Cops was on TV and the opening scene was two police officers in a police pickup truck.
I said, "Where is this? Lubbock?"
At that moment, "Lubbock Police Department" appeared on the screen.
Ahahaaaaaaa!!
Y'all.
I have to tell you about a song I've misunderstood for almost 20 years. Since 1997, in fact.
I was listening to Maroon 5's new cover of Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy" and came to the very sudden and jarring realization that "Mama" isn't this kid's MOTHER. It's a grown man's wife/girlfriend.
Yes. It's true!
(I know. You knew.)
I've always found it to be a weird song, with this child coming home to a house that smells like sex and candy. And some creeper guy is sitting in the kid's chair, staring at him.
See, this is why I've always hated any and all versions of "mama" as a term of endearment for a girlfriend. Ick.
So we went to Dallas for Christmas and had a big afternoon of fun on Christmas day with the in-laws and several of their neighbors. One of the neighbors is getting his sommelier certification (for funzies), and he wowed us all with his knowledge of wines and wine trivia! He brought a couple of bottles of great wine and his own glass.
I got Kendra Scott jewelry and a movie theater-style popcorn popper!
Then we went to Johnson City with Scott-n-Julie this weekend to see the lights. Soooooo pretty!
Whirlwind trip to the UK!
We had a great time at the meeting. My presentation went very well.
The only bad part of the weekend was at the Friday night
cocktail/dinner event. Our group was made up of people from all over
Europe, who spoke just about every western European language. When we
sat down for dinner, I began chatting with two of my Spanish colleagues
at a table. Suddenly it became a table full of people from Spain,
speaking Spanish.
I really hoped I wasn't taking up a
seat that someone else from Spain would love to take. I didn't want to
ask, because I couldn't figure out how to sound like I was trying to make an escape. At the same time, while I wasn't dying to get out, I was definitely bummed
that I wouldn't be able to talk with everyone for the next two hours. It
was UBER-awkward.
I asked Elena if there was anyone
she thought might like to take my seat, and she laughed. She said no,
but everyone would completely understand if I wanted to switch tables. I just didn't think I could smoothly manage that without offending everyone.
After
about ten minutes, one of the meeting attendees said they really should
speak English, since I was at the table. I was all, "Nooooo, it's fine.
Please don't worry about me. But... really I would love that. THANK
YOU!"
(Americans. Embarrassingly uni-lingual.)
The
conversation was very interesting and I'm glad I was sitting there in
the end. I felt bad about them having to speak English, but I'm sure
they preferred it to translating every other conversation for me.
I
was very happy to meet my awesome German coworker who helped me take
notes through the meeting. I also hung out a lot with our site monitor
from the Switzerland office. It's always good to put names with faces.
We did eventually make it out of our hotel area on Saturday evening. Several of us headed to the insanely crowded, but always Harrods. Christmastime Saturday at Harrods. Just don't, unless it's your only shot to hit a tourist attraction before you leave the country.
Sitting here watching the BBC Music Awards live from London... in London! Trying to stay awake until 10 or so. I had some English tea, which is helping.
The first class ride over here (business trip!) was amazing. British Airways calls it business class, but they are first class seats on the 787. (They call the typical business class seats World Travelers Club.) We got all sorts of additional perks for being in Club World, including hanging out in the Admiral's Club at the airport. Supercool. We also got express immigration, which was nice.
I was supposed to sleep on the flight overnight- at least for a few hours- but the turbulence was incredible, so hardly any of us slept. Gah. Other than that though, it was really quite an experience. Lying down flat is GREAT overnight (even if you can't sleep). Your own private TV. Full run of the first class galley. Thank you, British Airways. You rock.
Tips for BA Dreamliner Club World flights- row J is fine to take the window, but the other window seats have to crawl over the aisle seat to get out, if the aisle person has their feet up. Unless you like cozy quarters, avoid the middle seat in the middle row. It faces backwards, flanked by two forward-facing seats with walls on both sides. AND you also have to crawl out over the feet of you neighbor if they have their feet up. SAY YES TO THE EYE MASK AND EAR PLUGS for the overnight flight. You'd be surprised how much light and noise there is.
The blankets are supernice. The tray table is moveable and can fold in half or fold into the wall altogether. Plug the deluxe headphones into the plug to get noise cancelling when you're trying to sleep. Whatever you do, don't listen to the "Sleep for Long Flights" album if you want to sleep. I thought it would be ocean sounds or rain or something, but it was very modern, loud music. Hilarious at 2 a.m. Don't laugh and wake your neighbor though.
The food is good, but the bread and butter is exceptional, so take two rolls/croissants/whatever-carb-they're-offering. There is a lot of chocolate and alcohol available. Take advantage of that. We didn't on the way, but watch out on the way back, when we're not trying to sleep.
I finally watched the locally filmed movie Boyhood... which I hate to say I didn't like. I did see my house twice though. So boo-yah! It was interesting following everyone in real time through 12 years, but the story was very simplistic and the acting wasn't great. I wanted to like it!
Leslie and I hung out this afternoon to stay awake. Bus tour tickets were sold out, shockingly for a Thursday. We were going to go to Buckingham Palace, just to go somewhere, but her mom went into ICU shortly after we left Austin yesterday and she is keeping up with all that and it was just going to be too much for her. So we walked around the local area for a while and stopped for a wonderful lunch at Mimos Cafe. OMG. SO great.
Ed Sheerhan is currently singing one of my fave songs of his- "Sing." Very JT. I think I wrote a whole post about that one day a while back. Ha!
That is the second time Timberlake has come up in conversations today. Is he coming out with new music or something? Maybe it's just JT on the brain.
Anyhoo... Pharrell won International Artist of the Year on the BBC Awards a bit ago. We had talked about him at work just Tuesday. We decided he straddles a thin line between supreme coolness and ultimate dork. I mean, really. If he weren't "cool," he would be ridiculous. He's a musical genius, so I have a ton of respect for him. Y'all know what I mean about the line though. Yes?
Leslie warned me not to log into work while jet lagged, because I will not function well enough to handle anything and may write rambling emails, etc. So instead, evidently, I am here, writing rambling commentary in the blog. But you guys expect it, so it's all good.
This is me on 2.5 hours sleep in 2 days. Signing off! Happy Thursday!
We had "Friendsgiving" at Jen-n-Ray's last night with some of their friends and Mel-n-Alex. We played Cards Against Humanity, which was HILARIOUS. (It's kind of like a super-raunchy version of Apples to Apples... that you can't play with your family at real Thanksgiving.) It takes the first few rounds to see what sorts of things your particular crowd can handle and what they think is funny. This group was pretty much up for anything, which makes it the funniest. We did have to Google a few terms we'd never seen, so it was also a learning experience. Bonus!
Sunday Stealing: Shop On The Corner Meme
What kind of job did your mom have when you were growing up?
She was a stay-at-home mom until I was in sixth grade. Then she worked a few years doing layout and design at a mom-n-pop print shop. My freshman year of high school, she took a job at IBM with their geographic mapping group.
Have you ever known anyone that’s been on TV, including you?
I was on TV once, for the Gordie Howe award presentation we made in elementary school.
