News Commentary Day

The Peruvian justice system managed to do in a few days what Aruba's couldn't manage in years- lock down a Van der Sloot confession. I am glad to see him paraded out in a bulletproof jacket, quaking in his boots. The Dutch government is ticked that they are displaying him like that? Please. He's a (likely two-time) murderer and an extortionist, who won't tell the Holloways where their daughter's body is without a payoff. His privileged life, which once protected him from the law, is gone. I'm hoping it was his conscience and not just the police that convinced him to confess to murdering Stephany Flores.

For the Super Mario fans-- BP Kills Mario. Very creative. Too bad BP is not as creative with the leak fixes.

I see several articles about gas stations covering up their BP signage, because they are losing customers. They are saying that they no longer get their supplies from BP. For many, that may be true, but how do we know for sure? I would wait to see another company's sign there.

Other articles claim no one is hurting BP by boycotting gas stations that sell their gas, because the unrealized profit is just a drop in the bucket for them, and it's really just killing the gas station owners. Well, people do what they can, and if it can only make a tiny dent in BP's bottom line, then so be it. It's the principle. And so many are defending BP by saying this whole catastrophe was an accident and they're doing the best they can to remedy it. True; however, it was caused by using cheap parts to save money. That is no accident. You don't save a buck on items whose failure would have such a dreadful consequence. Would Tony Hayward skydive with a KMart parachute? I don't think so.

I leave you to your day on a happy note, with a great mommy quote from Jenny at The Bloggess-  "If you’re wearing clean socks and you don’t have hooks for hands then I’ve succeeded as a mother." :)

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Howdy

I just saw an inspiring quote for our Tuesday morning:

As we let our own Light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

-Nelson Mandela

Scotty was telling me about the San Juan Water and Beach Club hotel in Puerto Rico, since we'll be spending a day in the city on our cruise. It reminds me of SoBe. So pretty...





I've started reading the novel on which I may base my musical. So far, it's good, but because the lead character works in fashion, it's giving a lot of background on the fashion industry, which I know nothing about and don't really care to know about. That element can't be removed from the story though, so I guess I had better pay attention. I'm hoping I'm past it now. Let's get to the big dance number already!

I also did some research on script writing groups and classes in town. Austin is very much a haven for screenwriters. I'm holding out for a class or workshop for playwrights. I have read a few helpful and very informative articles how to write and produce musicals.

Kathy kept calling me a librettist the other night. I had never even heard the word. Then, because of my uncertainty, she began to think she'd made it up. Actually, she was in the ballpark. A librettist writes the words to an opera. I will be the playwright and lyricist on this project. The writer of the music will be the composer.

Yes, there will be a quiz later.

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Bobby

Welcome back, Blogger. Finally working again!

Do you ever comment on something on Facebook and wish you hadn't, because you get a notification every two minutes for the next six hours that someone else has also commented? Not the fun ones where you're bantering back and forth with other commenters, but the ones where someone got promoted or their child won an award and everyone is just saying "congrats!" or "woohoo!"

I'm just here to say what you all are thinking. You're welcome.

CJ has become Facebook friends with my very first (and very unrequited) supercrush. Well, disregarding Carter in 1st grade. This is my first real one, Bobby, in 6th grade. One of those pathetic, pubescent infatuations you have on someone completely out of your league. Bobby was the cutest guy in the sixth grade, hands down. Movie star handsome and Mr. Popularity. I was taller than everyone then (oh to be tall again), pretty shy around boys (no worries, that was also fleeting), and somewhat geeky (ok, that sorta stuck). He was dating the cheerleader with the prettiest hair in the whole school. (Perfect wings, man. I don't know how she trained those things.) He totally knew I had the hots for him. Still, he was very sweet and took the time to talk to me now and then. He's single-- maybe Cathy can go out with him. Ha! She says he's a hot mess these days, so I'm thinking no.

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And Now... We Write!

My life dream- to write a musical. I am suddenly super-motivated to begin making some serious moves towards it. Several months ago I told Kathy L, my most book-obsessed friend, that I want to adapt an unknown book. It has to be a great story, with some humor in it. Immediately, she suggested the perfect one. I don't want to divulge what it is here, but it takes place in a venue I know a LOT about, so I could actually write it very accurately! It is also a perfect setting for a musical theater production, because music is already an integral part of the scene.

I haven't read the book yet, but I'm borrowing it from her today. My next move will probably be to take a little class on scriptwriting. I could get a scriptwriting book and learn about it, but it would be great to meet other writers and get a little more in-depth information on the process.

