More Christmas Cheer

The other gift I got from my cousin (my immediate family doesn't do gifts, which makes me sad...my brother and I exchange, but my dad gets all mad when we break his rule) was a watch. Now, it wasn't one of those Raymond Weil watches, but it's this cute girly watch I can't wait to wear with one of my pink tops. I also got a pearl bracelet with a pink charm on it. Guess it's a good thing I now like pink! Used to not like it, but with breast cancer awareness having pink as its color I've grown to love it and wear it every now and then. Granted, I'm not going to paint my room pink or anything, but I do wear it now more than I ever have. So thanks, cousin! :)

Wii vs. XBox

The other night at a Christmas party, I got to play on a Wii. It's official, I want one! They're so much more fun than ones like the Xbox 360. You actually get to stand up and move around when you play. Granted, I only played tennis and bowling, but I still had a blast! Even more, I was in wonder. How does it know I'm putting spin on my bowling ball???? I have a mean hook, and it knew it. That is totally amazing to me. So, I think maybe in about 3 months or so, I will keep my eye out for one. I know they will be impossible to get for a time. I hear even then, they're hard to come by. But I guess that'll give me time to save. Because...I WANT ONE! Heh.

Merry Christmas to All (and to Me Too, Heh)

OMG, I got the best Christmas present. My cousin gave me 4 facials at her favorite aesthetician. She's told her of my skin problems, and she told her to send me to her. I'm so excited! It's a small place, so it's not like I'm going to sit in one of those spa hot tubs and wash my stress away. But it is very relaxing, and I'm hoping that between them and the Tazorac I'm using (it works...I still break out at that time of the month, but not as bad as I have in the past), I'll have clear skin once and for all.

Glitter and Glam

Perhaps when my dad feels up to it, we can go to do something fun, or at least something we've never done before, like go to Las Vegas. I think it's something everyone should see once in their lives. If they don't like it, they don't have to go back, right? So, to take my mind off of his situation, I'm sitting here looking up a LasVegas hotel or two seeing where we might stay. I have this idea that we'll stay somewhere near all the action. I mean, why else go? I'm not much of a gambler myself, but every now and then it's fun. My mom always said she'd take me once I was 21, because apparently I used to roll doubles when we played Monopoly more than average, heh. That never happened. So if we do ever go, you can bet you'll find me playing at least one game of craps to fulfill a fun thing Mom wanted to do with me.

Is It 2008 Yet?

Seriously. I'm still all stressed out. At least I'm able to work from home this week. I think if I had to go in to work, I'd be depressed on top of everything else. Why am I so stressed, still? Well, Dad's still in the hospital after having his prostate removed, and they found cancer in it. They're fairly certain that it hasn't spread anywhere, but since Mom died from breast cancer...well, I just hate cancer. Actually, hate isn't a strong enough word for it. How about loathe, hate, detest, and despise cancer? Yeah, that works. And the poor man is having an unexplained fever, even though he's on a dual antibiotic. We had kind of hoped that removing the prostate would remove the source of infection he's had since 1986, but it doesn't look that way. He's all weepy and depressed. I've just never seen him like this, and he's had surgery before. It's so hard to see a parent in distress. And having it be almost Christmas isn't helping matters at all. I have to say that the last 5 years have absolutely sucked for my family. So I'm really, really hoping that 2008 is better. I've said that for 4 years now, and it hasn't happened. Maybe this time, it will. Gotta have hope, you know??

Stressed? You Betcha

I think with the stress of moving, losing my friend (and manager) to a reorg, having to "follow the job" with the reorg, the holidays (which are never easy since Mom passed on Thanksgiving back in 2003), and my dad having surgery tomorrow, my stress level is at maximum. My tummy is telling me this, because my appetite is completely whacked. I'm having gall bladder pain, and lots and lots of indigestion. Guess the lecithin I started taking for all of that isn't working anymore. And I'm not (repeat NOT) going to do a colon cleanse, even though they're all the rage. I tend to react awfully to anything like that. So I'm hoping that once things have settled down a little, that my tummy will be all settled down too. Here's hoping 2008 is better than 2007...

Cars

A friend of mine and I were talking about cars, selling them, getting new ones, etc. And she said she actually donated hers to a local charity. It was pretty old, but still. That's something I've honestly never thought of doing, car donations. I've always sold my car, or had the dealer apply any money they'd give me toward my new car purchase. Maybe when it's time to retire Karma, I'll look into something like Car Angel, which is a non-profit that uses donations like cars to make videos for the less fortunate younger folks, kids and teens mainly. They've given away over 2.4 million videos...which is kinda cool. The money they raise goes toward making the videos, mainly religious. You can see them at http://youtube.com/user/boatangel.

The Real Estate Crunch

You know, on NPR, I heard there was a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio where almost every house was empty due to foreclosure, or being very close to foreclosure. That is totally scary. And I see all of these new home sites going up around where I live, advertising homes from $800,000 to $2 million. What?!?!?! Who can afford all of these? It's insane. People get an adjustable rate mortgage so they can get the house they want. But with record lows in interest rates, you can bet they aren't going to go down, but up. I've also heard that real estate flipping (buying a house and quickly reselling it) isn't as profitable as it once was, because no one wants to buy a house right now...not even ones that have been foreclosed on. I know I don't, not until stuff has settled a little. And, I just moved in here, so it won't be for another year or two that I even begin to look. So I'll just sit tight and watch how this all pans out. I just hope the interest rates aren't much higher than they are now, that's for sure.

My New Home

I just moved into my new place about two weeks ago. And slowly but surely, it's coming together. Now, it's not quite as nice as where I used to live, but few places are. All I care about is that I now have two bedrooms (well, more like 1 1/2...wouldn't consider my office big enough for a bedroom). Their choice in bathroom vanities was very basic, and I'd say hasn't been updated in about 15 years. Although I do like my new tub...it's oval, and big enough to actually lounge in and take a soothing hot bath. Think I could also put candles around it and not have to worry about sloshing water all over them. How novel! Anyway, it's going to be slow-going getting everything in its place. It always does. Then once Dad has recovered from his surgery tomorrow, he can come over and help me hang pictures...I'm so bad at that! Perhaps then, it'll feel more like home, and less like a disaster area. :)

Amusement

Just the other day, I saw a commercial for Dollywood down in Pigeon Forge, Tennesee. I have absolutely no desire to go there, whatsoever. Now maybe, I wouldn't mind renting one of those Pigeon Forge cabins and enjoying the beauty of the Smoky Mountains. But really, I can't see myself ever setting foot in Dollywood. Why? Maybe it's because I'm not exactly a fan of country music. Perhaps it has nothing to do with it, and I'm just basing my lack of interest on a falsehood. But, I think I'd rather visit Disneyworld, since the last time I was there I was...8 years old! I hear they have some new-fangled stuff since I've been there...

Things I'll Miss on My 30 Mile Commute

Nothing! Haha. No, actually, I will miss the countryside just a little bit, especially with the fall colors (although those are gone for the most part). I'll miss the horse farms with all the lovely horses grazing. I'll miss the farmer's markets, too. It's amazing all the land for sale between here and Cincinnati. Soon, it will become Cincinnati-Dayton like Minneapolis-St. Paul. The two are getting closer and closer together.

What won't I miss? Taking 40 minutes to get home from work. I'll have about an hour more out of my day to get things done. Perhaps I'll get the urge to exercise more? Maybe. That'll have to be after I get all unpacked, and look after my dad and his surgery. He's having his prostate removed...no cancer, but the doctor says it'll become cancerous if it's not removed soon. But, being closer to "home" will make doing that easier, that's for sure. I can hardly wait. Now if I can just get through tomorrow when the move actually takes place. Ugh.

Tags: work, commuting, Cincinnati, Dayton

Must Be Nice

So the other night, an online friend of mine I met on Second Life showed me pictures of the home theater and his wife built in their basement. Whoa. It really looks like a small theater, complete with seating and home theater lighting...and of course the required 52 inch plasma television and surround sound (but, I can't see that, heh). They had the money to do it, so they took the plunge. Don't get me wrong. I like my gadgets, but I can't see spending thousands on making a home theater. Maybe a nice LCD TV and surround sound speakers, but that's it for me. If we by any chance get a bonus next year, I think I'll make the plunge and get an HDTV, since we'll be switching over to that anyway. But that's a ways away...I gotta get moved in first!

