Eddie Card Plea

Eddie actually called me today and chatted for about 20 minutes. He sounded great and had me laughing to tears. He was telling me about how strange it is to be on morphine and how he woke up and realized he was sort of talking to himself and had his finger up in the air, pointing, as if to say "excuse me, waiter". Though he sounded great, I think he's still in rough shape. He mentioned that they have a tube in his back because his spinal cord is leaking. He called me back later to say that the day had gone downhill after he talked to me... a nurse had come in and told him to stand up, so Eddie stood at the end of the bed for an hour and a half, alternating between sitting and standing, before the guy came back to check on him. It turned out Eddie wasn't actually supposed to be up AT ALL yet. He said he was ok, but they had the nurse taken off assignment to Eddie's room (Eddie probably would have used every last ounce of strength to strangle the guy).

If anyone (all two of you who read this) wants to send Eddie a card to cheer him up, I think that would be great. You can just note you are a "Friend of Tina's" if he doesn't know you. He's not sure how long he'll be in the hospital, anywhere from 3 more days to 3 weeks, but his wife can bring his cards to him if he's still in, so here's his home address. He has a twisted sense of humor, much like me, so feel free to send him funny stuff.

Eddie
9025 W. Desert Inn Rd #103
Las Vegas, NV 89117

Happy Anniversary

Friday Chuck and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary. It was wonderful. Though we weren't really supposed to exchange gifts because we want to take a vacation to celebrate, Chuck still brought me home a beautiful bouquet of flowers that had Calla Lillies in it... like my wedding bouquet. He also got me the damn near cutest little lamb you've ever seen. So soft, so sweet, so cuddly. Quite a gesture since earlier on in our relationship he (Chuck, not the Lamb) refused to buy me stuffed animals because he "didn't see the point in them". Well, it's only taken 16 years to change his mind on that one, but hey, every success counts. Imagine how much progress I'll make by 2012! ;-)

We went to Bahama Breeze and sampled the food. It was fabulous! I've been waiting 4 months to have a Bahamarita and it was worth the wait... mmmmmmmm... yummy!

After dinner we met up with Abby at Chrome, a new club near work, then were joined by Tony and Ange. Chrome had a cool decor - high ceilings, unique lighting, cool couches... but it sucked. The first thing that killed me was the $8 price for a martini. Helloooooo, this is ROCHESTER we're talking about here, not New York City. Give me a $3.95 Bahamarita any day. If I order an $8 martini in Rochester, I expect it to be the size of a big gulp. Then there was the crowd... the look-at-me-I'm-so-beautiful-in-my-leather-pants-and-sequined-tube-top-from-TJMaxx girls and the I-work-out-and-go-tanning-and-am-trying-to-look-like-I-just-walked-off-the-set-of-the-Sopranos guys. Not my scene at all. Not that I'm against looking good, I'm all for it, I just don't think it should be someone's main focus. I mean, if you look too good to dance, what's the point? Sheesh.

U2, Me Too

Thursday I went to see U2 with Abby (thanks to Ab buying an extra ticket) and though we spent the first third of the show in a bad spot on the floor, surrounded by ignorant drunk people and 10 foot tall dumb blonds, when we finally moved and spent the rest of the show on the stairs with a beautiful view of the elaborate stage, I really began to enjoy the music and the experience of seeing U2 live. They were incredible!

The highlight was when Bono (why is this man so sexy??) pulled a girl out of the audience, hugged her VERY tightly, then proceeded to roll around on the ground with her rather romantically. All I can say is, if I was that girl, not only would I spend the rest of my life reliving that moment, I would never wash those clothes again and probably would not be able to function as a normal human being anymore. I still can't stop thinking about it and it wasn't even me! (Hello, my name is Tina and I have an obsessive personality).

Update

My brother Eddie is ok after his back surgery but the titanium disc hadn't fused so they had to do the more extensive surgery, which means an incisions in his back, hip, and stomach... and he woke up to find a hole in his neck (from an iv/catheter or something) which he's not happy about, actors shouldn't have too many scars. He called my Mom this morning to say he felt good but was very tired. I'm going to go order him up a cookie-gram or something yummy like that.

Background info (I'm going to start doing this so my blogs have more context): My brother Eddie lives in Las Vegas, while the rest of the family lives here in Rochester, NY. Eddie is 33 now, became addicted to drugs shortly after graduating high school, had Hodgkin's Disease when he was 21, his first back surgery at about 25, his second back surgery last year, and his 3rd back surgery yesterday. He's a Scorpio who ended his man-slut days to get married last October and celebrated 2 years of sobriety last month. There, that should catch you all up.

Brother's Back

My brother Eddie is going in for his 3rd back surgery today. They start by going in through the back, hoping to find the titanium disc (that was put in last year) fused to the bone. If so, they may just need to remove some scar tissue... BUT, if it hasn't fused, things get ugly. They'll have to put screws and things in, then go into his hip and take more bone marrow, THEN turn him over and go in through his stomach to try to remove the titanium disc. If they can't remove the disc from the front, they'll have to leave it and go back in at a later date. YUCK. I'm worried, but he's a strong boy... Jo says "think of the football players"... they're always needing new knees and backs and they come out just fine... Their pain brings me comfort =)

Kettle Korn

Kettle Korn season has officially started. The Lilac Festival kicked it off here in Rochester. Chuck and I went on Friday and bought 2 gigantic bags of K.K. (he's almost as addicted as me) and they were gone, gone, gone within 2 days - and I was showing restraint!

I believe there will now be a festival just about every weekend and where there's a festival, there's K.K. This coming weekend is Rush Hometown days. I know they'll have K.K. because last year my sister and I drove up in her white Mustang, hobbled up to the K.K. booth in our trendy summer sandals, and ordered a few bags. Rush is a SMALL town outside of Rochester where they're probably not too familiar with the current trends in clothing and shoes, so I'm sure most of them thought we were hookers. Oh well, I can't say what I would or wouldn't do for Kettle Korn. It IS an addiction you know!

Abby brought me a bag of Orville Redenbacher's Kettle Korn that her Mom found at the store. She's so sweet, trying to help me feed my habit without having to be a festival hooker every weekend. I was hopeful... it looked just like the Kettle Korn from the Lilac Festival. Alas, no such luck. It tastes like a mild version of carmel corn. No dice, but I appreciate Ab's efforts.

Back from the Brink

Well, back from our weekend excursion to the 1000 Islands to stay with the inlaws. It really wasn't too bad. I only started to get psychotic once on Saturday, after golf and basketball and drag racing had taken up the tube all damn day (I WANT MY MTV) and then again on Sunday when my Father-in-law snored through the last entire hour of "The Wonder Boys." We're not talking a couple of snorts here either, we're talking major chainsaw mode.

Other than that, we went to the drive-in and saw "A Knight's Tale", cute movie... Heath Ledger... mmmm, wouldn't kick him outta bed for eatin crackers. The second movie was "Driven" about drag racing. It sucked royal. The acting sucked (though I did think Stallone was pretty good). The plot development sucked. Some of the effects were cool. I fell asleep and missed the end, but didn't care.

I also got my Mother-in-law addicted to the Mah-jongg game on Nabiscoworld.com. Talk about effective marketing. After playing for a while, then watching my m.i.l. play for a while, I had the overwhelming urge to eat Oreos. My m.i.l. had faux oreos but they didn't cut it. Faux oreos are to oreos as WPOP is to Coke. They don't taste anything alike and the cheap versions taste like crap. Some things are just worth the extra cost. So after eating 4 faux oreos and not feeling the least bit satiated, I ran to the store and bought a bag of REAL oreos. Yep, that $2.99 was worth every penny!

Flamingos on Parade

As you may or may not know, our office is doing a "Flamingos on Parade" event, much like the Horses on Parade here in Rochester. The flamingos arrived today, I need inspiration. I thought about making a Kettle Korn Flamingo (Korny Flamingo), but I quickly realized I probably couldn't part with enough Kettle Korn to do it. Either that, or someone would find me at my desk one day gnawing the head off my flamingo in a neurotic frenzy to eat the Kettle Korn off. Yikes.

Cup Cakes and Fruit Pies and Beef Jerky, Oh My

Last night I caught the tail end of the most fab show on the Food Network (where else?), called Snacks Unwrapped. It showed how Hostess Fruit Pies were made, how they put the little curly icing on the Hostess Cup Cakes, and how beef jerky is made (this was not too exciting... nothing sweet or oozy is used). I was in 7th heaven. I've always been fascinated with how stuff is made (in a production factory). I think it began from watching Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. To see FOOD being mass produced is the height of excitement for me, sadly enough. My favorite part was watching the fruit pies go through a wall of glaze. I'm all about walls of glaze. They rock.

I missed the information on Krispy Kreme (home of the world's best wall of glaze), Cheez Doodles and Moon Pies, so I will be sure to tune in and watch it again, from the beginning.

Mmmm, I'm hungry.

"Hello, my name is Tina and I'm a JFKK addict"

Jenny's blog is so good, she has Panties in a Bunch jealous of her lifestyle, talent for writing, friends who actually do stuff with her, etc. etc. Today I added another reason why Panties should wish Jenny was her "real" friend, instead of just a girl she reads about.

I arrived at my desk today to find a large bowl full of Jenny's Faux Kettle Korn. She is the only person who knows how to make it AND understands my neurotic addictions to food. (Hubby knows how to make it but doesn't understand the inner workings of an addictive personality). I hoarded the bowl, determined not to share. This JFKK is some powerful stuff because I am normally very giving and I share to the point where I almost force food on people. I had two small exceptions. I had to let Tony grab a handful after he so rudely asked if he could have some (the nerve!) and I offered Sarah some because, well, mainly because it was sitting right there open and I would've looked like a total shitheel if I didn't offer her some. But I ate all the rest myself, in a span of about a half hour. I felt kind of ill after it was all said and done, but when it comes to JFKK, the nausea and cavities are well worth it. Thanks Jenny!

Disney Debrief

Got back from my trip to Disney at 1am this morning. It was a fun-filled, action-packed trip that was 70% fantastic. Jo, Kenn and I arrived Friday night, checked in, gobbled a quick pizza that Kenn had trekked about a half mile from his hotel to bring us.

Saturday we met up with Greg Lukins (who is on assignment in Orlando for the next month or so) and the four of us went to DisneyQuest in Downtown Disney. It had some pretty cool stuff, especially Cyberspace Mountain, which let you create your own rollercoaster, then ride it in a simulator. Jo and I created a pretty lame one, not even any loops, but it was fun. We ate dinner at Bongo Cafe after Kenn used his spanish and his magnetic personality to cut about an hour off our wait. Go Kenn! The food was fantastic! After dinner, we went to Pleasure Island, which is basically a bunch of nightclubs, and danced for a few hours. It was a blast.

