I love all things Aveda. Not only are their products wonderful, but they also donate to Rare to help protect the planet. Couple of my faves:


Curessence Damage Relief
Shampoo and Conditioner


Hand Relief lotion

... meanwhile... elsewhere in the world...
Dead Whale With 5 Foot Penis Explodes Onto Streets of Taiwan.

I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.

Ma'am, would you like some fries to go with that bicept curl?

Jenny & I worked out today... fourth day this weeks... very good, you say? Yes, but for dinner, I followed up with a bacon cheeseburger and fries.

Also this week... Jenny brought in a GINORMOUS tub of Laffy Taffy. I only like the banana flavor, so I'd root through and pick out all I could find... getting more scarce with each passing day. Today, with my stress level high and no yellow wrappers visible, I desperately dumped out the tub and managed to find one last handful of golden buried treasures. Barely a minute passed and I had devoured six of them. Take time to read the jokes, you ask? NOPE... peel, eat, peal, eat, peal, eat... I stopped myself with four left, which I brought to Joel, shaking, and asked him to save me from this downward spiral...

I'm scared because I'm well aware of the fact that you can buy a whole tub of JUST BANANA. I have done so in the past and it wasn't pretty. Three women, one tub, gone in 3 days... works out to a 20-a-day habit. That's 750 calories worth of sugary banana heaven in one day!

Now you know why I'm worried the addiction will kick back into full swing. Damn you Willy Wonka!

Hello, my name is Tina, and I'm a product addict, with newly restored internet connection and a weakness for clever marketing...

These Lube-in-a-Tube lip balms from Urban Decay are cool-looking, cool-sounding, and probably taste yummy. The description on Sephora reads: This rich, creamy shea butter and mango-enriched lip balm leaves your lips smooth and kissed with a hint of sexy, vanilla-mint infused color. Gotta get me some NYC.


Also just ordered some new Cleansing Queen goodies. With names like Liquid Lingerie, Sugar Daddy, and Butter Me Up, how can you resist?

I know alot of us are bunny huggers, but this Penguin Batting game is still fun.

For the past few weeks, my internet connection had been getting worse and worse, to the point of driving me insane.

When I first call, they say "no problem found, it must be your computer". So I delete many applications & files, check for viruses, reinstall my operating system... no improvement. Call again... they send two burly-guy techs, who show up, reaking of smoke, get snow and dirt all over the rugs (yes, I was too meek to ask them to take their boots off... I HAVE seen "The Cable Guy"... but honestly, shouldn't they have a policy...), and tell me "can't find a problem". So I install an upgrade to my OS (XP) and overwrite the old one. Still can't connect.... dying to book flights for Florida and/or Vegas but connection is too slow or gone. Pulling hair out. Another service call, another big burly technician (who wears grocery bags on his feet so as not to dirty the carpet)... yep, it's the modem... it was shot.

Back to lightning speed and getting my internet fix nightly. Hopefully will blog more now.

ME, as told by dictionary.com...

...in terms of my job:
Entry: disappointed
Function: adjective
Definition: saddened
Synonyms: aghast, balked, beaten, blue funk, cast down, chapfallen, complaining, defeated, depressed, despondent, disconcerted, discontented, discouraged, disenchanted, disgruntled, disillusioned, dissatisfied, distressed, down, downhearted, foiled, frustrated, hopeless, let down, objecting, shot down, taken down, thwarted, unhappy, unsatisfied, upset, vanquished, worsted

...in terms of my environment:
Entry: freezing
Function: adjective
Definition: cold
Synonyms: arctic, biting, bitter, chill, chilled, chilly, cold, cutting, frigid, frost-bound, frosty, gelid, glacial, icy, nippy, numbing, one-dog night, penetrating, polar, raw, shivery, Siberian, snappy, wintry

...in terms of my marriage:
Entry: enamored
Function: adjective
Definition: in love
Synonyms: amorous, attracted, besotted, bewitched, captivated, charmed, crazy about, crazy over, devoted, dotty, enchanted, enraptured, entranced, fascinated, fond, gone, gone on, hipped on, hooked, infatuated, loving, nuts about, silly about, smitten, stuck on, taken, wild about

...in terms of missing Mom:
Entry: brokenhearted
Function: adjective
Definition: devastated
Synonyms: crestfallen, crushed, desolate, despairing, despondent, disappointed, disconsolate, grief-stricken, grieved, heart-sick, heartbroken, heartsore, inconsolable, miserable, mournful, prostrated, sorrowful, wretched

Not only is Google a great search engine, but they are the coolest company ever. I noticed today that their language page not only includes Italian, Portuguese, German and the like, it also includes Klingon, Bork, bork, bork!, Elmer Fudd, Hacker, and, ymay avoritefay, igPay atinLay!! atThay isay ootay unnyfay!!