Tags: home theater, television, HDTV, LCD TV, plasma TV, Second Life

Donny and Marie - Back Again

So what...now Donny and Marie Osmond are famous again? I admit, I was in love with Donny when I was about 5 and they had their own variety show. That was in 1976. Now that Marie Osmond has appeared on Dancing with the Stars, it seems that she (along with Donny...because you can't have one without the other apparently) are making the rounds on talk shows. They recently appeared on Larry King Live, and got "blindsided" by him asking Marie if her son was in drug rehabilitation. Damn. I guess when you feel like you have to live up to the goody-two-shoes,"I'm a little bit country" persona you've built for yourself, any sort of information like this has to be kept hush-hush, because she said, "how did you know about that?" Um, he's a journalist (of sorts). They find out stuff, you know? And as it turns out, the tabloids were going to publish it, so I think Larry King kind of did her family a favor by getting it out in the open before the National Enquirer (or whatever rag was going to publish it) did. Anyway, I wish her son luck. Rehab, as we all know too well, often needs a few takes for it to work.

Tags: television, Larry King Live, Marie Osmond, Donny Osmond, Dancing with the Stars

Moving, How I Hate Thee

I really, really need to buy a house. Why? Because then, it's less likely I will move ever again. Seriously. Going through all the stuff I've accumulated over two years is depressing, only because it shows me how bad of a pack-rat I am. And given I move next Thursday, I don't really have time to purge now, so everything is coming with me. Oh, unpacking will be just as fun, I just know it...

But then, every now and then, I have a fond memory of moving, mainly the ones having to do with new stuff my parents bought me when I moved into my first apartment. My mom got me one of those espresso machines, which I think she really wanted for herself...because she drank coffee, a lot, and I didn't. While I enjoy a latte every now and then, it's not my life's blood. So, it sits under my counter and collects dust. I should just give it away, but it holds too many memories, especially with my mother having departed this plane of existence 4 years ago this month. But that's another blog entry entirely, and one I don't want to write...because even thinking of writing it makes me tear up a little. *sigh* So maybe, tomorrow I will get out the espresso machine and have myself a latte in honor of Mom and her coffee-loving ways. :)

Tags: moving, espresso, coffee, blog, apartment, pack-rat

Museum or Home Gym?

Going off of my last post about the Shangri-La Diet, you will be surprised that a lot of people have used it successfully without exercise. Whoa. I'm still going to exercise, but I'm not going to do it intensely as that usually makes me want to eat everything in sight, since my body requires more calories to make up for the deficit exercising causes. One of these days, I hope to be able to have a place big enough to be able to buy decent home gym equipment. My new apartment has a second bedroom, where my elliptical trainer and desk will go. But it's definitely not big enough for more than that. I'm not saying I want a full-blown gym with all the latest equipment, but maybe a weight bench would be good, rather than having to use a chair that's not really the right height for me. Or perhaps a Pilates Reformer, because that's the most effective piece of equipment for me, anyway. Oh well, someday I'll have a house with enough space. The question is...will I use it, or will it become a museum? Hmm....

Tags: Shangri-La Diet, home gym, Pilates, exercise

Freakonomics and...Weight Loss?

I've been reading the Freakonomics blog on The New York Times website...yes, I read about economics, believe it or not. Granted, it's economics for the masses, but still. Until I started working for a publisher that produced economics textbooks, I had this idea it was all numbers and math...both of which I hate. But, there's a whole world that people like Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt have opened to people like me, who just want to know how economics can affect our daily lives.

One of the topics they recently covered is weight loss by means of bariatric surgery, which definitely isn't for me since I'm only about 10 pounds overweight. But I still found it interesting to read, and ended up clicking on a link that took me to an article they wrote in 2005 for The New York Times magazine covering the "Shangri-La" diet. A scientist experimented on himself to find out the best way to lose weight, and ended up concluding that when it comes to food, our body and brains don't know it's not the Stone Age. Your brain thinks it's not going to get much to eat all winter, so it better store up what it can to make it through the starvation period. Basically, our brains want us to weigh more than we should, just in case we should ever face starvation. Thus, we have a "set point" according to Seth Roberts, the author of The Shangri-La Diet (he's a professor emeritus at Berkley), and it can be controlled by diet.

What's the trick to doing that? According to Roberts, we have to break the taste-calorie association so that the set point is lowered. By breaking the link between taste and calorie consumption, the body will no longer crave calories due to a particular taste. He proposes two ways of doing this, consuming either sugar water over a period of no less than 30 minutes to avoid an insulin spike, or taking tasteless oil (light olive or canola oil) between meals, the serving size depending on your weight. You also cannot eat anything one hour before or after consuming the water or oil so there is no taste associated with this. This has apparently worked wonders for some people, who report having appetite suppression to the point of forgetting to eat.

So, I'm going to try this to see what happens. I tried the oil last night and felt totally nauseated. My touchy gall bladder didn't seem to like it, apparently. Today, I'm trying the sugar water. So far, so good. Now, I have read that "supertasters" have to do stuff like hold their nose and wash out their mouth after consuming oil, because they can actually taste it. I must confess, I think I'm a supertaster, because that oil tasted pretty good...and I can taste that bitter substance that supertasters can taste (everyone else either can't taste it, or they don't think it's that bitter...trust me, it is!) Felt nasty going down, but it tasted buttery to me. The sugar is not associated with any taste or aroma, so I'm hoping that it'll work for me. I'm drinking it right now, actually. And I'm not hungry or tired like I thought I might be after consuming 3 tablespoons of sugar in about 24 oz of water. We'll see what happens.

Tags: Freakonomics, Shangri-La diet, New York Times, Steven Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner, weight loss, supertasters

Do Our Political Views Influence Our Taste in Entertainment?

Aha! I knew it! Conservatives by and large don't have a sense of humor, and they're less likely to watch "cerebral" material like documentaries and educational programming...or at least that's what a poll conducted by Zogby and the Norman Lear Institute found. Here are a few bullet points from the poll:

• Who has a sense of humor? Not only do liberals give Comedy Central a big thumbs up (31% watch it daily, compared to 6% of all other respondents), you are more likely to find them watching comedies than moderates or conservatives.
• While liberals are more likely to be found watching drama, comedy, documentaries, and arts and educational programming, those are the genres that conservatives are more likely to avoid.
• Cerebral material like documentaries and arts and educational programming all appeal more to liberals, who are 57% female.

It also confirmed my suspicions about music:

• Out of 15 musical genres, conservatives were more likely than the rest of the respondents to listen to only two of them: country and gospel.
  
• Liberals, on the other hand, are more likely than other respondents to enjoy almost every music genre, including world, punk, Latin, hip-hop and rap, blues, reggae, electronica, R&B and soul, jazz, folk and traditional music. Rock was the most popular genre among liberals (67%).

And here's the kicker when it comes to games and sports:

• If you play Grand Theft Auto, it’s more likely that you’re a liberal. But if you like auto racing, we’d bet you’re conservative. Conservatives are four times more likely than liberals to follow NASCAR (5% vs. 20%).

But, to be fair, there are some things that everyone seems to enjoy, too:

• House: one of the very successful TV shows with almost an equal number of adherents across the political spectrum.
• News: over 70% of each political group said they watch the news everyday
• Football: in almost every demographic category, and across the ideological spectrum, football is the most popular sport. Sunday Night Football has a stronger conservative following, but it is very popular among moderates and liberals, as well.
• Movies: although moderates like them best, movies were the most popular type of TV programming for every political type.
• Classical music: although moderates are less enamored with it, classical music barely nudged ahead of rock as the most popular music genre overall.

Of course, this is just a poll. And we all know polls can't be taken without a grain of salt. But I do find this one particularly interesting, and in some ways disturbing. Why aren't conservatives watching as much educational programming or documentaries as liberals? Is it because they feel it could be liberally biased? Maybe. Who knows?

Tags: politics, Zogby, entertainment, Comedy Central, NASCAR, football, arts, music

Spock Rocks (No, Not Spock from Star Trek)

Every now and then, I like to do a search on myself to see what information the Internets has on me. Turns out there's a new site called Spock which allows you to search for people or information using tags, such as "green eyes" or "Hanover College" (both are tags I used to describe myself in Spock, heh). Plus, by signing up, you can have Spock send you alerts whenever anything new is posted about you on the Web. Nice feature, isn't it?

I've never really seen a search engine like Spock before, so I put in the name of one of my favorite television shows, Grey's Anatomy to see what sort of results I'd get. Would it be links to the television show itself? Or maybe it'd take me to other people's blog postings about the show? Nope. Lo and behold, I got a page full of the actresses' names and pictures, with Katherine Heigl topping the page, and Ellen Pompeo (who plays Meredith Grey) coming in third (see the screenshot I took for proof). I found that most interesting. Guess Katherine is more popular that Ellen? I'm sure she'd love to know that, given I've heard she's got just a slightly inflated ego in real life.

So, I decided to do a search on my absolute favorite television show, Heroes, to see what the results might be. Guess what Spock found? Another listing of the actors and actresses, with Masi Oka at the top of the page, and not Milo Ventimiglia much to my surprise (and dismay...since he sorta lights my TV screen on fire as Peter Petrelli every Monday night).



