Downton Abbey Binging in 2022

This morning the lawn guys came to do a top dressing on our lawn. We have a section of wood fence that blew down in the storm last week (trying to figure out with our neighbors how to fix it exactly), so Jeff told the lawn guys to just lean the piece of fence against the remaining fence to work on that section of grass. He watched and told me that instead of leaning it against the fence, they kept balancing it IN the empty space where it belongs along the fence line, and it kept... falling over... as one might expect. I only wish I could have watched that whole scene. That's pandemic entertainment right there.

New Netflix binge! We'd never seen Downton Abbey. Well, we did see the movie, but never an episode of the show. Now we've binged the first two seasons and are starting into Season 3. I watched so much Downton Abbey in such a short time that I'm thinking in a British accent. It hasn't actually come out of my mouth yet. Only a matter of time, I'm sure. 

The weather in Austin has been gorgeous! Sunny and cool. Disturbing manifestation of global warming? Perhaps. But gorgeous! 

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Goodbye 2021

 It's just anoooother New Year's Eve...

Happy last day of this sucky year! Woohoo!!

We started watching "Maid" this week. Fantastic show! My favorite moment so far is Andie McDowell's whirlwind of a character angrily declaring that her ex-boyfriend's wife, Petal, who is cradling a baby in the background, "looks like a f*ing bitch!" Bwahahaa. (You may have had to be there. Seriously hilarious.) So far the lead character (played by Andie McDowell's real-life daughter) is making questionable life choices, but I'm hopeful she will start standing up for herself and taking help when it's offered. It's not really about being a maid, like I thought it would be. Looking forward to the next episode.

I've temporarily gone back to curbside shopping now, with the new covid spike in full force here. Hoping it will be shorter than the previous ones. Then maybe we can all start back towards actual normal-normal!

Saturday 9: Drivers License (2021)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is about a girl who just got her drivers license. Who taught you to drive?

my boyfriend at the time, in his Fiat

2) Do you like your drivers license/state ID photo?
It's fine. 

3) Think back to the first ticket you received. How old were you, and what was it for?

I was 20, and it was for having an outdated registration sticker. He also mentioned the A&M stickers I had on my license plate were illegal (even though they were very cool and we ALL had them!), but didn't ticket me for those. 

4) In this week's song, Olivia Rodrigo is brokenhearted, driving through her boyfriend's neighborhood, certain that he has taken up with the sophisticated blonde girl. When it comes to romance, do you have a jealous streak?

not generally

5) Olivia grew up in Temecula, California. Temecula is home to 40 wineries and dozens of tasting rooms. Have you ever attended a wine tasting?
several, yes

6) Her first on-screen appearance was in a commercial for Old Navy stores. Old Navy is owned by the same company as Banana Republic, Gap and Athletica. Have you done any of your holiday shopping at one of those stores? (Yes, their websites count.)
Nope.

7) She went on to star in projects for Disney studios. That's also how pop stars Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, and Christina Aguilera got started. Arguably the first teen star created by Disney studios was Annette Funicello. Do you remember her?
I do, because she was in the Beach Blanket Bingo movie(s?) with Frankie Avalon, who was in Grease.

8) "Drivers License" was one of this year's most popular songs. One of this year's most popular books is John Grisham's The Judge's List. Do you expect to do much reading between now and the end of the year? If so, what's on your TBR (to be read) list?

Mostly cookbooks.

9) Random Question: What is the longest line you ever stood in, and was it worth it?

I have been in many, many overnight lines for concert tickets, back when we had to buy them at record stores. SO fun! Always worth it.

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Misc Wednesday

Laughing at the ad for dog treats covered in "peanut butter flavored yum." Whatever in God's name YUM is... *gag* 

We finished Part 5 of "Money Heist" on Netflix. Sad day. It is a very well-written action/drama show. Fun to watch. Now it's complete. Be sure to catch all the extra behind-the-scenes videos, including "From Tokyo to Berlin", to hear some funny and interesting production stories... and also to see the regular, non-geeky version of Álvaro Morte (The Professor). 

Luckily "Who Killed Sara?" season 3 is coming out sometime, so we can look forward to that for our next foreign TV thriller binging. 

Zoom Christmas was good. My brother-in-law and nephew had/have covid. They gathered with my in-laws and other local Dallas family members, but we declined to be a part of that. We've spent waaaay too long being cautious to catch covid on what may be the last significant round of it. *crossing fingers* 

Best Zoom Christmas conversation tidbit? Here ya' go:

Grandpa: I don't play golf, because the water always sucks my balls.