I can write the whole thing, script and song lyrics, without a composer, although I'll probably get one involved before I finish everything. I am a great lyricist, but can't come up with a good, original tune to save my life. A couple of years ago, I asked Grant if he would write the music... someday. He said to let him know when I was ready to work on it, and hoped he would be available. We've collaborated on songs before and he would be fantastic!

The amusing irony is that when we had our short-lived living room band in high school (I call it a living room band, because we played in Grant's living room, rather than their garage), he was always harassing me for singing in a "Broadway style" rather than a pop style. I had to take it off Broadway and make it more "Madonna." Yeah well, welcome to Broadway, Grant!

Then of course there is the issue of the book author. At some point I need to find out how to go about getting permission to use the book. I don't think it's a problem really, but rather a negotiation of how to split the millions we'll make on the musical. *g*

Eee!!

Sunday Stealing: Another Question Meme

1. It's 2AM and you are not home. You are more than likely:
Dead or kidnapped. Call 911.

2. What's the last thing you spent more than $100 on?
Jeff's Nook reader

3. What do your bank checks look like?
plain old security blue

4. Where did the shirt you are currently wearing come from?
Stein Mart

5. Name something that will be on your Christmas wish list:
some sort of cooking tool

6. What color is your toothbrush?
Green

7. Name something you collect and tell us about it.
I don't collect anything at the moment.

8. Last restaurant you ate at. Who were you with? How was it?
Waterloo Ice House with Kathy L last night. It was good.

9. Who was the last person you bought a birthday card for?
Kimberly

10. What is your worst bad habit?
I kick off my shoes by the door when I get home, and leave them there. I've been trying to put them away every morning, when I'm picking up the living room, but sometimes I still end up with 3 pairs of shoes there before I take them back to the bedroom.

11. Name a magazine you subscribe to?
Consumer Reports

12. Your favorite pizza toppings?
mushrooms, black olives, onions, sun-dried tomatoes

13. Whose number were you looking up the last time you used a phone book?
the company that painted our house several years ago

14. Other than family, who is the person that you love most?
CJ

15. What is the last thing you cooked?
chicken for Apple Walnut Chicken Salad

16. Name something you wouldn't want to buy used?
a helmet

17. Which shoe do you put on first?
usually the left

18. What is the last thing you remember losing?
I lose the downstairs phone all the time

19. What is the ugliest piece of furniture in your house?
the TV stand in the game room

20. Last thing you bought and ended up returning?
the CUTEST pair of silver sequined flip flops from Kohl's. The sequins were sewn too tightly to one of the shoes, so the strap wasn't flat. They didn't have another pair in my size. :(

21. What perfume/cologne do you wear? If none, why?
Pure Grace

22. Your favorite board game?
Scrabble

23. What was the last board game you played?
PayDay

24. Where did your vehicle come from?
South Point Hyundai

25. If a movie was made about your life what would the theme song be?
Tom Cochrane "Life is a Highway"

26. You're sad, who can cheer you up easily?
Laura

27. What was the color of the bridesmaid dresses of the last wedding you went to?
I can't remember. I think it's been 8 years since the last wedding I attended.

28. What house cleaning chore do you hate to do the most?
mopping the kitchen floor

29. What is your favorite way to eat chicken?
chicken picatta- I like that it's pounded flat, so the flavors are more balanced than a thick chunk of chicken. With chicken, it's all about the flavor-to-chicken ratio.

30. It is your birthday. You hope the cake is? 
chocolate with chocolate frosting

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Pretty!!!!

the new wedding ring

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'The Clutter on Your Work Desk'

My daughter's desk is behind mine. Hers looks like a tornado hit it most of the time, demonstrating that the desire for organization is not genetic.

No, I haven't changed my desktop background from the generic Microsuck one since we installed Windows 7. That thing is in desperate need of a beach scene. Incidentally, Windows 7 ROCKS and has not ever crashed on me, unlike its highly unstable and immensely frustrating predecessor.

That's my prized Duran Duran Rolling Stone from Feb. 2, 1984 up on the bulletin board there.

What else. Ahh, I have three trombone/baritone/euphonium mouthpieces to put on ebay, as soon as I figure out how to do that. Three!


Patrick's Saturday Six

1. Would you describe your desk as generally cluttered or generally neat?
Generally neat

2. There’s the old saying about one’s clutter being “organized” just where he can find everything: considering the most cluttered part of your workspace, can you really find everything easily?
My boxes are cluttered, but I can find stuff in there.