What was the most interesting animal you have seen in the wild?
moose at Yellowstone Park
What holiday do you enjoy the most?
Christmas
What was the first video game you ever played?
We had some gaming console in the 70s that had several basic pong-like games on it, and I played Bowling the most. The first arcade video game I played was probably Space Invaders.
What is the one thing you own, that if it got lost, you would be bummed?
My iPhone.
Do you have a favorite breakfast item?
Eggs Benedict
What do you find yourself buying all the time?
Batteries. They really need to last longer.
When was the last time you got a real letter in the mail?
Forever ago.
Do you have a most prized piece of jewelry?
Two-- my wedding ring and my Aggie ring.
Do you own any board games?
A lot.
What chore seems the most daunting right now?
Mopping the floor.
Were you born in the state you live in?
Nope, I was born in Germany.
Have you ever lived in a house that has been broken into?
Our house got robbed while we were on vacation, when I was a kid. They even took my money from my piggy bank. Grr!
What is your favorite cheese?
Lately- goat cheese. I'm usually a blue cheese girl.
Who do you know that watches the most sports?
KrisH
Seriously.
What were the guys officiating the A&M/LSU game smoking last night? A bad call or two in a game is expected. I mean, they're human. They make mistakes. It was just an overwhelming trend for this particular group. In the words of one of our season ticket friends, during a rare moment of crowd quiet...
"OH. MY. GOD. YOU ARE HORRIBLE!"
(We all laughed. It was the beginning of some very welcome comic relief for the evening.)
Targeting call- BS. Watts led with his shoulder and their helmets hit. Three "no flag" flags thrown, two of them right in a row. Pass interference called on LSU when there wasn't any... It was like this all night, over and over and over until we were literally collapsing into our seats in disbelief.
And the final "holy bajeebus, get us out of here and home to the leftovers" call of the night-- the no-call on a very obvious off-sides by LSU, one we all called in the stands ("Free play!!") the second it happened. (Moral of that story: Make sure you see the flag thrown before you lob a long bomb towards the end zone for an interception.)
We booed the heck out of the refs at the half when they left the field
near the bottom of our section, and also booed them with the rest of the
stadium after the off-sides debacle at the end, and they oh so deserved
it. To my fellow Old Ags who said we shouldn't boo, that Aggies only
hiss, while I understand the sentiment and tradition, hissing is
booing. Same level of rude, only booing is louder and more likely to be
heard by the people you're unhappy with. I've never booed another team
and certainly never booed my own team (I'm looking at you, you know who
you are), but I'm definitely going to boo a bunch of Keystone Cop
referees who can't see their own hands in front of their faces.
Maybe we would have pulled out the win in the last minute, maybe we
wouldn't have. We'll never know. I think our teams were evenly matched (other
than in rushing, where LSU's amazing Fournette trompled us) and while we
played with the same freshmen mistakes we've been dealing with all
season, we had some great moments as well. LSU had their own troubles and bright spots, too. The final score was within a single TD. Congratulations to the
Tigers on their win. Those refs made bad calls all night on both sides. The LSU fans we chatted with in line for the buses after the game agreed the refs blew.
So thank you, A&M/LSU 2014 officials, for ruining our final game of the season with your bumbling ineptitude.
In other news, we're gonna miss our season ticket buddies. We've known them four seasons now. Just met the best of them this year when they reseated the section and we all moved a tad. The whole place is reseated next year and because of the Great 2015 Season Ticket Reseating Process Mismanagement Fiasco, we do not have season tickets anymore. Enjoyed the time while we did!
... a day late...
Saturday 9: The Main Event (1979)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This is the theme from a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of boxing. Sam admits she's not crazy about boxing. What about you? Do you enjoy boxing, martial arts or wrestling?
No, no and no.
2) If you went to a dance club on a Saturday night in 1979 or 1980, you might well have danced to this. What are your plans for this Saturday night?
Last night we went out to a repeat birthday dinner for Lauren with her grandparents in town. During dinner, a flash flood warning was issued, causing the phones of everyone in the restaurant to emit that horrible, shrill sound at the same time. Quite freaky, I have to say.
3) Gilda Radner was one of the original Saturday Night Live performers and in 1979, she parlayed her TV popularity into her own one-woman show on Broadway. Who is your all-time favorite SNL cast member?
One of my faves is Dennis Miller. I tend to like the Weekend Update anchors best, probably because that is the only consistently funny segment on the show.
4) Sally Little and Nancy Lopez were at the top of the LPGA in 1979. Do you golf?
Nope.
5) The movie The Main Event co-starred Ryan O'Neal. He is better known for Love Story, and saying the line, "Love means never having to say you're sorry." When did you last apologize?
I apologized to Crystal for something at work that we've already forgotten.
6) O'Neal got his big break on the nighttime soap opera, Peyton Place. He played Rodney Harrington, the handsome golden boy that all the girls dreamed of dating. Tell us about your big high school crush.
My high school class was 780 people, so we had several golden boys that all the girls wanted to date. My own personal big "crush" was in middle school, but in high school, I may have crushed just a little on one of the golden boys- EddieM. He was Best Dressed AND Most Handsome in our senior class. Yikers, he was cute. And so approachable and friendly. An all-around good guy.
7) In researching this week's Saturday 9, Sam discovered that The Main Event is a popular name for sports bars all across the country. Do you enjoy sitting at the bar or do you look for a booth or table?
I prefer a booth, so we can all hear each other as well as can be expected.
8) The Mane Event was the salon Sam went to for years. She switched when it got too hard to get Saturday appointments. As a consumer, what's more important to you -- convenience or price?
Usually price. I go for convenience, but I have a pretty low tolerance for premium pricing, so I'll make an extra trip or drive some extra miles to save a significant amount on some items or services.
9) More than 50 years after her first million-selling album, Streisand recently had a #1 hit with her current CD, Partners. What's the last song you bought/downloaded?
Maroon 5's album, V
From the song I listened to on repeat much of the way home from Waco last night (where I picked up my car with a spiffy new alternator!)...
Lyrics Dnia
...You don't have to love me
If you don't wanna
Don't act like I mean nothing
But if you're gonna
Then you better
Unkiss me, untouch me, untake this heart...
"Unkiss Me" Maroon 5
Gah. Great song.
So. Our study meeting was fabulous. I had never been to the Grand Hyatt in DFW Airport Terminal D and my expectations were quite honestly "meh." But it's reeeeeeeally nice. You can sit in your comfy bed and operate everything from the nightlight in the bathroom to the shades on the window. Gorgeous bathroom. Oh man. Very impressive!
The bar is also amazing. We had a great time and great food there.
My presentation went very well! We had over 100 people in the ballroom. My speech at the Foundation awards was for closer to 200 folks, but I only only spoke for about three minutes then. This presentation is about 20 minutes. I'll give it again in the UK next month.
All weekend, David and I were explaining that Austin is 3 hours away from Dallas and how it's better to drive than fly, because it takes the same time, but you have your car with you and you don't have to deal with the whole airport hassle. Both of us drove, while everyone else flew up.