Highlight of Saturday: As we get briefed on the Interactive Pirates of the Carribean ride at DisneyQuest, Jo asks the guy, "How do we steer the boat?" Guy gives her a look and says, "you move the wheel left and right" as he gestures. We all crack up. Poor Jo, her mouth did not cooperate with her brain.

Sunday the four of us went to Epcot. Test Track was great and Honey I Shrunk the Audience was very cool. The fireworks were phenomenal. The rest is a blur.

Highlight of Sunday: The best book comment ever. After Jo convinces Greg and Kenn to buy Cinnamon Glazed nuts because they are so yummy, she has to pass up their offers because she has braces and can't eat crunchy things. In a last attempt to let Jo somehow enjoy the tasty treats, Greg (in all seriousness) says, "do you want to put one in your mouth and suck on it?" Jo innocently replies, "no thanks". Kenn and I look at each other and fall over laughing at the easily perverted connotations of the exchange.

All apologies to those made ill by my last blog and more apologies for leaving it up there in your face for so long. You know who you are =)

Oh Mickey You're so Fine

ANNOUNCER: "Tina, your troup has just won the National Bellydancing Competition, what are you going to do now?"

TINA: "I'm going to Disneyland!"

Ok, so we didn't win (though I'll only attribute that to the fact that I don't think they actually HAVE national competitions) and I'm actually going to Disneyworld, but it's still very exciting. Jo and I and a bunch of the guys are going down to Disney for a project we're on. I feel very lucky considering they're very tight with travel these days and that some of my friends are worried about getting laid off. I wish I had the power to change things, but alas, I am a peon through and through and I have a feeling my job might come in to question in the next year or so too. After all, how many UI Designers does it take to screw with a website? Not many.

Other than the Disney excitement and the fun of Jenny's surprise birthday party, my life has been not too eventful. My dreams are another story...

Dream a Little Dream, Fat Free

Last night I DREAMT that I was 7 months pregnant! I wasn't showing at all and hadn't even told everyone that I was pregnant. I was out buying a "pregnancy bodystocking" and I was rather happy about the fact that I was going to be smaller after I had the baby than before I got pregnant.

I know exactly where this dream originated though, no psychological investigation needed (except for the part about the bodystocking, I don't get that bit of wackiness). I was chatting with Sharon, our manager, on Monday morning and talking about how she is 7 months pregnant, not showing at all, and will be smaller after she has the baby than before she got pregnant. There you have it. Maybe just wishful thinking... about the weight loss part anyway ;-)

Vurp, Churp, Thurp

After bellydancing class tonight, Abby, Jenny, Jo and I were standing around chatting when I had a puke-burp. You know, where you burp but get a little somethin extra with it. It's yucky but it happens to all of us. Especially after eating chicken-italian sausages. The funniest part was, we all had different names for it. Abby called it a THURP (for throw-up burp), Jo called it a VURP (vomit burp), and Jenny had the grossest version, a CHURP (chunk burp). Well, you learn something new everyday!

In that vein, I thought I'd do some internet research on burps. I hit gold immediately. What could be more informative than a site called http://www.burpsandfarts.com?? It has wav files of various burps... lovely.

My second find was a site that had links to burp related pages. Seemed quite appropriate, BUT THEN... I realized that quite a few of the links were to very explicit sounding porn sites that got listed for referencing, among other things, "sperm burping"... gross!! And quite different from "chicken-italian-sausage burping". I honestly think you could do a search for ANY term at all and find links to porn. As a matter of fact, I think that would make a good research project or a good article for suck.com. Just type in the most innocent words you can think of and see how many porn sites you get... "cute"... "cuddly"... "whiskers on kittens"... and the list goes on and on...

It just reinforces what those of us in the web industry all know. The internet is all about porn.

Yesterday was my Aunt's Birthday and my Mom was having a birthday party for her. As the day ended, I realized, uuughhh, no present, I had forgotten. Ran to Target and got her a couple really cute shirts, since her wardrobe is rather lacking (pardon the snooty-fashion-police side of myself).

I have to stop going to my Mom's because I pig out like the end of the earth is coming. I had 4 1/2 pieces of pepperoni pizza, ice cream and cake. Thank GOD Gram didn't buy Italian bread, I'd have been in serious trouble.

I took a polaroid of my Grandma with her 4 kids (mom with my aunt and uncles). Gram looked at the picture and said, "I look like I have Popeye's arm." We looked, expecting her to be exaggerating... but nope, there it was, one gigantic looking forearm. I said that we should draw an anchor on it. We cracked up. I'll scan the picture tomorrow and let you judge for yourself.

Well, off to bellydancing class. I'm going to have to take it easy with the "typewriter" move, made my back hurt a little last week.

Update

I am so incredibly behind with blogging. Ugh, forgive me. Here's some stuff I blogged on my Visor while in a horrific meeting on Thursday 5/3:

Had a cookout on sunday, it was very fun, especially when my sister Sherri taught some cha cha. After about 3 of Kenn's yummy margaritas, I got brave enough to do my bellydance. Jenny didn't appear to have the courage at first but quickly popped up and did it with me (and she was totally sober). She may play the 'shy and quiet' girl, but don't let that fool you, she wants the spotlight in a big way.

Tuesday I taught basic UI Design to Tony's class. He's teaching Introduction to Interactive Multimedia (undergrad) at RIT. It was very laid back and fun and only one kid fell asleep - most seemed pretty interested.

Wednesday I went to Mom's for a quick dinner. She told us how she'd called home from work and left a sexy message on the answering machine for my step Dad, but she had to whisper, so when he played the message back, it sounded like a lizard with a lisp making an indecipherable crank call.

Today I am in our quarterly meeting listening to a bunch of irrelevant boring crap. Torture I tell you. Why the f* do I need to hear details about Dynamo 5? At least we got to go to Dibellas for lunch... best subs ever.

When I get subs, I only get meat, cheese, and mayo or mustard - and for some reaon, the person making the sub always reacts with disbelief, asking, 'no lettuce? No tomato? Just mayo?' I always respond, 'right, none of that healthy crap!' Am I the only person on the planet who doesn't like that stuff on my sub? I didn't realize I was so unique!

Randomness

Started my day by getting stuck behind a giant truck that said "Lubrication Specialists"... and that's all I have to say about that.

Plea for Help

Talk It Up! - a new application on kodak.com (where I work in case ANY strangers read my blog, though that's VERY unlikely) that I worked on, just went live. It lets you add speech balloons to your pictures. Here's one of my cat Punky:



So please help me (and my Kodak friends) get a bigger bonus... I need the money for an organ transplant (I'd like to transplant the organ of my body from Rochester to California for a short period of time). Please join kodak.com, try Talk It Up!, and it would also be a big help if you would click on the Birdcam, then click on the ALL VIEWS link and just leave that up on your screen (or move it off screen if you really don't want to see it). =)

Starving

The other day at lunch, Jenny pointed at my yogurt and granola and said (in a very accusing but concerned tone), "Is that all you're going to eat for lunch?! Do you know that if you don't get enough calories, it's very bad for you... " etc. etc. etc. I said, "don't you worry about me, I'm going to have dinner at my Mom's tonight and I'm sure I will eat enough calories for 2 days." Sure enough, got to Mom's and had the following:

- 3 pieces of italian bread w/butter (would've eaten more but it had sesame seeds on the crust)
- tuna noodle casserole
- a piece of cube steak
- a tall, cool glass of Coca-cola
- a frosted jelly donut
- a few of grandma's cookies

Yep, I'd say at least 2K, and that doesn't include the hand full of Whoppers I ate 5 minutes after I got back from lunch with yogurt remnants still on my tongue.

Nope, I don't think anyone will ever have to worry that I'm not getting enough calories!

Adding to Guster

Oh, as I get time, I will add to my Day of Guster.

Day of Caring

Did the United Way Day of Caring (a.k.a. Day of Busting A**) yesterday with Abby, Jenny, Sarah, Matt, Ken and others. We did mostly hauling trash and raking up leaves and trash. Basically did more work in one day that I did all year on my own house. It was actually very fun (thanks to the great teamwork) and very fulfilling. The house we helped clean is that much closer to being a counseling center and the area around the church looks great.

I took a long, hot shower when I got home and washed and shampood twice. Last night I had a dream that my overalls were covered with crustacean-like bugs (wasn't it bad enough I was wearing overalls?!!). I had to scrape them off with a spatula like thing, Eeewwwwweeeeee. Let it be noted, however, that in my dream I did not freak out and start tearing off my clothes, like I would have done if my clothes were, in reality, covered with bugs.

Back to not caring...

Seventh Heaven

I'm still floating on air from yesterday's fun-filled activities. I woke up and almost immediately won the opportunity to go to WBER to have meet and have lunch with Guster - my favorite band. Holy crap, could this day get ANY better? So I grab Abby, we ditch the First Annual Kodak.com Chili Cookoff, I leave my crock pot of chili in Jenny's hands, and we head to wber. We meet the band, I give them brownies and Grandma's homemade pizzelles in an attempt to suckup and maybe, just maybe, have them remember me if, for nothing else, my ability to bake a mean batch of Betty Crocker brownies. Joey called me a psycho fan and made Adam very weary of eating my brownies... but he finally gave in and munched one and gave me the thumbs-up.

Basically we (the fans) spent most of the time standing or sitting around, eating pizza, listening to Guster give their interview. Two and a half hours later, the interview finally ended and Guster came and spent about 20 minutes with us. Ryan drew me a picture of my Grandma making cookies... very cool, even though he didn't get the shoes quite right. They were all so nice and personable. I showed Brian the mc3 and the 4800 because, after reading in his road diary that their digital camera is old and decrepid, I thought I'd try to get Kodak to donate one to the cause. It's not quite worked out yet because of course Kodak wants some sort of link or something, but I took the opportunity to show off the cameras - and especially the opportunity to get my picture taken with them =) Here are some pics:


Me and Brian... as it was being taken Brian said, "best friends" (sure, he says that during every fan photo).


Ryan drawing the picture of my Grandma


Adam using the mc3 to take a video. Download the video.

MMMMMMM

I overheard Jo order her wedding cake and I am drooling. This is what I heard, "blah blah blah white chocolate mousse filling blah blah blah rasperry cream filling blah blah blah ganche, blah blah blah french vanilla buttercream frosting"... that sent me over the edge. MMmmmmmmmm.