If not for family/friend proximity issues, along with the fact that a shack in CA costs more than four houses on my street put together, I'd strongly consider trying to get a job with them.

I am spoiled. I got lots of great gifties for Christmas... with the piece de resistance being a new wedding band. After 12 years of marriage, hubby surprised me with a new wedding ring earlier this year... and for Christmas, the matching band...

he is so wonderful, I am a lucky girl!

And many other great gifties...


a watch from Hubby


Peace of Mind gumballs from Hubby and Jenny (Hubby needed a hint on this one, Jenny instinctively knew that I'd love them)


I also got lots of yummy bath & body products from Sis, since she knows I am a beauty product addict... but they will likely cause a severe increase in my intake of sugary substances... either that or I will be caught licking my own arm and deemed insane...


Gingerbread Man body scrub


mini body powders (one in cake scent!)


Marshmallow Cocoa Body Whip


Pomegranate Body Polish... this one from Hubby

....and many more adorable things. Again, I am spoiled and it doesn't go unappreciated.

Made it through Christmas. Lots of good mixed with broken heartedness and anxiety. Had the family over on friday... not used to having so many people... or any for that matter, but... it went fairly well, but not without drama... Stepdad (and his no-show "new" woman) and Stepbrother (who didn't feel invited even though I didn't even know he was going to be in town) and my drug-addicted-perverted-tank-top-wearing-in-the-middle-of-winter Uncle.

I just thank God I have some truly wonderful people in my life that I can get through. Though I still wish Mom were here to comfort me.

In knowing that all this drama would upset Mom, I resolved myself to believing that in Heaven, souls have no feelings other than happiness. So Mom cannot feel regret or guilt or anger or sadness. So though she sees us, she doesn't worry about what goes on here on earth, she is at peace.

Last night I started to read "The Five People You Meet in Heaven". In it, the main character (who dies), experiences that exact thing - no pain, no sadness, no regret, only peace. I know it is fiction, but it brought me comfort to have my ideas reinforced. I'm only a bit in to it, but so far, it is a good book.

We exchanged gifts with Jenny & Aaron last night... J & A had done the most adorable wrapping job, completing each gift with Oscar sticker nametags. Jenny made me a very cute shirt, sticking with the heart theme of last year. Gifts are so much more special when they are made for you. I tried to pretend like I made the Nigella measuring cups I got for her, but that joke only went so far...



She showered me with other gifties too, including a small christmas tree (as she knows I'm still a little too Christmas-leary-lacky-cheery to have a big tree), Rudolph character ornaments for the tree, and a Starbucks espresso cup ornament, which I WILL be using as a real cup after the holidays =) And Origin's Peace of Mind gumballs, which I will probably chew up while trying to survive having the family over on Friday.

Hubby also got good gifties, enough poker chips to start his own Celebrity Poker Showdown. Now if only he could get Jude Law to show up, because, according to my Jane magazine, he is the celeb I am destined to kiss this year.

And Oscar got Grizzy a Pug "The Dog" Squeaky Toy and a huge bag of biscuits. Grizzy is quite pleased!

hmm, I can post about sad stuff, like the story I heard on NPR that made me sob all the way home last night... a story about a guy who found out his Mom was dying and got all these wonderful childhood stories from her before she died... and how it triggered such deep regret and sadness in me because I hadn't been able to do the same...

... or post about the frustrations of the holiday... like how my house looks like the Tansmanian Devil blew through it and how my Aunt has called me four times today... to get a recipe... to tell my my Gram fell but is ok... to ask me to print recipes from Dr. Phil off "the computer" because she's gotten so fat (her words, not mine)... and how you can get a free two weeks at Gold's Gym by saying you're a member of "Dr. Phil's Booty Club" (again, her words, not mine). I think there'd have to be alot more in it for me to say that aloud, to anyone, ever...