Given this is a site about and for people (for the most part...it is not a social networking site like Friendster or Facebook), I'd say it works pretty well since the two searches I did on television shows (not the actors or actresses mind you) resulted in people, not the shows themselves. That's pretty cool. I'll keep this site in my bookmarks for sure, because I'm sure it will come in handy on those days I want to see what the Web has on me.

Making Way for the More Modern

Just the other day, I saw footage of one of the older Las Vegas hotels being imploded (on purpose). Even though I've seen tons of footage of implosions, it never ceases to fascinate me to watch a building fall in on itself, with the help of tons of explosives. It sort of saddens me too, because sometimes it's a piece of history that's being destroyed to make way for something newer. Not that I'm opposed to modernization, but a little part of me wishes we could somehow keep the old edifice, and build a new one in a different location. Guess that's not really feasible, though. Oh well, guess that's what pictures are for...to remind us of what used to stand in the place of its replacement.

Travelling with an Umbrella

The only time anyone in my family got travel insurance was when we went on a cruise. In most cases, I can't see getting it, just because it's an added expense. But when you think about the chances of a hurricane, tropical storm, or an outbreak of that cruise ship virus (name escapes me) interrupting your trip, it kinda does make sense to get it just for this type of trip. Luckily we didn't need it, but it felt nice to have it. Given I haven't really been on a real vacation since then, I haven't had the chance to look into it. But maybe the next time we go on a cruise (I think my dad might want to do another one, maybe an Alaskan cruise!), we'll end up getting it again.

Hey, That's My Backpack!

Before we had more strict rules about what could be carried on a plane, I used to carry a Swiss Army knife with me wherever I went. That thing really came in handy, more than I thought it would. But now I'm sure it would be confiscated, and I'd rather not have something that cost $100 become property of the TSA.

Speaking of the TSA, I had to go through a search of my backpack and my laptop leaving from the Helena airport. Same thing happened to me in Duluth a few years ago. They did that to just about everyone, especially the laptop test (turned it on without shutting it down properly...nice!). It just cracks me up that the smaller airports (this one has a grand total of three gates...yes, three) feel like they have to prove themselves, so they search everyone they possibly can. I guess they have the time, since there aren't thousands of people going through the security checkpoint at any given time, like say in LAX or O'Hare. But still, it was rather annoying.

A Horse Is a Horse

My best friend used to have a horse, but she had to put it down because it had a disease that was incurable. That was sooo hard for her, and for me. I mean, she loved this horse. And after that she didn't ride for a long, long time. It was so sad because she'd all but grown up with that horse. But now she's riding at one of the stables around here, so I'm thinking for Christmas I'm going to get her some horse riding apparel. Not sure what I'll get, but I do want to get her something besides a gift card, you know? I think she'll really appreciate that. At least I hope she will. Either that, or golf stuff since she just picked that up not too long ago. Hmm. Decisions, decisions...

The Night Sky

Visiting Montana was amazing. It's so dark there, that you can see more stars in the night sky than I have ever seen I think, because there are almost no city lights to light up the sky like there are where I live. I mean, there are some...but nothing like here. And I thought that living in a smaller city allowed me to see more stars than down in Cincinnati. While that is true...I had no idea just how much the city lights of Dayton light up the sky. I definitely have to go back to Montana and have my cousin take me out fly fishing (I'll watch, not fish...not something you can just pick up in one day), hiking, etc. He's a real outdoor afficianado, so I'll be in good hands. It's almost like a different country there, with all the mountains and isolation. I think I need that. I can't wait. :)

Espresso-ing Myself

Every now and then, I get this idea I need one of those espresso machines. But then I remember...my mom got me one a few years ago, and I never use it! The only thing I use it for is to steam milk for my coffee (not espresso mind you). It's just too messy to do the espresso stuff, and to be honest espresso is too strong for me. But I doubt I'll ever give it away because it is kinda fun to have around, just in case someone comes over and has a hankering for espresso...or I get a hankering for a real latte. That does happen every now and then.

Montana Or Bust

I was just in Montana for a wedding for my younger cousin. Wow, that is one beautiful place. Although small, it's quite charming (and it is the capitol city, but it doesn't look that way). Anyway, they got just about everything they wanted on their registry, including the LCD TV they had put on it. His aunt Pinky (yes, Pinky) took them to Target the day after their wedding and bought it for them. She's very well-off. I mean, she and her son came from Australia. Granted, she's not my aunt, hee hee. But she's a lot of fun, and I'm glad she could do that for them. Apparently they have to hit the TV they have now to get it to work. So, now they have a brand new 37" Olevia LCD TV. I'm jealous! I think that'll be my next purchase, if/when we get a bonus next year. By then the 32" one I want will be relatively cheap. At least, I hope it will.

Think the Real Estate Bubble Has Burst

With the real estate market in a tailspin, I wonder if those who own a real estate franchise are starting to get nervous, especially the smaller ones. I think I'd be on the verge of a nervous breakdown, knowing me. And, I see all of these houses up for sale for months, rather than weeks, even in "hot" areas of town. That has to suck for the people who want or need to sell and can't because the subprime lenders are all going under. Why people got ARMs, I'll never understand. I mean, if you know you're only going to be in a house for 5 years, fine. But with record low mortgage rates...um, they're probably only going to go up! Even I, who is an idiot when it comes to finances, knows this and would NEVER get an ARM. Anyway, it's a huge mess, and I hope it works itself out so that I can buy a house in the future and not have to worry about getting taken for a ride from some lender.

SUVs - Bane of My Existence

I live in a part of the country where SUVs and pickup trucks (some even with a truck bed liner) almost outnumber the sedan. It's rather annoying, to be honest. I mean, I live in a suburban area. Why do people need such large vehicles? Is it to feel safer? Is it a status symbol? I guess it's probably both, with other factors thrown in that I'm not aware of. If you have a boat or something, I can see the need for towing. But do you really need that Hummer? Nope, that's just a gas-guzzling behemoth that people own because they want the coolness factor that comes along with it (I have yet to see one towing anything). Although I don't see it as cool...quite the opposite, I judge that person to be a jackass, but that's just me.

Anyway, I drive a smallish car, so I really have issues with SUVs and pickups in general, because...I CAN'T SEE OVER OR AROUND THEM! Being at a traffic light behind one is annoying, and when I park between two of them, I can't tell if anyone's coming until I've practically backed all the way out of the space. Then I get honked at, which also annoys me. Not like I'm speeding out of my space in reverse, folks, I just can't see! *sigh*

So to anyone who owns a Hummer or other insanely huge SUV when you don't need it, please consider stepping down to a Forester or RAV4 or something. You'll do the world a favor.

Warning...Cuteness Overload!

Oh no, I'm having cute baby stuff overload! I just looked at the baby shower registry I mentioned in my last post...and I don't know what to get! I was convinced I'd get Winnie the Pooh stuff, but then I saw this other stuff by Gund that I may not be able to resist. Lord help me if I ever get pregnant, because I will want it ALL and will probably have to take a second mortgage out on my house (which I have yet to buy, mind you). Seriously, it's insane how much cute stuff is out there, that you almost forget the necessities! Okay, maybe not...but I can see how easy it is to get wrapped up in all the hats, blankets, footies, etc. (no pun intended). I'll have to reign in my spending for the baby shower that's coming up, that's for sure!

Pooh Bear!

My manager (also a good friend of mine) is having a baby in December, so we're throwing her a baby shower here at work at the end of this month. She and her hubby registered at Target, and because it's their first baby, they have a TON of stuff they want. One of the things is a baby sling, which I have to admit is pretty cool. And they have Winnie the Pooh stuff out the wazoo! I loooooved Pooh as a kid, so you can bet my gift will have Pooh bear on it (that's if people don't beat me to it!). They're having a girl too, and there is soooooo much cute girl stuff out there that I'll have a hard time sticking to one gift, I think. Anyway, I am so happy for them. They'll make awesome parents.