Cut to Saturday evening, on my way home, when I thought maybe there may have been an advantage to flying. My windshield wipers were moving very slowly. I've had some battery trouble the past couple of years, so I thought I would stop in Waco and get a new battery.
Then my battery light came on.
Then the electronic stability control light came on.
Then the anti-lock brakes light.
So I pulled over and looked up the Auto Zone address four miles away. Cool.
Back on the freeway, I got up to speed and one by one, every light that can illuminate did.
Finally.... Brakes... Engine.
I made it to the next exit (thank goodness) and barely sputtered into a school bus parking lot. Four miles outside the city. It was getting dark and it was cold and rainy. Blah.
My Hyundai roadside assistance lapsed in 2011. Yay. But they called a tow truck to bring me to the dealer. Then they called back and said the dealer was closed and I couldn't park there, so I would have to store my car somewhere for the weekend.
So I called USAA roadside assistance, which I knew I didn't have, but I thought they might recommend a towing service. Turns out, they too will take care of your towing if you are a customer. You just have to pay for the tow, since you're not covered. The operator was thinking smart and suggested I bring the car to a mechanic that was open Saturday evening, in case they were able to fix it that night.
I got the nicest tow truck driver ever, so I was only ever-so-slightly afraid that he might be an axe murderer. (I don't get into cars with strangers, y'all. I'm not even super-keen on riding in taxis. My only other choice was to sit alone in the pitch black darkness in BFE Texas, in the cold and rain, to wait for my family to pick me up an hour later.)
Turns out my car's issue was the alternator, not the battery, but it explains the battery issues I've had. (If your car loses power and dies while driving, it's usually the alternator. If it won't start, it's usually the battery.) They couldn't repair it Saturday, so Lauren took me to pick it up Monday.
Luckily, my battery was fine, but here's a battery tip for everyone: The mechanic I went to charges $70 to install a new battery. Sears charges like $10. If you go to Walmart or Advance Auto Parts (or probably similar parts shops) and purchase a battery, they will install it FOR FREE. Don't have the car shop charge you. Search for a shop with free battery installation on Google.
To make my blog posts less random (and to avoid having people who come here other websites that have shared one of my posts on... I don't know... Waterford crystal... arriving to find a post on Waterford crystal, Aggie football plus a dorky survey), I'm going to make an an attempt to separate my posts into single subjects.
You're welcome.
Saturday 9: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) Bing Crosby wants a dime for food. Adjusted for inflation, 10¢ in 1932 is now worth $1.69. Can you think of anything you could buy at the grocery story with $1.69?
A loaf of my favorite sandwich bread- 12 grain.
2) This song was originally released as a 78 rpm record. Have you ever seen a 78?
Yes.
3) In 1932, Jean Harlow was Hollywood's glamor queen. Who do you think sets the standard for glamor today?
Scarlett Johansson, Kate Winslet, Charlize Theron
4) One of 1932's best selling books was Agatha Christie's Peril at End House. She remains popular today. Are you familiar with her work?
Yes, I have read some of her books and played the video game of And Then There Were None (which was awesome).
5) This week's featured artist, Bing Crosby, worked as a caddy when he was 12 and continued to enjoy time on the golf course his entire life. What type of exercise do you do most often?
walking/hiking
6) Bing had twin sons, Dennis and Philip. Many people believe that the propensity for twins is hereditary. Are there twins in your family?
My maternal great-grandmother was an identical twin.
7) Bing's daughter, Mary Crosby, has her own place in TV history. Do you know why?
Nope.
8) In the mid 1970s, Crosby and his family did commercials for Minute Maid. Do you have any orange juice in your refrigerator?
Not at the moment.
9) Now for something completely random: Do you like beef jerky?
I love beef jerky!
WHAT A GAME!
From Good Bull Hunting... "...1000%- Effort level and general give-a-damn-ness and all the other talking point x-factors that we internetters were wringing our hands over during the last few weeks. We don't know what the hell we're talking about."
Here's Coach Sumlin on energy- the difference...
The Ags looked GREAT. Our true freshman QB in his second NCAA start, our O-line and defense overloaded with more freshmen... the team pulled together and left the woes of the past few games behind to get the win. Myles Garrett and Speedy Noil have been two standout players who always maintained their investment in the season and the aggressive play needed to win games in the SEC. They are emerging team leaders.
One of my favorite parts of the game- our bench jumping around every time the stadium played "Sandstorm." So awesome. It's been weeks since we've seen our guys pumped up and excited about a game.
The Tigers had fumble madness at the very end, which was ca-razy! (Why yes! We will take the lucky break, thanks!) It's fun to have a nail-biter game ending every now and then.
The CBS commentators were completely up Auburn's butt all afternoon. One of the many comments to that point: "The Tigers have the Aggies right where they want them"... when we were up by 14 points.
Seriously. It was a straight-up weird comment, when nothing was going Auburn's way, at which time Lauren surmised the commentators were drinking heavily.
So YAY! Enjoy your victory, guys! The fans are certainly proud of you. You are on your way to some amazing seasons.
Well, it finally happened. Our beloved Aggies imploded yesterday from the weight of their own insecurities. There are still coaching calls to be changed as well. (Run and pass primarily in a forward direction, please.)
We're stacked with honest-to-goodness football stars (with a bunch more on the way next season) and they've proven they are capable, but they need to learn to emotionally recover from a few bad plays four games ago in a game we eventually won, instead of letting it crush them. There is nowhere to go but up from yesterday's abysmal performance, guys, so put those doubts aside and let's play some football!
Sunday Stealing: Let's Talk Travel Meme
Ok let’s talk travel, do you like to travel?
Yes
Where have you been?
England, Germany, all over the Caribbean, Jamaica, Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, San Jose, San Francisco, Vegas, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Branson, St. Louis, Denver, Corpus, Padre, Dallas, San Antonio, Bar Harbour, Boston, NYC, Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Charleston, New Orleans, Nashville
Next place you want to go?
Italy or back to Puerto Rico
What is something you MUST take with you when you travel?
I have a mini pharmacy with over-the-counter meds for various conditions. I don't like having to find a med in the middle of a trip, much less pay an arm and a leg for a whole bottle of it.
How do you like to travel? (mode of transportation)
car or cruise ship
With someone, or alone?
always with someone
Do you dance in your car when there are other people with you?
Sure!
If you're quiet, what does it mean?
Well, occasionally I am just quiet. Other times, I am contemplating something that I don't want to talk about.
Favorite store?
Target
Say you wanted coffee.. what kind is your favorite?
I like iced decaf mocha.
Favorite kind of pizza?
veggies and Italian sausage
Do you get embarrassed easily?
not really
Do you mind people asking you personal questions?
nope
You have a tank of gas, $50, and the day off… what do you do?
Drive out to a hill country town and spend the day walking around and checking out the shops and having lunch at a recommended restaurant.
Favorite tv show?
definitely Blacklist
Song you turn the volume up all the way to listen to?
"In Your Pocket" Maroon 5
Something you keep in your car?
CDs
Highlight of your day?
during the week- hanging out with everyone at lunch, weekends- getting out of the house
Something you do every day that you wish you didn’t have to do?
