Caution: Rattlesnake Habitat

Under the boardwalk (♪ ♫) over the dunes between our condo and the beach in Galveston, there was this:

Lauren also observed a beer can there...

Me: Hmm. I had no idea rattlesnakes like beer.
Lauren: I think a person threw that down there, Mom.

:|


Sunday Stealing: The Fifteen Movie Questions Meme

1. Movie you love with a passion.
Love Actually

2. Movie you vow to never watch.
Glitter

3. Movie that literally left you speechless.
I believe it was the Clive Owen, Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts, Jude Law film Closer that most recently left me completely creeped out.

4. Movie you always recommend.
The Hangover

5. Actor/actress you always watch, no matter how crappy the movie.
George Clooney- Solaris... The American... yikes. I see them all.

6. Actor/actress you don’t get the appeal for.
Sean Penn- can't stand him

7. Actor/actress, living or dead, you’d love to meet.
Anthony Hopkins

8. Sexiest actor/actress you’ve seen. (Picture required!)
George:

And a very close second... Viggo with dark hair, as Aragorn:

9. Dream cast.
George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr., John Cusack, Colin Farrell, Kate Winslet, Helen Hunt, Sandra Bullock

10. Favorite actor pairing.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck

11. Favorite movie setting.
modern-day cities

12. Favorite decade for movies.
I don't have a fave. Anything after about 1975.

13. Chick flick or action movie?
chick flick

14. Hero, villain or anti-hero?
hero

15. Black and white or color? 
color

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Home Again

We are home from Galveston! It was super-awesome, other than I was completely without internet.

Lauren was invited to a movie premiere here last night, and didn't want to go. I was surprised. She and Jeff explained that it wasn't a major motion picture, but a student film premiering out of town. I said, "Oh. I was thinking that Shia LaBeouf was here for his latest film premiere, but Lauren didn't think she wanted to waste her time."

Jeff said, "Wow. 'Film premiere' to 'Shia LeBeouf.'  That's quite a leap."

Please. That's not a leap at all. Jeff reads this blog... I can go from murder trials to musical theater in one flick of the wrist.

Had my first Facebook dream last night. Seriously. I dreamed that Scotty had gotten me a backstage pass to the Super Bowl in Dallas. I was the only fan in a lounge with Coldplay and Valerie Bertinelli and KISS (when that turns out to be the actual entertainment lineup, you guys will be wowed and amazed that I nailed it). I pulled out my phone to update my status to "Backstage at the Super Bowl." Yeah, instead of getting my picture taken with all these people and posting that on FB, I just updated my status. When I'm unconscious, I really don't think clearly.

Saturday 9: I'm Not in Love

1. Have you ever been in love but tried to deny it?
I denied it to two guys I was in love with who weren't in love with me. I wasn't trying to "disavow" it or convince myself I wasn't in love with them; I was just covering it up around them. My friends knew about those crushes.

2. Someone throws a party in your honor. The only guests are your past lovers. You're current spouse or significant other is cool with this. They ask you to speak and say something good about those assembled. Would there be someone there you could not say something good about?
No, I can say something wonderful about each of them.

3. How long can you go without your cell phone? Do you own a so-called “smart phone”?
I can go a couple of days if I have to. On cruises, it's near impossible to check your phone unless you're in port, and we've done that quite a bit. Yes, I finally have an iPhone. :D

4. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance?
Not everyone. It depends on what the person did.

5. Would you rather spend a whole day with your mom or your dad? (If either or both have passed, answer as if they're alive.)
I honestly would not have a preference there. I lean towards Mom, because I miss her, but if they were both alive, I would love to spend a day with either.

6. Tell us one thing about your first boyfriend or girlfriend.
When I met him on the school bus, spring of my freshman year of high school, he was a very preppy tennis player who'd just moved to Houston from South Carolina. Within a couple of months (right about the time we started dating), he was coloring/shaving half his hair and wearing ripped shirts and spiky bracelets and listening to alternative music.

7. Has an ex ever written something about you on facebook or their blog that was nasty about you?
nope

8. What was the last thing you borrowed and never returned?
Karla sent me a book back in the fansite days (2003?) and I never returned it. I owe her a B&N card or something.

9. Who is someone famous that you've met?
I've met several famous people, mostly musicians. Spent the most time with Mike Score, so famous that I have to remind you that he was the lead singer of Flock of Seagulls.