... or post about happy, fun, holiday stuff... like going to see "Irving Berlin's White Christmas" with Jenny, Aaron and Chuck... and then having the four of us bust into song spontaneously... "snow, snow, snow, snow"

I guess I've achieved all three.

Yesterday morning, I read a link on MSN called "Spoof alert: Online buyers beware." I hadn't heard the term "spoof email" before, it is where criminals send very official looking emails that appear to be from a reputable sight but are just a way to steal personal info. Last night I go in to my account dammit if I don't have two pretty convincing looking emails from security@citibank.com and security@ebay.com (ok, this one wasn't so convincing), both asking for info you shouldn't be asked for. The faux-Citibank email asked for my ATM and pin#... uh, I DON'T THINK SO! I checked both sites and sure enough, they were fraudulent.

Rat-bastard criminal spoofers.

ef, blasted sleeping problems... still awake...

Turns out there is a Bunny Museum in Pasadena. When you look a little closer, you realize it's not so much a museum as it is a house occupied by two crazy people who have collected more bunny paraphanalia than all the rest of the world combined. And I thought Jenny was a bunny hugger.

It gets stranger... they say on their site, "please do not bring the following into their home: no coats, no hats, no purses, nor bags". Isn't it just a little frightening that the people at the "Bunny Museum" expect you to be practically naked in order to view their collection of stuffed animals?

Overdose of sugar = up late, not tired.

Lack of blog... what have I been doing you ask? I've been shopping and shopping and shopping and then I shopped and I shopped and I shopped (inside joke reference to a Plymptoon that rang a little too close to home)

Great link to online coupons - styleforfree.com.

Sephora is offering a multitude of free gifties. I got the "Free Ultimate Goodie Bag" when I ordered stuff for my sis... gift code GIFT4U3... it was a cosmetic addicts dream.

Saks Fifth Avenue has some items that donate to VH1's Save The Music Foundation. I love the pink Burberry bucket hat as modeled here by Jewel... unfortunately, at $140, even though it's for a good cause, still much beyond a price within my spending habits.



Also checked out Presents for Purpose, which donates proceeds to various charities.

Roy told me about Cat Town today. I've seen some of the cat pictures before, but never the stories. Pretty hilarious.



And Jo sent this snowglobe link today too... after you've shaken it, stop, wait patiently, and watch closely for the girl who builds the snowman...

Bleh, full. Sis did Thanksgiving for the first time this year and her turkey was excellent! It's still very hard having a holiday without Mom, but last year my Aunt was 2 hours late and my Stepdad stormed out of the house, so at least this year, it was better.

She served pasta in addition to the traditional foods and had 4 pies for only 6 people. Is she Italian or what??!!

I got Mya to say "Ho Ho Ho", she's so damn cute and funny.

My Gram got on the phone with my brother (who's out in Vegas) and said, "Happy New Year!!", then cracked up at herself for 5 minutes... then, when I was asking her what kind of pie she wanted, I know she meant to say "cheesecake", but she actually said, "chicken", then we all cracked up again. She realizes she'll be hearing about that for a while.

Back from Hollywood, a place that is at times exciting and fun and at other times shallow and exclusionary. At least in Vegas, everyone at the nickel slots gets free drinks, even if you're broke and toothless.

But we stuck to the non-velvet-rope side of LA and with hubby, Jenny and Aaron able to be there too, I had a great time. Now we can all pine for In-N-Out Burger and Lola's Mac & Cheese together (except hubby, who doesn't get "the same way" about food as we do, though he did love the fries at In-N-Out).

My fave thing was driving the tiny winding canyon roads of the Hollywood Hills. It's like a puzzle... you just keep driving - clueless as to where you are or where you're going - until, after many turns, ascents and descents, you find yourself on a road you recognize, knowing exactly where you are. In some ways, much like life.

Feeling slightly better, as I get through the anniversary of the worst events of my life.

Been seeing movies, including "Love Actually", which I really enjoyed. It was a bit much with the cheating... and I didn't like the minimization of the fact that the kid's Mom had died (obviously), but overall it was very enjoyable. Not sure you can go wrong with Colin Firth and Hugh Grant. It IS true, those damn british accents are so appealing.

Also saw "Elf" tonight... very funny... I think Aaron and Will Ferrell went to the same school of face making.

and... drumroll please... Mya (my neice) took her first steps! Sis tells me that she walked, then clapped and screamed with joy... like she knows that everybody's just been WAITING for her to put on this "walking" show.