Happy Easter!

Good morning and Happy Easter to those of us who celebrate! Laura, Lent can be considered to have ended on Thursday, so we were totally okay going out for barbecue on Friday night. (Just trying to absolve us of that ex-Catholic guilt.)


The foundation's pre-website-launch checklist is giving me fits this weekend. After I completed and verified most of my web pages early a couple of months ago (having been, along with web producers from two other chapters, basically a beta tester of the whole CMS system- you're welcome), the national office has made changes to the structure of some pages that has resulted in the disappearance and/or complete "screwing up" (technical term air quotes!) of several of my chapter's pages.

*sigh*

As I am reconstructing several key pages, I am finding new system bugs. Ugh. What a mess.


Sunday Stealing: The Two Memes in One Meme Meme - Happy Easter!

1: Who is your favorite Musical Artist from when you were a teenager? 
Prince and Duran Duran were my two ultimate favorites.

2: Who is your favorite game show host?
Chuck Woolery

3: Who is your Favorite Blog hosting service?
Blogger!

4: If you could meet anyone again from your childhood, who would it be?
Mr. Jackson, my awesome fifth grade teacher at Burnett Elementary in Houston.

5: Where did you want to live when you were growing up?
Good question. I don't think I thought much about living anywhere other than Houston. We spent a lot of time in College Station with my grandparents and aunt and uncles, so I would have happily lived there as well.

6: What is the most interesting piece of Trivia that you know?
Fun fact: Teeth are the only body parts that cannot heal themselves.

7: If you could live in any point of history when would it be and why?
I would live in ancient Rome, when they didn't have to wear pesky undergarments.

8: What is the most interesting job you have ever had?
The one I have now. It's never boring, working with brand new therapies and medical devices that may be helping people in the next few years.

9. Please share one middle school memory. It can be good, bad, ugly, funny. Pictures or words, I don't care, just share. 
Mr. Spasic, my seventh grade Texas History teacher, used to do these hilarious overheads for lessons, starring Mr. Spaso, a parody of Mr. Bill from SNL. This is a card I made him on the last day of school, with Mr. Spaso on the front. It said, "Oh NOOOOO.... Texas History is over. :(" Heh.

10. What's your favorite Beatles song?
"Oh! Darling" Love Sarah Bareilles' cover:



11. If I asked you to describe your most comfortable outfit, what would it be?
athletic capris and a thin t-shirt

12. Would you rather host a party or be a guest?
Be a guest. I love planning parties, but I tend to stress over the details when I am hosting.

13. Do you think we will move completely from traditional books to digital ones, and if we do, are you OK with that?
Yes and yes.

14. Do you learn best by reading, listening or experiencing?
experiencing

15. If you are (or when you were) single, what is the kiss of death for you concerning the opposite sex? (That is, what is one trait or behavior or habit or anything at all that immediately turns you off from considering that person a potential match for you?)
anyone who appeared to be insincere or fake

16. Snacks. Salty or sweet?
salty

17. Look around you in a four foot radius. What object is around you that you didn't realize was there or forgot was there? How long has it been there?
My table's table tent from the foundation's awards night (it says "Guests of Kathy ---"), that Laura stole for me. It's been here for maybe a month, waiting for me to figure out what to do with it.

18. What is your favorite Tom Cruise movie?
Top Gun

19. You buy a bottle of shampoo and discover that you don't like what it does to your hair at all. What do you do with that full bottle?
I offer it to the fam and a couple of friends, to see if they want to try it. If not, I toss it. I did just read that if you don't like a new conditioner, you can use it as shaving cream. Great idea!

20. Your favorite spring comfort food?
What the heck is a spring comfort food? Winter comfort foods, I get. Spring... let's see... chicken Caesar wrap?

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And on a Positive Note...

My friend Luis said this yesterday on Facebook:

Today a woman picked out an item of which we only had one left in the store. When a man saw it and wanted to get one for himself she let him know it was the last one. He was disappointed and she noticed. She said it wasn't a day to be greedy and offered it to him while she would pick out another item that was similar. He protested but she insisted. He agreed but only if she let him buy her another item of her choice while he purchased the one she gave up. She agreed. It was a beautiful sentiment for a Good Friday.

Loved that story and wanted to share! Have a great day, y'all!

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Rude People... and Saturday 9!

I keep forgetting to tell this story on the old blog, so here we go. From the concert the other night...

There have been only two times in my life that I was so absolutely pissed off at a stranger that I very angrily confronted them about what they were doing. The first was several years ago at a cheer competition in Frisco, where a mom stood in an incredibly long concession line with all of us for a half hour, then tried to let her entire TEAM of cheerleaders cut to give their orders. If she wanted to order 20 cokes, I didn't have a problem with that. I did have a problem with her funneling in 20 girls to do their own individual orders.