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Compromise

Just want to say Bravo! to President Obama on last several days' comments that Congress members should not stick to "rigid ideologies" when compromise is called for! Yes, as a Democrat, most of his commentary last night and earlier this week at the press conference was scolding Republicans, with a brief admission that Democrats were also at fault for the same thing, but I still really appreciate his repeated theme of compromise. We are a diverse nation with many approaches to government spending (and everything else). In a democracy, the only way to handle these issues should be through compromise.

Congress members' individual philosophies and ideas are what got them elected. It is their responsibility to their constituents to bring those views to the table and add them to the mix. Then work out something that addresses the concerns of the most Americans possible. The second part is just as important as the first.

I watched Boehner's "response" last night (something I never do with either party, because I think it's silly and indicates just how "Us vs. Them" this country is). He should stop kowtowing to Tea Party Republicans and connect to the other 99% of the country, and get his people to do what's right.

In other news... check out Hannah Hart and My Drunk Kitchen on YouTube. Hilarious!!

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Transformers

Robots in disguise! Transformers was as it usually is- very thrilling and cool. I didn't know it was going to be 3 hours long, but I didn't notice until we came out of the theater, so that's a good thing. The element of the Transformers films that always grips me is how well the sheer enormousness of the Autobots and Decepticons is portrayed. Those things look pretty real, and a few times, like during the scene where the building is falling over, I was actually scared. Sure, it's great CGI, but I think the more important part of the illusion is the heavy, lumbering metal-on-metal sound of a Decepticon heading straight for you.

Good movie. One more comment- the pairing of Shia LaBeouf and the girls in those films requires far more suspension of disbelief than the idea of space robots morphing into automobiles.

Have a great Monday, y'all!

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Company

Yesterday at the Drafthouse, KathyL and I saw the limited release, taped performance of the musical Company performed by an all-star cast and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. It was so awesome! Neil Patrick Harris- amazing of course. The guy is super-talented in every arena there is. I just love Martha Plimpton in whatever she does as well. I think this is Stephen Colbert's first musical performance. He was great. Katie Finneran... SO funny as the runaway bride. How anyone sings all those words so fast, I'll never know. And Patti LuPone has THE most beautiful and pure voice. See it if you have a chance.

Sunday Stealing: The Twenty-Fiver Meme

1. Tell us about something that made you laugh last night.
Watched more Archer episodes with Jeff. From one...

Archer: Relax. What do we have, like four hours before we get to London?
Lana: Four hours?
Mall: Sterling, are you joking?
The Captain: The crossing takes twenty-four hours.
Archer: Are you joking?! What?!
The Captain: Rigid airships combine the pampering of a cruise ship with the speed of..
Archer: ...some other, slightly faster ship? (pretends to talk on phone) Uh, hello? Airplanes?
Yeah, it's Blimps. You win! Bye!

2. What were you doing at 8 PM last night?
Having dinner at Maria Maria.

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
sleeping

4. What happened to you in 2006? (Feel free to republish an old post from '06.)
LJ post- 7/25/06

"In all my years living in Texas, I'd never been to South Padre Island. (In college, I went to New Orleans for Spring Break.) I have friends and a spouse who will tell you we all went there a few years back and stayed in a condo, but I swear it was Corpus Christi, and I didn't find Padre familiar at all. (What were THEY smoking?)

"Let me give you my Padre review in a nutshell: Beautiful beaches. Restaurants are all crapola. We had a wonderful time- just bad food options.

"One last thing- Why on earth is the lighthouse on the mainland in Port Isabel??? Wouldn't your ship smack into Padre Island before ever reaching the coast? Just wondering."

5. What was the last thing you said out loud?
"Aww. That's too bad." when Jeff told me Lauren has a bad sunburn from being at the pool yesterday.

6. How many beverages did you have today?
Yesterday I had three glasses of water, a glass of water with a splash of tea, and a margarita.

7. What color is your hairbrush?
blue

8. What was the last thing you paid for?
Company tickets

9. Where were you last night?
Maria Maria downtown

10. What color is your front door?
dark wood

11. Where do you keep your change?
in a freezer bag in my closet

12. What’s the weather like today?
hot and dry

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor?
chocolate with peanut butter cups

14. What excites you?
good music

15. Do you want to cut your hair?
nope

16. Are you over the age of 35?
yes

17. Do you talk a lot?
yep

18. Do you watch Franklin and Bash?
I have no idea what that is.

19. Do you know anyone named Steven?
Several people

20. Do you make up your own words?
Why yes I do! I know. Sometimes it's cute and sometimes it's annoying.

21. Are you a jealous person?
I can be, but not typically. I like to think I'm jealous when it's appropriate.

22. What does the last text message you received say?
"Found them." (Jeff was looking for beach towels while I was having a marg by the pool at KathyL's house.)