As an employee of a contract-based company, I have to keep a time sheet even though I'm salaried. I HATE it. It takes too much time and there are always questions of which job code to bill for this or that task. Totally annoying.
Do you mind if people just show up at your house unannounced?
Nope, but my friends know to call me when they show up, because I frequently do not answer the door due to the large number of salespeople in our neighborhood.
What do you do when you disagree with someone?
I voice my opinion. If we can't work out a compromise, then we'll just agree to disagree.
Do you enjoy rain?
yes
Well, it was the CDC's fault that the second ebola patient flew to and from Cleveland. It's one thing to allow at-risk people to move around locally if they aren't symptomatic, quite another to advise them to hop on a plane with a fever. Who the heck do we have working at the CDC these days? Was that person fired? Good grief.
Saturday 9: The Power of Love (1985)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) In this song, Huey explains that you don't need a credit card to find love. What's the last thing you charged?
lunch with the girls at the Texican Cafe
2) This song was written for Back to the Future. At the beginning of the movie, hero Marty McFly traveled around town on his skateboard. Are you good on a skateboard?
I've never been on one. I'm fabulous on a scooter though.
3) Huey sings lead and his backup group is The News. Was the most recent news you heard, bad or good?
There's a cruise ship now returning to Galveston with a Dallas hospital employee who was involved with the original ebola patient. I suppose the CDC ok'd that trip as well.
4) Huey's mother, Maria, was born in Poland. Who is the first member of your family to be born in the US of A?
My brother was the first and only person ever to be born in the USA on Dad's side (all German). My maternal grandma and her siblings were the first born in the USA to German and Irish parents. My mom's dad's family go waaaaaay back in the US.
5) Brainy Huey got a perfect score on the math portion of the SAT. Did you take the SAT? How did you do?
I got a 1380 out of 1600.
6) This song also hit #1 in Australia, where anzac biscuits are popular. To make them (the recipe is here) you need coconut. Do you have any coconut in your home right now?
Nope.
7) Thinking of dessert, would you rather have cookies, cake, pie, ice cream or frozen yogurt?
cake
8) We're definitely into autumn now. What will you remember most about Summer 2014?
EARTHQUAKE
9) Tell us your superhero name, as determined by the color of your shirt and an item directly to your right. For example, Sam fights crime as The Gold Kleenex Box!
The Turquoise Owl!
Last night, texting with Jen...
Me: Jeff just pulled my muffins out of the oven and said, "These are black." Oy.
Jennifer: Are they... chocolate muffins? :)
Nice try! (Always heed that warning about reducing the temp and time when using a dark pan for baking. Just. Saying.)
So. The company travel agent made my plane reservation for London today. Get ready for this...
Business Class (a.k.a. "Club World") on a British Airways 787 Dreamliner, baby. These seats recline flat for sleeping.
So this second healthcare worker diagnosed with ebola traveled on TWO plane trips, knowing she was not allowed to do so. Worse yet, per this CNN article, she knew she had an elevated temperature on Monday before she traveled back to Dallas:
"...The worker had a temperature of 99.5 Fahrenheit (37.5 Celsius) before she boarded her flight...."
She didn't report it until Tuesday:
"...The second worker reported a fever Tuesday and was immediately isolated, health department spokeswoman Carrie Williams said..."
The worst part- she is a healthcare worker. Healthcare professionals
with blatant disregard for quarantines are in the wrong line of work. She didn't care who she put at risk.
The government should nail her with attempted murder charges, especially if any of the people on that flight to Dallas show up with ebola. If they need to post guards at houses to make sure people at risk of infection aren't out trying to see how far they can push the rules of a quarantine, then that is what needs to happen. Yes, even for you, Soups Snyderman.
ETA: I just heard on ABC News, regarding the nurse, that "it's not clear whether she knew she wasn't supposed to travel." If she didn't know, then there isn't any culpability on her part. But the hospital? The CDC? Yes. Get your crap together. Inform your employees and others that they are quarantined and explain what it means. What a mess.
As a game summary last night at midnight, when we were all tired and disappointed, I would just have said "The Ags imploded." I've had 5 hours of sleep now (these 2:30 a.m. drives through Bastrop kill me), so I can formulate a more accurate recap of the A&M/Ole Miss game.
First and foremost- shoutout to Speedy Noil, who was a bright bright light through the weary evening. That kid was IN THE GAME. All. Night. Long. I am so impressed with him. Calling him "talented" on the field is an understatement, but I really admire how incredibly energetic and dedicated he was last night, making plays until the very last moment through a long, hard game. He has the attitude and fortitude to be a great leader for the team. True freshman, y'all.
The first few games of the season went exceptionally well and we all happily forgot that the team is primarily made up of true freshmen and red-shirt sophomores. Although they are top-quality recruits, it is a rebuilding year without our experienced players and we were never expected to do well. When we smashed South Carolina and continued putting up amazing numbers the next few games (even though they were fluffy non-SEC opponents), it created unrealistically high expectations for the team and especially Hill.
I won't rehash the more eloquently written analyses, but it boils down to this for me: Hill needs to make the forward passes he was making before, not these lateral passes for no gain. Most importantly, he needs to regain his confidence, because interceptions and fumbles aren't going to cut it. The RBs need to run straight ahead, not sideways and backwards. The receivers need to catch the (now rare) passes that are hitting them right in the numbers.
Our Section 130 had a LOT to say about the coaches' play calls last night. If only we had a line to those guys. Who knows how things may have gone. ;)
And finally the D. We've struggled with defense for several years now, but this year is different. It's a progression. The defense really came through in the second half of the game. Early, they looked tired and beat down. Later though, they and Noil were the spirit of the team. Come heck or high water, they were going to do their part. Good on ya', Aggie Defense.
The competition in the SEC West is brutal. There's no embarrassment in losing to the best teams in the nation, especially with a young, inexperienced team. I think we're all back to the rebuilding mindset now. Carry on and gig 'em!
Sunday Stealing: Random Questions
Who were you with yesterday?
Lauren and Jeff... and an SEC and state of Texas (including NFL) record-breaking 110,633 football fans!
What woke you up this morning?
Daylight
Where are you?
In the living room
Is tomorrow going to be a good day?
Yes! I get to put together my new office at work.
What’s on your mind RIGHT NOW?
grocery shopping
Do you listen to music every day?
yes
Are you a fast typer?
yes
Whats your favorite type of soda?
diet ginger ale
Have you ever won an award?
Haven't we all? Yes, several.
Are you listening to music right now?
no, I'm watching Giada at Home
How long ’till your birthday?
about six months
Do you use ebay to buy or sell?
nope
Who makes you mad?
Just one person I work with. I am working on dealing with it better than I have been, because the negative energy is draining.
What do you do when you’re mad?
Vent to friends. Thanks, friends!
Do certain songs make you cry?
Yep. A sampling: "Rain" Patty Griffin, "Fireflies" Ron Pope, "Over You" Miranda Lambert
Are you usually a happy person?
