Wet Woody

Hehehehehe. Too funny.

Weekend to-do list

This weekend's to dos:

- Going up to M-bury to see J's band
- Doing some cleaning around the house
- Homework

Noticeably absent? YARDWORK! (More specifically, picking up fallen acorns.)

Can I get a "Holla!"

* Our only solice in selling our house at the price we did was knowing that, right around the end of September of this year, they'd be up to their necks in acorns. That's just priceless. (Our next home will not have as many Oak trees.)

Tracking techniques

Do you practice the old school method of balancing your checkbook?

Or do you just hop online to verify your transactions?

(My husband does the former... I practice the latter.)

Hell Hath Frozen Over

I GOT A NEW PHONE NUMBER!

Only took me FIVE years(!).

I guess my stint as a California girl has officially ended. (HeHe.)

"Couture H2O?!"

Some Hollywood producer is trying to get rich off of this latest scheme.

It's marketed as the "couture water that makes an announcement like a Rolls Royce Phantom... the "Cristal" of bottled water.

Huh? "Couture water?"

My co-worker was in a five-star restaurant yesterday where they were trying to sell bottles for $65 each.

Water? For $65 a bottle?

I don't care how rich you are, if you're buying WATER for $65 a bottle, you're an idiot. Let's remember that there are people starving in the world. $65 can go a long way for those less fortunate.

Check out the ridiculousness here.

The Twilight Zone

(Detroit Free Press) LANSING -- Despite hours of negotiations and a looming state government shutdown, the House and Senate were unable to reach a compromise on the 2007-08 budget, although leaders continued discussions into the early morning of Friday.

The two chambers adjourned at 1 a.m. Friday and were scheduled to come back into session at 1 p.m. Friday.

No budget by Sunday? No alcohol sales (once stocks are gone), lottery, casinos. Period.

What are all of us heathens to do?!

Relocation woes

I'm still driving around with an Ohio license plate and an Ohio license.

The major holdup? A and I can't seem to find titles to our vehicles.

Thus, a question for my wonderful T-Town friends would be this: Does the DMV in Ohio keep your titles? Or, did we just misplace titles for both of our vehicles?

Any responses would be greatly appreciated!

Unbelievable

I heard on the radio today that a daycare was being shut down to investigate alleged abuse.

Turns out, an infant was found in a back corner of the daycare with his/her pacifier TAPED to his/her mouth.

Are you kidding?!@

This alarms me on so many levels. And I'm not even a parent.

Happy Birthday Miss Benz!

Happy Happy B-Day Miss Benz!

I hope it's your best b-day yet!

I'm so fortunate to have you in my life.

Can't wait to go dress shopping with you!

Another jumps ship

Detroit Free Press - Wayne State University President Irvin Reid announced this afternoon that he will be stepping down in 2008.

Reid, the university’s ninth president, was sworn in Nov. 24, 1997.

Reid, who made the announcement at the end of the university's regularly scheduled Board of Governors meeting this afternoon, called his resignation “one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make,” adding that his time at Wayne State had been “the 10 finest years of my life.”Given budget difficulties and other challenges of his tenure, he said: “I’d be hard-pressed to distill my most satisfying memories in the time we have this afternoon.”Reid said that he plans to step down in May 2008 -- after commencements. He would not say if he is going to another job, but he said that he may stay on at WSU as a faculty member, which is an option in his contract.

Seriously. This is just getting ridiculous.

Take it or leave it?

My husband flew to another city this morning for work. He'll be back this evening.

It all just sounded incredibly exhausting to me.

Do you travel in your job? Do you like to travel? Or, would you rather not?

The Great (Union) Debate

If you live in the Mitten State, or anywhere remotely close to it for that matter, you're very aware of the GM strike.

Union employees are seeking improved benefits, wages, healthcare, etc. GM says it needs to reduce costs in order to survive. Lawyers and reps on both sides of the issue are fighting hard in negotiations.

The auto industry - our state's pride and joy and the one great source of income - is crumbling. Companies are relocating. Money is not being invested in higher education to train individuals for different/better responsibilities.

(Great wrap up, K...)

Bottomline: Whatever happens during this negotiation will greatly impact the Michigan economy for many years to come. The very livelihood of all Michigan workers is on the front lines - whether the union or GM accepts defeat.