3. You have an important appointment to remember: where’s the first place you’re likely to make note of it: on a desk calendar, your computer, or your phone?
computer calendar

4. Take the quiz: What Does Your Desk Say About You? 
You Are an Organized Worker
You are a very personally expressive person, especially outside of work. Your individuality matters to you. You draw a lot of inspiration and energy from the outside world. You get bored easily if you spend too much time alone. You are confident and competent. You tend to not make mistakes, and you trust your judgment. You are down to earth and practical. You achieve success one step at a time, by paying attention to details.

5. How many personal photos do you have on your desk, and who are the photos of?
Two- a school portrait of Lauren and a photo of my Grandma and me at my Great-Aunt's lake house in Wisconsin when I was 9

6. Is your desk too big for you, too little, or just right?
Just right. It's a large work surface, so I have space to lay things out when I'm doing projects like print media design (or scanning scrapbooks!).

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Good Morning!!

I don't want to say I'm accident prone, but I seriously scratched myself with my bra.

*giggle* http://thebloggess.com/?p=7186  

I have finally started the fancy rehab exercises for my knee, at home thank goodness. When I did rehab for a torn rotator cuff years ago, and they had me go in 2-3 times a week. A royal pain. My knee joint is still unstable, so I'm strengthening every single muscle that supports it. Luckily as long as I see 50% improvement in two weeks, I don't have to return to the doc ever again.

I finally have everything set to work on my grandparents' wedding scrapbook. I was just scanning photos of their honeymoon to Hawaii. Oh, I would love to be able to go there every year. So gorgeous. Someday we will take that cruise that departs San Diego and goes through the islands and back. On our Hawaii trip, we did Oahu and the Big Island. I would like to see Maui and Kauai.

Since I got rid of my vast collection of paper scrapbooking supplies years ago, I'm using Shutterfly again for the album itself. They do a wonderful job of creating a printed, bound book from your custom design for each page. Then Grandpa is going to send copies to the family... another thing you cannot do with a handmade scrapbook. I *heart* technology.

It is a beautiful Friday morning here in the ATX. Enjoy your day, wherever you are!

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It's CUME

I filed stuff for Laura in her students' cumulative folders (a.k.a. their "permanent records") again this year. The teachers call them "Cume Folders," but when emailing you about it, they spell it without the e. Disturbing, I tell ya. When I showed up at the school, Laura handed me a pair of latex gloves for the job. LOL

Third graders are very loud on the last day of school. Just sayin'.
 
So Al and Tipper are breaking up. My theory is that he finally figured out she's a Republican. Come on now. That girl is a right-winger through and through. I cannot imagine getting divorced at that age, to make it that far and then just give it up. It's too bad.

Speaking of the inventor of the internet... AT&T is switching to usage-based internet billing for smartphones. Other phone carriers and home internet will most likely follow in time. Remember when Time Warner attempted it for home internet? Customers freaked and they backed off.

For most people, the AT&T switch does mean a more reasonably-priced data plan for the iPhone (hmm!!), however you now have to eyeball your usage all the time to make sure you aren't going over for the month. Remember when we used to have to monitor our long distance phone calls, because they were charging by the minute? You felt that timer ticking in your head the entire conversation. Often, you cut off the call before you wanted to, because you knew the cost was getting crazy. I imagine that will be me... hesitant to be on the net and counting the kilobytes for every page I bring up.

This new size-obsessed view of the web will also trickle down to website design, as I mentioned when TW was trying it. Web pages are typically small in size, but graphics and videos are not, especially in large numbers. With usage-based internet, the day is coming when sites who want you to visit will need to be small, so your monthly MB allotment doesn't take a hit, and eventually the web will start looking like a bland, jpeg-free collection of Word docs.

YouTube will be the biggest MB drain of all. Oh wait--- iTunes! Yikes. I hate this already.

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Brigaldara Amarone della Valpolicella

The 20th anniversary wine was Brigaldara Amarone della Valpolicella 1995. There you go. My father-in-law is keeping the label for me.

I spent a few hours in the library yesterday morning, to learn about my upcoming job from the library assistant who's leaving. That place is SO organized. Every drawer and cabinet has a label of what is inside. It's really incredible. Right up my alley. And I get my own desk! How cool is that for half-time.

