awwww

Thought of the Day

Paperwork…

I'm proceeding with the formation of my own company to enable this "maybe" work with a former manager.  Clearly I'm feeling confident that our discussions will go somewhere and I have been learning all about licenses, B&O taxes and all the nifty little things you have to do as a business owner.

There are multiple agencies now involved in my life that didn't exist before last week.  To be fair, they were in the world, but not in MY world, and my world revolves around… you guessed it - ME. 

Having this activity to work on has been great.  I'm learning something new, getting some new experience and there is a reason to make space in the home office.  The space is coming at the expense of GASP the wedding magazines.  I'm thinking that now that the invitations have been ordered, the menu set, the décor decided upon, favors planned, and attire worked out that I can release the backlog of Martha Stewart Wedding Magazines to the earth.

I had to stop and pause there for a moment.  It is an odd shift in my universe where something that use to bring me joy no longer has the same pull.  Do you remember as a kid getting the JC Penny Christmas catalogue?  I would pour over it for hours selecting toys that I wanted.  I imagined that I HAD to select one toy from every page and would cruise through page by page making the all important decision between the Barbie Dream House or the Malibu Barbie Convertible Car.  These choices were harder when I would get to the boy toys… you know, trucks and war games, I would selflessly select toys I thought my brother would appreciate.    Then, one year the catalog came and I couldn't find anything I 'needed' or 'wanted.'  That magical kid thing was gone and I guess now that I’m getting to fulfill my wish of a wedding, the Wedding Wishbook no longer is required either.

One thing to clarify about the "fulfill my wish of a wedding" statement is that I dreamed of having a wedding, this is true.  But now I'm planning my marriage to J - which is a completely different and a more wonderful thing.  Oh, the wedding will be spectacular and fun - but I’m aware that the marriage is the thing.  (I'm shallow and self-centered, but not THAT shallow and self-centered.)  I think I did scare the florist last night with my requests for three small floral displays on each table vs. one big one…she got wide eyed and said she would have to check the figures.  I’m not overly adamant about what "I WANT" but I do want to explore the options before a decision is made.

Speaking of the wedding, J and I met with the florist and the coordinator at the site of our union to review floor plans and the set up for the ceremony.  I have to say seeing it, even in the bleak March pre-spring sprout gave me chills.  I can envision the set up, our guests and booking up the "aisle" to meet J at the alter.  Fun Fun Fun

More Wedding/Work Stuff

It looks like I might maybe have some work lined up for right after I'm done at MegaBank (22 days, 17 work days & 9 in office days) so the fact that we are way way far ahead on the wedding planning is a good thing. There may not be time to devote to things like designing the favors and other SUPER IMPORTANT things.

The work thing isn't 100% completed, and it isn't a full time job with a company, it is contracting for a VERY established organization who has a hiring freeze, but a lot of work and budget for contractors.

I've started the paperwork to form my own little company and will be starting my own business. So, you know what that means!? TAX FREE SHOPPING. No, it means I get to finally get an accountant.

Thankfully, I have lots of friends who have started their own ventures so I have good resources for my many many questions. I didn't think I would ever want to do something like this, but I'm really excited about the possibilities and the idea that I work for ME. If the client is happy, I'm happy.

Woo Woo

Things are supposed to be more wrapped up by the end of the week and I'll share what I can, when I can.

Don't mind the big cliff...

From my hometown newspaper:

No Child Left Inside' brings LB 5th graders to North Head

CAPE D - Thursday, Feb. 19, fifth graders from Long Beach Elementary were treated to the third in a series of "No Child Left Inside" outdoor classroom experiences.

...uh, if they aren't performing are they pushed off the edge of the North Head Lighthouse bluff??

Fictionary

Addendumb: An obvious footnote or addition to a contract that is completly obvious. I.E. "deposits will not be refunded for services rendered."

Manic Monday

You would think a job interview might be the MOST wonderful part of my day... but no it wasn't.

Tonight we strapped my new bike and J's refurbished bike to the back of the Camry and took the bikes for a ride. Wait... that sounds funny. We drove the bikes down our big hill, parked and then rode the bikes.

By the time we were situated it was 5:15 so we only rode for an hour, but since I haven't been on a real bicycle since about 1994 I thought it was amazing! There are lots of trails around here and I think we have found a fun alternate activity to the gym and the dreadmill.

J is now finally signed up on Facebook and is seeking out old friends. (To complete this trip down nostalgia lane, the Michael Jackson Thriller album is blasting through the house.)

Me, I'm logging off and going to shower and then read.

Good night!

Job Interview

I have a job interview in 10 minutes. I have printed my resume, made notes and made sure to not drink any carbonated beverages before this phone call.

Wish me luck!

Unemployment countdown
Calendar Days: 25
Work Days: 19
In office days: 9 or 10, maybe 8.... dedication is waning

Update:
The meeting went well. A couple more hurdles but the Chief dude and his #2 are on board with giving me a shot. I'll likely be doing a bit of travel (maybe some international... woo woo) and working on an area of security that is new to me, but still well within my comfort zone.

I'm excited and in the process of forming my own LLC, as I'll be contracting. Won't it be great to work again!!!!

Fictionary Additions

Thanks to MWR who is always thinking!

Prebound Relationship - the post LTR relationship that you have while still on your way to your lowest point.

Fucket List -your personal list of things that there's no way in hell you want to experience before you die.

Unemployment Countdown

Not that I'm ready or anything but today marks the official 30 day mark for my end of employment with MoreMegaBank

30 calendar days
22 work days
12 in-office- butt-in-seat days


(BTW... I mailed my new manager a note and got a response back where he called me by the wrong name. Not like I'm Betty and he called me Elizabeth, but he called me Patty. I felt really valued.)

Have a great day,

Patty

Guest List

The wedding topic of the day is the final guest list. 

 

All the web sites and magazines say that finalizing the guest list is likely the most stressful part of planning a wedding and I have to agree.  So far it is the only thing we have bumped up against that has been difficult.

 

I love the site we selected for the wedding - we'll be married in the back yard near a beautiful tree and then take the party inside where two bartenders will be waiting with all sorts of adult beverages while the caterers will roam through the crown offering multiple appetizers.  Eventually, there will be food, dancing, a cake and other fun treats to make this day of ours special.

 

The only thing about the location is that due to something silly like the fire code, we are limited in the number of guests we can host.  It is not an unreasonable number and it is good to have limits which has allowed us to budget for this event in a realistic way.

 

The first swag at the list came to almost 100 souls over the limit.  We had a discussion about forfeiting our deposit and searching for an alternate location, but as the other places we had seen were... um... SHITTY, we opted to stick to our place of choice.

 

Going back over the list was a much more stressful activity that involved something that I haven't traditionally done well... TRUST.  J and I first opted to limit the children who were invited to out of town guests and family and then as reality set in we have opted to make this event an adult only event. 

 

I have to say that I struggled with some of my people who may not attend because their kids aren't invited.  I am aware that children add a certain innocence and joyous flair to a wedding, but I couldn't pick which of my friends or family wouldn't be invited in order to accommodate the children.  Those of you who married in your 20's likely didn't have to deal with this on such a dramatic level. 

 

My book group ladies and my close girlfriends were so kind and understanding when I told them about this decision.  I'm sure that most of our people will understand; but I worry none the less.