Time number two happened the other night. We were in stadium seating, and the row behind us had a particularly wide space in front, for lots of leg room. Tracy and I had even mentioned that when we sat down. We should have gotten one row back, to have some space.

A drunk and/or high woman (around 30 years old, I'm guessing) and her boyfriend were sitting directly behind us. The woman kept putting her boots against my chair, and the chair of the guy next to me. Eventually she started kicking the guy and me in the back. He said something first. Then I said something. Her boyfriend kept yelling at her and physically holding her legs down, so she would stop.

A few minutes later, she pressed her boot against my back. I turned around and took her foot off me and placed it onto the floor and told her to stop it. She was slouching in her chair and laughing and writhing around like an idiot. To her boyfriend's credit, he was constantly doing his best to keep her from touching us, but that chick needed to be escorted out.

A couple of times more of her boot in my back and finally actually pressing against my head, and I stood up and turned around to face her. I put my hands on the back of my chair and leaned over and screamed over the music, "I WILL HAVE YOU KICKED OUT OF HERE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!"

Yeah, that was me. It felt sort of out-of-body, but I heard it coming out of my own mouth.

She kept slouching and writhing and giggling. Turns out she was with a whole group on that row. When I turned back around to watch the show again, they started asking what was going on, and the boyfriend explained to them that she was kicking me and pushing her feet onto me. One friend asked if they wanted to switch seats. He said she would just put her feet on someone else, so he was going to keep her from doing it.

If she touched me one more time I was going to find security to have them deal with her. Luckily for her and her boyfriend, she managed to keep her boots off me for the last half hour of the show. Grr!


Saturday 9: I Don't Want to Wait

1) Are you impatient?
I can be, yes. I don't like to be late, and I don't like when others are late. Time is valuable and I don't want to waste mine or anyone else's.

2) Do you believe some people have a gift for predicting the future?
Nope

3) The microwave is a great invention for those who "don't want to wait." What was the last thing you prepared in yours?
I made Lauren some nachos with the taco meat from Thursday night.

4) This was the theme of the TV show Dawson's Creek. Michelle Williams, a costar on the show, went on to earn multiple Oscar nominations. Name another performer who started out on TV and then became a movie star.
Oh! I've got this one! George Clooney.

5) What's the last bit of advice you received?
Get a cast aluminum patio set, rather than wicker, because the wicker could fade or crack over time.

The wicker these days isn't actual wicker. It has an aluminum skeleton and is made with all-weather PVC, treated with anti-this and anti-that, and colored all the way through. Still, a salesperson told us that it is less durable than cast aluminum. Even on our covered patio, the sun that peeks through in the morning and afternoon has weathered the wood of the hot tub, so I know I still need to consider that in my selection. But I love love love the modern wicker sets like this one:

Royal Terrace Havana at Chair King

6) What's the last advice you gave?
I gave some advice to CJ about a certain gentleman in her life. I'm quite the expert in issues of the heart. Just sayin'.

7) Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What leaves you feeling refreshed or rejuvenated?
Being outside in the fresh air, convening with nature a tad.

8) Easter is also recognized as the start of the spring season. What are you looking forward to this spring?
We have always had a table and four chairs on our back patio. I really want a nice, comfy conversation set instead, with a long couch, two chairs, an ottoman, a coffee table and end table. I look forward to hanging out on the patio, lounging with friends and refreshing beverages.

9) Which would you rather find in your Easter basket: yellow marshmallow chicks (aka Peeps) or a chocolate bunny?
Seriously? Chocolate bunny all the way.

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Lasts

Today is Jeff's last day at work. He's been at the company for 24 years, since college graduation. Can you believe it? He starts at the new place on Monday. So excited for him!!

Last night was his big sendoff happy hour/dinner with his coworkers. His original boss, who hasn't been with the company for years, was there. Talk about a blast from the past. Pretty cool!


Friday 5: Lasts

1. At a gathering of your usual social group, who’s almost certain to show up last?
Everyone I hang out with on a regular basis is pretty punctual. Bunco though- definitely Amy. :)

2. Of chores that must be done this weekend, which will you probably complete last, and why?
vacuuming, because... blah

3.Some TV remote controls have a “last” button. If you were to turn your TV on now and hit the “last” button on the remote, which channel would you be taken to?
HGTV

4. Your task is to try one scoop of ice cream per day until every one of thirty-one flavors is consumed. Which do you save for last?
mint chocolate chip

5. When did you last have an awful meal in a restaurant?
Don't tell anyone, but I hated the food yesterday at a restaurant all my coworkers said they loved, because one of them selected it for her birthday lunch. AND... then Jim asked me about it on Facebook (of course!), so I had to say it was good. I'll have to let him know not to go there. Ha!