23. Where’s the next place you’re going to?
Galveston

24. Who’s the rudest person in your life?
Alicia

25. Are you crushing on anyone that you shouldn't be?
Nope

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PSA Saturday

Never slide a cat across a plastic table. It makes tons of sparks and an unhappy kitty.

Meet Me on Monday

1. Have you (only you..not a group) ever won first place in anything?
I have several first place ribbons from elementary and middle school track and field events. (What. Where do you think I learned to keep every shred of memorabilia ever? From Mom.) I also won first place in two writing contests in high school. OH, and I won first place (in my division) in the school science fair in 8th grade with my dumbest project of all-time. Cryptography. I developed my own numerical cipher. That thing advanced through District to the Houston science fair. Seriously? My 5th grade garage fission experiment got nary an honorable mention.

2. Are your toes always painted (sorry guys...this question for girls only)?
Yes!

3. What color eyes do you have?
Green

4. Look to your left....what do you see?
Maya sitting in my inbox as usual.

5. Soft cookies or crunchy cookies?
Crunchy

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Got Milk?

I usually buy generic milk. Well, not generic-generic that just says "MILK" in black letters on a white background... I buy the store brand. HEB has curiously been out of its own brand of 2% AND skim milk for two days, so I finally had to buy Borden. Lauren has declared it "too milky tasting." Oddly, I know what she means. Evidently we like our milk bland around here.

HEB Milk. Tastes great. Less "pasture."

Friday Five

1. What is the longest distance you’ve traveled (in one trip) by foot?
In high school I did a 5k charity run with a school group. I'm pretty sure we started and ended at the same location, so I suppose technically I didn't travel anywhere. :)

2. What is the longest trip you’ve taken by car?
Houston to Milwaukee with my Mom, aunt and grandma to visit grandma's family when I was 8. And it looks like my family's trip from Houston to the Grand Canyon and Pike's Peak when I was 6 is about the same distance.

3. What is the longest trip you’ve taken by plane?
Houston to Frankfurt

4. What is the longest trip you’ve taken on some kind of water craft?
Distance-wise, probably our last eastern Caribbean cruise- Miami to Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and back (about 1800 nautical miles). Time-wise, 9 day cruise- New York City to Halifax.

5. What is the longest trip you’ve taken aboard a bus or train?
I don't have any idea where we went, but on our trip to Germany in 1982, we spent all day touring on a train and stayed somewhere else before returning home to Hamm am Rein.

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Wednesday Randomness :)

Ick, I hate the new chat sidebar thing that's been rolling out and now appears on the right side of my Facebook screen. It's ginormous and annoying.

I've now watched several episodes of Gene Simmons Family Jewels. Although I don't watch it religiously, it is quite entertaining! Here's the weirdest thing- I've never played matchmaker for Lauren, but I sure I wish I could fix her up with Gene and Shannon's son, Nick. He is so great! He's almost five years older, so perhaps in a few years...

Yoplait yogurt is using the song "Beautiful Candy" for their newest commercial. It's from my high school's senior musical, Carnival. Now I've been singing all the songs from the show. It's so funny how many I remember. My favorite parts of the show were the two times (once during "Beautiful Candy" and again during the finale reprise of "Love Makes the World Go 'Round") when we went out into the theater aisles, each singing in our own little space, interacting with the audience. So cool.

Song Lyrics of the Day

...Everywhere I look I can see her face
I can see her face
See it everywhere
And when I close my eyes it stays
And like a leaf rolls on the wind
Around my mind it plays...

"Her Face" from the musical Carnival (we'd all swoon backstage when Matt sang it.... hehe)

And the final randomness... This video is pretty funny. (Language warning.) Enjoy!

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More Google+

I've been watching all the web talk about Google+ and the recent decision that all Google+ accounts must have your real first and last name and gender for public display. (And here's the official word from Google.) I have zero problem with that personally, as my Facebook account has the same thing available for display to anyone. How are people supposed to find you if you aren't on there with your real name? If you don't want to be found, perhaps a social network isn't for you. There are many other ways to have a web presence (like... blogging!) where you can maintain your anonymity if you wish.

My problem is this: my public profile and full name soon being linked or displayed within other Google services. Blogger? YouTube? No thanks. See, the Google profile is a single thing across all Google products, including Google+. If you use their services, you probably have a Google profile, even if you don't use Google+.

If your profile is currently set to private, it will be deleted on July 31. It looks like right now you can use many Google services without having a Google profile, but I can't find definitive information on how long that will last. They are trying to connect all your Google activities together.