When she hung up I found out that she was calling to set up a cake tasting. How's this for a racket... you call up bakeries and tell them that you're considering buying your wedding cake from them and want to taste the goods before you commit! Aha, I'm genius!! One small problem... Chuck would never go for doing this with me for two reasons... 1) he's on a diet and 2) he's too damn moral. So I'm putting out a personal ad... "MWF seeks man for cake tasting relationship. No physical relationship, only cake." Then again, Jenny is such a dessert fanatic, perhaps we could pose as a "modern couple" and do some cake tasting =).

Finally Furniture

On Sunday the 8th we finally trekked up to Ikea in Canada and bought an entertainment center. A week later, on Saturday, we finally got it assembled (or should I say Chuck finally did). Tuesday I finally took a picture. Today I finally downloaded the picture and sized it... so here's a picture, finally. If you want more details about the other little odds and ends, you can look at furnitureExplained.jpg.



(wow, Blogger is like lightning tonight!)

Sadness

I found out this week that my girlfriend Noel's Dad dropped dead on Friday. He literally was fine one minute, playing golf with his son and son-in-law... on the 13th hole (irony?)... and the next suddenly fell over dead. He was only 53. Noel said he had come home from work early on Thursday and played with her kids all day. At least her last memories of him will be happy ones, not a consolation at this point though.

She called me for support, knowing that I had lost my Dad and, in some way, looking for answers about how she should feel. I wanted to tell her that it gets easier, but I don't think I totally believe that. In some ways it's easier, 10 years later... in some it's more difficult. I, of course, didn't really have answers for her because everyone deals with grief in their own way, but I think she was relieved to have someone who could relate on some level.

Easter Weekend

I had a v.g. Easter weekend, hubby got the new entertainment center put together, looks fab. My nephew Nick helped, he also brought his PlayStation 2 over and Chuck and Nick were playing the PS2 NBA Basketball game. Chuck opted to be the Utah Jazz, his fave team, and we were commenting on how much the PS2 players looked like the real thing... then out came John Stockton. Chuck was visibly upset and in all seriousness said, "that's doesn't look like John Stockton. It looks like someone who's been badly burned and reconstructed!" Nick and I about fell over laughing!

The real John Stockton:
I'm still trying to find a pic of his PS2 badly-burned-and-reconstructed-alter-ego.

(oh, we also watched Almost Famous on DVD through the PS2 game... v.cool)


Made Easter dinner for 10 people, quite a feat! I even made a Pumpkin Layer Cheesecake (which I got raves for) and decorated Sugar Cookies (which looked adorable... bunnies, lambs, tulips...) at the insistence of my Little Gram. She makes me cookies EVERY week, so how could I refuse her?


Speaking of my Little Gram, I think I've mentioned before that she has very funny shoes for her very deformed feet. We call her Gepetto and she does a little dance for us. She had to have her shoes specially made. I'm pretty sure they are wider than they are long. You really have to see them in action to get the full impact, but here's a picture of my Little Gram's funky shoes:



Baaa haaaaa haaaaa (sorry Grammy).

Ikea Envy

Jenny said she is having Ikea envy because I got to go on a shopping spree there. She wants to come over and help assemble and arrange. I say, "What time is good for you? I will clear my schedule!" Two days have gone by and we've only yet assembled the end tables, which consisted of screwing four legs into a top, no tools needed. The other stuff is a different story. I think Saturday will be The Day of Assemblage. Unfortunately Jenny will be in Pennsylvania, derrr.

Digital Rochester

Abby and I went to Tonic tonight for Digital Rochester. While I enjoyed the free pizza (4 pieces!), Abby was scoping for hot guys, which was about as successful as looking for Britany Spears at a convent. Andy was also there, checkin out the ladies. Again, other than the hoochie with her gigantic breasts boosted up to put her cleavage in everyone's face, there wasn't much to look at. The moral of the story: don't scope for hotties at a computer geek event. Thursday looks to be much more promising for them, we're going out after work.

Naked States

Jenny had a word for wierd coincidences, can't remember what it is, but one happened to me yesterday. Joel sends out this picture that looks like rolling sand... look closer... it's many many naked people. Supposedly from a Phish concert but I think it might actually be the one from Woodstock (that an 18 year old boy invited me to go to... how sweet). Last night, I'm flipping the channels and come across the documentary, Naked States: America Undercover. It's all about this photographer Spencer Tunick who travelled across the country taking pictures with naked people in them in each state. I actually see them taking the exact Phish/Woodstock picture that Joel sent not 12 hours earlier! Amazing!

Waterworld

I'm really trying to be good about drinking enough water - hoping it will magically make the dimples on my thighs go away. No miracles so far, but I do have to pee every 20 minutes or so. So I'm going to start blogging each pee with a simple "p".

p

Had a v.g. weekend. Saw "Bridget Jones Diary". Very funny. Colin Firth is a doll. Went with hubby, Abby, Jenny, Aaron, and Matt. Jenny tried to yell at the screen. I bet she thinks they have microphones that feed directly back to a crack team of digital editing experts who will change the outcome based on audience reaction... They MUST do that, right?

Sunday went to IKEA, the shopping version of Nirvana. Got many things which will hopefully be assembled and up before the Christmas. Spent FOUR hours there! Could have spent more. Had swedish meatballs. Drove back in 80 degree weather... a fabulous day... UNTIL... revenge of the swedish meatballs ~10pm. Boking felt imminent for over an hour, then subsided, thanks to Tums. Reminder to self: though they taste good going down, DO NOT EAT the swedish meatballs next time!

Here's what we got (pics to come later):
- a Bonde entertainment center in Birch
- two birch end tables
- two night-stand-dressers in Beech (we're going back to get the matching wardrobe sometime soon)
- a funky floor lamp with a paper shade
- a cool cd holder to be mounted on the wall that looks like a checkmark
- various organizational aids (baskets, boxes, etc.)
- two aluminum planters (but could be used to hold magazines and such)
- two chrome things to mount on the wall that you hang hooks off of - then hang stuff on the hooks + hooks
- towels for hubby's golf-club-making hobby
- wicker coasters
- 3 2-packs of colored frames, 1 red, 1 blue, 1 green
- 2 sets of art cards to go in said colored frames
- 1 pack of 4x6 clip frames (ie, glass held together with four little metal clips)
- 1 pack of 5x7 clip frames (same as above)

I know the new stuff will help me to become an organized person, thus a neat person, thus a happy person, thus a NYS Lotto Jackpot winning person.

Yikes, just found this site, www.respectthepussy.com - "it's not what you think"...

I'm not sure if I'm disgusted or amused. At least the pictures are really cute.
ok, must sleep now...

OK, we DID get a TV with Picture in Picture (which I wanted so I could see both Survivor and Friends - though hubby thinks it's to be used as Golf in Picture so he can watch golf every possible waking moment of his life), but alas, can't figure out how to make it work with digital cable. This is ridiculous. When the heck is all this crap gonna go wireless and figure itself out? If we can put a man on the moon, can't we make electronics easy to use? I want to exercise my brain with more important and/or interesting things, like rating mullets.

I went to pick up my dry cleaning yesterday. I had four pair of pants, two sweaters and a skirt, all in shades of either gray or black. I don't experiement with color too often, I like the classic neutral tones, "safe style". So imagine my shock and horror when the clerk guy grabs a gaggle of hangers holding what I can only explain as a bunch of sweaters that were probably even considered hideous back in 1977 when they were IN style. Heavy knits with bright colors (one had that lovely turquoise, orange, yellow and pink combination thing going). I could only mutter with great disgust, "uh, those are the WRONG sweaters." The clerk guy says something to the effect of "are you sure" - as if he could totally picture me in one of these alert-the-fashion-police-we-have-a-live-one-here garments. Ugh, the indignity of it all.

Uh Oh

Uh oh, it's quarter after midnight and I'm not tired. Wound up from watching Sopranos and Queer as Folk. Damn daylight savings... am going to be all poofy-eyed and icky looking tomorrow.

Spent all weekend watching our new tv - 32 inches of pure entertainment heaven. (Hello, my name is Tina and I'm a tv addict). Almost got the 36" but when it didn't fit in the truck, thought it might be too big in the house. It throws you off when you're at the store looking at them in the context of 40' ceilings and vast expanses of aisles. They get you to think, "oh yeah, the Sopranos will look mighty fine on that 63" tv" and you get it home and you're so close it sends you into epileptic seizures.

Also seemed to be a weekend of Julia Roberts movies. As I was flicking around yesterday, saw that Stepmom was on. Hadn't seen it, got sucked in, cried so hard I had to rinse off my contacts. Then, finally, rented Erin Brockovich. Must admit, I didn't really want to see it until I realized she swore like a trucker in it. Must be the Italian in me. It was good, more tears though. Then Notting Hill was on today. Julia's forhead veins were really flaring in that one.

Well, I'm going to go douse my pillow with my Origins Sweet Dreams spray that's supposed to help me sleep. It smells EXACTLY like Fruit Loops - yum - I'm surprised I don't dream that I'm swimming in a vat of Fruit Loops. Hey, wait, do they spell it like that or are they Froot Loops? Well, either way, must sleep now.

Rant

I'm pissy today, which doesn't happen too often. I'm one of those chronically-sunshiny-happy-everythings-coming-up-roses type people on the outside (though not always on the inside), hopefully not to the point of annoying, but just to the point where people can rely on me to be the one smiling. Today I feel like the dont-come-near-me-or-i'll-rip-your-face-off type people. So I need to rant. Here are things that
tick me off:

- when someone stops the microwave before it finishes and doesn't hit clear - so it's continually flashing in *pause* mode
- when someone tailgates me even though I'm already speeding
- when the bank in the building I work in (that I frequent monthly) gets robbed
- when the lot I park in has more and more vagrants showing up bugging people for money (if one approaches me today, they might endure the wrath of a women gone mad!)
- when I realize just how UNDERPAID I am compared to the MEN in my group who do the same damn thing (but are much more annoying to work with than me)
- when I realize that I didn't follow my dream of working with dolphins (not that it's too late, but that's another issue)
- when it's almost April and it's still &*%$%@@ frozen outside
- when my clothes are too tight and I feel like a cow
- when my husband is almost skinnier than me and has no problem passing up a Krispy Kreme
- when I realize the emphasis on and promotion of unattainable beauty standards in this country, then feel like an even bigger cow
- when I realize I feel like a cow even though alot of women would probably love to have my shape (though I'm sure they'd pass on the dimples - and I'm not talkin ones on my face!)
- when I realize that I will never be rich enough to buy whatever I want or go wherever I want, whenever I want (ie, hop on a plane to visit friends or hop on a plane to be with my brother as he endures back surgery or hop on a plane to Australia to try to find the set of Survivor, etc.)
- when I find myself being really shallow and wining about wanting to be rich, especially knowing alot of people would probably love to have the income I do (like the vagrants waiting for me in the parking lot)
- when my house is a mess and I can't blame anyone but myself
- when I'm craving italian bread toasted and I ate it all yesterday

OK, I'm sure I can think of more, but that's enough for now. I have to head out to my car and hope I don't get mugged in the parking lot, then go spend money I feel guilty about spending, then try to clean up my messy house.

