Drop Dead Red

Can't believe this month!

2009-05-14T22:23:00.000-07:00

So, I don't know how I have not seen Wolverine yet. And, also still need to see Star Trek!! And soon... we will have the next Terminator: Salvation on 05.21.09 or 05.22.09 depending on the location apparently. I think I need to devote an entire weekend to just seeing all three after Terminator opens. This will also be fortuitous timing since 05.21 is my last web development class for this year! Just another reason to celebrate! You bring the popcorn; I'll bring the beer!

Geek overload

2009-05-11T22:54:00.000-07:00

So, I found myself at one point today being the biggest geek, dork, nerd, whatever you want to say. I was posting wall to wall on facebook with one of my friends from my web development class. We somehow managed to mention drupal, ninjas, Star Trek, and Star Wars all within 15 minutes. Simultaneously, I was twittering as Buffy about having twitter slayers to fight off the twitterbots. Then, my next thought was... i can't wait to go write a blog post about this...

Soon, I'm going to forget how to have any type of conversation without making keyboard motions with my fingers...

Gonna Be a Bear part deux

2009-05-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

Another great reason to be a bear. This is totally me as a bear. Hot tub, cute guy (insert husband here), beer...

_Buffy_Summers is one to twitter

2009-05-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

Never realized the fun in just writing a sentence and sending it out to the universe. It's kind of a freeing feeling to twitter. No real pressure. Just see all the possibilities of creating!

Sleepy Days - Gonna Be a Bear

2009-05-06T12:11:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite things I've found:

Gonna Be a Bear:

In this life, I’m a woman.

In my next life, I’d like to come back as a bear. When you’re a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that.

Before you hibernate, you’re supposed to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that too.

When you’re a girl bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you’re sleeping and wake to partially grown, cute, cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that.

If you’re a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too. I could deal with that.

If you’re a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling. He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat.

Yup, gonna be a bear!

Crazy about T.I. and JT

2009-05-04T19:07:00.000-07:00

So, I have always been a fan of Justin Timberlake, but his new duet with T.I. - Dead and Gone blows me away and makes me glad that neither one of them is dead and gone. Stick around for a long time gentlemen and keep creating amazing, powerful music for the rest of the world to enjoy! Thank you and I hope others enjoy this as much as I do!!

I crack myself up.

2009-04-27T09:12:00.001-07:00

I was just on here looking at the last time I posted something, and I noticed my little catchline: Some information on what I ponder and value in my life. What a load of crap. From the looks of my blog, it would appear that I never think about much nor do I value anything.

I should change it to: When I have time I'll write something every six months or so.

Wachovia Takeover!?!

2008-09-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

So, I'm driving to work this morning on this beautiful September morning. And I'm listening to the banter regarding the $700 billion bail-out that Congress is mulling over... So, President Bush gives us the speech that was so similar to the speech about going into Iraq (Jon Stewart Daily Show did a side by side comparison). Feeding us fear if the bail-out is not provided. But, one thing that crossed my mind this morning, was: What if we as taxpayers fund this and there is still panic and chaos and failure? I stopped breathing momentarily, but then the next news story was Wachovia Takeover by Citigroup!!! So, they couldn't wait a few more days for the bail-out to occur. It's a good thing I didn't drive off the road otherwise I wouldn't be here to share all of these very important thoughts of mine.

Another thought that is occurring to me is: Would Teddy Roosevelt be rolling over in his grave if he saw all of the takeovers and buyouts by the larger banks that are smart enough to take advantage of this moment. Do I smell Darwinism-Survival of the Fittest or are there Monopolies brewing??? Can we trust the government to help? People are waiting for the next great leader to come along or maybe for a Franklin D. Roosevelt to emerge. But, he is gone and we are it. It is now up to us. So, what are we going to do?

It's really fall isn't it?

2008-09-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

So, I've been trying to avoid the reality that the summer is over, but it really is just getting too hard to do that. I actually broke out the cashmere turtleneck yesterday so I could wear it to the Mariners game last night.

Thus begins the countless days of dreary nothingness weather that blankets the Northwest until next year...

On the bright side, though, school has begun here at Western so there are brand new shiny happy faces of freshmen here to begin their next journey in life. Last year I wrote about discovering that I really miss being a kid and having summer break not only for the amount of time off, but for the opportunity to begin a new experience by starting a new school year. I just wasn't getting that with my old job. I kind of get that small excitement again working for the University! It feels fresh and new even though I'm still doing my job...

Also, a bright side note... I get to wear knee-high boots and see what new and exciting things all of the designers have put out for the season! So, as much as I dreaded the summer ending, I do have a little joy in pulling out that cashmere to snuggle into!