Hand-Me-Downs

You know, I never bother to buy stuff like a new set of glasses or a new cookware set. Why? Because my father eventually gets bored with his stuff, and then I get it...and it's nice stuff because cooking is his favorite thing to do in the whole wide world. My cousin and his fiancee (more than likely, his fiancee and not him) had a set of cookware on their registry, but there's no way on earth I could afford to get that for them. They'll have to settle for a tablecloth instead, heh. I know it's not the most exciting gift in the world, but I hate going off-registry because this is usually stuff people genuinely want. And everything else on there would have cost me a fortune. I mean...they asked for bed pillows from Ralph Lauren that cost $120 each. What the hell?? I can't imagine spending that much on something I sleep on every night, and have to discard after they've worn out. Oh well, it's not my wedding, so who am I to pass judgment? Perhaps I'm bitter that now I'm in the minority of unmarried cousins? I dunno. But if/when I get married, I for sure will not be adding $120 bed pillows to my list. :)

Self Appraisals

My company has moved the fiscal year, and as a result our performance appraisals will be moved to September of next year, rather than January of next year. Awesome! I always had to do my self-appraisal on or around my birthday. Nothing like sizing my work performance up for a birthday treat! Anywho, I wonder if the performance system we use is a 360 degree evaluation type of software? I have no idea, really. All I know is...this year, my appraisal will probably only take a day or two as opposed to the week it used to take me with my previous job. And to me, that's what counts the most. :)

The Sad State of My Finances

Every year, I think, "I'm going to get my finances under control." And every year, I get some sort of financial reporting software...or an update to what I have, at least (Quicken 2008 anyone?). For about three months, I'm really good about getting all of my spending information entered (or downloaded), but then I just let it go. Why? I'm not sure. I think it's because I get depressed about how much I'm still in debt. Or, it's my ADD when it comes to doing stuff that I hate...more like procrastination, I think. I always have and probably always will be a procrastinator. But some people are and still are able to control their finances. Wish I were one of those people...

The Saga of Bad Skin Continues

I've been experimenting with nutritional supplements to see if they might help my skin, in addition to everything else I'm doing. For awhile, I was taking both flaxseed and evening primrose oil, and I didn't think they were doing anything. So, I stopped taking them. But I've noticed that my usual monthly breakout was worse than normal. Was it due to the light therapy? Maybe. It's too hard to tell. But I have noticed that my mood has changed too...at least I'm more moody than I have been in the past few months. So while they may not really have improved my skin, they were doing other things...especially the evening primrose oil, I think. Supplements are sooo expensive that I take only the ones I know are working. So, once I get paid again on Friday, that will be one of the first things on my list to get.

Health Insurance Woes

Okay, I've been in this epic battle with my doctor's office about a $200 bill that they never submitted to my insurance agency. They say they did, and never got reimbursed for it. I told them to resubmit, and they won't. I'm not gonna pay it because it's totally covered according to my insurance agency. So now it's gone to a commercial collection agency. What the hell?? He's in my insurance plan, and I only visit once a year for my RLS. I have no idea what happened, or why they didn't get paid...but for them to do this to me is insane. If he wasn't the best when it came to RLS, I'd find another doctor because of this. Seriously.

Third Time's a Charm?

So on the Today Show this morning, they covered Lindsay Lohan's latest release from drug rehabilitation. This is her third stint in it, although she stayed in it much longer than the 30 days it seems stars take to deal with their drug or alcohol addiction problem. Will it take? Who knows? Only she is in control of that. She says this time it was humbling, and that she'd be in denial if she thought she weren't in danger of relapse. Oh, and she's more aware that the people she spent time with weren't helping her. Of course, this goes against some of the tabloid rumors that someone was supplying her with alcohol while in rehab, but we all know how reliable tabloids are. As someone whose mother was an alcoholic, I can only hope that this time it takes for her.

Decorating the New Apartment

When I move, I'm planning on getting one of those modern platform beds for my new bed frame. That, or I'm going to wait for the new IKEA to open near me (spring of 2008....woooooo!) so I can get their wrought iron frame that's only $250. Right now, I have the standard frame with no headboard, and it's ugly. But, it's what I have...and it beats it being on the floor (I need the storage space, even though feng shui says it's a no-no to store things under your bed). Then my dad says he'll either buy me a new couch, or pay to have my hand-me-down one (which is about 25 years old!) reupholstered. He did it for my brother when he bought his house, so he says it's only fair he does the same for me. Who am I to argue? I can hardly wait to move...end of November can't come soon enough!

Why I'm Addicted to Skin Care Products

I admit it, I'm an addict of skin care products, only because I have horrible skin...and when I find something that works, it usually stops working. So I have to alternate between two product lines, usually after about a month of whatever I'm using. Right now, I'm trying this line my dad got for me called Isadermix. It's not for acne, but I like the cleanser and toner. The other thing I like is MD Formulations for adult acne. Also, I'm getting red and blue light treatments which seem to be working in conjunction with the Isadermix. I'll probably have to go longer than the standard 8 treatments, as my acne is particularly stubborn (and totally hormonal). The red light seems to bring up the little suckers overnight, which is good...I just hope that my skin is clear by the time I'm off to Montana for a family wedding in a few weeks.

The Joys of PC Repair

A friend of mine just needed some power supply repair on her PC. Wish she'd told me, because my ex is pretty good with fixing stuff like that. Apparently her fan quit, and then it overheated...almost destroyed the whole computer, from what I understand. But she took it in to have it fixed, and they charged her an arm and a leg for what's actually very simple...at least my ex says it is. I wouldn't touch a PC power supply system. Of course, I used to say that about PC memory, but I'm an old pro at that now. Oh well, if it happens again, I've told her to tell me so she can save herself some cash...a

Adult Acne Is the Pits

Okay, my skin has been nothing but a mess since I went off of birth control pills. My doctor wanted to put me on progesterone pills (that is, not combined with estrogen, like most birth control pills), but I determined that it's the progesterone in them that makes me feel like I'm going crazy. It was like having constant PMS, with feeling moody, depressed, and an overall sense of sadness. I'd be crying all the time, for no reason whatsoever. It was awful! But now I'm paying for it with horrible skin. My dad actually offered to pay for whatever treatments I might need, so I've started the blue light/red light treatments which have worked for me in the past. I've only had two treatments, so I can't tell if it's working yet or not. But I'm fairly certain between it and the other products I use, I'll have clear skin. At least, that's my fervent hope!

Home Theater, Sweet Home Theater

A friend of mine is spending thousands of dollars turning his basement into the ultimate home theater. I mean, he's getting a sound system that rivals actual theaters you have to leave your house to experience. Okay, not really...but he's getting home theater seating, home theater carpet, and of course the obligatory big screen TV, which would take up my entire living room, I think. I'm sure it will be a sight to see when it's finished, but I just don't get the need for this. Yeah, it costs anywhere from $50 to $100 to take a family to see a movie these days, but spending thousands on a home theater will take forever to break even, I think. I mean, I only go to see movies in the theater that I think will lose impact on a smaller screen, but I'm perfectly happy watching movies that don't lose anything on a smaller screen on my 32" flat screen. Now, I will be replacing it with an LCD HDTV, when all programming has to switch over anyway. But even that's nothing in comparison to what my friend has. Nothing is, haha. :)

What's the Deal with High School Musical???

In some ways, I'm glad I'm not the parent of a pre-teen or teenager, because then I'd have to watch High School Musical and its sequel...over and over again. I'd probably also have to buy High School Musical tickets, not to mention the myriad of other things High School Musical. I've tried to think about what would have been the equivalent for me as a pre-teen, and I really can't think of anything. The closest I can get is Fame, but I wasn't even a pre-teen then. Maybe something like MTV, when it first aired on television and actually showed *gasp* music videos? I mean, I know I had to have my MTV, and all my favorite artists had to have the coolest music videos (Duran Duran was my favorite, by far!). So, I guess I understand the crazy obsession with High School Musical just a little...but only a little.

Watch Out!

Last night as I was driving into the parking lot of my apartment place, I had to dodge something I never thought I'd have to dodge...a bunch of RC cars (that's radio controlled cars, for those who don't know). The kids were out playing with them. In a way, I feel bad for them because they really don't have a back yard they can play in like kids who live in houses can. But in another way, it alarmed me because I could have easily driven over one of their cars...or one of them! Although, I have to dodge giant Canada geese everyday, not to mention ducks (which I much prefer over the geese...they seem smarter about NOT blocking the road), so maybe I'll just add the cars (and whatever else the kids are playing with outside) to my mental list of things to watch out for.

Bye Bye Summer

Ah, the first signs of fall...like, it's going down into the 40s tonight, and there are frost warnings in the more northern parts of the country. But last week, it was in the 90s during the day. I swear, this has been the weirdest summer weather I can remember. It's been hot, but not that humid (hence the drought we've been in). Who needs to take an Orlando vacation when the weather here is just as hot as it is there? Oh yeah, no Disney World or Universal Studios Theme Park. But, if I'm going to go to Florida, even if it is only for the weather, it's going to be in the winter when it's zero degrees outside with snow on the ground, not in August or September when it's likely to be even more humid than it is here. Ugh.

Oooo...shiny!