I hope tomorrow is better!

Ramblings

I REALLY have to start keeping up, my weekly rants must be painfully boring. Quick and dirty:

- final bellydancing class last week, new one starts tomorrow night, we recruited Abby - woohoo! Our instructor asked if we'd want to perform as a group - YIKES!

- went and saw Dolphins at the Planetarium. Haven't been to the Planetarium since I was 8, not even for the midnight laser light rock show - shame on me. Then hung at The Spot with Chuck, Matt, Jenny and Aaron. I am still amazed that BOTH Aaron AND Jenny have almost killed an elderly person by standing on the tube to their oxygen tank. It's destiny I tell you! They're meant to be together.

- went to Jenny's Oscar party and proceeded to eat like I'd been stranded on a desert island for days, I tell you, days. It was all so damn yummy! I told Jenny she should go into business making "Jenny Crack Corn". My brother ALMOST got me into the Instyle Oscar Party through a connected friend of his in LA, alas, not to be. In actuality, I was quite relieved, I would have felt like the poor but chubby little match girl next to all the hollywood hotshots. Though with J-Lo walking around all nipples, I don't think anyone else got any notice anyway. Oooh, I also won at Jenny's party for most winners-that-I-don't-necessarily-think-will-win-but-I-want-them-to-win that actually won. I got 52 Terrific and Forgotten Movies, I've only seen the cheesy ones so far. Jenny wrapped it with a bow made out of a negative film strip - her creativity is astounding, I'm in awe.

- dreamt that my teeth were falling out at work and that I almost passed out in the bathroom after looking at my teeth. Not sure what that means but it doesn't sound good. I also dreamt that my Stepmom had shampoo and conditioner dispensers in her shower that must have been big enough to hold 3 gallons each. Not sure where that one came from, odd...

Other than all that, I'm FREEZING and if it doesn't warm up soon, I'm going to curl up and die.

Bahama Breeze

While in Orlando, I went to a pretty awesome restaurant called Bahama Breeze. It was like a cross between Empire Brewery, Jamba Juice, and a fancy T.G.I.F. Caribbean food (obviously). They had a huge deck, great drinks (I had an a href="http://www.bahamabreeze.com/drinks.html "> Ultimate Pina Colada ... yummiest drink I ever had!), great food, and a great atmosphere. When they told us they were opening one in Rochester, I nearly fell off my chair. Why would someone open a tropical themed restaurant who's appeal is a big outdoor deck in Rochester where it's frozen more than half the year? Then again, Rochester is a pretty big restaurant town and Krispy Kreme certainly showed that Rochestarians will drop some serious dough for doughnuts. So it's logical that the market can support it. So I thought... if it's really true, it MUST be getting built in Henrietta. Sure enough, as Chuck and I turned from Hylan on to Jefferson, there it was. A mostly built building that had the distinct shape like the one in Orlando and a large deck. Woo hoo!! Now if only someone will have faith that Rochester could support at least a couple Jamba Juices...

So back to B.B.... the best part about it, I can tell you, will be the drinks. They have a drink called a Bahamarita that looks like a gigantic slushie. I wanted to try one, but didn't want to be a lushie =) I WILL be there for the grand opening and WILL be sampling a Bahamarita or two. Anyone care to join me?

Other Stuff

Adjusting from 80 degree weather to a damn blizzard, other than that, not much going on. Finished reading Bridget Jones Diary. Pictured Renee Zellweger throughout, as she'll be Bridget in the movie. I think she'll be perfect for the part. Am going to try to model blog writing style after it. Short but sweet, except when necessary.

Dinner with the family yesterday. Eleven loud Italians (well, 9 loud Italians and 2 married-in white boys), delicious food. Actually enjoyed family's company. Shocking! Ate like a pig. Note: found new extremely fattening food to crave: Italian Nachos at Macaroni Grill. YUM.

Vacation Wrapup

Blog catch up (I really have to stop letting so much time go by). Finished vacation. Discovery Cove was pretty cool, though with some disappointments. The first clue was that just as we got to the front of the line to 'sign in' and get passes made, their computers went down. (The happy part is that I got to pet the cutest little Two-toed Sloth you ever did see.) We waited over a half hour... as I nearly burst into tears at the thought of my dream being delayed. Finally got in, not much time before I had to report for my "Dolphin Interaction". They have three dolphin lagoons, each with between four and six dolphins. We separated into 'pods' of about 8 people each and went into one of the lagoons (they alternate lagoons to give the dolphins a break... nice). Each pod had two trainers, a photographer, and a dolphin assigned to us. I'll be honest, at some level I expected this to be a life changing experience... I thought.. when I get in there, those dolphins will just KNOW I've been waiting my whole life for this and will shower me with attention and love. Alas, proof I am delusional ensued.

Our assigned dolphin was named Goofy (second clue), she was a 37 year old Sea World retiree. As we got into the chilly water and lined up, Goofy disappeared. I looked at the other pods and they were all petting and playing with their dolphin, laughing and having the time of their lives. Goofy was still MIA. Held back tears. Goofy finally came back. All the actual interaction seemed to be centered around photo opportunities (for a mere $100, you can get 5 5x7's, two keychains and a snowglobe... woohoo). Got to kiss Goofy (click, click) then scratched her chin which she really seamed to like. Hurrah, connection with dolphin... then, Goofy is MIA again. Held back tears. One by one our pod people went out to the center of the pool, posed with Goofy (click, click), then got "brought" back to the line by Goofy. My turn, ooh, ooh. I get to put my feet against Goofy's pectoral fins as she pushes me back to shore. Whoopeee, moving fast, this is fun... smile for the camera (click, click). Kind of strange having a giant dolphin between your legs, I hope I don't slip... but hey, THIS is the kind of stuff I paid an extra $110 bucks for!!

Couple more minutes. Get to touch her flukes. Look at her underwater. She likes me, she really likes me... the delusion is back! Damn, it's almost over (after a mere 20 minutes). Goofy does her last trick of jumping up out of the water and spinning... she does this three times in a row... not bad for an old broad.

It's over, we have to leave the lagoon. So sad, want to cry. Really want to get a job as a dolphin trainer. Believe it or not, I'm semi-qualified. The psychology degree and the experience at the zoo as a docent. I'm so in there. I'm going to their HR dept today. Later that day... HR is closed, but I'll get on the web when I get home. Must work with dolphins, they'd be almost as fun as the wacky crew I work with now. Got on the web, no jobs available. Lifelong dream will not be fulfilled any time soon. Hold back tears.

All in all, with the delay, the MIA dolphin, and the rain (oh yeah, it poured!), it was a great experience and I would do it again and again.

Friday

Apparently today was crappy movie day. I watched Girl Interrupted on video... good but rather depressing. Then we went to the movies. I've been waiting to see The Mexican, have had to wait because everyone (me, hubby, and inlaws) wants to see it. So I thought today would be our chance but instead, Mother inlaw insisted on going to see 15 Minutes (either to beat the after 4 price increase from $3.75 to $5.50 or to get to dinner sooner, not sure). Yet another disturbing, stress inducing movie. Then we gathered back at home and watched Meet the Parents because I needed a dose of humor BAD. This movie did not provide the dose I needed, so now I'm jonesing for giggles. I'll go read everyone's blogs and hope that helps.

Thursday

Not much again today. The hubby went golfing. The highlight of my day? Going to Thursday Night at the Square. No, no, it wasn't watching the 80 year olds do the Boot Scootin Boogie to the live country music (help me I'm in hell)... As soon as we got there, I smelled something. I recognized that smell, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. Could it be? I'll have to wait until we turn the corner. Oh... YES, YES, YES - it's a Kettle Korn booth!!!! But wait, is it crappy Kettle Korn like we found in Utah that doesn't have enough sugar to make a dent? Am I in for great disappointment? I better sample it first... Mmmmmmm, perfect, I'm in heaven. The country music stops playing and, in my head, I hear the chords of Guster ring out in my head and all is right with the world... for a while.

Wednesday

Today I went to see The Wedding Planner by myself while hubby was golfing. It was either that or See Spot Run. Have to wait for Chuck to go see The Mexican , he wants to see it too. The Wedding Planner was a typical unrealistic, predictable love story, but Matthew McConaughey made it more than bearable.

I also almost got ran over by the blue-hair cart guy at Publix. He had collected about four carts and proceeded to almost plow me over with the ton of steel he was pushing - definitely would have put me in the hospital... "What happened to you Tina?" "I got run over by grocery carts." Not a very compelling story, I'd have to make something else up... "I was in the water at the beach when I saw this fin. I thought it was a dolphin so I got closer. Aaaahh, it was a Great White shark coming right at me. He swam by me, then whipped away and as he turned, his tail plowed into me like a ton of steel. I was badly hurt and could barely tread water. He turned around and was coming back for me, I saw many, many teeth and thought I was going to be lunch when suddenly, out of no where, a dolphin charged up and rammed into the shark and scared him away. The dolphin came back, let me grab his fin and towed me to the beach. Then a young studly EMT gave me mouth to mouth, lifted me in his arms and put me into the ambulance and that's how I ended up in the hospital." Yep, that sounds a bit better.

So the old cart guy didn't even look at me, didn't even SEE me. Maybe I'm invisible and I didn't know it.

The "Vacation" Starts

Left for Florida a day early to beat the storm that was supposed to hit Rochester on Tuesday. Jetblue was a pretty impressive airline. Nice cushy leather seats, my own personal cable tv, Terra chips... nice. I couldn've done without the crew that seemed to be rejects from Open Mic Comedy Night, but it was still better than a bunch of holier-than-thou-five-pounds-of-makeup-nice-because-I-have-to-be people you usually get.