Want to see all the Google services you use and the information they have and may be displaying, depending on your settings? Go to http://google.com/dashboard. You may be surprised what is there. They have personal voice recognition information on Jeff from his using Google's voice-to-text service once. Freaky. Mine had nothing as interesting as that, but still showed a hidden family video I'd forgotten I had on YouTube, which I deleted, as well as forgotten private Picasa albums I've posted for friends to see photos from events, and that sort of thing. Just go look.

Google also notes that anyone who has the email address associated with your Google account may see a link to your Google profile. All sorts of people have my email address. Heck, all sorts of businesses have it. I have no idea who all of these entities are. How do I appropriately define my privacy settings in light of that?

It's just strange to me that everyone thinks the best thing about Google+ is that it's a slap in the face to Facebook with all FB's privacy issues. Well, there was evidently a big hoo-ha about Google Buzz earlier this year that shows Google isn't really any different. And Google says that "people in your Google+ circles are by default publicly displayed on the side of your profile." So at least in some places, the default privacy setting is open, not closed... just... like... Facebook.

In the end, Google has far more data about me and my web activities than Facebook does. If you're concerned primarily with privacy, Google+ should present a bigger concern than Facebook.

A funny thing- I was JUST saying this to Jeff yesterday... that at least for the moment, it seems that...

Google+ Users Are Nearly All Male

Go me! I had said that it's the whole "beta user" thing, which attracts guys (and techie-ish girls like me). Or like they say in the article...Early adopters of new technology are usually male. Yep! Looks like they've since changed the numbers to reflect about 35% women. Still.

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They Say the Neon Lights are Bright...

Just figured out that Matthew Morrison was the guy who played Link in Hairspray when we saw it on Broadway (the original cast). How cool is that?! Until yesterday, all I remembered about the actor was that he had just come off of being the lead singer of a boyband called LMNT. I dug out my Playbill and I also see that Laura Bell Bundy was Amber. Wow!

Rent is coming back to off-Broadway, with an updated look. See it if you get a chance. It's some of THE best music in all musicaldom.

Jeff convinced me last night to watch some episodes of Archer, an adult cartoon on FX. It also streams on Netflix, and surely some other services. It is very funny! And very risqué, so don't watch it with the kiddos. The show revolves around a US intelligence group and an arrogant, womanizing master spy named Sterling Archer.

A couple of great exchanges...

(a gay Cuban spy named Ramon is in one episode)
Archer: How do you say "The Hulk" in Spanish?
Ramon: El Hulk.
Archer: Gay.
Ramon: What? We don't have a word for "Hulk".
Archer: Do you have a word for "gay"?
Ramon: "Gay".
Archer: Gayer. Jesus, "Spanish", our jobs aren't enough, now you gotta take our words?!

and

(everyone is at a dinner where a couple of German spies are posing as caterers)
Uta is peeking out the kitchen door...
Lana (sees Uta): Hey, does that cook seem weird?
Cyr: Normal-weird or German-weird?

Bwhaha! Hey now.

Well, I filled out the signup page for Google+, just to explore, not to actually post anything. But just before I pushed the button to finalize it all, it informed me that my full name will be displayed on all my Google endeavors, which include not only my website blog, but this blog as well. And probably YouTube, etc. Lovely! So... until I can figure out a way around that (probably a new email address... yeesh...), I am not on Google+. Ironic that the biggest benefit to moving to Google+ is supposedly the privacy, and then there's this.

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Should I Join Google+?

Oy.

Google+.

The problem: If I don't make the move, will all my Facebook friends jump ship and leave me there? If I switch, will they stay at FB? It is most likely some will go and some will stay. For a while, I'm guessing many people will have two accounts and see where things fall out in the end. I do not want to maintain two accounts.

Here is one article from yesterday: Google+ offers chance for a social reboot

Sorry, but I think that socially, it will be exactly the same. It may offer better privacy or a more pleasing visual experience, but the issues with social media are universal.

You may not actively "accept" or "reject" people, but people will know you if aren't allowing them to follow you. Your long lost ex-boyfriends/girlfriends or old friends from middle school who live in Nebraska may have no clue whether or not you are on Google+, other than you just disappeared from Facebook and they can't see you on Google+ (if they even notice you left). But people you work with, neighbors, etc. will know, and the everyday locals are the people about whom you would probably be more concerned, should they get their feelings hurt that you shut them out.