 

As it stands today we are 'over' in our list to the tune of 35 people.  I am sure that once invitations go out that there will be folks that can't attend and ultimately we will not be over our maximum capacity.  We have already been informed of at least one couple who will not attend because of what I think is a horrid misinterpretation of God's Divine Plan.  (WHAT!?)  J is from a Catholic family and there are a few members of the clan who firmly believe that unions between a Catholic and a non-Catholic is not sanctioned and they will be not support us by attending.

 

Honestly, since I'm likely to never have a loving bond with this particular couple I don't really care.  It is unfortunate that such a strict interpretation of the rules holds folks back from participating in family events.  FOR THE RECORD:  My in-laws are extremely supportive of this union and have been welcoming and loving towards me.  They, like the most of the close family nearby, see how well suited J & I are for each other and how (sickly) happy we are.    This boycotting aunt who lives in the Midwest somewhere is more of an interesting anomaly than anything else (and... she takes the overage list from 35 to 33.)

 

During the negotiation phase on the list I lost my zen attitude regarding this party.  Poor J was faced with a dark & cloudy TP who couldn't express herself in reasonable terms.  I was in the wrong emotional zone and was fearful that we were going to have to make unfair cuts on the list of our friends to accommodate the folks that we were 'obligated' to invite.  J was patient, but basically told me to trust him.  I do trust him implicitly, but this was stressful.  But, just as he said he would this week he produced a list of names that works.   I'm sure it wasn't easy as he has an extremely large extended family that as near as I can tell, are not "distant" extended family.

 

So, at the end of the day, we have a reasonable list and will now start the fun process of addressing save-the-dates, invitations and getting the word out. 

 

 

Treats on the Doorstep

As "the bride" it might be a safe assumption that as the wedding draws near that packages will arrive on our doorstep. I am pre-humbled by this occurance, but the little kid in me LOVES to get good stuff in the mail. ( I think this is why I order things online.)

The best package yet arrived on our doorstep last night while J and I were dining on Spicy Wings at the Wingdome. Yes, that's right, the wedding invitations arrived!

They are very grown up, yet still a little casual ( like me). In spite of the large number of boxes there aren't that many pieces to put together, but I have an activity to keep me busy for a while!

Yeah!

PS - We purchased our invitations at Costco - which I highly recommend. We were provided with proofs via email and were able to make changes and verify that everyone's name is spelled right! AND... they were at a significant savings over traditional stores. There are some beautiful custom invitatations that we loved, but we couldn't invest $7 and invitation, so happy and thrilled with these we are. - Yoda.

Another Facebook Game... TP Needs

Here’s how it works: Google “[your first name] needs” and share the first 10 results. That's it: it is that simple. But be honest! Tag 10 people, including the person who tagged you, and pass it on... ( I don't do the whole send it to 10 people or small puppies will die thing; so here it is for your 'enjoyment')

1) Terri needs you now

2) Unlikely Terri needs a feeding tube.

3) Terri needs rehab! Terri needs sunshine and fresh air. Terri needs food and water. Terri needs mercy.

4) Terri Needs is on Facebook

5) Terri needs to not be blinded by the dollar sign, in the end it is family that matters.

6) Terri Needs Your Help!

7) Terry needs money on flikr

8) Terri needs : you & your wedding

9) Terri needs our help urgently.

10) Parenting special needs children ... by Terri Mauro

(My 'needs' are very much influenced by Terri Shaivo.)

The Change of Life

No... this isn't a post about menopause. Calm down!

The business of moving is a pain in the butt. Thankfully, I have been taking my time in moving my things to storage, and making tough decisions about my "things." Letting some things go to Goodwill is easy. The kitchen strainer from 1965 that was a reject from my grandmothers kitchen is an easy thing to part with, whereas the bridesmaid dress from my friends 1994 wedding was tougher.

I'm not sure why parting with the dress was so hard. The lovely navy blue silk dress no longer fits (too big!) and after having worn it to her wedding and Janie's wedding and a number of parties the dress saw a number of outings that most bridesmaid dresses don't. The peach taffeta number with ruffles and bow from the 1989 wedding saw one day of action. We looked cute, but PEACH? no thank you. Maybe donating the navy dress was tough because at the time it was purchased I was too big for the dresses in the store and had to have it custom made. It was a specially horrifying experience, but it was also a costly one. My friend, the gracious bride covered the cost difference between what the store bought dress would have been and the cost of a custom dress. Still, neither of us were rolling in money. At the time we were angling to earn our age - meaning if we were 25 then we would have made $25,000 a year. My income that year would have allowed me to drive, but not vote. So, while I spent more on those cute red shoes in my closet, the dress still feels like it was an investment.

There is one last item hanging in the closet at the condo. It is also a bridesmaid dress. And, I honestly and truly thought it was beautiful! (I'm not just saying that because the bride related to that dress reads this periodically - I really did love it.) The problem with that dress is that it was also an investment - although at the time it was purchased I was close to retirement so it was less impactful. And... the dress is HUGE. Other than the wedding dress that is hanging in secured storage at the dressmakers, this dress was the most expensive clothing item I have ever purchased. There is no altering that will make it wearable, although I'm tempted to take it to the dressmaker and ask if it can be made into something - i.e. a smaller TP sized skirt. But, with no fancy parties in my immediate future (other than the wedding ) investing MORE into the dress seems like a bad idea. So for now, the way way to big dress hangs. J says I should part with it, but it just isn't that easy.

A friend who is moving back to Seattle and starting a new job on Monday has asked to stay at my empty condo for a month, so we were over there last night making it somewhat presentable. Everything is packed up out of the bathrooms and bedroom. The kitchen is 95% done. There is random food in the pantry and the freezer still has remnants of dinners not cooked. I'm hopeful that my new renter will eat the place clean. She's a 100 lb featherweight, so I doubt she'll eat anything, but I can always hope.

I still have some work to do at the condo. I have to roll up and remove the Pottery Barn rugs and remove the love seat to make the living room more "roomy." We'll be inviting cousin Anton (who is young and strong) to come over for furniture movement and dinner on a weekend to wrap things up. How exciting to have 20 year olds in the family again!

I feel fortunate that I'm selling when I want to, not when I have to. I do want you to send a shout out to whatever benevolent being(s) that you trust in that someone falls in love with my little home and wants to move in permanently. It would be a relief to go into unemployment without a mortgage payment.

Oh my... the fact that I'm underemployed right now is so very apparent. talk talk talk talk

The Denver Trip

Thursday, J and I jetted off to Denver for his dad's 70th birthday and co-engagement party for us. Friday, John and Susie hosted a pizza party at their local parlor for a large number of family members. I was able to meet the best man and the good childhood friend. Both were super nice guys!
John (my future FIL) made reference to a night they all spent at Bucca di Beppo in the Pope Room. Check out the Pope hat. I was sure to move my chair away when he popped that on his head. I clearly didn't move far enough away because when his hand dipped in to the holy water (aka my water glass) I was blessed by accident as the "sacrament" flew across the table.

This is J's cousin checking out "THE" ring. I do love it, and don't mind showing it off, but I spent a lot of time over the weekend with my hand being checked out.

Pope "John"

The engagement/birthday party was held at the private school where Susie (MIL) works. It was a small affair with 50 of their closest friends.

This is me with John, and J popping in as the 'goofy' picture ninja.

Lastly, this is J and I by the 'bride & groom' dolls that adorned the fireplace. They are cute, but the fact that they had name tags (our names) was a special bit of cheese.