Haven't done much yet, though, in the strangest irony ever, I joined the fitness center for the week. At home I can't get off my butt to do anything remotely resembling exercise and now that I'm on vacation and I'm not supposed to get off my butt, I'm actually working out. My Father-in-law paid for the membership so, you know what that means, I HAVE to go. It's just not right.

For those of you who don't know, I'm in Florida at my inlaws who live in a retirement community. It's quite a culture change. In NY you have to be aware of your surroundings so you don't get mugged. In Florida you have to be aware of your surroundings so you don't get mowed down by an 80 year old blue hair who's in a big ass hurry to get the EXACT parking spot you're walking in front of.

I didn't even change out of my pajamas today. I wasn't a slug, I cleaned for a few hours and did a ton of laundry, but I did it all in my pj's.

At about 5pm, I became a slug... I plopped my butt down and started to watch TV. I watched High Fidelity (finally, thoroughly enjoyed it, Jack Black rocks). Cried to the end of "While You Were Sleeping", Bill Pullman looks pathetically cute in that movie. Snuck in some "Fashion Review of the Grammys". Joan Rivers is so damn annoying, but it's worth suffering through her monologues to hear her rip on celebrities. I might have to do to her what I used to do to Bob Sagat when I watched America's Funniest Home Videos: MUTE... At 10pm I had a dilemma. The second half of the season premier of the Sopranos was on at the same time as the new episode of Queer as Folk. Since I couldn't wait even another minute to see QAF, I taped the Sopranos and watched QAF.

I was having an oreo craving after seeing Sandra Bullock munching on them, so Chuck stopped by the store while on his walk and got me a bag of mini-oreos (it was all they had). I used the cheating chopsticks Jenny got me to dip my tiny little oreos in milk, they worked perfectly! Mmmmm...

I had to listen to the Nelly Furtado CD against my will. Chuck got it last night at Target, I think he bought it just to annoy me and it's working. I hate that damn bird song, she should adjust the words: "I eat like a bird, a strong breeze will make me fly away..."

Totally Contrived Island

I watched the final episode of Temptation Island the other night. Here's my brief summary:

Girl 1 when interviewed alone: I made a real connection with this other guy and hope to see him again. [oh yeah, she's gonna dump him]

Guy 1 when interviewed alone: I made a real connection with this other girl and hope to see her again. [oh yeah, he's gonna dump her]

[They come together, both have very serious grim looks on their faces.]

Guy 1 when together: I had a great time cheating on you and made a real emotional connection with someone else, but it just made me realize how much I love you. [totally contrived speech with plot twist]

Girl 1 when together: When I saw you in that hammock, I went crazy so I proceeded to make a real emotional connection with someone else but it only made my feelings for you stronger. [totally contrived speech with plot twist]

Kiss, kiss, hug, hug, cry, cry... Will you marry me? ... happy ending.

Girl 2 and Guy 2

Same as Girl and Guy 1 except more like this, "when I saw you stripping, I went crazy so I proceeded to got intimate with someone else but it only made my feelings for you stronger. "

Kiss, kiss, hug, hug, cry, cry... happy ending

Guy and Girl 3

Girl 3 when interviewed alone: I don't care what he did, I only hope that he has regrets. I'll just die if he dumps me. [very sad eyes]

Guy 3 when interviewed alone: I don't regret anything. Gettin' with those girls were two of the best days of my life. [oh no, he's going to dump her and she will be devastated!]

[They come together, both have very serious grim looks on their faces.]

Girl 3 when together: [reading from cheat sheet] I held back and resisted temptation because I love you so much. [VERY sad eyes]

Guy 3 when together: I had a great time cheating on you and made a real emotional connection with someone else, but it just made me realize how much I love you. [whoa, yet ANOTHER plot twist!]

Kiss, kiss, hug, hug, cry, cry... happy ending

I'll Have the Soup and a Dose of Reality

I think I worry myself and my friends with how easily I can go off and make up these delusional stories of interactions with celebrities. Some accuse me of stalking, but I don't really focus my attentions on any one celebrity, so it's definitely not stalking. (I use Ben as an example alot just for consistency). What does all this mean? What happened in my childhood to cause me to become obsessed with spotting celebrities? All questions for my therapist.

I do, however, feel compelled to do one future journal entry that has a bit more of a basis in reality, so here goes (still assuming that my brother has become a famous actor and Chuck and I have moved to LA to ride his coattails) :

July 22nd, 2004
At playgroup with the other parents again. I swear, Calista's little kid is such a bully - her nanny lets him get away with everything. Luckily, my kid is pretty tough for a 2 year old and doesn't take any shit. He's such a smarty, it's so funny to see him use reverse psychology on the other kids! Russell was actually at playgroup today, a pleasant surprise, he hadn't been there in weeks. He went on and on about how he and Meg share the responsibilities and how he wants to be an involved father. He even did the "gladiator fight" (AGAIN) for the older kids - they always ask for that. He wanted me to be his sparring partner this time but I chickened out, I still have problems with the "everyone is watching" situations.

Daniela’s Busted

Daniela wrote in her blog that she rented the movie An Affair of Love (Une Liaison d’Amour) and was "surprised" because she thought it was going to be mostly about sex. The thing she fails to point out is exactly that, she thought it was going to be mostly about sex. Ha!! Busted! =)

Mardi Gras

Saturday night Chuck and I went to Matt’s Mardi Gras party. It was fun. Jenny sums it up pretty well on her blog. I have to get that Samba De Amigo game – it was great excersise! It costs as much as a one year gym membership too, whew!

I got a good number of beads too, but no flashing, I did tell fortunes though. One girl’s fortune made it pretty clear that she’d be "taking care of her own business", if you know what I mean. I sounded like Dr. Ruth, "it’s a very normal thing"… hee hee.

Starring… Eddie A

Thursday I had to watch CSI again because my brother Eddie, the aspiring actor, got a part as an extra, playing a waiter. I painstakingly focussed on the TV… Was that his arm? Is that him in the brown vest? Ugh… a commercial… flick to Will & Grace… flick back… Oh My God, I think I missed 10 seconds worth – did I miss him? This went on for an hour and I didn’t see hide nor hair of Mr. Eddie Agoo (though he’ll always be Eddie Spaghetti to me). Turns out they showed the back of his head in the first 30 seconds of the show and I missed it completely. So the back of his head has now appeared in "America’s Most Wanted" and "CSI". I think Eddie is going to be the first professional "back of head" model. Directors and producers will see his work and go, "yeah, we want the back of that guys head, it’s perfect for our movie". Hey, as long as he gets bank, who cares? Seriously, I have all the faith in the world that my big brother will make it big and then guess what… yep, Tina gets to ride the coat tails and mingle daily with celebs.

In the distant future… an excerpt from my journal:

Wednesday, June 4th, 2003
Met Ben for coffee today, he had borrowed my digital camera and wanted to return it and buy me a latte. He showed me all the pictures of he and Matt and Gwyneth, said they missed me at the beach house. Ben’s so funny. I never thought I’d meet someone as wierd about food as me, but there he was, demanding that the Starbuck’s clerk pick all the nuts out of his Banana Nut muffin. I told him to just get the Lemon Poppyseed muffin but he wanted to give the girl a thrill. She would have been miffed at anyone else for the mere suggestion that she do something so demeaning, but for Ben she acted like he had asked her to marry him, she was so damn excited. I just sipped my latte and quietly ate my chocolate chip cookie.

Bellybutton Issues

At lunch today, somehow the topic of bellybuttons came up. The mere mention of a bellybutton (the word in general), makes me have to pee - it actually causes a physical reaction. Touching it is 10 times worse, I feel it directly, well, um... down there. Jenny was quite amused by this revelation and proceeded to mention the word "bellybutton" many times over, seemingly enjoying the horror she was evoking in me. She thought it was psychological, relating to me the story that her Mom told her - 'don't play with your bellybutton, it will put air in your stomach and make you sick'. Nope, the psychological implications of bellybutton issues is a whole other can of worms. Mine's just strictly physical.

I've met a couple other people who claim the same. So my questions now are: do some people have a direct link from their bellybutton to their urethra? How common is this phenomenon? Is it all psychosematic? Am I a freak? Time to do some research...

So now YOU probably have a question: How do I clean my bellybutton? Aaaarrrggghhh, the mere thought of it... must go pee... I'm afraid if I looked in my bellybutton I'd find a family of dust bunnies hanging out, enjoying some tea. That's all I can say on the subject, I have to run to the ladies room now.

QAF

Though I was still sick this weekend, I seemed to do a lot. Friday night was a bust, zonked out on the couch by 10:30, didn't make it to the Bug Jar for Tony's rave, bummer, heard it was great.

Saturday finally had Thai food at The King and I. Quite yummy. Will be going back. Took my little brother to lunch there, he turned 21 on Saturday. Seems like just yesterday I was keeping him from peeing on himself and plucking freckles off of his face. He was one of the cutest little kids ever - curly red hair, freckles, a sweet innocence about him. Now he has an evil clown tattooed on his back (he's a huge ICP fan), tattoos on his arms, a pierced tongue and pierced nipples - how's that for a change! The weirdest part about it though is that he dresses normal and works as a salesman at a carpet store. I guess he's a closet freak, either that or he's already grown out of it. He didn't go out Friday night because he said he had to work at 10am. I said, "you're only 21 - you should be out until 9am, go home, shower, and stumble into work at 10am!" I'm such a good influence, aren't I?

So Saturday night I popped in a tape my Mom let me borrow - it had four episodes of a new series on Showtime called "Queer as Folk". My sister and my Mom had been raving about how great it was, but I didn't have Showtime and wasn't about to fork over more money to the cable company. My cable bill is already more expensive than a car payment!. It's like Sex in the City only with gay and lesbians. I was up until 3:30am watching one after another - I couldn't get enough. Sunday night I gave in and signed up for Showtime so I could watch Queer as Folk. I actually got a good deal, 8 more channels for $6. I should just quit my job and watch TV all day. Of course then I couldn’t afford my cable bill. Oh well.

Sadness

This post is really from April, 2001, after finding out that Noel's Dad had died, but I just couldn't bring myself to put all of this out there, so I'm hiding it back here, on Dad's birthday.