Yes! Turns out it drives my unhappy friends nuts. LOL
What makes you the happiest?
hanging out with family and/or friends doing something fun or just chatting
Do you believe in yourself?
most of the time
So. I'm watching Hilary Duff and Giada De Laurentiis on Watch What Happens Live now (on my DVR from this week). LOL and omg. SO funny. I think Andy is freaking them both out. And I'm having Lizzie McGuire flashbacks. I watched every episode with Lauren when she was a little girl. Lauren has even met Jake Thomas!
...Then I see you smiling as I go oh, oh, oh
Yesterday my life was duller
Now everything's techni-color
Hey now, hey now,
This is what dreams are made of ...
"Hey Now" The Lizzie McGuire Movie Soundtrack- Ha!
OH man, Hilary has no idea what a shotski is. Giada has done it before. This is awesome.
BTW, regarding the Giudices of Real Housewives of NJ and their prison time... I'm sick of them thinking of themselves as victims. They need to stop acting like something terrible has happened to them. They did this to themselves. They committed fraud at the expense of other innocent people. Their "we'll get through this" attitude is seriously ridiculous. While I feel awful for their daughters, I have zero sympathy for them.
My company moved today! It was a long-ass day, but we all got packed up and out of there in time to get to Chuy's for happy hour.
Goodbye beauuuutiful Austin skyline view. :(
Hello ten minute commute! :)
We'll see if I can remember how to reconnect all my electronics on Monday morning.
Off to College Station today. BTHO Ole Miss!!
Saturday 9: Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) Are the majority of your friends married or single?
It's honestly about half and half.
2) Rings are one of the items most frequently pawned. Have you ever visited a pawn shop, either to sell or to buy?
I have been in a pawn shop one time in my entire life. JohnH pawned a guitar when we were in high school. He thought he would get a couple of hundred dollars for it and he got about $30. Thus I learned at 15 that a pawn shop is the last place you want to get a loan.
3) Let's say we want to put a ring on it: What's your ring size?
I have no idea.
4) Beyonce does commercials for Pepsi. What's the last beverage you drank?
New Mexican Martini at Chuy's
5) Beyonce also has a clothing line. What are you wearing right now?
jeans, a grey long-sleeve top and tennis shoes.
6) Speaking of clothes, Sam was changing hers this morning when she unintentionally flashed her neighbor. She didn't realize he was working along the fence that runs under her bedroom window. Tell us one of your most embarrassing moments.
My bedroom in high school was in the front of the house. I had a huge floor to ceiling window. One evening, I realized that you could completely see through my translucent bedroom curtains if the lamp was on at night, which it was during who-knows-how-many times I didn't want to share with the neighborhood.
7) Rumor has it Beyonce is pregnant again. Coincidentally, Sam needs to check the Babys R Us registry for a shower present. Who will receive the next gift you give?
Lauren. It's her 21st birthday next month!
8) But Sam doesn't actually want to go to the shower and is trying to come up a good excuse. Tell us a time you fibbed to get out of doing something.
I don't fib to get out of things. I just say I can't or don't want to do it.
9) When did you last go inside the bank and talk to a teller?
The last time I even went into the bank, Lauren was in high school and I had to get a form notarized for a summer camp. Last time I spoke to a TELLER? 2008 perhaps.
Well, the Mississippi game was just plain painful to watch. What has happened to Hill's confidence in the last two weeks? No one expected anything out of this year, so it's been amazing where we've been so far, but in the end, our team is young and thus inconsistent. I really wanted them to throw Kyle Allen in there yesterday, but I suppose patience with Hill is best. When he's relaxed, he hits those receivers every single time. He needs to learn to trust his ability.
So weird that so many top 25 teams lost this week. It's a shakeup of a season so far. Keeps things exciting though!
Sunday Stealing: Random 20
1. Have you had an argument with anyone recently? If so, do you still have issues with that person?
Well I didn't think we were having an argument on Thursday, but Felicia thought we were. I was telling her that I was angry that someone else did something. She thought I was angry with her, because she had actually told the person to do what they did, which I didn't know.... So about two minutes into the conversation, she got very defensive and was angry with me and I was sooooo confused! When I figured out what was happening, I told her I wasn't mad at her at all. I also emailed her after we hung up the phone with a huge apology. She never said a word about it, but we've talked since then. So I'm not sure where we stand at this point. Hoping we're good!
2. Are you talking to anyone while filling this in? How about texting/chatting on Facebook?
Nope, I'm just watching cooking shows and doing this meme at the moment.
3. Have you done something recently that helped someone else, in any way?
I took care of having the fence fixed, so the neighbor didn't have to handle it.
4. Who was the last person to pay you a compliment?
Leslie said I was "on fire" correcting things during the vendor meeting the other day. I've been finding errors in their specs at every single meeting! Gah.
5. Is there anything that’s happened in the past month, that you wish you could go back in time and change?
Nothing I can think of!
6. What colour is your purse/wallet?
black
7. What’s the closest item to you that’s black?
Maya
8. Think about what you looked like 5 years ago. How did you look different, compared to the way you look now?
I was leaving my hair curly most often then. Now it's almost always straightened.
9. Before Facebook became popular, did you use any other social networking site, like Bebo or Myspace?
I had a Myspace page, but I was never very active on it. Most of my online social time was devoted to message boards and LiveJournal.
10. Has someone of the opposite sex ever sung to you? If so, how did you respond to it?
I've been sung to on a few occasions. I love that!
11. When did you last hug someone of the opposite sex?
Jeff and I hugged yesterday.
12. Have you ever seen the film “Casablanca”? Did you like it?
I've seen it. I don't really get into old films, so it was ok, but not something I would watch again.
13. Do you have a relative whose name begins with ‘L’? Tell me about him/her.
Lauren is the obvious 'L', but you know all about her! Liz is my mother-in-law. She was a stay-at-home mom while her kids were growing up, and then worked as the administrative assistant to an airline executive for many years. She likes to cooking, traveling and home decorating.
14. Are you a secretive person?
No. I'm a very open person. If anything, I tend to "overshare."
15. When did you last eat?
A couple of hours ago I had cereal.
16. If you were going to buy a present for a special person, what would you generally choose?
I really like getting someone an activity-based gift like tickets to an event or class, etc.
17. If I’m going to buy you a box of chocolates, which kind should I definitely NOT get?
I don't generally like chocolates with gel or cream fillings.
18. Is there something you generally always ask for help with?
Vacuuming the air registers on the ceilings. I can't reach them.
19. If you had to give up your phone or your computer, which would it be?
Computer. It's not as mobile.
20. Has anyone called you gorgeous/beautiful today?
Not yet. The day is young!
AGGIEEEEEEES!! Whoop!!
We were playing so unusually crappy yesterday and Arkansas so unusually well, that I would never have guessed we would find our rhythm in time to tie it up. Could we stick with taking 1 quarter next time and not 3? Most exciting finish in a long time though. We were all thrilled and amazed!
Coach Price (defensive line) was happy...
Sunday Stealing: Ask Away!