The party was lovely, and John & Susie's friends were so kind. It is clear that they adore J&S and think J is the cats meow.

In addition to the parties, we dined at J's favorite haunts in Denver. Sam's #3 for a wonderful breakfast, and then a trip into downtown for the hottest burrito I've ever not been able to eat at Benny's.

Monday night, J and I snuck out on our own to the Chop House for a date night. I felt a little guilty about spending an evening alone with J when we were only with his family for 4 days, but it was our valentine's day outing.

We (the whole big Seattle group) took the light rail into town and had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. We wandered around in the downtown mall area and checked out the Brown Palace (a historic Denver hotel.)

In addition to J and I, three sets of cousins from Seattle came with us for the party. It was nice to spend the time together. I'm happy with all the family bonding. If you read back over our journey I first said that I thought J was "overly into" his family, but now that I know them, I must say that I was wrong.

Yes, I AM judging

The story about the octuplet mom hit the news like a happy breath of fresh air. We were all thrilled for this family with the outrageous number of babies, but they were healthy and in light of the doom and gloom of the news lately how nice to hear a good story.

Of course, as the days progressed we learned that she already had 7 kids and that she intentionally tried for multiple births.

I think the media believes themselves to be impartial in their presentation of this story, but it is clear that they are judging her and looking down their noses at her choice. Me, I won't even pretend to be unbiased. I think she's a little unbalanced when it comes to her desire to be a parent. I think I heard her say "I wanted unconditional love" OH MY GOD... GET A PUPPY.

So, I have sat back in silent judgement, but no more. I think that the love of children needs to include smart decision making about financial support as well as emotional support. I don't doubt these 75 kids will have lots of love in their life, but I worry that if they should do something like grow up and move out that they might have some trouble with mom. I don't know how they will pay for college - but before we get to that, how about well baby check ups? How is she going to cover that?

I saw a headline on CNN.com that prompted this tirade. Octuplet mom $50k in debt, asking for $$$

OH MY GOD...did she think that the TLC channel was going to offer her a tv show? Sorry lady, crazy only gets you airtime on COPS or American Idol and even then only for a minute (if you're 'lucky'.)

Usually, I try to take the zen approach when someone makes a decision that I wouldn't, but in this case her decision has lots and lots of impact. I DON'T APPROVE.

One Word

I'm on Facebook and enjoying the expenditure of time, but some of the 'games' I think are more fun for here (especially since I don't like the copy and pass it on type messages.)

"Copy and change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers. Be sure to tag the person you received it from!"

1. Where is your cell phone? desk

2. Your significant other? j

3. Your hair? head

4. Your mother? funny

5. Your father? aging

6. Your favorite? garlic

7. Your dream last night? wedding

8. Your favorite drink? wine

9. Your dream/goal? bliss

10. What room you are in? white

11. Your hobby? blogging

12. Your fear? helplessness

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Italy

14. Where were you last night? funk

15. Something that you are not? male

16. Muffins? muffintop?

17. Wish list item? house

18. Where you grew up? Ilwaco

19. Last thing you did? blog

20. What are you wearing? smile

21. Your TV? huge

22. Your pet? dead :(

23. Friends? FANTASTIC

24. Your life? blessed

25. Your mood? content

26. Missing some one? Grandma

27. Car? Highlander

28. Something you're not wearing? condom

29. Your favorite store? clothes

30. Your favorite color? red

33. When is the last time you laughed? 5:38pm

34. Last time you cried? 5:15pm

35. Who will resend this? nobody

36. One place that I go to over and over? potty

37. One person who texts me regularly? J

38. My favorite place to eat? table

39. My favorite food? pizza

40. My favorite person? J

I don't understand...

While watching the Grammys Sunday I was following along with the LA Times live blogger during the show.  It was a delightfully sarcastic interpretation of the event.  J was loving the music, but didn't have that "girlfriend" snipping thing happening.  I'd ask "What is she wearing!?" and he'd blankly look at me as if to ask, why does it matter?    It doesn't matter dude, which is why it is fun to mock them!

 

However, J and I were on the same page about the silly performance of the Jonas Brothers and poor Stevie Wonder.  The JoBro's were swarming around Stevie like gnits on a hot summer night.  I fully expected him to start swatting at them to shoo them away from his personal space. 

 

Justin Timberlake gets props in my book for pulling together an additional performance that night with less than 2 hours notice.  I want to hate this guy for being in a useless boy band (see Jonas Brothers) but he has talent that I can't deny.

 

The reason JT had to pull together an impromptu performance is that Rhianna (a smokin' hot, young singer) pulled out of the show a few hours before the curtain was to rise.  It has been all over the news that her "boyfriend" Chris somebody apparently beat her up after they left a party in LA.   Reports are that he not only hit her, but that he may have severely bit her.  Bit, like with your teath!?

 

I've supported the Eastside Domestic Violence Program for a number of years now and do understand the domestic violence scene.  I get that people do learn their coping skills from the environment in which they were exposed and that some people resort to hitting because they don't have the words to say "hey, you are pissing me off right now!"   I also understand that DV can happen to anyone, there isn't a specific type of person who is more prone or more vulnerable and peope certainly do not CHOSE to be in that situation.

 

Intellectually, I know all of this, but I simply can not comprehend a scenario in which I would be so out of control that I would hit and bite my partner in anger.  I know I'm fortunate that I was raised in a household where conflict was solved with words.  Sometimes loud words, but there was talking and listening and then more talking and listening.  I can only recall one incident where there was swinging of an object in anger.  (And I think my dear teenaged brother deserved to get swiped with that dish towel for what I remember was a frustrating set of mistruths that were presented to a parent at his or her wits end.  And... in that scenario, I also recall the parent in question removed themselves from the situation because they were so mad.  Knowing when to self-impose a "mommy or daddy timeout" is a useful skill.  My lack of experience in 'loosing it' makes it hard for me to understand how a situation like that goes down.

 

So, here's Rhianna a rich and successful gal who has a boyfriend who is equally rich and successful boyfriend.  They "should" be immune to these things.  That isn't the case, but from the outside looking in it is easy to wonder what they have to be angry about.  I hope that she has a strong support system and that Mr. Brown gets help too.  I don't believe that he has to be an "abuser."  I hope that with help he could be in a healthy relationship with the right person.  (His parole officer?)   I do sincerely hope that who ever he ends up with in the long run isn't Ms. Rhianna.  I don't know them or their relationship, but I would hope that she get's the heck away from him forever. They clearly aren't good together.

 

These are just my opinions, for what it is worth.

Wedding Minutia

Things are humming right along for the wedding. We met with the caterer last week to discuss the floor plan at the "Manor" and the meeting went great. I think I love our choice for caterers.

Pyramid Catering had great pricing, pulled together a clear bid and seems to be a partner in this nutty event. Not only did we discuss the floor plan, but we talked about the timing of the event (which was stressing me out a bit) and then we had a lengthy discussion about the color of the plates. Yes, in addition to chair covers we are concerned with white vs. cream plates. With all white linens in play we decided to upgrade to white plates at a cost per unit of $0.02 additional in the rental fees. No one will notice or comment on the 'white plates' but the additional $18 in rental charges seemed worth it for plates that match. I likely wouldn't have noticed myself until it was mentioned by our coordinator, but once the color difference was pointed out, I needed to fix it.