I could relate to Noel on one level, losing a Dad so young (my Dad was 46), but on another level, things were very, very different. I lost my Dad very slowly and while I had time to accept the fact he was going to leave us, my last memories are of him suffering, changing, leaving. My Dad died almost 10 years ago, on Mother's Day in 1991... three weeks before my wedding. Sometimes I can barely stand to think about it, it sounds like such a painful set of circumstances, yet somehow I got through my wedding without shedding a tear. I know how I did it... two things... my Dad had lived in Las Vegas up until a month before he died, so I went into a pretty strong subconscious denial that he was actually gone... I kind of believed he was just still in Vegas. I also told myself over and over that Dad wouldn't want me to be sad on my wedding day, he wouldn't want me to cry, he'd want me to be happy. So I made it through. My brother Eddie was a wreck, he had lived with Dad in Vegas for many years. He couldn't do the "still in Vegas" denial. I don't think anyone realized how deeply he was hurting. I regret not realizing Eddie's pain. I regret having my Stepdad walk me down the aisle. I regret not making more mention of my Dad (though I knew I couldn't or I would have lost it). I regret that we didn't get to dance to "Daddy's Little Girl". I have regrets, but I also have alot of joy and happy memories.

Looking back I am amazed at the strength I found in myself when my Dad was sick. We found out in January that he had lung cancer and I kept insisting that he come back to NY for treatment. He procrastinated, mainly because he was sicker than he let on and he didn't have the energy to travel. Finally, in April, he said he would come home, but when he went to the doctor the next day, they admitted him to the hospital. When I found out, I immediately bought a ticket to Vegas, spent four days with him in the hospital, got his doctors to clear him for travel, then bought him a ticket to come home with me, and we came back to NY together. My Grandma took care of him for about a week, then he went into the hospital for 3 weeks before he passed away. I remember going to work, then going to aerobics (to get in shape for my wedding), then going to the hospital... almost evry day. One day, I got off the elevator and heard this terrible moaning. It sounded like Dad, so I rushed to his room. It was him, moaning away, and just as I was about to get very upset at his suffering, he stopped, looked up and said, "why am I moaning so much?". Turned out the morphine was making him moan, not any pain. I laugh about it now.

I remember that the day of his memorial service, the weather was unbelievably beautiful. It seemed like a sign that everything was all right, he was happy and no longer suffering. Ten years later it's still hard to accept, it still hurts, it's easier in some ways yet more difficult in others. My Dad was a unique individual and I hope I never forget the qualities that made him special.

I’m Baaacckkk

[Updated 2.16]

Back from Utah today, had a great time, doh I fink I caught a code, ab feeling a bit sick even doh I got the immunity boost in my Jamba Juice yesterday. Between dat and my tongue injury, I’b talking bery funny.

Day 1
Traveling. Sleeping on the plane, mouth wide open, drooling. Read a copy of Glamour magazine, which I can now verify is a sex magazine disguised as a fashion magazine. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Evening 1
Dinner with Jenny, Tony, Tim and Mike at Zona Rosa, yummy food. Cruising around in the blazer. Blazer’s have a display that shows you the temperature outside. We watched it go lower and lower as we drove higher and higher (down to ZERO). Tim says, "I don’t see why, I HAVE the heat on." Must be the altitude.

Day 2
Snowboarding at Snowbird with Jenny, Tony, Tim and Mike. But first we get JAMBA JUICE (JJ) (smoothies). I get a Jamba Powerboost and it turns out to be a little chunk of heaven. Great, yet another food item to be addicted to! The problem is, can’t get them in or anywhere NEAR Rochester. I now have 2 choices: hop on a plane or open my own franchise. I’m seriously considering the latter.

Aaaah, I fall off the lift EVERY time!! Add in a couple more falls on the hill. Lots of falling leaf. Hill is a bit icy. Jenny’s legs hurt, mine don’t (yet). I wonder about myself, "Am I doing it wrong?" Jenny wonders about herself (direct quote), "Am I a Fatty McButterpants?" I almost mow down a little kid while getting off the lift. Mark one on my scorecard. Jenny hurts her ankle, we decide that 3 hours is enough for us, head back. Hot tub calls my name. Day 1 of Advil dependency.

Evening 2
Dinner with Jenny, Tony, Tim, Mike, Joel, and Lara at US Prime Steak house. Mmmm, Filet Mignon. As much as I don’t like the concept of eating animals, I certainly LOVE the taste. Lara tells funny yet disgusting medical stories. I love funny and I love disgusting, they go great together, like peanut butter and chocolate. Pop more Advil.

Day 3
Advil for breakfast. Great conversation with Lara over breakfast while others are at the conference, I’m glad she’s here. More JJ and an Einstein Brothers Bagel, mmmmm, tastebuds dance. Snowboarding at Park City with Jenny, Joel and Lara. Park City’s lift is wonderful, very flat, no falling today, only "controlled stops". Oh yeah, the thighs start burning today. I say, "I guess I’m doing it right today." Jenny says, "I guess I’m not a Fatty McButterpants." Jenny is carving now, looking damn good on that board! Jenny and I discuss our motives for snowboarding and admit that we just want to be cool and say, in a slightly snooty tone, "oh yeah, we’re SNOWBOARDERS".

After riding, we stop at JJ for "lunch". Jenny and I attempt to justify the 6000 calories in each smoothie by splitting a Kiwi-berry Burner, which they describe as "boosted to promote healthy weight", however, they don’t say if that means to help you GAIN or LOSE weight. We assume that they must mean lose, of course. No matter that it has 10000 calories. More Advil please.

Evening 3
Early dinner with Jenny, Tony, Joel and Lara at Meditteraneo, basically a very swanky Pizza place. Yummy though. Jenny and I share food, as we’ve been doing often, and earn the nickname "Jenina" from Lara and Joel. While Jenny, Joel and Tony go back for the evening session of the conference, Lara and I do some shopping. Lara feeds her Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Caramel Apple habit. Jenny’s ankle is turning funny colors, but she swears it feels ok. Can you say, "Advil?"

Day 4
I’m so thrilled to hear Jenny say those magic words, "let’s take today off." Woo hoo! I mean, I’m loving the snowboarding but my thighs can only take so much (book comment). Einstein brothers and JJ for breakfast again - still heaven. Shop, shop, shop. I drop some cash at Mountain Body buying bath products, Jenny spends twice as much. I begin to wonder if Jenny has a B.O.fobia, but I know she doesn’t, yummy smelling stuff just warms her heart.

Stop in to a shop called Queen of Arts. Meet "Tea Girl". She looks like Su but she’s very strange and doesn’t appear to have bathed in some time. She makes us "special tea". Jenny and I are giddy the rest of the day, we’re convinced Tea Girl drugged us.

Tony hurt his knee today, that sucks royal. No more snowboarding on this trip, though I don’t think he’s too bothered because at this point he’s more interested in Cheese (our nickname for his new friend Brie – very nice, very beautiful, very interested-in-him friend) than snowboarding. How about some Advil with that cheese?

Evening 4
Go to the conference dinner with Tony and Jenny - cheesecake for dessert but Tony won’t eat any, too early in the year. For some reason I find it highly amusing to watch Tony eat cheesecake, perhaps because it’s the only time he has his mouth closed for more than 5 seconds. Tony wanders off to get some Cheese. Jenny and I can’t help but joke. We call her various types of cheese, but decide that she’s way too classy to be called Velveeta, then Jenny says, "yep, she’s no Easy Cheese" – we almost throw up from laughing so hard. Jenny draws "the finger" on a napkin so we can flip Tony off. After a failed attempt to use her own hand as a model (I point out that it will be backward), I have to model. I feel bad flipping Jenny off, but it’s all in the name of art.

As we’re sitting there laughing to the point of tears, a guy pops in a video of The Burning Man festival. More naked people than Woodstock! I don’t know if it’s just me, but I don’t find flailing penises the least bit attractive. All I can think is, "strap that thing down." As for the naked women, I think, "when they’re down to your knees, you’ll regret all that naked dancing you did when they were perky." We all have an Advil nightcap.

Day 5
See Day 3 only today we go to The Canyons. We get to ride the Gondola, the view is spectacular. The Canyons are so poorly marked, Jenny and I almost end up taking the lift to the Snowboarding Park – you know, the kind with a picnic table you ride over. Serious injury would have ensued. A guy with a Krispy Kreme box directs us away just in the nick of time, unknowingly saving our lives. Then we end up having to slide down this little hill on our snowboards to get to the "actual" lift. Luckily it was fun and prevented us from getting pissed that the place was so poorly marked.

Guess who I see in the ski shop up on the hill? Tea Girl!! How freaky is that. She barely remembers me but tells me that she quit her job at Queen of Arts. Jenny and I assume that we inspired her to do what makes her happy.

Finally up on the hill snowboarding. Getting off the lift is hell again, many falls. Legs are sore again. I yell over to Jenny, "My legs are going to be as strong as…" (quick wit kicks into action) "something with really strong legs." Damn that altitude. We laugh very hard. A ski instructor begs us to take two of his kids on the lift with us. They turn out to be 7 year old smartass punks – Tims in Training. I resist the urge to give them a smackdown, but manage to make them fall while getting off the lift. Oops. Mark two more on my scorecard. I actually do some turns, there are some real flat areas that make it easier. I’m getting much better but I really need another lesson. Pain from falling while getting off the lift causes me to feel that I’ve gotten my fill of snowboarding for this trip. Advil, it’s like candy I tell ya.


Evening 5
Dinner with Jenny, Joel and Lara at the Irish Camel, a mexican food place, of course! Ice cream at Cow, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, just yummy! With ice cream breath we head to Tony's presentation on Corporate America. It is educational yet very funny. Tony should be in show business, not in web design. Not to say he's a sucky designer, he's a great designer, he's just so witty that the whole world should be able to enjoy it. Top off the evening with a beer with Mike and Tim, they've been scarce this trip and I'm sure it's because I'm so annoying. Find out how Mike came to live in Alaska - very interesting. I always wish I'd just up and travelled. Ah, regrets. Luckily few and far between for me.

Day 6
Again I celebrate as Jenny decides we've had enough snowboarding. She and Tony and I hang together, grab food, then head out to Robert Redford's Sundance farms. We're sure Rob will be there. On the way we pass a field with a fuzzy little donkey hanging out. Jenny and I christen him "Lill Ass" and set the stage for the scenario that Tony is his long lost father. Jenny does a great imitation... picture this... a slight British accent... "Father? Is that you Father? I knew you'd come for me one day." Jenny and I are rolling! Now all we have to do to bug Tony is say, "Father?" Works like a charm. Jenny refuses to believe that Sundance Farms could be so small, so we drive for a while, then go back. We buy soap - sure that it was handmade by Rob himself. We pet the horses. Tony sleeps in the truck then later laments at not getting to pet the horses. We hit Cow again, as yummy as before. We drop Tony off then Jenny and I do some serious shopping at the Outlet shops. Banana Republic outlet brings us great joy and bargains. We celebrate with Advil.