1. What is your zodiac sign? Aries
2. What is your favorite color? green
3. What’s your lucky number? 3
4. What talents do you have? I sing, write songs and fiction, I'm a pretty good hack interior designer
5. Are you psychic in any way? no, just observant
6. Favorite song? at the moment- "Animals" and "In Your Pocket" on Maroon 5's new album V
7. How many pillows do you sleep with? 1-2
8. What position do you usually sleep in? on my left side
9. Have you ever tried archery? only during PE at school
10. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep? When Lauren was born, I went close to maybe 48 hours awake. I was hallucinating and my visual depth perception disappeared.
11. Do you have any scars? I have one cat scratch scar from Ernie, several little biopsy scars here and there, a round scar by my eye where I was hit in the head by a falling conch shell (#ThatExplainsALot #DamnBlanketForts), a scar on the top of each foot from a lymphangiogram, and my post-mastectomy reconstruction scar.
12. Have you ever had a secret admirer? I don't think so.
13. Can you do any other accents other than your own? Various English accents, southern, Texan, Australian, German. Not sure I do any of them well.
14. Are you a good judge of character? I tend to assume people I meet are honest, good-hearted, etc. and when a few turn out not to be, I'm always surprised. Then that's the first thing I think- I'm a terrible judge of character!
15. Can you curl your tongue? Yes
16. Are you a clean or messy person? I'm clean, but not exceedingly so. My stuff gets cluttered and messy, but as soon as I notice, I straighten things up.
17. How long does it take for you to get ready? ready for what? Ha. I can get ready to go out in as little as 10 minutes or as long as an hour. That's probably less than average.
18. Do you have much of an ego? Nah.
19. Do you talk to yourself? Rarely.
20. Do you sing to yourself? I sing alone a lot, but I wouldn't call it singing "to myself."
21. Can you name all 50 states of America? Yes, but I don't know the little song or anything. I would have to think through them.
22. Have you ever been scuba diving? Nope. Never will.
23. What makes you nervous? Speaking in front of hundreds of people. I do it, but it's not my favorite thing.
24. Do you correct people when they make mistakes? Depends on the mistake. If it's a spelling or grammatical error on social media or in an email, no. If it's something that will be a problem if repeated, I do.
25. Are you ticklish? yes
26. Have you ever been in a position of authority? I've been a manager and supervisor in my career.
27. How many piercings do you have? 2
28. Can you roll your Rs? Yes. In the front and in the back.
29. How fast can you type? Medium.
30. What are you allergic to? CT and MRI contrast agents, sulfa antibiotics
31. Do you keep a journal? Only this blog and only things I don't mind everyone in the world knowing. I kept daily written journals twice when I was younger and both times they were read by people I had trusted, who then felt compelled to question me about things I'd written. After the second time, I realized it wasn't worth anyone getting their panties in a wad over my private, uncensored thoughts.
32. Do you like your age? Yes. I'm still young and healthy, yet old enough to have accumulated a lot of life experience and to know myself well.
33. What makes you angry? Anyone who feels they have the right to physically harm someone else (guy in Llano beating up elderly folks, two teen girls stabbing their "friend" in the woods, etc.). Exception- police officers who have to use force when someone they are arresting is fighting them. If you're being arrested, calm down and get in the car and voice your concerns at the station. You have zero right to fight the police. If you do, I don't mind if they beat the ever-loving crap out of you.
34. Were your ancestors royalty? Not that I know of.
I've been having daily meetings with a sponsor and a vendor to get a mobile phone app going for a study (patients will enter their dosing information into it- cool, eh?). The vendor screwed something up something critical in a HUGE way during Wednesday's call. I was working from home, so I couldn't see the reactions in the office and wasn't in on what I was sure was an interesting conversation afterwards.
Later, C called me and we talked about the whole debacle. She described how shocked our local team was and that they were all just speechless.
Our sponsor's product manager is a petite girl with the cutest English accent. She's very sweet and endlessly
positive.
I said, "I wonder what (the sponsor's product manager) said when they got off the call!"
C said, "She probably said..." and then in the cute, girlish voice with the English accent, "What the F**K."
...which, of course, is now the running phrase at work. It's actually brought a bit of culture to the place. ;)
Saturday 9: A Day in the Life (1967)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) According to Rolling Stone, this is the greatest Beatles song of all. What's your favorite Beatles song?
"A Day in the Life" is an amazing song. One of my faves. But "Oh! Darling" is probably my very favorite. As a bonus, you can really drama it up when you sing it. Fall to your knees, etc...
2) "A Day in the Life" took 5 days to record. Looking back on the last five days, what did you accomplish?
I am locking a database next week, and I got all my ducks in a row for that.
3) This song is the highlight of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band, the first album released after the Beatles gave up touring. Critics predicted that, when they abandoned live concerts, their creativity would wane. Obviously this wasn't the case. When has someone underestimated you?
I've been accused of being "too nice," but I come out swinging when I need to, to many people's surprise.
4) The song says our hero "woke up, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head." How is your hair right now? Are you prepared to go out and face the world?
My hair is good! I'm ready for the world.
5) The lyrics tell us he had to hurry to catch the bus to work. When is the last time you rode public transportation?
I rode the game bus in College Station from the mall to campus the weekend before last.
6) "A Day in the Life" was a true Lennon-McCartney collaboration. Conventional wisdom is that Paul is easy going while John was edgy. Is your temperament more Lennon or McCartney?
McCartney
7) "A Day in the Life" came out five years after the Beatles replaced their drummer. Taking over for Pete Best was undoubtedly the biggest break of Ringo Starr's career. Tell us about a time when fortune smiled on you.
I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma in college and was scheduled for a local surgeon (the doc who diagnosed me at the university Health Center) to remove all the lymph nodes in my chest. The director of the Health Center heard about my diagnosis and intervened immediately. She informed me that surgery was not a good treatment option. She knew a doc at MD Anderson, which was referral-only at the time, and he got me in. I was in Houston starting chemo within a few days. Her actions likely saved my life.
8) It would be hard to overestimate the Beatles' impact on popular culture. Their story and music have inspired a Broadway musical, a Las Vegas show, two movies and, according to Amazon, 900+ books. What's the most recent biography you read?
Anderson Cooper (it's been a while). I'm working on Jenny Lawson's book. (Does that qualify as a biography?)
9) The Beatles are an ongoing boon to England's tourism industry. Fans from all over the world visit Liverpool each year to see where the Beatles grew up and got their start. If you won a trip to England, tell us what you'd like to see.
I'm going to England in December! I've been before and hit all the major London and Brighton sites, but I'd love to visit a bunch of castles. I love castles!
The A&M/SMU game was a blowout as expected yesterday, but there were two really notable moments. One was the corps cadet who protected our mascot, Reveille, from a player who was careening towards her after a long pass. Seriously straight into her. She could have been hurt, for sure. Great reaction time! The Corps Commandant is buying that cadet's senior boots for him. Well deserved!
The other moment was Jay Arnold doing the Johnny Jamboogie dance after a sack. Priceless.
The offense took a little time at the start of the game to find their rhythm. (Is "find their rhythm" something we'll hear every week or could we just go back to the South Carolina game plan where we rocked the house from play 1?) There were a crazy number of penalties right off the bing bang. Hill wasn't connecting with his receivers for some reason. Then though, all was suddenly well. The offense was clicking and the defense looked great. Speedy was missing from the game and we still did really well with the plethora of talent we have this year. Hope he's back soon though!
