Butt I Don't Think it Looks Like...

Melanie posted this on Facebook:

I'm pretty sure she thinks it looks like a rear end. Some of us think it looks like something else. Just saying.

Well, Lauren was moving to College Station on August 17, but now she's probably going July 1. She's leaving this Saturday to spend a few days with her roommate before new student conference next week, and she'd love to just move now. I wasn't prepared for the change in plans, but I do think it's fantastic for her to spend some time living there before school starts, getting to know her way around and such. There are just some logistical things we have to take care of before she can move. She's looking for a job there now, at least for summer. I'm so excited for her!

We're planning a graduation party/dinner in Dallas (cuz much of the extended fam is there), and the timing is proving to be very difficult with people doing summer traveling and Lolo trying to get a job, etc. I think we've settled on June 15, but I still have to check with a couple of people. If we select that date, today will be a very busy day of getting my crap together for a two-week time frame. I whine about it, but I secretly (or not so secretly) live for this "planning" stuff.

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Big Ol' Birthday Day

It's J's bday today. Happy birthday, baby! Also my cousin Diane's. Woo!

Had a fab Sunday with Cathy. She and Jeff and I drove around Austin all afternoon, then Cathy and I met up with Kathy for the traditional (K/C)athies evening out- dinner/drinks, followed by nighttime swimming. Don't drink and drown, friends.

Kathy's pool with the blue light.

Monday CJ headed back to San Antonio to pick up her son and her daughter's cat to take them home to Houston. She and her roomie will now have three cats. See them on the next episode of "Cat Hoarding." ;)

We all went to dinner with Debbie and the kiddos last night. Much fun!


Sunday Stealing: The Imaginary Meme, Part Two

21. Have you felt that life is like being on a roller coaster? 
Sort of. It definitely runs in ups and downs.

22. Favorite year so far? 
1994. Lauren's first year was so much fun!!

23. Do you consider yourself religious? 
I'm a Christian. I'm spiritual, but not overtly so. I'm not big into attending church services, mostly because of a few pushy, self-righteous people I've met at church as an adult... well, them and the fake type who go to church every Sunday without fail, but act like A-holes the rest of the week. Churches are man-made organizations and suffer from the foibles of man. That being said, I'm sure there are wonderful churches out there, with dedicated people doing selfless and important work in the world.

24. How do you dress to impress? 
Depends on who I'm trying to impress.

25. Have you ever been to Connecticut?
I don't think so.

26. Do you eat sushi? 
Oh yes. Mostly maki (rolls).

27. Would you smoke pot providing there was no risk or driving involved?
I wouldn't smoke anything, because of the health effects.

28. What do you think of Idol Winner Phillip Phillips?
I don't know him. I did see his finale performance, and I like that he cried. You have to cry when you win Idol or you're just a heartless human being.

29. Do you believe that animals have souls?
I'm thinking no.

30. Who did you last talk to? Share, if you dare.
Wow. Who do you think I'm talking to? Jeff.

31. What is one thing that always annoys you? 
Dangerous and/or stupid drivers.

32. Do you believe in a higher being? 
Yes.

33. Have you ever fallen in love with a neighbor? 
Nope. I once went out with a guy who was in my neighborhood, but about 4 blocks away. It would be convenient to fall in love with a neighbor, but it sure would be a bummer when it was over to have to see them every day.

34. Any plans for this weekend? 
Going to Joshua and Brittany's wedding.

35. Would you like to rule your country, if you could?
There isn't enough money in the world to make it worth taking that job.

36. Do you like watching films about the nature of animals? 
Yes

37. What's the difference between love and/or lust?
Gosh, I wish I could think of a snarky answer for this, but I'll go with lust requires only a physical connection, whereas romantic love additionally requires knowing and liking and connecting with a person on an emotional level.

38. Do you have a soul? 
Yes

39. One best friend or many good friends? 
Hard question. One best friend. I really value my deeper connections with my very close friends, and would feel more lonely without them than I would if I lost all my good friends.

40. Do you believe in spontaneous combustion?
Nope. We joke about it a lot though.

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Spanish Flavor

Jeff and I went to the Spanish Flavor dinner and cooking class last night at Texas Hill Country Olive Company. We had a fabulous time! Before the class, we met a couple who were stopping into the store on their way between wineries, which is how we first discovered the place ourselves a few weeks ago. We got to talking with them and it turns out the guy, Jim, works at Jeff's company. He's fairly new there and works in another group. His fiancée, Kathy, was telling me about two breweries in the hill country who do tastings and tours as well. Jeff prefers beer to wine, so I told her he would be very excited to hear that. When we got back to the guys, they had already been talking about us all getting together at Jester King next weekend. Too fun!