Monkey mayhem...

2007-12-02T12:33:00.001-08:00

At first, when I heard that Monkeys were wreaking havoc in India, I didn't believe my husband. I thought he was pulling my leg. Then, I thought he was getting his news from The Onion, but seriously, monkeys are causing great distress in India and even caused a death of a government official. I think the monkey to the left may have stolen the newspaper from the poor man.

I tried to compare what the experience would be like in the US and I realized that we don't have any animals that the country or a religion holds as sacred, which personally I think is such a shame, but I tried to imagine if raccoons or squirrels began taking over to the point where they were stealing cell phones from us and after fits of laughter, I decided that would actually be pretty scary... but what in the world will the government do with the monkeys since they are held in such high regard religiously? Can they relocate them? Send them to a less populated area? Although, that appears to be a lot of the problem as well, humans are taking over more and more land that used to belong to the wild and nature and eventually something has got to give. I'm just waiting for them to all start speaking to us and tell us that they've always been able to speak our language, they have just chosen not to.

So far, Monkeys 1: Man 0

What's that I smell?

2007-09-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

In order to deal with the end of summer woes, I look forward to fall fashion and this year I am experiencing a new enticing treat! No, it's not all those fabulous pumpkin pie latte concoctions (those are enticing), but all of the new fragrances out there!! A few of note to try are: Giorgio Armani Diamonds, Gwen Stefani L for L.A.M.B, and Sean John Unforgivable Woman. All three of these scents are irresistible. And the best thing about each one is it's distinct style. So, if you are like me, you can have a fragrance for each mood and outfit.

Picking a fragrance is almost as important as picking out the right pair of shoes. It is an identifier of your mood, personality and a subtle imprint that can linger on a memory. Giorgio Armani Diamonds floral scent is for a confident woman. So, if you enjoy being a wallflower, do not wear this, because you will not smell like a wallflower. Remember that you wear the fragrance. It does not wear you. Gwen Stefani L for L.A.M.B is a fresh citrus scent that will show off that quirky cool side. It has unmistakable scents of pear, peach and freesia without any one of the ingredients overpowering the other. Finally, my favorite of all three. I brought home a sample of this and I can't get enough of it. It is Sean John's Unforgivable Woman! By spritzing just a hint on the wrists and chest, not only with those around you enjoy it but you will catch hints of it throughout the day as well. It goes on sort of sweet but throughout the day it becomes softer and lighter but still powerful. Sean John definitely knows what smells good on a woman! I've never been as impressed as I am with the Fall Line-up of perfume.

Now, I wonder if I have any fabulous shoes to go with my new perfume. You will have to stay tuned tomorrow to see...

Three Legged Red

2007-09-16T22:09:00.000-07:00

Dunham Cellars has created a fabulous red tablewine,Three Legged Red, that "blends a portion of its wines into this red table wine. Using fruit from all of our estate vineyards and using the same barrels in which our finest Cabernet, Merlots and Syrahs are aged". Which was frankly a brilliant idea! This wine is wonderful. The only thing they may want to change is the story on the label. Jeff and I were having dinner at Anthony's for our seventh anniversary. It was recommended by our server that we should read the label on the bottle of wine. I thought it was called Three Legged Red based solely on the fact that it is a combination of Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah wines, but apparently the name works on multiple levels. The vineyard also has a three legged dog named Port. And that is all I know of the story because my husband read the label as recommended and told me to absolutely not read it. He said it was a horrible and disturbing story, which I am imagining has something to do with why the dog only has three legs. I am extremely sensitive to animals and anything that even hints at an animal suffering in any way, so I did not and will not read the story. I'm sure it ultimately has a happy ending, because the dog on the label (I'm assuming it is Port) is pretty damn cute and happy. So, I highly recommend the wine when having a nice casual dinner or just wanting to sit and have a glass while reading a good book, eating some chocolate and listening to some Yo-Yo Ma or Andrea Bocelli ~

Is Nordstrom still Number 1?

2007-09-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

So, clearly I enjoy shopping as seen in photo at right. I have my favorite places and not so favorite places. Nordstrom ranks very highly, if not, number one on my list. Lately, I've had a few issues with one of the stores. I won't say exactly which one. Let's just say it's in the Seattle area. Last month during the long awaited and much anticipated Anniversary Sale, I had some of the worst service I've ever had in the Women's Shoe Department. I had a young male that looked and acted like we woke him up from a nap. The store did not have the size I asked for, and the guy says, "We have an 8 1/2, do you want to try that?" Why do shoe sales people ask that question?? If I wore an 81/2 I would ask for it. And I'm sorry but the shoe is not so incredible that I'm going to pay $150 for a pair of shoes that are a half size too small. The salesperson did not offer to locate the shoe at another Nordstrom nor check availability online, which is usually a standard service. He actually told me I could go and find it at another store. I told him I would just order the pair myself online. And then he just walked away from me with no offer of any other assistance or a thank you or anything. I felt completely undervalued. On the other hand, my husband and I had amazing service in the Men's shoe department. I would have purchased a million dollars in shoes from that salesperson. So, I chalk it up to one bad experience.

