So cute

I have no idea who this little guy is, but when my BP sent his pic I couldn't resist posting it.

I was tagged

Three things that scare me: mice, loved ones dying and those crime shows A makes me watch
Three people who make me laugh: A (my husband), M (my brother-in-law) and N (my other brother-in-law)
Three things I love: (The husband, family and friends are a given) my dog (most of the time), our new computer (I can finally watch shows online!) and clothes
Three things I hate: dishonesty, people who keep driving in a lane that is ending (mostly during construction), people who cut in line
Three things I don't understand: Inequality, why I didn't grow just a little taller, celebrity marriages
Three things on my desk: Eyedrops, a turtle candle, a learn to draw Nemo book I got for free that I'm going to give to my nephew
Three things I'm doing right now: talking to M, wishing my work was done, thinking about what to get people for Christmas
Three things I want to do before I die: travel to Europe, take the Alcatraz tour in San Francisco, spend lots of time with family and friends
Three things I can do: make a mean cheesy potato dish (thanks mom!), sing karoake (how well wasn't the question...) and write
Three things I can't do: roll my tongue, a cartwheel, fly
Three things you should listen to: your gut, your heart and your mom
Three things you should never listen to: an alarm clock, nagging, that awful "O. H. I. O." chant
Three things I'd like to learn: to speak french, to cook, learn about different cultures and religions
Three favorite foods: crab legs, key lime pie and mashed potatoes
Three beverages I drink regularly: water, milk (skim!) and Vernor's
Three TV shows I watched as a kid: TGIF (back in the good 'ol days with Full House, Perfect Strangers and such...), Punky Brewster and Growing Pains

B Furtah... It's your turn!

Happy Birthday!

Happy (belated) Birthday to my bro, C, who turned the big 3-1 on Tuesday! Hope you had an awesome day!

And, Happy Birthday (today) to my wonderful dad! Hope you're feeling better today and can celebrate your birthday in style:)

Are you kidding me?

Between these three getting all chummy and Pam and Kid separating after only four months of marriage, I've had about enough today in celebrity news. Vomit.

Thumbs up to long weekends

A and I were so productive this week/weekend. Our biggest accomplishment? We finally raked all of the friggin leaves in our backyard! Seriously, sometimes home ownership is overrated. (Hehehehe...)

I really think we should have two-day work weeks more often.

Hope all of you wonderful readers had a stupendous holiday with your fam and friends... Only a few more weeks until Christmas!

White or colored lights?

Are you a white light person or a colored light person?

I grew up loving white lights. I think they are so elegant and beautiful. My husband grew up liking colored lights. So, every year, we butt heads a bit as to how to decorate our humble abode. (This year, white lights on the front of the house and the tree, and colored lights on our back deck. Chalk one up for me.)

Anyway, are we the only couple that clashes on Christmas decor?

* Pictured above right? Our tree!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all (5) of my faithful blog readers.
May you eat, drink and be merry surrounded by those closest to you.

Elated

I get to see my BP for six days straight.

Six WHOLE days.

I can't wait.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday J! I hope you and T have a marvelous celebration together! Hopefully we'll get to see each other over Christmas this year!

* This certainly does not beat the 'ol card sent to your house thing that you always do... You're such an awesome friend:)

Nooooooo!

No Britney!!! We are all rooting for you to make a gigundous comeback. If you keep hanging out with Paris Hilton, I'm afraid I (like many others out there) won't be in your corner much longer.

An awakening

My bro came “out” when I was a junior in college. I remember saying to him, “Awesome. It’s about time.”

Before that phone call, there was almost a sort of wall between us. Like no matter how hard I tried to understand him – my own brother – I couldn’t really get to know him.

Since then, I’ve never felt closer – even though he lives across the country in a different time zone.

I love my brother so much and respect him for being brave enough to be himself. I also thank him for all he’s taught me – whether he realizes it or not.

This weekend was J and J’s wedding. (Absolutely beautiful!) Afterward, a few of my friends and I went out on the town and managed to hit a “gay” bar.

So. Much. Fun.

We laughed, drank, danced and were merry until the wee hours.

When we left, I had an awakening.