The class was set up really well. Lots of seating at tables facing the kitchen. The menu: flank steak on crostini with chimichurri (one of my favorite all-time condiments), paella, mango and cheese empanadas and tres leches cake. Everyone got wine or beer through the evening. It was a lot more interactive that Central Market's classes, with opportunities for everyone to come up and help now and then. You could get up and take pictures at the stove, pictures with the chef, etc. We also got a full meal, rather than tastings of each item, like Central Market does.

Not to knock CM's classes, which are awesome. Most of CM's classes are just less hands-on and not intended to be a meal for the students. I did take a sushi class at Central Market with Kathy once, where we all had our own stations and made our own sushi. That was really cool!

This place could benefit from mirrors over the cooking area and a chef's mic. They are getting a microphone soon.

I do recommend the classes! They are monthly and are posted on Texas Hill Country Olive Company's Facebook page.

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Anniversary!

Well, Jeff and I have known each other since October-ish of 1986-- 25.5 years. He was the hot guy who sat in front of me in an enormous lecture hall in Physics 208.

Our first official date was January 12, 1987. (I just looked that up, Jeff. Don't be too impressed.) We went on a double-date to the Baylor basketball game with his friend Steve and Steve's girlfriend Susan, and I wore a bright yellow sweater. Baylor is green and yellow, which never occurred to me, but that sweater was SO CUTE, y'all.

We got engaged in May of 1989. Married May 26, 1990. 22 years today!

Speaking of proposals... you have GOT to see this awesome proposal. Break out the tissues first.




Saturday 9: Self Esteem

1. How was your self esteem growing up?
Pretty good, except for grades 6-7. I guess that's a weird time for a lot of kids. I was taller than most of the other kids (shocking, I know) and I was trying to figure out how to deal with my unruly, curly, humidity-sensitive hair. By 8th grade, everyone had grown a few inches, and I had discovered the right hair products for me. Voila!

2. Do you ever have a hard time with morals?
Exceedingly rarely. I committed a few minor violations of generally-accepted moral code in my day. Nothing I would get arrested for. Well... ;)

3. Do you eat in bed? If yes, what?
Rarely, if it's past midnight and I'm starving. It would be something like... pretzels or a granola bar.

4. What was the last movie you hated and why?
At home- Arena. Pointless and overwhelmingly violent for no reason. At the theater- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. It was very slow.

5. Have you ever felt that you lost it all? If yes, explain.
I've had a few extremely low times in my life, but I never lost everything that was important to me all at once.

6. Have you ever been stalked?
Nah.

7. Do you believe in 'self help' for problems, or do you prefer therapy?
Self help, but I'm not against therapy. The therapists I know usually seem to need therapy themselves. It's all about finding the right person, if you go that route. I get most of my therapy from talking to my friends about things. I also find self-help books to be fascinating and inspiring.

8. What celebrity do you think should make a run for office?
George Clooney

9. Do you believe in happy endings? (We do. That why this is the last question!)
Yes!

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Friday Five

And we are now landline-free!! The phones are gone. The political calls. Ahhhhh. It's so freeing. The AT&T rep asked if I wanted to have a message play when people dial my old number, to give callers my cell number. (For free, even.) Um... no thanks!

Do you guys have Facebook friends who "like" all of their own posts? Or any of their own posts, for that matter. I have one friend who posts a photo, then likes it... posts a status, then likes it... posts a link, then... yes. It's very strange. Don't do that. There's your Facebook tip o' the day.

Friday Five: School

1. What was your favorite subject in school?
Science, especially biology

2. What was your least favorite?
History

3. Did a teacher inspire you to go into a certain career?
Mrs. Lee, my supercool physics teacher. I sought her opinion when I was considering various science majors, and she suggested engineering for me. Radiation Protection Engineering was a perfect mix of my loves of math, physics and biology.

4. Did you enjoy a particular book in literature class? If so, which one and why?
It's not a book, but my all-time favorite work in high school literature class was Julius Caesar. Our class had such a great time with it, taking parts and reading them aloud every day. Fun memories! It was also interesting to see how much easier it was to get into the language when we were hearing it and interacting, rather than just reading it silently.

5. If you could, would you go back and relive high school all over again?
Sure!

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Powered Parachute Sighting

But first... I've had it with Novastor backup software. It's been on my PC for a few years now, and it's never ever worked correctly. It always runs a backup when I reboot, despite asking me if I want to run it and my saying NO. It runs at random times not on the schedule. It doesn't reliably run backups that are scheduled. It frequently stops working altogether (for weeks in the background without a red icon status or any warning), giving the error "unable to allocate backup engine" when I try to open the administration window. There are several things you can try, listed in their knowledgebase, but when I tried the "repair" fix, the thing totally hung. I had to reinstall the whole program after the repair stalled.

Grr.