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"Your Wit, Sir, is Legendary"

Lauren read my post from the other day and said that when I mentioned my "childbearing hips," I totally missed an opportunity to use the phrase "voluptuous German birthing hips," which was actually said by a girl on an episode of "Say Yes to the Dress" a few weeks ago. Ha!  Yes, them too.

The gals in our department are going to do an every Saturday morning fitness outing. Each week a new gym or physical activity, and if you can go, you go. Most gyms offer a free class. The ones that don't usually offer a cheap class- like $10. My suggestion: hiking, especially while it's still cool. We've come up with tons of ideas for things to do. It'll be fantastic!

Tonight, "Mustache," I leave you with just a few of my favorite Impractical Jokers moments. There was a mini-marathon or something going on this evening.

Two... burgers of ham!


I wouldn't get that...


Why would my friends call me that?


Both my therapist and my parole officer think I'm ready for a roommate...

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Video Clips...

Forgot to say one highlight of our evening was goat cheese beignets at Cru. Miniature beignets filled with goat cheese and drizzled with honey and a sprinkle of black pepper. Oh man.

Anyhoo!...

Well, no one has "Back 2 Good" from uploaded from last night yet, but here's another good one---
"So Sad, So Lonely" at 3:05...



...Dance all night 
With your ass on fire 
And your hands up high 
And feel me one more time...

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Matchbox Twenty

OMG. Matchbox Twenty is so awesome live. I've never seen them in concert before. Can you believe that? And ACL Live is the best venue. Every seat is a good seat. A pretty intimate setting for the size of it.

I cannot say enough about how great MB20 were. They played a few songs from their new album, and the rest from their years and years of colossal hits. Everyone was singing and dancing. It was amazing!

Best of all, they played "Back 2 Good," which is one of my favorite all time songs. Rob Thomas- just.. yes. He made a joke about Austin's cedar pollen making his voice all scratchy, which he thought might be sexy.... or creepy. Heh.

At one point he said he was "a teenager in the late 80's..." which shocked the crap out of the guys behind me.

Guy 1: DAMN. What?!
Guy 2: What did he say?
Guy 1: He said he was a teenager in the late 80's!
Guy 2: Oh my GOD. Wow.

At that point, Rob had gone into a very detailed discussion of making a mix tape from the radio, waiting for the DJ to shut up and stop talking over the intro to your favorite song, which you'd sat by the radio all dang day to wait for... Those guys had no idea what he was talking about.


Patrick's Saturday Six

1. What is the best part of your job? (If you’re unemployed or retired, what’s the best part of your day?)
I enjoy digging into data files and identifying discrepancies and queries. I'm sorta like the cute bow-tie guy on the H&R Block commercial who says he enjoys digging through 8 years of someone's unorganized papers to sort them and fill out a proper tax return. LOVE IT.

2. What was your favorite television show when you were a child?
I liked Zoom, The Electric Company, Sesame Street and Bugs Bunny.

3. When you go to a coffee shop, what is your “usual” order?
Skinny iced mocha, decaf.

4. When you watch a movie, do you skip the previews or do you watch them all with anticipation?
Skip them? Do I have a choice? I watch all of them with anticipation. I enjoy hearing everyone's comments at the end of each trailer. Oh, movies at home? No, I skip those, if the DVD lets me.

5. What’s the best thing that happened to you today (or this week)? 
I finished designing a user acceptance testing plan for one of my studies, and got it signed off.

6. Do you know any knock-knock jokes? If so, list it.
Knock knock
Who's there?
Cows go.
Cows go who?
No, cows go MOO.

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Saturday Nine

Heading out to a spin class this morning with the gals from the office. It's so "Austin," no?


Saturday 9: In the Wee Small Hours

1) Crazy Sam's mom and dad still talk about how exciting it was to see Sinatra in Vegas! What music did/do your parents enjoy?
My mom was a huge Tom Jones fan. I've known all his songs since I was tiny. She was also into pop music and always knew the current stuff. Dad enjoyed opera and Mireille Mathieu.

2) We all know Sinatra sang, and he won an Oscar for his acting. But he also painted and was proud to sell a few canvasses anonymously (signed "Artanis"). Do you have a secret talent?
Not that I can share here.