In the break room when everyone is talking about a photo you posted, but one person has no clue what's going on, that person becomes very aware that you don't consider them to be in your circle of work friends. You know what happens then? You add them, just like you added them on Facebook before. Just like you do in real life with people you don't necessarily love but with whom you have to interact.

If you want to get rid of people, moving to Google+ and not allowing them to follow you won't be any different than just defriending them on Facebook. If they care, they will notice you left and they cannot find you on Google+.

...new users to Google+ are devoting hours, even days, to going all feng shui on their new digital homes. "I need to set aside a weekend," a co-worker wrote on my page. Google+ fans are meticulously arranging friends into virtual circles...

That sounds like a ton of work to me. Plus, those "circles" are already available on Facebook, should you like that concept. They're called "Lists."

...unlike Facebook, on Google+ I won't feel rude when I block their updates from my feed.

Well, again, it's exactly the same to not read a person's updates on Google+ as it is to block updates on Facebook. I don't feel rude at all for blocking certain people's updates. (Worst offenders- people who post incessant political commentary.) They have no idea I'm doing it and they may be blocking mine as well. So what.

I am all for competition. If Google has something better to offer than Facebook, woohoo!! I just don't like waiting to see where it's going. In the end, there really should be one social network, otherwise it isn't what it sets out to be.  No one wants to be on the network that has fewer people, so the vast majority will eventually move to the more popular one (like they did from MySpace to Facebook). We'll see what happens!

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Tante Kathy

I'm an aunt! Well, I've been an aunt for 26 years, and have known I was an aunt for about 18, but now I am listed as an aunt on Facebook, so it is finally official. ;)

My two nieces are Jenny (age 26) and Sandra (22). Jenny is married and they have two daughters, age 1 and 4. We've been chatting and looking through each others' photos. Sandra posted a whole new album yesterday, full of pics of them when they were little and also of Jenny's family. I am SO excited about the whole thing.

Meanwhile, my Dad left Facebook. I couldn't figure out what his never-ending gripe was with it, until I was talking to him yesterday about all this. He said that his first wife (Siggi's mom, before my mom) tried to friend him on FB. It has freaked him out ever since, that people he doesn't want to be in touch with can see him on there and make contact with him. (If you adjust your settings, you can control all that.) He hasn't been on there at all since the first month or so after he joined, so it's really not any big difference to me.

It's very interesting that Facebook stirs such strong emotion from people- positive and negative. Y'all know I absolutely love it. I think it's such a great social tool and a fabulous way to stay far more connected with friends and family, particularly ones who live outside your area, than you would otherwise.

My dad, Scott and Julie, KathyL, JeffC and Jeff cannot stand it. Not a casual disinterest- they are active haters of it. Two things seem to be at the forefront of their disdain: unwanted contact with people they don't want to talk to (especially old boyfriends/girlfriends) and privacy issues. I am always careful with privacy online, so I get that. Facebook likes to default new privacy settings to "open" which I do not appreciate, but as long as you maintain your settings, you can be as private as you want to be on there. Set the whole thing to only be viewable by you, and you have your own private playground... for what, I don't know, but just saying you can.

And like I told Julie... While she cringes getting new friend requests, I am thrilled to see a new one pop up. It's a very basic difference in approach. She was highly disturbed that people she knew (including me) tried to friend her when she briefly joined just to access some pictures from her daughter's school trip to Europe a few weeks ago.

KathyL- "I don't want to talk to my high school friends." Just don't friend them.

There is only one old friend of mine- KathyK- whom I would not friend on Facebook, if she ever approached me. I have never looked for her and haven't seen her on any other friends' Facebooks, so yay. And ex-boyfriends/girlfriends/hubbies/wives- again, if you don't want to friend them, then just don't. The good news is that if you have no desire to be in contact with them, they probably don't want to contact you either. (OK, except in Dad's case.)

As Cathy has found out, if you actually "block" someone on FB (the ultimate shut-out), not only can they not see you or search for you, or see your posts or comments on mutual friends' pages, but you don't see theirs either. There ya go.

Did I mention I was just united with my nieces because of Facebook?! Woohoo!

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Horrible Bosses

Note to Self: Just because #improvefilmtitlesbyaddinginmypants is trending does not mean you have time to lounge around giggling at tagged tweets for twenty minutes. And don't write about this on the blog, so others will be tempted to do the same.

We saw Horrible Bosses yesterday. This was another film I had no desire to see, but 80% of audience reviewers (I have very little concern with most critics' stuffy opinions) liked it at Rotten Tomatoes, so I went. It was hilarious!