So...while Jeff and I were out walking the other night (I always have to drop him off at home halfway through my walk- be sure and give him a hard time when you see him), someone was flying a powered parachute around overhead.

I didn't have my phone or camera with me, so that's not the actual guy, but that's what a PPC looks like. All the neighbors were out, and we were just staring up at it in amazement, like it was the Wright Brothers' first flight or something. It was pretty cool! Of course, every guy on our street wants one now.

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There's an App for That

Now THAT's a useful app.

Lauren and her college roommate found out that their furnished house is no longer going to be furnished this fall. It'll be thirty dollars less per month in rent per person, but it means we'll be doing college furniture shopping this summer. How many things can one make out of milk crates again? (Do they still make milk crates?)


Song Lyrics of the Day

...Life inside the music box ain't easy
The mallets hit, the gears are always turning
And everyone inside the mechanism
Is yearning
To get out
And sing another melody completely
So different from the one they're always singing...

Regina Spektor "Musicbox"

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Tuesday

Well, my ultrasound came back normal, so they didn't do the mammogram, which is a good thing, since radiation exposure got me into this mess to begin with. Best of all, I don't need any more follow-ups on the mystery nodule. It's definitely benign!

~

On Lost at E Minor yesterday, I saw this video, and it really moved me. It could have been the emotional roller coaster of a day I was having, but I'm willing to bet some of you might really enjoy it as well. So I'm sharing. Don't get all antsy and "too cool for poetry" five sentences in. Let it finish. I don't think you'll be disappointed...

A Finger, Two Dots Then Me

~

Check out #69 in the 2012 Maxim Hot 100!

~

The 2012 ACL lineup has been announced. Passes are on sale today.

~

Tonight is my final school volunteer activity after 15 years of involvement, where I will hand over my board position at my last-ever PTA meeting. Time sure flies. On to the next big adventure!

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Followup Tests Suck

This morning is my followup mammogram and ultrasound after the questionable result six months ago, that they decided was nothing. "Nothing," but come back in six months and we'll make sure. It's been many years since I was this freaked out about a test. I've been through this several times, and I'm sure there will be plenty more, so I just try to go into a robotic, numb sort of mode, and get through it without pondering all the possibilities. (It works only marginally, but it's the best option I've come up with.)

In that vein... let's meme!


Sunday Stealing: The Imaginary Meme, Part One

1. Have you ever peed your pants as an adult? 
Nope

2. Who do you have a celebrity crush on now?
I'm still crushing a bit on Bradley Cooper.

3. Would you date someone you met online?
If I were single.

4. Do you wear underwear always?
Never to bed. Always with pants/shorts. Sometimes not with skirts.

5. Do you hate yourself at times?
I get down on myself once in a blue moon, but I never hate myself.

7. Do you like dirty movies? 
Occasionally. I get distracted by the lame acting and ridiculous scripts. They just shouldn't speak at all.

8. Could you believe Josha Ledet was voted off Idol? 
I haven't watched Idol in a few seasons now.

9. When was the last time that you bought a car?
For myself- 2006. For Lauren- 2011.

10. Have you ever been camping? 
Several times when I was a kid.

11. How many times a day do you go on facebook? 
Too many to count.

12. What was the last movie you saw in a theater? 
The Avengers

13. Have you ever worried that you'd cut off a limb?
Yes. When operating the paper cutter at school. You think an arm is safe from that thing?

14. Where did you get your last email from? 
Crystal

15. Favorite website? 
Lost at E Minor

16. Are you down with ghetto?
Down with ghetto... what? Ghetto music? Ghetto ways?

17. Will the world end in fire or ice?
Ice

18. Do you believe in the afterlife? 
Yes

19. Would you be upset if facebook stopped working?
For everyone or just me? If it just wasn't working for me, yes. If it stopped working altogether, no.

20. How did you start your blog? 
I started my original livejournal after being mercilessly pressured by friends.

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Pun-Off

We spent the day with Scott and Julie at the O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships yesterday. Neither Jeff nor I had ever been before. It was so much fun!! The contestants were awesome. CLEVER a dull moment.

:-D

The first half of the competition is called "Punniest of Show." Contestants do a 90-second prepared bit. The top three were...

3rd place, Ben Ziek from California



2nd place, Gracie Deegan of Austin



1st place, first-time competitor Jerzy Gwiazdowski from New York




The second half of the contest is "Punslingers," which pits punsters against each other one-on-one in a battle of puns with a given topic. Sadly, no one has put up a video of the final bout yet. I'll keep looking and post it on the blog later.

More videos from the Pun-Off here 

The Pun-Off will definitely be an annual outing for us! This event is worth a road trip, so everyone out there plan to go next year!

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Saturday 9

Off to the O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships with Scott 'n Julie today!

