couple with the matching full length fur coats.) Took Steve around Faneuil Hall on Saturday and Saturday night we all went to Johnny D's and had dinner and listened to a 70's disco coverband called Booty Vortex. http://www.bootyvortex.com

Word for the Day

Last week (or the week before I can't remember) it was Carne Asada - today's word is:

nar·cis·sism (när'sĭ-sĭz'əm) Pronunciation Key n.

1. Excessive love or admiration of oneself.


2. A psychological condition characterized by self-preoccupation, lack of empathy, and unconscious deficits in self-esteem.


3. Inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.
   

I like the way it sounds and I like the fact that my birthday flower is a narcisse so there. :-) And I like myself a whole lot ;)

Stef's Birthday

Doing "Stuff" on Sunday

Had a grande burrito time at Stef's birthday fiesta last night! Ole! Gracias mi amiga!

Kristin and I didn't get our lazy butts outta the house until almost 2 today. We hung out on Newbury Street - had lunch, tried to get manicures and trudged our way through the slush covered sidewalks. Good times! :)

Crazy like a Foxy Brown

What the hell is up with Foxy Brown and salon fights? Did she have a bad experience as a child?
She's already on probation for a salon fight she got into a couple of years ago and here she is in trouble again. Perhaps she should just do her nails and such at home and save herself the stress.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070216/ap_en_ot/people_foxy_brown

For Michelle

Here's the pic of you being Fonz like - seriously our hair (ok my hair) is just downright scary even if it was an 80's party.

Hmm

For your Valentine's Day Enjoyment

This was on Yahoo this morning http://www.divorcedjewelryco.com/index.html

I find it sort of odd. The idea is nice and I've wondered what to do with my rings. But a company actually called Divorced Jewelry. I would think they could think of a better name or slogan

1. Second Chances
2. Starting Over
3. Get it Right Next Time
4. Screw You!
5. Damn I screwed up but look at the pretty ring I have to show for it
6. These rings won't leave a mark when you punch the crap out of your ex
7. He took the kids and the house and the car - but I've got this cheap a** ring and a dog that pees on the rug

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Fun on the T

Saw this fab thing on the T tonight - it's hard to tell in the picture but the fur on her hat matches the fur on her coat. She was chillin - eyes closed, lips painted fuschia (although she didn't quite get the entire lip filled in). It was awesome.

You know it's Monday....

when you put your undies on inside out.

My own private hell

I got my car washed on Saturday. It's always a challenge for me because the automatic drive through car washes flip me out. (I think I might have written about this before ).

Anyway - I drive up to the car wash and the attendant is trying to guide me onto the track that will automatically take my car through the wash. I HATE trying to get my car on that stupid track - I start to sweat, I forget how to use the clutch, I do a lot of hand waving, a lot of reversing and pulling forward trying to get it straight so I don't rub my tires or get stuck (which has happened in the past) I beg the attendant to do it for me...but he just keeps motioning me on. I feel the *clunk/settle* as I hit the right spot (which is a relief) but then have to wrestle with myself to put the car in neutral and let go of the brake. I know in my head nothing bad is going to happen but it's really really hard for me to put it in neutral and let my foot off that brake - really hard. Then I stress when I get to the end - is it too early to put the car back in gear? Have I cleared the track? Are the attendants on this end going to wipe it down? Do I tip them? Do I tip the guy at the beginning? Did it really do an undercarriage wash?

Prozac, Xanax anyone?

I love Norman Rockwell

Went to the Norman Rockwell Museum yesterday http://www.nrm.org/. I've been there once before and have been trying to get back for a visit and yesterday was the perfect day for it. It's a pretty small museum and it didn't take long to go through which was OK because for some reason the paintings made me cry. I was walking around sniffing and wiping my eyes the whole time. My favorite are "The Four Freedoms" and the Christmas scene he did of main street Sturbridge.

I had lunch at Red Robin on the way back - cheeseburger,fries, and a chocolate shake - and sitting near me was the couple in the picture. Live Like you were Dying was playing on the "musak machine" and the guy in the picture was signing along - it was awesome. So cool to see that I asked him if I could take a picture of them. The song always makes me tear up (what doesn't honestly) and to see him so happily singing along was great. Thanks!!

I got busted on the way home - I was in line for the toll booth and I was listening to a song by Buck Cherry and I was "appreciating it" in an exuberant manner - i.e. dancing in my car like no one was watching and I see a flash out of the corner of my eye. I turn to see a guy in a tricked out red Honda give me a smile and the rocker sign (see photo) and being the uber cool "rocker chick" that I am - I give him a shy smile and the thumbs up. THE THUMBS UP!! Nothing and I mean nothing says cool like the Fonzie thumbs up. After that I felt like a dork and instead of going back to headbanging at the steering wheel I start to whistle a little and tap the steering wheel with my thumbs. It's hard being cool. Pictures to follow soon.