Okay, so today my girlfriend, April and I go to Nordstrom and April was in the market for a few pair of shoes. Someone is going to make a nice commission. Terrible service again! I saw the lazy slob from the Anniversary sale and avoided him like the plague, so we have this other socially retarded salesperson who approaches. He brings out one box of shoes for April to try on. Mind you she asked for at least two pair to try on. April has to ask him where the other shoes are and he said, "Oh, you wanted to try on some shoes?" She replied, "Yes." And then he said, "Um, we didn't have any of those." How does he know they don't have them if he didn't even know he was looking?? Then he basically hands her the boots, tells us he'll be back and disappears... April did not buy any shoes at Nordstrom and we went to Macy's where she got a couple pair.

What is up with the Nordstrom women's shoe department at this particular store??? I am going to take a little bit of a break from that particular location. I haven't checked statistics lately, but is Nordstrom still number one on the list for best customer service? ~

A Day at Zuanich Park

2007-09-13T16:20:00.000-07:00

Jeff took Cody to Zuanich Park a couple of months back. We had recently adopted Cody from the Whatcom County Humane Society (who by the way are some of the coolest people on the planet). Jeff did not want another dog. Maggie, our extremely beloved Chocolate Lab had just died in February of this year, and Jeff was not ready for the added responsibility that a dog brings. I unfortunately missed Maggie so much that I was not moving on. I was wallowing in grief and guilt. I spotted Cody on the Humane Society's website and it was love at first sight!! I also noticed a chocolate lab that looked rather adorable.

My mom and I went to the Humane Society and I saw the chocolate lab. He and I just didn't really click. But, I saw Cody sleeping in the corner of one of the kennels. And he turned his long, sad face and looked at me and my heart melted. My mom told me that I shouldn't adopt Cody because of his age, a mere 6 1/2 years old. Mom didn't understand that was not old. Since Mom wasn't saying what I wanted to hear, I went back alone the next day. I took Cody for a walk and we were instantly in love. Now, I had to convince Jeff. I asked the Humane Society to put a hold on Cody so my family could meet him.

I begged Jeff to just go look at Cody. Jeff had made up his mind and he did not want another dog yet. But I needed Cody. After avoiding the topic the first half of the day, I was brave and broached the subject. After a lot of conversation and a few tears on my part, we went to see Cody. It didn't take much and Jeff said that I could have the dog. I was ecstatic!!! We took Cody over to April's house (she's my best friend). Cody got along swimmingly with her two dogs, Phoebe and Rufus (Pomeranians). April decided that Cody's name is Louis, and so that is what she calls him. He doesn't seem to mind. But, coming from April, who would mind?

The next day I had to go to work and, lo and behold, I come home and find the pictures of Jeff and Cody at Zuanich Park! You can only imagine my pleasure at seeing how much Jeff didn't want a dog ;-)

First Day of Vacation

2007-09-12T22:29:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful drive from Purdy, WA to Kingston to catch the ferry to Edmonds. It was mid 70s, the sun was shining and ABBA was blasting on the radio as my mom and I cruised along in the BMW. We visited my sister, Andrea who is recuperating after evicting Murphy the Tumor.

I don't have to go back to work until October 1st. There is no better feeling than the first day of vacation! I don't care what you are doing, you get to stop and think, "I don't have to go to work tomorrow!" Now vacations are interesting. I spent years trying to figure out why vacation didn't feel the same way as an adult as it did when I was a child. And I think that I finally figured it out. When I was young, I relished summer vacation, but I was always excited to go back to school and I didn't mourn the end of vacation like I do now. Well, when you're a kid, you get to end that year of school, go on an extended summer vacation, possibly travel and don't have to pay for a thing. Then, I get to start an entirely new year of school, with new subjects, new teachers, etc. As an adult, I go on vacation and get a couple of weeks if I'm lucky. If I go somewhere I have to pay and then after vacation is over I come back to the same job, the same work, the same people, and in my case a big pile of work that didn't get done while I was gone. Do you see my point? So, my solution is this. We should get to work at a job for 9 months, take a 3 month vacation and then start a new job every year! I think next year, I'll be a Cardiologist! That sounds kind of interesting...