BTHO Arkansas!
Friday Five: Weddings
1. If you were getting married tomorrow (whether you have a partner or not), who would be in your wedding party?
Cathy & Laura would be my bridesmaids. Jeff would probably choose JeffC and Scott to be groomsmen.
2. Where would you get married?
I would do something small, super elegant, but less formal, at a beautiful and scenic venue in the Hill Country near Austin. Preferably somewhere with overnight accommodations, so we could hang out with everyone all night.
3. What song would be played for your first dance?
"A Thousand Years" Christina Perri
4. What would be your wedding colours?
hmm... dark sage green and pink
5. Where would you go on your honeymoon?
Italy!
My officemate was the funniest the other day. Our department manager invited Kyra to her first team meeting (one of my studies). As soon as we got into the conference room, the manager (who normally takes the minutes for data-ops-only projects, but was sick) told her to "take VERY GOOD notes." And she did.
As soon as we got back to our office, she asked me if the manager was going to quiz her about the meeting. I told her I can tell she just got out of college. She's still got school on the brain. Ha!
Nope, just for the meeting minutes. "Take very good notes" TOTALLY makes sense though, in that context.
Kyra rocks.
She's also officially become a part of the "inner circle" now, dropping her first office F-bomb on Friday. She'll be cussing like a sailor with the rest of the crew from now on. Awwww, they grow up so fast...
In other news, what the heck am I supposed to do with this Facebook popup?
Well, well, well. Look who's singing with Smokey on his new collaboration album-- Miguel, Aloe Blacc and JC Chasez. Impressive!
In completely unrelated news, there was a stabbing on a trail within a mile or so of our new
office. Kyra said that she was planning on jogging the trails near the building before work, but now she may rethink it.
Kyra: Also, I run with earphones on, so...
Me: ...you wouldn't hear the scary music! *hums ominous movie music*
Everyone: *laughs*
YES. I've still got it.
Hope everyone is having a great week!
Got home from College Station at 3 a.m. for the second weekend in a row. Holy cow, that ruins my Sunday morning. I really need to get a hotel when we have late games.
I am watching Giada at Home right now and thinking, as I always do when I watch this, how beautiful that ocean view would be out my window. Oh man. I would totally knock out the useless, decorative cabinets above the view and expand the window to the ceiling. Seriously. Why would you block the ocean to feature vases?!
In the office yesterday, we were excitedly planning a girls' trip and realized, after finally coming to a great decision on destination (Caribbean cruise), that there is no way for us to do a trip, because our entire department would have to shut down for a week! OOPS. So yeah, the girls of DM won't be taking any extended vacations together.
Sad. Day.
Lauren and I are off to College Station again today, hoping for no weather delays with rain expected for the already late evening football game. The temperature will be very nice though! BTHO Rice!
Saturday 9: Hey, Soul Sister
If you're not familiar with today's song, you can hear it here.
1) The video was shot on a street corner in Echo Park in central Los Angeles. If you saw a film crew making a video in your neighborhood, would you stop to watch? Or would you just keep walking?
I would stop and watch!
2) The singer says he remembers his girl in every dream he dreams. Do you remember if you dreamed last night?
The only dreams I remember are ones I have when I fall back asleep after being awake for a bit. I didn't fall back asleep after waking at 5:20 this morning, so I don't remember what I dreamed last night.
3) The band Train is from San Francisco. Have you ever visited The City by the Bay?
I've been to San Francisco twice. When Jeff started working right after college graduation, he had training in Sunnyvale and I met him out there for a weekend. We did Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli, a Bay cruise, Golden Gate, and took side trips to Monterrey and Carmel. A few weeks ago, we did the wine country, Chinatown, the Embarcadero and one scary-ass earthquake.
4) Lead singer Pat Monahan got his start in a Led Zeppelin cover band. Can you name a Led Zeppelin song?
Nope.
5) In doing research for this week's Saturday 9, Crazy Sam discovered a publication called Trains, The Magazine of Railroading. What's the last magazine you flipped through?
Consumer Reports
6) Do you consider yourself a leader or a follower?
I'm frequently a leader in subgroups, but have no desire to be the leader of an entire organization or group. So, generally I would consider myself a follower... with leadership tendencies.
7) Scholars tell us that "To be or not to be" is Shakespeare's most quoted line. Give us another one.
What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
8) How do you listen to music on the go? Car radio? CD changer? iPod/mp3 player? Your phone?
Car radio, phone, CDs on car trips
9) Are you a convincing liar?
No.
It was hella hot outside during lunch today, which brought about the Quote of the Day--
"My panties are wet. And NOT in a good way." -Crystal
Bwahaha! *wipes tears*
Friday Meme: Lasts
Last thing you Googled:
dylan mcdermott naked
Last concert you attended:
I think it was Maroon 5 last fall! Yeesh. I don't have any tix for concerts coming up either.
Last movie you saw in the theater:
Guardians of the Galaxy
Last record you bought:
Maroon 5 V
Last text you received:
"It's that kind of night!" from Jen just now, along with a photo of Chuy's New Mexican Martini
Last first date:
Hmm. I don't remember specifically, but it was fall of 1988, probably a guy in one of my classes.
Last day off and what you did:
A Friday a few weeks ago, and I spent the day in Napa Valley!
LOOOOVE the new Kyle Field! It will still take a few more games to get used to the south end zone being a wall of fans, but what they've done with Part I of the renovation is amazing. It is definitely louder on the student side with the canopy and walling in of the end zone. I didn't have any of the new food, but it's supposed to be good. The new video screen is amazing.
With no problem, the Aggies not surprisingly routed Lamar. Lamar had a few great plays though. I'm just pleased we continued to look awesome on offense and defense. It's going to be a great season!
I won't rehash my full-on rant last night about the NCAA lightning rule that was revised this spring (I think they are just starting to even enforce the thing at all, because I have never seen a weather delay and the past two weeks there have been a ton), but I'll just say I think it's ridiculous for football games, unless you are playing in a tiny stadium and there is more danger to the players than the crowd. It has far higher costs than any possible benefit. I am hoping this thing goes away like the "targeting" calls that were enforced early in the season last year and quickly faded, because they were equally as ridiculous.
How FUN is this version?! I love it!!
Sunday Stealing
Would you ever consider becoming a teacher?
Sure! At the college level.
Would you ever give a hitch-hiker a ride somewhere?
Absolutely not.
Would you ever try fasting for a whole week?
Nope. That would wreck your metabolism and would be very unhealthy.
Would you ever try to quit one of your addictions?
I'm sort of addicted to some reality shows, but that's about it. I don't think I would quit them.
Would you ever dye your hair purple?
Why not?
Would you ever spend $100 for the best tasting hamburger in the world?
Nope.
Would you rather chew gum off the ground or kill a squirrel?
Kill a squirrel
Would you rather play Monopoly or Operation?
Operation. There's more giggling and screaming involved.
Would you rather eat chocolate or fruity candies?