Because it's been on my mind - no I don't know why

Carne Asada - from Wikipedia

Carne asada is a dish, literally meaning "grilled meat", it is one of the most popular varieties of Mexican food, more commonly in the Northern parts of Mexico, in the states of Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas. It can be found as the main ingredient in tacos, tortas, burritos, or served alone as a meal.
Mexicans traditionally hold barbecues with Carne Asada as the main dish[citation needed].
In Mexico and the American Southwest, the phrase Carne Asada is the equivalent of a barbecue. It is meant in the "party" sense of the word, since the literal translation for barbecue is barbacoa, an entirely different dish in Mexico.
The term is also used to describe a social gathering where the dish will be prepared and served as the main course, the event is usually referred to as "a carne asada" or "una carne asada".
The dish mainly consists of pieces or thin cuts of beef, (i.e. flank steak, skirt steak) sometimes marinated, sometimes lightly salted or rubbed with salt, pepper and/or spices, and then grilled. It can be eaten alone, accompanied with side dishes, chopped and eaten as tacos, or chopped and used as filler for tortas, burritos etc.
It is commonly accompanied with guacamole, salsa, beans and grilled scallions. In the San Diego area, it is often found served over french fries.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carne_asada"

Contradiction

It's Freezing outside - FREEZING! I hate being cold more than just about anything. I hate sitting down on a frigid toilet seat (only in my bathroom - in public restrooms I follow a strict hover only policy), I hate that my fingers and toes feel like ice cubes just about 24-7 unless of course I sit on my hands or take boiling hot baths to thaw them out. The baths serve the purpose of a quick warm up but then I'm left with lizard skin that's not fit to be seen or touched by anyone! The Arctic air makes me cough, the indoor heat makes my nose dry up like the freakin Sahara, and I can barely venture out of my bed because the rest of the house is so cold all I do is shuffle around mumbling loudly about how &#)^#@ cold it is.

Having said this I'd like to say there's always room for ice cream. I realize this is crazy but even when it's cold enough to turn my constantly runny nose to snot cubes, ice cream has a warm spot in my heart.

Last night Stef and I had dinner and then went to our favorite ice cream spot for a quick fix. J.P. Licks has the best Oreo ice cream EVER and whenever we're near one we have to stop. As we are sitting there in our down coats, scarfs, gloves, hats, long underwear, and wool socks eating our favorite treat I realized just how ridiculous it is to be so blasted cold yet still go for the frozen treat.

Against my better judgement I'm posting a pic of me in the under layers of my winter get up (silk long underwear, knee high socks under wool socks). You can see that I don't miss too many (honestly I don't miss any) opportunities to eat ice cream. I'm also posting a pic of Stef (who looks as sweet as the ice cream) while she is eating the ice cream - note the full winter ensemble she has on. So there we sat - bundled up, shivering, eating frozen treats. Life is good :)

"Sunny" Florida

Just got back from a quick trip to Florida to see the parents and spend some time with Bugg. It was nice and sunny for the first 24 hours - we got to eat lunch outside on the Bay and I got to sport flip flops and my new pedicure for a few days. Steve and Dad were able to fish but it was mostly in the rain - sometimes torrential downpours (fishermen are crazy). Steve caught a snapping turtle. Not exactly a trophy bass but something to talk about. :-) It did stop raining long enough so that we could cruise around in the golf cart - my favorite thing to do when I'm visiting. I can't tell you how relaxing it is to wheel around in that thing. I'm sure it sounds a bit crazy but I love it. While it was rainy and overcast most of the time it was cozy and warm in the house and my mom was channeling Martha Stewart and Paula Dean with all the fabulous cooking! On Saturday we went to Highlands Hammock State Park. It's a really cool place that looks prehistoric - honestly there is an eerie feeling that a dinosaur could walk out at any minute. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlands_Hammock_State_Park

We celebrated Steve and my dad's birthdays complete with cakes and candles. And had fresh strawberries, freshly squeezed orange juice and my favorite: homegrown tomatoes. The only bad thing was that the trip went by way too fast!

Chillin over the weekend

Had a nice weekend - although I could have used some more sleep and Friday could have been a tiny bit warmer - the wind chill was below zero during the day - it was COLD!!! Kristin and I went to the Burren on Saturday - listened to a great band, the Spitting Vinnies, and made some new friends - Robin and Ben - or in the celebrity couple world - "Roben".

Sunday Stef and I chilled with Momma Moira and sweet Baby Vincent. "You have a baby - no waiting in line!" Thank God for little babies - b/c of V we didn't have to wait quite as long in the line outside of where we had brunch. But honestly how could you resist his precious lil face!

Oh! One thing that made the weekend "totally awesome" was the guy at the Burren with the full on Rat Tail - braided and EVERYTHING - please see picture for details - I tried to get a decent pic but it was hard to do it without looking obvious.