I was admiring someone's light fixtures in their home the other day, and I asked who made it. They said it was Quoizel lighting. Huh? Never heard of it. Of course, I usually don't pay attention to names of lighting fixtures. But I do find myself fascinated by lighting sections in just about any store. Must be the "ooo, shiny!" aspect of the lighting? I have no idea. Or maybe it's the fact that I grew up in a household where chandeliers were necessary for the dining room and the bigger dining room we had in our basement. Most folks don't really care about that sort of thing. And if I had the means, I probably would have replaced my empty light fixture sockets with a nice ceiling fan/light fixtures. But I don't have a ladder tall enough for that (or a ladder...period). It's my rationalization for not doing it...because, I am after all the queen of procrastination.

Water Water Everywhere

My Pur water filter has somehow managed to bite the dust. I put in a new filter, but the water doesn't taste any better than if it came straight out of the tap. So, I'm going the old-fashioned route of the Pur water pitcher filtration. To be honest, I just don't want to go through the hassle of replacing the faucet filter, because Delta faucets seem to need adapters that come with the filters...but getting them on and off is such a freakin' pain. And besides, I'll be moving out at the end of November, so why bother? I'll just put the regular aerator back on now and use my pitcher to filter my water.

Should I?

With all the skin problems I seem to have, and have had since I was a teenager...I've often wondered if something like a colon cleanse on a regular basis would help clear up my skin? I've looked into all the different ones, and I'm just trying to find one that won't cause me more digestive problems than I already have. Although, I've started taking lecithin for my gall bladder, and that seems to have helped more than I ever thought possible (no more bloating and queasiness after I eat!). So perhaps the next step is something like a liver flush or colon cleanse...just have to get up the nerve to do it.

The A's Go to Las Vegas

Yep, my family talked about going to Las Vegas, just to see what all the fuss is about. I mean, none of us gambles (I've been to one casino in my entire life). So it stands to reason that none of us has been to the home of Caesars Palace, The Bellagio, Siegfried & Roy, etc. But really, we're fascinated by it because nothing else on earth like it exists. Well, there's Atlantic City, but it's not out in the middle of a desert. I think every American should go to Las Vegas at least once, just to see what it's like. If you hate it, you don't have to go back. If you love it, then by all means return. I honestly have no idea if I'll hate it or love it. My guess is, I'll lean toward hating it because I can easily be overwhelmed by too many sights and sounds. But who knows? I might end up wanting to go back.

Wiki? TWiki? Nope.

With the sale of our company, a lot of internal systems are changing. My group uses a version of a "wiki" for posting all of its information, but it's a terrible system. No one can find anything on it unless you send a link directly to the stuff you're looking for. We could really use some collaboration software. There's one out there called Epazz, which actually looks like some powerful software. It has a 30-day trial for you to try out, which you have to contact them to get setup. You can integrate it into back-end systems, manage your website's content, have group scheduling, group e-mails, etc, all with one-point secure access. When a group has improved communication, it just works better, you know? Might want to check this out. I mean, it is free for 30 days.

What's In a Name

As I have mentioned before, I think, my company was bought by a private equity firm. As such, we're having to change our name. I won't mention it for privacy reasons, but let's just say...it's ridiculous. You have to explain it to people for them to get it. My theory that if you have to explain it, it's probably not a good name, really holds true here. The folks who sold us said they did a ton of market research to come up with it. I call bullsh*t, because if they had, everyone would have rejected it like everyone in the company has. Seriously, it's that bad. But that makes me wonder, if it's that bad...what were the other choices? I shudder to think.

And then there were four...

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, some of my cousins lived in Arizona. This is around the time I was 5-6 years old, so that would have been 30+ years ago. I have vague memories of the house they lived in. Now, it wasn't Arizona luxury real estate, but it was a nice place.

Anyway, why am I thinking about them? Because one of those cousins is getting married in October. He lives in Helena, Montana with his fiancee, who I really like. He's been married before, but that was a disaster. So out of 8 grandkids, that leaves me, my brother, my youngest cousin, and the only other female cousin I have. Kinda depressing, really. Sometimes feel like I'm going to die alone as the crazy cat lady, which is the only reason I won't own more than two cats at a time. Guess that might make me just the crazy old lady? That's no fun.

Burn Notice

My latest new, favorite TV show is called Burn Notice. It's about a spy who got kicked out of the spying business (in other words, received a "burn notice"), and he ends up being dumped/stuck in Miami, Florida until he can a) figure out who burned him and b) get reinstated, if possible. Have to say, Miami real estate looks mighty nice. At least the parts of it they're showing are nice. I'm sure like every town, it has its bad areas. But I think living near a beach and in warm, mostly sunny weather all year might make up for some of that. Of course, there are hurricanes to deal with, but again, every place has its drawbacks like that. I mean, I live where tornadoes can touch down, and there's little to no warning about those! Yet, there's no beach around where I live either. Hmmm...

Small Cities

Living in a small town has its pluses and minuses. Sometimes, I love the quiet. Other times, I miss the hustle and bustle of being closer to a city, with steel buildings, people going to and from work (although, one could argue jobs are moving to the 'burbs...mine sure did), vendors selling stuff...just the general energy of a city, you know? But, I'd never live downtown again after 2 years in downtown Chicago (right on Division Street for one of those years). It's too easy for me to miss the green of the trees and the rolling hills. Although, I did live on the lake in Chicago, which helped. But I almost always felt a little claustrophobic there. Guess I like wide-open spaces. So it's the smaller city life for me.

Laptop Love

I am absolutely loving having what I would call a kick-ass laptop at home. Why? Because now I'm not chained to my desk. It's great being able to kick back on my sofa and surf the Web, or indulge in my latest obsession, playing World of Warcraft (a.k.a. WoW). It's a Dell laptop with Dell memory (2 GB), and an Intel Duel Core processor (I think). Of course, it became old the minute I bought it, but I think for what I need to do it'll last me a long, long time. The only thing I wish I'd done was gotten a larger hard drive than 80 GB. But I guess that's what external storage is for, right?

Movin' On Up...Or Down, As the Case May Be

When I first moved into my apartment just over two years ago, I was planning on putting in ceiling fans where there used to be light fixtures. But, since I am the queen of procrastination, there are still metal plates covering up the wiring where the light fixtures went. Heck, I still have pictures I haven't hung yet. Considering I'll be moving out in October, that's of little concern to me right now.

That reminds me...better figure out what date I need to give notice, since it's 45 days and not 30. Also need to figure out where I want to live down in Cincinnati. My heart longs to live near the central part of the city in some two family like I did two years ago, but I have a washer and dryer that I would sooner part with than my car. And most two families come with a washer and dryer (ancient ones at that). So, I'll probably have to live north of town, because the apartment communities around where I want to live would charge me about $200 more per month for a smaller one bedroom apartment than what I have now. That's insane...$900 for 650 square feet??? But, people will pay that because it's the cool and hip part of town. Guess I'll have to settle for less cool and hip, and more affordable and with washer/dryer hookups. :)

Something I'd Rather Not Talk About...But Here Goes

Okay, so...a few months ago, I was getting UTIs so often, I had to go visit a urologist to see what the problem was, because there was no real reason behind me getting them. I was convinced that this was the start of something that would eventually lead to having to wear tranquility diapers (that's for incontinence, just in case you were wondering). Having a lot of UTIs can lead to that because the walls of your urethra and bladder can get scarred and not function as well. Luckily, my bout with UTIs seems to be over, for now.

My CT scan showed nothing that would cause me to have recurrent UTIs, like scar tissue or blockage...but it did find two kidney stones...very, very small kidney stones. Guess it's hereditary after all, because women don't really get them, but my brother, father, and uncles on both sides of my family have had them. My brother's had the most by far, having had three lithotripsies (or more, I can't remember now). That's where they blast apart the stone with ultrasound, and you get to pass the stone as sand...pleasant, huh? I hope I pass these stones without incident (my brother has before, apparently). But knowing me and my family's medical problems, I'll have to pass them painfully or go through the ultrasound process. Ugh.

Target, How I Love Thee

My cousin just had her 60th birthday party, and the person that hosted it had the cutest party invitations I'd seen in a long time. I asked her where she got them, and she said, "Target!" I should have known, because Target always seems to have the cutest stuff. They may not be as cheap as Wal-Mart, but you can bet that it's probably better-made than anything you can get there (I refuse to shop at Wal-Mart anyway). For house decoration, clothes...and apparently stationery, you really can't find a better place if you're looking for something with style that won't make you cry when you hand over your credit card to the cashier.

Cross Country Move

Someone else I know is moving to North Carolina...from Portland, Oregon. Talk about a move! She had looked at some Wilmington NC real estate, but decided it wasn't for her. She's actually going to live in Charlotte instead (I think...this is one of our vendor sales reps, so I don't know her that well). I think if I had to move south, North Carolina would be my state of choice, just because I have family there and have visited many times in many different places. I think she'll like Charlotte, at least I hope she will. If not, I'm sure I'll hear about it.