SERIOUSLY... I'm about to lose my job and I'm "worried" about white vs. cream plates. WOW

The other fun (to me) news is that we ordered our invitations. Woo woo! J is a great sport... it was about a 2 hour activity to get all the details worked out and he stayed with us the whole time. I know he could care less about the selection of claret vs. maroon for ink color but he stayed focused.

Last night we started looking at wedding rings for J. Like most things for the wedding, the man jewelry is far less expensive than the woman jewelry. That's ultimately a nice thing, but it might be easy to think that the man-band means less because its value priced, but that isn't the case.

Anywho... other exciting news is related to the wedding favors and I can really only share that with the girls in the wedding party - so neener neener, no details for you.

Ok... gotta go. There will be more news on this topic as the months roll on.

New Digs

As part of the shrinking staff at former MegaBank they are consolidating staff in the building. Instead of supporting 18 people on floor 6 and 24 on floor 7 and so on, they moved us up in the building to fill in spots on other floors.

In this reshuffle I lost my "office" but learned this morning that I gained a window! I'm on the 21st floor and look out over the Puget Sound. I can see the ferries zipping across to the islands and can watch the big ships pull into port and drop their wares. I also have a view of the new Four Seasons hotel, which is mostly roof to me, but they are still working on it, so there's activity.

I have to say that this view is pretty great and it's too bad that the circumstances in which it came to me are so awful. But, I am determined to enjoy it for the next 46 days, or 30 days if you take away holidays, weekends and some schedules "remote working' days.

OH - MY - GOD !!!!

I don't know HOW I will kill him, but I know why....

I have had a song in my head all day and it finally went away, but he just cranked the stereo and it is blasting Taco's "Putin' on the Ritz."

"If you're blue and you don't know where to go to, why don't you go to, where fashion sits, Putin' on the Ritz!"

KILL ME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swing Shift Data Processor

For the most part I am resigned to my impending job loss. I am trying to make the most of this temporary time of lesser responsibility at work and enjoying being home at the amazing hour of 4:15 every day.

I have the financial piece worked out and with 11 months of severance coming my way I am confident that the wedding and house purchase plan are completely within reason.

I have a potential job lined up and am excited by the prospect.

However, I am having stress dreams that wake me up at night and then I can't get back to sleep. Last night I dreamed (I want to say "dreamt" but clearly I can't spell it, or it isn't a word) that I turned in my laptop and blackberry and got my severance check for $1,000. I was trying to figure out how to pay my mortgage and got so twittered that I woke up.

Some stress is normal and thankfully I have the support of family and friends. I've been unemployed before and now have the benefit of more experience, superb references and a level of confidence in myself that I didn't have in 2001. I will be fine.. but damn it, why can't I stay asleep?

Last Nights Dinner -- Yummy

Adapted from the February 2009 Real Simple Magazine.

Chicken and Vegetable Pot Pie.

This was super yummy and pretty easy to put together! The only bummer... I couldn't eat more of it. (Damn the gastric bypass when the food is wonderful!) The second picture is the left overs after dinner last night.

chicken and vegetable pot pie

what you're going to need
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, chopped (I used medium, and wish I had used 1 1/2 onions)
4 carrots, diced (medium to small carrots, peeled and then diced)
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used one I didn't mind finishing with dinner.)
2 cups milk
1 10 oz package of frozen peas (peas don't actually come in 10 oz. sizes anymore, so I used 1/2 of a 16 oz package, and about 5 oz of frozen corn - because I had it.)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme ( DO NOT USE LEMON THYME... it is very fragrant.)
kosher salt & black pepper
9 inch pie crust (I used frozen crust cuz I just don't love my family as much as you might love yours.)
1 1/5 or 2 quart baking dish (round or oval)

what you're going to do:

Cook chicken in pot of simmering water until cooked (10-12 min) , drain, let cool and shred (I cut my chicken in to manageable chunks so it would cook evenly before the water cooking.)

Once chicken is done, set it aside, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat (use a pan big enough to hold all the ingredients) Add onions, potato, and carrots and cook until they are softened. (8 - 10 minutes depending on your comfort level with crunchy veggies. I like the crunch, my dad likes the mush, so I would cook it longer for him.) Don't let the onions darken. Add the flour and cook, stirring for about a minute.

Add the wine (have a glass yourself - you're making dinner for pete sake!) and cook until it is evaporated. Add the milk and simmer until the mixture thickens. (2-3 minutes). Stir in chicken, peas, thyme (not lemon thyme), salt and pepper (to taste).

Once mixed together pour into a 1 1/2 - 2 quart baking dish. Lay crust on top, pressing to seal. Cut several vents and put pie on a baking sheet. Bake about 30-35 minutes at 400 until it is golden brown.

If you're not looking to completely remove all carbs from your world I would use the second pie crust under the filling. (Put the bottom crust down and THEN add the contents, but if you don't want to follow my directions, you're on your own.)

This makes a very big serving - they say 6. I say if you're serving anything else, it could serve 8. If you're a small(er) family, then divide the mix into 2 and bake one, freeze the other.

Don't forget what I said about the Lemon Thyme - it really changes the flavor of this dish in not a good way.... NO LEMON THYME. Lemon Thyme BAD.

In our next blog, What I learned about cooking with lemon thyme vs. regular thyme.

Sweet Nothings

Last night there was a CSI marathon taking place in the livingroom.  We were many many episodes behind and wanted (needed) to see how Grissom left the show, but in order to do that we couldn't skip ahead.

 

I tell you this not because it was such a great departure or a stunning tv moment that left me in tears.  I tell you this because too much of one tv show can skew your view of the world.  I noticed this when watching episode after episode of Sex and The City.  I would find myself wearing odd clothes with my bra handing out the back, bitching about all the men I wasn't dating and hiking around the city in too tall shoes.

 

So, after the THIRD hour (not quite... because we don't do the commercials) there was a murder of a husband.  Poor guy was bonked on the head, and then burned to a savory Cajun crisp using the gas water heater, a mason jar and (no kidding) corn meal.  It was a very McGyver moment in my opinion.

 

J and I were sitting on the couch and I leaned over and whispered sweetly into his ear,  "I would never kill you like that."

 

He responded by quickly moving away and asking "Just how do you intend to kill me then?"

 

I mean please, would I even announce what was part of my evil plan? 

 

There's no plan. Honest.  Really...

 

Oh, and the update on the chair covers (because I KNOW you've been losing sleep is that the higher quoted price includes them coming back and picking up the items.  Now THAT is worth the extra 50 cents.   I know, I know, 70% of the people at the wedding will not even notice the chair covers, but I will. 

 

 

Wedding Rant

Oh gosh... the first real rant about the wedding. You know how I am about customer service.... if it sucks, I blog about it.

At the Seattle Wedding Show, whose side business is selling my email address to every vendor on the face of the earth, I found a chair cover company that I wanted to use. Oh, good Christ, she's blogging about chair covers! Their prices were reasonable and they could deliver and set up the covers.

So, this week I emailed to get an official quote and sure enough, the prices are MORE than the price sheet from the wedding show. I emailed a qualifying question (i.e. "is that the price before or after the 10% show discount?") and was told the amount was the post discount price.

I emailed back and asked why their pricing was different than the price sheet, but haven't heard back. I'm worried because even at their inflated price, they are still the best price in town...