Evening 6
Last evening, we go for Italian - just me, Jenny and Tony. Again, Tim and Mike opt to be antisocial. Jenny and Tony grab dessert at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. I shop up to the last minute. My bonus find is a huge pair of purple women's underwear with the words "Experts Only" and two black double diamonds printed on the butt - on sale for 95 cents! They all but have Tony's name spelled out on them. I give them to him, we all crack up.

Day 7
Time to go home. Jenny, Tony and I head to JJ and Einstein Bros. one last time. We almost cry when saying bye to Jamba Juice, it's a very sad thing. I get an immunity boost in my Banana Berry Jamba because I'm starting to feel stuffy. Everything is delayed, we get home way late. It's cold and crappy in Rochester, looks like I'll need some Advil to cheer me up.

Bad Blogger

I've been bad, haven't blogged in quite a while. That's because last time I was blogging I had a very witty little ditty typed up when, BAM, gone. I can only be that witty when Saturn is aligned with Jupiter's 5th moon.

What's been going on in my life? Not much.

- Hubby is shrinking, lost 22 pounds and is becoming overly concerned with his fashion choices. Hmmm, what should I think about that?

- I was eating healthy, lost a couple pounds, then, BAM!! Off the wagon. All it took was half a krispy kreme, that led to pizza, smarties, coca cola, and the ultimate sin, chicken wings. We had a Pancake brunch at work today where I ate about 8 pancakes. When my friend Mike came to have lunch with me, I lamented how full I was and couldn't eat a thing because I just ate 95 pancakes. We get to the Empire, I get chicken wings so I don't feel wierd not ordering anything, I think, "I'll just eat a couple and save the rest to bring home." Well, I gobbled down those 12 chicken wings like it was the last supper. I underestimated the power of my... stomach, tastebuds, psychological addiction to food...

- I am going to Utah tomorrow to hang with the clan that I work with (Jenny, Joel and Lara, Tony, Tim, and Mike). Will be snowbarding. Got a really cool pair of red snowboarding pants. I will be easy to spot on the slopes. I hope I don't break anything or do any permanent damage. I hope I get time to shop. I hope I get trapped on the ski lift with Russell Crowe (a girl can dream, can't she?).

So I'll be off blogger for another week, then I just hope I have a Blogger to come back to!!

Cheers!

Clean as a Whistle

Get ready for it, the "First Major Toilet Paper Innovation in over 100 Years". Yes, debuting this week, "Cottonelle Fresh™ Rollwipes — America's first and only dispersible, pre-moistened wipe on a roll."



I don't know what shocks me more, the fact that toilet paper NEEDS to change or the fact that it hasn't changed AT ALL in so many years. I think that until now, toilet paper has been the antithesis of the personal computer. All that's over now. First pre-moistened, what'll be next, exfoliating? "For a youthful looking...", err, I won't even go there.

Bunny Hugger Blunder

As many of you may know, my friend Jenny loves bunnies. She had a beloved pet bunny (R.I.P. Bunny) whom she misses very much and she collects all things bunny related. She is a true bunny hugger. I am also a great lover of animals. I sob when I see roadkill, imagining the suffering and pain endured. Emergency Vets sets me off like a faucet. My doggie and kittie (Grizz and Punky) get big kisses when I get home. I have deer whistles on my car for their sake more than mine. I used to volunteer as an educator at the zoo. I love those sweet little fuzzy faces and don't want to bring them any harm. That is, unless I'm hungry, then the story changes slightly.

Anyway, last week I lost my gloves and, being that it's still DAMN COLD here, had to dig out another pair. The only thing I found was a pair of rabbit-fur-lined mittens my Mom had gotten me a couple years ago for Christmas. I didn't want to offend my Mom, but I was horrified, so I kept them but never wore them. Until now. I really didn't have much of a choice and, as much as I hate to admit it, they are toasty warm. Well Jenny got a glimpse of them today and the look on her face was crushing. She said, "heeeyyyy" and, after grabbing at them, "those feel familiar."

I'm sorry Jenny, but don't feel bad, they just shaved the little guys and then sent them on their way. Glued the fur into the gloves. Yep, I read it on the tag, yeah, that's how they make 'em.

I'm on My Way

Jenny added to my list of diets and listed the Intestinal Flu Diet. I found out today that hubby has four (count 'em - FOUR!!) coworkers who contracted some kind of stomach bug and had 2 days of, well, lets just say, expulsion of bodily fluids from various orifices.

My first thought, "did they lose weight???" My second thought, "Honey, can you inhale deeply near a couple of them, then come home for a make out session?" I'll be thin and fabulous in a mere 2 days.

Pleasure and Pain

I went snowboarding yesterday. First time this year, went twice last year. Got instruction from Tony, he's a great teacher, very patient. Got encouragement from Andy, he waited and waited, and didn't complain even the tiniest bit.

It went like this: ooooh, fun... fun, fun, fun... OW! fun, fun, fun... intense fear of getting off the lift... OW, OW, OW ** stars and birdies **... concusion? Don't think so. Back up, Fun, fun... heel side is easy, getting the hang of this... fun, fun, fun. What? Toe side? Do I have to Tony? Ok... OH MY GOD, I'M GOING TOO FAAASSSTTT... OW OW! Try a turn, WOW, I DID IT, can't turn back though, AAAHH, boom - OW, OW, OW. Back to heel side, slow and easy... Fun, fun, fun!

Today, it's like this: OW, OW, OW... pain everywhere... neck, shoulder blade, wrist, calves, shoulders, legs, OW, OW, OW. Feel like I got hit by a bus. Hmmm, perhaps I am feelin the burn... losing weight? Wonder when I can go again!

Diets for the New Millenium

Jenny and I were talking at lunch yesterday and, in our own warped way, realized that there is some uncharted territory in the realm of fad diets. Here are a few we thought could be the next hot new thing.
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The Mt. Everest Diet

Climb Mount Everest and subsist on freeze-dried food and water. Lose ALL your body fat and then lose some of your muscle tissue too. Heck, while you're at it, you might even lose some bone density - every pound counts. If you survive, you will be thin and fabulous!

Inspired by the book "Into Thin Air" (Jenny)
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The For-My-Art Diet

Become an actor and star in a movie where you have to drop a bunch of weight in a short period of time to portray a person stranded on a desert island for 4 years. You will be praised for your conviction to your art and for dropping weight faster than Calista Flockhart after a cheeto-fest. You'll be thin and fabulous as you go up to collect your Oscar.

Inspired by Tom Hanks.
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The Braces Diet

Have an orthodontist turn you into metal mouth and within hours all those yummy fattening treats will be too painful to eat. You'll survive on soup and mini-pancakes for weeks. When you walk your size 2 into a room, your smile will light the way. You'll be thin and fabulous.

Inspired by Jo - she looks great!
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Movie-a-Minute

The Movie-a-Minute site is hilarious. It summarizes movies into one or two sentences. I noticed they didn't have one for The Perfect Storm, so I wrote one. WARNING: If you haven't see the movie, you might not want to read this!!

George Clooney:
I cannot be outfished by an attractive woman. I will brave danger to prove my manhood.

Marky Mark:
I must go fishing this one last time before I give it up to be with my loving wife.

(Score the mother load of fish, gigantic wave, everyone dies)

Has Hell Frozen Over?

Can you believe that I actually craved a veggie burger today? Shocking! I actually thought that Hell had frozen over and I was craving healthy food, but alas, it wasn't meant to be...



I had a veggie burger at the Empire a couple weeks back. I was in one of those I-really-should-eat-something-healthy kind of moods - which I'm not in too often, especially when out at a restaurant that serves bacon cheeseburgers. But that day (it must've been right after the new year), I was in this rare mood and the veggie burger came with cheese on it, so I took the plunge and ordered it. First bite seemed to taste pretty good but I got nervous when I could actually SEE vegetable matter - good sized chunks of carrots and some green stuff. I thought, "if this burger is THAT close to being real pieces of vegetable as opposed to a vegetable slurry, I won't like it." But like a trooper, I continued on, one bite at a time. Mmmmmmmmm. Ignored the visible vegetable chunks, savored the cheese and tomato sauce and loved every minute of it. This veggie burger turned out to be a little slice of heaven. I rejoiced! I have been saved, I finally liked something that was healthy.

So today I had to have another one. However, after enjoying my pseudo healthy meal, I had a realization... I think the Empire's veggie burger is deep fried in lard. Yep, it's the only logical explanation for why I not only liked it, but subsequently CRAVED it. It's boiled in oil, then topped with cheese. It all makes perfect sense now.

Sniff my Arm Please

If you've read my blog before, you'll remember that I raved about Skinmarket, which, I'll repeat, is not related to porn in any way (except for the fact that the sensuous smells of their wonderful products can supposedly lead to episodes of porn).



Well today I used my Brown Sugar Body scrub and I smell better than homemade cinnamon rolls. I almost got caught sniffing my arm in the hallway. That would've been a little difficult to explain! I made Jo and Abby sniff my arm. They agreed that I smell yummy. I tried to get Tim to sniff my arm, he took a pass. It's been 8 hours since my shower and I can still smell my yummy self, which is quite amazing since most people can't smell themselves at all after about 15 minutes (hence people who drench themselves in enough perfume and cologne to choke a horse yet walk around like they smell like the spring air). The description of the product says the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These amazing scrubs have to be smelled to be believed; the
ultra-sensual fragrances of green tea, orange vanilla, and
citrus have been known to drive men wild. Brown sugar
exfoliates, leaving skin unbelievably smooth, while nut oils
soak your skin with moisture. A full-body brown sugar
rub-down will leave you absolutely glowing.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm not quite driving any men wild (not even close), but I certainly am intoxicating myself with the luscious smell of myself. I'm sorry if that sounds like I'm bragging, but you really have to try this stuff to believe it! Either that or sniff my arm.

Blogger is Back!

Well, I can finally post to Blogger again. I hope my $10 helped. Only now I have a book to write about what's been happening over the past month. Happy Hew Year everyone.

Food Sinner

Since I last blogged, my hubby has turned in to a food nazi. He is a Virgo and, of course, can't do anything half way. He made a firm decision to eat better and lose weight and the boy has the will power of a supermodel now. He is recording and measuring everything, in true Virgo style.

You ever been around someone very religious and you feel a bit uncomfortable because you just know your not as "good" as you should be. After all, you know that they wouldn't even break the speed limit and you peeled out of the parking lot of the liquor store last night and drove home like a maniac to get home in time to see Sex in the City. Well that's how I feel around hubby. I feel like a food sinner.