*mic drop*

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Keep Apple Music Curated Playlists Playing and Updated

So. I have been enduring this Apple Music problem. 

I most frequently listen to Apple Music's curated playlist 'A-List Pop.' Their playlists are updated weekly, so I'm always listening what's new in pop music. I went to the playlist on Apple Music and hit Play. I assumed that it would just play on (unless I listened to something else, of course), automatically updating every Friday when the list was updated. If the list had been updated since the last time I listened, I figured it would finish out the current song, then just play the first song of the updated playlist. 

But no.

If a curated list has been updated since the last time you listened, your device finishes the current song from the old version of the playlist, then ditches the playlist and starts playing random music from your Library. 

I have finally found and configured a valid fix, and it is workinggggg! Here it is:

If you mostly listen to one Apple Music curated playlist, don't play the playlist IN Apple Music. Download their playlist to your Library (just press the download button at the top of the list, or the "..." then "Download"). Then play the playlist from within your Library. It will auto-update every Friday from Apple Music to your Library, and work flawlessly, finishing the current song and moving on to the first song of the updated playlist if it has been updated since the last time you listened.

Ta. Da!

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Clash of the What?

Based on the ads, the bands on the show "Clash of the Cover Bands" aren't cover bands. They're tribute bands. Weird. Why not "Clash of the Tribute Bands"? Alliteration shouldn't be that important. If it is though, to be fair...

...there may not be a good T word to use for "clash." 

This morning in a "Happy Thanksgiving" text, Kimberly messaged me a photo of myself our senior year of high school. I'm at her house by the fireplace, on my way to a Prince concert (the Purple Rain tour), wearing high heeled boots, a mini skirt and a super-awesome 80's top, with my hair in an up-do, and I look mostly... SO TALL. YES! 

The only time I've ever actually been tall was in fifth grade. I reached my full adult height (5'4) the summer before that year, and the rest of my classmates spent the next 2-3 years catching up... and eventually passing me by. As an added bonus, my hair was thick and wavy, and it frizzed in the Houston humidity, and I would not figure out how to tame it until I got a curling iron (thankyouJesus) in sixth grade. 

I was in a trio of best friends during that time- Lori, Kim (another Kim!) and me- and Kim had a "boyfriend" in fifth grade for a few weeks. That little twerp always called me Amazon Woman. (It sounds vaguely racist today, right? They haven''t been around since 500 A.D., so it's prolly not an issue.) I had no idea what he meant. When I asked him, he said Amazon women were tall and had big hair. He could have said, "You know, like Wonder Woman!" But no. 

Now, living life in the petite section, it's hilarious that long ago, I was so freakishly tall that someone made fun of me for it.

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Randomness!

That Target commercial where they say "Come in for a soccer ball... leave a part of the team." should be "Come in for a soccer ball... leave with a cart full of crap you didn't need."

Can anyone tell me why Apple Fitness+ HIIT workouts do not go with the beat of the music? Is that typical of HIIT? It gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Sunday Stealing

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?

Need mascara.

2. What shirt are you wearing?

Texas A&M t-shirt, baby! WHOOP

3. Do you label yourself?

I labelled myself "not a survivalist type" last night. We were talking about a worldwide catastrophe situation, where one would have to find their own food, build a shelter, etc. I know nothing about that kind of stuff. Also, I sunburn easily. That is the first clue that you are not going to survive the apocalypse.

4. What does your watch look like?

Looks like... an Apple watch, silver with a blue band.

5. What were you doing at midnight last night?

sleeping

6. Last furry thing you touched?

Maya the kitty

7. Favourite age you have been so far?

There are wonderful things about every age, but 30 was pretty great. The kiddo was a toddler and I was really active in my mommy club and Bunco group. Superfun!

8. What is your current desktop picture?

I have the dynamic "Tree" background on my MacBook. Pretty.

9. If you had to choose between $1,000,000 or to be able to fly what would it be?

Million bucks.

10. The last song you listened to?

OneRepublic, "Someday"

11. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?

Sigh and walk away. Eh.

12. Would you move for the person you loved?

Yep.

13. Name three things that you have on you at all times?

mask, credit card, allergy medical alert bracelet

14. What’s your favourite town/city?

Scottsdale, AZ or San Diego,CA

15. Does anything hurt on your body right now?
No

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Mmmkaaay

#BUTFIRST...

Howdy!!

Anyhoo... I was on my Amazon home page, and saw this:

Is that where I am now? Amazon thinks I would love some light bulbs for a little fall pick-me-up purchase? Oy. 

But I will take the Betsey Johnson earrings, thankyouverymuch.