Chocolate
Would you rather listen to one CD forever or become deaf?
One CD forever
Would you rather be deaf or blind?
Blind
Would you rather text or talk on the phone?
Talk on the phone
Would you rather spend a day with Lady Gaga or Miley Cyrus?
Lady Gaga for sure.
Would you rather learn to play piano or guitar?
Piano. Guitar kills my delicate fingers.
Would you rather have a stomach-ache or headache?
Stomach-ache
Would you rather be overly interesting or overly dull?
Overly interesting
Would you rather be too loud or too quiet?
Too quiet
I don't think I ever mentioned that my work folks and I were in SF to do a bid defense and... we got the contract! Whee!! We've already started work. I am the worldwide data manager for this international phase III study. I'm definitely heading to England in December.
When the work peeps went to dinner the first night in San Francisco, we got a big table in the back room of this nice Italian place. When the waiter showed up, he said to our CEO, "I just have to ask, because the entire restaurant and all the staff think so... Are you Robert De Niro?"
Bwahaha! He does look like him. Still. Hilarious.
When we got back from the trip, our director of business development gave each member of the team Boba Fett flash drives with a thank you note. I sent him a note- "Thank you! The flash drive is SO cute!"
His response was something like, "He is NOT cute. He is the most ruthless, most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy," which my Star Wars-loving boss thought was a "perfect reply." LOL
My third Small World Moment in several years was this weekend. Jeff's cousin Tina was tagged on Facebook in a bunch of photos posted by... JULIE'S SISTER. Whaaaat??! We were having dinner with Scott-n-Julie Monday night, so I popped this on Julie then. I closed in on her sister in the pic and asked if she knew this lady.
"That's my sister!"
Then I pulled back to show Tina in a bumper car with her and before I could say "and this is Jeff's cousin," Julie said, "...and Tina!"
"YOU know Tina?!"
"She's my sister's best friend!"
Oh man. It was great. Turns out Julie knows Tina better than Jeff or I do! We were dying.
So. Adam Levine is awesome in this clip from Jimmy Fallon.
Not great with lyrics to common songs. But wow!!
Lauren and I are off to College Station today for the home opener! New stadium with 105,000 capacity, Biggest video board in college football. New, enormous sound system. New canopy (student side only this year) to focus even more crowd noise onto the field. We've been waiting all year and I am PSYCHED to finally be there!!
BTHO Lamar, baby!!
Earthquake aside, California was superfun! I'll give you a quick smattering of the vacay photos. As always, you can click them for bigger versions.
We spent Friday in Napa Valley. On the drive, I saw three cows eating grass on the very steep incline of a huge hill. They looked like giant mountain goats, y'all. I wish I would have taken a photo, because I never saw any more cows on hills and I don't think I ever will. I have no idea how they didn't roll off. Seriously.
When we arrived in the town of Napa, we stopped in at the Visitors Center to pick up a map and any tips they had to offer for covering the area. What is next door to the Visitors Center? Morimoto- the Iron Chef's restaurant! Had we known, we would have tried to arrange to have dinner there. Such a shame our timing was off, starting mid-morning and ending late afternoon in Napa.
The first winery we checked out was Opus One. It is simple and exquisite, made of limestone from Texas!
 |
| China Green Tea- Special Gunpowder? |
 | |
| Just a sample of the beautiful architecture. This is Bank of America. |
 |
| These were everywhere. We called them buttheads. |
 |
| The Ferry Building where the Marketplace is housed. |
 |
| Intriguing ice cream flavors |
 |
| Up a hill, down a hill, up a hill, down a hill |
 |
| We did the Golden Gate Bridge thing during our last trip together- 1990. Glad we could just grab a glance through the construction this time on our way to the park! |
 |
| This isn't my photo, but I wanted to show how they are each different styles and so nice! Teensy, but wonderful. |
 |
| Wish a person was in this. It's huge! |
.JPG)
So I was going to write up a nice little pictorial review of our time in San Francisco and Napa, but because I experienced my first um... EARTHQUAKE... this morning, I'm going to put that off for another time.
Today's earthquake occurred at 3:20 a.m., was 6.0 on the Richter scale and originated south of Napa. We were asleep in the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, a highrise on the Embarcadero, on the 6th floor from street level.
I woke to shaking, with the building shifting abruptly back and forth and what sounded like lightning striking the hotel over and over every half second or so- BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM. I knew exactly what it was and thought the entire building was coming apart.
Jeff was asleep and probably would have slept through the whole thing if I hadn't woken him up. (Wha???!) He says I "beat him awake," but I would say I "shook him" although perhaps rigorously. That's my story. Sticking to it.
Now, the only thing I know about earthquakes is to stand in a doorway, so I got up and headed for the door to our room. I was shaking like a leaf at that point and really freaked out. Jeff came over and stopped me and I was saying, "Aren't we supposed to stand in a doorway?" (Turns out he thought I was heading OUT the door. Where the heck would I go? He didn't know, but as I said-- I was freaking out, so he wasn't sure.)
He's lived in Cali and during the shaking he was all "it's fine" and "buildings are built to withstand these things here" blah blah. (He later said if that hotel was coming down, there was nothing we were going to be able to do about it. True, but yeesh.)
Finally it stopped. It was about 30 seconds. I realized I wasn't ever hearing any crumbling, so maybe the hotel wasn't coming down.
A couple of minutes later, Lauren texted us: Were y'all in an earthquake just now? (Ain't Twitter fast?)
Actually... YES WE WERE! And holy *#%&!
Over the PA, the hotel announced that there had been an earthquake. Everything was fine and it was safe for people to go back to their rooms. If anyone was uncomfortable sleeping in their room, they had pillows and blankets downstairs and you could sleep in the lobby.
I could never decide why people would think that was a good option. Jeff thought it would be better to be on the bottom if the building collapsed, rather than riding it down and perhaps getting trapped for days. I think he may be insanely calm about this whole thing.
A few minutes later they announced that the police were aware of the earthquake and people could stop calling 911. It was worded much nicer than that, but that was the gist.
Tourists.
Seriously though, a hotel was the best and worst place to be. The best, because those of us who aren't familiar with earthquakes had a place to ask questions and receive information we wouldn't otherwise have had (like on Friday when we spent the entire day outside in Napa Valley). The worst because it's an enormous crowd of freaked out folks with no experience with this stuff.
So honestly, thank you, Hyatt Regency SF, for the info and the calming announcements and most importantly for a building that withstands earthquakes!
I was positive I would not be able to go back to sleep, but I finally did. I woke up twice with nightmares about aftershocks (there was one actual significant 3.2 aftershock at around 5:45 a.m., but no noise and I didn't wake up from it, then several smaller ones which were imperceptible in the 1's), but managed to sleep most of the time until 7 to get up for our flight home.
Tracy said on FB that she would have packed her bags and I was so brave to stay. Ha! Thank goodness we were heading out this morning anyway, because that's as much pure panic as I can stand for one decade.
LOVED our second trip ever to the Bay Area though! I will have pics and the rundown later!
Posts
All Comments
© Blogger template On The Road by Ourblogtemplates.com 2009
Back to TOP