Saturday 9: Somebody That I Used to Know

1. How do you feel when you realize that an impasse will cause a relationship (any type) to end?
Heavyhearted. Thank goodness, it's a rarity.

2. You’re planning a trip that would be an eight-hour car ride, a four-hour train ride, or a two-hour plane ride. With money and time being no object, which would you most likely choose and why?
The two-hour plane ride is about four hours when you count all the pre- and post-flight activity, so I'd go with the four-hour train ride. I haven't been on a train in a long time!

3. What is your ideal pastime on a lazy summer's day?
I really dig hanging out in Kathy's pool. If money were no object, I would totally get a pool and a pool boy. Kathy enjoys taking care of her pool. I could take or leave maintaining our hot tub, so I know maintaining a pool would bum me out.

4. Name a CD you own that no one else on your friends list does.
Well, I can't be sure, but I would guess Ultimate Air Supply.

5. What's a wish of yours?
That it would be illegal and punishable by public flogging to cold-call people at home to solicit products, services, donations or election votes.

6. What is something you're going to do a lot of this week?
Driving. I have something going on almost every day.

7. Is there someone you wish would just fall off the face of this earth?
Nah. I don't hate anyone that much.

8. What did you do last night?
Took Laura out to dinner for her birthday.

9. Where is the next place you'd like to go vacation?
Puerto Rico. If I say it enough, maybe it will happen. ;)

For anyone who doesn't have the song in their head from the brief mention above, here you are:



You're welcome.

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Phoning It In Today

...with a meme. :D

Patrick's Saturday Six

1. Which piece of furniture in your home is in biggest need of replacement and why?
The sectional in the living room. We absolutely love the layout of it. The seating is perfect for us, allowing plenty of places to sit when people are over, and also the right amount of space for a family of three to stretch out and relax. The fabric hasn't worn well though. Upgraded fabric, but evidently not upgraded enough!

2. You’re home on a rainy day and there’s nothing on television worth watching. What are you most likely to do with your afternoon?
Go to a movie.

3. What person is in your earliest memory?
I was 3. I'm pretty sure my mom and dad were both in the kitchen when I saw a gigantic spider on our living room windowsill. I can still hear the sound of my own screaming.

4. What was the model of the first car you ever drove?
John's yellow Fiat. Yes, yellow is as close as I can get to a model name. I should totally get points for knowing the Fiat part.

5. List the items on your coffee table right now.
two PS3 controllers, TV remote

6. How long, on average, do dishes sit in your sink waiting to be washed?
Nothing is ever in the sink. I don't even have a dish rack in the sink. Non-dishwasher-safe items are rinsed and sit next to the sink for anywhere from 0-3 days.

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Mall Fun

Doug and I had an impromptu mall outing yesterday. We spent a particularly long time looking at all the tools and gadgets in Williams-Sonoma, where the sales girls were amused at how much fun we were having. I love that store, but all I can think of when I'm in there is Alton Brown saying never to buy a special gadget that only does one kitchen task. But they're all so COOL!

Doug showed me his favorite stemware at Swarovski (love that place, too). Now I want them:

Well, the photos don't do them justice AT ALL. They are stunning. Go and see them if you have a Swarovski store near you! Only $390 for a set of 2 martini glasses. *cough*

The fam and I are cutting short our Boston/Binghamton trip this summer, and it turns out I booked (six months ahead, mind you) some non-refundable hotels. You'd think you could cancel two months in advance, but no. There are tales aplenty online of people saying not to waste your time trying to get your money back. Yes, I agreed to the non-refundable rate, which was a measly $10 a night cheaper. I won't do that again, unless I'm traveling very soon and know for sure that I won't need to cancel. Lesson learned!

At least I can change our flights without incurring a fee, which is helpful.

Ahaha! Yes.

Have a fab day, y'all!

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Sunday Stealing on Monday

Sunday Stealing: The Get Out of Jail Free Meme, Part Two

21. Has there ever been anyone that now you regret meeting?
KathyK, the "pee in the lemonade" girl, when I was a kid. That chick was seriously messed up. When I consider the couple of years she was friends with Lori and I, absolutely nothing positive came out of it. It was just one very strange experience after another. She's just a whole pile of bad memories.

22. What's the last film you saw? Would you recommend it?
The Avengers. Definitely!!

23. Would you rather have roommates or live alone? 
Live alone, but surrounded by superfun neighbors.

24. Do you like any of your friends a little more than just a friend?
Just Laura. ;)

25. We loved the results yesterday on Saturday 9. Post a rather current song that you'd like us to hear.
"Too Close" Alex Clare



27. If you found out that you were going to be a parent, what would you do? If you are one, tell us what the best parent of being a parent is.
The best thing about being a parent is discovering just how much your own parents loved you.