Austin is finally starting to come down from the apex of our current and worst-yet covid spike, so YAY for that. We are masked in public unless we're outside with some good air flow. Hoping we can get back out more once we're down a stage or two. We take drives here and there on weekends, but don't do big group activities or dining out. It will be cooler soon, so eating outside will be more appealing. It's actually really nice out today.

Lately we've been watching Big Brother (Xavier fan since Day 1), Clickbait (finished) and Nine Perfect Strangers (finished). And of course, Ted Lasso. I also loved the Watch the Sound with Mark Ronson docuseries on Apple TV+. It is supercool. Megastars, music geniuses and very interesting content.

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Mistaken Identity

 

"I don't even know where the hole for this is." Bwahaha! Love the leather.

 

Jeff mentioned the other day that Daisy Fuentes and Richard Marx are married. WHAT? When did this happen? I'm a pop news junkie, for goodness' sake. How did I miss this?

 

Me: Wait wait wait. Isn't Daisy Fuentes married to the lead singer of Nine Inch Nails?

Jeff (NOT into pop news, Googling...): Trent Reznor?

Me: That doesn't sound right. I mean, yes, he is the lead singer, but it must be another band.

Jeff: No. She is married to Richard Marx.

Me: But she used to be married to a musician with leather pants and tattoos... 

Jeff: *shows me a photo of Daisy and Richard*

Me: Oh. That's not her. The lady I'm thinking of is less "girl next door." Maybe an MTV personality? CARMEN ELECTRA! That's who I'm thinking you said was married to Richard Marx.

Jeff: Totally different person.

Me: Yeah.

We went to Fredericksburg today with KathyL. Bought peaches at Jenschke's and had lunch at Altstadt Brewery. Visited Wildseed Farms. Good times!

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...Someone Else to Catch this Drift

I've been listening to Jagged Little Pill, so I'm in a "girl power" sort of mood!

 

Why are you so terrified of silence? 

Here, can you handle this:

 

... 

...

 

;-)

 

The second season of Who Killed Sara on Netflix is good, but not as good as the first. It's very "messy." The jumping around in time is sometimes throwing me off. There are a lot of things that feel randomly added. So many people involved in too many crimes to count at this point. Still watching!

We binged Halston in a few days. It was also medium-good. It is entertaining and has lots of pretty things to look at. I just couldn't find much to like about the title character. Talented, but his egomania and the careless way he treated most people just didn't give me any sympathy for him when things went wrong. The actress/singer who plays Liza Minnelli is outstanding, and of course, there's the greatness of Ewan McGregor!

I caught Valerie Bertinelli's new show, Valerie's Hot Dish last weekend. Comedic actresses Melissa Peterman and Nicole Sullivan ARE Laura and I cooking together. They are hilarious. I just looked it up, and there is only one episode. What the heck is up with that?! More please!

 

Dr. Mark Escott is stepping into his new role as Chief Medical Officer for the city, leaving his post as Interim Medical Director and Health Authority for Austin Public Health. For Austinites during the pandemic, he's kept us informed, and led at least once weekly press conferences, Q&A's, etc. He's been a voice similar to Dr. Fauci, always clear and firm on what is happening and why, explaining when we don't know the "why's" yet, and such. He's done a superb job. I'm not exactly sure what the CMO for a city does, but I'm sure he'll do that with the same integrity and competence. These days, those things seem in short supply all around.

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Mask Weirdness

I've been laughing at us- people including me- as we navigate not wearing masks and getting closer to each other. Some people are nervous and feeling a little uncomfortable with the huge change, but also, we've spent the past twelve months identifying people without masks as jackwagons, and none of us wants to be mistaken for them.

 

We were at the mall on Saturday, and I would say it was about 80% of a typical Saturday mall attendance. 90% of people were wearing masks. The mall itself is mask-optional for vaccinated people, but individual stores set their own requirements and most currently require masks. We were walking the corridors without masks, but it was SUPERWEIRD.

I've also been to Target and Kohls, both of which are "masks optional" for vaccinated people, and pretty much everyone was wearing their mask. I wore mine in both places. 

 

In the end, my personal policy is to first do whatever the rules require, and if it is optional, to wear it if I'm uncomfortable without it for whatever reason. Over time, we'll all get over the weirdness!

 

Went to Austin Land and Cattle last night for our anniversary. Our actual anniversary is tomorrow, but we thought Monday night would be less crowded. We were wrong. Ha! Super-crowded! The tables there are separated a little more than usual though. Steak was amazing as usual. Any steak would be good after 14 months without, but theirs is definitely awesome.

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