But, do I really want to go with a company that is FLAKY? Can it be that the biggest pain in the ass about "my special day" will be over chair covers?

wait... check that, I meant to say "our special day."

T minus 1 day

Tomorrow is "D" day for my team at MegaBank. It will be a mostly uneventful event. They will come in, give me their laptops and then we will go have "lunch." By "Lunch" I mean drinks. That's the plan anyway. I'm pretty sure no one will be in the mood to go out for a drinkie, but I've got the credit card in hand and am ready to buy a few rounds.

I've been somewhat detached about the reality of this situation. I know its happening, I have been preparing and talking with them about it, and since the middle of December my team hasn't been in the office. But this weekend it really hit me how badly this really sucks.

In 2001 when eCharge closed its doors we were all in the same boat. Top to bottom, executives to file clerks - we were all informed on the same day that we no longer had jobs as of 2 weeks earlier (dirty bastards.) It sucked, it was shocking and it was awful but at least we were all equally screwed.

This time it feels worse. Maybe it is the fact that we've had weeks and weeks to sit and stew knowing that 'we' aren't wanted, or maybe that "they" made decisions about peoples future without really knowing them. Maybe I just really respect the team of folks I work with and feel like they are getting a raw deal.

So, tomorrow is going to suck. I may even show emotion - so much for being the "strong, managerial" type. I'll let you know how it goes.

Flu Hoo

After a lovely romantic weekend I was smacked down to reality with a mild case of the flu. I've been light headed, achy and stuffed up.

Thank Proctor & Gamble for NyQuil!

I've been sleeping all day but just took a shower. I'm pretty sure my honey is in this for the long haul, but why test that theory with hair that hasn't been washed in two days . I scared myself when I used the restroom and accidentally turned on the light.

So, no witty and observational post from me today. I've got to hold down the couch some more.

Humble

One of my dearest friends gave me a generous and extremely thoughtful gift for my 40th birthday that I am using today.

J and I are headed to the Salish Lodge for spa treatments, a soak in the hydro-therapy room (aka, indoor pool - no kids) and then staying overnight in a lovely room with a soaking tub that overlooks the falls. Tomorrow morning we'll dine on the most fabulous breakfast.

We made dinner reservations for tonight and are planning on dressing up and having date night for our romantic weekend "away."

I am overwhelmed at the kindness of this gift and we will enjoy it to the fullest.

HOWEVER... I had to get a bathing suit today. I figured out last night that we needed suits and I had returned the suits that had been purchased for Greece. With only a few hours to work this out a trip to the mall wasn't practical, so I did my suit shopping at Target. It was nice to be able to shop in the regular section - but OH MY... those suits are for little girls who have no extra bits to cover up. Bikini -- not so much for my 40 year old boobs, and HELL NO for my newly deflated stomach. I did find a demure but not OLD LADY suit that covers most of my trouble spots, but will still be a bit sassy for the fella.

So, while you're enjoying your Saturday, you won't be hearing from me for the rest of the weekend. I intend to be blissed out after my massage and spin in the whirlpool.

Have a lovely one!

Velly Intellesting

You almost count me amongst the unemployed these days. I have a couple days a week where I am working remotely, and since no one calls me, nor emails me and my application is essentially dead, my work life consists of a few governance meetings a week and being available for emergencies. The former boss called me an "insurance policy".

Because of this change in my work flow, I'm not tied to a desk and am experiencing life in a new way. Yesterday, I 'worked from home' and while I waited for inbound contact, I took care of some minor personal things. I picked up a shirt from the dry cleaner, got a coffee at the local Starbucks, and went to Target to get some tubs to pack away the last of the Christmas things. (Christmas stuff grows each year. Have you ever noticed that?)

I have experienced unemployment before, and I've taken a week off and stayed put so I'm familiar with the idea that stores and traffic is MUCH different at 10 am on a Tuesday than they are at 6:30 pm. I don't quite remember the EXTREME shift in the demographics of the patrons at that hour. Yesterday I noticed that I was the only woman on the face of the earth (aka Issaquah) who was out and about but didn't have a kid in tow. There were wall to wall moms at Starbucks, and Target was even worse. On the roads they were all zipping around purposefully with kids. I felt like the only girl at the ball in jeans.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking at these women wistfully and longing for their beautiful babies and their lovely lives. I know that for me, being a 'mommy' wouldn't be Tuesday morning play dates at Starbucks with by best friend "Whitney" and her baby "Jonah" for me mommyhood would likely be a frantic flip flop between loving my adorable baby and dropping him or her at day-care-palooza so I could get to work. I would be covered in baby pooh and filled with enormous guilt that I was not only leaving him/her for hours at a time to work, but enjoying my work. I see my friends pull it off, and they do it with grace. I respect them, respect their parenting skills and am amazed that the are wearing matching socks. I just don't see HOW they do it.

Anyway, my point is... oh my, I have no point (and I guess if you're still reading me after all these years you know I often don't have a point.) I guess I was just shocked by the amount of mommies and I wonder why I didn't notice them when I was unemployed and hanging out at Starbucks in 2001.

The bubble

I've been accused of being in a "Love Bubble" in the blog-o-sphere and am making an effort to get back to my "witty" "smart" and "enjoyable" content. But, I'm not making that effort right now. (lol)

Today, I will bore you with horrific wedding details.

As a 40 year old bride there are things that work and things that just don't. Pink - as a color scheme frankly loses its oomph after the age of 34. The bubble skirt is also a monstrous look that on anyone over the age of 16 looks silly and stupid. (My apologies if you are wearing a bubble skirt right now... but TAKE IT OFF, it is WRONG.)

Things that work for a 40 year old bride - paying your own way. Making decisions and only having to make one other person happy is great. I can't imagine trying to explain to my mom why the sable colored organza ribbon printed with our names is important. (For the record - no such item has been discussed, has been ordered, nor is in the works.)

Today we discussed and decided on a fun thing for the wedding. We researched and purchased photo booth services (you know, like the penny arcade thing) for the wedding. Our guests will get to take home the photos they take and we ( J&I) will get a CD with all the pictures. We think it will be a groovy interactive activity.

Plus, we will set it up next to the second bar, so we are confident that as that bar gets action the pictures will get more and more "special". No nudity though- there will be an attendant. (Yes, Jody I am talking to you!)

Other things that are awesome about being a 40 year old bride is the ability to strongly say no to a vendor, caterer, florist, or whomever without the worry that I'm hurting any one's feelings, or being "bridezilla." "I SAID NO to the 'Macarena'! I'm sure I will instill fear in the heart of the DJ when I explain my adamant desire to have ONLY the approved country music played. I don't have friends in low places, so there's no reason to let ANYONE sing about it. Should someone bring Garth Brooks to the wedding as a guest, I suppose I MIGHT let it happen, but that's my only contingency plan.

Holy crap, that was a hell of a lot of "me" and "I". Don't judge me, no one will be filming the wedding for a terrible lifetime tv show. I promise to be gracious and happy the whole day no matter what.

The one draw back is that I've been a bridesmaid at so many weddings that my efforts to avoid the things that irritated me are causing a little bit of strife. Apparently you DO have to say that you want certain things. Having a wedding is something I've been waiting for (and it helps with the fact that I found the most neat-o-est of guys) but... being "THE BRIDE" and running the world is not a power trip for me. I was told (kindly) this weekend that I needed to voice my desires rather than negotiate the things that are important. Oh... so actually saying I want to spend the day with my girls vs. trying to fenagle them into spending the day with me is the way to go.