If every Monday could be like this...

Had lunch with the girls to see Tori off - she and Tom are going on a round the world - super fantastic - here's a shovel can you dig it fool - trip of a life-time!!! Then we got our nails done, had a couple of mini neck massages, and some Starbucks to chase the cold away. So Nice!

Bella

This is the dog I want...

Huh?

I've seen lots of strange things on the train but this morning I saw something that was just - well - odd. It made laugh because it was 1. unexpected 2. being done by a seemingly 'normal' person 3. so damn early in the morning.

Scenario - standing outside waiting for the T when a woman all done up her biggest, fluffiest, warmest winter finery gets in line. She has two backpacks, a purse, gloves, and about 50 other things flying around her as she prepares herself to get on the T. One of the things I notice is something wrapped in a paper towel - this she shoves in her coat pocket. I'm curious though - what is it that's wrapped in that paper towel?

On the train she is sitting across from me - still messing with her things - zipping and unzipping - taking out and putting in - when to my delight she whips out the paper towel mystery from her pocket. SCORE!

She takes off her gloves - what could it be? She unwraps it....the anticipation is intense...it's long and yellow - a banana perhaps? No, not your typical breakfast item but... an ear of corn. AN EAR OF CORN. She unwraps an ear of corn and starts gnawing on it for breakfast. Please see the numbered items above for why this made me laugh. It's just not something I expected to see - I wouldn't eat on the T if you gave me all the Kit Kats in the world - it's just so germ infested - so to see this woman touch that ear of corn with her dirty T hands and then eat it - ick! She might as well have licked the floor or the homeless person's a** sitting next to her.

Luther, Kilts, and the Girls

Busy this weekend checking out the music scene - i.e. hung out at a couple of pubs with the girls.

Friday night we saw Luther Johnson http://www.telarc.com/biography/bios.asp?aid=46

On Saturday we went to the Burren - it was the owners 40th birthday - the pub is Irish - he's Irish so the place was FULL of Irish - had a great time. A shout out to our barely legal boy in the kilt! The band was great and we even got to hear some bagpipes.

Holiday Pics

Birthday Fun

Took this picture with my camera phone on the T on the way home after my birthday.

Two things are scary about this picture:

1. We are all sober


2. Stefanie (on the left) was the only one intentionally making a "crazy" face - she thought that's what we were going to do - Kristin and I - we just naturally look crazy.

Year End Reflections

Let's do a quick recap...

1. I'm now 34


2. Almost lost one of my best friends


3. Gained a few new ones


4. Divorced - officially


5. Dating - officially


6. Went through 3 different hair stylists


7. Did a few things that scared me


8. Watched the Cardinals win the World Series


9. Got a speeding ticket for the first time since I was 20 - thanks NY - you really do suck!


10. Saw Guns N Roses

I think the homeless person (see picture) I saw on the train a few weeks ago sums it up best...

"I got no worries, no job, no boss, no woman (no man for that matter) but I'm not against the gays, that's not my business, you wanna be gay be gay who am I to judge anybody. I've got 25 hallways I can sleep in anytime I want, I don't worry about anything. I'm just sitting here on this train enjoying my buzz. I'm not drunk, I'm just buzzed. Just riding this train, keeping warm. You white folks come out when it gets cold out - not like us black folks - we don't handle the cold like you do..."

He continued voicing the random thoughts in his head for the entire 20 minute train ride and it was awesome. He may have been buzzed but he sure did have the right idea: a) just sit and enjoy the ride b) live and let live c) don't forget to rest once in awhile d) don't worry too much e) if you're white be sure to dress warmly because apparently we like the cold :-)

From his picture you can see that he is dressed for the holidays as well which is nice :-) He clearly has the Christmas spirit.

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!!

This one's for you...

A poem for Kirk

Kirk, You are the man
You make deer meatloaf - and tomatoes you can
Your kid Lil E - he is so cute
And you have a beautiful wife Julie to boot (as in bonus not as in kick)

New Baden is where you live
Oh what I wouldn't give
For an ice cream from the Frosty Whip
But that sh*t would go straight from my lips to the hip

Julie and Me - we're a couple of "Basket Cases"
But who could resist our sweet round faces
Two crazy girls who laugh and cackle like witches
And proud to be a couple of bad a** b*tches!


And Scene

Note: The Frosty Whip was my favorite ice cream place in New Baden when I was a kid. Sadly it's no longer there. As a child I told my parents that if they ever got divorced I would live with Dad because he was the one who always took me to the Frosty Whip.

Note 2: New Baden IL was originally named Baden but was renamed New Baden after being destroyed by a tornado in the late 1800's early 1900's.

Note 3: Kirk makes the best deer meatloaf and canned tomatoes ever!

Storefront Dogs