I’ve always thought of myself as a very accepting person, but, for the first time in my life, I didn’t even think about it. I didn’t think about how there were guys flirting with guys. Only that they were people. And, they seemed to be really happy.

I woke up the next day feeling really great (with the exception of my enormous headache and upset stomach…).

Thank you, C, for helping me get to this point.

Happy customer

Dear Wet 'n Wild nail polish,

You are freakin’ awesome. You apply well, dry quickly, cost half of your competitors and last a good week without chipping.

I will continue to rave about your performance.

Revlon and Maybelline don’t stand a chance.

Sincerely,

T

Will you see it?

"Casino Royale" has been getting rave reviews. Apparently, it's already made more money in its first day of release than any other 007 film.

I think last Bond film I saw was the one with Denise Richards where she was supposed to be some kind of scientist. Definitely not very convincing.

I'd probably be open to seeing "Royale" though. You?

* P.S. I can't quite seem to figure out if I think Daniel Craig is good looking...

Going to the chapel...

Our good friends J and J are getting married this weekend. (Yes, on the same weekend as the big game...) Anyway, I'm incredibly excited. Should be a great time for all.

J and J, I wish you the best of luck! Can't wait to come over and celebrate with some pinot grigio in your bee-infested hottub:)

* The picture to the right is not that of J and her flowers. The wedding is tomorrow.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Timmers! Hope you have a spectacular day tomorrow!!!!

Live at the Magic Stick

My BP and I are going to see Me First and the Gimme Gimmes in a couple of weeks... I think my hubby is in heaven.

If you're into any kind of punk/alternative music, you might enjoy. They're known for covering classics and making them their own. Think "The Rainbow Connection" (yes, the song that Kermit made famous) gone punk.

Very cool. I haven't been to a concert in ages.

Check out the Gimme Gimmes at www.gimmegimmes.com.

So good

Mmmm. Mmmm. And, mmmm... English muffins just might be my favorite breakfast food nowadays. Seems to hit the spot every time.

Have a bit of decency

It looks as if getting cleared of murder wasn't enough for OJ. Now, he's going to make mucho bucks off a book titled, "If I Did It, Here's How It Happened."

Awful.

I refuse to even post his picture on my blog.

Read the full story here.

Awesome.

The last show was on Monday and I'm still thinking about it. Awesome.
Can't wait for next week. (Monday, 9 p.m. on NBC.)

Great Expectations

After marinating in my own disappointment over our REALLY BAD wedding pictures long enough, I finally emailed our photographer to let him know we weren't the happiest of campers.

Now, I realize that wedding photographers aren't perhaps as skilled as the photographers we work with here at the OCC. However, I do expect that they have a slightly higher skill level than, say, Great Aunt Bertha.

Anyway, I constructed a list of things that were "wrong" with our photos and sent them to our photographer (who, by the way, was somewhat of a family friend - not a good idea). I then asked him if he might just send us the master photos so I might retouch and tweak on my own.

We got our cd yesterday. I'm definitely happier. Had I not sent the email, I probably would have still been upset about this situation 30 years down the road.

Besides, everyone loves constructive criticism, right? :)

Who says this?

Msnbc.com – Fergie, of the Black Eyed Peas, says that anyone who insults her voice insults God. “I may not have the type of voice you like, but I can sing,” the white hip-hopper told Vibe. “You can’t take that away from me, ‘cause singing is a gift from God, and when people say I can’t sing, it’s kind of like insulting God.”

I just lost whatever remnants of respect for Fergie I once had. I liked the Black Eyed Peas. I just don't think Fergie is as "Fergalicious" as she thinks she is.

Can't wait for Gwen's new album.

Baby boy

I found out I'm going to be an aunt to another little boy not too long ago! Yay!

B and M (Haha... "BM") are throwing around some names at the moment. They seem to like Blayne, Nathan and Andrew as middle names (for obvious reasons...). Anyway, does anyone have any ideas for a first name?

I'm through with you

Apparently, Tom and Katie are now in Rome preparing for their big day.

(Don't get me wrong, one of my biggest guilty pleasures in life is following and reading about celebrities. I'm not sure what it is about them. I'm just fascinated.)