Any who.... as I read this back, I'm realizing that my second glass of wine is effecting my ability to track and record thoughts. So, recapping:

Pink after 40 -- BAD
Bubble Skirt -- BAD
Photo Booth -- Bad Ass (which means GOOD to you old fogey's)
Bridezilla -- BAD
Being Clear on the things that are important to you -- GOOD.
My friends -- Awesome
Second Glass of Wine -- ill advised.

Huh?

As I came into the lobby this morning, I was assaulted by an odd sight; a "career fair" booth was set up directly across from the security station.

 

When working at a big company you expect the random booths to be set up in the lobby.  United Way day usually brings out a few tables and Community Reinvestment Day brings out the "volunteer here" booths.  New product campaigns generally bring freebies and information.  All these events seem normal, but a career fair where external companies are trolling our staff for the best and brightest is an odd occurrence.

 

In other work news, I had my final "evaluation" with my manager today.  I'm a "solid contributor" which means, average.  I'm fine with that assessment from him.  We talked for a long time about how hard the year was and how he and I could have communicated better.

 

I'm learning (about myself) that I tend to swallow the big irritations but explode over the minor ones.  I could have told him early on that it was extremely frustrating to me that he wasn't talking to me, but I waited until today...when our manager/employee relationship is essentially over.    What is that!?  I'm a strong confident person, where does the conflict avoidance come from? 

History

Nothing I can say can or would come close to expressing the momentous events of today. I did have to watch most of it on tape delay due to actual work requirements, but I still teared up.

One fun thing... we have satellite tv and they were showing multiple channels at once. Why choose NBC over CNN when you can have them both. (We just can't have ABC...that's a whole other irritating and non-relevant topic.)

Zoo Day

Was it a day of service? Probably not, but it was a spectacular day! J and I spent our MLK jr. day at the Woodland Park Zoo and then in Fremont.



The lions.























The cute old elephant.




























Here's the gorilla pooping, inspecting and then eating his poop! (Fabulous!)

















J & I in Fremont

Wow!

So, I was watching the US Coast Guard film of the crash and the rescue and as the people were coming out on to the wings, and the boats were arriving to help, the plane was floating on the current of the river.

I didn't take into consideration that the plane would be a moving object. The boats that came to pick up the people had some serious risk management to do.

Wow. Wow. Wow.

Countdown....

I'm not going to miss him!

I've been meaning to comment on something I heard Bushie say the other day as part of his "Get me the f*ck out of here" media tour. He said he thought he has been "mis-underestimated."

Uh... what? I think he has been appropriately underestimated. HE SUCKED.

Our Exciting New Life

Life as a newly engaged person is thrilling.  There are wedding things to talk about, song lists to discuss, invitations to order, for the pent-up bride it is an exciting time.

 

Last night, we drove into town and procured our sparkling wine for the wedding.  It was on sale, and there was room in J's wine locker to store it.

 

The real benefit of buying things as they come on sale is that we won't be paying for everything all at once.  So, by the time the next big purchase comes along, the sparkling wine will seem like a free item. 

 

But, once we got home we sat down to watch a little tv.  We are trying to catch up to the current CSI so that when people start talking about Grissom's departure that we're up to date.  Well.. 20 minutes in we were both asleep.  I don't mean lightly napping but still listening to the tv, but full on drooling and head dropping sleeping.  We finally woke up around 8:30 and moved back to the bedroom to watch something "more exciting."   I think it was Law & Order, SVU - but all I really remember is waking up when J took my phone out of my hand and turned off my light. 

 

We are an exciting exciting couple of people.  How nice to get a preview of what life will be like at eighty.

Upcoming Movies: TP gal predicts the bombs

Here's a list of upcoming movie titles and their descriptions with my predictions for their impact on our world:

Winter and spring:

ALL ABOUT STEVE: Sandra Bullock's a crossword-puzzle creator on a road trip in pursuit of her soul mate. (if sold as an art-movie it could have a small following, but it won't be a huge hit.)

CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC: A journalist (Isla Fisher) finds romance as she pursues her retail addiction. (fun date movie)

DUPLICITY: Julia Roberts and Clive Owen are spies carrying on an affair amid a dangerous assignment. (dull, dark and will have a small following)

FAST AND FURIOUS: Vin Diesel and Paul Walker lead the original cast of "The Fast and the Furious" into a new racing thriller. (huge hit with the immature drivers)

FRIDAY THE 13TH: The slasher franchise goes back to its beginning with an update of the horror tale about killer Jason Voorhees. (been there, screamed at that)

HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE: Miley Cyrus brings her dual life as an ordinary school girl and pop star from TV to the big-screen. (OMG, It's Hannah!!!!!! $$$$$$$$$)

HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and Scarlett Johansson lead the cast of this ensemble romance. ($$$$$, but it will suck)

THE INTERNATIONAL: Clive Owen and Naomi Watts lead a probe into banks that finance terrorism. (Like the Insider, this will be dark. Clive is very attractive, but it doesn't compensate for the fact that he's a mumbler that can't be understood.)

JONAS BROTHERS: THE 3-D CONCERT EXPERIENCE: The Disney stars follow the hit "Hannah Montana" flick with their own concert movie. (OMG....$$$$$)

MONSTERS VS. ALIENS: Reese Witherspoon leads the voice cast in an animated comedy about mutants battling an alien robot. (Sounds dreadful, so I'm sure it will make lots and lots of money)

OBSERVE AND REPORT: Seth Rogen stars in the tale of an overzealous mall cop aiming to get into the police academy. (Seth Rogen is super funny... so have a drink this looks like mind candy.)

THE PINK PANTHER 2: Steve Martin's Inspector Clouseau bumbles through an investigation of stolen treasures. (WHY!?!?!?!?!?!?)

RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN: Dwayne Johnson's a cabbie aiding fugitive teens with special powers in a remake of "Escape to Witch Mountain." (please....)

17 AGAIN: Zac Efron and Matthew Perry star in a comedy about a middle-aged loser transformed back to his teen years. (really, does anyone think Matthew Perry looked like Zac? Zac is so pretty, and Matthew is funny, but NOT pretty.)

THE SOLOIST: Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. star in a drama about a music prodigy living on the streets. (I saw a review for this and it loks touching - Jamie Fox could be up for more hardware for this one.)

STATE OF PLAY: Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck star in a murder mystery set among the elite of Washington, D.C. (HAS BENS)

STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI: The video-game sensation is adapted into an action tale of warriors in Bangkok. (fun!)

THE UGLY TRUTH: Romance is in the air for a lovelorn TV producer (Katherine Heigl) and a tough on-air personality (Gerard Butler). (Predictable...they meet, they hate each other, one falls in love is rebuffed, the other goes away and then BAM the other one realises that he is her true true love. HURL)

UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS: The roots of an ancient feud between vampires and werewolves are explored in this prequel. (is that even in English?)

WATCHMEN: A superhero's murder casts his old associates into the investigation of a global conspiracy against their kind. (interesting... teenager money)



Summer season:

ANGELS & DEMONS: Tom Hanks and director Ron Howard follow up "The Da Vinci Code" with this showdown between the Vatican and a secret brotherhood. ($$$$, but Tom Hanks with long hair is disturbing.)