There are far too many great quotes to mention. The cast was so awesome. The three lead characters cracked me up. Kevin Spacey rocked his evil boss role. I didn't spend the whole movie trying to discern Colin Farrell's real accent (or hotness), which is always a problem for me when foreign actors do an American accent. He is really good. Everything about Jamie Foxx's Motherf*cker Jones character was funny. "Don't give $5000 to a stranger just because he's black." Oops- quote! Moving on, or I won't stop...

In one part, the guys' buddy bursts into the bar and says he lost his job and needs to borrow money, then offers to do something for them in the bathroom for cash. Cue my being literally the only person laughing while every man in our packed theater is mumbling "that is gross" or "that just crosses a line right there." Awesome.

It's definitely raunchy, so if you're offended by that sort of thing, skip it altogether. Otherwise, go see it!

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Two Princes

When I see a headline like this:

Prince to duke it out on horseback

I think of Prince, not Prince William. For a moment there, I was really intrigued.

"I'm on a horse." 

(I just laughed out loud at my own joke. Isn't that the first sign of insanity?)

I love this--

I could end the deficit in 5 minutes. You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of congress are ineligible for reelection. -Warren Buffett

I give that a big Whooooop! Actually, why don't we pass a law that just says "all sitting members of congress are ineligible for reelection." That would solve a whole lot of problems.


Sunday Stealing: The Plaid Hat Meme

1. When showering, do you start the water and then get in, or get in then start the water?
Start the water. Unless I'm looking to take a very cold shower. Ours takes about 4 minutes to heat up.

2. Have you ever showered with someone of the opposite sex? 
Yes

3. Were you ever forced to shower with one of your siblings?
Didn't have any siblings that lived with me. I once took a bath with my cousin Diane at our grandma's house.

4. Have you ever dropped your soap on your foot? 
No

5. How old do people say you look? 
My age, unless I'm wearing my hair in a ponytail, then a bit younger.

6. How old do you act?
Usually I act my age, although I am frequently moved to starry-eyed teenager mode by a singer or band I really love. And on occasion, I can be pretty silly.

7. What’s the last song you sang? 
"Everybody's Fool" Evanescence

8. Have you recently become a member of anything?
The 12th Man Foundation

9. What are your plans for next weekend?
No plans yet.

10. Do you kiss with your eyes open or closed? 
almost always closed

11. Whats the sexiest thing about Sarah Palin? 
She's got that naughty librarian look. Glasses and bun in the boardroom; fishnets and stilettos in the bedroom.

12. Who’s the sexiest famous woman alive?
Jennifer Lopez

13. Who’s the sexiest famous man alive? 
George Clooney

14. Does your family have a crazy uncle? 
Aww, no. I wish we did!

15. Have you ever smuggled something into another country?
Nope

16. Do you live in a city with a good sports team? 
No. Sad, ain't it?

17. What is the most unusual?
Most unusual what? This could go all sorts of directions. I should probably skip it...

18. Have you ever dated a Goth?
No, that would be a downer, I think.

19. Can you fix your own car? 
Nope

20. Would you want to kill Casey Anthony yourself, if you were guaranteed to get away with it?
Well no, I wouldn't go that far. I'd like to throw something at her though. Even assuming she didn't do it (quite a stretch), just the way she acted after her daughter was missing infuriated me. And during the trial, she threw her own dad under the bus. She is at the very least a selfish, stone-cold shell of a human being.

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Painting

Well, we painted Lauren's room. I got to a point where I knew I was going to have to get another can of paint. Our walls are more textured than we think and we always have to get more paint than they suggest. Since I get a lot more coverage with the brush than the roller, I started brushing the last half a wall with literally about 1 cup of paint. That includes what was lingering in the cut-in cup, the roller pan, the paint can and lid!

I finished that wall, people. I may have pumped my fists in the air at the end, when there was not a single drop of paint left over. My hand was cramping from stippling the brush to get into the texture with a tiny amount of paint at a time. So glad to finish that project without the dreaded second trip to Home Depot.

She has modern, espresso-finish furniture with a purple and green color scheme. It's looking really good so far! Next up... hanging shelves and the vanity mirror (get your mirrors at IKEA- her fairly large one was $10) and shopping for wall art.

Curious as a Cat

1) Pick an event from your childhood that you wish would have gone differently. Explain what happened, and what you would change if you could?
A girlfriend who was maybe 12 when I was 9 convinced me it would be fun to take the mail out of people's mailboxes and go back to her house and read it all. So we did. Or actually, she did, and I was a very nervous but willing participant. There were maybe two interesting letters among all the bills and ads. When she threw it all in the trash, I asked if we should have put it back in the mailboxes. She said then we'd get in trouble.