3) Those close to Sinatra maintained that every time he sang,"In the Wee Small Hours" (hear him perform it live here) he conjured up how it felt to lose his great love. Have you ever had your heart broken?
Who hasn't?

4) In 1966, when he was 50, Sinatra married 21 year old Mia Farrow. Their union lasted less than two years. Do you think a wide age gap necessarily dooms a romantic relationship?
Yes. It adds a lot of extra pressure, expectations and possibilities for conflict.

5) Offstage Sinatra wore orange sweaters and liked seeing orange throw pillows in his home and dressing room because he believed "orange is the happiest color." What color raises your spirits?
blue

6) Frank and his loyal buddies were famously known as "The Rat Pack." How many people do you consider close friends?
Six

7) Sinatra's children followed their father into show business. What advice would you give a young person entering your career of choice?
For clinical research data management, you should have a solid background in biology and medical science, along with an interest in helping people. You'll need strong technical skills as well. Know how to communicate effectively and patiently with a large project team of people with varied perspectives and vastly differing levels of technical and clinical knowledge.

8) Legend has it that Frank was embarrassed by a scar on his face (received at birth from the forceps used in his delivery) and worked hard to cover it. Do you have a physical characteristic that you try to hide?
My childbearing hips. Gah!

9) In 1964, when he first heard The Beatles, Sinatra was very dismissive. By 1970, he called the Beatles' "Something" one of the most beautiful ballads ever. Tell us about something you changed your mind about.
Nicki Minaj. I dismissed her from day 1, because of her wacky professional persona, but I've seen (on the few episodes of AI I've watched this season) that she is a really sweet and pretty smart young lady. (Her weird waffle commentary the other night notwithstanding.)

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Driver's License Renewal

Renewed my driver's license today. Oh the thrill of the DMV. Nowhere else is there such a varied group of human beings. My favorite is always the creepy hipster in the corner with his laptop.

I talked to a girl there, who had a beautiful diamond ring that she told me she got at Costco. I had no idea Costco sold jewelry. She said they sell caskets, too. Truly one-stop shopping there.

I was mostly so happy to get a new photo. My old photo looks nothing like me, and is utterly hideous. Back at work, my office mate said that she doesn't ever want a new DL photo. She actually dug her purse out of her desk drawer to show me how pretty she looks in her current pic. It's supercute!My driver's license has been in my wallet backwards- I kid you not- for about eleven years.

I'm going to be in the office full time beginning on Monday. The Foundation website is finally close to completion (and I've been working full time for the company for a couple of weeks now anyway). So, yay! Lauren has very helpfully volunteered to take over grocery shopping, so I don't have to do it at night or on the weekend. So nice of her!


Text convo with Cathy Tuesday night:

CJ: I'm at Open Mic Night with Geoff's band. I just sang two songs, but I can't think of any more to sing.
Me: Katy Perry? Taylor Swift? That Christina Aguilera/ Blake Shelton duet?
CJ: "I Kissed a Girl"!
Me: Jeff says do the Harlem Shake.
CJ: I've never tried it.
Me: Oh please... you kissed a girl once, back in your crazy army days!
CJ: Right. I was talking about the Harlem Shake. LOL

Ahaha. Catherine. Always keepin' it real.

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Hippity Hump Day

Now that I know certain people are creeped out by the term Hump Day, it'll probably be my Wednesday post title every week. "Hump day" and "moist" seem to be my friends' least favorite words.

My least favorite words? "Fracking" and "sloughing."


Justin Timberlake announced that he will release the "second half" of his album later this year.

Is that the GOOD half?

Ha. Sorry, I'm a fan, but not of the new album. There are no songs on there that you can't get out of your head. I wanted to like it! Meh.


Kathy has taken two business trips to SIngapore in the past two months. She finally got to take some time for sightseeing, and went to the Gardens By the Bay there. I tease her all the time about never taking photos in all the cool places to which she travels. She doesn't even take them on her phone! When she told me about the gardens, I wanted to see photos. "Google Gardens By the Bay," she told me.

This weekend, we brought some online photos up while we were hanging out by the pool. OMG. How awesome is that place? I refer you  to Google Images. Go ahead and check it. I'll wait...

It looks like drawings, doesn't it? Very surreal and futuristic. There is a walkway between those tree things, that she walked on.

She visited another incredible place there- the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. More photos are on Google. Holy wow! I must stay there! What a view. What a pool!

One of her colleagues there is from California. He says he may never come back to the States after living in Singapore. Well now I need to add Singapore to my wishlist travel destinations!

Incidentally, Kathy and Alex went to NYC over Spring Break and she took photos! All of Alex in front of touristy locations. Very cute. Bravo.

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