Who Knew?

I had no idea that something like plasma cutting could produce works of art...metal sculptures, metal cutouts, and the like. I always saw them as something used in computer aided manufacturing, but everyday people actually own these things! One of my cousins is a blacksmith...wonder if he owns one? My guess is that he owns something like it, since he creates rather beautiful pieces of wrought iron furniture. Now, I've never seen one...I mean, I've never been around welding or anything like that. But, I imagine it's pretty cool to see...if you like that sort of thing. :)

Multitasking

You know what I'm doing right now (besides writing a blog entry, obviously)? I'm watching a repeat of the The Colbert Report, using closed captioning. No, I'm not deaf...I just can't write and listen to the TV at the same time, at least sometimes anyway. I get distracted too easily, and I end up forgetting what I was going to say...especially with a show as good as The Colbert Report or The Daily Show. It's way too easy to get sucked into one of their stories...and you can't just listen, you have to watch. So as I read the captioning, if I become intrigued...I pause it so I can rewind it and watch it, after I've finished my writing. If you don't have a DVR through your cable service or Tivo (I heart my Tivo, I really do), get it. It makes watching TV an entirely different experience. Combined with closed captioning...you won't miss a thing. :)

SmartWater, Fiji Water, Aquafina, Dasani...

Have you heard about some of the larger cities banning bottled water? They're trying to do it in L.A., where bottled water became a status symbol lord knows how many years ago? I want to see them prying bottles of SmartWater out of Jennifer Aniston's hands! Now, they are doing it for a good reason. You see...people aren't recycling the plastic bottles like they should be, so they're all ending up in landfills. Bad! Some places are trying to push their tap water. And I'm going to say right now that if Dayton and/or Cincinnati ever do this, their mayors will get stuff thrown at them...the tap water tastes like freakin' pool water! So what's an environmentally conscious person who hates their tap water supposed to do? I have seen a reuseable water bottle filter, but I don't remember where...online, of course. Guess I could always do another search, but I'll also need to search for a reusable water bottle, one that can be used with this filter. Of course, I have filtered water at work...and at home...but, it might be nice to take with me on bike rides and the like, you know? Then I'll be one less person pitching their plastic bottles. That'd be nice. :)

Where Did Summer Go?

It's August. You know what that means? Not too much longer until Labor Day. Oh noes! The end o summer! Time to put the white shoes away! No more boating! *sigh* Well, okay...I don't boat a lot, but I will miss being able to wear white shoes. It's too bad that that silly rule of fashion exists, because it's still hotter than hell outside. Why can't I wear white stuff? But who am I to question fashion...except when they decide to bring back "skinny" pants (a.k.a., pegged pants for those of us who were children of the 80s) and high-waisted pants. Noooooo! I love my just-below-the-waist jeans with a little flare at the end of each leg. Put me in a pair of skinny jeans, and I feel like a freakin' stuffed sausage. Anyway...can't believe summer's coming to an end yet again. Soon the days will be shorter, and we'll all be going to work before the sun is up, and leaving work after it's dark. *sigh* Better try to enjoy what's left before it's too late, right? Ah, but I do have one thing to look forward to...moving back to Cincinnati. Yeah! Just wish I'd planned that a little better. Guess I could always do another 9 month lease and move back in the spring...

Is November Here Yet?

I've never wanted fall to come so quickly, but fall is when I move back to Cincinnati. One of my friends has a mother who's a real estate agent, and is trying to convince me I need to buy a house. Ummmm...if I had more time, yeah. But I know that can take upwards of 6 months, and I don't have that luxury. I'd rather move into another apartment, then maybe 6 months into it start looking at loans, and then at condos (no houses for me...I know I wouldn't be able to deal with the upkeep it requires). Besides, it'll take me awhile just to find an apartment. So, I think I'll wait a bit longer to take the home ownership plunge.

28 Days

Last night, I watched a movie I hadn't seen in a long time, 28 Days (no, not the horror movie...that scarred me for life, I tell you). It stars Sandra Bullock as a carefree writer with a drug and alcohol problem that lands her in drug rehab. What did she do to end up in rehab? She came to her sister's wedding, got extremely drunk, destroyed the wedding cake, and took off in the limo to go get her sister a new cake. She plowed into a house. So, it was either jail or rehab...so rehab it was. Made me wonder if it was anything like what the stars of today put themselves into (although I doubt they made Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears clean the toilets). If you ask me, rehab needs to be longer than 30 days. Not sure if the statistic in the movie of only a 30% chance of success (i.e., no relapse) is correct. If it is, that's depressing. Of course, rehab is only the first step in a long process of changing one's life. But really, does a hot rock massage really belong in rehab?

Modern Office Methods

It's funny, but when my office moved to its current location, a lot of the old furniture came with it (although thankfully, not the orange and green chairs left over from the 1970s...you know the colors I'm talking about). In exchange, we did get some more contemporary office furniture, but every now and then, I'll see something I thought we left behind. It's been six years now, and the desk chairs that only adjust by spinning them 'round and 'round (whoever thought that up must have flunked out of industrial design school) still exist. The meeting room chairs that are stuck in a permanently reclined position are found in conference rooms. Old filing cabinets that they repainted to match the "decor" are everywhere. But thank God they have real desk chairs, with adjustable height, lumbar support, arms, and all the other bells and whistles you'd get with expensive desk chairs. Makes all the difference in the world.

Alli: No Ally of Mine

Alli, Xenadrine, Relacore, Hydroxycut...what do they all have in common? They're all diet supplements. Alli is FDA-approved, but who wants to take something that might cause, um, really nasty digestive side-effects, even if you eat according to their low-fat guidelines? Not me, thanks. (Think of the warnings on the labels with anything containing Olestra....ewww!) I already eat a relatively low-fat diet because I have issues with digesting fat. And, I'd really only lose 2.5 pounds, without exercise, considering I have only about 10 pounds left to lose. So I think I'll save a lot of money...and preserve my dignity

Love Hospital Dramas, Hate Hospitals

I think I watch too many hospital dramas...House, Grey's Anatomy, ER. You want to know why I think this? I actually know what a pulse oximeter is. It's that little thing they attach to one of your fingers after you've had surgery, been admitted to the ER, etc. to measure the amount of oxygen in your blood. As you would think, low blood oxygen is a bad thing to have. It's what I had after both of my shoulder surgeries that kept me from going home in a timely fashion...that, and low blood pressure. Guess I don't just "bounce back" after surgery like a lot of people do. Wonder what Dr. House would think of that? Probably nothing (or he'd make fun of me), but I hate feeling all nauseated and groggy for longer than everyone else.

Okay, I Admit It...

I read blogs like D-Listed, Popsugar, and TMZ.com. It's one of my vices, like caffeine and good chocolate. It's just so sad to read about all the stars who are constantly going in and out of drug rehab. I mean, yeah...when it's the 10th time of going, then I start to wonder if these places actually work. But then I think...nah, it's probably the personality of the person, and being constantly surrounded by the life that lead them to being an alcohol or drug addict. I look at someone like Lindsay Lohan and shake my head and wonder if she'll ever be able to kick the habit. However, there are success stories like Drew Barrymore. She's a bit flaky, but she seems so happy with everything. Guess that's one of the secrets to battling addiction, finding your inner happiness. Sappy, but true.

My Grandfather, The Physicist and Theorist

Okay, so I may be a geek (well, I am you know), but whenever I stumble across information that has anything to do with metal or die cutting, I think of my grandfather. You want to know why? Well, back in the 1940s, he basically discovered a law in physics that has to do with how metal cuts other metal, or orthogonal cutting. I look at this drawing/theory, and I think, "wow, I so did not get any of those genes" because it's totally foreign to me. My inner monologue goes something like this, "wow, I was related to him? No way!"

He also developed the model that's used in computer aided manufacturing, before computers were ever used in that capacity...and without knowing how to operate a computer himself. He's got his name displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry for that. This is a guy who loved to tinker with anything and everything. For all I know, he had EMI shielding in his garage workshop so he could do experiments. So again, I did not get those genes. I got the semi-artistic, good-with-words genes, which is okay I guess. Although, I do wish I'd inherited just a smidge of the good-with-math genes. Would have made all those high school algebra and calculus courses much better.

I Have My Hair

Okay, so every 4-5 weeks...I put my hair in the hands of a very skilled hairdresser/colorist. You see, I am prematurely gray, thanks to both (yes both) of my parents also being prematurely gray...and my brother too. Being blonde, though, it's a little easier to cover up. Sometimes I wish I could just get a full head of hair transplant so that I didn't have to go through the coloring every four weeks, then watch the roots grow in. I know, I know...that's not what it's for or how it works. But still, it's nice to think about.