28. Do you give money to homeless people when they ask? 
Usually not. I'd rather donate to organizations that help the homeless.

29. A weekend in Las Vegas or Miami? Why?
Las Vegas. Although Miami Beach is beautiful and the restaurants and clubs are great, Las Vegas has a 24/7 energy and life that I just love.

30. What was your reaction to the president supporting gay marriage? 
I support gay marriage, so I think the stand itself is great. The President has been against it until now, but I believe his explanation of how he changed his mind on the issue. People question the timing, and it is a bit of a play to the liberal base, but again, at least I find his reconsideration process plausible.

31. You are totally alone on a Saturday. What do you do?
Grab a refreshing beverage and hop into the hot tub. I keep it cooler in the summer, so it's a year-round thing.

32. You have 3 months left to live, what is your bucket list?
Visit Italy.
See the Northern Lights.
Sing on a Broadway stage, even to an empty theater.

33. You're having a bad day, what one thing can make your day better?
Going out with friends.

34. Ever use a tanning bed? 
Ahaha. Have you seen me? No.

35. Is there anything you would change about your body if you could? 
Let me get the list...

36. You wake up in an unfamiliar place, what is your first reaction?
I sit straight up in bed.

37. Is there anything that you should be doing right now?
Not at the moment.

38. At what age do you think that sex becomes less important? Why?
Gosh I hope never. Maybe sex changes a bit as couples get into their twilight years, but I'm guessing it isn't any less important.

39. What is your favorite breakfast food?
soft-boiled egg on buttered toast- my grandma's favorite!

40. Your phone rings at 4am, who do you expect it to be?
A relative telling me something terrible has happened.

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College Gameday Commercial

One of my friends said she "chucked a deuce to the week" yesterday. I confused that with "dropped a deuce..." VERY. DIFFERENT. Oy.

Texas A&M won ESPN's College Gameday commercial contest! (Having an incoming freshman in the house ups the excitement about ten times.) Much thanks to the SEC conference schools who voted for their new addition in the eleventh hour, when Nebraska was pulling ahead for the first time ever, with the help of some of their Big 12 partners. It was very close. Fun battle to the last minute!

It's interesting that Nebraska and A&M were so incredibly far ahead of all the others. There must have been some crazy social media publicity at both schools. So congrats to Nebraska on mobilizing their fans as well!

Saturday 9: Touch Me in the Morning

1. Who or what sleeps with you?
Just Jeff. We used to let our cat sleep with us, but I've never slept well dealing with the cat all night. So we don't let Kiptyn and Maya sleep with us. It's been so nice. Even with the occasional meowing at the door.

2. Last time you saw your high school best friend?
I saw Kimberly in September when she and Gib came down for a football game. I saw Cathy about a month ago, when we went out with Everett and her in Houston.

3. What do you do when you're sad?
Listen to music, preferably with headphones so no one talks to me.

4. What do you wear when you are relaxing around the house?
Workout clothes, until I work out or leave the house. They did a whole bit on the radio yesterday, asking why women work out and then wear their sweaty workout clothes around town, to the grocery store, etc. Just to clarify- I don't wear post-workout clothes in public at any time.

5. What did you do immediately after high school?
I worked a summer at UT Medical Branch in Galveston in the pediatric endocrinology lab.

6. Is anyone on your bad side right now?
Nah.

7. What's the first thing you do when you get online?
Check Facebook. Even though I'm usually caught up via the mobile app. Gotta check the stalker bar on a computer. ;)

8. What jewelry are you wearing?
wedding ring, anniversary ring, a silver bracelet, silver flower earrings

9. Post a current song that you like. (Or name it and tell us why you like it.)

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Friday Five

Friday Five: Travel

1. If you could get on a plane tomorrow, where would you go for a week? Where would you go for a month?
A week- Puerto Rico
A month- Italy

2. Where do you want most to return to?
Puerto Rico

3. What was your most memorable meal or drink while traveling?
This is a hard question! So many amazing meals and drinks, but one that stands out is when Jeff and I ordered three-year-old Lauren what we thought was a pepperoni pizza at a pizza joint in Munich. The waitress asked us twice if we were sure that was what we wanted. That should have been our first clue. We did all our best German discussing and hand gestures and thought we were on the same page. She brought out, with the other wait staff as a captive audience, a pizza covered edge to edge with pepperoncini peppers (peperoni). In German, pepperoni is pfeffersalami.

When traveling in Germany, three-year-olds become
quite proficient at building things with beer coasters.

4. What is the most breathtaking view in your city? How about from your travels?
There are so many in Austin. I think my favorite is from the top of The Austonian downtown. Too bad Doug didn't end up buying a condo.



From my travels, the most breathtaking was from the top of Jenner Mountain in Bavaria.