BRUNO: "Borat" star Sacha Baron Cohen takes another of his alter egos, Austrian fashionista Bruno, on the road. (Could be fun, Bruno is one of my favorite Cohen characters.)

DRAG ME TO HELL: "Spider-Man" and "Evil Dead" director Sam Raimi returns to his horror roots with this tale of a cursed woman. (NO ONE WILL SEE IT)

FUNNY PEOPLE: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and director Judd Apatow aim for laughs with a serious story about a dying comedian. (a dying comedian?)

G-FORCE: Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz are among the voice cast of an action comedy about guinea pigs trained as covert operatives. (I can imagine the porn version of this already.)

GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST: Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner star in the tale of a womanizer visited by the spirits of his jilted exes. (strange... MM is oddly interesting, but his last few flicks have been horrid.)

G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA: The Hasbro toys go into action in this tale of military operatives hunting an arms dealer. (if this is stop motion, I say woo hoo, if it's animated... dull)

ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS: Ray Romano and his prehistoric pals return in part three of the animated franchise. (I LOVE RAY ROMANO! Welcome back doomed Dinos!)

I LOVE YOU BETH COOPER: Hayden Panettiere stars in a romance about a teen geek who gets his shot with the school hottie. (ick)

IMAGINE THAT: Eddie Murphy's a dad whose daughter's imaginary world holds the key to solving his personal crises. (Murphy needs to stop with the kid flicks, and go back to being dirty and raw!)

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS: Brad Pitt stars in Quentin Tarantino's World War II epic that's a throwback to "Dirty Dozen"-style war action. (ooh, QT makes great movies!)

LAND OF THE LOST: Will Ferrell's a scientist hurled into a world of dinosaurs in this update of the TV show. (Chacka!!!)

MY SISTER'S KEEPER: Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin star in a drama about a girl conceived as a donor for her ailing sister. (this bummer of a book will make a bummer of a movie, oh, the ladies will see it and cry and cry...)

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN: The national museum comes alive in Ben Stiller's comedy sequel. (er...oh, I get it, he's a a new museum with new displays.)

THE PROPOSAL: Sandra Bullock's a book editor trying to avoid deportation by marrying her harried assistant (Ryan Reynolds). (mind candy, predicatble, and I'll totally see it.)

PUBLIC ENEMIES: Johnny Depp and Christian Bale star in Michael Mann's saga of Depression-era gangster John Dillinger. (ooh, me likey!!!)

THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3: Denzel Washington and John Travolta star in the remake about crooks who hijack a subway train for ransom. (has beens.)

TERMINATOR: SALVATION: Christian Bale leads humanity's remnants against machine enemies in the franchise's first flick without Arnold Schwarzenegger. (nope, not worth your time, and yet, you'll see it.)

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN: Shia LaBeouf and his giant Autobot buddies team up for a rematch against the tyrannical Decepticons. (I hear the first one was ok, so I'm sure it will have an audience.)

2012: John Cusack stars in an action epic about the end of the world and what comes after. (Cusack...oh how I miss you Lloyd.)

UP: The latest from Pixar Animation ("WALL-E") follows the balloon adventure of an old man and a boy stowaway. (Pixar - say nothing more.)

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE: Hugh Jackman goes solo in a prequel to the "X-Men" movies spelling out the back-story of his mysterious superhero. (I hate prequels...)

YEAR ONE: Jack Black and Michael Cera are primitive outcasts on an epic romp through ancient history. (bill and ted of 2009?)



Fall and holidays:

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKUEL: The talking chipmunks return for part two of their big-screen adventures. (lord help us.)

AVATAR: "Titanic" director James Cameron spins a sci-fi epic about a human-alien hybrid fighting for his people's survival. (Tron?)

DISNEY'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL: Jim Carrey does multiple roles as Scrooge and the holiday ghosts in Robert Zemeckis' animated Dickens adaptation. ($$$)

FAME: Students sing, dance and dream of stardom in a new take on the hit film and TV show about a school for performing arts. (those of us who wore leg warmers originally will stay away, but the kids will love it.)

THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX: George Clooney's the mouthpiece for a sly fox stealing chickens from dopey farmers in this animated comedy. (Clooney should be seen not heard.)

THE INFORMANT: Matt Damon stars in Steven Soderbergh's tale of a corporate whistle-blower with secrets of his own. ("MATT-DAMON")

THE LOVELY BONES: Peter Jackson ("The Lord of the Rings") directs Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz in a drama about a slain girl playing guardian angel for her family. (oh my...another bummer, but this could be really suspenseful.)

NEW MOON: Young love between an awkward teenager and an ageless vampire continues in the "Twilight" sequel starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. (whatever)

OLD DOGS: A bachelor and a divorced man (John Travolta and Robin Williams) become the unexpected caretakers of 6-year-old twins. (holy hell... no thank you)

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG: Disney returns to old-school hand-drawn animation with an update of the classic frog prince fairy tale. (how quaint... DVD)

SHERLOCK HOLMES: Robert Downey Jr. has the lead in this latest take on literature's most-famous detective. (Downey is on fire these days... could be interesting.)

SHUTTER ISLAND: Leonardo DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese pair up again for a story of U.S. marshals on a case at an insane asylum. (dark...DiCaprio... Delicious)

TOOTH FAIRY: It's tutu time for Dwayne Johnson, who plays a hockey player magically sentenced to serving a week as the mythical Tooth Fairy. (you lost me at Dwayne Johnson)

UP IN THE AIR: George Clooney's a corporate hatchet man whose job is in jeopardy due to corporate downsizing. (I'm living this... who wants to see it as a movie? Nobody in my office looks like George Clooney!)

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE: Director Spike Jonze adapts the children's classic about a boy with a fantastical world as his personal playground. (neato-bandito!)

THE WOLFMAN: Benicio Del Toro turns werewolf in this new take on the horror classic that co-stars Anthony Hopkins. (so, no makeup artist required?)

Not in this list.. Harry Potter - (I'm getting in line now!)

and Star Trek - (I'm getting in line now!!!)

Not OK

The work days are slow and it is a challenge to sit there all day. Today I left at 3 and took the bus to the mall in Bellevue. I spent $7.00 at Crate & Barrel and am now sipping a tall soy chai outside the starbucks.

It is a public space with multiple couches and a large fireplace. One certainly has no expectations of privacy in this space. It is also to be assumed that conversations will be overheard. To combat this many patrons are wearing earphones. I am not in the mood for music and was enjoying the ambient sounds.

WAS.

An older man sat near me and pulled out a transistor radio. It had a little antana and everything. He pulled it out, scanned the dial for a station and then turned it up.

Uh.... I love National Public Radio as much as the next (liberally biased) person but not blasted on a monospeaker portible radio.

I'm giving him the death look now, but my mojo is off. Maybe it is the head injury from yesterday. **GLARE**

Shelves... part XXIII

The shelves were quite the saga to obtain and install. In one short day, they were dismantled and relocated to the new Casa d' TPgal and oh my they look amazing!

If you can blow up the pix, you'll see Mr. & Mrs. Potatohead (insert the "awe" sound) they are together and holding hands (urk...hurl!)

Sometimes, I'm too cute for my own self.

Who's a dumb girl?

Not dumb... clumsy.

We were packing the car this morning to take more items to the storage unit that we rented yesterday (I'm really moving out of my house and selling it) and I lifted a plastic tub filled with some odd sized but heavy items over my head. As the box crossed my face the damn items shifted and the tub crashed into my face, leaving me with a mild, but painful trauma.