Oh, and "I have my hair" is something I used to say when I was little...guess even as a toddler, I was a bit vain about my hair, heh. :)

The Simple Life

There are a few different types of furniture I like, one of them being Shaker furniture or even Quaker furniture. Probably the best place to shop for this is a North Carolina furniture place, as the Quakers actually had a large settlement there. While it wasn't as big a place for Quakers to settle as, say, Pennsylvania...you'd be surprised at the number of Quaker "parishes," for lack of a better word. I only know about this because my step-grandfather's daughter was a Quaker, along with her husband. If you're into clean, simple furniture...this is the way to go.

WritingIsFun Cooks? Yeah, Right...

Next week, I'm going to my cousin's 60th birthday party. Rather than bringing a present, we're supposed to bring food. That's great, except I don't really cook, nor do I have much cookware to cook with. But I think I have a solution! I'm going to go to my dad's to make something. He has every type of cooking implement you could possibly imagine, and he's already working on the perfect thing to take since he can't go. Figure it'll be his way of being at this party to take something he suggested, and will probably end up making (he can't stop once he's started in a kitchen!).

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe...

We've been getting a ton of vendor visits lately...and they're always bringing free stuff, like marketing pens with their names on it, or t-shirts even. It kinda cracks me up, because we have only 10 vendors to choose from across 5 business units. They're gonna get work, no matter what. It's not like it used to be when we had a lovely, large pool of vendors to choose from, and they actually had to compete for work. Now we have to be careful of overloading them. It's insane, especially when they tell all the business units to send their work to one particular vendor. We do that...they get overloaded...they do sucky work...we get told not to use them. Makes no sense to me, or to anyone else who has to deal with the vendors on a day-to-day basis. Now it's basically a game of eeny, meeny, miny, moe to choose who you send work to, and hope they do a good job. The joys of being a project manager with less-than-ideal vendors...

I Have Now Seen Everything

Okay, now I have seen everything...a padded panty? You have got to be kidding me. Although, I guess for women who are built more like boys, this might be a good thing. But for people like me (no pun intended) this is the last thing on earth I would ever wear. Like I want a bigger ass? I don't think so. And with padded bras, it's going to come off eventually...so why bother? I have heard of implants for your backside cheeks...so this really shouldn't surprise me. Yet it does. People amaze me sometimes, you know?

Waxing Nostalgic

Hard to believe that it was 20 years ago the last time I stayed at Fernandina Beach, Florida, where I spent a great deal of summers as a little girl. When my grandfather died in 1980, my grandmother sold the beach house...and when I say beach house, I mean a house right on the beach. My dad and uncle kick themselves still for not going in on the purchase of it together, because they could make a killing off of renting it out.

Anyway, my grandmother felt bad about selling it, so instead she'd get a place at one of those condo hotels in Fernandina. Not quite the same as a house, but it worked. But the last time we did that, I was 16...and now I'm 36. She passed away back in 2005, and didn't go to the beach much in her last years (she grew up in Jacksonville Beach...so it's part of who she was). I'll still look back on the times we spent at that house (and even the condo) with fond memories, that's for sure. I'd like to do that with my dad and brother, just for old times' sake. :) We talk about renting the house someday...but it hasn't happened yet.

Isn't It Ironic

When I started back at this company, I had to work on accounting textbooks. I've never taken an accounting class in my life, and they throw one of the biggest money-makers they have. They said, "oh, you have enough production experience to pick it up." Ummm....if it hadn't been for the awesome project manager I hired, who knows accounting inside and out, I would have been in BIG trouble. I mean, I didn't know what leaders were, much less fixed asset accounting...or anything along those lines. And then, I got handed another accounting title...cost accounting. What the heck is that??? I still don't know. I'm just thankful that for the next copyright year, all is right with the world...and I only have economics, management, and business law titles. Granted, I've never had an economics, management, or business law class in my life either (have my liberal arts background to thank for that)...but at least those subjects make some sense to me! Ah, the irony of it all...

Tags: accounting, economics, management, business law, textbooks, liberal arts

Blogging for Money

People always want to know how to make money blogging. It's really not that hard. More and more companies are realizing the potential for advertising using links in blogs. All that you need is a free blog, like this one (although some companies/advertisers won't accept Blogger blogs), and you must post to it consistently for 90 days. It should also be indexed by Google, which isn't hard to do if you post on a regular basis. Some places require a Google Pagerank, but not all. I've been paid as much as $10 for a 100 word post. Not bad, eh? Not that I'm going to retire on the money I make from it, but every little bit helps.

Tags: blogging, make money blogging, blogging for money, Google, Google Pagerank

Tech Geek Speak Coming Up

At work, I have a 22" widescreen LCD monitor...and it rocks. What's funny is, my department has had them for a few years now, before they became popular and cheap. You see, the powers-that-be wanted us to start proofing pages on screen. That's hard to do on a 15" CRT monitor. We said, "sure, give us something that will allow us to see a 2-page spread at 100%, and we'll proof stuff on screen." Took awhile, but we finally got them. We were the envy of just about everyone, heh. Now, more and more people are getting them, so they don't have quite the same "luster" that they once did. Next on the list is laptops...apparently they've been ordered. I'll keep my fingers crossed that they get here soon, before I go insane with all this data entry that I'm going to have to do over the next few weeks. It'll be nice to be able to do that from home!

Tags: LCD monitor, laptops, CRT, work

The Busy Season Is Starting

Oh, how I dream of taking a 2 week vacation. But with all of my work ramping up, I don't see that happening. Long weekends, yes...but 2 weeks, no way. I actually have 3 weeks of vacation to use. I think if I did, I'd look into an Orlando vacation home rental...although I'd have to go in on that with friends, I'm sure. There's no way I could afford to rent a house all by my lonesome. Hotel room, I could do...but not a house. Depressing, really. Okay...not that depressing. Guess I just need to get my life in gear and look into other interests, as I'm never going to get anywhere by complaining about my stead in life, or my work. Definitely need something different. What that is, I have no idea. So I better figure that out before I start anything. Ah, a new project! Just what I need, heh.

Tags: vacation, Orlando, work

More Jealousy

Going back to my neighbor's move...it's funny she buys herself a house, yet gets a friend with a trailer and truck rack to move her stuff. Maybe that's how she was able to afford a house, by not doing things like hiring movers? Seriously. I'm not sure why I'm so hung up about this. Guess it's just sheer jealousy, since I can barely afford my rent as it is. Although, my salary is insulting...and I probably get paid less than a medical intern, but still. I'm considering buying a condo when I move back to Cincinnati...but at my salary level, I'm looking at something less than $100,000. There's no way I can afford a place where I live now. Well, maybe a condo...but definitely not a house. Argh!

Tags: house, condo, Cincinnati, salary level, salary

A Sobering Realization

You know, I hate my job...I am truly this company's b*tch, however, because I really need the benefits it provides, like term insurance, that only costs like $1.00 per month. Seriously. And I think I'll always need some sort of group health coverage because some insurance companies (I'm looking at you Aetna!) don't cover my RLS needs, which are minimal (one doctor's visit a year, and two medications per month). When I was freelancing and applying for my own coverage, Aetna flat out rejected me because of it. Can you believe that? You'd think I had cancer or something. But now because my company uses Aetna, they have to cover me. Ha! I still hate them, and am hoping our new owners will allow us to go back to Humana. It's an HMO, but it rocks...well, for a health insurance company anyway. So anyway...unless I marry someone and get covered by his health insurance...I'll always have to work for the man. *sigh*

Tags: term insurance, Aetna, health insurance, RLS, health coverage, Humana

Stumped, I Am

Okay, so last night, my upstairs neighbor (who can be no more than 26, and is a medical intern, IO think) is moving out. She knocks on my door and asks if I have any pliers to disconnect her washer and dryer...because she just bought a house and is moving into it. Okay first of all...she hasn't been there a year. So she had to break her lease. That's $1000 right there. And houses in the area I live in are not cheap. How on earth does a medical intern afford a house that costs at minimum $150,000??? I'm stumped. Guessing that she's not the type to buy discount furniture either, at that rate. Jealous doesn't begin to describe how I feel.

Tags: lease, house, furniture, discount furniture

The Lolcat Craze!

Okay, I admit it. I'm addicted to the Internet phenomenon, "lolcats." People take pictures of their cats and add what's quickily becoming known as "kitty pidgin" captions to them, such as "I'm in ur komputr, stealin' ur Internets." Or this one to the left, which was recently posted on the site called icanhascheezburger.com. Bwhahahahahaha!