Me: "Honey, I'm starving, let's stop and grab a pizza."
Hubby: "No, I have to get home so I can eat a piece of chicken the size of a deck of cards, 10 miniature carrots, one cup of corn without butter, and a gallon of water."

Well, I say get me a dozen Krispy Kremes and send me on my way to Hell.

Sea Lions, Dolphins, and Whales, Oh My!

I just got back from a business trip to San Jose, but took an extra few days to visit with my very good friends who moved out there. As I got off the plane at 10:30pm (1:30am NY time), Su says, "Tina, you're going to hate me. You're going to love me but you're going to hate me." I love the way Su expresses herself! She continues, "we're going Whale watching!". I am THRILLED, ESTATIC! Dolphins and whales are a passion for me. "But we have to leave at 7:30am." Ugh. But really, not a problem for me at all. If I can pop out of bed at 4am to go to Krispy Kreme, I can certainly pop up at 7am for playful marine mammals.

It was well worth it. Almost immediately we saw a school of 600 Common Dolphins - with a few Sea Lions mixed in. The froliced and swam next to the boat, entertained us and posed for some great pictures. (This isn't my picture, but mine will look alot like this:)



Then we saw some Gray whales, but I have to be honest, they weren't all that exciting. You'd see them for about a minute - their backs and then a quick tail fluke, then they'd dive for about 10 minutes.

But just when we thought the excitement was over, we spotted a Sea Otter. He had fallen asleep and floated out pretty far. I think we woke him up, he looked pretty groggy and his expression seemed to say, "What the... Where am I? Who are all those people staring at me? Where are my underwear?" He was the cutest, fuzziest-face little thing I've ever seen (besides Ben Affleck).



Nathan saved the day when he drove home though. Su and I slept like babies with our life in his non-caffeine-assisted hands.

Trojan Horse

I also got to visit with Daniela, my dear sweet friend, fellow Scorpio and fellow cheese lover. She had a party at her house (for Heidi's birthday) and we ate cheese (lots of yummy, fancy, french cheese) and played Cranium. It was a great time. The girls kicked butt at Cranium. Though my humming wasn't the best, I did guess a couple of cloodle's pretty quick. Heidi's impression of "Trojan Horse" was quite effective. Let's just say, not only did she use the gesture of a condom to get us to guess correctly, she added the idea that the condom could actually fit on a horse. Su sculpted like a pro, fast and furious, and Daniela guessed the cloodle questions
correctly at the first stroke of the pen! Amazing.

I also loved Daniela's Mom's impression of Mick Jagger - without singing a word, she got the guys to guess correctly. It was all in the lips.

I'm tempted to try to get a job as a flight attendant just so I can fly out to California and visit my friends all the time. I miss them!

Shake it Baby

Oh yeah, one last thing, Jenny, Jo and I are taking a class called "Bellydancing for Fun and Fitness." When Jo asked me the title as she was filling out her registration, I said, "Bellydancing for Fun and Profit." Prophetic? Perhaps.

Froggy

Oh yeah, forgot to tell you about my voice. Saturday morning it went bye bye. I sounded worse than a young boy going through puberty. It was a bit freaky to lose my voice - made me realize that I truly am a chatty cathy. Of course it didn't stop me from talking, it only made it more painful for others to listen.

My voice is almost back to normal, now I just sound like Janis Joplin after chainsmoking for 20 years.

Hello, my name is Tina and I'm a Cosmetics Addict

Christmas came and went, without much ado. Calm, quiet, generous, and filling (oh yeah, and fulfilling too). I gave some great gifts and got some great gifts. I'm spoiled.

Hubby got me stuff from Skinmarket. I know, it sounds like a porn store. It's not. It's a store I found out west that has the yummiest of beauty goodies. Hair masques, shampoo, conditioner, lotions, body sprays, skin care, makeup, nail polish... all that smell good enough to eat! As I opened my gifts, the feeling of joy I felt when walking into this store for the first time came flooding back like an overflowing tub filled with mango-rasberry scented bath salts. Hubby wins the 'even-though-I'm-a-virgo-and-believe-in-practical-gifts-I-will-indulge- my-wifey-with-even-more-beauty-products-anyway' award!! I love that man.

I don't necessarily wear alot of makeup, but I certainly OWN alot. I love it! I love the way all those eyeshadows look inside that little drawer. All the pretty colors. So what if I actually only use one or two - I feel good just knowing I have them. Same goes for hair products. I have stuff to straighten my hair, stuff to curl my hair, stuff to tame the frizz, stuff to make it smell nice, stuff to make it shiny, stuff to make it thick, stuff to make it stay. Sometimes I use both the curl enhancer and the straightener just to see what happens. My hair looks different every day so I can't pinpoint what works well and what doesn't, so I just buy more to see if something new will work best.

There must be a name for this disorder. My brother would say, "yeah, it's called a shopoholic". Maybe.

Decorating Tips

In the spirit of the holidays, found this lovely little link to the new online MAD magazine. Click on the link for Christmas lights you may have missed.

Gluttony

Friday was my last hurrah (my most current last hurrah anyway) in the pigging-out department. I started out with a gigantic cappuccino (yum!), then got in to work and indulged in Lazypalooza (a junk food fest). I proceeded to eat everything imaginable: potato chips, cocktail weenies, tortilla chips with cheese, easy cheese and crackers, cheetos, pepperoni, cheesecake and last, but certainly not least, a krispy kreme for dessert. And after all that, I'll have to be honest and say that I was miffed no one brought in double stuff oreos.

My shame over eating so much led me to do a little surfing and I found this lovely little ditty, "those who commit the Sin of Gluttony are punished in Hell by being forced to eat rats, toads, and snakes". All I can say is, "Can I get some Dinosaur BBQ sauce and a side of fries with that?" as I wipe the sweat from my brow.

The Road to Recovery

Today I am recuperating from a weekend of dancing my a** off. For a 32-year-old, I can still groove like I'm 22, but I suffer more the next day. Friday night Tony dj'd at the Bug Jar and Abby and I danced for 3 hours straight. Then we turned around and did the same thing on Saturday night. I don't know how it is that I can dance for 3 hours straight with barely a bathroom break but at work I can't even climb one flight of stairs without sounding like the little asthmatic kid on "Malcolm in the Middle".

But the last hurrah (providing a good dose of junk-food-craving satiation) and all the dancing (hopefully equating to many burned calories) has finally, **I think**, gotten me on the track to eating better. I said 5 Hail Marys and started drinking lots of water again. I just hope nobody brings in Krispy Kremes this week because that little angel on my shoulder will knock someone down to get to a k.k. donut.

Catch Up

Is it a coincidence that I haven't blogged since my day at Krispy Kreme or an indication that I've been too busy eating donuts to blog? You figure it out.

Actually, the week flew by because "I wad bery sick ad was sleeping most of the tibe." I drank more tea last week than I've drank the whole previous rest of my life. I don't like tea, but it started to grow on me. Maybe I'll become a foo-foo tea drinker now, who knows (apologies to all you foo-foo tea drinkers).

When I finally felt better, I went to Abby's party. I couldn't drink (I was driving), so I did the next best thing - played games. I've realized that I get really wierd when I play games. I get aggressive, bossy and loud - very un-tina-like. I don't feel an urgency to win, I'm not too bad about that, but I feel this compelling need to have everyone follow the rules EXACTLY. Again, very un-tina-like as I'm usually pretty laid back with a do-whatever-makes-you-happy-as-long-as-no-one-gets-hurt attitude. But apparently not when it comes to games, then I become militant - "NO, it's YOUR turn and it's an ALL PLAY and you MUST get it RIGHT before you can MOVE, pay attention dammit!" I don't really like the game playing me, but I love to play games, so I guess I'll just have to work through that psychosis.

I also spent a total of 11 hours this weekend making cookies. Five at Sarah's house learning a secret family recipe for some of the yummiest cookies I've ever had. Six at home making sugar cookies and peanut butter blossoms for Cookiepalooza - a cookie fest/contest we had at work today. It turned out to be a pretty big waste of my time because Jenny, who I've renamed Martha Jr., blew the competition away with just about the cutest bunny and snowmen cookies you've ever seen. And to add salt to the wound, they tasted yummy too. I wanted to bite all their heads off. Just kidding, that would also be very un-tina-like.

Growing Girl

Well, as you can see from above, we had Cookiepalooza today. I ate many cookies. I'm growing - and not in a good way. Tomorrow I'm eating better, I swear. Just because there is a whole box of Krispy Kremes downstairs and two plates of cookies and tomorrow we're taking Sarah to lunch for her birthday, I swear I'll drink lots of water and eat light. I think I can, I think I can...

Yummy Yummy in my Tummy

Yep, got up at 4am to get in line for the grand opening of Krispy Kremes in Henrietta, NY (that's my excuse for the really bad hair too). I'll be honest, I didn't really do it for the donuts (heavenly though they are). I did it for the hype, the experience, the bonding, but most of all - for the free t-shirt. Jenny, Aaron, Joel, Tony and I got up while the rest of the world slept (except for the other loonies who went to Krispy Kreme) and took our place in line, making history.

To understand the significance of this accomplishment on my part, you must understand that I am much more likely to be going to sleep at 4am than getting up. You got it, I'm a night owl - and if left undisturbed, I can easily sleep 12-15 hours a shot - so it wasn't easy popping up way before the crack of dawn (would it be the feet of dawn or the neck of dawn then?). Anyway, it was a feat.

But it was all worth it, I now have a t-shirt that says "The Hot Light is on in Henrietta, NY". So is it just me, or does that sound perverted to you?

I also got a button that says "Hot Doughnuts Now" with a little red flashing light in the "o" of Hot. Yep, gonna wear that out to the clubs, that should garner me some interesting pickup lines. If I'm actually brave enough to do it, I'll be sure to blog the results.

Afflecktion Update

I know I haven't blogged in a while about Ben, but he has not yet escaped my realm, hard as he may try. I just haven't had time to tell you all about our crazy adventures. I did manage to see "Bounce" this weekend and catch Ben on "The Actors Studio", so the fantasy fodder has grown. After the love scene between him and Gwenyth was flashed before my face, never to leave my mind's eye, I can readily picture me and Ben rolling around. Still PG rated, but the insinuation is there. Woo Hoo. When I have more time, perhaps I will give you the details of what led up the rolling around - in a haystack, yeah, it was in a haystack....