5. What’s the most touristy thing you’ve done?
A luau in Hawaii- but it was SO FUN. Would not have missed that experience.

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Thursdaaaaay

I was just wondering what ever happened to John Mayer, and suddenly iTunes announced that his new album drops May 22, with free streaming preview beginning May 14 at 9 PST. When I went to iTunes, I was reminded that he did release Battle Studies in 2009, with hits "Half of My Heart" and "Heartbreak Warfare." Oh yeah.

Wait. The new album looks suspiciously... country. Yikes. Is it really "cowboy songs" or is this another one of those John Mayer pranks? Let's hope for the latter.

~

Kimberly posted this great article on Facebook:

Partisan Psychology: Why Do People Choose Political Loyalties Over Facts?

Always my question! This country seems chock-full of rigid, overzealous followers of one party or the other.

Well, I must admit I'm guilty of choosing loyalty over facts, too, just not in a grand-scale, partisan way. Whether it's a Republican or a Democrat I like, I sometimes figure out I'm supporting that individual on something I've previously criticized about another politician I didn't like so well. Not on the same issue, of course, but something very similar. Once I identify it, or someone points it out to me (more likely), I try to step back and reconsider the facts.

Interesting stuff!

~

Nothing is more disappointing than getting email after email after email notification on your phone, only to see none are the one you are waiting for. Patiently.

:D

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Favorite Marg Recipe

Saturday night, Jeff and I made margaritas with an absolute purist recipe:

2 oz tequila (good 100% agave)
1 oz lime juice (fresh, unless it's Cinco de Mayo and there's not a lime to be found anywhere in the state)
1/2 oz agave nectar

You read it right. No Grand Marnier/TripleSec/etc. ¡Muy delicioso! It was really refreshing and not so heavy as some.

Not a purist? To make it sweeter, add a little orange juice. Want more alcohol? Add the orange liqueur. To make it a Mexican martini (mmm!), add some olive juice and a couple of olives, and throw it into a martini glass.

Forgot to post this yesterday---

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Bwahaha!

Also, this was soooo funny, I've cross-posted with Facebook...

Me: There's been an accident by Mansfield Dam. StarFlight is headed out there.
Lauren [doing Vulcan salute]: Like, "Live long and prosper?" Why?
Me: ...That's Starfleet.

My daughter has never heard of StarFlight. What the...?!

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Tuesday Stuff

I've separated the randomness this morning, for a modicum of clarity your reading pleasure!

OK. Every Gmail username I try to get is either already in use, or the name of a band. Want to use a version of your real name? Ten thousand people have your name and have already taken every twist on it possible. Try going for something deep like "verticalhorizon?" Boom!... Band name.

Gah.

~

‘WaPo,’ ‘Guardian’ Social Readers Bleeding Users

Thank goodness, because annoying announcements that my friend so-and-so has just read this or that on a news site have been clogging up my news feed. The worst part is most people don't know that it's showing up at all. News outlets, please just let people share individual articles at their own discretion, like they already do. Thank you.

~

Here's a cool thing!...



A top speed of 25 mph means you're relegated to the bike lane though.

More info on the RYNO at CNET

Yes, it's cooler than a Segway! Can I put a basket on the front and use it for small trips to the grocery store? Heck, I could even just drive it through the aisles. On a weekday morning anyway.

~

We've been playing classic Mattel handheld football and basketball on our phones the past few days. Back in the 70's, Jeff had the football game and I had the basketball (both of us after they went on the clearance rack, when everyone else already had one). Totally worth the dollar, just to play for old times' sake! Search for "touchgrove," the app maker, on your phone's app store and you will see LED football (multiple versions to match the handhelds), basketball and soccer.

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The Avengers

The Avengers was awesome, as you've undoubtedly heard already! Great actors, great script with hilarious moments, extraordinary eye candy... It's got all the elements of a blockbuster. How could it not be good?! Stay until the very end of the credits, btw.

There was a lot of discussion afterwards outside the theater about who everyone's favorite Avenger was. Mine will forever be Iron Man.

Bonus at the Alamo Drafthouse- the pre-show clips are SO funny. A bunch of them are Super Cafe episodes with the Avengers characters, from the How It Should Have Ended folks. Ohmigosh, we were all dying. They also have tons of animated, parody endings and bonus scenes for your favorite movies and video games! Here's the HISHE link at YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/show?p=1nkEYDHQFw0&tracker=show0


Sunday Stealing: The Get Out of Jail Free Meme, Part One

1. When you're home alone, do you still close the door when you use the restroom?
yes

2. If you have to go grocery shopping, would you rather go alone or with someone? 
alone, unless we're brainstorming a party menu or getting stuff for a group-cooked dinner

3. It's your best friend's birthday, would you buy them a gift even though they didn't buy you one for yours?
yes

4. You win the lottery. Lump sum or small payments over a period of time? Why?
Lump sum. Then it's in my control and I can invest it myself.