That night, I was so upset that I told my mom what happened. She called the other girl's parents and made us get all the stuff out of the trash and bring it back to the neighbors and apologize to them.

(Did you know stealing mail is a felony? Just saying.)

What would I change? I wish I had had the courage at the time to say no. I said no a lot to her after that- not as much from newfound boldness as from fear of being arrested.

2) Who was the last person who maligned your character?
I don't know of anyone who has maligned my character since one really bad breakup in high school.

3) What's the nicest place you've stayed? What was the occasion? Did you do anything fancy?
The Phoenician in Scottsdale, on a business trip. I was speaking at an investigators' meeting for an upcoming drug study. There wasn't a lot of free time, so I didn't do any spa-type activities. I did spend some time lounging by the pool and there were a couple of fancy dinners. I remember calling Jeff as soon as I was in my room, just to describe the place. I wanted him to fly out and join me there (free room!), but he couldn't take off work. :(

4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.

 

Reminds me of the butterfly farm on St. Maarten. It was the typical beautiful island day when we went. There are bajillions of butterflies flying around us in the enclosure- all sorts of beautiful ones!

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Quotable Kiddo

At 6:30 last night, I got a phone call from my web guy at the Foundation's national office. I thought, Isn't it awesome that he works for a non-profit and hangs out so late? Now that's dedica-... Oh yeah. It's 4:30 where he is.

:)

While Lauren was going through all her things to pare down for this major redecorating of her room, she unearthed the journal I kept with stories and quotes from when she was a toddler and pre-schooler. Some cute ones---

Introduced Jeff to a little girl she met at a party as "my friend, Daddy."

(when I was climbing the stairs with an armload of toys) "You've got too many toys and not too many arms!"

Me: Those are shower caps.
Lauren: No, they're head caps.

(in the car) "Mommy, you're so tall! Your legs go all the way to the floor!"

"My tummy has a headache."

(got our new kitty- Spanky)
Laura: Do you feed him?
Lauren: No. He eats all by himself.

Me: How do you like your new shampoo?
Lauren: It smells like apricots, but it tastes like soap.

Me: If someone got accidentally got bug spray in their mouth, they would call that phone number (Poison Control) to get help.
Lauren: Bugs don't have a number to call.

"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy happy-face stickers!"

(after shaking salad dressing) "My arm is dizzy!"

"When I grow up, I want to be a chef, a veterinarian or a worker at Chuck E. Cheese."

Me (to Mom): Lauren is learning the breast stroke in swimming lessons.
Lauren (laughing): Silly Mommy! It's the BREATH stroke.

Lauren: Is N'Sync a Christian group?
Me: No.
Lauren: Oh. Are they Jewish?

And my favorite...
Me: Do you want to wear cotton panties or satin panties today?
Lauren: The cotton panties keep my butt in place better.

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Wondering...

Something has occurred to me that doesn't seem to have crossed the minds of anyone in the entire field of archaeology. (Or probably I just need to Google it.)

Why are ancient civilizations and fossils buried underground?

One would imagine that old buildings and dead stuff are either still sitting here decaying before our eyes or altogether gone, replaced by new stuff. But no. Much of the time, they have to dig for it.

I think that instead of worrying about global warming or wayward asteeeroids, we should be concerned that six gajillion cubic tons of dirt is going to fall upon us.

Just saying.

In current news... Casey Anthony is found not guilty. Ridiculous! Bella Vita indeed, eh Casey? Where do they find these stupid sucker juries? Very reminiscent of the OJ trial, only this time I purposely avoided spending time watching the proceedings, because I had a sick feeling this is how it would end.

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Housewives on the RidicuList

LuAnn de Lesseps found her way onto AC's RidicuList the other day. Watch and cringe here. Who is telling these women they can sing? Who?! And LuAnn is unbearably annoying this season on NYC. That is one rude woman, particularly for someone always lecturing others on manners. No one likes a hypocrite, Darling.

My favorite moment of Anderson's segment:

That's exactly the face I make when any Real Housewives pick up a microphone and start singing.

There were not any fireworks in Austin at all this year, due to the burn ban and drought. Sad. We were very patriotic though and bought a large appliance at the Independence Day appliance sales! Our cooktop will be installed next week.

With that purchase, we finally made the irreversible jump to change the colors of our kitchen appliances from dated white to black and/or stainless steel. We'll replace things as they break, so it won't be a huge financial layout at one time. Got the black porcelain cooktop, because KathyL just did her whole kitchen and informed us that porcelain cooktops are much easier to clean than stainless. She kept her black cooktop and bought everything else new in stainless. I'm not big on stainless, but everyone else and their dog is. We'll see what looks good whenever we need to get the next appliance replaced- probably the microwave...