But, Tom and Katie (or "Kate" I should say) just give me the heebie jeebies. He got so creepy. I wish they'd just settle in the suburbs somewhere and never be heard from again.

Other celebs I'm sick of reading about? Jen and Vince, Brad and Angie, Paris and Nicole, Lindsay Lohan, Anna Nicole Smith and K-Fed. I'm sure there are more. Fortunately, I can't think of them right now.

P.S. Does anyone else find it incredibly strange that Nicole Kidman is NEVER photographed with her and Tom's kids?

Don't cry over spilled... wax

I just spent the better part of the hour scraping wax off of my coffee table. C and I were in the middle of playing tug-o-war when we both let go of his little basketball and watched the candle squirt an insane amount of wax all over the table and rug.

To say that I'm a little emotionally unstable these days would be an understatement. Every little thing tends to set me off. Just ask my hubby.

Tonight, though, I kept my cool. For that, I'm very proud.

Orchids and Onions

– Orchids to seeing my BP tonight.

– Orchids to Fridays.

– Onions to celebrity marriages.

– Onions to stupidity.

– Onions to cheap, clingy dresses.

– Onions to long drives w/o radio.

– Orchids to surprise flower deliveries.

– Onions to people writing offensive things on bathroom stalls.

– Orchids to the 2006 mid-term election results.

– Onions to people picking at their teeth around food services.

Random Friday facts

– In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have "the rule of thumb."

– Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled "Gentlemen Only... Ladies Forbidden"...and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.

– Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.

– Coca-Cola was originally green.

– The state with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska.

– The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400.

– The average number of people airborne over the U.S. in any given hour: 61,000.

– If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

– Obsession is the most popular boat name requested.

– In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase "goodnight, sleep tight."

– In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them "Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down." It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's."

* Brought to you by my friend, D.

A step forward or a step back?

Detroit Free Press – Michigan voters sent a clear message about affirmative action programs that offer preferences to women and minorities: It's time for them to end.

Election Day numbers Tuesday showed the controversial proposal winning by a wide margin. Michigan becomes the third state to outlaw giving preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting purposes.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting, 58%, or 2,129,506 people, voted yes on Proposal 2 and 42%, or 1,538,520 voters, opposed it.

The proposal was largely prompted by a 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld a general affirmative action admissions policy at the University of Michigan's law school but struck down the undergraduate admission formula as too unyielding because it awarded points based on race.

U-M is the only university in the state that uses affirmative action to a great extent in admissions, but all public colleges and universities would have to reevaluate their outreach, scholarship and grant awards if they benefit gender or racial or ethnic groups. Programs that target specific groups in K-12 schools also would be affected.

According to a poll of voters conducted by Mitchell Research and Communications Inc. of East Lansing, voters under age 40 were the only group to oppose the measure in significant numbers on Tuesday.

Men overwhelmingly supported the ban; women narrowly opposed it. Democrats opposed it while Republicans and independents favored it. Black voters strongly opposed the proposition, but it was passing among white voters.

Pride

"I recognize that many Americans voted last night to register their displeasure with the lack of progress being made" in Iraq, the president said. "Yet I also believe most Americans — and leaders here in Washington from both political parties — understand we cannot accept defeat." – George W. Bush

"Most" Americans "understand?" Interesting...

Pride certainly is a tough thing to swallow. Continuing down a path for the sake of pride, though, might not necessarily be in the best interest of our country.

It's about time

I'm not sure why I'm so excited about Britney finally ditching K-Fed. I haven't been a huge fan of the Britster for quite some time. Still, I've never been so excited for a Hollywood couple to call it quits. He just seems like such a big loser.

Time to reinvent and refocus. Maybe there's still hope for you yet BS.

Read the full scoop here.

Priceless

Click here to see Faith Hill's reaction to Carrie Underwood winning Female Vocalist of the Year at the CMA's last night. Absolutely priceless.

For the record, I still like and believe in Faith. This too shall pass.

Congratulations Carrie.

To the polls we go!

Tomorrow is mid-term election day. Be sure to vote (if you're into that whole bag).

Movin' on up!