5. Do you like your music loud or at a reasonable level? 
If I'm just listening for pleasure, I like it pretty loud. If I have it on in the background for something that requires brain power, I turn it down or turn it off.

6. Are you a beach person or a snowy mountain person? 
beach

7. When do you brush your teeth?
morning and night

8. Can you watch scary movies alone?
yes, but I prefer to watch sappy love stories if I'm by myself

9. Soft bed or firm? And in fantasy land, who's in it with you?
Firm! Jeff, of course. :)

10. Would you rather stay home all day, or be out and about?
out and about

11. What's one of your worst memories (that you are comfortable sharing)?
When Lauren was in the hospital last year, with a very severe mouth infection. She was in incredible pain for several days. She was a trooper though!

12. Do you like to keep the peace or be confrontational?
keep the peace

13. Are you more likely to be with a large group of people or a few close friends?
a few close friends

14. What are your plans for October?
Well, we have one Aggie football game. I also have my next dental checkup. Woohoo!

15. If money were not a problem, where would you like to live?
I would live in Hawaii in a great house on a fairly secluded beach, and fly my friends and family out all the time. Most of the places I would like to live actually aren't a money problem.

16. What is your ideal profession?
George Clooney's wardrobe assistant

17. Are you (or were you) close to your Mom and Dad?
Very!

18. What is one fear that you can't seem to overcome?
Heights- like zip lines, skydiving, rappelling and bungee jumping, which seem to be coming up a lot lately. LOL. I don't feel the need to explore it though. Easily avoidable. The one zip line I would like to do is in Haiti on RCCL's private beach. There is a long and fairly slow one that comes out of the trees and goes down to the beach. It looks fun, as long as I could take that first step off the platform.

19. Are you good at math?
Yep.

20. Editor's note. There is no question 20. It is sort of like getting a "Get out of Jail Free" card. We will do 21 to 40 next time. Peace & love!

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Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I have bail money at the ready, friends. Just in case. ;)


Saturday 9: That's Why God Made The Radio

1. The Beach Boys are back together (everyone alive, Dennis and Carl have passed, including Brian) for the first time in 25 years. It's their 50th Anniversary tour. Their new single is called, “That's Why God made the Radio”. Did radio play a huge part of your growing up years?
Radio was an enoooormous part of my growing up years. Not a day went by that I wasn't listening. In elementary and junior high school, Lori and I listened to KRBE. We were huge fans of American Top 40 with Casey Kasem, which we listened to together every weekend. We also were frequent callers to KRBE during dedication times.

I had cassettes out the wazoo on which I had taped my favorite songs from the radio. You all know how hard that was. Waiting.... waiting... waiting for the song you wanted to come on, then running like the wind to press record before it was too late! You ended up with all these songs with the first line cut off. If you actually got the whole thing, especially without the DJ talking over the first bit, you were totally exhilarated! Best taping opportunities were during the Top 9 at 9, because your faves would be on and you could be right there with your finger on the button for an hour.

In high school, it was KKBQ we were all blasting at the beach, in the car and around the house- wherever we were hanging out. We were always trying to win concert tickets. Still calling in requests and dedications!

2. What is something that you are disappointed about right now?
Hmm. Not really anything in particular. Oh- I am going to miss the Gavin DeGraw/Colbie Caillat concert. :(

3. What are you really anticipating right now?
We've got a lot of stuff coming up. I think I'm most anticipating the X Factor taping at the Erwin Center.

4. When was the last time you watched your favorite movie? What is it?
The most recent of my favorite movies was The Hangover, a couple of weeks ago.

5. If you could bring one person back from the dead, who would it be?
My mom.

6. Who was the last person you hung up on?
I've only ever hung up on prank callers on purpose, but recently, I seem to be holding my iPhone out from my face when I talk, which brings the menu up, and my face eventually touches the mute button. So everyone I talk to has experienced that at some point. It only seems like I hung up on you. Last person I did that to was a high school administrator.

7. Does it bother you when meme makers separate questions that could've been combined?
Nah. It's about quantity, not quality, when it comes to meme questions. ;)

8. What is the first animal you would run to see if you went to the zoo?
Chimpanzees! Speaking of chimps, Jeff and I saw Chimpanzee last week. I wasn't a huge fan. It was cute enough, and I learned a lot (including the fact that chimps eat other MONKEYS- omg I had no idea), but I didn't like Tim Allen as a narrator. Also, I wish it would have just been a straight-up documentary, rather than trying to be a story with a plot.