That said, my view - and I hear its actually quite a right-wing one at that - is that the time for unions (which were created back in World War times to protect men, women and children who were losing arms and such working on extremely dangerous equipment) has come and gone. Michigan is not in a good place. Companies are being left with no alternatives but to move. All the while, unions keep asking for more.

How can we expect our businesses to stay competitive (and stay period) if they have to keep filtering money to union employees on such a high level? (I heard the other day that GM has to give $1,200 off the purchase of every car bought to union retirement funds alone...) When is the whole system going to break? I know it downright sucks to stop getting a certain wage or as good of benefits as maybe one used to, but wouldn't it be better in the long run to keep the few businesses we have left?

It's a new day. People need to focus on becoming trained and ready for what the future might bring. We need to leave the past alone.

* I would just like to reiterate the fact that I am not a union worker. Therefore, it is relatively easy to decide where I stand on this issue. If myself or my husband were a unionized autoworker, I'm sure I'd be singing a different tune.

Help a School Raise Cash

My friend, R, is involved in a fundraiser at her school and asked that I pass the word to friends and family.

Apparently all you have to do to support the school is use goodsearch.com rather than google (or whatever other search sites are out there).

Then, type in "Landmark Academy" as the charity/organization where it says "Who do you goodsearch for?"

Everytime you search for something, it counts as money raised for Landmark.

So search away! And spread the word!

New video - Rihanna

Is everyone else diggin' Rihanna as much as I am?

I LOVE "Shut Up and Drive."

Also, I very much enjoy her island accent.

He's a world leader?

“In Iran we don’t have homosexuals like in your country. In Iran we do not have this phenomenon. I don’t know who’s told you that we have this.”

- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking at Columbia University in NYC on Monday

The. Best. Show. Ever.

So many questions...

1. What's up with Nathan's face?
2. Is Molly seeing Peter in her dreams? Peter's mom?
3. Who killed Hiro's dad?
4. Just how evil is Peter's mom?
5. What's up with the newbies?
6. What about Matt's baby?

I really had forgotten how great this show is.

Absolutely awesome.

A new season

"Heroes" returns.

Tomorrow.

9 p.m. on NBC.

You must watch.

Scholarly Speak

Why, oh why do scholars insist on using the language they use in professional journals and other publications?

Does their inherent need for superiority and discipline dominance overshadow their interest in educating and exciting the next generation? Are they trying to limit their future competition by "turning off" people to research?

I consider myself a relatively smart individual. I very much enjoy the area in which I am continuing my education. Yet, the moment I pick up my assignments I am disinterested and disheartened by the fact that every word in every sentence needs to first be defined and disected in an effort to make some sense out of what is being said.

I mean really. The terms they use are really just over-the-top synonyms for words commonly found in the English language anyway.

Knots

This is how my stomach feels at this very moment.

I haven't set foot at work since last Thursday evening and I'm in knots thinking about returning tomorrow.

I know work tends to go in cycles, stressful sometimes and not at all during other times.

I also know that this feeling will be over. Probably sooner than later.

I really need to work on leaving the stress (emotions) at the door.

THE best game show moment EVER.

SO(Gross)

I've finally found a SOBE flavor that disgusts me.

Orange Cream.

I went out on a limb thinking that since I love the flavor of push-pops, I would love this orangey concoction.

I was wrong.

Classic

Do you ever have interactions with people and think to yourself
"Gosh, this totally feels like a Saturday Night Live skit. Is this person for real?"

I do. Rarely, but I do.

I'm grateful that today was such a day.

I'll never understand

...I almost blogged about this last night. I didn't, though, for fear that all the f-bombs dropping out of my mouth might make their way onto my blog and thus warrant an "R" rating from here on out....

I hate motorcycles. (Or unaware, unconcerned and/or reckless motorcylce drivers anyway...)

There. I said it.

I will never understand why people tempt fate in such a way.

I was driving home last night from class at about 9ish. Traffic sucked (per the usual) but we were moving quite rapidly along I-94.

People were driving like idiots as it was. Bumper to bumper at 70 mph.

That's scary enough for me.

Then, three motorcylces started weaving in and out of traffic - at least at 90 mph.

I was so angry. So scared. So concerned. So angry at being concerned. (I think my blood was actually boiling I was so worked up.)