Congratulations on your new home J and T! I can't wait to see it!

Going to the altar...

Congratulations M and M! Can't wait for the big day!

P.S. This is obviously not a great representation of your beautious engagement ring. Well done M!

Neil comes out

I love Neil Patrick Harris. A and I were lucky enough to see him live onstage in "Cabaret" on Broadway. HE. WAS. AWESOME.

Anyway, I love the tact he used when coming out. He seems like such a wonderful person.

"The public eye has always been kind to me, and until recently I have been able to live a pretty normal life. Now it seems there is speculation and interest in my private life and relationships.

"So, rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love."

P.S. If you're not watching "How I Met Your Mother," you should be. It's on CBS Monday's at 8 p.m.

Another reason I like JT

My friend, K, just blogged about her affinity for Justin Timberlake today.

(I, too, share a love for JT.)

So, thought I'd post some information I ran across on perezhilton.com today that made me like JT even more. (P.S. Kayne West is soooo full of himself.)

Kayne West was nominated for a few MTV Europe Music Awards, held Thursday night in Copenhagen, and when he lost in the category for best video Kanye stormed the staged and unleashed a verbal tirade.

As winners Justice and Simian collected their award for We Are Your Friends, West stole the spotlight and started screaming.

He yelled: "F*** dis! (My video) cost a million dollars, Pamela Anderson was in it, I was jumping across canyons and sh**! If I don't win, the awards show loses credibility. Nothing against you (Justice and Simian), but he** man."

He continued, "I haven't seen (the Justice and Simian video). Possibly it could have been quite good but no way better than Touch The Sky. That is complete bullsh**, I paid a million. Obviously it's not all about the money, but the response it got transcended everything, it really made great TV. It took a month to film; I stood on a mountain; I flew a helicopter over Vegas. I did it to be the king of all videos and I wanted to walk home with that award."

Justin Timberlake, the awards show's host, maintained a sense of humor about West's unacceptable behavior, joking, "After the show, Kanye will be in the parking lot accepting awards he did not win. Seriously though, I've got sexy covered, it's good to see someone's doing crazy."

I'm so lucky

Thank you for always being so wonderful, A.

I need to get on

Ever feel like the world is just passing you by? Like everything is moving so quickly around you, yet you just sit, isolated and defeated. Unable to move – no matter how hard you try.

In my mind, I picture a merry-go-round. Everyone is on it. Living. Breathing. Enjoying. Somehow, I got off. And, now, it won’t seem to stop to let me back on.

I know I’ll get back on sooner or later. It’s just a matter of time. I can’t stop trying.

Factor V Leiden

Apparently, Factor V Leiden is the most common hereditary blood coagualtion disorder in the United States. It is present in 5% of the Caucasian population and 1.2% of the African American population. (Or so it says on http://www.fvleiden.org/.)

Those who have Factor V Leiden are at higher risk of blood clots. And, those people who take oral contraceptives and have Factor V are at an even higher risk. Hmmm. Not good.

My mom has it. My brother has it. My sister has it. Yet, for whatever reason, I have yet to actually get my butt to the lab to get checked out. (The odds are certainly against me.)

As I was reading an article on www.msnbc.com today about a group of women who are suing the makers of Ortho Evra (claiming that the birth control patch caused blood clots, serious illness to many women and the death of at least one), I was once again reminded of the seriousness of my situation.

To take the pill or to not take the pill?

Since I originally starting taking the pill for health reasons (i.e. I used to vomit about 10 times a day my first day every month), I am extremely nervous about calling it quits on my Ortho Tri Cyclen low. At the same time, however, the risks of blood clots are certainly very real as well. ("For young women with the factor V Leiden mutation, taking birth control pills increases the risk of thrombosis thirty-five (35) times compared with the risk of those who are not carriers of this mutation" – http://www.proadn.com)

What do you think? Any opinions out there?

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my bro-in-law, N, and my father-in-law, G! Hope both of you have a wonderful day today!

Random thought

Mounting a first aid kid on the wall makes entirely no sense. Those things are stuffed so full that all the crap inside just explodes when opened. Takes like three people to strategically shove everything back inside.

It's like a cruel joke.