9. What is the food you always buy at the grocery store that you can't live without?
Raisin Nut Bran cereal

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The Raven

Lauren and I saw The Raven yesterday. It was really good!! I wasn't expecting much from it, to be honest, but if John Cusack is in it, I'm seeing it. Dude wears a cape and rides a horse in this one. Oh. Yes.

You just can't beat two hours of mystery and intrigue, with a double bonus for the ladies of a love story from a time of chivalry long forgotten... and John Cusack. There were a couple of instances when I felt Detective Fields (Luke Evans) was overacting, but that would be my only minor complaint. In honor of college finals week, I give The Raven an A.

Friday Five: Take Out

1. What was the last thing you took out of your microwave oven?
leftover homemade Thai beef and pasta with peanut sauce

2. What was the last thing you took out of the washing machine?
Lauren's comforter

3. What was the last thing you took out of the trunk of your automobile?
groceries

4. What was the last thing you took out of your mouth?
my toothbrush

5. What was the last thing you took out of an envelope?
movie tickets for The Avengers on Sunday!

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Avoid Calls from People Not in Your iPhone Contacts

I've begun to receive calls from telemarketers on my cell phone. Grr. I looked for some way to escape them, but there isn't an official app in the app store that allows you to route calls from numbers not in your contacts list straight to voice mail, or to block them in any other way. However, you can do the following to accomplish pretty much the same thing:

1. Set your default ringtone to a silent ringtone. You can make your own silent ringtone, or just download one here. (Bless you, Richard K. Miller.)
2. Go through and give each person on your contact list a specific, non-silent ringtone. This could take a while, but it's so worth it.

Now at least you can't hear calls from people not on your contact list. They'll go to VM and solicitors or wrong numbers hardly ever leave a message.


Sunday Stealing: The Semi Charmed Meme, Part One

1. My uncle once: put my aunt in the (room temp) oven, when they were kids.

2. Never in my life: will I jump from any perfectly good platform or bridge with only a bungee cord attached to me.

3. When I was five: Atari released the first-ever commercially successful video game- the arcade version of Pong.

4. High School was: freakin' awesome!

5. I will never forget: when I was doing the Moms' Club newsletter and Laura told me that many of her beautifully-written, tear jerker "notes from the president" were made up.

6. I once met: Donny Most.

7. There’s this girl I know who: regularly sunbathes naked in her backyard, to avoid pesky tan lines.

8. Once, at a bar: Angel and I very much enjoyed watching Taye Diggs dance in VIP.

9. By noon, I’m usually: out and about, running errands.

10. Last night: was Glee catch-up night on the DVR. "Wasabi is the new Sea Foam." Bwahaha!

11. If only I had: a million dollars. I'd buy you a monkey. Haven't you always wanted a monkey?

12. Next time I go to church: I'll have to go through the Confessional first.

13. Jonathan Frid: invented the internet??? This suddenly feels like a quiz.

14. What worries me most: is that I may one day forget to authorize/deauthorize a computer or something, and lose all my iTunes music in one fell swoop.

15. When I turn my head left, I see: my wedding album on Jeff's rocket-building table, which ironically used to be my scrapbooking table.

16. When I turn my head right, I see: a framed photo of JC Chasez and me at a radio station thing.

17. You know I’m lying when: I do all the obvious things people do when they're terrible liars.

18. What I miss most about the 80s: going out dancing most Friday and Saturday nights.

19. If I was a character in Shakespeare, I’d be: oy- this is a quiz. I have no idea. Did my senior English teacher put you up to this?

20. By this time next year: I'll be working!

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And...

 

Ka-POW!!

Bookworm, baby. That's where I croaked last Friday, just below 12 million, sailing the beautiful Caribbean-blue ocean somewhere between St. Maarten and Cuba. It's soooooo hard to start again at 0.

OK ladies, 99 out of 100 times your hair is wet, you have just stepped out of the pool or shower and you haven't a stitch of makeup on. Or unfortunately, you had makeup on, and now your mascara is around your eyes and streaked down your cheeks. Cute.

You know what I enjoy far more than I should? At the salon, after the stylist washes my hair and sits me in front of the mirror, and I look unusually fabulous with wet hair, because I have makeup on.

It's the little things. :-)

Me with wet hair in the chair at Maximum FX-- totally my next Facebook profile photo.

Speaking of FB photos, believe it or not, I have an adorable pic of my husband with the penguins from Madagascar from the cruise. (Dreamworks had their characters walking around all week for passengers to take photos with them.) I'm hoping he'll use it as his cover photo. I'm sending him an 851x315 cropped version, ready for upload... just in case!

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Tuesday

Ever wonder whether you're suffering a moment of self-doubt or a moment of... clarity?

*sigh*

What we need this morning is a Song Lyric of the Day-

...It suddenly rains on us,
She is laughing and turns up her hands...

From my ever-favorite "Fireflies" by Ron Pope

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