If they're not concerned for their own lives, that's fine. But the chaos and calamity that ensues on the road in their aftermath should make them realize that it's not all about them.

Ridiculous my friends. Ridiculous.

I'm still laughing

Reason #1,443,532 Why I Love Fall

Apple Orchards/Cider Mills.

Cider. Doughnuts. Apples. Apple turnovers. Corn mazes. Hay barrels. Pumpkins. Scarecrows.

Need I say more?

Hot or cold?

How do you prefer to eat leftover pizza?

(I prefer to eat mine cold. My husband thinks that's disgusting.)

Wow.

If you didn't like Kanye West before, you'll surely detest him after watching this video.

What a self-righteous, arrogant baby.

I liked "Golddigger" just as much as the next gal, but JT brought "Sexy Back."

Can't nobody touch that.

Can't win them all (or any) Kanye. That's life.

A little bit of humility and graciousness go a long way...

Superpowers

If you could choose to have one superpower, what would it be?

After much thought and deliberation, I think I'd choose teleporting.

How awesome would it be to never have to commute or travel via car/plane, always be able to see loved ones, and explore every place you've ever hoped to explore?

* I would also want A to be able to teleport as well.

The picture above was titled "SuperZack." Hehehe. Did I miss that episode?

My heart goes out...

... to all the families and friends out there directly

and indirectly affected by 9/11.

I can't believe it's been six years already.

Different priorities

As I make my way through some of D-Town's struggling neighborhoods each day, I'm baffled by the sight of dilapidated houses barely able to stand straight and the extremely out-of-place satellite tv dishes attached to broken windows.

"Well, honey, the windows are broken, the door is unhinged, we have no heat, and the front porch is about to cave in. Wanna get a satellite dish?"

Not my first choice by far.

Fashion faux pas

A and I went to a wedding yesterday.

It was absolutely beautiful.

Something that really just irked me (and everyone else at my table), though, was a young woman who showed up in a long, flowy all-white dress - complete with salon coiffed hair!

Isn't it common knowledge that you don't do such a thing? I mean, a little bit of white (in moderation) is fine I suppose, just as long as you're obviously not trying to upstage the bride.

Who does that? It was so strange.

Remember when...

Remember when fortune cookies actually held fortunes?

My "fortune" today was "Leaders are readers."

Huh? Seriously?

Perhaps they should stop calling them "fortune" cookies entirely...

Happy Happy Birthday H!

I'm so lucky to have you in my life.

Here's to your fav #!

Can't wait to celebrate tonight!

Blogs are awesome

According to Perez Hilton, Eric Hutchinson is the next big thing.

"After we posted this entry yesterday on the brilliant Eric Hutchinson, his new album - Sounds Like This - not only jumped out of nowhere onto the iTunes chart but it raced up all the way to #9. Number nine! All this without being on a freakin’ label!!!!!!!"

Amazing how much influence bloggers have nowadays!

(Cool sound by the way!)

What's the deal?

The meat or the man?

Which do you prefer? Meatloaf the food? Or, Meatloaf the man?

Personally, after eating my mom's "Spamloaf" (against my will mind you), I think I'd prefer Meatloaf the man. I simply can't bare the thought of meatloaf at the moment.

How cool was that "And I would do anything for love" song anyway?

Apartment downfall #1: Poor insulation

Just as A and I turned in last night, we started hearing slightly disturbing sounds coming from overhead. (Think squeaking bed...)

It kept going and going. And seemed to get louder with every second that passed.

We ended up turning the TV up (really loud!) to block out the noise.

Aaaahh, apartment living.

Back to School

Heading back to class tomorrow evening.

On the schedule this semester:

- Micro-Organizational Communication
- Advanced Desktop Publishing (thank goodness for my Mac mini!)

I'm actually quite excited for both at the moment.

(We'll see how long the excitement lasts!)

Happy Labor Day!

HGTV is where it's at!

I must be getting older.

If you would have told me 10 years ago that I would be perfectly content (ok, actually quite pumped) to watch hours of home improvements on HGTV, I would have told you that you were absolutely out of your mind.

It's pretty much on non-stop in our household lately.

I LOVE the commercial where a bunch of people are watching "Househunters" in their homes... "Number 2! Number 2!... I can't BELIEVE they chose THAT one!"

That's TOTALLY what happens.