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Voyage to India

Game night was an India theme last night. We had Indian food and played Parcheesi. Scott's gourmet spread was beyond awesome, as always. I'm totally having the next game night at my house catered.

Funniest moment- Bruce sending home a game piece and shouting, "Parcheesi, bitches!!" Priceless.


Sunday Stealing: The Faceless 4th of July Meme

1. Last movie you saw in a theater?
Bridesmaids

2. What book are you reading?
The Happiest Kid on Campus: A Parent's Guide to the Very Best College Experience (for You and Your Child) by Harlan Cohen. It's very good! I'm getting so much out of it that Lauren is now reading his original book for students, The Naked Roommate.

3. Favorite board game?
Scattergories

4. Favorite magazine?
Real Simple

5. Favorite smells?
coffee, freshly cut grass

6. Favorite sounds?
really good a capella harmony, rain falling on the roof

7. Worst feeling in the world?
helplessness

8. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up?
what I need to do today

9. Favorite fast food place?
Whataburger

10. What’s under your bed?
Christmas wrap

11. Finish this statement. “If I had lot of money I’d…."?
travel more.

12. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?
Uh, no.

13. Storms – cool or scary?
Supercool.

14. Favorite drink?
tea

15. Finish this statement, “If I had the time I would….”?
learn German.

16. If you had to dye your hair another color, what would be your choice?

a really vibrant red, like this:

17. Favorite place to relax?
on my back porch

18. Name all the different cities/towns you’ve lived in?
Heidelberg, Pasadena, Lenexa, Houston, League City, College Station, Austin

19. Favorite sports to watch?
Football

20. Would you like to be born as yourself again?
Sure!

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Mini-Vacay

Jeff and I spent the past two days touring south central Texas. We started out at the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner Thursday morning, where they are serving up free beer (four 3oz. cups per person) at 9:45 a.m. I tried the Ruby Redbird- a seasonal beer brewed with Texas Ruby Red grapfruit (light and fresh tasting)- the Bohemian Black Lager (dark and awesome) and the 102 Double Wheat (tastes like wheat beer). I remain ever-faithful to the Bock though. Good stuff.

Did you know... Shiner's Hefeweizen is neither filtered nor pasteurized, and comes with special directions on how to drink it. You have to pour half into a glass, gently swirl the remaining half in the bottle to mix and then pour the rest into the glass. I'm pretty sure I would never have seen that on the label. That's your fun beer fact for today.

Next we went to the Blue Bell Creamery. I toured the creamery twenty-five years ago or so. Back then it was a dinky five-minute tour, walking up the stairs, standing in front of a window overlooking the production line and coming back down the stairs where you could get a cup of ice cream. After a half hour drive from College Station at the time, my friends and I said, "Well... that was cute!"

Now the tour is 30 minutes and all over their beautiful, much larger facility. (They use the little old place for only their products on sticks. There's a joke there, somewhere.) Outside after the tour, the very nice man who was taking our picture warned me not to touch the bronze cow sculpture, because it was extremely hot. He could tell from the way I was walking up to it that I was SO going to hug that thing! Saved me a third degree burn.

After that, we headed up to A&M and straight to Zach. We visited both Jeff's and my department offices. Almost all our profs have either left the university or been promoted to fancy positions in administrative buildings, so we bored regaled students with our tales from yesteryear and then walked around peeking into classrooms and lecture halls.

After touring the northeast corner of campus, we checked in at the 7F Lodge in College Station. Eight individual secluded cabins in the woods. Just gorgeous! I cannot say enough good things about it. If you ever want a couple of days away in central Texas, definitely stay there. There are no TVs, phones or internet connections. It's actually nice to be off the grid for a bit.

We hung out there a while and then ventured back into town. Eventually we were at The Chicken playing pool. I really enjoy playing, but I am not that great anymore. I used to be good enough to at least win now and then. I wish we had a pool table at our house so I could practice practice practice! Next house- media room and pool table.

I have to mention this T-shirt we saw. It said "Keep College Station normal." NICE. Awww, you know I love you, Austin, but that is some funny stuff right there.

Finished up the whirlwind trip with a visit to the Bush Presidential Library yesterday morning. I've been but Jeff had not. It's very nicely decked out for Fourth of July. There is a huge pond with a path behind the building that is not to miss. So pretty!

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