Lauren, Jaxon and I played Scattergories yesterday, and we had the letter F. One of the words was "something in this room." We were in the room where we play board games and do puzzles. Lauren said "Family Fun." Aww! So cute. And two points. We also spent some time unscrewing the back of the Scattergories timer to replace the batteries, because it seemed to be going a little wonky. When it finally came off, a handful of plastic gears fell out, leaving an empty box. Turns out, the thing doesn't run on batteries at all. It's just mechanical. And broken. Ha!


Sunday Stealing: The Just Because Meme

1. Make a list of 5 things you can see without getting up.
a Wii controller on the floor in the front room, my collection of glass bottles in the window above the front door, Lauren's group band photos on the wall, the AC thermostat, part of my neighbor's backyard playscape

2. How do you style your hair? How often do you cut it?
I usually flat iron it, with a little wave. Sometimes I let it dry curly or curl it with a 1" curling iron. It's long, so I get it cut every two months or so.

3. What are you wearing now?
An orange linen top and white denim capris. I'm all T-sipped out today.

4. What's your occupation? Do you like it?
Stay-at-home mom. I love it.

5. When was the last time that you took a nap? Was there a special reason?
A couple of weekends ago. The special reason? I was crazy-tired.

6. Who was the last person you hugged romantically?
Jeff

8. What was the last full meal that you ate?
the taco salad I made last night

9. What was the last email that you received?
A high school Yahoo Group update on the softball team.

10. What one website do you always visit when you go online?
Facebook

11. What was the last significant thing you bought?
a Nook for Jeff for his birthday on Saturday- super cool piece of electronics

12. What musical artist did you not get at first, but then became a fan?
Lady GaGa

13. What did you think about before you went to bed last night?
How I wished my eyes would stop itching. I took the Zyrtec before I went to bed, and it seems to be helping. Definitely helping more than Claritin.

14. What was the last CD you bought?
Lady GaGa The Fame

15. What is your favorite weather, and why? What's the weather like today?
Sunny with a cool breeze, because it's perfect for hanging out outside. Today will be sunny and hot. I know that without looking at the weather forecast.

16. If you could have a special artistic talent, what would it be?
I'd love to just be able to draw. Nothing fancy, just something more than stick figures.

17. Did you watch the Idol 9 finale? If yes, what are your thoughts?
Did not watch at all this season.

18. What's something you'd like to say to someone right now?
I'd like to tell the Texas State Board of Education they've made all Texans look stupid with their ultra-conservative textbook edits.

19. Any special plans for this (holiday in the States) weekend?
(last weekend) We went to Dallas.

20. Besides your current S/O, who was the last person that you loved romantically?
Evans... so many eons ago. He and his wife very recently had a baby girl!

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June!

Time flies. I can't believe it's June already. I'm all allergies this morning. Gah. I'm going to try Zyrtec after two recommendations over Claritin, which doesn't really do anything for me.

Saturday 9: Midnight Confessions

1. Have you ever had to confess something to a lover or friend?
Nope. I did have to confess some things to my parents over the years. The first big thing was when I broke the back windshield out of their car while my cousins and I were tossing rocks in the air at Grandma's. Whee!

2. How well do you handle rejection?
Unless I'm particularly invested in the situation, I handle it very well and just move on with a minimal dent in the ego. If it's a job, a person, etc. that is important to me, I take a definite hit.

3. What makes you feel old?
Hearing adults say they were born in the late 80's.

4. What makes you feel young?
Riding roller coasters.

5. What’s something you are old school about?
Cell phones. Unless it's some sort of emergency, I think it's rude to answer your cell phone in the middle of a conversation with someone. Even a text. I hate when we're talking along and suddenly the person's head goes down to their phone screen and they keep talking while they type. Also, iPods. I don't like chatting with someone who has their iPod ear buds in their ears.

6. What TV show's seasons would you buy on DVD? Tell us why it rocks.
I'm not really a big purchaser of DVDs, but in the spirit of the question, I'd say most seasons of "American Idol." I'd like to see the progress of the singers from the first show to the last. It's often surprising. Also, there are several really memorable performances I'd love to see again.

7. If you could create your own TV channel, what would it be?
I'd do a comedy channel similar to Comedy Central, but without all the obnoxious commercials.

8. Where do you like to go for a day trip?
Johnson City or San Antonio, depending on if I want a city trip or a country trip

9. Name some things that you still want to do in your life.
visit Russia, drive through the Chunnel, take an Alaska cruise, attend a film premiere

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