Ahem, anyway. Where was I? Oh yeah...why I find them funny, I don't know. Well, I guess it's because I own some "kittehs of mah own" one of which provides plenty of lolcat entertainment (the ginger cat posted in the pic at the top of my blog). I have the pictures, but I am not the greatest captioner in the world, I must admit. The one that took me about a month to come up with and submit to icanhascheezburger.com was never posted. Bummer!

Mehbe sumday, I will lurn to make good kitteh pidgin and gets mah piktures posted...but until then I will just enjoy the clever captions I see everyday, and get my laughs when I need them the most. Long live lolcats!

Tags: lolcats, kitty pidgin, icanhascheezburger

I Don't Like Spam!

Some of the e-mail I get in my spam folder makes me chuckle, or laugh out loud even. I get stuff touting male enhancement, phishing for accounts I don't even have, magic diet pills, and even stuff for hair transplants. That is rather comical, seeing as how I have to get my hair thinned out on a regular basis, or else I end up with a mop on my head. There's one place headed up by Dr. Larry Shapiro (yes, I clicked on it...curiosity killed the cat!) that if I did have hair transplant needs, I'd look into. But seeing as currently have a full head of hair...I think I'll pass.

Tags: spam, phishing, diet pills, hair transplants

Thank God for Tivo

You know, I keep seeing more and more ads that make it sound like a payday loan is the way to go, if you have an emergency and need more cash all of the sudden. First, I'd ask any friends and family before I had an "emergency" loan that would require me to pay astronomical interest rates. I guess if you can afford to pay back the loan all in one lump sum, it's not so bad. But if you can't (which most people who would go for these sorts of loans), then it can often be something in the 3 digit range...OUCH! No thanks, I'll pass...and fast forward through the ads so that I don't have to watch these loan sharks prey on the desperate (Tivo rules!).

Tags: payday loan, interest rates, Tivo

Bridge Anyone?

My dad hosted his bridge club's party last weekend, and he said that he had so many people come, he had to go ask the doorman where there might be folding chairs available. My dad not having enough chairs is unheard of, to be honest. This is the quintessential entertainer, so to not have enough seating is a huge faux pas. But, he does have problems counting sometimes, hee hee. Guess he must have just miscounted this time. Oh well, luckily the building does keep a stash of folding chairs for their party room...so all was saved!

Tags: bridge, entertainment, entertainer

How Do They Do It?

Okay, so last weekend, I went and checked out the pool at my apartment place. When I got there, there was hardly anyone at it. But around 3:00, it was a zoo. And there were all of these moms, who looked absolutely amazing, like they'd never had kids. Do they work out like crazy? Do they take energy pills? Or is it just genetics? If so, lucky them.

Seriously. I know if I ever have kids, I'll be one of those women who has trouble getting rid of that "baby fat" that comes with pregnancy, since I have problems getting rid of just plain ol' fat. Wish I could just eat less and lose weight, but unfortunately my genetic makeup doesn't allow for that...I must exercise, a lot. Even then, it's hard. Guess I just need to stick with it, as usual. *sigh*

Summertime and the Livin' Is Easy

Ah, summer is finally here (heat and all). And people are taking off for vacations in droves. Am I one of those people? Unfortunately, no. But I'm sure there are a ton of people taking an Orlando vacation, to go to Disney or one of the many other parks there (Universal Studios, for one). Or maybe if they don't like the heat, they're heading north to Michigan. So, I will just sit by my apartment place's pool and soak up enough vitamin D so that I get just a hint of tan (my winter pallor is...pale...very, very pale). That'll have to do for now, I'm afraid.

Tags: Orlando, Disney, Universal Studios, Michigan, vacation, summer

I Did It

I bought a laptop, a Dell laptop...with Dell memory...and Dell everything else (well, except for the Intel processor). My company just got sold, and I'm not sure when stuff like our rather nice discounts on things like computers and cell phones will go away. So, I figured now is the time. I'm such a geek, but hey...it's a mobile world. I want to be able to sit on my patio and write blog entries, not be tied to my desktop computer like I am now. I'll have to wait three weeks for it, but it will be worth it. :)

Tags: Dell, memory, laptop, blog, desktop, Intel

Paid Surveys

I admit it, I've fallen for the paid surveys thing before, thinking that getting paid for market research sounded like something I'd enjoy. I'm sure it would be, and I do still take lots of surveys...but I don't get paid for them. Some sites give you points...which take forever to add up. Or there's another site that pays you a $1.00 in their currency, and you can exchange the points for things like 6 free Blockbuster rentals (1 per month) or frequent flier miles. But I have yet to get any surveys that truly pay me. Ah well, c'est la vie. :)

Tags: market research, paid survey, surveys, Blockbuster, frequent flier

Wrapped Around Their Fingers

When I heard that the band The Police was going on tour again, I could hardly contain my excitement. I've always been a fan of The Police and Sting. In fact, I've been to every show Sting has done in my area...but I was too young to go see The Police in concert before they disbanded. So I feel like this is my opportunity to go see them before they really do get too old. The last time I saw Sting, it was an unplugged concert of sorts, so he did a TON of stuff from his days with The Police. Now, the only Police CD I have is Synchronicity. The rest of the songs I like, I have downloaded from iTunes. But now, there is a Police CD with just about every song I could possibly want from them (a 2 CD set, actually).

Here's a listing of what's on each one:

Disc: 1
1. Fallout
2. Can't Stand Losing You
3. Next to You
4. Roxanne
5. Truth Hits Everybody
6. Hole in My Life
7. So Lonely
8. Message in a Bottle
9. Reggatta de Blanc
10. Bring on the Night
11. Walking on the Moon
12. Don't Stand So Close to Me
13. Driven to Tears
14. Canary in a Coalmine

Disc: 2
1. Do Do Do de da da Da
2. Voices Inside My Head
3. Invisible Sun
4. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
5. Spirits in the Material World
6. Demolition Man
7. Every Breath You Take
8. Synchronicity I
9. Wrapped Around Your Finger
10. Walking in Your Footsteps
11. Synchronicity II
12. King of Pain
13. Murder by Numbers
14. Tea in the Sahara

I would absolutely love, love, love to have these CDs, especially before I go see them in concert (which I'm hoping to do in Louisville, the closest place they're visiting). I have some, but not all, of these songs on my iPod. If could get all, I'd be thrilled! It's rare when a day goes by at work, and I don't flip to either a Sting or Police song on my iPod. So I can't imagine anything much better than having all their best songs at my fingertips (and without iTunes DRM!).

Crystal Clear, Pure Water

You know, I'm a water snob. That is, I hate the tap water in my area of the country. For the most part, it tastes like pool water. But, I also hate buying water to drink. Seems a bit ridiculous for something I can get for free, right? Well, seems someone has gone and created a water bottle filter that goes directly in a bottle of water, and it filters your tap water for you. Yeah, I guess you are still paying for water in a way. But at least this way, you're not buying a bottle of Dasani or Aquafina...unless I'm at the airport like I was last night, in desperate need for something besides Philadelphia tap water. Blech.

Business Travel

I just got back from a business trip to Boston (Cambridge, actually). And today I'm taking a vacation day, because I didn't get in until 1 AM. I'm tired. But you know what? I realized I'd love to travel for my work. It was very exciting. And, I'd get more frequent flier miles so that I could take more vacations, like one I found to Branson Missouri. Seems like a nice little weekend getaway that's undiscovered.

Pain at the Pump

Back in the days before gas was at $3.29 a gallon for regular, and I didn't care too much about gas mileage (I drive a car that gets 30 mpg average anyway), I used to speed...a lot, and I actually had a radar detector. But now that I'm trying to improve my mileage to get the 33 mpg it's supposed to, I don't drive much over the 65 mph speed limits on the highway. You know what? I'm close...I get 31 mpg with no A/C on and the windows down on a nice day. I just can't bring myself to drive 55, which would probably get me the 33 mpg I'm looking for. So if you see me in the right lane, just know I'm trying to do what I can to conserve my fuel needs. And if you see me at the gas pump crying...it's probably because it's gone up to $4 a gallon, and I'm shelling out $50 for my tiny little car's tank every 6 days.

Tags: fuel economy, mpg, gas mileage

CatTV

My cats have been having a lot of CatTV, in full HDTV, with surround sound -- that is, my open sliding glass door, and the two nests sparrows are inhabiting in the roof of my patio. So now, I have to be sure to keep the window blinds open elsewhere, or else find them all bent out of shape. Actually, that's why I've just started leaving them open, because one day, one set of them had been massacred while I was at work. I can only imagine what Valencia (I know it was her...Meggie doesn't jump up in windows, for whatever reason) saw that made her jump through the blinds (and how she got herself out of them). Just wish I'd been there with my camera, as I'm sure it was a camera-worthy moment.

Tags: cats, window blinds, HDTV