It swelled up and is a bit bruised, but thankfully I didn't cut the skin. It does look like I was clocked by a short straight hard edge. Poor J was horrified as we continued on to church this morning. As we drove it was getting more and more noticeable. I think he was worried that folks might think he's a TPgal beater. Lucky us, it isn't terribly big and doesn't at all look like I've been in a fight.

I'd post a picture, but I don't want to be accused of trying to one up my friend Lori who fell in her house and broke six bones in her face. Poor thing...

So, the lesson for today is either, pack boxes more securely, or don't lift crap over your head.

Movie Review: Benjamin Buttons

Don't fall over dead, I'm actually reviewing a movie that is still in the theaters.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, staring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett is delightful. Ben is born and quickly discarded because he is born an old man. He ages backwards through the movie from an old man/ baby to a baby/old man.

The finer points of how this might happen are nicely overlooked and we watch as he has his first drink at the age of 15 (but looks 70) and has other "firsts" that are unusual for a someone who looks his age.

The movie is long, but for $10 each, long is ok as long as it is enjoyable. Cate Blanchett, as Daisy is ethereal as usual. They don't put her through the same movie makeup aging process as they do Brad and that's a good thing. Mr. Pitt's aging makeup appeared at times to be out of whack with how old he was supposed to look.

It also seemed that Ben and Daisy's time lines didn't quite work. I'm not the only one to mention that she seemed to grow up a lot faster than he 'got younger.'

Regardless, this is a sweet story about enduring love. A sweet treat for Valentine's Day.

Movie Review: The Hulk

I'm reminded that I viewed the latest Hulk movie a while back and that my live-in reader was sad to see that I didn't post a review.

I think I may have slept through the entire movie, because while I know that it starred Edward Norton (who I think is kind of dreamy) and Liv Tyler, I don't really remember anything else.

Maybe there was some sort of bio-nuclear incident and when Ed get's pissed he transforms. Maybe he remembers who he is, or not, I have no idea.

I do know, that the Eric Bana / Jennifer Connolly version of this very same movie that came out less than a year before the Norton/Tyler version, oh gosh, how to put this... SUCKED.

This in fact, may be the least helpful movie review ever written. Hulk 2008, saw it, don't remember it. Save your money and time. The Death Race movie would be a better use of your time.

Movie Review: Death Race

CAVEAT: this movie was not written or produced for women. It is a movie for dudes, and honestly, not for the majority of the dudes who read this blog. Yes, I'm talking to you MJS and MWR...

Also, I must confess that I slept through 80% of this movie, so there is a slight chance that I may have missed the deep and meaningful point.

Plot: In the year 2020 (or sometime in the near future) prisons are run by private companies and in order to maximize profits they televise epic car races (to the death) and our hero is set up so that he can go to prison and be the next Death Racer. He rides around in his pimped out armored car and gets shot at by a meaner guy (you can tell he's mean because he smokes. Oh, and he's shooting at you.)

Joan Allen plays the warden and it is disturbing to see someone so refined drop the f-bomb over and over again.

In the end...the race is rigged, people get blown up in very stylized ways and I couldn't sleep last night because I had a 1 1/2 hour nap at 8pm.

If you're looking for a modern version of Mad Max and the Punnisher this is your show. It was very slick and other than the fact that I as a woman, hated it, as dude shoot-em-up movies go - this wasn't terrible.

Oh my stars

Like everyone else in the new years rush... I have started attending the gym again.

Without going into too much detail, my butt hurts.

It's a good thing, but I'm still a little whiny.

A dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste

Lisa, a much enjoyed and soon-to-be-ex-coworker popped into my office today. She said, "oh hi!, I needed to borrow your um..." and then made a hand signal that confused me greatly because I couldn't think of anything in the work setting that it could be.

Using her left hand she touched her thumb to her fingertips making a circle and then inserted her pointer finger on the right hand through the hole repeatedly and was saying "you know, your um..." poke poke poke.

Just as I started to look really scared, she reached behind me and picked up her iPhone that was attached to the charger on my desk.

Well, glad I could be of assistance.

Movie Review: Momma Mia

Oh My God...

I feel duped! "Audiences are raving about Momma Mia.."

stark raving mad! This may have been one of the worst train wrecks of a movie I've ever seen.

Meryl Streep, a superb actresss... HORRID
Pierce Bronson, an attractive and talented guy... when he sang, my ears started to blead.

E on line says that it had possibly the worst choreography in a movie ever, but the New York Times said is was a perfectly nice time but that it is a mindless, hedonistic assault on coherence.

I can't quite agree, about the nice time. At one point I looked over at J and he was poking sharp objects into his ears.

We got to the point where we just wanted to find out who the kid's dad was so we were fast forwarding through the songs. Which means, through everything.

I know that many women around the world loved this movie. I love them for loving it, much in the same way you love your dog even though he poops on your floor.

The one positive thing I will say for the movie... it made me want to go to Greece. (sigh) Someday.

New Years & THE Wedding Show

We headed over to Eastern Washington this weekend to bring the delayed Christmas to my parents. Before we left town Saturday I dragged J to the Seattle Wedding Show. We were in and out in an hour and got some great information on chair covers (OMG...CHAIRCOVERS!?) and some discounts on items that we were going to buy anyway.

It was wall to wall women and I must give J credit for being a good sport. He repeatedly told me not to rush. It helped speed things along that we were able to skip all the venues, caterers and photographers. This photo is a random shot of the Wedding Show; J is a good sport!!














Happy New Year!! Here's a few shots from our fun party we attended.

1-2-2009

One of the blogs that I follow made a pact to blog every day for a year. Frankly, even I don't have that much to talk about.

It's Friday today, and I'm at work. I took the 31st off, and of course, yesterday was a holiday. On the 31st, I went over to my condo to visit the racoons and to take down the tree.

I put up a tree over there because my parents were coming, and since they didn't it could have been viewed as a waste of time. However, I enjoyed showing J my holiday trimmings (ooh, that could be taken in a naughty way... don't take it like that because I'm innocent!) We have similar tastes when it comes to the holiday decor. Thank goodness... imagine the horror of finding out your fiance' has 19 boxes of Holly Hobby Christmas ornaments. YIKES.

We ended up consolodating some of the Christmas stuff. It was odd to see "my" stuff get packed away in his Christmas boxes. Our lives are really intermingling.

Since I was at my house I picked up more boxes from U-Haul and boxed up my china, my every day dishes, my favorite display items... I may have to take that box to J's and incorporate some of my 'things' into the decor. His house is decorated well and he's been generous with space, but I do miss some of my "things." However, I don't want to continue to bring things over without having a home for them. It is hard enough adding a new person without bringing over everything I own. Likely, what will happen is that when we move into a house, I'll find this box with the pretty things I love, like my Dale Chihuly Glass Piece and my stunning crystal candle holders and it will be like getting them new all over again.

I also packed the car FULL of things to take to Mom and Dad's. We're going to have a monster yard sale in the summer. It's nice that I don't have to give away everything. Some things, like my pots and pans will be ok in a garage sale, some stuff is better to GoodWill. I'm going to need the tax write off next year.

J and I are headed over to eastern Washington tomorrow to bring Christmas to my parents and to drop off some of the yard sale stuff. Cross your fingers that we'll make it over the pass ok.

Running... more later.